One Manchester United great has undergone such a drastic transformation from his playing days that his fellow club icons haven't been able to recognise him
Brian McClair playing for Manchester United
Brian McClair spent most of his professional career with Manchester United
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Manchester United legend Brian McClair was barely recognisable during a charity match for legends due to his drastically changed appearance. The 61-year-old football icon was in the dugout for Celtic in their September clash against the Red Devils, with former players taking to the pitch to raise funds for a worthy cause.
Sporting long white hair and a bushy beard, McClair confessed that fellow ex-United stars including Dimitar Berbatov and Louis Saha didn't recognise him when entering the Celtic dressing room. The former Scotland international shared: "I was going between each dressing room and just listening to people chatting.
"It was nice to see ex-United kit man Albert Morgan, who was telling me what was happening with them. It was good to see people I shared rooms with as well.
"I had all the Celtic kit on and saw Louis Saha. He just looked up and said, 'F****** hell, I didn't recognise you.' I said that was me tidied up and making an effort." McClair, who hosts his Life with Brian podcast, added: "Then I was outside and Berbatov was there and I said, 'Hello, you all right?'
"He just looked at me kind of strangely but then I went back in again and he came over. He said, 'I'm sorry, I didn't recognise you, I thought it might have been you but thought no, no, it couldn't possibly be you.' It was nice to be recognised anyway even under this cunning disguise."
This isn't the first occasion the former striker has become a viral sensation thanks to his present appearance, as he went viral on social media in 2023 following a photograph with a supporter at a Manchester pub.
Speaking about his dramatic change from the cropped hair and clean-shaven appearance he sported during his playing career, McClair previously revealed to The Telegraph: "It started in lockdown.
Brian McClair speaking on a podcast
Brian McClair looks drastically different from his playing days
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"I just thought: let things grow, see where we end up. Then before Christmas I decided to have a tidy up, but I never got round to it.
"I was out one night and next thing I see I'm trending on social media as 'old man down the pub'. I've had the trim since. You'll be disappointed to hear I look a wee bit less as though I've been cast away on a desert island."
The focus the four-time Premier League champion received when supporters recognised his fresh appearance was "bizarre," he confessed. He continued: "I think I'm normal, others think I'm weird. I tend to notice bizarre things, bizarre things come out of my head."
Brian McClair looked unrecognisable in a recent photo
It was in 2023 when McClair went viral for his stark difference in appearance
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The charity fixture saw McClair lead former Celts including Joe Hart, Artur Boruc and Georgios Samaras, whilst United legend Bryan Robson fielded players like Michael Carrick, Nicky Butt and Wes Brown.
The Scottish outfit emerged triumphant through a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw in regular time. The victory marked the second consecutive occasion that the Celtic legends defeated their English rivals.
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