We’ve hand-picked half a century of the most iconic
Red-letter days. These moments are in no particular order, but
there can only be one place to start…
1. Sir Matt leads United to a first ever
European Cup, 29 May 1968
The United story doesn’t
start here, of course, but much of what the club has come to stand
for can be traced back to this epochal moment. The 4-1 European Cup
final victory over Benfica in 1968 was hugely significant. Not only
were United the first English club to lift the trophy, it was the
realisation of the long-held vision of Matt Busby. When Busby
became United manager in 1945 he and his backroom team – his
inestimable right-hand man Jimmy Murphy and those men of football
science, Bert Whalley, Tom Curry and Bill Inglis – set their vision
of youth as the way forward. Busby first took his young charges
into Europe in 1956 (see number 2) but the tragedy of Munich in
1958 blew a hole in Busby’s masterplan. Busby’s side were aiming
for a third consecutive league title and European glory when
disaster struck, claiming the lives of eight of his braves and so
nearly his own. Those who knew him best said he felt that he owed
it to them to go on. A decade later, against Eusebio and co on a
sweltering Wembley night, the United flag was finally planted at
Europe’s summit. Vindication came courtesy of two goals from Bobby
Charlton, fellow Munich survivor; and one apiece from George Best,
the game’s first superstar, and Brian Kidd, who turned 19 that day.
Busby’s glorious dream came at a terrible price, but this was a
night where the guilt he felt was, in a small but significant way,
assuaged.
2. United defy the Football League to enter the European
stage, 22 May 1956
The stiff shirts at the Football
League scoffed in 1955 when Frenchman Gabriel Hanot proposed a
champions club cup for which the cream of Europe could compete.
‘Learn something from
Johnny Foreigner? Pah!’ – or words to that effect – was the
attitude of Football League secretary Alan Hardaker. If the
Football League squeeze worked on Chelsea, champions in 1954/55, it
didn’t affect Busby 12 months on after his swashbuckling Babes took
their first title. At a board meeting on May 22, 1956, Busby
insisted he would take his team into Europe. The board backed him,
against the Football League’s wishes. United entered the European
Cup in 1956/57 – the first English club to do so – beating
Anderlecht 10-0 in the first match. Busby’s trailblazing European
adventure was afoot.
3. “Knocking Liverpool off their perch…” Sir Alex arrives,
6 November 1986
OK, tracking down the exact quote
isn’t easy but this apocryphal version of the boss’ mission
statement on arriving at OT in 1986 isn’t far off the mark. With
these words, he sounded a call to arms that every soul in M16 could
heed. Classic Sir Alex. Getting inside the head of the United fan
has always been a key part of his armoury. If any Liverpool fan
tells you they were already wobbling, they’re just putting a brave
face on. At 18 titles apiece, their cage is still rattling, and
they hate it. Just ask Rafa...
4. “Fergie out!” say fans, but he’s backing by Sir Bobby,
the board... and Mark Robins, 7 January 1990
It’s
hard now to believe those chants really happened. Back then,
though, United weren’t the bookies’ favourites to win every trophy
going. In fact in January 1990 the only certainty – according to
some pundits – was that Alex Ferguson was headed for the Old
Trafford exit. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. Behind the scenes
the boss, with Archie Knox playing Murphy to his Busby, was working
towards his goal. His blueprint was to unfold spectacularly in the
early 1990s, and though Mark Robins’ header at the City Ground on 7
January 1990 passed into legend for steering the Reds through a
sticky third round FA Cup tie at Forest, the club’s directors
already liked what they saw. Sir Bobby Charlton knew this was the
right man; 19 years, 33 trophies on, he was bang on the
money…
5. Brucey’s bonus: Sheffield Wednesday, 10 April
1993
With Sheffield Wednesday leading at Old
Trafford, three minutes remaining and the memory of our 1991/92
title concession still painfully fresh, only the bravest souls held
out hope of victory. Fortunately, one wore our no.4 shirt. First
Steve Bruce powered home Eric Cantona’s corner, then, in the sixth
of seven added minutes, he met a cross from centre-half partner
Gary Pallister to nod in his second. Despite OT’s delirium, Brucey
shrugged: “Suddenly you get your head to a couple and they fly
in.”
6. Bright Spark: Oldham Athletic, 9 April
1994
Having shaken off a 26-year albatross by taking
the inaugural Premier League title, we developed the steadfast
resolve of champions in the 90s. That fortitude was rarely more
evident than in overcoming Oldham – and the clock – in an FA Cup
semi-final to preserve hopes of our first Double. Neil Pointon put
the Latics ahead in extra-time but, with seconds remaining, Brian
McClair’s lob served up one last half-chance for Mark Hughes.
Hardly a gimme, but fortunately Sparky called upon his own unique
brand of intricate brutality, guiding the ball into the far corner
with the velocity of a cruise missile.
7&8. Spurs jangled: 16 May 1999 and 25 April
2009
Glory is invariably sweeter after flirting with
failure. And the stakes have rarely been higher than the 1998/99
Premiership finale, the first leg of the Treble. Nevertheless we
contrived to fall behind, before David Beckham’s equaliser raised
Old Trafford spirits. Andy Cole emerged as the man of the hour by
coolly lobbing home the winner. Fast forward a decade and, although
five games remained, Spurs were again the opposition in a defining
victory. Double the deficit and only half an hour to play. No
matter. United only needed 22 of those remaining minutes to score
five times and take a huge step towards title number 18.
9. The five-minute flip: Aston Villa, 6 January
2002
Villa haven’t overcome United this millennium.
But John Gregory’s charges seemed destined to dump the Reds out of
the FA Cup third round, with the clock ticking past 77 minutes and
a two-goal lead. Cue a five-minute turnaround of such drama the
pitch invasion couldn’t wait for the final whistle. Peter
Schmeichel, then at Villa, and having enjoyed so many turnarounds
at United, must have known what was coming when Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer smashed a shot between his legs. Ruud van Nistelrooy then
hammered in a volley and was mobbed by jubilant travelling reds.
They barely had time to retake their seats before returning to the
field, now in droves, to celebrate Ruud rounding Schmeichel to
nudge home the winner.
10. Merseyside mayhem: Everton, 28 April
2007
Chelsea had closed to within three points of
season-long leaders United as May loomed. With the Blues ahead at
home to Bolton and the Reds two down at Goodison Park, we’d done
with our fingernails and were gnawing at our elbows. With the odds
finally stacked high enough, United clicked into overdrive. John
O’Shea pounced on rookie keeper Iain Turner’s mistake to halve the
arrears, before Phil Neville’s helped out with an own goal to
level. Inevitably Wayne Rooney had his say, before Chris Eagles’
solo strike sealed it. Down at the Bridge a Bolton equaliser
created a five-point lead for the champions-elect.