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Manchester United

Manchester United's emblem
Full name	Manchester United FC
Nickname(s)	The Red Devils/The Reds/United
Founded	1878, as Newton Heath LYR FC
Ground	Old Trafford Stretford Greater Manchester
Capacity	76,300
Chairman	David Gill (Chief Executive)
Manager	Sir Alex Ferguson
League	FA Premier League
2005-06	FA Premier League, 2nd
Home colours Away colours

Manchester United Football Club is a world famous English football club. They are based at Old Trafford Football Ground, Trafford, Greater Manchester and the club is one of the most successful football clubs in English football history, having won the FA Premier League/Football League 15 times, FA Cup 11 times, the League Cup twice, the European Cup twice, the UEFA Cup Winners Cup once, the Intercontinental Cup once, and the European Super Cup once. The club has had the highest average attendance in English football for the past 34 seasons, with the exception of 1987-89 during redevelopment at Old Trafford. The 'Red Devils' are considered to be the best supported football club in the world.

The club was formed as Newton Heath FC in 1878 as the works team of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot at Newton Heath. After nearing bankruptcy in 1902, the club was taken over by J H Davies who changed its name to Manchester United. The Old Trafford Football Ground was bombed during the Second World War, leading the club to seek charity from their then-illustrious neighbours Manchester City, who allowed them to play their games at Maine Road for a period. United appointed Sir Matt Busby as manager after the Second World War, and his then-unheard-of policy of producing most of the players through the club's youth team brought great success, with the club winning the Football League in 1956 and 1957. This success was halted by the Munich air disaster of 1958, in which eight of the club's players died. It was thought that the club might fold, but instead went on to win the football league in 1965 and 1967, and the European Cup in 1968.

The club did not see success again until the 1990s and early 2000s when Sir Alex Ferguson guided it to eight league championships in eleven years, most recently in the 2002-03 season. In 1999, Manchester United became the only team to win the UEFA Champions League, FA Premier League and the FA Cup in the same season. The club had been run as a Public Limited Company since 1991, and an attempted takeover by Rupert Murdoch had been blocked by the British Government in 1998, but in 2005 Malcolm Glazer completed a hostile takeover of the club which plunged the club into massive debt as his bid was heavily funded by borrowing on the assets owned already by Manchester United.

Support

Before the Second World War, few English football supporters travelled to away games because of the time and cost. As City and United played home matches on alternate Saturdays, many Mancunians would watch United one week and City the next. After the war, a stronger rivalry developed and it became more common for a supporter to choose one team to follow exclusively.

When United won the league in 1956, they had the highest average home attendance in the league, a record that had been held by Newcastle United for the previous few years. Following the Munich air disaster in 1958, more people began to support United and many started to go to matches. This swelled United’s support and is one reason why United have had the highest league attendances in English football for almost every season since then, even as a second division side in 1974-75.

A 2002 report, Do You Come From Manchester? showed that a higher proportion of Manchester City season ticket holders live in the Manchester postal districts, whilst United had the higher absolute number of season ticket holders living in the same area.

In the late 1990s and early part of the 2000s, an increasing source of concern for many United supporters was the possibility of the club being taken over. The supporters’ group IMUSA (Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association) were extremely active in opposing a proposed takeover by Rupert Murdoch in 1998. Another pressure group, Shareholders United Against Murdoch (which became Shareholders United and is now the Manchester United Supporters' Trust) was formed at around this time to encourage supporters to buy shares in the club, partly to enable supporters to have a greater say in the issues that concern them, such as ticket prices and allocation, and partly to reduce the risk of an unwanted party buying enough shares to take over the club. However, this scheme failed to prevent Malcolm Glazer from becoming the majority share holder. Many supporters were outraged, and some formed a new club called F.C. United of Manchester.

