Praying For A Goal For 10 Years

Manchester United have had problems with young goalscorers for almost a decade now. The ancient phenomenon of the nurtured young talented forward that didn’t quite make it had been lost to Old Trafford since the departure of Mark Robins who had been credited with rescuing United’s ultimately successful F.A. Cup campaign in the 1989-90 season when he scored in the 114th minute of extra time in the semi-final to take the club through against Oldham Athletic, 2-1. However, it began at Old Trafford again with Danny Welbeck in the final days of manager Alex Ferguson’s reign. Welbeck won a League Cup Final winners’ medal with United, while making just 1 league appearance and 2 as substitute for 1 goal in 2008-09. The team beat Spurs on penalties, 4-1, and Danny started at center forward. Although United won the League Cup again the following 2009-10 season and Danny made 1 start and 4 appearances as substitute for the reds that season, he wasn’t a part of the squad that beat Aston Villa, 2-1. However, he was center forward against Everton in the F.A. Cup semi-final that United lost, 2-4 on penalties after a goalless 0-0 draw, which went some way to explaining his omission from the team that lost 0-2 to Barcelona in the European Cup Final that 2008-09 season, although Paul Scholes’ absence from the selected line-up raised more eyebrows as the midfielder was described by the Spanish giants as 'most feared' subsequent to his 14th minute long range semi-final winner in the 2007-08 season at Old Trafford, 1-0, after the first leg at the Camp Nou in Spain had been a 0-0 draw. The Manchester club had gone on to defeat Chelsea, 6-5 on penalties, when the game had finished, 1-1, and extra time had been played.

 The 'Red Devils' won the league title in 2010-11 and Danny didn’t play in any league games  for United, because he was on loan at Sunderland where he made 21 starts and 5 appearances as sub for a return of 6 goals, while top United scorer,  Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov with 20 goals from 24 league starts and 8 substitute appearances, was mysteriously totally excluded from the 1-3 European Cup Final defeat to Barcelona, along with Paul Scholes, who was again a substitute, and who’d made 16 starts with 6 substitute appearances during the successful championship campaign in what looked like the tail end of a career that would come to haunt Ferguson. Berbatov had arrived on September 1, 2008, to bar Welbeck’s way into the team. Scoring 9 goals in that 2008-09 season in which United went on to win the title, Berbatov scored 12 league goals the following 2009-10 season but, like Scholes, he wasn’t in the starting line-up for the 1-3 defeat to Barcelona in the 2010-11 European Cup Final. When Welbeck finally got his chance, in 2011-12 the club finished level on points with Manchester City, who won the league on 89 points, but with a better goal difference of +64 to +56. Danny made 23 starts and 7 as substitute for 9 goals, while Berbatov made 5 starts and 7 substitute appearances for 7 goals and was transferred to Fulham for the 2012-13 season, which tended to suggest that, although youth had won out, Berbatov’s goals might have made a difference if he’d played more that term.

 Ferguson’s solution to the lack of striking power was to bring Robin Van Persie from Arsenal, who scored 26 league goals in 35 starts and 3 substitute appearances as the team won the title again that season, while Danny Welbeck scored but 1 goal in 13 appearances and 14 as substitute. Although Ferguson retired at season’s end, Danny found his striking boots again in 2013-14 for new manager from Everton, David Moyes, with 9 goals in 15 starts and 10 as substitute. However, United’s failure to win anything, and a dismal home exit to Sunderland on penalties, 1-2, with Welbeck blazing his shot over the bar to the right, so missing United’s first after Sunderland’s central midfielder, Craig Gardner, had blazed his own shot over the bar to the left in extra time of the second leg of the semi-final of the League Cup on January 22nd 2014, saw Moyes’ dismissal, and Welbeck’s moving to Arsenal on September 2, 2014, as United’s initial flirtation with forward youth came to a sad conclusion, which was that infatuation with young looks was an assassin’s bullet to a soccer manager. Although Sunderland striker, Steven Fletcher, also missed his spot kick, when United’s Spanish  ’keeper David De Gea, diving to his right, saved his low shot by the post, and so United’s Scots’ midfielder Darren Fletcher duly made it 1-0 to United with a shot high and to the right of S’land ’keeper, Italian Vito Mannone, Belgian play maker, Adnan Januzaj, Brazilian right back, Rafael da Silva, and England center back, Phil Jones, all failed to find the back of the net for ’The Red Devils’. S’land ran out winners, 2-1, and new Dutch manager, Louis Van Gaal, arrived.

 Although Van Gaal’s United squad didn’t win any major trophies, a pre-season success against Liverpool, 3-1, in the Final of an annual invitation tournament, the International Champions Cup, which was played for in the United States of America between the world’s best, helped to restore some faith in the club for the 2014-15 season. Van Gaal’s remaining at the helm saw United win the F.A. Cup, 2-1, against Crystal Palace at the close of the 2015-16 season with England winger, Jessie Lingard, who’d made just 1 appearance in Van Gaal’s first season in charge, coming on as a 90th minute substitute for Spanish inside forward, Juan Mata, scoring the winning volleyed goal from outside the area in the 110th minute of extra time, and after 19 starts and 6 substitute appearances in the league for 4 goals, so suggesting that United’s faith in youth would experience a resurgence under Gaal’s stewardship.

 Marcus Rashford started at center forward in that 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, and after scoring twice on his debut against Arsenal at 'the Theater of Dreams' on February 28, 2016, aged 17, before finishing  with 11 starts and 5 goals in the league campaign. Rashford would prove to be the successor to Welbeck in terms of United’s misplaced faith in young center forwards, and he was replaced on 72 minutes by winger, Ashley Young, before Palace opened the scoring with a 78th minute left footed strike from substitute midfielder, Jason Puncheon, which Juan Mata replied to almost before the game had been restarted on 81 minutes when a cross from the right from Wayne Rooney, chested down by Moyes’ midfield buy from Everton, Belgium’s Marouane Fellaini, saw the Spaniard drive it into the net from ten yards out. However, it wasn’t success enough for the board and Gaal was replaced for the 2016-17 season by José Mourinho, whose reputation was immense having won 3 league titles with Chelsea (2004-05, 2005-06, and 2014-15); as well as the European Cup with Porto (2003-04), and Internazionale of Milan (2009-10), and much more besides: including the Spanish championship (2011-12) after a spell with Spain’s Real Madrid.

 Mourinho’s reign as United boss was characterized by greatness, although no sooner had success been achieved than the Portuguese seemed intent on dismantling a successful team. Rashford finished his second season with 16 starts and 16 substitute appearances for 5 league goals, and although  subsequent injury to Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimović, who’d come from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer and scored twice in United’s defeat of Southampton in the 2016-17 League Cup Final, 3-2, saw Rashford start the Europa Cup Final against Ajax of Amsterdam, he didn’t make an appearance in the EFL Cup Final until the 77th minute after the scoring had been completed through Ibrahimović’s 87th minute headed goal. Ajax were beaten, 2-0, with an 18th minute deflected long range shot from French midfielder, Paul Pogba, who Mourinho had had return to Old Trafford from Italian giants Juventus, and a 48th minute overhead kick from Armenian right winger, Henrikh Mikhitaryan, who had been brought to Old Trafford from Germany’s Borussia Dortmund. These buys, along with Eric Bailly, an Ivory Coast center back from Spain’s Villareal, were the mainstay of Mourinho’s initial success, and although Ibrahimović’s cruciate ligament injury put a stop to his performing better than the 17 goals in 27 starts and 1 substitute’s appearance, Wayne Rooney, who scored 4 league goals that season from 15 starts and 10 substitute appearances, could have been switched back to the striker’s role that had seen him become the club’s highest goal scorer ever since his arrival from Everton for the 2004-05 season’s campaign.

 In 2017-18, Manchester United finished on 81 points, and were runners up in the league to Manchester City on 100, a margin of difference of 19 points, which silently spoke volumes about the gap in footballing class. Although United reached the F.A. Cup Final, the team lost to Chelsea through a 22nd minute Eden Hazard penalty awarded after a sliding tackle by England center half, Phil Jones, went awry. Both Rashford and Lingard were taken off in the 73rd minute to be replaced by French striker Anthony Martial, who was on 9 goals for the season and who’d top scored in the league in 2015-16 for Van Gaal with 11 goals as United won the F.A. Cup that season, and Romelu Lukaku, who'd arrived from Everton for £ 90 m as a replacement for 'Ibra' on July 10, 2017, and had scored 16 league goals that 2017-18 season, but neither had been selected for the Final. Rashford, with 7 goals from 17 starts and 18 substitute appearances in the league, and Jessie Lingard with 8 from 20 starts and 13 appearances as 'sub', were preferred. Bailly had also been on the substitutes’ bench for the Final, and on 22 January, 2018, Mkhitaryran was transferred to Arsenal as part of a swap deal for Alexis Sánchez, a Chilean forward, who admittedly had had what looked like a perfectly good goal ruled out for offside during the 2018 Final. However, with only 2 goals that season from 12 starts, and 1 from 9 starts and 11 as substitute the following 2018-19 season, the exchange looked to have left United the poorer.

 Ibrahimović made only 1 start and 4 as substitute before Mourinho let him leave for L.A. Galaxy, where he subsequently blossomed after what had seemed a career-threatening cruciate ligament knee injury, scoring 22 goals in 27 starts in the 2017-18 season. Wayne Rooney had already been moved back to Everton for the 2017-18 season, where he scored 10 goals in 27 starts and 4 substitute appearances. Consequently, Mourinho’s decision to leave on the bench in favor of Rashford and Sánchez, Martial and Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian center forward, brought from Everton after Rooney’s return a day earlier on July 9, 2017, and who’d make 33 starts and 1 substitute appearance that league season, looked ill considered. Martial had finished with 9 from 18 starts and 11 as substitute, while both Rashford and Lingard were behind him in terms of goals, and ahead in terms of appearances. The following season 2018-19 saw Rashford make 10 goals, 2 less than Lukaku, who top scored with 12, but Rashford’s then highest score of 10 in three seasons was still 1 less than Martial’s 2015-16 total of 11 when he top scored as a savior for United who that season also won the F.A. Cup Final, 2-1, against Crystal Palace, and Martial completed his own 2018-19 season’s tally of 10 goals on March 30, 2019, with the winning 72nd minute strike at home to Watford, 2-1, and from only 18 starts and 9 appearances as ’sub’, compared to Rashford’s 26 starts and 7 as substitute. Consequently, it wasn’t entirely surprising that United sacked the manager and replaced him with the player that had scored the winning goal against Bayern Munich in the 1999 European Cup Final, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, although seven defeats in all competitions and only a single win meant that United finished without silverware amid a feeling that Mourinho, who’d been higher placed in the league before Solskjaer’s arrival, and had still been in contention for the F.A. Cup at the 4th round stage, while in the last 16 of the European Cup, might have done better than to finish 6th in the league; if only he hadn’t relied on rash youth.

Managing Infants

When David Moyes arrived from Everton to manage Manchester United for the 2013-14 season after Alex Ferguson’s retirement, it puzzled many because Moyes’ only success at ’The Toffees’ had been in avoiding relegation. His only chance at silverware was the League Cup that 2013-14 season, after the 2013 traditional Charity Shield Final between the champions and the winners of the FA Cup. Dutch center forward Robin Van Persie had struck in the 6th minute with a header from French full back Patrice Evra’s clipped cross from wide on the left, which found Persie right of the ’keeper’s penalty area, and he directed a powerful looping header into the top left corner. Persie’s second came in the 59th minute when his shot from wide on the right, and well outside of Wigan ’keeper Scott Carson’s area, was deflected by Wigan center back, James Perch, into the net, which gave champions’ United the victory, 2-0.

 Persie went on to get 12 league goals that season, and striking partner, England’s Wayne Rooney, would get 17. Their rivals for the striking roles were Mexico’s Javier Hernández and England’s Danny Welbeck, who was on 8 goals for the season before the League Cup semi-final second-leg with Sunderland at Old Trafford. United had narrowly lost the away leg at ’the Stadium of Light’, 1-2. United’s legendary Welsh left winger, Ryan Giggs, then playing in a central midfield role, had put through his own goal  in the 47th minute before half time, 0-1, and despite an equalizing headed goal from Serbia’s Nemanja Vidić on 52 minutes, 1-1, Sunderland were awarded a penalty when England midfielder, Tom Cleverley, clumsily brought down right-winger, Adam Johnson, in the 64th minute and Italian forward, Fabio Borini, on loan from Liverpool, scored from the spot kick, 1-2. The failure of lone striker, Danny Welbeck, to make an impression, should have been warning enough for Moyes, but Ferguson’s policy of fielding a reserve team in League Cup games had obscured Moyes’ sense, and Persie and Rooney weren’t even on the bench for the second leg. Hernández, who would end the season on only 4 league goals, had been brought on in the 87th minute at ’the Stadium of Light’, and would keep his place in the team for the return leg.

 Giggs had hit the Sunderland bar from long range early on in the first leg at the ’Stadium of Light’, while Belgium’s United midfielder, 18 years old Adnan Januzaj, had a goal ruled out as Giggs’ elderly 40 years old legs were too slow to take him out of his offside position, so both Giggs and Cleverley were punished by being ’benched’ for their mistakes. Giggs had been attempting to prevent Sunderland’s Scots’ right back, Phil Bardsley, from finishing at close range, after England midfielder, Michael Carrick, failed to head clear from a free kick. Sunderland’s Scots’ center forward, Steven Fletcher, drove in a cross with his left foot at the far post towards Bardsley coming in on the right, and Giggs could only help the ball into the net by ’keeper De Gea’s right post.

 Again in the second leg at ’the Theater of Dreams’, Manchester, it was a center back, this time England’s Jonny Evans, playing alongside England’s Chris Smalling in the absence of Serbia’s Vidić, who gave United their chance. Evans’ header inside the left upright after a flick on from Welbeck at the center of the goal area from a corner on the right in the 37th minute made it 1-0 to ’the Reds’ at half-time, and it remained 1-0 until full-time, which by the rules of the competition meant 2-2 on aggregate, and a period of added extra time to decide which team would progress to the Final. Phil Bardsley scored from a right foot shot in the 119th minute when, going down on one knee and literally stooping to collect it, a tired De Gea somehow managed to fumble, scooping it to his right and into the net. However, in the 121st minute Adnan Januzaj played a one-two with United center back, Chris Smalling, on the edge of the S’land area. With his back to goal, Smalling sent the ball to his right, which allowed Januzaj to run at the S’land defense and cross left footed for Hernández to slot the ball in at the far right post past Italian ’keeper, Vito Mannone, 3-3 (aet) on aggregate.

 Goals were sparse in the subsequent penalty shoot-out. After S’land’s first from English midfielder, Craig Gardner, went over the bar, Welbeck blasted high, wide and to the right for United. Dea Gea saved his blushes diving to the right to save from S’land center forward, Steven Fletcher, while United’s Darren Fletcher made it 1-0 with a low shot to the ’keeper’s right. However, S’land’s succeeding penalty to De Gea’s left was an unstoppably accurate strike from Spanish left full back, Marcos Alonso, 1-1. Januzaj’s low shot to the S’land keeper’s right was too soft. Vito Mannone scooped it up easily. S’land’s central midfielder, South Korea’s Ki Sung-Yueng, sent De Gea the wrong way; slotting the ball to the United ’keeper’s left, 1-2. United’s utility defender, and hard man in midfield, Phil Jones, ballooned his effort over the bar and, after De Gea saved from English winger, Adam Johnson, going to his right, it was left to Brazil’s right full back, Rafael Da Silva, to effectively end Moyes’ reign as United manager when his low drive was saved by Mannone diving to his right.

 England center forward and record scorer, Wayne Rooney, would get another 8 goals that season, while Robin Van Persie, his also reliable striking partner, would net another 5 goals. Danny Welbeck, however, who’d been on 8 league goals for the season before the January 22, 2014, League Cup semi final second leg at Old Trafford against Sunderland, would score just once more before season’s end when he got the third in the 82nd minute of a 3-0 win at West Bromwich Albion on March 8, 2014. Javier Hernández would return only 4 league goals for the season; the winner on 80 minutes in a 3-2 win over Stoke City at home on October 26, 2013; the only United goal on 78 minutes in a 1-3 defeat at Chelsea on January 19, 2014, a couple of days before the League Cup semi-final defeat to S’land at Old Trafford; the fourth on 91 minutes in a home win over Aston Villa on March 29, 2014, and the third goal on 64 minutes during a 4-0 defeat of Newcastle away on April 5, 2014, at St James’ Park. Two of Hernández’s 4 goals in the league that season were after the League Cup semi-final defeat at ’the Theater of Dreams’, which raised some doubts as to the wisdom of Moyes’ selecting him, and Welbeck, given the fact that the United manager lost his job for being unable to put silverware in United’s trophy cabinet.

 Manchester United finished 7th in the league in 2013-14, and persevering with Hernández, who made 18 appearances as substitute with only 6 starts, and Welbeck, who made 15 starts and 10 as sub, for a paltry 9 goals, his highest return in a career at United that lasted three full seasons (2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14) was a mistake. Welbeck was sold to Arsenal for £ 16 million by manager, Louis Van Gaal, brought to replace Moyes after his successes with the Dutch national side at the 2014 World Cup Finals, although in five seasons at Arsenal Welbeck didn’t score more than 5 league goals (2017-18) in a campaign. Hernández was loaned to Real Madrid of Spain where he made 23 appearances for 7 goals before eventually being sold by Van Gaal to Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen for £ 7. 3 million.

 Van Gaal’s United won the FA Cup against Crystal Palace in 2016, 2-1, with Wayne Rooney as captain, and Welbeck was Arsenal’s center forward in their 2-1 FA Cup Final defeat of Chelsea in 2017, although he was taken off on 78 minutes with the scores level at 1-1 after Chelsea’s Spanish center forward, Diego Costa, scored on 76 minutes. Controlling the ball on his chest in the Arsenal penalty area, before shooting with his right foot, Costa equalized Chilean forward Alexis Sánchez strike on 4 minutes. Sánchez would be taken to Old Trafford on January 22, 2018, by Gaal’s replacement for the commencement of the 2016-17 campaign, Portuguese manager, Jose Mourinho. For what was to be a winning Arsenal  side in the 2017 FA Cup Final, Sánchez scored from six yards out from his right boot as Chelsea ’keeper, Belgian’s Thibaut Courtois, advanced, and Arsenal’s Welsh  central midfielder, Aaron Ramsey, on 79 minutes headed in French forward Olivier Giroud’s cross on the left from six yards out, 2-1. Mourinho went on to win the Europa Cup, and the League Cup in 2016-2017. However, he was replaced as United’s manager, after losing the 2018 FA Cup Final, 0-1, to a penalty from Chelsea’s Eden Hazard. Sánchez, who’d scored only 2 league goals in 12 appearances in 2017-18, and only 1, the third on 90 minutes in a 3-2 defeat of Newcastle at home on October 6, 2018, before Mourinho’s sacking, looked a good replacement for Welbeck.

All Over Rash

Marcus Rashford’s meteoric rise has led to comparisons with Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Harry Kane, and Cristiano Ronaldo.  There are similarities with Ronaldo, the Portuguese captain and right winger, who was with Manchester United from 2003-4, after being transferred from Sporting Clube de Portugal in the close season when he’d made 25 league appearances for the Portuguese side for 3 goals. In 2003-4 Ronaldo made 29 league appearances for United and returned 4 goals, and in 2004-5 the winger made 33 league appearances for 5 goals. The last season he failed to reach double figures for United was 2005-6 when Ronaldo reached 9 goals in 33 league appearances.  Transferred to Spain’s Real Madrid for the beginning of the 2009-10 season, Cristiano achieved his career best, 48 league goals, in 2014-15. Consequently, Rashford’s early career is very similar to Ronaldo’s. Making 11 league appearances in 2015-16, Marcus scored  5 times for the reds, and in 2016-17 he scored another 5 times for the ‘red devils’  whilst appearing 32 times. During the 2017-18 season, Rashford hit the back of the net for United on 7 occasions in 35 league appearances, and by the middle of January 2019 he’d already reached 7 goals.

 After being on loan to lower division clubs, Harry Kane’s top level career began at around the same time as Rashford’s. In 2013-14, he made 10 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur for 3 goals. However, his goals tally increased dramatically in 2014-15 when he struck 21 times in 34 league appearances, and in 2015-16 Kane made 38 appearances for 25 goals scored. 2016-17 saw Harry put the ball in the net  29 times in 30 appearances, and 30 times in 37 appearances in 2017-18, while he’d struck 14 times by the middle of January 2019, that is, twice as many strikes as Marcus Rashford, who Kane had played alongside in the England team, which lost the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup against Croatia, 1-2. Marcus had started the group game against Belgium instead of Kane, which England lost, 0-1. Among Rashford’s five further appearances as ‘sub’, he scored from the penalty spot in the shoot-out, 4-3, that ensured England progressed from the last sixteen after a 1-1 draw against Columbia. Despite his own goalscoring prowess, Kane, who was the highest individual scorer with 6 goals in the 2018 World Cup Finals, hadn’t won any major trophy with Spurs either.

 A great trophy winner was Wayne Rooney, who began at Manchester United at about the same time as Ronaldo, who alongside Rooney of course went on to win the European Cup with the club in 2008, and the World Club Cup against Peru’s LDU Quito with Rooney getting the only goal of the game. At Real Madrid, Ronaldo went on to win the European Cup again in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018; and the World Club Cup in 2014, 2016, and 2017. So far as goals go, Rooney’s first season in double figures came after his transfer from Everton, where he got  9 in 34 league appearances in 2003-04, to United, where he struck 11 times in 29 league appearances in 2004-05. For the next ten seasons, Wayne was never out of double figures, although it’s strange that, given United’s huge success during his period there as premier striker, in the seasons when he reached 26 (2009-10) and 27 (2011-12) goals, the club only won the League Cup in 2010 and Rooney had to come off the bench in the 42^nd minute to score the 74^th minute winner against Aston Villa after central midfielder, England’s James Milner, had given them the lead on 5 minutes. England’s Gabriel Agbonlahor was played in behind the United defence, and outpaced United center back Nemanja Vidić to the penalty area. The Serbian defender grabbed hold of the striker's shirt before lunging in with a clumsy challenge. Milner sent Polish ‘keeper Tomasz Kuszczak the wrong way with a side-footed finish to the bottom-right corner, 0-1. United had drawn level through Michael Owen in the 12^th minute with a low right foot shot from the right. Bulgarian centre forward, Dimitar Berbatov, was brought down, and it looked as if it’d have been a penalty if the England striker hadn’t driven the loose ball to the left corner of the Villa net past the despairing dive of US ‘keeper Brad Friedel.  Rooney’s looping header over Villa ‘keeper Friedel, from a cross on the right by Ecuador’s Antonio Valencia, made it 2-1.

 United’s relative lack of success in those seasons demonstrated the value of a second striker to complement the main spearhead of the team.  Apart from the European Cup and World Club Cup, Rooney played in five championship winning seasons at United; 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2012-13. Towards the end of manager Alex Ferguson’s career, another luminous teenager in the red shirt appeared briefly. Danny Welbeck who, despite making 27 league appearances as a centre forward, for only a single goal returned, captured a title winners’ medal in 2012-13. However, the previous season, 2011-12, Danny had scored 9 league goals in 30 appearances as City won the title on 89 points by virtue of having scored more goals. Consequently, when Danny returned 9 goals in 25 appearances in 2013-14 and United finished 7^th, Welbeck was on his way to Arsenal. In short, comparisons with Welbeck are more relevant in Rashford’s case, who hasn’t yet reached Welbeck’s highest season’s tally at United, 9.

 Michael Owen’s own career at United looks good, and closer scrutiny reveals that his 19 appearances for 3 goals in 2009-10, which resulted in his League Cup Final winners’ medal, and his 11 appearances in 2010-11 for 2 goals that got him a title winners’ medal, aren’t stats so dissimilar from Rashford’s. Of course, Owen had won the Europa Cup and the European Super Cup with Liverpool in 2001, a season in which he got 16 goals, and Michael was never below 11 for the seven full seasons he played for the Anfield outfit from 1997-8, before his transfer to Real Madrid for the 2004-5 season. Owen left for Stoke’s 2012-13 season after making just one appearance for United in 2011-12 and, as Wayne Rooney’s star too dimmed at Old Trafford in 2016-17, where he scored just 5 league goals in 25 appearances, which was slightly worse than the previous 2015-16 season when he returned 8 league goals in 28 appearances , it was hoped Rashford’s would brighten. Both Rooney and Rashford played in the 2016 FA Cup Final win over Crystal Palace, 2-1, and a year later, with both players on the substitutes’ bench, Rashford came on against Sunderland in the 2017 League Cup Final in the 77^th minute for England winger, Jessie Lingard, who’d gotten United’s second in the 38^th minute of a 3-2 win. It was that same season that Ajax of Amsterdam were dispatched, 2-0, in the Europa Cup Final. Rooney came on to say goodbye in the 90^th minute, before returning in 2017-18 to Everton, the club United had paid £25.6 m for, and where he'd returned 6 goals in 33 league appearances in his debut season of 2002-03 for 'The Toffees', while Rashford played until the 84^th minute when he was replaced by France’s striker, Anthony Martial. It was a great start for Rashford: three major trophies in two seasons. However, strikers have to score or they don’t make it at Manchester United. C’est la vie! Martial scored 11 times in his first season, 2015-16, and Rashford’s yet to make double figures: pressure could tell.

No Way José

Manager at Manchester United for the 2017-18 season, after winning the English League Cup and Europa Cup double the previous season, José Mourinho must’ve wondered where it’d all gone wrong. A United team, sparkling with stars, lost the 2018 FA Cup Final, 0-1, and as early as the 22nd minute. A penalty awarded to their Wembley opponents was driven into the net, low and to the right of the red devils’ Spanish ’keeper, David De Gea, by Chelsea’s Belgian captain and center forward, Eden Hazard, who’d himself been brought down by a sliding tackle from, Phil Jones, United’s England center back.

 Mourinho’s preference for England forward, Marcus Rashford, and Chile’s Alexis Sanchez for the May 19th FA Cup Final contest was reminiscent of Alex Ferguson’s last days as manager when, inexplicably, he chose the bustle of Park Ji Sung, the Korean midfielder, over the player Barcelona said they feared the most, England’s Paul Scholes, for the European Cup Finals of 2009 and 2011. It was Scholes that had scored the 14th minute goal from distance that had beaten Barcelona in the semi-final of 2008 at Old Trafford after the first leg in Spain had ended 0-0. United had gone on to defeat Chelsea on penalties, 6-5, at Russia’s Luzhniki stadium, Moscow, with left winger, Ryan Giggs, applying the coup de grâce. A 26th minute header from Portuguese right wing, Cristiano Ronaldo, and a 45th minute burst-through goal from England midfielder, Frank Lampard, had resulted in a 1-1 draw. After that victory it’d been expected that Scholes would be at the heart of United against Barcelona when they again made the Final in 2009, and again in 2011.

 Ferguson’s mistake was so glaring in 0-2 and 1-3 defeats to the Spaniards that, when the reds were losing the English championship on points to rivals Manchester City, Scholes was asked to swallow his pride and come out of retirement to make 14 starts, and United just failed that 2011-12 season  to beat City, who won on more goals scored with 89 points, although the following 2012-13 season United finished nine points clear of City and Scholes’ 8 starts, and 8 appearances as substitute, did help inspire the team to the title. The omission of Scholes from the 2009 Final was compounded by Ferguson’s preferring to play without Bulgarian striker, Dmitar Berbatov, against Barcelona, or Argentine center forward, Carlos Tevez, who’d led the line in the 2008 Final. The prolific Berbatov had scored  9 times in the league after arriving from Spurs in September 2008. Berbatov, who scored 20 league goals in United’s title-winning 2010-11 season, wasn’t even in the squad for the European Cup Final against Barcelona, which United lost, 1-3, after drawing level in the 34th minute through England center forward, Wayne Rooney, who curled in a shot to the left of Spanish ’keeper, Victor Valdés, and into the net from 15 yards after playing a one-two  on the right of the Barca goal with Wales’ 38 year old former left winger, Ryan Giggs, now playing in a distributive midfield role because of his advancing years.

 Ferguson’s subsequent decision to pick England center forward, Danny Welbeck, over Berbatov’s prolific goalscoring talent, was similarly disastrous. Although Welbeck had looked promising, and led the line in 2011-12, scoring 9 goals in 23 starts, United had finished second to City on goals scored while Berbatov returned 7 goals in 5 starts and the team might’ve won the championship if he’d played more. Although United did win the title the following season, Welbeck scored only once in 27 starts, which underlined Ferguson’s misplaced faith. Danny had come to prominence in the 2009 League Cup Final defeat of Tottenham Hotspur when the game ended 0-0 with him at center forward. Danny’d only made three first team appearances for 1 goal that season, and although the team won on penalties, 4-1, it meant that Danny didn’t have to take his, and he managed to miss his penalty against Sunderland in the Old Trafford 2014 League Cup semi-Final second leg when United went out of the competition on penalties, 1-2, with only Scots’ midfielder, Darren Fletcher, finding the net for United, which meant that replacement for the retired Ferguson, David Moyes, was then sacked as manager.

 Dutch performances in the 2012 World Cup Finals saw their manager, Louis Van Gaal, installed at United and the team did win the 2016 FA Cup Final, 2-1, with goals from Spanish inside left, Juan Mata, brought by Moyes from Chelsea, and England winger, Jessie Lingard, a product of United’s youth policy. However, only a single cup success for Gaal meant his being replaced by Mourinho, whose international reputation with Porto and Inter Milan, with whom he’d won European Champions’ Cup titles in 2004 and 2010 respectively, virtually guaranteed his appointment. Building on success, Mourinho brought Armenian right-winger and captain, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Frenchman Paul Pogba, who’d been brought from Ligue 1’s Le Havre in October 2009 to join United’s youth team squad, which won the 2011 FA Youth Cup (with Lingard also in the team), and was sold by United to Juventus on July 3rd 2012 by Ferguson, where he’d win two consecutive Italian titles (2012-13; 2013-14) as the central midfield powerhouse, followed by consecutive Italian doubles of league and cup (2014-15; 2015-16), and Supercoppa Italiana (2013; 2015) before returning at a cost of £89.3 million, while elderly Swede, Zlatan Ibrahimović, arriving from French club, Paris Saint-Germain, where he’d scored 38 goals in 2015-16, was expected to enjoy a productive Indian summer at Old Trafford at the age of 37 after winning titles at Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, A.C. Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain.

 Pogba, who’d win the World Cup with France in 2018, 4-2 against Croatia, and who’d score the third French goal in the 59th minute with a left foot shot high into the left of the Croatian net, 3-1, in the 2017 Europa Cup Final had a long range left foot shot deflected by Ajax center back, Columbia’s Davinson Sánchez, over and past Cameroon ’keeper, André Onana, in the 18th minute, while Mkhitarayan added a second, flicking the ball with his right foot over the ’keeper’s head and with his back to goal, following a headed knockdown by United’s England center back, Chris Smalling, after a corner on the right from Juan Mata in the 48th minute, so giving United victory, 2-0. Although Ibrahimović  didn’t play, because of a cruciate ligament injury that, most unfortunately for Mourinho, ended his Old Trafford career, his goal in the League Cup Final of 2017 from a long-range free-kick that went over the Southampton wall, and into the left bottom corner of the net beyond the despairing dive of ’keeper Fraser Forster in the 19th minute, was followed by a second 87th minute headed goal after a cross from the right by Spain’s central midfielder, Ander Herrera, to the far left post where Ibrahimović powered it home. It was a strike that restored United’s advantage. Lingard had made it 2-0 after receiving a pass from Argentine center back, Marcus Rojo, wide on the left, resulting in his right foot low shot into the right of the S’ton net on 38 minutes. However, S’ton forward, Italy’s Manolo Gabbiadini, had cancelled that out in the 45th and 48th minutes, 2-2. Ibrahimović’s late headed goal, so ensuring a 3-2 win for the United manager, meant the 0-1 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup Final of 2018 looked to casual observers as a mere blip in the club’s inevitable climb back to greatness. However, Mourinho’s decision to sell Mkhitarayan,  in a swop deal for Arsenal’s forward Alexis Sanchez in January 2018, represented a failure to find an adequate replacement for Ibrahimović, who scored 17 league goals that 2016-17 season, and meant that his Ferguson-like decision to prefer Rashford and Sanchez in the 2018 FA Cup Final came to look like suicide.

 Belgian forward, Romelu Lukaku, and France’s Anthony Martial remained on the bench until late in the game. In three seasons at United that term’s 7 goals was Rashford’s highest return, while Sanchez had only scored three league goals by January 2019. Contrarily, Lukaku, who’d been brought from Everton, had scored 17 goals that season, and Martial, who struck 9 times in the league that season, and 11 times in his first at the club, 2015-16, but had been used often as a winger, which reduced his effectiveness in terms of goals scored, were comparatively prolific. Consequently, United’s defeat to Chelsea, 0-1, was blamed on the absence of wingers and forwards. With an almost minus goal difference coming up to Christmas 2018, and with the team 6th in the league, Mourinho was sacked. New manager, former Norwegian center forward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who’d scored the United goal that beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 European Cup Final, 2-1, began with four straight victories; 5-1 away at Cardiff; 3-1 against Huddersfield and 4-1 against Bournemouth at the ’Theater of Dreams’, and 2-0 away at Newcastle, which improved United’s goal difference to 11, and the way to salvation was clear.

Manchester United, Qualified Success

Manchester United have always been linked with European soccer for the simple reason that manager, Matt Busby, who was knighted by England`s queen Elizabeth II, after his team won the 1968 European Cup, and became Sir Matt Busby, took the club into Europe to compete in the European Cup competition in 1956-57, and thereby United became the first English soccer team to compete in what became Europe`s premier contest between respective national soccer champions in a knockout two-leg tournament format, with a single Final game in a neutral European capital to determine which would be Europe`s Champions. Following their league title win the previous season, 1955-56, Manchester United first competed in European football competition in 1956–57. 1954–55 Football League winners Chelsea had been denied the opportunity to take part in the inaugural European Cup by The Football League's chairman Alan Hardaker, who feared that European football would damage the integrity of the English game. However, Matt Busby, the manager of Manchester United, was a forward-thinking man and was determined to have his young team, known as `the Busby Babes`, compete on the European stage. With the backing of The Football Association's chairman, Stanley Rous (who would later go on to become the president of FIFA), Manchester United were allowed to compete in the 1956–57 European Cup culminating with a semi-final tie against Real Madrid. The first leg took United to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where they were defeated, 3–1, in front of a crowd of 135,000. Although center forward, Tommy Taylor, scored on 82 minutes, 2-1, Enrique Mateos got a third for Madrid a minute after the restart. United were only able to draw 2–2 in the second leg back at Old Trafford, with Taylor and Charlton bringing the team back into the game after they were down, 0-2, and the club's first European season came to an end as Real Madrid went through, 5-3, on aggregate to a Final against Italy`s Fiorentina, which they won, 2-0, to record the second of what would eventually be five consecutive European Cup titles.

 After again winning the English title in 1956-57, Busby`s efforts to win the European Cup were curtailed in February, 1958, when the team that looked like winning its third consecutive English league title met with disaster returning from a European Cup quarter final with Red Star Belgrade that, although the leg ended 3-3, took United through to a semi-final with A.C. Milan, because United had won their home leg at Old Trafford, 2-1, coming from behind to win with goals from forward, Bobby Charlton in the 65th, and half back, Eddie Colman, in the 81st minute, after forward, Lazar Tasić, had opened the scoring for Belgrade in the 35th. The plane bringing the players back to Manchester crashed on take off at Germany`s Munich airport killing eight; reserve left back, Geoff Bent, captain for England and Manchester United, left back, Roger Byne, center half, Mark Jones, half backs Eddie Colman and Duncan Edwards, left wing, David Pegg, center forward, Tommy Taylor, and Ireland`s inside forward, Liam `Billy` Whelan. England`s right wing, Johnny Berry, never played again, and neither did inside forward, Jackie Blanchflower, brother of Danny, who captained Spurs to the league and F.A. Cup `double` in 1961, and said Jackie was a better player. The heart of England`s World Cup squad for Sweden in 1958 was ripped out. A patched up team beat Milan, 2-1, in the first leg, again coming from behind after a strike from inside forward, Pepe Schiaffino, in the 24th minute. United`s center forward, Denis Viollet, who`d scored in the second minute of the 3-3 away draw in Belgrade, before Charlton netted twice more in the 30th and 31st minutes, 3-0, got the equalizer against Milan in the 39th minute, and inside forward, Ernie Taylor, bought from Aston Villa after the disaster, struck home a late penalty in the 80th minute to give the team a slim advantage, but they were overwhelmed, 4-0, at the San Siro in Italy.

 Although Busby`s 1968 European Cup side that beat Benfica, 4-1, after a rare opening headed goal from deep-lying center forward, Bobby Charlton, cancelled out by Portugal`s right wing, Jaime Graca, 1-1, provided players for the successful England World Cup campaign of 1966, that is, right winger, John Connelly, and Charlton and central defender Nobby Stiles, who played in the Final against Germany, which England won, 4-2, it`s sure that soccer history would`ve been different had United`s players that lost their lives in the snow at Munich airport lived. That was but the first setback to United`s campaigning to qualify for and win the top European prizes. Although qualification for the European Cup was simple, the club had to win the league, which it did in 1964-65 and, after losing in the 1966 semi-final to Partizan Belgrade, 1-2, with Nobby Stiles getting United`s only goal in the 1-0 second home leg win in the 72nd minute, the club went on to qualify again by winning the English league in 1966-67, which resulted in the club winning the European Cup of 1968. Teenager Brian Kidd headed in for United`s third against Benfica, and Charlton scored from an acute angle with a dipping volley, 4-1. United would make the semi-final stage against A.C. Milan the following 1968-69 season, but lost, 2-1, on aggregate, with only Charlton replying for the `Red Devils` in the 70th minute of the second leg at Old Trafford, before Milan went on to defeat Ajax, 4-1, in the Final.

 The European Cup Winners Cup was simple too. The F.A. Cup winners qualified, and so Manchester United competed in the 1963-64 competition as winners of the 1963 F.A. Cup Final against Leicester City, with goals from Scots` center forward, Denis Law, and England center forward, David Herd. On 30 minutes, Leicester`s England `keeper, Gordon Banks, opted to bowl the ball out to Scots` inside left, Dave Gibson, which United`s Scots` midfielder, Paddy Crerand,  read. Racing in to intercept twenty-five yards out, Crerand passed to  Law, who turned and fired past Banks and two defenders to open the scoring, 1-0. On 57 minutes a cross field ball from United right wing, Johnny Giles, found Charlton unmarked. He raced into the box, and Banks could only parry the shot into the path of Herd, who tapped into the empty net, 2-0. Leicester center forward, Ken Keyworth, scored from a diving header in the 80th minute, after a weak shot from Scots` central defender, captain Frank McLintock, instead found Keyworth in the United` penalty area, 2-1. In the 85th minute Banks came for a Giles cross, and fumbled the ball into the path of Herd, who turned and fired past two defenders on the goal line, 3-1.

