Manchester United
When Was Manchester United Founded?
Manchester, a major city in the northwest of England, is famous for two reasons: the rich industrial heritage and an iconic football club Manchester United that began its journey in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club.
History of Manchester United
Newton Heath was originally a company team formed by the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (LYR) depot. They used to compete with other departments and railway companies in the initial years and their first recorded match was a 6-0 defeat against the Bolton Wanderers’ reserves. It was held on 20 November 1880 and the team wore green and gold, the colours of the railway company.
The club finally adopted its famous red colours somewhere between 1887 and 1889 but kept the original green and gold as an alternate jersey to use when the occasion called for it. Back then, they first joined The Combination before earning registration with the newly formed Football Alliance. The Football Alliance was merged with the Football League three years later and Newton Heath, who got rid of ‘LYR’ by that time after becoming independent of the railway company, earned the First Division status ahead of the 1892-93 season.
But they could not retain the top-tier status for more than two years. Newton Heath finished bottom in 1894 and eventually lost the knockout game, also known as the test match, against a newly-formed side that went on to win the Second Division in their maiden Football League campaign. That team was Liverpool who laid the foundations of one of football’s fiercest rivalries more than a hundred years ago.
Newton Heath were on the verge of liquidation in January 1902 when captain Harry Stafford found four local businessmen. He convinced them to clear the debt by investing £500 each in return for a direct interest in running the club. An agreement was reached and the investors eventually rechristened the club Manchester United on 24 April 1902.
On 6 February 1958, the British European Airways Flight 609 was carrying the ‘Busby Babes’, as well as supporters and journalists home from a European Cup match in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. They eliminated Red Star Belgrade to advance to the semi-finals of the competition. The take-off from Belgrade was delayed for an hour as Johnny Berry lost his passport. The plane landed in Munich for refuelling at 13:15 GMT.
After refuelling, pilots James Thain and Kenneth Rayment twice abandoned take-off because of a boost surging in the left engine. Fearing they would fall too far behind schedule, Captain Thain rejected an overnight stay in Munich in favour of a third take-off attempt. But the heavy snowfall caused the formation of a layer of slush at the end of the runway. The aircraft hit the slush and ploughed through a fence beyond the end of the runway. The left wing of the plane was torn off when it struck a house. The tail broke off and hit a barn with a parked fuel truck in it. This resulted in a fire and explosion. Among 23 fatalities, there were eight Manchester United footballers.
How Many Trophies Have Manchester United Won
Manchester United are the second-most successful English club in terms of major silverware. So far, they have won 45 of them, 5 less than bitter rivals Liverpool. While the Red Devils still have an edge with 20 First Division/Premier League titles, Liverpool are way ahead in Europe with 6 European Cup / Champions League trophies compared to United’s 3.
| Competition | Man Utd titles | |
|---|---|---|
| First Division / Premier League | 20 | |
| FA Cup | 12 | |
| League Cup | 5 | |
| European Cup / Champions League | 3 | |
| UEFA Cup / Europa League | 1 | |
| Cup Winners’ Cup | 1 | |
| UEFA Super Cup | 1 | |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 1 | |
| Intercontinental Cup | 1 |
Who Are The Greatest Managers Of Manchester United
Manchester United became a yo-yo club with regular promotions and relegations. The mediocrity was a worrying sign, also the fear of bankruptcy was looming large following the demise of the principal benefactor and former club president John Henry Davies who was one of the four businessmen to save them from liquidation. The club needed stability and direction even though James W. Gibson’s investment helped them retain existence a decade before World War II.
In February 1945, when WWII was in its final few months, Gibson met Matt Busby and offered him a contract to become the Manchester United manager. Busby demanded full authority on all matters related to the game and his conditions were accepted prior to his appointment. He made a squad overhaul during his regime and eventually led them to conquer the FA Cup in 1948, their first major trophy in 37 years. A 41-year wait was finally over when they claimed the League crown four years later. Busby was a visionary and his diligence and expertise helped United overcome the Munich tragedy.
Despite winning 5 First Division titles, 2 FA Cups and 1 European Cup in Busby’s realm, the club witnessed a downfall following his retirement. They got relegated in 1974 but gained promotion the following year. The Red Devils lost their identity and struggled for consistency over the next decade. But In 1986, the arrival of Alex Ferguson revolutionized the Manchester giants.
Things, however, could have been very different had not they won the 1990 FA Cup final defeating Crystal Palace. The victory saved Sir Alex’s job and the Scotsman, as well as United, never looked back ever since until his retirement in 2013. Not only did he claim 13 Premier League titles, 2 UEFA Champions League, 1 FIFA Club World Cup, 5 FA Cups and 4 League Cups among numerous honours but also became the first team to win the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League – “The Treble” – in the same season (1998-99).
Who Are The Greatest Players Of Manchester United
Over the years, Man United produced a plethora of legends. From Duncan Edwards, Harry Gregg to the Holy Trinity of George Best, Denis Law and Sir Bobby Charlton; from David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes’ ‘Class of 92’ to Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Cristiano Ronaldo – it’s rather a never-ending list.
Most Famous Stats And Facts Of Manchester United
- In the wake of the economical crisis, club captain Harry Stafford decided to start walking his dog to raise money until the dog went missing one day. After a desperate search, Stafford finally found the dog in a pub. A few beers later, he convinced the wealthy pub owner to become one of the investors.
- Their initial nickname was ‘The Heathens’ which originated from Newton Heath who used to play on Sundays. Sir Matt Busby changed it to ‘The Red Devils’, a nickname given to a brilliant rugby team from the University of Salford during a 1934 tour in France.
- Old Trafford has been United’s home since 1910. But during the ’40s, the Theatre of Dreams suffered the destruction of the main stand, dressing rooms and offices under the wrath of German air bombings. The damage to the stadium during World War II was so severe that they were forced to play in Manchester City Stadium i.e. Maine Road ground from ’41 to ’49.
- Ron Atkinson broke the transfer record to sign Bryan Robson from West Brom for £1.5million in 1981. He famously signed his contract on the pitch and became a hero.