Players

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  NED Edwin van der Sar 2 DF  ENG Gary Neville (captain) 3 DF  FRA Patrice Evra 4 DF  ARG Gabriel Heinze 5 DF  ENG Rio Ferdinand 6 DF  ENG Wes Brown 7 MF  POR Cristiano Ronaldo 8 FW  ENG Wayne Rooney 9 FW  FRA Louis Saha 11 MF  WAL Ryan Giggs (vice-captain) 13 MF  KOR Park Ji-Sung 14 FW  ENG Alan Smith

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 DF  SRB Nemanja Vidić 16 MF  ENG Michael Carrick 18 MF  ENG Paul Scholes 20 FW  NOR Ole Gunnar Solskjær 22 DF  EIR John O'Shea 23 MF  ENG Kieran Richardson 24 MF  SCO Darren Fletcher 25 MF  ENG David Jones 27 DF  FRA Mikael Silvestre 29 GK  POL Tomasz Kuszczak 38 GK  ENG Thomas Heaton 49 MF  ENG Ritchie Jones

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 FW  ITA Giuseppe Rossi (on loan to Newcastle United) 26 DF  ENG Phillip Bardsley (on loan to Rangers) 28 DF  ESP Gerard Piqué (on loan to Real Zaragoza) 32 DF  ENG Danny Simpson (on loan to Royal Antwerp) 33 MF  ENG Chris Eagles (on loan to NEC Nijmegen) 43 FW  CHN Dong Fangzhuo (on loan to Royal Antwerp) 44 DF  ENG Adam Eckersley (on loan to Brøndby IF) 46 MF  ENG Lee Martin (on loan to Rangers) 47 DF  NIR Jonny Evans (on loan to Royal Antwerp) 50 MF  EIR Darron Gibson (on loan to Royal Antwerp) 51 FW  ENG Fraizer Campbell (on loan to Royal Antwerp) -- GK  ENG Ben Foster (on loan to Watford) -- GK  USA Tim Howard (on loan to Everton) -- MF  TOG Souleymane Mamam (on loan to Royal Antwerp) -- MF  BRA Fabio (on loan to Fluminense) -- MF  BRA Rafael (on loan to Fluminense) -- DF  BRA Rincón (on loan to São Paulo)

Ladies Team

Manchester United Ladies were founded in 1977, and officially became a part of Manchester United FC at the start of the 2001/2 season. They played in the Northern Combination league (the third tier women's football) until they were controversially disbanded before the start of the 2004/5 season.

Notable Former Players

See Also: Manchester United F.C. Academy, List of Manchester United players and Category:Manchester United F.C. players

Club Officials

Board of Directors

• Owner: Malcolm Glazer
• Life President: Martin Edwards
• Chief Executive: David Gill
• Group Finance Director: Nick Humby
• Group Commercial Director: Andy Anson
• Non-Executive Directors: Joel Glazer, Bryan Glazer, Avram Glazer, Edward Glazer, Kevin Glazer & Darcie Glazer

Senior Club Staff

• Company Secretary: Patrick Stewart
• Assistant Company Secretary: Ken Ramsden
• Director of Communications: Phil Townsend
• Director of Commercial Enterprises: Ben Hatton
• Director of Marketing: vacant
• Director of Financial Services: Steve Falk
• Director of Finance & IT: Steve Deaville
• Director of Facilities: Clive Snell

Management

• Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
• Assistant Manager: Carlos Queiroz
• First Team Coach: Mike Phelan
• Goalkeeping Coach: Tony Coton
• Fitness Coach: Valter di Salvo
• Assistant Fitness Coach: Mick Clegg
• Caretaker Reserve Team Coach: Brian McClair
• Chief Scout: Jim Lawlor

Academy Coaching Staff

• Director of Youth Academy: Brian McClair
• Director of Youth Football: Jimmy Ryan
• Assistant Director for 17-21 Year olds: Paul McGuinness
• Assistant Director for 9-16 Year olds: Tony Whelan
• Under 18's Coach: Paul McGuinness
• Under 13-16's Coach: Mark Dempsey
• Under 11-12's Coach: Tony Whelan
• Under 9-10's Coach: Eamon Mulvey
• Skills Development Coach: vacant
• Director of Goalkeeping Training: Richard Hartis
• Academy Coaches: Eddie Leach, Tommy Martin, Mike Glennie & Andy Welsh

Medical Staff

• Club Doctor: Dr. Steve McNally
• Assistant Club Doctor: Dr. Tony Gill
• First Team Physio: Rob Swire
• Reserve Team Physio: Neil Hough
• Academy Physios: John Davin, Mandy Johnson, Richard Merren
• Masseurs: Gary Armer & Rod Thornley

