Clubbing On

It wasn’t until February 6^th, 1958, that the Youth Academy at Manchester United came under genuine scrutiny. British European Airways Flight 609, crashing on takeoff at 15.03 pm from Munich-Riem airport, Germany, killed 8 of a squad that had been built on belief in youth; left full back and captain, Roger Byrne, 26 starts that 1957-58 season; left full back, Geoff Bent, 0; center half, Mark Jones, 10; right half, Eddie Colman, 24; Eire inside right, Liam ‘Billy’ Whelan, 20 (12 goals); center forward, Tommy Taylor, 25 (16); and left winger, David Pegg, 21 (4), while left half, Duncan Edwards, 26 (6), passed away at Rechts der Isar hospital 15 days later, and injury ended the careers of inside forward, Northern Irish, Jackie Blanchflower, 18, and right winger, Johnny Berry, 20 (4).

 The squad were returning from an encounter, on February 5^th, at Stadion JNA, against Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade, in the quarter-final of the European Cup, with Dennis Viollett, 22 (16), on 2 minutes, 1-0, with left back, Milan Zekovic, unable to take him down from behind, at the edge of the ‘D’, center. Dennis, inside the 18 yard box, struck the ball into the right corner of the net, as Croatian ‘keeper, Vladimir Beara, came out. Bobby Charlton, 21 (8), on 30 minutes, after crossing the center circle, with the ball, right to left, from inside his own half, hammered a shot, left-footed, past Beara, from just outside the 18 yard box, center; inside the right post, low, 2-0. Beara, in the 32^nd minute, opting to kick away a right-footed cross-shot, right of the 18 yard box, close to the byline. The ball, instead finding Charlton; almost on the penalty spot, goal, center, 3-0.

 A lead, whittled away by left winger, Bora Kostić, on 46 minutes, 1-3, and center forward, Lazar Tasić, a penalty, on 50 minutes, awarded, according to center half, Bill Foulkes, after Lazar pulled Bill down on top of him, 2-3. United ‘keeper, Harry Gregg, saved at Kostić’s feet, but handled outside the area. The resultant free kick, on 58 minutes, according to Viollett, gained such a curve, ricocheting off his head, Harry could only palm it into his net, 3-3.

 Rather than Berry, £25,000 from Birmingham City, debuting on September 1^st, 1951, at Bolton Wanderers, 0-1, then 31 years, Wales’ Kenny Morgans, 11 starts that 1957-58 term, was the right winger, 18 years, and the youngest member of the squad, found by two German photographers, in the wreckage of the fuselage, hours after an official abandonment of the search for survivors, at 9.30 pm, ‘The first team wasn’t clicking, so Matt Busby had made changes.’1 Albert Scanlon, the other major pre-Munich team change, alongside Morgans, on December 21^st, 1957, against Leicester, 4-0, with Scanlon, 9 (3), opening the scoring, on 13 minutes, and the team on an unbeaten run in the league since, had been preferred to Pegg, then 22 years, as the left winger.

 Having won, 2-1, in the first leg, on January 14^th, despite Tasić’s opener on 35 minutes, with Charlton, in the 64^th, and Colman, in the 82^nd minute, the team qualified on aggregate, 5-4, to contest a semi-final with Italy’s Serie A club, AC Milan. The first team decimated, a makeshift side made up of reserves, survivors, and youth team players, won, 2-1.

 Morgans, ‘man of the match’, as he recalled, ‘played his heart out’, while England forward, Charlton, glaringly absented for a Friendly at London’s national Wembley Stadium, on May 7^th against Portugal, 2-1, was scoring goals there. After receiving a through ball from inside left, Fulham’s Johnny Haynes, in the 25^th; from 20 yards, and despite being off-balance, due to a strong challenge from Académica OAF left half, Márlo Torres, inside ‘keeper Carlos Gomes’ post, 1-0. Into center field, from Blackburn Rovers’ Bryan Douglas, finding Bobby; left-footed thunderbolt, past the CP Sporting ‘keeper, 2-1, in the 62^nd minute. Kenny, his heart no longer in it, making only 2 league appearances in 1958-59, 0 in 1959-60, and just 2 in 1960-61, was transferred to Swansea Town, in March 1961, for £3,000.

 Behind, on May 8^th, at Old Trafford, in the 24^th minute, after a strike from Milan ‘playmaker’, Uruguayan attacking midfielder (AM), Juan Schiaffino, 0-1, the side, recovering, though deserted, desolate, and abused by the loss of Charlton on international duty, through Viollett, on 39 minutes, 1-1, and a penalty, converted by inside forward, Ernie Taylor, an ‘emergency’ February 19^th signing from Blackpool, 2-1, on 80 minutes, finally collapsed, on May 14^th at San Siro, 0-4; losing 2-5 on aggregate.

 Before the Munich disaster, the club had emphasized youth, as a platform upon which to build the future, which afterwards became a principle; in memory of those that lost their lives. In the 1955-56 season, Wilf McGuinness, 3 (1), debuted, 19 years, on October 8^th, 1955, against Wolves, 4-3, through Pegg, in the 42^nd minute, 1-0, Taylor, in the 71^st, 2-2, John Doherty, in the 84^th, 3-3, and Taylor, in the 88^th. Wilf later managed the club, appointed for 1969-70, after then manager, since 1945-46, Matt Busby.

 Former Manchester City right half, Busby debuted against Middlesborough, 3-1, at inside left, on November 2^nd, 1929, through right winger, Ernie Toseland, 42, center forward, Tommy Tait (28), and Welsh left winger, Jack Harrison, 1 (1), in what was, bizarrely, his only ever appearance. Matt requested the role of trainer, selector, seller and purchaser, from October 1^st, 1945, without interference. James W. Gibson, clothier, agreed, Chairman since 1927, though replaced in 1951, upon his demise, by Harold Hardman, a former trainee left winger at Everton, signed for 1908-09.

 Though transferred to Bradford City, on January 8^th, 1909, Harold appeared 4 times for the club, when John Davies, brewer, was Chairman, based at Bank Street’s ground, Clayton. Debuting, for then manager, Ernest Mangnall, on September 19^th, 1908, away at Manchester City, Hyde Road, 2-1, after goals from Scot’s center forward, Jimmy Turnbull, 1-1, on 41 minutes, and inside left, Harold Halse, on 68 minutes. Hardman, as Chairman, would oversee the proper development of the Youth Academy, and its concomitant; the rise of the ‘Busby Babes’.

 McGuinness, 13, had qualified for a league championship winners’ medal, in the 1956-57 campaign, at left-half, which was some feat, as that was the position held by the team’s ‘young giant’, Edwards, 34 (5). Descried as a talent with ‘everything’, because of his strength, stamina, the timing of his tackling, ‘The Tank’, and the two-footed power of his shooting, Duncan made his first team debut, 16 years and 185 days, against Cardiff City, 1-4, on April 4^th, 1953; through Byrne (pen.), on 87 minutes: Edwards’ only appearance that term.

 ‘Big Dunc’ was already on his way to winning the inaugural 1952-53 FA Youth Cup, alongside other emerging soccer Titans in the 1953 Final; Colman, Whelan, and Pegg. Beating Wolverhampton Wanderers, on May 4^th, 7-1, at Old Trafford, and on May 9^th drawing 2-2 at Molineux Stadium: taking the trophy 9-3 on aggregate. Some members of the side’d ironically be greater after Munich; left winger Scanlon, debuting on November 20^th, 1954, against Arsenal, 2-1, through center forward, Taylor, on 60 minutes, and inside right, Blanchflower, in the 87^th, subsequent to Albert’s recovering from injuries, incurred in the disaster, and captain, center half, Ron Cope, 21 years, debuting at Highbury, on September 29^th, 1956, 2-1, through inside right, Whelan, on 10 minutes, 1-0, and right winger, Berry (pen.), in the 35^th, 2-0.

 Bobby Charlton debuted, 18 years, on October 6^th, 1956, against Charlton Athletic, 4-2,  through Berry, in the 25^th minute, 1-1, Charlton, in the 32^nd and 37^th, 3-1, and Whelan, in the 65^th, 4-2. Charlton would become a legend after Munich, as the deep-lying center forward in the side, rising from the ashes, like the mythical Phoenix bird, to win the European Cup in 1968. With McGuinness at left half, Bobby, at outside left, had come into the team that won the 1954 FA Youth Cup, again against Wolves, 4-4, on April 23^rd, at Old Trafford, and on April 26^th, 1-0, at Molineux; 5-4 on aggregate.

 Eire’s Shay Brennan, right back in that ‘68 Final was at inside forward in the 1954-55 FA Youth Cup Final win over West Bromwich Albion, 4-1, on April 27^th, at Old Trafford, and on April 30^th, 3-0, at The Hawthorns; 7-1 on aggregate. Eire’s Joe Carolan, at right half; Morgans, right winger; inside forward, Mark Pearson, and Scot’s center forward, Alex Dawson, who’d feature strongly in the immediate post-Munich hiatus, were in the side that beat Chesterfield in the 1956 FA Youth Cup Final, 3-2 on April 30^th, at Old Trafford, and drawing, 1-1, on May 7^th, at the Recreation Ground; 4-3 on aggregate.

 The effect of youth, on the first team squad, was startling. Called ‘Boom Boom’ by Berliners, Edwards’ first international goal came, during a Friendly defeat of Germany, 3-1, on May 26^th, 1956, at Olympiastadion, Duncan, 33 (3), for the 1955-56 term, striking from the edge of the 18 yard box, past Rot-Weiss Essen ‘keeper, Fritz Herkenrath, after ‘Tank Gun’ evaded a tackle from Essen center half, Heinz Wewers; 1-0, in the 25^th minute.

 Colman, 25, ‘Snakehips’, for his body swerve, 19 years, debuted at Bolton’s Burnden Park, 1-3, despite Taylor’s opener in the 3^rd minute, on November 12^th, 1955. Eddie, right half to Duncan’s left half, was replacing Jeff Whitefoot, 15, debuting against Portsmouth, on April 15^th, 1950, 0-2, then the youngest to start for the club, 16 years, 105 days. Whitefoot belonged to Busby’s first phase ‘Babes’, along with John Doherty, 5 (2), 17 years, inside right, debuting in the 1952-53 season, on December 6^th, 1952, against Middlesboro’, 3-2, through Stan Pearson, on 7 minutes, at center forward, John Aston Snr, in the 23^rd, and Pearson, in the 32^nd, with Doherty, 16 (4), also a part of the squad that won the 1955-56 title, before Whelan’s emergence at inside right. Celebrated, for being able to find the net, with either foot, and often from difficult angles, Liam, 36 (27), top scored in 1956-57, arriving from Dublin’s Home Farm club, after a spell as a trainee, debuting on March 26^th, 1955, at Preston North End’s Deepdale, 2-0, through Scanlon, 14^th, and Byrne (pen.), 60^th minute.

 Though Jeff contributed, 3, the 1951-52 title was won by the more seasoned, apart from left full back, Byrne, 24 (7), sometime left winger that term, debuting on November 24^th, 1951, 22 years, against Liverpool, 0-0. Jack Rowley, 40 (30), center forward, and Stan Pearson, 41 (22), at inside left, had been in the 1948 FA Cup Final winning side, 4-2 against Blackpool, initially through Rowley, toeing the ball away from ‘keeper Joe Robinson’s fingertips, right boot, outstretched, past Joe, right, side-footing, 1-1, on 28 minutes, and in the 70^th, a cross from inside right, Johnny Morris, out on the right, level with the right corner of the 18 yard box. Jack, leaping, a header, left side of the goal area, level with the left upright, top right corner of the net, 2-2, then Stan Pearson, on 80 minutes, at inside left, right side of the penalty area, right-footed, in off the left post, 3-2, and right half, John Anderson, in the 82^nd, outside the 18 yard box, right side of the ‘D’, top left corner, 4-2.

 Scot, John Downie, 31 (11), joining from Bradford Park Avenue for £18,000, replaced inside right, Johnny Morris, before 1951-52’s championship success. Netting on his debut, on March 5^th, 1949, at Charlton Athletic, 3-2, through Stan Pearson, on 4 minutes, 1-0, John in the 52^nd, 2-1, and Pearson, 3-1, in the 62^nd.

 Reaching double figures, Taylor, 33 (25), and Viollett, 34 (20), debuting at Newcastle United’s Saint James Park, 19 years, on April 11^th, 1953,  2-1, through Taylor, on 7 minutes, 1-0, and in the 58^th, 2-1, the club won the 1955-56 title, and the FA Shield curtain raiser to 1956-57, 1-0, through Viollett, on 75 minutes, on October 24^th, against Manchester City, at Maine Road. Ray Wood, ‘keeper, 39, was replaced, on 45 minutes, by David Gaskell, then the youngest ever to take the field, at 16 years, 19 days; though being in the eleven at the start is always the genuine measure of a manager’s belief.

 Charlton, 14 (10), and McGuinness, 13, featured in ‘56-57, with Bobby sometimes at inside left instead of Viollett, while inside forward, Nobby Lawton, coming into the side for the 1957 FA Youth Cup Final against West Ham United, would press for a while in the post-Munich aftermath. ‘The Hammers’ were beaten, 3-2, on May 2^nd, at Upton Park, and on May 7^th, at Old Trafford, 5-0; 8-2 on aggregate.

 The side won the 1957 FA Shield ‘opener’ to the 1957-58 season, 4-0, at Old Trafford, on October 22^nd, having lost to Villa in the 1957 FA Cup Final, on May 4^th, at Wembley, the previous season, when going for ‘the double’ of league and cup. A collision with Villa left winger, Peter McParland, after only 6 minutes, disabled United ‘keeper, Wood, with Blanchflower taking the ‘keeper’s jersey. A hat-trick (3) in the FA Shield, on 50 minutes, 1-0, in the 54^th, 2-0, and 70^th, 3-0, with Berry (pen.), on 87 minutes, 4-0, Taylor got ‘hamstrung’ United’s sole reply, in the ‘57 Final, on 83 minutes, 1-2; what might have beens.

 Brennan, inside forward, 5 league starts that 1957-58 season, as the usual alternative to Pegg, left winger Scanlon, had injuries, Seamus, ‘Shay’, debuted, at outside left, in the initial post-Munich game. In the 5^th Round FA Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday, at Old Trafford, on February 19^th, 1958, Brennan’s corner on the left; high, in-swinging, in at the near post, beyond ‘keeper Brian Ryalls’ grasp, on 29 minutes, 1-0, and in the 70^th, Shay’s right instep, just outside the 6 yard box, level with the right upright; inside the right post, low, 2-0. Dawson, 12 (5), struck again, late on; right of the penalty area, outside the 6 yard box, opposite the right upright; low shot, right-footed, bottom left corner of the net, in the 85^th, 3-0.

 On a peoples’ wave of non-partisan emotion, the team would reach the May 3^rd FA Cup Final, at Wembley. Only to lose, at the last hurdle, to a clinical Bolton center forward, Nat Lofthouse. Receiving a low, left-footed through ball, from left half, Bryan Edwards, just outside the 18 yard box, left, Nat struck low, right-footed, from inside the penalty area, left, into the left corner of the net in only the 3^rd minute; bulling ‘keeper, Harry Gregg, 19, over his own line, as he tried to keep hold of the ball, 0-2, on 50 minutes.

 Though Brennan would go on to be a part of the side that won the 1963 FA Cup Final, at right back, 3-1, against Leicester City, as well as being regularly selected for the league title campaigns of 1964-65 and 1966-67, Bill Foulkes, 42, now as captain, was at right back in the Final, where he’d mostly been since Munich, after debuting, 20 years, on December 13^th, 1952, against Liverpool, 2-1, through Aston, on 50 minutes, 1-1, and Stan Pearson in the 80^th, while inside forward, Wales’ Colin Webster, 20 (6), who hadn’t made the trip to Belgrade, but had seen action in the ‘55-56, 15 (4), and ‘56-57, 5 (3), title charges, after debuting, 21 years, on November 28^th, 1953, at Portsmouth, 1-1, through Taylor’s equalizer, on 70 minutes, was out on the left as the winger.

 Freddie Goodwin, right ‘wing back’, defined as an attacker, in the place of the full back, supplying all of the width, rather than wingers, and also required to defend, as a full back, usually requiring an additional central defender when deploying, also wasn’t on the trip to Red Star. Debuting November 20^th, 1954, 21 years, against Arsenal, 2-1, through Taylor, on 60 minutes, 1-1, and Blanchflower, in the 87^th, 2-1, contributing to the ‘56, 8, and ‘57, 6, title wins, Freddie was given 16 starts in 1957-58. Stanley Crowther, 11, left half, £18,000 from Sunderland, with the thankless task of replacing Duncan, and Ernie Taylor, 11 (2), inside right, £8,000 from Blackpool, shortest player in the league, at 5’ 4”, with his defence-splitting passing ability, on a similar ‘hiding to nothing’, replacing ‘Billy’ Whelan, were both ‘emergency’ debuts, in the 3-0 FA Cup 5^th Round defeat of Sheffield Wednesday, on February 19^th. Having been to the Final, both were transferred, in the earlier part of the 1958-59 campaign; partly due to painful comparisons with their illustrious predecessors. Ernie, 11, to S’land for £7,000, on December 12^th, 1958, and ‘Stan’, 2, to Chelsea for £10,000, on December 16^th, 1958. Thanks, and farewell.

 The Munich disaster had been double for England, preparing for the 1958 World Cup Finals in Sweden; losing Byrne, Colman, Jones, Berry, Pegg, and Taylor. Though Charlton was in the squad, he wasn’t selected by then manager, Walter Winterbottom, for the team. Russia beat England in a play-off for 2^nd place in Group 4, at Ullevi, Gothenburg, 0-1, on June 17^th, progressing to the quarter final.

 Gregg was ‘keeper for the Northern Ireland team that had lost Jackie to injury, captained by his brother, Spurs’ right half, Danny Blanchflower, beaten 4-0 by France at the quarter-final stage, on June 19^th at Idrottsparken, Norrköping.

 Webster, named in Wales’ squad, took the field against Hungary, 1-1, Mexico, 1-1, and the quarter-final against eventual South American winners, Brazil. In the eleven, for injured Italian Serie A club, Juventus’ center forward at center half, ‘gentle giant’, John Charles, beaten on June 19^th, at Ullevi, by club Santos’ Pelé, 17 years, on 66 minutes, taking the ball on his chest, inside the 6 yard box, left, tapping the ball forward, right-footed, towards the goal, behind him, while turning to follow its path; right boot, stroking the ball, low, bobbling inside ‘keeper Jack Kelsey’s left upright, 1-0, en route to beating Scandinavia’s Sweden, in the Final, 5-2, on June 29^th, 1958, at Råsunda, Solna.

 Brazil’s first title, and Pelé’s first of three; in Northern Europe in ‘58, and in South America’s Chile in ‘62, against Central Eastern Europe’s Czechoslovakia, 3-1, on June 17^th at Estadio Nacional, Santiago, and in Central America’s Mexico in ‘70, against Southern Europe’s Italy, 4-1, on June 21^st, at Stadio Azteca, Mexico City.

 A throw in, on the left wing, from Cruzeiro’s center forward, Tostão, crossed, on the bounce, left-footed, by Corinthians’ left winger, Rivellino, just outside the 18 yard box, almost level with the right corner of the 6 yard box, where there’s Pelé, heading the ball, high, inside Cagliari ‘keeper Enrico Albertosi’s right post, 1-0, in the 18^th minute.

 Goodwin was a linchpin of the side in 1958-59, 42 (6), more often at right half, replacing Colman, while Carolan, 23, making his debut as a ‘Babe’, 21 years, on November 22^nd, 1958, at Old Trafford against Luton Town, 2-1, through Viollett in the 1^st minute, 1-0, and Charlton in the 11^th, 2-0, began impressively at left back, replacing the immediate choice after Munich, Ian Greaves, injured, unable to travel to Belgrade, transferred from Buxton United for 1953-54, debuting on October 2^nd, 1954, 22 years, at Wolves’ Molineux, 2-4, through Viollett, on 26 minutes, and Rowley, in the 73^rd. Ian, left back in the 1958 FA Cup Final defeat to Bolton, had 34 starts in 1958-59.

 Warren Bradley, 24 (12), wasn’t, strictly speaking, a youth product, but an amateur, with Northern League club, Bishop Auckland, winning the FA Amateur Cup in ‘56 against Corinthian Casuals, 4-1, on April 12^th at Middlesboro’s Ayrsome Park, after a draw, 1-1, on April 7^th at Wembley, and again in ‘57 against Wycombe Wanderers on April 13^th at Wembley, with Warren netting on 72 minutes, 3-1.

 After his debut, 25 years, on November 15^th, 1958, at Bolton, 3-6, through Dawson, on 35 minutes, 1-2, and in the 65^th, 2-3, and Charlton, in the 50^th, 3-3, the club’s emergency signing of Bradley, post-Munich, had immediate rewards; visibly, and tangibly, on-field, while £45,000 signing, ‘The Golden Boy’, 25 years, second striker, Albert Quixall, 33 (4), from Sheffield Wednesday, had glaringly less impact in terms of goals, although Charlton, 38 (29), gave him credit as a valuable ‘provider’. Dennis Viollet, 37 (21), and Scanlon, 42 (16), also got into double figures, with the team finishing 2^nd in the title race; 5 points behind Wolves on 55.

 The club finished 7^th in 1959-60. Maurice Setters, brought from West Bromwich Albion (WBA), in January 1960, for £30,000, replaced McGuinness, victim of a career-ending December 1959 leg-break, during a reserve team game against Stoke City. Goodwin was sold to West Yorkshire club, Leeds United, for £10,000, on March 16^th. Lawton, 3, debuted at inside left, on April 9^th, 1960, at Luton’s Kenilworth Road, 3-2, through Bradley, on 20 minutes, 1-0, and Dawson, in the 30^th , 2-1, and 32^nd, 3-1. Eire’s legendary midfielder, ‘general’ Johnny Giles, 10 (2), for a signing on fee of £10, turning out for Dublin’s Stella Maris in 1956, began his career as a right winger, 19 years, on September 12^th, 1959, against Spurs, 1-5, with only Viollett to reply, in the 43^rd minute, 1-3. Mark Pearson, 10 (3), 18 years, debuting in the FA Cup 5^th Round defeat of Sheffield Wednesday, in the aftermath of Munich, on February 19^th, began to impact as a forward, though Viollett, 36 (32), Charlton, 37 (18), Dawson, 22 (15), and Quixall, 33 (13), got into double figures.

 Mark Pearson, 27 (7), was how he repaid his being selected in 1960-61, while Carolan, 2, with Greaves transferred to Lincoln City in December 1960, was replaced by Eire’s Noel Cantwell, 24, at left back, brought from West Ham United for £29,500 in November 1960. Eire’s Tony Dunne, 3, 19 years, who’d be at left back for the ‘red devils’ against Portugal’s Sport Lisboa e Benfica, O Glorioso, ‘The Glorious One’, Benfica of Lisbon, in the European Cup Final of 1968, signing on April 26^th, 1960, from Dublin’s Shelbourne for £5,000, as cover for Brennan and Cantwell, debuted against Burnley, on October 15^th, 1960, 3-5, despite Viollett’s hat-trick, on 30 minutes, 1-1, in the 40^th, 2-3, and 80^th, 3-4.

 Jimmy Nicholson, 31 (5), 17 years, debuting on August 4^th, 1960, at Everton’s Goodison Park, 0-4, shared mainly half back duties with Nobby Stiles, 26 (2), 18 years, debuting, on October 1^st, 1960, at Bolton, 1-1, through Giles’ equalizer in the 75^th. Stiles’d be in the side that won the World Cup with England in 1966, alongside Bobby Charlton, and his brother, center back, Jack, at Leeds United, on July 30^th, at Wembley.

 Whereas center forward, Geoff Hurst, and England captain in ‘66, center half, Bobby Moore, had been losers for West Ham, against Blackburn Rovers, 1-1, and 1-0, that is, 1-2 on aggregate, in the Final of the 1959 FA Youth Cup, it was a hat-trick (3) from Hurst of ‘The Hammers’, in the 18^th, 101^st, and 120^th minutes, largely responsible for the defeat of Germany, 4-2 (2-2), a.e.t., although it was left wing, Martin Peters, also ‘forever blowing bubbles’ at Upton Park, 8 yards from goal, after Everton’s Alan Ball, right wing, found Hurst from a corner, who converted Geoff’s subsequently deflected strike, past ‘keeper, Hans Tilkowski, to give England the lead, 2-1, on 77 minutes.

 Giles, 23 (2), and Scot’s midfielder, Ian Moir, 8 (1), 17 years, completed the 1960-61 season’s roster of ‘Busby Babes’. The team again finished 7^th; Charlton, 39 (21), Dawson, 28 (16), Viollett, 24 (15), and Quixall, 38 (13), getting into double figures.

 Scot, David Herd, center forward, was signed for 1961-62, at £40,000 from Arsenal, top scorer there for the four previous seasons; 24, 15, 14, and 29, while Lawton, 20 (6), and Northern Irish left winger, or center forward, Sammy McMillan, 11 (6), debuting on November 4^th, 1961, in a defeat, 1-3, although Viollett reduced the deficit, 1-2, on 20 minutes, at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough, made significant contributions in terms of appearances and goals.

 With Busby looking in vain at Mark Pearson, 17 (1), to replace Viollett, 13 (7), transferred to second tier Stoke, 28 years, at £25,000 in January 1962, and Dawson, 4 (2), looking as if already replaced by David, the club finished 15^th, as only Herd, 27 (14), and Quixall, 21 (10), could reach double figures.

 Although the 1962-63 league position didn’t improve, 19^th, tempestuous Scot, Pat Crerand, 19, arrived on February 6^th, 1963, from Glasgow Celtic for £56,000, as a tough-tackling, ball-distributing, and tactically thoughtful, right half. The club, still recovering from the Munich disaster, needed him, and former Manchester City center forward, returned from Italy’s Serie A club, Torino, Turin, replacing Viollett, along with the pretenders to Dennis’ throne, for £55,000, Scot, Denis Law, 38 (23), believed by most to be the best striker of a generation.

 Beating Leicester City, 3-1, on May 25^th, 1963, at Wembley, with Cantwell, 25 (1), captain, and an opening goal by Law, ‘The King’ to the Stretford End supporters, reestablished the club in the top tier. Leicester ‘keeper, Gordon Banks, saved a Charlton, 28 (7), effort, on the half hour. Crerand, 25 yards out, intercepting the ball, bowled out by Banks, for Scot’s inside left, David Gibson. Lifting it, over the outstretched leg of the out rushing defender, left of the ‘D’, Pat, ran into the 18 yard box; squaring the ball to Law, right, with the outside of his right boot. To deceive the defence, Denis feinted, as if accepting the pass, but allowing the ball to run on behind him; stopping it with his left foot, turning anti-clockwise, on a sixpence, at the penalty spot, striking with his right boot, left corner of the net, 1-0.

 In the 57^th minute, a cross-field ball from Giles, 36 (4), bursting through on the right, from inside his own half, finds an unmarked Charlton; far left of the pitch, hurtling on into the left corner of the 18 yard box: on a ‘run and shoot’. Banks parries into the path of Herd, 37 (19); a tap in, 2-0.

 Banks, coming for a Giles cross, floated from just outside the right corner of the 18 yard box, the defender; trying to head away the ball. Banks, impeded; attempting to catch the ball in the air, and sweep it under his arm, in a single movement; fumbling, making it seem as if he’s punched the ball to the ground. Herd, on the bounce, turns, right-footed, low, 3-1, past the defender on the goal line, on 85 minutes.

 At the traditional FA Shield, champions versus FA Cup winners, ‘showpiece’, on the opening day of the new season, the team lost, 0-4, to Everton, on August 17^th. However, the 1963-64 squad gave themselves a very good chance at winning a European trophy, 4-1 against CP Sporting of Portugal, in the Cup Winners Cup quarter-final at home, on February 26^th, 1964.

 Law got a hat-trick (3), receiving a long ball, right-footed, from right midfield, inside the Manchester half, bouncing in front of Denis, heading it on, still well outside the 18 yard box, but ahead of Sporting’s pursuing number 2, left back, Hilário, inside the left side of the ‘D’, moving right, almost at the penalty spot; right-footed strike, low, right corner of the net, 1-0, on 22 minutes.

 A pass, from just inside the Manchester half, outside of the right boot, Charlton chasing, catching up, well outside the 18 yard box, running on, with the ball, delivering a rocket from the right corner of the penalty area; low, right-footed. There’s an attempt to block by ‘keeper Joaquim Carvalho, but the ball’s trickling over the goal line; inside the right post, 2-0, in the 39^th minute.

 Brought down by defender, Alfredo Moreira, inside the 18 yard box, center, clean through on goal, Stiles is awarded a 60^th minute penalty. Law’s right-footed shot, low, left corner of the net, 3-0, despite Carvalho’s correctly going to his right. After another blatant assault by midfielder, captain Fernando Mendes, on Charlton, trying to accept a ball, inside the left side of the 18 yard box, from Best outside on the left, Dutch referee, Joop Martens, awards a second penalty. With half the Sporting team pushing and shoving Martens, as they did for the first decision, and both linesmen having to come on to prevent the melée developing into something more unpleasant, the Portuguese players are fortunate to remain on the pitch. Law, right-footed, low, right corner of the net, 4-1, in the 70^th minute.

 Disastrously the side lost, 0-5, away, on March 18^th, at Estádio José Alvalade, named for CP’s 3^rd President (1910-12), Lisbon. However, Busby’s youth policy continued. David Sadler, 19 (5), 17 years, inside forward, according to the squad roster, signing professionally, as a youth from Maidstone United, ‘The Stones’, debuting on August 16^th, 1963, at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough, 3-3, through Moir, on 38 minutes, 1-2, Charlton, in the 52^nd, 2-2, and in the 78^th, 3-3, would become even more distinguished as a center half.

 The mercurial dribbling skills of Northern Ireland’s left winger, George Best, 17 (4), 17 years, were seen for the first time against WBA, 1-0, through Sadler, on 64 minutes, on September 14^th, 1963, while Willie Anderson, 2, left winger, sold to Aston Villa, on January 17^th, 1967, for £20,000, because Best couldn’t be rivaled, debuted, 16 years, against Burnley, 5-1, on December 28^th, 1963, through Herd, on 11 minutes, 1-0, Moore, in the 25^th, 2-0, Best, in the 38^th, 3-0, Moore in the 68^th, 4-0, and Herd in the 70^th, 5-0.

 Wales’ Graham Moore, 18 (4), 22 years, at the club for only a year, through injury, £35,000 from ‘The Blues’ of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, London, competed for a role in midfield, with the overlooked and disappointed Giles, 0 that season, transferring to Leeds for £33,000 for the 1964-65 term, saying of Matt, ‘I am going to haunt him.’2 John did, and Matt admitted his ‘mistake’, although the difference between 15^th in the league in 1962-63, with Giles, and 2^nd that 1963-64 term, without John, is inarguable.

 Phil Chisnall, debuting on December 2^nd, against Everton, 1-5, with Herd’s 60^th minute consolation, 1961-62, 9 (1), 19 years, faring less well in the coaches’ estimation for 1962-63, 6 (1), made a significant contribution in 1963-64, 20 (6), as ‘probably the best passer of a ball in the country’,3 according to England manager, Alf Ramsey, displacing Quixall, at inside forward, alongside Moir, 18 (3), and Sadler. Law, 30 (30) and Herd, 30 (20), got into double figures, as the club finished runner-up in the league, 4 points behind Liverpool’s 57.

 The 1964 FA Youth Cup Final was won, with a team including captain, Bobby Noble, left back; Scot, John Fitzpatrick, at left half; right winger, Anderson; inside right and captain, Best, center forward, Sadler, and left winger, John Aston Jnr, on April 27^th, against Swindon Town, 1-1, at the County Ground, and 4-1 at Old Trafford, on April 30^th; 5-2 on aggregate.

 The team sheet; three left wingers; Anderson, Best, and Aston, is deceptive. In practice, wingers’ wings are switched; if they’re unsuccessful. Best, though a left winger, often ‘switched’ to the right, as he was an inside forward, or second striker (SS), as well as an attacking midfielder (AM), which is true for most left sided forwards, as they’re awkward for a right-sided, ‘square’, defence.

 In 1964-65 the team gave themselves an even better chance at winning a European trophy, 3-2, in the first leg of the semi-final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, at Old Trafford, on May 31^st, 1965, against Hungary’s Nemzeti Bajnokság I club, Ferencváros. Law opened the team’s account with a penalty equalizer, 1-1, before Herd, on 61, and 69 minutes, made it 3-1.

 However, in the second leg, on June 6^th, at Budapest’s Népstadion, ‘Peoples Park’, the ‘Fradi’ were awarded a penalty on 44 minutes, after Stiles, 41, trying to handle left winger Máté Fenyvesi, handled the ball, and right back, Desző Novák, right-footed, right corner, struck low, past Eire ‘keeper, Pat Dunne, 0-1; 3-3 aggregate. Crerand, 39 (3), tangling with forward, Pál Orosz, in the 75^th minute, both were red-carded. United lost a play off, as the match-up occurred before the ‘away goals count double’ ruling, 1-2, at Üllői úti stadion, Budapest, on June 16^th, with right winger, Connelly, a consolation goal on 86 minutes, after right winger, János Karába, struck on 44 minutes, 0-1, and left winger, Fenyvesi, on 54 minutes, 0-2.

 Pat Dunne, 37, was brought, £10,500 from Dublin’s Shamrock Rovers, close season, to compete with Gaskell, 5, ‘keeper in the 1963 FA Cup Final, as Busby had looked to replace Gregg. John Connelly arrived from Burnley’s Turf Moor for £56,000, as the side needed a right winger, following the hiatus surrounding the departure of Giles, while Fitzpatrick, 2, known for a high work-rate, stamina, biting tackles, off-the-ball running, touch control, and ball distribution, debuted, on February 24^th, 1965, 18 years, away at Sunderland’s Roker Park, 0-1, and John Aston Jnr., 1, 17 years, left winger, son of John Snr., sometime center forward, and left back in the 1948 FA Cup Final win at Wembley, on April 24^th, debuted on April 12^th, 1965, against Leicester City, 1-0, through Herd, on 49 minutes. The entire forward line of Law, 36 (28), Herd, 37 (20), Connelly, 42 (15), Best, 41 (10), and Charlton 41 (10), reached double figures, as the club were champions, with a better goal average, 2.282, than Leeds, 1.596, also 61 points, before goal difference became the basis for separating clubs level on points from 1976-77.

 Upon Harold Hardman’s demise, butcher Louis Edwards, ‘a fan’, in his own estimation, became Chairman. The 1965 FA Shield, ‘shared’, was drawn, 2-2, with Liverpool, at Old Trafford, on August 14^th, with Anderson on for ‘out-of-sorts’ Law on 18 minutes. Best, on 29 minutes, lurking 10 yards onside, L’pool center backs, Scot, Ron Yeats and Tommy Smith, were ready to move up, and spring the ‘offside trap’. Charlton, a through Ball, for Best to run onto. L’pool ‘keeper, Scot, Tommy Lawrence fails to come out, and Best, able to see more of the goal, places the ball wide of him, 1-0, on 29 minutes. Herd, on 81 minutes, deceptively casual, struck from the edge of the 18 yard box, 2-1.

 1965-66, qualifying as champions, was the club’s first stab at winning the European Cup since Munich. Having never left the competition, before the semi-final stage, the side duly progressed to an encounter with Partizan Belgrade, losing the first leg away, 0-2, on April 13^th, 1966. In the second leg, on April 20^th, Crerand was again red-carded, this time for fighting with center back, Ljubomir Mihajlović, and both were sent off, on 65 minutes, although it was clearly Stiles that had thrown a punch at Mihajlović.

 However, Pat did throw a left hook at Partizan left winger, Josip Pirmajer, for badgering him, on his way off the pitch. On the restart, a short corner on the left, taken by left winger, Anderson. Stiles, right-footed, an in-swinging cross-shot, from out by the corner flag, beating ‘keeper Milutin Šoškić, near post, 1-0, in the 72^nd minute; 1-2 on aggregate.

 Noble, 2, debuted at left back, 20 years, on April 9^th, 1966, against Leicester City, 1-2, through Connelly, on 81 minutes. Scot, 20 years, right winger, Jimmy Ryan, 4 (1), debuted, on May 4^th, at WBA, 3-3, through Herd, on 27 minutes, 1-0, Aston in the 49^th, 2-2, and Dunne, in the 70^th, 3-2. Herd, 36+1 (24), Charlton, 38 (16), and Law, 33 (15), reached double figures, but not Best, 31 (9), or Connelly, 31+1 (5), and the club finished 4^th in the league table.

 Matt brought ‘keeper, Alex Stepney, 35, from Chelsea for £55,000 for 1966-7, as replacement for Northern Ireland’s Harry Gregg, 2, transferred from Doncaster Rovers for £23,500 in December 1957 and, ‘keeper in the European Cup quarter-final against Red Star Belgrade, on February 5^th, 1958, known as ‘The Hero of Munich’ for his efforts to aid the survivors, as one of the few able bodied on the scene; immediately after the plane crash on the 6^th. Law, 36 (23), Herd, 28 (16), Charlton, 42 (12), and Best, 42 (10), achieved double figures, while early in the campaign Connelly, 6 (2), was transferred to second tier B’burn for £40,000, as the club won the league title from Nottingham Forest by 4 points with 60.

 The 1967-68 season began without Noble, because of injuries sustained in a car accident, on April 22^nd, 1967, following a draw, 0-0, at Sunderland, while Bobby was driving home, and before the team clinched the 1966-67 title, with a 6-1 defeat of West Ham at the Boleyn ground, in the penultimate game of the campaign, on May 6^th, 1967, beginning with a left-footed Charlton blockbuster, on 2 minutes, 1-0, from the right side of the 6 yard box. Dispossessed by Bobby, Jack Burkett, right back, too optimistically, had been trying to play the ball out, after Stiles’ shot was blocked. Aston delivered a high center for Crerand’s header, close in, right side of the goal area, in the 7^th, 2-0.

 Foulkes, and ‘keeper, Colin Mackleworth, rose to challenge for a ball; dropping at Bill’s feet, in the 10^th, 3-0. Best, accepting a Stiles’ pass, on 25 minutes, 4-0. Law (pen.) in the 63^rd, after center back, John Charles, was adjudged to have been pushing, 5-1, and Denis again in the 79^th. Though Mackleworth parried Best’s shot, Law was left free to stab the ball back, high, into the net, 6-1.

 Scot, Francis Burns, 18 years, debuting on September 2^nd, 1967, against West Ham at Upton Park, 3-1, through Kidd, on 54 minutes, 1-0, Sadler in the 59^th, 2-0, and Ryan, 3-1, in the 82^nd, took over Noble’s left back duties, while second striker, Gowling, 4+1 (1), 19 years, had a scoring debut, on March 30^th, 1968, against Stoke City, 4-2, at ‘The Potteries’, through Best, on 2 minutes, 1-0, Alan, in the 23^rd, 2-1, Aston in the 69^th, 3-2, and Ryan in the 78^th, 4-2.

 Best, 41 (28), in place of Connelly, Charlton, 41 (15), Kidd, 38 (15), replacing Herd, 6 (1), and Aston, 34+3 (11), but not Law, 23 (7), whose knee injury also kept him out of the European Cup Final, achieved double figures, as the club finished runner-up; 56 points to Manchester City’s 58.

 The FA Shield, on August 12^th, 1967, was notable for Tottenham Hotspur’s second, credited to Northern Irish ‘keeper, Pat Jennings; ball in hand, a long punt, bouncing in front of Stepney, and over his head into the net, 2-0, on 8 minutes; leaving United with a  mountain to climb. Crerand, left side of midfield, a few yards from the touchline, midway inside the Spurs’ half; right-footed ball, inside, right, along the ground, to Charlton. In position to shoot with his right boot, left footed, Bobby instead moves forward; shifting the ball, left of Spurs’ defenders, looking to block; left edge of the ‘D’. A left-footed strike; top left corner of the net, on 18 minutes, 1-2.

 Law, bursting-through, on a tremendous run, down the left, inside his own half; shimmying. The Spurs’ defender, inside the United half, uncertain which way Denis will go; Law goes left: past him. Then another defender, further left, and with a burst of electrifying pace, Denis goes past him also, but is forced out wide; onto the wing. Law, with the ball, inside the Spurs’ half; passing along the turf, low, to débutante center forward, Brian Kidd, 17 years; impressing. Kidd takes the ball forward, well outside, but level with, the left corner of the 18 yard box. A left-footed ball, right angled, low. Inch-perfect, grass-cutter; inside to Charlton: center of the field. Bobby, running onto the ball, striking with his left boot; top center of the net, on 20 minutes, 2-2.

 Charlton, left of center midfield, moves right of the defender, outside the ‘D’ at the 18 yard box, center; left-footed shot, low, saved by ‘keeper Jennings, at full stretch; down, by the left upright. Law, pouncing on the loose ball, left corner of the 6 yard box; left-footed, goal, center, on 72 minutes, 3-3. Sharing the Shield earned Kidd a league debut, on the first day of the campaign, August 19^th, against Everton, 1-3, at Goodison Park, with Charlton’s 86^th minute consolation.

 The season’s crown was also Brian’s, with Benfica beaten in the European Cup Final, 4-1 (1-1), a.e.t., at Wembley, on May 29^th, although the more studious would argue that it was a rare strike from Foulkes in the 78^th minute, 3-3, in the second leg of the semi-final against Real Madrid at the Santiago Berneabéu, on May 15^th, that made the Munich survivor the true hero. An own goal by defensive midfielder, Ignacio Zoco, in the 43^rd minute, 1-2, had given United a lifeline, although right winger, Amancio Amaro, El Brujo, ‘The Wizard’, restored Madrid’s lead, 1-3, just before half-time, leaving Sadler, in the 75^th, 2-3, to again reduce the gulf between the teams.

 The side were level, 3-3 aggregate, after the first leg, on April 24^th, 1-0, through left winger Aston’s left-footed ball, low along the ground, on 36 minutes, inside the 18 yard box, by the byline, finding Best, near the penalty spot, left-footed strike, center; roof of the net. Until Crerand found Best, sprinting down the right wing at the Berneabéu, with a throw-in. George, inside the 18 yard box, right, near the byline, back-heeled, right-footed, finding Foulkes. Ignoring screams from the dugout to remain at the back, Bill, going far enough forward to read Best’s intent, elegantly finished the move; right-footed, just outside the right corner of the 6 yard box: low, accurate, the ball nestling inside ‘keeper Antonio Betancort’s left netting, 4-3 on aggregate.

 With the score at Wembley, 0-0, after the first half, in the 53^rd minute, Sadler, in for injured Law, found Crerand, with a throw-in from the left touchline. David, receiving the ball back from ‘Paddy’, right-footed, passing the ball along the left wing. Moving inside, left corner of the 18 yard box, Sadler’s right-footed cross to Charlton; a glancing header, directing the ball into the inside of the net, near post, 1-0. However, in the 79^th José Augusto, winger, wide on the right, a high ball; center forward José Torres’ header, over the heads of Stiles and Sadler, center of the 18 yard box, with right midfielder Jaime Graça, running in. A powerful strike; right boot, right corner of the penalty area, left corner of the goal, 1-1, at full-time.

 In extra time, a right-footed punt by ‘keeper, Stepney, back-headed by Sadler, inside Benfica’s half; halfway between the center circle and the ‘D’. Jacinto Santos, center back, aims to swing a kick at the ball, or Best. On the outside of his right heel, Best flips the ball over Santos’ leg, racing on into the 18 yard box; the ball on his right foot. Best cuts inside, around ‘keeper, José Henrique, come out beyond the penalty spot; left-footed from Best, in the 92^nd, side-footed, on the edge of the penalty area, and level with the left upright, goal, center, 2-1. In the 94^th, from a corner on the left, high; Sadler, right of the penalty spot, heads the ball towards the left corner of the net. Kidd, without the ball bouncing, anticipating it doesn’t have enough pace, directly heads it at goal; center. Henrique, as if protecting his face, blocks with his hands. No bounce, Kidd, 18 years that day, moves right; leaps, heads in: over Henrique, top right corner, 3-1.

 In the second half of extra time, Kidd, right of the center circle, inside Benfica’s half, back to goal, finds Charlton, moving up, right of the center circle in the United half, crossing the halfway line. Bobby plays the ball back to Kidd, moving out to the right. Brian takes the ball, along the right wing, pushes the ball forward, right-footed, skips over the outstretched leg of left back, Fernando Cruz. Kidd cuts inside, right and center outside the 18 yard box; low, ball, driven along the ground, left-footed, to Charlton. Bobby, right corner of the penalty area, gives lift to the ball; right-footed, 4-1, in the 99^th minute, top left corner of the net.

 As clubs were permitted a substitute from 1965-66, ‘sub’ was Jimmy Rimmer, 16 years when ‘keeper for the 1964 FA Youth Cup Final, as necessary in case of injury to Stepney, rather than strategic or tactical; de rigeur only after an outfield replacement, as well as a ‘keeper, known as ‘two from five’, was allowed from 1988.

 Ominously, also in season 1967-68, Leeds United won the double of League Cup, 1-0, against Arsenal, at Wembley, on March 2^nd, 1968, and the Inter Cities Fairs Cup, after beating Ferencváros of Hungary, 1-0, at Elland Road, on August 7^th, 1968, in the first leg of the Final, and drawing, 0-0, in the second, on September 11^th at Népstadion, Budapest; 1-0 on aggregate. The specter of John Giles’ doom upon Busby’s decision to sell him had grown.

 However, victory in the 1968 European Champion Clubs’ Cup gave the Manchester team the opportunity to become Intercontinental Cup champions in a match-up between the club winners of South America’s Copa da Libertadores, ‘Freedom’s Cup’, Estudiantes de la Plata, Argentina, and the champions of Europe. The first leg, on September 25^th, 1968, against ‘The Students’, as Estadio Uno, in the provincial capital, La Plata, was deemed unsuitable, was staged at Primera División club, Boca Juniors, Estadio Boca Juniors, Buenos Aires. Lost 0-1, to a Marcus Conigliaro headed goal, in the 27^th minute; from a corner by strike partner, Filipe Ribaudo.

 Law, injured, was substituted by Youth Academy graduate from Italy, 20 years midfielder, Carlo Sartori, 11+2 that 1968-69 season, on 44 minutes. Sartori had made his league debut, substituting for Burns, 14+2, on October 9^th, 1968, at Spurs’ White Hart Lane, 2-2, through Crerand, on 35 minutes, 1-1, and Law in the 53^rd, 2-2. Stiles, 41 (1), described in the match program as ‘an assassin’,4 quoting Benfica coach, Otto Glória, at one point reported by the linesman for standing too close to violent midfielder, Carlos Bilardo, was sent off in the 79^th minute by Paraguayan referee, Hugo Sosa Miranda, for retaliating to kicks, punches, and head butts; the team endured.

 In the second leg, on 16^th October, at Old Trafford, automatically missed by Stiles, because red-carded, winger Juan Ramón Verón, La Bruja, ‘The Witch’, father of right midfielder, Juan Sebastián Verón, so La Brujita, ‘The Little Witch’, who won the 2002-03 title with United, headed a goal from a free kick by defender, Raúl Horacio Madero, past Stepney, 38, on 6 minutes, 0-1; 0-2 on aggregate. In the 79^th minute Best punched José Hugo Medina in the face and both were sent off.

 Scot’s right winger, Willie Morgan, 29 (6), ironically brought for the 1968-69 campaign from Burnley for £117,000, as a permanent replacement for Connelly, as Morgan had ousted him there, managed to get on the end of a right-footed Crerand, 35 (1), free kick, in the 90^th minute; right midfield, just inside the Estudiantes’ half. Willie, edge of the left corner of the penalty area, right-footed shot, to ‘keeper Alberto Josė Poletti’s left: bottom right corner of the net, 1-1; 1-2 on aggregate. Although the Stretford End were angered by Serbian referee, Konstantin Zečević, unsighted, not signaling a goal for a Kidd, 28+1 (1), effort that television coverage of the game showed had clearly been in the Estudiantes’ net, the club would not be blessed with the crown of Europe and South America.

 Busby’s main concern was how to replace Bill Foulkes, 36 years, at center half, 10+3, with Steve James, 18 years, the earliest candidate, 21 (1), debuting on October 12^th, 1968, against Liverpool, 0-2, at Anfield, while debuting, 18 years, as a substitute for Fitzpatrick, on September 9^th, 1967, in a 2-2 draw at home to Burnley, through Burns, on 86 minutes, 1-2, and Crerand in the 90^th, Scot, Frank Kopel, right back, 7+1, was back up to Dunne and Brennan.

 The team reached the semi-final stage in defending the European Cup, losing on April 23^rd, 1969, at San Siro to Italy’s Serie A club, AC Milan, 0-2, with Fitzpatrick red-carded on 80 minutes, kicking Sweden’s right winger, Kurt Hamrin, when the ball was yards away, and on May 15^th, at Old Trafford, 1-0. Best, edge of the 18 yard box, right of the ‘D’, avoiding tackles to his left; ball on his right foot, inside the area, stabbing the ball to Charlton. Bobby, right, running on with the ball; a right-footed rocket, at an acute angle, right corner of the 6 yard box: near the goal line, 70^th minute, 1-2 on aggregate. Best, 41 (19), and Law, 30 (14), reached double figures for the campaign; the club finishing 11^th, while John Giles’ Leeds United were champions.

 Busby advocated McGuinness, as his successor, and reserve coach Wilf was appointed manager for 1969-70. Scot, Ian Ure, 34 (1), center back, was brought from Arsenal for £80,000, while Paul Edwards, 18+1, right back, or center back, 21 years, debuted on August 19^th, 1969, at Goodison, Everton, 0-3.

 Eire center forward, 19 years, Don Givens, 4+4 (1), debuted, as a substitute for Dunne, 33, on August 9^th, at Crystal Palace, 2-2. Sadler, right midfield, right-footing a ball to Morgan, on the right wing, Willie’s left-footed cross had ‘keeper, John Jackson, going to challenge for the ball with Kidd, back-heading over the Palace ‘keeper, with Charlton running on, just outside the 6 yard box, right of center; striking right-footed, bottom left corner of the net, 1-1, on 24 minutes. After Jackson failed to punch away a long, right-footed ball from right midfield, Law, just in front of the beleaguered ‘keeper, and with his back to him, laid it into the path of Morgan, with his left boot, in the 56^th; Willie striking right-footed, just outside the 6 yard box, right of center, top left corner of the net, 2-2. Givens would go on to almost win the 1975-76 title with Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road, Shepherd’s Bush, West London. Best, 37 (15), Kidd, 33+1 (12), and Charlton, 40 (12), achieved double figures, as the club finished 8^th.

 Although Wilf guided the team to a two-leg League Cup semi-final against Manchester City, the side lost, 1-2, at Maine Road, on December 3^rd, 1969, despite Best’s efforts. In the right full back position, making for the center circle with the ball; inside the City half of the circle, center, George passes to Kidd, outside the center circle, right: taking the ball out onto the right wing. Brian crossing, right-footed, from near the right touchline, well outside the 18 yard box; a long, high ball, into the goal area. Charlton, accepting what looks like a pass from the City defender, trying to trap the ball, right-footed; instead it’s rolling towards the right of the 6 yard box: left-footed strike from Bobby, 1-1, on 66 minutes. However, center forward, Francis Lee, just outside the 18 yard box, left, collecting a long ball from Oakes; wide on the left, takes it inside the left corner of the penalty area. Ure’s reckless tackle, scything Lee down, results in the awarding of a penalty; converted by Lee, on 88 minutes, 1-2. The second leg, on December 17^th, ended, 2-2; a 3-4 aggregate defeat. Nevertheless, right back, Paul Edwards, afforded Law opportunity to put the side ahead.

 Ure, center back, left of the ‘D’, inside the center circle, in the United half, left-footed ball, low, along the turf, to Crerand, center midfield. A through ball, between central midfielder, Alan Oakes, nearer to Pat, and central defender, Mike Doyle, farther off. Paul, right of the ‘D’, edge of the 18 yard box, nudging the ball, right. A legitimate tackle from Glyn Pardoe now unlikely, as Edwards ran the diagonal; in front of the City left back. Pardoe now behind; left, can’t bring Paul down. Edwards, straightens his sights on goal; inside the 18 yard box, right-footed strike: high, top right corner of the net, 1-1, on 23 minutes.

 Ure again, inside his own half; left of the center circle, left-footed pass to Best: inside the center circle, center. George, aggressively determined to run with the ball. Best’s basic character trait, in attack; surging forward into the City half. Shaking off pursuing striker, Ian Bowyer, with a burst of speed. Unable to avoid the next challenge, Best wins the ball, in a clash with Oakes, off his right boot. George, right-footed, right of the ‘D’, outside the 18 yard box; City ‘keeper, Joe Corrigan, parries the strike, high, both hands: can’t hold. Law, running into the 6 yard box, Corrigan diving to his right; the ball coming off his right hand. Denis pounces; left-footed, 2-1, on 60 minutes.

 In a second replay, the team lost to Leeds United, 0-1, in the FA Cup semi-final, on March 26^th, at Burnden Park; a left-footed strike, between penalty spot and edge of the 18 yard box, center, by Leeds’ captain, Billy Bremner; low, left corner of the net, on 7 minutes. The previous games, on March 14^th, at Hillsborough, being 0-0, and on March 23^rd, at Villa Park, 0-0, a.e.t., with Law, 10+1 (2), substituting for Sartori on 96 minutes in the first replay, and on 61 minutes for Carlo in the second replay; benched for much of the time in favor of Sartori: to fans’ disgruntlement.

 1970-71 was similarly disappointing, as Wilf was refused the financing of transfers. Promoting youth from within, strengthened by the loss of so much rare unfulfilled talent in the Munich air crash, with Matt having retired, policy ossified. The club loathe to replace nurtured talent developed by Busby’s Academy. Prolific center forward, with a cannonball shot, and majestic heading ability, Malcolm Macdonald, from Luton Town, for example, as a replacement for Charlton; as well as Colin Todd to replace Foulkes.

 Colin, Sunderland’s pace-staying, ice-cool, thoroughbred central defender, in the 1966 FA Youth Cup Final, lost, 3-5, on aggregate to Arsenal, was coached by Brian Clough, at Roker Park. Rejoining Clough, then manager at Derby County, Todd debuted on February 27^th, 1971, at The Baseball Ground, against Arsenal, 2-1, and went on to win the 1972-73, and 1974-75, league titles there. Mooted as Dunne’s replacement, Ipswich Town’s left back, Mick Mills, later captained England at the 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain.

 Unable to buy to improve the side, McGuinness was relieved of team duties from December 29^th, 1970. In spite of Kidd’s efforts in the League Cup semi-final against Aston Villa. On December 16^th, 1970, in the first home leg, Brian began a move wide on the right, passing the ball to Stiles, between the legs of Stonehouse referee, Dave Smith, then ran into the 18 yard box. Stiles passed the ball to Sartori, right touchline; a high, left-footed cross. Aston Villa left back, Charlie Aitken, failed to clear; in fact heading the ball towards Brian, right of the 6 yard box. Kidd, scissors-kick volley, left-footed screamer, both feet off the ground, top left corner of the net, on 44 minutes, 1-1.

 Under threat of being replaced by Gowling, 17+3 (8), for his lack of goals, Brian, 24+1 (8), in the second leg, on December 23^rd, at Villa Park, collected a long punt from the right full back position, by the penalty area, deep in the Manchester half. Well outside the 18 yard box, right side of the field, out on the right wing, ball bouncing between Villa central defenders, Fred Turnbull, and Brian Tiler, Kidd’s ahead of the ball, shielding it, back to the Villa goal. Tiler, kicking at the ball, hits Brian in the chest, and appeals for a handball. Kidd, shaping to go out wider on the right, ball on his right boot, instead turns inside Turnbull, ball on his left boot; into the penalty area at the right edge of the ‘D’, right corner of the 18 yard box. Easing the ball past Fred, with the outside of his left boot, allowing the ball to run on, Brian passes the ball back, with his right boot, onto his left, then pushing the ball ahead of him, past the lunging form of Tiler. Kidd, racing on, nudged the ball past ‘keeper, John Dunn, diving at his boots, striking low, left-footed, left corner of the net, 1-0, on 14 minutes. However, the second leg finished, 1-2; 2-3 to Villa on aggregate. Thereafter, Matt returned, as manager, until season’s end.

 Leeds United’s John Giles won the 1971 Inter Cities Fairs Cup, in a rain affected Final that saw the first leg, at Italy’s Serie A club Juventus’ Stadio Comunale, Turin, on May 26^th, 1971, abandoned in the 51^st minute, 0-0. The replay was drawn, 2-2, while Leeds, drawing 1-1 at home, and the aggregate score being, 3-3, won the trophy on the ‘away goals count double’ rule. Manchester United approached Leicester City to release Eire’s Frank O’Farrell to be the club’s manager for the 1971-72 term.

 Tommy O’Neil, 1, right back, 18 years, debuting on May 5^th, 1971, 4-3, at Manchester City’s Maine Road, through Charlton on 15 minutes, 1-0, Law, in the 30^th, 2-0, and Best, in the 31^st, 3-0, and in the 75^th, 4-3. Scot, Willie Watson, 8, right back, 20 years, debuting September 26^th, 1970, at home to Blackpool, 1-1, with the opener from Best, on 29 minutes, after Morgan received a back-heeled pass on the right wing, racing upfield, cutting inside the 18 yard box, at the right corner, before crossing right-footed, parallel with the edge of the 6 yard box; the pass slightly behind it. Best, just outside the goal area, center, back-heeling the ball into the side netting of the left upright, low, 1-0. Tony Young, right wing/right back, 0+1, 17 years, debuting as substitute for Best in the 46^th minute, on August 29^th, 1970, at home to West Ham, 1-1, Fitzpatrick equalizing, in the 28^th, a 2^nd minute strike from Hurst. New faces introduced during the 1970-71 campaign. Best, 40 (18), and Law, 28 (15), got into double figures, as the club finished 8^th.

 The 1971-72 campaign ended with the club again finishing 8^th. Though top at New Year, injury to center back James, with Paul Edwards as his stand-in, resulted in 6 straight losses, while John Giles’ Leeds won the FA Cup, at Wembley, on May 6^th, 1972, against Arsenal, 1-0.

 Although O’Neill, 37, secured the right back berth, Scot, Martin Buchan, 13+1, center back, and sometime right back, arrived for £120,000 from Aberdeen, on February 29^th, 1972, as a long-term replacement for Sadler, debuting on March 4^th, against Spurs, at White Hart Lane, 0-2, and left winger, Ian Storey-Moore, 11 (5), as a replacement for Aston, 2+7, though John effectively bowed out in 1970-71, 17+1 (3), transferred to Luton for 1972-73 for £30,000. At £225,000 from Forest, Ian’s was a scoring debut, on March 11^th, 1972, against Huddersfield Town, 2-0, through Best, on 35 minutes, and Storey-Moore in the 62^nd.

 Northern Irish second striker, Sammy McIlroy, 8+8 (4), hoping to eventually replace Law, while overtaking Gowling, 35+2 (6), as a preferred alternative, on his debut, at Manchester City’s Maine Road, 3-3, on November 6^th, 1971, with the opener, on 39 minutes. Best, beginning a move, just outside the center circle, inside the City half, finds Kidd, out on the right wing. Brian, left-footed, crosses the ball into the penalty area. George, back to goal, outside the edge of the 6 yard box, center, traps the ball, loose; leaving it for ‘Super Sam’, running on, to strike, left-footed: inside the right upright, 1-0. Charlton, center midfield, inside the City half, passing to Best, inside left position, crossing the ball left-footed, at the edge of the 18 yard box, finding Kidd, near the penalty spot, left-footed, right corner of the net, 2-0, on 46 minutes. Gowling, in the 64^th,  inside the penalty area, deflecting a long-range shot, well outside the 18 yard box, from Aston, half-time ‘sub’ for Dunne, at left midfield, past ‘keeper, Joe Corrigan, 3-1. Best, 40 (18), Law, 32+1 (13), and Kidd, 34 (10), made it into double figures for the season.

 O’Farrell was replaced by Scotland team boss, Tommy Docherty, on December 19^th, 1972, with the club finishing 18^th in the league. Ted MacDougall, 18 (5), center forward, from then third tier Bournemouth for £200,000, scoring on his debut, in the 18^th minute, against Birmingham City, on October 14^th, 1972, 1-0, and Wales’ renowned header of the ball, center forward, Ron, Wyn ‘The Leap’, Davies, 15+1 (4), £60,000 from Manchester City, debuting against Derby County at Old Trafford, on September 23^rd, 1972, bought to challenge Law, 9+2 (1), and Kidd, 17+5 (4), for their places in the team, sooner than McIlroy was able to.

 Dunne, center midfield, outside the ‘D’ at the 18 yard box, finding Best with the outside of his left boot, left. George, with his back to goal, lifting the ball, right-footed, over into the penalty area, where Storey-Moore, right of the the penalty spot, outside the 6 yard box, headed into the bottom left corner of the net, 1-0, on 33 minutes.

 Morgan, bursting through, from right midfield, crossing into the penalty area, well outside the 18 yard box, with the Derby defender, center, outside the 6 yard box, able only to sidefoot the ball towards the left edge of the ‘D’. Wyn, pouncing to strike, right-footed humdinger, top right corner of ‘keeper Colin Boulton’s net, 2-0, in the 66^th minute.

 Best, taking the ball in the left back position, running to the center circle, releasing a forward ball, right-footed, just outside the circle, in the Manchester half, for Morgan to chase. Willie, catching up with the ball, going through the circle in the Derby half, midway to the penalty area, outpacing Scot’s midfielder, Archie Gemmill, stroking a low, right-footed shot, from the edge of the 18 yard box, at the ‘D’, center; bottom left corner of the net, 3-0, in the 75^th minute.

 Tony Young, 28+2, had emerged as first choice at right back, although Docherty bought Scot, Alex Forsyth, 8, 20 years, for £100,000 from Scotland’s then first tier club, Partick

Thistle, to fill that position, debuting January 6^th, 1973, at Arsenal, 1-3, with a consolation from Kidd, on 85 minutes, and Scot, Jim Holton, 15 (3), from Shrewsbury Town at Gay Meadow, for £80,000, to fill the problematic center back role.

 At 21 years, almost unbeatable in the air, and aggressive in the tackle, though without much delicacy on the ground with the ball, Holton debuted, 6’ 1”, on January 20^th, 1973, against West Ham, 2-2. Charlton (pen.), right-footed, left of the goal, on 31 minutes, 1-1, after Morgan was brought down, inside the right edge of the penalty area. Macari, in the 80^th, stretching, just outside the 6 yard box, turning a right-footed cross-shot from Morgan, on the left, outside the 18 yard box, in at the left corner of the net, 2-2.

 With modern soccer strategy shifting, from left half, center half, and right half backs, to twinned center backs, with a half back moving into central midfield, the fans chant was, ‘Six foot two, eyes of blue. Big Jim Holton's after you.’5 They’d have to wait for blond, blue-eyed ‘Big Gordon’ McQueen, 6’ 3”, for that, as 6’ 1” Holton’s eyes, like his hair, were brown.

 With the retirement of Crerand, coach under O’Farrell, and assistant manager with Docherty, ‘The Doc’ brought Scot, George ‘Stroller’ Graham, in December 1972 to fill  that midfield position, from Arsenal for £120,000, where he’d top scored for ‘The Gunners’, at center forward in 1966-67, 33 (11), and 1967-68, 38 (16), before John Radford moved from the left wing into the central striking role.

 At left midfield George won the Inter Cities Fairs Cup in 1969-70, 1-3, away, in the first leg of the Final, against Belgium’s Anderlecht, at Constant Vanden Stock, on April 22^nd, 1970, and 3-0, on April 28^th, 1970, in the second leg at Highbury; 4-3 on aggregate.

 The side from ‘the Marble Halls’ next won the 1970-71 league title, and FA Cup ‘double’. With George again at inside forward, at Wembley, on May 8^th, 1971, Liverpool were beaten, 2-1 (0-0), a.e.t., though Graham lost his place in the Arsenal line-up, after the signing of Alan Ball from Everton for £220,000, on December 22^nd, 1971.

 Debuting for United, Graham, 18 (1), 28 years, along with Forsyth at left back, as Tony Young was in Alex’s usual right back position, on January 6^th, 1973, at former club, Arsenal, 1-3, disappointed in 1972-73, with Eire’s Mick Martin, 14+2 (2), 21 years, brought for £20,000 from Bohemians, Dublin, debuting on 24^th January, 1973, at home, 0-0, against Everton, challenging George for selection in the team.

 Lou Macari, 16 (5), Scot’s club Glasgow Celtic’s second striker, arrived for £200,000 to replace Law, debuting, along with Holton, on January 20^th, 1973, against West Ham, 2-2, securing that point in the 80^th minute. Best, 19 (4), announced he wouldn’t play for Docherty, leaving Morgan, 39 (4), and Storey-Moore, 26 (5), to provide the service to the forwards from the wings. Charlton, 34+2 (6), top scored, as the club struggled to finish 18^th.

 In the second disaster, after Munich, the club was relegated in 1973-74 to the second tier; finishing 21^st in the table, with 32 points. Birmingham City above, on 36, 20^th, and Norwich City, below, on 29, 22^nd, were also consigned to the second tier. The team was so diffident in front of goal that opprobrium was poured on the side, as Tommy gave Stepney, 42 (2), the task of taking penalties, although Gerry Daly, 14+2 (1), Eire’s attacking midfielder, challenging Mick Martin, 12+4, and replacing the disappointing Graham, 23+1 (1), viewed as one-paced, and so often outpaced, transferred from Bohemians (Bohs) for £20,000, debuting on August 25^th, 1973, 19 years, at Arsenal’s Highbury, 0-3, missed but 1 of 19 in his subsequent career at the club.

 Stewart Houston, 20 (2), Scot’s left back, replacement for the formerly irreplaceable Dunne, arrived from West London’s Brentford, ‘The Bees’, for £55,000, debuting on January 1^st, 1974, at QPR, 0-3, and Scot’s attacking midfielder, Jim McCalliog, 11 (4), for £60,000 from Wolves, as support for McIlroy and Macari, 34+1 (5), debuting on March 16^th, 1974, away to Birmingham, 0-1.

 Jim, striking 4 times in 3 matches, against Newcastle United, 1-0, on April 13^th, 1974; Everton, 3-0, on April 15^th, and away at S’ton, 1-1, on April 20^th, looked to have saved the side. However, there were defeats in the final games of the run-in; away at Everton, 0-1, on April 23^rd; and against Manchester City at home, 0-1, on April 27^th. The die-hard Stretford End were absolutely silenced, as Colin Bell, unconcernedly in control at center midfield, right-footed a pass to center forward, Francis Lee, back to goal, inside the ‘D’. Lee, taking the ball, with his right foot, going to his left, a diagonal run, across the ‘D’, inside the penalty area, outside and right of the 6 yard box, right-footed a cross-pass inside to former Old Trafford favorite, Law. Allowed a free transfer to Maine Road for 1973-74 by Docherty, Denis, at the edge of the goal area, center, almost apologetically, back-heeling the ball into the right corner of Stepney’s net, on 82 minutes, which for soccer folklorists sealed United’s fate, and although confirmed by another defeat, away at Stoke, 0-1, on April 29^th, it had.

 In the event of Storey-Moore, 2 (1), incurring an ultimately career-ending injury in training, the truculent Best, 12 (2), agreed to a brief resumption, though stating categorically he wouldn’t accept second tier, and didn’t, initially preferring a return to competitive action in the United States’ North American Soccer League, at Los Angeles Aztecs, 23 (15), during the NASL’s 1976 season, taking place in spring, summer, and autumn, with the Aztecs finishing 3^rd in the Pacific Conference Southern Division, losing 0-2 to Dallas Tornado in the 1^st Round of the championship play-offs, on August 18^th, 1976, while the home game against QPR, on January 1^st, 1974, 0-3, was George’s last for United.

 Docherty persevered with Morgan on the right, 41 (2), and left winger, Trevor Anderson, 11+1 (1), transferred for £10,000 from Northern Ireland’s Portadown club, Armagh, 2+5 (1) in 1972-73, debuting on March 31^st, 1973, 22 years, substituting for Kidd, 21 (2), on 65 minutes, at The Dell, Southampton, 2-0, through Charlton, on 16 minutes, and Holton, in the 50^th, while trying out Welsh central defender, Clive Griffiths, 7, 18 years, debuting October 27^th, 1973, at Burnley’s Turf Moor, 0-0, and more successfully, defensive midfielder, Brian Greenhoff, 36 (3), 20 years, debuting at Portman Road against Ipswich Town’s ‘Tractor Boys’, on September 8^th, 1973, 1-2, with Trevor Anderson the consolation, on 85 minutes. McIlroy, 24+5 (6), top scored, while John Giles’ Leeds were champions.

 Brian Greenhoff began to forge a career as a center back in the second tier, alongside Buchan, 42, after Holton, 34 (2), broke a leg, with Wyn ‘The Leap’ Davies substituting for him, on 15 minutes, at Sheffield Wednesday, ‘The Owls’, on December 7^th, 1974. Jim never played for the team again.

 The opener, on 7 minutes, at Hillsborough, came from Houston’s left-footed free kick, outside the 18 yard box, center, through the Wednesday wall, bottom right corner of the net, 1-0. A free kick, left midfield, outside the 18 yard box corner, McCalliog, left-footed; a far post header down, across the goalmouth, for Macari, opposite the left upright, inside the 6 yard box, to boot in with his left, low, in the 53^rd minute, center net, 2-3. Stuart Pearson, bought from Hull City for the 1974-75 season for £200,000, on 63 minutes, turning in a right-footed cross, low, from the right, outside the 18 yard box, midway along the side of the penalty area, left-footed, at the penalty spot, inside the right upright, 3-3. A Wednesday defender adjudged to have handled, a free-kick ensued; right-footed, out on the right wing, high, into the penalty area. Macari’s strike, just inside the edge of the 18 yard box, center, blocked; Lou struck again, the ball further right, low, right boot, in the 85^th minute, inside the bottom left corner of the net, 4-4.

 The club won the second tier championship trophy; a cup with a lid, similar to the FA Cup in design, though distinguishedly smaller: finishing 3 ahead of Villa with 61 points. Stuart Pearson, 30+1 (17), bludgeoning Northern center forward, replacing Kidd, transferred to Arsenal for £110,000, scoring on his debut at Leicester City’s Filbert Street, on August 17^th, 1-0, with Stuart, also debuting on August 17^th, 1974, seeing victory at Leyton Orient’s Brisbane Road, 2-0, after Morgan, on 28 minutes, received a lobbed ball from Brian Greenhoff, right-footed; left of the center circle, inside the Orient half. Willie, wide on the right, tearing into the right corner of the 18 yard box, approaching the right corner of the 6 yard box; right-footed shot, top left corner of the net, 1-0.

 A free kick awarded, outside the penalty area, after right back Forsyth was brought down from behind by Orient left back, Bill Roffey, near the right touchline. Alex taking the kick, left back Houston’s header, outside the left corner of the 6 yard box, going in off the inside of the near post, 2-0, in the 73^rd minute. Macari, 36+2 (11), and Daly, 36+1 (11), also reached double figures.

