WTF was that about? Remembering Man Utd's worst ever goalkeeper 🤦‍♂️ | OneFootball

Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t make many transfer mis-steps during his glorious spell in charge of Manchester United but when one of his signings flopped, they REALLY flopped.

In the immediate aftermath of the 1998/99 Treble winning season, Peter Schmeichel made the wise decision to go out at the top when he left United for Sporting CP.

It left Ferguson with the task of having to replace the greatest goalkeeper in the club’s history, and he did so by bringing in Mark Bosnich from Aston Villa – along with a little known Italian goalkeeper called Massimo Taibi in a £4.5m deal from Venezia.

Bosnich started the 1999/2000 season between the sticks but an injury to the Australian saw him drop out after the first three games, with Ferguson picking third choice Dutch goalkeeper Raimond van der Gouw for the 2-1 win over Arsenal at the end of August.

United kept winning games but they were shipping goals and having kept just two clean sheets in their first six games, Ferguson made the bold decision to hand Taibi his debut at Anfield on 11 September 1999.

The reigning champions won 3-2 to maintain top spot in the league, but it was no thanks to the unconvincing Taibi, who flapped at a cross to gift Sami Hyypiä a first half goal.

The Italian kept his place and had a better game in a 1-1 draw with Wimbledon in the following match, however, and on 25 September 1999, struggling Southampton were the visitors Old Trafford.

The day started badly enough for Taibi when was wrong-footed by Marian Pahars for the game’s opening goal, but it was nothing compared to what was to come.

Goals from Teddy Sheringham and Dwight Yorke put United 2-1 up and then, with half-time looming, Saints striker Matt Le Tissier received the ball 30 yards out and fired off a weak effort at goal.

It should have been a routine stop for Taibi, but instead …

The match finished 3-3 and more due to a lack of alternatives then anything else, Ferguson kept faith with Taibi for a trip to Chelsea in the next match.

United travelled to Stamford Bridge having not tasted defeat in the Premier League for 29 matches but after just 27 seconds, Taibi dropped another clanger to allow Gustavo Poyet to score the opening goal in a 5-0 thrashing, and the champions’ unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt.

Taibi had conceded 11 goals in his first four appearances for the club and having been cruelly nicknamed the ‘Blind Venetian’ by one newspaper, he never played for United again and was eventually packed off to Serie A side Reggina in January 2000.

“I honestly do not remember how that mistake [against Southampton] happened,” Taibi told the Manchester Evening News in 2016.

“Unfortunately, it was a hiccup. To this day, I do not know how it was even possible.

“The media were bad but it was part of our job – my team-mates were all wonderful with me.

“I used to think about it a lot but I don’t as much anymore.”

Oh mate.