About Me
The Official Manchester United Membership created for fans to fans of united in this place they can find info about matches players tranfers all about the united join to us and be a united too. UNITED FOREVER!!! prove yourself and see if u are fan or fantastic click here http://www.manutd-fanorfantastic.com/quiz.php
CLUB HISTORY
1878-1899
Manchester United Football Club was first formed in 1878, albeit under a different name - Newton Heath LYR (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway).
Little suspecting the impact they were about to have on the national, even global game, the workers in the railway yard at Newton Heath indulged their passion for association football with games against other departments of the LYR or other railway companies.
Indeed, when the Football League was formed in 1888, Newton Heath did not consider themselves good enough to become founder members alongside the likes of Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End. They waited instead until 1892 to make their entrance.
Financial problems plagued Newton Heath, and by the start of the twentieth century it seemed they were destined for extinction. The club was saved, however, by a local brewery owner, John Henry Davies. Legend has it that he learned of the club's plight when he found a dog belonging to Newton Heath captain Harry Stafford.
1910-1919
The words Old Trafford entered football folklore for the first time during the 1909/10 season.
The land on which the stadium was built was bought by the Manchester Brewery Company (John Henry Davies) and leased to the club. Davies himself paid for the building work, which commenced in 1908 under the supervision of the renowned architect Archibald Leitch. By 1910, the club had moved lock, stock and barrel from their old home of Bank Street.
United's first fixture at Old Trafford was played on 19 February 1910. The new hosts lost 4-3 to their first visitors Liverpool, but the stadium was successful in accommodating an 80,000 capacity crowd. Two days previously, the old wooden stand at Bank Street had been blown down by strong winds - further evidence, perhaps, that United were suited to and needed their new home.
Indeed, United were crowned League Champions for the second time in their history, at the end of their first full season at Old Trafford - 1910/1911. They clinched the title at home on the final day of the season, beating Sunderland 5-1 with Harold Halse grabbing two of the goals.
Halse wasn't the only goalscoring hero of that second Championship season. Another was the swashbuckling forward Enoch ‘Knocker’ West, who scored 19 goals during the campaign. United also won the Charity Shield, beating Swindon Town 8-4, with Halse grabbing a double hat-trick.
Despite such feats, United could not keep up their winning run and in 1911/12, the defending champions finished disappointingly in thirteenth place. Secretary-manager Ernest Mangnall bore the brunt of the criticism, and resigned to join United's neighbours and rivals Manchester City.
The search for Mangnall's successor finished at the door of JJ Bentley, the president of the Football League. Under his guidance the Reds claimed fourth place in the League at the end of the 1912/13 season.
The 1913/14 season was a period of transition, with Charlie Roberts and Alex Bell sold to Oldham and Blackburn respectively. United finished in 14th, with West finishing as top scorer for the third season in a row.
The 1914/15 campaign was notable for a change of management - in December 1914, the roles of secretary and team manager were separated for the first time. Bentley became full-time secretary and John Robson was appointed to look after and select the team.
Robson's team was a shadow of the one which had performed so well in the previous decade, as only George Stacey, Billy Meredith, Sandy Turnbull and George Wall remained from the 1909 FA Cup-winning side. Not surprisingly, the club struggled, only escaping relegation by a single point. To rub salt into the wound, Mangnall's Manchester City side finished in fifth place, thirteen places above United.
Before United could form a plan for recovery, the outbreak of the First World War put football firmly to the back of people's minds. The Football League was suspended, and clubs resorted to playing in regional competitions.
United played in the Lancashire Prinicipal and Subsidiary Tournaments for four seasons, but this was a less than successful diversion, the misery compounded by the fact that two of the club's players were found guilty of match fixing. Enoch West was banned for life as was Sandy Turnbull, who joined the Footballers' Battalion to help Britain's war effort.
Tragically Turnbull was killed during a battle in France in May 1917, to leave Manchester United without another of their early century heroes for their return to league football in 1919/20.
