Andy Cole has insisted that one forgotten member of the ‘Class of ‘92’ could have become a Manchester United legend had it not been for injuries.
The 52-year-old Manchester United legend was announced as the latest inductee into the Premier League Hall of Fame class of 2024 last week.
Andy Cole was inducted alongside Chelsea legends John Terry and Ashley Cole, with the latter being announced as an automatic inductee in March.
The former United striker and John Terry came out on top of a 15-man shortlist after votes from fans were combined with those of the Premier League Awards Panel.
Cole had a prolific playing career at Old Trafford and shared the pitch with several famous members of the ‘Class of ’92,’ including Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.
During his time at Old Trafford, the former United star lifted five Premier League titles, a Champions League and two FA Cups under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Cole had a formidable strike partnership with fellow United legend Dwight Yorke, with the pair playing a key part in Sir Alex Ferguson’s treble-winning side.
Man Utd legend Cole talks Class of ‘92
Despite the success of David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes, not all Class of ’92 members enjoyed the same fortunes.
The likes of Robbie Savage, Keith Gillespie, Chris Casper and Colin McKee were part of the Class of ’92 and failed to make a big impact like the aforementioned legends.
Andy Cole appeared on The Rest Is Football podcast alongside Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker and opened up about his Manchester United spell and football career.
The former England and United striker looked back on the success of the Class of ’92 and made his feelings clear about one forgotten member.
Cole insisted that Class of ’92 member Ben Thornley could have followed in the same footsteps of the likes of Beckham, Butt, Giggs, Scholes and Gary and Phil Neville.
“There was so many of them: the players who missed out, players like Ben Thornley, who had a nasty injury,” he said.
“Ben would have been up there with the rest of them definitely.”
What happened to Class of ’92 member Thornley?
Ben Thornley was thought of highly by former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and was tipped to have a bright future at Old Trafford as a Class of ’92 member.
However, the 49-year-old former winger only managed 14 senior appearances for United after a devastating knee injury hindered his career at the Red Devils.
Thornley left Old Trafford in 1998 and went on to play for the likes of Huddersfield Town, Aberdeen and Blackpool before retiring from professional football.
The Class of ’92 alumni returned to United as a MUTV pundit and has also been a television commentator for the channel.
Speaking on his football career, Thornley told The Guardian in 2018: “I will always have fallen short of what I thought I could achieve.”
He added: “I am immensely proud of everything that they all went on to achieve and that extends beyond the lads that we know as the Class of 92 – to people like Keith Gillespie, Robbie Savage, Chris Casper and John O’Kane.
“Despite what happened to me, they were always going to make that level. I don’t know if I would have done but I know for a fact I would have been given the opportunity to try.”
