Manchester United Football Club Facts

History:

Manchester United Football Club is an English football club which plays at Old Trafford located in Greater Manchester. They currently play in the top division in football being the Premier League. The club was formed in 1878 as Newton Heath. They joined the Football League in 1892 and they have played in the top division of English football since 1938. The average attendance at the club has been higher than any other team in English football. The club is one of the most successful in the history of English football and has won over 20 major honours since Sir Alex Ferguson became manager. Since the 1990's United have been one of the richest clubs in the world with the highest revenue of any football club.

Club Crest:

The United club crest has been changed on a few occasions, but the main form remains similar. The badge has been designed around the crest of the city of Manchester. The red devil on the clubs badge is part of the design due to the club's nickname The Red Devils, which was taken on in the early 1960's.

Stadium:

United's magnificent stadium 'The Theatre of Dreams' was bought in 1909 for around ?60,000 with a total construction cost of ?90,000. The capacity of this stadium in total is 76,212 fans all seated.

Sponsorship:

The sponsors who are currently with Manchester United are AIG who are the main sponsors of Man United, and as part of the sponsorship deal their logo is displayed on the front of the club's shirts and is also on other merchandise. The AIG deal was announced by Manchester United in 2006 and is worth a British record ?56.5 million.

Owner and Chairmen:

The owner of this amazing football club is Malcolm Glazer who is there to make sure the club runs smoothly and doesn't go bankrupt. Also along with Malcolm Glazer are the co-chairmen being Joel and Avram Glazer. Together they run a successful business in keeping Manchester United in the top financial condition so the team is able to win important matches and please fans.

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Alan Davies - Manchester United's Forgotten Player

Born and raised in Manchester, Alan Davies started his professional playing career with Manchester United in December 1978. After making his Manchester United league debut in a narrow 1-0 victory against Southampton at Old Trafford in May 1982, Davies remained on Manchester United's books till the end of the 1984-85 season.

Although the talented maverick appeared in both matches in the 1983 FA Cup Final against Brighton and Hove Albion, the midfield player was restricted to a mere seven first team appearances for Manchester United between 1978 and 1985. Alan Davies failed to live up to his early promise and he was eventually sold to Newcastle United for an estimated transfer fee of ?65,000 in the summer of 1985. The midfielder never settled down at St James? Park, however, and he had loan spells with Charlton Athletic and Carlisle United before he moved on to famous Welsh club Swansea City in August 1987.

The move to Wales helped Davies revitalise his professional footballing career and he played an important part in Swansea's promotion success in 1988. He proceeded to appear in 84 league matches for the Swans before he was sold to Bradford City for a transfer fee of ?130,000 in June 1989. However, after just 26 league appearances for the club the player followed manager Terry Yorath back to Swansea in exchange for Vetch Field hero Robbie James in the summer of 1990. Alan Davies also played for Wales and he went on to collect a total of 13 international caps.

United Blog Articles is a website committed to Manchester United Football Club. Soccer is unquestionably the most popular sport in the world and it is probably only fair to say that Man Utd is the most popular club in the world. Read additional articles on Welsh players at UnitedBlogArticles.com.

Harry Gregg - Manchester United Legend

Harry Gregg was arguably one of the best goalkeepers to play for Manchester United football club. Born in Northern Ireland in 1932, Gregg began his football career with Irish side Coleraine before signing for Doncaster Rovers at the start of the 1952-53 season, After establishing himself in the first team, he made a total of 94 appearances for Rovers, before signing for Manchester United in 1957, for a World record transfer fee for a goalkeeper at that time of ?23,000.

After leaving 3rd Division Doncaster Rovers to play alongside some of the biggest names in English football at that time, Harry Gregg adapted well into his new team and he made his first team debut for the Reds a few days later, when he played against Leicester City in a comfortable 4-0 victory, on December 21st, 1957.

Gregg made his first Manchester derby appearance when United play City just a week later, and he soon established himself as a regular in the team and favourite amongst the fans.

After just twelve matches for the Reds, Harry Gregg was with the team on the flight back from Belgrade after a European quarter-final match, when the plane crashed after refuelling in Munich, the disaster claimed the lives of 23 of the passengers on board the plane. Gregg survived the crash with only minor injuries, returned to the burning aircraft to help others from the wreckage. Amazingly Gregg played in Manchester United's next match two weeks later.

Harry Gregg was a major part of the team as they re-built after the Munich disaster and he went onto play for Manchester United 247 times during the nine years he spent at the club keeping a very credible 48 clean sheets while in goal. Despite this time being a very successful period for the club he failed to win any medals himself. He didn't play in the 1963 FA Cup winning team due to a shoulder injury, and injuries also meant that he didn't play enough games to qualify for a medal during the title winning season of 1964-64 and 1966-67. Gregg's only cup final appearance came in the 1958 FA Cup final when United were defeated by Bolton Wanderers.

Gregg also had a distinguished international career, with Northern Ireland, playing a total of 25 times for his country. He was also voted as the best goalkeeper during the 1958 World Cup finals.

Gregg made his last appearance for the Reds on 7 September 1966 which was a 3-0 defeat by Stoke City, he then left United to sign for Stoke, but he only ever made two appearances for the club. It is at Manchester United that he will always be remembered as a true legend

Steve Goodwin is an expert author, football fan and retailer of Manchester United football merchandise which are available from the man united shop all items are available to ship worldwide

Why Manchester United Will Continue to Dominate For the Next Decade

Manchester United have actually dominated English and European football for the better part of the last two decades. Fans of the club would already have made it clear that their team will continue to rule over the rest for the next ten years, while opposing supporters would disagree and cannot wait for their dominance to end. The growing consensus is that the club is likely to enter into a steady decline once current manager Alex Ferguson decides to retire. However, it might not be as simple as that. And these are the reasons why that is likely to change anything in the future while the current situation is only going to improve with time.

