Chris Turner lived the pressure of wearing the Manchester United shirt. From his move from Sunderland to training under Sir Alex Ferguson, the former goalkeeper shares rare insights on United then, United now, and the challenges facing the club today.
Chris Turner is one of the most well-known former goalkeepers in British football. He enjoyed a great career, playing for important English clubs such as Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland, Leeds United, and others.
One of the most significant moments of his career was his transfer from Sunderland to Manchester United. Turner spent three years at Old Trafford, playing for United from 1985 to 1988. During that time, he had the opportunity to play alongside legendary players such as Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, and Paul McGrath, and to train under one of football’s greatest managers, Sir Alex Ferguson.
In this exclusive interview for Roundtable, we spoke with the former goalkeeper about his time at Manchester United, the differences between the club then and now, Ruben Amorim’s work, and the current goalkeeper situation at the club.
1. You had a great career as a goalkeeper. An important moment was your transfer from Sunderland to Manchester United. How was that move for you, and how would you describe it?
Well, it came at the end of the season when Len Ashurst left the club as manager. The team had been relegated, but we had also reached a Cup final at Wembley. I had a very good season with a lot of high-profile TV appearances, and when the season ended my contract expired.
I received a phone call from Manchester United, which was shocking to be fair, but also very pleasing. I didn’t want to leave Sunderland, but who can turn Manchester United down? I went from being the number one goalkeeper at Sunderland to being a number two, challenging to become number one at United.
I felt confident in my abilities, and over the three seasons I played a significant number of games for Manchester United. I am very pleased to have done so.
2. How would you describe your time at Manchester United, and what was it like playing with players such as Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, and Paul McGrath?
It was a period when United hadn’t won the league for a long time. During those years, the pressure was always intense. The press were very quick to write people and teams off.
In my first season, I think we finished fourth; in the second season, sixth; and in my final season, we finished runners-up to Liverpool. I am proud of what we achieved during that period, but of course, for a club like Manchester United, success means finishing first and winning the league.
Many players, goalkeepers, and coaches came and went during those years without winning the title. Even after I left, it took several more years for United to win the league again. I am pleased with how I performed and very proud to have played for such a magnificent club.
3. What was it like training under a legendary coach such as Sir Alex Ferguson, and what was he like up close?
Sir Alex didn’t do a lot of the day-to-day coaching himself. He was more of a man-manager and decision-maker, responsible for signing players and putting the team together. He always had a very strong number two or first-team coach alongside him.
Training every day with those players and playing matches was a fantastic experience. Wearing the Manchester United shirt was a dream 30 years ago, just as it is today.
4. What do you think about Manchester United’s current situation, and what are the main problems preventing the club from reaching its past level?
It’s very difficult. Recruitment, both of managers and players, has been challenging since Sir Alex left. When he won the Premier League in his final season, many of those players were nearing the end of their careers at the highest level.
Whoever took over had major decisions to make, and it was always going to take time to evolve after Sir Alex Ferguson. Unfortunately, David Moyes didn’t last long enough, and since then the manager has changed every one or two years.
The current manager is more of a coach than a Sir Alex–style manager. He is trying to implement a system that the players from this season and last have found difficult to make successful. Pressure from the outside continues to build on the manager and the players.
They won’t win the league this year; at best, they might qualify for the Champions League. Whether they do or not remains to be seen, but teams like Aston Villa, Newcastle, Chelsea, and of course Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal are currently ahead of them. That is never satisfactory for Manchester United.
5. What do you think about the work Ruben Amorim is doing at United and the team’s performances this season?
Ruben Amorim prefers a familiar style of play that has brought him success in the past. However, I think he needs to adapt his tactics better to the Premier League.
He needs to look closely at his players and the opposition in each game and make changes accordingly. The team needs more pace and energy, and at the moment he is moving from transfer window to transfer window trying to reshape the squad.
The performances this season have been inconsistent. Against Bournemouth, they scored four goals but conceded four as well, which is not championship standard. Against Aston Villa, I thought they played well but still lost, and I believe Rogers made the difference in that match.
There is a lot of work to do to build consistency in both performances and results, and to develop a fast, attacking style of football.
6. As a former top goalkeeper, what do you think about the current goalkeeper situation and the change from Onana to the young goalkeeper Lammens?
I think Lammens has done well in the past couple of months. He looks confident, but he needs games and experience. Onana was previously in goal and was a bit up and down. He received a lot of criticism, sometimes unfairly, but his performances were inconsistent.
For Lammens, it’s important to build consistency with the back three or back five playing in front of him. Once that understanding develops and he gets more games under his belt, the defensive unit can grow stronger, which is essential for Manchester United to improve as a team.
7. Is the pressure of playing for Manchester United the same now as it was during your time?
Yes, because Manchester United are still chasing the same goal: being the best team in the country. When I played, Liverpool were the most consistent and the team to beat.
Now, the pressure is once again on the manager and players to perform consistently week in and week out. There is a lot of pressure, and that’s where Sir Alex was exceptional—he knew how to absorb that pressure and get the team performing at a consistently high level.
8. What do you think about the work Jim Ratcliffe is doing at Manchester United, and can he restore the club to its former level?
It’s another very difficult role within the club. Jim Ratcliffe has come in and invested billions of pounds. Decisions have to be made, some of which are unpopular but necessary.
Ultimately, his time at the club will be judged on the success of the team and the club as a whole. Taking over a club like Manchester United requires time to implement your vision. It’s not just about finances—it’s about man-management, squad building, and putting a winning team on the pitch.
At times, it feels like progress is being made, but then a poor result or performance makes you question whether much has really changed. I think we need to wait a couple more years to truly assess how successful his impact will be.