 In an amazing turnaround, Manchester United managed to lose their 1963-64 European Cup Winners Cup quarter-final with Sporting CP, who went on to win the trophy, after United led, 4-1, from their home leg at Old Trafford, but Sporting CP won the away leg, 5-0. Osvaldo da Silva, who`d looked like he`d scored only a consolation goal at Old Trafford, got a hat-trick, and although there`d been a hat-trick from Law in the home leg, before Charlton completed the scoring for United, 4-0, United`s stars didn`t shine in Lisbon. As runners-up in the 1963-64 league championship, United qualified for the Intercity Fairs Cup, which would be renamed the UEFA Cup in 1971 and, when it was amalgamated with the European Cup Winners Cup in 2004, it`d be renamed again as the Europa Cup played for in the UEFA Europa League. Reaching the semi-final stage in 1963-64, United beat Hungary`s Ferencváros, 3-2, with a penalty from Law and two goals from Herd at Old Trafford, but the team lost away, 1-0, in Budapest. Later, away goals counted double in the event of each team scoring the same number of goals, but then an eliminator was played and Ferencváros won, 2-1, with only a late 86th minute goal from England`s right wing, John Connelly replying for United, and Ferencváros went on to beat Italy`s Juventus, 1-0, in the Final.

 Busby`s retirement meant two things for United. The Inter City Fairs Cup had a `one club, one city` qualifying rule, which meant that, if Manchester City`s end of season league position was higher than United`s, if United qualified, they wouldn`t be admitted. The Inter City Fairs Cup`s inauguration was based on the idea that cities where trade fairs occurred would host a soccer tournament, and the first series took place between 1955 and 1958, when Manchester United were either winning the league championship in England (1955-56, 1956-57), or competing in the European Cup as champions (1956-57, 1957-58), before February 6, 1958, when the Munich air crash happened, and before the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where players from the club were badly missed, and Brazil won the Final, 5-2, despite Sweden taking the lead through captain and inside left, Nils Liedholm. Brazil center forward, Vavá, then scored twice to make it 2-1, and twin striker, Pele, who would go on to win three World Cup Finals with Brazil (1962, 1970), got two more goals, sandwiched between a 68th minute strike from left wing, Mário Zagallo, to make it 5-2, after Sweden`s center forward, Agne Simonsson, had reduced the deficit, 4-2, in the 80th minute. The `one club, one city` rule for the Inter City Fairs Cup was perceived as restrictive by UEFA and the trophy was replaced by the UEFA Cup in 1971, although the number of teams allowed to compete in the Inter City Fairs Cup was now three from each country since 1962, and the `one club, one city` rule had also been abolished. For Manchester United, that meant league position and winning the League Cup were targets. The UEFA Cup came to be known as the `runners-up` Cup, and in England the League Cup Final winners were admitted, which was why a trophy United had seemingly abjured suddenly became important for Wilf McGuinness, Busby`s successor as manager, a coach at the club, who`d played as a half back in the Manchester United youth team of the 1950s, which was very successful, and indeed won the trophy on five occasions; 1952-53, 1953-54, 1954-55, 1955-56, and 1956-57. Wilf had been in the 1953-54 teams that beat Wolves, 5-4, on aggregate over two legs, and the 1954-55 teams that won over West Bromwich Albion, 7-1, and he`d captained the 1955-1956 teams, which defeated Chesterfield, 4-3. In 1956-57 he played 13 times for the team and received a championship medal for his contribution in the days before substitutes were allowed, and a runners-up medal in 1958-59 for his 39 league appearances. He made 19 appearances for the club in 1959-60, before a broken leg ended his career at the age of 22, and he became a coach; eventually replacing Jimmy Murphy as reserve team manager, after Murphy had steered a team featuring George Best to a sixth F. A. Youth Cup Final win in 1964 against Swindon, 5-2, on aggregate.

 Because of the vagaries of the Inter City Fairs Cup`s qualifying rules, Manchester United didn`t compete,  Because of the vagaries of the Inter City Fairs Cup`s qualifying rules, Manchester United didn`t compete, despite apparently qualifying as `runners-up` with the team McGuinness played for on 19 occasions in 1959-60, because the competition was biennial for the 1958-60 seasons. When McGuinness was manager, the UEFA Cup had replaced the Inter City Fairs Cup and winning the League Cup was important as a qualifying trophy. Consequently, United`s defeat in the semi-final stage in 1970, when they lost to Manchester City away, 1-2, and drew at Old Trafford, 2-2, in the second leg, 2-3, on aggregate, and in 1971 when they drew at home, 1-1, before losing away, 1-2, to lose to Aston Villa, 2-3, on aggregate, cost them the chance of qualifying for a place in the UEFA Cup for the 1970-1 season, and 1971-72 by winning the League Cup.  In 1970, a semi-final defeat to Leeds United in the 1969-70 F.A. Cup campaign, a tie that went to three games, after the first ended, 0-0, and the second also ended, 0-0,  before Leeds went through, 0-1, with a goal from Scots` captain and midfield general, Billy Bremner, after failing to qualify through the League Cup, cost Manchester United the chance to qualify for the European Cup Winners Cup by winning the 1970 F.A. Cup Final. McGuinness was criticised for keeping Scots` center forward, Denis Law, on the substitutes` bench throughout, in preference for Carlo Sartori, and failure to qualify for the UEFA Cup, or Cup Winners Cup, ultimately cost McGuinness his job on 29 December, 1970, just days after losing at Villa Park in the 1970-71 League Cup semi-final on December 23. Sir Matt Busby reassumed managerial responsibilities from his position as a director on the club board. McGuinness` failure to qualify for the European Cup, because of United`s failure to win the league, was also a factor in the board`s dismissal, and  Leicester City`s Frank O` Farrell became manager for the 1971-72 season.

 O` Farrell fared little better, and was sacked on December 19, 1972, when the appointment of the manager of Scotland`s national team, Tommy Docherty, was announced. Although Docherty steered United to relegation in 1972-73 amid acrimony over the team`s dismal performances, for example, `keeper Stepney was nominated penalty taker, because the outfield players wouldn`t accept the responsibility, and Irish midfielder, Sammy McIlroy, was top scorer with a paltry 6 goals. Docherty`s team won the Second Division championship in 1974-75, and appeared strong enough to finish third in the league in the 1975-76 season behind second place QPR, and champions, Liverpool, when the team also reached the F.A. Cup Final, which the club was easily expected to win against Southampton. The south coast team absorbed all of the pressure United could put on them to concede a goal, but won, 0-1, after an 83rd minute  Bobby Stokes` strike. Although Manchester United`s third place in the league did qualify the club for a place in the UEFA Cup for the 1976-77 campaign, it was a disappointment, and the team kept its promise to be back the following 1976-77 season and beat Liverpool, 2-1, with a shot on 51 minutes from England center forward, Stuart Pearson, bought by Docherty from Hull for £ 200, 000 to spearhead United`s attack in the Second Division. Pearson`s strike from his run at goal somehow snuck under England `keeper, Ray Clemence, and despite a 53rd minute equalizer from Liverpool`s hard shooting midfielder, Jimmy Case, United won 2-1, after a Lou Macari volley was deflected into the Liverpool net off the chest of Jimmy Greenhoff, who was awarded the goal on 56 minutes.

  United`s UEFA Cup campaign began against Ajax of Amsterdam, who were beaten on aggregate, 2-1, after United lost away, 0-1, and won at Old Trafford, 2-0, with goals on 42 minutes from diminutive Scot, Lou Macari, renowned for his prowess as a header of the ball despite his stature, and bought as a striker from Celtic by Docherty for £ 200, 000, and another in the 65th from Sammy McIlroy, who`d been dubbed `the last of the Busby Babes` when he`d made his debut in a game with Manchester City in which he scored during a 3-3 draw in 1971. United lost in the second round to Juventus of Italy, the eventual winners, despite winning, 1-0, at Old Trafford, thanks to a quick thinking volley from left winger, Gordon Hill, after right winger, Steve Coppell, back headed a forward ball by Northern Ireland`s right back, Jimmy Nicholl, who was out wide on the right and well behind the play,  to where Hill pounced. The partisan atmosphere of the Juventus Stadium in Turin was given as the reason for the defeat of `Doc`s Devils`, as they were known, 0-3. As with Busby`s `Babes`, no one will ever know what Docherty`s team could have achieved, because he was sacked after the Final for an alleged extra-marital affair with club physiotherapist Laurie Brown`s wife, Mary, which was a disaster almost equal to the Munich air crash. QPR manager, Dave Sexton, was subsequently appointed for the 1977-78 season in which United competed in the European Cup Winners Cup. After drawing with French side St. Etienne away, 1-1, United won at Old Trafford, 2-0, to go through to the second round where, in a disastrous tie with Porto of Portugal, United lost 4-0 away, and won, 5-2, at home, so losing 6-5 on aggregate. That the Portuguese conceded two own goals was a sign of the pressure Sexton`s team brought to bear at Old Trafford, but the awful defensive performance away made success a chimera before the game started. The following season Sexton`s United made it to the last minute of the F.A. Cup Final after a fight back from 0-2 down to be drawing 2-2 after goals from Gordon McQueen in the 86th minute, sent to play up front, because all the substitutes had been used, and the center back was injured, so McQueen would be a liability in defence, and midfielder Sammy McIlroy in the 88th minute. McQueen had been bought by Sexton, along with center forward, Joe Jordan, from Leeds United to give the team greater height in defence and attack, so it was a doubly ironic cross from Arsenal left winger, Graham Rix, that found the head of center forward, Alan Sunderland, who nodded it into the net almost on the `keeper`s line on 89 minutes, and Arsenal had won, 3-2.

 Dave Sexton did well in qualifying the club for the UEFA Cup through their league position in 1979-80, when the club finished just two points behind champions, Liverpool. The team lost the last game of the campaign, 0-2, at Leeds United`s Elland Road ground where, if it`d been 1981-82, they`d have had three points to take the title, because it was in 1981-82 that the three points for a win, instead of two, rule came into force in English soccer. As it was, Liverpool lost their final game at MIddlesboro, 0-1, because they could afford to. Even if United had beaten Leeds in the last game of the 1979-80 season, Liverpool`s superior goal difference of 51 would still have meant they`d take the title. In the 1980-81 UEFA Cup campaign, United encountered disappointment against Polish side, Widzew Lodz, drawing, 1-1, at Old Trafford, through a 4th minute Sammy McIlroy low driven shot at the 18 yard line, center, which the `keeper couldn`t stop from reaching the back of the net, left. The Poles responded almost immediately with a long range effort from a direct free kick taken by midfielder, Krzyst of Surlit, in the 6th minute. In Poland United drew, 0-0, so Widzew Lodz went through to the second round, because of the rule that away goals count double in the event of each side scoring the same number. By the commencement of the 1981-82 season, Sexton who`d paid more than £ 1 million for Nottingham Forest center forward, Gary Birtles, who didn`t score, was replaced by West Brom`s Ron Atkinson, who brought dynamic England midfield captain (1980-91), Bryan Robson, from his old club to join him at Old Trafford for £ 1. 5 million. It was Robson that put United ahead in the 1981-82 UEFA Cup second away leg against Spain`s Valencia in the 46th minute after a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford, but the team lost, 1-2.

 That 1982-83 season saw Manchester United qualify for the European Cup Winners Cup competition by winning the F.A. Cup, 4-0, against Brighton in a replay after the first game finished, 2-2. Robson had joined England captain (1976-86), Ray `Butch` Wilkins, in United`s midfield. Bought from Chelsea for £ 800, 000  at the start of the 1979-80 season by Dave Sexton, it was a long range 72nd minute floated curling effort underneath the bar from Ray`s left foot, after Dutchman, Arnold Mühren, had found him, with a pass from deep in midfield, on the right edge of the 18 yard box, that put United ahead, 2-1, in the first Final. Brighton`s Scots` center forward, Gordon Smith, headed in from a cross on the right  after 14 minutes. United center forward, Frank Stapleton, bought from Arsenal, where he`d scored for `the Gunners` in the 1979 Final against United, by `Big Ron` Atkinson for £ 900, 000 in 1981-82, tapped in a cross from right full back, Mike Duxbury, that somehow eluded everybody to reach the far post on 55 minutes, before Brighton`s center back, Gary Stevens, scored right footed inside the Reds` penalty area on 87 minutes to force the replay, which began well for United when Welshman, right winger Alan Davies, in for England`s injured Steve Coppell, tapped the ball back to Bryan Robson from left inside the 18 yard box. Robson sent in a low driven shot from towards the left of the 18 yard line to find the right corner of the Brighton net for an opener on 25 minutes, 1-0. Just 17 years old at season`s start, Northern Ireland`s international center forward in the summer`s World Cup FInals, Norman Whiteside, headed in from a right footed Davies cross from the  left of the box five minutes later, 2-0. On 44 minutes Gordon McQueen headed on a free-kick, and the ball fell to Robson to tap in at the far post. The game was put beyond Brighton in the second half when Mühren scored a penalty in the 62nd minute after Robson had been brought down by Stevens.

 Ron Atkinson`s European Cup Winners Cup progress was brought to an end by Juventus at the semi-final stage in 1983-84. United had overcome Spain`s Barca at the quarter-final stage after losing away, 0-2,  a game young Scots` center back, Graeme Hogg, would remember for his 33rd minute  own goal. United won at Old Trafford, 3-0, with two goals from Robson and another from Stapleton. Juvé`s opener came on 14 minutes from a right footed shot just outside the 18 yard box by center forward, Paolo Rossi, who`d been the goalscoring sensation of Italy`s successful 1982 World Cup campaign, scoring Italy`s first in a 3-1 defeat of Germany in the Final. After a long lob from over on the left from left full back, Arthur Albiston, causing confusion in the Juventus` goalmouth, the ball fell to Davies who put it away on 36 minutes. United now needed to win away. Polish midfielder, Zbigniew Boniek, scored left footed for Juvé after a long through ball on 13 minutes, but substitute Whiteside, on for Stapleton on 62 minutes, equalized on 70 minutes after defensive midfielder, Paul McGrath, backheeled the ball to him in the Juvé 6 yard box. Unfortunately for United, Paolo Rossi got the last gasp winner on 90 minutes with his left boot from the left side of the 6 yard box, and Juventus were through to the Final where they beat Porto, 2-1.

 Before the 1984-85 season began, Wilkins, who`d come to the notice of the Italian giants during the European Cup Winners Cup campaign, was transferred to A.C. Milan, and Norman Whiteside made the switch from the forward line to midfield that, amongst others, Sammy McIlroy had done before him. Having qualified for the UEFA Cup by finishing in fourth place in the league, because Everton won the F.A. Cup, and lost to Liverpool in the League Cup Final, while Liverpool also won the title, which meant Everton would play in the European Cup Winners Cup, while Liverpool would compete in the European Cup, and the League Cup wouldn`t produce a UEFA Cup qualifier, so United`s fourth place did. The team progressed to the quarter-finals, where a Frank Stapleton goal on 60 minutes beat Hungary`s Videoton, 1-0, at Old Trafford, but the team lost, 0-1 away at Videoton`s Sóstói stadium in the west of Hungary`s city of Székesfehérvár, and then went out of the competition, 4-5, on penalties. Success came for United in the F.A. Cup Final after a Norman Whiteside run from far out on the right into the corner of the 18 yard box from where his left footed strike curled in past Everton `keeper Neville Southall at the far post in the 110th minute of extra time. The team were down to ten men with center back, Kevin Moran, sent off in the 78th minute for a professional foul on Peter Reid, who would have been clear through on goal, so it was vital that Whiteside scored.

 Although Manchester United qualified for the 1985-86 European Cup Winners Cup competition, disturbances at the Hysels Stadium, Brussels, Belgium, during the European Cup Final between England`s Liverpool and Italy`s Juventus, which the Italians won, 1-0, with a 58th minute penalty from midfield Frenchman, Michel Platini, saw England`s teams banned from European tournaments until 1990-91, when Manchester United again under the managership of Scot, Alex Ferguson, competed in the European Cup Winners Cup, after winning the F.A. Cup Final of 1989-90 defeating Crystal Palace after a run down the length of the pitch by Lee Martin, from his left full back position, 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. The first game had ended, 3-3. On 17 minutes, Palace`s center back, Gary O'Reilly, headed in from a free-kick. On 35 minutes, Brian 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, Bryan Robson, headed in, 1-1. In the second half, a cross-shot from right midfielder, Neil Webb, bought from Nottingham Forest by Alex Ferguson, for £ 1. 5 million, found its way to Wales` center forward, Mark Hughes, who`d been the club`s top scorer for consecutive seasons, 1984-85 (16) and 1985-86 (17), before being sold by Atkinson to Barcelona for £ 2 million, and who, brought back for the 1988-89 season by Atkinson`s Scottish successor, Ferguson, now 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 took so much criticism for his failure to prevent Palace scoring, Ferguson replaced him for the replay with Les Sealey, who kept a clean sheet, and never looked back.

 Though United couldn`t qualify for European competition until 1990-91, when they eventually defeated Barcelona, 2-1, in the Final with a brace of goals from Mark Hughes, the absence of the possibility of European qualification doubtless affected their efforts. United went 1-0 up on 67 minutes following a free-kick from captain, Bryan Robson, which was headed goalwards by defender Steve Bruce. United striker Mark Hughes tapped the ball over the line. Hughes cut the ball into the net from such an acute angle for the second that he had to spin it off the outside of his boot to ensure that it found its mark on 74 minutes. Dutchman Ronald Koeman's late free kick, which came off the upright and hit the legs of United keeper Les Sealey before crossing the line, reduced the deficit on 79 minutes. Having finished fourth in 1985-86, eleventh was the best they could do in 1986-87, and of course it was in 1987-88 that Alex Ferguson, then Aberdeen`s manager, was asked to replace `Big Ron` Atkinson. Ferguson almost immediately signed Brian McClair from Celtic for £ 850, 000, center half, Steve Bruce from Norwich City at Christmas for £ 900, 000, and 17 year old left winger, Lee Sharpe, from Torquay United for £ 200, 000 in April for the start of the 1988-89 season. The club were runners-up to Liverpool with 81 points, losing only 5 games, although the Merseyside giants lost only 2, and finished with 90 points as champions. Although United finished in only thirteenth place in the league in 1989-90 and Ferguson`s tenure as manager looked less than assured, the transfers of midfielder, Mike Phelan, from Norwich City for £ 750, 000, central defender, Gary Pallister, from Middlesboro for £ 2. 3 million, and West Ham midfield maestro, Paul Ince, for £ 1. 7 million showed that the club meant business, and the team`s success in the F.A. Cup Final replay, 1-0, ultimately resulted in their winning the 1990-91 European Cup Winners Cup against Barcelona, 2-1, and the Final of the European Super Cup at the beginning of the following 1991-92 season, which they`d qualified for as the winners of the European Cup Winners Cup. The team duly dispatched European Cup winners, Red Star Belgrade, 1-0, with a goal from Brian McClair on 67 minutes. In the inside left position, McClair was awarded a free-kick for a foul against him 30 yards from goal. Irwin played the free kick into the penalty area. Neil Webb caught Belgrade forward, Dejan Savićević, in possession after an attempted clearance. After beating defender, Duško Radinović, on the edge of the box, Webb hit a shot that struck the foot of the right-hand post and bounced back into the center, where an unmarked McClair struck the ball into the net, and Manchester United`s thirst for European glory remained unquenchable.

The Charity Shield Was Shared By The Demons

One of the more interesting features of English soccer and its history is the extent to which the Shield is despised as a trophy. Essentially it`s a knockout competition, won by Manchester United at its inauguration in 1908, in which the winners of the F.A. Cup compete against the winners of the Premier League for the winning of it, which is the format for all of the world`s greatest soccer competitions. The UCL Champions League is competed for by the winners of each nation`s respective leagues, or it was until recent years when the league format of the European Cup was introduced. Then it became possible for teams to qualify for the European Champions` League without winning their respective leagues, which helped to heap further derision on the English Shield as a remaining anachronism of the days when trophies were competed for by winners. The nature of the Champions` League is that a team that doesn`t win its national title can win the European Cup, which was a sign of egalitarianism for many, but to others it represented a corruption of the original intention that champions compete to determine which of them was the greatest. Consequently, the English Shield remains a competition of some great note because it is still a contest of champions, even though there was a move by socializers to make it a symbol of sharing by renaming it the Community Shield when it was originally named the Charity Shield. Although it`s unfashionble to say so, shields are Arthurian, that is, the name of the English Shield harks back to a bygone age in which the knights written of by Sir Thomas Mallory in his cycle of Grail stories, Le Mort D`Arthur (1485), for example, quest for the Holy Grail, a cup that Jesus `Christ`, `the chosen`, drank from at what came to be called the `Last Supper`, before he was nailed to a wooden cross by the Romans then occupying Jewish Palestine where the `chosen people` of the Jews had their home, and died as a `dissident` who preached: `Love your neighbor as you love yourself.` (Mk: 12. 31) In short, the English F.A. Cup and the original European Cup, etc., are symbolically Christian, because Jesus expereinced Resurrection and Ascension to heaven after being crucified by agents of the Roman Empire then illegally occupying Jewish Palestine. In other words, the European and World Club Cup competitons are in the Judeo-Christian tradition of friendship between equals in freedom.

 In the stories of the Grail, the knight Perceval is the one that is vouchsafed the role of being the individual who pierces the veil to achieve a sight of the Grail, which in European and global soccer is symbolized by the various cups. Neither a saucer or a plate is celebrated from the `Last Supper`, but that`s because it was traditional at the time of Jesus for all of the food to be placed into a single bowl or cup, and even the wine drank by those sitting at the table, which is why the United States` football teams compete for bowls. Although the English Shield denotes that of a knight, its significance in terms of Jesus` `Last Supper` is that of the door: `Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.` (Rev: 3. 20) The concept of the door as a shield is important, because of the US` notion of the `trophy wife`, which is the label applied to women who marry and are perceived as trophies. Some people want to see the team with the trophy after the victory of one side or the other, whereas some wnat to see the trophy with the team. Although that seems a too fine distinction, the US` concept of `trophy wife` pertains to Arthurian notions of adultery and faithfulness. King Arthur`s door was open to the knight Lancelot, who embarked on an adulterous relationship with the queen, Guinevere, who wasn`t his trophy. Consequently, the notion of doors or shields being shared is adulterous, and so is the idea that non-champions are equals, for example, in the International Champions` Cup it`s possible for Real Madrid to be champions of China and Australia by invitation to the competition and with no legitimacy perceivable. In an International Champions` Cup (ICC) contest it ought to be reasonable to expect that an international champion would emerge, whereas what emerged was a European champion of China and Australia, which is as if Real Madrid were declared chapions of Austria for defeating Rapid VIenna in a UCL qualifier. Just as sharing the Shield is indicative of adultery, so the dilution of the significance of the ICC, which was competed for and won outright by the English champions Manchester United in 2014, 3-1, against Liverpool, was designed to embarass the champions, because it`s a sign of degeneracy. Adultery, however, isn`t simple, because it`s a sign of poison, that is, what`s adulterated is poisoned. When Jesus was asked to condemn a woman allegedly caught inflagrante delecto, he asked: `Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.` (John: 8. 7) None could, and Jesus said to the woman: `Go, and sin no more.` (John: 8. 11) Because women can sexually reproduce with each other as futanarian women with `seed` of their own, they`re a distinct species adulterated, that is, poisoned, which is the meaning of the `Last Supper` at which Jesus drinks from his bowl, the Grail, and offers `bread and wine` as symbols of his `body and blod` to the disciples. Born of his mother, the Virgin Mary, Jesus was `woman`s seed`, so his Resurrection and Ascension to heaven prefigures that of women`s race to the planets amongst the stars as colonists there through the power of their own brains to devise means of taking them away from the Earth and its adulteration.

The abolishing of the European Cup WInners` Cup (ECWC), perhaps because sports` reporters on television news found it difficult to say,  `the cup winners cup winners` and have it make sense to themselves, was an initial sign that the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and the world`s `soccer government`, the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), were adulterating their cups. If Manchester United were embarassed at having their ICC 2014 triumph diluted, it was doubly embarassing to see UEFA and FIFA agree to abolish the competition between the winners of the respective nations` cups very hurriedly after United won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1991, 2-1, against Barcelona, with a brace of goals from Welshman, Mark Hughes. The meaning of world football`s undue haste in abolishing the ECWC in 1999 was again diluted for Manchester United, because the club won the UCL Champions` League, and its trophy, a cup, which had been known as the European Champions` Cup, when the club had won that in 1968, 4-1, against Portugal`s Benfica, in 1999 against Germany`s Bayern Munich, 2-1, with two very late opportunist strikes from England center forward, Teddy Sheringham and Norway`s Ole Gunna Solskjaer. United had been inspired by Irish winger, George Best, who scored a typical solo goal in the 1968 Final, although England deep lying center forward, Bobby Charlton had opened the team`s account with a header in the 53rd minute, 1-0, cancelled out by a strike from Portuguese right wing, Jaime Graça, in the 79th minute, 1-1, meant the crowd was treated to a mesmerising dribbling run from Best before he scored in the 92nd minute of extra time, 2-1, and then teenage striker Brian Kidd`s successful second attempt at a headed goal, after a defender could only head it back to him in the 94th, 3-1, before Charlton scored again with a dipping volley from a tight angel in the 99th minute, 4-1. It was the first and only time that Manchester United won the European Cup as champions before it became the UCL Champions League in which non-champions could compete for the same trophy. Consequently, it was the first and last time that the club won the European Grail undiluted by an adulterating football central authority.

Internationally Manchester United experienced the same fate. After winning the European Cup in 1968, the club competed in the Final of the Intercontinental Cup over two legs, home and away, which they lost, 0-1, in Buenos Aires to Estudiantes of Argentina, and could only draw, 1-1, at the club`s Old Trafford statium in Manchester, after a late strike from Scots` right wing, Willie Morgan. When the club got another chance to compete in the Intercontinental Cup in 1999, the opponents were Palmeiras of Brazil, winners of South America`s equivalent of the UCL Champions` Cup, the Copa Libertadores (Cup of Freedom), and the contest was a single event taking place in Japan`s National Stadium, Tokyo, which United won, 1-0, after a 35th minute far post goal from Irish midfield dynamo, Roy Keane, who ran on to a cross far out on the left from Welsh winger, Ryan Giggs, to direct the ball into the net with his outstretched right foot. In almost indecent haste, the world`s football bodies abolished the Intercontinental Cup in 2004 after Manchester United`s victory in 1999, together with its legitimizing role as a Europe and South America championship trophy, and rpeplaced the competition with the World Club Cup, which was largely modelled on the UCL Champions` League, where  teams qualified wihout winning, although United did win the competition as winners of the UCL Champions` League, and as winners of the English championship (2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09), with a low speculative shot from England center forward, Wayne Rooney, from the edge of South American champions LDU Quito of Ecuador`s area in the 73rd minute at the International Stadium, Yokohama, Japan, after the team had been reduced to ten players when Serbian center half Nemanja Vidic was sent off for elbowing Argentine forward, Claudio Beiler, in the 49th minute.

When Manchester United won the successor to the European Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup, the UEFA Europa League in 2017, which had been the trophy competed for as the UEFA Cup, while the ECWC remained remarkable for its unremarked upon absence, world record buy from Juventus` midfield, Paul Pogba, struck from long range at The Friends stadium, Stockholm, Sweden, in the 18th minute, while Armenia`s national team captain, and right winger, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, struck from a header towards goal from England central defender, Chris Smalling, in the 48th minute, which Mkhitaryan, falling backwards, managed to hook in as he went over. Although the club`s joy was undiluted, it might have caused some fans to speculate on how the presence of the ECWC amongst the European competitons could have increased United`s haul in terms of European trophies won since the ECWC was abolished in 2004. Manchester United were record winners of the F.A. Cup in 1909, 1948, 1963, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004, and 2016. Although the club competed for and won the Champions` League in 1999, and qualified for the UCL Champions` League again in 2003-04 by virtue of finishing runners-up to Arsenal in the English Premier League championship, the team had won the F.A. Cup against Millwall, 3-0, that season, with goals from Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, a header from right full back Gary Neville`s chip in the 44th minute, and a penalty from Dutch center forward, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, in the 65th, who tapped in a third from just three yards out, after a left wing cross by Giggs in the 81st. Many supporters felt that United would have stood a better chance of winning the ECWC, rather than make up the teams in the UCL Champions` list. Without the incentive of European glory, the F.A. Cup was reduced in value for the winners, and United didn`t win it again until the brief managerial spell of former Dutch team boss, Louis Van Gaal, as he made way in the last days of his two season tenure for Portugal`s renownedly instantly successful soccer manager, Jose Mourinho, to take over for the 2016-17 campaign, and whose expertise brought the Europa Cup.

 Perceived as a negligible trophy by many, and adulterated by the English Football Association on occasion, so as to be competed for on such a basis that a draw would mean that the Shield was shared, that happened to United in 1965 when, as First Division Champions, United drew with F.A. Cup winners, Liverpool, 2-2, 1967 when, as First Division Champions, United drew with F.A. Cup winners, Tottenham Hotspur, when `keeper Pat Jennings was credited with scoring from a punt that bounced over United `keeper, Alex Stepney, 1977 when, as F.A. Cup winners, United drew with LIverpool, 0-0, and in 1990 when, as F.A. Cup winners, United drew with First Division Champions, Liverpool, 1-1. Including outright victories, however, Manchester United have won the English Shield on 21 occasions; 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965*, 1967*, 1977*, 1983, 1990*, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2016. A record witness to the truth that older competitions that recognize mythic sensibilities are most significant. Despite football`s governing bodies` attempts to adulterate the trophy`s worth by making the teams share it, as though it were a `trophy wife`, in some dim Shakespearean sense, the Shield remains a symbol of Jesus` teaching: `I am the door. By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.` (John: 10. 9) The meaning is that the door is a Shield, which isn`t shared without the permission of those within, because friends choose each other well, and Argentina`s Claudio Beiler mightn`t accept an elbow in the face from Nemanja Vidic as accidental, whereas UEFA and FIFA`s ambition that trophies be shared, and champions admit second raters into their midst, tacitly accepts that injurious behavior on the pitch is standard, because teams that play for a draw are brutal in defense of it. When England won the World Cup in 1966 against Germany, 4-2, manager Alf Ramsey described the Argentinian players as `animals`, and after West Ham striker, Geoff Hurst, gave them a quarter-final win in the 78th minute, 1-0. Argentina`s captain, Antonio Rattin, was sent off in the 35th minute, because the Argentinian team`s will to win was epitomized by Rattin`s ferocity. England went on to win the Jules Rimet trophy, with no possibility of its being shared, abolished, replaced, conflated, or otherwise adulterated by false notions of universal brotherhood that reduced the endeavors of serious proponents of friendship to nights` clubbing in search of another frothy mug.

Classic Mourinho Chelsea Season At United

When Portugal`s  José Mourinho was manager at Chelsea, the Blues were mean in defence and mean in attack, because the team won trophies by conceding fewer goals than their opponents, although they scored fewer also. A typical Chelsea team under Morinho`s management was like that of the first Manchester United team to win the inaugural Premier League title in 1992-93. The defence was tight, conceding 31 goals with Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister at the heart of it, while Mark Hughes top scored with 15. Third placed Norwich City had more goals scored against, 65 to 61, which illustrated the value of a Manchester United mean defensive unit that also had Paul Parker at right back and Denis Irwin at left back. The following season, 1993-94, saw United concede only 38 goals, with the same defense, although the addition of Eric Cantona, who`d won the last League Division One title with Leeds in 1991-92, and who got 18 goals compared to Hughes` 12, saw meanness at the back allied to devastating attack, which became the style for the future of the club under the stewardship of manager Alex Ferguson, and Manchester United also won the F.A. Cup Final that 1993-94 season against Glenn Hoddle`s Chelsea, with two penalties from Cantona settling the match in the 60th and 66th minutes, 2-0. A mistake by defender, Frank Sinclair, allowed Hughes to slot home in the 69th minute, 3-0, and  an unselfish pass from midfielder, Paul Ince, when he could have scored easily, afforded center forward, Brian McClair, an unmissable chance in the 92nd minute, 4-0. Mourinho, in his first Chelsea season, 2004-2005, won the Premier League by conceding just 15 goals and his top scorer was midfielder, Frank Lampard, with 13. Lampard was top scorer with 16 in 2005-2006 and Chelsea conceded only 22 goals as they again won the title in the style of that United team of 1992-93, which won by having the meanest defence and a lethal, though unprolific striker, Mark Hughes.

 Bizarrely, Chelsea hadn`t won the league since 1955, and 2006-07 was the last for Mourinho at Chelsea, who had given them two league championships in his first two seasons but, despite winning both the F.A. Cup, 1-0 against United, and the League Cup, Chelsea chairman, Russia`s Roman Abrimovich, sacked Mourinho after what he seemed to view as a disappointing European Champions` Cup draw with Norway`s Rosenborg at home, 1-1, in the qualifying group. Replaced by Israeli, Avram Grant, Chelsea were runners-up to Manchester United for the second successive season after 2006-07 when, despite conceding the fewest goals, 24, United scored more through Portugal`s right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, 17, and England center forward, Wayne Rooney, 14. Chelsea center forward, Ivory Coast`s Didier Drogba, top scored with 20 in 2006-07, but in 2007-08 England`s marauder, Frank Lampard, was again top scorer with 10, while Ronaldo, 31, Rooney 12, and Argentina`s Carloz Tevez, 14, made sure United won the league. As fate would have it, Ferguson`s team would face Chelsea in the European Champions` League Cup Final and,  after a Cristiano Ronaldo header, and a typical run and shoot from midfield by Frank Lampard, the game ended, 1-1, which meant a penalty decider. Chelsea`s England central defender, John Terry, infamously fell on his arse in the rain as he hit the post, which left winger, Ryan Giggs, to famously stroke home his spot kick winner for the `Red Devils`, 6-5.

 Jose Mourinho`s first season at Manchester United brought a first trophy. The team beat Southampton, 3-2, in the 2016-17 League Cup Final after left winger, Jessie Lingard, scored United second goal in the 38th minute, 2-0. It was uncannily similar to his 110th minute extra time strike to win the F.A. Cup Final, 2-1, against Crystal Palace, the previous, 2015-16 season, after which former Dutch team manager, Louis Van Gaal, lost his tenure as United boss, because of his failure to win the league, a failure that had also meant the end for retired Ferguson`s successor, Everton`s David Moyes, whose only measurable success was to win the English Shield with the championship winning team he`d inherited in 2013 against the F.A. Cup winners, Wigan, 2-0, with a 6th minute header, and a 59th minute left footed strike, after cutting in from the right, from Dutch center forward, Robin Van Persie, who`d been brought from Arsenal for £ 22. 5 million to score the 26 goals that spearheaded yet another successful United league campaign in what, through illness, became Ferguson`s retirment season. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a Swedish center forward brought by Mourinho from Paris St. Germain, aged 34, where he`d won four consecutive French titles after leaving A.C. Milan with whom he`d won the Italian championship in 2010-11, and who finished the 2016-17 season as top scorer at United with 17 goals, had opened the scoring in the 2017 League Cup Final, with a great free kick in the 19th minute, bent around the Southampton wall from well outside the penalty area. A brace from Italy`s striker, Manolo Gabbiadini, either side of half time, in the 46th and 48th minutes, and who`d struck deftly each time he was played in a few yards from the goal`s mouth, levelled after Lingard put United ahead, 2-0, before Ibrahimovic`s header in the 87th minute, won it, 3-2.

 Although Chelsea won the league title in 2016-17, and United finished sixth, it was with the fewest goals conceded, 29, a Mourinho trademark, and United`s end of season was far from unhappy. Mourinho steered the team through to the Final of the UEFA Cup against Netherlands` club Ajax of Amsterdam, at the Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden. It was a game Sweden`s Ibrahimovic missed, because of a cruciate ligament knee injury incurred against Belgium`s Anderlecht at home in the quarter-final second leg at Manchester`s Old Trafford stadium, which saw the striker taken off in the 90th minute, although United won, 2-1, through an extra time goal from center forward, Marcus Rashford in the 107th minute, after drawing, 1-1, in Brussels. There were doubts that Ibrahimovic would recover a career that had first taken off with Ajax, where he`d won titles in 2001-02 and 2003-04, before going on to  Internazionale of Milan, where he won three successive Serie A titles, 2006–07, 2007–08, and 2008–09, and then at Barcelona he won the 2009-10 Spanish league title, and the 2009 World Club Cup that the Spaniards had qualified to participate in by beating Manchester United, 2-0, in the 2009 European Cup Final before Ibra`s arrival and from whence he`d go on to further success. As for United, they had to overcome the handicap of playing without Zlatan in the semi-final against Spain`s Celta Vigo.

 A 1-0 win away in Spain, after an outswinging free kick from Marcus Rashford out on the right that struck into the left side of the net in the 69th minute, meant a 1-1 draw at United`s Old Trafford stadium was enough to reach the Europa Cup Final against Ajax on May 24, 2017, although a sending off for Eric Bailly, together with Argentinian defender, Facundo Roncaglia, in the 88th minute, meant the United center half would miss it through suspension. Celta Vigo had gotten their late equalizing goal from a glancing Roncaglia header, after Bailly had failed to judge a corner correctly in the 85th minute, but the `Red Devils` had taken the lead through a headed goal from midfielder, Marouane Fellaini, in the 17th minute at the right post. Rashford had crossed  from the left, far behind Fellaini`s forward run, and the header inside the right upright subsequently proved to be enough. The Final itself was won against Ajax with a goal in the 18th minute from the world`s most expensive midfield purchase, France`s Paul Pogba, followed by another just after half-time from Armenia`s captain and right winger, Henrik Mkhitaryan, in the 48th minute. Pogba had been bought from Italy`s  Juventus, and after he`d signed for the Italian club when he hadn`t renewed his contract at United for 2012-13. Four consecutive Serie A titles later, Pogba returned to Old Trafford for £ 89. 3 million to take his place in a starting line-up largely constructed by Mourinho`s predecessor, Dutchman Van Gaal, apart from Mkhitaryan, who arrived from Borussia Dortmund at the beginning of the 2016-17 season for around £ 30 million, and Ivory Coast center back, Eric Bailly, an eventual adequate £ 30 million replacement for England`s much-missed Rio Ferdinand, who seemed to have left, without any attempt by then manager, Van Gaal, to keep him, to join QPR for the 2014-15 season. Ecuador`s Antonio Valencia, bought by Ferguson from Wigan for £ 16 million as a right winger for the 2009-10 season, but switched to right back by Ferguson`s successors, was captain, and although Bailly was absent through suspension, England`s Chris Smalling, another survivor from the Ferguson era, proved once again that he was an excellent stand-in in an emergency. Italian Matteo Darmian, bought from Torino for around £ 13 million by Gaal for the 2015-16 campaign, was at left back, and Daley Blind was the other central defender, bought from Ajax for around £ 14 million for the 2014-15 term, and completed the defence for what had been the meanest Premier League outfit in 2016-17.