 The term was noteworthy for the sudden limelight shone on Arnold Sidebottom, 12, sometime seam-bowler for Yorkshire, as a cricketer, and for England in the Third Test against Australia, from July 11^th to 16^th, 1985, at Nottinghamshire’s Trent Bridge; taking the wicket of leg-spin bowler, Bob Holland (1 for 65). Emergency stand-in for Holton, Sidebottom, but 2 starts in the 1972-73 season, debuted on April 23^rd, 1973, 19 years, against Sheffield United, 1-2, despite Kidd’s opener on 12 minutes.

 The campaign was also notable for the arrival, late in the campaign, of right winger, Steve Coppell, 9+1 (1), from third tier Tranmere Rovers for £60,000, debuting at Cardiff, 4-0, 19 years, on March 1^st, 1975, through Houston, on 59 minutes, Pearson, in the 62^nd, McIlroy, in the 85^th, and Macari, in the 88^th. Coppell’s impact, on for Morgan, 32+2 (3), on 58 minutes, was instantaneous, as heir designate to captain Willie’s position in the team.

 Again the side reached the semi-final of the League Cup, with a first leg against second tier, Norwich City, on January 15^th, 1975. Macari netted twice, in the 51^st, 1-1, and 71^st, 2-1, but MacDougall, another haunting, got an equalizer in the 88^th minute, drawing 2-2 at Old Trafford, before the side lost, 0-1, on January 22^nd at Carrow Road; 2-3 on aggregate.

 New faces, with a future at the club, were Scot’s left back, Arthur Albiston, 2, 17 years, debuting against Manchester City in the 3^rd Round of the League Cup, on October 9^th, 1974, 1-0, through Daly (pen.), on 78 minutes; Northern Irish right back, Jimmy Nicholl, 0+1, 18 years, debuting on April 5^th, 1975, at S’ton, 1-0, through Macari, on 76 minutes, with Nicholl on for Buchan, 41, in the 85^th minute, and Northern Irish, attacking (AM) and/or defensive midfielder (DM), David McCreery, 0+2, 17 years, debuting, as substitute for Morgan, in the 70^th minute, on October 15^th, 1974, at Portsmouth, 0-0.

 Docherty added Tommy Jackson, 16+1, who ran like a barrel, but could organize from center midfield, on a ‘free transfer’ from Forest, debuting on August 16^th, 1975, away at Wolves, 2-0, through Macari, in the 73^rd and 79^th minutes. Initially Jackson was to captain the reserve team, as a ‘mother hen’, but marshaled the first team in the early part of the season’s campaigning; like Tik-Tok in Frank L. Baum’s stories of ‘the army of Oz’.

 Gordon Hill, 26 (7), left winger, in the Storey-Moore position, came from Millwall for £70,000. ’Merlin’, to ‘The Lions’ of Bermondsey, South East London; going past opposing right backs with a magician’s illusoriness. Practicing elusiveness to deliver accurate balls into the 6 yard box, for Stuart Pearson, the position’s near (phew), to get onto. As the wizard Coppell, 39 (4), did on the right, with the result that the league championship was almost won.

 The fact that it wasn’t, and Givens’, 41 (13), QPR finished 1975-76 runner-up, 1 point behind Liverpool, with 60, is as thorny a subject as the hedge keeping the prince away in ‘Sleeping Beauty’. The Doc’, midway through the campaign, had determined that Stepney, 38, should be replaced by Eire ‘keeper, Paddy Roche, 4, who was there, or rather wasn’t, for a League Cup 5^th Round defeat, 0-4, away to Manchester City, on November 12^th, 1975.

 The spell began well enough, with a defeat of Norwich, 1-0, at home, on November 1^st, 1975; Stuart Pearson netting on 79 minutes. However, a 1-3 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, on November 8^th, after Houston’s left-footed cross-shot, outside the 18 yard box, midway along the left side, with ‘keeper Clemence able only to keep the ball out at the near post, finding Coppell running up to blast a half-volley, left-footed, into the back of the net, right corner, 1-2, was followed by that League Cup exit.

 Although the side recovered to beat Villa at home, on November 15^th, 2-0, with strikes from Coppell in the 15^th, and McIlroy in the 55^th minute, defeat at Highbury to Arsenal, 1-3, on November 22^nd, was 4 points lost, in the period before 3 for a win from 1981-82. Coppell, wide on the right, going nearer to the right corner of the penalty area, passing the ball to right back, Nicholl, center midfield. Jimmy’s forward ball, controlled by Pearson, on his left thigh, back to goal, just inside the 18 yard box, turning to strike, right-footed, top right corner of the net, 1-2, on 58 minutes, leaving the team too much ground to make up. With Stepney restored, the side didn’t experience defeat again until, 1-2, away at also-promoted Villa, on February 21^st, 1976, emphasizing Docherty’s error.

 With the league title out of reach, the club progressed to the 1976 FA Cup Final, losing, 0-1, to second tier club, Southampton, ‘The Saints’, at Wembley, on May 1^st, after right winger, Paul Gilchrist, wide on the S’ton right, just inside the United half, heading down a high ball, to center forward, Mick Channon, pressed by left back, Houston, on the bounce, back to goal, left-footed, across to McCalliog, transferred to S’ton by Docherty, at £40,000, for the 1974-75 term, and coming back to haunt. Jim, right edge of the center circle ‘D’, inside the S’ton half of the pitch; lobbing a right-footed ball over the defence: finding left winger, Bobby Stokes. Outside the ‘D’ of the 18 yard box, Stokes running with the ball; left edge of the ‘D’, left-footed. The ball, low, along the ground, beating Stepney, inside the right post, 0-1, in the 83^rd minute. The nearly men. Pearson, 39 (13), Macari, 36 (12), and McIlroy, 41 (10), hit double figures, as the club finished 3^rd, on 56 points, 3 behind runner-up QPR.

 After the 1976-77 term began, Docherty made the decision to drop McIlroy, 39+1 (2), from the front line. Daly, 16+1 (4), would lose out, transferred to Derby County, on February 15^th, 1977, for £175,000, while Sam would be at center midfield with Macari, 38 (9), rather than second striker. Brian Greenhoff’s, 40 (3), second striker brother, Jimmy, 27 (8), was transferred from Stoke City for £100,000, debuting at Leicester City’s Filbert Street, 1-1, through a Daly (pen.), in the 84^th minute, on November 20^th, 1976. Although Nicholl, 39, replaced Forsyth, 3+1, at right back, the unspoken belief was that the team would return to Wembley and win the FA Cup in the Final; the dream that became reality.

 Giles, departing to become player-manager of WBA, after the Yorkshire club’s loss to German Bundesliga club, Bayern Munich, in the 1975 European Cup Final, 0-2, at Parc des Princes, Paris, France, on May 28^th, Leeds were beaten, 2-1, in the FA Cup semi-final, on April 23^rd, 1977. With early goals; from Jimmy, in the 6^th minute, after an in-swinging corner on the right. Taken left-footed by Hill, finding Coppell, by the right corner of the 6 yard box; a back header. Leeds’ right midfielder, Frank Gray, unable to clear; the ball, ricocheting off his leg, it falls to Jim. Leaning back, with the instep of his right boot; top of the net, right corner, 1-0. In the 14^th, Hill, outside the left edge of the ‘D’, at the 18 yard box; shot charged down by left back, Peter Hampton, rebounds right, to Coppell. Just inside the 18 yard box, parallel with the right corner of the 6 yard box; a right-footed hooked volley: top left corner of Scot’s ‘keeper David Stewart’s net, 2-0.

 ‘The Reds’ went on to defeat Liverpool in the May 21^st, 1977 FA Cup Final, 2-1, after McIlroy’s headed ball, going a long way forward, from left of the ‘D’ in the center circle, inside the L’pool half. Headed determinedly on by Jimmy, central midfield; captain Emlyn ‘Crazy Horse’ Hughes, central defender, challenging. Ball over his head, Pearson running onto it; between Liverpool’s Welsh left back, Joey Jones, and central defender, Tommy Smith: right of the 18 yard box ‘D’. Jones closing, to Stuart’s right. Pearson, heading the ball down, forward, and right; leaving Jones behind, left: making an angle for the strike. Inside the right corner of the 18 yard box, Stuart, right-footed, low; the ball squeezing under ‘keeper Ray Clemence, on 51 minutes: left corner of the net, 1-0.

 An equalizing goal; a right-footed half-volley. From just inside the 18 yard box; left of the ‘D’. L’pool midfielder, Jimmy Case; on the turn. Collecting a long through ball, on his right thigh, back to goal. Off the right boot of left back, Jones, wide on the left; inside the United half, on 53 minutes. Case, moving the ball, a yard to his left, with his right boot; a yard in from the 18 yard line: center. Jimmy, turning, strikes; top right corner of the net, 1-1.

 Nicholl, wide on the right; a ball, long and high. Macari, Hughes close on his heels, back-heading; the ball finds Jim: inside the right corner of the 18 yard box. A tussle, won by the L’pool defender, but Lou, running in, before the ball can be controlled; striking, right-footed, deflecting off Jim’s chest, past ‘keeper Clemence: inside the right post, 2-1, on 55 minutes.

 The occasion was noteworthy for the inclusion of Albiston, 14+3, at left back, Houston, 36 (3), being absent through torn ankle ligament damage, which ultimately ended his career at the club, with Arthur taking over the position permanently, and defensive midfielder McCreery’s, 9+16 (2), substituting for Hill, on 81 minutes, become a feature of the team’s defensive strategy.

 Pearson, 39 (15), and Hill, 38+1 (15), made double figures, as the club finished the campaign 6^th in the league. Docherty was sacked before the 1977-78 season, after it was revealed he was having a love affair with Mary, the wife of the club’s physiotherapist, Laurie Brown.

 Some supporters felt Tommy was the third disaster after Munich, but he managed in the period before 1988, when 2 outfield substitutes from 5 on the bench, were permissible, and in those circumstances, as Alex Ferguson would later prove, ‘resting’ squad members, like the unluckily surplus Daly, as an aspect of a ‘rotation system’, similar to American Football’s changes from ‘offense’ to ‘defense’, where the benched professional would expect to give 100% effort, while appearing 50% of ‘game time’, was far preferable to disposing of useful talent on the transfer market.

 Dave Sexton, appointed as manager from QPR from 1977-78, shared the FA Shield with Liverpool, at Wembley, on August 13^th, 0-0, then examined the available members of the squad, before turning to the transfer market; ‘keeper, Roche, 19; former Spurs’ right winger, transferred for £30,000; Northern Irish, Chris McGrath, 9+9 (1), debuting October 23^rd, 1976, at home to Norwich, 2-2, through Daly (pen.), 1-0, on 38 minutes, and Hill, in the 42^nd, 2-0. Although Chris’ introduction, substituting for McIlroy, on 46 minutes, coincided with City’s resurgence. Eire’s left winger, Ashley Grimes, 7+6 (2), from ‘Bohs’ for £35,000, as cover for Hill, debuted on August 20^th, 1977, 20 years, substituting for Pearson, on 55 minutes, at Birmingham City’s St. Andrew’s, 4-1, with Macari, level with the left upright, inside the 6 yard box, heading in a right-footed corner on the left from Coppell, on 5 minutes, 1-0.

 Coppell, in the 22^nd minute, a long throw-in, from the right touchline, opposite the 18 yard box, center, finds Macari’s back header, inside the penalty area, outside the right corner of the 6 yard box, with the defender unable to clear; heading the ball left and down: Lou volleying into the roof of the net, 2-0.

 Hill, seizing upon a ball lofted by left back Albiston, left-footed, in the left midfield position, into the penalty area; Gordon volleying, left-footed, just outside the corner of the goal area: top right corner of the net, 75^th minute, 3-1.

 Macari’s hat-trick (3), in the 83^rd, from a left-footed Hill corner on the right. A header, center, just outside the 6 yard box, down and across the goalmouth. McIlroy, trying to keep the ball down, while directing it at goal, right-footed, outside the goal area, right, bouncing into Lou’s path. Macari’s header. City’s ‘keeper, Jim Montgomery, reflexively saves, arm outstretched; left handed. Lou strikes at the fallen ball, right-footed; acute angle: far left corner of the net, 4-1.

 Youth Academy graduate, center forward, Andy Ritchie, 4, 17 years, debuted December 26^th, 1977, at Everton, 6-2, through Macari, on 27 minutes, 1-0, Hill, in the 41^st, 2-0, Lou, in the 53^rd, 3-0, Coppell, in the 58^th, 4-0, Jimmy Greenhoff, in the 68^th, 5-0, and McIlroy, in the 75^th minute, 6-1.

 Sexton brought center half, Scot, ‘Big Gordon’ McQueen, 14 (1), £500,000, on January 4^th, 1978. A defender in the Holton mold, 6’ 3”, as replacement for the perceivably ‘height-challenged’, 5’ 9”, Brian Greenhoff, 31 (1), and clever enough, on the ground, with the ball, to allay any fears over his ability to distribute; after breaking up an attack. Also Scot, ‘Big Joe’ Jordan, 14 (3), £350,000; a no-nonsense center forward in the same mold, 6’ 1”, aiming to be unbeatable in the air: initially conceived as a replacement for Jimmy Greenhoff, 31 years, 22+1 (6). Both Gord’ and Joe came from Leeds United. Jimmy and Jordan were paired, however, as center forward and second striker. ‘Pancho’ Pearson, the  ‘bandit’, nicknamed for Mexico’s Pancho Villa,6 incurred a knee injury that, sidelining him for 1978-79, eventually resulted in his transfer, 30 years, to West Ham.

 Before season’s end it was revealed, perhaps unwisely, that Hill would be transferred for £250,000 to Derby County. Hill, 36 (17), and Pearson, 30 (10), were the strikers that got into double figures, as the club finished 10^th in the table. Dave was beginning to look like the fourth disaster after Munich.

 Taking over from Roche, 14, Gary Bailey, 28, 20 years, born in South Africa, ‘keeper for Wits University, Johannesburg, paying his own airfare from there to try out at the club, successfully, debuted on November 18^th, 1978, against Ipswich at Old Trafford, 2-0, through Coppell, on 7 minutes, and Jimmy Greenhoff, in the 85^th, while Stepney left for Texas’ Dallas Tornado in the NASL.

 Mickey Thomas arrived from Wales’  Wrexham, Y Dreigiau, ‘The Dragons’, as Hill’s replacement. However, 1 goal from 25 starts, debuting on November 25^th, 1978, at Chelsea, 1-0, crossing at the goal line, outside the 6 yard box, for Jimmy Greenhoff, center and edge of the goal area, to head down into the left corner of the net, on 68 minutes, compared to Gordon’s prolific scoring rate, from out wide on the left, raised a few eyebrows. Thomas required a subtle but essential delineation, as to performance criteria in the role of providing from midfield as a wing, Mickey, or attacking up front as a winger, Hill.

 Only a fanfare was needed to emphasize the club’s luck in persuading a ‘standout’ 15-a-side Gaelic football star with Dublin to join. As a center, Kevin Moran was revolutionary, because atypically he wasn’t static. More attack-minded, and mobile, through Kevin, ‘Dubs’ were All-Ireland Champions against Kerry, 3-8, goals and points, to 0-10, in 1976, at Croke Park, Dublin, on September 26^th, and 5-12, that is, 5 goals in the net, and 12 points over the cross bar, between the posts above the goalmouth, to 3-6 against Armagh, in 1977, on September 25^th. The future of Eire’s soccer at center back, Moran, 1, 22 years, debuted on April 30^th, 1979, at S’ton, 1-1, after Ritchie’s opener, on 13 minutes, 1-0.

 The team reached the FA Cup Final, losing, 2-3, against Arsenal, at Wembley, on May 12^th, 1979, after being, 0-2, down, then coming back late on in the match to make it, 2-2. A right-footed free kick from Coppell, over near the right touchline; Jordan, left of the 18 yard box, driving the ball into the six yard box, right-footed, low, and McQueen, relatively disabled through cramp, and therefore a liability in defence, so playing up front, as substitute Brian Greenhoff had been injured, warming up by the touchline, turning the ball, left-footed, into the right corner of the net; 1-2, on 86 minutes.

 Coppell, near the center circle, a long ball; left-footed. McIlroy, shaping as if to run on with the ball, instead holding up its progress, on his left thigh, Arsenal center back, Eire’s David O’Leary, unable to challenge inside the penalty area, losing his balance, slides to the ground, without troubling Sam’s progress. Steve Walford, defender, on 83 minutes, in for David Price, central midfielder; a decision by manager, Northern Ireland’s Terry Neill, blamed for Arsenal’s losing their pattern: in pursuit. Sammy nutmegs him, right-footed, Walford slipping to the turf. Pat Jennings, now Arsenal’s ‘keeper, transferring from relegated Spurs, on August 6^th, 1977, comes out to dive at the ball at McIlroy’s feet, but unerringly Sam slips it past Jennings, left-footed, a yard to the right of the penalty spot, before Scot’s center back, Willie Young, arriving, left, can intercept, and the ball is nestling in the left post’s side netting, 2-2. Wide on the left, however, in the 89^th minute, left winger, Graham Rix, at the corner flag, crossing for second striker, Alan Sunderland, to nod the ball in; almost on the goalmouth, 2-3.

 Jimmy Greenhoff, 33 (11), Coppell, 42 (11), and Ritchie, 16+1 (10), made double figures, as the club finished 9^th in the table. Sexton’s big buy for the 1979-80 season was Chelsea’s midfield orchestrator, Ray Wilkins, 27 (2), for £750,000. McQueen’s commanding presence had improved the defence; 35 goals conceded, while Liverpool, champions that term, conceded 30. However, where United scored 65, L’pool struck 80 times. The Manchester side, 58 points, runner-up to the Merseysiders’ 60. Though Thomas’ figures improved, 35 (8), Jordan’s, 32 (13), were the only double figures; indicating the team’s lack of penetration, as well as the disproportionate amount of team effort expended in assisting Joe to improve his tally.

 On the day that Martin Edwards, Louis’ son, became Chairman, on March 22^nd, 1980, following his father’s demise, the home team beat Manchester City, in the ‘derby’, 1-0, with McIlroy, having chased a long ball, outside the left corner of the City penalty area, right-footed, passing it back to Albiston, out on the left wing. Arthur, left-footed, finds right winger, Coppell, with a forward ball. Steve, with his back to goal, inside the left corner of the 18 yard box, back-heeling, left-footed, for left wing Thomas’ strike, with his left boot, over City ‘keeper Corrigan’s head, into the roof of the net, on 48 minutes. The first win in 8 and 2 defeats, with the side losing, on the last day of the season, 0-2, to Leeds at Elland Road, dropping 2 points; 2 behind champions, L’pool. Moreover, Sexton’s credibility had suffered; 0-6, at Ipswich’s Portman Road, on March 1^st, 1980.

 1980-81 followed the same pattern. Sexton brought Forest center forward, Garry Birtles, 25 (0) that season for United, as a replacement for Jimmy, but 9 (6) for Forest before his transfer for £1.25m. In the 1979 European Cup Final, Birtles was center forward for Forest, 35 (14) against Sweden’s Malmö FF, at Olympiastadion, Munich, 1-0, on May 30^th, and in the 1980 European Cup Final, Garry was again # 9, 42 (12), against German Bundesliga club, Hamburger SV, at the Berneabéu, Madrid, 1-0, on May 28^th, so hopes were high. Birtles debuted for United, on October 22^nd, 1980, at the Victoria Ground, Stoke, 2-1, through Jordan, on 15 minutes, 1-0, and Macari in the 58^th, 2-0. Garry’s inability to score at all that season for United became frustrating.

 Nikola Joyanović, 19 (4), £300,000 from Red Star Belgrade, only the second non-Briton at the club, after Sartori, debuted February 2^nd, 1980, at Derby, 3-1, replaced in the 73^rd by Grimes, with the opener down to center forward Jordan’s persevering run down the left wing, then along the left goal line, crossing left-footed for ‘Super Sam’ at the far post. McIlroy’s header, having hit the right upright, bounced across the goalmouth, where Thomas struck, left-footed, on 38 minutes, 1-1, inside the left post. Alhough Derby ‘keeper, David McKellar, looked to have saved, Mickey’s appeal for a goal to be awarded was upheld.

 McIlroy, right side of the 18 yard box, squaring the ball into the center of the goal area, with the heel of his right boot, where the defender, attempting to clear, succeeded only in directing the ball back into Sammy’s path. McIlroy netting, at close range, right-footed, inside the right upright, 2-1, in the 89^th minute, as the defender collided with ‘keeper McKellar, in his anger to atone.

 A Barry Powell own goal, in the 90^th, at the 6 yard box, center line, inadvertently directing a cross, from out by the left goal line, past ‘keeper McKellar, made it 3-1, ironically after midfielder Powell had given ‘The Rams’ the lead in the 33^rd minute, 0-1.

 Jovanović, with Moran, 32, Buchan, 26, and McQueen, 11 (2), shared responsibility at the center of defence, with sometime center back, Mike Duxbury, 27+6 (2), and sometime center back, Nicholl, 36 (1), though more often right backs, paired with Albiston, 42 (1), or sometime left back, Grimes, 6+2 (2), meant few goals conceded. Jordan, 33 (15), made double figures, but only Macari, 37+1 (9), shared some of the responsibility for what had become the onerous burden of scoring enough goals to stay at the club; finishing in 8^th position.

 Sexton was replaced for 1981-82 by flamboyant WBA manager, Ron Atkinson, lampooned by the press as ‘Big Time Charlie’, because of his larger than life persona; suited to publicity, television appearances, and the media generally; helpful to a club with such a long history, and tradition of greatness: achieved with flare and style. ‘Big Ron’ moved quickly to secure the aerial power of Frank Stapleton, center forward, from Arsenal, for £950,000, with excellent ball control technique, and a striker’s instinct on the move. Unlike the air power of Jordan; laboring to control the ball on the ground: moved to Italy’s Serie A club, AC Milan, for £325,000. Also, right back, John Gidman, 36+1 (1), came; displacing Nicholl, 0+1, at £450,000 from Everton, with Thomas moved on to Goodison in the ‘swap’ deal.

 Remi Moses, 20+1 (2), central midfielder, for £500,000, as competition for Macari, 10+1 (2), and left-footed central midfielder, Bryan Robson, 32 (5), for £1.5m arrived from Atkinson’s former club, WBA. While McIlroy, 12 (3), on February 2^nd, 1982, was transferred to Stoke for £350,000, Robson was widely believed the best of his generation, as ‘Big Dunc’ had been.

 Youth Academy graduate, Northern Irish, Norman Whiteside, 1+1 (1), 17 years, on 44 minutes, 2-0, the youngest ever to score for the club, on his full debut, May 15^th, 1982, against Stoke, 2-0, with Robson also scoring in the 44^th, 1-0, though Whiteside had appeared, as a 46^th minute substitute for Duxbury, when 16 years, at Brighton & Hove Albion’s Goldstone Ground, on April 24^th, 1982, with Norman passing left-footed, just inside the Brighton half, on the right touchline, a long ball to Stapleton, showing blistering speed, down the left wing. By the right corner of the 18 yard box, Frank left-footed infield to Wilkins, center midfield, outside the penalty area ‘D’, center. Ray’s left-footed strike, low, inside the right post, 1-0, on 87 minutes.

 Norman, together with Youth Academy graduate, Scot, Scott McGarvey, 10+6 (2), were emerging as potential second strikers to Frank, while Ron, ‘Bojangles’, because of the clanking gold jewelry he wore, had gotten Birtles, 32+1 (11), to put on his goalscoring boots. Scott’s debut, 17 years, was as a substitute for Macari, in the 75^th minute, on September 13^th, 1980, against Leicester, 5-0, through Coppell, on 3 minutes, Grimes, in the 43^rd, Jovanović, in the 49^th, Macari, in the 59^th, and Jovanović, in the 67^th.

 Birtles and Stapleton, 41 (13), made double figures, as the team, though winning 7 out of their last 9 games, and having led for much of the campaign, finished 3^rd. The determining results were, 0-1, against Liverpool, on April 7^th, 1982, and 1-2 at Ipswich’s Portman Road, on April 20^th, as L’pool were champions, with 87, and Ipswich 2^nd, on 83, to United’s 78.

 Birtles, with McGarvey and Whiteside pressing for places in the side, and unselected for the team, at the beginning of 1982-83, in September 1982 returned to Forest for £250,000. Ron had moved pre-season to bring, in McIlroy’s former positional role, Dutch midfielder, Arnold Mühren, 32 (5), on a free transfer from Ipswich, because of his vision, allied to his ability to control the tempo of a game, and as an accurate passer of the ball; short or long.

 Eire’s Paul McGrath, 14 (3), moving from Saint Patrick’s Athletic, ‘the black pearl of Inchicore’, Dublin, stood in with equanimity for Robson, and at center back, where Buchan, 3, was being brought to the end of his career by Moran, 29 (2). Paul would replace McQueen, 37, making him ‘the pearl of great price’ (Matt: 13. 45-6) at Old Trafford.

 Laurie Cunningham, also called ‘the black pearl’ by devotees of Spain’s La Liga club, Real Madrid CF, was brought on loan. Ron had sold him for £950,000, as manager of WBA, but Laurie, 3+2 (1), with injury issues, reducing his speed and effectiveness as a left winger, though debuting on April 19^th, 1983, and on for Whiteside, 46 minutes, at Everton’s Goodison, 0-2, wasn’t to be.

 The side reached the 1983 League Cup Final, 1-2 (1-1), a.e.t., to Liverpool, at Wembley, on March 26^th, with Whiteside, 39 (8), 17 years, the youngest, on 12 minutes, ever to score in a League Cup Final. Norman, well outside the 18 yard box, back to goal, left of the ‘D’, taking a long ball from center back, McQueen, left of the center circle, just inside the L‘pool half, on his chest, sticking out his left leg, around the ball, dragging it forward with his left boot, away from the L’pool defender; moving right, across the ‘D’, center, at the edge of the penalty area, right-footed shot, low, inside Zimbabwean ‘keeper Bruce Grobbelaar’s right upright, 1-0. Whiteside, also the youngest to score in an FA Cup Final, against Brighton, after a draw at Wembley, on May 21^st, 2-2 (2-2), a.e.t. Norman, 18 years, having replaced Birtles, as ‘the cynosure of all eyes’, getting the second, on 30 minutes, 4-0, in the replay on May 26^th.

 In the initial Final, after right back Duxbury’s, 42 (1), right-footed cross, midway along the right of the 18 yard box, and outside of it, headed on by Whiteside, at the near post, spiting the efforts of Brighton’s Eire captain, midfielder Tony Grealish, to circumvent, Frank stabbed the ball high into the net, with his left boot, at the far post, ‘The Seagulls’ center back, Steve Gatting, despite being almost in Stapleton’s shorts to wear his boots, unable to prevent it, 1-1, on 55 minutes. In the 72^nd minute, a Wilkins’, 26 (1), trademark curler; left-footed, edge of the 18 yard box, right, 2-1, top left corner.

 Wales’ right winger, Alan Davies, 2+1, was in the side for a recurrent injury to Steve Coppell, 29 (4). A vicious, high challenge, from Hungarian left back, József Tóth, of Nemzeti Bajnokság I club, Újpesti Dózsa, shattered Steve’s knee, on 67 minutes, in the Group 4 qualifier for the 1982 World Cup, on November 18^th, 1981, at Wembley, in a defeat, 1-0, for Hungary, while leaving Steve prey to knee problems.

 In the replay, inside the Brighton area, back to goal, Davies laid the ball on to Robson; a left-footed drive, past Brighton ‘keeper Graham Moseley, low, into the right corner of the net, 1-0, on 25 minutes. Whiteside, left edge of the six yard box, headed Davies’ right-footed cross, from outside the 18 yard box, at its left side, midway, down into the bottom right corner, on 30 minutes, 2-0. In the 44^th minute, Robson, heading on a left-footed free-kick from Mühren, left of the 18 yard box; headed again, down by Stapleton at the far post: Robson, tapping in at the near post, 3-0.

 The game was over, after Robson was brought down by Brighton center back, Gary Stevens, with Mühren, converting the spot-kick in the 62^nd minute, 4-0. Stapleton, 41 (14), and Robson, 33 (10), got into double figures for the league season, as the club reached 3^rd, 12 points behind Liverpool on 82.

 Liverpool were beaten at Wembley, on August 20^th, 2-0, in the FA Shield, with goals from Robson, rounding ‘keeper Grobbelaar, at the 18 yard box ‘D’, forced right, right-footed; low, back of the net, center, from right edge of the ‘D’, 1-0, in the 23^rd. From a corner on the left, 2-0, in the 60^th minute. The ball, on its way to being headed in, saved by Bruce, and again kept out by Bruce on the goal line, but not from Robson’s trusty left boot.

 During the 1983-84 campaign emerged Youth Academy graduates; Wales’ Mark Hughes, 7+4 (4), center forward, 19 years, debuting October 26^th, 1983, at Port Vale, substituting for Whiteside during the League Cup 2^nd Round, second leg, 2-0, through Whiteside, on 15 minutes, and Wilkins (pen.), in the 84^th, and Wales’ right winger, 19 years, Clayton Blackmore, 1, debuting May 16^th, 1984, at Forest’s City Ground, 0-2. Giving Moran a variety of center back partners, as well as McQueen, 20 (1), and Paul McGrath, 9 (1), Scot, Graeme Hogg, 16 (1), 19 years, debuting January 7^th, 1984, at Bournemouth, in the FA Cup 3^rd Round, 0-2.

 From the transfer market, Ron brought left winger, Scot, Arthur Graham, 33+4 (5), for £45,000 from Leeds United, with his league debut, on August 27^th, 1983, against QPR, with Mühren (pen.), on 10 minutes; low, bottom left corner, 1-0, after right back, Duxbury, was brought down, right of the penalty area: looking to cross the ball.

 Stapleton, in the 17^th, heading in a cross at the edge of the goal area, center, 2-0, from Mike, just outside the penalty area, by the goal line, before Arnold again, after Frank, inside the QPR half, center midfield, controlling a punt from ‘keeper Bailey, right-footed a pass to Graham, out on the left wing. Arthur, by the left corner of the 18 yard box, crossing the ball for Mühren’s right-footed strike, center of the ‘D’, edge of the penalty area, top left corner of the net, 3-1 in the 90^th.

 On loan from Spurs came center forward, Garth Crooks, 25 years, 6+1 (2), though somewhat lacking in the original deceptive teenage pace that had given him the ‘cocky arrogance’ opposing fans chanted racist abuse at him for. Debuting, on November 19^th, 1983, against Watford, 4-1, through Stapleton, in the 9^th, 1-0, and 31^st minute, 2-0, Robson, on 73 minutes, 3-0, and Stapleton again, in the 83^rd, 4-0, a hat-trick (3), Garth’s casual Jamaican looseness, allied to ‘Jack Flash’ bursts of energetic firepower, put further pressure on Whiteside to fight for a berth in the team, upfront, alongside Stapleton.

 The side reached the semi-final of the European Cup Winners Cup. In the first leg, with Italy’s Serie A club, Juventus, on April 11^th, 1984, after a long high ball from Albiston, left-footed, from the left wing, just inside the Juventus’ half; over the heads of the defence, and the attack, as they rise to head the ball: in vain. Whiteside, in the 6 yard box, controlling it with his knees, the ball on the turf; left-footed strike at goal, parried by Juvé ‘keeper, Stefano Tacconi. Davies, 10^th minute substitute for Gidman; ball bouncing gently in front of him, center of the 6 yard box. Alan, seizing his opportunity; right-footed, into the net, 1-1, in the 36^th minute.

 The second leg away, 1-2, on April 25^th; 2-3 on aggregate. In the 63^rd minute, 0-1, Whiteside comes on, as a substitute for Stapleton and, in the 70^th, left winger, Graham, by the left touchline, level with the left corner of the 18 yard box, dinking the ball into that left corner; finds McGrath. Turning this way and that, now level with the left corner of the 6 yard box, Paul back-heels; low, slow, sleight of foot. The Juventus’ defence, made somnolent, for moments, by some Irish black magic. Norman collects, on 70 minutes, left corner of the 6 yard box; left-footed strike, top right corner of the net, 1-1. Stapleton, 42 (13), Robson, 33 (12), and Whiteside, 30+7 (10), amassed double figures, as the club ended the season 4^th in the table.

 Macari, 0+5, was ‘freed’ to become Swindon Town’s player-manager, Graham scoring on 50 minutes for Lou at his Testimonial, 1-1, against former club, Glasgow Celtic, ‘The Bhoys’, on May 13^th, 1984. A portion of gate receipts, traditionally is awarded to a retiring player, as an honorific. Macari wore the red shirt in the first half, and the green and white hoops in the second.

 After selling Ray Wilkins to AC Milan for £1.5m close season, while McGarvey was sold to Portsmouth for £85,000, with Whiteside, 23+4 (9), moved into midfield, and Hughes in attack, Ron brought in wingers for 1984-85; Scot’s right winger, Gordon Strachan, £600,000 from Aberdeen, and Denmark’s left winger, Jesper Olsen, 36 (5), £350,000 from Dutch Eredivisie club, Ajax of Amsterdam, ‘Sons of the Gods’, together with striker, Alan Brazil, 17+3 (5), £625,000 from Spurs, to press Stapleton, 21+3 (6), for a place in the side: a complete attack.

 The team reached the quarter-final of the former Inter Cities Fairs Cup, rebranded from 1971, as the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Cup, only to lose out to Hungary’s Videoton, 4-5 on penalties, after a first leg win, 1-0, on March 6^th, 1985. Stapleton, 21+3 (6), on 60 minutes, just outside the 6 yard box, center, heading in a right-footed cross from Strachan, by the right side of the 18 yard box, midway; followed by defeat, 0-1, away, in the second leg, on March 20^th, at Sóstói Stadion, Székesfehérvár; 1-1 on aggregate.

 The team reached the 1985 FA Cup Final against Everton, at Wembley, on May 18^th. A game marked by Moran’s, (19 (4), being red-carded on 78 minutes; for fouling midfielder Peter Reid’s clean through run on goal. Whiteside’s left-footed, curling shot, inside the left post; from the right corner of the 18 yard box, beat Wales’ ‘keeper, Neville Southall, in the 110^th minute, 1-0 (0-0), a.e.t.

 Albiston, 39, a tidy, compact left back, and a useful crosser of the ball on the overlap; three times FA Cup winner, for Scot’s manager Docherty in 1977, and Ron in 1983, and 1985, now had the dubious distinction of being the only player to have a medal from all of the club’s successful trophy hunts over 22 years. Between European Cup victory in 1968, and Robson’s, 32+1 (9), lifting of the FA Cup at London’s Wembley in 1990. Hughes, 38 (16), and Strachan, 41 (15), got into double figures, as the term ended with the club 4^th.

  The FA Shield was lost to Everton, 0-2, at Wembley, on August 10^th, with Duxbury, 21+2 (1), normally a right back, or center back, preferred as a defensive midfielder (DM) to Moses, 4, though Remi replaced Mike, on 61 minutes, with the score, 0-1. With the adeptness of Graham lost to Bradford City, transferred, added to the squad for 1985-86 was much admired, former Manchester City left winger, Peter Barnes, 12+1 (2), languishing at Coventry City, for £30,000, debuting on August 31^s, 1985, at Forest, 3-1.

 Hughes opened, on 2 minutes; a strike from just outside the left corner of the 18 yard box, top right corner of Dutch ‘keeper Hans Segers’ net, 1-0. Barnes, in the 5^th, after a run with the ball by Robson, down the right wing, cutting inside the penalty area, crossing from the right side of the goal area, close in, with the defender unable to clear; Peter right-footing into the right side of the net, 2-0. A cross, high, by the right corner of the 18 yard box, on 41 minutes, finding Stapleton, left corner of the 6 yard box, heading the ball into the inside netting of the right upright, 3-0, as the team began the campaign with 10 straight wins. 13 out of 15, with 2 draws, and top of the league until February 2^nd, losing at West Ham, 1-2, United had looked like champions elect.

 Colin Gibson, 18 (5), an attacking left back, who could switch to being an attacking midfielder (AM), had transferred from Aston Villa for £275,000, debuting on November 30^th, 1985, against Watford, 1-1, through Brazil, on 68 minutes, 1-0, and right back, John Sivebæk, 2+1, £285,000 from Danish club, Vejle BK, debuting on February 9^th, 1986, at Liverpool, 1-1, despite Gibson’s opener, on 15 minutes, 1-0, with a left-footed shot, from left of the inside of the ‘D’, that ‘keeper Grobbelaar couldn’t hold, down by the left post. Colin, running on into the goal area, booted into the net, with his left, right corner, as Bruce tried to reclaim it.

 With the club 2^nd in the league table on March 1^st, defeated at S’ton, 0-1, within a month fans of the team received the demoralizing news. Hughes, 40 (17), would be joining Spain’s Catalan La Liga club, FC Barcelona, for £2m for the 1986-87 season. Managerial suicide; the fifth disaster after Munich.

 Atkinson moved to secure center forward, Terry Gibson, 2+5, £600,000 from Coventry City, debuting on 69 minutes, as a substitute for Robson, on February 2^nd, 1986, at Upton Park, West Ham, 1-2, despite Robson’s opener in the 26^th, accepting a right-footed, lobbed through ball, from Stapleton, beyond the center circle, left of center midfield, over the Hammers’ defence, Bryan running onto it, between central defenders, Tony Gale and Alvin Martin, and inside the edge of the penalty area, center, lobbing, right-footed, over ‘keeper, Phil Parkes, as he came out, 1-0. Ron also recruited center forward, Peter Davenport, 11 (1), from Forest, £750,000, debuting on March 15^th, 1986, at QPR, 0-1, but the sale of Hughes would be Atkinson’s bane, as philosopher George Santayana wrote, ‘Those who repeat the mistakes of history are doomed.’7

 As evidenced by the dearth in front of goal, and Alan Brazil’s stats, 1+10 (3), forwards who could score goals for Manchester United were rare. Stapleton, 34+7 (7), was nearing the end of his illustrious career; joining Ajax for £100,000 for 1987-88. Only a madman would have relinquished a goalscoring machine, like Hughes. Apart from Mark, only Olsen, 25+3 (11), coming inside, from out wide on the left, made double figures, as the club again finished 4^th.

 The 1986-87 term began with defeat, 0-1, at Arsenal on August 23^rd, 1986. The team lost the first three games; leaving the club 21^st of 22. Although the first league win, September 13^th, against S’ton, was a demolition, 5-1, through Olsen (pen.), on 22 minutes, Davenport in the 25^th, Stapleton, in the 36^th, Whiteside, in the 53^rd, and Stapleton in the 83^rd. Gidman joined Manchester City, ‘on a free’ in October, with Sivebæk earmarked to take over at right back, and Barnes, 7, provider for Hughes the previous term, would also go back to City, on January 14^th, 1986, for £20,000.

 Against Chelsea, on September 28^th, 1986, latching onto central midfielder, Nigel Spackman’s through ball, running into space between Sivebaek, 27+1 (1), and McGrath, 34+1 (2), center forward, Kerry Dixon, struck the ball past United reserve ‘keeper, Chris Turner, 0-1. However, Olsen, 22+6 (3), having substituted for Moses, 17+1, on 58 minutes, in the 59^th United were awarded a penalty for a push on Robson, 29+1 (7), by ‘keeper Tony Godden, who didn’t move from his central position, and saved with his legs, as Olsen struck the ball straight at him, 0-1; then, in the 61^st minute, Scot’s central midfielder, John McNaught, brought Olsen down in the area, and Strachan, 33+1 (4), struck the awarded penalty to Godden’s right. Luck out United, as Chelsea’s ‘keeper saved; diving to stop the ball, with his outstretched hand, 0-1.

 The career of  United’s ‘keeper Bailey, 4, was at an end, because of a knee injury, incurred during training, at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. England, captained by S’ton ‘keeper, Peter Shilton, lost to eventual winners Argentina, 1-2, in the quarter-final, after attacking left midfielder (AM), Aston Villa’s Steve Hodge, miscued a clearance, at Stadio Azteca, Mexico City, on June 22^nd. Diego Maradona of Italy’s Serie A club, SSC Napoli, ‘the hand of God’, punched the ball into the net, in the 51^st minute, as it came down inside the penalty area, 1-0.

 Despite Ron bringing Turner, 23, from Sunderland for £275,000 for 1985-86, to challenge Bailey for the goalkeeping jersey, Youth Academy graduate ‘keeper, Gary Walsh, 14, 18 years, debuting on December 13^th, 1986, at Villa, 3-3, through Davenport, on 18 minutes, 1-0, Whiteside, in the 54^th, 2-1, and Peter again, in the 55^th, 3-1, became first choice.

 Ron’s last signing, central midfielder, Eire’s Liam O’Brien, 22 years, brought from Shamrock Rovers for £50,000, 9+2 that term, debuted, but for new manager, Alex Ferguson, on December 20^th, 1986, against Leicester, 2-0, through Colin Gibson, on 11 minutes, and Stapleton in the 67^th. Liam, red-carded for a late tackle on left back, Mark ‘Psycho’ Dennis, after only 85 seconds, on January 3^rd, 1987, at S’ton, where Olsen, on 11 minutes, left-footed, low, outside the 18 yard box, almost opposite the right upright, inside the post there, made it nevertheless, 1-0, was an indication of Alex’s own belief in success through determination. ‘Psycho’ Dennis earned his nickname, after being straight red-carded, without a yellow warning card, 10 times, with O’Brien’s lateness meant, as an early warning for Dennis, about his behavior for the ensuing 90 minutes; plus time added on: for injuries and stoppages.

 Scot, Ferguson, who’d sold Strachan, adequately exciting replacement for ‘crocked’ Coppell, to Atkinson, on November 6^th, while manager of Aberdeen, was appointed, after Ron’s side lost, 1-4, at S’ton, in a League Cup 3^rd Round replay, on November 4^th, 1986, with Davenport, on 88 minutes, the late consolation, after a lackadaisical defender’s back pass at the left corner of the 18 yard box. Davenport, chasing the ball, catching up with it, before ‘keeper, Peter Shilton, could collect, and after taking it left, away from Shilton, turning the ball back, with his left foot, as ‘Shilts’ dove. Davenport then going right, right-footing the ball into the net, center, 1-4. Only Davenport got into double figures, 34+5 (14, and 4 of them penalties), as the club ended the term 11^th in the league; they’d been 19^th, and fourth from bottom, when Ron was dismissed.

1 ‘Kenny Morgans’, The Telegraph, November 19^th, 2012, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/sport-obituaries/9688932/Kenny-Morgans.html?msockid=0d9dc40815ff6c030867d27214816d0b .

2 ‘Interview: Leeds Legend John Giles’, The Scotsman, November 13^th, 2010.

3 ‘United Pay Tribute to Phil Chisnall’, March 4^th, 2021, https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-tribute-as-phil-chisnall-sadly-passes-away .

4 Tyrrell, Tom, and David Meek The Hamlyn Illustrated History of Manchester United 1878-1996, London: Hamlyn, 1968, p. 81.

5 Neal, Toby ‘Big characters brought to mind with memories of sporting glory. Footballing greats grace county history’, Shropshire Star, July 24^th, 2013, p. 27.

6 Francisco ‘Pancho’ Villa, born José Doroteo Arango Arámbula (1878-1923), was a Mexican revolutionary, described as a ‘bandit’ by the revolted against.

7 Santayana, George The Life Of Reason, Vol. 1, Reason in Common Sense, 1905, p. 284.

Alex Ferguson: A Legacy Ignored

When Scot, Alex Ferguson, took over, as Manchester United’s manager, from ‘Big Ron’ Atkinson, on November 6^th, 1986, it’d be 27 years before he retired. What he left, as a legacy, was a simple formula and format that his successors ignored at their peril. Tactical analysis of team play focuses on where the players take up their starting positions, for example, 4-3-3; a goalkeeper behind four defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards. ‘Fergie’ reduced the strategic planning to positional types, that is, two full backs; two central defenders; two in central midfield; two center forwards, and two wingers. A 2-2-2-2-2 system, or 5 x 2s, incorporating the basic philosophy of having left-sided players, on the left side of the field, and right-sided players on the pitch’s right side.

 The incontrovertible result was 13 league titles, beginning with 1992-93, and concluding with 2012-13, after which triumphant season Alex retired, with the short-lived appointment of Everton boss, David Moyes, tenure teminated, on April 22^nd, 2014. His team selection failed to reach the 2014 League Cup Final; losing the January 22^nd second leg, semi-final penalty ‘shoot-out’, at home to Sunderland: finding the net in one out of five attempts, 1-2. With the club ending the season 7^th,  Ferguson protégée, left-wing, Welshman Ryan Giggs, was appointed as interim player-manager, prior to the coach’s reins being taken up, at the beginning of the 2014-15 season, by the Netherlands’ Louis van Gaal. Before the advent of Ferguson, the Manchester club of Trafford hadn’t won a league championship since 1966-67; 19 years before his appointment, and 26 years before his first league title success in 1992-93.

 The club had won the European Champions Clubs’ Cup on May 29^th, 1968, a knockout tournament, inaugurated in 1955, and restyled in 1992 as the UEFA Champions League (UCL), though commonly known as, ‘the European Cup’. With group stages of four teams from 1993, and from 2024 a league format, requiring the contesting of a ‘play off’, after the United States’ ‘conference’ model for the Superbowl of American Football, to reach the Final. However, three FA Cup successes, in 1977, 1983, and 1985, the last two under Atkinson’s stewardship, were all there was to show in the trophy cabinet for 23 years’ endeavor. Until Alex’s May 17^th, 1990, FA Cup Final replay win against Crystal Palace, 1-0. Largely attributable to the 59^th minute goal from big-boned, and gawky-appearing, but precise, and with determination to use what skill he had, left full back, Lee Martin.

 The first game, on May 12^th, 1990, had ended, 3-3 (2-2), after extra time (a.e.t.), with England captain, by then craggily impactful, at 33 years, left sided midfielder, Bryan ‘Captain Marvel’ Robson, equalizing on 35 minutes. A strong header, down, left edge of the six yard box, following a cross, right-footed from Scot’s goal-poaching center forward, Brian McClair, by the touchline, outside the 18 yard box, deflecting off Palace right back, John Pemberton’s shin; inside the left upright, 1-1. Wales’ center forward, persistently pressing, Mark Hughes, put the team ahead, on 62 minutes; right midfielder, soothing controller, Neil Webb, having charged down an attempted clearance by Palace central defender, Andy Thorn. The ball coming to Hughes, outside the left edge of the six yard box; a left-footed strike, wrong-footing ‘keeper Nigel Martyn, angled into the top right corner, 2-1. The second, equalizing goal, in the 113^th minute of extra time, coming after jinking left winger, Danny Wallace, center midfield, stroked the ball low, along the turf, between two defenders; left back, Richard Shaw, and center back, Andy Thorn. Hughes, left, and shadowed by Palace central defender, Gary O’Reilly, ran on and collected the ball, center of the ‘D’; into the 18 yard box, right side, striking past onrushing ‘keeper Martyn; right-footed, low, net bulging: inside the right post, 3-3.

 After just four FA Cup successes in 22 years, since the club’s defeat of Portugal’s Primeira Liga club, Benfica of Lisbon, at England’s national Wembley Stadium, London, 4-1 (1-1), a.e.t., the name of Manchester United lay registered in the minds of the non-partisan as a ‘cup team’. At Aberdeen, Alex had been responsible for breaking the stranglehold that the Glasgow clubs, Rangers and Celtic, had over football in Scotland. Culminating, on May 11^th, 1983, in the defeat of Spanish La Liga club giants Real Madrid CF, 2-1 (1-1), a.e.t., that is, 2 additional halves x 15 minutes, at Gothenburg’s stadium, Nya Ullevi, Sweden, Ferguson guided ‘The Dons’ of ‘the granite city’ to title success in 1979-80, 1983-84, and 1984-85; successive Scottish Cups in 1982, 1983, and 1984, including the Scot’s ‘double’ of league and cup in 1983-84; as well as the European Super Cup of 1983, 2-0, at Pittodrie Stadium on December 20^th, 1983, against German Bundesliga club, Hamburger SV, over two legs. The first at Hamburger’s Volksparkstadion, on November 22^nd , 1983, finishing 0-0. Alex had enough granite.

Gordon Strachan, Scot’s right winger, had been transferred from Aberdeen to Manchester United, in August 1984, for £500,000. At London’s Wembley, on May 18^th, 1985, ‘the wee man’ was in the team that won the FA Cup against Everton, 1-0 (0-0), a.e.t., with the 50s ‘throwback’ stylishness of 20 years of age Northern Ireland international Norman Whiteside, whose left-footed, curling shot, inside the left post, from the right corner of the 18 yard box, beat Wales’ ‘keeper, Neville Southall, in the 110^th minute. Despite Eire’s center back, Kevin Moran, being red carded on 78 minutes, sent off, having brought down midfielder, Peter Reid; fearing he’d be clear through. Gordon, 41 starts (15 goals) that 1984-85 season, was there when Alex arrived to build on previous success.

 Ferguson moved quickly to secure the transfer of Celtic center forward McClair, 40 (24) that 1987-88 season, for £850,000, also bringing right back, Viv Andersen, 30+1 (2) that term, from Arsenal for £250,000, and returning Hughes, 38 (14) for the 1988-89 campaign, for £1.8m from Spain’s La Liga club, FC Barcelona, Catalonia, whence he’d been sold by Atkinson at £2m, before the start in 1986-87; despite being the club’s top scorer for successive terms, 1984-85, 38 (16), and 1985-86, 40 (17). Ferguson then had twin center forwards, and a right winger, Strachan, who’d now been with him, ever since his arriving at Aberdeen, as manager, for Scotland’s 1978-79 Premiership competition.

 Denmark’s left winger, Jesper Olsen, a contributor to the 1985 FA Cup win, 36 (5) that 1984-85 term, along with Gordon, constituted Alex’s initial pair of wings, while paired with Eire’s center forward, Frank Stapleton, 21+3 (6), bought by Atkinson from Arsenal for £900,000 for 1981-82, 41 (13) that campaign, was Whiteside. The youngest debut, age 16, since 1953’s l’enfant terrible, Duncan Edwards, and resembling the panache and swashbuckling of manager Matt Busby’s ‘Babes’ of the period, coming on as a 77^th minute substitute for defender, Mike Duxbury, in an away win at the Goldstone Ground of Brighton & Hove Albion, 1-0, on April 24^th, 1982.

 Title winners in the 1951-52, 1955-56 and 1956-57 seasons, Manchester United’s plane, British European Airways Flight 609, crashed on takeoff at 15.03 pm from Munich-Riem airport, Germany, on February 6^th, 1958, killing 8; left full back and captain, Roger Byrne, 26, left full back, Geoff Bent, 0, center half, Mark Jones, 10, right half, Eddie Colman, 24, Eire inside right, Billy Whelan, 20 (12), center forward, Tommy Taylor, 25 (16), and left winger, David Pegg, 21 (4), while left half, Duncan Edwards, 26 (6), died at Rechts der Isar hospital 15 days later, and injury ended the careers of inside forward, Northern Irish Jackie Blanchflower, 18, and right winger, Johnny Berry, 20 (4). The squad was returning from a 3-3 draw, on February 5^th, against Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade, in the quarter-final of the European Cup, qualifying the team to contest a semi-final with Italian Serie A club, AC Milan. The first team decimated, a makeshift side won, 2-1, on May 8^th at Old Trafford, but collapsed on May 14^th at San Siro, 0-4, losing 2-5 on aggregate.

 Stapleton and Whiteside were Ferguson’s initial twin strikers, who’d won the 1983 FA Cup for ‘Big Ron’, as a pair, against Brighton, although the first Wembley game on May 21^st, 1983, ended, 2-2 (2-2), a.e.t., with Frank, 41 (14) that season, getting an equalizing first goal on 55 minutes, after right back Duxbury’s, 42 (1), right-footed cross, midway along the right of the 18 yard box, and outside of it. Headed on by Whiteside, 39 (8), at the near post, spiting the efforts of Brighton’s Eire captain, midfielder Tony Grealish, to circumvent, Frank stabbed the ball high into the net, with his left boot, at the far post, ‘The Seagulls’ center back, Steve Gatting, unable to prevent it.

 England captain in 1976, before Robson, loosely comfortable on the ball, Ray ‘Butch’ Wilkins, brought for the 1979-80 term, 37 (2) that season, from Chelsea for £750,000 to give some purposeful calm to the midfield by Dave Sexton, manager after ‘The Doc’, in the 72^nd minute jiggered a second, with a trademark curler, left-footed, edge of the 18 yard box, right, 2-1, top left corner, but would be sold to AC Milan of the San Siro for £1.5m for the 1984-85 season by Atkinson; a contributory factor in Ron’s eventual dismissal. The replay, on May 26^th, 1983, was won, 4-0.

 Wales’ right winger, Alan Davies, 2+1, that season, was in the side for a recurrent injury to Steve Coppell, 29 (4), who’d been there since his debut, as a substitute, in a defeat of Cardiff City, 4-0, on March 1^st, 1975, after Docherty bought him from third tier Tranmere Rovers for £60,000, with the Manchester club returning to the first tier, as second tier champions in 1974-75, after being relegated in 1973-74, with Northern Ireland’s Sammy, ‘Super Sam’, McIlroy then top-scoring, 24+5 (6).

 A vicious, high challenge, from ‘hostage to fate’, Hungarian left back, József Tóth, of Nemzeti Bajnokság I club, Újpesti Dózsa, who’d go on to win the Magyar Kupa on April 4^th, 1982, 2-0 against Videoton, at Városi Stadion, Szekszárd, had shattered Steve’s knee for Hungary, on 67 minutes, in the Group 4 qualifier for the 1982 World Cup, on November 18^th, 1981, at Wembley, in a defeat, 1-0, for the Magyar, while leaving Steve prey to knee problems affecting his reliability.

 Inside the Brighton area, back to goal, Davies laid the ball on to Robson, 33 (10) that 1982-83 season’s campaign; a left-footed drive, past Brighton ‘keeper Graham Moseley, low, into the right corner of the net, 1-0, on 25 minutes. Whiteside, 39 (8), left edge of the six yard box, headed Davies’ right-footed cross, outside the 18 yard box, left side, midway, down into the bottom right corner, on 30 minutes, 2-0. In the 44^th minute, Robson, heading on a left-footed free-kick from Dutch midfielder, Arnold Mühren, 32 (5), left of the 18 yard box; headed again, down by Stapleton at the far post: Robson, tapping in at the near post, 3-0. The game was over, after Robson was brought down by Brighton center back, Gary Stevens, with Mühren, converting the spot-kick in the 62^nd minute, 4-0.

 England captain, 1980-91, what had to be resolved for Alex was the position of right midfield, alongside Robson, who’d remain the creative and destructive dynamo of the team until Ferguson’s first English Premier League title and FA Cup ‘double’ success of 1993-94, when the players known as ‘Fergie’s fledglings’ began unassumingly to come to the fore to graciously assume the roles of their fading predecessors. Helped, from 1988, by UEFA’s 2 substitutes allowable from 5 on the bench ruling, including a ‘keeper, Alex could try youth, and make adjustments off the bench to suit his opinion. From West Ham United, East London, Stratford, just after the commencement of the 1989-90 season, came ‘never say die’, strong tackling, ball distributor and winner, with an opportunist’s eye for a goal, and long-range ‘shooting’, Paul Ince, ‘the Guv’nor’. A shrewd buy for £1m, ‘Father’ Ince wouldn’t accept any nonsense from juniors.

 Scot, Arthur Albiston, tidy and compact, and a useful crosser of the ball on the overlap, was three times FA Cup winner, for Scot’s manager Tommy Docherty in 1977, and Ron in 1983, and 1985. Still turning out at left full back, when Ferguson arrived, with Duxbury, exponent of the sliding tackle, but also niggling at opponents’ ankles, like his predecessor, Northern Ireland’s Jimmy Nicholl, making them wary and awkward, paired with him at right full back. Arthur had the dubious distinction of being the only player to have a medal from all of the club’s successful trophy hunts over 22 years. Between European Cup victory in 1968, and Robson’s lifting of the FA Cup at London’s Wembley in 1990.

 The cornerstone of the twin center back partnership, ‘Dolly and Daisy’, would form the core of the defense. Arriving from Norwich City on December 17^th, 1987, for £825,000, in the shape of Steve Bruce, 21 (2) that 1987-88 season, although Gary Pallister’s arrival, from Middlesborough for £2.3m, wouldn’t transpire until August 29^th, 1989, during Ferguson’s early days in pursuit of silverware for the cabinet. Bruce and Pallister replaced Ron’s preferred Eire duo, Paul McGrath, 21+1 (2) for that 1987-88 term, sometime rival for Robson’s central midfield berth, 36 (11), because of his appetite for the ball, and aggressive demands of it, as well as the players about him, and Kevin Moran, 20+1, gritty in the air and dour on the ground, but signing for Spain’s La Liga club, Sporting Gijón for the 1988-89 campaign, ‘on a free’.

 Although expectations ran high that Ferguson and Strachan would renew their productive relationship at ‘the theater of dreams’, Alex sold Gordon to second tier Leeds United for £300,000 in March 1989, and Whiteside to Everton for £750,000 for the 1989-90 term, while McGrath signed for Aston Villa for £400,000. Ferguson had Webb, the Rolls Royce of midfield smoothers, transferred from Nottingham Forest to fill Strachan’s slot, on the right side, at £1.5m for the 1989-90 campaign, 10+1 (2). Though the pairing of left and right wingers lay close in future terms, left wingers; Scot’s Ralph Milne, bought in November 1988 from third tier Bristol City for £170,000; precocious at 18 years, Lee Sharpe, transferred from Torquay United for £200,000 for season 1988-89, 19+3, and sardonic Wallace, brought from Southampton for £1.2m in September 1989, were Ferguson’s moves in the direction of out-and-out wing play along the forward line.

 Wallace, bubbly and effervescent, in the course of the club’s winning of the FA Cup in 1990, the longer, fast legs of Sharpe, were on the left wing for the May 15^th, 1991, European Cup Winners’ Cup Final defeat of Barcelona, 2-1, at Stadion Feijenoord, ‘De Kuip’ (‘The Tub’), Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Hughes, from a Robson free-kick, half-way inside the Barça half, center, left-footed, found Bruce there to direct a header, right of center of the 18 yard box. Mark racing in, to tap the ball, left-footed, into the net; inside the left post, as it fell, 1-0, in the 67^th minute. Hughes, rounding ‘keeper, Carles Busquets, well outside the 18 yard box, forced out wide, to its center; right edge, acutely angled, the ball low, right-footed, inside the post, far left, 2-0, in the 74^th minute. Before Dutch defensive midfielder, Ronald Koeman’s free-kick on 79 minutes, 2-1.

 The pattern of replacing tired legs with fresh, without disturbing the 5 x 2s pairing format, became a hallmark of Ferguson’s approach to tactics, strategy, and transfers ‘in’. Freed to sign for Blackburn Rovers’ 1990-91 season, right back, Duxbury, with feisty left back, Colin Gibson, £750,000 from Villa, bought by ‘Big Ron’ in November 1985, signing for Leicester City for £100,000 on December 20^th, 1990, and right back Andersen, freed to Sheffield Wednesday on January 9^th, 1991, signaled Alex’s belief in renewing a stale squad.

 On November 19^th, 1991, at Old Trafford, in the European Super Cup Final, Red Star Belgrade were beaten, 1-0. McClair, edge and center of the 6 yard box, right-footed, left corner, low, in the 67^th minute, after Webb’s strike hit the right post, midway up, and rebounded. Not until the emergence of Giggs, Wales’ left wing, elegant dancer by the bylines, coming on as a 71^st minute substitute, would Alex feel comfortable with the idea of selecting paired wingers.

 Russia’s Andrei Kanchelskis, Ukrainian born right wing wizard, arriving from Ukraine’s Premier League club, Shakhtar Donetsk, for £650,000, on March 26^th, 1991, started the Super Cup Final. Andrei and Ryan would be the right and left wing pairing in the side that defeated Forest, in the League Cup Final, on April 12^th, 1992, with Sharpe substituting for Kanchelskis on 75 minutes, as an inverted left footed right winger.

 In front of ‘the Gary Baldies’, re-named for 80s Forest goal-hero Birtles, after Gary once took the field, shaven-headed, in front of supporters, known as ‘the Garibaldis’, because those of Guiseppe Garibaldi, Italy’s 19^th century republican revolutionary, were ‘Redshirts’, Giggs, left of center edge of the 18 yard box, squared a ball inside to McClair, center edge, who ran in and scored with a ball hit low, into the right corner of the net, left-footed, close by the penalty spot, 1-0, in the 14^th minute.

 France’s Eric Cantona, arriving from Leeds for £1m for the 1992-93 campaign, defender Mal Donaghy left for Chelsea for £150,000, before the season began, and center forward, Mark Robins, for Norwich for £800,000, while Webb returned to Nottingham Forest for £800,000 on November 23^rd, 1992. Leeds’ manager, Howard Wilkinson, had narrowly taken the 1991-92 title ahead of Alex, with the ‘ghost’ of Strachan come back to haunt, and Cantona, signed by Howard for £1m in January ‘92 from French club Nîmes Olympique, 17 (2), inspirational and instrumental.

 For Leeds, in 1991-92, Eric started 8+7 substitute appearances; scoring 3 goals. Leeds’ first on 57 minutes, substituting in the 46^th for Danny’s center forward brother, Rodney Wallace, in the match against Luton Town, at Elland Road, on February 27^th, 1992. Scot’s midfielder, Gary McAllister, broke through, into the 18 yard box, from center midfield, and chesting the ball on, looked to have been brought down by ‘keeper, Steve Sutton. The ball, breaking right to Cantona; lashed delightedly into the top right corner of the net: right boot, 2-0. Leeds’ fourth on 74 minutes was Eric’s second, at home to Wimbledon, 5-1, on March 14^th, robbing Wimbledon’s center half, while chasing a long ball, just over the halfway line. Tearing into the 18 yard box, left; releasing a left-footed howler: top right corner, 4-1. Leeds’ third, in the 89^th minute, was Cantona’s third, after coming on in the 85^th for Rod Wallace, against Chelsea, in the April 11^th home game. Moving with the ball, at the right corner of the 18 yard box, right foot; flicking it left, turning center back, Paul Elliott, this way; then flicking the ball right, left foot, turning Elliott that way ... inside the 6 yard box, unleashing a strong, right footed, volley from his instep: far corner, top right, 3-0.

 Eric, beginning his senior career at AJ Auxerre, 1986-87, 36 (13), where in 1987-88, 32 (8), he was in the side that won the Coppa delle Alpi (Cup of the Alps), 3-1, scoring the first goal on 49 minutes, in the second half of the Final against Swiss Super League club, Grasshopper Zurich, on July 8^th, 1987, had been transferred to Nîmes, ‘The Crocodiles’, because of his temper, from Olympique de Marseille, despite having helped that Ligue 1 club to the 1988-89, 22 (5), French title, before being loaned, first to Girondins Bordeaux, 11 (6), then Montpellier HSC, 33 (10), where he won the Coupe de France, 2-1 (0-0), a.e.t., against Racing Club, at Parc des Princes, Paris, on June 2^nd, 1990, before returning to Marseille, where he again helped the club to win in 1990-91, 18 (8), the French title.

 Alex saw Cantona’s athletic, imperiously upright style; shoulders back, chest out, preparing to direct other players, seemingly telepathically aware of where the ball at his feet was, without a downward glance, to impeccably locate teammates with the lofted ball, or calculated shorter pass, and find the target, with head or feet, as the difference between the sides. After Leeds took the 1991-92 title by 4 points on 82, Ferguson remained impressed. Cantona, scoring a hat-trick (3) in a 4-3 defeat of Liverpool to secure the Charity Shield at Wembley, on August 8^th, 1992, scored another, on August 25^th, in a home defeat of Spurs, 5-0.

 On September 6^th, Eric’s coming off the bench to almost score, with a bicycle-kick, in a 2-0 defeat to ‘the red devils’ at Old Trafford, seemed to reactivate an indelible imprint on Ferguson’s psyche. Cantona, 14+1 (6) at Leeds, was duly coaxed into signing on November 26^th, as a striking complement to Hughes, 41 starts, and top-scoring on 15, with the probings of McClair, 41+1 (9) that season, withdrawn into a midfield role beside Ince. Alex’s team then lost only twice in the league, Eric starting 21+1 (9 goals), and finished the season as 1992-93 champions, 10 points clear of Villa on 84.

 Eire’s right central midfielder, Roy Keane, rugged in dispossessing and possession, and a maker and taker of extraordinary goals, was brought for £3.75m from Forest to start alongside Ince from 1993-94. The club nearly won the domestic treble, but lost, 1-3, to Villa in the Wembley Final of the League Cup on March 27^th, 1994. Hughes with the sole reply, after left back Denis Irwin’s right-footed corner, finding captain Keane, right of the 18 yard box, ball struck right-footed first time, deflected on its way to goal. Trapped by Hughes, right side of the 6 yard box, stabbing it into the left corner of the net, past Australian ‘keeper, Mark Bosnich, ‘too little too late’, in the 82^nd minute, 1-2. Although the FA Cup, 4-0, against Chelsea, on May 14^th, 1994, was won, as well as the league, 92 points, 8 ahead of Blackburn Rovers.

 The team took an unassailable lead from two penalties at Wembley, converted by Nistelrooy, in the 60^th minute, after Irwin was scythed down by midfielder, Eddie Newton, and Kanchelskis, deliberately tumbled over by Jamaican left back, Frank Sinclair, in the 66^th. Ruud, on both occasions, low, and to the right corner, sent Russian ‘keeper Dmitri Kharine the same wrong way. An error by Sinclair, leaving Hughes a clear run, Mark struck the ball into the left corner, 3-0, in the 69^th minute. With the game effectively over, as a contest, Cantona, wide right, found Hughes inside, who set Ince to chase a through ball. Rounding ‘keeper Kharine, with a defender looming, Paul unselfishly squared the ball to McClair for a simple tap in, 4-0, in the 92^nd minute. The ‘double’ of league championship and FA Cup was won, for the first time in the history of Manchester United, with Cantona, 34 (18), Giggs, 32+6 (13), and Hughes, 36 (12), achieving ‘double figures’, in terms of goals scored.

 Robson, midfielders, Clayton Blackmore and Mike Phelan, left at the end of the 1993-94 season. Brian to manage Middlesboro’; Clayton to play for him and coach on a free transfer, and Mike on a free to West Bromwich Albion. The 1994-95 term was a disappointment. Eric, sent off, in the 48^th minute at Crystal Palace, on January 25^th, 1995, with the score, 0-0, for kicking at Palace defender, Richard Shaw, was suspended by the FA for launching into the crowd. Delivering a martial arts, ‘kung-fu’, style kick, and punches at a fan on the terrace, Matthew Simmons, Cantona alleged provocation, ‘Fuck off back to France, you French bastard.’1 The match ended, 1-1, with calculatingly efficacious center half, David May, 15+4 (2) that season, squad stalwart at the far post, heading down a left-footed cross from left winger Sharpe, 26+2 (3), from left of the 18 yard box, by the touchline, and Palace ‘keeper Martyn able only to push it into his net; giving United the lead in the 57^th minute, 1-0.

 Cantona would have the role of France’s ambassador, Paul Le Foix, to actress Cate Blanchett’s Queen Elizabeth I, in the 16^th century period movie, Elizabeth (1998), who was wooed by actor Vincent Cassel, as Henry, Duke of Anjou, and rejected by Liz for ‘cross-dressing’, as fans do. Reading a carefully composed statement, off a sheet of paper he held, at the media conference that ensued, following his altercation with the fan, Eric declared, ‘When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.’2 He juxtaposed newspaper reporters with Sardinia, an island in the Mediterranean, below the Côte d'Azur, South of France, and off the knee of the ‘boot’ of Italy, with its ‘sardine sea’ of economic support for its king.

 Victor Emmanuel II was the supporter of Garibaldi’s ‘red shirts’ for the unification of Italy as a kingdom; taking place on March 17^th, 1861. ‘Le god,’ as Cantona was labeled by soccer news reporters, and its supporters, though he’d been shaven-headed for a while, and wearing a red shirt, like the Forest ‘Gary Baldies’, named for Birtles, wasn’t ‘packed in’, like a sardine in a tin, as Liz had spurned Anjou, who’d boasted to Le Foix, as fans do, although the stadium, that is, the ‘tin’, isn’t theirs, of possessing, ‘Une très grosse clé!’3 Cantona’s mild observation was that, as a key to Sardinia, that is, fandom, fanning was a matter of respect, while sparks of genius can become fires; if enflamed by fans.

 English newspaper journalism, characterized by the ‘Page 3’ ethos of The Sun, ‘topless’ photos of partially nude teenage girls could be seen from the early 1970s onwards. By commenting that ‘seagulls’ follow a ‘big key’, Eric was indicating that he wasn’t a girl to be seen, and that he didn’t just see, girls; sardines caught in a trawl.

 Blackburn took the title by 1 point on 89, while Ferguson’s squad had a superior goal difference of +49 to +41. Hughes failed to reach double figures, and finishing on 8 league goals, was transferred for £1.5m to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for 1995-96, with lethal opportunist, Newcastle United striker, Andy Cole, signing for £6m on January 10^th, 17+1 (12 goals), equal with Cantona, 21 (12), while lightning quick right winger, Kanchelskis, 25+5 (14), top-scored, as the side reached the May 20^th, 1995, FA Cup Final at Wembley, only to lose, 0-1, to Everton, with Hughes and McClair as the twin strikers.

1995-96 saw the emergence of ‘the famous five’; coolly aloof right winger, and specialist free-kick taker, David Beckham, 26+7 (7); hard-tackling central midfield ball-distributor, Nicky Butt, 31+1 (2); technically outstanding full backs, Phil, 21+3, and Gary Neville, 30+1, and attacking midfielder, Paul, ‘he scores goals’, Scholes: the head of the diamond. That Alex had great faith in these young stars was evident from his sale of bruiser Ince to Italian Serie A club, Internazionale of Milan, for £7.5m, and Kanchelskis to Everton for £5m. The league was won by 4 points from Newcastle United on 82, with Cantona, 30 (14), Giggs, 30+3 (11), Cole, 32+2 (11), and Scholes, 16+10 (10), the contributors in double figures, while the club’s second ‘double’ was completed at Wembley, in the May 11^th, 1996, FA Cup Final against Liverpool, 1-0, after ‘keeper, David James, on 86 minutes, failed to punch a corner away, and through a crowded penalty area Cantona volleyed the ball into the net.

 Throughout Alex maintained the team’s pattern. Andy and Eric were twinned as strikers, and right winger Beckham was paired with Giggs; a winger on the left of the park too affording more balanced attacking options. Though Phil Neville appeared at right back in the ‘96 Final, brother Gary would make that position his own, with Phil having to accept a midfield role, when selected, or the left full back position, as #2 to Gary, held by right footed Denis Irwin, 31 (1) that 1995-96 season. Although Denis’ transfer from second tier, Oldham Athletic, 42 (1), for £625,000 for the start of the 1990-91 term, 33+1, having impressed in the 1990 FA Cup semi-final, had been for the right back role, that had been filled instead by Paul Parker, bought by Ferguson from Queens Park Rangers (QPR) for £2m, on August 8^th, 1991.

