Club Name: Manchester United Football Club
Nickname: Red Devils
Founded: As Newton Heath LYR: 1878 As Manchester United FC: 1902
Location: Manchester, North West, England
Home Ground: Old Trafford
Club Address: Manchester United PLC, Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 0RA
Web Address: www.manutd.com

Club Owner: Malcom Glazer
Chief Executive: David Gill
Group Commercial Director: Andy Anson
Non-Executive Director: Joel Glazer
Non-Executive Director: Bryan Glazer
Non-Executive Director: Avram Glazer
Non-Executive Director: Edward Glazer
Non-Executive Director: Kevin Glazer
Non-Executive Director: Darcie Glazer


Manager: Sir, Alex Ferguson
Assistant Manager: Carlos Queiroz
First Team Coach: Mike Phelan
Goalkeeping Coach: Tony Coton

Honours:

European Champion Clubs Cup: 1968, 1999, 2008

European Cup Winners Cup: 1991

FA Premier League: 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008

Football League Division One: 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1967

FA Challenge Cup: 1909, 1948, 1963, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004

Football League Cup: 1992, 2006

Inter-Continental Cup: 1999

UEFA Super Cup: 1991

FA Charity Shield: 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965*, 1967*, 1977*, 1983, 1990*, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007
(*as joint holders)

Manchester United were first formed under the name Newton Heath LYR (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway).

The group of workmen who started the club played matches in Clayton often playing against other teams established by the LYR of other departments connected to the Railway company. Little did any of the players know of the impact they were eventually going to cause on a world scale.

The English Football League was first formed in 1888, Newton Heath decided not to enter as founding members alongside other North West teams like Preston and Blackburn and instead carried on their preperations for their league debut in 1892.

Newton Heath were plunged into financial trouble in the 1890's and were thought to be on the brink of dropping out of the league and ending their dreams of success but a local Pub owner John Henry Davies heard of these troubles and began to invest in the club. Davies requested that in return for his money the club should reform under a new name. After proposals of Manchester Celtic and later Manchester Central were turned down the club settled on Manchester United in April 1902.

The first manager to take charge at Manchester United was Ernest Mangnall who was given the role in 1903 he built a side that finished third in the Second Division twice in two seasons, in the 1903-1904 season and again in 1904-1905 season.

The season of 1905-1906 was to prove one of the greatest in United's early life, reaching the quater final of the FA Cup and finishing second in the second division which resulted in promotion to the English top-flight for the first time in twelve years United were back at the top, where they belonged.

To Celebrate the club's triumph Mangnall signed winger Billy Meredith from local rival Manchester City. Meredith had landed himself the title of the 'Welsh Wizard' during his time at City but had to be sold along with 15 other players after the club (Manchester City) landed themselves in hot water with the FA. Having been involved in a bribery scandal Meredith was one of the first players to leave and was swiftly signed by Mangnall.

Billy Meredith, the Welsh Wizard

Meredith was to become the first legend of Manchester United. After setting up countless goals for star striker Sandy Turnbull in the season 1907-08 United won their first English Football League Championship and were duly invited to participate in their first Charity Sheild event which they won with a 4-0 drubbing of FA Cup holders Queen's Park Rangers.

United then added a third trophy to their cabinet winning the FA Cup in 1909, beating Bristol City 1-0. With a goal from Sandy Turnbull.

This hattrick of trophies was to be the start of a great tale for Manchester United.

The Busby Babes Era

The second world war broke out forcing league football in England to decline dramatically, however, Old Trafford the ground which was bulit on the land John Henry Davies' brewery stood on was bombed. On March 11th 1941 a German air raid ripped throgh Old Traffor destroying most of the main stand, dressing rooms and clud offices. Times looked bleak for the club yet optimism resurfaced with the arrival of a man name Matt Busby.

Busby, who later proved to be one of the greastest men ever to venture to Old Trafford. He initially signed a 5 year contract in 1945, yet Busby would still be at the helm at United for another 25 years after that.

The new manager wasted no time in reinstalling quality into the United ranks. Bringing together arguably the best forward-line ever at Old Trafford, this attack became know as 'The Famous Five' and consisted of Jimmy Delaney, Stan Pearson, Jack Rowley, Charlie Mitten and Johnny Morris. However, Busby didn't see this as his greastest transfer coup. Busby had met Jimmy Murphy during the war and the two had built up a great friendship, so great infact that Busby offered Murphy the role as assistant manager at the club. Murphy and Busby worked together well blooding a crop of stars that would become in no uncertain terms the best.

Busby and Murphy's first step on the road to glory was to build a team that was capable of challenging for domestic honours. They succeeded almost at the first attempt, as United finished second to Liverpool in the first Football League campaign after the war, 1946/47. It was the club's highest placing for 36 years, and there was extra cause for optimism when the Reserves won their (Central) League Championship in the same season.

