Ryan Giggs turns 40 and vows to continue playing
Ryan Giggs?has no plans to retire despite turning 40 today.
The Welshman has spent his whole career at Old Trafford, making 953 club appearances since making his debut against Everton in 1991.
"I'm lucky that I have been at one club, where I am surrounded by good players and a good manager," he said.
"It can be hard sometimes but I am still enjoying it. As long as that is the case I will carry on. I still want to do well in every game, want to win trophies and my focus needs to be on that."
Giggs threatened to stay in bed today to avoid becoming the victim of a 40th birthday prank.
The Manchester United wide man has seemingly been building up to his big day for weeks now. By tomorrow, it will finally be over. And no-one will be more delighted than the man himself.
"It is obviously a milestone but I try not to think about it," he said. "I don't know if the lads are planning anything – but I'm not going in just in case. I'm going to stay in bed. I'll be glad when it is over."
Giggs' achievements are the stuff of legend. So impressive was his performance in Wednesday's 5-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, one of the German side's defenders felt compelled to ask Wayne Rooney exactly how old his veteran team-mate was again.
Giggs' personal records will almost certainly never be beaten – he has, after all, won as many league titles as Arsenal have managed in their entire history.
But it all could have been so different had he opted to sever ties with the club where he made his name, as fellow 'Class of 92' members David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville all did.
"If I'd moved from club to club I'd be finished by now," he said.
He has also made the transition from flying winger to midfield playmaker, although his tireless efforts have not ceased. This season he also took on the role of player-coach under new boss David Moyes.
"I don't know what the younger lads think of me," he said. "When I was 17 and 18 I thought 31 was ancient. Here I am at 40.
"It can be hard sometimes but I am still enjoying it. As long as that is the case I will carry on."