1920-1929
Manchester United returned to League football on 30 August 1919, following a four-year gap caused by the First World War. The team for that first match back against Derby County included many new faces - in fact only two of the men on duty had played in United's previous league game at the end of the 1914/15 season.
Billy Meredith was still at Old Trafford, but reaching the end of his illustrious Old Trafford career. He made only 19 appearances in 1919/20 when United finished 12th in the First Division. The new hero of the terraces, Joe Spence, finished the season as the team's top scorer with 14 League goals. He was joint top scorer again in 1920/21, but this time with half the tally as United again under-achieved to finish in 13th place.
Manager John Robson then left the club, to be replaced by John Chapman, who reverted to the dual role of secretary/manager last held by JJ Bentley. Meanwhile, former manager Ernest Mangnall continued to make the local headlines with City, as they moved into a new stadium at Maine Road.
Mangnall also re-signed Meredith for City and despite his advancing years, it was perhaps no coincidence that United were relegated in their first season without him, winning only 8 of their 42 matches in 1921/22.
Chapman's team that played in the Second Division was bereft of any star names, and failed to win promotion at the first (1922/23) or even the second attempt (1923/24). The on-field leadership of Frank Barson eventually brought about a marked improvement, however, resulting in promotion at the end of 1924/25. United finished second to Leicester City, after losing only eight games.
United's top flight status was cemented with a ninth-place finish in 1925/26. Chapman's team also went on a great run in the FA Cup, but this came to a halt in the semi-finals when Manchester City beat them 3-0 at Bramall Lane. City's luck then ran out, as they lost both the final (to Bolton) and their place in the First Division.
Not that United supporters could afford to laugh at City. Two months into the 1926/27 season, they had troubles of their own when the FA suspended manager John Chapman with immediate effect, the reasons for which never became public. Wing-half Clarence Hilditch took over as player-manager while the club looked for a more permanent replacement, but 'Lal' was reluctant to pick himself to play, and the team suffered as a result.
Chapman's permanent successor, Herbert Bamlett, arrived later that season. He was already known to United fans as the referee who called off the club's FA Cup quarter-final tie at Burnley in 1909, when their team was trailing 1-0 in the midst of a blizzard. Bamlett, though, was too cold to blow the final whistle, so Charlie Roberts did the job and United went on to win the Cup that season!
Sadly Bamlett had no further impact on United's success as their manager. The team slowly slipped down the First Division, finishing 15th in 1926/27 and 18th in 1927/28, only to recover slightly to 12th in 1928/29. Joe Spence continued to score goals by the bucketload but not even he could stop United's steady decline...
1930-1939
The decline that had started in the 1920's continued at the outset of the 1930's. United finished 17th in 1929/30, to fill their fans with dread.
1940-1949
The outbreak of the Second World War forced football to the very back of people's minds between 1939 and 1946. But even in the absence of League football, Old Trafford was still the focus of attention.
1950-1959
The 1950's dawned with the break-up of Matt Busby’s first successful United side - the 1948 FA Cup-winning team.
Dressing room dissent led to Johnny Morris departing for Derby and Charlie Mitten exporting his wing wizardry to Colombia. Some United supporters were worried to lose star players of that calibre, but any fans that placed their faith in Busby were soon rewarded.
The great Scot’s plan was to promote the youngsters he’d been recruiting and grooming in the late 1940’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, aged 21, played a big part in that success, making 24 appearances, including the final six on the wing, from where he scored seven goals. He then returned to his customary left-back role, and captained the side 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.
1960-1969
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. But the great manager was never one to sit still for long. Once he had recovered from his own injuries, he set about building another side to take the world by storm.
Dennis Viollet was one of the leading names within this team. In 1959/60, the Munich survivor broke Jack Rowley's club record by scoring 32 goals in one league season. The team in total scored 102, but they conceded too many (80) at the other end and finished in seventh place.
Viollet wasn't the only player to survive Munich and enjoy a great career at Old Trafford; others included Bill Foulkes, and Bobby Charlton, who came through the club's youth ranks to break goalscoring records for club and country. Nobby Stiles followed the same path, from youth team to first team, while Denis Law came the more direct route, by record £115,000 transfer from Torino.