Busby's mix of youth and experience payed dividends when United lifted the FA Cup against a Balckpool side containing Stanley Matthews in 1948, 39 years to the day United had lifted the trophy in 1909.

As the 1950's began the break up of Matt Busby's first successful United side happened. Dressing room dissent led to Johnny Morris departing for Derby and Charlie Mitten exporting his wing wizardry to Colombia.

Busby, however had a plan, he decided to unleah his crop of youngsters he had been grooming during the late '40's. Jackie Blanchflower and Roger Byrne were the first to emerge and be labelled 'Babes' by the newspapers; in their debut season 1951/52, United won the League Championship for the first time since 1911. Byrne played a key role in this triumph making 24 appearances, including the final six games from the left-wing, a postion which he scored seven goals from before returning to his usual left full-back role. Busby now had the confidence in Byrne to name him captain, Byrne did his duty and led the team for four years from February 1954.

In 1955/56 and 1956/57, Byrne lifted the Championship trophy as skipper of a great young side that included several more products of Busby's youth academy. Eddie Colman, Mark Jones and David Pegg were all first team regulars, having cut their teeth in the FA Youth Cup, which United won five years in a row from its inception in 1953.

However, not all of the babes were home-grown. Tommy Taylor the Barnsley striker signed for United in March 1953 for the then relativley large sum of £30,000. Taylor proved to be worth his fee and continued to knock in goals for England and United alike. Another big-money transfer saw Harry Gregg arrive from Doncaster Rovers in December 1957. The fee of £23,000 was a world record fee for a goalkeeper at the time, but it was money well spent as Gregg immediately became United's regular shot-stopper.

Another young man who excelled for club and country was Duncan Edwards. So powerful, talented and mature was the Dudley teenager that Matt Busby could not hold him back from United's first team. In April 1953, he became the First Division's youngest-ever player at the age of 16 years and 185 days.

In February 1958 Manchester United flew to Belgrade to play the second leg of a European Champions Cup tie against Red Star Belgarde. Sadly, this would be the last time the Busby Babes ever played together, they won the game 5-4 on aggregate. However it was on their way home disaster struck;



After refuelling in Munich on 6 February 1958, the United team's areoplane struggled to take of from the runway at the airport in Munich. After little less tah an hour the pilot declared it fit to take-off. It was then the United aeroplane crashed, killing twenty-two people, including seven players; Byrne, Colman, Jones, Pegg, Taylor, Geoff Bent and Liam Whelan. Duncan Edwards became the eighth player to die of his injuries, fifteen days later in a German hospital.

Manchester went into mourning as did the rest of England. No one expected Manchester United to bounce back from something like this. Even more so when they knew staff at the German hospital didn't expect Matt Busby to recover from his wounds. However Busby did recover and led United to the FA Cup final. Although the team lost they were considered to be the real winners of that game.

Busby and Murphy yet again had to work together to build another squad capable of completing what Busby and his Babes had set out to accomplish, winning the Football League Championship...

After building one of the greatest teams seen in England, Matt Busby had to start all over again at the start of the 1960's. The Munich air disaster had robbed him, and football, of some of the era's greatest players. Nevertheless Busby set about building another great Manchester United side.

Busby's previous team had been built through the youth systems however this one included a few new names whom had been brought to the club for record transfer fees Denis Law who signed from Torino for £115,000 was arguably the best of these new recruits.

Despite a poor start the new players soon settled in and almost five years to the day of the Munich Air Disaster Busby's side reached the 1963 FA Cup final beating Leicester City 3-1 at Wembley with two goals from David Herd and one from Denis Law, however, the best was yet to come from United's newly energized team.

United built upon their FA Cup triumph by stringing a good series of results together and challenging for the league title finishing second, only four points behind eventual winners Liverpool, who United lost to both home and away. However this season was more notable for the arrival of another new player, George Best. Best had made his debut in the 1962 - '63 season but his full potential was yet to be realised.

In 1964/65, the famous trio of Best, Law and Charlton took United to new heights. They won the League Championship, pipping Leeds on goal difference, and reached the semi-finals of the European Fairs Cup and the FA Cup.

Despite looking like a team caple of winning the league again Uited finished fourth in the league during the 1965 - '66 season losing again to Liverpool. United did however put together another set of impressive cup runs losing in the semi-finals of both the FA and European Cups. The 5-1 thrashing of Eusebio's Benfica the major highlght of the season, this wasn't to be the only triumph over Benfica.