 Without Ibrahimovic, Mourinho opted for the three man midfield that had been the hallmark of his days at Chelsea; Pogba. Spain`s Ander Herrera, bought from Athletic Bilbao for the 2014-15 season for around £ 29 million, and Marouane Fellaini, brought from Everton by Moyes at the commencement of his year long 2013-14 tenure. Up front Mourinho went for two wingers, Mkhitaryan was on the left, although right footed, and Spain`s Juan Mata, bought from Chelsea for £ 37. 1 million in January 2014, during Mourinho`s second spell there as manager, where he`d been taken by Mourinho`s predecessor, Portugal`s André Villas-Boas, from Valencia for 2011-12, was on the right, although left footed, because of the ex-Chelsea boss`s belief in fluidity, and that wide players cutting inside, like old-style inside forwards of the 1950s, can prove more effective, although wing switching also seems to be a feature of Mourinho`s United, so observers shouldn`t pay so much attention to the pundits` idea of team formation, and how the players are expected to line up at the start. While at Chelsea for the second time, Mourinho won the league and League Cup double in 2014-15, with his usual meanness in terms of goals conceded in the title race, 32, although the Blues were more balanced with Belgium`s Eden Hazard, 14 goals, performing the role that Lampard had in Mourinho`s earlier sojourn at Stamford Bridge, while Spain`s Diego Costa, struck 20 times. Mata, however, was deemed surplus to requirements by Mourinho, who preferred the Brazilian Oscar, although the pair were to be reunited at Old Trafford with great success. Mourinho`s center forward for the Europa Cup Final was Marcus Rashford, who`d emerged as an 18 year old in 2015-16 and played in the F.A. Cup Final win over Palace, 2-1, while England center forward, Wayne Rooney, who`d been captain that day, and for whom goals and appearances in the first team were becoming scarcer since the emergence of teenager, Rashford, and the arrival of Ibrahimovic in the twilight of a great career, was on the substitutes` bench. Pogba`s opening goal was scored from well outside the `keeper`s area after an infield pass from Fellaini on the right to the center of the pitch where Pogba struck a left-footed shot that rose into the top center of the net beyond and through the `keeper`s despairing grasp. After half-time Mkhitaryan hooked in a close-in shot, falling backwards, and with his right foot, 2-0, from a corner headed towards goal by Smalling, and that was the way it stayed. Manchester United had won the UEFA/Europa cup that had eluded them for so long, and had now won all of Europe`s major soccer tournaments.

George Best Still Contributed

In the early years of the European Champions` Cup, the winner of the English league gained entry into the competition and, if they won, they`d be afforded the opportunity to play in the Intercontinental Cup against the Champions of South America, winners of the American continent`s equivalent of the European Cup, the Copa Libertadores, or `cup of freedom`, which the giant clubs of South America in Brazil and Argentina competed for against the other countries of the region before gearing up for the Intercontinental Cup Final contest with the Champions of Europe. The inaugural winners of the competition were Spain`s Real Madrid, 5-1, at their Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid against Uruguay`s Peñarol after a draw at the Uruguayans` Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, 0-0. An unsurprising result to the Europeans, because Real Madrid had won the inaugural European Champions` Cup competition in 1956 against France`s Stade De Reims, 4-3, and thereafter in 1957 versus Fiorentina of Italy, 2-0; 1958, versus A. C. Milan of Italy, 3-2; 1959 versus Stade De Reims, 2-0, and 1960 versus Germany`s Eintracht Frankfurt, 7-3. The heart of the team was comprised of foreign talent, for example, French playmaker Raymond Kopa, Uruguayan center back, José Santamaría, Argentine `keeper, Rogelio Domínguez, and striker, Ferenc Puskas of Hungary, whose national side had astonished the soccer world by beating England at home at Wembley for the first time ever, 3-5, in 1953. Although Manchester United perhaps could have beaten the Spanish giants in 1958, or afterwards, the Munich air disaster in which eight of the players, who had just qualified for the 1958 semi-final by drawing 3-3 in Belgrade against Red Star, died in the snow as the plane carrying the team back to Manchester crashed on the German runway during take off. Those who lost their lives would have been the heart of the England side that, along with United`s surviving left wing, Bobby Charlton, eventually won the World Cup at the national stadium, Wembley, London, in 1966, with four goals from West Ham United forwards, Geoff Hurst (3) and Martin Peters, 4-2, against Germany.

 The players who died at Munich were England`s left back and captain, Roger Byrne, and his understudy, Geoff Bent; center half Mark Jones; midfielder Eddie Colman; the play anywhere genius, Duncan Edwards; center forward Tommy Taylor; left winger, David Pegg, and Irish forward, Liam Whelan. England`s right wing, Johnny Berry, and inside forward and sometimes center half, Danny Blanchflower, brother of Ireland`s Jackie, who`d win the English F.A. Cup and League Championship with Spurs in 1961, never played again because of their injuries. England`s story was similar to United`s, who went on to lose the semi-final of the European Cup in 1958 to Italy`s A.C. Milan, 0-4, at the San Siro stadium, after managing to win, 2-1, at their Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, with an 80th minute penalty from Ernie Taylor brought by manager, Matt Busby, from Aston Villa as a quick replacement for lost stars. Two years after England`s World Cup win, Manchester United won the European Cup against Portuguese club, Benfica, 4-1, after extra time when the game had ended 1-1. Bobby Charlton, now playing in a deep lying center forward role, as he had for England in the World Cup in 1966, had scored in the 53rd minute with a rare header, but that had been cancelled out by Benfica`s right half, Jamie Graça, in the 79th minute. A dribbler`s 92nd minute dream goal from Irish superstar, George Best, made it 2-1, and another from England`s 18 year old Brian Kidd in the 94th minute, whose header had been headed back to him by a Benfica defender, but he`d remained calm enough to head it again, and in over the Portuguese defense under the bar it went, 3-1, before a 99th minute lobbed volley from a narrow angle by Charlton secured the 1968 European Champions` Cup for an English team for the first time.

 Although Manchester United had completed the given format of winning the English league and then the European Cup, the Intercontinental Cup Final against the champions of South America by virtue of that continent`s competing in the Copa Libertadores wasn`t perceived by the English as a part of the format needing to be completed. The Intercontinental Cup was perceived by the English press, and indeed advertised so, as a matter of form, that is, it wasn`t a part of a competition format whereby the winners of the English league had, as their ultimate objective, being crowned as intercontinental champions. It wasn`t until the format of qualification for the European Cup changed from being winners of the league to winners and runners-up that the Intercontinental Cup loomed larger as a part of the format of a much greater soccer vision. Manchester United again won the European Cup in Spain at Barcelona`s Nou Camp stadium in 1999, with two very late goals from England`s Teddy Sheringham and Norway`s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, 2-1, against Bayern Munich. The German team had led since the 6th minute through a low free kick from forward, Mario Basler, which was awarded after United center back, Ronny Johnsen, brought down Carsten Jancker. With his right foot Basler bent the ball around the United wall from just outside the penalty area, and into the net beyond Danish `keeper Peter Schmeichel. The Germans had led until United`s despair ended in a late attacking flourish of the never say die footballing style for which they are justifiably famed. United had a corner, and with little time left `keeper Schmeichel, who`d scored in similar circumstances, ventured up to Bayern's penalty area. Beckham flighted the corner in just over Schmeichel's head, and center forward, Dwight Yorke, 18 goals in the league that season, put the ball back towards the crowded area. Bayern substitute midfielder, Thorsten Fink, had been brought on by Bayern manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, who`d receive much criticism for it, because Fink replaced sweeper Lothar Matthäus, 37 years of age, and Hitzfeld clearly felt he was a tired risk by the 80th minute, but Fink failed to clear a ball that probably wouldn`t ever have troubled Matthäus, and the ball arrived at the feet of Ryan Giggs, whose shot fortuitously found Sheringham, who latched onto it gleefully to swipe it into the bottom corner of the net with his right boot in the 91st minute. Neither Sheringham nor Solskjaer were chosen to start against Bayern, and as Sheringham was on for left winger, Jesper Blomqvist, in the 67th minute, Solskjaer, who`d scored 12 league goals that season, replaced center forward, Andy Cole (17), in the 81st minute almost immediately after Lothar Matthäus left the fray.

 Sheringham had scored only twice in the league in 1998-99, but had redeemed himself by scoring with a low drive under Newcastle `keeper, Steve Harper, after a through ball from Scholes, in the F.A. Cup Final, which United won, 2-0, and so Sheringham had been picked to be amongst the substitutes. Within 30 seconds of the restart after Sheringham`s substitute`s strike, another Beckham corner found his head, and he nodded the ball down across the face of goal to where Solskjær, reacting quickly, stuck out his boot and poked the ball into the roof of the Bayern net in the 93rd minute. Matthäus` departure had ultimately sunk Bayern, and Hitzfelt was blamed, but United`s never say die attitude had won through for them again and the European Cup was theirs for only the second time in the club`s history since Benfica were beaten, 4-1, at London`s Wembley stadium in 1968. Despite winning the 1999 European Cup, the team had qualified for the competition without winning the league, and so the 1999 Intercontinental Cup Final against Palmeiras of Brazil, which United won, 1-0, on neutral ground at the National Stadium, Tokyo, with a goal from Irish midfield dynamo and captain, Roy Keane, who appeared at the far post to steer in a left wing cross from Welsh winger, Ryan Giggs in the 35th minute, loomed on the club`s horizon as a part of the format of the competition that had been taken on by the club in competing for the European Cup. In the Intercontinental Cup Final of 1968, Manchester United had lost to Estudiantes of Argentina, 0-1, away, and on aggregate overall, 2-1, after being only able to manage a draw at Old Trafford thanks to a late 90th minute goal from Scots` winger, Willie Morgan, bought that season to replace John Connelly, who`d arrived from Burnley himself. Morgan, who in 1974-75 would captain United out of the second tier of English soccer, whence they`d been relegated in 1973-74, had been seen at Turf Moor as a more than adequate replacement for England`s Connelly, where the team performed as well with Morgan, if not better, than it had with Connelly, who won the league title with Manchester United in 1966-67.

Because Manchester United had to win the English title to enter the European Cup competition, the format was seen as winning the European Cup after winning the league, whereas the later application form that had to be completed was of a qualifying position in the English league to gain entrance to the European Cup competition and, by winning it, qualify to compete in the Intercontinental Cup Final against the winners of the South American Copa Libertadores. Consequently, the application form shifted the format from winning the English league to winning the Intercontinental Cup, which was the true importance attached to the winning of the European Cup, that is, the chance to win the Intercontinental Cup. That had always been seen as the goal by the South American teams because their format was international competition, so the Intercontinental Cup was the zenith, whereas the English teams were conditioned to believe it was a formal friendly without any competition merit. In short, English clubs were encouraged not to compete on the world`s stage, because the clubs would become bigger than the country, which happens in the United States of America; for example, in Major League Soccer (MLS), where United`s pioneering Irish wing legend, George Best, saw out much of his playing career after leaving United in their relegation season, 1973-74, saying he wouldn`t play in any division other than England`s premier. Best played for California`s San Jose Earthquakes in 1979-80, and was second highest goalscorer with 8 after Steve David`s 14. In 1980-1 George was the top scorer with 13 for the Earthquakes, who finished a creditable fourth in the Western Conference of the North American Soccer League in each of those successive seasons he played there. By 1982-83 the US` experiment with soccer had produced the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), but although George scored 32 goals overall during his MISL career with the Earthquakes, their highest place in the Western Conference was third during his sojourning there. Best was followed to the US by, amongst others, Manchester United and England captain, right winger, David Beckham, who also helped to enhance the profile of the MLS and make the North American and Europe Intercontinental Champions Cup a significant prize in world football terms when, after winning the European Cup with Manchester United in 1999, he went on to win the Spanish title in 2006-07 with Real Madrid, and then the MLS Cup with the Los Angeles Galaxy in consecutive seasons; 2011 and 2012.

 In 2006 the Earthquakes moved to Houston, Texas, to become the Houston Dynamo, because of greater financial opportunities. Although the USA is a single nation, and the Houston Dynamo still played in the Western Conference, despite being a state other than California, where the Earthquakes originally hailed from, the states does provide a model of how England`s Football Association restricts clubs from becoming financially more lucrative in global terms; for example, by devaluing the Intercontinental Cup teams are kept from moving away from Europe in order to be more successful. Ignoring prejudice against spreading their wings to become a greater world force, Manchester United won the 2014 North America and Europe International Champions` Cup in the Sun Life Stadium, Miami, although Liverpool were 1-0 after an early 14th minute penalty from Liverpool`s captain, Steven Gerard, which was awarded for a trip on Raheem Sterling by United defender, Phil  Jones. After an equalizing goal from England`s center forward, Wayne Rooney, meeting Mexican striker Javier Hernandez’s arrowing cross in the 55th minute with a neat left-foot volley, two minutes later came a goal from Spain`s inside right, Juan Mata, whose shot was deflected off Mamadou Sakho in the 57th minute, 2-1. A third followed in the 88th minute from England left winger, Jessie Lingard, who`d come on as a substitute after the second United goal. Controlling a cross from England`s Ashley Young, who`d begun on the left, but had moved over to the right wing after injury to Antonio Valenica. Lingard half-volleyed low from the edge of the box beyond Liverpool `keeper, Mignolet. Although United celebrated with the trophy, it was a further instance of an international competition that didn`t receive national recognition at home in England. However, the subsequent inauguration of International Champions` Cup competitions in China and Australia gave warning to nation states that clubs might abandon localized fan bases for greater financial success. Manchester United had canvassed China for the organizers of the International Champions Cup through tours, and with the American business family, the Glazers, determining the board`s strategy, it couldn`t have come as much of a surprise that the International Champions Cup of North America and Europe should have been won by the team in 2014 whether the English F.A. thought it important or otherwise, and that the International Champions Cup of China and Australia should have been won by Real Madrid in 2015 suggests that perhaps Europe is becoming too parochial for its soccer giants who, adopting the approach of Major League Soccer in the USA, might seek to relocate for greater financial rewards and appreciation from a global fan base.

 Manchester United won the European Cup again in 2008 at the Luzhniki stadium, Moscow, against English rivals, Chelsea, on penalties, 6-5, after extra time, when the final score had been 1-1 in normal time through a 26th minute headed goal from Manchester United`s Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, from a right wing cross from right full back Wes Brown`s left foot, which was equalized by a typical surging 45th minute midfield run and strike from Chelsea`s Frank Lampard. After their success in the European Cup the club were invited to take part in the World Club Championship. In the 28th minute of the semi-final victory against Japanese side, Gamba Osaka, United`s Serbian central defender, Nemanja Vidić, from a Ryan Giggs’ corner, out-jumped Gamba captain, Satoshi Yamaguchi, to power home a header past `keeper, Yosuke Fujigaya, from 12 yards, 1-0. Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, put United 2-0 up in first-half injury time. Again the ball came from a Giggs` corner, and again the Japanese struggled to cope with the aerial threat. Myojin was out-jumped as Ronaldo directed a powerful header past `keeper, Fujigay. United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, didn`t bring on his star striker, England`s Wayne Rooney, until the 74th minute, but Gamba Osaka immediately pulled the score back to 2-1, courtesy of striker, Masato Yamakazi, with a shot from the right well outside the penalty area. A minute later, however, Rooney finished well, after a long ball from Scots` central midfielder, Darren Fletcher, split open the Japanese defence, 3-1. Fletcher then headed in French left back Patrice Evra`s cross, 4-1. In the 78th minute, and after linking up well with left-winger, Giggs, Rooney made it 5-1 a minute later. United conceded a penalty, 2-5, when United`s England right back, Gary Neville, was adjudged to have handled a cross from the left wing, and in the 85th minute Yasuhito Endō calmly scored from the spot, 2-5. Hideo Hashimoto scored in second half injury time in a way almost identical to Yamakazi`s first half effort, 1-2. From the right and well outside the penalty area, Hashimoto struck the ball past Dutch `keeper, Edwin Van Der Sar, 3-5, but United were through to the World Club Cup Final against LDU Quito of Ecuador.

 In the Final in the International Stadium Yokohama, Japan, a single goal against the winners of the Copa Libertadores, South America`s Champions of Ecuador, LDU Quito, scored by England`s center forward, Wayne Rooney, won the game for Manchester United, 1-0. Remaining where he was at the left corner of the LDU Quito area, Wayne played the ball back to left sided Brazilian midfielder, Anderson. He then waited while Anderson played the ball into the path of England right central midfielder, Michael Carrick, in front of the LDU Quito area. Carrick pushed the ball forward to Manchester United right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, inside the LDU Quito area with two players in attendance. With his back to the goal, Cristiano Ronaldo turned to his right and slipped the ball to Wayne, who was still waiting at the left edge of the LDU Quito area where he`d begun the play. Rooney drove a shot low and right footed into the right corner of the LDU Quito net. Rooney had been lurking on the edge of the Ecuadorians` area after Serbian center back, Nemanja Vidić, had been sent off in the 49th, so causing the Manchester United front players to look for maximum impact, rather than mobility, which those behind them needed to employ to cover for their absent defensive colleague. Rooney`s 73rd minute goal had given the tiring defense a cushion useful enough to frustrate the South Americans and give the English team the World Club Championship.

 Although the club qualified for the European Cup in 2008 as winners of the English league title and were champions again in 2007-08 after which the World Club Championship was played between Manchester United as European Cup winners against Chelsea, 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, the format had at last been recognized. It wasn`t that the aim was to win the English league in order to win the European Cup, it was to win the World Club Cup by qualifying for the Final by winning the European Cup. Although United qualified for the European Cup by winning the English league, and then winning the European Cup to give them a chance of winning the World Club Cup, it wasn`t necessary to win the English league to qualify for the European Cup, because the aim was to succeed in the new format in which the winners of the European Cup qualified for the World Club Cup Finals, which were the goal of the biggest clubs that had been unrecognized as South America`s. Multiple World Cup wins by Uruguay in 1930 and 1950, Argentina in 1978 and 1986, and Brazil in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002, should have left the English in no doubt as to who to beat to be champions. Although Manchester United won the English championship again in 2008-09, they lost the Final of the European Cup to Spain`s Barcelona, 0-2, at the Stadio Olympica in Rome, Italy, after goals from Cameroon`s Samuel Eto`o in the 10th minute following an exchange of passes between Spanish central midfielder, Andrés Iniesta, and right wing, Lionel Messi, after United`s defense had timorously backed away from Iniesta following an attempted headed clearance from England midfielder, Michael Carrick. Messi played the ball through into the path of Eto`o, who easily stepped inside Nemanja Vidić`s attempts to shepherd him harmlessly to the goal line and out of play, to toe poke the ball past United `keeper, Van Der Sar. Barcelona scored a second through Argentina`s Messi in the 70th minute, after a cross from Spain`s Xavi on the right of the United `keeper`s area, affording the then world`s best player a chance to send a header looping over Van Der Sar and into the far side of the goal to qualify for the World Club Cup semi-final against Mexico`s Atlante.

 The Spaniards beat Atlante, 3-1, after the Mexicans had taken an early lead in the 5th minute through Guillermo Rojas. Estudiantes of Argentina led in the Final, which took place at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, and were captained by Juan Sebastián Verón, son of Juan Ramón Verón, La Bruja, `the witch`, who`d tormented United in the 1968 Intercontinental Cup Final to score the opening headed goal at Old Trafford in the 6th minute after a free-kick from defender, Raúl Madero, which had left United too much to do, 0-1. Marcus Conigliaro had scored with a header the only goal of the Buenos Aires away leg in the 27th minute from a corner by his striking partner, Filipe Ribaudo. Despite Morgan`s late Old Trafford equalizer, Estudiantes won the Intercontinental Cup of 1968 and Juan Ramón Verón`s son, Juan `Seba`, La Brujita, `the little witch`, who`d won a league championship medal as a central midfielder with United in 2002-03, must have thought the 2009 World Club Cup was going to Estudiantes, `the students`, after a 37th minute headed goal from center forward, Mauro Bosellia, until a very late Pedro equalizer in the 89th minute. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Barcelona center forward, who`d be taken to United from Paris St Germain by United supremo, Jose Mourinho, for the start of the 2016-17 campaign, sent a long ball through to Gerard Piqué, who`d been a young and promising center half at United, and had played 12 times between 2004 and 2008, before going back to his native Spain. Piqué headed it on towards Pedro, whose looping header found the net. Messi gave the Spanish victory in extra time, 2-1, after he chested a 110th minute cross from Brazilian right back, Dani Alves, into the Estudiantes` goal, and the world club game had arrived.

Why Did UEFA Abolish The Cup Winners` Cup?

Manchester United won the European Cup Winners` Cup for the only time in the club`s history in 1991 after qualifying in a difficult competition, the F.A. Cup, which had been a model for similar cup competitions throughout the world since its inception in 1871-2 based on the perceived need for a national cup competition. The Manchester Senior Cup, which the `red devils` of United have won on 33 occasions since their days as `the heathens` of Newton Heath, LYR, won the first trophy of United`s history in 1886, 2-1, against Manchester, was won more recently in 2013-14 against Manchester Ciry, 4-1, with four goals from center forward, James Wilson, and such cup competitions proliferated in the wake of the inauguration of the national competition, the 1871-2 F.A. Cup, because the nature of the cup format is as a defining instrument.

 Manchester United are record holding winners of the F.A. Cup on 12 occasions with the first being in 1908-09, 1-0, against Bristol City, with a goal from Sandy Turnbull. Although after winning the 1990 F.A. Cup Final replay subsequent to a 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace, 1-0, with a goal from marauding left full back, Lee Martin, United went on to win the European Cup WInners Cup (ECWC) in 1991 against Spain`s F.C. Barcelona, 2-1, with goals from Welsh center forward, Mark Hughes, UEFA had abolished the ECWC in 1999, so United`s 2015-16 typically swashbuckling defeat of Palace, 2-1, with goals from Spain`s right midfielder Juan Mata in the 81st minute, when the team were, 0-1, and an extra time strike in the 110th minute from England left winger, Jessie Lingard, didn`t present an opportunity for the team to use the cup format as an instrument to further definition. In 1999, which was the year that Manchester United, as holders of the European Cup, beating Germany`s Bayern Munich, 2-1, with injury time goals from forwards, England`s Teddy Sheringham and Norway`s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, qualified through that defining instrument to play the Final of the Intercontinental Cup against Palmeiras of Brazil, which they won thanks to a strike from Irish midfield captain, Roy Keane, who guided a cross from Welsh left winger, Ryan Giggs, into the net at the far post in the 35th minute, 1-0. It was a `defining moment` for that cup competition, because United qualified for the inagural World Club Cup through winning the Intercontinental Cup, and eventually won the World Club Cup in 2008.

 Manchester United qualified for the WCC Finals through the defining instrument of the European Cup competition. United beat Chelsea on penalties in the Final, 6-5, after the game had ended, 1-1. A 26th minute header from Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, from a left footed cross out on the right wing by United right back, Wes Brown, had been cancelled out just before half-time by Chelsea`s England goal scoring midfielder, Frank Lampard. When Chelsea`s captain and center back, England`s John Terry, slipped in the rain at Moscow`s Luzhniki stadium and hit the post when he had to score to win the European Cup for Chelsea, Ryan Giggs stepped up to take the crown for United. Consequently, Manchester United would have qualified for the Intercontinental Cup (IC) Final between the champions of South America, LDU Quito, who`d won the Copa Libertadores, `freedom`s cup`, but FIFA had abolished it, as UEFA had abolished that other defining instrument, the ECWC, won by United in 1991. In short, two of the trophies constituting defining instruments won by United were abolished in quick succession to prevent the club from reaching a higher definition in world soccer terms. Or, in other words, because cup competitions define champions on a continent wide scale, UEFA abolished the ECWC, and FIFA abolished the IC, to prevent clubs from defining themselves as continental and, ultimately, world champions.

 Although the World Club Cup Finals of 2008 looked more egalitarian and Manchester United had to defeat the Japanese team, Gamba Osaka, 5-3, to meet the winners of the other qualifying semi-final, LDU Quito of Ecuador, who were South American champions after winning the Copa Libertadores, as United were European Champions, and so the predicable Finalists made it through, in fact the abolition of the ECWC and the IC were symptomatic of an attempt by the Europeans to establish a totalitarian soccer dictatorship preventing European clubs from forming a world league with the South American Copa Libertadores as a South American championship cornerstone of an establishable format including the championships of Asia, Africa, and North America. In simple terms, a world league would contain five continents, that is, Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia, which of course looks the weakest, but nevertheless is a logical soccer unity incorporable into a global structure for defining champions through cup competition success, which is in realistic terms the only possible format for determining continental championships. Otherwise the bizarre spectre appears of Spain`s Real Madrid as champions of China and Australia, or of Italy`s Juventus as champions of Australia, which was the result of the Intercontinental Champions Cup (ICC) format in which clubs competed for the championship of North America and Europe, China, and Australia.

 Manchester United won the ICC in 2013-14 against Liverpool, 3-1, but in 2014-15, and 2015-16, the championships of China and Australia were included in the ICC format, and Spain`s Real Madrid won both, while Italy`s Juventus won the Australian ICC championship in 2015-16. In a league format in which Spain`s Atlético Madrid played one and won one against England`s Tottenham Hotspur, who went on to lose a second game to Juvntus, while Atlético had used up their allotted quota of a single game, Juventus in their second game played against Melbourne Victory of Australia, who were also allowed only one game in the league table, and Juventus won, 4-3 on penalties, after a 1-1 draw in normal time. In short, Juventus had two games in which to win the Australian championship, and the Australian team had just one, so couldn`t compete. When Spain`s Real Madrid won the China ICC in 2014-15 against England`s Manchester City and Roma of Italy, there weren`t any teams from China, and Real Madrid were also allowed to compete in the Australian ICC in 2014-15 against Italy`s Inter and A.C. Milan, which Madrid won, so becoming champions of China and Australia in the absence of those countries` national champions.

 The World Club Cup affords the possibility of genuine competition, before what effectively remains the de facto Intercontinental Cup (IC) encounter between the champions of South America, by virtue of that team`s winning the Copa Libertadores, for example, Ecuador`s LDU Quito in 2008, and the champions of Europe, that is, Manchester United, who though having to take part in the apparently staged formality of a 2008 semi-final against the Japanese champions of Asia, nevertheless had still to defeat Gamba Osaka, 5-3, to qualify for the final against LDU Quito, who had to similarly overcome Mexico`s Pachuca, champions of North and Central America and the Caribbean, 2-0, to qualify. However, the abolishing of the ECWC format for establishing cup competitions, as the `yardstick` for determining continental champions, and the abolition of the IC of South America and Europe, as a contest between the teams that qualify for the game to determine the champions of South America and Europe, and after their club sides have won their repsective continental cup competitions, is a deliberate handicapping of the instrument that defines champions. This has resulted in the bizarre scenario of a Spanish team, Real Madrid, effectively being declared champions of China and Australia without visibly qualifying, and in the absence of a Chinese or Australian national team taking part in the competition. Moreover, an Italian team, Juventus, was effectively awarded the championship of Australia by allowing the Italians one game more than Australia`s Melbourne Victory, who therefore weren`t afforded the possibility of making a comeback.

 By favoring a league format in Europe for all of the remaining European trophies, that is, the UCL Champions`s trophy, and the Europa competition, UEFA and FIFA, who abolished the ECWC and IC, left the way open for world leagues to emerge without legitimate competitive merit. The IC format was cogently based on the cup format, which began with the F.A. Cup in England in 1871-2, and developed throughout Europe in the form of the Cup Winners Cup (ECWC) tournament, wherein teams competed for their national cups, before participating in the wider European contest to determine the winners of an inter-nations` cup. Although there wasn`t an intercontinental version of the cup winners cup, the format remained in the form of the Intercontinental Cup Final between the South American champions, that is, the winners of the Copa Libertadores, which is the inter-nations` cup of South America, and the European champions, who are winners of the inter-nations` cup of Europe. In abolishing the ECWC, UEFA removed the cornerstone of a future world league based on intercontinental cup qualification, which is less time consuming, and more legitimizing, than a league system.

 In abolishing the IC, FIFA removed the possibility of basing the world club championship on a simpler series of intercontinental cup qualifiers. Manchester United hold the record for successes in the F.A. Cup (12), so from the club`s point of view abolition of the ECWC in 1999, after the club`s first and only success in 1991, was compounded by the abolition of the Intercontinental Cup in 2004, after United`s first and only success in 1999. In short, the removal of the ECWC was an attack on the F.A. Cup as the basis for English teams` success in international club cup competitions, and the IC was another cornerstone of that success. By establishing a system of non-qualifiers, and introducing continental championships as invitational, for example, the ICC of North America and Europe, and of China, and Australia, Europe`s teams could dominate global international competitions without having to qualify by winning, which seems to be the ultimate objective, for example, United won the European Cup in 1999, without winning the English league, but by qualifying as runner-up, which would never have occured in the 60s, when the club won its first European Cup in 1968 against Portugal`s Benfica, 4-1, with goals from Charlton (2), Kidd, and Best, after winning the 1966-67 league title: its seventh.

 In 1968 the club lost to South America`s winners of the Copa Libertadores, and so South America`s champions, Estudiantes of Argentia, in the Intercontinental Cup Final of 1968, 1-2, on aggregate, that is, 0-1 away in Buenos Aires, and after a 1-1 draw at United`s Old Trafford stadium, Manchester, despite a last gasp effort and an 89th minute goal by Scots` right wing, Willie Morgan. Though beaten, United participated in a legitimately formatted tournament, whereas in 1999 their defeat of Palmeiras of Brazil, 1-0, in the Intercontinental Cup Final, was founded on qualification for the European Cup as runner-up in the English championship. Consequently, although United won, 2-1, against Bayern in the 1999 Final, their subsequent qualification for the IC Final wasn`t exactly legitimate. Although United qualified for the European Cup of 2007-08 as champions, and won, 6-5 on penalties, after the game had ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, the IC was abolished and the World Club Cup Finals` legitimacy was based on instant qualification for the semis for the champions of South America and Europe, which again wasn`t strictly legitimate.

 Qualification, based on a league system, hasn`t conferred legitimacy upon competitors, whereas cup competition is irrefutably legitimizing, that is, the winners compete against each other to win by means of the defining instrument, which is the cup undeniably won by teams competing directly against each other in a series of instantly recognizable qualifying contests, which have that irrefutable legitimizing authority absent from the ICC league tables, for example, which allowed Juventus to be declared champions of Australia while denying to Melbourne Victory the courtesy of allowing the Australian champions (1) to play the same number (2) of games as the Italians. UEFA`s abolition of the ECWC and FIFA`s abolition of the IC was a double blow to Manchester United, a club which had but recently begun to win those competitions, that is, the ECWC in 1991, which had been founded in 1960 and was aborted in 1999 by UEFA, and the IC in 1999, which had been founded in 1960 and was aborted by FIFA in 2004. Although the World Club Cup was attained in 2008, United`s achievement was tarnished, and the legitimate path to success was replaced with a sham. Despite that, Manchester United won the championship of South America and Europe in 1999, and the World Club Cup in 2008, before winning the championship of North American and Europe in 2014. If world football`s governing bodies can`t legitimize international club competition, Manchester United are the club for that.

Malcolm Glazer: A Significant Achiever

When Malcolm Glazer of Rochester, New York state, USA, bought Manchester United in 2005, it made of the `red devils` at the `Theater Of Dreams`, Manchester`s Old Trafford stadium, `team United States` in England and Europe. Manchester United`s relations with the continent of America didn`t begin until after their European Cup win of 1968. The story is long and arduous. In the early years of the European Champions` Cup, the winner of the English league gained entry into the competition and, if they won, they`d be afforded the opportunity to play in the Intercontinental Cup against the Champions of South America, winners of the American continent`s equivalent of the European Cup, the Copa Libertadores, or `cup of freedom`, which the giant clubs of South America in Brazil and Argentina competed for against the other countries of the region before gearing up for the Intercontinental Cup Final contest with the Champions of Europe. The inaugural winners of the competition were Spain`s Real Madrid, 5-1, at their Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid against Uruguay`s Peñarol after a draw at the Uruguayans` Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, 0-0. An unsurprising result to the Europeans, because Real Madrid had won the inaugural European Champions` Cup competition in 1956 against France`s Stade De Reims, 4-3, and thereafter in 1957 versus Fiorentina of Italy, 2-0; 1958, versus A. C. Milan of Italy, 3-2; 1959 versus Stade De Reims, 2-0, and 1960 versus Germany`s Eintracht Frankfurt, 7-3. The heart of the team was comprised of foreign talent, for example, French playmaker Raymond Kopa, Uruguayan center back, José Santamaría, Argentine `keeper, Rogelio Domínguez, and striker, Ferenc Puskas of Hungary, whose national side had astonished the soccer world by beating England at home at Wembley for the first time ever, 3-5, in 1953. Although Manchester United perhaps could have beaten the Spanish giants in 1958, or afterwards, the Munich air disaster in which eight of the players, who had just qualified for the 1958 semi-final by drawing 3-3 in Belgrade against Red Star, died in the snow as the plane carrying the team back to Manchester crashed on the German runway during take off. Those who lost their lives would have been the heart of the England side that, along with United`s surviving left wing, Bobby Charlton, eventually won the World Cup at the national stadium, Wembley, London, in 1966, with goals from West Ham United forward, Geoff Hurst (3) and Hammers` left midfielder, Martin Peters, 4-2, against Germany.

 England, managed by former Ipswich boss, Alf Ramsey and captained by West Ham United`s center half, Bobby Moore, went behind in the 12th minute when left full back, Ray Wilson, misheaded to right winger, Helmut Haller, who scored, 1-0, despite center half, Leeds United`s Jack Charlton, and Leicester `keeper Gordon Banks` efforts to keep the ball out. In the 19th minute, central midfielder, Wolfgang Overath, conceded a free kick, which Moore took. He floated a cross into the German area, where Geoff Hurst rose unchallenged and levelled the scores with a downward glancing header. After half-time, Germany conceded a corner in the 77th minute. Everton`s right sided midfielder, Alan Ball, found West Ham`s center forward, Geoff Hurst, whose deflected shot from the edge of the area rebounded to the Hammer`s left midfielder, Martin Peters, who beat `keeper, Hans Tikowski, from eight yards, 2-1. In the 89th minute Jack Charlton conceded a free kick for climbing on German captain and center forward, Uwe Seeler, as they both went up for a header. The kick was taken by left wing, Lothar Emmerich, and the ball struck right full back, George Cohen, in the England wall. The rebound fell to striker, Siegfried Held, whose shot across the face of goal struck left back, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger. The ball deflected across England`s six-yard box, wrong-footing the defense, and center back, Wolfgang Weber, leveled the score, 2–2. In the 11th minute of extra time Alan Ball crossed for Geoff Hurst to swivel and shoot from close range. The ball hit the underside of the cross bar, bounced down, and was cleared. Tofiq Bahramov, the linesman from Azerbaijan, indicated that the ball had crossed the line when asked by Swiss referee, Gottfried Dienst, 3-2. With a minute left, Germany sent their defenders forward in a desperate attempt to score. England`s center half and captain, Bobby Moore, picked out the unmarked Geoff Hurst with a long pass, which Hurst swept forward before unleashed a blistering unstoppable shot, 4-2.

 Although England`s Manchester United contingent, half-back Nobby Stiles, and deep lying center forward, Bobby Charlton, celebrated, if it hadn`t been for the Munich air disaster, England might`ve won the World Cup earlier in 1958 or 1962. The players who died at Munich were England`s left back and captain, Roger Byrne, and his understudy, Geoff Bent; center half Mark Jones; midfielder Eddie Colman; the play anywhere genius, Duncan Edwards; center forward Tommy Taylor; left winger, David Pegg, and Irish forward, Liam Whelan. England`s right wing, Johnny Berry, and inside forward and sometimes center half, Danny Blanchflower, brother of Ireland`s Jackie, who`d win the English F.A. Cup and League Championship with Spurs in 1961, never played again because of their injuries. England`s story was similar to United`s, who went on to lose the semi-final of the European Cup in 1958 to Italy`s A.C. Milan, 0-4, at the San Siro stadium, after managing to win, 2-1, at their Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, with an 80th minute penalty from Ernie Taylor brought by manager, Matt Busby, from Aston Villa as a quick replacement for lost stars. Two years after England`s World Cup win, Manchester United won the European Cup against Portuguese club, Benfica, 4-1, after extra time when the game had ended 1-1. Bobby Charlton, now playing in a deep lying center forward role, as he had for England in the World Cup in 1966, had scored in the 53rd minute with a rare header, but that had been cancelled out by Benfica`s right half, Jamie Graça, in the 79th minute. A dribbler`s 92nd minute dream goal from Irish superstar, George Best, made it 2-1, and another from England`s 18 year old Brian Kidd in the 94th minute, whose header had been headed back to him by a Benfica defender, but he`d remained calm enough to head it again, and in over the Portuguese defense under the bar it went, 3-1, before a 99th minute lobbed volley from a narrow angle by Charlton secured the 1968 European Champions` Cup for an English team for the first time. In the Intercontinental Cup Final of 1968, which took place later that year, Manchester United lost to Estudiantes of Argentina, 0-1, away, and on aggregate overall, 2-1, after being only able to manage a draw at Old Trafford thanks to a late 90th minute goal from Scots` winger, Willie Morgan, bought that season to replace John Connelly, who`d arrived from Burnley himself. Morgan, who in 1974-75 would captain United out of the second tier of English soccer, whence they`d been relegated in 1973-74, had been seen at Turf Moor as a more than adequate replacement for England`s Connelly, where the team performed as well with Morgan, if not better, than it had with Connelly, who won the league title with Manchester United in 1966-67.

 Because Manchester United had to win the English title to enter the European Cup competition, the format was seen as winning the European Cup after winning the league, whereas the later application form that had to be completed was of a qualifying position in the English league to gain entrance to the European Cup competition and, by winning it, qualify to compete in the Intercontinental Cup Final against the winners of the South American Copa Libertadores. Consequently, the application form shifted the format from winning the English league to winning the Intercontinental Cup, which was the true importance attached to the winning of the European Cup, that is, the chance to win the Intercontinental Cup. That had always been seen as the goal by the South American teams because their format was international competition, so the Intercontinental Cup was the zenith, whereas the English teams were conditioned to believe it was a formal friendly without any competition merit. In short, English clubs were encouraged not to compete on the world`s stage, because the clubs would become bigger than the country. Although Manchester United had completed the given format of winning the English league and then the European Cup, the Intercontinental Cup Final against the champions of South America, Estudiantes, by virtue of that continent`s competing in the Copa Libertadores, wasn`t perceived by the English as a part of the format needing to be completed. The Intercontinental Cup was perceived by the English press, and indeed advertised so, as a matter of form, that is, it wasn`t a part of a competition format whereby the winners of the English league had, as their ultimate objective, being crowned as intercontinental champions. It wasn`t until the format of qualification for the European Cup changed from being winners of the league to winners and runners-up that the Intercontinental Cup loomed larger as a part of the format of a much greater soccer vision.