Managerial History

Honours

• (Old) First Division/Premier League titles: 15
  • 1907-08, 1910-11, 1951-52, 1955-56, 1956-57, 1964-65, 1966-67, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2002-03
• (Old) Second Division 2
  • 1936, 1975
• FA Cup 11¹
  • 1909, 1948, 1963, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004
• League Cup 2
  • 1992, 2006
• European Cup / UEFA Champions League 2
  • 1968, 1999

• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1
  • 1991
• Intercontinental Cup/World Club Championship 1¹
  • 1999
• European Super Cup 1
  • 1991
• FA Charity/Community Shield 15¹
  • 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965*, 1967*, 1977*, 1983, 1990*, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003 (* joint holders)

Club Records

• Record League Victory: 10-1 v Wolves, Division 1, 15 October 1892
• Record Premiership Victory: 9-0 Ipswich Town 4 March 1995
• Record Cup Victory: 10-0 v Anderlecht, Champions Cup, Preliminary Round, 26 September 1956
• Record home win 10-0 v Anderlecht 26 September 1956
• Record away win: 8-1 v Nottingham Forest 6 February 1999
• Record League Defeat: 0-7 v Blackburn Rovers, Division 1, 10 April 1926
• Record Cup Defeat: 1-7 v Burnley, FA Cup, 1st Round, 13 February 1901
• Record League Attendance(at Old Trafford: 75,453 v Tottenham Hotspur, Premiership, Old Trafford, 9 September 2006
• Record 'Home' Attendance: 83,250 v Arsenal, Division 1, Maine Road, 7 January 1948
• Longest unbeaten Run : 45 (All competitions), 24 December 1998 to 3 October 1999 ended by Chelsea FC
• Most Appearances : 754 Bobby Charlton
• Most League Appearances: 606 Bobby Charlton
• Most Goals scored : 247 Bobby Charlton
• Most League Goals: 199 Bobby Charlton
• Most League Goals in a Season: 32 Dennis Viollet, Division 1, 1959-60
• Most Goals in a Season in all competitions: 46 Denis Law, 1963-64
• Most Goals scored in a Match: 6 George Best v Northampton Town, 7 February 1970
• Most Goals scored in European competition: 38 Ruud van Nistelrooy
• Goals in Consecutive League Matches: 10 Consecutive Matches Ruud van Nistelrooy, 22 March 2003 to 23 August 2003
• Most League Goals in a Season (by team): 103 1956/57, 1958/59
• Most Points in a Season: 92 - 42 games 1993/94
• Most Capped Player: 129 Peter Schmeichel - Denmark
• Fastest Goal: 15 seconds Ryan Giggs v Southampton, Premiership, 18 November 1995

Player Records

as of 9th September 2006

European Footballer of the Year winners(Ballon d'Or)

• Denis Law - 1964
• Bobby Charlton - 1966
• George Best - 1968

Most Appearances for Manchester United

Most Goals Scored for Manchester United

Stadium Information

• Name - Old Trafford
• Location - Greater Manchester
• Capacity - 76,000
• Inauguration - February 19, 1910
• Pitch Size - 106 x 69.5 metres
• Record Attendance - 76,962; Wolves-Grimsby, 25 March 1939
• Address - Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 0RA
• Nicknames - The Theatre of Dreams

See also

• List of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors

Supporters' organisations

• IMUSA
• Shareholders United
• Manchester United Supporters' Trust
• MUSCC
• Manchester United Supporters Club of America

Fanzines

• Red Issue
• United We Stand

External links

Official

• Manchester United
• Talking Reds

Independent media sites

• Manchester United F.C. on BBC Sport: Club news – Recent results and fixtures
• Manchester Evening News
• Manchester United coverage from SportNetwork.net
• Football365's Manchester United coverage
• 4thegame.com's Manchester United Section
• Manchester United - Premierleague.com

Notes

1. "European Football Statistics". Retrieved June 24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
2. Up until 1992, the top division of English football was the Football League First Division; since then, it has been the FA Premier League.
3. The second division became the first division upon the formation of the Premier League and then the Championship.

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• 1878 establishments
• Manchester United F.C.
• Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange
• English football clubs
• FA Premier League clubs
• G-14 clubs
• Sport in Greater Manchester