In 1966/67 United were crowned League Champions again, with Law scoring 23 goals in 36 games. The title success secured another season of top-level European football in 1967/68. Hibernians, FK Sarajevo, Gornik Zabrze and Real Madrid were swept aside as the Reds marched towards the European Cup final at Wembley;

Manchester United - Stepney; Brennan, Dunne, Crerand, Foulkes, Stiles; Best, Kidd, Charlton, Sadler, Aston.
Benfica - Henrique; Adolfo, Humberto, Jacinto, Cruz; Graca, Coluna; Agusto, Torres, Eusebio, Simoes.
Referee: C. Lo Bello (Italy).

Manchester United 4 - 1 Benfica - Full report of the match from The Gaurdian by; Albert Barham, Thursday May 30, 1968.

The Boys of '68

The start of the nineties and a new era beckoned the appointment of Scot Alex Ferguson brought many happy memories including United becoming the first ever to team to win the double (The league title and FA Cup) many thought this was going to be Ferguson's greast ever achievment, however in the season of 1998-1999 he proved that, that wasn't to be the case.

United's team went through many transitions before the great season of '99, the old blood was shed with players like Hughes, Kanchelskis and Cantona all moving on after a very fruitful turn of the decade which saw United lift the Cup-Winners Cup in 1991.

During the mid 90's United would began to emulate the same youth policy that had served Sir Matt Busby so well and United began to build a side that once again consisted of players who had come through the great United youth academy.

David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary and Phil Neville and Paul Scholes all came to the forefront of the United side in 1996 and since then they each played key roles in propelling their United side to perhaps their most succsessful period to date.

The influence that this crop of youngsters could have on results was never more apparent than in the 1998/99 season. United booked United's place in their fifth FA Cup final of the 1990's, and this time they won it, beating Newcastle United 2-0 with goals by Paul Scholes and substitute Teddy Sheringham.

That result clinched United's third Double, six days after the Premiership title had been wrapped by Andy Cole's goal against Tottenham at Old Trafford. But still there was more to come from a remarkable campaign.

After an epic Champions League semi-final against Juventus, when Keane inspired the team to fight back from 2-0 down in the second leg, United marched into an epic final against Bayern Munich in Barcelona.

United's attempts to win the European Cup for the first time since 1968 looked to be doomed when Bayern took an early lead through Mario Basler and defended it with typical German resilience. But then, in injury time, the Reds produced one of the most stunning revivals in sporting history; Sheringham equalised, and moments later his fellow substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fired in the winner to make the score 2-1. United had won the Treble; their manager Alex Ferguson was subsequently knighted as his fans around the globe basked in the glory.

The Treble became a quadruple later in the year when Sir Alex Ferguson's men travelled to Tokyo to compete for the Inter-Continental Cup. Keane's goal against Palmeiras of Brazil bestowed upon United the title of World Club Champions. Officially, at the end of the millennium, the biggest football club in the world had also become the best in the world!

Arthur Albiston

The maxim 'if you see a chance, take it' could well have been penned for Arthur Albiston, who arrived from his native Scotland to join United as an apprentice in 1972. Aged just 17, two years later he made his first team debut against arch rivals Manchester City in a League Cup game in front of a packed Old Trafford. But it was England's other big knockout competition, the FA Cup, that was to prove the stuff his dreams were made.
Still only 19, he was called up to replace injured left back Stewart Houston for the 1977 FA Cup final against Liverpool and his first appearance in the competition resulted in a winner's medal, as United beat the League Champions 2-1. It was pivotal moment in the young defender's career as he went on to become a first-team player.
Quick, nimble and strong in a tackle, Albiston had a sweet left foot and was always happy to turn defence into attack, an ability not unnoticed by Scotland, who capped him at schoolboy, Under-21 and senior levels. The peak of his 14 cap international career was a place in the squad for the 1968 World Cup Finals in Mexico.
Albiston lost his place during 1987 and rejoined his old boss Ron Atkinson at West Bromwich Albion the following year, but he departed Old Trafford with 464 appearances in all competitions under his belt. He appeared in four FA Cup Finals, becoming the first United player to win three winner's medals when Everton's dreams of a unique domestic and European treble were shattered by a Norman Whiteside extra-time goal in 1985.