 Manchester United again won the European Cup in Spain at Barcelona`s Nou Camp stadium in 1999, with two very late goals from England`s Teddy Sheringham and Norway`s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, 2-1, against Bayern Munich. The German team had led since the 6th minute through a low free kick from forward, Mario Basler, which was awarded after United center back, Ronny Johnsen, brought down Carsten Jancker. With his right foot Basler bent the ball around the United wall from just outside the penalty area, and into the net beyond Danish `keeper Peter Schmeichel. The Germans had led until United`s despair ended in a late attacking flourish of the never say die footballing style for which they are justifiably famed. United had a corner, and with little time left `keeper Schmeichel, who`d scored in similar circumstances, ventured up to Bayern's penalty area. Beckham flighted the corner in just over Schmeichel's head, and center forward, Dwight Yorke, 18 goals in the league that season, put the ball back towards the crowded area. Bayern substitute midfielder, Thorsten Fink, had been brought on by Bayern manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, who`d receive much criticism for it, because Fink replaced sweeper Lothar Matthäus, 37 years of age, and Hitzfeld clearly felt he was a tired risk by the 80th minute, but Fink failed to clear a ball that probably wouldn`t ever have troubled Matthäus, and the ball arrived at the feet of Ryan Giggs, whose shot fortuitously found Sheringham, who latched onto it gleefully to swipe it into the bottom corner of the net with his right boot in the 91st minute. Neither Sheringham nor Solskjaer were chosen to start against Bayern, and as Sheringham was on for left winger, Jesper Blomqvist, in the 67th minute, Solskjaer, who`d scored 12 league goals that season, replaced center forward, Andy Cole (17), in the 81st minute almost immediately after Lothar Matthäus left the fray.

 Sheringham had scored only twice in the league in 1998-99, but had redeemed himself by scoring with a low drive under Newcastle `keeper, Steve Harper, after a through ball from Scholes, in the F.A. Cup Final, which United won, 2-0, and so Sheringham had been picked to be amongst the substitutes. Within 30 seconds of the restart after Sheringham`s substitute`s strike, another Beckham corner found his head, and he nodded the ball down across the face of goal to where Solskjær, reacting quickly, stuck out his boot and poked the ball into the roof of the Bayern net in the 93rd minute. Matthäus` departure had ultimately sunk Bayern, and Hitzfelt was blamed, but United`s never say die attitude had won through for them again and the European Cup was theirs for only the second time in the club`s history since Benfica were beaten, 4-1, at London`s Wembley stadium in 1968. Despite winning the 1999 European Cup, the team had qualified for the competition without winning the league, and so the 1999 Intercontinental Cup Final against Palmeiras of Brazil, which United won, 1-0, on neutral ground at the National Stadium, Tokyo, with a goal from Irish midfield dynamo and captain, Roy Keane, who appeared at the far post to steer in a left wing cross from Welsh winger, Ryan Giggs in the 35th minute, loomed on the club`s horizon as a part of the format of the competition that had been taken on by the club in competing for the European Cup.

 In the United States of America; for example, in Major League Soccer (MLS), where United`s pioneering Irish wing legend, George Best, saw out much of his playing career after leaving United in their relegation season, 1973-74, saying he wouldn`t play in any division other than England`s premier, growth is perceived as intrinsically linked to relocation. In 2006 the Earthquakes moved to Houston, Texas, to become the Houston Dynamo, because of greater financial opportunities. Although the USA is a single nation, and the Houston Dynamo still played in the Western Conference, despite being a state other than California, where the Earthquakes originally hailed from, relocating to Texas seemed necessary to growth. Best played for California`s San Jose Earthquakes in 1979-80, and was second highest goalscorer with 8 after Steve David`s 14. In 1980-1 George was the top scorer with 13 for the Earthquakes, who finished a creditable fourth in the Western Conference of the North American Soccer League in each of those successive seasons he played there. By 1982-83 the US` experiment with soccer had produced the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), but although George scored 32 goals overall during his MISL career with the Earthquakes, their highest place in the Western Conference was third during his sojourning there. Best was followed to the US by, amongst others, Manchester United and England captain, right winger, David Beckham who, like many United players of the past, had also agreed to relocate and help the growth of the MLS when, after winning the European Cup with Manchester United in 1999, he went on to win the Spanish title in 2006-07 with Real Madrid, and then the MLS Cup with California`s Western Conference team, the Los Angeles Galaxy, in consecutive seasons; 2011 and 2012. As a consequence, the North American and Europe Intercontinental Champions Cup was to become a significant prize in world football terms.

  Manchester United won the European Cup again in 2008 at the Luzhniki stadium, Moscow, against English rivals, Chelsea, on penalties, 6-5, after extra time, when the final score had been 1-1 in normal time through a 26th minute headed goal from Manchester United`s Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, from a right wing cross from right full back Wes Brown`s left foot, which was equalized by a typical surging 45th minute midfield run and strike from Chelsea`s Frank Lampard. After their success in the European Cup the club were invited to take part in the World Club Championship. In the 28th minute of the semi-final victory against Japanese side, Gamba Osaka, United`s Serbian central defender, Nemanja Vidić, from a Ryan Giggs’ corner, out-jumped Gamba captain, Satoshi Yamaguchi, to power home a header past `keeper, Yosuke Fujigaya, from 12 yards, 1-0. Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, put United 2-0 up in first-half injury time. Again the ball came from a Giggs` corner, and again the Japanese struggled to cope with the aerial threat. Myojin was out-jumped as Ronaldo directed a powerful header past `keeper, Fujigay. United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, didn`t bring on his star striker, England`s Wayne Rooney, until the 74th minute, but Gamba Osaka immediately pulled the score back to 2-1, courtesy of striker, Masato Yamakazi, with a shot from the right well outside the penalty area. A minute later, however, Rooney finished well, after a long ball from Scots` central midfielder, Darren Fletcher, split open the Japanese defence, 3-1. Fletcher then headed in French left back Patrice Evra`s cross, 4-1. In the 78th minute, and after linking up well with left-winger, Giggs, Rooney made it 5-1 a minute later. United conceded a penalty, 2-5, when United`s England right back, Gary Neville, was adjudged to have handled a cross from the left wing, and in the 85th minute Yasuhito Endō calmly scored from the spot, 2-5. Hideo Hashimoto scored in second half injury time in a way almost identical to Yamakazi`s first half effort, 1-2. From the right and well outside the penalty area, Hashimoto struck the ball past Dutch `keeper, Edwin Van Der Sar, 3-5, but United were through to the World Club Cup Final against LDU Quito of Ecuador.

 In the Final in the International Stadium Yokohama, Japan, a single goal against the winners of the Copa Libertadores, South America`s Champions of Ecuador, LDU Quito, scored by England`s center forward, Wayne Rooney, won the game for Manchester United, 1-0. Remaining where he was at the left corner of the LDU Quito area, Wayne played the ball back to left sided Brazilian midfielder, Anderson. He then waited while Anderson played the ball into the path of England right central midfielder, Michael Carrick, in front of the LDU Quito area. Carrick pushed the ball forward to Manchester United right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, inside the LDU Quito area with two players in attendance. With his back to the goal, Cristiano Ronaldo turned to his right and slipped the ball to Wayne, who was still waiting at the left edge of the LDU Quito area where he`d begun the play. Rooney drove a shot low and right footed into the right corner of the LDU Quito net. Rooney had been lurking on the edge of the Ecuadorians` area after Serbian center back, Nemanja Vidić, had been sent off in the 49th, so causing the Manchester United front players to look for maximum impact, rather than mobility, which those behind them needed to employ to cover for their absent defensive colleague. Rooney`s 73rd minute goal had given the tiring defense a cushion useful enough to frustrate the South Americans and give the English team the World Club Championship.

 Although the club qualified for the European Cup in 2008 as winners of the English league title and were champions again in 2007-08 after which the World Club Championship was played between Manchester United as European Cup winners against Chelsea, 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, the format had at last been recognized. It wasn`t that the aim was to win the English league in order to win the European Cup, it was to win the World Club Cup by qualifying for the Final by winning the European Cup. Although United qualified for the European Cup by winning the English league, and then winning the European Cup to give them a chance of winning the World Club Cup, it wasn`t necessary to win the English league to qualify for the European Cup, because the aim was to succeed in the new format in which the winners of the European Cup qualified for the World Club Cup Finals, which were the goal of the biggest clubs that had been unrecognized as South America`s, where the approach to soccer as an international league differs profoundly from England`s parachial approach to club football. The United States provides a model of how England`s Football Association could mature, whereas it restricts clubs from becoming financially more successful in global terms; for example, by devaluing the Intercontinental Cup, clubs are kept from moving away from Europe in order to be more successful. Ignoring prejudice against spreading their wings to become a greater world force, and although Malcolm Glazer sadly passed away in May, 2014, Manchester United won the 2014 North America and Europe International Champions` Cup in the Sun Life Stadium, Miami, although Liverpool were 1-0 after an early 14th minute penalty from Liverpool`s captain, Steven Gerard, which was awarded for a trip on Raheem Sterling by United defender, Phil  Jones. After an equalizing goal from England`s center forward, Wayne Rooney, meeting Mexican striker Javier Hernandez’s arrowing cross in the 55th minute with a neat left-foot volley, two minutes later came a goal from Spain`s inside right, Juan Mata, whose shot was deflected off Mamadou Sakho in the 57th minute, 2-1. A third followed in the 88th minute from England left winger, Jessie Lingard, who`d come on as a substitute after the second United goal. Controlling a cross from England`s Ashley Young, who`d begun on the left, but had moved over to the right wing after injury to Antonio Valenica. Lingard half-volleyed low from the edge of the box beyond Liverpool `keeper, Mignolet. Although United celebrated with the trophy, it was a further instance of an international competition that didn`t receive national recognition at home in England, but Manchester United had transcended parochialism at home to be European Champions (1968, 1999, 2008); champions of South America and Europe (1999), champions of North America and Europe (2014), and World Club champions (2008): a significant achievement.

United Abolished?

Manchester United were the winners of the European Cup Winners` Cup in 1991 after winning the F.A. Cup at England`s national Wembley stadium, London, in the second attempt after the Final ended in a 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace and a replay was required. Then left back, Lee Martin, ran the length of the pitch on a speculative run that led to his being sought out by a long ball from England midfielder, Neil Webb, which fell into Lee Martin`s stride in the 59th minute and he crashed the ball delightedly into the roof of the net, 1-0. Scot Alex Ferguson`s team had benefited from the return of Mark Hughes from Spanish giant, F. C. Barcelona, where he`d been transferred by former Manchester United manager, Ron Atkinson, for £2 million before the start of the 1986-87 season; despite being United top scorer for the previous two seasons with 16 goals in 1984-85 and 17 in 1985-86. Atkinson was sacked largely because of his inscrutable transferring of Hughes, and Aberdeen manager, Alex Ferguson, arrived after winning the European Cup Winners` Cup with Aberdeen in 1983 against Real Madrid, 2-1, to pay Barcelona £1. 8 million to restore Hughes to the team for the 1988-89 season in which he scored 14 goals and never dipped below double figures for a season until his last with United, 1994-95, when he scored 8 goals as the club finished second in the league to new monied Blackburn Rovers and lost the F.A. Cup Final, 0-1, to Everton.

 In the 1990 F.A. Cup Final Crystal Palace had taken the lead in the 18th minute at a free kick when center back, Gary O` Reilly, headed home. United equalized in the 35th minute after Brian McClair ran down the right wing and sent over a cross to the far post where England captain, Bryan Robson, headed on and into the net. Hughes had given United a 2-1 lead in the 62nd minute forcing home a cross-shot from England right midfielder, Neil Webb, before a mazy run past two United defenders resulted in a successful strike on goal from Palace substitute forward, Ian Wright, who`d come on in the 69th minute, and scored in the 72nd minute of normal time. There followed another strike from Wright who volleyed home a floated cross to the back post by right winger, John Salako, in the 92nd minute of extra time. At 3-2 to Palace Mark Hughes then scored again in the 113th minute after he chased a through ball from United winger, Danny Wallace, and slotted it home past Palace `keeper, Nigel Martyn, which set the stage for Lee Martin`s dramatic 59th minute winner in the replay, 1-0, and United had qualified for the 1991 European Cup Winners` Cup competition that Alex Ferguson had won with Aberdeen in 1983.

 Manchester United`s route to the Final in the Netherlands` Fejenoord Stadion, Rotterdam, against F. C. Barcelona, Welshman Mark Hughes` former club, passed without a hitch in the first and second rounds, with a 3-0 aggregate win against Pécs of Hungary and a 5-0 aggregate win against Wrexham of Wales. France`s Montpellier proved more difficult, and United had to overcome the disappointment of a Brian McClair 1st minute strike cancelled out by a Lee Martin own goal in the 8th minute to give the French a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.  Following a run down the left wing by Lee Sharpe who, at the goal line, cut the ball back into the penalty area, center forward, McClair, slid in to finish the move with a right foot shot to the left of the French `keeper. Then followed the bizarre own goal by Lee Martin in the 8th minute, who with his right boot side footed a low cross from Polish left wing, Jacek Ziober, into the United net past amazed `keeper, Les Sealey. United then had to win away, which they did, 2-0, after a goal on half-time from emergency left back replacement, midfielder Clayton Blackmore, whose right footed long range kick was inexplicably pushed into his own net as it bounced in front of the Montpellier `keeper, Barrabé, and soon after that a 48th minute Steve Bruce penalty put the contest beyond the French, when Blackmore collapsed some distance outside the penalty area clutching his chin, after a tackle by a defender out near the right edge of the `keeper`s area. Legia Warsaw of Poland proved equally difficult at Old Trafford, 1-1. Despite a spectacular opening goal from left winger, Lee Sharpe, who crashed a shot from the corner of the goal area into the top left corner of the `keeper`s net in the 28th minute, in the 57th minute a long ball from inside his own half was chested down by Kowalczyk with United center back, Gary Pallister, only able to keep pace with him as he ran at goal and put the ball through `keeper Les Sealey`s legs as he came out of his penalty area to close the Polish striker down, but the team had already proved hardier than their Polish opponents with a 3-1 win in Warsaw.

 The Polish team had taken the lead through Cyzio who, receiving a pass from wide on the right in the 37th minute, took it on towards the United goal where, keeping the ball on his right side during his run, he drove a right footed shot low and to the right of United`s `keeper, Les Sealey, and into the net. United equalized almost immediately in the 38th minute when left back, Lee Martin, crossed into the penalty area to where `keeper, Robakiewicz, seemed to have the ball in his grasp close to the turf, but he failed to make it safe, and the ball bobbled out to where Bryan Robson aimed to strike it at goal. Brian McClair, standing almost on the goal line, forced it in. A second came in the 54th minute when Mark Hughes, cutting in from the right made a feint as if to strike the ball at goal, and then took it further before unleashing a right foot shot that hit the inside of the left post low down and bounced off and into the net. United made it 3-1 in the 67th minute after a right footed chip from Hughes on the right was headed inside the penalty area by McClair and the ball fell in front of center half, Steve Bruce, who carefully made sure that the ball traveled safely into the goal off his right boot. In the Final Hughes scored in the 67th minute after a Bryan Robson free kick was headed into the goal by center back Steve Bruce although Hughes was adjudged to have been the player to score after forcing it into the net to make sure it crossed the line. Hughes scored again from an acute angle on 74th minutes before Barca`s defensive Netherlands` midfielder, Ronald Koeman, struck with a free kick in the 79th minute to give United a nervous last 10 minutes before celebrating. The Cup Winners` Cup was competed for on only a further three occasions before Manchester United`s success in winning it was abolished along with the trophy itself in 1999 by UEFA.

 That year a similar fate overtook the Intercontinental Cup, which Manchester United finally won at the second attempt. In United`s first attempt after qualifying by winning the 1968 European Cup, 4-1, against Portugal`s Benfica, the Argentine team Estudiantes, `the students`, who`d qualified for the Final of the Intercontinental Cup by winning the Championship of South America, the Copa Libertadores, or `cup of freedom`, beat United in the away leg in Buenos Aires, 1-0, with a 27th minute headed goal from Marcus Conigliaro after a corner sent over by his striking partner, Filipe Ribaudo. The Argentinians drew 1-1 at Old Trafford, Manchester, after right winger, Juan Ramón Verón, La Bruja, `the witch`, had tormented United by scoring the opening headed goal at Old Trafford in the 6th minute after a free-kick from defender, Raúl Madero, which had left United too much to do, 0-1, and despite a late 90th minute strike from Scots` right winger, Willie Morgan, Estudiantes took the trophy, 2-1, on aggregate. In 1999 the story was different. United qualified as winners of the European Cup, 2-1, after two very late strikes by Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer against Bayern Munich at Spain`s Barcelona Nou Camp stadium. The German team had led since the 6th minute through a low free kick from forward, Mario Basler, which was awarded after United center back, Ronny Johnsen, brought down Carsten Jancker. With his right foot Basler bent the ball around the United wall from just outside the penalty area, and into the net beyond Danish `keeper Peter Schmeichel. United`s despair ended in a late attacking flourish of the never say die footballing style for which they are justifiably famed. United had a corner, and with little time left `keeper Schmeichel, who`d scored in similar circumstances, ventured up to Bayern's penalty area. Beckham flighted the corner in just over Schmeichel's head, and center forward, Dwight Yorke, 18 goals in the league that season, put the ball back towards the crowded area. Bayern substitute midfielder, Thorsten Fink, had been brought on by Bayern manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, who`d receive much criticism for it, because Fink replaced sweeper Lothar Matthäus, 37 years of age, and Hitzfeld clearly felt he was a tired risk by the 80th minute, but Fink failed to clear a ball that probably wouldn`t ever have troubled Matthäus, and the ball arrived at the feet of Ryan Giggs, whose shot fortuitously found Sheringham, who latched onto it gleefully to swipe it into the bottom corner of the net with his right boot in the 91st minute. Neither Sheringham nor Solskjaer were chosen to start against Bayern, and as Sheringham was on for left winger, Jesper Blomqvist, in the 67th minute, Solskjaer, who`d scored 12 league goals that season, replaced center forward, Andy Cole (17), in the 81st minute almost immediately after Lothar Matthäus left the fray.

 Sheringham had scored only twice in the league, but had redeemed himself by scoring with a low drive under Newcastle `keeper Steve Harper after a through ball from Scholes, in the F.A. Cup Final, which United won, 2-0, and so Sheringham had been picked to be amongst the substitutes. Within 30 seconds of the restart after Sheringham`s substitute`s strike, another Beckham corner found the head of Sheringham, who nodded the ball down across the face of goal to where Solskjær, reacting quickly, stuck out his boot and poked the ball into the roof of the Bayern net in the 93rd minute. Matthäus` departure had ultimately sunk Bayern, and Hitzfelt was blamed, but United`s never say die attitude had won through for them again and the European Cup was theirs for only the second time in the club`s history since Benfica were beaten, 4-1, at London`s Wembley stadium in 1968.  United lost the subsequent Intercontinental Cup Final, 1-2, to Estudiantes of Argentina that year, but in 1999 the club faced Brazil`s Palmeiras and won, 1-0, with a goal from indefatigable midfield creator-destroyer Roy Keane, who forced the ball in at the far post from a left wing cross by Welsh winger, Ryan Giggs, in the 35th minute. FIFA almost immediately abolished the competition, so abolishing United`s victory, by inaugurating the World Club Cup, in which the club were invited to compete in 2000.

 Although the World Club Cup was competed for in 2000 and won by Corinthians of Brazil against Brazil`s Vasco De Gama on penalties, 4-3, after a 0-0 draw and extra time, it wasn`t competed for again until 2005, and so the Intercontinental Cup was allowed to continue until 2005. After 2005 the Intercontinental Cup was abolished, so abolishing United`s achievement in winning the trophy in 1999. Declaring Brazil`s Corinthians World Club Cup winners in 2000, FIFA effectively then abolished the World Club Cup until 2005, so leaving Brazil`s Corinthians undisputed champions of the world after Manchester United had become Champions of South America and Europe by winning the 1999 Intercontinental Cup Final, 1-0, against Brazil`s Palmeiras to become `unofficial` World Club champions. United`s victory so upset the prestige of Spanish colonial soccer in South America that FIFA had to abolish the Intercontinental Cup and make Brazil`s Corinthians indisputable World Club champions by abolishing the World Club Cup after Brazil`s Corinthians won it in 2000. Or, in other words, having established the World Club Cup, FIFA endeavored to allow Brazil`s Corinthians to remain unopposed forever after they`d won it, lest Manchester United, `unofficial` World Club champions of 1999, became able to try to wrest it away from the South Americans.

 When Manchester United qualified for the 2008 World Club Cup semi-final against Japanese team, Gamba Osaka, and won 5-3, it was through beating English side, Chelsea in the European Cup Final at the Luzhniki stadium, Moscow, 6-5 on penalties after a 26th minute headed goal by United`s Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, from a left footed cross out on the right wing by right back, Wes Brown, was cancelled out in the 45th minute by a strike from Chelsea`s Frank Lampard after a trademark surging run from midfield. In the 28th minute, Serbian central defender, Nemanja Vidić, from Ryan Giggs’ corner out-jumped Gamba captain, Satoshi Yamaguchi, to power home a header past `keeper, Yosuke Fujigaya, from 12 yards, 1-0. Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, put United 2-0 up in first-half injury time. Again the ball came from a Giggs` corner, and again the Japanese struggled to cope with the aerial threat. Myojin was out-jumped as Ronaldo directed a powerful header past `keeper, Fujigay. United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, didn`t bring on his star striker, England`s Wayne Rooney, until the 74th minute, but Gamba Osaka immediately pulled the score back to 2-1, courtesy of striker, Masato Yamakazi, with a shot from the right well outside the penalty area. A minute later, however, Rooney finished well, after a long ball from Scots` central midfielder, Darren Fletcher, split open the Japanese defence, 3-1. Fletcher then headed in French left back Patrice Evra`s cross, 4-1. In the 78th minute, and after linking up well with left-winger, Giggs, Rooney made it 5-1 a minute later. United conceded a penalty, 2-5, when United`s England right back, Gary Neville, was adjudged to have handled a cross from the left wing, and in the 85th minute Yasuhito Endō calmly scored from the spot, 2-5. Hideo Hashimoto scored in second half injury time in a way almost identical to Yamakazi`s first half effort, 1-2. From the right and well outside the penalty area, Hashimoto struck the ball past Dutch `keeper, Edwin Van er Sar, 3-5, but United were through to the World Club Cup Final against LDU Quito of Peru.

 In the Final at the International Stadium Yokohama, Nemanja Vidić was sent off in the 49th minute, and England`s center forward Wayne Rooney was, like the other remaining ten United players, conserving his energies to cover the ground of a teammate lost. That was the solution. Remaining where he was at the left corner of the LDU Quito area, Wayne played the ball back to left sided Brazilian midfielder, Anderson. He then waited while Anderson played the ball into the path of England right central midfielder, Michael Carrick, in front of the LDU Quito area. Carrick pushed the ball forward to Manchester United right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, inside the LDU Quito area with two players in attendance. With his back to the goal, Cristiano Ronaldo turned to his right and slipped the ball to Wayne, who was still waiting at the left edge of the LDU Quito area where he`d begun the play. Rooney drove a shot low and right footed into the right corner of the LDU Quito net. To lurk on the edge of the box and wait for his 73rd minute opportunity to score was Rooney`s clever energy conserving strategy, and it gave the team the cushion it needed to withstand later LDU Quito pressure to win the World Club Cup for Manchester United, although the club had lost two trophies, the European Cup Winners Cup and the Intercontinental Cup, to those aborters.

Learning Spanish At Manchester United

Because Real Madrid won the inaugural European Cup in 1956, and consecutively thereafter in 1957, 1958, 1959, and 1960, English clubs believed that the wresting of the European Cup from the Spanish giant was the aim of their soccer campaigning. When the Manchester United squad`s plane, which was returning from qualifying for the European Cup semi-final after a 3-3 draw against Red Star in Belgrade, crashed in the snow at Munich airport, it cost the lives of England`s left back and captain, Roger Byrne, and his understudy, Geoff Bent; center half Mark Jones; midfielder Eddie Colman; skillful goalscorer, or obdurate defender, and midfield play maker, Duncan Edwards; center forward Tommy Taylor; left winger, David Pegg, and Irish forward, Liam Whelan. England`s right wing, Johnny Berry, and inside forward, or center half, Danny Blanchflower, brother of Ireland`s Jackie, who`d win the English F.A. Cup and League Championship with Spurs in 1961, never played again because of their injuries. Although a patched up team and a penalty from Ernie Taylor bought from Aston Villa to replace the irreplaceable by manager, Matt Busby, brought a 2-1 home victory against A. C. Milan of Italy at the Old Trafford stadium, Manchester United lost, 0-4, at the San Siro stadium in Milan. The club would have to wait until 1968 before making the Final against Portugal`s Benfica. Munich survivor, Bobby Charlton, the former left winger, who by then was playing in the deep lying center forward role he`d made great when England won the World Cup in 1966 against Germany, 4-2, at Wembley, London, scored from a rare 53rd minute header, which was cancelled out in the 79th minute by Benfica`s right midfielder, Jamie Graça. Again the scene was set at the national Wembley stadium for an English team`s triumph, 4-1, with extra time goals in the 92nd minute from mercurial Irish wing genius, George Best, another headed goal in the 94th minute from 18 year old Brian Kidd, who was in the side for the injured goal `king` of Old Trafford, Denis Law, and a 9th minute lobbed volley from Charlton that went over the `keeper to wrest the trophy from the Europeans and into English hands for the first time when captain, Charlton, raised it aloft in London.

 Although it wasn`t evident to everyone, United`s rivalry with the Spanish giant, Real Madrid, had strong historical antecedents. It was the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadores that had colonized much of the world for Spain in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, and had made South America a bastion of Spain`s Imperialism.  The soccer champions of South America`s individual nations competed for the Copa Libertadores, and the winners competed for the Intercontinental Cup with the winners of the European Cup, that is, the Spanish and Portuguese teams in Europe had to be beaten before the English teams could beat South America`s colonial Spanish teams, which Manchester United finally had the opportunity to do in 1968. The Argentine winners of the `cup of freedom`, the Copa Libertadores, were Estudiantes, `the students`, who played against Manchester United in the Intercontinental Cup Final, and won, 2-1, after a 1-0 home win in Buenos Aires, and a 1-1 away draw at Old Trafford, Manchester, reasserting Spanish colonial soccer`s preeminence. Marcus Conigliaro had scored the only goal of the Buenos Aires away leg with a header in the 27th minute from a corner by his striking partner, Filipe Ribaudo and right winger, Juan Ramón Verón, La Bruja, `the witch`, had tormented United by scoring the opening headed goal at Old Trafford in the 6th minute after a free-kick from defender, Raúl Madero, which had left United too much to do, 0-1. It wasn`t until very late goals from Teddy Sheringham in the 91st and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the 93rd minute beat Bayern Munich at Spain`s Barcelona Nou Camp stadium, 2-1, that United won the European Cup again in 1999. The German team had led since the 6th minute through a low free kick from forward, Mario Basler, which was awarded after United center back, Ronny Johnsen, brought down Carsten Jancker. With his right foot Basler bent the ball around the United wall from just outside the penalty area, and into the net beyond Danish `keeper Peter Schmeichel. United`s despair ended in a late attacking flourish of the never say die footballing style for which they are justifiably famed. United had a corner, and with little time left `keeper Schmeichel, who`d scored in similar circumstances, ventured up to Bayern's penalty area. Beckham flighted the corner in just over Schmeichel's head, and center forward, Dwight Yorke, 18 goals in the league that season, put the ball back towards the crowded area. Bayern substitute midfielder, Thorsten Fink, had been brought on by Bayern manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, who`d receive much criticism for it, because Fink replaced sweeper Lothar Matthäus, 37 years of age, and Hitzfeld clearly felt he was a tired risk by the 80th minute, but Fink failed to clear a ball that probably wouldn`t ever have troubled Matthäus, and the ball arrived at the feet of Ryan Giggs, whose shot fortuitously found Sheringham, who latched onto it gleefully to swipe it into the bottom corner of the net with his right boot. Neither Sheringham nor Solskjaer were chosen to start against Bayern, and as Sheringham was on for left winger, Jesper Blomqvist, in the 67th minute, Solskjaer, who`d scored 12 league goals that season, replaced center forward, Andy Cole (17), in the 81st minute almost immediately after Lothar Matthäus left the fray.

 Sheringham had scored only twice in the league, but had redeemed himself by scoring with a low drive under Newcastle `keeper Steve Harper after a through ball from Scholes, in the F.A. Cup Final, which United won, 2-0, and so Sheringham had been picked to be amongst the substitutes. Within 30 seconds of the restart after Sheringham`s substitute`s strike, another Beckham corner found the head of Sheringham, who nodded the ball down across the face of goal to where Solskjær, reacting quickly, stuck out his boot and poked the ball into the roof of the Bayern net. Matthäus` departure had ultimately sunk Bayern, and Hitzfelt was blamed, but United`s never say die attitude had won through for them again and the European Cup was theirs for only the second time in the club`s history since Benfica were beaten, 4-1, at London`s Wembley stadium in 1968.  That qualified them to play against the Brazilian winners of the Copa Libertadores in the Intercontinental Cup Final, Palmeiras, which they won on neutral ground at the National Stadium, Tokyo, 1-0, after a Ryan Giggs left wing cross found captain, Roy Keane, running inexhaustibly in from his creator-destroyer midfield role to be at the far post in the 35th minute and steer the ball into the net for Manchester United to beat the Spanish in South America and become champions.

  When Manchester United beat London side, Chelsea, in the Final of the European Cup at Moscow`s Luzhniki stadium in 2008, 6-5, on penalties after a 1-1 draw when a headed goal in the 26th minute from Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, from a left footed cross out on the right wing by Manchester United`s versatile center half playing right back on the night, Wes Brown, had been equalized in the 45th minute after a surging run and shoot from Chelsea midfielder, Frank Lampard, the club qualified for the semi-final of the World Club Cup, which had replaced the Intercontinental Cup Final between the champions of South American and Europe with a competition that included the winners of the Copa Libertadores amongst others of the world`s local best. In the 28th minute of the semi-final against Japan`s Gamba Osaka, United`s Serbian central defender, Nemanja Vidić, from a Ryan Giggs’ corner, out-jumped Gamba captain, Satoshi Yamaguchi, to power home a header past `keeper, Yosuke Fujigaya, from 12 yards, 1-0. Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, put United 2-0 up in first-half injury time. Again the ball came from a Giggs` corner, and again the Japanese struggled to cope with the aerial threat. Myojin was out-jumped as Ronaldo directed a powerful header past `keeper, Fujigay. United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, didn`t bring on his star striker, England`s Wayne Rooney, until the 74th minute, but Gamba Osaka immediately pulled the score back to 2-1, courtesy of striker, Masato Yamakazi, with a shot from the right well outside the penalty area. A minute later, however, Rooney finished well, after a long ball from Scots` central midfielder, Darren Fletcher, split open the Japanese defence, 3-1. Fletcher then headed in French left back Patrice Evra`s cross, 4-1. In the 78th minute, and after linking up well with left-winger, Giggs, Rooney made it 5-1 a minute later. United conceded a penalty, 2-5, when United`s England right back, Gary Neville, was adjudged to have handled a cross from the left wing, and in the 85th minute Yasuhito Endō calmly scored from the spot, 2-5. Hideo Hashimoto scored in second half injury time in a way almost identical to Yamakazi`s first half effort, 1-2. From the right and well outside the penalty area, Hashimoto struck the ball past Dutch `keeper, Edwin Van er Sar, 3-5, but United were through to the World Club Cup Final against LDU Quito of Ecuador.

 In the Final at the International Stadium Yokohama, Manchester United won, 1-0, even despite the sending off of Nemanja Vidić in the 49th minute, thanks to the clever strategic play of England center forward, Wayne Rooney who, along with the other remaining ten United players conserving their energies to cover the ground of a teammate lost, had rather waited on the edge of the box for an opportunity to come his way. At the left corner of the LDU Quito area, Wayne played the ball back to left sided Brazilian midfielder, Anderson. He then waited while Anderson played the ball into the path of England right central midfielder, Michael Carrick, in front of the LDU Quito area. Carrick pushed the ball forward to Manchester United right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, inside the LDU Quito area with two players in attendance. With his back to the goal, Cristiano Ronaldo turned to his right and slipped the ball to Wayne, who was still waiting at the left edge of the LDU Quito area where he`d begun the play. Rooney drove a shot low and right footed into the right corner of the LDU Quito net. The goal in the 73rd minute gave the team the cushion it needed to withstand later LDU Quito pressure and win the World Club Cup for Manchester United, which gave the final lie to Spanish colonial soccer`s superiority.

Seba Brujita

In the early years of the European Champions` Cup, the winner of the English league gained entry into the competition and, if they won, they`d be afforded the opportunity to play in the Intercontinental Cup against the Champions of South America, winners of the American continent`s equivalent of the European Cup, the Copa Libertadores, or `cup of freedom`, which the giant clubs of South America in Brazil and Argentina competed for against the other countries of the region before gearing up for the Intercontinental Cup Final contest with the Champions of Europe. The inaugural winners of the competition were Spain`s Real Madrid, 5-1, at their Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid against Uruguay`s Peñarol after a draw at the Uruguayans` Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, 0-0. An unsurprising result to the Europeans, because Real Madrid had won the inaugural European Champions` Cup competition in 1956, and thereafter in 1957, 1958, 1959, and 1960. Although Manchester United perhaps could have beaten the Spanish giants in 1958, or afterwards, the Munich air disaster in which several of the players, who had just qualified for the 1958 semi-final by drawing 3-3 in Belgrade against Red Star, died in the snow as the plane carrying the team back to Manchester crashed on the German runway during take off. Those who lost their lives would have been the heart of the England side that, along with United`s surviving left wing, Bobby Charlton, eventually won the World Cup at the national stadium, Wembley, London, in 1966, with four goals from West Ham United forwards, Geoff Hurst (3) and Martin Peters, 4-2, against Germany.

 The players who died at Munich were England`s left back and captain, Roger Byrne, and his understudy, Geoff Bent; center half Mark Jones; midfielder Eddie Colman; the play anywhere genius, Duncan Edwards; center forward Tommy Taylor; left winger, David Pegg, and Irish forward, Liam Whelan. England`s right wing, Johnny Berry, and inside forward and sometimes center half, Danny Blanchflower, brother of Ireland`s Jackie, who`d win the English F.A. Cup and League Championship with Spurs in 1961, never played again because of their injuries. England`s story was similar to United`s, who went on to lose the semi-final of the European Cup in 1958 to Italy`s A.C. Milan, 0-4, at the San Siro stadium, after managing to win, 2-1, at their Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, with an 80th minute penalty from Ernie Taylor brought by manager, Matt Busby, from Aston Villa as a quick replacement for lost stars. Two years after England`s World Cup win, Manchester United won the European Cup against Portuguese club, Benfica, 4-1, after extra time when the game had ended 1-1. Bobby Charlton, now playing in a deep lying center forward role, as he had for England in the World Cup in 1966, had scored in the 53rd minute with a rare header, but that had been cancelled out by Benfica`s right half, Jamie Graça, in the 79th minute. A dribbler`s 92nd minute dream goal from Irish superstar, George Best, made it 2-1, and another from England`s 18 year old Brian Kidd in the 94th minute, whose header had been headed back to him by a Benfica defender, but he`d remained calm enough to head it again, and in over the Portuguese defense under the bar it went, 3-1, before a 99th minute lobbed volley from a narrow angle by Charlton secured the 1968 European Champions` Cup for an English team for the first time.

 Although Manchester United had completed the given format of winning the English league and then the European Cup, the Intercontinental Cup Final against the champions of South America by virtue of that continent`s competing in the Copa Libertadores wasn`t perceived by the English as a part of the format needing to be completed. The Intercontinental Cup was perceived by the English press, and indeed advertised so, as a matter of form, that is, it wasn`t a part of a competition format whereby the winners of the English league had, as their ultimate objective, being crowned as intercontinental champions. It wasn`t until the format of qualification for the European Cup changed from being winners of the league to winners and runners-up that the Intercontinental Cup loomed larger as a part of the format of a much greater soccer vision. Manchester United again won the European Cup in Spain at Barcelona`s Nou Camp stadium in 1999, with two very late goals from England`s Teddy Sheringham and Norway`s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, 2-1, against Bayern Munich. The German team had led since the 6th minute through a low free kick from forward, Mario Basler, which was awarded after United center back, Ronny Johnsen, brought down Carsten Jancker. With his right foot Basler bent the ball around the United wall from just outside the penalty area, and into the net beyond Danish `keeper Peter Schmeichel. The Germans had led until United`s despair ended in a late attacking flourish of the never say die footballing style for which they are justifiably famed. United had a corner, and with little time left `keeper Schmeichel, who`d scored in similar circumstances, ventured up to Bayern's penalty area. Beckham flighted the corner in just over Schmeichel's head, and center forward, Dwight Yorke, 18 goals in the league that season, put the ball back towards the crowded area. Bayern substitute midfielder, Thorsten Fink, had been brought on by Bayern manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, who`d receive much criticism for it, because Fink replaced sweeper Lothar Matthäus, 37 years of age, and Hitzfeld clearly felt he was a tired risk by the 80th minute, but Fink failed to clear a ball that probably wouldn`t ever have troubled Matthäus, and the ball arrived at the feet of Ryan Giggs, whose shot fortuitously found Sheringham, who latched onto it gleefully to swipe it into the bottom corner of the net with his right boot in the 91st minute. Neither Sheringham nor Solskjaer were chosen to start against Bayern, and as Sheringham was on for left winger, Jesper Blomqvist, in the 67th minute, Solskjaer, who`d scored 12 league goals that season, replaced center forward, Andy Cole (17), in the 81st minute almost immediately after Lothar Matthäus left the fray.

 Sheringham had scored only twice in the league, but had redeemed himself by scoring with a low drive under Newcastle `keeper Steve Harper after a through ball from Scholes, in the F.A. Cup Final, which United won, 2-0, and so Sheringham had been picked to be amongst the substitutes. Within 30 seconds of the restart after Sheringham`s substitute`s strike, another Beckham corner found the head of Sheringham, who nodded the ball down across the face of goal to where Solskjær, reacting quickly, stuck out his boot and poked the ball into the roof of the Bayern net in the 93rd minute. Matthäus` departure had ultimately sunk Bayern, and Hitzfelt was blamed, but United`s never say die attitude had won through for them again and the European Cup was theirs for only the second time in the club`s history since Benfica were beaten, 4-1, at London`s Wembley stadium in 1968. Despite winning the 1999 European Cup, the team had qualified for the competition without winning the league, and so the 1999 Intercontinental Cup Final against Palmeiras of Brazil, which United won, 1-0, on neutral ground at the National Stadium, Tokyo, with a goal from Irish midfield dynamo and captain, Roy Keane, who appeared at the far post to steer in a left wing cross from Welsh winger, Ryan Giggs in the 35th minute, loomed on the club`s horizon as a part of the format of the competition that had been taken on by the club in competing for the European Cup. In the Intercontinental Cup Final of 1968, Manchester United had lost to Estudiantes of Argentina, 0-1, away, and on aggregate overall, 2-1, after being only able to manage a draw at Old Trafford thanks to a late 90th minute goal from Scots` winger, Willie Morgan, bought that season to replace John Connelly, who`d arrived from Burnley himself. Morgan, who in 1974-75 would captain United out of the second tier of English soccer, whence they`d been relegated in 1973-74, had been seen at Turf Moor as a more than adequate replacement for England`s Connelly, where the team performed as well with Morgan, if not better, than it had with Connelly, who won the league title with Manchester United in 1966-67.