 The first FA Cup semi-final had been drawn, 3-3 (2-2), a.e.t., at Manchester City’s ‘neutral’ Maine Road, on April 8^th, 1990. A cross from midfielder, Rick Holden, right edge of the 18 yard box, pushed away by Scot’s ‘keeper, Jim Leighton, only got as far as center back, Earl Barrett; tapping in on 5 minutes, 0-1. Bruce, sliding in decisively near the halfway line to beat center forward, Ian Marshall, to a loose ball, it ran on to Webb, who angled a pass into space, behind the defence. Robson, marauding, striking the ball, right-footed. Despite ‘keeper Jon Hallworth’s almost blocking it, trickling over the line; inside the left upright, on 29 minutes, 1-1, at half-time.

 Midway through the second half, on for Robson in the 71^st minute, Wallace, right corner of the 18 yard box, crossed, left-footed. Colin Gibson, outside the left corner of the 6 yard box, headed it inside. Webb met that with a header that looped over ‘keeper Hallworth into the net, 2-1, in the 72^nd minute. Wallace, escaping from his marker, left back Andy Barlow, ran onto a ball from McClair, stroked right-footed down the pitch’s middle. Danny, left edge of the ‘D’, slipped the ball past outrushing Hallworth: left-footed, into the net, right corner, 3-2, in the 92^nd minute.

 The first semi-final ending, 3-3, United won the Maine Road replay, 2-1 (1-1), a.e.t., on April 11^th, 1990. A  ball, from out on the left wing, crossed by Ince, left-footed, threading through, to the far post, where McClair tapped in, made it 1-0, on 50 minutes. The 114^th minute strike, by ‘fledgling’ center forward, Robins, on for Martin in the 100^th minute, from a Phelan through ball on the right, between Rick Holden and Barrett, struck right-footed, low, at the left edge of the ‘D’, inside the left post, making it 2-1, is usually credited with having saved Ferguson’s job.

 Phelan, a holding midfield player, deployed as a right back, after his transfer from Norwich for £750,000 for 1989-90, 38+1 that season, was at right midfield for the 1991 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final defeat of Barça, with right footed Youth Academy graduate,  Wales’ Blackmore, at left back, although both were central midfielders. Eire’s Irwin, and Parker, replaced by Gary and/or Phil, were brought to ensure Phelan, and Blackmore, preferred at left back to Martin, scorer of the incredible goal that won the 1990 FA Cup Final replay against Crystal Palace, 1-0, were available for selection in midfield.

 Lee, perhaps the unluckiest of ‘Fergie’s fledglings’, had emerged, despite central defender, Donaghy, being brought in October 1988 from Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road for £650,000, filling the left back slot in 1988-89, 30 starts that term, while Martin, 20+4 in 1988-89, was similarly first choice at left back, 28+4, for only the 1989-90 season, although his left wing run to chest down, inside the left corner of the 18 yard box, a right-footed crossfield ball from Webb, right and center midfield, to drive a right-footed shot, high inside the left post, remains an indelible imprint on grateful fans’ memories.

 Both Paul Parker (Derby County), and Steve Bruce (Birmingham City), were given free transfers, before the 1996-97 campaign, with Norwegian defensive midfielder or center back, Ronny Johnsen, bought for £1.2m from Turkey’s Süper Lig club, Beşiktaş J.K., Istanbul, in the summer, and May, central defender, bought from Blackburn for £1.2m, as cover for Bruce and/or Pallister, before the 1994-95 term, sharing twin central defensive duties with ‘Pally’.

 Karel Poborský’s arrival, a Czech right winger, from Liga 1 club, Slavia Prague, for £3.5m, 15+7 (3), demonstrated Ferguson’s determination to keep his team’s pattern of play in the event of injury to Beckham, 33+3 (8), for example; or simply to have options. Sharpe had been transferred to Leeds for £4.5m before the season commenced. Keeping pressure on the incumbent to perform increased expectations. Norwegian center forward, quicksilver Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, 25+8, brought from Molde of Norway’s Eliteserien for £1.5m, top-scored with 18 pounced, and striking partner, now also captain, Eric, age 30, retired, 36 (11), with the club champions on 75 points; 7 beyond Newcastle.

 Season 1997-98 was disappointing, although a shrewd taker of chances, second striker Teddy Sheringham, arrived from Spurs for £3.5m, 28+3 (9), as McClair was freed to Scotland’s Motherwell, while Poborský was sold to Benfica of Portugal for £2m on December 30^th, 1997, and another tough central defender, Norwegian Henning Berg had arrived from Blackburn for £5m, 23+4 (1). However, Arsenal, ‘The Gunners’ of Highbury Stadium, North London’s Islington, took the title with 78, 1 point more than ‘the reds’. Only Cole, 31+2 (15), got into double figures.

 In contrast 1998-99 was overwhelmingly triumphant, with the club winning both league, by 1 point from Arsenal on 79, and FA Cup ‘double’, on May 22^nd, 1999, beating Newcastle, 2-0, at Wembley, and the European (UCL) Cup, 2-1, against German Bundesliga club, Bayern Munich, for a then unique ‘treble’, on May 26^th, 1999, at Barcelona’s Nou Camp. Cole’s strike partner was Trinidad and Tobago’s happy-go-lucky Dwight Yorke, who struck like a cobra, and was transferred from Villa on August 20^th, 1998, for £12.6m, while Sweden’s ice-cool Jesper Blomqvist, 20+5 (1), a £4.4m left winger, arrived from Italian Serie A side Parma, to apply pressure on left wing Giggs, to improve his performance, according to ‘Fergie’, in the delivering of more accurate crosses to the goal area. Dutch defender, Jaap Stam, 30 (1), arguably the best of a generation, from PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands’ Eredivisie, £10.6m, would twin as a central defender with adaptable Johnsen, 19+3 (3), Berg 10+6, or Wes Brown, 11+3, who’d joined the club’s Youth Academy age 12. Yorke, 32 (18), Cole, 26+6 (17), and Solskjaer, 9+10 (12), got into double figures.

 The 1999 FA Cup Final was salutary. Johnsen and May were paired as central defenders, although Stam came on in the 78^th minute for Scholes, which meant Johnsen assuming a central defensive midfield role. Roy Keane, captain, alongside Scholes in center midfield, sustained an injury on 9 minutes to his left ankle, after being in a tackle with Newcastle central midfielder, Wales’ Gary Speed.

 Beckham moved into center midfield alongside Scholes, with Solskjaer moving out onto the right wing. Sheringham, substituting for Keane, took over as the striker partnering Cole, replaced by Yorke on 60 minutes, and on 11 minutes, passed with the outside of his right foot, to Beckham, center midfield. Running onto David’s low, along the turf, right-footed through ball, inside the ‘D’, midpoint, ‘Sheri’ struck the ball, right-footed, low, along the ground, center goal, 1-0.

 On 53 minutes, Teddy, with his back to goal, inside the 18 yard box, laid the ball into Scholes’ path, inside the ‘D’. Paul, low, left footed, right side of the net, 2-0. Such flexibility, always implicit in the quality of the playing staff, became demonstrable; through the implementation of 1995’s ruling that 3 substitutes could be deployed from 7 permitted on the bench.

 The 1999 European Cup Final against Bayern Munich was similarly illuminative. Beckham started in right midfield, alongside central defensive midfielder, Nicky Butt. Both Keane and Scholes having incurred suspensions, in the semi-final against Italian Serie A side Juventus, La Vecchia Signora, ‘the Old Lady’ of Turin.

 As yellow cards are shown on the pitch by a referee for a rule infringement, if a red is shown, signifying a second infringement, the player’s ordered off the field of play. With quality replacements available for each ‘2’, Ferguson’s system repeatedly demonstrated its flexibility in coping with such exigencies of fate. Enough yellow, and/or a red card, and a player’s effectively sent off from a game he’s expecting to play in, but isn’t allowed to start. Alex’s 5 x 2s ‘spare part surgery’ system encouraged both hopeful and entrenched squad members to be ‘where angels fear to tread’; giving their all.

 United drew, 1-1, on April 7^th, 1999, at home in the first leg against Juventus, i bianconeri, ‘the black and whites’, although that wasn’t on until 90+2 minutes, when the defence’s headed clearance of Beckham’s overhead kick, into the penalty area, could only reach Giggs, left corner of the 6 yard box; striking past Juvé ‘keeper, Angelo Peruzzi, left-footed into the top right corner.

 In the second leg in Turin, on April 21^st, 1999, United were down, 0-1, to a 6^th minute strike by ‘Zebras’ center forward, Filippo Inzaghi. From a corner, taken short by France’s attacking midfield (AM) genius, Zinedine Zidane, returned by left winger, Angelo Di Livio, and crossed to the far-post, Inzaghi volleyed in, right-footed; ignoring the despairing attempt of Gary Neville to manhandle him. Five minutes later, left back, Gianluca Pessotto, past the halfway line, on the left-wing, right-footed, forward to Inzaghi, left edge of the area. Filippo, left corner, outside the 6 yard box, left-footed, deflecting off center back Stam’s outstretched boot; looping over ‘Great Dane’, ‘keeper Peter Schmeichel, 0-2.

 Keane marshaled a fightback. From a Beckham corner on the left, getting between Pessotto and Zidane, parallel with the left upright, just outside the 6 yard box, on 24 minutes Roy directed the ball with his head into the top right corner, 1-2. Keane was then yellow carded by Swiss referee Urs Meier, in the 33^rd minute, for bringing down Zidane, le directeur, right of the United halfway line, and would miss the Final. Gary Neville, taking the ball away from Di Livio, in a professional, perfunctory way, that bordered on the disdainful, drove a long, straight pass, towards the 18 yard box edge, where Beckham headed down to Cole. A half-volleyed pass, curled over the defence, from outside the right corner of the box; met on 34 minutes by Dwight Yorke’s flying header: just outside, and left of the 6 yard box, low, bottom right corner, 2-2. United ahead on the ‘away goals count double’ rule.

 Late on in the second half, Scholes coming on for Blomqvist, in the 68^th minute, yellow carded for a two-footed challenge on French central midfielder, Didier Deschamps, in the 76^th, was also suspended for the Final. With the Juvé fans in the Stadio Delle Alpi aghast, Uruguayan defender, substitute Paolo Montero, goonishly booted United ‘keeper Schmeichel’s kick into the night, on its reentry, to Yorke, 35 yards out, who burst between Montero and central defender, Ciro Ferrara, at the ‘D’. Inside the 18 yard box, Peruzzi coming out to trip him, Yorke rounded the ‘keeper, right, with referee Meier playing ‘advantage’, rather than award a penalty, and Cole, magnetic inside the 6 yard box, right; right boot, left corner of the net, low, 3-2, in the 83^rd minute: 4-3 on aggregate.

 FC Bayern took the lead on 6 minutes in the UEFA Champions League Final, through a direct free kick from right forward (RF) Mario Basler, bending the ball around the ‘wall’ formed by the red shirts of Manchester. On 67 minutes Blomqvist was substituted by Sheringham, and on 81 minutes Cole was substituted by Solskjaer. Both Teddy, redirecting a low shot from Giggs into the net, and Ole, almost on the goal line at the far post, after a Beckham corner, headed on by Sheringham, scored from close in, in the 90+1 and 90+3 minutes, 2-1, showing not only how Ferguson’s reinvigoration of attacks, from the 5/7 substitutes on the bench, depended on his astute wheeling and dealing in the transfer market, as well as his promoting of talent from within, but the virtue of the 5 x 2s system, where any single member of a twinned pair could be removed and replaced; reestablishing and renewing team effort.

 To unduly complicate soccer is to try to play with your foot up your arse. Alex’s system was beautiful in its symmetry. All that was required were adequate replacements. Both 1988’s 5 substitute permission, and 1995’s 7 substitute permission, were conducive to Alex’s temperament, which was to optimize the effectiveness of the team on the pitch. Post-Ferguson coaches largely ignored the picture UEFA had drawn for them; neglecting the exciting attacking possibilities afforded by replacements; in preference for greater defensive coordination; for example, three-at-the-back.

 Instead of the half back line, in front of left and right full backs, traditional for almost 100 years at the club, since its 1878 inception, as Newton Heath, ‘the Heathens’, and mutating only in the modern era, after the single substitute permitted from 1965, into twin center backs, and a holding midfielder, three central defenders were advocated by Ferguson’s successors; taking up positions behind left and right full backs. This, in spite of Alex’s 5 x 2s ‘blueprint for success’.

 1999 was the beginning of three successive league title triumphs, with the club taking the 1999-2000 championship by 18 points from Arsenal on 91. Defeat at Stade Louis II, Monaco, on August 27^th, 1999, in the Super Cup to Italian Serie A club SS Lazio, 0-1, on Argentinian ‘playmaker’ Juan Verón’s debut for ‘The Eagles’, and despite Keane and Scholes being restored to center midfield, was balanced by the side’s defeat of Brazil’s Palmeiras, representing Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, and the other clubs of South America’s league championships, as winners of their Copa da Libertadores, ‘Freedom’s Cup’, in the November 30^th, 1999, National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan, Final of the Intercontinental Cup, 1-0. A fine run and cross from Ryan Giggs along the left wing, finding Keane on 35 minutes, at the far post, stretching out his right; to boot the ball gleefully past Brazilian ‘keeper, Marcos, into the net.

 On August 21^st, 1999, South African winger, Quinton Fortune, on the bench for the Intercontinental Cup Final, had arrived for £1.5m from Spain’s La Liga club, Atlético Madrid. The match was most noteworthy for the selection of France’s Mikaël Silvestre at center back, Pallister having re-signed pre-season for Boro’ for £2.5m, alongside Stam; Brown being out for the entire campaign through injury. Brought from Italian Serie A club Internazionale of Milan for £4m, on 10^th September, 1999, an adaptable and capable left-sided defender, Silvestre, 30+1 that 1999-2000 season, would compete with Irwin, 25 (3), for the left back position too. Yorke, 29+3 (20), Cole, 23+5 (19), and Solskjaer, 15+13 (12), got into double figures.

 In 2000-01, the club finishing 10 points clear of Arsenal on 80, with Berg leaving for B’burn for £1.75m on December 15^th, 2000, only Sheringham, 23+6 (15), freed to join Spurs at season’s end, and Solskjaer, 19+12 (10), made double figures, while Stam, age 29, was sold to Lazio early on in 2001-02 for £16.5m, with Brown, 25+3, having recovered from injury. Blomqvist was freed to join Everton on November 8^th, 2001, and Cole left for B’burn for £8m on December 29^th. Ferguson brought from Inter Milan for £2.5m the prescient anticipations of France’s center half, Laurent Blanc, ‘Le Presidente’, age 35, 29 (1). Dutch center forward, Ruud van Nistelrooy, came from PSV Eindhoven for £19m, with a killer’s instinct for goals, and Argentina’s sophisticated ball-playing central midfielder, Juan Sebastián Verón, from Lazio for £28.1m.

 Nistelrooy, 29+3 (23), Solskjaer, 23+7 (17), and Beckham, 23+5 (11), got into double figures. The club finished 3^rd, with the European Cup semi-final against German Bundesliga club, Bayer Leverkusen, commanded by Germany’s captain, central midfielder, Michael Ballack, all-important. However, an unconvincing draw ensued, 2-2, at Old Trafford, on April 24^th, 2002.

 A 30^th minute own goal by Croatian defender, Boris Zivkovic (o.g.), deflecting past ‘keeper, Hans-Jörg Butt, inside the right post, off his chest, a Solskjaer effort, following Ruud’s cross, midway along, and outside the right edge of the 18 yard box, 1-1, and a 67^th minute Nistelrooy penalty, top left corner, 2-1, having been tripped by Brazilian midfielder, Zé Roberto, near the right corner of the 6 yard box, after receiving a pass from Beckham, center midfield, outside the 18 yard box, could have been enough, but wasn’t.

 Keane, through from a pass by Nistelrooy, left of the ‘D’, and outside the 18 yard box, rounded ‘keeper, Butt, just forward of the penalty spot. From the acute angle, Roy, left-footed, left corner of the 6 yard box, into the right corner of the net; taking the lead in the 28^th minute, 1-0, but the second leg was drawn, 1-1, on April 30^th, 2002, away at BayArena. Eventual runners-up in the tournament, ‘The Factory XI’, 1-2, to Spain’s Real Madrid, Leverkusen went through to the May 15^th , 2002, Final at Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, on the ‘away goals rule’. In the event of the aggregate score being equal, 3-3, Bayer had scored more away goals (2).

 Irwin and Johnsen were released, and Yorke left for £2.6m for B’Burn for 2002-03, but Nistelrooy’s goals were enough to take the title by 5 points from Arsenal with 83, while the signing of a mature center back, with a honed intuition to intercept, Rio Ferdinand, from Leeds for £29.3m, 27+1 that campaign, was ‘gilt edged security’, although with the physical capacity for endurance, and appetite for the fight, emerging Eire defender, and central midfielder, John O’Shea, 26+6, would eventually rival him. Ruud, 33+1 (25), and Scholes, 31+2 (14), got into double figures, while Ferguson’s ‘Supersub’ was Uruguayan Diego Forlán, 7+18 (6) that season, brought from Independiente of Argentina’s Primera División for £6.9m on January 22^nd, 2002.

 Although the 2003 League Cup Final was lost, 0-2, to Anfield club, Liverpool, held on March 2^nd, at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, while London’s national Wembley Stadium, opened on April 28^th, 1923, as ‘Empire Stadium’, was being demolished, prior to the new building of Wembley Stadium, opening in 2007, Ferguson’s team sheet was a perfect description of his 5 x 2s system. Left and right paired full backs, (# 1) were Gary Neville, 19+7 that 2002-03 term, and Silvestre, 34+1 (2), with twinned center backs, (# 2) Rio Ferdinand, and Wes Brown, 22, and in central midfield, Verón, 21+4 (2), and captain Keane, 19+2, were twinned (# 3). Beckham, 27+4 (6), right wing, and Giggs, 32+4 (8), left wing, were paired (# 4), with Scholes (SS) and Nistelrooy as twin strikers (# 5), completing the picture, while Solskjaer, 29+8 (9), came on as an attacking substitute in the 74^th minute for central defender, Brown. Illustrated was the value of fresh, quality insertions, and the necessity for preparing a balanced 5 x 2s squad, with sufficient depth to stand being rotated; without noticeable deterioration in terms of results.

 The beauty of the 5 x 2s system was that it encouraged a manager to want 5 of everything, that is, 5 full backs; 5 center backs; 5 midfielders; 5 wingers, and 5 forwards, to cover all the exigencies of fate, which is what Ferguson did. Before the 2003-04 campaign, May was released, and Blanc retired, while Alex signed for £12.24m Portuguese right wing magician, with his ‘step-over’ illusoriness, and eluding super strength, Cristiano Ronaldo, 15+14 (4), from Portugal’s Primeira Liga club, CP Sporting of Lisbon, as Beckham was sold to Real Madrid for £17.25m, and Verón to Chelsea for £15m. During the season the deceptively graceful power of French center forward, Louis Saha, 9+3 (7), came from Fulham, West London, for £12.82m, on January 23^rd, 2004, while the term was also significant for the graduation of ‘braw’, brave and courageous, Scot’s right midfielder, with all the penetrating skills of a forward, Darren Fletcher, 17+5, at the Youth Academy since 11 years.

 Despite the club finishing 3^rd, the team won the 2004 FA Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium on May 20^th, 3-0, against ‘The Lions’ of Millwall, Bermondsey, South East London, with Fletcher in central midfield alongside Keane. Ronaldo, center, just outside the 6 yard box, headed in a Gary Neville chip from outside the 18 yard box, right, to give the side the lead in the 44^th, 1-0. Nistelrooy, scoring the second goal on 65 minutes, from the penalty spot, top left corner, after Millwall’s central midfielder, Dave Livermore, ended a right wing run by Giggs, bringing him down inside the 6 yard box, right side, also got the third in the 81^st. After a ball from Scholes, along the left touchline to left winger, Giggs, who cut inside, running into the 18 yard box, left, before driving a low cross into the penalty area, finding Ruud three yards out; a ‘surgical strike’, 3-0. Nistelrooy was the only goalscorer into double figures in the league that season, 31+1 (20).

 Before the 2004-05 season began Nicky Butt signed for Newcastle for £2.5m, and Forlán for Spain’s La Liga club, Villarreal, ‘The Yellow Submarine’, on August 21^st, 2004, for €3.2m. Ferguson moved to sign 18 years center forward; if not prolific, industrious Wayne Rooney, from Everton for £27m; center forward, right winger, or central midfielder; Alan Smith, 22+9 (6), ‘Jack of all trades’, from Leeds for £7m, and the silky skills at left back, or center back, of Argentina’s Gabriel Heinze, 26+1, from French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain for £6.9m. The club finished 3^rd, with only Rooney making double figures, 24+5 (11), and the team lost to Arsenal in the May 21^st, 2005, FA Cup Final in Cardiff, 0-0 (0-0), a.e.t., 4-5 on penalties, with Scholes failing to convert.

 Apparently inexhaustibly attacking South Korean midfielder, Ji Sung ‘Three-Lung’ Park, 23+11 (1), arrived for £4m from PSV Eindhoven, for 2005-06, with Phil Neville transferred to Everton on August 4^th, 2005, for £3m, and Keane, 4+1, released on November 18^th, 2005. Ferguson, shoring up the defense, on December 25^th, 2005, brought Serbia’s ‘stopper’ center back, Nemanja Vidić, 9+2, from Russia’s Premier League club, Spartak Moscow, for £7m, and France’s left back, Patrice Evra, 7+4, on January 6^th, 2006, from Ligue 1 club, Monaco, ‘The Rock’, for £5.5m. The club finished 2^nd, 8 points behind Chelsea, ‘The Blues’ of Stamford Bridge, on 91, but won the Final of the 2006 League Cup, on February 26^th, in Cardiff against Wigan Athletic, 4-0.

 Latics’ ‘keeper, Mike Pollitt, having incurred an early injury, Aussie ‘keeper, John Filan, came on as a 14^th minute substitute. Rooney opened the scoring on 33 minutes, after Dutch ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar's long punt downfield, headed on by Saha. Dutch center back, captain Arjan de Zeeuw, nutmegged by Wayne, and colliding with French right back, Pascal Chimbonda, left Rooney with only Wigan ‘keeper Filan to beat. Wayne ran into the 18 yard box, center, right-footed; delivering a clinical, low, dipping shot, 1-0. In the 55^th minute, Giggs, eluding tackles in midfield, threaded a pass out to Ronaldo. The right winger, finding captain, Gary Neville, overlapping, with the ball; Saha connected with his cross. Though Filan saved, the ball rebounded to Louis, bundling it into the net, inside the left post; almost on his knees, 2-0. In the 59^th minute, Swiss center back, Stéphane Henchoz, cleared the ball, center edge of the 18 yard box, only as far as Saha; right midfield. Louis’ pass to Ronaldo, inside and right of the 18 yard box; opposite the right upright. Cristiano rifled the ball in; low, left corner of the net, 3-0. In the 61^st minute a Giggs’ free-kick, outside the right edge of the 18 yard box, initially won in the air by Saha, outside the 6 yard box; directed at goal. Headed on by Ferdinand, inside the 6 yard box, towards Wayne, on the proverbial ‘sixpence’, Rooney, turning anti-clockwise, directed the ball into the Wigan net with his right boot, 4-0. Only Nistelrooy, 28+7 (21), and Rooney, 34+2 (16), got into double figures in the league’s season.

 Quinton Fortune was released; before the start of the campaign. Nistelrooy, disappointed at losing his place to Saha, and ‘benched’ for the 2006 League Cup Final, was sold to Real Madrid for £10.2m, and Michael Carrick, 29+4 (3) that 2006-07 season, perfectionist, and hypercritical central defensive midfielder, given the number 16 shirt worn by Keane, indicating no-change in the 5 x 2s system, was signed from Spurs for £18.6m. The season also saw the signs of a knee injury that would curtail the career effectiveness and accelerate the retirement of ‘Three Lung’ Park, 8+6 (5), although the club won the league title 6 points clear of Chelsea on 89. Only Ronaldo, 31+3 (17), and Rooney, 33+2 (14), got into double figures, and at Wembley, on May 27^th, the 2007 FA Cup Final was lost, 0-1, a.e.t., to a 116^th minute strike from Ivory Coast’s center forward, Didier Drogba, after a ‘sucker punch’; edge of the 18 yard box, ‘one-two’ with midfielder Frank Lampard.

 2007-08 was a pre-season chiaroscuro, with Smith sold to Newcastle for £6m, before the start, and Heinze to Real Madrid on August 23^rd, 2007, for £8m, while Solskjaer retired, on August 28^th, 2007. German polish added to the techniques used by solid, half-winger, Owen Hargreaves, 16+7 (2), signing from Bayern Munich for £17m; Brazil’s left midfielder, Anderson, 16+8, perhaps ‘moving to the rhythms of a different samba beat’, from Portugal’s Primeira Liga club, FC Porto for £20m; scintillating right winger, Nani, 16+10 (3), from Sporting Lisbon for €25.5m, and pugilistic Argentine striker, Carlos Tevez, leaving the Boleyn Ground of West Ham, and loaned through Media Sport Investment (MSI) for two years, making his debut in the second game of the season against Portsmouth, 1-1, away at Fratton Park, on August 15^th, 2007. Ronaldo, 31+3 (31), Tevez, 31+3 (14), and Rooney, 25+2 (12), got into double figures, as the club won the league title by 2 points from Chelsea on 87.

 In the UCL Final of May 21^st, 2008, at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, Russia, ‘keeper Edwin saved French center forward Nicolas Anelka’s penalty to give the club its third victory in the competition, 1-1 (1-1), a.e.t., 6-5 on penalties, after Cristiano, almost at the penalty spot, had headed Brown’s cross from close to the right corner flag into the net; beating Chelsea’s Czech ‘keeper, Petr Čech, to give the team the lead, 1-0, on 26 minutes.

 Qualifying for the world governing soccer body, Federation of International Football Associations’ (FIFA) World Club Cup, by virtue of winning the UCL, in accordance with ‘seeding’ the side entered the contest at the semi-final stage against Gamba Osaka of Japan’s J1 league, winners of the 2008 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League. At Yokohama’s Inter national Stadium, on December 18^th, 2008, the team took the lead from a Giggs’ corner, on the right. Vidić, center of the 6 yard box, outjumping his opponent, Gamba captain, Satoshi Yamaguchi, powering a header past ‘keeper, Yosuke Fujigaya, into the bottom right corner of the net, in the 28^th minute, 1-0. Ronaldo, similarly outjumping midfielder, Tomokazu Myojin, with a header, from near the penalty spot, inside the left post, on 45+1 minutes, 2-0, before forward, Masato Yamazaki, struck from the right, well outside the penalty area, 2-1, in the 74^th minute.

 Rooney, having just been brought on as a substitute, restored the lead, after latching on to a defence-splitting, long through ball from Fletcher, in the 75^th minute, at the edge of the ‘D’, left. Edge of the 18 yard box, shrugging off defender, Sota Nakazawa, to his right, Rooney, left-footed, now inside the box, left, striking low, into the bottom right corner of the net, 3-1. Evra’s cross, midway along the edge of the 18 yard box, left-footed; slightly behind Patrice, finding Darren. A header, left of the penalty spot; inside the left post, 4-1, on 78 minutes. Rooney, inside the area, accepting a left-footed pass from Giggs, center midfield, stroked forward to Wayne, inside the ‘D’, left, running with the ball into the 18 yard box; left-footed, low, evading Osaka ‘keeper, Fujigaya: center of the net, 5-1, in the 79^th. Gamba, awarded a penalty, after Gary Neville was adjudged to have handled a cross from the left, midfielder Yasuhito Endō converted the 85^th minute spot-kick, 5-2. Hideo Hashimoto, striking in a way almost identical to Yamazaki for Gamba’s first, the midfielder made it 5-3 on 90+1 minutes.

 United had earned an encounter, in the December 21^st, 2008, Final in Yokohama, with LDU Quito of Ecuador’s Serie A, Copa da Libertadores winners, South America’s club championship. Despite ‘Vida’ elbowing Argentine center forward, Claudio Beiler, and being sent off in the 49^th minute, a sideways pass from Ronaldo, outside of his left boot, center edge of the 18 yard box, to Rooney’s right, waiting at the area’s left corner, struck right-footed, right corner of ‘keeper José Cevallos’ net, on 73 minutes, 1-0. Brazil’s Rafael da Silva, 12+4 (1), was selected at right back; arriving in January with twin brother, Fabio, both unavailable for selection until July; having, then, 18 years.

 Just after the 2008-09 season began, Silvestre was sold to Arsenal for €3.50m, on August 20^th, 2008, with Saha going to Everton for €7.50m. Two games into the campaign, on September 1^st, Ferguson secured the unorthodox services of brilliant, and maverick, Bulgarian center forward, Dimitar Berbatov, 29+2 (9), from Spurs for £30.75m. The club won the 2009 League Cup Final against Spurs, at Wembley on March 1^st, 0-0, a.e.t., 4-1 on penalties. In a relatively inexperienced team, in accordance with the club’s policy of giving youth a chance in the EFL Cup, gangly Northern Irish Jonny Evans, 17, was at center back; Eire’s heartful Darron Gibson, 3+1, at center midfield, and multiple skills in thirst of a goal, Danny Welbeck, 1+2 (1), at center forward.

 The club won the league title by 4 points from Liverpool on 90, but only Cristiano, leaping like a salmon with dynamite in his boots, 31+2 (18), and Rooney, crafting each of his goals with the craftiness of the devil red, 25+5 (12), got into double figures. Although the team made the UCL Final again, on May 27^th, 2009, at Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy, the side lost to Barça, 0-2. Alex inexplicably selected Park, 21+4 (2), probably for his enthusiastic openness about wanting to be included, and omitted the master, Scholes, 14+7 (2), who’d scored from long range, in the 14^th minute of the second leg of the 2008 semi-final at Old Trafford, on April 29^th, after the first leg, away on April 23^rd, at Nou Camp, 0-0. An attempted clearance by Italian right back, Gianluca Zambrotta, reached Paul, left of center midfield, well outside the 18 yard box, and left of the ‘D’. Scholes’ right-footed rocket swang right to enter at the top right corner of ‘keeper José Manuel Pinto’s net, 1-0; Barça beaten on aggregate.

 Before the 2009-10 season began Cristiano was sold to Real Madrid for £80m, while Ferguson moved to bring Ecuador’s right winger, Antonio Valencia, 29+5 (5), often utilized as a left/wing back, from Wigan Athletic for £16m, and Michael Owen, 5+14 (3), England center forward, out of contract, and given a free transfer by Newcastle. The club finished 2^nd to Chelsea by 1 point on 86. Only Rooney, 32 (26), and Berbatov, 24+9 (12), got into double figures.

 The side won the 2010 League Cup Final, on February 28^th at Wembley, against Villa, 2-1. With goals from Owen in the 12^th minute, right-footed, low, left corner of the net, 1-0, after Berbatov’s running with the ball, down the right flank, tackled at the left corner of the 18 yard box; the ball loosed, left, to Michael, and Rooney in the 74^th. ‘Three Lung’ Park, passing the ball, along the ground, towards Berbatov; right corner of the 18 yard box. Dimitri, back heel, returning the ball. Park, crossing right-footed, closer to the goal line. Wayne’s header, almost at the penalty spot, over US’ ‘keeper Brad Friedel; bottom right corner of the net. Canceling out a successful spot kick from center midfielder, James Milner, side-footed, bottom right corner, following Vida’s pulling down center forward, Gabriel Agbonlahor, by his shirt, inside the left corner of the 18 yard box; in the 5^th minute.

 Before the 2010-11 season began, Ferguson moved to bring center back, Chris Smalling, 11+5, from Fulham for €8m, and ebullient and incisive Mexican center forward, Javier Hernández, Chicharito, ‘little pea’, from Mexico’s Liga MX club, C. D. Guadalajara for €7.5m. Gary Neville, 3, retired undefeated on February 2^nd, 2011, with Vidić appointed captain. The club won the title by 9 points from Chelsea on 80, with Berbatov, 24+8 (20), Hernández, 15+12 (13), and Rooney, 25+3 (11), getting into double figures.

 Paul Pogba dominated at center midfield at 18 years, as the club won its tenth FA Youth Cup. The Youth Academy side beat Sheffield United, over the two-leg Final, 2-2, on May 17^th, 2011, at Bramall Lane, and 4-1 on May 23^rd, 2011, at Old Trafford; 6-3 on aggregate. At right midfield, Jessie Lingard, who’d get the 2016 FA Cup Final winner, 19+6 (4) that 2015-16 season. A 110^th minute volleyed goal, right-footed, from inside the 18 yard box, right; top left corner of the Crystal Palace net, 2-1, (1-1), a.e.t., for manager van Gaal, while substituting in the 90^th minute for Spain’s Juan Mata (RW), 34+4 (6) that term. Harry Maguire, at left back for Sheffield, was signed for £80m, as captain, and center back, from Leicester City, on August 5^th, for 2019-20, 38+1, by then manager, from Norway’s Eliteserien club, Molde, former striker-hero in the 1999 UCL Final, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

 The first team squad again reached the UCL Final, on May 28^th, 2011, at Wembley Stadium, London, again losing to Barça, 1-3, despite Rooney’s 34^th minute equalizer. Wayne, outside the 18 yard box, right corner; a right-footed ball, eliding a challenge from center back, Gerard Piqué, to Giggs inside the box. Controlled by Ryan, on his left thigh; Argentine center back, Javier Mascherano, coming over to challenge him. The ‘one-two’, Giggs left-footed; back to Rooney, now inside the 18 yard box. French left back, Eric Abidal, arm and hand up in the air, instead of defending: unappealing to Hungarian referee, Viktor Kassai. Wayne, right-footed; ignoring Brazilian right back Dani Alves’ last gap lunge: top left corner of ‘keeper Victor Valdés’ net, 1-1.

 Piqué, signed for United from Barça’s youth team, debuted on October 26^th, 2004, as a 67th minute replacement for O’Shea, in a 3-0 League Cup 3^rd Round win at Crewe Alexandra, had qualified for a UCL winners’ medal in 2008. Gerard, 9 league starts in 2007-08, returned to the Catalan club for 2008-09 for £5m, where he won the UCL in 2009, and 2011, against Ferguson’s side, and the UCL again, versus Italy’s Juvé, 3-1, in Germany, on June 6^th, 2015, at Berlin’s Olimpiastadion.

 Fabio da Silva was at right back in the 2011 UCL Final, as brother Rafael had been in 2009, but Scholes, 16+6 (1) that season, and 24+4 (3) in 2009-10, was again omitted. Alex’s preference for ‘crocked’ Ji Sung Park, 13+2 (5) that term, and 10+7 (3) in 2009-10, appeared more than sentimental. Influenced by false enthusiasm, surrounding one of Asia’s supposedly indomitable spirits. A sign of dementia, or the implementing of a belief that Ferguson was senile and manipulable by a shaman.

 Edwin retired at the end of 2010-11. Phil Jones, 25+4 (1), a colossus of a central defender, arrived from B’burn for £16.5m, and Ashley Young, 19+6 (6), a box-to-box left winger, utilized often as a left/wing back, from Villa for £17m, before the 2011-12 season commenced. Brown, €6.m, and O’Shea, €6.5m, were transferred to Sunderland, ‘The Black Cats’. Though Scholes, doubtless disappointed at being left out of consecutive UCL Finals, retired, results conspired to alter Ferguson’s thinking. After being beaten at home by B’burn, 2-3, on December 31^st, 2011, despite a Berbatov brace, in the 52^nd, after an attempt from Rafael, drifting over the 6 yard box, headed in, and in the 62^nd, inside ‘keeper Mark Bunn’s penalty area, stroking in the ball, bottom right corner, following Valencia’s cross, United lost away, on January 4^th, 2012, at Newcastle’s Saint James Park, 0-3; persuading Alex to beg Paul back.

 While midfielder, Darron Gibson, was transferred to Everton for €3.5m on January 13^th, 2012, Paul duly resumed the red shirt, 14+3 (4), opening the scoring, on 45+1 minutes, against Bolton Wanderers, 3-0, at Old Trafford, on January 14^th, and the club almost recovered to win the title, with Park’s concluding statistics, 10+7 (2). Finishing 2^nd in the league, equal on 89 points with Manchester City, but a goal difference of +56 to City’s +64, statistics suggest Berbatov, 5+7 (7), would have scored more, and more frequently than Welbeck, 23+7 (9), if selected. Only Rooney, 32+2 (27), and ambitiously driven Hernández, with a Central American’s insatiable desire to forever escape the barrio, 18+10 (10), got into double figures.

 Paul Poga, out of contract, signing for 2012-13 for Juventus, would be at center midfield against Piqué in Barça’s 2015 UCL Final defeat of ‘the Old Lady’. Not all roses in the garden. Paul would be returned by Portuguese manager, José Mourinho, from Juventus for £89m, 29+1 (5) that 2016-17 term. Winning the 2017 League Cup Final against Southampton, ‘The Saints’, 3-2, on February 26^th at Wembley, and the 2017 Europa Cup Final, against Dutch Eredivisie club, Ajax of Amsterdam, ‘Sons of the Gods’, 2-0, on May 24^th at Friends Arena, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden, with Pogba credited with the first goal, 1-0, after his struck ball, on 18 minutes, looping over ‘keeper, André Onana, deflected off Columbian center back, Davinson Sánchez. However, out of contract, Paul returned to Juvé for 2022-23.

 Park left, before the 2012-13 term started, for QPR at €6.5m, and Berbatov for Fulham for £5m, on August 31^st, 2012, while Owen was released. Japan’s ‘shadow striker’, Shinji Kagawa, 17+3 (6), arrived from German Bundesliga club, Borussia Dortmund, for £17m, and the piercing vision of center forward, Robin van Persie, former Feyenoord, Rotterdam, Eredivisie striker, 2001-04, coached into a finished product by Arsenal’s French manager, Arsène Wenger. The Netherlands’ finely tooled goal-machine, Robin, added before the campaign’s commencement; for £24m. The club finished 1^st, Alex’s 13^th league title, 11 points clear of Manchester City on 89, with van Persie, 35+3 (26), Rooney, 22+5 (12), and Hernández, 9+13 (10), getting into double figures.

 A ‘fledgling’, midfielder Tom Cleverley, 18+4 (2), Youth Academy product, since 12 years, flared briefly, and imaginatively, as the heir to Scholes’ engine room, and imaged again for a season, 2013-14, 18+4 (1), under the managership of Ferguson’s successor, Moyes, but ultimately Alex retired ignored. The 5 x 2s system abandoned in favor of the inverted magi, who defer to play with their opposite foot up their arse at the park’s other side.

1 Meade, Samuel, ‘What happened to Crystal Palace fan Eric Cantona wished he'd kung-fu kicked harder?’, Mirror, January 18^th, 2023, 10.51 am,  https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/what-happened-crystal-palace-fan-28984640 .

2 Midgley, Simon The Independent, April 1, 1995.

3 Cassel, Vincent as Henry, Duc d’Anjou, ‘A very big key!’ (transl.), Elizabeth, Gramercy Pictures; Kapurfilm; Working Title Films; Channel Four Films; Proson Film, 1998.

Disabled United

Even 13 times English Premier League title winning Scot’s manager, Alex Ferguson, experimented with three-at-the-back, which was presented by one of his successors, Dutch manager of the national team at the 2014 World Cup Finals, Louis van Gaal, as novel, but Manchester United had been deploying a half back line well before the 1908 league title triumph with Dick Duckworth, Charlie Roberts, and Scot’s Alex Bell at right half, center half, and left half. It wasn’t until the short-lived era of former reserve team coach, Wilf McGuinness, replacing Matt Busby, on his recommendation, for the 1969-70 season, and the club finishing 8^th, that the team sheet represented the distinction between the defensive midfielder and the central defensive partnership, for example, Scot’s right half, Pat Crerand, center half, Bill Foulkes, and ‘Nobby’ Stiles, nominally left half, but twinned with Foulkes in the center of defense, was finally acknowledged in the match day program, United Review, with Crerand #4 indicated as deployed alongside deep-lying center forward, Bobby Charlton #9, in center midfield, while Foulkes and Stiles were clearly marked as the twin central defenders; flanked by left and right full backs.

 An analysis of the club’s difficulties of the period provides some illumination on the problems associated with three-at-the-back, which focuses primarily on disability. Invariably a team sheet containing a half back line without a central defensive midfielder was a sign of a team disabled, for example, without Paddy Crerand, the manager could chose David Sadler, billed either as a center half or center forward. An alternative at half back was Scot, John Fitzpatrick, and Steve James at center half, but in the days when there weren’t any substitutes, injuries to key players were genuinely disabling for a team, which functioned as ‘the first eleven’, with a single substitute allowed only after 1965, and up until 1988, when a second outfield player was permitted to substitute, that was the rule.

 As substitutions were either not allowed, or for injuries only, with tactical substitutions permissible as a later afterthought, squads were much smaller; approximately 16 regulars with 30+ games. Utility players, like Sadler, who could deploy in midfield, as well as center back, and as a forward, were highly desirable members of the playing staff. The rise of the utility player, as single substitute, meant a concomitant demise in importance of the specialized position, which ultimately resulted in make-do, fudge, and degeneration. The club was relegated in 1973-74, 21^st of 22, with Sammy McIlroy top-scoring on 6 goals, largely because of a plethora of defenders, who could play in midfield at a pinch, and with little change in the forward line since Busby’s European Cup win over Portugal’s Benfica, 4-1 (1-1), a.e.t., at London’s national stadium, Wembley, on May 29^th, 1968.

 Because of the desirability of the utility midfield player as ‘twelfth man’, the club’s squad came to consist almost entirely of half backs. In 1970-71, after Busby replaced McGuinness on 29^th December, 1970, until season’s end, due to a run of poor results, including a second successive defeat, 2-3, on aggregate to Aston Villa, at the League Cup semi-final stage, the club finished 8^th again. Apart from Crerand (24), Sadler (32), and Stiles (17), Scot’s John Fitzpatrick (35), David Sadler (32), Paul Edwards (29+1), Scot’s Francis Burns (16+4), Steve James (13), Scot’s Ian Ure (13), Scot’s Willy Watson (8), Tommy O’ Neil (1), Tony Young (0+1), and Scot’s Ian Donald (0), loosely construed as ‘defenders’, were essentially strung out somewhere along with the half back line. Excluding goalkeepers, Alex Stepney and Jimmy Rimmer, 13 out of 21 outfielders were backs, with only Alan Gowling (17+3), Brian Kidd (24+1), and Scot, Denis Law (28), labeled ‘forwards’.

 The scramble to be the utility player that was first choice on the single substitutes’ bench disabled the club. In 1970-71, Law top scored on 15, with Gowling and Kidd on 8 apiece. With Leicester City manager, Eire’s Frank O’ Farrell, appointed for 1971-72, and McIlroy scoring on his November 6^th, 1971, debut in a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford against Manchester City, the squad recovered, but largely through the resurgence of left winger, George Best, 18 goals in 40 games, and the March 7^th, 1972, ₤200,000 transfer of right winger, Ian Storey-Moore from Nottingham Forest, 5 in 11, while again the club finished 8^th. It wouldn’t be until two substitutes, allowable from five on the bench from 1988, that the utility back would be replaced by a selection of specialized replacements, based on strategy and tactical requirements more suitable to an  attack-minded squad. O’Farrell was replaced on December 22^nd, 1972, by Scotland national team manager, Scot’s Tommy Docherty, the club barely avoiding relegation, after finishing that 1972-73 season 18^th, and Charlton top scoring on 6, while Docherty was again held totally responsible for relegation in 1973-74.

 The club had almost no success, between the introduction of the single substitute in 1965, and the two substitutes of five on the bench rule change from 1988, coinciding with the tactical movement of a half back into midfield, together with the perceived need for a single substitute that could be deployed as a utility back, primarily because squad competition focused mainly on that role. In consecutive FA Cup Finals under Docherty, for example, against Southampton, lost 0-1 in 1976, and Liverpool, won 2-1 in 1977, speculation was rife as to whether substitute, Northern Irish utility midfielder, David McCreery, would be needed. As it transpired, McCreery substituted for left winger, Gordon Hill, top scorer in 1976-77 (38+1) 15, and 1977-78 (36) 17, in both matches, while manager after ‘The Doc’, Dave Sexton, had Hill transferred for £250,000 to Derby County for 1978-79, questioning his work-rate and subsequent value to the team. Not a joke with the board, Dave brought Garry Birtles from Forest for £1.25m. Makiing 28 appearances for but a single goal, after his debut on October 22nd, 1980, at Stoke City's Victoria Ground. fans' disappointment in center forward,  '2 'r's Garry', contributed to Sexton's dismissal.

 Promotion, as champions, was won in 1974-75, with Stuart Pearson, bought from second tier Hull City for £200,000, the first in three seasons to get into double figures for goals scored with 17. Perhaps the yardstick for the period was England’s victory in the 1966 World Cup Final at Wembley, 4-2 (2-2), a.e.t., without substitutes, and where the half-back line was captain, West Ham’s Bobby Moore, Leeds United’s Jack Charlton, and Nobby Stiles, because injury or a sending off, especially in the case of Moore or Charlton, would require replacing from the players on the pitch, necessarily producing a defensive approach, whereas the single substitute rule afforded the possibility of replacing off the bench, which contributed to the movement of a half back into midfield, as it was no longer necessary for a reserve central defender to be on the field of play from the kick-off.

 At Manchester United the difficulty had been in replacing Bill Foulkes at center back. Foulkes, a right back in the 1955-56 and 1956-57 title winning teams, was moved into the center by Busby, after the February 6^th air disaster that devastated the team on its way back from a quarter final draw, 3-3, against Red Star Belgrade in the European Champions Clubs’ Cup of 1958. Steve James, product of the club’s youth policy, aged 19, had been the first to try, debuting at Liverpool on October 12^th, 1968, followed by Scot’s Ian Ure, transferred from Arsenal for 1969-70 by McGuinness for £80,000, while Docherty had brought Scot’s center back, Jim Holton, 6 ft 1 in, from third tier Shrewsbury Town for £80,000 on January 10^th, 1973. Ever present at #6 for over a decade, after the departure of Stiles (1960-71) to Middlesbrough for £20,000, was Scot’s Martin Buchan, brought by O’Farrell from Aberdeen for £120,000 on February 29^th, 1972, and initially deployed as a right full back, Buchan (1972-1983) would become the mainstay of the side’s defense alongside a variety of center halves.

 Least likely beneficiary of the single substitute system had been central defensive midfielder, Brian Greenhoff, alongside Buchan and Northern Irishman Tommy Jackson, in a half back line that had begun Docherty’s 1975-76 season’s campaigning. Greenhoff, 5 ft 9 in, had been tried, since his debut at Ipswich Town’s Portman Road ground on September 8th, 1973, and not found wanting. Before Sexton moved to sign Scot’s center back, Gordon McQueen, 6 ft 3 in, from Leeds United in February 1978 for £500,000, Brian’s half back role had been secure. McQueen, alongside Buchan, set a precedent, dividing defense from midfield, with twinned, tall, strong, central defenders, at the back, whereas Greenhoff had represented the distinct possibility of a return to the half back line.

 Sexton was replaced as manager by ‘Big Ron’ Atkinson of West Bromwich Albion, who endeared himself immediately by bringing his captain there, ‘Captain Marvel’, left footed Bryan Robson, transferred on October 1^st, 1981, for £1.5m, increasing the distinction between defense and midfield, where Robson would excel as captain for England too. However, despite winning the FA Cup Finals of 1983, 4-0 against Brighton and Hove Albion in a replay, following a draw, 2-2 (2-2), a.e.t., and 1985, 1-0 (0-0), a.e.t., against Everton, and Eire center back, Kevin Moran, sent off in the 78^th minute, bringing down ‘Toffees’ captain, Peter Reid, through on goal, and the midfielder almost certain to score, with a 110^th minute curler in at the far left post from the left foot of Northern Ireland’s Norman Whiteside from right of the 20 yard box, after a run down the wing, 1-0, Ron alienated the supporters by selling to Spain’s Barcelona, for £2m, top scorer in successive seasons, 1984-85 (38) 16, and 1985-86 (40) 17, Wales’ Mark Hughes. In the final analysis that led to the appointment of Scot, Alex Ferguson, from Aberdeen on November 6^th, 1986, who promptly transferred Hughes back from Barça for the 1988-89 term for £1.8m.

 The ruling on substitutes being two from five from 1988, and in 1995 increased to three from seven on the bench, freed Ferguson from having to think only in terms of replacements for injured players, or those clearly out-of-sorts on the field, and perhaps out-of-their-depth also. Thoughts were now of a strategic and tactical sort, with a variety of change available for an attack-minded coach. The apotheosis was 1999’s European Champions Clubs’ Cup Final defeat of Germany’s Bundesliga side, Bayern Munich, at Barça’s Camp Nou stadium, on May 26^th, with Swedish left wing, Jesper Blomqvist, and center forward, Andy Cole, replaced late on by forwards, who scored both goals, Teddy Sheringham on 90+1 minutes, 1-1, and Norway’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on 90+3 minutes, 2-1.

 Ferguson’s 13 Premier League titles (1993-2013) were undoubtedly won on the basis of a solid back four, with twin center halves, that is, from Eire’s Kevin Moran (1978-88), Eire’s Paul McGrath (1982-9), Scot’s Graeme Hogg (1984-88), Steve Bruce (1987-96), Gary Pallister (1989-98), Mal Donaghy (1988-92), Paul Parker (1991-6), David May (1994-03), Norway’s Ronny Johnsen (1996-02), Norway’s Henning Berg (1997-2000), the Netherlands’ Jaap Stam (1998-01), Wes Brown (1996-2011), France’s Mikaël Silvestre (1999-08), France’s Laurent Blanc (2001-03), Rio Ferdinand (2002-14), Eire’s John O’Shea (1999-2011), Argentina’s Gabriel Heinze (2004-07), Spain’s Gerard Piqué (2004-08), Serbia’s Nemanja Vidić (2006-14), Eire’s Jonny Evans (2006-15), Chris Smalling (2010-20), and Phil Jones (2011-23). Twin strikers, together with an astute eye for a game-changing substitution, aligned with Alex’s approach to goal-getting; depending on service for the forwards in the six yard box: balls precisely delivered there from the left and right wingers. That Ferguson experimented with three-at-the-back was a sign of his interest in what Busby’s half back line did, whereas van Gaal, and his successors, deploying three center backs, were retrograde; given the possibilities for proactive intervention from the subs’ bench. Defensive; it required substitutions to mount an attack.

 From title challengers, the club degenerated, with van Gaal, winner of the FA Cup in 2016, replaced from London’s Chelsea by Portuguese José Mourinho, winner of the League Cup and Europa Cup in 2017, and after a spell from Molde of Norway’s ‘99 hero Ole, appointed December 19^th, 2018, which saw the team lose the May 26^th, 2021, Europa Cup Final at Stadion Gdańsk, Poland, 1-1 (1-1), a.e.t., and 10-11 on penalties, from April 21^st, 2022, Erik ten Hag of the Netherlands’ Ajax of Amsterdam; winning the 2023 League Cup, and 2024 FA Cup. Distrust of the three center backs’ system, increasingly favored by ten Hag and his predecessors, but representing a half back line that wasn’t any good, because central defenders aren’t half backs, greeted Portuguese Ruben Amorim’s appointing on November 1^st, 2024, from Lisbon’s CP Sporting. Defeat to Spurs, 0-1, on May 21^st in the 2025 Europa Cup Final, at Athletic Club of Spain’s stadium, Nuevo San Mamés, Bilbao, with France’s Leny Yoro at right center half, Harry Maguire at center half, and Luke Shaw, at left center half, concurred. Shaw, chesting on a right footed cross from the left by Senegal’s Pape Mate Sarr for Welsh right wing, Brennan Johnson, to poke it in by the left post in the 42^nd minute, agreed.

The Manchester United Christmas Tree

Much has been written about Manchester United’s Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim’s team formation, and its three-at-the back, together with wing backs; at left and right. Instead of what the Italians call the English sistema, with defending full backs at left and right, and central defenders, twinned in the center; in front of the ‘keeper, Belgium’s Senne Lammens, after his £18.1m September 1^st, 2025, transfer from Belgian club, Royal Antwerp, and behind the midfield. The importance of Harry Maguire, as a left sided central defender, is essential to understanding Amorim’s formation. That it’s crucial to have a left footed defender on the left of the three was underscored in Ruben’s having Ayden Heaven transferred from Arsenal for £1.5m on February 1^st, 2025, with the subsequent loss of left sided Argentine center back, Lisandro Martínez, to a cruciate ligament injury, after his colliding with Senegal winger, Ismaïla Sarr, during the home defeat to Crystal Palace, 0-2, on February 2^nd, 2025, and the score, 0-1, in the 82^nd minute.

 Although left back, Luke Shaw, and Noussair Mazraoui, left back at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for Morocco, and in their third place play off against Croatia, lost 1-2, on December 17^th at Khalifa International Stadium (KIS), Al-Rayyah, were given the role of left central defender on occasion, Shaw is a left full back, while Mazraoui, a ‘devout Moslem’, in accordance with Islamic belief about the haraam nature of the left, that is, it’s ‘forbidden’, remained adamant on his preference for his right foot, after his transfer from German Bundesliga club, FC Bayern Munich, on August 13^th, 2024, for €15m, which is problematic for a left back/left center back required to use the left foot against prejudice.

 Amorim’s system relies on defensive and attacking wing backs, where defensive wing backs are required to defend in the role of full backs, in the event of the flanks being threatened by a winger, for example, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, with too much pace, and ball control, for United’s Portuguese right full back, Diogo Dalot, to be able to deal with comfortably. If attacked down the right flank in Ruben’s United system, Dalot drops back from the right wing back position to assume the right full back role, which is according to his nature, as he’s a right full back by trade, and Maguire shifts over into the left full back position on the left flank, while the other two central defenders of the three-at-the-back system take up the familiar role of twinned center halves, flanked by left and right full backs.

 With Denmark’s Patrick Dorgu, as the left wing back, Amorim’s system is to have Dorgu drop back to defend, in the event of an attack down the left flank, which means Maguire moving into the center, twinned with Holland’s Matthijs de Ligt, for example, while French center back, Leny Yoro, for example, moves into the full back position on the right. However, if Ruben selects attacking wing backs, either from the start, or from the substitutes available during the course of a game, the team shapes up as a ‘Christmas tree’, with inverted wing backs, and inverted inside forwards, funneling the ball towards the opposition goalmouth. Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo, as a left footed inverted right wing back, or inside right, is crucial to this aspect of the system, while Brazil’s Matheus Cunha, as a right footed inverted inside left, and Moroccan Bryan Mbeumo, as a left footed inside right, with Slovenia’s Benjamin Šeško at center forward, defines the funnel.

 The logic of selecting Diogo Dalot, as a right footed left wing back, in the absence of a genuine inverted attacking left wing back, is due to the requirements of the funnel system of inversion. Although the ‘Christmas tree’ will often appear ‘lopsided’, and function in a way seemingly ‘unbalanced’, with the left, or right side, preferred as the attacking option, Amorim’s is a systematic formation, with the ball funneled down either flank, assisted by the midfield pairing of ‘playmaker’ and captain, Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes, with either a defensive midfielder, for example, Brazilian Casemiro, Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte, or Kobbie Mainoo; or inverted left, right footed Mason Mount; the available attacking midfielder.

 Apart from center forward Marcus Rashford’s season-long loan to Spain’s FC Barcelona, the decision to transfer Argentine out-and-out right winger, Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea on August 30^th, 2025, for £40m, and not to retain Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen, reduced Fernandes’ midfield support options in attack for 2025-26. An attribute of the ‘Christmas tree’ is that the presents to be opened can usually be discerned by December 25^th.

 Losing the 2025 Europa Cup Final, 0-1 to Spurs, on May 21^st, 2025, at the stadium of Athletic Club, Nuevo San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain, and failing to qualify for European competition, through league standing, the club finishing the 2024-25 season 15^th, or by success in the EFL or FA Cup, meant only the EFL Cup, FA Cup, and Premier League title were achievable in 2025-26, and the club went out of the EFL Cup at the second round, 2-2, and 11-12 on penalties, at fourth tier Grimsby Town’s Blundell Park on August 27^th, 2025. With the FA Cup beginning for the Premier League clubs at the third round stage on January 10^th, 2026, if Amorim couldn’t improve the side, and its league position, that would be all there’d be to play for.

 Comparisons are useful. In manager Ernest Mangnall’s successful sides of the 1900s, the half back line, with full backs, meant five-at-the-back, with five across the park, in what was called the ‘forward line’. The three-at-the back were Dick Duckworth, Charlie Roberts, and Scot, Alex Bell, with the formation winning the league title in 1908 and 1911, and the FA Cup in 1909. Essentially the team contained no midfield players, but lined up as left and right wingers, left and right inside forwards, and a center forward, with the half back line flanked by left and right full backs.

 Scot, Matt Busby’s 1948 FA Cup winning team’s half backs were John Anderson, Allenby Chilton, and Henry Cockburn, and the manager’s preference for a half-back line would win him the 1968 European Champions Clubs’ Cup on May 29^th at London’s national Wembley stadium, 4-1 (1-1), a.e.t., against Portuguese club, Benfica of Lisbon.

 Not until the 1969-70 season, when reserve team coach, former left half back, Wilf McGuinness, and ‘Busby Babe’, the collective name of players coached by Busby, inherited the squad as manager, did the half back line disappear from the match program. Where fans were used to seeing the names of Scot, right half Paddy Crerand, center half Bill Foulkes, and left half Nobby Stiles, as a threesome between the full backs, Foulkes and Stiles were made distinct as a defensive partnership in the center, with Paddy’s role, as a central midfielder, being indicated on the team sheet, alongside deep-lying, ‘false center forward’, Bobby Charlton, formerly part of the forward line.

 Amorim’s three-at-the-back signaled a return to the half-back line, flanked by left and right wing backs, though not a renewal of the forward line, with Cunha, Šeško, and Mbeumo a front three, and Fernandes and Mount in central midfield. An improved half-back line would mean finding a center back, who could augment the midfield and attack, in the style of Harry Maguire’s April 10^th, 2025, winning header, on 120+1 minutes, in the Europa Cup quarter-final, second leg, at Old Trafford against French club, Lyon, 5-4 (2-2), a.e.t., aggregate 7-6, or using the two half backs, usually found alongside the center half as defenders only, in midfield, with the two wing backs able to drop back, as full backs, and the center half between, to maintain the three-at-the-back formation. Although changes to the playing staff would be required.

 The late 20^th century demanded differentiation in terms of position. The abandonment of five-at-the-back, and five-up-front, was a logical concomitant of the rise of the utility midfielder, but 21^st century soccer, demanding a further degree of specialization, meant a return to the back five and the front five, with players able to move more easily between defence, midfield, and attack.

 Less restricted in their role, requiring more flexibility, ability became more important than identifying with the position in which it was nominally exercised. Though defending and attacking are distinct concepts, that’s soccer. The distinction isn’t so rigorous as to deny ability to the back line. It’s the key to forward movement.

Noussair Mazraoui’s Starting Right Back Again

Manchester United’s then Dutch manager, Eric ten Hag, appointed April 21^st, 2022, signing international left back, Noussair Mazraoui, on August 13^th, 2024, for €15m from German Bundesliga club, FC Bayern Munich, caused the Moroccan to reiterate unprompted, ‘I prefer my right foot.’1 However, with devout Moslems of the nations of Islam, for whom handedness and sidedness is an issue, left footed players are under a lot of pressure to say the same, because it’s the tradition that the left hand is ‘unclean’,2 so food is eaten only with the right.

 It’s an issue for Moslems that left footed and left sided full backs and wingers are prevalent, as are left sided midfield players, and left footed center forwards. In the modern game of soccer, tactical movement has been towards left footed wingers, inside forwards, and wing backs on the right side of the pitch, and vice versa, which can be impacted upon by the Moslem desire to hide their sidedness and/or foot preference.

 The current trend is for players to declare that they have no preference in terms of foot or sidedness, but that they’re ‘two-footed’, and therefore can play anywhere along the back line, forward line, or midfield; if required. Apart from hubris, such declarations are Islamic influenced, where converting ‘others’ is a basic tenet of the Moslem religion, deriving from the teaching of their Prophet Mohamed and the Koran (610-30 C.E.), dictated to him by the angels, and according to their beliefs about handedness.

 Islam devolved from Ishmael, the second son of Abraham, whose first was Isaac, from whom Judaism devolved, although the Jews’ injunctions about cleanliness include no prohibitions against the left hand, or left sidedness. In fact God’s ‘strong arm’ (Ex: 13. 9) is the left, according to the Torah and Talmud, which is the Old Testament to the Christians, containing the law of the Jews and early history of their battle with slavery.

 Apart from the populist understanding of ‘sinister’, as associated with ‘the left hand path’, or ‘witchcraft’, and that politically ‘left wing’ people are socialists, Christianity, which arose from the teaching of the rabbi, Jesus, during the period of the Roman occupation of Jewish Palestine, in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius Augustus (14-37 C.E.), recorded as the New Testament, has no negative opinions with regard to those who can’t demonstrate right sided dexterousness only, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ (Matt: 12. 31) That Jesus was killed, like a sacrificial animal, after Judas told him that a woman’s perfume was ‘too expensive’ for him, constituted an attack on God’s supportive strength; the left.

 Mazraoui won the Dutch Eredivisie and KNVB Cup double at Stadion Feijenoord, De Kuip, Rotterdam, against Willem II, 4-0, on May 5^th, in center midfield with AFC Ajax of Amsterdam in 2018-19, and as an unused substitute, the Johann Cruyff Shield XXIV. A match-up usually between Eredivisie champions and Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond (Royal Dutch Football Association) KNVB Cup winners. However, as Ajax had won both league and cup, PSV Eindhoven, runner-up in the title race, were the opposition, beaten 2-0, on July 27^th, at Ajax’s home stadium, the Johann Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, named for their legendary three times (1971, ‘72, and ‘73) European Champion Clubs’ Cup winning captain, and center forward; as indeed was the Johan Cruijff Schall, inaugurated in 1991.

 Noussair won the double of Eredivisie and KNVB Cup with Ajax again at Feyenoord Rotterdam’s stadium, De Kuip, versus Vitesse Arnhem, 2-1, in 2019-20, on April 18^th, at right back, and the Eredivisie again in 2021-22, before being freed to join Bayern for the 2022-23 season, where the München club then won, 5-3, the DFL-Supercup, a match-up on July 30^th, 2022, at Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, between the winners of the Bundesliga, that is, Bayern in 2021-22, and RB Leipzig, winners of that season’s German cup, the DFB-Pokal, with Mazraoui substituting on 78 minutes, when the score was 4-1, for French center back, Dayot Upamecano. Before winning the 2022-23 Bundesliga, Mazraoui, praised for his performances at left back for Morocco, in the 2022 World Cup Finals in Qatar, again stated clearly his preference for the right full back position; or the less contentious, from the perspective of an Islamic culture obsessed with the left side as haraam, ‘forbidden’, right center back role.

 Harry Maguire, left sided center half at Manchester United, since his signing by former reds’ center forward (1996-2007), then manager, Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on 5^th August 2019, from Leicester City for £80m; 2019-20, 38 starts, and 2020-21, 34, whose doom after Solskjaer, replaced by former RB Leipzig manager, Ralf Rangnick, from December 3^rd, 2022, until season’s end, seemed as a ‘sub’; 2021-22, 28 and 2 appearances; 2022-23, 8 (8); 2023-24, 18 (4), and 2024-25, 19 (8), was revealed by statistical analysis to touch the ball with his right 86% of the time,3 which is highly approvable to Moslem perceptions, and indeed might explain the origins of the emphatic statistic. Given the fact that ten Hag’s replacement, Manchester United’s Portuguese manager, from November 11^th, 2024, Ruben Amorim, was used to fielding three center backs, along with left and right wing backs, Maguire’s and Mazraoui’s sidedness was important for the side.

 A type righter, Ruben’s 3-4-3 system requires a left footed center back at the left of the three, and a left wing back, for example, Denmark’s Patrick Dorgu, bought by Amorim from Italian Serie A club US Lecce for £25m, on February 2^nd, 2025, dropping back to defend; in the event of pressure being applied down the flank by the opposing team. When that happens, the result is equivalent to the RETURN key being pressed in the middle of a paragraph, that is, Dorgu assumes the left full back position, whereas the objective is to finish the paragraph, that is, score, when the referee then blows the whistle and the teams RETURN to their starting positions on the pitch: new paragraph. If the RETURN occurs, after the opposing team score, that is, the referee indicates a restart, then Manchester United’s left wing back has essentially contributed to the side’s failure to write a successful paragraph, broken, but written in the club’s history.

 Of course the same is true of the other side of the field, where it’s the role of Portuguese right wing back, Diogo Dalot, for example, to cover for the right sided central defender as a right full back, in the event of an attack down that flank, while the three central defenders SHIFT across the field; until the left sided central defender, for example, Maguire, is in the left full back position.

 United’s obsession with right sided left wingers, and left inside right forwards, could extend to left wing backs, and left full backs. After all, bought from, then second tier, Oldham Athletic, by Scot’s manager Alex Ferguson, for £650,000, Eire’s Denis Irwin (1990-2002), perhaps the greatest of all the left backs ever to put on the ‘red devils’ strip, was right footed, and also excelled in the right back role.

 However, such a preoccupation with inversion at left, as well as right sides of the field, is significantly Islamic. When everyone is right sided, and the left sacrificed, it’s a successful Moslem conversion. Despite Mazraoui’s ability as a defender, 34 (3) games for United in 2024-25, the club finished 15^th out of 20 in the Premier League, losing 14 games, and score-drawing all but one of 6 draws, after Amorim’s appointment, before defeat in the Final of the Europa Cup, 0-1, on May 21^st to England’s ‘Lilywhites’, North London’s Tottenham Hotspur, at the stadium of Athletic Club, Nuevo San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain, with Noussair at right wing back. Not a good season defensively, the danger of a successful conversion for Islam being dependent upon having sacrificed the left hand of God (Ex: 13. 16), leaving an empty trophy cabinet, and looming unrecognized as a shadow upon minds unconcerned.

 Mazraoui was at left back for Morocco, in their December 17^th third place play off defeat to Croatia, 1-2, at Khalifa International Stadium (KIS), Al-Rayyah, in the World Cup Finals of 2022, while turning out at right back, left back, and center back, for Ajax and Bayern, but Islam has a hidden agenda, which is that converting others to Islam is an obligation, and sidedness is an aspect of that process.

 Although for the secular being right, linguistically, is about correctness, for Moslems it’s also about handedness, which is called chirality, that is, sidedness, as basic to morality, for example, the left hand, unclean per se, is immoral, whereas for Christians it’s a part of human nature; acceptingly: as what it means to be human.

 With regard to the population globally, 10% are left sided,4 and approximately 3% of those, as age-qualified, could choose soccer as a profession; amounting to less than 0.1%. Though the ratio of left to right at clubs is usually high, as left footed players are highly sought after for the balance of the team, the Moslem desire, that the left be right, has become strong, and influential enough to reintroduce the idea of the defending/attacking left wing back, as a ‘whipping boy’ for managers’ unhappiness over a team’s goal difference. Citing a need to improve ‘work rate’, the Islamic solution is slavery down the left side.

 Although Denis Irwin was a great right footed left back, selecting right footed left backs shades into inhumanity, when left footed left backs are rationally what’s available and needed, and Denis was duly replaced by left footed French left back, bought by Ferguson from Italian Serie A club, Inter Milan, for £4m, Mikaël Silvestre (2000-08).

 Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo, selected as an attacking left footed Moslem right wing back, poses a dilemma, as defending at right back, which is what a defensive right wing back is expected to do, is less feasible for a left footed right wing back. Dalot, as a right full back, and a right wing back, who’s right footed, is naturally a defender of the right side, whereas Diallo, as a left sided attacking right wing back, can’t to be expected to be able to defend as well as a right footed, right full back, which weakens the team.

 The usual solution is increased workload, where the wing back has to both attack and defend, that is, a demand that one becomes two, which amounts to sacrificing the best for the inadequate. Dalot, right footed, loaned to AC Milan of Italy’s Serie A for 2020-21, 10+11, by Solskjaer, after being used but sporadically, subsequent to his predecessor, Portuguese manager, José Mourinho, signing fellow countryman Diogo from FC Porto of Portugal, for £19m, on June 6^th, 2018; 2018-19, 12+4, 2019-20, 1+3, became indispensable to ten Hag, 2021-22, 19+5, 2022-23, 24+2, 2023-24, 35+1, but selected as a left wing back by Amorim, 2024-25, 31+2, represented another team weakness.

 Artificially created, perhaps, by an unwary Amorim, but attributable to Islamic influence. Being selected on the right, as a left footed forward, is Islamic, as much as being selected on the left, as a right footed left back. Having one do the work of two is a form of human sacrifice; resulting in slavery and pointless degeneration.

 Losing at home, in the first game of the 2025-26 season, to Arsenal, on August 17^th, 2025, Moslem Turkish ‘keeper, Altay Bayindir, trying, left-handed, to push away, and behind him, a viciously in-swinging 13^th minute corner from the left, failed. As the left hand is forbidden in Islam, that is, God’s, so Altay’s attempt was weak, because it’s irreligious to use it, whereas ‘Allah’, the Islamic equivalent of the name of God, is served; if the weakness of the left hand is demonstrable to unbelievers. When asked if soccer was a religion, Liverpool FC manager (1959-74), Bill Shankly, was used to saying, ‘No, it’s more important than that.’5 Italian left back, Riccardo Calafiori, headed in at the back post, 0-1.

1 FCRatings, https://www.fcratings.com/noussair-mazraoui .

2 Alba, Jessica ‘Why Is The Left Hand Considered Unclean?’, 23/07/23, https://learnmethods.com/why-is-the-left-hand-considered-unclean/ .

3 O’Neill, David ‘Why Switching Sides is the Best Thing for Harry Maguire’, The People’s Person, 15/07/22, https://thepeoplesperson.com/2022/07/15/why-switching-sides-is-the-best-thing-for-harry-maguire-249375/ .

4 Nield, David Science Alert, 09/08/20, ‘Why Are Only 10% Of People Left Handed?’, https://www.sciencealert.com/why-are-only-10-of-people-left-handed-here-s-what-scientists-know-so-far .

5 Mirror Football, ‘Some people believe football is a matter of life and death ... The wit and wisdom of Bill Shankly’, 02/09/2010, https://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/blogs/mirror-football-blog/Liverpool-legend-Bill-Shankly-Football-more-important-than-life-and-death-plus-his-other-great-quotes-article570339.html .

Mbeumo’s Bar

The informed opinion, amongst soccer experts, seems to have been that Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim, former right midfielder for Portugal (14 caps) and Benfica (2008-17), had a system, but didn’t have the players. Despite obtaining, for around £200m, from Germany’s Bundesliga club, RB Leipzig, Slovenia’s right footed center forward, Benjamin Šeško; Wolves’ right footed Brazilian center forward, or inverted left wing/inside left, Matheus Cunha, and Brentford Town’s left footed winger; often inverted right winger/inside right, Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo: before the commencement of the 2025-26 season.