Steve Bruce

Rejected by several professional clubs as a young midfielder, Newcastle born Bruce finally found a footballing home in the south of England at third division Gillingham. This dogged perseverance was to become a large part of the players make-up, as he fought his way up from unpromising beginnings to become one of United's most successful captains.
Bruce, fashioned into a central defender at Gillingham, left for Norwich City in 1984 after more than 200 appearances and lifted the Football League Cup with them in 1985 before winning the second division Championship the following season. Alex Ferguson decided he was just the man to add steel to United's back four and splashed out £825,000 in December of 1987.
Given his debut against Portsmouth, Bruce suffered the first of his many broken noses playing in the famous red shirt and his never say die attitude found an immediate place in the fans' hearts. Tough and combative, Bruce's burly approach typified United under Ferguson and major honours were just around the corner.
He scored an amazing 16 goals in all competitions, 10 of which were penalties, from the centre of defence, as United won the Cup Winners' Cup after their 1990 FA Cup triumph over Crystal Palace had given them a route into Europe.
League Cup honours followed 12 months later, but Bruce's proudest moment came in 1993 when he became the first United captain to lift the League title in 26 long years.
The back bone of the side along with Gary Pallister, Bruce who was never capped at international level, skippered United to their first double in 1994. He did likewise for the majority of their historic second double season in the 1995-'96 season, though he struggled for his place towards the end after being injured. He moved to Birmingham soon after, having played 407 games.

Martin Buchan

In terms of value for money, Martin Buchan must rank as one of United’s shrewdest ever buys, secured from Aberdeen for just £125,000 in 1972 by manager Frank O’Farrell. Buchan was about to turn 23 when he arrived at Old Trafford, but he had already captained his former club to Scottish Cup glory, been voted his country’s footballer of the year and won full international honours.
A natural leader, he combined almost telepathic positional play with deceptive pace to outwit his opponents. An old head on young shoulders he immediately instilled a calm authority in United’s defence and was one of the first names on the team-sheet for 11 years.
Rather unfortunately for Buchan in terms of success, his time at the club coincided with Liverpool’s domination of the domestic scene. Yet he captained Tommy Docherty’s side to a Wembley victory in 1977 that prevented a league, FA Cup and European Cup treble for the Merseyside outfit. Buchan thereby became the first player since the war to captain English and Scottish cup winning teams.
In later years Buchan was dogged by injury and after over 450 games for the club left for Oldham Athletic on a free transfer in 1983.
However, after a season spent fighting off relegation, a troublesome thigh problem signalled the end of his playing career.
A subsequent spell in charge of Burnley quickly convinced Buchan he was not managerial material and he left football to pursue other interests.

Bill Foulkes' name may not roll off the tongue as readily as that of legendary team-mates Bobby Charlton, he survived the Munich air disaster in 1958 to perpetuate the dream of the Busby Babes and bring the European Cup back to Old Trafford a decade later.
Foulkes, was discovered playing for Whiston Boys Club in 1949, turning professional two year later. Once in the team at the turn of 1953. he remained a first choice for the next 18 seasons.
Four Championships, an FA Cup Winners' medal and that historic European triumph, as captain, are just reward for his consistency. When he bowed out in 1970, Bill Foulkes had made and incredible 679 appearances for the Reds, a total bettered only by Bobby Charlton
A superb header of the ball and physically strong despite being under six foot, Foulkes became the defensive rock on which Matt Busby built after the cruel demolition of his 1958 team. He skippered the makeshift side beaten by Bolton in the FA Cup final of that year, and proved invaluable as United painstakingly rebuilt their empire.
Foulkes played just once for England, and this less than two years after his United debut. It was at right back, the position he first adopted at Old Trafford before moving to the centre of defence.
Foulkes played alongside some of the best players ever to grace Old Trafford from the tragic Duncan Edwards and Tommy Taylor to Charlton, Law and Best. Even now he remains the epitome of Manchester United under Busby.

McGrath earned a place in United fans' affections, if occasionally providing his managers with a headache or two thanks to a self-confessed hellraising lifestyle.
Born in England of Irish parentage, McGrath re-crossed the Irish sea at the end of April 1982, costing United £300,000. The former St. Pat's Athletic youngster wouldn't make his debut until the following November, though, with Moran, McQueen and Bucham already contesting the two central defence berths. It proved a one-off appearance, but once he forced his way back in March 1983, McGrath played out the rest of a successful campaign.
Tow more part-seasons followed as he grappled with injuries, before he became a first-team regular in 1985-86 - the same year he pushed Gay Lineker for PFA player of the year. Yet his off-pitch antics didn't endear him to Alex Ferguson and once Gary Pallister came on the market, McGrath was on his way.
A transfer to Aston Villa where he'd play again under former boss Ron Atkinson, proved he still had it in him to compete for honours, though his suspect knees were always a cause for concern. Even so, he helped Villa to the League (Coca-Cola) Cup in both 1994 and 1996 to prove doctors wrong.
In 1993 McGrath did this time pick up the PFA Player of the Year award, proving to be one of Ireland's greatest ever players.

