Peter Schmeichel: The Great Dane Who Redefined Modern Goalkeeping

Manchester United had needed a reliable first choice goalkeeper for more than two decades by the early 1990s, with Alex Ferguson using Gary Bailey - occasionally brilliant but often inconsistent, Gary Walsh, Chris Turner, Jim Leighton, Les Sealey, and a handful of times even a very young Mark Bosnich, during his first five years in charge at Old Trafford.

When Peter Schmeichel joined the club from Brondby on 6 August 1991, that all changed.

Having started his career at home town club Gladsaxe and moving onto Hvidore, Schmeichel's reputation outside his homeland grew after helping Brondby to three Danish Superliga titles in 1987, 1988 and 1990. It prompted Ferguson to send then goalkeeping…