 On August 27^th, 2025, on its south bank, where the Humber river estuary joins the North Sea, the Trafford club, looking to build New Trafford Stadium for the 2030-31 season, at a cost of £2 billion for 100,000 fans, were summarily dumped out of the League Cup, 2^nd round, by fourth tier Grimsby Town, ‘The Mariners’, at their North East Lincolnshire ‘fishing hole’, Blundell Park, Cleethorpes, with a squad valued at £3.6m in toto,1 watched by a near capacity, 8,647(9,546), crowd.

 The team had gone behind, 0-2, at half-time, with eyebrows already having risen at Amorim’s inability to win his first league game of the season, on August 17^th at ‘the theater of dreams’ stadium, Old Trafford. Losing at home to Arsenal of London’s Islington, after Turkish ‘keeper, Altay Bayindir, in for Cameroon’s injured, and also at times hapless, André Onana, trying left-handed to push away, and behind him, midfielder Declan Rice’s right-footed, viciously in-swinging 13^th minute corner from the left, failed. Italian left back, Riccardo Calafiori, headed in at the back post, 0-1.

 United had just a single point out of a possible six, following upon the side’s second match, on 24^th August, away, at London’s Fulham, 1-0, after an own goal credited to Brazilian center forward, Rodrigo Muniz, on 58 minutes, giving United the lead, although central defender Yoro looked to have headed home the corner on the right from Fernandes. It’d be a start to the league campaign as ignominious for the forward line as the end to the previous term’s had been. Losing 6 out of 8, and failing to score in 5, before defeat to London’s Tottenham Hotspur, 0-1, in the Europa Cup Final on May 21^st, 2025, at the stadium of Athletic Club, Nuevo San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain.

 The defence, caught square by a left wing cross on the left, right-footed, from Nigerian midfielder, Alex Iwobi, with Yoro and de Light ball-watching, as attacking midfielder, Emile Smith Rowe, on for central midfielder, Joshua King, on 71 minutes, ran in at the near post, ahead of his opponent, left footed Luke Shaw, left side of the United defence; square, watching Emile level, right-footed to ‘keeper Bayindir’s right, 1-1.

 In that first home game against Arsenal, Shaw, left back by trade, had begun on the left of the three-at-the-back defensive formation, favored by Amorim, with Portugal’s Diogo Dalot, as a right wing back, which made tactical sense; though emphasizing the loss of left sided Argentine center back, Lisandro Martínez, ‘The Butcher’, to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage, after colliding with Senegal winger, Ismaïla Sarr, during the home defeat to Crystal Palace, 0-2, on February 2^nd, 2025. Martínez, replaced by de Light on 82 minutes, with the score 0-1, was the defender United needed, with Shaw as the alternative wing back to Denmark’s Patrick Dorgu.

 A defensive wing back, like Shaw on the left, in the event of a fit Martínez, as a left sided central defender, Dalot could function as a right full back; in the face of pressure being applied down the flank there. Without Martínez, selecting a defensive right wing back, Dalot, and a left full back, that is, Shaw, permitted of four at the back, as required, while having the option to attack down the right, or left side, from the wing back position. Ruben’s 1-3-4-3 system depended on the selection of either a left back with two central defenders, or a right back with the same, where Martínez, or similar (Ayden Heaven, for example), was central and left sided; together with complimenting defensive/attacking left/right wing backs.

 However, Amorim’s invariable selection was of three center backs, whose sidedness often seemed largely incidental; though reminiscent of a half-back line: most familiar to supporters from the 1968 European Cup Winning side that beat Benfica, 4-1, (1-1), a.e.t., at London’s national Wembley stadium on May 29^th. Scot, Pat Crerand, right half; Bill Foulkes, center half, and ‘Nobby’ Stiles, left half. As good left and right half backs are generally the equivalent of ball-playing midfielders, only the central back (in that ‘68 team, ex-right full back, Bill Foulkes), is an out-and-out defender; flanked by no-nonsense, strong-tackling, full backs to left and right. Without that ball-playing ability, as what are essentially half-backs, Amorim’s three, out-and-out center backs, were redundant; without even being anachronistic. Twin center backs, and a left or right sided central defender/full back, with a defensive wing back, and perhaps an attacking wing back on the other flank, were the manageable system; unless the central defensive trio had enough skill, which wasn’t in evidence.

 With substitutes being of paramount significance within such a system, Amorim’s bear examination. Leaving aside Amorim’s replacing top-scorer, Marcus Rashford, at inverted inside left, with right-footed attacking midfielder, Mason Mount, which older fans have seen before. In the summer of ‘78, manager Dave Sexton similarly replaced top-scorer, left wing, Gordon Hill, with the ultimately unproductive industry of Wales’ Mickey Thomas from Wrexham. Similarly indicative of Ruben as a defensive personality was his discarding of goalscoring Argentine right winger, Alejandro Garnacho, in preference for Ivory Coast’s left footed, inverted right winger, Amad Diallo, as a right wing back.

 The selecting of inverted winger, Amad, joint top-scorer with Portugal midfielder, Bruno Fernandes, on 8 for 2024-25, as a left wing full back, on the right side of the pitch, seemed a punishment on Diallo, by a sadistic pervert, rather than team strategy. Amorim’s first change on 55 minutes against Arsenal, 0-1 after 13 minutes, was to bring on Diallo, an attacking wing back, for Dalot, a defensive wing back. The other change in the back line was to take off Shaw, after 80 minutes, for left sided center back, Harry Maguire, alongside France’s Leny Yoro, and the Netherlands’ Matthijs de Ligt, which gave the side three out-and-out central defenders, designed to compensate the incorporation of Amad on the right, while the covering left back/left wing back was Dorgu.

 The technical description for Manchester United’s problem was, ‘square’, that is, central defenders, positioned in a straight line across the field, parallel to the goal-line, are easily beaten by through balls, because they’re ‘too square’, whereas particularly left, and naturally right sided, full backs, or left sided central defenders, like Martínez, Maguire, and Heaven, aren’t ‘square on’, but designedly ‘zonal’.

 Amorim began against Fulham at Craven Cottage, with Diallo as an attacking right wing back, although the side were ahead after 58 minutes, through Muniz’s own goal, albeit subsequent to defensive right wing back Dalot’s replacing Amad on 52 minutes. However, United couldn’t recover from the defensive change, designed to achieve a draw, and drew, 1-1. Center halves, Tyler Fredricson, age 20, Maguire, age 32, and left sided Heaven, age 18, started as a ‘flat back three’ at Blundell Park, with Dalot as the right wing back, and Diallo as inverted inside right. United were down, 0-2, after half an hour, because of a largely inexperienced back three, and the propensity of such a formation to be ‘caught square’.

 In the 22^nd minute, Ayden had gone across to counter Irish right winger, Darragh Burns. Crossing, left-footed, right side of the 20 yard box, and in front of it, over and beyond Maguire in the center, and Fredricson on the right. The defenders, caught square, forced to turn, look for the ball, and run. Arriving, inside the 20 yard box, left corner of Onana’s penalty area, left winger, Charles Vernam, fiercely shoots; striking low, right-footed. Inside ‘keeper André’s right post, 0-1, with United’s right wing back, Dalot, significantly absent. In the 30^th minute, Onana faps ineffectually at a right-footed Vernam cross, left corner of the 20 yard box, following a short corner; leaving right back, Tyrell Warren, a simple task: footing the ball over the line with his right boot. Behind the mistake-prone African, 0-2.

 With a Premier League squad, comprised of rare talent from Europe, Africa, South America, and the British Isles, United unsurprisingly recovered, 2-2, late on. Inside right, Mbeumo, coming on for left wing back, Dorgu, in the 46^th minute, curling a low, left-footed ball, from the right of the ‘D’, on the edge of the 20 yard box, into the bottom left corner of Christy Pym’s net, 1-2, on 75 minutes, before Maguire’s equalizing header, inside the far post right, following an 89^th minute corner, on the left, right-footed, from Mount, coming on for Heaven in the 64^th minute, 2-2.

 Cunha could have won the tie, 5-3, on penalties, but fourth tier, Second Division Town ‘keeper Pym saved; low to his left. The penalty decider went on, 4-4. With penalties at 11-12, Mbeumo hit the bar; ‘sudden death’ and humiliating defeat for the first tier outfit.

1 Transfermarkt, https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/grimsby-town/kader/verein/1034 .

Amorim’s Plan?

No one can really doubt that Manchester United manager Eric ten Hag’s sale, for a risible £25.7m, of Scots’ midfielder, Scot McTominay, starting 18+14 substitute appearances, for 7 goals, in season 2023-24, to Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli of Italy, on August 30^th, 2024, as the 2024-25 season began, was a straightforward professional suicide, on a par with manager Ron Atkinson’s decision to sell Welsh top-scorer, Mark Hughes, for £2m to FC Barcelona of Spain’s La Liga, for the 1986-87 season, after Mark had top-scored in 1984-85, 38 (16) and 1985-86, 40 (17), precipitating the dismissal of ‘Big Ron’, and the arrival on November 6^th, 1986, from Aberdeen, ‘The Dons’, of Scots’ manager, Alex Ferguson, where the former ‘Gers center forward (1967-69) won for the ‘Granite City’ the 1982-83 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final, 2-1 (1-1), a.e.t., on May 11^th, at Nya Ullevi, stadium of GAIS, IFK Göteborg and Örgryte IS; Gothenburg, Sweden, against Spain’s Real Madrid CF, while breaking the stranglehold Scotland’s Glasgow clubs, Celtic and Rangers, had on winning trophies there.

 The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) confusingly describe both its cup competitions as leagues, UCL being an acronym for UEFA Champions League, whereas the European Champions’ Clubs Cup, inaugurated in 1955, and abbreviated as European Cup, is what UCL actually is, a cup competition, that is no longer competed for by the champions of each country, but through qualifying stages that, in the case of the Premier League, extends to those clubs finishing fourth.

 French manager, Arsène Wenger, winning Ligue 1,1978-79, as a ‘sweeper’, with Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace, in 2012 said to Arsenal chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, and the board there, who’d appointed him from Japan’s Nagoya Grampus Eight, guiding them to the 1995 Emperor’s Cup, 3-0, against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, on January 1^st at the National Stadium, Tokyo, and the Super Cup there on March 9^th, 1996, against Yokohama Marinos, 2-0, ‘For me there are five trophies every season: Premier League, Champions League, the third is to qualify for the Champions League ..’.1 Fourth and fifth, of course, are FA Cup, and League Cup, in Wenger’s estimation, which was financially astute, and Arsenal achieved UCL qualification from 1997-98, Wenger’s first season in charge, to 2016-17, while Arsène retired, after the 2017-18 season, despite Arsenal’s qualifying for that season’s similarly lucrative Europa League.

 The Europa League, replacing the UEFA Cup, conceived as a cup competition for those clubs that had finished second, or lower, in their country’s respective leagues, is also not a league, which is the reason for it being known as the Europa Cup.

 The cup competition, UEFA’s Cup Winners’ Cup, was competed for by the cup winners in each country, as their equivalent of the FA Cup winners, that is, it was actually a cup, but UEFA’s ‘legal egals’ abolished it in 1999, replacing it with their more egalitarian league cups. The European Conference League, inaugurated in 2021, for ‘lower ranked UEFA member countries’, as a cup, jeered, speaking volumes, but at a level high enough for supporters to stand still for it.

 With asperity allied to alacrity, Alex re-bought the failing Hughes, 28 starts for 4 goals, and nicknamed ‘El Toro’ by the Barça fans, because of his bullish inability to deal with the Spaniards’ offside trap, known as matador, so re-loaned by Barcelona’s manager, Londoner Terry Venables. Born in Dagenham, January 6^th, 1943, winning the League Cup, as a midfielder, with West London’s Chelsea in 1965, and the FA Cup with ‘Spurs, North London’s Tottenham Hotspur, in 1967, ‘El Tel’, as he was nicknamed by the media, had managed Barça to the European Cup Final of 1986; then that club’s first European Champions’ Clubs Cup Final since May 31^st 1961, losing, 2-3, to Sport Lisboa e Benfica, at Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland.

 The 1986 Final took place at the stadium of Sevilla FC, Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, Seville, Spain, on May 7^th, with Venables’ team losing to Romania’s CSA Steaua București, 0-0, a.e.t., 0-2 on penalties. Hughes’ difficulties, re-loaned to Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V. of the German Bundesliga, for 1987-88, remained. Chasing the ball, while defenders tauntingly passed it back and forth between them, along the back four, and back again, if the refereeing match official didn’t intervene, and show the yellow card for time-wasting. Hughes, given 17 starts +1 substitute appearance by legendary FC Bayern manager, Jupp Heynckes, returned 6 goals.

 Heynckes, at center forward, won the Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1970-71, 1974-75, 1975-76, and 1976-77; losing to Liverpool in the 1977 European Cup Final, 1-3, on 25^th May, at Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy. As manager, Jupp saw Real Madrid to the European Cup in 1998, 1-0 against Juventus of Italy, at Amsterdam Arena, the Netherlands, on May 20^th, and on May 25^th, 2013, oversaw Bayern Munich’s victory, 2-1, against Borussia Dortmund, also of the German Bundesliga, at London’s national Stadium, Wembley.

 Back for United’s 1988-89 season, Ferguson paid Barcelona £1.8m, and Hughes’ first reward to Alex was the May 12^th 1990 FA Cup Final, won in the May 17^th replay, 1-0, against ‘The Eagles’ of Crystal Palace, with Mark giving United the lead in the initial encounter, 2-1, after central midfielder, Neil Webb, charged down center back Andy Thorn’s attempted clearance. The ball, finding Hughes slightly off balance, left corner of the six yard box, standing on his left leg, volleying right-footed, top right corner of the net, at London’s Wembley, on 62 minutes, and on 113 minutes the goal that forced a Wembley replay, left winger, center midfield, Danny Wallace’s through ball to Hughes, inside the 20 yard box, right edge of the ‘D’, right-footed, driven low, inside onrushing ‘keeper Nigel Martyn’s post to Mark’s left, 3-3.

 In the May 15^th 1991 Cup Winners’ Cup Final, Hughes scored in the 67^th minute, after a free kick half way inside the Barça half, center, left-footed from Robson, finding the head of center half, Steve Bruce, right of center of the 20 yard box, with Mark running in to tap the ball, left-footed, into the net inside the left post, as it fell there, 1-0, and again in the 74^th minute, rounding the Spanish ‘keeper, Carles Busquets, well outside the 20 yard box, but Hughes being forced out wide, to its center right edge, angling the ball low, right-footed inside the post, far left, 2-0, before Dutch defensive midfielder, Ronald Koeman’s free-kick on 79 minutes, 2-1, at Stadion Feijenoord, ‘De Kuip’ (‘The Tub’), Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

 In the 1991 Super Cup Final, scheduled to take place over two legs, home and away, but played in a single game at Old Trafford, as at that time the break-up of the former ‘super state’ of Yugoslavia, into several independent entities, for example, Belgrade became the capital of Serbia, resulted in conflicts producing an environment unsafe for visitors, United having qualified as European Cup Winners’ Cup Winners, contesting the trophy, against European Cup Winners, Red Star Belgrade, ‘The Star’, on November 7^th, Webb’s strike in the 67^th minute, rebounding from midway up the right post, finding Scots’ center forward, Brian McClair, edge and center of the 6 yard box, right-footed, left corner, low, 1-0, was enough.

 Mark was also in the side for the 1992 League Cup Final, won after Welsh left wing, Ryan Giggs, left of center edge of the 20 yard box, squared a ball inside to McClair, center edge, who ran in and scored with a ball hit low, into the right corner of the net, left-footed, close by the penalty spot, in the 14^th minute, 1-0, against Nottingham Forest, ‘The Garibaldis’, on April 12^th.

 In 1992-93 the Premier League was won, and in 1993-94 the League and Cup double; Mark getting the third in the May 14^th, 1994, FA Cup Final at Wembley on 69 minutes, after two penalties from French center forward, Eric Cantona. Dispossessing left back, Frank Sinclair, right edge of the 20 yard box ‘D’, Hughes angled the ball past onrushing Russian ‘keeper, Dmitri Kharine, into the left corner, low, 3-0, and United eventually ran out victors over ‘The Blues’, Chelsea, 4-0. However, as Mark’s goal tally went below double figures in 1994-95, 33+1 for 8, Alex sold him for £1.5m to Chelsea, for the 1995-96 season at their Stamford Bridge ground in the borough of Fulham and Hammersmith.

 ‘Those who repeat the mistakes of history are doomed’,2 to paraphrase Spanish philosopher, George Santayana. Ron Atkinson’s treatment of Hughes merely aped the rude savvy of his predecessors. The intelligence and wisdom of Dave Sexton, however, replacement for former Scotland boss, Tommy Docherty, United manager since December 22^nd, 1972, who hadn’t been able to keep his hands off physiotherapist Laurie Brown’s wife, Mary, before the team won the May 21^st, 1977, Wembley FA Cup Final, 2-1, against Liverpool, had been much vaunted by soccer’s cogniscenti.

 ‘Barmy’ Dave sold left wing, Gordon Hill, top-scorer for consecutive seasons, 1976-77, 38+1 for 15 goals, and 1977-78, 36 appearances for 17 goals, to ‘The Rams’, Derby County for £250,000, buying instead for 1978-79, from Wales’ Wrexham, Y Dreigiau, ‘The Dragons’, for £300,000, industrious Mickey Thomas, 25 appearances for 1 goal, and a May 12^th losing appearance in the Wembley 1979 FA Cup Final to ‘The Gooners’ of Arsenal, 2-3.

 Dave, unknowingly, owed his appointment, in the summer of 1977, to the fact that England captain, Gerry Francis (1974-76), was captain of ‘The Hoops’ at Sexton’s previous Shepherd’s Bush club, West London’s Queens Park Rangers (QPR) of Loftus Road, whereas Ron Atkinson, labeled ‘Bojangles’ by the media, because of the amount of chunky gold jewelry he wore, which reputedly clanked, replacing Dave in the summer of 1981, knowingly knew, and on October 1^st, 1981, paid £1.5m for England captain (1980-91), ‘Captain Marvel’ Bryan Robson, to his former club, ‘The Baggies’ of Hawthorn Road, West Bromwich Albion (WBA).

 McTominay had been instrumental in United’s winning the May 24^th 2024 FA Cup Final, during which campaign he’d featured strongly, with opening goals, on 10 minutes in the quarter-final, 4-3, at home to Liverpool, with Eire ‘keeper, Caoimhín Kelleher, only able to parry South America’s Argentine right winger Alejandro Garnacho’s shot, left, near the corner of the six yard box, leaving the onrushing Scot the relatively simple task of putting the ball over the goal line with his upraised right boot, 1-0, and on 23 minutes against Coventry City, ‘The Sky Blues’, in the semi-final at Wembley, 3-3 (3-3), a.e.t., 4-2 on penalties, after Portuguese right back, Diogo Dalot, driving in a low cross, hard, center right edge of the 20 yard box, found Scot, almost on the goal line, running in, left-footed, high into the net, 1-0.

 Deployed tactically, in the role of ‘false center forward’, Scot’s lying deep in midfield, drawing defenders away from the defensive line, and linking up with those making forward runs, led to defensive midfielder Kobbie Mainoo’s passing the ball into the net on 39 minutes against Manchester City, ‘The Citizens’, in the 2024 Final at Wembley; the team’s second, 2-0, before a late right-footed shot, inside Central Africa’s Cameroon ‘keeper André Onana’s right hand post, from the edge of the penalty area on 87 minutes, from Belgian winger, Jérémy Doku, on for Croatia’s central midfielder, Mateo Kovačić, on 46 minutes, made the final score, 2-1.

 Scot, 33+1 appearances for 12 goals, alongside Belgian center forward, Romelu Lukaku, 35+1, and 14 goals, went on to win the 2024-25 scudetto with SSC Napoli, at home in their Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, as well as away; the trophy being the Coppa Campioni d'Italia, awarded to the successful club in the Italian Serie A league title race, with the players entitled thereafter to wear ‘the small shield’, the scudetto, with the green, white, and red tricolor of Italy’s national emblem on their shirts for the following season.

 For a club used to being also rans to Internazionale of Milan, A.C. Milan, Il Diavolo, ‘The Devil’, and Juventus, of Turin, Piedmont, McTominay’s highly attuned football brain and athleticism compensated for what was lacking in vision and skill. Scot couldn’t compare with legendary irrepressible forward, Diego Maradona, Argentina’s 1986 World Cup winning captain, 3-2 against Germany, on June 29^th at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, and who’d been their ‘best in the world’ striker for Naples in 1986-87’s title win, with 29 appearances for 10 goals, and again in 1989-90, with 26+2 appearances for 16 goals.

 However, wrestling the 2024-25 championship away from the Milan giants of Lombardy, and the ‘Old Lady’ of Turin, Scot did contribute goals and driving inspiration; another attacking midfield presence seemingly unable to be denied. That ten Hag let Scot leave, on the understanding that Manchester United couldn’t afford him, was a sideswipe at the club; indicative of a flawed character. A lame excuse, jeering at the disabled, was the unannounced reason for ten Hag’s contract termination.

 That ten Hag looked to be constructing the nucleus of a team that could challenge for the Premier League title, with Kobbie as the central defensive midfielder; Scot as a deep lying center forward, or ‘false 9’; Alejandro on the right wing; Marcus Rashford at center forward, or on the left wing, Amad Diallo of West Africa’s Côte d'Ivoire, on the left or right wing, or in the wing back role, and Diogo at right back/right wing back, or anywhere along the back line, saw the Dutch manager’s usually self-absorbed mien transformed to that of a tragic actor. Loss # 4, from 9 league games, left the club in 14^th position. Eric was sacked on October 28^th, 2024, following defeat, 1-2, at West Ham’s, ‘The Hammers’, London Stadium; the team officially deemed to have been performing poorly: consequent to Scot’s departure.

 McTominay’s end-of-season delight was in high contrast to ‘The Red Devils’ losing in the Basque region of Spain to Spurs, ‘The Lilywhites’, in the Final of the Europa Cup, 0-1, on May 21^st, 2025, at the stadium of Athletic Club, Nuevo San Mamés, Bilbao, with a 42 minute goal from close-in by Welsh right wing, Brennan Johnson, subsequent to a right-footed cross on the left from Senegal’s West African central midfielder, Pape Matar Sarr.

 Ill-starred left-back, Luke Shaw, chesting the ball, willing it past ‘keeper Onana’s right hand post, as if he had telekinesis, instead found he’d laid it on for the Spurs’ winger, as Johnson ran on. Carefully side footing neatly, low down, with his right boot, though falling leftwards onto the pitch, away from the upright, Brennan’s stretch was careful; guiding the ball inside the post, with Onana despairingly trying to push it out.

 Ten Hag’s soccer suicide meant that he wasn’t there, but rather Portuguese manager, Ruben Amorim, winning, as a manager, the Portuguese title, in 2020-21, and 2021-24, with Sporting CP’s Leões, ‘Lions’. At right midfield, he was runner-up, with S. L. Benfica, in the Europa Cup Final of 2014, to Spain’s Sevilla, 0-0, a.e.t., and 2-4 on penalties, in Juventus Stadium, Turin. But won the Primiera Liga for Benfica, O Glorioso, ‘The Glorious One’, at home in Estádio da Luz, ‘The Stadium of Light’, in 2009-10, 2013-14, and 2014-15, while representing his country 14 times.

 Ruben appeared for Portugal on June 15^th at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, replacing central midfielder, Raul Meireles, of Futebol Clube do Porto against Ivory Coast, on 85 minutes, in the opening Group G match, 0-0, at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, though Portugal lost, 0-1, to Spain in the round of 16, and in the last Group G match at South America’s 2014 World Cup in Brazil on June 26^th, Amorim featured in all 90 minutes against Ghana, 2-1, at Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha, Brasilia, though Portugal were eliminated on a goal difference of -3, while the United States of [North] America, ‘The Stars and Stripes’, progressed to the round of 16.

 Losing another 14 games, over and above ten Hag’s 4, with United being described as a ‘pub team’, Amorim’s appointment looked more disastrous to some. Introducing his strategy, and tactical system used at Sporting CP, with its three center backs, and two wing backs, left many of United’s soccer fans baffled. They were wary of what to hope for, after Ruben’s taking over team selection from November 11^th, 2024, following a brief successful interlude from former reds’ Dutch striker, trainer of the forward line, Ruud van Nistelrooy, as caretaker manager, who’d effectively saved the side’s season by coaching the players to victory, 2-0, at Old Trafford, over Greece’s Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans (A.C. PAOK), ‘Double-Headed Eagle’, on November 7^th, 2024, during the league phase of the Europa Cup.

 Mononymously known as ‘Amad’, the left-footed inside/outside right struck twice against PAOK. Much favored by Amorim, after loan periods during ten Hag’s tenure at Scots’ club Glasgow Rangers of Ibrox Stadium, 2021-22, 4+6 appearances for 3 goals, and Championship club, Sunderland, ‘The Black Cats’, 2022-23, 34 starts for 13 goals, Diallo was a tricky winger, brought from Italy’s Atalanta BC, ‘The Goddess’, La Dea, Bergamo, Lombardy, where he won, in successive 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, the U-19 youth championship, Campionato Primavera. Signing for United on 7^th January, 2021, after scoring on his full debut, as a 79^th minute substitute for Atalanta at home to Udinese, ‘The Little Zebras’, 7-1, on October 27^th, 2019-20, Amad made 0+3 appearances for that goal, and 0+1 in 2020-21, before going to ‘the Theater of Dreams’ for €21.3m. Capable of making the wing back position his own too, he made 3+6 appearances for ten Hag in 2023-24; scoring 1 goal, but 20+6 appearances for Ruben, ousting by turns, Rashford, whose declared favored position was the left wing; winger, Jadon Sancho, returning to his native land, bought for £73m, on July 1^st, 2021, from Borussia Dortmund, ‘The Prussians’; Brazil’s winger, Antony, bought from Dutch club AFC Ajax, ‘Sons of the Gods’, on September 1^st, 2022, for £82m, and Netherlands’ winger, and center forward, Joshua Zirkzee, bought from Italy’s Bologna FC 1919, ‘The Greyhounds’, 24^th July, 2024, for £36.5m. Amad was joint top-scorer for the 2024-25 campaign; 8 alongside Portugal’s midfield goal-getting, ball-playing, creative genius, Bruno Fernandes.

 However, the fact that no player reached double figures was symptomatic of a true malaise. It was the lowest overall total of goals (44), with a goal difference of -10, chalked up by a United squad since the club’s relegation season of 1973-74 (38), again with a goal difference of -10. Then Northern Ireland’s Sammy McIlroy, similarly deployed as a ‘false 9’ at times by Scots’ manager Tommy Docherty, and as Paul Scholes would be by his manager, Ferguson, top-scored, with 6.

 Diallo’s strikes, in the second half against PAOK, were typical of his playing style. Running onto an infield cross, behind him, and then in front of him, from Bruno, left, center midfield, to the right corner of the penalty box, Amad rose on 50 minutes to loop a header over Croatia’s Dominik Kotarski, the ball falling inside the ‘keeper’s right hand post, 1-0, and after winning a midfield tussle deep in the PAOK half, with West Africa’s Ghanaian left-back, Baba, Diallo curled a left foot shot on 77 minutes at the right edge of the 20 yard ‘D’, low into the bottom left corner of the net, 2-0.

 After Rashford and Zirkzee got two apiece against Everton, ‘The Toffees’, on December 1^st, 2024, it left United in 9^th place in the Premier League, with Marcus top-scoring on 4 goals for the season. Striking a right-footed corner from Fernandes, right-footed, side-footed, low along the turf, right side of the ‘D’, inside the 20 yard box; the ball deflecting into the net from Everton center back Jarrad Branthwaite’s outstretched left boot, on 34 minutes, 1-0, and Amad, right of Marcus, inside the center circle, running from inside the United half, collecting a through ball from Zirkzee, to his right; Joshua, right-footed, back to goal, left edge of the United half of the center circle. Rashford, keeping pace, right of Amad, tearing down the right side of the field. Darting between Everton defenders, center back, James Tarkowski, and Ukraine left back, Vitally Mikolenko, inside the 20 yard box, Marcus receives the ball forward from Diallo, left-footed, along the turf, right edge of the ‘D’, from behind, the ball delivered to the right of Mikolenko, with Tarkowski to Vitally’s left, and Marcus’ dart between them, through on ‘keeper Jordan Pickford, by his post, near right, narrowing the angle, but unable to prevent the right-footed strike, on 46 minutes, at the right corner of the six yard box; the ball hitting the back of the net: squeezed inside the right post, 3-0.

 His first home game in charge, Amorim’s first win, Rashford had got the 2^nd minute goal in the previous game, drawn at Portman Road, 1-1, against Ipswich Town’s ‘Tractor Boys’, on November 24^th, 2024. Amad, steaming down the right flank, bursting into the 20 yard box at the right corner, firing a dipping ball, with Swiss ‘keeper, Arijanet Muric, looking to collect, but Marcus, nipping in to bundle the ball past him, 1-0, in Ruben’s first ever game in charge, going on as he had under previous managerial regimes.

 Beginning with Holland’s Louis van Gaal, under whose direction Rashford was a part of the team that won the 2016 FA Cup Final on May 21^st, 2-1 (1-1), a.e.t., against Crystal Palace at Wembley, before the appointment of Portugal’s José Mourinho, who coached Marcus to be a winner in the sides that won the League Cup, 3-2 on February 26^th against Southampton, ‘The Saints’, at Wembley, and the Europa Cup in 2017, 2-0 against Ajax of Amsterdam at Friends Arena, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden, on May 24^th.

 Under the stewardship of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Rashford reached the Final of the 2021 Europa Cup against Spain’s Villarreal CF, ‘The Yellow Submarine’, 1-1 (1-1), a.e.t., before losing 10-11 on penalties, # 4 converted by Marcus, after Uruguay center forward, Edinson Cavani, had given United hope, close-in on 55 minutes from 5 yards; having the ball laid into his path by McTominay, center edge of the six yard box, right-footed, 1-1, after a 20 yard Rashford effort, deflecting off left back, Alfonso Pedraza, and center back, Pau Torres’ lunging, right leg outstretched to dispossess Edinson, unavailingly; Scot directing a short ball forward, and Cavani’s strike, low, direct, making sure it hit the back of Argentine ‘keeper Gerónimo Rulli’s net.

 Legendary Norwegian striker for United, Solskjaer doubtless didn’t see Spanish ‘keeper David de Gea’s missing of his spot kick, at Stadion Gdańsk, Poland, on May 26^th, as tragicomic. As an 81^st minute substitute for center forward, Andy Cole, to win the 1999 European Cup Final, 2-1, against FC Bayern Munich, on May 26^th at Barcelona’s stadium, Camp Nou, Ole had raised his right boot to connect with the ball, sending it high into the net, almost on the goal line, at the far post, on 90+3 minutes, following an in-swinging corner by right wing, David Beckham, that found center forward, Teddy Sheringham, who’d already re-directed a Giggs effort into the Bayern net on 90+1 minutes, to equalize right midfielder Mario Basler’s 6^th minute direct free-kick, from outside the 20 yard box, awarded by Italian referee, Pierluigi Collina, after center forward, Carsten Jancker, was deemed to have been impeded by United’s Norwegian center back, Ronny Johnsen; low, bending around the United wall, 1-1. But Sheringham, on as a substitute on 67 minutes for Sweden’s left winger, Jesper Blomqvist, headed the ball from Beckham’s cross down, across the goalmouth, where Solskjaer, known as ‘the baby faced assassin’, stuck out his foot, 2-1.

 Marcus went on to win the 2023 League Cup with ten Hag, 2-0 against Newcastle United, ‘The Magpies’, on February 26^th, with Netherlands’ center forward, Wout Weghorst, on a season’s loan from Burnley, since January 13^th, starting. Wout, left and front of the 20 yard box, ball along the ground to Rashford; running on, left corner of the six yard box, lofting the ball, left-footed, over advancing German ‘keeper, Loris Karius, high into the top of the net: United’s second on 39 minutes.

 Marcus would win the FA Cup again, this time against near neighbor, Manchester City, a year later; turning inside at the left touchline, crossing a high ball, right-footed, over to Garnacho on the right wing, bearing down on the right corner of the 20 yard box, finding Fernandes to his left, edge and center; a ball all along the ground. Bruno, similarly, slipping a first-time pass along the pitch, through to Mainoo, left of the six yard box. Kobbie, outside City ‘keeper Stefan Ortega’s penalty area, opposite the left post; passing, the ball to the German’s right: into the net, 2-0, on 39 minutes.

 However, after the team lost at the Emirates Stadium of Islington’s Arsenal, ‘The Gunners’, 0-2, on December 4^th, and at home to Nottingham Forest, 2-3, on December 7^th, with Rashford coming on only for the last 30 minutes in each game, and the club having slipped to 13^th place, before ultimately finishing 15^th, on 42 points, Amorim summarily dropped him from the squad, citing ‘work rate’ as the issue; sending Marcus on loan to Aston Villa, ‘The Lions’, on February 2^nd, 2025, until season’s end.

 That backfired, with Marcus remaining joint top-scoring center forward, with Dane, Rasmus Højlund, also finishing on 4, despite the fact that the last of Rashford’s goals, (2) in 2024-25, were against Everton at home on December 1^st, 4-0, while Rasmus had until May 25^th, 2025, to get his 4, and a 27^th April, 2025, goal at Bournemouth, ‘The Poppies’, 1-1, on 90+6 minutes, obviously representing a lot more effort, was it. That draw at Victoria Park was the second in 8 games; the other being goalless at home to Manchester City, on April 6^th, 2025, with United losing 6, 4 without reply, before the Europa Cup Final, taking place after the last match of the regular season, at home to Villa, on May 25^th, 2025, won 2-0. Losing 6 out of 8, and failing to score in 5, wasn’t adequate preparation.

 Zirkzee finished the term on 3, his last league goals (2) of the season taken alongside strike-partner Rashford in that December 1^st win over Everton, 4-0. Seemingly only a pulled hamstring, during training, keeping Marcus out of Villa’s losing FA Cup semi-final on April 26^th, 2025, at Wembley, 0-3, to eventual winners, Crystal Palace, on May 17^th, 2025, 1-0, against Manchester City, prevented a hero’s return, after Rashford’s 58^th minute opening goal in the quarter final. Latching on to a fast grass-cutter, from French left back, Lucas Digne, across the 20 yard box, following a through ball from Belgian central midfielder, Youri Tielemans, that found Digne at its left corner, Marcus side-footed, right-footed, close to the penalty spot, along the turf, into the right corner of the net. It had the decisive impact in the March 30^th, 2025, win over Preston North End (PNE), ‘The Northenders’, away at Deepdale, 3-0, with a Rashford penalty on 63 minutes, bottom right corner, low, sending ‘keeper, David Cornell, the wrong way, 2-0, pursuant to Preston’s Welsh left back, Andrew Hughes, back-heeling a kick at left wing, Morgan Rogers, at the right corner of the 20 yard box. However, injury left Marcus unable to face Spurs, or play in the latter stages of the Europa Cup; even if Ruben had relented, and recalled him to restore bite to the forward line, which he couldn’t.

 Having seen ten Hag’s managerial suicide bid fulfilled, after his sale of McTominay to Naples, speculation at the Stretford End was that Marcus’ departure to Villa Park was Ruben’s own version of turning the gun upon himself. What was clear from ten Hag’s tenure was a move away from twin center forwards to inside forwards, with left sided players, or wingers, being deployed on the right, and vice versa; as it were a turning inwards upon the strikers’ ambition. The modern method was to use a lone center forward, supported by an inside left and right, in a way that resembled a spear thrust at goal.

 Whereas previous United squads had been successful with left footed wingers on the left, and right footed wingers on the right, which widening of the pitch afforded twin strikers opportunities for plundering in the goalmouth from the crosses that came in, the modern model was inversion, with inverted wingers, like Amad, left footed, on the right, or Rashford, right footed, on the left, as inside forwards. That the left winger was right footed, and vice versa, might have looked curious to old-fashioned punters going through the turnstiles, but such inversions as inside forwards were spear-heading the future.

 Ten Hag and Amorim envisioned wing backs in support of the strike force, a midfield of two, and three central defenders; effectively abandoning the full back concept in favor of center halves at left and right, and with a further central defender between them. The repercussions and ramifications were singular. Despite the old-fashioned ‘never say die’ efforts of center half, Harry Maguire, scorer of the equalizing headed goal, center of the six yard box, on 90+1 minutes, from Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen’s corner on the right, away in Portugal at FC Porto’s Estádio do Dragão, ‘the stadium of dragons’, 3-3, in the league stage of the Europa Cup, on October 3^rd, 2024, and another winning headed goal, center right of the six yard box, on 120+1 minutes, from a ball stroked forward by Brazilian Casemiro, left of center midfield, half way inside the Lyon half, 5-4 (2-2), a.e.t., in the April 10^th, 2025, Europa Cup quarter-final, second leg, at home to the French Ligue 1 club, aggregate 7-6, it was evident that United didn’t have the personnel, and not excluding center half Maguire, to keep the ball out of Onana’s net.

 Tactically there’d been significant issues since Louis van Gaal, the Netherlands’ 2014 World Cup manager in Brazil, attempted to deploy the 1-3-4-3 formation at United, after his being appointed to replace failed former Everton manager, David Moyes, effectively inviting the sack, as Ferguson’s replacement for 2013-14, after losing on January 22^nd, 2014, at home on penalties in the semi-final second leg of the League Cup to Sunderland, 2-1 (1-0), a.e.t., 3-3 aggregate, with central midfielder for Scotland, Darren Fletcher, the only successful spot kicker, 1-2.

 Van Gaal’s appointment, following the Netherlands’ defeat of Canarinho, ’Little Canary’, Brazil, 3-0, at Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha, Brasilia, in the July 12^th play off for third place overall, while Germany won the 13^th July Final, 1-0, at Estádio Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, against Argentina, began the introduction and implementation of a system fraught with choosing the requirements of defensive adaptivity; mobile or static center backs: attacking or defensive wing backs.

 Matteo Darmian, full back for Italy’s Azzurri, ‘The Blues’, and on June 14^th, 2014, World Cup debuting at right back, in a defeat of England, 2-1, at Arena da Amazônia, Manaus, substituted for Argentine left back, Marcos Rojo, on 66 minutes, in van Gaal’s FA Cup winning team of 2016, after arriving for ₤12.7m on July 11^th, 2015, from Torino FC, Turin, and later returned to Italy at Inter Milan, La Beneamata ‘The Well-Cherished One’, where he’d be a part of the squad that won Serie A in 2020-21, alongside ex-United greats; Armenia’s right wing and captain, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, winner of the League Cup and Europa Cup of 2017 with Mourinho; left wing and/or full back, Ashley Young, who’d been in the squad that won the 2012-13 title for Ferguson, # 13 in his retirement season; South America’s Chilean forward, Alexis Sánchez, who’d had what looked like a perfectly good equalizing goal ruled out for offside in the May 19^th 2018 FA Cup Final, lost 0-1 to Chelsea, and Romelu Lukaku, who’d also played in that game for José.

 Most notably, in the case of center back Chris Smalling’s sending off on 105 minutes for wrestling to the pitch Congo’s left wing, Yannick Bolasie, in the 2016 FA Cup Final, Darmian, on occasion, was deployed by van Gaal as a libero or ‘sweeper’, which is a possibility for a defensive wing back, called by the Italians terzino volante (or vagante); patrolling the rear. Either from the left wing back, or right wing back position, called vianema, the Italian sweeper system was named for Giuseppe Viani, manager in the 1940s of Unione Sportiva Salernitana 1919, ‘The Maroons’, Salerno, Campania, winners of Serie B in 1946-47.

 If Amorim had the ‘door bolt’ system in mind, it’d been initially developed in the 1930s and 40s by Karl Rappan, Austrian manager of Swiss club, Servette FC, Geneva, and Switzerland’s national team; called catenaccio by the Italians’ smaller clubs. Using the withdrawn center back of three half backs between the full backs; leaving two in midfield: right and left halves. Primarily, ‘the ‘chain’ was a means of protecting younger players from injury in the brutal rigors of competition; as UEFA’s 2 regulation substitutes weren’t adopted by all members of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) until 1967-68. The future of wing backs at Manchester United was of a high degree of technical virtuosity unavailable to most defenders; of the type of full/wing back: or of the type of their center backs/wing halves.

 Apart from the fact that the side would have to have a player of the quality of Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid, four European Cups and four World Club Cup doubles, in 2014, ‘16, ‘17, and ‘18, and the World Cup with Spain, La Furia Roja, ‘The Red Fury’, in 2010, 1-0 in the July 11^th Final at Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa, against the Netherlands’ Oranje, at the center of their three at the back, they’d also need a variety of wing full backs, who could attack and/or defend, and fulfill the role of sweeper, as Darmian could; if that role wasn’t being fulfilled by the central back of the three.

 If that was in the mind of Amorim, that’s what the club needed. A libero of the caliber of Ramos, or even better, Germany’s ‘Kaiser’, Franz Beckenbauer, captain of the Bundesliga’s three-time European Cup winners (1974, ‘75, and ‘76), Bayern Munich, ‘Star of the South’, and of the national side at their successful World Cup campaign of 1974, beating the Netherlands, 2-1, in the July 7^th Final at Olympiastadion, Munich, while Jupp Hynckes, an unused substitute, watched the match from the bench.

 A consummate defender, as well as a box-to-box midfield-striker, with the ‘free man’, centromediano metodista, ball winner, and deep lying playmaker, attacking, as Juvé manager Felice Borel (1942-46) used center back, Carlo Parola, after winning possession. The wing back, for example, Dalot, taking the sweeper’s role, center, and back, while the ‘free man’ roams upfield, presupposes a reconfiguration of sistema; team rotation: the Italian method. A further assault on the opposition goal, through the newly revised center; or re-entrenchment after scoring.

 What’s presented is often a falsehood; three central defenders at the back: whereas they’re a half back line, which devotees of the United team of the 1960s that won the European Cup on May 29^th 1968 against Benfica, 4-1 (1-1), a.e.t., at Wembley on May 29^th, would appreciate. Bill Foulkes, at center half, was capped for England on October 2^nd 1954 against Northern Ireland, 2-0, at Windsor Park, Belfast, County Antrim, as a right back, whereas Nobby Stiles, in the England team that beat Germany in the World Cup Final, 4-2 (2-2), a.e.t., on July 30^th at Wembley in 1966, with Leeds United’s Jack Charlton, and captain Bobby Moore of West Ham as center backs, was a left half, as Scot, Paddy Crerand, was a right half in United’s ‘68 team, and is what’s expected in a sweeper system.

 If left half and right half move up into midfield, as wing halves/inside forwards, left and right wing full backs remain with the center half; left back, center back, and right back. If the center half moves up, as a threatening ‘loose cannon’, the left, or right wing full back, moves up with him, and the other remains; three at the back; left half, right half, and full back/sweeper, which Foulkes’ position as center half, in the ‘68 side, presupposes, as United’s right back, in the 1950s.

 The confusion amongst English coaches is the inability to recognize the fluidity of sistema, which is the Italians’ term for the English system, that is, the three at the back mutate from being left half, right half, and center half, to left back, right back, and center back, with variants; for example, five at the back, where the full backs are zonal defenders, and the half back line is similarly static.

 Backs and halves have to be well coached to be adequate to their roles’ demands; if there’s a rotation of halves and backs. Although ‘three-at-the-back’ is usually presented as three center backs, it’s composed of a rotation of left and right wing full backs, half backs/inside forwards, and a deep lying center forward, like Leeds United’s Welshman John Charles, who enjoyed this center back/center forward role at Juventus, as Il Gigante Buono, ‘The Gentle Giant’, transferring for £65,000 for 1957-58, winning the scudetto with 29 goals, and again in 1959-60, with 11 goals, and 1960-61, with 16.

 Amorim signaled his intentions with the purchase of ‘Dynamite’ Denmark’s left wing back/left back, Patrick Dorgu, on February 2^nd, 2025, from Italian Serie A club Unione Sportiva Lecce, ‘The Wolves’, for £25m, which signal was reinforced, post-season, by the arrival from South America of left wing back/left back, Diego León, and Paraguay’s Primero División club, Cerro Porteño, ‘The Cyclone’, for £3m, on July 5^th, 2025.

 Although ten Hag’s trio with Rashford, and Garnacho, didn’t succeed with Amorim, Højlund and Zirkzee were worse. Ruben’s solution was to spend big on improving his spear head, and Amad’s place in the team, despite his emergence as a left footed force to be reckoned with on the right, wasn’t guaranteed. Inside left, Brazilian Matheus Cunha, on June 12^th, 2025, for £62.5m from Wolverhampton Wanderers, ‘Wolves’, where he netted 15 times in 2024-25; inside right, Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo, on July 21^st, 2025, for £65m from West London club, Brentford, ‘The Bees’, Hounslow borough, ‘stinging’ 20 times in 2024-25, and Slovenia’s center forward, Benjamin Šeško, on August 9^th, 2025, for £74m from German Bundesliga club, RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V., ‘The Red Bulls’, finding the net 13 times in 2024-25, duly arrived.

 As an attacking wing back, Amad had reflected climate change. Ruben’s squad, with seven or more substitutes available for each outing, was beginning to look like those of American football in the United States, where ‘special teams’ played a large part in a coach’s thinking in getting to their season’s culminating Super Bowl. Amorim’s bringing on a defensive wing back for an attacking wing back, and moving the central defensive coordinator at the back, that is, the center half, up into midfield, was an option amongst several, with the fluidity afforded by insertions from the bench, and that future was now.

 When United beat Merseysider’s Everton, 4-0, at home, on December 1^st, 2024, with Rashford scoring twice, and the team at 9^th place in the table, it was Amorim’s inexplicable decision to bench him that had resulted in subsequent successive defeats away to North London’s Arsenal, 0-2, on December 4^th, 2025, and at home to Forest, 2-3, on December 7^th, 2025, that saw the club slip to 13^th, and eventually finish 15^th. Over £200m, with add-on clauses, based on performance, was an awful lot of money to spend for someone whose judgment seemed that shaky, but only time could tell.

 The majority of die-hard United fans felt that Alejandro’s scintillating zest as a winger should have starred against Spurs in the 2025 Europa Cup Final. Ruben preferred the midfield industry and guile of injury prone, Mason Mount, 5+9 appearances in 2023-24, and 8+9 in 2024-25, after being bought from Chelsea for 55m on July 5^th, 2023, but then lately recovered from his most recent sojourn to the treatment room; though winger Alejandro finished the season with the second best total of league goals, 6, behind top scorers Bruno and Amad, with 8 apiece. As 6 wasn’t enough from McIlroy to prevent United’s relegation in 1973-74, with a total of 38 goals (-10), it’s arguable that Garnacho’s 6, creditable for a winger, was the difference between staying up and being relegated in 2024-25, with a total of 44 goals (-10).

 Mount netted twice in the May 8^th semi-final second leg defeat of Bilbao, Lehoiak, ‘The Lions’, 4-1, at Old Trafford, but the team had already done the job in Bilbao, winning there on May 1^st, 3-0, with Garnacho starting, 23+13 league appearances that term; replaced only after 84 minutes by defensive midfielder Mainoo, as the players from the bench consolidated the win.

 In the 72^nd minute of the home leg, back to goal, turning a ball from French center back, Leny Yoro, inside the Bilbao penalty area, onto his left foot from his right, Mason holds it there. Spinning near the penalty spot, right-footed, finding the bottom right corner. Then again, the fourth of the night, on 90+1 minutes, aggregate 7-1. A long range shot, left-footed, from out on the left flank, catching Spanish ‘keeper, Julen Agirrezabala, off his line, pushing up, with Athletic Club seeking an impossible comeback. Ruben’s eye caught; and Alejandro’s out. Rejected, along with the other winners; McTominay and Rashford.

1 Mannion, Damian, ‘Arsenal’s Trophy Cabinet’, Talksport, Friday, October 26^th, 2012, https://talksport.com/magazine/virals/121026/picture-arsenals-trophy-cabinet-redesigned-include-new-fourth-place-trop-183898 .

2 Santayana, George The Life of Reason, Vol. 1, Reason in Common Sense, 1905, p. 284.

Crerand in Midfield

Scot, Patrick ‘Paddy' Crerand, was the central midfield general that broke the half back line at Manchester United, but who played alongside him in midfield often defies analysis. A center half, flanked by a right half, and a left half, was how teams shaped up until the end of the Matt Busby era at United. The earliest successful variant being that of Dick Duckworth, Charlie Roberts, and Scot, Alex Bell, in the Ernest Mangnall managed side that won the league title in 1908 and 1911, as well as the 1909 F.A. Cup Final, 1-0, against Bristol City; (GK) Harry Moger, (RB)  George Stacey, (LB) Vince Hayes, (RH) Dick Duckworth, (CH) Charlie Roberts (c), (LH) Alex Bell, (RW) Billy Meredith, (IR) Harold Halse, (CF) Jimmy Turnbull, (IL) Sandy Turnbull (1), (LW) George Wall.

 The line held throughout the First and Second World Wars, with John Anderson, Allenby Chilton, and Henry Cockburn, of the team that won the 1948 F.A. Cup Final, 4-2, against Blackpool; (GK) Jack Crompton, (RB) Johnny Carey (c), (LB) John Aston, (RH) John Anderson, (CH) Allenby Chilton, (LH) Henry Cockburn, (RW) Jimmy Delaney, (IR) Johnny Morris, (CF) Jack Rowley, (IL) Stan Pearson, (LW) Charlie Mitten. Scot, Busby, began to field the youngsters known as ‘The Busby Babes’, with Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, and Duncan Edwards, the half back line that won the championship in 1955-56 and 1956-57, after the class of ‘48 had finally become champions in 1951-52, although with Don Gibson at right half, after being runners up in 1946-47, 1947-48, 1948-49, and 1950-51.

 Though Edwards replaced Jackie Blanchflower at left half, Busby’s selecting him at center half, before the emergence of Mark Jones, and afterwards as an inside forward, demonstrated the versatility needed by a player in the period when there weren’t any substitutes, and flexibility had to be demonstrated by the eleven pitchside. Blanchflower’s pricelessness was as a left sided defender who could be deployed successfully as an attacking midfielder. In 27 starts in 1953-54 he scored 13 goals, 10 in 29 games in 1954-55, 3 in 18 in 1955-56, and with a further 11 starts in 1956-57, barely missing out on a title winners’ medal.

While United looked like winning the championship again in 1957-58, with Blanchflower on 18 starts for the season’s campaign, the club was devastated by an aircrash at Munich airport, Germany, as the squad returned from qualifying for a European Champions Cup semi-final against Real Madrid, drawing 3-3 with Red Star Belgrade. Reserve full back, Geoff Bent, England captain, and left back, Roger Byrne, right wing-half, midfielder Eddie Colman, left half, Duncan Edwards, who died 15 days later, center half, Mark Jones, left winger, David Pegg, center forward, Tommy Taylor, and Irish inside forward, Liam 'Billy' Whelan, all lost their lives, while right winger, Johnny Berry, and Northern Irish inside forward, Blanchflower, were too badly injured ever to play again.

 After the single outfield substitute was introduced in 1965-66, and additionally the substitute ‘keeper in 1987, the onus was upon the flexible utility of the player on the bench, whereas before the spotlight had been on those fielded, irrespective of injury, that is, the quality of the players selected had to allow for flexibility, epitomized by Blanchflower, and also Edwards, who could play at center half, as he did in the lost 1957 F.A. Cup Final, 1-2, to Aston Villa, when injury to ‘keeper Ray Wood resulted in Jackie’s taking over between the goalposts, as well as at center forward. (GK) Ray Wood, (RB) Bill Foulkes, (LB) Roger Byrne (c), (RH) Eddie Colman, (CH) Jackie Blanchflower, (LH) Duncan Edwards, (RW) Johnny Berry, (IR) Liam Whelan, (CF) Tommy Taylor, (IL) Bobby Charlton, (LW) David Pegg. Roger Byrne, left back, as a left winger in 1951-52, scored 7 times. 

What this meant for tactics and strategy was important, especially as what the Italians called sistema, that is, the English system, was changing from a half back line to twin central defenders, and a hard man in midfield. While the European teams adopted the libero, or 'free back', after the fashion of the Italian catenaccio, with the ‘sweeper’ playing behind the back four of twin center backs and two full backs, having freedom to move into midfield, or support the attack, soccer in England came to be based on a holding player in midfield, ahead of two central defenders, and the right and left full backs.

The role of sweeper was exemplified by Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer, captain in their 1974 World Cup Final defeat of Holland, 2-1, with center forward, Gerd Müller, Bomber der Nation, the decisive goal, on 43 minutes, at Olympiastadion, Munich. Central midfielder, Rainer Bonhof, released by right winger, Jürgen Grabowski, pass right footed, close by the touchline, inside his own half. Bonhof racing down the right, past sweeper, Arie Haan, right footed cross-pass, right of the 18 yard box, to Müller at the right corner of the penalty area. Gerd knocking the ball behind him, while the Dutch defenders surge ahead of him, stepping back for the ball, swiveling, and left back, Ruud Krol, turning back also, stretching his left leg to block, but Gerd’s right boot, striking the ball low, along the ground, into the left corner of the net, in an otherwise game of clumsy defending and two penalties.

 What remained of the United squad, bolstered by Stan Crowther for £18,000, right half for Villa in the ‘57 F.A. Cup Final, and inside right from Blackpool, Ernie Taylor, for £6,000, lost the F.A. Cup Final of 1958 to Bolton Wanderers, 0-2, with a half back line of Goodwin, Cope, and Crowther, after defeat to Real Madrid in the semi-final of the European Cup, 1-3 away in the first leg and 2-2 at Old Trafford, 3-5 on aggregate; (GK) Harry Gregg, (RB) Bill Foulkes (c), (LB) Ian Greaves, (RH) Freddie Goodwin, (CH) Ron Cope, (LH) Stan Crowther, (RW) Alex Dawson, (IR) Ernie Taylor, (CF) Bobby Charlton, (IL) Dennis Viollet, (LW) Colin Webster.

 The inaugural F.A. Youth Cup was won in 1952-53 by United against Wolves, 7-1 at home and 2-2 in the second leg away, 9-3 on aggregate, with Cope at center half as captain, alongside right half Coleman and left half Edwards. The Youth Academy won again against West Ham in 1956-57, 3-2 at Upton Park, 5-0 at home, 8-2 on aggregate, giving the club the first five F.A. Youth Cups, and enough young talent to carry the club to the ’58 F.A. Cup Final and runners up in the 1958-59 championship; (GK) David Gaskell, (RB) Barry Smith, (LB) Ray Maddison, (RH) Bob English, (CH) Reg Holland, (LH) Harold Bratt, (RW) Kenny Morgans (1), (IR) Nobby Lawton (1), (CF) Alex Dawson (3), (IL) Mark Pearson (2), (LW) Reg Hunter (1).

 Wales’ Morgans, captain of the 1957 F.A. Youth Cup Final winning side, made 13 starts in 1957-58, and Pearson 8,  while Scot, Dawson, 5 goals in 12 starts was at outside right in the '58 F.A. Cup Final, and scored 4 times in 11 starts in '58-59, while Pearson would net 3 times in 10 starts in 59-60, to Dawson’s 15 in 22, who’d tally 16 in 28 to Pearson’s 7 in 27 in 1960-61. Lawton would notch 6 in 20 starts to Pearson’s 1 in 17 and Dawson’s 2 in 4 in 1961-62, and would make another 12 starts in 1962-63 as ‘the Busby Babes' continued to carry the torch for their fallen predecessors.

The club  wouldn’t win the F.A. Youth Cup again until 1964, with the first leg away, 1-1, at Swindon Town’s County Ground, followed by the home leg at ‘the Theater of Dreams’, 4-1, 5-2 on aggregate; (GK) Jimmy Rimmer, (RB) Alan Duff, (LB) Bobby Noble (c), (RH) Peter McBride, (CH) David Farrar, (LH) John Fitzpatrick, (RW) Willie Anderson, (IR) George Best (1), (CF) David Sadler (3), (IL) Albert Kinsey, (LW) John Aston (1).

 Wilf would go on to be part of Busby’s coaching staff in charge of the reserve team, after a career ending leg break, causing Maurice Setters’ transfer from West Brom in January 1960 for £30,000, who’d score 12 goals in 159 league appearances, before transferred to Stoke City for £30,000, with his final game against Villa at home, 7-0, on October 24th, 1964. By then the team were on their way to winning the league title of 1964-65, with Nobby Stiles at left half. Although the permanence of the half back line seemed unchallengeable, especially after a glance at the program sheet, where names and positions invariably indicated the full backs as wing backs, and left and right halves as wing halves, the winning of the 1966 World Cup at London’s national Wembley Stadium, by Alf Ramsey’s ‘wingless wonders’, 2-2, and 4-2 a.e.t., against Germany, with a 4-4-2 formation, clarified the issue; (GK) Gordon Banks, (RB) George Cohen, (LB) Ray Wilson, (DM) Nobby Stiles, (CB) Jack Charlton, (CB) Bobby Moore (c), (RM) Alan Ball, (CF) Roger Hunt, (AM) Bobby Charlton, (SS) Geoff Hurst (3), (LM) Martin Peters (1).

Before his demise at Munich, Duncan Edwards was widely held to be the greatest of his generation. At left half he was amongst the top 33% of 10% left sided people in the population as a whole. Of the 3000 eligible to be selected at left half, left back, or left wing, in every million, Duncan was viewed as the best in his position, that is, one of a thousand in a million, or one in a million. As left sided players are at a premium, it makes no sense to confine them to defensive duties, while psychological studies show the left sided use the right side of their brain, that is, the creative side, which underscores the value of the left half as a creative midfielder, rather than a stopper center back. The advent of the utility midfield player, as substitute from 1965-66, gave further impetus to the freeing of the left half into midfield, as coaches experimented, with an inside forward dropping back to make a midfield pair.

In United’s case Bobby Charlton, former left wing, categorized as a deep-lying center forward, behind twin strikers, renowned for his long-range shooting. Brother Jack at Leeds United, and captain, Bobby Moore of West Ham, were the center backs in England’s World Cup win, with Bobby Charlton in the same role he had with United, while myopic Nobby Stiles was the rugged tackling ball distributor in midfield, whose loss of a contact lens was often cited as the reason for some rather horrendous lunges at moving objects on the pitch identifiable by shirt color alone. Nobby would continue at left half for the 1966-67 league title success, and the 1968 European Cup Final defeat of Benfica, 1-1, and 4-1 a.e.t., at Wembley; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Shay Brennan, (LB) Tony Dunne, (RH) Pat Crerand, (CH) Bill Foulkes, (LH) Nobby Stiles, (RW) George Best (1), (CB) David Sadler, (AM) Bobby Charlton (2), (CF) Brian Kidd (1), (LW) John Aston.

The most telling observation is of David Sadler, who like Jackie Blanchflower could play center back, or center forward, as well as anywhere across the midfield, indicated on the program sheet as being a center back, tacitly accepting that Crerand and Stiles, as right half and left half, were central midfielders, rather than defenders alongside center back, Bill Foulkes, former right back, pressed into service there after the Munich aircrash. However, as Sadler could play in midfield, or at center forward, labels were misleading. United could play a half back line of Crerand, Foulkes and Stiles, or a center back pairing of Foulkes and Sadler, with Stiles in midfield, or Sadler and Stiles, or Sadler as a second striker (SS), or as a midfielder, even during a game, underlining the cleverness of manager, Sir Matt Busby, knighted by queen Elizabeth II after the European Cup win, as Sir Alf Ramsey was knighted, subsequent to his managing England to the World Cup, utilizing the players on the field fluidly, and without recourse to substitutions.

 If Sadler played in midfield, it’d be alongside Crerand, with center back duties devolving upon Stiles, presupposing the flexibility of the half back line, and similarly if David played as a second striker, Crerand and Charlton would be the midfield, or Crerand, Charlton and Stiles, if Foulkes wasn’t under any pressure. Busby’s formula made for a fluid pattern of play, owing a lot to his experience with Blanchflower and Edwards in the left half role, as either could play in central defence, run the midfield, and attack as a second striker. Busby retired after the 1968-69 term, which was disappointing in that the side failed to beat South America’s champions, Estudiantes de La Plata of Argentina, in the 1968 Intercontinental Cup Final, held between the winners of the Copa Libertadores and the European Cup, defeated in the first away leg, 0-1, and drawing the home leg, 1-1, despite a Crerand right footed free kick, on 90 minutes, right midfield, just inside the Estudiantes' half, finding right winger, Willie Morgan, edge of the left corner of the penalty area, right footed shot to ‘keeper, Alberto José Poletti’s left, bottom right corner of the net, losing, 1-2 on aggregate; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Shay Brennan, (LB) Tony Dunne, (RH) Pat Crerand, (CH) Bill Foulkes, (LH) David Sadler, (RW) Willie Morgan (1), (SS) Brian Kidd, (AM) Bobby Charlton (c), (CF) Denis Law (C. Sartori, 44 mins), (LW) George Best. Also failing to progress beyond the semi-final stage of that season’s European Cup, the team lost to Italian Serie A club A.C. Milan at the San Siro stadium, 0-2, before winning at home, 1-0; (GK) Jimmy Rimmer, (RB) Shay Brennan, (LB) Francis Burns, (RH) Pat Crerand, (CH) Bill Foulkes, (LH) Nobby Stiles, (RW) Willie Morgan, (SS) Denis Law, (AM) Bobby Charlton (1), (CF) Brian Kidd, (LW) George Best..

 Best, wriggling past two Milan defenders on the right of the ‘D’, edging the ball past them with the outside of his right boot, inside the 18 yard box, prodding it wider right and forward to Charlton, running in, elevating his shot, narrow angle, right of the penalty area, close to the goal line, back of the net, 70 minutes, followed by a Law goal, disallowed, a yard out, right of the goalmouth, turning in a similar low cross shot, from the right side of the 18 yard box, ball yards over the line, ‘keeper Fabio Cudicini beaten, back in play, back heeled, by Cudicini, French referee Machin turning, a blind eye, 1-2 on aggregate.

 Busby was replaced by Wilf McGuinness for 1969-70, and Scot, Ian Ure, arrived from Arsenal to replace Bill Foulkes as a partner for Sadler in central defence for £80,000, effectively signaling the end of the half back line, as more than a nominative concept, relating to right sided defensive midfielders, and left sided creative midfielders, in favor of twinned center halves. Foulkes appeared on only three occasions for Wilf, and his last before retirement, age 37, was in a defeat, 1-4, to Southampton at Old Trafford on August 16th, 1969. McGuinness, in fact, revolutionized the sistema at United, where wingers were henceforth understood to be midfield players, as distinct from defenders, that is, center backs and full backs, and forwards. 

 Success on the field didn’t transpire, with the team failing to progress beyond the semi-final stage in the League Cup, losing to Manchester City, 1-2 at Maine Road; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Paul Edwards, (LB) Tony Dunne, (RH) Francis Burns, (CH) Ian Ure, (LH) David Sadler, (RW) George Best, (CF) Brian Kidd, (AM) Bobby Charlton (1), (DM) Nobby Stiles, (LW) John Aston. Although Charlton leveled the score, after Kidd, wide and deep on the right, inside the City half, lofted a ball with his left boot that right back, Tony Book, center of the 18 yard box, tried to trap, but inadvertently played into the path of Bobby instead, running in right of the penalty area, left foot strike, 1-1, on 66 minutes, the team drew 2-2 at home; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Paul Edwards (1), (LB) Tony Dunne, (RH) Nobby Stiles, (CH) Ian Ure, (LH) David Sadler, (RW) Willie Morgan, (CM) Pat Crerand, (AM) Bobby Charlton (1), (CF) Denis Law (1), (LW) George Best.

Ure, inside his own half, center circle, left footed pass forward to Crerand, left of center midfield, outside of his right boot, between Alan Oakes, nearer, in a central position, relative to the ‘D’ of the City 18 yard box, and center back, Mike Doyle, further off, in positional terms, relative to the right edge of the 'D', finds Paul Edwards, nudges the ball past left back, Glyn Pardoe, runs on into the 18 yard box, right of the 'D', level with the right edge of the penalty area, ball struck, right footed, top right corner of the net, on 23 minutes, 1-1. Ure, again inside his own half, left of the center circle, left foot pass to Best, inside the center circle. Best surges forward into the City half, shrugs off pursuing striker, Ian Bowyer, wins the ball off his right boot in a tackle with midfielder, Alan Oakes, shoots right footed from outside the 18 yard box, left of its right corner, ‘keeper Joe Corrigan parries, can’t hold. Law, inside the penalty area, pounces on 60 minutes, left footed strike, 2-1, but 3-4 on aggregate. Similarly, in the F.A. cup semi-final, the team lost a third replay, 0-1, with ‘The King’, as goal scoring legend, Law, was known to the die hard terraced fans at the Stretford End, benched for the single goal affair; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Paul Edwards, (LB) Tony Dunne, (RH) Pat Crerand, (CH) David Sadler, (LH) Nobby Stiles, (RW) Willie Morgan, (CF) Brian Kidd, (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CM) Carlo Sartori (D. Law, 61 mins), (LW) George Best.

 There was a chance of silverware for the Old Trafford trophy cabinet straightaway in 1970-71, with the club reaching the Final of the Watney Mann Invitation Cup, contested four times from 1970-73, pre-season, before discontinued, sponsored by the brewery, and known as the Watney Cup, held for teams scoring most goals in each of the four divisions of the Football League the previous season, who had not been promoted, or admitted to a European competition.

 Two teams from each division took part, that is, eight participants, in a knockout format, each match a one-off, with no replays. The final took place at the home ground of one of the finalists, rather than a neutral venue. In the August 5th, 1970, semi-final, United defeated Second Division, Hull City, on penalties, 4-3, a.e.t., 1-1, the first ever penalty shoot out in English soccer, with Denis Law equalizing on 78 minutes an 11th minute headed opener from Chris Chilton, later substituted by Stuart Pearson, who’d be United’s center forward during their Second Division championship winning season of 1974-75, bought for £200,000 by then Scots’ manager, Tommy Docherty, after the club were relegated in 1973-74, and scoring 17 goals, as the team returned to the First Division; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Paul Edwards, (LB) Tony Dunne, (CM) Pat Crerand, (CB) Ian Ure, (CB) David Sadler, (RW) Willie Morgan, (SS) Denis Law (1), (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CF) Brian Kidd, (LW) George Best. City goalkeeper, Ian McKechnie, turned from hero to villain in front of Bunkers Hill at Boothferry Road, saving from fellow Scot, Law,  but hitting Stepney’s bar as ‘The Tigers’ outfield players bottled it and Ian was forced to step up. Best, Kidd, and Charlton completed their spot kicks successfully, 3-3, before Denis’ failure, but Hull striker, Ken Wagstaffe, also failed, leaving Morgan to ensure that McKechnie had no one to talk to in the dressing room afterwards.

 The Final took place on August 8th, 1970, at The Baseball Ground; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Paul Edwards, (LB) Tony Dunne, (CM) Pat Crerand, (CB) Ian Ure, (CB) David Sadler, (RW) Willie Morgan (N. Stiles, 57 mins), (SS) Denis Law (J. Fitzpatrick, 25 mins), (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CF) Brian Kidd, (LW) George Best (1). Fitzpatrick, winning a tackle, left footed, with Wales’ midfielder Alan Durban, edge of the ‘D’, center, ball breaks to Best, on 32 minutes, a yard or so in front of the penalty spot, left footed strike, despite left back John Robson’s attempt at a block, low into the bottom left corner of the net, 1-2, but not enough. Derby manager, Brian Clough, secured his first trophy, 4-1.

 The club 18th in the league, failed to beat Aston Villa in the 1970-71 League Cup semi-final at home, despite a 44th minute equalizer from Kidd, beginning the move on the right, a pass through the legs of Stonehouse referee, David Smith, to Stiles, Kidd runs on into the 18 yard box. Stiles to Sartori, right touchline, a high ball from Carlo, left footed, header at the edge of the 18 yard box, Scots' right back, Charlie Aitken, towards Brian, rather than cleared upfield, leapt at by the striker, right corner of the penalty area, struck off the ground, left footed scissors-kick, screamer, 1-1, far left corner of the net; (GK) Jimmy Rimmer, (RB) John Fitzpatrick, (LB) Tony Dunne, (RH) Pat Crerand, (CH) Ian Ure, (LH) David Sadler, (RW) Willie Morgan, (CF) Brian Kidd (1), (AM) Bobby Charlton, (SS) Denis Law, (LW) George Best.
It was 1-2 at Villa Park, despite taking a 14th minute lead through Kidd; (GK) Jimmy Rimmer, (RB) John Fitzpatrick, (LB) Tony Dunne, (RH) Pat Crerand, (CH) Ian Ure, (LH) David Sadler, (RW) Willie Morgan, (CF) Brian Kidd (1), (AM) Bobby Charlton, (SS) Denis Law, (LW) George Best.

 A long, hoofed ball, from the right full back position, by the United 18 yard box, bouncing ahead of Brian, deep inside the Villa half, between central defenders, Fred Turnbull and Brian Tiler. Kidd gets ahead of the ball, shielding it, back to the Villa goal. Tiler kicks at the ball, hits Kidd in the chest, appeals for a handball. Kidd shapes to go out wider on the right, ball on his right boot, instead turns inside Turnbull, ball on his left boot, right corner of the 18 yard box, easing the ball past Fred, with the outside of his left boot, allowing the ball to run on, then passing the ball back, with his right boot, again onto his left, pushing the ball ahead of him, past the lunging form of Tiler, racing on, nudges the ball, left of diving ‘keeper, John Dunn, by the penalty spot, left footed strike low, along the turf, left side of the net, 1-0. Losing 2-3 on aggregate meant a brief return to the manager’s reins for Busby from December 29th, 1970, before the appointment of Leicester City’s Frank O’ Farrell for 1971-72.

  McGuinness had begun the 1970-71 season’s campaign with a defeat, 0-1, to Leeds United, fielding a side containing seven defenders, including the ‘keeper, which was indication enough that there’d be problems ahead; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Paul Edwards, (LB) Tony Dunne (CM) Pat Crerand, (CB) Ian Ure, (CB) David Sadler, (DM) John Fitzpatrick, (DM) Nobby Stiles (A. Gowling, 46 mins), (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CF) Brian Kidd, (SS) George Best. Only Northern Ireland's Best, Charlton, and Kidd weren’t recognizably concerned with defence, and in the following 0-0 home draw with Chelsea, center forward Kidd was replaced by Scots’ right wing, Morgan, brought for £110,000 from Burnley for 1968-69, after John Aston, son of John Aston, left back in the ‘48 F.A. Cup Final winning team, was carried off before half time by coach, Wilf McGuinness, and trainer, Jack Crompton, in the course of a 0-0 draw at Manchester City’s Maine Road, on August 17th, 1968, suffering from a leg break; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Frank Kopel, (LB) Tony Dunne (RH) John Fitzpatrick, (CH) David Sadler, (LH) Nobby Stiles, (RW) George Best, (SS) Alan Gowling, (AM) Bobby Charlton (c), (CF) Brian Kidd (LW) John Aston (F. Burns, 45 mins.). 