 Because Manchester United had to win the English title to enter the European Cup competition, the format was seen as winning the European Cup after winning the league, whereas the later application form that had to be completed was of a qualifying position in the English league to gain entrance to the European Cup competition and, by winning it, qualify to compete in the Intercontinental Cup Final against the winners of the South American Copa Libertadores. Consequently, the application form shifted the format from winning the English league to winning the Intercontinental Cup, which was the true importance attached to the winning of the European Cup, that is, the chance to win the Intercontinental Cup. That had always been seen as the goal by the South American teams because their format was international competition, so the Intercontinental Cup was the zenith, whereas the English teams were conditioned to believe it was a formal friendly without any competition merit. In short, English clubs were encouraged not to compete on the world`s stage, because the clubs would become bigger than the country, which happens in the United States of America; for example, in Major League Soccer (MLS), where United`s pioneering Irish wing legend, George Best, saw out much of his playing career after leaving United in their relegation season, 1973-74, saying he wouldn`t play in any division other than England`s premier. Best played for California`s San Jose Earthquakes in 1979-80, and was second highest goalscorer with 8 after Steve David`s 14. In 1980-1 George was the top scorer with 13 for the Earthquakes, who finished a creditable fourth in the Western Conference of the North American Soccer League in each of those successive seasons he played there. By 1982-83 the US` experiment with soccer had produced the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), but although George scored 32 goals overall during his MISL career with the Earthquakes, their highest place in the Western Conference was third during his sojourning there. Best was followed to the US by, amongst others, Manchester United and England captain, right winger, David Beckham, who also helped to enhance the profile of the MLS and make the North American and Europe Intercontinental Champions Cup a significant prize in world football terms when, after winning the European Cup with Manchester United in 1999, he went on to win the Spanish title in 2006-07 with Real Madrid, and then the MLS Cup with the Los Angeles Galaxy in consecutive seasons; 2011 and 2012.

 In 2006 the Earthquakes moved to Houston, Texas, to become the Houston Dynamo, because of greater financial opportunities. Although the USA is a single nation, and the Houston Dynamo still played in the Western Conference, despite being a state other than California, where the Earthquakes originally hailed from, the states does provide a model of how England`s Football Association restricts clubs from becoming financially more lucrative in global terms; for example, by devaluing the Intercontinental Cup teams are kept from moving away from Europe in order to be more successful. Ignoring prejudice against spreading their wings to become a greater world force, Manchester United won the 2014 North America and Europe International Champions` Cup in the Sun Life Stadium, Miami, although Liverpool were 1-0 after an early 14th minute penalty from Liverpool`s captain, Steven Gerard, which was awarded for a trip on Raheem Sterling by United defender, Phil  Jones. After an equalizing goal from England`s center forward, Wayne Rooney, meeting Hernandez’s arrowing cross in the 55th minute with a neat left-foot volley, two minutes later came a goal from Spain`s inside right, Juan Mata, whose shot was deflected off Mamadou Sakho in the 57th minute, 2-1. A third followed in the 88th minute from England left winger, Jessie Lingard, who`d come on as a substitute after the second United goal. Controlling a cross from England`s Ashley Young, who`d begun on the left, but had moved over to the right wing after injury to Antonio Valenica. Lingard half-volleyed low from the edge of the box beyond Liverpool `keeper, Mignolet. Although United celebrated with the trophy, it was a further instance of an international competition that didn`t receive national recognition at home in England. However, the subsequent inauguration of International Champions` Cup competitions in China and Australia gave warning to nation states that clubs might abandon localized fan bases for greater financial success. Manchester United had canvassed China for the organizers of the International Champions Cup through tours, and with the American business family, the Glazers, determining the board`s strategy, it couldn`t have come as much of a surprise that the International Champions Cup of North America and Europe should have been won by the team in 2014 whether the English F.A. thought it important or otherwise, and that the International Champions Cup of China and Australia should have been won by Real Madrid in 2015 suggests that perhaps Europe is becoming too parochial for its soccer giants who, adopting the approach of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the USA, might seek to relocate for greater financial rewards and appreciation from a global fan base.

 Manchester United won the European Cup again in 2008 at the Luzhniki stadium, Moscow, against English rivals, Chelsea, on penalties, 6-5, after extra time, when the final score had been 1-1 in normal time through a 26th minute headed goal from Manchester United`s Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, from a left footed cross out on the right wing cross by right full back, Wes Brown, whih was equalized by a typical surging 45th minute midfield run and strike from Chelsea`s Frank Lampard. After their success in the European Cup the club were invited to take part in the World Club Championship. In the 28th minute of the semi-final victory against Japanese side, Gamba Osaka, United`s Serbian central defender, Nemanja Vidić, from a Ryan Giggs’ corner, out-jumped Gamba captain, Satoshi Yamaguchi, to power home a header past `keeper, Yosuke Fujigaya, from 12 yards, 1-0. Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, put United 2-0 up in first-half injury time. Again the ball came from a Giggs` corner, and again the Japanese struggled to cope with the aerial threat. Myojin was out-jumped as Ronaldo directed a powerful header past `keeper, Fujigay. United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, didn`t bring on his star striker, England`s Wayne Rooney, until the 74th minute, but Gamba Osaka immediately pulled the score back to 2-1, courtesy of striker, Masato Yamakazi, with a shot from the right well outside the penalty area. A minute later, however, Rooney finished well, after a long ball from Scots` central midfielder, Darren Fletcher, split open the Japanese defence, 3-1. Fletcher then headed in French left back Patrice Evra`s cross, 4-1. In the 78th minute, and after linking up well with left-winger, Giggs, Rooney made it 5-1 a minute later. United conceded a penalty, 2-5, when United`s England right back, Gary Neville, was adjudged to have handled a cross from the left wing, and in the 85th minute Yasuhito Endō calmly scored from the spot, 2-5. Hideo Hashimoto scored in second half injury time in a way almost identical to Yamakazi`s first half effort, 1-2. From the right and well outside the penalty area, Hashimoto struck the ball past Dutch `keeper, Edwin Van er Sar, 3-5, but United were through to the World Club Cup Final against LDU Quito of Ecuador.

 In the Final in the International Stadium Yokohama, Japan, a single goal against the winners of the Copa Libertadores, South America`s Champions of Ecuador, LDU Quito, scored by England`s center forward, Wayne Rooney, won the game for Manchester United, 1-0. Remaining where he was at the left corner of the LDU Quito area, Wayne played the ball back to left sided Brazilian midfielder, Anderson. He then waited while Anderson played the ball into the path of England right central midfielder, Michael Carrick, in front of the LDU Quito area. Carrick pushed the ball forward to Manchester United right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, inside the LDU Quito area with two players in attendance. With his back to the goal, Cristiano Ronaldo turned to his right and slipped the ball to Wayne, who was still waiting at the left edge of the LDU Quito area where he`d begun the play. Rooney drove a shot low and right footed into the right corner of the LDU Quito net. Rooney had been lurking on the edge of the Ecuadorians` area after Serbia`s center back, Nemanja Vidić, had been sent off in the 49th, so causing the Manchester United front players to look for maximum impact, rather than mobility, which those behind them needed to employ to cover for their absent defensive colleague. Rooney`s 73rd minute goal had given the tiring defense a cushion useful enough to frustrate the South Americans and give the English team the World Club Championship.

 Although the club qualified for the European Cup in 2008 as winners of the English league title and were champions again in 2007-08 after which the World Club Championship was played between Manchester United as European Cup winners against Chelsea, 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, the format had at last been recognized. It wasn`t that the aim was to win the English league in order to win the European Cup, it was to win the World Club Cup by qualifying for the Final by winning the European Cup. Although United qualified for the European Cup by winning the English league, and then winning the European Cup to give them a chance of winning the World Club Cup, it wasn`t necessary to win the English league to qualify for the European Cup, because the aim was to succeed in the new format in which the winners of the European Cup qualified for the World Club Cup Finals, which were the goal of the biggest clubs that had been unrecognized as South America`s. Multiple World Cup wins by Uruguay in 1930 and 1950, Argentina in 1978 and 1986, and Brazil in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002, should have left the English in no doubt as to who to beat to be champions. Although Manchester United won the English championship again in 2008-09, they lost the Final of the European Cup to Spain`s Barcelona, 0-2, at the Stadio Olympica in Rome, Italy, after goals from Cameroon`s Samuel Eto`o in the 10th minute following an exchange of passes between Spanish central midfielder, Andrés Iniesta, and right wing, Lionel Messi, after United`s defense had timorously backed away from Iniesta following an attempted headed clearance from England midfielder, Michael Carrick. Messi played the ball through into the path of Eto`o, who easily stepped inside Nemanja Vidić`s attempts to shepherd him harmlessly to the goal line and out of play, to toe poke the ball past United `keeper, Van Der Sar. Barcelona scored a second through Argentina`s Messi in the 70th minute, after a cross from Spain`s Xavi on the right of the United `keeper`s area, affording the then world`s best player a chance to send a header looping over Van Der Sar and into the far side of the goal to qualify for the World Club Cup semi-final against Mexico`s Atlante.

 The Spaniards beat Atlante, 3-1, after the Mexicans had taken an early lead in the 5th minute through Guillermo Rojas. Estudiantes of Argentina led in the Final, which took place at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, and were captained by Juan Sebastián Verón, son of Juan Ramón Verón, La Bruja, `the witch`, who`d tormented United in the 1968 Intercontinental Cup Final to score the opening headed goal at Old Trafford in the 6th minute after a free-kick from defender, Raúl Madero, which had left United too much to do, 0-1. Marcus Conigliaro had scored with a header the only goal of the Buenos Aires away leg in the 27th minute from a corner by his striking partner, Filipe Ribaudo. Despite Morgan`s late Old Trafford equalizer, Estudiantes won the Intercontinental Cup of 1968 and Juan Ramón Verón`s son, Juan `Seba`, La Brujita, `the little witch`, who`d won a league championship medal as a central midfielder with United in 2002-03, must have thought the 2009 World Club Cup was going to Estudiantes, `the students`, after a 37th minute headed goal from center forward, Mauro Bosellia, until a very late Pedro equalizer in the 89th minute. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Barcelona center forward, who`d be taken to United from Paris St Germain by United supremo, Jose Mourinho, for the start of the 2016-17 campaign, sent a long ball through to Gerard Piqué, who`d been a young and promising center half at United, and had played 12 times between 2004 and 2008, before going back to his native Spain. Piqué headed it on towards Pedro, whose looping header found the net. Messi gave the Spanish victory in extra time, 2-1, after he chested a 110th minute cross from Brazilian right back, Dani Alves, into the Estudiantes` goal, and the world club game had arrived.

Le god

France`s center forward, Eric Cantona, was something of a legend; even before he retired at Manchester United to become a recognized artist, and Hollywood movie actor. In the 1991-92 season he led the line for a while at Leeds United after his transfer from French club Nimes. Appearing 15 times for 3 goals, he inspired the Yorkshire outfit to win only their third league title ever with 82 points and their first since 1973-74 after coming on as a substitute against Oldham Athletic on February 8, 1992, 0-2. It was a blow to the Lancashire club across the Pennines where it`d been anticipated that the `red devils` would win their first title since 1966-67, but 78 points wasn`t enough and Manchester United finished second and had to wait until the following season, 1992-93, when the appearance of Eric in a red shirt on December 6, 1992, against Manchester City, 2-1, after 13 appearances and 6 goals for Leeds, was the significant catalyst that finally wrested the trophy back to Old Trafford`s theater of dreams after its 26 year absence. The championship win effectively resulted in the eclipsing of United`s Northern rivals Leeds, who`d won their first league title in 1968-69, the year after United`s first European Cup win over Benfica, 4-1, at London`s Wembley stadium. Leeds never again ascended to the dizzying heights of league championship winners and were relegated to the second tier in 2004 subsequent to a transfer deal upsetting to Leeds fans in which popular center half, Rio Ferdinand, went to Manchester United for £30 million, before the commencement of the 2002-03 season, when Rio had performed well in taking Leeds to the 2000-01 semi-final of the European Cup against Valencia, although the Yorkshire team lost, 0-3, away after a 0-0 draw at Elland Road. Manchester United had won the 2000-01 title and had won it the two seasons previous to that also, along with the F.A., European Champions`, and Intercontinental Cups in 1999, and they`d win it again in 2002-03 with Ferdinand at center half. Leeds, on the other hand, would be relegated to the third tier of English football in 2007 after the loss of Rio.

 By the time Rio had arrived, Cantona had left, but his legacy continued. Although he strenuously denied it, Eric`s influence on the young players coming through at Manchester United during his sojourn at Old Trafford`s theater of dreams was invaluable in their development as players. Gary and Phil Neville, full backs; Nicky Butt in midfield; David Beckham on the right wing, and Paul Scholes, a forward who was known as the `Ginger Prince` to Eric`s `King`, received the full benefit of playing alongside the creative attacking forward. United didn`t win the European Champions` trophy until 1999, when Eric had retired at 31 years after the 1996-97 season`s campaigning produced another league title, which was Eric`s fourth with United since 1992-93. During that five year period, United won their first league and F.A. Cup doubles in 1993-94 and 1995-96, before their completion of the unique treble in 1999, which included the European Cup, 2-1, against German side, Bayern Munich, and injury time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to seize the trophy after being behind, 0-1, for most of the game after forward, Mario Basler, scored in the 6<sup>th</sup> minute from a free kick. In the 1996 F.A. Cup Final it was a single volleyed goal from Eric Cantona that decided the issue, 1-0. On 85 minutes, Liverpool `keeper David James tried to punch a corner clear, but the ball landed outside the penalty area, at the feet of captain Cantona, who struck through the crowded penalty area.

 The team was fairly representative of what would also win the title that 1995-96 term. Peter Schmeichel, Denmark`s ever reliable `keeper, was in goal, a ten goal start every season, because of his clean sheet statistics, manager Alex Ferguson often observed. Ireland`s Denis Irwin was at right back, and England`s Gary Neville`s brother, Phil, at left back, although Gary would become United`s captain after Cantona, and would replace Phil in the regular side, while Phil would vie with England`s Nicky Butt for the role of most used utility player. At center back, England`s Gary Pallister played alongside England`s David May, who`d arrived from Blackburn to replace England`s ageing Steve Bruce, who`d virtually assured United the 1992-93 title with two late headed goals (86^th and 90^th minutes) against Sheffield Wednesday on April 10, 1993. Wednesday  had taken the lead with a 64^th minute penalty towards season`s end when defeat could`ve put the reds two points behind nearest rivals, Aston Villa, whose scoreless draw against Coventry City instead put United two points clear with five to play.

 The `red devils` never looked back, and won those last five games to take the title; Coventry City away, 1-0 (Irwin, 40); Chelsea at home, 3-0 (Hughes 24, Clarke, o.g., 44, Cantona, 48); Crystal Palace away, 2-0 (Hughes, 64, Ince, 89); Blackburn Rovers at home, 3-1 (Giggs 21, Ince 60, Pallister 90), and Wimbledon away, 2-1 (Ince 63, Robson 70). Bryan Robson scored the eventual winner at Wimbledon, but United had already won the championship after Cantona`s 48<sup>th</sup> minute goal in that 3-0 home win over Chelsea. The final margin was 10 points, so United could have lost the last three games and still won the league, but Robson`s only goal in five starts (and 9 as substitute) was more than symbolic at Wimbledon, because it meant he qualified for a title winners` medal, and he`d do so again the following 1993-94 season after making 10 starts (and 5 as sub) for one goal on the opening day of the campaign away at Norwich; the second and 58^th minute goal after Giggs` 26<sup>th</sup> minute opener, 2-0. Ireland`s Roy Keane, who`d been bought from Nottingham Forest by Ferguson for £3. 75 m to replace 36 year old England star, Robson, as a lynchpin midfield workhorse and creative goal-scoring dynamo for the start of the 1993-94 campaign, was alongside the ever industrious Butt in midfield for the `96 F.A. Cup Final, although England`s tenacious attacking midfielder, Paul Scholes, was available on the bench, and would be a luminary second to none in the history of United`s assault on the medals and trophies after midfield strong man, Robson, had led the club to its first league title in 26 years in 1992-93. Left winger, Ryan Giggs, had been working full time magic there since 1991-92, and would remain as an established immovable fixture in the team until his decision to retire having reached 40 years in 2013-14 after winning the championship yet again the previous year, 2012-13. England center forward, Andy Cole, the latest in a lengthy list of successful forwards purchased by Ferguson for £7 m from Newcastle in January 1995, and immensely skillful goal-scoring England left winger, Lee Sharpe, a £200, 000 snip from Torquay after 16 games, completed the 1995-96 F.A. Cup Final line-up.

 It was United`s second double winning season in three years after Chelsea, 0-4, were beaten in the F.A. Cup Final. It was largely a last effort by United`s old guard. England`s Paul Parker was at right back, and captain Bruce was at center half. Russian right winger, Andrei Kanchelskis, a very good fast nippy forward, but who just wasn`t able to keep England`s future right wing, and United captain, David Beckham, out of the team, had done just that to England`s left winger, Lee Sharpe, who found himself competing for the right wing spot, because Giggs had made the left wing position his. England`s midfield tough guy, Paul Ince, and Welsh forward, Mark Hughes, who`d been inexplicably sold by former manager, Ron Atkinson, to Spain`s Barcelona, after top scoring for two seasons, before being bought back by Ferguson to score twice against the Spanish side to win the Cup Winners` Cup, 1-2, in 1990-91, were the mainstays that day as United won with a penalty from Cantona in the 60^th minute, and another in the 66^th. Hughes struck after a slip from defender Frank Sinclair in the 69^th minute, and Scots` forward, Brian McClair, who`d moved into midfield since being brought by Ferguson in 1987-88 from Celtic for £850, 000, and had that first year gotten 24 goals, a personal best at United, came on as a substitute for Kanchelskis and got a fourth in the 92^nd minute. An unselfish pass from Paul Ince, when Ince looked likely to score, saw Ince put McClair in, because Brian`s success looked even more certain.

 The Cup successes give an indication of how the team had evolved since 1990. Danny Wallace had been on the left wing when United took the F.A. Cup in 1990 against Crystal Palace after a replay. Then left full back, Lee Martin, ran the length of the pitch to receive a pinpoint 50 yard pass from Neil Webb in the penalty area, before lashing it delightedly into the net, 1-0, in the 59^th minute. England`s ill-starred midfielder, Webb, a fine distributor of the ball bought from Nottingham Forest for £1.5 m, who`d incurred damage to an achilles tendon shortly after arriving for the 1989-90 season, and which ultimately proved to have slowed him down too much, played on the right side of midfield. Webb would win a Cup Winners` Cup and, as an unused substitute, a League Cup winners` medal in 1991-92, after a 14^th minute goal from McClair against Forest, 1-0. Gary Pallister played the ball midway inside the Nottingham Forest half to McClair, who laid it off to Giggs. Giggs then drove at the Forest defense, drawing defenders towards him and away from McClair in the center. He then slid the ball sideways to McClair, who dribbled into the penalty area and shot left-footed into the bottom-right corner. The loss of pace, resulting from the tendon injury, caused manager, Ferguson, to transfer Webb for £800, 000 back to Forest for the 1992-93 season. England midfielder, Mike Phelan, was at right back for the 1990 Final win in the absence of a recognized right full back, before England`s Paul Parker arrived from Queens Park Rangers, and so the club geared up for its 1992-93 first title success since 1966-67.

 A very low scoring United won the title with a strong defense consisting of Irwin at left back, Parker at right back, and Pallister and Bruce as the center backs. In a very settled team, Hughes made 41 starts and top scored with only 15 goals. Schmeichel kept 18 clean sheets, and United won with 84 points. Cantona`s arrival, and a debut goal in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea away at Stamford Bridge on December 19, 1992, was the fillip United needed. Eric duly made 21 starts and weighed in with 9 precious goals that made him joint second highest scorer alongside Giggs, who made 40 starts, and McClair (41). The 1993-94 season`s title campaign saw United open up more in attack. They won the title by 8 points with 92, Cantona (18), Hughes (12) and Giggs (13) reached double figures, while Sharpe got 9 from the left wing. United finished second in the league in 1994-5 to Blackburn, despite obtaining the services of their England center half, David May, as cover for Bruce. Andy Cole was at center forward, but it was Kanchelskis with 14 goals that top scored, while United also lost the F.A. Cup Final, 0-1, to Everton without Cantona, Cole and Kanchelskis, although Gary Neville had replaced Parker at right back by then, and Butt was becoming the midfield stalwart that was his destined role.

 In 1995-96 the bridesmaid was once again the bride and the title was won along with the F.A. Cup. Cantona top scored with 14 goals, although the revelation was Scholes who bagged 10 in 16 starts. Giggs got an impressive 11 for a wide player, while 11 from center forward, Cole, wasn`t so impressive, but Beckham out wide on the right made 26 starts for 7 goals as Kanchelskis` star dimmed. Cantona`s last season with United saw the title won with 21 wins from 38 and only 75 points. The Frenchman struck 11 times, while Norwegian striker, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, brought from Molde for £1.5 m in time for the 1996-97 campaign, top scored with 18, and the `red devils` were champions. Teddy Sheringham was bought from Spurs at the beginning of the 1997-98 season for £3. 5 m to replace Cantona, and two years later, having made 17 appearances for just 2 league goals in 1998-99, Ferguson brought on substitute Sheringham for Swedish left winger, Jesper Blomqvist, himself only in the European Cup Final team because of Scholes` suspension, and Teddy subsequently repaid the manager`s faith with the second injury time goal in the 93<sup>rd</sup> minute that won the European Cup, 2-1, against Bayern Munich in Spain at Barcelona`s Nou Camp stadium, after Solskjaer, substituting for Cole got the 91^st minute equalizer. The irony was that, although Trinidad and Tobago striker, Dwight Yorke, who was brought from Aston Villa for £12.6 m at the start of 1998-99, top scored in the league with 18, and Andy Cole was second top scorer with 17, it was Solskjaer, who made only 9 starts for 12 goals, and Sheringham that won through for United at the Nou Camp on the foundations laid by captain Cantona, `le god` to the supporters, but only a leading man to the rest of the players on the stage at the theater of dreams.

No Threat To George

George Best was the footballing genius who dribbled with the ball as if he didn`t know where he was going, and neither did anyone else on the pitch, but the forward, loosely defined as a left winger, or inside forward that could play in midfield, or up front as a recognizable striker, had an unerring ability to put the ball in the net from almost anywhere he found himself to be on the field. Comparisons with Duncan Edwards, who lost his life in the February 6, 1958, Munich air crash, as the team came back from playing Red Star Belgrade, 3-3, and so qualified for the European Cup semi-final against A.C. Milan, after winning the home leg, 2-1, at the club`s Old Trafford stadium, were relevant but inaccurate. Duncan was a big, strong, player, who could play as a central defender, a central midfielder, or a forward, with equal effect, which is why he was described as the heart of the England team torn out on the eve of the 1958 World Cup Finals. The team lost eight players in the snow and ice of the failed plane take off at Munich, that is, England`s left back, and captain, Roger Byrne, and his understudy, right back, Geoff Bent, midfielders, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards, centre back, Mark Jones, left winger, David Pegg, centre forward, Tommy Taylor, and mercurial Irish forward, Liam `Billy` Whelan. Irish inside forward and sometime centre back, Jackie Blanchflower, and England winger, Johnny Berry, were so badly injured they never played again.

 By 1966 a much slighter figure than Duncan Edwards was holding centre stage at Old Trafford and at many of the world`s biggest stadiums as United continued their quest to win the European Cup and other of the world`s soccer prizes. George Best had been discovered in Northern Ireland`s Belfast and was now playing for the club to great effect. Matt Busby, United`s manager, had rebuilt the squad after the disaster, which had taken the lives of the team the media and public had called `The Busby Babes`; a squad of players that had won the English league championship in 1955-56 and 1956-57. Although Best was the player that caught the eye of the glamor obsessed paparazzi, United`s deep lying centre forward, Bobby Charlton, had begun as a powerful striker of the ball and goalscorer from out on the left wing with the Babes, and moved into the deep lying centre forward position after the crash, while Scots` goal `king`, Denis Law, had been brought from Italian club Torino for £115, 000 in 1962, and preceded George`s arrival on the Old Trafford stage at what came to be known as `The Theater Of Dreams`.

 In 1963 United won the F.A. Cup Final, 3-1 against Leicester City. Charlton`s name on the team sheet for the programme of the event still has him down as an `outside left`, while Johnny Giles, who went on to play for Leeds United in a much lamented transfer deal on Busby`s part that saw Giles boss the Leeds` central midfield for a decade, and which brought that club the Second Division title in 1963-64, was marked down as an `outside right`. On the subject of his transfer to Leeds, Giles reportedly said to Busby: `I am going to haunt you.`1 He did, and United were thwarted time and again by Giles` Leeds, who became league champions in 1968–69, and 1973–74. The Leeds side also won the F.A. Cup in 1971–72, and the UEFA Cup in 1968, and 1971. It was Giles that provided the defence splitting pass for Herd`s opening goal in the F.A. Cup Final of 1963, which United won with goals from England forward, David Herd (2), and Law. At Manchester United wingers, like Giles, were prized, and though after the F.A. Cup win over Leicester City, 3-1, John Connelly arrived from Burnley for £56, 000 to play on the wing in a team that would win the League title in 1964-65, and 1966-67, before winning the 1968 European Cup in extra time after the game finished, 1-1, at London`s Wembley stadium against the Portuguese side Benfica, 4-1, with goals from Charlton (53, 99), Best (92), and Kidd (94), Giles` success at Leeds showed Manchester United how much greater their success might have been with John in the team.

 In 1964-65 George Best had been a part of the F.A. Youth Cup winning side which had featured several future stars of the upcoming successful campaign seasons; England`s Bobby Noble (Capt.), who`d be United`s left full back in 1966-67 before a car crash ended his career; Scot, John Fitzpatrick, who`d deputize in United`s back, and half-back line, for much of the club`s successful 1960s period; England centre back, David Sadler, who many thought was better at centre forward, but he preferred the back line; England right winger, Willie Anderson, and England left winger, John Aston, son of John Aston Snr, who`d played as a left full back, or inside forward, with the United team that had won the F.A. Cup, 4-2, against Blackpool in 1948, and the league title winning team of 1951-52, which saw the emergence of England`s Bill Foulkes at right back, and who was later switched to great effect to centre half after the Munich air crash and the deaths of England centre back, Mark Jones, and the career ending injuries to Irishman, Jackie Blanchflower. Foulkes was still there at centre half for the 1968 European Cup Final defeat of Benfica, 4-1, in a more or less half-back line that included Sadler and Stiles; or Fitzpatrick in the event of injury or suspension.

 Bobby Charlton won the World Cup with England playing in the same role for the national side as he did for United and alongside his United team mate, defensive half back, Nobby Stiles. England won, 4-2, at London`s Wembley stadium, against Germany. Although John Connelly played right wing in the first game of the World Cup Finals against Uruguay, 0-0, he didn`t figure in the Final. Manager Alf Ramsey was unimpressed and decided to opt for a team without wingers. England subsequently won the trophy with goals from West Ham`s centre forward, Geoff Hurst (3), and midfielder, Martin Peters, who had essentially been drafted into the team to replace John Connelly in Ramsey`s `wingless wonders`. Connelly had been ousted from the Burnley team by the play of winger, Willie Morgan, and Morgan was winging his way to United after the European Cup Final win of 1968 to replace Connelly. Although Morgan scored an 89^th minute goal against the South American champions, Estudiantes of Argentina, to give United a 1-1 draw at home in the second leg of the Intercontinental Cup Final, they`d lost away, 0-1, and so the trophy went to Estudiantes, 1-2, on aggregate, and it wouldn`t be until the 1974-75 season when Morgan as right wing captain of a United side relegated to the Second Division the previous season, 1973-74, would lift a trophy, the Second Division championship. George Best had remained the doyen of the fans until he`d intimated to the press before the relegation season of 1973-74 that he wouldn`t play Second Division football with United and shortly afterwards he `retired` from the game; ostensibly to a beach in Spain.

 Sir Matt Busby, knighted for his winning of the 1968 European Cup by England`s queen, Elizabeth II, was criticized for what happened after he retired in the 1968-69 season United lost the Intercontinental Cup Final, 1-2, to Estudiantes of Argentina. Busby`s role was taken over by Wilf McGuinness, a half back who, like many future successes at the club, won the F.A. Youth Cup (1953-54, 1954-55, and 1955-56) as captain, before making the step up to the senior squad with which he won a league title in 1956-57 after making 13 qualifying appearances, and later he was a coach with Busby`s squad. Wilf`s tenure was characterized by failure. The team made the F.A. Cup semi-final of 1970 but lost after a second replay, 0-1, with goal `king` Denis Law mysteriously unused on the subs` bench in consecutive 0-0 draws. Law missed most of the season supposedly injured and McGuinness transfer listed him at £60, 000. Earlier that 1969-70 season United had lost on aggregate, 3-4, in a League Cup semi-final to Manchester City, which saw the team draw 2-2 at home, and the fans` support for Wilf evaporated when Italian midfielder, Carlo Sartori, was preferred to Denis in the F.A. Cup semi-final to Leeds, which the side lost, 0-1 in a second replay, and with reputedly injured goalscoring legend, Law, kept by McGuinness in the `transfer shop window` of the substitutes` bench.

 In the 1968-69 season George Best had top scored with 19 goals, and Denis Law was second top scorer with 14. It`s unlikely that Denis` potency as a forward should have declined so much through injury that Wilf McGuinness was justified in transfer listing him at £60, 000 before the commencement of the 1970-71 season. In 1969-70 George Best again top scored with 15 goals while, Brian Kidd, the club`s hero in the European Cup Final of 1968, when aged 18 he`d scored United`s third with a header as a replacement in the side for the injured Denis Law, was joint second top scorer with Bobby Charlton that season with 12. Because no other club came in with the £60, 000 needed to obtain the transfer signature of Denis Law, he was there in 1970-71 when McGuinness` United again lost their League Cup semi-final to Aston Villa, 2-3 on aggregate, and played in the 1-2 away defeat, while Brian Kidd scored both United goals. Kidd didn`t figure in the list of top scorers at United that 1970-71 season, although Denis Law did. He was second top scorer to George Best (18) with 13 goals, so suggesting that McGuinness` attempt to sell him on when injured was based on something other than professionalism.

 Frank O` Farrell of Leicester City was appointed as United`s new manager because of Wilf`s lack of success and managerial inexpertise. George Best again top scored with 19 league goals, while Denis Law was second top scorer with 13, and Kidd got 10. Top of the league at Christmas, United lost seven straight games thereafter, and O` Farrell`s £225, 000 emergency buy, Ian Storey-Moore, a left winger from Nottingham Forest, scored 5 goals in eleven appearances to keep United out of the relegation zone and finish in 8<sup>th</sup> place. Moore scored only 7 more goals for United before injury curtailed his career and he retired in 1974, but he was in the mould of great United wingers and his early retirement from the stage at `The Theatre Of Dreams` was tragic for both club and player as it brought United closer to relegation. Scotland boss, Tommy Docherty, ironically replaced O` Farrell on December 19 midway through the 1972-73 season. Ironic given the fact that United had been top of the league the previous Christmas before a run of seven straight successive defeats saw them finish 8^th. Docherty`s United finished 19<sup>th</sup> and Bobby Charlton top scored with 6 goals. As wingers, Best (4), Storey-Moore (5) and Morgan (4) weighed in with their expected share of goals, but the forwards, Brian Kidd (4), Lou Macari (5) bought from Celtic by Docherty for £200, 000, weren`t good enough. For £200, 000, Ted McDougall (5) arrived from Bournemouth, where he`d scored 103 goals in 146 games, and Manchester City`s Wyn Davies (4), brought by O` Farrell to replace then 34 years old Denis Law (1), who made only 9 starts that season, and was given a free transfer to Manchester City in a move that, like John Giles` to Leeds, would haunt Docherty, because the following term it was Denis, who`d left Manchester City in 1961 for Italian club, Torino, where he scored 10 goals in 27 games for £110, 000 in 1961-62, who back-heeled the ball into the net in the 81^st minute at Old Trafford, 0-1, to relegate United in 1973-74, a season in which he played 24 games for City while scoring 9 goals from midfield.

 For a while Docherty`s side was known as `Scotland United`, because of the predominance of players from across the border with England. In 1973-74 there were eight Scots` players that played in most of the league fixtures (42); centre backs, Martin Buchan (42), who`d been signed by O` Farrell in February 1972, for a then club record transfer fee of £120, 000, and would still be at United in 1983 after winning the 1977 F.A. Cup Final against Liverpool, 2-1, and Jim Holton (34), who played alongside Buchan as centre back for Scotland in the 1974 World Cup Finals in which the Scots were undefeated, but went out at the group stage on goal difference when Brazil beat Zaire, 3-0; right full back, Alex Forsyth (18), bought by Docherty for £100, 000 from Partick Thistle, who famously beat the Glasgow giant, Celtic, 4-1, in the 1971 Scottish League Cup Final; left full back, Stewart Houston (20), bought from Brentford by Docherty for 55, 000 in 1973, midfielder George Graham (23), who`d won `the double` with Arsenal in 1971, and was bought by O` Farrell for £120,000 in 1972, Jim McCalliog (11), bought from Wolves by Docherty in 1974 for £60, 000, Lou Macari (34), and Willie Morgan (41), who also played in the 1974 World Cup for the famously unbeaten Scots `team. The other mainstays of the 1973-74 season were England`s Alex Stepney (42) in goal, who`d still be there, like Buchan, when United won the F.A. Cup Final against Liverpool, 2-1, in 1977; England`s Brian Greenhoff (36), who`d play alongside Buchan in that final in the centre of defence; England`s centre back Steve James (21), who`d been in the team that won the quarter final with Austria`s Rapid Wien in the European Cup of 1969, 3-0, but without him the side lost to A.C. Milan in the semi-final, 2-1 on aggregate; English right full back, Tony Young (29), and Irishman Sammy McIlroy (24), often billed as `last of the Busby Babes`, who made a scoring debut on November 6, 1971, against Manchester City, 3-3.

 The 1973-74 season saw United relegated to the Second Division. George Best made only 12 appearances for 2 goals, and the top scorer was his Northern Irish compatriot, Sammy McIlroy, with 6. Goalkeeper, Alex Stepney, was nominated as the penalty taker by `The Doc` in the face of nervousness at accepting such a burden of responsibility amongst the outfield players, and Alex subsequently scored from the spot twice, which made him top scorer after 22 games. Best`s unsanctioned retirement to a Spanish beach saw the emergence of Gerry Daly, an Irish winger who played 14 times in 1973-74. Daly was a mainstay of United`s year long stay in the Second Division before retuning as champions in 1974-75. Willie Morgan was captain, but gave way to Martin Buchan towards the end of the campaign when future England winger Steve Coppell arrived from Tranmere Rovers to replace Willie on the right for £60, 000. England`s future left winger, Gordon Hill, arrived from Millwall for £70, 000, and Daly, who`d filled George`s boots for 11 goals that season, switched inside to midfield, where he played alongside `Super Sam` McIlroy, withdrawn from the front line despite being the previous season`s top scorer with 6, and he still managed to score 7 goals in 1974-75 from midfield. Up front, alongside Lou Macari, who scored 11 goals that season, was England`s future front man, Stuart Pearson, bought for £200, 000 by Docherty from Hull City, because he was a reputable Second Division scorer, and he netted 17 times. Brian Greenhoff and Martin Buchan were the centre backs, and Alex Forsyth and Stewart Houston were the full backs in front of Alex Stepney in the United goal.

1 `Interview: Leeds legend John Giles`, The Scotsman, Saturday, November 13, 2010,  https://www.scotsman.com/sport/interview-leeds-legend-john-giles-1-1370246 .

Red China`s Soccer Imperialists

The World Soccer Challenge was a competition that took place in 2009 by invitation and the teams were Chelsea of England, America of Mexico, Internazionale of Milan, and A.C. Milan. In a league system Chelsea won their three games and were champions. The 2011 tournament featured Spain`s Barcelona, invited by virtue of their being European Cup winners. Spain`s Real Madrid were champions by virtue of their winning their three games. Although Manchester United won their three games also. Against New England Revolution left winger, Ashley Young, signed from Aston Villa, made his debut.  United won, 4-1. In the 51^st minute half-time substitute, former Liverpool and England centre forward, Michael Owen, kept his cool to slot into the far corner when confronted by onrushing Revolution `keeper Shuttleworth. Another of manager Alex Ferguson's second-half substitutes, Italian forward Federico Macheda, who`d begun with Lazio but signed for United at 16, made it 2-0 (54) after Owen's opener, and with an equally composed finish. Macheda added a third on 61 minutes; lashing a shot into the far corner of the New England net after right full back Rafael's cross had eluded a crowd of players inside the penalty area. On 80 minutes French winger, Gabriel Obertan, bought for £3m from Bordeaux in July 2009, South Korean midfield dynamo, Ji-sung Park, bought from PSV Eindhoven for £4m in July 2005, and Welsh left winger, Ryan Giggs, a product of United`s youth policy, who debuted on March 2, 1991, as a sub for injured full back, Denis Irwin, against Everton at Old Trafford, combined superbly inside the penalty area to play in Park, who clipped an audacious finish over Shuttleworth.

 New signings, `keeper David de Gea brought from Atlético Madrid (£17.8 m), and defender, Phil Jones, brought from Blackburn Rovers (£16.5 m), debuted against Chicago Fire as United won, 3-1. England centre forward, Wayne Rooney (66), who latched onto a pinpoint long ball from United central defender, Rio Ferdinand, and lifted the ball over the onrushing Chicago `keeper, Conway. With 15 minutes remaining of the second half, combining down the right flank with Portuguese right winger, Nani, Brazilian right back, Rafael shimmied along the by-line and coolly squeezed the ball through Conway's legs (75). To wrap things up, Nani made the Fire look foolish in defence when cheekily dinking the ball into the net (82). United won their last and third game against Spain`s FC Barcelona, 2-1, with a goal from Nani (22) after the Catalan side committed forward and the Reds cleared the set-piece to break quickly down the pitch. England forward, Danny Welbeck, slipped a pass between two Barcelona defenders for Nani to chase and, collecting the ball, the Portuguese right winger kept his cool to steer it through the gap between Barca `keeper Victor Valdes' legs. United`s second came through Michael Owen (76) when England`s Tom Cleverley collected a stray pass and put the striker in through the middle where, in his favored one-on-one scenario, Owen dinked the ball over onrushing Barca `keeper Valdes. Madrid were crowned International Champions Cup winners by virtue of their scoring more goals.

