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Manchester United skipper Nemanja Vidic makes his ­farewell appearance at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, insisting he has “no regrets”

He is quitting after eight years to join Inter Milan as a free agent and will sign off at the Theatre of Dreams in tonight’s penultimate game of the season against Hull.

Vidic has become an iconic figure with United fans and the uncompromising defender paid tribute to his club ahead of what will be an emotional occasion.

“Manchester United make you feel part of the family,” said Vidic. “I’ve developed as a man at this club and it’s been a great experience for me and my family.

“I have nothing to regret, I’ve given 100 per cent. It’s been a great eight years – or a great seven years because at the moment we’re not doing so well!

“But I have great memories. To win five titles and the Champions League, I couldn’t dream of winning that many titles and of playing with so many great players.

“I’ve learned a lot, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well.”

Vidic, 32, has made 298 appearances for United, scoring 21 goals, and is likely to reach the 300-game milestone with tonight’s match and Sunday’s final game of the season away at Southampton.

He formed a formidable centre-back partnership with Rio Ferdinand, with United conceding just 22 goals all season en route to winning the Premier League title in 2008.

A cruciate ligament injury suffered in December 2011, as United went out of the Champions League group stage with defeat at Basel, saw Vidic ruled out for eight months.

He returned the following season but was ruled out for a further three months after knee surgery, but was part of the United side that lifted the club’s 20th title in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final campaign.

Vidic paid tribute to Ferguson, who bought him from Spartak Moscow for £7million in December 2005, arriving at United the next month.

“I’ve been playing for the greatest manager ever, I believe,” said Vidic. “It was a great experience and, as I said once before, this is going to be the best part of my career, these years with United.”

Looking back, Vidic hailed the penalty shoot-out Champions League Final win over Chelsea in Moscow in 2008 as the high point of his Old ­Trafford career.

Asked for his most memorable moment, he did not hesitate: “The Champions League final.

“You don’t win the Champions League every year. The club has won it three times and I was lucky to be part of a team who won it once.

“And we won it in Moscow, where I played for Spartak for one-and-a-half years. I came back to the stadium to lift the trophy and that’s the greatest memory I have.”

(Image: getty)

Patrice Evra, who arrived at United at the same time as Vidic, described him as the club’s “rock” and said it would be tough to replace him with a centre-back of equal stature.

Evra, who is also out of contract this summer and likely to leave, said he shared a special affinity with him as they joined the club together.

“I’m really sad because when you speak about Nemanja it’s like you are speaking about myself because we joined the club together,” said Evra.

“I call him the rock and for me he was a great centre-back. Losing Vida is painful.”

Ryan Giggs has played alongside the likes of Gary Pallister, Steve Bruce, Jaap Stam and Ferdinand.

But he said: “Vida is arguably the greatest defender I’ve ever played with, and I played with so many great ones. He is one of them, a great player and obviously he will be greatly missed.”

Defender, leader, legend

Life and times of United star Nemanja Vidic

Born October 21, 1981

Birthplace Uzice, Serbia

Previous clubs 2000-04 Red Star Belgrade, 2000-01 Spartak Subotica (on loan), 2004-06 Spartak Moscow

Signed for United £7million on January 5, 2006

298 United appearances

21 United goals

Honours at United

5 Premier League titles

3 League Cups

1 Champions League

1 FIFA World Club Cup

5 Community Shields

Individual Honours

4 PFA team of the Year selections

2 Barclays Player of the season

Internationals

56 Serbia Caps

2 Goals