United's form was erratic at the start of the decade, while the new names settled in, but then everything came together with a run to Wembley for the 1962/63 FA Cup Final. Matt Busby's new-look team beat Leicester City 3-1, with two goals from David Herd and one by Denis Law.
The next season saw United build on the foundations of FA Cup success to challenge for the title – United finished second, only four points behind the champions Liverpool, to whom they lost both at home and away. The 1962/63 season was also notable for the signing and debut of George Best, the young man from Belfast who would become football's first superstar. It was a case of Best by name, best by nature. His incredible skill, pace and control left opponents in knots, making him a hit with the fans, while his filmstar looks made him a hit with the ladies.
1970-1979
With memories of the European Cup triumph beginning to fade, Manchester United's attentions turned to their managerial vacancy. Sir Matt Busby had led the club to the promised land just 10 years after losing half his team, and nearly his own life, in the Munich tragedy. But now he had retired, to leave the board with a problem.
Their first solution was to appoint from within, by promoting one of Busby's coaches and former players Wilf McGuinness to the senior position. To say that he had a big job on his hands in following Sir Matt is an understatement of huge proportions. A combination of ageing players and the lack of overall control in team affairs meant that McGuinness struggled with Sir Matt looking over his shoulder. Putting players like Denis Law and Shay Brennan on the transfer list didn't help matters, neither did George Best's continuing antics off the field.
Wilf wasn't allowed to struggle for too long. On Boxing Day 1970 he was relieved of his duties and Sir Matt was put in temporary charge while the club again looked for a worthy successor.
1980-1989
Manchester United made a poor start to the 1980's. In January 1980, Tottenham knocked them out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle. In early March, Dave Sexton's side was thrashed 6-0 at Ipswich Town.
However, Sexton and his team refused to acknowledge any vultures that might have circled overhead – instead they recovered to win eight of their last ten league games, and finish just two points behind Liverpool in the title race.
1990-1999
The dawn of the 1990's saw Alex Ferguson collecting his first silverware as Manchester United manager, and Liverpool winning their last League Championship with an ageing team. The tide was turning…
Fergie's first FA Cup, achieved after a replay against Crystal Palace, seemed at the time to be a stand-alone success, one that possibly saved his job after another poor season in the League. But nine years later, it seemed that Lee Martin's winning goal against Palace lit the fuse for an explosion of unprecedented success.
2000-2006
Manchester United started the new decade, century and millennium in typical pioneering fashion. They entered a brand new competition – the FIFA Club World Championship in Brazil – but at the expense of their participation in the FA Cup, of which they were the holders.
MANCHESTER UNITED'S EUROPEAN HISTORY
UEFA club competition milestones
• United have twice been crowned champions of Europe.
Their last success came in the 1998/99 UEFA Champions League final
when they overturned a one-goal deficit against FC Bayern München
with two goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær in added time.
United also won the 1967/68 European Champion Clubs' Cup final against Benfica,
running out 4-1 winners after extra time.
UEFA club competition honours
• European Champion Clubs' Cup: 1967/68, 1998/99
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1990/91
• European/South American Cup: 1999
• UEFA Super Cup: 1991
Ten-year record (including current season)
• Last season's failure to get out of the group stage ended
a run of nine straight participations in the knockout stages.
It was the first time they had to failed to do so since 1994/95.
1997/98: UEFA Champions League - quarter-finals
1998/99: UEFA Champions League - winners
1999/00: UEFA Champions League - quarter-finals
2000/01: UEFA Champions League - quarter-finals
2001/02: UEFA Champions League - semi-finals
2002/03: UEFA Champions League - quarter-finals
2003/04: UEFA Champions League - first knockout round
2004/05: UEFA Champions League - first knockout round
2005/06: UEFA Champions League - group stage
2006/07: UEFA Champions League - group stage
2005/06 season
Domestic record:
United went one better than the previous Premiership campaign by finishing second,
eight points behind champions Chelsea FC. Crucially,
they were a point better off than Liverpool FC
to earn a direct entry into the UEFA Champions League.