Manchester United, who were to enjoy the best years of unexpected Leeds United cast-offs Denis Irwin, Eric Cantona and latterly Alan Smith, had earlier raided Elland Road for Gordon McQueen. The Scot became a towering presence in their defence for eight seasons, after signing in February 1978 for just short of £500,000.
McQueen, a huge but agile centre-half with wonderfully quick feet for a man of six foot four, had joined Leeds from St. Mirren six years previously. An established international, he helped bring the Championship to Yorkshire in 1974 and his capture by Dave Sexton was seen as a coup. Even more so as Leeds had also allowed fellow Scotland star Joe Jordan to join United a week prior.
Tough and sometimes uncompromising in the tackle McQueen went on to play 228 times for United in all competitions, his 26 goals a marvellous bonus and largely the result of unstoppable headers from corners and freekicks. Prone to injury though his sheer size, he was often on the treatment table until serious damage sustained in the early part of 1984 effectively brought his career to an end.
Gordon's enthusiasm for the game was legendary: his father played League football for Accrington Stanley, while shortly after arriving at Leeds United he was often seen on Sunday mornings watching his local amateur teams.
McQueen is now often called upon to give his opinions as a pundit due to his footballing knowledge and good tactical know how.

Kevin Moran's hard-man reputation, earned more by his unstinting bravery than any nasty streak, seemed on the face of it to be justified when, in 1985, he became the first ever player to be sent off in an FA Cup Final at Wembley.
Moran, a defender of the old school who refused to give anything less than 100 per cent every time he took to the field, mistimed a challenge on Everton's Peter Ried and, despite protests from both sides, was sent off.
And the drama wasn't over. Moran was then initially refused a winner's medal after ten-man United's extra time victory.. However common sense prevailed and the unlucky Irishman received his memento after an appeal.
The Dubliner, who had arrived from Irish college football in 1978, was at this time an automatic choice at the heart of the United defence and had been since the 1980 - 81 season, forming a formidable rearguard with Gordon McQueen until the Scot's surrender to injury. Indeed, Moran himself was to spend many unwanted weeks on the sidelines, his determination to throw everything at every game coming at a high price.
Unlike the stable Pallister-Bruce combination of more recent times, Kevin would see many different faces slot beside him at the centre of the United back four. His first paring had been with Martin Buchan before McQueen's arrival: the Scotsman Graeme Hogg, Irishman Paul McGrath and Billy Garton cropped up beside him.
When Moran departed for Sporting Gijon in August 1988, he had played 17 short of 300 games for United and had been part of two FA Cup-winning teams.
Back in England to join Blackburn in 1990, he retired the season before they won the Premier League in 1995, having been in the Republic of Ireland's 1994 World Cup Finals squad at the age of 38.
One of his central defensive partners had been David May, who would make the journey from Ewood Park to Old Trafford - though not with a Spanish stop-off - just as Moran retired.

Jimmy Nicholl

A popular right-back with Manchester United and Northern Ireland, Jimmy Nicholl was infact, born in Canada though his parents moved to Belfast when he was a child.
Like many youngsters from that area, Nicholl adored United and he joined as an apprentice straight from school.
Offered professional terms in 1974, Nicholl waited a year for his debut against Southampton and grabbed his chance when first-team regular Alex Forsyth was injured in the 1976-77 season. Composure on the ball and tight marshalling skills, backed by pace and a crunching tackle were contributing factors that kept him employed for five seasons.
Nicholl's consistency had also attracted Northern Ireland, who went on to cap their adopted son 41 times as a United player. An FA Cup-winner's medal to the good, Nicholl had every reason to be pleased.
However, things quickly turned sour with the arrival of Ron Atkinson in summer 1981. Atkinson drafted in John Gidman from Everton, and Nicholl's career at Old Trafford was over.
His playing days now numbered at United he was loaned to Sunderland before a move to Toronto Blizzard, based in the land of his birth, in 1982. Later spells with Rangers in Scotland proved fruitful for the defender, who won a Championship and a Cup; he also took his total of international caps to 73, including two World Cup Finals.
Nicholl retired as a player and quickly found success as a manager, guiding Raith Rovers to the Scottish First Division Championship and a momentous victory over Celtic. However his first job in England proved disastrous when he was sacked by Second Division Millwall early in 1997.

Gary Pallister's central defensive partnership with Steve Bruce wasarguably the most successful reargaurd link forged in decades, with eight major trophies including two Doubles, arriving at Old Trafford in five years during the early 1990s.
But this level of achievement looked a million miles away back in 1989, when the lanky Pallister arrived from Middlesborough for £2.3 million, a British record at the time. Despite his calm measured appearence, he looked hisitant under pressure and the media were quickly doubting the widom of the move. How wrong time proved them to be.
Pallister's confidence grew as his partnership with Bruce developed, the latter's experience a crucial factor. Tremendously powerful in the air - as Liverpool found to their cost when he converted two corners at Anfield in April 1997 - and suprisingly swift for a six-foot-four-inch giant, Pallister was named PFA Palyer of the Year in 1992 and rejuvinated an England career which had begun at Boro. However he suffered a rare setback when injury ruled him out of Terry Venables' squad for Euro '96.
The defender who began his playing days with Billingham Town almost moved to Darlington when his Middlesbrough career took a wobble in 1985.
Deprived of his usual defensive partner when Steve Bruce left for Birmingham in the summer of 1996, Gary understandably found teething problems with his new partner David May, yet still picked up his fourth Championship medal in 1996-97. Pallister appeared over 400 hundread times for United in all competitions and that £2.3 milion was money well spent until Pallister left to return to Middlesbourgh in 1998.