 Crerand was initially replaced by Scot, Fitzpatrick, as invariably the first seven players on Wilf’s team sheet were defensive, while his disciplining of legendary contributors, Charlton, for example, made to do 10 press ups, and his inclusion of try outs, for example, Scots' right back Willie Watson, in preference to seasoned campaigners, didn’t serve his cause. Although Scot, Francis Burns, who’d featured in six of the European games, as the club progressed to the '68 Final, was restored to favor, defeat at St James’ Park, Newcastle, 0-1, on October 31st, 1970, suggested Wilf’s teams were too defensive to create anything for the forward line;  (GK) Jimmy Rimmer, (RB) Paul Edwards, (LB) Tony Dunne, (DM) John Fitzpatrick, (CB) Steve James, (CB) David Sadler, (RW) George Best, (DM) Francis Burns, (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CF) Brian Kidd, (LW) John Aston.

What seemed to have obsessively attracted McGuinness was the idea that the right back, for example, Paul, together with a defensive half back line, for example, Sadler, Foulkes, and Stiles, where Stiles, or whoever was selected at left half, in fact had the left back role, leaving Dunne, for example, or Fitzpatrick, nominally at left back, as sweeper. Whereas Busby had thought of it as an option, within the fluid interchangeability he’d conceived, for example, Sadler moving from center back to center forward, with Paul moving to center back, while Fitzpatrick, and/or Burns, in the side selected to play Newcastle, that is, moving to full back/sweeper, Wilf’s selecting of upwards of seven defensive outfield players suggested the libero as basic to his thinking as a coach.

For a while Watson replaced Paul Edwards at right back, while Italian inside forward, Carlo Sartori, and Gowling were given their chance. Crerand was restored to the team for the game on December 19th, 1970, at home to Arsenal; (GK) Jimmy Rimmer, (RB) Willie Watson, (LB) Tony Dunne, (CM) Pat Crerand, (CB) Steve James, (CB) John Fitzpatrick, (RW) Willie Morgan, (CM) Carlo Sartori, (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CF) Brian Kidd, (SS) George Best.

A crossfield move begun by Charlton, right, deep in his own half, long ball, right footed to Sartori, left wing, moving out of the United half up the left touchline, level with the left corner of the 18 yard box, cross right footed, Kidd back-heading the ball on, left edge of the penalty area, left winger George Armstrong trying to hoof the ball clear, rebounds to Best off the legs of center back, Peter Simpson. Best stabs the ball towards the goalmouth, stifled by the defenders, trying to control the ball again, kicked away by right back, Pat Rice, not far enough. Sartori, running in right of the penalty area, before left back, Bob McNab to Carlo's left can react; left foot, on 41 minutes, high into the right side of the net, 1-3.

 It was mene tekel upharsin for McGuinness, with the club 18th, following a draw, 4-4 against Derby County at their Baseball ground, on  December 26th, 1970; (GK) Jimmy Rimmer, (RB) John Fitzpatrick, (LB) Tony Dunne, (CM) Pat Crerand, (CB) Ian Ure, (CB) David Sadler, (RW) Willie Morgan, (SS) Denis Law (2), (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CF) Brian Kidd (1),  (LW) George Best (1).

.  At 0-2 Law headed a goal, on 55 minutes, into the top left corner of the net from a Morgan cross, to the right of the 18 yard box, and outside of it, that found Law, center of the 18 yard box, by the penalty spot, 1-2. Charlton, corner on the right, taken right footed, back-header by central defender, David Sadler, right corner of the penalty area, parried by ‘keeper, Les Green, falls to Best, a yard from the goal line, on 57 minutes, swept in right footed, 2-2. Charlton, corner on the left, taken right footed, diving header from Law, right of center of the penalty area, bottom of the net, 3-2 up on 59 minutes, and 4-3 down, Charlton corner on the right, taken right footed, Kidd header just outside the penalty area, left of center, top left corner of the net, 4-4, on 75 minutes, guaranteeing Busby’s return.

 Until the end of season 1970-71 the ghost of the half back line returned to haunt, beginning with a win at Chelsea, 2-1, on January 9th, 1971; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) John Fitzpatrick, (LB) Tony Dunne, (RH) Pat Crerand, (CH) Paul Edwards, (LH) Nobby Stiles, (RW) Willie Morgan (1), (SS) Alan Gowling (1), (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CF) Denis Law, (LW) John Aston. Although Paul Edwards had impressed as a full back, scoring from long range against City in the 1969-70 season's League Cup semi-final, in 1970-71 he was often deployed as a center back, while Gowling, in the team for Best against the Stamford Bridge club, and who’d later be second striker alongside Malcolm Macdonald at Newcastle, in the side for Aston against Southampton, netted four for Busby alongside Best, at The Dell, in a home defeat of ‘The Saints’, on February 20th, 1971, 5-1; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) John Fitzpatrick, (LB) Francis Burns, (CM) Pat Crerand, (CB) Paul Edwards, (CB) David Sadler, (RW) Willie Morgan (1), (SS) George Best, (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CF) Alan Gowling (4), (LW) John Aston. Stiles played what proved to be his last game away at Coventry, 1-2, on April 13th, 1971, with Sadler preferred thereafter, as Nobby was transferred to Middlesboro for £20,000; (GK) Alex Stepney, (RB) Tony Dunne, (LB) Francis Burns, (CM) Pat Crerand, (CB) Paul Edwards, (CB) Nobby Stiles, (RW) Willie Morgan, (SS) Alan Gowling, (AM) Bobby Charlton, (CF) Brian Kidd, (LW) George Best (1). Half backs to begin with, and center backs to the end, Foulkes and Stiles were gone, while Sir Matt had engineered a recovery to 8th primarily by limiting the number of defensive players to the back four.

Shaw Got Ten Years

A product of Southampton's youth policy, age 16, left back Luke Shaw made his first team debut on January 28th, 2012, against Millwall, 1-1, in the F.A. Cup 3rd Round, substituting for left winger, Jason Puncheon, in the 77th minute, before signing as a professional, after 'The Saints' beat Coventry City, 4-0, on April 28th, to finish second on 88 points below Reading's 89, but above West Ham United's 86, and gain promotion from English soccer’s 2nd tier Championship to 1st tier Premier League for the 2012-13 campaign. Manchester United's Dutch manager, Louis van Gaal, had him transferred for the 2014-15 season for £30m.

 In an injury ravaged start to his career, Luke also had the talents of Argentine defender, Marcos Rojo, bought by van Gaal from Portugal’s Sporting CP, Lisbon, for £16m, former Aston Villa left wing, England’s Ashley Young, bought for £17m for 2011-12, and converted by then manager, Alex Ferguson, to left back, and left footed Dutch center back, Daley Blind, after a hamstring injury to Shaw kept him out of the team for the first month of the season, also bought by Gaal for 2014-15 from Eredivisie Ajax for £13.8m, to compete for a place in the team.

 Rojo, a center half, also played at left back, as he did in the 2016 F.A. Cup Final for Gaal, though Rojo himself was replaced on 66 minutes by Italian full back, Matteo Darmian, transferred from Italy's AC Milan for 2015-16, after being on loan at Torino, Turin, Italy, for £12.7m, specifically as cover for Shaw, while Young came on as substitute for England center forward, Marcus Rashford, on 72 minutes, with French left wing Anthony Martial, switching to center forward, as Young took the left wing position. United drew, 1-1, but won, 2-1, a.e.t., through a volley on the right edge of the 18 yard box, right footed, top left corner of the net, from England's Jessie Lingard, on for Spain's left footed inverted right wing, Juan Mata, on 110 minutes.

 Before the appointment of Portuguese manager, José Mourinho, as Gaal's successor for 2016-17, as the club wanted the league title as well as the F.A. Cup, Young, along with right wing, Ecuador's Antonio Valencia, similarly at right back in the 2016 F.A. Cup Final, Ashley having been converted to left full back by Ferguson, to win the last of his 13 league titles in 2012-13, before he retired to be replaced for 2013-14 by Everton's David Moyes.

 Gaal had replaced Moyes, after David lost to Sunderland, 1-2 away, and 2-1 at home, with the aggregate score, 3-3, a.e.t., in the second leg, 1-2, on penalties at Old Trafford, of the 2013-14 League Cup semi-final. A catalyst for dismissal. However, the non-availability of Shaw for the 2016 F.A. Cup Final was indicative of the problems that injury and competition for the left back role represented for him. In the 2014-15 season, ruled out by a hamstring complaint for the first part, Luke made 15 starts and 1 appearance from the substitutes' bench, as the specialist left back, while Rojo and Young had more opportunities to compete for that spot in 2015-16, after Shaw suffered a double leg fracture, subsequent to a 15th minute sliding tackle by Dutch club PSV Eindhoven's Mexican center back, Héctor Moreno, in a defeat, 1-2, on September 15th, 2015, at Philips Stadion, during a Group B Champions League qualifier for the knock-out Round of 16 stage. However, finishing 3rd the club were relegated to competing in European soccer's 2nd tier competition, where in the Europa League’s Round of 16 they lost to Liverpool, 1-3, on aggregate, 0-2, at Anfield, and 1-1 at home. 

 Shaw made only 5 starts in 2015-16, and 9 starts and 2 appearances in 2016-17, followed by 8 and 3 in 2017-18, which indicated not only the extent of his injury concerns with regard to recovery and fitness, but also the ability of the competition, for example, Darmian, who made 15 starts and 3 appearances for Mourinho in 2016-17, with Rojo at left back for the League Cup Final defeat of Southampton, 3-2, was at left back in the Europa Cup Final defeat of Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam, 2-0, at Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden, while Young was at left back for the defeat to Chelsea, 0-1, in the 2018 F.A. Cup Final.

 Luke's England career was similarly disrupted, with only 8 appearances, subsequent to his 4 in 2014, after his debut as half-time substitute for Chelsea's Ashley Cole, while still at Southampton, in a friendly at London's Wembley Stadium against Denmark, 1-0, on March 5th, and second choice to Everton's Leighton Baines in the 2014 World Cup Finals, selected only for the Group D, Game 3, World Cup qualifier, at Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on June 24th, against Central America's Costa Rica, 0-0, eventual group winners, with former World Cup winners England, 1966, and Italy, 1934, '38, '82 and 2006 eliminated, while another Uruguay, 1930 and '50, progressed.

 In the 2016 European Championship, with the Finals due to be held in France, without injured Shaw, who'd been fit for the Group E European Championship qualifiers against a European microstate within Italy's borders, San Marino, beaten 6-0, at Stadio Olimpico, Sarravalle, on September 5th, 2015, and against Switzerland, defeated 2-0, at Wembley, on September 8th, 2015, before England lost to Iceland, 1-2, at Grande Stade de Nice, Italy, in the Round of 16, with Tottenham Hotspur's Danny Rose at left back, while at the 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia, Ashley Young was at left full back for the semi final, 1-2, against Croatia, at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.

 Shaw was available for the inaugural 2018-19 UEFA Nations League, Portugal, Group A 4 defeat to Spain, 1-2, at Wembley on September 8th, 2018, while England, losing to the Netherlands in the semi final, 1-1, and 1-3, a.e.t., at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal, June 6th, 2019, with Leicester City's Ben Chilwell at left back, on June 9th, again in the city of Guimarães, beat Switzerland, 0-0, a.e.t., 6-5 on penalties, in the game to decide 3rd and 4th place overall, but this time with Rose at left back. 

 For 2020's European Championship Finals, held multi-nationally in 11 countries, Shaw was selected for Group D, Game 3, to face the Czech Republic, won 1-0, on June 22nd at Wembley, and against Germany, won 2-0, on June 29th, in the Round of 16, at Wembley, before the defeat of Ukraine, in the quarter final, on July 3rd, 2021, 4-0, at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy, and then Denmark were beaten, 2-1, in the semi final, on July 7th, at Wembley, but the side lost at London’s national Stadium on July 11th, 2-3, to Italy on penalties, a.e.t., 1-1, with Shaw getting England's goal from open play on 2 minutes, striking low, left of 'keeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, from a cross by Atlético Madrid's right back, Kieran Trippier, at the right corner of the 18 yard box to Luke at the far post.

 Losing the final of the European Championships was a close affair, and Manchester United wouldn't win another trophy until 2022-23, when manager from the Netherlands' Ajax, Amsterdam, Erik ten Hag,  steered the side to victory in the 2023 League Cup Final, 2-0, against Newcastle United, having replaced Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, former ‘red devils’ striker, and Mourinho's successor, after the 2018 F.A. Cup Final defeat to a penalty on 22 minutes by Eden Hazard, when the Belgian striker was recklessly challenged in the penalty area by England center back, Phil Jones, 0-1.

 Shaw had made the left full back position his though, with 29 starts in 2018-19, and Daley Blind returned to Ajax for €16m, although Solskjaer assessed Brandon Williams, 19 years, 11 starts and 6 appearances in 2019-20, while Luke was making 20 starts and 4 appearances. For 2020-21 Ole had Brazil left back, Alex Telles, 8 starts and 1 appearance, transferred from Portugal's FC Porto for £15.4m to sustain the pressure on Shaw, 30 starts and 2 appearances, to perform. The competition was productive, as Ole's team made four semi-finals in two seasons; the League Cup, F.A. Cup and Europa Cup in 2019-2020, and the League Cup semi final in 2020-21.

 The club also reached the 2021 Europa Cup Final at Gdańsk Stadion, Poland, beating Roma in the first leg of the quarter final at home, 6-2, but losing, 2-3 in Rome, winning 8-5 on aggregate, only to lose to Spain’s Villarreal in the Final, 10-11 on penalties, a.e.t., 1-1, with South America's Uruguayan center forward, Edinson Cavani, arriving on a free transfer, age 34 from French club, Paris Saint-Germain, striking twice in the semi final first leg against Roma, with United behind, 1-2, right footed volleying a pass infield from Portugal’s playmaker, Bruno Fernandes, to his right on 49 minutes into the top right corner, 2-2, and a tap in on 64 minutes after Spanish ‘keeper, Pau López, was unable to hold onto Croydon born right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross shot from wide on the right, 2-3.

 Edinson, in the second away leg, put through by Fred, right footed, bursting through from inside his own half into Roma’s, receiving the pass infield, ran on to rifle a shot, on 39 minutes, into the net, a yard or so from the edge of the 18 yard box, 1-0,  then later, Fernandes, left outside the 18 yard box, chipping the ball towards Cavani, running in at goal from the right corner of the 18 yard box, center, a yard or so outside the penalty area, on 68 minutes, a header down, and inside the right post, 2-2.

 On 55 minutes Cavani equalized in the Final against Villarreal, with a close-in strike from 5 yards, 1-1. Left back, Alfonso Pedraza, midway inside the 18 yard box, could only block, with the outside of his right boot, Rashford’s low effort, center field, from 20 yards, as far as Scots’ midfielder, Scott McTominay, who set himself to run at the ball to strike at goal. Although center back, Pau Torres, dove in with a sliding tackle to clear, Cavani, coming in from the left ahead of him, swept the ball with the inside of his right boot, past Argentine ‘keeper, Gerónimo Rulli, into the net. 

 The team lost comprehensively to Manchester City in the 2019-20 two leg League Cup semi final, 1-3, at home, with Williams at left back, but with Shaw, 1-0 away, 2-3 on aggregate, while in the F.A. Cup semi final the side again lost comprehensively to Chelsea, with Williams at left back, 1-3, and in the Europa cup semi final a loss, 0-2, to Spain’s Sevilla, at the RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany, with Williams again at left back. Luke was at left back against Manchester City in the 2020-21 League Cup semi final defeat, 0-2, and in the 10-11 Europa Cup Final loss to Villarreal, which led to Solskjaer's replacing in 2021-22, with former RB Leipzig manager, German Ralf Rangnick, an interim appointment on December 3rd, 2021, until season's end.

 For Ole 2021-22 began optimistically, with Portugal’s legendary right wing, Cristiano Ronaldo, agreeing to leave Italy's Juventus for £12.85m. He'd won back-to-back Serie A titles there in 2018-19 and 2019-20, after leaving Real Madrid for £88m, where he'd won the European Champions League in 2014, against Spain’s Atlético Madrid, 1-1, and 4-1, a.e.t., on May 24th at the Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal; 2016, against Atlético Madrid, 1-1, a.e.t., 5-3 on penalties, on May 28th at the San Siro, Milan; 2017, against Italy's Juventus, 4-1, on June 3rd at the Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany, and 2018, against Liverpool, 3-1, on May 26th at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine, as well as the World Club Cup in 2014, against Argentina's San Lorenzo, 2-0, on December 20th at the Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco; 2016, against Japan's Kashima Antlers, 2-2, a.e.t., 4-2, on December 18th at the International Stadium, Yokohama, and 2017, against Brazil's Grémio, 1-0, on December 16th at the Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, after leaving Old Trafford for £80m, where he'd won the 2008 Champions League Final at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, against Chelsea, 1-1, and ahead on 26 minutes from his own headed goal, through a cross on the right from the full back there, Wes Brown, 6-5, a.e.t., on penalties, with legendary Welsh left wing, Ryan Giggs, converting # 6. 

 Despite the legend’s desire to unfold further, scoring 6 of his 18 goals that term for Solskjaer, the club, 7th in the league on November 20th, was taken out of Ole’s control and given over to first team coach Michael Carrick who, caretaker manager until Ralf, saw his charges draw, 1-1 on November 21st against Chelsea at home.

 Right footed inverted left wing, Jadon Sancho, brought from German Bundesliga club, Borussia Dortmund, for 2021-22 for £73m, and returning on loan there from January 11th, 2024, for a fee of £4m, ‘underperforming’, according to ten Hag, dispossessed Brazilian born Italian international defensive midfielder, Jorginho, who tried to control on his chest, just outside the center circle, inside the Chelsea half, a volleyed left footed lob from Fernandes, left of United’s 18 yard box. Sancho ran the ball into The Blues’ penalty area, rounding Senegalese ‘keeper, Édouard Mendy, and drove the ball right footed into the net on 50 minutes, 1-0. 

 On November 28th Carrick effectively relinquished his caretaker role, after a win away to Spain’s Villarreal in Group F of the Champions League, after securing for the club a place in the Round of 16, with Ronaldo, on 78 minutes, lobbing the ball over ‘keeper Rulli, after his too-short kick out to French defensive midfielder, Étienne Capoue, challenged by United’s Brazilian left midfielder, Fred, bounced favorably for Cristiano to side footed, lob, with the inside of his right boot, 1-0.

 Fernandes, right of center, completing a sweeping cross field move from the left touchline, flicked a pass infield from Rashford, on as a 66th minute substitute for Martial, and in his preferred role of right footed inverted left winger, out to Sancho, at the right of the 18 yard box, almost level with the corner of the 6 yard box, and the England striker, right footed, struck high, on 90 minutes, into the top right corner of the net, 2-0.

 With United on 10 points in Group F, at worst the club would complete their fixture list to finish second to Villarreal on goal difference. Completing their fixtures, home and away, against United, Italy’s Atalanta, and Switzerland’s Young Boys of Berne, Villarreal finished on 10 points, with a goal difference of +3. With a game against Young Boys at Old Trafford remaining, under Rangnick’s guidance, the team drew, 1-1, after a cross from Shaw out on the left wing near the goal line, was struck, left footed, falling backwards, low inside the left post, 1-0, by then 20 years England center forward, Mason Greenwood, later sent off on loan to get offers at Spain’s La Liga club, Getafe, after January, 2022, social media video recordings alleging rape, but 18 in 2019-20, when he reached double figures in goals, 10, for the first and only time in his then United career. With the same goal difference as Villarreal, +3, United finished top of Group F on 11 points. 

 Shaw made 19 starts and 1 appearance in 2021-22 before ten Hag's arrival. Curiously the Dutchman managed to leave the team without recognizable left back cover for Luke, 30 starts and 1 appearance in 2022-23, by the close of 2023-24, which significantly impinged on the club's progress, as they had to negotiate the later rounds of the F.A. Cup without Shaw. Telles, allowed to go on loan for 2022-23 to Spain's Sevilla, where he won the Europa Cup, 4-1 on penalties, a.e.t., with the match against Italy's Roma ending, at the Puskás Arena, Budapest, Hungary, after normal time, 1-1, was transferred for $7.8m to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr for 2023-24, where he was in the team that won the Arab Club Champions Cup Final at King Fahd Stadium, Taif, Saudi Arabia, on August 12th, 2023, against Al Hilal, also of Saudi Arabia, 2-1, alongside Ronaldo, given a free transfer by ten Hag, who got both goals.

 Ten Hag's solution to his left full back issue was to bring from Everton Spain's Sergio Reguilón on loan, 5 starts and 4 appearances, but he was allowed to return to Everton on January 4th, shortly before Shaw's injury on 45 + 2 minutes, during the February 18th, 2-1, win at Luton Town, which in the absence of left footed Argentine center back, and sometime left back, Lisandro Martínez, foot and knee injury, brought from ten Hag's former club, Ajax, for 2022-23 for £47m, and Tyrell Malacia, knee, left back transferred from Holland's Feyenoord, also for 2022-23, for £13m, both out for most of the season, meant the side hadn't a left full back for the remaining F.A. Cup games.

 A loan spell for Brandon Williams at then Premier League club, Norwich City, 2021-22, 23 starts and 3 appearances, didn't augur well. Though a rugged, long-legged tackler, with the capacity to cross strongly from the left, Williams didn't figure in ten Hag's 2022-23 league campaign, and loaned to England's 2nd tier Championship club, Ipswich Town, for 2023-24, he wasn't recalled after Shaw's setback. Spanish left back, Álvaro Carreras, 27 starts and 12 appearances, on loan to England's Championship club Preston North End in 2022-23, was again loaned, first on September 1st, 2023, to Granada in Spain's La Liga, then on January 17th, 2024, before Shaw's injury in February, who then had only 12 starts to his name, Carreras again went on loan to Portugal's Primeira Liga club Benfica, with the condition of his signing for €6m being that he should play half (8) of the Lisbon club's remaining games in their league season, which for ten Hag seemed to preclude Carreras being recalled, while emphasizing how it was Shaw hadn't any rivals.

 At 3rd in Group 2, with Trippier at left back, England didn't qualify for the biennial 2020-21 UEFA Nations League Finals, Italy, but England's Luke, selected for the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers in Group I against Hungary, 4-0, on September 2nd, 2021, at the Puskás Arena, Budapest, and against Poland, 1-1, on September 8th, at Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, before the return against Hungary, on October 12th, 1-1, at Wembley, was at left back for the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League, Holland, Group A3, Game 5, against Italy, on September 23rd, 2022, at Stadio San Siro, Milan, 0-1, and against Germany, Game 6, on September 26th, in which he scored England's first at Wembley on 77 minutes in a draw, 3-3, although England, bottom of Group A3, were relegated to Group B.

 Shaw, selected for the 2022 World Cup Finals against Iran, on November 21st, in the Group B Game 1, experienced victory, 6-2, at the Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar, while drawing in Game 2 against the United States, 0-0, on November 25th at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, before winning in Game 3 against Wales, 3-0, on November 29th, at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, and beating Senegal in Game 4, 3-0, on December 4th, at Al Bayt, but losing the quarter final against France, 1-2, on December 10th, at Al Bayt. 

 Luke went on to play for England in the qualifiers for the 2024 European Championship, Germany, against Italy, Group C, winning 2-1, on March 23rd, 2023, at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, and in the defeat of Malta, 4-0, on June 16th, at the Ta'Qali National Stadium, Valetta, as well as against North Macedonia, beaten 7-0, on June 19th, at Old Trafford, Manchester, and England's last opponent ahead of Shaw's February 2024 injury.

 Ten years at 'the theater of Dreams', and some dreaming with ten Hag, deserves a testimonial, according to received soccer wisdom. Shaw was the latest in a considerable line of left back heroes for the faithful amongst the terraced ranks at the Stretford End to applaud. Eire's Johnny Carey, captain of the 1948 F.A. Cup Final winning side that beat Blackpool, 4-2. Roger Byrne, captain, and another left winger, 7 goals in 1951-52’s league title team, switched to left full back. Eire's Tony Dunne, left back in the 1968 European Cup Final defeat of Portugal's Benfica, 4-1, a.e.t., 1-1, at Wembley. Scot, Arthur Albiston, winner of the F.A. Cup Finals of 1977, against Liverpool, 2-1, 1983, against Brighton and Hove Albion, 4-0, after a replay, 2-2, and 1985, against Everton, 1-0. England left back, Lee Martin, lashing home the winner on 59 minutes in the 1990 F.A. Cup Final Replay, 1-0, after the first game ended, 3-3. Northern Ireland’s Denis Irwin's marathon stint as a right footed left back, after his transfer from Oldham Athletic for season 1990-91 for £650,000, during 7 of the team's championship winning seasons, as well as the 1999 European Cup Final in Spain at Barcelona's Camp Nou Stadium, 2-1, against German Bundesliga club, FC Bayern Munich. Fans have had some cheer from the left back position.

 Although Shaw reportedly idolized Chelsea's Ashley Cole, prior to van Gaal’s injection of Luke's panache in 2014-15, his immediate predecessors in the left back role at United were equally as deserving. France's Mikaël Silvestre, five league titles before 2007-08, and his second European Champions League title in 2007-08, although France’s left back, Patrice Evra, edged him out of the starting line up, and Alex Ferguson’s converted left wing, Ashley Young, at left full back, assuring him and his players of their 13th league title in 2012-13.

The Rise and Pause of Scott McTominay

Scots' midfielder, Scott McTominay, increased his stature during Louis van Gaal's tenure; Dutch manager of Manchester United appointed for the 2014-15 season's campaigning after the qualified success of his stewardship of the Netherlands' national side at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, organized by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA). Holland finished in third place, subsequent to their losing at the semi-final stage to Argentina, 4-2, on penalties, a.e.t., 0-0, at Arena Corinthians, São Paolo, July 9th, but beat Brazil, who'd lost to eventual winners, Germany, 7-1, in their Belo Horizonte, Estádio Mineirão semi-final on July 8th. 

 Although Germany had beaten Argentina, 1-0, in the Final, a.e.t., on July 13th, Rio de Janeiro, Estádio do Maracanã, Holland had beaten Brazil, 3-0, on July 12th in Brasilia’s Estádio Nacional third and fourth place play off, which was enough for the 'red devils' to appoint van Gaal as successor to former Everton boss, David Moyes, who’d always appeared a curious replacement for Alex Ferguson, 13 league titles, as Moyes' only claim to fame was to keep 'The Toffees' from relegation. When David's team lost the 2013-14 League Cup semi-final at home to Sunderland, 1-2, on penalties, van Gaal's appointment seemed fated.

 Moyes took the reins on July 1st, 2013, and McTominay signed his first professional contract with the club in that same month. Making his debut under José Mourinho, appointed manager after van Gaal's United won the 2015-16 F.A. Cup Final, 2-1, against Crystal Palace, a.e.t., 1-1, ostensibly to improve the club's league position and potential for qualifying for the  Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) competitions, Scott spent his time under Moyes struggling due to his small size. However, gaining 14 inches during van Gaal's reign, McTominay made 22 starts, scoring 3 goals, for the U-21s in 2016-17, which brought him to the notice of Mourinho, who after putting him on the subs' bench, gave him his first appearance in a blue shirt on May 7th at Arsenal's North London Emirates Stadium, Islington, coming on for Spain’s left footed inside forward, Juan Mata, on 84 minutes, but losing, 0-2, after ex-red center forward Danny Welbeck's second for 'The Gunners' on 57 minutes to end a 25 game unbeaten run.

 Scott got his first start on the last day of the 2016-17 league campaign, with the squad already EFL Cup winners against Southampton, 3-2, and after the English Premier League season was over would go on to beat Ajax of Amsterdam, 2-0, on May 24th in the Europa League Final at Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden. With a view to minimizing the possibility of injuries, Mourinho gave opportunities to several more young players in the victory, 2-0, against Crystal Palace on May 21st at Old Trafford; midfielder Josh Harrop, who scored after 15 minutes, twisting and turning on the left of the 18 yard box, cutting inside onto his right foot to unleash an unstopped screamer; Swiss born 'keeper and Portuguese international, Joel Pereira, left back Demetri Mitchell, and Angel Gomes, then the club's youngest Premier League player, 16 and 263 days, on for captain and center forward, Wayne Rooney, on 88 minutes. 

 McTominay made 7 starts in 2017-18, and 6 appearances as substitute, during the club's league campaign, in which they finished runners up on 68 points, a long way 2nd behind Manchester City on 106, and Scott was on the substitutes' bench for the F.A. Cup Final defeat to Chelsea, 0-1, when a perfectly good goal from Chilean center forward Alexis Sánchez was disallowed after the ball, pushed out by the 'keeper, was stabbed home with grateful aplomb at close range. 

 A 21st century South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) innovation, Apertura and Clausera, divided the year into two league championship competitions, either between or within calendar years, and Alexis was in Chile’s Primera División Colo-Colo side that won back-to-back Clausura and Apertura from 2006-07, on loan from Italy’s Serie A club Udinese, transferred there on April 21st, 2006, for £1.7m from Chile’s Cobreola, and thereafter the 2008 Argentine Primera División Clausera with River Plate. 

 Returning to Udinese, Alexis was transferred to Spain’s Barcelona from 2011-12 for €26m; 2012-13 La Liga champions, before going to Premier League Arsenal from 2014-15 for £31.7m; F.A. Cup winners in 2015 and 2017. Brought  to United, on January 22nd, 2018, in a swap deal for Armenian captain and right wing, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, scorer of the second goal against Ajax with an overhead kick on 48 minutes in the 2017 Europa Cup Final, after France's Paul Pogba had opened the scoring with a long range deflected strike on 18 minutes, on 2 league goals for the term from 12 starts, Alexis would be given a free transfer by Solskjaer to Italy's Inter Milan, following a period on loan in 2019-20, after scoring once in 9 starts and 11 appearances for United in 2018-19. 

 Mourinho’s departure and Alexis’ were linked inextricably. Leaving on December 18th, 2018, with just 7 wins in 17 games, to be replaced by former striker, manager of Norway's Molde, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, that 2018 F.A. Cup Final goal, ruled out for offside, with the linesman's flag being raised after the ball was in the net, could have made all the difference to Alexis’ confidence as a striker and the club’s future with Mourinho.

 Alexis played alongside sometime left winger, bought by Alex Ferguson for 2011-12 from Aston Villa for £17m, Ashley Young, at left back, with Belgian center forward and top scorer with 16, Romelu Lukaku, bought by Mourinho for £75m from Everton for 2017-18, on the substitutes' bench, because of doubts about his fitness, and all three would play for Inter in the 2020 Europa Cup Final defeat to Spain's Sevilla, 2-3, at the Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 29th, while United were left to rue what might have been, when 0-1 down in the 2018 F.A. Cup Final on 22 minutes to an Eden Hazard penalty, after a rash challenge on Chelsea's Belgian center forward by England center back, Phil Jones, who almost made amends on 63 minutes, heading a free kick, taken by England center forward, Marcus Rashford, wide on the right, after he himself was brought down, which goal-bound effort was pushed away from his right corner by the post, left handed by Belgian 'keeper Thibaut Courtois, onto the onrushing Sanchez's grateful knees.

 While Romelu Lukaku's transfer to Inter for €80m was permanent immediately on August 8th, 2019, Sánchez’s wasn’t. 4 league goals that term, and substituting in the August 21st, 2020, Europa Cup Final, at the RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany, for central midfielder, Roberto Gagliardini, on 78 minutes, after going behind to Spanish side Sevilla, 2-3, due to a Lukaku own goal on 74 minutes, with Ashley Young on the left of midfield, after being transferred in January 2020 for €1.5m, Alexis’ transfer wouldn't become permanent until given a free by Solskjaer on August 6th, 2020, after which Inter would win Italy's 2020-21 Serie A, with former United left full back, Italian Matteo Darmian, joining them in October 2020 from Serie A club Parma, where he’d been transferred by Solskjaer for €1.5m on September 2nd, 2019, while Sánchez in 2019-20 would score for Internazionale 7 times in 12 starts and 18 appearances.

 The Solskjaer upheaval doubtless assisted McTominay, 9 starts and 7 appearances for 2 goals in 2018-19, and Fred, 13 starts and 4 appearances for 1 goal. Of the established midfield players only Pogba, winner of the World Cup in Russia with France in 2018, 4-2 against Croatia, at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, and top scorer in 2018-19 with 13 goals, seemed unchallengeable. While Moroccan Marouane Fellaini, brought with him from Everton by Moyes for his height and vision in support of the attack for £27.5m, and Serbia's defensive midfielder, Nemanja Matić, bought by Mourinho from Chelsea for £40m for 2017-18, were over 30 years, at 29 Spain's playmaker Ander Herrera, 'man of the match' in the 2017 Europa Cup Final defeat of Ajax, bought by van Gaal for his first 2014-15 season for €36m, was approaching 30, which suggested right footed McTominay, then 22 years, who could double as a center forward if necessary, had a future alongside left footed Brazilian, Fred, age 25, bought by Mourinho from the Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk on July 1st, 2018 for £47m.

 'McFred', as the pair in midfield were called by fans, flourished, while Fellaini, appearing only twice as a substitute for Solskjaer, before being transferred to China's Shandong Luneng Taishan in January 2019, captained the team to the Chinese Super League in 2021, and the Chinese F.A. Cup in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Herrera, given a free to Paris Saint-German, won the French double of league and cup twice in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Matić, though his tenaciousness on the pitch survived Solskjaer's purge, his age couldn't. Freed by Solskjaer's Dutch successor for 2022-23, Ajax of Amsterdam's boss Erik ten Hag, Nemanja joined Roma for 2022-23 at 34, where opposite another casualty of ten Hag's purge, loaned to Spain's Sevilla for that season, Brazilian left back, Alex Telles, bought by Ole for £14.5m from Portugal's Porto, runner-up in the 2023 Europa Cup Final against Sevilla, 1-1, a.e.t., on May 31st at the Puskás Arena, Budapest, Hungary, 1-4 on penalties, he also made way for McFred.

 Solskjaer's failure in four semi-finals and the 2021 Europa Cup Final on May 26th at Gdańsk Stadion, Poland, against Spain's Villarreal, 1-1, a.e.t., and 10-11 on penalties, with only Spanish 'keeper, David de Gea, missing his spot kick opportunity, was the cause of his dismissal, although clipping the wings to make inverted inside forwards to compensate for Fernandes' centrocampista role with a lone striker ahead of him, was a contributory factor. The McFred partnership lasted until ten Hag's taking over from former German boss at RB Leipzig, Ralf Rangnick, interim manager, appointed in December 2021, with Brazil’s hard-bitten attack-minded creative midfield destroyer, Casemiro, being brought from Real Madrid for £60m, while the emergence of calmly composed controller, new precocious midfield talent, left footed teenager, Kobbie Mainoo, was enough to convince ten Hag to transfer Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos, otherwise known as ‘Fred’, on August 13th, 2023, for €9.74m to Turkish Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe, Istanbul, for their 2023-24 season, which effectively dismantled McFred's engine room.

 With Mourinho having guided the side to a runners up spot in European Champions League Group H, behind Juventus, Solskjaer’s selection beat Paris Saint-Germain, 3-1 away in the 2018-19 season's Round of 16, with Lukaku opening the scoring on 2 minutes, seizing on German right half back Thilo Kehrer's back pass to round PSG's ‘keeper and strike left footed from a tight angle, then left footed again on 30 minutes, making it 2-1, after Italian ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon was unable to hold onto a distance effort from Rashford, while Marcus converted a 94th minute penalty, 3-1, after French left half back Presnel Kimpembe was adjudged to have handled a shot at goal by Portuguese right back, Diogo Dalot, on as a 35th minute substitute for Ivory Coast's injured Eric Bailly, to ensure United’s progress on the ‘away goals counting double’ rule, after losing, 0-2, at home. However, the team lost to Barcelona, 0-4 on aggregate in the quarter final; 0-1 at Old Trafford, and in Spain 0-3 at Camp Nou.

 In Solskjaer's first full 2019-20 season, McTominay started 20 games, 7 as substitute, scoring 4 goals, while Fred had 23 starts, 6 as substitute, with the team, finishing 3rd in the league, making the semi-finals of the F.A. Cup, the League Cup, and the Europa Cup, the major innovation was the introduction in January 2020 for £47m of Bruno Fernandes from Portugal's CP Sporting, Lisbon, who'd complete a diamond behind a lone striker in front of him, while a left footed inverted winger on the right, and a right footed inverted winger on the left, essentially functioning as inside forwards, constituted the cutting edges.

 With McTominay being earmarked for the role that England star, Paul Scholes, had formerly in midfield, as the player freed by the holding midfielder to go forward in support of the attack and score, Fernandes' 8 goals in 14 starts, with Marcus Rashford, 17 goals, and left footed inverted right winger, Anthony Martial, 17 goals, ahead of him, indicated a change in the way McTominay's midfield role could develop.

 Failure to progress beyond the semi-final stages, against Manchester City in the League Cup, losing the first home leg, 1-3, with the side 0-3 at half time, before Rashford produced some hope in the second half with a clinical finish on 70 minutes, right of the penalty area, right footed, left corner, low, following a run from the halfway line by Mason Greenwood, and a defense-splitting pass from the 21 years center forward, but winning the second away leg, 1-0, with Matić, right of the penalty area, squeezing his shot inside the post, low into the right corner, left footed, on 35 minutes, after a City defender failed to head clear a Fred free kick, but Matić later sent off on 76 minutes, indicated that problems with the twin McFred engine in midfield, aligned as it was with Fernandes’ playmaker, behind a lone striker, and clipped wings, indicated the need for a tune up; if the ball was to be driven home by the forwards. 

 In the F.A. Cup semi-final the team lost, 1-3, to Chelsea, with Fernandes’ consolation penalty on 8 minutes, after winger, Callum Hudson-Odoi, appeared to kick at Martial, while they were defeated, 1-2, by Spain's Sevilla in the Europa Cup semi-final, despite taking the lead through a Fernandes' penalty on 9 minutes. The absence of McTominay from the semi-final starting line-ups in favor of Fernandes' diamond signified Solskjaer's preference for the then apparently unchallengeable left foot of Pogba alongside Fred for the latter stages of the cup competitions. 

 In his first full season, 2020-21, Bruno Fernandes top scored with 18 league goals, as the club finished 2nd in the Premier League on 73 points, albeit 10 behind Manchester City on 83, while failing to progress beyond the League Cup semi-final stage again, losing 0-2 to City, although McTominay, 25 and 7 appearances for 4 goals, did start with Fred, 27 starts and 3 appearances for 1 goal, as well as alongside Pogba, although it was Fred who made way for Scott in the team that lost, 10-11 on penalties to Spain's Villarreal, after 34 years Uruguayan center forward, Edinson Cavani, brought by Solskjaer on a free from Paris Saint-Germain, struck home an equalizer on 55 minutes, which wasn't enough to save either Solskjaer, or Pogba in the aftermath of the appointment of ten Hag.

 What looked like desperation brought Cristiano Ronaldo for 2021-22 from Italian side Juventus for £12.85m. Called CR7 for his preferred shirt number, opening the scoring with a header on 26 minutes from a cross on the right by right full back, Wes Brown, Ronaldo had won the European Champions Cup with United against Chelsea, a.e.t., 1-1, and on penalties 6-5, on May 21st at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia, but failure to beat Barcelona at the Stadio Olympica, Rome, on May 27th in the 2008-09 Final, 0-2, led the Portuguese right winger, bought from CP Sporting Lisbon for £12.24m by Scot Alex Ferguson for 2003-04, to seek a transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid for £80m, where he won the European Champions Cup in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018, as well as the World Club Cup in 2014, 2016, and 2017, before being transferred to Juvé for £88m, where he won Serie A titles in 2018-19 and 2019-20. 

 Ronaldo struck 18 times that 2021-22 season, 12 of those, including hat tricks against Spurs at Old Trafford, 3-2, on March 12th, 2022, and Norwich City at home, 3-2, on April 16th, coming after Rangnick became interim manager in December 2021, while McTominay’s 28 starts and 2 appearances for 1 goal, compared to Fred’s 24 starts and 4 appearances for 4 goals, was a sign of the adroitness with which McFred negotiated the Solskjaer-Rangnick interregnum.

 Solskjaer, and after him coach Michael Carrick, had steered the side to win Group F in the Champions League, leaving Rangnick to negotiate the Round of 16, but a late 80th minute equalizing goal, taken with aplomb and apparent maturity by teenage Swedish striker, Anthony Elanga, 1-1, away at Spain's Atlético Madrid, persuaded Rangnick to persevere with him, and with England center forward Rashford on the bench, lost 0-1 in the second home leg, 1-2 on aggregate. Rangnick's chance was gone and ten Hag was appointed for 2022-23.

 The club won the League cup, 2-0, against Newcastle United, with a headed goal from Casemiro on 33 minutes, following a free kick by left back, Luke Shaw, and a 39th minute strike from Rashford, deflected over German 'keeper, Loris Karius, but lost the F.A. Cup Final, 1-2, to Manchester City, after being a goal down from German captain İlkay Gündoğan's volley on 13 seconds, and despite an equalizing 33rd minute penalty from Fernandes, after right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka's progress on the right of the city 18 yard box was adjudged to have been illegally impeded by England winger Jack Grealish's handling of the ball. McTominay, 1 goal in 10 starts and 14 appearances in 2022-23, coming on in the League Cup Final as 69th minute substitute for Fred, 12 starts and 23 appearances for 4 goals, and for Swedish center back, Victor Lindelöf, on 83 minutes in the F.A. Cup Final, again indicated trouble with the engine. 

 Ten Hag had brought Danish ball player age 30, Christian Eriksen, 25 starts and 3 appearances, from Brentford on a free, and until the emergence of Mainoo in 2023-24 the pairing with Casemiro seemed most likely, with Pogba age 32 released to return to Juvé on June 30th, 2022, while Matić signed on a free for Roma. 

 With Real Madrid, Australia Group champions of the International Champions Cup (ICC) tournament in 2015, drawing with Italy's Roma, 0-0, losing 7-6 on penalties, July18th, before Manchester City  beat Roma, July 21st, after drawing, 2-2, 5-4 on penalties, also at the Melboune Cricket Ground (MCG), July 24th, but in front of a 99,382 crowd, CR7 got Real's second on 25 minutes, 2-0, in a 4-1 defeat of City, toeing the ball, right footed, over Costa Rican 'keeper Keylor Navas' head, after collecting, at center field, inside the City 18 yard box, German midfielder Toni Kroos' pinpoint accurate, right footed, long-range pass from inside the half circle, at the City side of the half way line. Organized by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), CR7's status as a soccer champion became more global than Real.

 The arrival of Moroccan international, defensive midfielder, Sofyan Amrabat, born in Huizen, Amsterdam metropolitan area, Holland, and on loan for £8.5m from Italy's Serie A club Fiorentina, together with England's attacking midfielder, Mason Mount, from Chelsea for £55m, put further pressure on McTominay, survivor of seven managerial purges, if the interim roles of legendary United and Welsh left winger, scorer of the 6th penalty that gave United victory over Chelsea in the 2008 European Champions Cup Final, Ryan Giggs, coach after Moyes' dismissal, before 2013-14 season's end, April 22nd - May 11th, 2014, and United and England midfield stalwart, Michael Carrick, November 21st - December 2nd, 2022, who coached the team to qualify for the European Champions League Round of 16, beating Villarreal away, 2-0, after Solskjaer, were to be considered managerial. 

 Ten Hag’s solution to his engine trouble was to bring Danish striker, Rasmus Højlund, from Italian Serie A club Atalanta for £64m to profit from Fernandes’ promptings, while Rashford would move to the left as an inverted right footed inside forward, with left footed Argentine winger, Alejandro Garnacho, on the right flank, although Casemiro’s 32 years suggested that, if McTominay, 27 years, needed to improve, and couldn’t, teenager Kobbie Mainoo would need a partner who wasn’t waiting to be retired, and although Mason Mount, 25 years, England’s attacking midfielder, bought from Chelsea for £55m for 2023-24, fits the description, 4 starts and 4 appearances, before retiring to the physiotherapist’s treatment room, indicate either that the emperor doesn’t want to wear any clothes, or at least one of the twin engine turbo needs replacing, rather than maintenance and a routine repair. 

 Luke Shaw, due a testimonial at the end of season 2023-24, as were Martial and Rashford for playing at 'the theater of Dreams' for a decade at the close of 2024-25, is a true measure of success. While 2023-24 is only McTominay's 8th year hoping to wear away a red strip, Lindelöf has another three seasons to serve, before a game played in his honour, against such luminaries as FIFA’s Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football's (CONCACAF's) New York Cosmos, for whom Germany’s ‘Kaiser’, sweeper Franz Beckenbauer, and Brazil’s magical Pelé played together, appearing for Paul Scholes’ on August 5th, 2011,  recognizing loyalty as a portion of the take.

Telles about ten Hag

Alex Telles, a left full back with Brazil's national team, was deemed surplus to requirements by Erik ten Hag, Dutch manager of Eredevisie Ajax Amsterdam, subsequent to his succeeding, for the 2022-23 season, German Ralf Rangnick, who from December 2022 had been interim manager at Manchester United. On loan with Spanish club Sevilla, there Telles won the Europa Cup, 4-1 on penalties, a.e.t., with the match against Italy's Roma ending, after normal time, 1-1, on May 31st, 2023, at Puskás Arena, Budapest, Hungary, giving the lie somewhat to Alex’s supernumerary status at Old Trafford to the terraced fans on the Stretford End.
 Rangnick had replaced former Reds' striker, Norway's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who'd steered the side to the Europa Cup Final of 2021, but losing to Spain's Villarreal, 10-11 on penalties, following a 1-1 draw, a.e.t., left a trophyless Solskjaer without enough kudos in soccer's credibility bank to continue. Ten Hag brought from Dutch club Feyenoord, Tyrell Malacia, a Dutch left full back, and Argentine Lisandro Martínez, a center back, who could also play at left back, from Ajax, but the decision to allow Telles to be loaned to Sevilla would return to haunt. England left back, Luke Shaw, had always been first choice since his signing, by United's then Dutch manager, Louis van Gaal, from Southampton for £30m for the 2014-15 season, but Shaw's injury proneness had left a gap through which Telles had been able to shine.

Alex was signed from Portugal's FC Porto for £15.4m on October 5th, 2020, and made his debut against French club, Paris Saint-Germain, away 2-1, in the first game of the European Champions League group (H) stage, although it was Shaw, 30 starts and 2 appearances that term, as opposed to Telles' 8 and 1 substitute appearance, who'd fill the left back birth against Villarreal in the Europa Cup Final at Gdańsk Stadion, Poland, on May 26th, 2021, after the side had battled through being relegated from the Champions League, finishing third in group H behind Paris Saint-Germain and German Bundesliga club, RB Leipzig, but thereby qualifying for the Round of 32 in the Europa League, Europe's second tier club trophy, after the cup of champions.

 Although the left back rolein 2021-22 was filled almost equally by Telles, 18 starts and 3 appearances, and Shaw, 19 starts and 1 substitute appearance, from August 4th, 2022, ten Hag loaned Telles, taker of United’s second penalty against Villarreal in the 2021 Europa Cup Final, after coming on for Scots’ central midfielder, Scott McTominay, on 120+3 minutes, to Sevilla for 2022-23, 15 starts and 12 appearances, before transferring him for $7,800,000 to Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr for their 2023-24 season, where he was in the team that won the Arab Club Champions Cup Final at King Fahd Stadium, Taif, Saudi Arabia, on August 12th, 2023, against Al Hilal, also of Saudi Arabia, 2-1.

Former Manchester United right wing legend, Cristiano Ronaldo scored both Nassr goals, in the 74th minute, right footed close in from a low driven cross on the right from right full back, Sultan Al-Ghannam, 1-1,  and a 98th minute header from a shot by Ivory Coast central midfielder, Seko Fofana, that hit the crossbar. CR7 had been given a free transfer there by ten Hag on November 23rd, 2022, despite a successful return from Juventus, Italy, scoring 18 league goals in 27 starts and 3 appearances for Solskjaer and £12.85m.

Ten Hag's belief that Malacia and Martínez would be enough left back cover for Shaw seemed sensible in the light of Brandon Williams emergence in United's youth ranks as a rugged long-legged tackler with the capacity to cross strongly from the left, but a loan spell at then Premier League club, Norwich City, 2021-22, 23 starts and 3 appearances, didn't augur well. Williams didn't figure in ten Hag's 2022-23 league campaign and was loaned to England's second tier Championship club, Ipswich Town, for 2023-24.

 Ten Hag's decision to bring on loan Spanish left back, Sergio Reguilón, from London's Tottenham Hotspur, 4 starts and 5 appearances, until January 4th, 2024, looked like double jeopardy when United's own Spanish left back, Álvaro Carreras, 27 starts and 12 appearances on loan to England's Championship club Preston North End in 2022-23, was again loaned, first on September 1st, 2023, to Granada in Spain's La Liga, then on January 17th, 2024, to Portugal's Primeira Liga club Benfica, with the condition of his signing for €6m being that he should play half (8) of the Lisbon club's remaining games in their league season.

 When Luke Shaw was again injured, after making just 12 starts in 2023-24 thus far out of a possible 24, to be replaced by Victor Lindelöf on 45+2 minutes, during the February 18th 2-1 win at Luton Town, with a goal left footed past onrushing Belgian ‘keeper, Thomas Kaminski, from Danish center forward, Rasmus Højlund, after his intercepting of Jamaica's left half back Amari'i Bell's back pass, and a second chesting in Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho’s shot on 7 minutes, the setback at ‘The Hatters’, Kenilworth Road, was ahead of United's campaign run in, and the F.A. Cup 5th Round tie at Nottingham Forest. With Malacia and Martínez already injured, there was no one to cover for Shaw.

 Renowned, in the early part of the third decade of the 21st century, for playing with inverted wingers, that is, left footed wingers on the right, and right footed wingers on the left, giving the look of inside forwards, rather than wideners of the pitch for the forwards to receive crossed balls to head home from the flanks, and where opposing full backs could be tested to reveal strengths and, as importantly, expose weaknesses, United's extending of the same principle to the left back position, where Portuguese right back, Diogo Dalot, or Sweden's captain Lindelöf, for example, a right footed central defender, being required to fill in, appeared courting disaster.

 As the team lost, 1-2, to Fulham at home, despite an 89th minute equalizer from center back, Harry Maguire, left footed, a yard or so out from the goalmouth, after a right footed cross-shot from wide on the left by playmaker Bruno Fernandes was palmed away two-handed only so far as Maguire by Fulham's German 'keeper, Bernd Leno, supporters were left wondering how Forest could be stopped on their own City Ground, Nottingham.

 From Huizen, metropolitan area of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, although a Moroccan international, Sofyan Amrabat, was a naturally right footed central midfielder for Italy's Fiorentina of Serie A against Premier League West Ham United in Europe's tertiary tier competition, the Europa Conference League Final of June 7th, 2023, at Fortuna Arena, Prague, in the Czech Republic, which the London team won, 2-1. On loan for a fee of £8.5m at ‘the theater of Dreams' since September 1st, the same day that left back Carreras was loaned to Granada, Amrabat was determinedly two-footed enough for ten Hag to stand in at left back as surety for the 89th minute headed goal by Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, 1-0, from a free kick on the left by Fernandes, which set up a 6th Round encounter with Liverpool.

Franz

A classic World Cup encounter was that of Manchester United’s deep lying England center forward, Bobby Charlton, and sweeper in defense, Franz Beckenbauer, who though he’d often reprise his earlier role as a central midfielder, found his niche in soccer history in the role of libero, as it’s called in Italy, for Bundesliga club, Bayern Munich, and the German national team.

 The role of the 'free' back is to ‘sweep up’, that is, take the ball away from the opponent, usually as a last ditch defense, but turned into a counter-attacking position by Beckenbauer, allying his almost prescient ability to know where to intervene, with the ball distributing vision of a playmaker behind the forwards, and who in support would often score remarkable, often seemingly impossible goals, after dispossessing his antagonist, moving up field, exchanging quick one-touch passes in midfield, and one-twos again with the attackers, getting into a place from which to strike.

 In English soccer, known as sistema, ‘the system', in Italy, the role of the ‘sweeper’ arose from the half-back line, for example, the United team that won the league titles of 1908 and 1911, and the 1909 F.A. Cup Final, 1-0, against Bristol City, with a strike from inside left, Sandy Turnbull, from the rebound, after inside right, Harold Halse, hit the bar, had a half-back line of Dick Duckworth, Charlie Roberts and Scot, Alex Bell, across the middle in front of ‘keeper, Harry Moger, as well as wing backs, which became full backs in the modern game.

 The half-back line lasted a long time in soccer, for example, the 1948 United side that won the F.A. Cup, 4-2, against Blackpool, had John Anderson at right half, Allenby Chilton at center half, and Henry Cockburn at left half, while the side that won the F.A. Cup in 1963, 3-1 against Leicester City, had Scot, Paddy Crerand on the right, Bill Foulkes in the center, and Maurice Setters on the left. Whereas the less wealthy Italian clubs adopted the libero to counter a man-to-man marking system pitting players positionally against each other, which favored the strongest individuals, soccer in England moved towards a pair of central defenders and an additional ‘hard man’ in midfield, there to break up attacks before they started, a role filled to perfection for United and England by Nobby Stiles, playing against Germany in the 1966 World Cup Final at London’s national Wembley stadium with center forward for West Ham United of Stratford, East London, Geoff Hurst, scoring a ‘hat-trick', 3, as England won, 4-2, and Beckenbauer finding Charlton too difficult to control.

 The same was true in the 1970 World Cup quarter final at Estadio de Guanajuato, La Martinica, León de los Aldama, Mexico, with England leading, after a cross on the right from Everton full back, Keith Newton, turned in at the near post by midfielder, Alan Mullery of Tottenham Hotspur, on 32 minutes, 1-0, and a goal on 49 minutes, after the break, from another cross by Newton, ran into the net at the far post by Spurs forward, Martin Peters, 2-0, and cruising. However, England’s Chelsea ‘keeper, Peter Bonetti, allowed a long range Beckenbauer shot to slip through, 2-1, on 69 minutes. Manager Alf Ramsey took Charlton and Peters off, reportedly saving the pair for the semi-final, but having the unintended effect of freeing Bayern’s Beckenbauer from defense, and captain and center forward, Hamburger SV's Uwe Seeler, equalized with a back header from a long 76^th minute ball forward into the area from Italian club A.C. Milan’s left back, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, 2-2, before left winger, Hannes Löhr of FC Cologne in the 108^th minute, a.e.t., near post, left, headed a cross from substitute Jürgen Grabowski of Eintracht Frankfurt back across to where goal poaching Bayern center forward, Gerhard Müller, was lurking at the far post to lash it right footed into the net, 2-3.

 Franz, nicknamed ‘the Kaiser’, that is, ‘the Emperor’ by the German media, had antecedents with Bobby, who was a survivor of the Munich air disaster of February 6^th, 1958, when the airliner, British European Airways Flight 609, taking the team back to Manchester, crashed on the snowbound runway at its third attempt to take off from Riem-Munich airport, Munich. The flight was scheduled to refuel in Munich, because a non-stop flight from Belgrade to Manchester was beyond the range of the ‘Elizabethan’-class Airspeed Ambassador. The injured, some unconscious, were taken to Munich's Rechts der Isar Hospital, where 3 more died, total 23 with 21 survivors. Reserve full back, Geoff Bent, England captain, and left back, Roger Byrne, right wing-half, midfielder Eddie Colman, left half, Duncan Edwards, who died 15 days later, center half, Mark Jones, left winger, David Pegg, center forward, Tommy Taylor, and Irish inside forward, Liam Whelan, all lost their lives, while right winger, Johnny Berry and Northern Irish inside forward, Jackie Blanchflower, were too badly injured ever to play again.

 Roger, Eddie, Mark, Duncan, and Tommy had been members of the team that had drawn, 3-3, with Red Star Belgrade, with a goal from Dennis Viollet after 2 minutes, and Bobby getting two more in the 30^th and 31^st minutes, 3-0, at half-time in the away leg of the European Champions’ Cup quarter final, Yugoslavia (Serbia), to secure a semi final against Spain's Real Madrid, who were on their way to five successive triumphs in the competition since winning it in 1955-56. United wouldn’t recover sufficiently to win until 1968, 4-1, a.e.t., against Portugal's Benfica at Wembley.

 Beckenbauer, born in the post-WWII ruins of Munich, Giesing district, would be aware of the tragedy befalling Charlton, before joining Bayern’s youth team in 1959. Following defeat to England in the 1966 World Cup Final, he was in the Bayern side that defeated Scots’ club Rangers in the 1967 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final, 1-0, Städtisches Stadion, Nuremberg, and in the German team that lost ‘the game of the century’ to Italy, 3-4, in the 1970 World Cup semi final at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, before captaining Germany to World Cup triumph at Olympiastadion, Munich, 2-1, against Holland in 1974. The European Cup was won three times in succession when he was captain of Bayern. In 1974, 1-1, and 4-0, after a replay against Spain's Atlético Madrid at Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium. Retained in 1975, 2-0 against England's Leeds United, Parc des Princes, Paris, France, and defended once more in 1976, 1-0 against France’s Saint-Étienne, at Scotland’s Hampden Park, Glasgow.

 Italy’s catenaccio, ‘door-bolt’ system , offers broad protection for younger players, in terms of their physical, mental, and technical development, and probably helped French generalissimo, Paul Pogba, for example, 2011 F.A. Youth Cup Final winner, 6-3 on aggregate against Sheffield United, before agreeing to join Juventus of Turin, where he won four successive Serie A titles; 2012-13, and Supercoppa Italiana, 2013-14, 2014-15, and Coppa Italia, and Supercoppa Italiana, and 2015-16, and Coppa Italia.

 Belgium’s left footed playmaker, Adnan Januzaj, 15 starts and 12 appearances for 4 goals in 2013-14, receiving more protection there, flourished in Europe, after leaving the ‘sink or swim' English game of uncompromising center backs, and central midfield hard men. Though perceived as defensive, the libero has his advantages, which Dutch manager, Louis van Gaal, experimenting with three center backs, after being appointed to succeed David Moyes for 2014-15, sought to introduce. Despite criticism, being replaced by Portuguese manager for 2016-17, José Mourinho, after winning the F.A. Cup Final in 2016, Gaal’s three at the back had some influential impact on the coaching side.

 Traditionally United had two in midfield. A holding ball winner allied to a creative playmaker; feeding twin strikers, and complimenting left and right wingers. As the idea of a ball-playing centrocampista had disappeared with the half back line, there was no sense of a gap in the center of the pitch. The symmetry of two full backs, two center backs, a left and right wing half in midfield, left and right wingers, and twin strikers, created a spectacle the terraced ranks paid to watch.

 However, the desirability of taking hold of the center was demonstrated admirably by Danish ‘keeper, Peter Schmeichel, famous for going up to the halfway line, as an additional midfielder, if United needed a goal, and even into the opponent’s penalty area, scoring a goal, with a header, as he did in the 89^th minute, 2-2, against Russia’s Rotor Volgogrod, in the UEFA Cup Round 1 at ‘the theater of Dreams’, on September 26^th, 1995.

 That’s where Peter was when England’s center forward, Teddy Sheringham, equalizing right inside forward Mario Basler’s 6^th minute free-kick, left, bent right footed around the United wall, low, and inside the right post, 1-0, scored the 91^st minute equalizer, 1-1, steering Wales’ left winger Ryan Giggs’ shot into the net against Bayern in the 1999 European Cup Final, won, 2-1, with a strike from Norwegian center forward, Solskjaer, with only the ball to beat, after Sheringham nodded on England right winger David Beckham's corner in the 93^rd minute, at FC Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium, Spain.

 Spain’s Ander Herrera, bought by Gaal for 2014-15 for €36m from Athletic Bilbao, was utilized by Mourinho as a central playmaker, behind a lone striker, and inside forwards, nominally labeled left wingers, ahead of a midfield two, essentially right and left wing halves, with Paul Pogba, returning for €105m from Juvé, center left. Ousting Spain’s left footed Juan Mata, who thereafter had the role of outside left, inside left, or inverted outside and inside right, Pogba, at the Friends Arena venue, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden, got the first, 1-0, in the 2017 Europa Cup Final defeat of Dutch club, Ajax, Amsterdam, with a low left foot shot on 18 minutes, looping over Cameroon ‘keeper, André Onana, deflected off Columbian center back, Davinson Sánchez. Pogba was deployed alongside England’s Michael Carrick, center right, and later Nemanja Matić, £40m from Chelsea from 2017-18. While Armenian captain and right footed winger, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, bought for 2016-17 from German club Borussia Dortmund for £27m, scoring the second, with his right foot, 2-0, an overhead kick on 48 minutes, deployed as an inverted left wing.

 Herrera later played behind the midfield two, as a hard tackling half back, or the stamina of box-to-box Belgian, Marouane Fellaini, brought by Moyes with him from Everton for £27.5m, after his appointment to replace retiring Alex Ferguson for 2013-14, and Fellaini was there in the ‘diamond’ for the 2017 Europa Cup Final. Behind the three up front, Marouane, known for his heading ability in support of the forward line, demonstrated the influence of the ‘free’ central player of European soccer strategy and tactics.

 With 4-3-3 the centrocampista is ultimately defensive, as those nominally in front of the diamond aren’t necessarily forwards, that is, 4-1-2-3, 4-2-1-3, and 4-3-1-2, etc., are centrocampista versions of 4-4-2, and although 4-2-4 means wingers, in the absence of a recognizable sweeper, while the inclusion of a libero still remains an option, the devolution of the diamond is 4-1-4-1, that is, a midfielder in front of the back four, and behind the rest of the midfield, with a lone striker up front, which though protective of the indisputably valuable playmaker, the forecast is not enough goals to look like reign.

 When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, effectively replacing Mourinho from December 19^th, 2019, bought playmaker, Bruno Fernandes, from Portugal’s Sporting CP of Lisbon on January 30^th, 2020, for €80m, the fans anticipations were higher than four semi-final defeats, and defeat in the Europa Cup Final of 2021, 10-11, a.e.t., against Spain’s Villarreal on penalties, with the full-time score, 1-1, after a 55^th minute equalizing strike from Uruguayan center forward, Edinson Cavani, after a 20 yard shot from Rashford, blocked, fell favorably to his right boot inside Villarreal ‘keeper Onana's penalty area. The Final was notable for emphasizing a trend. Both wide players were center forwards, essentially functioning in the role of inverted inside forwards, that is, Mason Greenwood on the right, as an inverted left footed right winger, and Marcus Rashford on the left as an inverted right footed left winger.

 Cavani had taken Zlatan Ibrahimović’s mantle of Paris Saint-Germain’s all-time top scorer, before following the Swede to Old Trafford for season 2020-21, like ‘Ibra’, as a free agent. Doubts about Zlatan’s fitness before Cavani’s arrival led to his departure on March 23rd, 2018, for US’ Major League Soccer club, LA Galaxy, and United never had the two forwards striking together. Zlatan had sustained a ligament injury on April 20^th and was substituted by France center forward, right winger, and sometime inverted left winger, Anthony Martial, in the 90^th minute of the second home leg of the 2017 Europa Cup quarter final defeat of Belgium’s Anderlecht, 1-0, on 10 minutes through a low, right footed strike, center and left of Spanish ‘keeper, Rubén Iván Martínez, from Mkhitaryan, in the midfield diamond role, found with a pass by Rashford, inside left, cancelled out, 1-1, by Algeria’s attacking midfielder, Sofiane Hanni, right footed on 32 minutes, low from a rebound, when right central midfielder Youri Tielmans’ left foot shot, deflected, hit the bar, but 2-1, a.e.t., after an aerial knock down from Fellaini. Rashford, in the inverted left winger role, with his right instep dragged the ball around and behind his left leg, allowing it to roll into a position where he struck left footed, in the 107^th minute.

 Solskjaer reached the semi final of League Cup, F.A. Cup, and Europa Cup in 2020, before reaching the League Cup semi final in 2021, as well as losing the 2021 Europa Cup Final, replaced for 2022-23 by Dutch manager of Eredivisie Ajax, Amsterdam, Erik ten Hag, after former Leipzig manager, German Ralf Rangnick, on November 29^th was appointed as interim boss until the end of 2021-22. Ten Hag moved quickly to bring, for £82m from Ajax, Brazilian inverted right winger, left footed Antony, to play on the right. Complimenting right footed, inverted left winger, Rashford, United won the 2023 League Cup Final, 2-0, against Newcastle United, with go-getting right midfield, Brazilian Casemiro, bought for the start of the term by ten Hag from Real Madrid for £60m, getting the first, with a header from left back Luke Shaw’s free kick on 33 minutes, and Rashford the second, after being put through by on loan Burnley center forward, Netherlands’ Wout Weghorst, his shot deflected in off defender, Sven Botman, on 39 minutes.

 Beaten at Wembley, 1-2, by Manchester City, eventual winners of the 2022-23 treble of league, F.A. Cup, and European Cup, 1-0 against Italy’s Internazionale of Milan at Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey, with inverted left winger, bought by Solskjaer for 2021-22 from Germany’s Borussia Dortmund for £73m, right footed, Jadon Sancho, Rashford was at center forward. Ten Hag’s deploying of Portuguese right footed right back, Diogo Dalot, bought by Mourinho from FC Porto for £19m for 2018-19, as an inverted left back, for left footed socceroos, on the left side of the line up, was mene tekel upharsin, while buying left footed Danish striker, Rasmus Højlund, for 2023-24 from Italy’s Atalanta for £64m, to be the latest cutting edge of Bruno Fernandes’ diamond, 2 goals in 13 starts and 3 appearances, before United’s 4^th Round F.A. Cup tie at Newport, on January 28^th, 2024, that is, the club’s last realistic chance of silverware for that campaign's trophy cabinet, bluntly showed that an eagle with its wings on backwards might deceive for a time, but it won’t fly well enough to prey with the others.

QB Fernandes

That the Glazer family, who took over Manchester United football club, centered at their Old Trafford stadium, built 1910, adjacent to the Bridgewater Canal, off Warwick Road, north, Greater Manchester, county of Lancashire, bordering the city of Salford, and roughly delineated by former toll gates, Brooks’ Bar to the east, and Trafford Bar to the west, as part of the 19^th century Turnpike system of mercantile traffic, residential exclusivity, and road maintenance, are from the United States of America, was a fact that normally impinged but slightly on the consciousness of the average supporter.

 Malcolm Glazer, born in Rochester city, Monroe county, New York state, whose stake in the club was 2.9%, after purchasing his first tranche of shares on March 2^nd, 2003, for £9m, had 100% by June 2005, costing £790m, and although he died on May 8^th, 2014, in the incorporated town of Palm Beach, on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach county, Florida state, founding First Allied Corporation in 1984, as a holding company, with Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Conrail freight, and former US’ President George H. W. Bush’s oil and gas, Zapata Corporation, for example, as well as the American Football team, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa city, Florida, his legacy to his family was inestimable.

 On June 7^th, 2005, sons Avram and Joel, Executive Co-Chairmen from July 1^st, 2005, and Bryan, were first appointed to the board as non-executive directors, and sons Kevin, Edward, and daughter, Darcie, in 2006, although on December 24^th, 2024, Jim Ratcliffe, through his Ineos chemical conglomerate, were given control over soccer, after buying 25% of the club. Despite apparent seeming success with Alex Ferguson, appointed in November 1986, and continuing until retirement at the close of the 2012-13 season, the impact of the Glazers on United was discernible.

 Before 2005-06, under Ferguson’s stewardship, the F.A. Cup, 1990, 3-3 and 1-0 in the replay against Crystal Palace; the European Cup Winners’ Cup, 1991, 2-1 against Spain’s FC Barcelona at Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam, Holland, and the European Super Cup, 1-0 against Red Star Belgrade at Old Trafford; the 1992 League Cup, 1-0 against Nottingham Forest; the 1992-93 Premier League championship; the F.A. Cup, 4-0 against Chelsea and league ‘double’ of 1993-94 and 1995-96, 1-0 against Liverpool; the Premier League title of 1996-97; the ‘treble’ of league, F.A. Cup, 2-0 against Newcastle United and European Cup, 2-1 against German Bundesliga club, Bayern Munich, at Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium in 1998-1999, as well as the Intercontinental Cup, 1-0 against Brazil's Palmeiras at the National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan; the 1999-2000, 2000-2001, and 2002-03 league titles, and the 2003-04 F.A. Cup, 3-0 against Millwall, at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, while Wembley was renovated, were won before the Glazers’ takeover.

 The League Cup of 2006, 4-0 against Wigan Athletic, Millennium Stadium; the league title of 2006-07; the double of league and European Cup, 1-1, at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, Russian Federation, against Chelsea, a.e.t., and 6-5 on penalties, in 2007-08, as well as the World Club Cup, 1-0 against Ecuador’s LDU Quito at the International Stadium, Yokohama, Japan; the double of League Cup, 0-0 against Tottenham Hotspur, a.e.t., and 4-1 on penalties, and league in 2008-09; the League Cup of 2010, 2-1 against Aston Villa, and the titles of 2010-11 and 2012-13, were won with the Glazers.  

 Ferguson’s retirement saw something of a drought in terms of success. Fans had seen the appointment of the business suited manager before, with Frank O’ Farrell, 1971-December 9^th 1972, when the joke at ‘the Theater of Dreams’ was that he only came out of his office on match days. Although it was no surprise to the terraced ranks to find David Moyes of Everton appointed to succeed Ferguson, despite the emergence of protégé Adnan Januzaj of Belgium, as a possible future left footed playmaker, with 15 starts and 12 appearances for 4 goals, it was no wonder to see him leave at the end of the 2013-14 campaign, having done what he’d done for ‘the Toffees’; kept the club from being relegated.

 That Malcolm Glazer’s death had a deleterious effect on the club’s chances is moot, although he didn’t live to see former Netherlands’ manager, track suited Dutchman Louis van Gaal, who'd looked more like a trainer than Moyes, after buying Spain’s playmaker, Ander Herrera, for €36m from Athletic Bilbao, win the 2014 International Champions Cup pre-season tournament in the United States on August 4^th, 3-1 against Liverpool, at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens city, Miami-Dade county, Florida. However, Gaal’s experiments with three central defenders and wing backs, as well as inverted right footed left wingers, and vice versa, left fans feeling they’d gotten off lightly, when he was sacked, after winning the 2016 F.A. Cup, 2-1 against Crystal Palace.

 A pattern was beginning to emerge. The Glazers owned division South's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, when that National Football Conference (NFC) winning  team won Super Bowl XXXVII against the American Football Conference (AFC) winners, division West’s Oakland Raiders, 48-21, on January 26^th, 2003, at the San Diego Chargers' Qualcomm Stadium, California, with quarterback, Brad Johnson, who in the American public imagination, corresponding to the role of playmaker in soccer, made an 8 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver, Keenan McCardell, increasing the Buccaneers' lead to 27-3.

 The idea of the playmaker, as equivalent to the role of the quarterback, at the pivotal, central hub of the team, was to predominate at United, whose traditional two man midfield, with a holding ball winner and distributor, allied to a playmaker, behind twin strikers, and dependent on wingers to left and right, was to be modified by the diamond, consisting of a playmaker ahead of the two man midfield, and behind a single striker, assisted by two forwards, after the fashion of the quarterback (QB) in American football, handing the oval ball to a rushing back, who’d run with the ball, or throwing to left and right wide receivers in the anticipation of a touchdown (TD) in the opponents’ end zone, 6 points, followed by a place kick between the posts, 1 point, to emphasize the success, 7 points.