1. Alex Ferguson will remain the manager of Manchester United for the foreseeable future. With the Scotsman in charge, there is an aura about the club that other teams have been unable to overcome permanently. Both Arsenal and Chelsea were able to break the aura temporarily, before Ferguson returned with an iron grip. The Red Devils players are also known to both fear and respect their manager, leading to consistently fine performances on the pitch.

2. This season has seen striker Wayne Rooney blossom into a full fledge star on the pitch. The England international has finally matured since being given the full mandate by his manager. A hard worker by nature, Rooney used to slog in the shadow of departed star Cristiano Ronaldo. Now, he is clearly the new leader of the team on the field. Leading by example, Rooney has found a more consistent goalscoring streak. What Eric Cantona and Ronaldo used to do, Rooney is now the man in the spotlight. He has changed many a game in Manchester United's favour through sheer determination. Without him, the Red Devils may not be the force they have been this season in particular.

3. Even if Ferguson were to retire as the manager now, there has been little said of the excellent groundwork he has laid at the club for continued future success. Aware that he cannot be at the club managing every detail forever, Ferguson started to delegate and structure the club with a system that would see them become more self-sustainable. This was especially in the playing department, where the academy and player pool had to consistently provide talent that would qualify for future elevation to the first team. This included scouting and buying the best talent from around the world, while developing local British players that would be on par with foreign imports.

4. The cultivation of a mental aptitude in players from the ground up. All the players that have made the grade in the first team are what Ferguson would term as hungry for success. They are players who continue to fight for every trophy every season, even if they have already won them multiple times in the past. It is the same with the coach. Players signed by Ferguson would also speak of interviews during which the Scotsman looked into their eyes to determine if they are of the same calibre. It is this winning mentality that separates the club from the pretenders.

With just these few reasons alone, they are enough to support the belief that Manchester United will continue to be successful for the next decade and possibly many more years after that. Even with the imminent retirement of Ferguson, there will be systems in place that have built the platform to achieve that. The club is also a brand that many players yearn to be associated with. That means a steady line of top players who hope to turn out in the club colours one day. This can only be a good thing while other clubs look on with envy.

Jaymes Johnson is a lifelong Manchester United fan and has been following their fortunes since young. Jaymes contributes to many football fan sites and needless to say, a Manchester United news site would not be the same without him. He is also keen to produce more Manchester United videos to bring the club to a larger worldwide audience.

Great FA Cup Finals - Manchester United V Crystal Palace

The 1990 Football Association (FA) Cup Final was played at Wembley Stadium between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, on the 12th May 1990.

Alex Ferguson was still to win a trophy as the Manchester United manager, since his appointment in 1986, while Crystal Palace had never won a major trophy. The Final turned out to be a great game and ultimately a turning point in the history of both football clubs.

Both teams were in the First division at the time, while Manchester United had finished the season in 13th position and Crystal Palace had finished 15th In the preceding league fixtures that season the games had finished in a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park and a 2-1 victory to Crystal Palace at United's Old Trafford stadium.

According to the form of both teams they were very evenly matched, but Manchester United were the favourites to win the Cup, probably due to their more impressive history.

It wasn't long before the game came to life when Gary O'Reilly scored for Crystal Palace after 17 minutes, when he scored with a header that just beat the United goalkeeper Jim Leighton.

Manchester United equalised after 35 minutes, when captain Bryan Robson's header was deflected into the Crystal Palace goal, the first half finished at 1-1.

United looked more likely to score during the second half of the game as they pressed forward, and the goal duly came when Mark Hughes scored a great goal to give United a 2-1 lead.

Palace weren't out of the game, as Ian Wright, who had missed much of the season through injury, came on as a substitute and scored a great equalising goal after 73 minutes.

With the 90 minutes finished the score was 2-2, which signalled an extra 30 minutes of play to decide the winner. Within two minutes of extra time Ian Wright had scored his second goal and Crystal Palace were leading 3-2. Lee Martin had already been substituted for United and then Gary Pallister was injured for United as well.

With time ticking away and a Crystal Palace victory edging ever closer, Mark Hughes scored his second goal of the match to level the score at 3-3, the game had ended in a draw and the teams would be forced to meet again five days later in a replay.

The following day the Manchester United team paraded through Manchester in an open top bus, in a pre-arranged parade, which many would think was very presumptuous, however they had no trophy to display to their fans.

On Thursday 17th May both teams were at Wembley stadium again for the FA Cup Final replay. This game was an entirely different encounter, gone was the open, attacking and exciting play of the first the match, this game was very scrappy, with numerous fouls, player bookings and limited goal scoring opportunities.

In the second half of the game United began to dominate and Lee Martin scored his first and only goal for the club as went onto Manchester United to win the FA Cup 1-0.

The game was a pivotal point in the history of both clubs as Manchester United went onto qualify for the European Cup Winners Cup and it was the first of now many trophies they have won under manager Alex Ferguson. If Crystal Palace had won the cup, it would have been their first major trophy in their history and would have given them the opportunity to compete in European football, until this day however, they have not won a major trophy.

Steve Goodwin is an expert author, football fan and retailer of football merchandise from the English Premier League, available from the football shop and all items are available to ship worldwide.

Gary Neville - A Living Legend of Manchester United

Born 18 February 1975, Gary Neville left school at the age of 16 when he joined Manchester United to play for their highly successful youth team. Making his first appearance for United against Russian side Torpedo Moscow in 1992, he has always been loyal to the club he has supported since his childhood days.