 The 2012 tournament featured Chelsea, invited by virtue of their being European Cup winners, and again Real Madrid were the only team to win all their games. In 2013 the World Soccer Challenge was rebranded the International Champions Cup. By virtue of their winning two games, 3-1 against Los Angeles Galaxy, and 2-1 against Everton, Real Madrid progressed to a Final with Chelsea, who also progressed by virtue of their winning two games, 2-0 against Internazionale and 2-0 against A.C. Milan. Real Madrid beat Chelsea in the Final of the International Champions Cup, 3-1. In 2014 Manchester United progressed to the Final by virtue of winning their three group games. Against Roma of Italy, 3-2, Rooney latched onto Mata’s pass on the edge of the ‘D’ and arced a wonderful shot into the top-left corner (36). Three minutes later Rooney provided a superb ball over the top from the halfway line, which Spanish midfielder, Juan Mata, brought down expertly before lobbing `keeper De Sanctis (39). Just before the break, England defender Phil Jones ran forward and played the ball to Spanish midfielder, Ander Herrera, transferred in June 2014 from Athletic Bilbao (€36 m), whose first-time lay-off into England striker Danny Welbeck’s path resulted in the forward being felled by Urby Emanuelson inside the box. Rooney stepped up to take the spot kick and sent De Sanctis the wrong way for the goal (45 + 1).

 Internazionale of Milan were then beaten, 5-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw, with spot kick successes for England winger, Ashley Young, Mexican forward signed from Chivas on July 1, 2010, Javier Hernández, England midfielder, Tom Cleverley, Scots` midfielder and sometimes captain, Darren Fletcher, and Japan`s midfield star, Shinji Kagawa, bought from Borussia Dortmund for £13 m in 2012. Real Madrid were beaten, 3-1, with goals from Manchester United left winger, Ashley Young (20, 37). His first came after a one-two between Scots` midfielder, Darren Fletcher and Rooney on the edge of the box. Fletcher slipped a pass to Welbeck, who found Young on the far left of the box, and he steered a shot inside `keeper Casillas' near post. On 37 minutes Young collected possession on the left and curled a cross towards Rooney which was just too high for the striker but the ball crept in at the far post. Mexican forward, Javier `Chicharito` Hernández, `little pea`, converted a header from Kagawa's cross on 80 minutes. In the International Champions Cup Final United faced Liverpool, who progressed by virtue of the three group games they`d played against Olympiacos of Greece, 1-0, Manchester City, 2-2 (3-1 on penalties) and A.C. Milan, 2-0. Manchester United beat Liverpool in the Final of the International Champions Cup, 3-1, with a goal from a volley back across the goal and into the far right corner of the net by Wayne Rooney (55) after a deep cross past the far post from Hernández on the right and behind the forward players, a deflected left-footed shot from 12 yards by Juan Mata (57) after Shaw found him with an infield pass from his left foot out on the left wing, and England left winger, Jessie Lingard (88) who, after Shinji Kagawa half-controlled a right wing cross into the centre from Ashley Young, pounced to unleash an unstoppable right-footed drive from 15 yards out, and that after Liverpool`s midfield captain, Steven Gerrard, had opened the scoring with a 14^th minute penalty.

 In 2015 the tournament featured an International Champions Cup of Australia, China, and America. Real Madrid were champions of Australia by virtue of their becoming winners of the group. Despite losing 6-7 to Roma on penalties after a 0-0 draw, they beat Manchester City, 4-1, while City drew 2-2 with Roma, who won on penalties, 5-4, so Madrid were champions by virtue of their being the only clear winner. Real Madrid were champions of China by virtue of their beating Internazionale, 3-0, and drawing, 0-0 with A.C. Milan, who beat Inter Milan, 1-0, and so Madrid were champions by virtue of their scoring more goals. Paris Saint Germain became 2015 International Champions Cup winners of America by virtue of their scoring more goals than New York Red Bulls, after they amassed 10 league points in their four games against Benfica of Portugal, 3-2, Fiorentina of Italy, 4-2, Chelsea, 1-1 (5-6 on penalties), and Manchester United, 2-0, who were defeated on that basis. If United had beaten PSG they`d have been International Champions Cup winners after inflicting defeat on América Mexico, 0-1, with a goal on his debut for France`s defensive midfielder, Morgan Schneiderlin, bought by United manager, Louis Van Gaal, for £1.2 m from Southampton, and who rose at the far post to float a header from Juan Mata's cross beyond Hugo Gonzalez in the Club América goal. Following that success United had beaten United States` San Jose Earthquakes, 3-1, with goals from Juan Mata (32) after a run down the left from winger, Ashley Young, followed by a cross. Dutch forward Memphis Depay (37), with his first goal for the club, latched onto a loose back pass from Jean Baptiste Pierazzi to score, before Brazilian U-20 International, Andreas Pereira (61), also with his first goal for the club, headed home from England winger Jessie Lingard`s cross. United then beat Spain`s Barcelona, 3-1, through a headed goal from Wayne Rooney at the centre of the penalty area from a corner on the left by Ashley Young (8), a right-footed strike by England winger, Jessie Lingard (65), who converted a low cross into the six yard box by defender, Tyler Blackett, from his left boot, and a strike from Belgian midfielder, Adnan Januzaj (90+1) who, turning back and away from the Barca goal to collect a pass falling behind him with his right foot, turned to his right and, controlling the ball, resumed his run on goal. Surging on through the Barca defence Januzaj drove the ball left-footed low and into the net, but it wasn`t enough goals scored and PSG were Intercontinental Champions Cup winners.

 In 2016 the tournament featured an International Champions Cup of Australia, China, and America. Borussia Dortmund of Germany beat Manchester United, 4-1, with new manager Jose Mourinho`s first major signing as United boss, Dortmund`s right winger, and captain of Armenia, Henrik Mkhitaryan, scoring the United goal after England`s teenage sensation goalscorer, Marcus Rashford, on for winger Memphis Depay in the 45<sup>th</sup> minute, dummied for Spain`s Juan Mata to lay the ball off for Mkhitaryan to shoot from the centre of the goal in the 59^th minute, 1-3. The China group game between United and Manchester City was cancelled due to bad weather, so despite City beating Borussia, 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, a champion was neither discernible nor declared. Juventus of Italy became International Champions Cup winners of Australia, despite losing to Melbourne Victory of Australia, 3-4, after a 1-1 draw, because of a 2-1 defeat of Spurs. Paris Saint Germain (PSG) became International Cup Champions of America after winning their three group games, 3-1 against Inter Milan, 3-1 against Real Madrid, and 4-0 against Leicester City.

 What isn`t evident is the legitimacy of teams being declared champions of continents when they don`t have clubs and stadiums there. In 2015 Spain`s Real Madrid participated in separate International Champions` Cup tournaments, and were declared champions of Australia and China, although their club stadium is the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, which suggests that the organizers of the ICC have hubris. Australia and China fans might find it presumptuous of Spanish team, Real Madrid, to accept the title of Champions of Australia and China, where it might be legitimate to suppose that the champions there are Australia and China. In the International Champions Cup of China there weren`t Chinese teams, and in the International Champions Cup of Australia, Melbourne Victory`s defeat of Juvé, 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, was the only championship sign of a national Australian defence in a competition awarded in 2015 to Real Madrid in the absence of a team from Australia participating, and to Juventus in 2016 despite the Italian`s being beaten by Melbourne Victory, who were allowed to play only a single game in accordance with the rules of the competition, whereas Juventus played a second game against Spurs and won, 2-1.

Though Manchester United participated in the International Champions Cup of China, as English F.A. Cup winners in 2016, 2-1, against Crystal Palace, it isn`t a qualifying round from an Australasian perspective. Whereas it`s logical to suppose that the European Champions might participate in a tournament in the United States of America, with the International Champions Cup as a prize, it isn`t sensible to suppose that a team that`d won a national cup competition in Europe should be invited to contest a continental trophy without the participation of the local clubs there. United made attempts to be welcomed in China and Australia with pre-season touring, and the bringing into the squad Asian talent such as South Korea`s industrious midfielder, Ji-sung Park, in July 2005 from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, and Japan`s energetic midfield star, Shinji Kagawa, from Borussia Dortmund in 2012, but the ICC organizers proclaimed Real Madrid and Juventus conquerors without a welcome to face.

The Steve James Phenomenon

Steve James was the centre back Manchester United did have. He was a member of the F.A. Youth Cup side in 1965-66, which didn`t progress to the Final as some of his predecessors had. James` contemporaries were future England `keeper, Jimmy Rimmer, England left back, and 1966-67 championship winner with United, Bobby Noble (Capt.), Scotland`s centre back, John Fitzpatrick, Irish winger, George Best, who`d win the league in `67 and the European Cup in `68, along with England centre back, and sometime United centre forward, David Sadler, and England left wing, John Aston. Those players had been in the team that had won the 1963-64 F.A. Youth Cup, 1-1, against Swindon Town away, with a 70^th minute goal from Best, and 4-1 at Old Trafford, after a hat-trick (3) from Sadler and a single goal from Aston, which gave the team a 5-2 aggregate victory.

 Steve James was behind Fitzpatrick in Sir Matt Busby`s thoughts about selecting centre backs for the first team. Bill Foulkes, who`d been at right back before the Munich air crash, when the club had lost eight players dead and two permanently disabled coming back from a 3-3 draw against Red Star Belgrade that guaranteed a European Cup quarter final against A. C. Milan. Foulkes, who`d won the league in 1956 and 1957 with United, which had allowed Busby to accept an invitation for the club to participate in the European Cup, moved into the centre half berth but, despite a 2-1 win at Old Trafford, A. C. Milan destroyed a weakened United in the San Siro, 4-0. By 1963 Foulkes was partnered by Maurice Setters at the back and United overcame Leicester City, 3-1, in the F.A. Cup Final for their first trophy since the 1957 league title. The emergence of hard tackling Nobby Stiles, alongside Foulkes, brought United league titles in 1964-65 and 1966-67, before the historic night at London`s Wembley stadium, when the reds overcame Benfica of Portugal, 4-1, with a rare headed goal from deep lying centre forward, Bobby Charlton and, after Benfica`s Jaime Graça equalized on 79 minutes, goals in extra time from George Best (92), 19 year old Brian Kidd (94), who was in the team for injured Scots` goal getter, Denis Law, and Charlton again in the 99^th minute.

 Steve James made his debut against Liverpool in October 1968 and, capped by the England Youth team that year, James went on to make 21 appearances in the red shirt. Early in the season United lost 1-2 to Argentina`s Estudiantes de La Plata, winners of the Copa de Libertadores, that is, `freedom`s cup`, against Brazil`s Palmeiras. It was the Intercontinental Cup Final contested between the South American champions and the winners of the European Champions` Cup. United lost 0-1 away, and drew 1-1 at home, and so were beaten on aggregate, despite a last gasp 89^th minute goal from then record signing from Burnley (£117, 000), Willie Morgan. Although Estudiantes` victory over Palmeiras of Brazil went to three games, because each team had won a leg of the final, and the rules didn`t provide for aggregate wins, the IC competition did, and many supporters were angry over a Brian Kidd strike at Old Trafford that was disallowed after having seemingly been in the Estudiantes` goal, and which would have made the final result, 2-2 on aggregate, which by the rules of the contest would`ve meant a third game to decide the issue, much as the rule governing the Copa de Libertadores required a third deciding game if each side had won a leg of the contest.

 Although Steve James made 21 appearances that 1968-69 season, he didn`t win a medal. The club made it through to the European Cup semi-final, but defeat 0-2 in the San Siro to A.C. Milan, followed by a 70<sup>th</sup> minute Charlton strike for a 1-0 win at Old Trafford, put the team out on aggregate, 1-2, although Steve had made two appearances in the competition quarter finals against Rapid Wien, at Old Trafford, 3-0, with goals from Best (2) and Morgan, and in the Vienna away leg, which United drew 0-0, so he might have anticipated a centre half berth in the final, which A.C. Milan won against Dutch side, Ajax of Amsterdam, 4-1. Busby, knighted by England`s queen, Elizabeth II, retired in 1969 to be replaced by coach Wilf McGuinness, whose tenure as manager was characterized by semi-final failure in the League Cup, 1970, 3-4 to Manchester City on aggregate, and 1971, 2-3 to Aston Villa on aggregate. Although Steve James didn`t figure in either the League Cup semi-final loss to City, or the semi-final loss to Leeds United in the 1970 F.A. Cup, 0-1, after two 0-0 draws followed by replays, he played in the 1-1 home leg against Villa in 1971, before the side lost 1-2 away in the semi-final of the League Cup. The 1970 F. A. Cup semi-final defeat to Leeds was characterized by McGuinness` seemingly inexplicable preference for Italian midfielder, Carlo Sartori, over goal scoring legend, Denis Law, who was sub for the three games. Steve James made only two league appearances, and a single appearance in the League Cup campaign in 1969-70, but 13 appearances in 1970-71, and 3 in the League Cup, were followed in 1971-72 by 37 league appearances for new manager, Frank O` Farrell, formerly of Leicester City, and United were top of the league at Christmas, but finished 8^th.

 Steve James was perceived as a good centre half by O` Farrell, which is obvious from his number of appearances in the league (37/42) that 1971-72 season. Ian Storey-Moore, a left winger bought from Nottingham Forest in the New Year, scored 5 goals in 11 games towards the end of the campaign, but it wasn`t enough. United experienced 7 successive defeats at the turn of the year, before O`Farrell`s emergency buy, Storey-Moore, for £225, 000. Steve James missed the first three defeats, and Paul Edwards, who`d been deployed as a right back by McGuinness, most notably in the League Cup semi-final United lost to Manchester City, 3-4, when Paul had let fly from long range in the home leg, which finished 2-2, and beat the city `keeper with his only ever goal for the club in the 23^rd minute to equalize a 17^th minute Ian Bowyer effort. Edwards played only four games in the 1971-72 league campaign and was centre back for the three January 1972 contests United lost to West Ham away, 0-3, and to Wolves and Chelsea at home, 1-3 and 0-1. Steve returned to the team for the away game at West Bromwich Albion on January 29, which United lost, 1-2, and despite Brian Kidd opening the scoring with a goal on 24 minutes. James remained in the side for the subsequent February home defeats at Newcastle, 0-2, and Leeds away, 1-5, which were followed by a March 4 away defeat to Spurs, 0-2.

 Steve James` absence from the team for the first three games in the New Year had dented his and the club`s confidence and collapse had ensued. Despite Ian Storey Moore`s almost instant impact upon arriving from Forest immediately after the 7<sup>th</sup> successive league defeat, 0-2, at Spurs, when Ian scored 5 times in the last eleven games of the 1971-72 campaign, United finished 8<sup>th</sup> when looking every inch champions before January 1<sup>st</sup>. Storey-Moore retired in 1974 through injury after scoring only another 7 goals for United. Unpredictable genius, George Best, had told the press he wouldn`t play for the Manchester club if they were relegated, and without Ian Storey-Moore the reds didn`t have a replacement. The Irish winger, whose highest number of goals scored in a season was 28 in 1967-68, had top scored in 1971-72 with 18. George had reached double figures in terms of his season`s tally in every season since 1964-65, apart from 1965-66 (9), but retired to a beach in Spain, rather than assist the team out of deep trouble in 1973-74, and without an adequate replacement, which Storey-Moore had been, relegation resulted.

 Steve James remained amongst the loyal members of the squad. He played 22 games in 1972-73, and United finished 18^th, barely out of the relegation zone. O` Farrell was replaced as manager by Scotland`s national team boss, Tommy Docherty, and a whirlwind of buying and selling ensued. George Best played 19 games for 4 goals, and Bobby Charlton was top scorer with 6. Docherty bought Lou Macari from Celtic for £200, 000, a diminutive but striking header of the aerial ball with `springs in his heels`, who ultimately found success with the red devils as a tigrish midfield goal poacher, and free kick specialist. Macari`s late 5 goal tally in 1972-73 was a sign of what might be to come. In 1973-74, however, the United slide proved unstoppable. George Best could spare the team only 12 appearances and 2 goals, and `crocked` Ian Storey-Moore played only twice. Steve James contributed 21 games at centre half and 2 goals, which otherwise would seem negligible, but for the fact that Irish forward, Sammy McIlroy who, labelled the last of `The Busby Babes`, had made a scoring debut as a forward for Busby`s managerial successor, Wilf McGuinness, in a 3-3 draw with Manchester City in 1971, and finished the 1973-74 relegation season as United`s top scorer with only 6.

 The club recovered well enough in the Second Division to win the title, largely because of the centre forward Docherty bought from Hull City for £200, 000, future England striker, Stuart Pearson, who netted 17 times, while Lou Macari rediscovered his striker`s boots for 11 goals. In Scotland he`d played for Celtic, where the opposition to the `Celts`, and the other Glasgow team, Rangers, was around the playing level of the English Second Division, before future United manager, Alex Ferguson, began winning titles and cups under the noses of the Celts and `Gers in the 1980s with Aberdeen. Consequently, United and Macari`s renaissance was largely due to Pearson`s knowledge of the Second Division, because he`d scored in it with Hull City, and a reduction in technical level, which suited Macari, who`d been used to Celtic`s marauding of lesser clubs in their plundering of silverware at the top of the Scottish league. With the `green hoops` Macari had won Scottish championships with a highest goal tally of 10 in 1972 from 20 appearances, which was his highest number of appearances in 4 seasons that saw him amass Scottish league title medals in 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, and 1972–73, and Scottish Cup winners medals in 1970–71 and 1971–72. With his appearances limited by Celtic`s wealth of talent and in depth resources, because everyone wants to play for winners, and the only other winners in Scotland were Rangers, Macari was persuaded by Docherty to move to Old Trafford.

 Steve James moved on at the end of the 1975-76 season having helped United through the dark days with 13 appearances at centre back in 1974-75. Jim Holton, who after arriving from Shrewsbury Town broke his leg twice in 1972-73, and after United were relegated in 1973-74, when Jim made 34 appearances, had gone on to play in all Scotland`s undefeated 1974 World Cup Finals` games. Jim appeared 14 times in 1974-75 at centre back, although Yorkshire cricket`s fast bowler, Arnold Sidebottom, making 13 defensive appearances in the centre successfully competed with Steve James to rival Holton for a place in the first eleven. The team challenged for the league title in the 1975-76 season, and they perhaps would have won, but for an inexplicable change of `keeper, Irishman Paddy Roche for `68 European Cup winning `keeper, Alex Stepney, midway through the campaign, which saw United lose 0-4 to Manchester City at Maine Road in the 4^th round of the League Cup; 1-3 away at Liverpool`s Anfield, and 1-3 away at Arsenal`s Highbury. Roche had been given his chance on November 1, 1975, and the team scraped a 1-0 win against Norwich City at Old Trafford. Though United beat Villa, 2-0, at Old Trafford, Roche`s away form was disastrous, and many believe that, although Stepney returned for the rest of the campaign, Roche`s inclusion for those few games had cost United the league Cup and the title, which they finally conceded to Liverpool with 60 points to United`s 56.

 Despite failing to win the league title in 1975-76, with Pearson (13) and Macari (12) more able to do what they could, because of more able support from well chosen new faces, for example, future England right winger, Steve Coppell, bought from Tranmere Rovers for £60, 000, and left winger, Gordon Hill, who came from Millwall for £70, 000, United made it to the F.A. Cup Final where, expected to win, they confounded the pundits and lost, 0-1, to an 83^rd minute breakaway Southampton strike by Bobby Stokes. Centre back, Steve James, didn`t play that season and was transferred to York City, while Holton went off to Sunderland, but James` career, 1966-76, from youth to seniority, was more typically United. George Best died of alcoholism.

Shaw Enough?

Manchester United`s left back position has been a source of some amusement over the decades, because of the inordinate strength of the incumbent in his position, and the consequent difficulty encountered by newer players seeking to wear the shirt numbered 3. After the appointment of Matt Busby in 1946, the left back spot was filled by John Aston, who also served as a forward for United and England, and was later known as John Aston Snr, because his son, England`s John Jnr, was the left winger for United when they won the European Cup in 1968. He received instructions from Matt Busby to run at the Benfica right back, Adolfo Calisto, who `turned as slowly as a Portuguese carousel`, according to the manager`s coaching staff reports, and Aston`s pace along the left touchline as he beat the defender that day was a feature in United`s eventual 4-1 victory after an opening rare headed 53<sup>rd</sup> minute goal from deep lying centre forward, Bobby Charlton, was equalized by Benfica`s Jaime Graça (73), and extra time was needed to complete the triumph with goals from Irish winger, George Best (92), teenage striker, Brian Kidd (94), and Charlton again in the 99^th minute. John Aston Snr was at left back when United won the F.A. Cup 4-2 against Blackpool in 1948.

 For the league championship campaign of 1951-52, a season which saw United win with 57 points from Tottenham Hotspur with 53, John Snr is credited with being played by Busby as a forward scoring 4 goals in 18 appearances, although future England and United captain, Roger Byrne, who made several appearances on the left wing that season, scoring 7 goals, effectively was competing with Aston for the left back berth in the side and John was proving difficult to replace. In fact it was probably Byrne`s attacking flair that won him the number 3 shirt and, despite pressure from his understudy at United, Geoff Bent, who also went on to play fullback for England, Byrne retained his position as United and England`s left back until both he and Bent lost their lives in the Munich air crash as the team was coming back from a European quarter final away leg victory over Red Star Belgrade, which they`d drawn, 3-3, but had qualified to meet A.C. Milan in the semi-final on aggregate, because of a 2-1 home win at Old Trafford, Manchester. Although with a weakened squad that had lost nine players, seven dead, and two who`d never play again, United won the home leg against A.C. Milan on a wave of unparalleled sympathy and emotion that had persuaded inside forward, Ernie Taylor, who scored, to transfer from Aston Villa before the game, and which carried United forward at the `theater of dreams`, 2-1, with another goal from uninjured forward, Dennis Viollet. At the San Siro stadium in Milan, however, the team succumbed to the harsher realities of practical Italian demolition experts against inexperience, 0-4, and didn`t make the Final.

 On February 6, 1958, seven players lost their lives as the plane carrying the team back from Belgrade crashed on take off from Munich airport, while others suffered career threatening injuries. Those who died were England left back, and captain, Roger Byrne, and his understudy, right back, Geoff Bent, England midfielders, Eddie Colman, the player who`d been hailed as the `giant` of the England team for the forthcoming World Cup, that is, central midfield striker, Duncan Edwards, and England centre back, Mark Jones, England left winger, David Pegg, England centre forward, Tommy Taylor, and mercurial Irish forward, Liam `Billy` Whelan. Irish inside forward and sometime centre back, Jackie Blanchflower, and England winger, Johnny Berry, were so badly injured they never played again. Busby`s rebuilding program began with his adopting the devilishly difficult to beat symbol of the devil with its pitchfork and a new nickname for the club, `The Red Devils`, where before the Munich air crash the young squad had been affectionately known as `The Busby Babes`. United`s `Babes` had largely been a product of the youth team and that`s where Busby turned for a new left back to replace his England and United captain, Roger Byrne, and his understudy, Geoff Bent. Although Ian Greaves was the first player to fill the left back position, Irishman Shay Brennan played on the wing that season, as Byrne had done before, replacing Aston Snr. Greaves had won a 1956 championship winners` medal, but Brennan would move from the wing to fill the left back position in due course and would be there to win a championship medal in 1964-65, and 1966-67, and a European Cup winners medal in 1968 as a member of the team that beat Benfica at London`s national Wembley stadium, 4-1.

 As it turned out, left winger Shay Brennan, scored in the semi-final of the F.A. Cup that season, but United lost in the Final, 0-2, to Bolton Wanderers. It wouldn`t be until 1963 before the team returned to Wembley and won against Leicester City, 3-1, with goals from record transfer buy from Italy`s Torino, Scots` striker, Denis Law (£110, 000), and England`s striker, David Herd (2). When the 1968 Intercontinental Cup Final was played between Manchester United, as the winners of the European Cup, and the South American champions, who were Estudiantes of Argentina, winners of the Copa Libertadores de América, Tony Dunne and Shay Brennan were vying for the established United left back position. With Dunne at right back, and Francis Burns at left back for United, Estudiantes won their home leg, 1-0, with a header from Marcus Conigliari in the 27^th minute. With Dunne at left back, and Shay Brennan at right back for United, the South American champions drew 1-1 at Old Trafford after a surprise 6^th minute header from the `little witch`, Estudiantes` right winger, Juan Ramón Verón, to take the trophy, and despite a last gasp 89<sup>th</sup> minute strike from United`s record new signing from Burnley (£117, 000) Scots` right winger, Willie Morgan.

 Manchester United`s recovery was slow after the blow of losing manager, Sir Matt Busby, through retirement, and so newly knighted by England`s queen, Elizabeth II, after the team`s European Cup win. It wouldn`t be until after relegation to the second tier of English soccer that United would win a further major trophy, under the managership of Scot, Tommy Docherty, in the F.A. Cup Final of 1977. Arthur Albiston had made a few appearances for the team that won the Second Division championship in 1974-75 to return to the top tier of English soccer, and Albiston would go on to be a winner of the only three trophies United would capture, before Alex Ferguson`s appointment as manager in 1986, as left back for a team that would win the F.A. Cup in 1977 and again in 1983 and 1985. Albiston took over from fellow Scot, Stewart Houston, who was injured for the 1977 Final, which United won, 2-1, against Liverpool with a goal from centre forward, Jimmy Greenhoff, who in the 55<sup>th</sup> minute deflected a shot from Scot`s midfield dynamo, Lou Macari, off his chest and into the net after England centre forward, Stuart Pearson, had drilled a shot under Liverpool `keeper Ray Clemence in the 51<sup>st</sup> minute, but a 53<sup>rd</sup> minute trademark unstoppable volley from Liverpool midfielder, Jimmy Case, had equalized. It was a double blow for Houston, because he`d been on the losing side in the 1976 Final, 0-1, to Southampton, and an 83^rd minute breakaway strike from Bobby Stokes when United had been pressing throughout the contest and had been expected to win.

 Before Houston`s career began at left back with United under Docherty, and before the relegation season of 1973-74, left backs came and went in quick succession. Bobby Noble had won a championship medal in the left back position in 1966-67, but a car accident ended his career and Shay Brennan resumed in the left back berth. Francis Burns flattered to deceive from 1970-73 under the successive managerships of former United coach, Wilf McGuinness, and manager Frank O` Farrell, brought from Leicester City. When McGuinness failed to progress the team in successive League Cup semi-final defeats, 3-4, to Manchester City (1970) and 1-3 to Aston Villa (1971), and in an F.A. Cup semi-final defeat to Leeds United, 0-1, after a third replay in which both previous games ended 0-0 with Scots` legendary goalscorer, Denis Law, kept inexplicably unused on the substitutes` bench, Tommy Docherty, who`d been managing Scotland, took over for the 1972-73 season run in. Burns` days as United`s number 3 were over, and Scots` left back, Stewart Houston, was bought from Brentford for £55, 000 in 1973.

 Tommy Docherty`s tenure was characterized by a refusal to proceed at a pace suitable to an ageing squad. Players came and went in a whirlwind of wheeler dealing and an unsettled playing staff weren`t able to find the right blend of skill and determination quickly enough. The club was ironically relegated on the last day of the season through a Denis Law back-heeled goal after the legendary scorer of 171 league goals for United had been transferred to rivals Manchester City by Docherty, because of his age, 34, and where he scored nine goals that season, while United`s top scorer, Sammy McIlroy, finished with six. An affair with Mary Brown, the United physiotherapist Laurie`s wife, resulted in the appointment of Dave Sexton and Docherty`s removal after the 1977 F.A. Cup triumph. Sexton took United to a further F.A. Cup Final Appearance in 1979 but lost, 2-3, to Arsenal, and despite United`s pulling it back to 2-2 through Sammy McIlroy, and centre back, Gordon McQueen, who`d been playing up front because he`d cramp and couldn`t deal with the Arsenal forwards. In the dying seconds of the game an Alan Sunderland header from a Graham Rix cross wide on the left cost Sexton his position as United manager, and flamboyant West Bromwich Albion boss, Ron Atkinson, was appointed for the 1981-82 season. Atkinson immediately brought Bryan Robson, the future captain of United and England, from W.B.A., for a club record transfer fee of £1.5 million, and it was Atkinson that brought the club its only subsequent successes in the F.A. Cup Finals of 1983, 4-0, against Brighton, after a replay following a 2-2 draw, and 1985, 1-0, against Everton. Atkinson was sacked for inexplicably offloading top striker, Mark Hughes, to Spain`s FC Barcelona for £2 million after the Welshman had top scored in the successive seasons 1985 (16), and 1986 (17).

 Alex Ferguson, brought from Aberdeen in Scotland, where he`d been the only manager to bring a European trophy, the 1983 Cup Winners Cup, to a team other than Celtic or Rangers, bought Hughes back for £1.8 million in 1988 after his appointment in 1986, and Hughes went on to play for Alex for seven seasons until 1994-95 when, although he played in the F.A. Cup Final, which United lost to Everton, 1-0, and the team finished runners up in the league to new money soccer aristocrats, Blackburn Rovers, bankrolled by local entrepreneur Jack Walker, Mark had scored only 8 league goals, and although he left for Chelsea, where he won the F.A. Cup again in 1997, 2-0 against `Boro and the League Cup, 2-0, again against `Boro, and the Cup Winners Cup in 1998, 1-0, against VfB Stuttgart of Germany (albeit as an unused sub), he never got close again to his usual dozen or more for the season, which was necessary to United if they were to challenge for honours.

 Hughes even managed a swan song at Blackburn Rovers as a central midfielder, winning the League Cup of 2002, 2-1, against Spurs, while at United Mark won league titles in 1992-93, 1993-94; the F.A. Cup in 1984-85, 1989-90, 1993-94; the League Cup in 1991-92; the Cup Winners' Cup in 1990–91 and the 1991 European Super Cup, 1991, 1-0 against Red Star Belgrade, with a Brian McClair tap in on 67 minutes from a rebound off the post after a shot from England midfielder, Neil Webb. McClair was a Scots` centre forward, signed for the 1887-88 season from Celtic for £850, 000, and who`d also been the only scorer of the game in the 14^th minute of the League Cup Final of 1992 against Nottingham Forest, 1-0. Centre back, Gary Pallister, had played the ball to McClair inside the Forest half, who laid it off to left winger, Ryan Giggs, who drew defenders towards him by running directly at goal, before sliding the ball sideways to McClair, who was able to slip into the penalty area to strike left-footed into the bottom right corner of the net. It`d been Hughes that`d brought United back from the brink of defeat to Crystal Palace before the replay victory, 1-0, after the game ended 2-2 when first Bryan Robson had equalized Palace centre back Gary O` Reilly`s header in the 17^th minute. It was 1-1 at half time after McClair floated a ball to the far post from the right where Robson headed it home on 35 minutes. Hughes gave United the lead in the 62^nd minute after he latched onto a cross-shot from Neil Webb, but Palace `supersub`, Ian Wright, went on a run past two United defenders before sliding the ball past United`s Scots` `keeper, Jim Leighton in the 72<sup>nd</sup> minute. In extra time Palace left midfielder, John Salako floated a ball to Wright at the United back post and his volley made it 3-2 before United winger, Danny Wallace put a ball through for Hughes to chase and the Manchester forward calmly steered it past the onrushing Palace `keeper, Martin in the 113^th minute to force the replay, which United of course won with a goal from Lee Martin, left back, who speculatively ran the length of the pitch, before receiving a ball from Webb on his chest and, observing it fall at his feet, delightedly crashed it into the roof of the Crystal Palace net on 59 minutes.

 Arthur Albiston remained United`s first choice left back until 1987 but was giving way to Colin Gibson who`d been bought as a more attacking fullback by Ron Atkinson from Aston Villa for £275, 000 in November 1985, and despite playing his due quota of games Albiston didn`t quite recover his place with the appointment of Ferguson. Gibson, and Clayton Blackmore, a midfielder with a powerful shot, began to appear in the left back berth more frequently than anyone might have supposed and Blackmore was there when United won the Cup Winners Cup themselves with two goals from Mark Hughes against his old club, Barcelona, in the 1991 Final. After making only 5 appearances, and another 6 as sub, Albiston left United for Ron Atkinson`s W.B.A. on a free transfer at the end of the 1987-88 season. Although Clayton Blackmore had the left back berth for the 2-1 win over FC Barcelona in the CWC Final, it`d been Lee Martin who`d played at left back and scored the only goal of the replay against Crystal Palace to win the F.A. Cup, 1-0, after the first game had ended 3-3. United`s search for a left back finally ended with the arrival of Denis Irwin from Oldham Athletic for the 1990-91 season, a player similar to Irishman Tony Dunne, who`d played at left back, or right back, for United until 1973, after United manager Busby had brought him from Irish side, Shelbourne, for £5, 000 in 1960. Consequently, when England`s Paul Parker was his right back partner (1991-96), Irwin played left full back, and again when Gary Neville emerged as right back during the era of the `Fergie fledglings`, who`d win two F.A. Cup and league doubles (1996 and `99), and the 1999 European Cup against Bayern Munich, 2-1. Neville properly emerged in 1994-95 and although Irwin`s last full competitive season in a United shirt was 2001-02, while Neville continued in his regular right back spot until 2010-11, apart from Neville`s injury ravaged season, 2007-08, when he didn`t play at all, Irwin was his left back partner for 7 campaigns, during which the pair combined to win the F.A. Cup and league double in 1996 and 1999, the league in 1997, 2000, and 2001, and the league, F.A. Cup and European Cup treble in 1999.

 French left full back Mikael Silvestre had been a large part of Denis Irwin`s finding he had the ability to switch to right back if required. Silvestre had been bought from Italy`s Inter Milan for £4 million before the 1999-2000 season, and he went on to contribute as a mainstay of the defence, sometimes as a centre back, until the end of the 2006-07 term. Silvestre was a league champion with Manchester United in 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, and 2007-08. In addition, Mikael was a 2003-04 F.A. Cup winner, a 2005-06 League Cup winner, a 2008 European Cup winner, and a 1999 Intercontinental Cup winner. When Sir Alex Ferguson, who like his predecessor, Sir Matt Busby, had been knighted by England`s queen, Elizabeth II, for winning the European Cup in 1999, brought Argentine left back, Gabriel Heinze, from Paris Saint-Germain in 2004 for £6.9 million, it was rather as cover for Silvestre and the central defenders, because Heinze could play in central defence too. The arrival of Patrice Evra from A.S. Monaco for £5. 5 million coincided with the departure of Heinze, although the Argentine defender had won a league championship medal with United in 2006-07 with 17 appearances, and 5 more as substitute. Evra would be United`s mainstay left full back until 2014 amassing a huge total of medals before leaving after Ferguson retired due to ill health and new manager David Moyes arrived from Everton. At left back for United Patrice Evra won league championships in 2006–07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2012-13; the League Cups of 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10; the European Cup in 2008 against Chelsea, 6-5 (a.e.t.), on penalties after a draw, 1-1, and the World Club Cup in 2008, 1-0, against LDU Quito.

 Like Wilf McGuinness before him, Moyes` nemesis was a League Cup semi-final. Against Sunderland at home after a 1-2 defeat away, Moyes` United side won, 2-1, in front of an incredulous crowd that saw the team lose on penalties with only sometime Scots` captain, Darren Fletcher, finding the net for the reds. Evra was giving Moyes his last season at United on the left, and right back on the night, Rafael Da Silva, the Brazilian signed by Ferguson through Brazilian club Fluminense, along with Rafael`s brother, Fabio, who also played right back, missed the last United penalty that would have given them another chance, because Sunderland were equally abysmal in front of goal and themselves only managed two. Like McGuinness before him, who lost two League Cup semis in `70 and `71, and an F.A. Cup semi in `70, it was mene tekel upharsin for Moyes, that is, `the writing on the wall`, and he was replaced after the 2014 World Cup by Dutchman, Louis Van Gaal, who`d managed Holland into third place. Van Gaal`s left back, Marcos Rojo of Argentina, arrived from Sporting Lisbon for £16 million at the beginning of the 2014-15 season, and was still there when Van Gaal left to be replaced by Portugal`s Jose Mourinho after only winning the F.A. Cup Final against Crystal Palace, 2-1, in his two seasons in charge. England`s Luke Shaw, bought from Southampton for £30 million by Van Gaal in 2014, looked set to be one of the foremost in a long history of quality left full backs with years of tenure in the position ahead, but injury limited his first season`s appearances to 16, and in his second season (2015-16), injury again saw Luke make only 5 appearances, so it remains to be seen whether Rojo will find favor with Mourinho, or Shaw will recover lost ground. Rojo was in the Final at left back when goals from Spain`s right midfielder, Juan Mata, and England winger, Jessie Lingard, won the trophy for United, so Marcus will doubtless be reluctant to be left back at home when it`s time again for the team bus to wend up Wembley way.

Louis Van Gaal`s International Champions` Cup of the United States of America

The F.A. Charity Shield was re-Christened the Community Shield in 2002, because of attempts by the Charity Commission to brand the English Football Association `racketeers`. Consequently, the Shield was renamed by the F.A., in a move away from what had been its customary single donation to a selected charity - or charities - and on to community endowment projects. Competed for since 1908, when Sandy Turnbull scored 25 goals as Manchester United became Football League champions for the first time in their history, which had begun with their founding as Newton Heath, `The Heathens`, in 1878, the English Shield was won against the London champions of the Southern Football League, Queens Park Rangers, 4-0, with a `hat trick` (3) from centre forward, Jimmy Turnbull (no relation), and a single goal from left winger, George Wall, after a 1-1 draw and a replay, which left J. Turnbull with four (4) goals.

 The 2016 contest was scheduled to take place between Manchester United, as F.A. Cup winners under the stewardship of Dutchman Louis Van Gaal, but under the new management of Portugal`s Jose Mourinho, and Leicester City, league champions. After 1908 United won the Shield on another 19 subsequent occasions, the last being 2013 when former Everton manager, David Moyes, successor to Sir Alex Ferguson, two times European Cup winning manager with United (1999, 2008), oversaw the team that had won Ferguson the last of his 13 championships (2012-13), before he retired due to ill health, beat Wigan Athletic, 2-0, with goals in the 6<sup>th</sup> and 59<sup>th</sup> minute from Dutch centre forward, Robin Van Persie, brought by Sir Alex from Arsenal for £24 million to give more firepower to the attack. Persie had scored 26 league goals that term as United won the title with 89 points to Manchester City`s 78 and so qualify for the Charity Shield game against F.A. Cup winners, Wigan.

 The 2013 Shield contest was Moyes` first game in charge, and the only trophy he won before being replaced by Dutchman, Van Gaal, at the start of the 2014-15 season. Traditionally, the contest for the Shield occurs between the winners of the English championship and the F.A. Cup, apart from its inaugural seasons up to 1913, when it was contested between the Football League champions and the Southern Football League champions, and after 1913 it became a contest between professionals and amateurs. The subsequent outbreak of the First World War (1914-18) heralded further change, and the competition came to be between the league champions and the winners of the second division title, until 1921, when the league champions versus the F.A. Cup winners format was finally established. Occasionally, because of special occasions, such as the league and cup double being performed, for example, by Spurs (1961), Arsenal (1971), and United in 1994, `96 and `99, the contest was by invitation, or determined by who finished as runner up in the cup or league to the F.A. Cup and league championship `double winner`, and who were willing to compete of course.