 Successful sans pareil, Portuguese José Mourinho, dubbed ‘The Special One’ by the English press, abrasively won the 2017 League Cup, 3-2 against Southampton, and Europa Cup, 2-0 against Ajax, Amsterdam, at Friends Arena, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden, bringing the hard tackling and long range passing and shooting abilities of France’s Paul Pogba back from Italy’s Juventus for €105m, where he’d signed as a free agent, after winning the F.A. Youth Cup with United in 2011, 6-3 against Sheffield United on aggregate, and four consecutive Serie A titles later; 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16.

 However, after converting Herrera into a defensive midfielder, with Belgian Marouane Fellaini, who’d been brought with him from Everton by Moyes for £27.5m, and Pogba ahead of him, rather than Herrera in his former diamond role as playmaker, behind the attack, Mourinho was dismissed in December 2019, after first losing charismatic Swedish goal scoring center forward through injury, Zlatan Ibrahimović, brought from Paris Saint-Germain age 34, as a free agent, and then losing the 2018 F.A. Cup Final, 0-1 to Chelsea's Belgian center forward Eden Hazard's penalty on 22 minutes, despite the herculean efforts of Zlatan’s replacement, bought from Everton for £75m, Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku, 16 goals that 2017-18 season, and 12 more in 2018-19.

 José was replaced by former United striker, Norway’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who the board predictably thought they’d manage, but those who remembered the appointment of former player, Wilf McGuinness, as the legendary Matt Busby’s successor; F.A. Cup winner in 1948, 4-2 against Blackpool, and 1963, 3-1 against Leicester City; league titles in 1951-52, 1955-56, 1956-57, 1964-65, 1966-67, and the European Cup in 1968, 1-1, and 4-1, a.e.t., at London’s national stadium, Wembley, weren’t surprised when Solskjaer didn’t do well in the league, and had difficulties in getting past the semi-final stage of cup competitions.

 McGuinness was sacked, and replaced for the 1971-72 season, when United led the league before New Year, by O'Farrell, after Wilf lost the League Cup semi-final of 1970, 3-4 on aggregate to Manchester City, as well as the twice replayed F.A. Cup semi-final of that year, 0-1 to Leeds United, after two 0-0 draws, with legendary goal scorer, Denis Law, on the substitutes’ bench, and again the 1971 League Cup semi-final, 2-3 on aggregate to Aston Villa.

 History was repeated and Solskjaer suffered a fate similar to McGuinness, and indeed Moyes, who though losing 1-2 in the 2013-14 season’s away leg of the League Cup semi-final at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, despite a headed goal on 51 minutes from Serbia's center back, Nemanja Vidić, at the far post for a corner from the left, 1-1, won the home leg, 1-0, after a corner on the left from Januzaj, back heeled by England center forward, Danny Welbeck, finding Northern Irish center back, Jonny Evans, who headed in on 37 minutes.

 To many fans Sunderland were inexplicably given another 30 minutes. Normally, the game would have been over, as away goals count double, in the event of an aggregate draw, 2-2, that is, as United scored away, 3-2. However, a temporary rule change required a result, and after United’s Spanish ‘keeper, David de Gea, had fumbled right back Phil Bardsley’s low shot along the ground and into the net on 119 minutes, 1-1, Januzaj, playing a one-two with England center back, Chris Smalling, ran on to cross the ball, left and deep inside the area, for center forward, Mexico’s Javier Hernández, to oblige with a strike, left footed at the far post on 120+1 minutes, 2-1, a.e.t., 3-3 on aggregate. Only right midfield, Scot Darren Fletcher, from a quintet that also included Welbeck, Januzaj, England center half, Phil Jones, and Brazil’s right back, Rafael, scored as United lost on penalties, 1-2, a.e.t., in front of an incredulous Stretford End.

 Despite Solskjaer’s buying the playmaker United's American backers had been missing, Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes from Lisbon’s Sporting CP for €80m on January 20^th, 2020, who scored 18 goals in 2020-21, as the team reached the 2021 Europa Cup Final, they lost at Stadion Gdańsk, Poland, 10-11, a.e.t., on penalties, to Spain’s Villarreal, when the game had ended in a draw in normal time, 1-1.

 Together with semi-final defeats for Solskjaer in the 2020 League Cup, 2-3 to Manchester City on aggregate, F.A. Cup, 1-3 to Chelsea, and Europa Cup, 1-2 to Spain’s Sevilla, at German club FC Köln’s neutral RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, that was failing, like McGuinness and Moyes. Glazers’ owned Tampa Bay Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV, against AFC division West’s Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9, at ‘Ray Jay’, Raymond James (Financial) Stadium, ‘The New Sombrero’, Tampa city, Hillsborough county, Florida, on February 7^th, 2021. QB Tom Brady threw, in the first quarter, an 8 yard TD pass, 7-3, inside flank to Rob Gronkowski, tight end (TE), and defensive blocker, that is, when Kansas’ QB, Patrick Mahomes, had the down,1 followed by another TD throw of 17 yards to ‘Gronk’, as eligible Buccaneers' offensive receiver, in the second, 14-3, and a throw of 19 yards to wide receiver, Antonio Brown, for a 1 yard gain, TD, in the end zone, with six seconds of the first half remaining, 21-6. However, cue B. Fernandes, United’s defeat again in the League Cup semi final of 2021, 0-2 to Manchester City at Old Trafford, was failure.

 Former Leipzig manager, German Ralf Rangnick, was invited to fill the role of interim manager until season’s end in December 2022, and Dutch manager of Ajax, Erik ten Hag was appointed for 2022-23, which finished relatively successfully, as Fernandes fulfilled his role as diamond playmaker in ‘the American Dream’, behind on loan Dutch center forward, Wout Weghorst, England’s Marcus Rashford on the left, and inverted left footed winger, Brazil’s Antony on the right, with Brazil’s Casemiro, right midfield, and Brazil’s Fred left midfield, behind him, as QB Fernandes’ United won the League Cup, 2-0, against Newcastle. Only time, and 'diamond Jim' would tell, if 4-3-3 was going to prove a better strategy, than 4-2-4.

1 A QB in possession has four downs to advance the ball ten yards or more to get it into their opponent's end zone for a TD.

The Inverted Winger at Manchester United

The labeling of forwards as inverts began at Manchester United with the arrival of Memphis Depay, a right footed left winger, who technical writers, associated with the coaching side of soccer, defined as an inverted left winger. The choice of terminology was perhaps surprising to psychologists, for example, sexologist Havelock Ellis (1859-1939), whose understanding of ‘invert’ was ‘sexual instinct turned by constitutionalized abnormality toward persons of the same sex.’1 The other interpretation is that of ‘reverse psychology’, that is, a right full back, expecting a left footed winger as his antagonist, would be caught flat footed by Depay’s right foot, for example. 

 Memphis arrived at ‘the Theater of Dreams’, subsequent to Argentine right winger, Ángel Di María, bought for the 2014-15 campaign from La Liga Spain’s Real Madrid for £59.7m by Dutch manager, Louis van Gaal, disappointing, with 20 starts, and 7 substitute appearances, for a return of 3 goals, being sold on to France’s Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain for £44m before the commencement of the 2015-16 term. Along with Depay, £25m from Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven, came Anthony Martial from Ligue 1 AS Monaco for £36m, a French left footed center forward, who also played on either wing, that is, as an inverted right winger, if he was selected to demonstrate his attacking abilities there.

 Like Ángel, the right winger Gaal rejected, Depay was also found wanting, with 16 starts, 13 appearances from the substitutes’ bench, and 2 goals in 2015-16, but by Gaal’s successor, Portuguese José Mourinho, replacing the Dutchman, rather surprisingly to many, after the club’s defeat, 2-1, of Crystal Palace in the May 21st, 2016, F.A. Cup Final. Depay didn’t figure and Mourinho brought Armenia’s captain, right wing, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, for £30m from German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, which investment was quickly repaid, as Henrikh scored the second goal on 48 minutes, with an overhead kick inside the penalty area against the Netherlands' Ajax of Amsterdam, 2-0, to win the May 24th, 2017, Europa Cup Final at Friends Arena, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden. 

 The emergence of England’s Jessie Lingard on the left wing, although he came on as a substitute for inverted right wing, Spain’s Juan Mata, in the 2016 F.A. Cup Final, scoring the winning goal in the 110th minute, with a right footed volley from inside the 18 yard box, meant that Depay, who made only 4 appearances as a substitute in 2016-17, wasn’t missed when his transfer to Ligue 1 Lyon for £22m went through on January 20th, 2017. However, midway through the 2017-18 season Henrikh went to North London club Arsenal in a swap deal for Chilean forward, Alexis Sánchez, who’d score 2 goals in 12 starts and have what looked like a perfectly good goal disallowed in the May 19th, 2018, F.A. Cup Final defeat against West London’s Chelsea, 0-1 to Belgian center forward Eden Hazard’s 22nd minute penalty, after he was brought down by United center back, England's Phil Jones, lunging recklessly after a ball too far away at Hazard’s feet for County Durham referee, Mark Clattenburg, to have any option but to award Chelsea the spot kick.

 Although Mourinho brought Brazilian Fred for the left side of midfield from Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukrainska Premier Liha for £47m before the 2018-19 campaign, he couldn’t be defined as a winger, and the damage was done. Alexis scored only 1 goal in 9 starts and 11 appearances and Mourinho, dismissed on December 18th, 2018, with just 7 wins in 17 games, was replaced by manager of Norway’s Eliteserien club, Molde, former United striker, Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who’d scored the winning goal on 93 minutes almost on the goal line, after England center forward Teddy Sheringham’s 91st minute equalizer against German side, Bayern Munich, 2-1, in the May 12th, 1999, European Cup Final at Camp Nou, stadium of Spanish La Liga club, Barcelona.

 With players mainly inherited, with the notable exception of Portugal's midfield maestro, Bruno Fernandes, bought from Primeira Liga Lisbon's Sporting CP for €80m on January 30th, 2020, Solskjaer was able to reach the Europa Cup Final at Stadion Gdańsk, Poland, on May 26th, 2021, but lost to Spain’s Villarreal, 11-10, a.e.t., on penalties, with Spain's ‘keeper, David De Gea, the only player to miss, after Uruguayan center forward, Edinson Cavani, brought as a free agent for 2020-21 from Paris Saint-Germain, equalized on 55 minutes, a low strike from five yards, 1-1, in normal time. 

 Trophyless, despite bringing legendary right wing, Cristiano Ronaldo, from Italian Serie A club Juventus for €13m, European Champions’ Cup winner with United on May 21st, 2008, 6-5 on penalties, a.e.t., and a Ronaldo header on 26 minutes, 1-0, at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, before England midfielder, Frank Lampard’s equalizer, 1-1, on 45 minutes, poking the ball left footed between advancing Dutch ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar and England center back, Rio Ferdinand. Cristiano, who’d notch 18 goals in 2021-22, had been joined by inverted England left winger, Jadon Sancho, from Borussia Dortmund for €85m, and France’s center back, Raphaël Varane, from Real Madrid for £34m, but 7th in the Premier League, after losing away at Watford, 1-4, Solskjaer was nevertheless replaced on November 21st, 2021, by interim manager until season’s end, formerly at RB Leipzig, German Ralf Rangnick, before Dutch manager of Ajax, Erik Ten Hag, was appointed for 2022-23. 

 Cristiano, known as CR7 for his initials and his preferred shirt number, departed, 4 starts and 6 appearances for 1 goal, to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr of the capital Riyadh, on January 1st 2023, where his illustrious name would receive more luster, scoring twice on August 12th at the King Fahd Stadium, Taif, in the 74th, 1-1, and again in the 94th minute of extra time to win the 2023 Arab Club Champions’ Cup against city of Riyadh rivals Al-Hilal, 2-1. CR7’s leaving was bittersweet, as United’s first success since 2017 came with the February 26th, 2023, League Cup Final defeat of Newcastle United, 2-0, with Marcus Rashford and inverted Brazilian right wing, left footed Antony, bought from Ajax for €95m, on the wings. Brazilian midfielder, Casemiro, bought for £60m by Ten Hag for the 2022-23 season from Real Madrid, headed in a goal from Luke Shaw's free kick on the left on 33 minutes, 1-0. Put through by on loan Dutch striker from Burnley, Wout Weghorst, 6 minutes later, Rashford’s shot, deflected off Magpies’ Dutch central defender, Sven Botman, looped over Newcastle’s German ‘keeper, Lorius Karius, goal, 2-0. 

 The decision to select Marcus Rashford, as a left winger, came as a surprise to many devoted followers, 11 starts and 5 goals in his 2015-16 debut season, and center forward in the 2016 F.A. Cup Final, but the purchase of Brazilian left footed right winger, Antony, provided a clue to manger Erik Ten Hag’s thinking. Previous managers had selected Anthony Martial as a center forward, or a winger, depending on injuries, tactics, and strategy, although Ten Hag looked to play Martial as a complementing inverted left winger to Antony on the right, that is, as what fans of soccer in the 1950s would recognize as inside forwards. Van Gaal’s tactical use of three center backs, along with full backs, who’d been wingers, had been similarly deployed as ‘retro’ 1950s ‘wing backs' by a Gaal predecessor, legendary two times European Champions’ Cup winning Scot, then retired, as Sir Alex Ferguson, knighted by England’s queen Elizabeth II for his contribution to soccer, and who’d been initially replaced by Everton’s David Moyes for 2013-14, before Gaal’s appointment. Ecuador’s Antonio Valencia, a former right winger, bought from Wigan Athletic for £16m for 2009-10, before being converted to right full back by Ferguson, and England’s Ashley Young, as a left winger, bought for £17m for 2011-12 from Aston Villa, restyled as a left full back, were converted again by van Gaal to wing backs, with responsibility for wing play in support of Depay, for example, an inverted right winger, effectively in the role of an inside forward.

 With five across the back, that is, a half back line, similar to that which won United the league title in 1909 and 1911, featuring Dick Duckworth, Charlie Roberts, and Scot, Alex Bell, and the April 24th F.A. Cup Final in 1909 at South London’s Crystal Palace, 1-0 against Bristol City, after a shot on 22 minutes from inside right, Harold Halse, hit the bar, and inside left, Sandy Turnbull, struck the rebound past ‘keeper, Harry Clay, room remains for two midfield players, and three forwards, or more daringly, a playmaker, functioning as a deep lying center forward, in the mold of Bobby Charlton, or Paul Scholes, behind the strikers and the wingers, and in front of a midfield two. However, if the wing backs function as wingers, left and right wingers become redundant in the forward line, although traditional with United, used to having a holding midfielder, of the type of Eire’s Roy Keane, alongside the attacking midfielder, for example, Fernandes, as that point of the diamond, where the two wings and the central striker are the other constellating points of the diamond’s structure. 

 With this strategy, either twin strikers were deployed, which means that each striking forward can be the point of the diamond, or there’d be a holding player in the midfield alongside the diamond strategist, with a single striker up front. If the manager deployed full backs as wing backs, for example, England’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the right, signed by Solskjaer for £45m from Crystal Palace, before the 2019-20 campaign, and Luke Shaw on the left, bought for £30m from Southampton by Gaal for the 2014-15 term, it’d be logical to suppose inside forwards in the style of the 1950s United, for example, Eire’s inside right, Liam Whelan, and England’s Bobby Charlton at inside left, during United’s 1955-56 and 1956-57 championship winning seasons, therefore inverted is an appropriate description for wingers in the role of inside forwards playing with the wrong foot, as it were, on the opposite side of the pitch to where they might naturally be expected to deploy.

 Spain’s Juan Mata, for example, as a left footed player, often deployed on the right, after being brought by former manager, David Moyes, from Chelsea, on January 24th, 2014, for £37.1m, that is, as a left footed inside right, and similarly with Antony, had the effect of funneling the play into the center, as the space on the right touchline of the field lay abandoned. As there aren’t any rules barring left footed center forwards, so with inside forwards, which foot used is entirely a matter of preference. Rashford, a center forward by common consent, selected on the left or right, as a left footed inside forward, for example, rather than a twinned striker, alongside Dane Rasmus Højlund, bought from Italy's Atalanta for £64m, as an out-and-out striker for the 2023-24 term, illustrates that there aren’t any wingers per se in the inverted strategy.

 The advent of Alejandro Garnacho, as a left winger on the right foot, suggested tactics and strategy at Manchester United undergo revision. Although Gaal’s experiment with three center backs wasn’t entirely dismissed by Mourinho, as Gaal himself was, after the 2016 F.A. Cup Final win, the idea of starting full backs as wing backs to perform the role of wingers remained fashionable. Unfortunately, the ploy of having three central midfielders, with a diamond behind the main striker, seriously curtails United’s usually all-out attacking style, as more fluidity’s required of the front three; resulting in an inversely proportionate return through placing too much onus on a single central striker to score, that is, goal famine. Although the ideal for United is a two man midfield, with a hard man, midfield destroyer, who can pass, and a diamond; twin strikers, and left and right wingers, or at least left and right inside forwards, who’re left footed left inside forwards, and vice versa, are needed to improve the goal drought. Otherwise the forward line will be inverted to the extent that there’ll be no wide play, which means no balls from extreme angles, crossed over to evade defenders, for forwards to head in, or boot onto, after a wing and a prayer.

 The argument that inverted forward thinking is more cerebral ignores the fact that an outside left with a right foot can’t hug the touchline, evading tackles from the opposing right full back to deliver accurate balls, like that of Wales' Ryan Giggs to Roy Keane, there at the far post on 35 minutes against Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Palmeiras, 1-0, to secure the Intercontinental Cup trophy on November 30th, 1999, at the National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan, against the champions of South America, winners of the Copa Da Libertadores, 4-3, on penalties, after losing the June 2nd first leg away at Deportivo Cali, Valle del Cauca, Columbia, 0-1, but winning the June 16th return leg at their Palestra Italia Stadium, São Paulo, 2-1, that is, after a draw, 2-2 on aggregate.

 Reports that Manchester United actually narrowed the pitch at Old Trafford suggests timidity. Abandoning the wings to play an inverted game is indicative of fear. Moreover, against a team with wingers United’s inability to counterattack down the wings puts too much strain on the defenders, while making for a defensive team, containing as many midfielders as possible, for example, Mata, a left foot brought to replace Giggs, signed upon contract expiry for Turkey’s Süper Lig club Galatasary of Istanbul for the 2022-23 season, having found himself labeled left sided midfield too often to view his role as even that of an inverted winger, that is, as an inside left forward, after debuting against Cardiff City on January 21st, 2014, scoring 6 goals in 14 starts, including 2 goals in his only substitute appearance at Old Trafford against Norwich City, 4-0, before 2013-14 season’s end.

 The emergence of Argentine, Alejandro Garnacho, as a classic inverted left winger in 2022-23, 5 starts and 14 appearances for 3 goals, didn't preclude his appearing on the right as an orthodox, that is, right footed outside or inside right. Without a striking partnership in attack, a challenge for honors is unlikely. Irrespective of the deployment of wingers, two strikers are proven to be necessary for success. Withdrawing the wings in favor of a pitch inversion is indicative of a psychological complex, that is, introversion, which is a term used to describe an approach that is antithetical to that of the extroverted personality, as exemplified by United teams in their thirst for trophies since manager Matt Busby’s first great side beat Blackpool, 4-2, in the April 24th, 1948, F.A. Cup Final, coming back after being 0-1 on 12 minutes through right back Eddie Shimwell’s penalty, when center forward, Stan Mortensen, was tackled from behind, and again at 1-2, after a Mortensen cross-shot in the 35th minute improved upon a United goal on 28 minutes from a Delaney pass and a strike from Jack Rowley, 1-1, who went on to head home his second equalizer of the afternoon on 70 minutes from a quickly taken free-kick, 2-2, before a Pearson shot flew into the net via an upright on 80 minutes, 3-2, and two minutes later Anderson wrapped it up, 4-2.

 The attack boasted Scot, Jimmy Delaney, at outside right, Charlie Mitten at outside left, Johnny Morris at inside right, and Stan Pearson at inside left, and Jack Rowley at center forward, with a half back line of John Anderson at right half, Allenby Chilton at center half, and Henry Cockburn at left half. The full backs were John Aston on the left, and United’s captain, Eire's Johnny Carey, on the right, which was five at the back, and five up front, that is, 1-5-5, including ‘keeper Jack Crompton. The game’s evolution was of the playmaker amongst the inside forwards, dropping back alongside the more distributive half back, resulting in 2018-19 in what United fans were prone to call ‘McFred’, for example, as Fred, and Scot, Scott McTominay, were brought together in a two man midfield by Solskjaer, with Fernandes ahead of them as a part of the diamond with three forwards ahead. The concept of wing backs derived from the need to support the midfield two, which meant either attacking full backs, or defensive wingers, although 1-4-2-4 remained the prevailing paradigm at Manchester United, before the advent of the diamond, controlled by a playmaker ahead of the central midfield pair, for example, Fernandes in front of Fred and McTominay, and behind Rashford. 

 Describing inside forwards, who’re left and right wingers, as inverts, that is, being of one gender and having the traits of another, contains malice, that is, a team with inverts won't get much penetration, as they’ll be confused over whether they’re an inside forward, winger, or midfielder, which can only be detrimental for new stars, like Garnacho, defined as an inverted left winger with a right foot, although that mightn’t be evident to coaches who want a left footed left winger, and a right.

1 Ellis, Havelock Studies in the Psychology of Sex Volume II: Sexual Inversion, 3rd Edition, 1927.

The Diamond

The fallacy surrounding Manchester United in recent seasons has been that of the diamond, which is a tactical concept, and a strategical structure, deriving at Manchester United from the way in which Bobby Charlton was deployed in the 1960s, as a deep lying center forward, alongside hard-tackling midfield creator-destroyers, such as Maurice Setters, Paddy Crerand, David Sadler, or Nobby Stiles. Bringing into play with long range pinpoint passes, left and right wings, for example, Johnny Giles, John Connelly, John Aston, and George Best, a former left-wing himself, Charlton, known for success with his long range shooting and passing game in the second half of the 1950s, crossing from the left wing onto the heads and boots of center forwards, Tommy Taylor and Dennis Viollet, during the 1956-57 Championship triumph, combined this with a short passing game of quick interchanges through the middle in the 1960s, carving out opportunities for forwards, who were twinned, that is, either Quixall, Herd, Law, Best, or Kidd, in their period of success. Beginning with the F.A. Cup Final win against Leicester City, 3-1, in 1963, and followed by Championship triumphs in 1964-65, and 1966-67, before a culminating victory in the European Champions’ Cup of 1968 against Benfica, 4-1, at London’s national Wembley stadium, Charlton was United’s original diamond.

 The modern theory of the central midfield attacker, as an auxiliary forward, supporting a lone striker in front of him, isn’t what Manchester United did with their diamonds. Alongside England captain Bryan Robson (1982-91) in English manager Ron Atkinson’s early 1980s United team, which brought F.A. Cup success in 1983 and 1985, after Atkinson replaced Londoner, Dave Sexton, for the 1980-81 season, first sometime England captain (on 10 occasions) Ray Wilkins, and then Northern Irish converted striker, Norman Whiteside, in a two man midfield, were diamonds, like Robson. While Wilkins took the holding midfield role, and later Whiteside, after Wilkins was transferred to Italy’s A.C. Milan for £1.5m for the 1984-85 season, Robson was free to move forward in support of the forwards and vice versa, if Robson remained as the holding player in midfield, Wilkins or Whiteside, and later Paul Ince, when manager Alex Ferguson, coming from Aberdeen, where the Scots' Club had won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1983, 2-1, against Spain's Real Madrid, before being appointed to replace Atkinson on November 6th, 1986, bringing Ince from West Ham United for the 1989-90 campaign for £1m, he could move up in support of the attack. The player going up the field was the lower point of the diamond in tactical terms, while the left and right wings were the corners of the diamond, with the striker, if they struck on goal, constituting the sharper end.

 However, there were twin strikers, which was the point that remained underemphasized in the era after Scot Alex Ferguson’s managerial reign, with his 13 Championships, largely dependent on that understanding of the diamond. With England’s Paul Scholes there, alongside Paul Ince, Roy Keane, Nicky Butt, Michael Carrick, or Darren Fletcher, after his debut in 1994-95, with 6 starts, and 11 further appearances from the substitutes’ bench, scoring 5 goals, Scholes went on to amass 11 league titles, 3 F.A. Cup winners  medals, 2 in the League Cup, 2 in the European Champions’ Cup, an Intercontinental Cup winners’ medal, and another in the World Club Cup, with several sets of twinned strikers ahead of him in the diamond.

 Scotland’s Brian McClair (1987-98; 88 goals), bought for £850,000 from Celtic for the 1987-88 start, and Wales’ Mark Hughes (1980-86; 37, 1988-95; 83), bought from Barcelona for £1.8m for the 1988-89 start, after being imprudently sold by Atkinson there for the 1986-87 term, and Mark Hughes and Frenchman Eric Cantona (1992-97; 64), bought from Leeds United for £1m on November 26th, 1992, where he'd helped the Yorkshire club win the last First Division title of 1991-92, before it was restyled as the Premier League, were responsible for United’s early success under Ferguson’s stewardship, with the F.A. Cup in 1990, 3-3, a.e.t., and 1-0 in the replay, followed by the European Cup Winners’ Cup, 2-1 against Barcelona, and the Super Cup in 1991, 1-0 against Red Star Belgrade; the League Cup in 1992, 1-0 against Nottingham Forest, and the League Championship in 1993, followed by the F.A. Cup,  4-0 against Chelsea, and league double in 1994, which Scholes didn’t participate in, as a first team player. The class of 1991-92 were there, though, that is, right back, Gary Neville, midfielder Nicky Butt, left wing, Ryan Giggs, and right wing, David Beckham, who’d been in the teams that won the F.A. Youth Cup Final in 1992, 3-1 away against Crystal Palace, and 3-2 (6-3) at Old Trafford, while Scholes, playing alongside the same players in the F.A. Youth Cup Final defeat a year later, against Leeds United, 0-2 and 1-2 (1-4), would go on to first team success rivalled only by Giggs, who’d been a member of the team for a short while only before the 1991 Super Cup Final.

 Though Scholes hung up his boots at the end of the 2012-2013 term, Giggs opted to play in the 2013-14 season for manager David Moyes, coming from Everton to replace the retiring Ferguson, and became interim player manager, before Louis van Gaal’s appointment of him as his assistant manager, subsequent to Moyes’ dismissal, after a series of poor results, culminating in a 0-2 away defeat at Everton. Giggs’ United beat Norwich City, 4-0, on 26^th April, 2014, but on May 3^rd lost, 0-1, to Sunderland at home, before beating Hull City at home on May 6^th, 3-1, and drawing at St Mary’s, Southampton’s ground, 1-1, on May 11^th, with Giggs making his last appearance as a player, aged 40, putting himself on as a substitute in the 70^th minute against Hull, for a record-breaking 672^nd appearance, scoring 114 goals.

 Gary Neville, and brother Phil, who’d played at right back in the F.A. Cup Final defeat to Leeds, with Gary at center half, Butt, Beckham, Giggs, McClair and Hughes were all there for Scholes, when he made his debut in the 1994-95 season, although Hughes, ending the campaign on, below par for him, 8 league goals, was transferred to Chelsea for £1m, before the commencement of the 1995-96 season. United, with McClair, then deployed in a deeper, midfield role, Cantona, and diamond hard Scholes won the F.A. Cup, 1-0 against Liverpool, and league Championship double once more, and the Championship again in 1996-97, when Cantona then retired, aged 30.

 Trinidad and Tobago’s Dwight Yorke (1998-2002; 48) and England’s Andy Cole (1995-2001; 93), Norway’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (1996-2007; 91) and England’s Teddy Sheringham (1997-2001; 31), Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the Netherlands’ Ruud van Nistelrooy (2001-06; 95), were ahead of Scholes’ diamond, as United completed the treble of league Championship, F.A. Cup winners, 3-0 against Newcastle United, and European Champions’ Cup winners, 2-1, against Germany’s Bayern Munich, in 1999, as well as Intercontinental Cup winners, 1-0 against Brazil’s Palmeiras. League titles followed in rapid succession; 1999–2000, 2000–01, and 2002–03, and the F.A. Cup in 2004, 3-0 against Millwall, at the Millenium Stadium, city of Cardiff, Wales, while Wembley, London, was being rebuilt.

 The partnerships of Ruud van Nistelrooy and France’s Louis Saha (2004-08; 28), Louis Saha and England captain (2014-17) Wayne Rooney (2004-17; 183), Wayne Rooney and England’s Alan Smith (2004-07; 7), and Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney, brought League Cup success in 2006, 4-0 against Wigan Athletic, and further successive titles; 2006–07, and the treble of 2007–08 league title, European Champions’ Cup, 1-1, a.e.t., and 6-5 on penalties against Chelsea, with Ronaldo failing to find the net, Chelsea captain, England’s center half, John Terry, slipping in the rain, and hitting the post, and France’s center forward, Nicholas Anelka, having his spot kick saved by United’s Dutch ‘keeper, Edwin van der Sar, so making Wales left-winger Ryan Giggs’ successful penalty the winner, and World Club Cup, 1-0, with a 73rd minute goal from Wayne Rooney against LDU Quito of Ecuador, after Serbian center half, Nemanja Vidić, was sent off for elbowing in the face Argentine striker, Claudio  Bieler, when both were on the floor after a tackle by  Vidić in the 49th minute, who'd convinced himself that Bieler was preventing him from getting to his feet.

 The pairings of Wayne Rooney and Argentina’s Carlos Tevez (2007-09; 19), Carlos Tevez and Bulgaria’s Dimitar Berbatov (2008-12; 48), Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, Dimitar Berbatov and Mexico’s Javier Hernández (2010-15; 37), Wayne Rooney and England’s Danny Welbeck (2008-14; 20), and Wayne Rooney and Dutchman Robin van Persie (2012-15; 48), brought the League Cup, 0-0, a.e.t., and 4-0 on penalties against Tottenham Hotspur, and league Championship double to Old Trafford in 2008-2009, followed by a successful defense of the League Cup in 2010, 2-1 against Aston Villa, and what might have been the last of Ferguson’s titles in 2010–11, when Scholes decided to retire, as a player, to join the United first-team coaching staff, after disappointedly being left out of the sides that lost to Spain’s Barcelona in the Champions’ Cup Finals of 2009 and 2011.

 However, with Darren Fletcher injured in 2011-12, when United lost the title to City rivals on a goal difference alone of 8, with both clubs on 89 points, on January 8^th, 2012, Paul resumed his diamond role in the F.A. Cup 3^rd Round defeat of Manchester City, 3-2, away. In 2012–13 the last of Ferguson’s titles was won, and is how Paul Scholes won with United’s diamonds.

 With the exception of Louis van Gaal (2014-16), appointed subsequent to his role as the Dutch national team manager at the 2014 World Cup, where Holland finished third, beating hosts Brazil, 3-0, Portugal’s José Mourinho (December 18^th 2016-2018), and the Netherlands’ Erik Ten Hag, appointed as former United center forward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s successor on April 21^st, 2022, after a spell for Carrick as caretaker manager, during which the team successfully negotiated passage into the last 16 of the European Champions' Cup, beating Spain's Villareal away, 2-0, followed by a draw, 1-1, away at Chelsea, on November 28th, and a 3-2 home win over Arsenal on December 2nd, before the appointment of German, Ralf Rangnick, from German Bundesliga club Leipzing, until season's end, with Carrick then leaving, successive Manchester United managers failed to approach the same level of success as Ferguson, primarily because of their failure to understand the importance of the diamond to the team.

 Van Gaal thought he could play three center halves, that is, Wales’ Jonny Evans, England’s Phil Jones, and Chris Smalling, with Argentine center half, or left back, Marcos Rojo, bought from Portugal’s Sporting CP for £16m, left back Luke Shaw, bought from S’ton for £30m, and defensive midfielder, the Netherlands’ Daley Blind, bought from Ajax for £14m, later added to the possible triumvirate, Gaal’s strategy was allied to former wingers, in the role of wing halves, as both full backs, Ecuador’s Antonio Valencia and England’s Ashley Young, had been right and left wingers, before they were switched by Ferguson to defense. A tactic harking back to the 1900s, when United had a famous half back line of Duckworth, Roberts and Bell, who won the Championship in 1908 and 1911, and the F.A. Cup Final in 1909, against Bristol City, 1-0.

 After pre-season success in the International Champions Cup, held in the United States of America, where United beat Liverpool in the Final, 3-1, to become 2014 ICC Champions, Jones, Smalling, and Evans were the three central defenders, with Valencia and Young as wing backs, Fletcher, Herrera, and Mata in midfield, and strikers, Rooney and Hernandez. Gaal experimented with variations, for example, Shaw as the left side of the three center backs, or as an out and out full back, paired on the right with Italy’s Matteo Darmian, bought for £12.7m from Torino for the 2015-16 season, as competition for Northern Irish Paddy McNair, 12 starts and 4 appearances as substitute in 2014-15.

 Darmian could also play center back, as did McNair, and Shaw was tried as a wing back in the style of Young, while the addition of Columbian forward Radamel Falcao for £6m on a season long loan from Monaco improved possibilities in attack, where Herrera was the diamond in center midfield, initially behind the aging van Persie, Falcao, or Rooney, and afterwards Rashford, although it was clear that Rooney had looked to be groomed for that diamond setting. Options intriguing Gaal throughout 2014-15 included the introduction of right winger, Ángel Di María, bought from Real Madrid for £59.7m, and when Di María failed to impress, French left winger, Anthony Martial, from Monaco for £36m, and Dutch right winger, Memphis Depay, from PSV Eindhoven for £25m were brought in before the 2015-16 campaign. Somewhat vindicated, Gaal’s permutating team selections eventually won, 2-1, a.e.t., in the 2016 F.A. Cup Final, against Crystal Palace.

 However, as the line ups were announced, it was clear the Dutchman had accepted the United way, and a team took the field at Wembley stadium employing the usual two man midfield, wingers, and twin strikers. Although Wayne Rooney, United’s all-time top goal scorer, was billed to appear in the Paul Scholes’ diamond role in midfield, behind Marcus Rashford, as the lone striker. Valenica started the match, and Ashley Young came on in the 72^nd minute as a left winger, as Italy’s Matteo Darmian had already replaced Rojo at left back in the 66^th minute, where they flanked Daley Blind, and Chris Smalling, who was sent off in the 105^th minute of extra time for holding onto the left leg of Palace left wing, Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Yannick Bolasie, to prevent his progressing up the field, in the center of defense.

 Carrick and Belgium’s Marouane Fellaini were in midfield, with Spain’s Juan Mata and France’s Anthony Martial on the left and right wings, while Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford were the twin strikers. England winger Jessie Lingard came on in the 90^th minute for Mata, who’d volleyed in left-footed a cross from Wayne Rooney into the penalty area, headed down by Marouane Fellaini, to equalize substitute Jason Puncheon’s 78^th minute goal in the 81^st minute, volleying in left side of the area at a narrow angle. However, it was Lingard who, in the 110^th minute, right of center, inside the 18 yard box, right footed, volleyed into the top left corner of the Palace net, 2-1.

 The win wasn’t enough to keep Gaal in the manager’s seat, and despite assistant manager, Giggs, being mooted for the job, he left and later became manager of Wales (2018-2022), winning the 2020 British Home Championship, beating England at Wembley, 2-1, en route. José Mourinho, arriving via Chelsea, with fellow Portuguese assistant, Lui Faria, where he’d managed ‘the Blues’ to the 2014-15 English Championship, as well as the League Cup that season, coached the players to win the club’s first Europa Cup Final, against Ajax, 2-0, and England’s League Cup again, bringing as a free agent Swedish striker, Zlatan Ibrahimović, age 34, from French club Paris Saint-Germain, to pair Marcus Rashford up front.

 Zlatan scored twice against S’ton, and United ran out winners, 3-2. Paul Pogba, winner of the 2011 F.A. Youth Cup with United, 6-3, home (4-1), but first leg away (2-2), on aggregate against Sheffield United, before leaving for Italy’s Juventus, had been brought back by Mourinho for £89m to partner Spain’s Ander Herrera in midfield; bought by Gaal from Spanish side Athletic Bilbao at the start of his reign as United manager for £28.85m. However, Carrick and Fellaini weren’t overlooked, for example, Fellaini played in the diamond behind Zlatan in the defeat of Ajax, although Rooney’s farewell to the twin striker’s position occurred in the 90^th minute, when he came on as a substitute for Mata, and it wasn’t until the 77^th minute that Rashford came on for Lingard, in the diamond role behind the striker, to partner Ibrahimović in the EFL Cup win over S’ton, with ‘Ibra’ heading the winner in the 87^th minute, suggesting the traditional pairing of twin strikers at United was being challenged.

 Despite the arrival of Belgian center forward powerhouse, Romelu Lukaku, the decision of assistant Faria to leave, replaced by Carrick for the 2018-19 season, after his career ended with a standing ovation, while being substituted in the 84th minute for Pogba, during the last match of 2017-18, on May 13th against Watford, in which Carrick had been involved in making the only goal of the game in the 34th minute for Rashford, 1-0, and United’s failure to capture the 2018 F.A. Cup, losing the Final, 0-1, to a 22^nd minute Eden Hazard penalty for Chelsea, after center back Phil Jones had clumsily brought him down, contributed to Mourinho’s dismissal, with Carrick being appointed acting caretaker manager, and largely resulted from United’s playing a 4-3-3 system, with Pogba in the center of a midfield that also contained Serbia’s Nemanja Matić, bought for the 2017-18 season from Chelsea for £40m, and Herrera. Chilean forward Alexis Sánchez, ‘El Niño Maravilla’ (The Wonder Child), brought from Arsenal, in an ultimately disastrous January swap deal for the previous season’s Europa Cup winning team’s Armenian right winger, Henrik Mkhitaryan, Alexis would score only 3 times before joining Italy’s Inter Milan for their 2019-20 campaign. Together with Lingard and Rashford, substituted by Lukaku in the 73^rd, who was struggling to regain fitness after an injury, Alexis couldn’t prey with United’s clipped wings, while the squad was similarly lacking in inventiveness from a midfield diamond.

 United had to wait until the League Cup Final of 2023 for their next trophy, with Dutchman Erik Ten Hag, former center back with Eredivisie club Twente Enschede, before being appointed to coach Eerste Divisie’s Go Ahead Eagles to promotion to the Eredivisie in 2012-13. Ten Hag then coached Bayern Munich II to the Regionalliga Bayern in 2013-14, after being runners up in 2012-13, and again in 2014-15, before joining Eredivisie’s Utrecht, where in his first season the side lost 1-2 to Feyenoord in the 2016 KNVB Cup Final. Joining Ajax, Amsterdam, on December 28^th, 2017, the team had already been knocked out of the 2017-18 season’s KNVB. Erik won three out of the next four league titles, after winning the Eredivisie double in 2018-19, with a 4-0 win over Willem II in the KNVB Final; again in 2020-21, with a 2-1 win over Vitesse Arnhem in the KNVB, and the Eredivisie again in 2021-22, but losing the KNVB Final, 1-2, to PSV Eindhoven.

 Legendary Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, winner of the European Champions’ Cup with United in 2008, and 18 goals that season, after being sold to Real Madrid by Ferguson on June 26^th, 2009, for £80m, where he won a further four European Champions’ Cups, in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018, was brought back by manager, Solskjaer, for the 2021-22 campaign for €15m from Italy’s Juventus, where CR7 had won Serie A titles in 2018-19 and 2019-20. However, Solskjaer, whose side were runners up in the league to City rivals, and Europa Cup finalists the previous season, 2020-21, losing 11-10 on penalties, a.e.t., after an equalizing strike from Uruguayan center forward, joining from Paris Saint-Germain, after succeeding Ibrahimović as all-time leading goal scorer there, Edinson Cavani, 1-1, in the 55^th minute, was sacked on November 21^st, 2021, after a defeat, 1-4, away at Watford; leaving United 7^th in the table.

 Ten Hag was appointed on April 21^st, 2022, after German interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s side, on February 23^rd, 2022, drawing 1-1 away to Spain’s Atlético Madrid in the last 16 of the European Champions’ Cup, lost on March 15^th, 2022, 0-1, at Old Trafford. Rashford was ousted from the return leg starting line-up against Atlético by Sweden’s 19 year old Anthony Elanga. Coming on as a substitute in the 75^th minute for Rashford, Elanga had scored the 80^th minute equalizer in the 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium. Put through by Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes, in the midfield diamond role, before striking right footed from the right side of the 18 yard box, low past Slovenian ‘keeper, Jan Oblak, into the bottom left corner of the goal, the inexperienced Elanga, 2 goals in the league, and 3 in total, before being transferred to Nottingham Forest for their 2023-24 season, started a game that United, eventually finishing 6^th that league term needed to win at home, and didn’t.

 In the Europa Cup Final, Solskjaer had started with forwards Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, and England’s Mason Greenwood who, after making his debut for Mourinho on March 6th, 2019, as an 87th minute substitute in a 3-1 away victory over Paris Saint-Germain, Round of 16, second leg, 2-0 behind from the first leg at Old Trafford, had been third top scorer in 2019-20 with 10 goals, behind Martial and Rashford with 17 apiece, although Rashford and Greenwood were nominally left and right wings. With Fernandes as the diamond midfield creator, in front of central midfielders, Scot Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba, Ralf honored Bruno’s talent, but denied United their traditionally successful paired twin striker combination with wingers. When Rangnick’s team drew with Atlético in the last 16 of the Champions’ Cup, Ronaldo and England’s Jadon Sancho were nominally the wingers, although the absence of the second striker was palpable, and the same was true of the second leg at home, which they lost, 0-1, with Fernandes in the diamond behind Elanga for the most part, rather than the more experienced Rashford, 11 league goals that season.

 Ten Hag moved quickly in the transfer market, buying in from Ajax for £49m Argentine center back, Lisandro Martinez, and Dutch left back from Feyenoord for £13m, Tyrell Malacia, to strengthen the defense; Dane Christian Eriksen, as a free agent after a spell with Brentford, and the Brazilian Casemiro from Real Madrid for £60m, strengthened his midfield options, while Brazilian winger from Ajax, left footed, but preferring to deploy on the right wing, Anthony, bought for £82m, gave the team another attacking ploy. However, the role of Fernandes as the midfield diamond remained problematic, with the option of fielding a single winger, and two strikers, or three strikers, masquerading as left and right wingers, invariably prevailing to the detriment of the club’s desire for success.

 Although scoring 18 times in the 2020-21 league campaign, Bruno’s inability to fit into a midfield of two limited United’s striking capability, and the 2023 League Cup Final defeat of Newcastle United, 2-0, with on loan from Burnley, Wout Weghorst, at center forward, who didn’t score, to add to his league tally of 0 in 10 starts and 7 substitute appearances, further exacerbated the issue. As left footed Anthony appeared on the right wing, with center forward Rashford on the left, without a recognized goal scorer in the center. Although Casemiro, with a 33^rd minute header from England left back Luke Shaw’s free kick, and Rashford, with a 39^th minute strike, after being put through on goal by Weghorst, secured the trophy, it left the diamond looking rather offset.

 Moreso, after City rivals, en route to a historic treble, beating Inter Milan, 1-0, in the European Champions’ Cup Final on June 23^rd at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey, after already securing the league title, with Arsenal losing at Nottingham Forest, 0-1, on May 20^th, with a game to play, and four points behind, then beat United, 2-1, in the June 3^rd F.A. Cup Final. United’s four man midfield, including Eriksen, labeled AM (auxiliary midfielder), deployed Casemiro and Brazilian Fred in the center. Fernandes, nominally on the right wing, did score an equalizing penalty in the 33^rd minute. Manchester City left wing, Jack Grealish was controversially adjudged by VAR technology, that is, video assistant referee, to have handled the ball, as England’s United right back, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, attempted to head on. However, with only center forward Rashford and left winger, Sancho, recognizable as forwards, the diamond was perceivably out of its setting.

 United had 9 defeats before January in the 2023-24 term, lying supine in 7^th, and didn’t qualify for the Europa Cup, finishing fourth in their Champions’ League group, although third was required, behind Bayern Munich, Denmark’s Copenhagen, and Turkey’s Galatasaray. With one win against Copenhagen, 1-0, at home, and a lone draw, 3-3, against Galatasaray away, in six games, and already out of the League Cup, losing 0-3 at ‘the Theater of Dreams’ to Newcastle in the 4^th Round, only time would tell if Ten Hag would be saved by another good cup run; or wingers and a pair of strikers.

 With or without a midfield diamond or two, improvement could be seen waiting in the wings. Argentina’s Alejandro Garnacho joined United’s youth system from Atlético Madrid in October 2020 for £450, 000, scoring a career-announcing twice from the left wing in United’s 2022 F.A. Youth Cup Final win over Nottingham Forest, 3-1, alongside center midfield, Kobbie Mainoo, 6 first team starts in the 2023-24 season before New Year’s Eve. Garnacho started 5 times, with 14 appearances as substitute, in 2022-23, before a career-establishing 3^rd minute right footed overhead kick on Sunday, November 26^th, at Goodison Park, Walton, Liverpool, opening the scoring in an away victory, 3-0, over Everton.

PC Ronaldo isn't a Criminal

The concept of political correctness, or ‘pc’ as it’s often abbreviated for social purposes, arose out of the perceptions of ethnic minorities and feminists within the United States of America that they weren’t respected, which resulted in what was called ‘positive reinforcement’, that is, preference was to be given to disabled people and transgender (TG) people, for example, in job applications, which many people found difficult to believe; leaving aside the issue of whether it was acceptable. Of course, the real issue was blacks and women, but ‘pc’ ensured that a host of minorities were preferred to the more normatively able- bodied members of the body politic.

 When Manchester United’s white number seven, red shirt wearing, right sided midfield maestro, Cristiano Ronaldo, winner of the European Championship with Portugal in 2016, was accused of disrespecting the club and the fans in comments made on the social media platform, Twitter, the soccer news reporting press were entering into dangerously racist territory. The idea of being disrespected originated primarily within the Afro-American community in the United States, as a means of identifying themselves as a cohesive social force akin to that of the Italian mafiosa for whom respect was a sine qua non in their nefarious business dealings masquerading as legitimate concerns. The notion of being disrespected was equivalent to a declaration of tribal warfare on the part of the gangster accusing another of cursing their existence by demonstrating a lack of respect for their cultural security.

 In News UK’s April 2022 launched Talk TV channel interview with Piers Morgan, super fit 37 year old right-winger, 18 league goals in the previous 2021-22 season, and more recently emergency center forward, ‘CR7’ Cristiano said, in response to a question about fears of being forced out, "Yes, not only the coach, but another two or three guys around the club. I felt betrayed."1 By suggesting that Cristiano had disrespected Manchester United it was the equivalent of a declaration of war, through a curse delivered, like the racehorse’s head, ‘Khartoum’, discovered in film producer Jack Woltz’s bed, as a warning, because Woltz ignores Don Corleone’s request to cast his Godson, Johnny Fontane,2 a scene in a chapter from Mario Puzo’s novel, The Godfather (1969),3 made into a three part movie series (1972, ’74, and ’90) about Italian gangsters in New York city.

 Although describing someone as lacking in respect, or being disrespectful, is acceptable public opinion, describing them as having disrespected seems authoritative in the sense that the guilt of the criminal has been proven and sentencing may begin, which is an attack, as the setting had moved from that of staged public opinion to slander, defamation of character, character assassination, and the derailing of employment prospects amounting to political assassination in the sense that having a voice at Manchester United is a political position, for a future managerial candidate, for example.

 Amongst the mafia their employees are known as ‘soldiers’, which means that disrespecting them is a declaration to their army, ‘Arm me.’ As a consequence of black Afro-American pride Europeans are declaring war on others regularly without understanding that it isn’t just an adoption of a word from the urban dictionary for general community use, and vicariously ethnic gratification outside of the scope of most people’s knowledge and experience, but a call - ‘Army!’

 That the Manchester United fans are known as ‘the Red Army’ is relevant here, as communist Russia’s ‘Red Army’ is a real military force engaged then in invading the Ukraine with its TOS heavy flamethrower system, breathing fire, which wasn’t in emulation of Manchester United’s club logo, ‘The Red Devils’, with its flaming pitchforks, but actually incinerating European resistance to communist enslavement.

 The Old Testament of the Christian Bible has good advice for those who want them to know that they feel disrespected, ‘if your eye offends you, pluck it out.’ (Matt: 18. 9) Although the Old Testament is Judaism, that is, it’s the history and law of the Jews, which is their Torah and Talmud, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ is about actual physical attack and the sanctioned response to it of Jewish law, whereas it’s recognized that it’s often the person who’s hating that’s offensive, rather than the hated object of their ire, which is why the Christian New Testament of Jesus ‘Christ’, ‘the chosen’, is believed to supersede Judaism, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ (Mk: 12. 31) Or, as The Staple Singers sang, in the lyrics to ‘Respect Yourself’ (1971), ‘Respect yourself.’4 If you don’t people will wonder why you take out your ire on others.

 Alleged feelings of being disrespected by Cristiano, ‘never heard of’ German Ralf Rangnick, former manager of Bundesliga outfit VfB Stuttgart in 2000 when they won the Intertoto Cup, and appointed caretaker at United, after the departure of Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who restored CR7 to the club from Itialian Serie A giants, Juventus of Turin for £20 m, and subsequent to the former United and Norwegian striker’s failure to beat Spain’s Villarreal in the Final of the 2020-21 Europa Cup, are meant to be felt as a call to tribal warfare in unassailably devastating attack on a disrespecting racist to disable a very able enthusiastic performer with a huge appetite for success and a tremendous asset to the team.

 That black players, most notably Belgium center forward, Romelu Lukaku, and Paul Pogba, France’s talented 2018 World Cup winning central midfielder, had spiritual problems playing at Manchester United, is symptomatic of the ‘disrespect’ phenomenon, which arising during the managerial tenure of Portugal’s José Mourinho, who brought to the club its only trophies in half a decade, the EFL Cup and the Europa League Cup in 2017, placed the onus on the non-black players to be more respectful, so placing the emphasis further away from winning as the sole objective of the game, whereas opposing teams faced with the ‘disrespected’ haven’t any other goal other than to put several past them, which makes it more difficult than it ought to be for former Ajax Amsterdam’s Dutch manager Erik ten Hag, appointed 2022-23, players, club, and fans alike.

1 Burt, Jason ‘Exclusive: Manchester United consider tearing up Cristiano Ronaldo's contract’, The Telegraph, November 14^th, 7.06 pm, 2022, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/11/14/cristiano-ronaldo-manchester-united-considering-tearing-forwards/ .

2 Cooper, Alison ‘Was the Horse Head in “The Godfather” Based on a Real Event?’ howstuffwỏrks, April 2^nd, 2015, https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/horse-head-in-godfather-real-event.htm .

3 Puzo, Mario The Godfather, Chapter 2, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York: NY, 1969, p. 68.

4 Ingram, Luther, and Mack Rice ‘Respect Yourself’, Aretha Franklin, Be Altitude: Respect Yourself, Stax, 1972.

Age Cannot Wither Her

Unbiased observers argue that the managerial regime of Manchester United’s former Norwegian striker, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, was unsuccessful due to the absence of wingers. Terrifying opposition defences with their unpredictability, players out wide cause panic. Defenders unable to deal with the calculated confusion created, United’s wings’ devastating skills were utilized by forwards queuing up to put the ball into the net. Although Welsh right wing, Daniel James, came on against Villarreal in the Europa Cup Final of 2021 at Lechia Gdańsk’s stadium, Poland, it was only in the 116^th minute, when the team were struggling to score, after South America’s then 33 year old Uruguayan center forward, Edinson, “‘ead in, son”, Cavani, struck in the 56^th minute to level the contest, 1-1, before penalties decided it for the Spaniards, 11-10, after extra time. Given attacking wing play was what made United famous and successful, the absence of either left or right wings in the team, despite Solskjaer’s moving in early October, 2020, to secure Uruguay’s talented Facundo Pellistri for £8 m from Montevideo’s Peñarol, to be yet another disused right wing, this time on loan to Spain’s Deportivo Alavés, relegated from Primera to Segunda División (Second Division) after Pellistri began there (2020-21), was a scandal contributive to bringing about the board’s decision to let Solskjaer depart.

 Although Solskjaer, a hero for that late winning goal, 2-1, against German side, Bayern Munich, in the 1999 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League Final at FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium, Spain, had taken United to the Europa Cup Final, it wasn’t enough. Caretaker manager, England midfielder, Michael Carrick, coach after his exalted playing career at Old Trafford’s ‘Theater of Dreams’ stadium, gave way to Germany’s recent Leipzig boss, Ralf Rangnick, a former Association for Active Games - Verein für Bewegungsspiele (VfB) - defensive midfield player with Stuttgart II (1976-9), that is, VfB Stuttgart reserves, and England’s non-league Southwick (1979-80, while studying English and Physical Education at Sussex and Stuttgart Universities), and first team coach of VfB Stuttgart (1999-2001), Bundesliga, winning the 2000 Intertoto Cup, a then annual summer competition amongst European clubs, taken over by UEFA’s professional soccer organization from 1995, adding to the managerial credentials causing United’s board of directors to appoint Rangnick as interim manager.

 Headed by its American Co-chairmen, Joel and Avram Glazer of the owning US’ family, since the club was bought in 1991, after its shares were floated on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), for £800 m by businessman Malcolm Glazer’s holding company, First Allied Corporation, owner and renter of shopping malls in the States, whose borrowing of £500 m to buy United was, perhaps cruelly, a financial debt to be paid by the club. Founded in 1961, and called the UI Cup in the German-speaking world, originally conceived as the International Football Cup (IFC), the UEFA Intertoto (UI) Cup had been a competition for clubs that didn’t qualify for the UEFA Cup which, founded in 1971, as a replacement for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1955-71) for teams from European cities promoting trade, and whose qualifying wasn’t dependant on any other factor, preceded its rebooting in 2009 as the UEFA Europa Cup. As clubs that would have competed for the IC gained entrance to the Europa Cup qualifying stages, it was discontinued in 2008, although the idea of a soccer tournament held in cities to promote trade would appeal to business.

 The International Champions Cup (ICC), for example, initially played for by invitation to clubs outside the United States of America, and won in 2014 by Manchester United at the Sun Life stadium, Miami Gardens, East coast state of Florida, on August 4^th, in the Final against Liverpool, 3-1, with goals on 55 minutes, thanks initially to a left-footed cross-shot from England center forward, Wayne Rooney, inside the 6 yard box past ‘keeper, Belgium’s Simon Mignolet, on 58 minutes, cancelling out an early penalty on 14 minutes from England’s midfield creator-destroyer, Steven Gerrard, after United center back, Phil Jones, brought down England left winger, Raheem Sterling, 1-1, and then a left-footed drive from Spain’s left sided midfielder, Juan Mata, in a central position around the 20 yard box, 2-1, before a right-footed strike in a similar position from England right wing, Jessie Lingard, on 88 minutes, 3-1: a money spinner, rather than a genuine competition.

 Like the Intertoto Cup, where toto is German and means ‘betting pool’, each of the participants contributes to a pot of money to be won, through turnstile receipts at the stadium gate, for example, thereby encouraging betting, that is, wagers over who’ll win, which is itself a business activity. Rather than a first tier club trophy, as the UEFA European Cup Winners Cup (ECWC) was, for the European nations domestic Cup winners to participate in from 1960, it largely replaced the non-UEFA recognized Mitropa (1927-40), or Central European Cup , competed for until 1992, when the reformed Russian Federation’s withdrawal from Eastern European territories, held since the official closure of hostilities on May 8^th, 1945, by teams from among the successor nations to the failed Austro-Hungarian Empire, after World War I (1914-18), despite being renamed the Zentropa Cup (1951/55-92), after WWII (1939-45), with Hungary’s ‘Iron Eagle’, Vasas FC, of the capital city Budapest’s district XIII, Angyalföld, ‘Earth Angel’, most successful during the political ‘Cold War’ (1947-91) détente with communist Russia, over its perceived illegal occupations of satellite slave nation states, co-opted as Republics of the Soviet Union of Socialist Republics (USSR), winning six Zentropa Cup titles (1956, 1957, 1962, 1965, 1970, and 1983), but UEFA’s ECWC too was rashly scrapped as a tournament in 1999, in favor of having domestic Cup winners qualifying as entrants to the UEFA Cup, a second tier trophy to the UEFA Champions League (UCL), while the Zentropa, the ECWC and the UI were consigned to redundant status as ‘pots’ of an obsolescent third tier. However, as Shakespeare wrote, 'Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.'1 The original ECWC was the brainchild of the Mitropa Organizing Committee, although recognized as a UEFA competition from 1963, the Mitropa never was. Like the UI and the ICC, it didn’t meet the professional sports body’s qualifying and controlling standards. United’s tacit approval of the ICC, itself abolished in 2020, after the implementation of workable industry fixture lists was handicapped by global pandemic, and the club’s willingness to participate in the American financial ad venture suggests UEFA’s preoccupation with legitimate qualifying competition rounds mightn’t be sound business practice to the Glazers, while Rangnick’s willingness to compete on a business footing for the UI and its crowds of summer holidaymakers helped secure his with the board. Moreover, that UEFA abolished the Inter-City Fairs and Intertoto Cups, while ignoring vested business interest in the developmental potential of the former Mitropa/Zentropa, Latin (1949-57),  and Balkan Cups (1961-94) in Eurasia, as a part of the West’s ‘Cold War’ policy towards the USSR and its former ‘client states’, suggests a huge investment potential bilked by UEFA, which could have been refinanced and profitably reflated as a tier competition for business, rather than as a trophy for standards measured.

 However, Dutch manager of Ajax Amsterdam, Erik ten Hag, a center back, who won the 1990-91 Eerste Divisie (Second Division) with De Graafschap, and the 2000-01 KNVB (Royal Dutch F.A.) Cup with Eredivisie (First Division) Twente, as a player, was deemed a better managerial prospect than Rangnick. Bringing as he did to Ajax, as their manager, the Eredivisie championship and KNVB Cup double in 2018-19, ten Hag was appointed to guide Manchester United’s 2022-23 season’s campaigning. The arrival of England right wing, Jadon Sancho, bought by Solskjaer for £75 m from German Bundesliga team, Borussia Dortmund, for the start of the 2021-22 season, had augured well for the future, and Solskjaer also engineered the return of Portuguese right wing, Cristiano Ronaldo, from Italian soccer giant Juventus of Turin for £20 m, after Ronaldo had left twelve years previously to join other expensive ‘Galácticos’ at Spain’s Real Madrid, where he won another four UEFA Champions League Cups in 2014, ’16, ’17, and ‘18.

 Even though then 36 years of age, Cristiano brightened the loyal red support at the prospect of seeing once again the skills of the genius who, scoring 18 league goals in 27 (3) appearances that 2021-22 season, often as an ad hoc center forward, when no one else could be relied on for goals, had been instrumental in  winning the 2008 European Champions League Final at Russia’s Moscow Luzhniki stadium, against England’s Chelsea of London, 6-5, on penalties, after Ronaldo‘s own headed goal put United ahead, 1-0, before England midfielder, Frank Lampard, equalized to send the match into extra time, 1-1, and the penalty decider ultimately decided by Welsh winger, Ryan Giggs, on as a substitute in the 87^th minute for goal scoring England midfielder, Paul Scholes, who struck the ball into the net, past Czech ‘keeper Petr Čech, after Chelsea’s England center half, John Terry, with a chance to win it for the Blues, 5-4, thanks to a rare failure to score from the 10 yards spot from Ronaldo, had slipped on his arse in the rain, and saw his shot hit United’s Dutch ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar’s post.

 It had been 2-2, with Argentine center forward, Carlos Tevez, formerly of Boca Juniors (2002-05) and Corinthians of Brazil (2005-07), first sblood, 1-0, being replied to by captain of Germany’s central midfielder, Michael Ballack, 1-1. He’d lead his national team to defeat in the 2008 European Championship Final against Spain, 0-1, at the Ernst-Happel stadium, Vienna, Austria, named for Rapid Wien’s center back (1943-56, 1956-59), who in 1970 managed Feyenoord of the Dutch Eredivisie to European Champions Cup success, a feat he achieved again in 1983 with Hamburg SV of Germany’s Bundesliga. Brazilian defender, Juliano Belletti, before the expectant Luzhniki  crowd, on as a substitute in the 124^th minute for Chelsea’s French defensive midfielder, Claude Makélélé, replied to Carrick’s successful penalty, 2-2, before Ronaldo’s miss allowed Lampard to make it 2-3 in favor of Chelsea. England’s right sided midfielder, Owen Hargreaves, bought from Bayern Munich at the beginning of the season for £17 m, got United’s 3^rd, 3-3, before Chelsea left back, England’s Ashley Cole, made it 4-3 to the London team.

 Although Brazilian winger, Nani, that is, Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha, on in the 101^st minute for Rooney, got United’s 4^th, 4-4, Terry then had that disaster when he could have won it for the Blues, 5-4. Brazilian midfielder, Anderson, that is, Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira, on as a 125^th minute substitute for right back, England’s Wes Brown, who’d sent in the cross for Ronaldo’s headed opener on 26 minutes, got United’s 5^th and ahead for the first time in the now ‘sudden death’ penalty phase, 5-4, and after Salomon Kalou’s strike, on as substitute for French left winger, Florent Malouda, in the 92^nd minute, 5-5, Giggs’ successful spot kick in reply to that of the Ivory Coast forward, 6-5, meant that French center forward, Nicholas Anelka, on as a 99^th minute substitute for England’s Joe Cole on the right of Chelsea’s midfield, had to score to level the contest, but his penalty kick was saved by ‘keeper Edwin to give United their third Champions League title, 6-5.

 It was the addition of Brazil’s left footed Antony, that is, Antony Matheus dos Santos, that signaled a future with a replacement for enduring Welsh left winger, Ryan Giggs, 24 seasons and two UEFA Champions League victories (1999, and 2008), between 1990-91 and 2013-14, when Giggs was even player manager, after Scot’s legend, Alex Ferguson, who’d taken the club to the last 13 of its league titles since his appointment from Aberdeen on December 6^th, 1986. Antony, arriving for £82 m from Ajax, where Erik ten Hag had been his manager, at the commencement of the 2022-23 term, gave United as many attacking options as before Ferguson’s retirement, although ten Hag also moved for the creative midfield vision of Denmark’s 30 year old Christian Eriksen, coming on a free transfer from ‘The Bees’, English Premier league outfit, Brentford Town, as the new United manager also strengthened his defence, with center back, Argentine Lisandro Martinez, coming from Ajax for £48 m, left back, Tyrell Malacia, again coming from Ajax for £15 m, and Brazilian defensive midfielder, called Casemiro, which is a nickname differing from his family’s, translating variously as ‘Emír’, and/or ‘Destroyer’, that is, Carlos Henrique Casimiro, coming from Real Madrid for £70 m.

 Ronaldo’s refusal to come onto the field as substitute against London’s Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League game of Wednesday, October 19^th, 2022, seemed fateful to the crowded onlookers. The team won, 2-0, through goals from Brazil’s midfielder, Fred, that is, Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos, and Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes, a deep-lying center forward in the style of former United and England captain, Robert Charlton, winner of the European Cup in 1968 against Portugal’s Benfica, 4-1, with two from Charlton himself, the second a rare header from ‘Bobby’, who had won the 1966 World Cup with England, also at Wembley stadium, London, 4-2, against Germany. But Cristiano’s days and nights in the red shirt now seemed numbered. Despite Sancho’s relative paucity of goals for the team, just 3 league goals in 20 (9) appearances in 2021-22, in comparison with the Portuguese’s prolific marksmanship, age was on his side at 22 years.

1 Shakespeare, William, Antony and Cleopatra, Act 2, Scene 2, ‘Flourish. All but Enobarbus, Agrippa, and Maecenas exit.’ l. 275-7, 1607.

Giggs or Islam

The retirement of Wales’ left winger, Ryan Giggs, meant a gap on the Manchester United left wing that needed to be filled. Giggs made 672 appearances for 114 league goals between the 1990-91 season, in which he debuted, as a seventeen year old former England school boy international, and then Wales Under 18 international, substituting for left full back, Denis Irwin, on March 2^nd, 1991, in a defeat, 0-2, to Everton at Old Trafford’s ‘theater of dreams’, before  scoring in his only other and full appearance that campaign, a derby defeat of Manchester City, 1-0, on May 4^th, 1991, and his farewell in the 2013-14 season, during which he made 6 (6) appearances, and finally in the role of player manager, putting himself on the field as a 40 year old 70^th minute substitute for Welsh debutante, forward Tom Lawrence, in a 3-1 home defeat of Hull City on May 6^th, 2014.

 Former Everton manager, David Moyes, had been chosen by the board as replacement for retired managerial legend, Alex Ferguson, who in 2012-13 had brought the last of his 13 league titles to the club, following his own appointment as manager at Manchester United on November 6^th, 1986. Moyes was sacked on April 22^nd, 2014, largely because of a defeat to Sunderland at Old Trafford in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final, 1-2, on penalties, with all those chosen to take the spot kick failing, that is, England center forward, Danny Welbeck, Belgian midfielder, Adnan Januzaj, England center back, Phil Jones, and Brazilian left back, Rafael da Silva; all apart from central Scots’ midfielder, Darren Fletcher, that is, and after the teams had drawn after extra time, 3-3, on aggregate, with each club winning their home leg, 2-1.

 Giggs retired with a sackful of medals after his debut for Ferguson. Those thirteen league titles; in 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2012-13; four FA Cups; in 1993-94, 1995-96, 1998-99, and 2003-04; three League Cups; in 1991-92, 2005-06, and 2008-09; two European Champions’ Cups; in 1998-99, and 2007-08; the European Super Cup in 1991; the Intercontinental Cup in 1999, and the FIFA World Club Cup in 2008. Included in the trophy haul were three league and cup ‘doubles’; in 1994, 1996, and 1999. Also the ‘treble’ of FA Cup, league championship, and European Champions’ Cup in 1999; the league championship and European Champions’ Cup ‘double’ in 2008, and the league championship and League Cup ‘double’ of 2008-09. 

  However, although the value of Giggs’ contribution from his debut as a seventeen year old is indubitable, especially alongside England right wing, David Beckham, who made 265 league appearances for the club, scoring 62 goals, between the 1994-95 and 2002-03 seasons, debuting on 23^rd September, 1992, as substitute for Russian Federation winger, Andrei Kanchelskis, against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup, 2^nd round 1^st leg, seventeen year old England schoolboy Beckham, signing a professional contract after a draw, 1-1, away at the Goldstone Ground, due to a 36^th minute opening goal from England left winger, Danny Wallace, equalized through a header from Matthew Edwards, the absence of an adequate replacement out wide on the left became palpable.

 Apart from the evident value of wingers to success for Ferguson, who always had four or five to choose from during his tenure, the apparent failure of successive managerial regimes to find a left wing has an added cultural dimension; Islam. The emergence of players whose cultural obligations are other than western Christianity is both welcome and symptomatic of an underlying malaise unrecognized by soccer chiefs. Perhaps the most prominent are Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Manchester United’s own central midfield giant, Paul Pogba, winner with France of the 2018 World Cup Final in Moscow at the Russian Federation’s Luzhniki Stadium, against Croatia, 4-2, after being a victorious opening goalscorer on 18 minutes at the Friends Arena, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden, with Manchester United during their Europa Cup Final defeat of Ajax of Amsterdam, 2-0, the previous 2016-17 season.

 The contribution of Moslem players is undoubted. Egypt’s center forward and captain, Salah at Liverpool, has a clean sweep of all of the major English and European trophies; the league championship in 2019-20; the European Champions’ Cup in 2018-19; the European Super Cup in 2019, and the FIFA World Club Cup in 2019. Liverpool hadn’t won the league title since 1989-90 before Salah, who got to add those medals to his collection after netting 73 times in 108 league games. However, the Moslem religion is devoted to right hand correction; everything is right justified: a word processing term because Arabic, like Hebrew and Aramaic, the languages of the Bible, is written from right to left. Although that can’t explain the absence of a left winger at Manchester United, it does indicate a source of resistance to left and right western thinking, which is based on reading and writing from left to right; for example, successive Manchester United managers preferred to deploy inside forwards, and left footers, like Spain’s Juan Mata, brought by Moyes for £37.1m from Chelsea on January 24^th, 2014, were required to serve as right inside forwards, while right footers served as inside lefts; a bizarre inversion denying the value of the left footer on the left wing, who’d been Ashley Young at the time of Giggs’ retirement, but like Ecuador’s winger Antonio Valencia on the right, Young was withdrawn into the full back position, so leaving the left wing yawningly vacant once more.

 The appearance of the term ‘winger’ to denote any player, whether left footed or right, who practiced his art out wide, is similarly symptomatic of a desire to neutralize the especial qualities relating to the artistry of the left sided player. Common explanations heard from players include ‘two-footed’, ‘either foot’, ‘both feet’, and ‘either wing’, while the supporters want to know who it is that the manager can select to play wide out on the left? Wales’ right winger, Daniel James, arrived at Old Trafford for £15m from Swansea on June 6^th, 2019, and was sold to Leeds United for £25m on August 31^st, 2021, after 39 (11) games and 6 goals, and his replacement, Jadon Sancho, arriving from German Bundesliga club Ballspielverein Borussia 09 e. V. Dortmund for £73m on July 23^rd, replacing James as a substitute in a 5-1 win over Leeds on August 14^th, 2021, was described as a right winger who’d played on the left for Dortmund. Presumably because the Bundesliga outfit had succumbed to Moslem pressure themselves and so a left winger wasn’t selectable.

 The emergence of the single winger team with the player who, right footed, can ply his skills on either side of the pitch, is a symptom of a wider cultural issue. To what extent are left wingers being stifled out of the game by religious zealots espousing the expertise of the soccer tactician? United’s choice after Moyes was Dutch national team boss, Louis van Gaal, who signed for the right wing Argentina’s Ángel Di Maria from Real Madrid on August 26^th, 2014, for £59.7m. Di Maria was transferred to French Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain for the start of the 2015-16 season with 20 (7) league appearances for 3 goals, after being sent off in an FA Cup  6^th round defeat to Arsenal at home, 1-2, which only tended to emphasize the unbalanced ineffectiveness of a bird at prey with but a single wing. Teams playing against the ‘red devils’ quickly realized that the way to nullify United was to turn to the right and sweep the wing off the field. With no alternative avenue of attack on the left, and despite Di Maria’s obvious strength and power, any tenacious full back, wing back or half back, could adopt the renowned ‘bite yer legs’ style of Leeds’ phenomenally tough England center back, Norman Hunter (1962-76), and clatter him out of the game, a fate which Di Maria’s German replacement from Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V., Bastian Schweinsteiger, also experienced after his arrival on July 13^th for the 2015-16 season for £13.5m. Bastian made 13 (5) appearances for 1 goal before leaving for the United States’ Major League Soccer (MLS) side, Chicago Fire, on March 21^st, 2017, while at Bayern he’d won eight Bundesliga championships; in 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, and the European Champions’ Cup in 2012-13.