European record:
Although Debreceni VSC were brushed aside in qualifying,
United came unstuck in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
The only win came in a 2-1 home defeat of SL Benfica and losses
in the return fixture as well as at LOSC Lille Métropole saw United finish in last place.
Two draws with section winners, and eventual semi-finalists,
Villarreal CF showed that United were not totally outclassed.
Key facts
• Before the start of the competition proper,
United were four games behind Real Madrid CF
in terms of the most UEFA Champions League games (group stage to final only)
played of the 32 teams involved. In their 117 matches,
the English side have won 59, drawn 31 and lost 27 matches,
scoring 207 goals and conceding 117.
• Overall, their record in UEFA club competition reads:
played 226,
won 117,
drawn 61,
lost 48 with 410 goals scored and 224 conceded.
In their 170 matches in the European Champion Clubs' Cup,
United have won 93, drawn 41 and lost 36 matches with 333 goals scored and 170 conceded.
Records
UEFA club competition
• Biggest win
10-0: Manchester United FC v RSC Anderlechtois
26.09.1956, 1956/57 European Champion Clubs' Cup, preliminary round, second leg
• Biggest home win
10-0: Manchester United FC v RSC Anderlechtois (see above for details)
• Biggest away win
0-6: Shamrock Rovers FC v Manchester United FC
25.09.1957, 1957/58 European Champion Clubs' Cup, preliminary round, first leg
• Heaviest defeat
5-0: Sporting Clube de Portugal v Manchester United FC
18.03.1964, 1963/64 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, quarter-finals, second leg
• Heaviest home defeat
0-1: Manchester United FC v AC Milan
23.02.2005, 2004/05 UEFA Champions League, first knockout round, first leg
2-3: Manchester United FC v RC Deportivo La Coruña
17.10.2001, 2001/02 UEFA Champions League, first group stage
0-1: Manchester United FC v FC Bayern München
03.04.2001, 2000/01 UEFA Champions League, quarter-finals, first leg
2-3: Manchester United FC v Real Madrid CF
19.04.2000, 1999/2000 UEFA Champions League, quarter-finals, second leg
0-1: Manchester United FC v BV Borussia Dortmund
23.04.1997, 1996/97 UEFA Champions League, semi-finals, second leg
0-1: Manchester United FC v Juventus
20.11.1996, 1996/97 UEFA Champions League, group stage
0-1: Manchester United FC v Fenerbahçe SK
30.10.1996, 1996/97 UEFA Champions League, group stage
• Heaviest away defeat
5-0: Sporting Clube de Portugal v Manchester United FC (see above for details)
UEFA Champions League (group stage to final only)
• Biggest win
5-0: Manchester United FC v Panathinaikos FC
16.09.2003, 2003/04 UEFA Champions League, group stage
5-0: Manchester United FC v Brøndby IF
04.11.1998, 1998/99 UEFA Champions League, group stage
• Biggest home win 5-0: Manchester United FC v Panathinaikos FC (see above for details)
5-0: Manchester United FC v Brøndby IF (see above for details)
• Biggest away win
2-6: Brøndby IF v Manchester United FC
21.10.1998, 1998/99 UEFA Champions League, group stage
• Heaviest defeat
4-0: FC Barcelona v Manchester United FC
02.11.1994, 1994/95 UEFA Champions League, group stage
• Heaviest home defeat
0-1: Manchester United FC v AC Milan (see above for details)
2-3: Manchester United FC v RC Deportivo La Coruña (see above for details)
0-1: Manchester United FC v FC Bayern München (see above for details)
2-3: Manchester United FC v Real Madrid CF (see above for details)
0-1: Manchester United FC v BV Borussia Dortmund (see above for details)
0-1: Manchester United FC v Juventus (see above for details)
0-1: Manchester United FC v Fenerbahçe SK (see above for details)
• Heaviest away defeat
4-0: FC Barcelona v Manchester United FC (see above for details)
I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.1