 The distaste with which this friendly has been treated by journalists and clubs alike is a throwback to the days when the European Cup was perceived as a competition of secondary importance to English teams concerned primarily with winning the championship at home. Only after Manchester United entered as English league champions in 1957 did the European Cup begin to establish itself as a predominant competition to English eyes, and even after Manchester United`s winning of the European Cup in 1968, 4-1, against Benfica at England`s national Wembley stadium, London, the Intercontinental Cup Final with the Champions of South America, by virtue of Estudiantes of Argentina winning the Copa Libertadores de América, that is, `freedom`s cup`, was perceived as something equivalent to the generally supposed non-event taking place pre-season at Wembley; the Charity Shield between the league champions and the cup winners.

 Of course the confidence trick was that Manchester United, with 20, have won the Shield on more occasions than any other club (Liverpool, 15), which is why the other clubs despise it as an irrelevance. They can`t compete. Consequently, when United under the managership of five times league winner, Matt Busby, won the European Cup, 4-1 (a.e.t), with goals from Irish wing genius, George Best (92), a header from teenage centre forward Brian Kidd (94), who was in the side for injured Scots` goalscoring sensation, `king` Denis Law, and Bobby Charlton (99), it was another triumph despised by others. Benfica`s right midfielder, Jaime Graça, had previously equalized England`s deep-lying centre forward Bobby Charlton`s rare headed 53^rd minute opener to force extra time at 1-1, and although the subsequent winning of the European Cup gave United entry into the Intercontinental Cup, envy led the media to depict the contest for that trophy as an inconsequential event on a par with the English Shield competition.

 Against Estudiantes of Argentina, winners of the South American championship, that is, the Copa Libertadores de América, Manchester United lost on aggregate 1-2, after losing 0-1 in Buenos Aires to a headed 27^th minute goal by forward, Marcus Conigliaro, and drawing 1-1 at Old Trafford, Manchester, after a crowd silencing 6^th minute opener from winger, Juan Ramón Verón, father of Juan `Seba` Sebastián Verón, who`d win a title with Ferguson`s United as a midfielder in 2002-3, and despite a `last gasp`, which produced a 90^th minute strike from Scots` right winger, bought by newly knighted Sir Matt Busby for £117, 000 that summer from Burnley, Willie Morgan. Though United won the European Cup in 1999 after beating Bayern Munich, 1-2, with more trademark `last gasp` goals from substitute strikers (67^th and 81^st minutes), Teddy Sheringham (91) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (93), and which qualified the team for the Intercontinental Cup Final against Palmeiras of Sao Paolo, Brazil, that they won, 1-0, after a 35^th minute goal at the right near post touched in by captain Roy Keane from a left wing cross by Ryan Giggs, the IC Final was perceived by the newspapers and the media as an irrelevant inconsequentiality, and European Cup winners, Liverpool, even refused to compete against Boca Juniors of Argentina in 1977 and 1978.

 Manchester United`s victory over Chelsea in the 2008 European Cup Final at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, on penalties, when the game ended, 1-1, and extra time was needed to decide the contest, followed upon a 45<sup>th</sup> minute equalizing goal from Chelsea midfielder, Frank Lampard, after a 26<sup>th</sup> minute headed goal from a left footed cross out on the right wing by right back Brown onto the head of United`s powerfully skilful Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, and which left Ryan Giggs to slot home a victory penalty after Chelsea centre back, John Terry, fell on his arse in the rain and missed. That Giggs strike put United through to the final series of matches in the inaugural World Club Championship that had replaced the IC Final.

 Derided again by the mass media and the newspapers as a competition of inconsequentiality, perhaps because Manchester United had agreed to try and win it, the team entered the lists at the semi-final stage, and beat Japan`s Gamba Osaka, who`d qualified by winning the Asian Federation Cup (AFC) over two legs against Australia`s Adelaide United, 5-0. After a 28<sup>th</sup> minute headed opening goal from Serbian centre back, Nemanja Vidić, another headed goal from right wing, Cristiano Ronaldo, from a similar corner on the right taken by Ryan Giggs on 46 minutes, brought the game to the half way mark. Gamba Osaka forward, Masato Yamazaki, replied with a strike from inside the area in the 74<sup>th</sup> minute but a minute later England centre forward, Wayne Rooney, chested on a cross from the right, which took him into the left of the `keeper`s area, where a left footed strike, low, found the right of the net, 3-1. Sometime Scots` midfield captain, Darren Fletcher then scored with a header from a cross by French left back, Patrice Evra in the 78^th minute, and a similar strike from Rooney in almost the same position as his first goal of the game, found the right of the net through an outside of the right boot flick on in the 79th minute.

 That gave United a 5-1 lead, and despite Gamba Osaka launching something of a late comeback with Gamba Osaka`s creative midfielder, Yasuhito Endō, converting an 85<sup>th</sup> minute penalty after United right back and captain, Gary Neville, was adjudged to have prevented a cross from the left reaching the Japanese forwards by handling the ball, and which was followed by a further last gasp 91<sup>st</sup> minute strike from defensive midfielder, Hideo Hashimoto, United held on for a win, 5-3. Having qualified for the World Club Cup Final with their semi-final victory over Japan`s Gamba Osaka, Manchester United`s `Red Devils`, as they`d come to be known since their days as Newton Heath`s `Heathens`, beat LDU Quito of Ecuador with a strike from the 2008 competition`s top goalscorer, England`s Wayne Rooney, who drilled the ball home from where he`d apparently been standing conserving energy on the edge of the keeper`s area in the 73^rd minute, just waiting for the ball to come to him, because United had been reduced to 10 players with the 49^th minute sending off of Serbian centre back, Nemanja Vidic, and so the players left on the field had to do the work of 11. Applying his strategic knowledge of the game to occupy the most dangerous space, rather than risk exhaustion by ball chasing, and losing ground in the event of a counter attack by LDU Quito, Rooney had simply awaited a chance falling to his expertise in positional play.

 Manchester United`s 21<sup>st</sup> century task was to overcome the parochialism at home, which had sought to establish the league championship as being of more consequence than the European Cup before United`s entrance into the contest as 1956-7 English champions, and the subsequent emotion at the club`s loss in the snow of the Munich air crash. Returning from a 3-3 draw in Yugoslavia against Red Star Belgrade, after two goals from Bobby Charlton and another from centre forward, Dennis Viollet, had put them through to a semi-final with A.C. Milan, they lost 2-5, and 0-4 at the San Siro stadium, despite a brave, 2-1, home victory at `the theatre of dreams` stadium, Old Trafford, with goals from Dennis Viollet and inside forward, Ernie Taylor, who`d been bought from Aston Villa by Busby in an attempt to replace the heart of the team that died.

 On February 6, 1958, seven players lost their lives as the plane carrying the team back from Belgrade crashed on take off from Munich airport, while others suffered career threatening injuries. Those who died were England left back, and captain, Roger Byrne, and his understudy, right back, Geoff Bent, England midfielders, Eddie Colman, and the player who`d been hailed as the `giant` of the England team for the forthcoming World Cup, that is, central midfield striker, Duncan Edwards, and England centre back, Mark Jones, England left winger, David Pegg, England centre forward, Tommy Taylor, and mercurial Irish forward, Liam `Billy` Whelan. Irish inside forward and sometime centre back, Jackie Blanchflower, and England winger, Johnny Berry, were so badly injured they never played again, and Matt Busby had to rebuild a team from the remains of the playing staff after the disaster before ultimately triumphing, 4-1, against Benfica at London`s national Wembley stadium to finally win the European Cup in 1968. Busby`s team had been so young it`d been labeled `The Busby Babes` but, after the tragedy, he gave his rebuilt squad the title `Red Devils`, and the club crest thereafter featured a devil with a pitchfork. It was an indication that Busby would prepare his future teams to be devilishly difficult to prevent from achieving that success which had been snatched away by the enemy, death, on the snow and ice of Munich`s airport runway.

 Parochialism at home, which had sought to establish the league championship as being of more consequence than the European Cup, derided the Charity Shield as a competition of at least as little consequence as the Intercontinental Cup. What the English never appeared to understand was that winning the league and the F.A. Cup was a qualifying round, which the South Americans always had understood with respect to qualifying for the Intercontinental Cup, and later the World Club Cup, by winning the Copa de Libertadores. In England United`s attempts to win were handicapped by press` preconceptions influencing public opinion, and a lack lustre team failed to win in 1968 against Argentina`s Estudiantes, 1-2, in the Final of the Intercontinental Cup, largely due to a dismissive media, before overcoming envious disparagement of the trophy`s value to eventually win the competition in 1999, 1-0, against Palmeiras of Sao Paolo, Brazil. When the inaugural World Club Cup was won against LDU Quito in 2008, the media and newspapers in England were forced to accept that Manchester United were world champions, and reluctantly celebrated the event. However, despite the Glazers of the United States of America becoming the owners of the club, the first trophy won by the team under the stewardship of Louis Van Gaal, the International Champions Cup of the USA, was once again represented in the mass media as silverware without significance.

 The International Champions Cup was dismissed as insignificant, because Manchester United had virtually developed and invented the International Champions Cup in the USA, China and Australia, with their repeated touring in friendlies against local teams during the summer breaks between seasons. England, however, still wasn`t able to perceive that the ICC by invitation tournament still required teams to qualify. The vision of a group system comprising Africa, Oceania, America and Eurasia, didn`t strike the English as legitimately competitive. Despite `team USA` reaching the last 16 of the World Cup in 2014, after finishing second with four points in group G to eventual Final winners Germany (7), 1-0, against Argentina with a goal from Mario Götze (a.e.t. 113^th minute), while England were bottom and ignominiously unqualified in group D, with but a single point after defeats, 1-2, to Italy and Uruguay, 1-2, and a draw against group D winners, Costa Rica, who finished top with 7 points. For the envious, Manchester United are, like the USA, an inferior team, because they win trophies; for example, the English Shield. As a competition for soccer achievers, Manchester United`s win in the 2014 International Champions Cup was envied by the unsuccessful English almost as much as the 2014 German World Cup win, and so the triumph was met with a media and press display of principled superiority over the competition, and the competitors, to belittle the achievement of the winner even before the result of the Final, 3-1, against Liverpool was known.

 Despite group winning victories over Italy`s Roma, 3-2, and Internazionale of Milan (0-0 a.e.t., and 5-3 on penalties), and Spain`s Real Madrid, 3-1, before defeating England`s Liverpool, 3-1, in the Final, with goals from England centre forward, Wayne Rooney, and Spain`s right sided midfielder, Juan Mata, and England winger, Jessie Lingard, the International Champions Cup of the United States of America received the same disparaging envious response from the media as United`s successes in the English Shield, successive versions of the World Club Cup, and the International Champions Cup, which effectively is a world league championship, rather than a knockout trophy. Mata and Lingard were the goalscorers for United and Van Gaal in the team`s `historic` 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in the F.A. Cup Final of 2016, after qualifying by beating Sheffield United in the 3^rd round, 1-0, Derby (4^th), 3-1 away, Shrewsbury (5^th), 3-0 away, West Ham in a 6^th round replay, 2-1 away at Upton Park, after a 1-1 result at Old Trafford, and Everton, 2-1, in the semi-final. The route to the F.A. Cup Final win over Crystal Palace, with goals from Mata and Lingard, 2-1, was easier than the path to winning the ICC against Liverpool, 3-1, although it did give the club a deserved record 12 wins in the F.A. Cup, and was therefore duly celebrated by the media as another great triumph for the English game. However, it`s unlikely that the players of Real Madrid or Internazionale of Milan would have heard of Shrewsbury, while Mata and Lingard, who scored against Liverpool to win a world trophy, 3-1, that is, the International Champions Cup (ICC) in the USA, were presented by the English press as `second string` players taking part in a reserve side `practice session` in which the hurdles to be overcome, that is, Roma (3 times Italian champions), Inter Milan (3 times European Cup winners), Real Madrid (11 times European Cup winners) and Liverpool (5 times European Cup winners), weren`t there to compete and win a senior club trophy, but to be the intercontinental equivalent of the Central League, which United and Liverpool`s reserve teams compete to win amongst the other local clubs, like Shrewsbury (2008-09 and 2012-13 winners), in the English county of Lancashire.

 Even the Manchester club`s own list of honours doesn`t include the 2014 International Champions Cup of the USA Final victory and trophy as worthy of being listed, because the English have taught United to disparage their own successes. If Manchester United don`t develop a thicker skin, even than the armor they`ve successfully forged to deal with English mockery of the team`s effort, it`ll be others that win the trophies, and United will have succumbed to the envious hate directed against the team, although for decades the fans have tried to drill the players in the correct response to hatred for the club: `Everybody hates us, and we don`t care!` Manchester United are hated for being good, not for being hateful, which is why the supporters want to see due respect for Van Gaal`s successful stint as manager, and the Glazers` achievement in winning the International Champions Cup (ICC) of the United States of America for England.

Manchester United`s Establishment

Sir Alex Ferguson introduced the squad rotation system at Manchester United during his tenure as manager based on money for expensive transfer fees paid for players coming in from other clubs, along with the promotion of more inexpensive junior talent, which afforded the team the opportunity of having a large pool of good players to achieve success on the pitch at `the Theater of Dreams`. From the Academy and on to the field of play at the Old Trafford stadium, where they plied their honed skills, `Fergie`s Fledglings` were left winger, Ryan Giggs, right winger, David Beckham, midfield dynamo, Paul Scholes, the industrious utility player, Nicky Butt, and full backs Gary and Phil Neville who, along with transferred talent, would eventually win the European Cup against Bayern Munich, 1-2, in Spain at F.C. Barcelona`s Camp Nou stadium, and after goals from center forward, Teddy Sheringham, bought from Spurs for £3.5 million at the start of the 1997-8 season, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who`d arrived from Norwegian`s Molde for £1.5 at the start of 1996-7. The goals in the 91^st and 93^rd minutes surprised a German team that had led since the 6^th minute through a low free kick from forward, Mario Basler, which was awarded after United center back, Ronny Johnsen, brought down Carsten Jancker. With his right foot Basler bent the ball around the United wall from just outside the penalty area, and into the net beyond Danish `keeper Peter Schmeichel.

 The Germans led until United`s despair ended in a late attacking flourish of the never say die footballing style for which they are justifiably famed. United had a corner, and with little time left `keeper Schmeichel, who`d scored in similar circumstances, ventured up to Bayern's penalty area. Beckham flighted the corner in just over Schmeichel's head, and center forward, Dwight Yorke, 18 goals in the league that season, put the ball back towards the crowded area. Bayern substitute midfielder, Thorsten Fink, had been brought on by Bayern manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, who`d receive much criticism for it, because Fink replaced sweeper Lothar Matthäus, 37 years of age, and Hitzfeld clearly felt he was a tired risk by the 80^th minute, but Fink failed to clear a ball that probably wouldn`t ever have troubled Matthäus, and the ball arrived at the feet of Ryan Giggs, whose shot fortuitously found Sheringham, who latched onto it gleefully to swipe it into the bottom corner of the net with his right boot. Neither Sheringham nor Solskjaer were chosen to start against Bayern, and as Sheringham was on for left winger, Jesper Blomqvist, in the 67<sup>th</sup> minute, Solskjaer, who`d scored 12 league goals that season, replaced center forward, Andy Cole (17), in the 81^st minute almost immediately after Lothar Matthäus left the fray.

 Sheringham had scored only twice in the league, but had redeemed himself by scoring with a low drive under Newcastle `keeper Steve Harper after a through ball from Scholes, in the F.A. Cup Final, which United won, 2-0, and so Sheringham had been picked to be amongst the substitutes. Within 30 seconds of the restart after Sheringham`s substitute`s strike, another Beckham corner found the head of Sheringham, who nodded the ball down across the face of goal to where Solskjær, reacting quickly, stuck out his boot and poked the ball into the roof of the Bayern net. Matthäus` departure had ultimately sunk Bayern, and Hitzfelt was blamed, but United`s never say die attitude had won through for them again and the European Cup was theirs for only the second time in the club`s history since Benfica were beaten, 4-1, at London`s Wembley stadium in 1968. Although success in the F.A. Cup Final of 2016 seems like small potatoes in comparison, the modern soccer methodology of a large squad to pick a winning combination from was as much in evidence as it was when Ferguson`s team succeeded in the league, F.A. Cup, and European cup treble of 1999.

 The Manchester United squad that won the European Cup in 1968 contained only fifteen players to make more than 10 starts that season; `keeper Alex Stepney (41), full backs Shay Brennan (13), Francis Burns (36) and Tony Dunne (37); midfielders Pat Crerand (41), John Fitzpatrick (14) and Bobby Charlton (41); center backs Bill Foulkes (24), David Sadler (40) and Nobby Stiles (20); wingers John Aston, Jr. (34) and George Best (41); and forwards Brian Kidd (38) and Denis Law (23). Consequently, due to necessity United can be said to have used only four players in 1968, apart from their first choice starting eleven, because of injury to prolific striker, Denis Law, that is, the European Cup was won with a twelve man squad, whereas Ferguson`s squad contained 18 players to start more than 10 games, and Sheringham and Solskjaer, the heroes of the Nou Camp, weren`t among them. Even though Solskjaer scored 12 goals that season, he started 9 and was sub in 10, while Sheringham, who scored the opening goal in the 11<sup>th</sup> minute in the F.A. Cup Final defeat of Newcastle, 2-0, started 7 and was sub in 10. Consequently, Ferguson`s treble success was based on a much larger pool of established stars (20) than Sir Matt Busby`s 1968 squad, a formula United continued to apply in the aftermath of the retirement of Ferguson, and which bore fruit for Dutch manager, Louis Van Gaal, in the F.A. Cup Final defeat of Crystal Palace, 2-1, in 2016. What that proved was that a team that wasn`t established could win a major trophy, because the club had a squad that was strong enough to survive rotation with success.

 Surviving squad rotation with success was what Sir Alex Ferguson had planned for after his retirement as the most successful manager United ever had. In his last season before Everton manager, David Moyes, was appointed largely on the strength of being able to keep Everton in the Premier League for 11 seasons, Ferguson won the title with a rotating squad strength of 18 players who started more than 10 games; and central England midfielder, Paul Scholes, coaxed out of premature retirement for 8 starts and 8 substitute appearances, while Mexico`s Javier Hernández, in the tradition of Sheringham and Solskjaer, was third top scorer, after Robin Van Persie (26) and Wayne Rooney (12), with 10 goals from only 9 starts. The players who started more than 10 games were; `keeper David De Gea (28); full backs Rafael (27) and Patrice Evra (34);  center backs Rio Ferdinand (26), Jonny Evans (21), Nemanja Vidić (18), Phil Jones (13) and Chris Smalling (10); wingers Antonio Valencia (24), Ashley Young (17) and Ryan Giggs (12); midfielders; Michael Carrick (34), Tom Cleverley (18) and Shinji Kagawa (17); and forwards Robin van Persie (35), Wayne Rooney (22) and Danny Welbeck (13). Five of those players were in the team that beat Crystal Palace, 2-1, in the F.A. Cup Final of 2016; De Gea, Valencia (playing right back), Smalling (sent off in the 105^th minute), Carrick, and Rooney. Two more were among the substitutes; utility defender Phil Jones, and left winger, Ashley Young, who came on for injured striker, Marcus Rashford, in the 72^nd minute. Jessie Lingard, who`d substituted for the scorer of the 81<sup>st</sup> minute first goal for United, Spain`s Juan Mata, and became the winning goalscorer in the 110^th minute, with a powerful volley from inside the area to the top left corner of the net, had been signed by Ferguson at 7 years of age, and had played on the left wing in the side that won the F.A. Youth Cup in 2011; 6-3 on aggregate; 2-2, and 4-1.

 Ferguson`s modern model of building an in depth squad to survive the rigors of changes in manager as well as the vicissitudes of fate and an ageing team had succeeded. Although Moyes and his successor, Dutchman Louis Van Gaal, bought well, and promoted youth when necessary, it was Ferguson`s plan that won for United. In what turned out to be Gaal`s final season before the much heralded arrival of Portugal`s Jose Mourinho as manager, Gaal used 16 players with more than 10 starts to their names, and Ferguson`s Ecuadorian buy for the start of the 2009-10 season, right winger Antonio Valencia, who came from Wigan for £16 million, made the Final line up in the wing back position, with only 8 starts in 2015-16. The players making more than 10 starts were; `keeper De Gea; full backs Matteo Darmian (24) and Marcos Rojo (15); center backs Chris Smalling (35) and Daley Blind (35); wingers Memphis Depay (16), Jesse Lingard (19) and Ashley Young (11); midfielders Juan Mata (34), Morgan Schneiderlin (25), Michael Carrick (22), Ander Herrera (17), Bastian Schweinsteiger (13) and Marouane Fellaini (12); and forwards Anthony Martial (29), Wayne Rooney (27) and Marcus Rashford (11). Of those 17 players, 7 were Ferguson`s, and his formula of a squad strong in depth, with flexibility enough to admit of a few mistakes, was a proven success: United had survived to triumph.

12 Cups

Manchester United won the F.A. Cup Final on Saturday, May 21, at London`s national Wembley stadium, to conclude the pursuit for English soccer`s domestic honors in the 2015-16 season with a goal from just inside the Crystal Palace `keeper`s area. England`s Jesse Lingard demonstrated the virtue of players who`re able to seize upon a chance to instantly accept the direct route to a goal when it`s afforded. Often players shy away from taking opportunities, because they`re conditioned to weave a strategy of passes, before attempting a planned coup de grace. Lingard demonstrated the ideal footballer`s brain able to score when the opportunity offers. Rejecting the conditioning imposed upon players to rely on teamwork and industry, Jesse Lingard, who was preparing to play his usual part in a structured United passing build up, suddenly saw the ball bounce in front of him and to the right of the Crystal Palace goal and crashed the ball right footed into the top left corner in the 110<sup>th</sup> minute of extra time. Down to ten men, after center back Chris Smalling received a second yellow card for a bookable offence and was sent off in the 105<sup>th</sup> minute, the Red Devils from Manchester then had ten minutes to ride out before the trophy could be placed in the hands of deep lying center forward, captain Wayne Rooney ,12 years at the `theater of dreams` since being transferred from David Moyes` Everton to Sir Alex Ferguson`s Manchester United for £25. 6 million in August 2004 when Wayne was 19 years old.

 Although Lingard was in manager Alex Ferguson`s squad for the 2012-13 season in which the team won the league championship, he didn`t play. That trophy winning season was the last with Ferguson in charge, and the following season Everton`s David Moyes was brought in to take over after Sir Alex retired due to ill health. Moyes` sojourn at the Old Trafford stadium wasn`t a success. His big chance came against Sunderland in the 2014 League Cup semi-final. The team lost the first leg away, 1-2, but won the second leg at the `theater of dreams`, 2-1, and then squandered the opportunity to go to Wembley by losing on penalties. When Brazilian right full back Rafael, missed the last of five chances, the team had lost 1-2, with only Scots` midfielder, Darren Fletcher, finding the net for the reds.

 Dutchman Louis Van Gaal`s acceptance of the job after the Netherlands` relative success at the 2014 World Cup finishing in third place after beating Brazil, 3-0, with goals from United`s then center forward, Robin Van Persie, and center back to come, Daley Blind, who was a part of the new boss`s period of transition. Transfer fees were paid for players, for example, Blind from Ajax of Amsterdam for £13. 8 million, who came and went in rapid succession, like Real Madrid`s left footed Ángel Di Maria, bought for £59. 7 m on August 26, 2014, as a winger, and sold on to Paris Saint Germain for £44 m on August 6, 2015, as Van Gaal looked for a pattern of play acceptable to his vision. And of course Ferguson`s legacy went deep. Although Lingard didn`t play in United`s 2012-13 league title season, it was the 13^th for Ferguson, and Lingard`s presence in the squad was an indication of the depth of resources available to Moyes and Van Gaal if they were able to deploy them well. Five of the 2012-13 championship winning United regulars were in the team for the F.A. Cup Final against Crystal Palace, along with winger Ashley Young (17 appearances, and 2 as a substitute in 2012-13), who came on as substitute for youthful center forward prodigy, 18 year old Marcus Rashford, in the 72<sup>nd</sup> minute of the 2016 F.A. Cup Final. Moyes` purchase, Juan Mata, United`s right winger for the three seasons since Moyes arranged his transfer from Chelsea on January 25, 2014, for £37. 1 million, equalized Palace`s 78^th minute goal by midfielder, Jason Puncheon, after fine work from Rooney (22 appearances, 5 as substitute in 2012-13), on the right who, riding tackles, held on to the ball for what seemed an age, before lifting over the heads of the surprised defense a looping lob to the left of the penalty area that Moyes` September 2, 2013, £27.5 million buy from his former club, Everton, Belgium`s midfielder, Marouane Fellaini, chested down in the 81^st minute for Spain`s Juan Mata to strike the ball into the left corner of the net with his left boot, and with no small degree of delighted panache.

 Ferguson protégé Jesse Lingard, who came on for Mata in the 90^th minute, and Ashley Young (72^nd) substituting for the injured Marcus Rashford later joined the starting line-up on the pitch, which included deep-lying center forward, Wayne Rooney, heroes of Ferguson`s era who wouldn`t be denied. Spain`s David De Gea (28 appearances in 2012-13), brought from Real Madrid for £17. 8 million by Ferguson to keep goal, was still there, and Antonio Valencia (24 appearances, and 6 as a substitute in 2012-13), the Ecuadorian right-winger bought from Wigan in 2009 for £16 million, switched to right full back occasionally by Ferguson, had learned enough in that position to play his part in the victory. England`s Chris Smalling (10 appearances, and 5 as a substitute in 2012-13), bought from Fulham in 2010, and for an undisclosed fee thought to be around £8 million, after a fine losing display, 1-2, to Atlético Madrid in the Europa Cup Final, was in central defense, and Michael Carrick (34 appearances, and 2 as a substitute in 2012-13), bought by Ferguson from Spurs on July 31, 2006, for £18.6 million still epitomized the English central midfielder`s passing role. England defender Phil Jones (13 appearances, and 4 as a substitute in 2012-13), bought by Ferguson for around £16. 5 million from Blackburn before the 2011-12 season, contributed another 6 (4) league appearances from players of the Ferguson era during the 2015-16 campaign for honors that began in the F.A. Cup against Sheffield United on January 9, 2015, and nearly didn`t, because it took a 93^rd minute penalty from Rooney to snatch a 0-1 win away.

 Plus factors for Van Gaal were the emergence of young center forward, Marcus Rashford, who replaced Anthony Martial against Denmark`s Midtijylland for a Europa Cup tie at Old Trafford on February 25, 2016, when Martial was injured warming up. Bought from A.S. Monaco for a fee that could amount to £58 million, the then 19 year old French striker, Martial, subsequently top scored in the league campaign with 11 goals from 31 appearances, while Rashford emerged as the second striker who`d take United to Wembley with two goals against Midtjylland in that second round, second leg 5–1 Europa Cup win at home. Losing in the third round of the Europa Cup, 1-3, on aggregate to the English team, Liverpool, that went on to lose in the Final to Spain`s FC Sevilla, 1-3, United`s last hopes of a trophy in the 2015-16 season was the F.A. Cup, and another of `Fergie`s Fledglings`, Uruguayan right back Guilermo Varela, signed on June 11, 2013, from Peñarol in a €2. 8 million deal arranged by Sir Alex, was called upon to strengthen the defense in the absence of recognized strikers in the earlier rounds of the F.A. Cup against Derby (4^th), 3-1, Shrewsbury (5^th), 3-0, and the quarter final at Old Trafford against West Ham, 1-1, which the team won in the replay away, 2-1.

 Martial scored an 83^rd minute equalizer against West Ham at Old Trafford when Spain`s midfielder, Ander Herrera, bought for €36 million on June 26, 2014, from Spain`s Athletic Bilbao, crossed from wide on the right to the far post where Martial was waiting to spoon the ball into the net with his left foot. That strike forced a quarter final replay, and Rashford scored the first goal at Upton Park in the 54^th minute after Martial sidefooted a pass with his right foot from central midfield to Rashford wide on the right of the `keeper`s area, and as Rashford ran on towards goal and the defenders closed in, he sent a strike curling around a beaten defender into the top right corner of the net. Fellaini added a second in the 67^th minute without Palace replying, after a complicated buildup in which Daley Blind, from central midfield, sent a forty yard pass to Fellaini deep to the back of the West Ham area. Fellaini brought the ball down on his chest and passed it right footed to Lingard, who took the ball to the touchline at the right of the goalmouth before crossing with his right boot to Martial, who drilled it right footed into the penalty area where Fellaini was now prowling the goalmouth, and Fellaini tapped the ball nonchalantly home with his left foot.

 The eventual result, 2-1, after a 79^th minute headed consolation goal for West Ham from defender, James Tomkins, took United through to a semi-final against Everton, which the reds won 2-1 with an injury time goal from Martial in the 93^rd minute. Rooney, in central midfield, had picked out Martial wide on the left, and Martial had moved infield to play a one-two with Marcus Rashford, and then another with Ander Herrera, who played him on and into the area. Martial surged between two defenders and, as the `keeper came out to narrow the angle, struck with his right boot to send the ball around the `keeper`s despairing grasp and into the right side of the net. Martial`s goal came after a 57^th minute missed penalty by Everton`s Belgian striker, Romelu Lukaku, after United`s 18 year old Dutch right back, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, brought down Everton`s attacking midfielder, Ross Barkley, and a 75<sup>th</sup> minute own goal by United center back, Chris Smalling who, covering `keeper De Gea`s near post, deflected into the net a cross from Spanish right winger, Gerard Deulofeu. Martial himself had made the first United goal for Fellaini in the 34<sup>th</sup> minute. Pulling the ball back sharply from the touchline at the left side of the goal for the Belgian to sidefoot past the `keeper`s right with his left boot, Martial`s contribution that day earned him his place in the Final at Wembley.

 The other members of the F.A. Cup Final team that were entirely Van Gaal`s were Marcus Rojo at left back, the Argentine defender, and Copa Libertadores winner with Estudiantes in 2009, who bought from Portugal`s Sporting Lisbon for £16 million as an attacking left sided defender on August 19, 2014, was injured in the F.A. Cup Final and substituted in the 66^th minute by Gaal`s other fullback buy from Italy`s Torino for £12. 7 million, Matteo Darmian, winning his first honor at Wembley. Although Guilermo Varela`s added steel at right back against Derby in the 4<sup>th</sup> round, 3-1, Shrewsbury in the 5th, 3-0, and West Ham in the first quarter final, 1-1, gave strength in defense to a United team in desperate need of strikers, before the purchase of Martial, and Rashford`s sudden emergence to score the first goal in the quarter final replay victory against West Ham, Gaal`s preference for former right winger, Antonio Valencia at right full back, and the purchase of then 18 year old left back, Luke Shaw, from Southampton for £30 million on June 27, 2014, suggested neither Varela, Rojo nor Darmian figure in Van Gaal`s projected future after the Final.

 Marcus Rashford managed 5 goals in 11 league appearances as a teenage forward in 2015-16 in stark contrast to Wayne Rooney`s 8 from 28 appearances, given Rooney`s own goals` statistics from 2009-10, when he scored 26 goals in 32 appearances, and 27 goals after 34 appearances in 2011-12. United`s 2016 F.A. Cup Final success 2-1 against Crystal Palace could be a swan song for Rooney and an exciting yet fading memory for some of the successes on May 21, 2016. Even that of injured teenage scoring sensation, Rashford, whose place in the side was taken by the eventual scorer of the winning goal on the day, Jesse Lingard.

Bryan Robson And Steven Gerrard

Leeds United`s center back, Norman Hunter, was often blamed for failing to make a tackle wide on the England right on the half way line against Poland in 1973, which resulted in a goal for Jan Domarski from a simple through ball from the winger Hunter had failed to dispossess. Grezgorz Lato honed in from wide on the left and, ignoring the alarming figures of Derby County center back, Roy McFarland, and Liverpool left back, Emlyn Hughes, sprinting back to put themselves between the ball and the net, coolly passed into the path of Polish forward, Domarski, as he raced into the England penalty area wide on the right to drill a hard shot too close to Peter Shilton`s body for the England `keeper to reach down and collect it, and it went underneath him and into the England goal on 55 minutes. Despite a 63<sup>rd</sup> minute penalty from Leeds United`s center forward, Alan `Sniffer` Clarke, England went out of the World Cup, as the contest finally ended 1-1, because of the forwards` inability to put a goal past Polish `keeper, Jan Tomaszewski, in open play. Jan had been labeled a `clown` before the game by England manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, whose team had won the World Cup 4-2 for England against Germany in 1966 at Wembley Stadium, London, with a hat trick from West Ham striker, Geoff Hurst, and another from his club compatriot, midfielder Martin Peters.

 Germany always claimed that England`s third goal didn`t cross the line, after Geoff Hurst`s right boot inside the penalty box crashed the ball against the bar and down behind the `keeper, while a disallowed goal for Geoff Hurst, assisted by Manchester city inside forward Francis Lee`s wing trickery, in the quarter final against Germany in the 1970 World Cup, gave the Germans revenge as they won 2-3 after that in extra time and England`s effort to retain the Jules Rimet Trophy failed while Brazil with star forward, Pelé, won the trophy for the third time, 4-1, against Italy and, by the competition`s rules, kept it. England had been coasting at 2-0 after a near post goal from Tottenham Hotspur`s midfielder, Alan Mullery who, from wide on the left of midfield, played the ball out wide on the right to Manchester City`s Francis Lee. Mullery ran into the German area and under the `keeper`s nose at the near post to steer in the cross that came in from Lee in the inside right position at the right corner of German `keeper Sepp Maier`s area in the 31^st minute.

 England`s second came through Lee, again in the inside right position and, receiving a pass from Geoff Hurst further infield, crossed into the German penalty area, where Martin Peters drove in the ball at the far post in the 49<sup>th</sup> minute. England manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, then made the tactical error of bringing off legendary Manchester United deep lying center forward, Bobby Charlton, who`d kept the German sweeper, Franz Beckenbauer, who liked to go forward, back in defense. Beckenbauer broke away and rounded Mullery to score from distance just outside the England area at the right corner in the 68^th minute, with a shot that bounced under Shilton and into the bottom left corner, and Charlton was withdrawn in the 70th. German forward and captain, Uwe Seeler, levelled the score in the 82^nd minute, with an amazingly well directed angled back header after left back, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, almost in a midfield position had centered the ball with his right boot into the England penalty area.

 England center forward Geoff Hurst`s disallowed goal in the first period of extra time occurred in circumstances almost identical to the awarding of England`s third goal in the 4-2 defeat of Germany in 1966 as the Argentine referee, Ángel Norberto Coerezza, adjudged the ball to have crossed the line. Manchester City inside forward, Francis Lee, dribbled down the right inside the German area to cross the ball for Hurst to drive the ball into the net, but the ball was adjudged to have been out of play as Lee`s trickery took him dangerously close to the touchline as he sped past the German defenders. When Gerd Müller, who was known for being able to turn on a sixpence in the opponent`s penalty area to get his shot in, prodded in a goal almost on the goal line, after a cross to the far post from wide on the right by 53^rd minute substitute, forward Jürgen Grabowski, which was headed back by left wing, Hannes Löhr, and over England` keeper, Peter Bonetti, to where Müller at the right post, and almost on the goal line, forced it in for 2-3 to Germany in the 108<sup>th</sup> minute of extra time, Germany`s revenge for Hurst`s 1966 goal that wasn`t was complete.

 Martin Peters` bid for a third World Cup Finals was as captain against Poland at Wembley in 1973 and England wouldn`t again be seen at the World Cup until France, 1982, when Manchester United`s `Captain Marvel`, Bryan Robson, would take center stage as England captain (1980-91) in the opening game and score the fastest then recorded goal in World Cup history after 27 seconds against France when Manchester United right winger, Steve Coppell, took a throw near the French corner flag, which was back headed across goal by Ipswich Town center back, Terry Butcher, and Robson, with his left boot angled high above the bounce powered the ball down and into the net. England left the Finals in the curious position of never having lost a game but being eliminated. Beating France, 3-1, in their opener, after another goal from Robson in the 67<sup>th</sup> minute and an 83<sup>rd</sup> strike from Ipswich Town center forward, Paul Mariner. Goals from Nottingham Forest forward, Trevor Francis, against Czechoslovakia, 2-0, and Kuwait, 1-0, saw England through their group, but a draw against West Germany in the next group stage saw the Germans box clever and Germany`s beating Spain while England drew with the Spaniards meant that the English went home unbeaten but unrewarded.

 The 1982 World Cup Finals were a confidence booster for Robson, who`d still not won a major trophy after his move from West Bromwich Albion to follow manager and mentor, `Big Ron` Atkinson, to Manchester United after Englishman, Dave Sexton, had failed to win a trophy at the club following his move from Queens Park Rangers after Scot Tommy Docherty`s surprise exit from Old Trafford after the team`s F.A. Cup Final win over Liverpool, 2-1, in 1977. Docherty was sacked after admitting an affair with Mary Brown, wife of the United physiotherapist, Laurie Brown. Ron took Bryan (£1.5 million) and Remi Moses (£0.5 million), a driving midfielder with a lot of stamina, from The Hawthorns to Old Trafford after the commencement of the 1981-82 season and, although Robson didn`t win anything with Manchester United that term, finishing 3^rd in the league kept Robson`s England place for the World Cup Finals.

 Robson would take part in three successive World Cup Finals as England captain but winning the FIFA World Cup trophy was beyond a squad handicapped by poor management and better international competitors. Driving United on from midfield to attack and from defense into midfield, Robson was the powerhouse on the field for the club for at least as long as he was the heart of the lions of England. Winning F.A. Cup Finals for `Big Ron` against Brighton and Hove Albion in a replay, 4-2, after a 2-2 draw in 1983, and against Everton, 1-0, in 1985, ensured that, when Ron`s reign came to its inevitable end due to the ascendancy of a managerial star at Scotland`s Aberdeen that couldn`t be ignored for long by the Manchester outfit, Atkinson left as a success when Alex Ferguson arrived on November 6, 1986, after Robson had again captained England in the World Cup Finals in Mexico. Injured against Morocco in the group stage, Robson didn`t play again, but England reached the quarter finals against Argentina where superstar forward Diego Maradona`s infamous `hand of God`, steering the ball home with his fist with the referee unsighted in the 51<sup>st</sup> minute, gave the South American side an advantage England couldn`t overcome, and a run the length of the pitch in which Maradona beat half of the England team before scoring in the 55^th minute justified the eventual outcome, a 2-1 win for Argentina, and the South Americans went on to win the final, 3-2, against Germany.