Memphis Depay, making 16 (13) league appearances for 2 goals, similarly lasted a year, after being signed for the 2015-16 campaign for £25m from Philips Sport Vereniging (Philips Sports Union), Dutch Eredivisie club, 'Lightbulbs' PSV Eindhoven. Although United won the FA Cup that season, 2-1, against Crystal Palace at London’s Wembley Stadium, left footed winger Mata was deployed on the right, and got the equalizing goal, 1-1, volleying in with his left on 81minutes, after a cross from the right wing by England center forward, Wayne Rooney, chested down to Mata in the Palace box by Belgian midfielder, Marouane Fellaini, subsequent to Palace’s opener on 78 minutes. A cross on the right from Palace full back, Joel Ward, had been met with a controlled left footed volley on the left of the United penalty area from Jason Puncheon, 0-1, who’d come on for France’s attacking midfielder, Yohan Cabaye, on 72 minutes. France’s right footed winger, Anthony Martial, similarly deployed inexplicably on the left, suggested the malaise of left footed inside right and right footed inside left was destined to cripple United’s wings permanently. Although right wing, Jessie Lingard, came on for Mata in the 90^th minute to volley the winning goal in the 110^th minute of added extra time from the edge of the Palace 18 yard box, van Gaal was sacked and replaced by Portuguese legend, José Mourinho, who’d already won the European Champions’ Cup in 2003-04 with Portugal’s Porto and again in 2009-10 with Italy’s Inter Milan.

Mourinho moved quickly in the transfer market to secure the services of Armenia’s captain, right winger Henrikh Mkhitaryan, from Borussia Dortmund for £30m, an investment which paid dividends throughout the 2016-17 season as United won the League Cup, 3-2, against Southampton, and the Europa Cup against Ajax, 2-0, with Henrikh hooking the ball in over his head for the second of the night on 48 minutes, after Pogba’s deflected drive, looping over the ‘keeper’s head, had opened the scoring on 18 minutes. United finished 6^th in the league, and although the team made it to the 2017-2018 season’s FA Cup Final, an Eden Hazard penalty, 0-1, after the Chelsea forward was clumsily brought down on 22 minutes by England center back Phil Jones’ sliding tackle, ultimately resulted in Mourinho’s departure on December 18^th, 2018, with only 7 wins in 17 games at the start of the 2018-19 season.

 Former United and  Clausenengen Fotballklubb (CFK) forward (1990-95), then managing his Kristiansund birthplace Møre og Romsdal  county’s Molde Fotballklubb (MFK), which he played for between 1995 and 1996 in Norway’s premier Eliteserien league, scoring 31 goals in 42 games, Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who Ferguson signed for £1.5m halfway through the Eliteserien April-October 1996 season on July 29^th, scored the last gasp winner of the 1999 European Champions’ Cup Final in the 93^rd minute against Germany’s Bundesliga  side, Bayern Munich, 2-1, after England center forward, Teddy Sheringham, had struck in the 91^st minute to equalize Bayern’s right forward Mario Basler’s 6^th minute strike from a free kick, and was appointed manager at Old Trafford on December 19^th, 2018. 

 Solskjaer inherited the services of Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos, Brazilian left footed midfielder, Fred, bought by Mourinho for £47m from the Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk on June 15^th, 2018, and secured the transfer of right winger, Daniel James, from Swansea. The club suffered defeat at the semi-final stages of three competitions; the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the Europa Cup. However, it’s unlikely that the team would have got so far without Solskjaer’s inspired late addition of high scoring creative Portuguese midfielder, Bruno Fernandes, who had 8 league goals from 14 appearances, after being transferred from Portugal’s Sporting CP on 30^th January, 2020, for £67.6m.

 Despite making it to the 2020-21 Europa Cup Final at the Gdańsk Stadion, Poland, Solskjaer’s United lost on penalties, 10-11, to Spain’s Villareal, with ‘keeper de Gea missing the last spot kick, after added extra time when the match had finished, 1-1, thanks to an opportunist 55^th minute equalizing strike from 33 year old Uruguay center forward, Edinson Cavani, brought on a free transfer from Paris Saint Germain, on October 5^th, 2020, after a January 15^th back injury incurred in a 3^rd round FA Cup replay win over Wolves, 1-0, and which put England center forward, Marcus Rashford, out of the game for three months, revealed weaknesses in the reserve strikers. Although United finshed runners up in the league title race in 2020-21, Fred’s eclipsing Mata as the favored left foot only underscored the fact that United hadn’t found a left wing of the caliber of Welsh wizard, Ryan Giggs.

The return of Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, from Italy’s Juventus on August 31^st, 2021, for £12.85m, where he’d won two consecutive Serie A titles, after being transferred from Real Madrid for the 2018-19 season, where he’d won four European Champions’ Cups; in 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18; three World Club Cups; in 2014, 2016, and 2017, and who’d bought him from Manchester United before the 2009-10 season for £80m, was welcomed, but still it indicated a preoccupation with the right side of midfield, rather than the balanced wing play of alternating left and right upon which United had always traditionally thrived, and Solskjaer was sacked on November 21^st, 2021.

 Although Ralf Rangnick, manager of the German Bundesliga club RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V., when the Saxony club, known as RB (Red Bull) Leipzig, because founded in 2009 by Austrian energy drinks manufacturer, Red Bull GmbH, lost the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB)-Pokal (Cup) Final at the Olympiastadion, Berlin, 0-3, to FC Bayern in 2018-19, he’d previously won the equivalent of the German FA Cup against Meidericher Spielverein 02 e. V. (MSV) Duisburg, at the Olympiastadion, 5-0, as manager o Fußballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04 e. V. (FC  Schalke 04) in 2010-11, which success with S04 seemed qualified enough to the United board, and Rangnick succeeded eight day caretaker, former England and United midfielder, coach Michael Carrick, as Old Trafford’s interim manager on November 29^th, 2021.

Pretending That There's A Future And That There's No Today

The rot began in 2017-18 when José Mourinho inexplicably left top-scoring Belgian international center forward, Romelu Lukaku, out of the Manchester United team that lost, 0-1, to Chelsea, and that 22^nd minute Eden Hazard penalty in the FA Cup Final of 2018, after center back Phil Jones' reckless sliding tackle, which left the club without a trophy that season and led to the manager's dismissal halfway through the 2018-19 campaign.

 The appointment as manager of former reds' striker, Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who scored that last gasp winner against Germany's Bayern Munich to win the 1999 European Champions League Final, 2-1, seemed at first inspirational on the part of the club's owner from the United States, Malcolm Glazer, whose American Football franchise, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Florida, won the 2021 Super Bowl Final at home in Tampa's 'The New Sombrero', Raymond James Stadium.

 The National Football Conference (NFC) qualifiers, finishing second in the NFC division South, and entering the play-offs as a 'wild card', that is, amongst the best three teams that weren't division winners, qualified as champions of  the NFC by beating North division winners, the Green Bay Packers, 31-26, to reach Super Bowl LV, where they faced AFC division West winners, Kansas City Chiefs, champions of the American Football Conference (AFC), by virtue of their beating AFC East division winners, the Buffalo Bills, 38-24. The Buccaneers won the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl against the Chiefs, 31-9, while Malcom Glazer's sons, Joel and Avram, remained co-chairmen at Old Trafford.

 2021 wasn't such a celebratory year for Manchester United. After taking over just before Christmas 2018, Solskjaer had steered the team through to the quarter finals of the Champions League, defeating Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), despite drawing on aggregate 3-3 over the home and away legs of the tie in the round of the last sixteen clubs still remaining in the competition, and losing 0-2 at their Old Trafford stadium in front of the die hard fans of the Stretford End stand, because PSG were beaten in France, 3-1. Goals scored away from home counting double, United progressed to a quarter-final against Spanish giants, Barcelona, but lost 0-1 at home, and 0-3 at Camp Nou stadium, that is, 0-4 on aggregate. As Ole took over at season's midpoint, pundits reserved judgment on United's finishing 6^th under his managership; at least until the conclusion of a full term.

 Mourinho's legacy was significant. In his first season, 2016-17, the side won the Europa Cup, 2-0, against the Dutch club Ajax of Amsterdam at Friends Arena, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden, and the League Cup at London's Wembley stadium against Southampton, 3-2, with Sweden's center forward, Zlatan Ibrahimović, the inspirational free transfer from PSG, aged 34, rocking the stands with his ineffable goal scoring talent.

 Midfield artisan, Paul Pogba, who'd win the 2018 World Cup with France against Croatia, England's semi-final conquerors (1-2, a.e.t.), at the Luzhniki stadium, Moscow, 4-2, where United had won the 2008 UCL Champions League, and had won four straight Italian Serie A titles with Juventus between 2012 and 2016, had been returned to United for a fee of €105m, where he'd won the 2011 Youth Cup Final, 6-3 on aggregate against Sheffield United (2-2, 4-1), with the away leg at Bramall Lane being played first, alongside winger, Jessie Lingard, who converting a right wing cross from Pogba had opened the scoring for the youth team against 'The Blades' in the 14^th minute.

 An initial strike rebounding off the 'keeper gave Lingard a second opportunity, and the ball was judged by the referee to have crossed the line under the bar, despite a defender's attempt to keep it out, Harry Maguire. While Pogba was at Juvé, Jessie's opportunist right footed strike, in the second half of added extra time, won the FA Cup, 2-1, in the 110^th minute of the 2016 Final at Wembley against Crystal Palace for the manager Mourinho replaced, former Dutch national team boss, Louis Van Gaal.

 José's lack of patience with Ibrahimović ultimately led to the manager's own downfall. The Swede incurred a cruciate ligament injury, just before the end of normal time in the second leg of the Europa League quarter final at Old Trafford against Anderlecht. Level at 2-2 on aggregate, Marouane Fellaini's header, back heeled by Rashford with his right boot to make space for his left to strike low along the ground in the six yard box on 107 minutes, the club went through, 3-2, to the semi-final against Spain's Celta Vigo, but Zlatan  missed most of the 2017-18 campaign. 

 Standing over a free-kick to the right of the Celta penalty area in the away leg of the semi-final, as Daley Blind made a decoy run over the ball in front of Marcus, the Manchester United center forward lashed the ball over the wall right footed, past the outstretched left hand of Vigo 'keeper, Sergio Alvarez, and inside the far post. Despite Ibrahimović's absence, the away goal from Rashford on 67 minutes, 0-1, meant Fellaini's headed goal from Rashford's cross on 17 minutes in the second leg of the semi at Old Trafford, despite Celta Vigo center back, Fecundo Roncaglia, glancing in a header from a corner on 85 minutes, sent United through to the Final against Ajax, 2-1 on aggregate.

 Giving Ibrahimović a free transfer to the United States' Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, Los Angeles (L. A.) Galaxy, where he confounded doubters about his fitness to score 22 and 30 goals in consecutive terms, before returning to Europe and Italian giants, A. C. Milan, for whom he scored 10 and 15 goals in the two seasons before 2021-22, was undoubtedly the mistake that cost Mourinho his tenure at Manchester United.

 Mourinho's replacement for Ibrahimović, Romelu Lukaku, coming from Everton on July 10^th, 2017, for €88m, scored 16 league goals in 2017-18, but inexplicably didn't make the losing FA Cup Final team, and got 12 the following season when Ole replaced the eccentric Mourinho on December 19^th, 2018. Romelu went to Internazionale of Milan, and along with similarly offloaded United talents, forward Alexis Sánchez of Chile, England left winger/left back, and former captain, Ashley Young, and Italian fullback Matteo Darmian, who'd played at left back in the Europa Cup Final victory over Dutch club Ajax in 2017, won the Serie A title in 2020-21.

 Belgian midfielder, Marouane Fellaini, bought by Ferguson's immediate successor, David Moyes, from his previous club, Everton, for £27.5m on September 2^nd, 2013, and Dutch defender, Daley Blind, bought from Ajax by Gaal for £13.8m on September 1^st, 2014, both of whom had been instrumental in bringing the Europa Cup and League Cup to Old Trafford in Mourinho's first season, and had been in the team that beat Crystal Palace, 2-1, in the 2016 FA Cup Final, were deemed surplus to requirements by Solskjaer by the end of season 2018-19, although Brazilian Fred, bought from the Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk for £47m by Mourinho, and who'd made his debut in a victory, 2-1, over Leicester City, on August 11^th, 2018, remained to give depth in midfield selection, Lukaku, Darmian, and Young, with Sánchez on loan at Inter before the move was made permanent, were let go by Ole by 2019-20 season's end. United's loss was Inter's gain and the club didn't win a trophy in 2020-21, although they did reach the Europa Cup Final against Spain's Villarreal. A 1-1 draw at Stadion Gdańsk, Poland, after extra time, was followed by a penalty shoot out in which United's Spanish 'keeper, David de Gea, was the only one of the twenty-two players on the pitch to fail, so the trophy went to Villarreal, 10-11.

 Marcus Rashford was the teenage center forward that had emerged during Gaal's tenure, and Solskjaer's major addition to the squad inherited was Bruno Fernandes from Portugal's CP Sporting of Lisbon for €80m on January 30^th 2020, an extraordinarily gifted attacking midfield player in the Paul Scholes mold to rival strikers for goals. Ole had made an attempt to resolve defensive issues with the arrival of England center back from Leicester City on August 5^th, 2019, for £80m, Harry Maguire, and Wales' Daniel James had been brought from Swansea City on June 12^th, 2019, for £15m to give width to the team on the right wing, while Mason Greenwood was emerging as a teenage striker to compete alongside Rashford for goals up front.

 Only the addition of 33 year old Uruguay forward, Edinson Cavani, allowed to leave PSG, where he won six Ligue 1 titles, on a free, recognizably improved the squad for the 2021-22 season, as it was he that scored the goal to equalize against Villarreal, 1-1, in the 2021 Europa Cup Final, but hopes rose when super fit 36 year old Portuguese right winger 'CR7', Cristiano Ronaldo, agreed to move for the start of the 2021-22 campaign from Juventus to Old Trafford for £12.85m. Ronaldo, who'd brought more honor to the United number 7 shirt, made famous by 1968's inspirational European Cup winning winger, George Best, amongst others, including le god, French striker, Eric Cantona (1992-7), had arrived from CP Sporting for £12.25m for the 2003-04 season, and had been a  Champions League winner with the club, defeating Chelsea, 6-5 on penalties in the 2008 Final a.e.t., and a 1-1 draw when normal time was up, thanks largely to CR7's 26^th minute opening headed goal from a right wing cross from Wes Brown, in the right back position, before Chelsea's England midfielder, Frank Lampard, equalized just before half time, and Ryan Giggs winning penalty after Chelsea center back, John Terry, fell on his arse in the rain and hit the post when he could have won the trophy for 'The Blues'. Cristiano had been prised away from then United manager, Alex Ferguson, at the end of the 2008-09 season by Spanish giants Real Madrid for €94m, where he won another four Champions League winners medals (2014, '16, '17, and '18) before leaving for the 2018-19 season with Juventus of Turin, Italy, for €100m, adding two Serie A titles to his medal collection.

 Solskjaer's first full season in charge, 2019-20, had ended with the club in 3^rd place in the English Premier League, and the side reaching the semi-finals of the three cup competitions they were eligible for. Losing at home, 1-3, left it an almost impossible task against Manchester City in the League Cup, although United won the away leg at the Etihad Stadium in East Manchester, 1-0. The team lost to London's Chelsea in the FA Cup, 0-1, and to Spain's Sevilla in the Europa Cup, 1-2, despite being a goal up from a Fernandes' penalty on 9 minutes, after forward Diego Carlos' lunging tackle, as Rashford struck for goal, brought the United star down. Ole's team were getting a reputation for being a semi-side; not being able to go all the way. In 2020-21 the club again lost to Manchester City in the League Cup semi-final, despite it being a single tie staged at Old Trafford, 0-2, before losing the Final of the Europa Cup to Villarreal. Still not being able to go all the way, at least the side had proven it could progress beyond semis, and United finished runners up in the league.

 Often criticized for his team selection, Solskjaer's bringing Jadon Sancho, the England winger, to United from German Bundesliga side, Borussia Dortmund, for €85m, before the commencement of the 2021-22 season, and after England's losing the postponed UEFA Euro 2020 Final to Italy, 2-3, on penalties, with Luke Shaw putting the home team ahead, 1-0, in the 2^nd minute at London's Wembley stadium, July 11^th, 2021, while Rashford and Sancho, both coming on in the 120^th minute, gifting the game to gli Azzurri, failed to score with the third and fourth penalties, when the game proper had ended, 1-1, a.e.t., highlighted the problem. 

 Ole's mentor and predecessor, Alex Ferguson, flew to success on the wings of England's David Beckham and Wales' Ryan Giggs, so the acquisition of Ronaldo on the right, who'd replaced Beckham at United, ironically, when he signed for Real Madrid for €37m before the 2003-04 campaign, made Ronaldo and Sancho a logical wing combination. However, instead of playing Pogba and Fernandes in center midfield, with Ronaldo and Sancho on the wings, so leaving Rashford and Greenwood as the twin strikers, Solskjaer ignored the obvious and continued to select a midfield of Scott McTominay, a driving Scot with an eye for goal, who began to figure regularly in first team plans under Mourinho, and Fred.

 Although Ole's strategy was itself logical, that is, with five or more substitutes available to deploy from the bench, wingers could be used any time if they didn't start, timing was the issue. If the substitutions needed to win games weren't made, pressure was on the manager either to play with wingers, or to explain why he didn't, when it was the United way so to do. Given the fact that United's semi defeats and inability to produce a Final climax were ultimately the result of a lack of goals, temerity could be seen as Solskjaer's major shortcoming, that is, an apparent willfulness in failing to accept his midfield options looked like over cautiousness representing fear.

 Ole had undoubtedly built a team and a squad. Aaron Wan-Bissaka's arrival from Crystal Palace on June 29^th, 2019, for £50m, filled the right back slot that had looked shaky since the departure of Antonio Valencia. On October 5^th, 2020, Brazilian Alex Telles was signed from Portugal's FC Porto for £15.4m to give England's Luke Shaw competition for the left back berth. Although Wan-Bissaka started the Europa Cup Final defeat to Villarreal, Telles came on for him in a.e.t., at 1-1, on 123 minutes, scoring the team's second penalty during the 'sudden death' shoot-out. Solskjaer made five substitutes; the others being Axel Tuanzebe on 116 minutes for Ivory Coast center back, Eric Bailly, in the side because of concern over the fitness of Maguire; Daniel James for Paul Pogba on 116 minutes; Fred for Mason Greenwood on 100 minutes, and Juan Mata for Scott McTominay on 123 minutes. It was Mata that scored the first penalty for United, while Fred and James got the sixth and seventh, with Tuanzebe getting the ninth. Of those remaining from the starting line-up, Fernandes, Rashford and Cavani scored the third, fourth and fifth penalties, while Shaw, and Sweden's captain and center back, Victor Lindelöf, got the eighth and tenth. Unfortunately, 'keeper de Gea had his effort saved by Villarreal's Argentine 'keeper, Gerónimo Rulli, so the trophy went to Spain's El Submarino Amarillo, 'the Yellow Submarine'.

 The problem with having a large squad is which players to select in order to give the team the best chance of success. Alex Ferguson's advice, after Ole's fielding a second string side had left the club ruing another early United exit from the League Cup, this time to West Ham, 0-1, in a 3^rd round tie at Old Trafford on September 22^nd 2021, where the rationale for defeat was that younger players needed to play and gain valuable first team experience, so it'd become a club tradition to sacrifice new lambs on the altar of useless principle, when the aim was to put silverware in the cabinet, 'Always play your best team.' Solskjaer isn't Ferguson, who'd have to move the European Cup, FA Cup, and Premier League Trophy, to make way for the League Cup, so it was important that Ole's team, which hadn't won anything, tried to win everything, and the omission of top scorer Ronaldo for the game against Everton on October 2^nd, which the side drew, 1-1, when a win would have put them at the top of the league table, despite losing at home, 0-1, to Aston Villa on September 25^th, with Fernandes missing a 93^rd minute penalty, was symptomatic of a false belief in looking to the future, which ignored the fact that, if today there're no trophies, it's time to stop pretending and win.

Manchester United's Famous Five, and their DOG

Alex Ferguson, former ‘Gers center forward from the district of Govan, west of Glasgow city center, Scotland, and made to play in their junior side, as a punishment for failing to mark, as detailed, Celtic captain, and central defender, Billy McNeil, who then scored in the 3^rd minute of the 1969 Scottish Cup Final, and which that season’s domestic treble winners, Celtic, went on to win, 4-0, was justifiably praised for his youth policy at Manchester United, which initially produced a group of players for the first team labeled, ’the famous five’.

 As the generic title for a series of juvenile novels, written by English woman writer, Enid Blyton (1897-1968), the first was Five On A Treasure Island (1942), so there was the obvious question for the players, who were famous for being five: ‘What about the dog?’ Although set apart from Blyton’s five, there was always a dog with them, which helps define what was going on at the club, after the emergence of Welsh left wing, Ryan Giggs, in 1991.

 Bought by Ferguson’s predecessor, ‘Big Ron’ Atkinson, from his previous club, West Bromwich Albion, for ₤1.5m on October 1^st, 1981, Bryan Robson made his England debut in central midfield on February 6^th, 1980, in a European Championship qualifier at London’s Empire Stadium, Wembley, a defeat of Ireland, 2-0, although it was German Bundesliga side Hamburger SV’s Kevin Keegan who was the then captain, who scored twice in the 34^th and 74^th minutes. However, it was Robson, going on to captain England, making 90 appearances for 26 goals, who skippered United to FA Cup Final triumph in 1983, 4-0, against Brighton, with Robson scoring the first in the 25^th minute, and the third in the 44^th, in a replay, after the first encounter resulted in a draw, 2-2, and it was Robson again at the heart of the team as United won the FA Cup in 1985, 1-0, against Everton.

 Despite Ferguson’s appointment on November 6^th, 1986, the club had to wait until the 1989-90 season’s FA Cup Final against Crystal Palace for its first success under the Scot. In a game that ended, 3-3, a.e.t., a goal on 35 minutes from England captain, Robson, equalized Palace center back Gary O’Reilly’s 17^th minute headed goal from a free kick. Heading in a long floating ball to the back post from Scot’s forward, Brian McClair, on the right wing, Robson, ‘Captain Marvel’, leveled the scores in the 1990 FA Cup Final, 1-1, and in the second half, Neil Webb, bought at the beginning of the season for ₤1.5m from Nottingham Forest, where he’d debuted for England in a friendly defeat to Germany, 1-3, on September 9, 1987, at Rheinstadion, Stockum, Düsseldorf, and would go on to make 21 (5) appearances for 4 goals, struck a cross shot that Wales’ center forward, Mark Hughes, got onto the end of in the 62^nd minute, which he struck low into the corner of the Palace net.

 However, in the 69^th minute, Palace substituted right midfielder, Phil Barber, for England center forward, Ian Wright, who took on United’s defenders in the 72^nd minute before slotting the ball calmly past Scotland ‘keeper Jim Leighton, 2-2, and in the 92^nd minute of extra time, Palace’s England left winger, John Salako, floated a ball to the back post, where Wright struck home a volley, 3-2,  but United’s left winger, Danny Wallace, debut goalscorer in the 52^nd minute, on January 29^th, 1986, in a friendly away defeat of Egypt, 4-0, at Nasser Stadium, Cairo, and never selected for England again, put through a ball for Hughes to chase in the 113^th minute, who angled the ball past the onrushing Palace ‘keeper, Nigel Martyn, 3-3.

 United won the replay, 1-0, thanks to a long run up field from left back, Lee Martin, who chested down a ball from Webb, before crashing it into the roof of the net in the 59^th minute. Ryan Giggs made a single appearance, as substitute for injured full back, Ireland’s Denis Irwin, against Everton at Old Trafford on March 2^nd, 1991, 0-2, and a single full appearance on May 4^th, 1991, scoring the only goal of the game in the 22^nd minute against Manchester City at ‘the theater of dreams’, 1-0, and though left winger, Lee Sharpe, brought from Torquay United at the age of 17 in June 1988, was preferred to Wallace, and United would win the European Cup Winners’ Cup that season against Spain’s Barcelona in the Netherlands at the Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam, 2-1, with 67^th and 74^th minute goals that were typical of Hughes’ combining of strength with guile, it would be Giggs that had a future on the left wing.

 Wallace, who’d been a part of the FA Cup winning team in 1990, bought from Southampton for ₤1.2m at the outset of the 1989-90 season, would be transferred to Birmingham City for ₤250, 000 for the 1993-94 term, after making just two substitute appearances in the league, due to the emergence of Giggs in 1991-92, while Sharpe, who made his international debut against Ireland on March 27^th, 1991, in a European Championship qualifier drawn, 1-1, at London’s Wembley, and who’d go on to play 6 (2) times for his country, would often be selected at left full back to accommodate Ryan’s irrepressible genius. Although Sharpe did turn out for United on the right wing, Andrei Kanchelskis, who’d made his debut for USSR (Russia) on August 23^rd, 1989, as a 90^th minute substitute for right back, Gela Ketashvili, in a friendly draw away to Poland, 1-1, at Stadion Zagłębia, Lubin, and went on to make 54 (4) appearances for 7 goals, had the advantage of being a naturally right footed winger.

 Hughes’ first in the ECWC Final came from a free kick, taken by Robson, then arguably the best central defensive-attacking midfield player in the world, because of his combining indomitability with excellent ball playing skills. The ball from the free kick was headed on by center back, Steve Bruce, low down towards the left corner of the net, and Hughes, who made his debut for Wales in a 1984 Home International on May 2^nd at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, beating England, 1-0, and would go on to make 72 appearances for 16 goals, made sure at the goal line, 1-0, while his second came after being put through on goal by Robson, who almost on the half way line, dinked a long ball forward for Hughes to chase.

 Rounding the ‘keeper, Carles Busquets, as he came out, Hughes was forced out wide to the right where, despite the narrow angle, he struck the ball past the stranded Barca ‘keeper, into the bottom left corner of the net, 2-0. Although Barca’s Dutch midfield star, Ronald Koeman, got a late consolation goal from a free kick in the 79^th minute, hit low inside the left hand upright, which United’s ‘keeper, Les Sealey, replacing Leighton, still shell-shocked after the first encounter, could only help on its way into the net, 2-1, the ‘red devils’ held on.

 The following season Giggs came on for left back Martin in the 71^st minute of the European Super Cup Final against European Champions’ Cup Winners, Yugoslavia’s Red Star Belgrade. Because of the unrest in Yugoslavia, which resulted in war, and the break-up of the former super state into smaller independent nations; for example, Belgrade became Serbia’s capital city, only the Manchester leg of what was usually a home and away contest took place, so the United team duly won the trophy at Old Trafford, 1-0, through a 67^th minute opportunist’s goal from center forward McClair, after a strike from Webb, rebounded to the Scot off the post, while Wales’ wizard on the wing, Ryan Giggs, making 32 starts and 6 as sub for 4 league goals, never looked back.

 Although ‘the red devils’ were surprisingly beaten to the league championship that season by Leeds United, who took the title by 82 points to 78 from United, and largely thanks to their late importing of the silken skills of French striker, Eric Cantona, in January 1992 from Nimes for ₤900, 000 and 3 goals in 15 appearances, Giggs and the side did pick up a trophy, the League Cup, beating Nottingham Forest in the Final, 1-0. McClair, who’d made his international debut in a European Championship qualifier, while still at Celtic, before his transfer to United for ₤850, 000, before the start of the 1987-88 season, a defeat of Luxembourg, 3-0, at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on November 12^th, 1986, and would go on to make 20 (10) appearances for 2 goals, took another fine chance in the 14^th minute. England center-back, Gary Pallister, had played the ball midway inside the Forest half to McClair, who laid it off to Giggs. Running at the Forest defense, drawing defenders away from McClair in the centre, Giggs slid the ball sideways right to him, and McClair dribbled on into the penalty area; shooting left-footed past Forest ‘keeper Andy Marriott into the bottom-right corner of the net.

 It became clear that manager, Alex Ferguson, was looking to produce a youthful team to challenge for honors well into the future, as his predecessor Matt Busby had done with the ‘Busby Babes’ of the 1950s, and Giggs wasn’t the first of ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’, which accolade went to Sharpe, who would taste league and cup double triumph twice, in 1994 and 1996, as an intrinsic goal scoring member of an excitingly rebuilt squad, subsequent to the club’s winning of its first league title for 26 years in 1992-93. Sharpe made 27 starts that season for a single goal, and Giggs 40 (1) for 9 goals, while almost snuck onto the pitch, without anyone noticing, the great names of the future began to appear; right back, Gary Neville, who’d go on to captain the team and the club, made his first appearance, age 17, as substitute in the 1^st round 1^st leg UEFA Cup tie at Old Trafford against Russia’s Torpedo Moscow, 0-0, on September 16^th, 1992; right wing, David Beckham age 17, substituting for Kanchelskis, bought from Shaktar Donetsk on March 26^th, 1991, for ₤650, 000, at home against Brighton on September 23^rd, 1992, in the 4^th round of the League Cup, 1-0, with Giggs scoring on 75 minutes, and midfield tiger, Nicky Butt age 18, made his debut at home on November 21^st, 1992, as a substitute against Oldham Athletic, 3-0.

 However, it was Sharpe and Giggs on the wings that were instrumental in the 1993-94 campaign. Sharpe made 26 starts, and 4 appearances as a sub, for 9 goals, and Giggs made 32 appearances, and 6 as a sub, for 13 goals. The pair provided the service for France’s striker, Eric Cantona, who’d been imported from Leeds in a successful late season November bid by Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, for ₤1.2m, which had won the club the 1992-93 title, largely thanks to the Frenchman’s 9 goals from 21 (1) starts, and just as Leeds had brought Eric from French club Nimes to do the same for them in 1991-92. Cantona, who’d scored the third goal of the game in the 49^th minute, on his debut for France, in a friendly defeat to Germany away, 1-2, at the Olympiastadion, Berlin, on August 12^th, 1987, and would go on to make 45 appearances for 20 goals, struck 18 times for United in the 1993-94 season.

 Sharpe and Giggs were the young wings upon which United flew to championship victory with 92 points to Blackburn Rovers’ 84, and FA Cup Final defeat of Chelsea, 4-0, with two penalties from Cantona, who placed his spot kick low and into the right corner, as Russian ‘keeper, Dmitri Kharine, dived the wrong way on both occasions. Irwin, scythed down by English midfielder, Eddie Newton, in the 60^th minute, was avenged by Cantona from the spot, 1-0, and Kanchelskis, who’d top score in 1994-95 with 14 goals, but would be sold to Everton for the following 1995-96 season for ₤5m, was deliberately knocked over by Jamaica left back, Frank Sinclair in the 66^th minute, and Cantona duly converted the spot kick, 2-0.

 The game was already effectively killed off as a contest, before a slip by Sinclair allowed Hughes to run through and strike the ball into the left corner on 69 minutes, 3-0, and Cantona, wide on the right, found Hughes infield, who put the ball through in the 92^nd minute for central midfielder, Paul ‘the guv’nor’ Ince, to chase. Ince, who’d made his England debut in a friendly defeat to Spain away at the Estadio El Sardinero, Santander, 0-1, in 1992, and would go on to make 50 (3) appearances for 2 goals, rounded the ‘keeper, which took him deep into the penalty area, and as the remaining defender went across to deal with the scoring position, Ince instead squared the ball unselfishly, so making it a more than simple task for McClair to stroke the ball into the net directly in front of goal in the 92^nd minute, 4-0, which put the trophy firmly out of the reach of the London club from Fulham, and gave the Trafford area of Manchester its first ever league and cup double.

 With midfield goal-getter, Bryan ‘Captain Marvel’ Robson, appointed player-manager at Middlesboro’ for the 1994-95 term, aged 37, the season of ‘the nearly men’ was 1994-95, when the team, finishing runners up in the league championship on 88 points to Blackburn’s 89, and to Everton center forward Paul Rideout’s 30^th minute headed goal from a rebounding Graham Stuart shot that hit the bar in the 1995 FA Cup Final, 0-1, began to look tired and in need of rejuvenating youthful talent. Giggs made his scoring debut in the 67^th minute, for Wales’ second of a European Championship qualifier, a defeat, 2-0, of Albania on September 7^th, 1994, at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, and would go on to make 58 (5) appearances for 12 goals, while Nicky Butt, 11 (11) appearances, Gary Neville, 16 (2), doggedly replacing England’s right back, Paul Parker, signed from Queens Park Rangers for ₤2m on August 8^th, 1991, who’d made his England debut in a World Cup qualifier, a defeat of Albania, 5-0, at Wembley on April 26^th, 1989, and would go on to make 18 (1) appearances for his country, and Neville’s brother and left back, Phil, 1 (1), who made his debut on January 29^th, 1995, in an FA Cup 4^th round home defeat of Wrexham, 5-2, while replacing the volatile ball winning aggression, and passing game of Paul Ince, signed from West Ham for ₤1m at the outset of the 1989-90 season, and transferred to Inter Milan for ₤7.5m in the summer of 1995, tough tackling, creative midfielder, and opportunist striker, Paul Scholes, 6 (11) and 5 goals, emerged to give the side fresh impetus, which bore fruit in 1995-96, when the club again won the English league and cup double.

 David Beckham, who’d made just 2 league appearances, and 2 as sub, in his right wing role in 1994-95, in the vacuum created by Kanchelskis’ departure for Everton, broke through into the first team, making 26 starts and 7 as sub for 7 goals, leaving Gary, 30 (1) and Phil Neville, 21 (3), Butt, 31 (1), and Scholes, 16 (10), to give enough of a boost from talented young boots to striker Cantona, 14 goals, and England center forward, Andy Cole, 11 goals, who’d made his England debut in a friendly at Wembley against Uruguay, 0-0, on March 29^th, 1995, and would go on to make 9 (6) appearances for 1 goal.

 Bought in January 1995 from Newcastle United for ₤7m, Cole lifted the team into a top spot out of the reach of the aging Hughes, 8 goals, in his last 1994-95 season, before being transferred to Chelsea for ₤1m, with Giggs also on 11 goals for the 1995-96 season, securing the points and sweeping all before the Manchester club on the wings of Beckham, 26 (7), who’d made his England debut in a defeat of Moldova away at the Stadionul Republican, city of Chişinău, in a World Cup qualifier on September 1^st, 1996, and would go on to represent his nation 101 (14) times, scoring 17 goals; Sharpe, 21 (10), and Giggs, 30 (3), whose youthful determination won the championship by 82 points from Newcastle’s 78.

 Liverpool were defeated in the FA Cup Final, 1-0, after Cantona’s snap volley through a crowded penalty area on 86 minutes, with Phil Neville, who’d make his England debut away in a defeat of China at the Workers’ Stadium, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 3-0, on May 23^rd, 1996, and would go on to make 36 (23) appearances for his country; Nicky Butt, who’d make his England debut as a 68^th minute substitute for Liverpool winger, Steve McManaman, on March 29^th, 1997, in a friendly defeat of Mexico, 2-0, at Wembley, and would go on to make 27 (12) appearances for his country; David Beckham, and Ryan Giggs starting, and Paul Scholes, who’d make his debut for England in a friendly defeat, 3-0, of South Africa at Old Trafford on May 24^th, 1997, and would go on to play for his country 64 (2) times, scoring 14 goals, on for Cole on 64 minutes, and Gary Neville, who’d make his England debut in a friendly defeat, 2-1, of Japan at Wembley on June 3^rd, 1995, and would go on to win 80 (5) caps, on for Beckham in the 90^th minute.

 A more apt description of the young United stars responsible for the club’s resurgence could have been taken from the generic title of Enid Blyton’s detective series for juveniles featuring ‘the secret seven’, the first of which was indeed titled, The Secret Seven (1949), that is, Sharpe, Giggs, Gary and Phil Neville, Butt, Beckham and Scholes. However, the ‘famous five’ label stuck, and the odd man out came to be discernible as the dog.

 As the British have a tradition of ‘death or glory’, which belongs to the Royal Lancers, a former cavalry regiment of the British army, who’re known as DOGs, determining which of the seven was the dog, and when, wasn’t a degrading pastime: and then there were six! Lee Sharpe left for Leeds United on August 10^th, 1996, for ₤4.5m, and the 1996-97 season began on August 11^th with the traditional opener to the campaigning, the Charity Shield at Wembley, contested between the 1995-96 league champions, and the FA Cup holders. However, as United held both, championship runners up, Newcastle, were the opponents. Cantona, Butt, Beckham, and Irish midfield dynamo, Roy Keane, who made his debut for Ireland in a friendly draw, 1-1, against Chile at Lansdowne Road Stadium, Dublin, on May 22^nd, 1991, got on the score sheet. Keane would go on to make 65 (2) appearances for 9 goals, and ever since being brought from Nottingham Forest for ₤3.75m for the 1993-94 season, had captained United in the absence of injury-prone Robson.

 Beckham won vital possession to surge forward in the 24^th minute and, finding Cantona unmarked to his right, the Frenchman side-footed the ball past ‘keeper Pavel Srníček, 1-0. Following a long-range pass from Ryan Giggs, Cantona's cheeky back-heel landed perfectly at Beckham's feet in the 30^th minute, and his cross was diverted into the corner by Nicky Butt's diving header, 2-0. A glorious pass from Cantona allowed Beckham to break forward in the 85^th minute, and lob the ball over the too advanced ‘keeper Srníček, 3-0, and on 87 minutes Giggs laid off a free kick for Keane, who blasted a shot through the keeper's hands into the net, 4-0.

 United were to win the league that term with 75 points from Newcastle’s 68, and although Cantona hung up his boots for the last time age 30, the 18 goals scored by Norwegian striker, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, signed from Molde before the start of the 1996-97 season for ₤1.5m, meant that United’s future, after the French striker’s decision to retire, remained bright. Tottenham Hotspur center forward, Teddy Sheringham, arrived for ₤3.5m, as Cantona’s replacement for the 1997-98 season, but Cole was the only player to reach double figures in terms of goals, 15, and the title went to Arsenal’s 78, with United finishing on 77, and defeat away at ‘the marble halls’ of Highbury on March 14^th, 1998, 0-1, was instrumental in the Manchester club’s losing it.

 Dutch center half, Jaap Stam, who made his debut for Holland as an 80^th minute substitute for Ajax’s John Veldman on April 24, 1996, in a friendly defeat to Germany, 0-1, at De Kuip Stadion, Rotterdam, and went on to play 66 times for 3 goals, arrived from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven for ₤10m, because of uncertainty about the fitness of center half and/or defensive midfielder, Ronny Johnsen, who made his debut for Norway at Ullevall Stadion, Oslo, while playing for second tier Eik-Tønsberg, in a friendly defeat to Sweden on August 8, 1991, 1-2. Ronny went on to make 56 (5) appearances for his country for 2 goals, and had signed for United from Turkey’s Beşiktaş, J.K., Istanbul, for ₤1.2m before the 1996-97 season.

 The quality of England’s David May, who’d been signed from Blackburn Rovers, age 24, at the outset of the 1994-95 season for ₤1.2m, as central defensive cover for England’s Steve Bruce, then aged 34, who’d leave for the 1996-97 season at Birmingham City, and as cover for Bruce’s partner in defense, England’s Gary Pallister, then aged 30, who’d made his England debut in a friendly, 0-0, with Hungary at Budapest’s Népstadion, Istvánmezὅ, on April 27^th, 1988, and went on to make 20 (2) appearances, remained under scrutiny.

 Although central defender, Wes Brown, who’d be at right full back against Chelsea in the 2008 UCL Final, made his debut, as what Ferguson described as a ‘natural defender’, coming on as a 19 year old substitute against Leeds on May 4^th, 1998, yet untried on the world’s stage, he wouldn’t make his England debut until 1999, when selected for a friendly away game against Hungary at Budapest’s Népstadion, resulting in a draw, 1-1, on April 28^th. Wes would go on to make 16 (7) appearances for his country, scoring 1 goal, against the Czech Republic on 20^th August, 2008, in a draw, 2-2, at London’s Wembley, while his last appearance was against Egypt in a friendly won, 3-1, at Wembley on March 3^rd, 2010.

 1998-99 became Manchester United’s great season, with future hero Brown making 11 league starts and 3 from the bench, as the club won the league on 79 points from Arsenal’s 78; the FA Cup, 2-0,  against Newcastle United, and in which May played in Stam’s position, as Ferguson took no chances with injuries before the UCL Final; the European Champions’ Cup against Bayern Munich, 2-1, and the Intercontinental Cup against Brazil’s Copa de Libertatores winners, that is, South America’s champions, Palmeiras, 1-0.

 Trinidad and Tobago striker, Dwight Yorke, who made his international debut in a 1989 Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Championship qualifier, a draw, 1-1, with the United States of America, on May 13^th at Murdock Stadium, Torrance, South Bay, L.A. County, California, age 17, and went on to make 53 (3) appearances for 15 goals, bought from Aston Villa for ₤12.6m, and partnering Andy Cole up front, got 18 goals to the England striker’s 17, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got 12, and Sheringham, who made his England debut aged 27 in a World Cup qualifier, a draw with Poland at Śląski Stadion, Chorzów, 1-1, on May 29^th, 1993, and who went on to make 30 appearances (21) for 11 goals, but who scored only twice in the league all season, opened the scoring in the 11^th minute in the FA Cup Final against Newcastle, and got the 91^st minute injury time goal that equalized right sided German midfielder Mario Basler’s 7^th minute free kick strike for Bayern Munich in the European Champions Cup Final, before deadly Solskjaer’s 93^rd minute close in strike. After a Beckham corner, the ball was nodded on by Sheringham across the face of the goalmouth to where the Norwegian stuck out a boot and poked the ball high into the net, 2-1. United’s manager, thereafter knighted by England’s Queen Elizabeth II, was to be known as, ‘Sir’ Alex Ferguson.

 Against Palmeiras in the IC Final, on 35 minutes Keane ran almost the length of the field to steer a long cross from Giggs out by the left corner flag in at the far post, 1-0. Although the IC Final took place on November 30^th, 1999, it more properly belonged with the previous season’s trophy haul, that is, a quadruple. United won the league with 91 points from Arsenal on 73, a record 18 point margin, and scoring 97 goals, with Dwight Yorke netting 20 times, Cole 19, and Solskjaer, who’d scored Norway’s opener on his November 26^th, 1995, debut away to Jamaica in the 80^th minute of a friendly draw, 1-1, at Independence Park, Kingston, and went on to make 58 (9) appearances, scoring 23 times, finished the 1999-2000 season on 12 goals. Mikäel Silvestre, who’d make his debut at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris, on February 27^th, 2001, as a 76^th minute substitute for Marcel Desailly in a friendly defeat of Germany, 1-0, and go on to make 28 (12) appearances for 2 goals, arriving from Italy’s Inter Milan for ₤4m in September 1999, didn’t immediately threaten Phil Neville’s position, as first choice substitute for Denis Irwin at left back, but the famous five would break up.

 French ‘keeper Fabien Barthez was bought from Monaco for ₤7.8m to replace Australian, Mark Bosnich, who’d been a free transfer from Villa, after the legendary ‘Great Dane’, Peter Schmeichel, retired on the club’s winning the European Cup in 1999. Although 2000-01 saw United gaining their 3^rd successive league title with 80 points to Arsenal’s 70, and Sheringham top scored with 15 goals to Solskjaer’s 10, Irwin, who’d made his debut for Ireland in a friendly defeat of Morocco, 1-0, on September 12^th, 1990, at Dalymount Park, Phipsborough, North Dublin, and went on to make 54 (2) appearances for 4 goals, would only make 10 (2) league appearances in 2001-02, before retiring after 12 seasons, and joining from Oldham Athletic for ₤625, 000 on his 25^th birthday, October 25^th, 1990, while center forward, Diego Forlán, who made his scoring debut on 4 minutes for Uruguay in a friendly defeat to Saudi Arabia, 2-3, at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Damman, on March 27^th, 2002, would go on to make 97 (15) appearances, scoring 36 goals, and made 6 (7) appearances for United, after being signed on January 22^nd, 2002, from Argentina’s Independiente for ₤6.9m.

 At season’s outset, Ferguson had bought from Lazio for ₤28.1m, Argentina’s midfielder, Juan Sebastián Verón, son of Ramon Verón, La Bruja, ‘the witch’, a left winger with 4 appearances for Argentina, after his debut  on April 9^th, 1969,  in a friendly draw away to Paraguay at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción, 0-0, who’d scored against United when the team, then managed by Sir Matt Busby, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, subsequent to the club’s winning the ’68 European Cup, lost, 1-2, to Estudiantes de La Plata in the 1969 Intercontinental Cup Final. However, despite that addition of ‘Seba’ Verón, who made 63 (8) appearances for Argentina, after his debut as a substitute on 53 minutes for center forward, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, on September 1^st, 1996, in a World Cup qualifier, a draw, 1-1, with Paraguay in Buenos Aires’ Belgrano district at the Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, and ₤19m center forward import from Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, scoring 23 league goals to Solskjaer’s 17, United could only finish 3^rd in 2001-02. The club also lost the semi-final of the European Champions Cup to German side Bayer Leverkusen, 3-3, after a 1-1 draw away at the BayArena in a second leg that saw Leverkusen through on the rule that, in the event of an aggregate draw, away goals count double, and the Bundesliga team had drawn the first leg at Old Trafford, 2-2.

 Before the outset of the 2002-03 campaign, United manager Alex Ferguson bought Leeds United’s central defender, Rio Ferdinand, for ₤29.1m, who’d made his England debut, as a 39^th minute substitute for Gareth Southgate, in a friendly defeat of Cameroon at Wembley, 2-0, on November 15^th, 1997, and would go on to make 75 (6) appearances for 3 goals, and the move paid off. Bolstered by the emergence of Ireland’s John O’Shea who, after making his United debut, age 17, in a League Cup defeat to Villa, 0-3, on October 13^th, 1999, and being on loan at Bournemouth, and Belgian club, Royal Antwerp, returned to play full back, center back, or defensive midfield for United, and would excel in the utility role, until transferred to Sunderland for the 2011-12 season. The club won the league with 83 points to Arsenal’s 78, and Nistelrooy, who made his debut for Holland on November 18^th, 1998, in a friendly away draw with Germany in Gelsenkirchen’s Parkstadion, 1-1, and went on to make 55 (15) appearances for 35 goals, top scored with 25 goals to Scholes’ 14.

 Diego Forlán’s 6 league goals in 7 starts, and 18 substitute appearances, were invariably invaluable; notably in an away defeat of Liverpool at their Anfield stronghold, 2-1, on December 1^st, 2002, when Polish ‘keeper, Jerzy Dudek, allowed the ball to slip through his hands from defender Jamie Carragher's headed back pass in the 63^rd minute. Diego was there running in behind him to stick the ball in the net, 1-0, and after a surging run from left wing, Giggs, in center midfield, finding Forlán in space there on the right, the Uruguayan again struck, right footed from the right of the area, and to the ‘keeper’s left in the 66^th  minute, 2-0.

 Against Villa at home on October 26^th, 2002, Forlán headed in a late equalizer from a Silvestre cross on the left in the 77^th minute, 1-1, and on November 2^nd, 2002, a right footed shot curled into the top right corner of the net in the 86^th minute, 2-1, after coming off the bench in the 78^th minute to replace Phil Neville and score the winning goal in the home defeat of Southampton. On January 18^th, 2003, Diego scored late on in the 90^th minute, after coming on as a substitute for Silvestre in the 85^th, stabbing high into the roof of the net, a long through ball into the penalty box from Verón in central midfield, who had come off the bench to replace Nistelrooy in the 71^st minute, to defeat Chelsea at Old Trafford, 2-1.

 Ferguson had also brought much admired French center half, Laurent Blanc, Le Président, from Inter Milan, age 35, who’d made his debut for France in a friendly draw with Ireland, 0-0, at Daleymount Park, Dublin, on February 7^th, 1989, and would go on to make 90 (6) appearances for 16 goals, as replacement for 30 year old Dutchman, Jaap Stam, a much criticized transfer to Italian side Lazio for ₤15.3m because, with Stam at the heart of the defense, United had won the treble and three consecutive league titles. The League Cup Final was lost to Liverpool, 0-2, and Verón, La Brujita, ‘the little witch’, played alongside Beckham, who’d be transferred to Spanish giants, Real Madrid, to the chagrin of most United supporters, for ₤25m before the commencement of the 2003-04 season. The famous five had lost one among their number, but there were still five left of the secret seven.

 Despite Scot Darren Fletcher’s emergence as a right sided midfielder for the future, who made his Scotland debut on August 20^th, 2003, as a 60^th minute substitute for right back, Morris Ross, in a friendly with Norway at Ullevall Stadion, Oslo, 0-0, and who’d go on to make 71 (8) appearances for 5 goals, Beckham was replaced in the line-up by 18 year old Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, who arrived from Sporting CP ‘Lisbon’ for a then English record ₤12.24 for a teenager. José Kléberson, bought for ₤6.5m from Brazilian Serie A team, Atlético Paranaense, and who most commentators believed the driving midfield force behind Brazil’s winning the summer’s 2002 World Cup Final against Germany, 2-0, at the International Stadium, Yokohama, Japan, was initially seen as a long-term replacement for the aging Keane, and US’ Major League Soccer’s New York MetroStars ‘keeper, Tim Howard, arrived for $2m, as replacement for what was perceived by soccer journalists as the match losing antics of an increasingly erratic ‘keeper. Barthez, for example, raising his hand in an attempt to psych out West Ham’s Italian forward, Paolo Di Canio, and make him believe he was offside in the FA Cup 4^th round at Old Trafford on January 28^th, 2001. Put through on goal in the 76^th minute, Di Canio, ignoring the stationary ‘keeper with his arm raised in appeal, slotted the ball past him, 0-1.

 Kléberson, dislocating his shoulder in only his second game, and United’s fourth of the league season, an away defeat at Southampton, 0-1, made only 10 (2) appearances in 2003-04 for 2 goals, and didn’t figure in Ferguson’s 2004 FA Cup winning squad, while Keane played in the Final. French striker, Louis Saha, on 15 goals for Fulham, was bought by Ferguson for ₤12.4m in January, 2004, and made 9 (3) appearances for 7 goals. Nistelrooy, however, top scored with 20 league goals, and the team won the 2004 FA Cup, 3-0, against Millwall. With right sided Fletcher in central midfield, Ronaldo, who’d made his debut for Portugal, as a 46^th minute substitute for right wing, Luis Figo, on August 20^th, 2003, in a friendly defeat of Kazakhstan, 1-0, at Chevas’ Estádio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira, opened the scoring with a header in the 44^th minute, and Nistelrooy increased the lead from the penalty spot on 65 minutes, after a flying Giggs was brought down by Millwall’s central midfielder, David Livermore, before Ruud wrapped it up with a strike from three yards out on 81 minutes, following another run and cross on the left from the Welsh wing wizard.

 Diego Forlán left for Villareal of Spain’s 2004-05 season, after making 10 (14) appearances for 4 league goals in 2003-04, and two of those were in the 90^th minute of a home defeat of Aston Villa, 4-0, on December 6^th, 2003. Wayne Rooney, who was to become the club’s record goalscorer, arrived from Everton for ₤27m age 17, and Nicky Butt, who’d made 12 starts with 9 subs appearances in 2003-04, was transferred to Newcastle for ₤2.5m pre-season. Wayne, who’d debuted as a 46^th minute substitute for England in a defeat to Australia, 1-3, at the Boleyn Ground, London, that is, West Ham’s Upton Park, on February 12^th, 2003, and would go on to make 109 (11) appearances for 53 goals, top scored in 2004-05, but with only 11 goals. Without Scholes, now one of only four remaining members of ‘the secret seven’, contributing 9 goals, United would have struggled more. Saha made 7 (7) appearances for only a single goal; the second in the 69^th minute of a 3-1 defeat of Aston Villa at home on January 22^nd.

 In 2004-05 the club again finished 3^rd, and after losing the semi-final of the League Cup, 1-2, to Chelsea, despite the ₤7m purchase of relegated Leeds United’s England striker, Alan Smith, who’d make a less than indelible impression, scoring 6 times that season in 22 starts, and 9 substitute appearances, and Argentina’s Gabriel Heinze for ₤6.9m as a left back, who could also play center back, lost the Final of the FA Cup to Arsenal, 0-0, a.e.t., and 4-5 on penalties. Kléberson made only 6 (2) league appearances, and on August 6^th, 2005, signed for Turkish club, Beşiktaş, for €2.95 million: ‘I have come from one big club to another so I am very happy.’1 Ferguson now saw Smith as Keane’s successor in central midfield.

 Edwin van der Sar was signed from Fulham to replace Howard for ₤2m, and Phil Neville, who’d made 29 starts with 2 appearances as sub in 2004-05, was transferred to Everton for ₤3m pre-season: and then there were three! Nemanja Vidić, who made his debut for Serbia in a draw away to Italy, 1-1, at Stadio Olimpico, Rome, on October 12^th, 2002, in a European Championship 2004 qualifier, and went on to make 54 (1) appearances for 2 goals, arrived from Russia’s Spartak Moscow for ₤7m to partner Ferdinand in the center of defense on Christmas Day 2005, while Patrice Evra, left back, who made his debut for France in a friendly draw at Roazhon Park, Rennes, with Bosnia Herzegovina, 1-1, on the left wing, on August 18^th, 2004, and went on to make 74 (4) appearances, arrived in January 2006 from AS Monaco for ₤5.5m, because of injury to Gringo (blonde) Heinze, who’d made his debut for Argentina on 30^th April, 2003, as a 46^th minute substitute for right winger, Lucas Castromán, in a friendly away defeat of Libya at Tripoli International Stadium, Tripoli, 3-1, and went on to make 69 (3) appearances for 3 goals. The French full back experienced the salutary pain of being runners up to Chelsea in 2005-06, as ‘the Blues’ took the title on 91 points to United’s 83.

 Elegant and industrious, central passing midfielder, Michael Carrick, bought from Spurs for ₤14m in August 2006, had made his England debut on May 25^th, 2001, at The Pride Park Stadium, Pride Park, Derby, Derbyshire, replacing David Beckham, in a friendly defeat of Mexico, 4-0, and went on to make 22 (12) appearances. Carrick was to be the key to United’s 2006-07 championship triumph. Roy Keane broke a bone in his left foot on September 20^th, 2006, in a draw, 0-0, at Anfield, ruling him out for at least two months, and Smith began a prolonged run in the midfield 'anchor' role. However, despite making 15 (6) appearances, he scored but 1 goal, the first on November 19^th, 2005, in the 37^th minute of a 3-1 away win over Charlton Athletic, and on February 18^th, 2006, during a defeat to Liverpool, 0-1, at Anfield in the FA Cup 5^th round, Smith broke his leg and dislocated his ankle, while attempting to block a free kick from Liverpool defender, John Arne Riise, and a week later United beat Wigan Athletic, 4-0, in the League Cup Final without him.

 Injury caused Roy Keane to lower his sights in terms of industry and strength, and leave for Hampden Park and Scots’ club Celtic in December 2005. Park Ji Sung, who’d made his debut for South Korea at the Seoul Olympic Stadium, on April 5^th, 2000, in an Asian Cup qualifier defeat of Laos, 9-0, and went on to make 92 (7) appearances for 13 goals, bought from PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie for ₤4m, took his position in the Final line-up, and the captaincy went to Gary Neville, while Saha, 12 (7) for 7 league goals, was surprisingly preferred to Nistelrooy in the Final, who’d scored 21 league goals that term. However, it was Saha, who made his debut for France on February 18^th, 2004, in a friendly defeat of Belgium away, 2-0, at the Roi Baudouin Stadion, Hysel, Brussels, and who’d go on to make 11 (9) appearances for 4 goals, who starred.

 Flicking on Dutch ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar's long punt downfield in the 33^rd minute, Saha left Rooney with the simple task of slotting clinically past Wigan’s Australian ‘keeper, John Filan, after their Dutch center back and captain, Arjan de Zeuuw, had collided with France right back, Pascal Chimbonda, to leave the United center forward a clear run through on goal. Rooney directed the ball right footed, and to the right of advancing ‘keeper, Filan, on for the injured English ‘keeper, Mike Pollitt, in the 14^th minute, and into the right corner of the net. Saha got the second in the 55^th minute, after he struck a cross from Gary Neville directly at the ‘keeper, before bundling the rebound in with his knees, and it was Saha again who slid the ball across from center midfield for Ronaldo to strike home a third from the right side of the ‘keeper’s area, and into the left bottom corner of the net on 59 minutes, while Rooney got his second in the 61^st minute. A free kick on the right, left footed into the box from Giggs, was followed by a knock down to Rooney from United center back, Rio Ferdinand. Rooney, turning onto the path of the ball, struck it on and into the net.

 Finishing runners up in the league, Nistelrooy, often criticized for his lack of contributing to the team’s overall play, despite his goals, and to the disappointment of the fans, who loved to see the Dutchman score, was transferred to Spain’s Real Madrid for ₤10.2m, before the start of the 2006-07 season. Smith made only 6 (3) appearances, and was signed by Newcastle United for ₤6m in August 2007 for their 2007-08 season. Although Evra had replaced the injured Heinze in 2006-07, the Argentine returned briefly to the team, in the role of center back, before being transferred to Real Madrid for ₤8m the following season, and with Carrick and Scholes in midfield, while Ronaldo got 17 goals to Rooney’s 14, United finished the league season on 89 points to take the title from Chelsea on 83.

 However, the London club from Fulham beat the reds in the Final of the FA Cup, 0-1, a.e.t., with a goal from center forward, Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast, in the 116^th minute. Drogba had taken the ball with his back to goal, just outside the 20 yard box, and had stroked the ball right footed over to England midfielder, Frank Lampard, to his left, before turning and running into the United area to receive the right footed return pass from Lampard, which Drogba then directed over United’s advancing Dutch ‘keeper, Edwin van der Sar, and into the net. United also lost the semi-final of the European Champions Cup to A.C. Milan after winning at home, 3-2, before losing heavily at the San Siro in Italy, 0-3.

 Owen Hargreaves, right midfielder, was signed from Bayern Munich for ₤17m on July 1^st, 2007, while Portuguese winger, Luis Carlos Almeida da Cunha, ‘Nani’, bought from Sporting CP ‘Lisbon’ for €25.5m, who made his debut for Portugal in a friendly defeat, 2-4, to Denmark at the Brøndby Stadion, on September 1^st, 2006, and went on to make 81 (31) appearances for 24 goals, and Brazilian midfielder Anderson Luis de Abreu Oliveira, ‘Anderson’, bought from Portugal’s Porto for €30m, who made his debut for Brazil, at the Copa América, on June 27^th, 2007, as a substitute for attacking midfielder Elano on 45 minutes in a defeat, 0-2, to Mexico at Estadio Cachamay, Ciudad Guayana, and went on to make 4 (4) appearances for Brazil, had been introduced to the press the day following.

 However, it was the addition of center forward, Carlos Tevez, who made his debut for Argentina at Estadio Monumental Antonio V. Liberti, Belgrano district, Buenos Aires, in a World Cup qualifier, a draw with Ecuador, 1-1, as a 46^th minute substitute for right midfielder, Mariano González, on March 30^th, 2004, who went on to make 43 (13) appearances for 13 goals, and was on loan to United from West Ham for two years from August 2007, getting 14 league goals that 2007-08 season, which provided that extra firepower, alongside Ronaldo’s 31 league goals, and Rooney’s 12, to capture both the English title and the Champions Cup of Europe.

 It was Chelsea again that United faced in the European Champions Cup Final of 2008 at Russia’s Luzhniki stadium, Moscow, and which was eventually won, 6-5, on penalties, after the game finished, 1-1, a.e.t., and a Lampard strike on 45 minutes had cancelled out Ronaldo’s 26^th minute headed goal from a cross by central defender, and this time right full back, Wes Brown, on the right. Chelsea center forward, Didier Drogba, was sent off for striking Vidić in the face in the 116^th minute, and despite Chelsea center back, John Terry, having the chance to win it for ‘the Blues’, he fell on his arse in the rain and missed, so leaving Ryan Giggs to step up and convert the spot kick for United’s third European Cup triumph to follow then manager Matt Busby’s defeat of Benfica, 4-1, at London’s Wembley stadium in 1968, and Ferguson’s own victory over Bayern Munich, 2-1, in 1999.

 Receiving treatment for a patellar tendonitis knee problem, and pain killing injections to allow him to play, both before and after specialist surgery in the US, tenacious midfielder Hargreaves tragically left Manchester United, after making but a few appearances during the term of his contract, and despite offering to play for free during the 2011-12 season. The Brazilian twins, Rafael, who’d make his debut for Brazil, as a 72^nd minute substitution for right back, Danilo, on May 26^th, 2012, in an away friendly defeat of Denmark, 3-1, at the Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany, and would go on to win 2 caps in 2012, and Fábio, who’d make his debut for Brazil on October 7^th, 2011, at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San José, in a friendly away defeat of Costa Rica, 1-0, and would go on to win 2 caps in 2011, had been signed age 17 from Fluminense in January 2008, where Rafael, a striker, had been converted to left full back, while his brother was at right full back, although they wouldn’t be able to perform in the first team until 2008-09, when they were 18, would make a tremendous impact, and Rafael would be nominated for ‘Young Player of the Year’, along with Jonny Evans, who’d replace Wes Brown, who’d joined Sunderland ‘Black Cats’ pre-season, in United’s defensive thinking.

 Jon, impressing in his Northern Ireland debut in a European Championship qualifier, a defeat of Spain, 3-2, on September 6^th, 2006, at Windsor Park, Belfast, went on to make 88 (1) appearances for 4 goals, after making his league debut, in place of the injured Vidić, in a draw, 1-1, against Chelsea on September 21^st, 2008, away at Stamford Bridge. Dimitar Berbatov, a striker, who made his debut for Bulgaria, as a 65^th minute substitute for attacking midfielder, Aleksandar Aleksandrov, in a friendly defeat away to Greece, 0-1, at Dimotiko Stadio Kozanis, Kozani, on November 17^th, 1999, and went on to make 73 (5) appearances for 48 goals, signed for ₤30.75m, as a replacement for the injury prone Louis Saha, from Tottenham Hotspur on September 1^st, 2008, made his debut in an away defeat at Anfield against Liverpool, 1-2, and was credited with the assist that allowed Tevez to open the scoring in the 3^rd minute, 1-0. However, Tevez would score only 5 league goals that season, and was allowed to leave for Manchester City the next, after his loan period from Upton Park expired. Berbatov would find the net 9 times that 2008-09 term, and Ronaldo would top score with 18 goals to Rooney’s 12, as United became league champions again with 90 points from Liverpool on 86.

 The World Club Cup had already been won on December 21^st, 2008, at the International Stadium Yokohama, Japan, against Peru’s LDU Quito, despite Nemanja Vidić being sent off in the 49^th minute for elbowing Argentine forward, Claudio Bieler, after a clash that left both on the turf, and Vidić felt he was being held back by Bieler to prevent his returning to the fray. United, reduced to ten men, and having to play a canny game of counter attack, led to the only goal of the game in the 73^rd minute from Rooney’s lurking on the edge of the LDU Quito area waiting to strike. When Ronaldo collected the ball in the ‘D’ with his back to goal, turned and slid it right footed to the inside left forward position, Rooney was there to strike a low shot past Quito ‘keeper, José Francisco Cevallos, into the bottom right corner.

 The squad also won the 2009 League Cup Final on penalties against Spurs, 4-1, a.e.t, when the game proper had ended, 0-0, although the match was most noticeable for the appearance in the United side of players that, if it hadn’t been for the pressures on the squad of competing in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) and the FA Cup, otherwise wouldn’t have been included, that is, central midfielder, Darron Gibson, who made 13 (13) appearances for 1 goal for Ireland, after making his debut on August 22^nd, 2007, in a friendly defeat of Denmark away at Ceres Park & Arena, Århus, 4-0, coming on for winger, Steve Hunt, in the 46^th minute, and future England and Arsenal center forward, Danny Welbeck, who made but 1 league appearance and 2 as sub for 1 goal that season, coming on for Park Ji Sung in the 63^rd minute to score in the top right corner of the net with an 84^th minute 30 yard curling shot; the last goal in a 5-0 defeat of Stoke at Old Trafford on November 15^th, 2008.

 Welbeck, who made his England debut, as an 81^st minute substitute for left wing, Ashley Young, on March 29^th, 2011, in a friendly draw with Ghana, 1-1, and went on to make 26 (16) appearances for 6 goals, also scored 2 goals in United’s FA Cup run, but they were beaten in the semi-final by Everton, 2-4, on penalties, after the game proper ended, a.e.t., 0-0. Failure against Barcelona, 0-2, in the UCL Final at the Stadio Olimpica, Rome, Italy, dampened a great season, and questions were raised amongst fans as to why Scholes, the player most feared by Barca, after his UCL semi-final winning goal from distance on 14 minutes, and on aggregate, 1-0, in the second leg at Old Trafford the previous season, wasn’t in the side from the start, and only came on in the 75^th minute, when United were already down, 0-2, and why Tevez and Bebatov were on the substitutes’ bench, while Park Ji Sung and Anderson were preferred to having Scholes and/or a second striker alongside Rooney?

 Before the 2009-10 season began, Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7), was sold to Real Madrid for ₤30m, and Antonio Valencia, who made his debut for Ecuador in a friendly away draw with Honduras, 1-1, at the Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United Sates of America, on April 28^th, 2004, and went on to make 91 (7) appearances for 11 goals, arrived as Cristiano’s replacement for ₤16m from Wigan Athletic. However, the surprise was the arrival of Michael Owen, former Liverpool center forward, on a free transfer from Newcastle United. Owen, who’d made his England debut at Wembley on February 11^th, 1998, in a friendly defeat to Chile, 0-2, and went on to make 77 (12) appearances for 40 goals, had been in the Liverpool team that won the UEFA Cup Final, 5-4, against Spanish side Deportivo Alavés in 2001, and hopes that the scoring instincts of the striker were still strong enough remained to be proven.

 Despite only 5 league starts, with 14 substitute appearances, for just 3 goals, it was Owen who got the equalizing goal in the 12^th minute against Aston Villa in the 2010 League Cup Final. Villa had gone ahead through a penalty awarded on 5 minutes, and converted by midfielder James Milner, after Nemanja brought down England striker, Gabriel Agbonlahor. Dispossessing Irish center back, Richard Dunne, Berbatov made a surging run, which took him to the right corner of the area, before he was tackled by Dunne, and the ball broke to the left, where it found Owen, who struck with his right foot past United States’ ‘keeper, Brad Friedel, into the bottom left corner of the net. Rooney, who was United’s top scorer in the league that season with 26 goals to Dimitar’s 12, got United’s second on 44 minutes, when Park Ji Sung, from the right edge of the area, clipped a ball over onto the head of Rooney by the edge of the penalty box, and his powerful header found the top right corner, 2-1. However, without Ronaldo’s goals, and a home defeat, 1-2, to Chelsea on April 3^rd, 2010, United didn’t have enough to win the league title, and finished runners up on 85 points to Chelsea’s 86.

 On February 2^nd, 2011, Gary Neville retired, after making 3 league starts: and then there were two! However, by then United had adequate cover and replacements in Rafael, Fábio, O’Shea, who made his Northern Ireland debut, as an 84^th minute substitute for right sided defender/midfielder, Gary Kelly, at Lansdowne Road, Dublin, on August 15^th, 2001, in a friendly draw with Croatia, 2-2, and went on to make 110 (6) appearances for 3 goals, and Valencia, who then played as right back and/or right wing, depending on the team’s needs. In an attempt to provide defensive cover, and restore firepower before the 2010-11 season’s  commencement, United had signed Spurs’ central defender, Chris Smalling, who made his England debut at right back in a European Championship qualifier, a defeat of Bulgaria, 3-0, away at the Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, on September 2^nd, 2011, and striker, Javier Hernández, who made his debut for Mexico at Estadio Azteca, El Coloso de Santa Úrsula, Mexico City, and scored twice; the third in the 12^th and fourth in the 20^th minute, in a friendly defeat of Bolivia, 5-0, on February 24^th, 2010, while still at C.D. ‘Chivas’ Guadalajara.

 The squad won the title with 80 points from Liverpool’s 71. Berbatov top scored with 20 to Hernández’s 13, and Rooney’s 11. There were disappointments, however. United lost the FA Cup semi-final to Manchester City, 0-1, and the Final of the UCL again to Barcelona, 1-3, in London, at England’s national Wembley Stadium, and again the fans wanted to know why Scholes didn’t come off the bench until the 77^th minute, and how it was that top-scorer Berbatov wasn’t even among the substitutes?! Scholes’ response was to retire: and then there was one! Or almost. Paul was persuaded out of retirement, and resumed in the 3^rd round FA Cup tie against Manchester City away on January 8^th, 2012, and united won, 3-2, so demonstrating that Ferguson knew when to eat humble pie.

 Scholes got United’s opener in the 45^th minute of a defeat, 3-0, at home to Bolton Wanderers on January 14^th, 2012, and went on to make 14 league starts from a possible 18, but taken together with his 4 appearances from the substitutes’ bench, for 4 goals, he didn’t miss a game. Moreover, preferring Danny Welbeck at center forward, who made 23 starts for 9 goals, compared to Berbatov’s 5 starts for 7, cast doubts on Ferguson’s continued ability to manage; as City beat United to the 2011-12 title on more goals scored. Despite the clubs both finishing on 89 points, City scored 83 goals to 29 against, a goal difference of + 64, while United had scored 89 to 33, a difference of + 56, so City were champions.

 Manager Alex Ferguson had bought ‘keeper David de Gea from Spain’s Atlético Madrid for ₤18.9m, to replace retiring Edwin van der Sar, and England center back, Phil Jones, who made his England debut, in a European Championship qualifier, an away draw with Montenegro, 2-2, on October 7^th, 2011, at Podgorica City Stadium, from Blackburn Rovers for ₤16.5m, and who made 25 starts for United to Vidić’s 6. The writing was on the wall for the Serb, who’d sign for the 2014-15 season with Italian side, Inter Milan, when his contract expired, despite making 18 (1) appearances in 2012-13, and 23 (2) in 2013-14, while Villa’s left winger, Ashley Young, who’d made his debut for England, as a 46^th minute substitute for central midfielder, Steven Gerrard, on November 16^th, 2007, in a friendly away defeat, 0-1, to Austria at Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna, arrived for ₤17m to cause some concern to Giggs, the last of the secret seven, who’d succeeded to Bobby Charlton’s mantle. After his scoring debut for England, in the Home Championship, a twelve yard right footed 66^th minute volleyed third, from a cross by left winger, Tom Finney, in an away defeat of Scotland at Hampden Park, Glasgow, 4-0, on April 19^th, 1958, Charlton went on to make 104 (1) appearances for 49 goals, and was the player with the most starts for Manchester United, until Wales’ Giggs made his 757^th appearance in a defeat, 0-3, to Newcastle on January 4, 2012, away at Saint James Park.

 Scholes continued to play until Ferguson’s retirement at the close of the 2012-13 season’s campaign, making 8 starts and 8 as sub, for a single goal; the first in the 51^st minute of a defeat of Wigan, 4-0, at home on September 15^th, 2012, before the England midfielder hung up his boots for the last time at season’s end. Tom Cleverley, who’d joined United age 12 in 2001 from Bradford City’s youth team program, and who’d make his England debut on August 15^th, 2012, in a friendly away defeat of Italy, 2-1, at Stade de Suisse Wankdorf, Berne, was the midfielder Ferguson had determined would replace Scholes in 2010-11.