Replacing the injured Paul Parker, Gary Neville made his league debut for United two years later on 8 May 1994 in a 0-0 draw against Coventry City at Old Trafford. He quickly became a regular member of what would prove to be the most talented team Sir Alex Ferguson ever built. As a right full back, the loyal skirmisher has made over 500 appearances for Manchester United during his 18 years at the club, winning eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups and one European Cup. Neville has scored a total of seven goals throughout his United career, the first coming against Middlesbrough on May 5, 1997.

In December 2005, Gary Neville was made Manchester United captain following the departure of midfielder Roy Keane and he became the club's fifth captain to lift the Premier League title the following season. Rated as one of the best full backs ever to play for the Old Trafford club, the vastly experienced stalwart is fifth on the most exclusive United all time appearances list. Never even considering a move elsewhere, the United cornerstone is one of a rare breed of footballers who has spent his entire playing career at the same club.

Serving his native country for many years, Gary Neville has won a total of 85 caps during a long career as an England international which started in 1995 when he was called up for a friendly against Japan. His younger brother Phil Neville also played for Manchester United and the two brothers were team mates at both club and international level until Phil decided to move on to Everton in 2005.

Gary Neville also has a long standing relationship with the Mediterranean island of Malta. He has described Malta as his second home and he has been an official tourism ambassador for the island since 2001. In return for his services the Malta Tourism Authority support the Gary Neville Soccer School on the island. Not suprisingly, the Reds have a large following on the island and the Manchester United Supporters' Club Malta is in fact officially recognised by Manchester United Football Club as the oldest Manchester United supporters club world wide.

"Sir Alex Ferguson is the most successful manager Manchester United have ever had. It is ridiculous for people to suggest he leaves. Who do they want to replace him? Ron Atkinson, Tommy Docherty?"

Gary Neville

United Blog Articles is a website dedicated to Manchester United Football Club. Soccer is undoubtedly the most accepted sport in the world. And it is most likely no more than fair to say that the Man Utd is the most popular club world wide. Read supplementary articles on Gary Neville at UnitedBlogArticles.com.

Manchester United V Liverpool - The World's Biggest Football Rivalry

For many years Liverpool FC have held the title as the most successful club in England thanks to their record breaking 18 First Division/Premier League titles. However in recent years Manchester United have had a long run of constant success and now tie with Liverpool's record of 18 League titles thanks to their Premier League title for the 2008/09 season.

Manchester and Liverpool are both in the North West of England and are situated approximately 34 miles apart, with the M62 motorway the easiest way to get between the two cities.

The rivalry between inhabitants of both cities transcends Football and is part of the culture, and originally stems from the Industrial revolution period of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Liverpool's port was large and brought in huge amounts of ships and cargo providing jobs and wealth to the area. As Manchester floundered they decided to build the Manchester ship canal that linked the city of Manchester with the Irish sea. Whilst this brought prosperity and jobs to Manchester it caused unemployment in Liverpool and much resentment.

On the footballing side Manchester United were the first team to lift the European Cup in 1968 under the stewardship of the legendary Scottish manager Sir Matt Busby. Liverpool did not win the European Cup until the 1970's but have now won the trophy 5 times to United's 3 times.

Whilst the 1970's and 1980's were most definitely Liverpools glory period of success, the 1990's and 2000's were Man Utd's glory period of success. Liverpool have now gone 19 years without winning the League title in England.

During the 2008/09 Premier League season Liverpool did the double over Man Utd, beating them 2-1 at Anfield and 4-1 at Old Trafford, it was Liverpool's best league campaign in years but they still came up short as United won the league by four points.

Games between the sides are fiercely fought occasions and tickets for these games are very hard to get hold of due to the extremely high demand, if you are not a season ticket holder the only way to get one is to use a reputable ticket agent.

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Eric Cantona - Manchester United Legend

Eric Cantona is considered to be one of Manchester United's greatest ever players. Born in France in 1966, he began his professional football career with Auxerre, making his first team debut in 1983. After establishing himself in the first team and gaining his first French international caps, Cantona transferred to Marseille in 1988 for a then French record transfer fee of 22 Million Francs.

Cantona was instrumental as Marseille went on to win the French Cup and First division title, but while he was excelling at football, his disciplinary record on and off the field was poor. He was banned from the team on several occasions, and ultimately this resulted in his transfer to N?mes.

Unfortunately things didn't improve at Nimes, and Cantona was banned for a month In December 1991 when he threw the ball at a referee, and during a disciplinary hearing the ban was extended to three months, after he insulted the members of the committee, in response to this Eric Cantona announced his retirement from football.

After much persuasion Cantona decided to re-commence is football career in England, and he joined Leeds United in a ?900,000 transfer from Nimes. His effect on the team was immediate, as Leeds went onto win the First Division title, although he made only 15 appearances and scored three goals in the 1992 title winning team, Cantona's contribution was decisive to Leeds winning the league.

Cantona scored a hat-trick for Leeds against Liverpool in the 1992 Charity Shield match at Wembley and then scored another hat-trick against Tottenham in the Premier League a few weeks later, which was the first hat-trick ever to be scored in the newly formed Premier League. Cantona then signed for Manchester United in November 1992 in a ?1.2m transfer deal.

Cantona settled quickly into the United team, and he transformed United's season as they went onto win the inaugural Premier league by ten clear points. He also became the first player to win consecutive titles with different teams. It was not only his goal scoring that attracted so much attention, but his creative play that presented so many other goal scoring opportunities for the team. This was Manchester United's first League Title since 1967.

During the 1993-94 season United retained the Premier league, and they also beat Chelsea in the FA Cup Final, with Cantona scoring two penalties in an emphatic 4-0 win, he was also awarded the FA Player of the year Award. United missed out on an amazing treble when they lost in the final of the League Cup to Aston Villa.

