Little Book of Manchester United (18 page)

Supporters of United can be found worldwide. Although United have always enjoyed a ‘big club’ status in British football, it was the Munich air disaster that was to give the club its high profile throughout the world. It is the best-supported club in English football with huge attendances at home games while their away following is renowned for being one of the loudest in the country. The capacity of Old Trafford has just risen to 76,000, yet there are more than 140,000 members of the club.

*Malaysian Manchester United Football Club supporters hold a football signed for them by the Queen, left, and another signed by the Duke Of Edinburgh.

There are 200 affiliated branches of the Manchester United Supporters’ Club, the majority of which are UK based. United continues to enjoy strong support from Ireland with whom it has long had an affinity and small Irish towns regularly arrange travel to United games in England. One of the largest Supporters’ clubs is based in Scandinavia, while other countries with branches include the US, Mauritius, South Africa and Iceland.

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Taylor

One of the Busby Babes, Tommy Taylor (born 29 January 1932) signed for United in March 1953, making his debut at Old Trafford against Preston North End and scoring two goals. He was a talented youngster who had deputised for his uncle in a local pub team as centre-forward at the age of 16. He had started playing football some years earlier as left-back, playing only further forward when the school team was short of players.

He signed amateur forms at Barnsley in 1948, signing professionally for the club a year later. He made his debut in the first team in the Paisley Charity Football Cup in 1950 with his first League game against Grimsby later that same year. During national service, Taylor’s football career was in jeopardy when he cracked a bone, tore ligaments and suffered severe cartilage damage. But a year out of the game and two operations later, Taylor was able to return to Barnsley.

*Tommy Taylor, an international striker struck down in his prime.

Tommy opted to play for United rather than Cardiff City after 26 goals and 44 appearances for Barnsley when the Second Division team needed to sell him for financial reasons. United was not too far away from his Barnsley home and Taylor, described by Alfredo di Stefano as ‘Magnifico’, used his lightning speed, thunderous shots and powerful headers to become one of United’s greatest goalscorers of all time.

After just ten weeks with United, Taylor was selected to tour South America for England, scoring in his international debut against Chile. Despite fierce competition, Taylor won a regular place on the team and in his last England game scored both goals in the 2-0 victory over France. He went on to score 25 goals in his 33 appearances for United during the 1955-56 campaign culminating in United winning the League.

In 1957, Tommy Taylor scored a hat-trick in the 10-0 victory over Belgian Champions Anderlecht, in United’s first ever European Cup game. A year later, Taylor, along with seven other teammates, was killed at Munich.

Tevez

Labelled the “Argentine prophet for the 21st century” by none other than Diego Maradona himself, Carlos Tevez bears more than a passing resemblance to the player many described as the best in the world during the 1980s. Tevez, born on 5 February 1984 in Buenos Aires, has also tasted success with his national side, winning a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and starring in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

At club level, Tevez began his professional career with Boca Juniors in 2001 before transferring to Corinthians four years later. After an explosive 2005-06 season that saw him score 25 goals in 38 games, Tevez refused to play for his Brazilian employers and speculation was rife that a move was imminent. West Ham proved to be his destination but concern over the third party who owned his contract led to disputes and an eventual change in Premier League rules.

*Carlos Tevez battles for the ball with Micah Richards of Manchester City.

In his short spell with the club, Tevez helped them win two Premier League titles and a Champions League crown with 34 goals in 98 appearances. Much to the dismay of his adoring fans, he left United to join arch rivals Manchester City in July 2009 and he has continued his goalscoring exploits at the City of Manchester Stadium.

He was sensationally replaced by Michael Owen, the former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle United forward who most people, apart from Sir Alex Ferguson, thought was past his sell-by date. His goalscoring record though is beyond dispute especially with England where he has scored 40 goals in 89 appearances.

Tevez’s international career has seen him appear more than 60 times for the team managed by Maradona, getting on to the scoresheet regularly.

Three Hundred Club

*Appearances in all competitions to end 2008-09 season.

Treble

The 1998-99 season proved to be a momentous one for Manchester United with the club becoming the first to add the UEFA Champions League title (formerly the European Cup) to the domestic Double of Premier League and FA Cup.

The FA Cup run will forever be remembered for Ryan Giggs’s solo goal which gave United victory over Arsenal in the semi-final replay. Hailed as the greatest-ever FA Cup goal, United were down to ten men following Roy Keane’s dismissal when Giggs started his run in his own half and dribbled past five defenders before hammering the ball home. The Premiership title was wrapped up with a 2-1 victory at home to Spurs the week before the FA Cup Final. United’s opponents at Wembley were Newcastle United, but goals from substitute and man of the match Teddy Sheringham and Paul Scholes sealed the Double.

*Alex Ferguson is held aloft by his team as they celebrate victory in the Champions League Final against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona, 1999.

In Barcelona four days later, United were trailing Bayern Munich to a Basler free-kick for most of the match. In injury time, Schmeichel came up for a corner and in the confusion Sheringham steered Giggs’s mis-hit shot into the net for the equaliser. As the watching millions braced themselves for extra-time, United again won a corner. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the player to hit the back of the net this time and spark jubilant celebrations.

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UEFA Cup

United have never reached the Final of the UEFA Cup and they have suffered first-round exits on four occasions. Widzew Lodz went through on the away goals rule following a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in 1980-81 while United lost 2-1 on aggregate against Valencia two years later. The opponents in 1992-93 were Torpedo Moscow and after two goalless games the Russians emerged victorious from the penalty shoot-out.

*Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel heads in a goal during the UEFA Cup first round second leg match against Rotor Volgograd at Old Trafford, September 1995.