Gary Andrew Pallister (born 30 June 1965) is an English former professional footballer and sports television pundit. As a player, he was a defender from 1984 to 2001 and is most noted for his nine-year spell at Manchester United from 1989 until 1998. His honours at United include four Premier League titles, three FA Cups, the League Cup, the European Cup Winners Cup, the European Super Cup and five Charity Shields. He is perhaps best known for his partnership at centre half with Steve Bruce. He also had several spells with Middlesbrough that yielded over 200 appearances combined over both periods, as well as briefly playing on loan with Darlington in 1985. He was capped 22 times by England between 1988 and 1996, as well as nine caps for the England B team. Following his retirement, Pallister has worked in the media and has appeared as a television pundit for both BBC Sport and ITV Sport, with notable appearances on Football Focus and Final Score. Club career Middlesbrough Although born in Ramsgate, Kent, Pallister grew up in Norton, County Durham and supported nearby Middlesbrough F.C. His footballing career started at non-league Billingham Town. At the age of 19 he joined his boyhood club, Middlesbrough, as a defender; he made 156 League appearances over nearly five seasons, and helped them win consecutive promotions to the Football League Second Division in 1987, and then the First Division in 1988. He moved to Manchester United on 29 August 1989 for £2.3 million. Manchester United Pallister's transfer broke the national record for a fee paid for a defender, as well as being the highest fee between British clubs, and the second highest fee to be paid by a British club (second only to Ian Rush's return to Liverpool from Juventus a year earlier). Pallister had the rare achievement of representing the English national side before appearing in the top flight; in 1988 when playing in the Second Division for Middlesbrough. Later that year he helped 'Boro win their second successive promotion and reach the First Division, just two years after they almost went out of business, but was unable to keep them there and they were relegated on the final day of the 1988–89 season. As one of the highest regarded defenders in England, his days at Ayresome Park were looking numbered as soon as Boro were relegated but he did begin the 1989–90