Few United supporters had heard of Steve Coppell when Tommy Docherty paid Third Division Tranmere Rovers £40,000 for the midfielder, stealing him from under the noses of local rivals Liverpool and Everton.
Ironically, it had been former Liverpool boss Bill Shankly, helping Tranmere with a few scouting errands, who had insisted his club should run the rule over a player making a name for himself in their own backyard. They took no notice so he gave fellow Scot Docherty a call and Coppell was soon linking up with Irishman Gerry Daly, in a new look midfield.
The Stretford end was soon singing the praises of the 19-year-old, whose pillaging down United's right flank, culminating in vicious crosses or rasping drives, had defenders quaking in their boots. Coppell was soon a first-team regular, and found instant success as relegated United bounced straight back into the top flight as Champions.
Coppell's wing raids, perfectly complimented the following season b equally direct Gordon Hill, promised exciting times for United and so it proved, as three FA Cup Finals resulted in a winner's medal in 1977. Undertaking a more restrained role for Dave Sexton, Coppell played 206 consecutive games for United in the late 1970's and early '80's and made his England debut in 1977, before becoming a regular international a year later. But disaster struck in 1983 when after a number of operations to correct a badly damaged knee he was forced to quit football at just 28. He made nearly 400 appearances for United in all competitions, scoring 70 goals, and being capped for his country 42 times.
A month before his 29th Birthday in June 1984 Coppell became the youngest ever League manager taking over at Crystal Palace. He went on to build a successful management career and is currently in change of Premiership outfit Reading.

If ever a man made a mockery of the traditional standards by which great footballers are judged it was Paddy Crerand. Indeed, the Scottish international wing-half variously described as slow, ungainly, a bad header and a poor goal-scorer - veritably ridiculed the rulebook and wrote his own rich volume of Old Trafford folklore.
It's true he was not the most rapid of Red Devils; he didn't need to be. His vision, anticipation and sublime passing skills rendered lack of pace irrelevant. Paddy was able to play, and often dictate proceeding, in his own time.
His movement on the field was hardly reminiscent of a gazelle, but fans and team-mates could live with that, rating it, perhaps, on a par with George Best's failure to make the half-time tea. As for his ability in the air, well, it's true he occasionally dumbfounded his colleagues by heading the ball twice in a match..... And goals! He didn't often supply the finishing touch but, in his heyday, the majority of United's successful strikes were due in some measure to his remarkable talents.
Paddy, who was to have a brief spell as assistant manager at Old Trafford under Tommy Docherty in 1974, thought deeply about his game. He made it his business to know the opposition and was more aware than most about what was going on around him. An apt illustration is an incident in thc 1963 FA Cup Final against Leicester City, the game which signaIled the Reds' return as a major power after Munich.
Though still allegedly adjusting to English football, United's recent £53,000 signing from Celtic had done enough homework to know that Gordon Banks liked to throw the ball to Scottish schemer Davie Gibson, the springboard of so many attacks. Seeing Banks in possession and noting that Gibson was free, Paddy pounced while others idled. He beat his countryman to the ball, threaded a pass through a crowded penalty area and Denis Law did the rest. It was a vivid cameo that captured the very essence of vintage Crerand. Of course, there were days when inspiration deserted him, but in such games he would never hide from the ball and would always continue to probe.
An extrovert Glaswegian, raised in the Gorbals, Paddy allowed his fervour to get the better of him at times and occasionally he landed in trouble with referees. Indeed, it's been said that he never moved so fast as when headed for a melee 40 yards away! But his fiery nature was as much a part of Crerand the player as Crerand the man. It would be hard to find a United follower who would have wanted him any other way.
And if part of that huge heart will be forever at his beloved Parkhead - the home of Celtic, his first club - it would be a rare Stretford Ender who wouldn't forgive him. His loyalty to Old Trafford was never in doubt, his contribution to the club's cause colossal. It was a red-letter day, indeed, when Matt Busby crossed the border to claim him for Manchester United.