During the 1994-95 season Cantona continued his impressive form as United pushed for their third consecutive Premier League title. In January, however, he was involved in one of the worlds most controversial moments when following his sending off in an away game at Crystal Palace, he became involved in an altercation with a supporter, launching a 'kung-fu' kick and a series of punches towards the fan. This resulted in Cantona being banned from football for a total of eight months and a fine of ?30,000. United lost the title to Blackburn Rovers this season.

Despite much speculation that Cantona would leave English football, he decided to stay and made his comeback in a game against Liverpool in October 2005, where he scored one goal and set up another. In a dramatic second half of the season Manchester United clawed back a huge gap at the top of the Premier League to beat Newcastle to the title, which was inspired by a 10 match winning run into the new year. United also won the FA Cup, beating Liverpool 1-0 in the final thanks to a great goal from Cantona with five minutes of the game remaining.

Cantona was made the Manchester United captain at the beginning of the 1996-97 season, which saw United again claim the Premier League title, he had now won four titles in five years with United, and two FA Cups.

To the surprise of the football world he announced his retirement from football at the end of the season, at the age of 30 after making 185 appearances and scoring 82 goals for the club, despite some controversial moments in his career, he was a true Manchester United legend.

Steve Goodwin is an expert author, football fan and retailer of Manchester United football gifts which are available from the man united shop all items are available to ship worldwide

History of the Manchester United Shirt

Manchester United F.C. is an English football club that plays in the English Premier League. Their home ground is Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. The Red Devils as they are affectionately known boast over 300 million world-wide fans. Meaning that out of every 20 people on earth, one of them will be a Manchester United Fan! Currently managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United are one of the most successful teams in the history of English football and have won 21 major titles since he was hired in 1986. During its remarkable history, many famous players have run out in the famous Manchester United shirt which can trace its roots back when Manchester United were called Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Football Club.

The famous strip, familiar to millions around the world today has come a long way since the club's early days in the late 1800s. In the Newton Heath days, the shirts were made up of yellow and green sections (1878 - 1892) with some additional colour schemes being used such as a red and white shirt (1892-1894) coupled with blue shorts. There was also a brief period where a white shirt with a red sash was deployed. This all changed in 1902 when the club changed its name to Manchester United. At this point the club radically altered the kit colours to red shirts, white shorts and black socks. This colour scheme has been the basis of the home kit ever since.

The away strip is white jerseys, black shorts and white socks however different looks to this strip have existed. The most notorious of these was the all-grey strip used in the 1995-1996 season. Bizarrely, Manchester United did not win a single game when wearing this strip, the players claiming that passes were going astray because it was too hard to see their team-mates! The Manchester United Third Strip is all-blue out of respect to the kit used in the 1968 European Cup triumph.

The Manchester United shirt worn for home games today is red with a white stripe running down the back. A patch with the words "The Red Devils" on an image of the team's devil mascot is sewn on the bottom-left of the shirt. The club logo is on a red shield on the left breast. The emblem has been altered through the years but takes its inspiration from the crest of the City of Manchester. The "Red Devil" was added in the 1960s after Matt Busby heard the nickname being used by a local rugby club. The away shirt in use today is white with blue piping at the edges. It has red trim on the neck and the club emblem is on a white background on the left breast.

I hope this article has provided an interesting snapshot into the history of the Manchester United Shirt, and if your million dollar question on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" is "What was the first name Manchester United F.C. were known by?", you won't need to use a lifeline!

Sir Matt Busby - The Godfather of Manchester United

Sir Matt Busby was the manager at Manchester United from 1945 to 1969, taking the club to both League and Cup honours during his long and distinguished career at Old Trafford.

Sir Matt Busby took over the reins at Manchester United in October 1945, although his contract had been signed the previous February. From the moment the 35-year-old demobilized company sergeant-major arrived at the club things would never be the same again. The former Manchester City and Liverpool player immediately put his mark on the club and he demanded powers over the appointment of personnel and the buying and selling of players. Busby's socialism no doubt transformed Manchester United into one of the giants of English football and during his first three years in charge the club finished First Division runners-up three times in a row as well as winning the FA Cup in 1948.

In 1958 tragedy struck when a British European Airways Elizabethan plane hit Munich Airport's perimeter fence during its third attempt at take-off. After winning the Championship in 1952, 1956 and 1957, Busby's immensly gifted Manchester United side were tragically destroyed. However, the legendary manager continued his search for the Holy grail and he will always be remembered for the European Cup Final in 1968 when Manchester United went on to trash Benfica 4-1. The memorable victory at Wembley Stadium was fully recognised as the long serving manager was most deservedly knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours List shortly after.

When Sir Matt died on the 20th of January 1994, a vast amount of dedicated Manchester United supporters turned out to pay their last respects to the Scottish manager. On the 27th of April 1996, Manchester United Football Club unveiled a bronze statue at the Scoreboard End of Old Trafford in honour of the great man who was simply known as Mr. Manchester United. Sir Matt Busby had a second spell as Old Trafford manager during the 1970-71 season and he continued to be involved with the club for several years after his retirement.

"Resting in Interlaken, Germany was one thing and facing Old Trafford another. When I approached the ground and moved over the bridge along which our supporters had squeezed fifty abreast in there tens of thousands to shout for us I could scarcely bear to look. I knew the ghosts of the babes would still be there, and there they are still, and they will always be there as long as those who saw them still cross the bridge, young, gay, red ghosts on the green grass of Old Trafford."

Sir Matt Busby quote.

United Blog Articles is a website dedicated to Manchester United Football Club. Soccer is undoubtedly the most accepted sport in the world. And it is most likely no more than fair to say that the Man Utd is the most popular club world wide. Read supplementary articles on Sir Matt Busby and other historical persons or events at UnitedBlogArticles.com

Why Does Manchester United Have So Many Foreign Fans?

