Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has officially declared Ryan Giggs' days as a left-wing raider over.

Giggs will celebrate his 35th birthday in November, now accepting he can no longer be regarded as a first-choice United player. However, that does not mean Ferguson is ready to throw the Welshman on the scrapheap.

"Ryan has been absolutely brilliant," said Ferguson. "What we have to do is manage him. We want him nice and fresh at the end of the season because he can decide games for us. That is the great quality he has. But I see Ryan as a central player."

He added: "At 34, tramping up and down the touchline is beyond him now."