United Road

Tune: Country Road
Recorded at Upton Park: 2002-03-16 United Road, take me home
To the place, I belong;
To Old Trafford, to see United;
Take me home, United road

Pride of All Europe

tune: just one of those songs
We are just one of those teams,
That you see now and then;
We often score six,
But we seldom score ten,
"We beat 'em at home,
And we beat and we beat 'em away,
We kill any b*stards,
That get in our way.
We are the pride of all Europe,
The cock of the North,
We hate the Scousers, the
Cockneys of course;
We are United,
Without any doubt,
We are the Manchester boys."
United Calypso "If ever they are playing in your town,
You must get to that football ground;
Take a lesson come and see,
Football taught by Matt Busby;
Manchester, Manchester United;
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes,
They deserve to be knighted!"
Poor Little Scouser
recorded by Ian Schofield He's only a poor little scouser
His face is all tattered and torn
He made me feel sick
So I hit him with a brick
And now he can't sing anymore!

The Red Flag United's flag is deepest red,
It shrouded all our Munich dead,
Before their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their heart's blood dyed it's ev'ry fold.

Then raise United's banner high,
Beneath it's shade we'll live and die,
So keep the faith and never fear,
We'll keep the Red Flag flying here.

We'll never die, we'll never die,
We'll never die, we'll never die,
We'll keep the Red flag flying high,
'Cos Man United will never die

Glory Glory Man United Glory, glory, Man United,
Glory, glory, Man United,
Glory, glory, Man United,
And the reds go marching on, on, on.
Just like the Busby Babes in Days gone by
We'll keep the Red Flags flying high
You've got to see yourself from far and wide
You've got to hear the masses sing with pride

United! Man United!
We're the boys in Red and we're on our way to Wem-ber-ly
Wem-ber-ly! Wem-ber-ly!
We're the famous Man United and we're going to Wem-ber-ly
Wem-ber-ly! Wem-ber-ly!
We're the famous Man United and we're going to Wem-ber-ly

In Seventy-Seven it was Docherty
Atkinson will make it Eighty-Three
And everyone will know just who we are
They'll be singing 'Que Sera Sera'

United! Man United!
We're the boys in Red and we're on our way to Wem-ber-ly
Wem-ber-ly! Wem-ber-ly!
We're the famous Man United and we're going to Wem-ber-ly
Wem-ber-ly! Wem-ber-ly!
We're the famous Man United and we're going to Wem-ber-ly

Glory Glory Man United
Glory Glory Man United
Glory Glory Man United
As the Reds Go Marching On! On! On! (3x)

City Are a Massive Club

Tune: He's got the whole world in his hands
They've got the tallest floodlights in the Football League...
They've got the tallest floodlights in the Football League...
They've got the tallest floodlights in the Football League...
Oh! city are a massive club!

They've got the widest pitch in the land
They've got 54 players and they're no fucking good
They've got Curly Watts as a celebrity fan
They play at Gresty Road and Edgerly Park
They go to Wrexham and Cardiff on Euro-aways
They had the future England Captain, but his cruciate went
They won the Shamrock Trophy in 92
They've got 3 stars on their new club badge
They've got exec boxes with a balcony
They've had seventeen managers in twenty years
They take 25,000 to every away
You can see Old Trafford from the Kippax Stand
They've got the best goalie the world has ever seen
They're the second-best team in Division Two
They have a civic reception when they've won fuck all
They had a continental Laser Blue Kappa Kit
They're going to turn Manchester into Milan
They signed Spencer Prior on deadline day
They've got the Gallagher brothers in the Guvernors
They took a quarter of a million to Ewood Park
They've got 3007 in a temporary stand
They've got the tallest corner flags in the world
They invade their pitch when they win 3 points
They won the Shamrock Trophy in '92
They had Ryan Giggs on schoolboy forms
They've got a farmyard animal and they play him up front
They've got three million fans in Manchester
It's been 27(28..29..) years and they've won fuck all
They've got a dirty old slapper with a rusty bell
They'll stay up for 3 seasons - autumn, winter and spring
They empty Stockport when they play at home
They've got four different stands from a Meccano kit
They're the only team that come from Manchester
All their fans live 10 minutes from Maine Road
They've got the biggest bananas in the land
They've got a centre forward with grooves in his head
Their managers got a papier mache head
They'll be relegated by bonfire night
They've got salt and pepper on their hot dog stands
They've got greenalls bitter in the kippax stand
They've got the greenest grass in the whole of the world
They hounded Swales' mam into an early grave
They've got a gypsy curse on their massive pitch
Their best player ever played for Ajax reserves
They had a derby match with Macclesfield
They had Colin Bell who was better than Best(!)
They've been relegated ten times
They had a chairman and a manager that wore a wig
They bought Steve Daly for a million quid
They tried to sign Geoff Thomas and he turned 'em down
They've got Bernard Manning as their fattest fan
They used to be little, but now they're large
They sing racist chants, coz they've got no class