Manchester United has long been the most popular team in the world, with fans ranging from the estates adjacent to Old Trafford, to the depths of China and Africa. But what exactly makes so many foreigners support the club?

There is a long standing debate that most Manchester United supporters aren't from Manchester, many are from London and the majority are not even from England. And it's true, the club has a huge national following and an even bigger international following.

Many are genuine fans, who watch every game, agonise over every stat and judge every player. But there are more who are simply referred to as 'glory supporters'. Individuals who have chosen to support Manchester United simply to be safe in the knowledge that sooner or later, they will deliver victory.

The phenomenon is somewhat of a snowball effect, the club has long since been on a winning streak and has become a team worth watching, as a result television networks are keen to broadcast the games and gain viewers.

These viewers become accustomed to expecting victory from the club, they enjoy it, and become 'fans'. They know that the next time they tune in to watch the team play, they can expect victory, if not at least a good game.

Companies realise this and are willing to sponsor the broadcast of the game in their country, therefore more and more people get to watch them. Soon enough these fans have families and children are brought up fans of the club, just as any child in Manchester might be.

The long and short of it is that people like to feel good, supporting a team that almost always wins is a sure way of being able to celebrate and enjoy the game. In the absence of a local team or a decent league to follow that is broadcast, it is only natural that people will choose to follow Manchester united.

It is very common to travel through an impoverished village in deepest Africa and see someone in a Manchester United Football Shirt or kicking around in a pair of Nike Mercurial boots.

David Beckham - Manchester United Legend

David Beckham is probably one of the biggest names in world football. The son of two fanatical Manchester United supporting parents who would regularly travel from London to watch the games at Old Trafford. Beckham's affiliation and love of Manchester United began at an early age, evening appearing as the club mascot before a game against West Ham in 1986.

Born in 1975, Beckham had showed great promise as a youngster and signed schoolboy terms at the age of 14, before joining United on a youth training scheme in 1991.

David Beckham formed part of the United youth team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1992, scoring a goal in the final. He also made his first team debut in a League Cup game, but it was to be some time before he would become a regular first team player. He appeared in another youth cup final, although this time they lost to Leeds United. The following year he won a medal as the reserve team won their league.

Beckham's first team league debut wasn't until April 1995, when he played against Leeds United. He made 4 league appearances that season as United finished second in the Premier League to Blackburn Rovers, just missing out on a third successive title.

During the 1995-96 season Beckham established himself as a first team regular, and despite being 10 points adrift of leaders Newcastle United at Christmas, went on an impressive run and overturned Newcastle's lead to win the Premier League and then won the FA Cup to secure an amazing double. Beckham had now made the right sided midfield role his own as he collected his first medals with the first team.

At the beginning of the 1996-97 Beckham scored against Wimbledon, which became one of his most famous goals, as he kicked the ball speculatively from the half way line which sailed over the head of the Wimbledon goalkeeper and into the goal. The season saw Manchester United win the Premier League again, and Beckham made his first appearances for England and he was voted as the Young Player of the Year for that season.

The 1998 season was a disappointment for both club and country, as the Reds lost the League title to Arsenal, and although Beckham went to the World Cup with England, he was sent off after kicking Diego Simeone, and 10 man England lost to Argentina, in the first knock out stage.

The disappointments of 1998 were soon forgotten as Manchester United went onto to win an amazing treble in 1999. The Reds won the league, FA Cup and then the Champions League final in the dying seconds of the game.

During the 2000 season he won his fourth Premier League medal, but the Reds failed to retain the Champions League trophy. The 2001 season won the premier league again, and Beckham was made captain of the England team, following in the footsteps of his boyhood Man United hero Bryan Robson.

The 2002-03 season was be David Beckham's last at Manchester United, and after much speculation he joined Real Madrid at the end of the season, after 394 appearances and scoring 85 goals for the club

Steve Goodwin is an expert author, football fan and retailer of Manchester United football souvenirs which are available from the man united shop all items are available to ship worldwide.

The Rivalry Between Liverpool and Manchester United

One of the fiercest rivalries in English football, and even in World football, is the rivalry between Liverpool football club and Manchester United football club.

There is no love lost between the fans, players or managers of the two giants of club football.

A Tale of Two Cities

The origins of this rivalry point towards the rivalries of the two cities since industrial times. Liverpool and Manchester were challenging for supremacy of the north west of England. Manchester was renowned for it's excellent manufacturing capabilities, whilst Liverpool had long been a major city due to it's port.

However, once the Manchester Ship Canal was built, ships were able to bypass Liverpool to carry goods directly to Manchester. The loss in jobs in Liverpool no doubt strengthened the hostilities between the two cities.

On the Pitch

The first match between the clubs was on 12 October 1895 which Liverpool won 7-1. There have been 152 league matches. Manchester United have won 58, Liverpool 51 and there have been 43 draws.

If anything the off field rivalries between the cities have been deepened by the great successes of the two clubs. Both clubs have had periods of dominance of English soccer and each of these periods has increased the rivalry between the clubs.

During the 1970's and 80's, Liverpool dominated English Football and to some extent European Football, winning 11 league titles and 4 European Cups.

The 1990's onwards have belonged to Manchester United who also won 11 league titles as well as 2 European Cups.

Significantly in 2009, Manchester United equalled Liverpool's long standing record of having won 18 League titles overall. The team that came second was...Liverpool. The competition between the two teams reached fever pitch during this season. No more proof of this was required than the 'War of Words' between the two club managers, Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafa Benitez. The pair traded verbal blows as the season was heading to a thrilling climax.

Is this rivalry good or bad?

