Edwin Van der Sar can thank a complete team effort from Manchester United for helping him to a British record.

Former Scotland international Bobby Clark went 1,155 minutes without conceding a goal between the Aberdeen posts in the 1970-71 Scottish First Division season and was part of Sir Alex Ferguson's side that broke the Old Firm stranglehold by winning the league in 1980.

Clark, now head coach at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, watched his record fall on television as Van der Sar and Ferguson's United shut out West Ham on Sunday, stretching their run without conceding to 1,212 minutes.

And while the Scotsman, 63, is a big fan of Van der Sar, he was quick to recognise the players in front of the keeper.

"Full marks to Van der Sar, he's a great goalkeeper, no question about that," Clark said. "I love watching him.

"He does so many things very well but he's got a very good team, the whole team, and two very good centre-backs in front of him as well, and I think the whole team shares in the credit.

"It was the same back in 1971. We lost the league that year to a good Celtic team in the last game of the season but we had a very good team.

"We were very well organised. Martin Buchan was in the middle of the defence alongside a big lad, Tommy McMillan, and we were very well coached by Eddie Turnbull. It was as good a team as the one when we did win the league with Fergie in 1980."

Clark highlighted the fact that, while he played behind a back four that played together virtually every game, United have been forced to field many different permutations in front of Van der Sar.

"We had a big Danish right-back called Henning Boel and Martin Buchan and Tommy McMillan in the middle and then Jim Hermiston, all very good players. We didn't have a lot of injuries and the same team would start every week.

"Fergie has a depth in his squad that I don't think any team had back then and we weren't playing as many games. The European games were two-leg knockouts and now they have the (Champions) League format and you need a much bigger group.

"Manchester United, you look at the guys that are sitting on the bench. He's got the little Brazilian full-backs (Fabio and Rafael da Silva) and they're just so good and he's still got old stalwarts there like Gary Neville and John O'Shea and they just have so much experience."

Still, Clark also heaped praise on Van der Sar, giving him credit for finally solving what had long been Ferguson's problem position following the departure of Peter Schmeichel in 1999.

"Everybody plays their part in it. Obviously he has to make some good saves and he made a couple of very good ones on Sunday.

"It's hard to say who's the best goalie in the world but he's certainly one of the ones you're going to think of. He's a fabulous goalkeeper.

"And it's not just his saves. Goalkeepers now have to use their feet an awful lot more with the pass back rule and I think he's got terrific feet.

"I think the thing that made him a great signing for United is that he was a goalkeeper with great experience.

"The hard thing was always living up to almost the spectre of Peter Schmeichel. Everything was compared to Schmeichel and it was a lot of pressure on the younger goalkeepers that followed him.

"Timmy Howard is showing now at Everton that he is a good keeper but Van der Sar brought his own experience to Old Trafford and he was able to handle it very well."

Clark also believes Van der Sar will be able to handle the moment when the run of clean sheets finally comes to an end, as long as United keep winning.

Clark finally conceded a goal on January 16, 1971, when Pat Stanton fired home for Hibernian at Easter Road with Aberdeen finishing the game 2-1 losers.

"It was disappointing to the lose the goal but far more disappointing to lose the game and I think Van der Sar will feel the same.

"I don't think he'll mind losing a goal if United win the game but it was a double disappointment for us that day."