Tune: Oh my darling Clementine
Build a bonfire,
Build a bonfire,
Put the Scousers on the top,
Put City in the middle,
And we'll burn the f*cking lot
tune: this is how it feels
(Inspiral Carpets) This is how it feels to be City
This is how it feels to be small
This is how it feels when your team wins nothing at all
Nothing at all...
tune: bad moon rising I see the Stretford End arising
I see trouble on the way
Don't go out tonight
Unless you're red and white
I see there's trouble on the way.
tune: Yellow Submarine City's goin' down with a Russian on the wing,
a Russian on the wing, a Russian on the wing...
tune: US Marine Corps marching chant
(call and repeat) We're Man U and we are loud,
Loyal fans and totally proud,
Beat 'em at home beat 'em away,
Kill any b*stards that get in our way,
We hate City, Scouse, Leeds scum,
And we make the b*stards run,
With this team we shall go far,
Hughes, Giggs, Sharpe and Cantona,
Won the league let's do it again,
By just one point instead of ten,
We'll keep the red flag flying high,
'Coz Man United will never die.

Hello, hello, we are the the Busby boys,
Hello, hello, we are the the Busby boys,
And if you are a City fan,
Surrender or you'll die.
We all follow United.

Tune: The Wild Rover
And it's Man United,
Man United F.C.
We're by far the greatest team,
The world has ever seen.

Stretford End Picnic

Tune: Teddy Bear's picnic
If you come down to the Stretford End
You'd better not come alone
If you come down to the Stretford End
You'd better be in disguise
For all the fans that ever was
Are gathered here today because
Today's the day that we play Man City
We love United, we do,
We love United, we do,
We love United, we do,
Oh, United we love you.

Manchester is Wonderful

Tune: When the Saints go marching in
Oh Manchester, Oh Manchester,
Oh Manchester is wonderful,
It's full of t*ts, f*nny, and United,
Oh Manchester is wonderful.

When The Reds go marching in

Tune: When the Saints go marching in
Oh when the reds, oh when the reds,
Oh when the reds go marching in,
I wanna be in that number,
Oh when the reds go marching in.

We Shall Not be Moved

Tune: We shall not be moved
We shall not, we shall not be moved,
We shall not, we shall not be moved,
Just like the team, that's gonna win the Football League - again!
We shall not, we shall not be moved.

We're Gonna Win The League

Tune: For he's a jolly good fellow
We're gonna win the league,
We're gonna win the league,
And now you're gonna believe us,
And now you're gonna believe us,
And now you're gonna believe us,
We're gonna win the league

Player Songs:

John O'Shea

Tune: Into The Ark
When Johnny goes marching down the wing, O'Shea, O'Shea
When Johnny goes marching down the wing, O'Shea, O'Shea
When Johnny goes marching down the wing, the Stretford End will f****ng sing
'Cause we all know that Johnny's going to score...
(sanitized version: ...the Stretford End will rise and sing...)

Rio Ferdinand

Tune: Hi-Ho (Snow White)
Rio, Rio,
He is a Red you know,
He met El Tel,
And said "farewell"
Rio, Rio, Rio, Rio.....

Eric Cantona

Tune: What a Friend we have in Jesus
What a friend we have in Jesus
He`s a saviour from afar
What a friend we have in Jesus
And his name is Cantona....
Ooh Aah Cantona,
Ooh Aah Cantona
Ooh Aah, Ooh Aah, Ooh Aah
Cantona....
Ooh Aah Cantona

Ryan Giggs

Tune: Robin Hood
Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, running down the wing,
Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, running down the wing,
Feared by the blues, loved by the reds,
Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs.

Ryan Giggs Ryan Giggs, running down the wing
Ryan Giggs Ryan Giggs, crosses like The King
Beats one and two, beats three and four,
He will score, he will score, he will score.

Ryan Giggs Ryan Giggs, greatest ever goal
Semi-Final Villa Park, ran right through them all
Beat half the team, straight in the net
Won't forget, won't forget, no we won't forget.

Gary Neville

Tune: Rebel Rebel
Neville Neville, You're future's immense,
Neville Neville, You play in defence,
Neville Neville, Like Jacko you're bad,
Neville Neville, Is the name of your dad.

Tune: London Bridge Is Falling Down
Gary Neville is a Red
is a Red, is a Red,
Gary Neville is a Red,
he hates scousers.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Tune: you are my sunshine
You are my Solskjaer,
my Ole Solskjaer,
You make me happy,
when skies are grey,
Oh Alan Shearer,
was f*ckin dearer,
please don't take,
my Solskjaer away!