Well, in one sense the intensity of the rivalry spills over into deep hatred and irrational loathing not only from the fans, but from the players and managers too. Sometimes the personal insults that are thrown at each other seem to be going too far.

In another sense, however, you get the sense that it is this rivalry that really creates the massive amount of motivation to succeed. Both clubs are determined to be more successful than the other and this seeps through from the fans to the players to the manager to every person connected with the clubs. It could be argued that neither club would have been as successful as they have been without this fierce rivalry.

What of the future?

With both clubs on 18 league titles, the 2009/10 league season promises to be the most bitterly contested ever as neither team will want to live with the stigma of falling behind in the reckoning.

You can have your say on who is the greatest and also see what others think at the Football Duel.

As another season beckons, hold on to your seats and watch the next chapter of this fascinating rivalry unfold!

Hiten Shah is an NLP Coach as well as an informative writer on various different topics, including football. If you liked this article, be sure to visit What Really Matters.

The History Of Manchester United Football Club

The Manchester United Football Club is undoubtedly the most famous team in professional soccer. Originally the club was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910. Manchester United has fans across the globe, throughout Europe, Asia as well as North and South America.

In 1968 United was the first English team to win the prestigious European Cup. They also won the EUFA Champions League in 1999 and 2008. The have won English Premier League Titles in 11 seasons since 1992. They have also won the FA Cup 11 times in total.

The most famous Footballer of all time, David Beckham signed for Manchester in 1992, at the young age of only 17. Beckham played for Manchester United from 1992 -2003, when he signed with Real Madrid. Beckham enjoyed a successful career with Manchester United winning 6 League titles and taking part in the infamous treble.

In 1999 Manchester United won a historic treble, winning the EUFA Champions League, The Premier League title, and the FA Cup in the same season. They Defeated Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou to complete the treble. Sir Alex Ferguson was Knighted in recognition of this accomplishment.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy signed for the club in 2001, and went on to score 150 goals in just 219 games with United. During his time at United, Rudd won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year in 2 seasons with the club. He also lead the team in scoring in the EUFA Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Manchester United as an 18 year old in 2003 for over 12 million pounds. Ronaldo won the Champions League with United and was also named the FIFA footballer of the year in 2008. Cristiano has seen limited success since leaving the club for Real Madrid.

Wayne Rooney is the current superstar for the club, and has enjoyed success at a young age. However Rooney is coming off a poor performance at the World Cup in South Africa. and has been in the headlines recently for all the wrong reasons. Rumors in the British tabloids suggest that Wayne has been caught cheating on his pregnant wife with a $2000 per night prostitute. Manchester will need Rooney to focus on football if they are to have any success this season.

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Manchester United the Global Brand and Club History

Manchester United are from a neutral perspective the cream of English football. Unlike some of their closest rivals they are a worldwide brand. This is something that Chelsea owner Roman Abromovich is trying to achieve. They are based at Old Trafford in Manchester otherwise known as 'The Theatre of Dreams' which is one of the biggest stadiums in the country and also Europe. Manchester United play in red and have acquired the nickname 'Red Devils' as a result. Manchester United are said to have around 300 million supporters worldwide which accounts for roughly 5% of the global population. It is estimated that 95% of Manchester United supporters have never been to Old Trafford. They are rumoured to be the richest club in existence.

Manchester United football club have an absolutely staggering amount of trophies and silverware to their name. They have won no fewer than 5 European trophies which includes one international cup, one European super cup, two European champions cups, and one cup winners cup. Domestically the side has a truly remarkable record too claiming 12 domestic cups and 16 Premier League trophies. Few sides in history can be proud of such a record. The club is managed by Sir Alex Ferguson who is considered to be one of the best managers in today's game. United fans would not want to see anyone else at the helm of their pride and joy.

Manchester United are currently owned by American businessman Malcolm Glazer. Glazer made investments in the club back in 2005 but it took him a further year until he has able to gain ownership. He is estimated to have paid a massive $1.47 billion to get his hands on the squad. Glazer had to win the approval of both the directors of Manchester United and even more difficult the fans. He had a difficult time with the directors as the deal is said to have made Manchester United $850 million poorer but an even tougher job with the fans. Fans do not want to see their team in the hands of a tycoon and were fearful of the future under Malcolm Glazer. Initially many fans protested by not renewing their season tickets and songs about Glazer can still be heard today around the stands.

Today the club seems to be moving forward faster than it has ever done before. In 2006/2007 season Manchester United reclaimed the Premier League title from their arch rivals Chelsea and in 2008/2009 won both the Premiership title and also the UEFA Champions League. The fan base is growing at an alarming rate and thanks partly to the fortunes and developments of Malcolm Glazer the club can bring in some of the best players on the world stage. It is thought that for the foreseeable future Manchester United will remain one of the greatest names in world football.

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Gordon McQueen - The Manchester United Giant

The enmity between Manchester United and Leeds United may very well originate from the War of the Roses, but in soccer terms the Roses rivalry started back in the swinging sixties 1960 when Leeds United were led by Don Revie and Manchester United by Sir Matt Busby.

Kilbirnie born Gordon McQueen began his soccer career at St. Mirren who signed him as a 18 year old. Impressed by the hard working youngster, Leeds United manager Don Revie eventually lured him to the high flying Yorkshire club for ?30,000 in 1973. The Scottish stopper quickly managed to establish himself in the first team at Elland Road and he was a regular member of the vastly talented Leeds United side that went on to win the League Championship in 1974. However, following Revie's departure to manage the England team, Leeds were declining and hatred between the Elland Road players started to bubble over.