 Aware that insufficient striking power had been his team’s weakness in failing to beat City to the title in the previous campaign, for ₤24m Ferguson brought from Arsenal prolific striker, Robin Van Persie, who’d made his debut for the Netherlands at Stadion Feijenoord, Rotterdam, on 4^th June, 2005, coming on for Ruud Van Nistelrooy on 62 minutes in a World Cup qualifier, a defeat of Romania, 2-0, and went on to make 90 (12) appearances for 50 goals. Persie top scored with 26 goals to Rooney’s 12 and Hernández’s 10, as the club won the league championship for the 13^th time under Ferguson’s stewardship, which had begun with the appointment in November 1986 of the Aberdeen FC manager, and former Glasgow Rangers’ striker (1967-69), as replacement for outgoing ‘Big Ron’ Atkinson, whose FA Cup successes in ‘83 and ‘85 weren’t deemed sufficient by the Manchester giants. United took the 2012-13 title with 89 points from Manchester City on 78.

 Everton’s David Moyes, whose only success at Goodison Park was in keeping ‘the Toffees’ from being relegated, was appointed as manager for the 2013-14 season, but defeat at home in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final on penalties, a.e.t., 1-2, with only Scots’ midfielder, Darren Fletcher, finding the net for the reds, led to the April 22^nd appointment of the last of the secret seven, Ryan Giggs, as interim manager, and who as player coach made 6 starts and 6 as sub that 2013-14 season, during a career that finally totaled 672 league appearances for ‘the red devils’ and 168 goals. Giggs subbed himself on for his last league appearance, aged 40, in the 70^th minute for debuting 19 year old Welsh winger, Tom Lawrence, in the penultimate and last home game of the 2013-14 season, when United were up against Hull City, 2-1, through a brace in the 31^st and 61^st minutes from English striker, James Wilson, also on his senior debut, age 18, and the side would go on to win, 3-1, with another on 86 minutes from Van Persie, after a Giggs’ through pass, from central midfield and well outside the area, found Persie at the left edge of the ‘D’, and his quickly struck right footed shot, blocked by a defender, rebounding, was volleyed right footed by Persie low into the left bottom corner of the net.

 The World Cup that 2014 summer saw Dutch national team boss, Louis Van Gaal, whose team beat host nation Brazil, 3-0, on July 12^th, 2014, for third place at Estádio Nacional de Brasília, approved for the 2014-15 season, and with Giggs’ appointment as non-playing assistant manager to Van Gaal on May 21^st, 2014, the fans again applauded the reds eleven.

1 ‘Kleberson completes Besiktas move’, BBC Sport, Football, Monday, August 8^th, 2005, 10:23 GMT, https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/4130796.stm .

Ashley Grimes: A Prince Amongst Triers

From the Republic of Ireland, Augustine Ashley Grimes played for Irish side, Bohemians, from 1973-74 until 1976-77 when, age 20, he was transferred for ₤35,000 to Manchester United, then under the stewardship of manager, Dave Sexton, who’d inherited a left winger, England’s Gordon Hill, from previous manager, and former Scotland boss, Tommy Docherty, whose inspired move to obtain from Third Division Millwall for ₤70,000 a skillful provider of crosses to center forward, Stuart Pearson, helped the team maintain a competitive challenge for the 1975-76 First Division title, after the club recovered from their 1973-74 relegation season, to win the Second Division championship of 1974-45. Docherty exceeded expectations in the club’s return to the First Division, reaching the FA Cup Final of 1976, but losing a match everybody believed was a foregone conclusion against Second Division Southampton, who confounded all of the armchair pundits, and a lot of United pressure, to win the trophy at London’s national stadium, Wembley, 0-1, through an 83^rd minute goal from Bobby Stokes. Jim McCalliog, a Scots’ international and valuable central midfielder for United in their Second Division championship winning season of 1974-75, although with Macari and McIlroy in midfield, he was transferred to S’ton before season’s end, put Stokes through on the United goal, and the left midfielder slotted the ball across ‘keeper, Stepney, and into the far corner of the net. Despite the team’s return to Wembley for the 1976-77 FA Cup Final against Liverpool, who they beat, 2-1, ‘The Doc’s’ team was felt to have remained Second Division, and Queens Park Rangers’ Sexton was appointed manager for the 1977-78 season.

 Although Grimes had a trial with United in 1972, when Frank O’ Farrell had been manager, he’d returned to Ireland, and Bohemians, where the Irish club were enjoying local success; winning the title in 1974-75; the League of Ireland Cup; the Leinster Football Association (LFA) President’s Cup, and the Leinster Senior Cup; the FAI Cup in 1975-76; the LFA President’s Cup, and the Leinster Senior Cup, and in 1976-77, the LFA President’s Cup. Consequently, Sexton wasn’t deploying an inexperienced left foot when Grimes made his debut in the 1977-78 season, witnessed by his debut for Ireland on April 5^th, 1978, in a defeat of Turkey, 4-2, at Lansdowne Road (Aviva stadium), Dublin; the first of Grimes’ 14 caps for Ireland while playing for United. Moreover, Sexton’s decision to sell Gordon Hill to Derby County for ₤250,000, despite the England international being top scorer that 1977-78 season, with 17 goals, as he’d joint top scored along with Pearson the previous 1976-77 season, with 15, suggested that Grimes was in his mind to replace Hill, known as ‘Merlin’ at Millwall, for his wizardry out wide on the left, as a less unpredictable and more instructable force, which was ultimately Sexton’s downfall. The club finished 10^th in the league, and Sexton moved to sign Mickey Thomas for the left sided midfield position from Wales’ Second Division Wrexham, where Thomas had already scored 6 goals in 16 appearances for ‘The Dragons’ at the start of the 1978-79 season. However, although United reached the FA Cup Final of 1979, defeat to Arsenal, 2-3, demonstrated that Hill’s striking ability from the wing was sorely missed.

 Able to be used as a midfielder or a left back, Grimes had made 13 league appearances for United in 1977-78, scoring 2 goals; against QPR on April 8^th at Old Trafford, 3-0, and again at home on April 22^nd against West Ham, 3-1. In 1978-79, he made 16 appearances, and the club finished 9^th in the league. As Thomas’ skill on the left, and ability as a goal scorer, proved superior to Grimes’ industry, and ability to direct crosses, Ashley received an FA Cup Final runners up medal as an unused substitute against Arsenal, although he had contributed to the team in the earlier rounds; for example, scoring in the defeat of Chelsea at home in the 3^rd round, 3-0.

 In 1979-80, Grimes made 20 starts, and 6 substitute appearances, scoring 3 goals for ‘the red devils’. September 8^th, 1979, saw Grimes score from the penalty spot in a defeat of Aston Villa away, 3-0, although a goal from Mickey Thomas, who’d net 8 times that season, meant Grimes had competition for that left midfield berth. That Grimes was able to compete was evidenced from his getting the only goal of the game from open play against Derby County, 1-0, at ‘the theater of dreams’ on September 15^th, 1979, and again at home against Ipswich Town, 1-0, on October 20^th, 1979.

 United finished runners up to Liverpool in the league with 58 points to the Merseysiders’ 60, and although it was all over on May 3^rd, when Liverpool beat Aston Villa at home, 4-1, while United lost away at Leeds, 0-1, if ‘the red devils’ had beaten Leeds in their final game of the term, so making the championship contenders level on points, Liverpool’s goal difference was far superior, that is, 81 for, and 30 against (+ 51) in comparison with United’s 65 for, and 35 against (+ 30), so the Merseyside reds would have won anyway, and could afford to lose, 0-1, away to Middlesboro at Ayresome Park on May 6^th, while still winning the league title, because they couldn’t lose it after beating Villa. However, although it could have been different for Sexton, United’s failure to take advantage of teams they should have beaten, easily, ultimately cost him his job. Losing at home to a 45^th minute goal from left sided striker, Melvyn Eves, against Wolves on the stroke of half time, February 9^th, 1980, might be construed as the turning point, especially as Sexton substituted England captain and midfield playmaker, Ray Wilkins, with Grimes after half time on 46 minutes, in what appeared to be a panic move. However, United’s loss, 0-6, against Ipswich on March 1^st, 1980, was an indication of the side’s resilience in coming back from setback to seriously challenge Liverpool for the championship, but it wasn’t to be United’s season, and subsequent events proved equally fateful.

 Although 13 goals from top scorer, Joe Jordan, indicated that the side lacked firepower up front, the addition of the silken midfield skills of Ray ‘Butch’ Wilkins from Chelsea at the beginning of the 1979-80 season for ₤750,000, undoubtedly established United in an improved league position, and only 35 goals conceded suggested that Gordon McQueen, the center half that Sexton had persuaded to depart Leeds in February 1978 for ₤500,000, after no-nonsense Leeds center forward, Jordan, had already arrived for ₤350,000 in January 1978, marshaled a mean defense. However, Sexton’s decision to bring prolific Nottingham Forest forward, Gary Birtles, to Old Trafford for ₤1. 25 m at the start of the 1980-81 season, backfired when Birtles made 25 starts without scoring, while Jordan, left to shoulder all of the striking burden, bludgeoned his way to hitting the back of the net 15 times.

 The club finished 8^th in the league, and Sexton was replaced for the 1981-82 season by West Bromwich Albion boss, Ron Atkinson, who moved quickly to take England midfield powerhouse, Bryan Robson, to Old Trafford for ₤1. 5 m, and center forward, Frank Stapleton, from Arsenal for ₤900,000, who top scored with, 13 goals, ironically, as that return was less than Joe Jordan’s in the previous season’s campaign, and Joe was let go to Italy’s A.C. Milan, because of a perceived lack of goals coming from him as the main striker. Although Ron managed to get Birtles scoring, and he got 11 goals that term, he’d be sold back to Forest, while the club’s final position in the league table improved to 3^rd.

 Mickey Thomas left for Everton, so wasn’t a part of Atkinson’s plans. However, Ashley Grimes, not entirely ignored by ‘Big Ron’, made 9 league starts, together with a single appearance from the substitute’s bench, as a utility player who could fill a role on the left of midfield at need, or at left full back. Grimes scored 1 goal away, during a draw with Everton on April 10^th, 1982, 3-3, while sharing the competition for the midfield birth alongside Wilkins and Robson, with Remi Moses, also bought from West Brom for ₤500,000, who made 20 (1) league starts, Lou Macari, who made 10 (1) starts, and Sammy McIlroy, 12 starts.

 The club finished 3^rd again in 1982-83, with Stapleton as the top scorer with 14 goals. Although Grimes made 15 (1) starts, scoring away to draw against Luton Town on October 2^nd, 1982, 1-1, and a penalty in a defeat of Watford at Old Trafford, 2-0, he wasn’t selected for the team to contest the 1983 FA Cup Final, because Ron now had the distributive ball skills of Dutch left midfielder, Arnold Muhren, signed from Ipswich Town at the beginning of the season, where he’d won the UEFA Cup in 1981, 5-4, on aggregate against Dutch side AZ ’67, alongside center forward, Alan Brazil, who Ron would bring to Old Trafford for the 1984-85 season for ₤625,000 from Spurs.

 However, a combination of injury, lack of success in front of goal, that is, 5 goals in 17 starts and 3 as sub, and 1 start and 10 substitute appearances for 3 goals in 1985-86, before he was sold to First Division Coventry City, and the emergence of Atkinson protégé, Norman Whiteside, meant Brazil wouldn’t make the team for the 1985 FA Cup Final against Everton, which was won by Whiteside, wide on the right, cutting in to curl the ball with the inside of his left boot, around Wales’ left back, Pat Van Den Hauwe, with Wales’ ‘keeper, Neville Southall, unsighted, and into the left corner of the net, 1-0, a.e.t., in the 110^th minute.

 The 1983 FA Cup Final ended in a draw, 3-3, with Atkinson’s then teenage Northern Ireland center forward, 18 year old Norman Whiteside, who got 8 league goals that season, scoring with a header. Grimes, age 25, wasn’t selected for the replay either, which United won, 1-0, through a strike from left full back, Lee Martin, and a disappointed Ashley was left accepting a ₤200,000 transfer to play for Coventry at the commencement of the 1983-84 campaign, which saw United lose to Italy’s Juventus in the semi final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup after a draw at Old Trafford, 1-1, and a defeat away in Turin, 1-2, that is, 2-3, on aggregate.

 In the league United finished 4^th, while future star forward, Mark Hughes, scored 4 league goals in 7 starts, and 4 substitute appearances, and a goal on his debut for the club in a draw, 1-1, away at Oxford United in the 4^th round of the League Cup on November 30^th, 1983. Frank Stapleton again top scored with 13 goals, and Arthur Graham, a goal scoring left winger, bought from Second Division Leeds for ₤45,000, gave the team the width they’d lacked since Thomas and Grimes were sold, and made 33 league starts, with 4 appearances as substitute, for 5 goals. However, it was Atkinson’s decision to sell Ray Wilkins to A.C. Milan at season’s end for ₤1. 5 m that upset the fans.

 Although Scots’ right winger from Aberdeen for ₤500,000, Gordon Strachan, and Denmark’s left winger, Jesper Olsen, for ₤350,000 from Ajax Amsterdam of the Netherlands,  had arrived, United’s again finishing 4^th in the table, and victory in the 1985 FA Cup Final against Everton, 1-0, courtesy of Whiteside, despite United’s being reduced to 10 players, after Ireland center half, Kevin Moran, was sent off in the 78^th minute for a horrendous tackle on England midfield strong man, Peter Reid, the writing was on the wall for ‘Big Ron’, whose side had lost to Hungary’s Videoton in the quarter final of the UEFA Cup, 4-5 on penalties, after winning much more easily than the final score indicated at Old Trafford, 1-0, through a Stapleton headed goal from a cross on the right by Strachan, before that heartbreaking loss away, 0-1.

 Atkinson would compound his sin of selling Wilkins by transferring top scorer, Mark Hughes, with 16 goals that season, after his top scoring again the following 1985-86 season, with 17 goals, as the club finished in 4^th place in the league, and no other forward, including Olsen with 11 goals that campaign, ever looked like scoring enough, whereas Hughes always would. Mark went to Barcelona for ₤2 m before the 1986-87 season began, and Atkinson was replaced as manager by Aberdeen’s Alex Ferguson on November 4^th with United, then in 19^th position in the English championship, eventually finishing 11^th, and the Ferguson era had begun.

Willie Morgan After John Connelly

In April of 1964 England winger, John Connelly, was transferred to Manchester United for ₤56,000 from Burnley. The move to Matt Busby’s post-Munich rebuilding program at Old Trafford was interesting for a variety of reasons. Connelly had made his debut for Burnley on March 11, 1957, against Leeds United, although he didn’t make the right wing position his own until 1958-59, when he returned 12 goals from 37 appearances. In 1959-60 Burnley were league champions and Connelly, who could play on either the left or right wing, and as a right or left inside forward, scored 20 goals in 34 appearances. In 1961-62 Burnley reached the FA Cup Final but were beaten by Tottenham Hotspur, 1-3. In the 1963-64 season, the emergence of right winger, Willie Morgan, meant that John was asked to switch to the left wing, and Busby took him to ‘the theater of dreams’ where the Old Trafford club had won the FA Cup the previous season, 1962-63, with goals from David Herd (2) and Denis Law, as Leicester City were beaten, 3-1.

 The objective at Manchester United was always to win the European Cup, but before the UEFA Champions league was established by 1997, in which multiple clubs could qualify from each nation through obtaining a high enough position in their respective leagues, it was necessary actually to win the English league title in order to qualify for Europe’s premier competition. Consequently, Connelly, with his experience of winning the league with Burnley, was perceived as a useful adjunct to a United side still recovering from losing eight players dead in the Munich air disaster upon their return from qualifying for a semi final of the European Cup against Real Madrid CF, after a quarter final draw with Yugoslavia’s (Serbia’s) Red Star Belgrade, 3-3, and going through on aggregate due to a home leg success, 2-1. A makeshift United team lost at home in the first leg of the semi final, 1-2, and in Spanish Madrid’s Bernabéu stadium, 0-4, to go out of the competition at the semi final stage, 1-6. With the players at the club already, Matt clearly felt that the addition of Connelly on the right wing would have the desired impact for a side desperate to win the league and compete amongst Europe’s top teams again.

 By that time United had forwards, David Herd, Denis Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton up front, with Paddy Crerand, Nobby Stiles and Bill Foulkes as a more or less fluid half back line that was moving inexorably to having Charlton in midfield alongside Crerand, as the side’s deep lying center forward, while Foulkes and Stiles were paired as central defenders, and full backs Shay Brennan and Tony Dunne were in front of Munich survivor, Harry Gregg, the ‘keeper. In many ways, 1963-64 should have been a great season for United, but it wasn’t. The team began by losing the FA Charity Shield between the FA Cup Winners and league championship winners, Everton, 0-4, and were knocked out of the FA Cup at the semi final stage, 1-3, by West Ham.

 In the European Cup Winners’ Cup, a competition for clubs that had won their nation’s cup competition the previous season, United bizarrely lost in the quarter final to Sporting CP ‘Lisbon’ of Portugal, 0-5 away, after winning at home, 4-1, that is, losing, 4-6, on aggregate, so continuing the away hoodoo Portuguese teams have on foreign opponents, while demonstrating almost inexplicable ineptitude away from home. United finished runners up to Liverpool in the championship race on 53 points to Liverpool’s 57, largely owing to a home defeat, 0-1, to Liverpool on November 23^rd, 1963, and away at Liverpool’s Anfield stadium, 0-3, on April 4^th, 1964, so completing a season’s campaigning that promised much and delivered nothing.

 Although no one doubted the talent at United in terms of the playing staff’s ability, it had begun to look as if the talent on display was there only for display purposes. Moreover, while John Connelly’s presence on the right wing had the desired effect in 1964-65, that is, United won the league title, they lost the FA Cup semi final to Leeds United, 0-1, after a replay, with the initial encounter ending in a draw, 0-0, and the club also lost the semi final of the UEFA Cup,1 against Hungary’s Ferencváros, 3-2, at home, with 2 goals from Herd, and a penalty from Law, and away, 0-1. Law and Herd would get 28 and 20 league goals respectively, as United’s twin strikers that season, and in the modern era Ferencváros would have immediately qualified for the Final. However, although UEFA’s later ruling was that away goals count double in the event of the number of goals scored being the same between the teams concerned, then a further game had to be played, which Ferencváros won at their stadium in Budapest, 1-2, with John Connelly, who finished with 15 league goals that season, getting United’s consolation goal. Although the Manchester outfit beat Leeds to the title, both clubs finished on 61 points, and United only took the championship on goal difference, that is, 89 goals for and 39 against (+50), compared to Leeds 83 for and 52 against (+31), which meant 1964-65 would probably have proven almost as disastrous as 1963-64 without Connelly’s firepower.

 Season 1965-66 was more of the same. The team lost in the FA Cup semi final to Everton, 0-1, and in the semi final of the European Cup to Yugoslavia’s (Serbia’s) Partizan Belgrade, 0-2, away, while winning at home, 1-0, that is, losing, 1-2, on aggregate. Defensive midfielder, Nobby Stiles, got the goal for United against Partizan, which suggested United had problems bringing their firepower to bear on the big occasion, although Herd (24), Charlton (16) and Law (15) hit the target enough times for Manchester United to qualify for the 1966-67 Inter-Cities Fairs (UEFA) Cup in 4^th place in the league. John Connelly was transferred to relegated Blackburn Rovers shortly after the start of the season, although he still managed to contribute 2 goals in 6 appearances. Moreover, the club went on to win the league title that campaign, with John Aston Jnr, son of Manchester United’s left back, and sometime center forward, John Aston Snr, who won the 1948 FA Cup Final with the club, 4-2, against Blackpool, on the left wing, and with Northern Irish genius, George Best, who’d score from anywhere, but had been nominally on the left wing, and would now equally nominally be on the right, at center stage.

 Going out of the FA Cup in the 4^th round, and the League Cup in the 2^nd, there was nothing else left for United to do in the 1966-67 season apart from win the league, which they did. Law (23), Herd (16) and Charlton (12) were the main goal scorers, and the club qualified for the 1967-68 European Cup, which they’d eventually win against Benfica at England’s national stadium, Wembley, London, 4-1, to become the only English competitor to succeed to Europe’s soccer crown; until Liverpool beat Borussia Mönchengladbach, 3-1, in 1977, at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy.  Although Denis Law was injured and couldn’t play, Charlton scored with a rare header, flicked on and past Benfica of Portugal’s ‘keeper Henrique, after a cross from the left, before midfielder, Jaime da Silva Graça, put through after good work by left winger, José Augusto, and center forward, José Torres, leveled the scoring for Benfica,1-1. The contest went to extra time, and in the 93^rd minute England’s ‘keeper, Alex Stepney, took a long goal kick, which was headed on to Best by Law’s teenage England replacement for the evening, Brian Kidd. Best escaped the defenders to round the Benfica ‘keeper, and roll the ball on into an empty net, 2-1. A header from England center back, and sometime United center forward, David Sadler, was saved by Henrique on 95 minutes, but came to Kidd, who headed it in, 3–1. Charlton completed the scoring in the 99^th minute, blasting home a pass from Kidd, 4–1. The club ought to have won the championship, but finished level on points with Manchester City, and despite Best’s top scoring with 28 goals, Charlton netting 20 times, and Kidd bagging 17 in his first season’s campaigning, City scored 86 goals for 43 against (+43), while United’s defense leaked in comparison, with 89 goals for and 55 against (+34) , so City took the title on goal difference.

With forward, David Herd, losing some of his formerly awesome reputation as a striker, and Denis Law injured, George Best had to shoulder more of the responsibilities of a main striker, so Scot Willie Morgan, who’d replaced Connelly on the right wing at Burnley, was bought for ₤110,000 by Sir Matt Busby, newly knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, to complement John Aston Jnr’s wing play on the left, with Best alongside Kidd and/or Law up front for the 1968-69 season’s assault on the league title and the attempt to retain the European Cup.

 Willie Morgan’s value to the side was almost immediately apparent during the Intercontinental Cup Final of 1968, which was played between South America’s winners of the Copa Da Liberatadores, that is, ‘the cup of freedom’, and the holders of the European Cup. Estudiantes de La Plata of Argentina duly took the field on September 25^th, 1969, against Manchester United and won, 1-0, through forward Marcos Conigliaro’s 27^th minute strike. Juan Ramón Verón, the forward called ‘the witch’ in Argentina, and father of midfielder, Juan Sebastián Verón, who won a league title with United in 2002-03, opened the scoring in the 6^th minute, 2-0, on aggregate, 1-0, on the night, but United’s right winger, Willie Morgan, replied for United in the 90^th minute to give the team  hope, 1-1, and although Brian Kidd seemed to have equalized, referee Konstantin Zečević of Yugoslavia indicated that he’d blown the whistle for full time, which was the reason why Estudiantes’ players hadn’t moved to tackle Kidd before he put the ball in the net.

 The match was marred by violence. Charlton suffered a severe head wound that required stitches. Busby commented on Estudiantes’ midfielder, Carlos Bilardo, ‘holding the ball out there put you in danger of your life’. Nobby Stiles, England’s hard man, was targeted particularly; receiving punches, kicks and headbutts. At one point, the linesman reported Stiles to the referee for standing close to Bilardo. Stiles finally retaliated and was immediately sent off in the 79^th minute, which meant he’d be suspended for the second leg at Old Trafford. Although midfielder, Néstor Togneri, headed home a corner from forward, Felipe Ribaudo, in the 27^th minute to give Estudiantes the advantage going into the away leg at Old Trafford, the referee officially credited Marcos Conigliaro with the Argentine goal.

 Pat ‘Paddy’ Crerand created the first real chance in the second leg at Old Trafford on October 16, 1968, with a long range strike that ‘keeper Alberto José Poletti did well to stop. Despite early pressure, Estudiantes surprised the crowd with that 6^th minute goal from only the second free kick of the match. Silencing the crowd, Raúl Madero crossed for Verón to head the ball in past Stepney. Needing three goals to win, George Best forced Poletti into a spectacular save in the 12^th minute. Moments later, Willie Morgan shot towards goal, and Sadler headed the rebound to Charlton, whose shot was saved. Estudiantes players resorted to kicking the ball out of play, and blocking long-range efforts. In the 34^th minute, Law lost his marker, creating enough space for a shot, but it was blocked by Poletti at the edge of the penalty area. Injured, Law was taken off in the 38^th minute, and substituted by Carlo Sartori. Marcos Conigliaro hit the crossbar with a shot while Law was being treated and Sartori was warming up. Three minutes of injury time passed before the referee blew the whistle for half-time.

 Shortly after the restart, Manchester United’s Kidd hit the crossbar. In the 89^th minute, Best punched defender, José Hugo Medina, in the face, and pushed Néstor Togneri to the ground in the Argentine half of the field. The referee sent off Best and Medina.

 Although the Estudiantes team attempted it, the Stretford End and others threw coins, etc., and the proposed lap of honor was abandoned. Faltering in the league, and eventually finishing 11^th, with George Best top scoring on 19, and Denis Law returning 14 goals for the season, United faced Italy’s A.C. Milan at the San Siro stadium in the European Cup semi final and lost, 0-2. At Old Trafford in the second leg, 1-0, to the home side, wasn’t enough to get them through to the Final. A.C. Milan went through to face Ajax of Amsterdam, and the inimitable technique of center forward, Johann Cruyff. He would win the European Cup three times straight with Ajax in 1970-71, 1971-72, and 1972-73, but on this occasion A.C. Milan proved too strong, and ran out winners, 4-1, while United would have to wait for Alex Ferguson, appointed on November 6, 1986, to manage the club’s second win in Europe’s premier competition, 2-1, against German Bundesliga side, Bayern Munich, in the 1999 Final.

 Sir Matt Busby retired at season’s end, and coach Wilf McGuinness, who’d been a half back amongst the ‘Busby Babes’ that won the league in 1955-56 and 1956-57, and had won the FA Youth Cup in 1954, 1955, and 1956 as captain, was appointed manager for the 1969-70 season. Defeats in successive seasons in the League cup semi finals to Manchester City, 1969-70, 3-4, on aggregate, and to Aston Villa, 1970-71, 2-3, on aggregate, together with FA Cup semi final defeat in 1969-70 to Leeds in a second replay, 0-1, after the first two games had ended, 0-0, revealed flaws in the squad, although Wilf did bring center back, Ian Ure, from Arsenal to start the 1969-70 term. United finished 8^th in the league with Best top scoring on 15 goals, Charlton and Kidd on 12, and Morgan hitting 7, his highest. In 1970-71 the club again finished 8^th, and Busby was reappointed on December 29. George top scored with 18 and Denis got 15.

 Leicester City manager, Frank O’ Farrell, was appointed for the 1971-72 season. By the time Frank O’ Farrell had the reins, a genuine influx of fresh talent was required at Old Trafford, and future Scotland and Manchester United captain and center back, Martin Buchan, was brought from Aberdeen for a then club record transfer fee of ₤120,000. Despite O’ Farrell’s promoting Northern Ireland striker, Sammy McIlroy, who billed as ‘the last of the Busby Babes’, on November 6^th 1971 scored on his debut at Maine Road against Manchester City in a 3-3 draw, and finished with 4 goals in 16 appearances and 8 starts, the club would be relegated in 1973-74, partly because O’ Farrell’s other major signing from Nottingham Forest, winger Ian Storey Moore, who played 11 times that 1971-72 season for 5 goals, and 26 times for 5 goals in 1971-72, but incurred an injury that would cause his retirement, and incidentally would prolong Willie Morgan’s role at the club. Although the team began to gel, and the club were top of the league at Christmas, Manchester United finished 8th. Best got 18 goals, Law 13, Kidd 10, and Alan Gowling, who’d go on to play for Newcastle United alongside England’s devastating center forward, Malcolm MacDonald, where he’d get 16 goals in 41 appearances in 1975-76, made 35 starts for O’Farrell, and 2 substitute appearances, for 6 goals, but It was the last occasion Manchester United would flatter to deceive.

 Frank O’ Farrell’s 1972-73 season’s campaign lasted until December 19, 1972, before he was replaced by Scotland manager, Tommy Docherty. The extent of United’s difficulties were evidenced in the fact that Charlton top scored with 6 goals for the season, and United finished 18^th in the league. ‘The Doc’ inherited Wyn Davies, a Welsh forward bought from Manchester City on September 14, 1972, who scored on his September 23rd debut at home against Derby, 3-0, and prolific Scots’ striker Ted MacDougall, who O’ Farrell had brought from Third Division Bournemouth on September 27^th, intending to pair him with Davies, and who also scored on his debut at home against Birmingham on October 14^th, 1-0. However, after his arrival, Docherty brought Scots’ full back Alex Forsyth from Partick Thistle, future Scotland center back, Jim Holton, from Third Division Shrewsbury, center forward, Scot Lou Macari, from Celtic, Irish midfielder Mick Martin from Ireland’s Bohemians, and Scot George Graham from Arsenal, where he’d won the UEFA Cup in 1969-70 and the FA Cup and league championship ‘double’ in 1970-71, as a direct replacement for retired midfield maestro, Paddy Crerand. Davies and MacDougall managed only 9 goals between them, while Charlton, retiring at the close of the season’s campaigning, left Docherty with a further headache. Who now would fill the deep lying center forward role that had become an indispensable part of United’s game pattern?

 Despite the team’s beginning to take shape in 1973-74, which was Docherty’s first full season in charge, the club were relegated, and Sammy McIlroy top scored with 6 goals, while George refused to go on. Another Scot, left full back, and sometime center half, Stewart Houston, arrived from Third Division Brentford; Irish left winger, Gerry Daly, came from Bohemians, and midfielder, Scot Jim McCalliog, from Wolves. The team reached the semi final of the League Cup against Norwich City in 1974-75, but despite two goals from Lou Macari, could only draw at home, 2-2, and lost at Norwich’s Carrow Road ground, 0-1, so losing the tie, 2-3, on aggregate. The only real change Docherty instigated, as United went on to win the Second Division title, was center forward, Stuart Pearson, bought for ₤200,000 from Second Division Hull City, where he’d proven he could score goals at that level, and who scored 17 league goals in the campaign to return United to the top tier of English soccer. Sammy McIlroy took the Charlton role in the diamond comprising Pearson up front, and Daly and Morgan on the wings. Willie captained the team for much of the season, until Steve Coppell arrived for ₤60,000 from Tranmere Rovers to play on the right wing, so leaving Martin Buchan to captain the team to the Second Division title, while Morgan was given the role of club captain for the remainder of the season, before he returned to Burnley, a club who’d effectively provided United with a bulwark on their right side for over a decade; first through John Connelly, and then Willie Morgan.

1 Before it became the UEFA Cup, it was the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1955-71), and was competed for between European teams in cities where trade fairs were held, so had no relation to league position, or other qualifying format, for example, after 1971 England’s league title runners up qualified for the UEFA Cup, and also the winners of the League Cup. In 1999 the European Cup Winners Cup was amalgamated with the UEFA Cup, which became the Europa league for 2009-10, a format in which England’s fourth placed team in the previous season’s title campaign would still qualify, as well as the English League Cup winners, but the best losers in the opening rounds of the UCL would also qualify for entrance, and the Europa Cup trophy would be awarded on the basis of groups, winners and runners up, and a resultant knockout competition resulting in a Final with an overall winner.

2 Meek, David, and Tom Tyrrell The Hamlyn Illustrated History of Manchester United 1878-1996, London: Hamlyn, 1996, p. 81.

Converted Full Backs and Wingers: How United Collapsed After 1968 Before Fergie’s Fledglings Replaced Busby’s Babes

The evolution of soccer is primarily to do with the rule with regard to substitutes. Before it was allowed to replace an injured, or unsuccessful player, they’d to be strong and reliable in their position, so with such a system it was difficult to break into a team. Players couldn’t be tried, and then replaced, if inadequate, which had repercussions in terms of tactics. In the early days of Manchester United, for example, who were Newton Heath from 1878 until 1902, when ‘the Heathens’, who’d played in gold and green, adopted red shirts and became ‘the red devils’, the half back line had predominated. What were essentially three center backs held the middle of the field, with the central back being the mainstay of a defense including wing backs, who in the modern era became full backs. After what became known as ‘the role of the midfield general’ gained in importance, the number of half backs were reduced to two center halves; defending between left and right full backs, while in midfield were generally the more creative members of what had been the half back line, and another midfield player who took on the mantle of creative genius.

 Protection of players from referees, to ensure against roughhousing, and to help targeted opponents continuing on the field, alleviated the problem of soccer being for those with physical strength only, which encouraged the evolution of the game from a half back line to center backs; a midfield general and a more skillful creative powerhouse to assist and prompt the forwards. United owed the half back line of Rick Duckworth, Charlie Roberts, and Scot Alex Bell, for their early success; as league champions in 1907-08, and FA Cup winners in 1908-09, when Scots’ center forward, Sandy Turnbull, reacted well to a shot from England’s Harold Halse that came off the bar. Turnbull then struck the ball home to give the club victory against Bristol City, 1-0. When United again won the FA Cup in 1948 against Blackpool, 4-2, the half back line format remained predominant, with England’s John Anderson, Allenby Chilton and Henry Cockburn, and when the team won the title in 1951-52 the playing formula was relatively unchanged.

 Matt Busby, a former right inside forward (wing half) for Manchester City and Liverpool, was appointed manager of Manchester United in 1945, and it became the policy of the club to find new young talent to develop, rather than spend in the transfer market. The results were undreamed of by other clubs of the period. With the purchase of just a few exceptional talents, like Tommy Taylor for ₤29,999, who’d become England’s center forward, Busby managed to build upon the 1951-52 success, a championship winning side for 1955-56 and 1956-57, and a squad rotation system that looked to sweep all before it for decades to come. Busby had players recommended by scouts, watched by the coaching staff at Old Trafford, and then they were brought to United on the strength of what they were told, or what Busby saw when alerted by reports of a good prospect.

 The importance of the half back line remained a constant, although the skills of players like Eddie Coleman and Duncan Edwards, with England’s Mark Jones as the stopper center half, emphasized United’s revolutionary approach towards attacking soccer. With two midfield players, that is, England’s Coleman and Edwards, United could field five forwards; England left wing, David Pegg, Ireland’s inside left, Liam Whelan; center forward, Tommy Taylor; England’s inside left, Dennis Viollet, and England right wing, Johnny Berry. However, the plethora of talent at United meant that team could have been replaced twice over without any noticeable deterioration in results. The right full back berth was England’s Bill Foulkes’, who’d move into the center half position after the Munich air crash of February 6, 1958, which killed eight members of the side returning from a European Cup tie against what was then Yugoslavia’s (Serbia’s) Red Star Belgrade.

 Although the team had drawn, 3-3, to progress to the semi-final, after a home leg won, 2-1, hopes for the winning of the trophy that season were dashed by the untimely deaths of center half, Mark Jones; England full-back, Geoff Bent; winger, David Pegg; left half, Duncan Edwards; right half, Eddie Colman; inside right, Bill Whelan, and center forward, Tommy Taylor. Geoff Bent was understudy to England captain Roger Byrne, who’d been a goal scoring left winger. There was such a wealth of wing talent at United, for example, upcoming legend for fans standing on the terraces at the Stretford End, Bobby Charlton, was an England left winger, who was just beginning to share the load of responsibility for making and taking goals with David Pegg, that Busby had given Byrne the role of left back. However, Roger also died at Munich, so decimating England’s chances of winning the World Cup in Sweden that summer, which Brazil won, 5-2, beating Sweden in the Final, and England, who’d been expected to mount a real challenge for the trophy, lost a group play-off against Russia to miss a quarter final.

 Although Matt managed to rebuild the squad, and ultimately challenge again for the European Cup, that is, Manchester United won the FA Cup of 1962-63, 3-1, against Leicester City, after Scots’ forward, Denis Law, had been brought back to the English championship for ₤115,000 from Italy’s Torino, where he’d been sold there by Manchester City for ₤110,000, before the commencement of the 1961-62 season, and starred at Wembley alongside Scots’ compatriot, forward David Herd, who scored twice to Law’s once. Busby’s United went on to win the English title in 1964-65, and again in 1966-67, largely through the discovery of George Best, a mercurial winger from Northern Ireland, who just about played everywhere in United’s forward line, while scoring goals that other players could only dream of.

 Best was helped by the decision of the English Football Association to allow a single substitute for each game, which allowed attacking play to become more adventurous on the understanding that, if a player was injured, a substitute could enter the fray, although it meant the emergence of the utility player, who could fit into defense, midfield, or a striker’s role. England’s David Sadler could play center forward, or center half, but his versatility had been used to make it possible for United to shore up their defense in case of injury. The utility player made players like Sadler less valuable in terms of their dual contribution, that is, positional specialization became much more important. Moreover, the fact of the utility player’s specialized substitute role tended to hamper, rather than help, their progress.

 As he was expected to fit in anywhere, Northern Ireland’s David McCreery, for example, substituting for England left winger, Gordon Hill, in successive FA Cup Finals, that is, against Southampton in 1976, which United lost, 0-1, and against Liverpool in 1977, which United won, 2-1, wasn’t really able to develop a career as an outfield player, beyond his utility midfielder’s role. Sadler would discover that he would become nominated as substitute more often than he was used to, because he could fit in up front, or at the center of defense, that is, his importance as someone who could join the attack, or move back into defense in the event of injury, lessened to the extent that he was perceived to be able to fulfill that role from the substitutes’ bench, while better forwards and central defenders were selected ahead of his claims to make the central defender’s or striker’s position his own.

 In the 1967-68 season substitutes were permitted for tactical reasons, that is, a non-injured player could be replaced for strategic advantage from ‘67, for example, a defender for a forward; if the team needed a draw, or to defend a single goal lead that, to the manager and/or coaching staff in the dugout with the substitutes’ bench at the side of the pitch, looked precarious.

 Matt Busby became Sir Matt Busby after being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, following the club’s winning of the European Cup at London’s Wembley stadium in 1968. Although Denis Law was injured and couldn’t play, Charlton scored with a rare header, flicked on and past Benfica of Portugal’s ‘keeper Henrique, after a cross from the left, before midfielder, Jaime da Silva Graça, put through after good work by left winger, José Augusto, and center forward, José Torres, leveled the scoring for Benfica,1-1. The contest went to extra time, and in the 93^rd minute England’s Stepney took a long goal kick which was headed on to Best by Law’s teenage England replacement for the evening, Brian Kidd. Best escaped the defenders to round the Benfica ‘keeper, and roll the ball on into an empty net, 2-1. A header from Sadler was saved by Henrique on 95 minutes, but came to Kidd, who headed it in, 3–1. Charlton completed the scoring in the 99^th minute, blasting home a pass from Kidd, 4–1.

 Everything then seemed possible for United, but defeat, 1-2, over two legs in the Intercontinental Cup Final with Estudiantes de La Plata of Argentina, South American winners of the Copa Da Libertadores, that is, that continent’s equivalent of the European Cup, together with European Cup semi final defeat to A.C. Milan, 1-2, on aggregate, after losing, 0-2, at the San Siro stadium in Italy, signaled a collapse that would see United without a major trophy until 1977.

 Busby retired, and former United half back, reserve team coach, Wilf McGuinness, took on the full managerial role. However, defeats in successive seasons in the League cup semi finals to Manchester City, 1969-70, 3-4, on aggregate, and to Aston Villa, 1970-71, 2-3, on aggregate, together with FA Cup semi final defeat in 1969-70 to Leeds in a second replay, 0-1, after the first two games had ended, 0-0, revealed flaws in Busby’s managerial reign.

 A close scrutiny of the way in which Busby selected his squad, revealed his method of maintaining control with increasing age, and its direct relation to the role of the substitute; together with the developing concept of the half back line. Busby’s approach seems to have been to move left and right sided players infield; if he thought they could do a job there. Consequently, the Manchester United squad seems littered with full backs and wingers, who could play at center back, in midfield, or as forwards and/or wingers, for a good part of the period before and after Busby’s retirement.

 For the 1968-69 season’s campaigning, the club had four full backs, that is, Ireland’s Shay Brennan, who’d started as a left winger, after the death of David Pegg; Scot Francis Burns, Ireland’s Tony Dunne, and Scot Frank Kopel, with Bill Foulkes at center half, who’d been a right back before the Munich air crash. George Best, England’s John Aston, Scots Willie Morgan and Jimmy Ryan, were all wingers, although George had become a main striker, top scoring with 19 goals that season, and Bobby Charlton, who played behind the forwards in midfield, as a deep lying center forward, had been a left winger. Consequently, apart from England’s Stepney, and English reserve ‘keeper Jimmy Rimmer, ten of Busby’s outfield players were make-do, and David Sadler was a utility player, who could play center forward and/or center half; depending on the needs of the team.

 Steve James, an English center back, played 21 games, age 19 at the start of the 1968-69 campaign, and England’s Brian Kidd made 28 starts, age 20 at the beginning of the season, for 1 goal returned by the close of the campaign. Scots, Law, 14 goals in 30 starts, midfield playmaker, Paddy Crerand, and utility midfielder, John Fitzpatrick, made up the recognizable remainder of the squad, apart from midfield destroyer, England’s Nobby Stiles, who’d retire, half-blind in the tackle, because he took his contact lenses off to play, although after Busby took over the reins again in December 1970, when McGuinness had buckled under pressure to succeed, and Stiles, who’d made but 8 starts in 1969-70, was recalled to strengthen the team, and made 17 starts, he wouldn’t formally retire until the end of 1970-71, when United appointed Leicester City manager, Frank O’ Farrell, to take over for the 1971-72 season.

 The 1969-70 season saw little change apart from the arrival from Arsenal of Scot Ian Ure at center back to limit James’ appearances for the season to 2 starts. Irish winger Don Givens, who’d go on to play for Queens Park Rangers, and score 13 goals when London’s QPR ran a close second to Liverpool in the 1975-76 English league championship race, made 4 starts and 4 more as substitute, and Paul Edwards emerged as a full back with 18 starts. A bizarre aspect to the campaign was Denis Law, the most feared striker in Europe, watching Italian midfielder, Carlo Sartori, start in three FA Cup semi final games against Leeds United, before their Scots’ captain, and midfield dynamo, Billy Bremner, broke the stalemate with a 9^th minute strike, 0-1. United had already lost the League Cup semi final to Manchester City, 3-4, on aggregate.

 Although Busby resumed the reins as manager in December 1970, United had again lost the League Cup semi final; this time to Aston Villa, 2-3, with Brian Kidd doing his best and scoring both United’s goals. Scots Ian Donald and Willie Watson, and English players Tommy O’ Neil and Tony Young, increased the full back compliment, although Best with 18 and Law with 15 goals suggested there might have been life in the old dog; if sacked manager Wilf McGuinness had focused on producing more than left and right full backs for the improvement of the squad.

 By the time Frank O’ Farrell had the reins, a genuine influx of fresh talent was required at Old Trafford, and future Scotland and Manchester United captain and center back, Martin Buchan, was brought from Aberdeen for a then club record transfer fee of ₤120,000. Buchan would lift the FA Cup in the 1977 Final, after Liverpool were beaten, 2-1, with goals from striker Stuart Pearson on 51 minutes, and strike partner, Jimmy Greenhoff, on 55 minutes, whose deflection off his chest from a Lou Macari attempt at goal sandwiched Liverpool midfielder Jimmy Case’s thunderbolt equalizer on 53 minutes. However, despite O’ Farrell’s promoting Northern Ireland striker, Sammy McIlroy, who billed as ‘the last of the Busby Babes’, on November 6^th 1971 scored on his debut at Maine Road against Manchester City in a 3-3 draw, and finished with 4 goals in 16 appearances and 8 starts, the club would be relegated in 1973-74, partly because O’ Farrell’s other major signing from Nottingham Forest, winger Ian Storey Moore, who played 11 times that 1971-72 season for 5 goals, incurred an injury that would cause his retirement. Although the team began to gel, and the club were top of the league at Christmas, Manchester United finished 8^th. Best got 18 goals, Law 13, and Kidd 10, but It was the last occasion they’d flatter to deceive.

 When Scots’ national team manager, Tommy Docherty, agreed to take over after O’ Farrell’s firing, it was to clear away the dead wood, and it wasn’t evident to everyone that the phoenix would rise from the fire. ‘The Doc’ inherited Wyn Davies, a Welsh forward bought from Manchester City on September 14, 1972, who scored on his September 23^rd debut at home against Derby, 3-0, and prolific Scots’ striker Ted MacDougall, who O’ Farrell had brought from Third Division Bournemouth on September 27^th, intending to pair him with Davies, and who also scored on his debut at home against Birmingham on October 14^th, 1-0. However, after his arrival, Docherty bought Scots’ full back Alex Forsyth from Partick Thistle, future Scotland center back, Jim Holton, from Third Division Shrewsbury, center forward, Scot Lou Macari, from Celtic, Irish midfielder Mick Martin from Ireland’s Bohemians, and Scot George Graham from Arsenal, where he’d won the UEFA Cup in 1969-70 and the FA Cup and league championship ‘double’ in 1970-71, as a direct replacement for retired midfield maestro, Paddy Crerand. Davies and MacDougall managed only 9 goals between them, while the old war dog, Bobby Charlton, top scored with 6, before retiring at the close of the season’s campaigning, and left United barely avoiding relegation in 18^th position in the table.

 Despite the team’s beginning to take shape in 1973-74, which was Docherty’s first full season in charge, the club were relegated. Another Scot, left full back, and sometime center half, Stewart Houston, arrived from Third Division Brentford; Irish left winger, Gerry Daly, came from Bohemians, and midfielder, Scot Jim McCalliog, from Wolves. The only real change Docherty instigated in the 1974-75 season, when United won the Second Division title, was center forward, Stuart Pearson, who scored 17 league goals in the campaign to return United to the top tier of English soccer, and it’d be Pearson that’d get the opening goal in the 1977 FA Cup Final; squeezed with force at a run under the diving Liverpool ‘keeper, Ray Clemence, 1-0, as the team ran out winners, 2-1, so preventing the Merseysiders from achieving the unique treble of FA Cup, league championship, and European Cup, which Liverpool secured, 3-1, against German Bundesliga club, Borussia Mönchengladbach, at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy. It was a far cry from Sammy McIlroy’s top scoring with 6 goals for the 1973-74 relegation season. McIlroy was the midfield general for United’s beating of Liverpool in that FA Cup Final of 1977, as the club began its slow climb back to the summit of English soccer.

 With three substitutes possible, after an English FA decision in 1996, and five players to choose from on the bench, increased to seven in 2008-09, Manchester United would take advantage of the attacking options afforded to themselves and attain the treble in 1998-99, with victory over Newcastle United, 2-0, in the FA Cup Final. Able to select from five players, including Dutch ‘keeper, Raimond van der Gouw, Swedish left winger, Jesper Blomqvist, was the outfield player Ferguson kept back for the Bayern confrontation. Former spurs’ striker, Teddy Sheringham, came on in the 9^th minute of the FA Cup Final, after an injury to United captain and midfield general, Ireland’s Roy Keane, who’d then miss the Final against Bayern, and Sheringham opened the scoring in the 11^th minute against Newcastle, 1-0. England’s creative midfield goal scorer, Paul Scholes, got the second on 53 minutes, 2-0, and although Andy Cole was replaced on 60 minutes by Trinidad and Tobago striker, Dwight Yorke, manager Alex Ferguson’s substituting of Scholes with Dutch center back, Jaap Stam, on 78 minutes, signaled that the game was effectively over and that the club were preparing for Bayern Munich, who were beaten, 2-1, in the European Cup Final, staged at the Nou Camp stadium of Spain’s FC Barcelona. Sheringham, on as a 67^th minute substitute for Jesper Blomqvist, scored on 91 minutes for the team to draw level with Bayern, who’d taken the lead through a 6^th minute direct free kick from right winger, Mario Basler, and before Norway’s striker, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on as an 81^st minute substitute for starting center forward, Andy Cole, struck on 93 minutes to give the victory to United. The league title had been secured with 79 points from Arsenal on 78, through a 2-1 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the league campaign.

 After the 1977 FA Cup Final defeat of Liverpool , Tommy Docherty was replaced by QPR manager, Dave Sexton, who’d begin bringing genuine quality players to the club through the transfer market. First to arrive were Scots Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan, Leeds United’s center half and center forward, both of whom had been instrumental in Leeds reaching the European Cup Final of 1974-75, which Leeds had lost to Bayern Munich, 2-0, and McQueen couldn’t play because of suspension, after being red carded against Barcelona. Leeds had won at Elland Road, 2-1, and drew at the Nou Camp, 1-1, to reach the Final, 3-2 on aggregate, but McQueen was sent off on 65 minutes, allowing Spain’s Barca to equalize fellow Scot Peter Lorimar’s 7^th minute opener, through forward, Manuel Clares, on 69 minutes. When Manchester United beat Leeds, 2-1, in the FA Cup semi final of 1976-77, with goals from Jimmy Greenhoff, and Steve Coppell, the right winger Docherty had bought to replace United’s ageing Scots’ captain, Willie Morgan, it was something like revenge for McGuinness’ defeat to the Elland Road Club, 0-1, in the previously deadlocked 2^nd replay of the 1969-70 FA Cup semi final, before United went on to beat Liverpool in the Final, 2-1. Sexton’s other major coup was to take England’s Chelsea captain, and creative midfielder, Ray Wilkins, to Manchester United for ₤825, 000, which was almost as much as the club had paid for both McQueen and Jordan. When prolific Nottingham Forest center forward, Gary Birtles, arrived for ₤1.25 m in October 1980, it looked like United had the team for success, but Birtles didn’t score in 25 league games.

 The period of blaming United managers for the side’s lack of trophies had arrived. When Sexton sold exciting, but unpredictable England left winger, Gordon Hill, to Derby County for ₤250,000 in 1978, Wales’ and Wrexham winger, Mickey Thomas, was bought as his replacement. However, although United made it to the FA Cup Final of 1979, they lost to Arsenal, 2-3, despite Herculean efforts from an injured Gordon McQueen, who unable to play in the back line, was put up front, where he could do least damage, and scored from an 86^th minute free kick on the right that went over everyone’s head, but was turned back in low, where McQueen, who’d been up for an attempt at a headed goal, along with Jordan, struck to  give ‘the red devils’ hope, 1-2. Arsenal, through a ball clipped back from the touchline at the right of the goalpost, finding England’s midfield anchor, Brian Talbot, had taken the lead on 12 minutes, as Talbot powered in to strike. Ireland’s center forward, Frank Stapleton, headed in at the far post from a cross on the right on 43 minutes, which sent ‘the Gunners’ into the half time break with what had seemed an unassailable lead, 2-0. However, inspired by McQueen’s ’never say die’ attitude, Sammy McIlroy accepted a long ball through the middle, and escaped Arsenal defenders to squeak in a shot that just trickled inside the left upright, so equalizing in the 88^th minute, 2-2, but Arsenal’s England center forward, Alan Sunderland, scored in the dying moments of the game, following good work on the left from midfield genius, Ireland’s Liam Brady, who set up England’s Graham Rix to cross from close by the corner flag to where Sunderland stretched out his right leg and slid in the ball with his boot at the far post on 89 minutes. United fans were left wondering if Hill’s play on the left would have been more successful than Thomas’. Sexton’s purchase of Birtles had cast too much doubt on his judgment as a manager and West Bromwich Albion boss, Ron Atkinson, was appointed to replace him for the 1981-82 season.

 The period of heavy criticism for United managers who bought big, and showed little for the outlay in terms of trophies, began with Sexton, and finished with Atkinson, who won the FA Cup twice in 1983 and 1985. Wilkins and future England captain, Bryan Robson, who Ron brought from W.B.A. for ₤1.5 m, and was easily the best English midfield creator-destroyer of his generation, combined well to force a draw, 2-2, in the FA Cup Final of ’83 with Brighton and Hove Albion of the South Coast. On 14 minutes, a cross from deep on the right had given a chance for Brighton center forward, Scotland’s Gordon Smith, to head the ball past United ‘keeper, Gary Bailey, 0-1, but Frank Stapleton, who Ron brought from Arsenal for the commencement of the 1981-82 season for ₤900,000, after the half time break got on the end of a 55^th minute cross from England right back, Mike Duxbury, to slot the ball in at the far post, 1-1. Wilkins, deep on the right, then curled a 72^nd minute spectacular long range shot into the top left corner of the Brighton net to give United the lead, 2-1, before a corner to Brighton on the right was driven low to the edge of the box in the 87^th minute, where it was driven in towards goal, and found England’s center back, Trevor Stevens, who slammed the ball past Bailey, 2-2.

 In the replay, on 25 minutes Robson scored with a low left footed drive into the right corner of the Brighton goal, after the ball was played back to him from inside the box to the edge of the area by Welsh wing, Alan Davies, who was in the side because of injury to Steve Coppell. Northern Ireland teenage center forward, Norman Whiteside, at 18 years an Atkinson protégé, headed in a 30^th minute cross from the left, and to the right of Brighton ‘keeper Graham Moseley. A left footed free kick on 44 minutes from an Atkinson buy from Ipswich Town, Dutch midfielder, Arnold Muhren, deep in the left of midfield, found Robson, who sent in a looping back header, and the ball was headed down in the center of goal by McQueen to where Robson was running in to strike home inside the left upright. After Robson was dragged down by Stevens in the penalty area, Muhren drove a low penalty to the right of the Brighton ‘keeper Moseley, on 62 minutes, to complete the scoring, 4-0.

 United’s victory over Everton, 1-0, in the 1985 FA Cup Final, was both less complicated, and more so. Northern Ireland center back, Kevin Moran, was sent off on 78 minutes, after bringing down Everton midfield strong man, Peter Reid, when he was clear through on goal, which left the depleted side to play a canny game of counter attack, after defending deep against eleven players to their ten. The game went to extra time, and on 110 minutes, that is, 5 minutes into a second half of 15 minutes, Whiteside wide on the right, cut in to curl a low shot around Everton's Welsh left back, Pat Van Den Hauwe, which beat unsighted ‘keeper, Neville Southall, and found the bottom left corner of the net.

 The previous season saw Atkinson getting 11 goals from Sexton import Birtles, and 13 from Stapleton, who went on to top score in 1982-83 with 14, and 1983-84 again with 13. However upcoming Wales’ striker, Mark Hughes, top scored in 1984-85, with 16 goals to Frank’s 6, although United were beginning to play as the fans wanted. The previous season Atkinson had brought Scots’ left winger, Arthur Graham from Leeds, but for the 1984-85 season ‘Big Ron’ had obtained for ₤350,000, from Dutch club Ajax of Amsterdam, the services of Denmark’s Jesper Olsen on the left wing, with Scot Gordon Strachan, brought for ₤500,000 from Scotland’s Aberdeen, where Alex Ferguson was manager, on the right wing.

 Atkinson’s purchase of Alan Brazil for ₤625,000, a center forward from Ipswich, didn’t really work. Brazil only managed 5 goals in 17 appearances in 1984-85, but what really annoyed the supporters was the sale of Ray Wilkins to A. C. Milan for ₤1. 5 before the season began. Moreover, Atkinson compounded his sin by investing poorly in bringing forwards Terry Gibson from Coventry in January 1986, who scored just once in 23 appearances, and Peter Davenport from Nottingham Forest in March 1986, while finalizing a ₤2 m deal with Barcelona for top scorer, with 17 goals that season, Mark Hughes. Although Davenport top scored in 1986-87, those 14 goals weren’t enough to prevent Ron from being sacked, and Alex Ferguson was appointed manager on November 6, 1986.

 Alex had done the impossible at Aberdeen and won a European trophy, the UEFA Cup in 1983 against Real Madrid of Spain, 2-1, followed by success in the European Super Cup against Germany’s winners of the European Cup, Hamburger SV, 2-0. Among Ferguson’s first decisions was to find a replacement for the waning powers of Stapleton, who went to Ajax for ₤100,000, and Alex signed Celtic striker, Brian McClair, for the 1987-88 season for ₤850,000; a decision the club never regretted. United would go on to capture 13 league titles, before Sir Alex’s retirement after the last in 2012-13, which together with European Cup triumphs in 1999 and 2008 meant that the buck had stopped, when Queen Elizabeth knighted him, after Bayern Munich were beaten, 2-1, in the European Cup Final of 1999. With Scot McClair’s 24 goals in 1987-88, and the arrival of Norwich City center half, Steve Bruce, signed for ₤900,000 on December 18^th, United finished runners up in the league to Liverpool. Although 9 points behind the Merseysiders’ 90, it was significant success for the squad, because United hadn’t won the championship since their 1966-1967 triumph.

 Mark Hughes was brought back from exile for the 1988-89 season’s campaigning, and on April 18^th the club signed for ₤200,000, 16 year old left winger, Lee Sharpe, from Fourth Division Torquay United. Although Hughes again top scored with 14 goals in 1988-89, the club finished a disappointing 11^th in the league, and Ferguson moved to strengthen the squad for the 1989-90 season, with the ₤750,000 close season signing of Norwich City’s defensive midfielder, Mike Phelan; Nottingham Forest’s midfield playmaker, Neil Webb, for ₤1. 5m, and early on in the season center back, Gary Pallister, arrived from Middlesboro for ₤2.3 m, while West Ham United agreed to part with their self-styled ‘guv’nor’, a strong tackling ball distributor, midfielder Paul Ince, for ₤1.7 m. However, despite the huge financial investment, and the wealth of talent advertised, by September 9 United had lost three games in succession; against Derby away, 0-2; Norwich at Old Trafford, 0-2, and Everton away, 2-3. Ferguson moved quickly to sign Southampton winger, Danny Wallace, who renowned for his electric pace and verve, arrived for ₤1. 2 m on September 16, and thereafter assisted Hughes to easily become the team’s top scorer again that season, but with only 13 goals. Many armchair punters believed Ferguson’s sacking was an inevitability, after a 1-5 defeat to arch rivals Manchester City at Maine Road, but it was the FA Cup, and 20 year old striker, Mark Robins, who’d started one game and made 9 substitute appearances the previous 1988-89 season, and would make 10 starts, with 7 appearances as a substitute, for a return of 7 league goals for 1989-90, who saved the side with a headed goal from a curling Hughes cross in the 56^th minute away against Nottingham Forest on January 7^th in the 3^rd round, to give United a breathing space, 1-0, which would ultimately restore their confidence, as they progressed to a Final against Crystal Palace, which culminated in a 3-3 draw, and went to a replay.

 In the 17^th minute, Palace center back, Gary O'Reilly, headed in from a free-kick, but on 35 minutes, McClair, converted from a striker`s role into midfield, like so many of his predecessors, made a run down the right wing, and floated a cross to the back post, where United  captain Robson headed in, 1-1. In the second half, a cross-shot from right midfielder, Webb, found its way to Hughes, who fired low and into the corner on 62 minutes. Palace substitute, forward Ian Wright, had an immediate impact on 72 minutes, when he ran past United defenders to slot past Scots` `keeper, Jim Leighton, 2–2. In extra time Palace winger, John Salako, floated a cross to the back post where Wright volleyed in on 92 minutes, 2-3. In the second period of extra time, United`s winger, Danny Wallace, provided a through ball for Hughes to chase, and he calmly angled the ball past the onrushing Palace `keeper, Nigel Martyn, 3-3, on 113 minutes. Scotland `keeper Leighton, bought by Ferguson from Aberdeen in 1988 for ₤750,000 to replace retired Gary Bailey, took so much criticism for his failure to prevent Palace scoring, Ferguson replaced him for the replay with Les Sealey, who’d played only 2 league games towards season’s end, after being loaned by Luton in December ‘89, and who kept a clean sheet, but it was a run down the length of the pitch by a ‘Fergie Fledgling’, Lee Martin, from his left full back position, that ended with Neil Webb diverting the ball into his path, and he crashed in the only goal of the replay into the top left corner of the Palace net on 59 minutes, 1-0, and the Ferguson era was underway.

Mystery, Bobble-On The Great at Manchester United

In Sudan, and other parts of Africa, the home team pisses on the goal posts in a ritual to prevent opponents from scoring. Although it’s common practice, it’s widely ignored, but the prevalence of Juju and/or Voodoo as a means to success in sporting occasions isn’t ordinarily acceptable in Europe. Consequently, the widespread appearance and use of the bobble-on amongst players with Afro-Caribbean ancestry is important for soccer analysts mystified by the apparent inability of black players to be more direct in their approach with the ball. Such players look to be asking the ball: ‘Where do you want to go?” Rather than addressing a less difficult task, which is to look to see where the ball can be directed to positively influence the play, black players seem to consult with an additional bobble-on the pitch before engaging the feet.

 Juju has been described as ‘a positive vibration of the spirit, which can express itself in a variety of ways’,1 whereas Voodoo is a syncretism of African tradition and Catholicism, for example, the loa or gods of Voodoo, a term that translates as ‘servants of the spirits’, are conflated with saints. The objective of Voodoo is to be possessed by a loa, which then communicates to a group of Voodoo worshipers, that is, the ‘saint’ takes the role that the Holy Spirit has in Christianity. However, in Judaism the ‘spirit of God’ is specifically feminine, whereas in Voodoo the spirit is transgender, that is, male or female, which sits well with simple Christians who believe that the Holy Spirit is Jesus’. Despite Judaism’s explicit descriptions to the contrary in Exodus, for example, where ‘the Shekinah’ (Ex: 29. 43) is described as dwelling within the tabernacle en route to the land God promised after the Jews’ escape from slavery in Egypt, during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III, Christianity still labors under the handicap of believing that the Holy Spirit is male, while the Jews’ asseverate that the ‘spirit of God’ is female.

 South American teams, and especially the Brazilians, are renowned for their rhythm, which is strengthened by fans who play musical instruments at soccer games to emphasize the Samba beat, a type of music that became prominent in Brazil’s coastal city of Rio de Janeiro during the 1920s, with roots in West African culture, and Brazilian folk tradition, during the colonial period of Portuguese Empire, that is, Samba is a form of Voodoo. In Brazil, the fusion of traditional African religion with Catholic Christianity is known as Candomblé, and Candomblé Jejé is Voodoo.

 As Jejé means ‘stranger’, and Brazilian Vodom (Voodoo) was developed by Fon slaves, in modern terms, because the objective is to be a ‘servant of the spirits’, Candomblé Jejé approximates to Vodafon, that is, beseeching the powerful by means of ‘phone technologies, which in Samba soccer means tuning your skills to the beat of an iPod. Afro-European players are culturally receptive to a unique rhythm, that is, they move to the beat of a different drum, which can be both exhilarating and frustrating by turns, because there are elements of Juju/Voodoo in the mix.

 Not all Juju and Voodoo is positive, which the home team’s pissing on the goal posts in Sudan, to prevent the opposition from scoring, suggests. As South African soccer expert, Mark Gleeson observed, ‘In the ‘70s and ‘80s they were slaughtering goats in hotel room baths.’2  A South African player reportedly said, in response to allegations of ‘magic dust’ being rubbed into the bloodstream before a game, ‘I use to get cut so much I was just like a ventilator. They used to cut us everywhere. They would use the same razor blade on everyone.’3 As Brazilian Samba rhythms can negatively influence opposition, US’ soccer teams/players espousing Louisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans, or Mississippi, Voodoo, that is, rhythmic music, conflict with Brazilian Samba, Cuban Vodú, Dominican Vudú, and Haitian Vodou, in the international club competitions of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. In the CONCACAF Champions League, for example, won on two occasions by teams from the United States of America, that is, D. C. United (1998) and L. A. Galaxy (2000), traditional African rhythm plays a major part in a team’s success or failure. Afro-American players’ participation within this cultural spirit produces effects, although US’ Voodoo is largely attributable to the influence of the Christian French Empire, with Louisiana being named for Louis XIV in 1682.

 Manchester United’s manager, José Mourinho, was Portuguese, and it was the Portuguese Empire that was essentially responsible for Voodoo arising in Brazil, that is, the Portuguese taught the Brazilians Voodoo. Consequently, the Brazilian skills of players like Eusébio, ‘the Black Panther’, who scored 473 goals in 430 competitive matches for Portugal’s Benfica (1961-75), and Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for Sporting CP ‘Lisbon’, before then United manager, Alex Ferguson, took him to Old Trafford to be their right winger, is explicable in Voodoo terms. Moreover, although Cuban Vodú, and the Vudú of the Dominican Republic and Haiti are practiced on adjacent Caribbean islands, that doesn’t make their religious approach towards Christianity and spirituality negligible, because effectively the people there were taught by the Spanish Empire, and Spain recently emerged as having a World Cup winning formula; beating the Dutch national team, 1-0, in 2010, while their clubs Real Madrid (13) and Barcelona (5) remain unmatched in terms of their capacity for winning the major European trophy; the Champions League.

 Interestingly, Spain’s 2010 World Cup triumph coincided with UCL success; the club defeating Ferguson’s Manchester United in the Finals of 2008-9, 0-2, and 2010-11, 1-3, which suggested that the club’s Voodoo was stronger, although United had won the title in 2007-08 against Chelsea, 6-5, on penalties, a.e.t., with Ronaldo opening the scoring with a header on 26 minutes, and England’s midfielder, Frank Lampard, replying on the stroke of halftime, 1-1, leaving Chelsea’s England center half, John Terry, to slip and fall on his ass in the rain, and give Wales’ winger, Ryan Giggs, an opportunity to take the ‘sudden death’ spot kick that won it for the reds.

 José Mourinho became manager at Manchester United for the 2016-17 season, after successful spells with Portugal’s FC Porto, where the club won the UCL in 2004 and at Italy’s Internazionale of Milan, where the UCL was secured in 2010. Whether a Mourinho knowledge of Voodoo contributed to the team’s success or no, he inherited a squad containing talented Afro-European players, who perhaps required a manager capable of synchronizing rhythm with appetite. After the 2014 World Cup Final, Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal had been enticed to Manchester United to replace David Moyes, who’d been Ferguson’s replacement when he retired after his 13^th championship triumph in 2012-13. Former Everton manager, Moyes, had steered the club only to defeat against Sunderland at home, 1-2, on penalties, a.e.t., in the two-legged League Cup semi-final of 2014, which had finished, 3-3 on aggregate, that is, 1-2 away in ‘The Stadium of Light’, and 2-1 at Old Trafford’s ‘theater of dreams’.

 Van Gaal’s experimental approach towards reintroducing an old fashioned defensive formation of three half backs (center backs), with the full backs playing as wing backs, eventually caused his dismissal, despite his emulating Matt Busby's winning the FA Cup in 1948 with a similar formation, as Van Gaal’s squad qualified for the FA Cup Final in 2016, which he won against Crystal Palace, 2-1, a.e.t., with substitute England winger, Jessie Lingard, volleying in an opportunist strike on 110 minutes, and another young black forward, Marcus Rashford, starting the game. United’s directors clearly felt that the Dutchman wasn’t forward looking enough, and appointed Mourinho for the commencement of the 2016-17 season’s campaigning. His first signing was Vilarreal of Spain’s center back, Eric Bailly, from Ivory Coast, West Africa, while negotiating with Juventus for the purchase of France’s midfield captain, Paul Pogba, who Alex Ferguson had let go, and Pogba had taken his chance with the Italian team; winning four consecutive Serie A titles; 2012-13; 2013-14; 2014-15 and 2015-16.

 The arrival of 34 year old prolific Swedish striker, Zlatan Ibrahimović , from Paris Saint-Germain, and Armenia’s captain and right winger, Henrik Mkhitaryan, completed the playing staff Mourinho’d inherited, a squad which included several English black players, for example; Chris Smalling, Jessie Lingard, Ashley Young, and Marcus Rashford. Spanish and Spanish Americans at the club were; ‘keepers David De Gea (Spain) and Sergio Romero (Argentina), defenders Antonio Valencia (Ecuador) and Marcos Rojo (Argentina), midfielder Ander Herrera (Spain) and left sided midfielder/winger Juan Mata (Spain). France’s Anthony Martial completed the perhaps Voodoo tainted ensemble, along with Ivory Coast, West African, Eric Bailly.

 Although that region’s Voodoo is practiced mainly by peoples in the coastal nations of Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Ghana, to which Côte d'Ivoire is also adjacent, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), in all seriousness, made this statement confirming the endemic nature of the prevalence of black magic among African competitors, before the February 7^th, 2002, African Cup of Nations semi-final in the capital, Bamako, between Cameroon and host nation, Mali, at the Stade du Mars 26, when Cameroon coach, Winfried Schafer, and his assistant, Thomas Nkono,  were arrested by police for allegedly attempting to place a magic charm on the pitch before the game, ‘We are no more willing to see witch doctors on the pitch than cannibals at the concession stands.’4 Cameroon won, 3-0, and went on to defeat ‘the Lions of Senegal’ on penalties, 3-2, in the Final, a.e.t., 0-0, with Liverpool defender, Rigobert Song, scoring the decisive goal from the spot kick, while Mali lost to Nigeria, 0-1, in the play off for 3^rd and 4^th place.

 If Mourinho had been a Voodoo practitioner in the Portuguese style, as taught to 1920s Brazilians in the city of Rio de Janeiro, culturally he’d the material at Manchester United to work upon. The team contrived to win the League Cup in 2016-17, 3-2, against Southampton, with a striker’s free kick from Ibrahimović, bent around the S’ton wall to the right, and into the bottom left corner of the net on 19 minutes, 1-0, a low right foot shot to the right corner of the net by Jessie Lingard after receiving a pass from Argentine left back, Marcos Rojo on the left, placing him just inside the penalty area on 38 minutes, 2-0, and after a two minute hiatus before and after the halftime break, in which S’ton first leveled the score, with a goal from forward, Manolo Gabbiadini, a close-in strike on 45+1 minutes, and another opportunist goal from the Italian after the break on 48 minutes, a further late headed goal from Zlatan on 87 minutes, from a cross on the right by Spain’s Herrera, proved enough for the fans to see United captain and center back, Chris Smalling, lifting the trophy in triumph, 3-2.

 Only Nordic Zlatan could be considered outside the possible influence of a Voodoo zone encircling the United players, although he was born of a Moslem father and a Catholic mother, so in his background there were saints and what is Jejé (stranger) to Christianity; Rojo and Valencia were South American; Mata, Herrera, and De Gea were Spanish; Martial and Pogba were French; Bailly was West African, and Lingard and Smalling were the descendants of black culture.

 United won the Europa Cup that season against Dutch side, Ajax of Amsterdam, 2-0, with a Pogba shot from outside the box on 18 minutes that, deflected, sailed over the ‘keeper’s head  and into the net, and an overhead kick on 48 minutes from Mkhitaryan after a knock down from center back, Chris Smalling. It only remained for team captain, and right back, Antonio Valencia, United’s former right winger, to lift the trophy and show it to fans.

 Unfortunately, Zlatan couldn’t play through injury, which caused him to leave the club, and attributed more significance to this comment by Jay Babcock in Arthur Magazine, ‘The juju men won’t be offering tips on game strategy. Their job will be to facilitate a win by discreetly scattering charms on the field, putting hexes on opponents and smearing their teams’ goalposts with magic potions to keep the ball out.’5 Marcus Rashford had to take over the center forward role for the Final. Despite Holland’s Daley Blind at center back, Italy’s Matteo Darmian at left back, Belgian, Marouane Fellaini, in midfield, and Henrik Mkhitaryan on the wing, the team was packed with the usual products of post-colonial Voodoo; Romero and Valencia from South America; Herrera and Mata from Spain; Pogba from France, and Chris Smalling.