Brought to Manchester Utd by new manager Dave Sexton for ?495,000 in February 1978, the Scotland international became one of the first well known Leeds United players to sign for the Lancashire club. At Old Trafford, Gordon McQueen linked up with former Elland Road team mate Joe Jordan who had made the switch from Leeds United to Manchester United only a few weeks before. Evidently, Leeds United selling two of their biggest stars to old rivals Manchester United did not go down well with the Elland Road faithful. Incurring the wrath of the Leeds supporters, the two players were targeted with booing every time they were appearing against their old club.

While at Old Trafford, Gordon McQueen helped Manchester Utd win the FA Cup final in 1983 after a replay against Brighton and Hove Albion. A rough and rugged player, McQueen went on to make a total of 184 first class appearances for the Reds. The blond giant stayed at United until 1985 when he finally announced his retirement from the game because of persistent injuries.

Eventually going into soccer management, he took over the helm at Scottish club Airdrieoninans in 1987. Known for his brilliance in the air, Gordon McQueen won 30 full caps for his native country after making his first appearance for Scotland against Belgium in 1974.

"But Manchester United are Manchester United. They are the bigger of the two clubs, and always will be. Even going from a place like Leeds, with all their household names, you noticed a huge difference. Manchester United weren't the best, but they were the biggest." Gordon McQueen quote.

United Blog Articles is a website dedicated to Manchester United Football Club. Soccer is undoubtedly the most accepted sport in the world. And it is most likely no more than fair to say that the Man Utd is the most popular club world wide. Read supplementary articles on Gordon McQueen at UnitedBlogArticles.com

Teddy Sheringham - Manchester United Legend

Teddy Sheringham is thought by many to be one of Manchester United's best signings after arriving at the club in 1997. United legend Eric Cantona had just left the Reds after his shock decision to retire from football, and at 31 years of age, Sheringham certainly had a tough act to follow.

Unfortunately Sheringham didn't make the best of starts for Manchester United, following his ?3.5 million transfer from Tottenham Hotspur, it was Spurs that he faced as he made his debut for the Reds. Constantly jeered throughout the game by the White Hart Lane crowd, Sheringham took a penalty, a role he had assumed from Cantona, but he missed the spot kick, much to the delight of the home fans, although United went onto to win the game with two late goals.

During his first year at the club, the 1997-98 season finished without a trophy for United, although Sheringham scored 14 goals during the season.

At the beginning of the 1998-99 season there was much speculation that Sheringham would leave the club after United signed Dwight Yorke from Aston Villa. Although he remained at the club, his first team opportunities were limited, although he did make enough appearances to secure a league title winners medal as the Reds secured the Premier League title, Sheringham scored 5 goals despite his limited appearances.

After a mediocre season, no-one could have anticipated the impact Sheringham would make as United went onto to clinch an amazing treble. After beating Arsenal to the League title by a single point, United faced Newcastle in the FA Cup Final and although initially starting on the substitutes bench, Sheringham was called to replace the injured Roy Keane after just eight minutes. Within 90 seconds of coming onto the pitch he scored United's first goal and they eventually won the game 2-0 to secure their second trophy of the season.

Sheringham again started on the bench for the Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, after trailing for much of the game 1-0, he scored a crucial equaliser one minute into injury time at the end of the game, United went onto to win 2-1 in one of the most memorable nights in their history. As the Reds secured an amazing treble, Sheringham had secured his first winners medals of his career.

Along with strikers Ole Solskjaer, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, during the 1999-2000 season Manchester United had the most formidable strike force in the country, as they went onto to win the Premier league by 18 points and scored 97 goals during the process.

The 2000-01 season Sheringham scored 15 goals in 29 league games, as United secured their third consecutive Premier league title, even at the age of 35 his impressive form continued consistently throughout the season and he was rewarded with the Player of the year award.

The signing of Ruud Van Nistelrooy signalled the end of Teddy Sheringham's Manchester United career and he returned to Tottenham on a free transfer, after 104 appearances and scoring 31 goals for the Reds, he had become a true United legend.

Steve Goodwin is an expert author, football fan and retailer of Manchester United football merchandise which are available from the man united shop all items are available to ship worldwide.

Bobby Charlton - Manchester United Legend

Bobby Charlton is a true Manchester United Football Club legend, born in 1937 he signed for United in the summer of 1953 as a 15 year old and signed a professional contract the following year. Bobby Charlton went on to make 758 appearances and score 249 goals for the club.

Charlton was part of the United youth team that won the FA Youth Cup for three years in succession in 1954, 1955 and 1956. He made his first team debut for United against Charlton Athletic in 1956, scoring two goals on his debut, but he didn't start regularly for the first team until the later part of the season, however he managed to score 10 goals as Manchester won the 1956/57 First Division title and narrowly missed out on the FA Cup when they lost to Aston Villa in the final.

By 1958 Bobby Charlton had secured a regular place in the team and was scoring regularly, he scored two goals in United's 3-3 draw against Partizan Belgrade in the European Cup quarter-finals, and it was on the return plane journey, after a stopping in Munich to refuel, the plane crashed while attempting on take off, 20 of the 44 people on board the plane died in the crash, Bobby Charlton survived, with relatively minor injuries and amazingly he was back playing football within a month.

A period of re-building the team now followed, and Charlton was a major component of the new team, he played a pivotal role as Manchester United went onto to win the League title again in 1965 and 1967, in between those two titles, there was the small matter of the 1966 World Cup as Bobby Charlton played a leading role in the England side which won the tournament, including scoring two goals in the semi-final victory against Portugal. Bobby Charlton was capped 106 times by England and scored 49 goals for his country.

Charlton was named as English and European player of the year in 1966, but his greatest accolade as a Manchester United player came in 1968 when he captained the side to their first European Cup, beating Benfica in the final, and scoring two goals in the game that ended in 4-1 victory to United after extra time.

Bobby Charlton ended his United playing career in 1973, and he has been a member of the board of directors since 1984 he remains on the board to this day, he will always be remembered as one of the greatest players ever to play for Manchester United

Steve Goodwin is an expert author, football fan and retailer of Manchester United football gifts that are available from the Man United Shop and all items are available to ship worldwide

George Best - Manchester United Legend

Without a doubt George Best was one of Manchester United's, if not one of the Worlds greatest ever football players. Born in Northern Ireland in 1946, George Best signed for Man United in 1963 and made a total of 470 appearances and scored 179 goals for the club. A naturally talented player, he was a pleasure to watch, and was once described by Pele as the greatest player in the World.

During his first season at Manchester United, Best made 26 league appearances and scored six goals, helping the team finish in second place in the First Division behind the eventual winners Liverpool.

The 1964-65 season would see United win the First Division League title by goal difference, as they finished the season with the same amount of points as Leeds United. Best was a key player in the team, alongside other greats such as Denis Law and Bobby Charlton. He made 41 appearances and scored 10 goals. United also reached the semi-finals of the European Fairs Cup and the FA Cup that season

Considered by many to have been the greatest most complete football player of all time, Best had every quality imaginable for a player. Speed, balance, vision, superb control of the ball, heading ability, the ability to create chances, beat players with ease, and score many great goals.

Manchester United won the First Division title again during the 1966-67 season as they won the title by four points. The English champions now had the opportunity to compete in the European Cup and United reached the final to face Benfica at Wembley stadium. Two goals from Bobby Charlton and goals from Brian Kidd and George Best himself completed the 4-1 victory, to ensure United became the first English team to win the trophy. Best, who scored 28 goals that year, was awarded the European and English Player of the Year title for that season.

Best was United's top goal scorer for six consecutive seasons, and still holds the record for the most goals scored in a match for the Reds, when he scored six goals against Northampton Town, in an FA Cup match in 1970, but he didn't win another trophy with the side as team of the 60's was gradually dismantled. Best also struggled with alcohol problems, a fight he would battle until his death in November 2005.

George Best left Manchester United in 1974 at the age of 27 and went onto to play for numerous other clubs, but it was his performances with the Reds that will always make him a true legend.

Steve Goodwin is an expert author, football fan and retailer of Manchester United football gifts which are available from the man united shop all items are available to ship worldwide

Manchester United's Field of Dreams and the Red Army

Manchester United is one of the most exhilarating clubs in Europe. When you obtain the tickets of this club then you not only get a chance to see the thrilling game of this club, however it also gives you an opportunity to become familiar with the atmosphere of Old Trafford. It is also popularly called as the Field of Dreams. It is the home soil of the Red Devils as well as carnival ground meant for the Red Army.

It is well known fact that from the time when it was 1910, aficionado and supporters are purchasing Manchester United tickets to their home sports event at Old Trafford( except the era of World War II for 8 years when it was bombarded). Bobby Charlton, one of the most prominent players had named the sports ground as "Field of Dreams". Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton was not an unknown name for the people at that time. He was really very popular for his aggressive game on or after "Midfield" in addition to his brutal long-range shot. He was called as the "Ballon d'Or" European footballer in the year of 1966 and he successfully won the "FIFA World Cup".

Old Trafford is the second-biggest English football sports ground which has the capacity of 76,212 Manchester United ticket purchasing cohorts. The great thing about this sports ground is that it has five-star rating given by UEFA and it is in the category of "UEFA elite stadium". It is one of the two to get this honor. It has got the chance to host a lot of FA Cup semi-final contests as an equitable spot plus a small number of "English national football team" England intercontinental clashes. It has also get the chance to horde many other big competitions in "1966 FIFA World Cup", "UEFA Euro 1996" as well as the "2003 UEFA Champions League Final".

The playing field of Old Trafford is delimited by four roofed stands authoritatively identified as the North, East, South as well as West stands. Every stand has at least two tiers, apart from the South Stand. This stand has only one tier because of edifice precincts. The lower tier of every stand is divided into two segments which are called as lower segments and upper segments. The lower segments have been rehabilitated from patios where supporters stood in the beginning of 1990s.

West Stand is the most famous stand at Old Trafford which is notably recognized as the "Stretford End". Initially planned to embrace 20,000 supporters, the Stretford End was the very last stand to be enclosed plus in addition the final left over all-roofed stand at the land previous to the strained improve to seating in the beginning of 1990s. Manchester United's most intransigent fans called as The Red Army are placed at Stretford End. The majority of the clamor along with ambiance at Old Trafford originates from this stand. The noise of Red Army was compared to a jumbo jet elating off. It is almost unfeasible to catch a set in the Stretford End as the supporters that fill up this stand presubscribed to their Manchester United period tickets each year.

It was a well known fact that Manchester United's Red Army was one of the most iniquitous and the largest crowd of cohorts that British football has seen till now. The city would be in a pandemonium when the Manchester's Red Army pursued their squad to a missing game. Everybody of the Red Army group would go by train, car, coach, and also by foot if required. In the era of mid-seventies more precisely "1974-75 in English football" when Manchester United had been downgraded from the apex flight of English football and participated one period in the "Football League Second Division", the Red Army did such bedlam at grounds up along with down the nation visiting sports ground a place where they outnumbered the home support at times, it showed the way to the preface of home with away supporter isolation and hurdling at football stadiums all the way through England.

Now we cannot compare the recent days Red Army to its foil in 1970's....80's. There is no Manchester based fans club; it extends athwart the globe, with a supporter stand of more than 300 millions. All these people would always like to search out to Old Trafford. They really like to watch the game and also they want to understand the original nature of that atmosphere. It really makes very uphill task to purchase the tickets of Manchester United.

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