 The arrival of Ferguson at United, after the 1986 World Cup Finals as the only manager outside of the big two Glasgow clubs, Celtic and Rangers, to win a major European trophy, the 1983 European Cup Winners` Cup, meant even greater support than ever for Bryan Robson, United and England captain, and the team won the F.A. Cup Final against Crystal Palace in a replay, 1-0, after a 3-3 draw. Repeating his success in the European Cup Winners` Cup with Manchester United, 2-1, against Spain`s Barcelona, after managing Aberdeen to a 2-1 win over Spain`s Real Madrid in extra time, Ferguson and Robson were the first manager and captain at United to win a major European trophy since Sir Matt Busby and Bobby Charlton won the 1968 European Cup, 4-2, against Portuguese side Benfica. Adding the European Super Cup and the League Cup in the following 1990-91 season, Robson`s reign as England captain ended after the 1990 World Cup Finals in Italy at which the national side reached a semi final against Germany, and drew 1-1 in normal and extra time before losing on penalties, 4-3, and Germany went on to win the final against Argentina, 1-0, with an 85^th minute penalty from left wing back, Andreas Brehme.

 Injury prone, Bryan had been at his best for the qualifying campaign, leading England for the 50th time in a 5-0 victory over Albania and scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Yugoslavia, and he played in the opening group F game against the Republic of Ireland, 1-1, but was replaced injured in the 64^th minute during the 0-0 draw with the Netherlands by Aston Villa`s David Platt who went on to star in Robson`s role. England qualified from group F with a goal from Southampton center back, Mark Wright, in a 1-0 win over Egypt, before beating Belgium, 1-0, with a majestic Platt swiveling volley near the end of extra time in the 119^th minute, while the expected victory over African side, Cameroon, in the quarter finals, was hard won, 3-2, and needed a second penalty from Tottenham Hotspur center forward, Gary Lineker, after an early headed strike from Platt following a cross from Nottingham Forest left full back, Stuart Pearce, in the 25th minute to get the team through after Cameroon led 1-2.

 Although Bryan retired from the England scene in 1991, his club career would go on with Alex Ferguson`s support for two consecutive championships before he retired as a player at the end of the 1993-94 season. United won the title in 1993, and the much sought after `double` of league and F.A. Cup in 1994. Although Robson didn`t play in the F.A. Cup Final in which the team defeated Chelsea, 4-0, he made enough league appearances, 10 (5), to qualify for another champions` medal. Only one other player of his era came close to Robson in his ability to carry a team forward on his own, Steven Gerrard of Liverpool, who after his debut season of 1998-99 managed to cajole and badger a club that hadn`t won a league title since 1990 to the European Cup Final of 2005 and beat A.C. Milan of Italy 3-2 on penalties after it was 3-3 in extra time. Gerrard scored the first Liverpool goal on 54 minutes when Liverpool were losing 0-3 and Steven`s ability to turn the team around and make triumph out of disaster was at the heart of Liverpool`s cup successes in a period when they couldn`t sustain a league campaign with the players they had. Although Gerrard made his England debut in central midfield in 2000, he wasn`t selected for the 2002 World Cup Finals in South Korea and Japan at which England eventually lost, 1-2, to Brazil in the quarter finals as the South Americans were on their way to a meeting with Germany in the final they won, 2-0.

 At club level Gerrard was inspirational, and Liverpool won a treble of League Cup, 5-4 on penalties against Birmingham City after 1-1 and extra time, F.A. Cup, 2-1 against Arsenal with goals from future Manchester United center forward, Michael Owen in the 83^rd and 88^th minutes as Liverpool came from behind, and the UEFA Cup in 2001, 5-4 against Spanish side, Deportivo Alavés, with Gerrard getting Liverpool`s second in the 16<sup>th</sup> minute to put the reds 2-0 up. The team added the European Super Cup at the beginning of the 2001-2002 season by virtue of winning the UEFA Cup, which qualified them to meet the European Cup winners, and Liverpool duly beat Bayern Munich, 3-2. After winning the League Cup again in 2003, 2-0, with goals from Gerrard (39) and Owen (86) against Manchester United, Liverpool`s 2003-2004 qualifying for the European Cup in fourth place in the English championship, and Final victory over A.C. Milan of Italy, gave them the opportunity to win the European Super Cup again at the beginning of the 2005-2006 season and CSKA Moscow of Russia were dispatched, 3-1. Before announcing his decision to leave Liverpool in 2015 for Major League Soccer in the United States of America, Gerrard inspired the reds to a 2011-12 League Cup win against Cardiff City, 3-2 on penalties, with Steven missing his own spot kick after a 1-1 draw ended 2-2 in extra time. The 2001 UEFA Cup was won with a `golden goal` from Deportivo Alavés` right back, DelfÍ Geli, who headed into his own net from midfield Welshman Gary McCallister`s free kick wide on the left in the 116^th minute to gift the game, 5-4, to Liverpool.

 The pressure driven successes of the Steven Gerrard era were in keeping with his drive to compete. Victories over Birmingham on penalties, 5-4, in the 2001 League Cup Final, preceded DelfÍ Geli`s `golden` own goal in the 2001 UEFA Cup Final, and Liverpool were 0-3 down to A.C. Milan before winning on penalties, 3-2, after extra time and a 3-3 draw in the European Cup Final of 2005, while Liverpool`s 3-2 win over Cardiff City in 2011-12 after a 1-1 draw ended 2-2 in extra time emphasized the driving force of Gerrard and the never say die attitude that kept Liverpool winning trophies even when the side wasn`t capable of sustaining a campaign to win the league title.

 The Steven Gerrard factor seemed to be present at the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany when the England team went out of the competition at the quarter final stage against Portugal, 3-1, on penalties after the game had ended 0-0 after extra time and Gerrard missed his spot kick. The eventual winners, Italy, beat France, 5-4, on penalties after a 1-1 draw and extra time. In the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa, England lost to Germany before the quarter finals, 1-4, while the Final was won by Spain`s right winger Andrés Iniesta in the 116<sup>th</sup> minute of extra time against the Netherlands, 1-0. In the 2014 World Cup Finals England didn`t win a game in their group B with defeats to Italy, 1-2, Uruguay, 1-2, and a draw, 0-0, with Cosa Rica. Narrow success had given way to a broad margin in defeat for England, which suggests that tigerish denial of inferiority in order to win against better opposition has become the inferiority that causes defeat. Steven Gerrard made his debut for Liverpool in 1998-99 and was the driving force in the team that tigerishly refused to be beaten.

 Defeating Birmingham City to win the League Cup, 5-4, on penalties, Liverpool went on to defeat Deportivo Alvares in the UEFA Cup Final in extra time with an own `golden goal from Spanish right back, DelfÍ Geli, and the Super Cup against European Cup holders, Bayern Munich, 3-2, while after beating A.C. Milan to win the European Cup themselves on penalties in 2005 after being 0-3 down, Liverpool beat European Cup holders, CSKA Moscow, 3-1, to again win the European Super Cup. Although it`d be expected that the European Cup holders would beat the UEFA Cup Winners in the Super Cup because the UCL Champions are the champions of their domestic leagues, it`s often true that the supposedly inferior team, that is, the UEFA Cup Winners win, because of a tigerish refusal to be beaten. However, tigerishly refusing to be beaten isn`t a sign of football ability, which is probably why England under the captaincy of Steven Gerrard failed so consistently. Tigerish refusal to be beaten replaced ability as the method applied to winning the World Cup and that was ultimately fatal to England`s campaigns.

 Teams led by Bryan Robson could have won the World Cup. England achieved fourth place overall in 1990, losing 1-2 to Italy in the game that decided third and fourth, but England without Robson, who retired from International competition with England in 1991, didn`t qualify for the World Cup Finals in the United States of America in 1994, while with Steven Gerrard as captain their highest achievement was a 2006 quarter final defeat against Portugal, 1-3, on penalties, after extra time when the game had ended 0-0 in normal time, which represented tigerish refusal to accept defeat as a game plan for a side devoid of ability, because they`d left it out of the squad, lest it interfere with the tigerisnhess of Gerrard, who was 18 when he debuted and 25 when Liverpool`s refusal to admit defeat led to their beating A.C. Milan in the European Cup Final of 2005. Although Liverpool won the 2006 F.A. Cup Final against West Ham on penalties, 3-1, after a 3-3 draw and extra time, it was typical tigerish Gerrard who, scoring in the 54<sup>th</sup> minute to make it 2-2, and again in the 91<sup>st</sup> minute to make it 3-3, evinced a refusal to admit defeat that ultimately represented the squad`s weakeness in terms of genuine ability, and Gerrard only led Liverpool to a single further trophy at the age of 32, the 2012 League Cup against Cardiff City, which Gerrard`s tigerish refusal to lose again resulted in a 3-2 victory on penalties after a 1-1 draw and 2-2 in extra time.

 Tigerishness has its uses but Manchester United after Robson, and in the same period of Liverpool`s successes with Gerrard, won four league championships (1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03) as well as the 1999 European Cup against Bayern Munich, 2-1, and the 1999 World Club Cup against South America`s Palmeiras, 1-0, thanks to a left wing cross and a drive in at the far post from Robson`s replacement, Roy Keane. When Gerrard`s Liverpool won their League Cup of 2012, United had gone on to win four more championships (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11) as well as the 2008 European Cup, 1-0, against Chelsea, and the 2008 World Club Cup, 1-0, against Ecuador`s LDU Quito, with a goal from England`s dynamic center forward, Wayne Rooney. Tigerishness has its day but winning the league and then winning the European Cup is the sign of true quality, which is needed if England are to win the World Cup again.

Three At The Back - And Seven Up Van Gaal!

Netherlands` coach, Louis Van Gaal, arrived at Old Trafford on the back of a World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, 2-4, after extra time and penalties when the full time score had been 0-0. The loss was his last managerial credential before joining Manchester United as their manager for the 2014-15 season. Van Gaal`s appointment was a move to hire a legitimate successor to Sir Alex Ferguson, and as the former manager of Dutch club side, Ajax, who`d won the European Cup in 1994-95, Gaal`s pedigree was adequate. After the year long debacle that was David Moyes, who`d arrived as manager at Manchester United from Everton at the beginning of the 2013-14 season, Gaal was welcomed as a manager who`d seen success and knew how to awaken a big club. Ajax of Amsterdam were three times European Cup winners in 1971, 1972 and 1973, and Gaal had rejuvenated that sleeping giant so the hope was he could do the same at Old Trafford.

 At Everton David Moyes had been an expert at avoiding relegation for a dozen seasons with the `Toffees`, but at Manchester United he`d inherited a team that had just won the Premiership yet again in 2013 before United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, retired with 13 championships, the two European Cups he was knighted by England`s queen, Elizabeth II, for having won, and sundry lesser trophies. Moyes also inherited a new Dutch centre forward from Arsenal, Robin Van Persie, who Ferguson had brought to bolster a makeshift squad desperate for a play maker to replace England`s Paul Scholes, who`d mysteriously been dropped by Ferguson for European Cup Final defeats to Barcelona, 0-2 in 2009 and 1-3 in 2011. Scholes had actually retired at the end of 2011 bitterly disillusioned before being begged back by Sir Alex to lead the campaign for the title in 2012-13, which United ultimately won with one of the least able squads Ferguson had assembled in his 27 years at the `Theatre Of Dreams` driven on by Scholes` persistent ability, as an already 10 times English championship winner under Ferguson, and of course there were Persie`s goals.

 David Moyes` catastrophe was to lose 1-2 on penalties in the League Cup semi-final to relegation candidates Sunderland after losing 1-2 away and winning 2-1 at home in the two leg contest where, as the teams were tied 3-3 after extra time, each side would have five penalty attempts to score. United only found the back of the net once with Scotland`s captain and right sided midfielder, Darren Fletcher, while centre forward, England`s Danny Welbeck, centre back, Phil Jones, left back, Rafael Da Silva, and rising young attacking Belgian midfield star, Adnan Januzaj, all failed to score from nine yards with only the `keeper to beat and a stationary ball placed for them to run up and take a kick at goal. If United had beaten Sunderland, Moyes would have had a final to his name and the team would have probably pulled together and gone forward as a cohesive unit, but embarassment in front of goal brings no forgiveness and the squad`s failure to progress afterwards in the league, F.A. Cup and European Cup meant the end of Moyes` credibility and tenure as manager at Manchester United.

 Louis Van Gaal`s tenure as Manchester United manager began without the possibility of European glory, because the club finished in 7<sup>th</sup> place in the league outside of the group of qualifiers for European competition. Defeat to League Division 1, Milton Keynes Dons, 0-4, in the second round of the League Cup meant Gaal had lost even the opportunity afforded to Moyes to give him a foundation for future success by progressing to the Final of the English Football Association`s third most important trophy after the championship and F.A. Cup. With a 3-5-1-2 formation Louis was introducing something alien to the usual way Manchester United play, which is 4-2-4 with wingers, full backs and a centre back pairing that leaves two midfielders and two forwards to support the wings and get the goals to beat the opposition.

 Three at the back and a return to the old fashioned wing back, instead of defending full backs on the flanks at the back to take care of the other teams` marauding wing play, was Gaal`s initial plan for the team. At right half, Bob Duckworth, centre half Charlie Roberts, and left half Alex Bell were the old half back line for Manchester United in the early 1900s, which brought the side championship success in 1908 and 1911 and the F.A. Cup in 1909 before the First World War (1914-18) to defeat German Imperialism in Europe curtailed soccer in England for the duration of hostilities. By the time Manchester United won the F.A. Cup for the second occasion in 1948, the half back line system of play was beginning to change. United`s half back trio were right half, John Anderson, centre half, Allenby Chilton, and left half, Henry Cockburn, that is, Matt Busby played three at the back as Louis Van Gaal was to do at the start of his reign as manager.

 Sir Matt Busby went on to win another F.A. Cup with United in 1963 and championships in 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965 and 1967 before crowning his career and retirement with a knighthood from England`s queen, Elizabeth II, after the European Cup Final win over Benfica of Portugal, 4-1, at London`s national Wembley Stadium, with goals from superstar midfielder, Bobby Charlton (2), who`d won the World Cup there with England in 1966, Northern Irish wing genius, George Best, and rising young England centre forward, 19 year old Brian Kidd, replacing the injured Scottish goal king of Old Trafford, Denis Law. That United team had recovered from the Munich air disaster of 6 February, 1958, when the plane crashed on take off carrying the players home after a 3-3 draw against Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia had seen them through to the semi-final of the European Cup where, depleted due to the deaths of several players, United would lose, 0-4 in the away leg, after defeating A.C. Milan 2-1 at home, and would fail to reach the Final.

 Manchester United had lost a team and so had England lost the backbone of a future at Munich where captain and left back, Roger Byrne, reserve left back, Geoff Bent, centre half, Mark Jones, midfield star, Duncan Edwards, wing half Eddie Colman, centre forward, Tommy Taylor, left wing, David Pegg, and Irish forward, Liam Whelan, all lost their lives. United`s transition into the modern era was necessarily perforce as new centre back pairings replaced the old half back lines. The single substitute rule implemented in 1958 for injury meant that teams a goal behind could deploy an attacking player and leave a centre back pair to cover in defence, which eventually became the normal pattern of outfield play.

 Although the scene blurred at Munich for Manchester United, the old half back line and its value to English soccer was losing importance. England right full back, Bill Foulkes, emerged as the `stopper centre half` partner at the back with stiff tackling Nobby Stiles, who would dance with joy alongside Bobby Charlton as a World Cup winner with England in 1966. But United`s love affair with the half back line of right half, centre half, and left half disappeared with the loss of Edwards, Jones and Coleman at Munich, while the emergence of Foulkes as the protypical United `stopper` aligned with Stiles tidying up after the big man, who made the rugged challenges and air interceptions as the ball was played in along the ground, or by wingers to opposing forwards, ensured that the half back line would remain a thing of the past until Dutchman, Louis Van Gaal, reintroduce the old system of play at the beginning of the 2013-14 English football season with Manchester United.

 Although Louis played three at the back without full backs, which was different to the original half back line deployed by English soccer sides in the years before the substitute rule allowed teams to bring on attacking players to change the scoreline by replacing a half back with a forward, the notion of wing backs as full backs wasn`t new. England`s John Aston, who also played at centre forward, was left full back for Manchester United in the 1948 F.A. Cup winning team against Blackpool, 4-2, while Irishman, Johnny Carey, originally an inside left bought from Ireland`s St. James` Gate for £250 in 1937, played right back. Van Gaal`s new look United reintroduced the concept of the wing back instead of the full back, and wingers, Ecuador`s Antonio Valencia and England`s Ashley Young, were asked to perform dual defensive and attacking roles down the right and left flanks.

 With five players in front of a half back line featuring Gaal`s 19 year old £30 million signing, left back Luke Shaw from Southampton, centre back or right back Ferguson signing, Phil Jones, and Ferguson nurtured protégée, Irish centre half and 3 times English championship winner, Jonathan Evans, wingers Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young had both defensive and attacking roles. Although United kept faith with their pattern of a two man midfield with wingers doubling as defensive wing backs, Spaniard Juan Mata signed on 24 September from Chelsea for £37.1 million by former United manager, David Moyes, was given by Gaal a combined playmaker`s and deep-lying third striker`s role behind Dutch striker Robin Van Persie and England`s captain and premier goalscoring sensation, Wayne Rooney, who`d been nurtured by Moyes at Everton, but had been transferred for £25.6 million to United as an 18 year old teenager himself for the 2004-5 campaign and had over 150 league goals to his name at the beginning of Gaal`s managership.

 Manchester United lost at home to Swansea 1-2 on the first day of the 2014-15 season with Van Gaal`s new old system of a half back line with wing backs and a five man midfield that included Mata as the deep-lying centre forward and play maker in the Bobby Charlton mould that had been United and England`s trademark in the 1960s when Sir Matt Busby had continued his 1940s and 1950s love affair with wingers. England`s John Connelly and George Best were Busby`s best known 1960s pairing on the wing and, with the now established Foulkes and Stiles centre back pairing, Busby deployed his deep-lying centre forward, Bobby Charlton, to such good effect that the team won the F.A. Cup in 1963, the league in 1964-5 and 1966-7, with the coveted European Cup of 1968 as the crowning glory to a career Busby couldn`t improve upon as a manager and retired after a disillusioning defeat to Estudiantes of Argentina in an violently ill tempered Intercontinental Cup Final over two legs, 0-1 away and 1-1 at home, which saw George Best sent off for retaliation.

 Busby had been at Old Trafford since the dark days following the end of the Second World War (1939-45) to again beat German Imperialism when United`s stadium had been made into rubble by the German bombs and the club had to beg Manchester City to use theirs at Maine Road. It wouldn`t be until 1999, when United faced South American champions and winners of the Copa Da Libertadores, Palmeiras of Brazil, that the club would win the Intercontinental Cup, 1-0, with a left wing cross from Welsh winger Ryan Giggs that found midfield dynamo, Ireland`s Roy Keane, at the far post putting his boot out to steer the ball home in the 35th minute. United had qualified for the Final as European Cup winners beating Bayern Munich, 2-1, with late goals from substitute forwards, England`s Teddy Sheringham and Norway`s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (on for England`s Andy Cole and Trinidad and Tobago`s Dwight York) to wrest that cup of triumph from the Germans` hands.

 Successive draws, 1-1 at Sunderland`s Stadium of Light, and 0-0 at Burnley`s Turf Moor, were the meager fruits of Louis Van Gaal`s initial games as manager at Manchester United, following upon his home defeat to Swansea on the opening day of the campaign, 1-2, and most fans` opinions were that two points from nine wouldn`t win championships and so that pattern couldn`t be repeated throughout the season even if Gaal`s three at the back half line was a permanent fixture in the Dutchman`s plans for the team`s future at the `Theatre of Dreams`.

 Versatile Argentine defender, Marcos Rojo, left back in the losing Argentine side in the 2014 World Cup Final against Germany, 0-1, was brought to Manchester United by Gaal on 19 August, 2014, from Portuguese club, Sporting Lisbon, for £16 million, and United brought Dutch international, Daley Blind, on 30 August from Ajax Amsterdam for £13.8 million. Blind had played in the left wing back position for Gaal`s Dutch team, beaten by Argentina and Marcos Rojo at left back on their way to the World Cup Final, 2-4 on penalties after extra time with the full time score at 0-0, and so Blind might be expected to fit in easily with the manager`s new system and plans. Argentina`s Angel Di Maria, a left winger, had already arrived from Real Madrid on 26 August for a club record transfer fee of £59.7 million, as Louis Van Gaal rebuilt a Manchester United side looking to develop a novel tactic for wrong footing what tends to be mainly right sided opposition, because having very good left footed players in every position is prohibitively costly for the less rich clubs and a sure way of obtaining a technical advantage for the wealthier.

 Cerberus was the three headed dog that guarded the entrance to the underworld of Hades in Greek mythology and Manchester United`s Cerberus under Van Gaal would is the half back line trio he fields against opposition playing mainly the four at the back system of full backs at the left and right of the `keeper defending against wingers with two centre backs as `stopper` and `sweeper` in front of the `keeper preventing opposition forwards from getting through and putting the ball in the net. Consequently, Van Gaal`s problem was the same as Manchester United manager Ernest Mangnall`s when Duckworth, Roberts and Bell were the half back line. Although Mangnall`s United won league titles in 1908 and 1911, as well as the 1909 F.A. Cup, Sir Matt Busby would face the same difficulty as Mangnall`s when Anderson, Chilton and Cockburn were his half back trio. United won the F.A. Cup in 1948 and the title in 1952 before the famous young players known as the `Busby Babes` began to emerge through the F.A. Youth Cup system of developing players and the `personality` of the half back line began to change in favour of adaptability rather than a team built on the cohesive efforts of just three individuals.

 The United youth side won the F.A. Youth Cup on the first five occasions from its inaugural inception in 1953 until 1957 and more adaptable young players such as the `gentle giant`, Duncan Edwards, who could play anywhere in defence, midfield or the forward line. Although Edwards, Jones and Coleman took their positions in a senior team that won English league titles in 1955-56 and 1956-57 until the Munich disaster curtailed Busby`s ambition to win the European Cup, youth`s adaptability meant that players could fill their boots without loss of impetus to the team. After Munich Geoff Cope emerged as a young centre back that made the Final of the F.A. Cup in 1958 while Wilf McGuinness, who`d qualified for championship winning medals in 1956 and 1957, and would be manager at United after Busby, was always a fringe member of the squad. Jeff Whitefoot was a right half for United in the title winning teams of 1952 and 1956, while Jackie Blanchflower, sometime Irish inside forward and a `better player` than Ireland`s captain, Danny Blanchflower, according to Danny, who captained North London`s Tottenham Hotspur to the double of league and F.A. Cup in 1961, was left half and centre half before Edwards` emergence as a more versatile and skillful asset to the team. Versatility was the byword for the modern Manchester United and the opportunity to improve the side`s striking capability from the substitute`s bench in 1958 meant the eventual disappearance of the half back line as two centre backs were believed to be enough defensive cover for teams going forward much more to score and secure victory without fear of injury thwarting their thirst for a win.

 Although Van Gaal`s three at the back formation with Manchester United at the beginning of the 2014-15 season seemed new fangled and controversial, in fact it was a return to the tried and trusted formula of the era before the 1958 substitute rule, which allowed teams to go forward more without fear of injury because a replacement forward on the subs` bench could be called upon to augment a team weakened by opposition `hard men` looking to break legs; as England`s `Chopper` Harris at Chelsea and Norman `bite yer legs` Hunter at Leeds United were known to do in their successful club sides of the 1960s and 1970s. Teams that promoted skill such as Manchester United rather abandoned three at the back after 1958 in favour of two centre backs and a left and right full back defending with the `keeper behind midfield, wingmen and forwards up front looking to score against teams adopting the protective strategy of substitutions for injured forwards. Gaal`s buying of predominantly left footed players for his half back line, midfield, and wings at the commencement of the 2014-15 season indicated his perception that the more creative would fit his Cerberus half back line as a system in which very good individuals would be the equivalent of Busby`s `Babes`, who could play anywhere and constituted the avante-garde of English soccer professionalism before Munich curtailed their efforts to transform English soccer from the half back line.

 According to the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) six substitutes could be used, including a `keeper, in competitive matches at the time Louis Van Gaal began his tenure as manager of Manchester United at the start of the 2014-15 season, which afforded additional protection for a team suffering injury to the half back or forward line. In other words, a half back line and a forward line could now be deployed, because the number of substitutes permitted of injury to either without damaging the team`s pattern of play. Van Gaal`s genius was to perceive that he could return to deploying a half back line and so reestablish that tradition of development at Manchester United outlined by his predecessor, Matt Busby.

 With the nickname of `Red Devils`, Manchester United`s three headed dog of a half back line, or Cerberus guarding the entrance to Hades, has a certain romantic attraction. Hades is the Greek concept of hell where the dead departed, who don`t go to heaven, remain. Hell is the place of torment by the `fallen angels` of Satan, known as `devils`, because it`s the place prepared for those humans who`re evil. Satan, of course, was the first angel of God, before he was cast down from heaven to the Earth along with the other `fallen` angels who supported his rebellion. God promised the fallen angels eternal pain forever as a punishment for rejecting God`s creation of Eve and Adam, the first man and woman, who would produce a humanity greater than the angelic host, but until then Christian iconography depicts the devils tormenting the evil amongst mankind with tortures devised by them. Although United`s half back line under Van Gaal represented the romance of keeping the opposition from putting the ball in the net, and that defeat which would be hell for the fans of the `Red Devils`, torment is undoubtedly a significant part of match days for supporters and players alike. If Gaal`s Cerberus half back line kept the ball out of the net, it wouldn`t be hell for the team or the fans and so Manchester United would remain in heaven.

 As Manchester United drew 0-0 with Burnley away at Turf Moor and left winger, Angel Di Maria, made his debut in midfield, Louis Van Gaal was on the brink of signing Daley Blind from Ajax as another defender with a left foot to play alongside Marcos Rojo and England`s Luke Shaw. Only Brazilian right back, Rafael Da Silva, England`s utility defender and midfield destroyer, Phil Jones, and centre backs, Jonathan Evans and Chris Smalling, remained from the era of Ferguson defenders. Although Uruguayan right back, Guilermo Valera, had been bought by Moyes from Uruguay`s Peñarol club, after Ferguson arranged the transfer at the end of his reign as United boss, Gaal`s influx of left footed players included his preference for formerly unknown, 20 year old Tyler Blackett, used as a left footed back throughout Gaal`s early games, and in the pre-season Champions Cup tournament in the United States of America in which Liverpool were defeated, 3-1, in the final. Gaal was sending a warning to right footed players like Da Silva, Jones and Valera that they might have to fight for a right back place with left footed players, just as Evans and Smalling would have to battle left footed centre backs to remain first choice defenders in the aftermath of 5 times English championship winner, Serbian centre half Nemanja Vidic`s packing his bags for Internazionale of Milan in disgust at Moyes` ineptitude and, his partner in defence at the back, former England captain and 6 time English championship winner, Rio Ferdinand`s equally dismissive exit to London`s Queens Park Rangers before Gaal`s arrival.

 Manchester United`s exit to MK Dons in the second round of the League Cup, 0-4, cruelly reminded many supporters of the team`s failure to progress to the League Cup Final of the 2013-14 season with the Sunderland goal at the mercy of their penalty takers in the home second leg of the semi-final qualifier at Old Trafford; Darren Fletcher, Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones, Rafael Da Silva, and Adnan Januzaj. The players only managed to score once through Darren Fletcher out of five attempts, and the `Black Cats` went through with a meager two that ultimately signaled Moyes` failure and departure. Reliance upon three at the back in a half back line that harks back to the golden age of the early 1900s and Busby`s first championship winning teams might seem romantic, but letting in four to a third tier team isn`t. Success at Manchester United depends on the coach`s adopting a winning formula, and a balanced side of left and right wingers, with two strikers and two supporting midfielders down the middle as well as a centre back pairing, left and right full backs, works. Even with a `keeper that comes up to head goals in at corners, as Denmark`s legendary `keeper, Peter Schmeichel (1991-9), did for the `Red Devils` during the period in which he won 5 championship winners` medals. Schmeichel scored a headed goal against Russia`s Rotor Volgograd in the 1995-96 UEFA Cup to preserve the club’s unbeaten home European record, whereas Louis Van Gaal`s Manchester United lost their virginity at home in the first game of the 2014-15 campaign, 1-2 to Swansea City, with three at the back - and seven up!

Cup Of Youth

The F.A. Youth Cup was inaugurated in 1952-53, the season after Manchester United had won the league title of 1951-52 with an ageing team of players that had won the F.A. Cup after WWII (1939-45) against the fascist `Axis` powers of Japan, Italy and Germany, which advocated a brutal philosophy of survival for killers. Many of the side that won the F.A. Cup in 1948 had played through the war years winning regional trophies, most notably the Manchester Senior Cup; 1940-1, 1942-43 and 1945-46 while travel within England was restricted: because of German aircraft and rocket bombing. In need of fresh talent, Manchester United`s coaches put pressure on the youth talent discovered by the scouts. The boys` teams, beginning with the inaugural Youth Cup of 1953, had five consecutive triumphs, which began the dismantling of the wartime side. United`s promoting of players from the youth ranks became the determining philosophy at Old Trafford`s `Theatre Of Dreams` and would bring many more trophies borne on the wings of youth.

 Of course the great tragedy of Munich, February 6, 1958, would loom large on the future. Some of those who emerged from the ranks of youth at Old Trafford`s stadium would lose their lives in the aircrash as the team returned from a quarter final European Champions` Cup draw with Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia. United had taken a 2-1 lead from Old Trafford, Manchester, and were 3-0 up after half an hour with goals from Dennis Viollet after just 2 minutes while left footed forward, Bobby Charlton, added two more on the half hour. The team had been 0-1 down to a Tasic goal on 35 minutes in the home leg; before Bobby (65 mins) and England wing half, Eddie Colman (81 mins), gave the side a lead to take to Belgrade. United eventually had to settle for a 3-3 draw, but it was enough for a 5-4 aggregate victory. Eddie Coleman didn`t survive the crash to go on playing, and United would lose England left back and captain, Roger Byrne; his understudy, Geoff Bent; England centre back, Mark Jones; England`s midfield giant, Duncan Edwards, `a man at fourteen`, as manager, Matt Busby, once described him; Irishman, Liam `Billy` Whelan, at inside forward, who`d scored 26 goals in the previous season`s championship win; English right wing, Johnny Berry; and Jackie Blanchflower, whose brother, Danny, captain of Eire, always maintained Jackie was a better player; even though Danny captained London`s Tottenham Hotspur, the first side of the modern era to win the English `double` of F.A. Cup and league title in 1960-61.

 Kenny Morgans, after playing under the captaincy of Wilf McGuinness for the 1956 Youth Cup triumph, had just begun to replace Johnny Berry on the right wing and had played against Red Star in Yugoslavia aged just 18 before the Munich disaster. Kenny had captained Manchester United in 1957 to an 8-2 aggregate F.A. Youth Cup win over West Ham United. Morgans (1), Alex Dawson (3), Mark Pearson (2) and Nobby Lawton (1) were the name players on the scoresheet. Nobby wouldn`t make his presence felt as a striker until 1960, and even then he scored only 6 goals in 36 appearances before being sold to Preston North End in March, 1963. Kenny Morgans survived the crash and made 9 more starts, but showed little of the skills he`d had on the pitch after Munich and made only four more appearances in the first team before leaving for Swansea in 1961 without scoring a goal in 23 appearances. Eddie Colman had been the captain of the first Manchester United side to win the F.A. Youth Cup in 1953. Edwards, Whelan, and Scanlon from that team, which beat Wolves 7-1 and 2-2 for a 9-3 aggregate win, all played against Red Star Belgrade. Ronnie Cope at centre half for the Youth Cup winning team of 1953 would be needed badly by United after the deaths of Mark Jones and Jackie Blanchflower, who often played at centre back if United felt they needed skill in that area rather than strength. David Pegg, who`d  played on the left wing in the 1953 F.A. Youth Cup win, travelled to Yugoslavia with the squad, but didn`t make the team against Red Star Belgrade. Pegg, Whelan (2) and Scanlon had all scored in the 9-3 aggregate defeat of Wolves in the Youth Cup Final of 1953, before making the step up to the first team as the older players from the championship winning team of 1951-52 gave way to youth. England left winger, Pegg, had to give away his life in the snow at Munich without even kicking a ball in Belgrade. The plane had been attempting to take off from the German airport but heavy snow had impeded the aircraft and the disaster happened.

 Centre half, Allenby Chilton, with Henry Cockburn at left half, and John Anderson at right half, were a part of the half back line format that had been the defensive formula for a generation before twin centre back pairings were adopted throughout English soccer. Chilton, Cockburn and Anderson had been the mainstay of Manchester United`s post-war push to the title of 1951-52 and the 1948 F.A. Cup Final win over Blackpool, 4-2, with goals in the 28<sup>th</sup> and 70<sup>th</sup> minutes from centre forward, `The Gunner` Jack Rowley (2), inside left, Stan Pearson in the 80<sup>th</sup> minute and Anderson in the 82<sup>nd</sup>. By 1958 Coleman, Jones and Edwards had assumed the defensive duties, while Jackie Blanchflower, who`d originally begun in the side at left half, before the emergence of Edwards, had moved up front as an inside forward. United`s captain at right back for the 1948 F.A. Cup Final win over Blackpool was Irishman, Johnny Carey, while John Aston, who often played centre forward, had been at left back. Aston had shared left back duties with Roger Byrne during the 1951-52 championship season and new captain, Roger, was still there at Munich, having won two further league titles in 1955-56 and 1956-57, before both he and his England international understudy, Geoff Bent, lost their lives in the crash.

 Before the war, Johnny Carey had been an inside forward, but post-war he reverted to defensive duties. He`d joined United from St James's Gate in November, 1936, for a League of Ireland record fee of £250 and made his debut on 23<sup>rd</sup> September, 1937, as an inside left. Playing in the wartime team, Carey was instrumental in bringing to Old Trafford`s Theatre Of Dreams, the Lancashire Senior Cups of 1938, 1941, 1943 and 1946 and the Manchester Senior Cups of 1936, 1937, 1939 and 1948, while his eventual replacement in the side, Bill Foulkes, would survive Munich to go on and win the 1968 European Cup against Benfica of Portugal, 4-1 at London`s national Wembley statdium, with goals from Charlton (2), the left wing Irish genius, George Best, and a young forward, Brian Kidd, in the team for the injured goal king of Old Trafford. In 1968-69 Kidd was having a great debut season in which he`d score a United career high 15 league goals. Foulkes would move up to centre half from right back after his debut on 13 December, 1952, aged 20, in a 2-1 win against Liverpool and wouldn`t retire until 1970.

 Jimmy Delaney had been brought from Glasgow Celtic where he`d been since 1933. United manager, Matt Busby, admired the outside right who`d been at Celtic in the years when they`d won the Scottish F.A. Cup (1933, `37) and the league title (1936, `38), and Delaney had been on the right wing for United in the F.A. Cup Final win of 1948 before returning to Scotland and Aberdeen at the age of 36, due partly to the arrival of English winger, Johnny Berry, who`d be on the right for United until his death at Munich. Inside forward, Stan Pearson, made his debut for United in 1937 and he was still there in 1952 when Manchester United won their first title since 1911 and only their third. Their first was under the stewardship of pre-war manager, Ernest Mangnall, in 1908, with the F.A. Cup of 1909 sandwiched between before the outbreak of hostilities with the German Empire during WWI (1914-18) stopped United`s progress. Stan scored 127 goals in 312 league appearances, 7 more than Mark Hughes, and 10 behind George Best.

 Above Stan Pearson in the all time goalscoring feats of soccer stars at Manchester United are Dennis Viollet and Jack Rowley, who was the centre forward for the club after his arrival for 3,000 GBP from Bournemouth aged 17 at his debut on 23^rd October, 1937, against Sheffield Wednesday, but he`d have to wait until his second game against Swansea before he got his first four goals. Bought as a left winger, manager Matt Busby converted Rowley to centre forward, which remained his berth alongside Pearson until Stan left in 1952. Rowley remained until 1954 while he and Stan Pearson were being carefully replaced by Tommy Taylor, the England centre forward who`d also lose his life at Munich, and Dennis Viollet, who`d go on after the disaster to lead the forward line almost to a championship in 1958-59, but the team finished second to Wolves.

 Jack Rowley made 380 appearances in the United red shirt scoring 182 goals between 1937 and 1954, which meant that he and scoring partner, Stan Pearson, improved on the number of trophies won by Johnny Carey, who`d begun at the club in November, 1936. Because of long tenure in their strikers` positions, Pearson and Rowley won Lancashire Senior Cups in 1938, 1941, 1943, 1946 and 1951, and Manchester Senior Cups in 1936, 1937, 1939 and 1948, to go with their 1948 F.A. Cup win and their 1951-52 league championship win. Championship wins for Manchester United in 1955-56 and 1956-57 meant adequate replacements had been found for the giants of the pre-war era. Dennis Viollet would go on to score more goals, 159, than Pearson, while Munich survivor Bobby Charlton`s (1956-73) final total of 199 league goals for Manchester United eclipsed even Jack Rowley`s (1937-54) career haul of 182 during his campaigns.

  After Munich the teams that had won the F.A. Youth Cup were called upon to supply first team ability if not experience. Ronnie Cope, captain of the 1953 side was brought in at centre half, and Albert Scanlon, a left winger, who`d won F.A. Youth Cups in 1953 and 1954, when United had beaten Wolves on aggregate 5-4, with goals from Edwards (2) and Pegg (3), who`d captained the side and converted a penalty in each leg; the second leg being won at Molineux, 1-0. Scanlon was brought in so Bobby Charlton could take up his future role for World Cup winning England (1966) as a deep lying centre forward operating from midfield with strikers` boots for long range hitting. Wilf McGuinness was the future coach at Manchester United who`d be given the manager`s job after Busby`s retirement in 1969, while in 1954 and, after an aggregate 7-1 win in 1955 against West Bromwich Albion in which captain Eddie Coleman (4), Charlton (1) and Edwards (1) were the name scorers, Wilf had won Youth Cups as a left half, and in 1956 he himself captained the youth team to an aggregate 4-3 victory over Chesterfield in which Mark Pearson and Bobby Charlton were the name players who scored in the absence of Eddie Coleman, who was himself with the seniors. McGuinness and Cope were to become a bulwark for United after the Munich disaster in an initial half back line that included Freddie Goodwin, who`d not made the flight to play Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia through illness. Freddie had made his United debut in 1954 and had played for the team in the 1955-56 and 1956-57 victorious championship seasons without qualifying for a winners` medal. United`s first game after Munich was a fifth round F.A. Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday at Old Trafford on 19 February, 1958, in which 17 year old Cope impressed with his composure at centre half and Mark Pearson, who`d been a 1957 Youth Cup winner, made his debut at inside left.

 Stan Crowther had been signed at left half from Aston Villa, who`d beaten Manchester United in the previous season`s F.A. Cup Final, just hours before the kick off against Sheffield Wednesday. United won 3-0 with goals from inside right, Shay Brennan (2), who`d be the Irish right back for the side against Benfica in their 1968 European Cup victory over Benfica, 4-1, while young centre forward, Alex Dawson, who`d been in the 1956 and 1957 F.A. Youth Cup winning teams, got the other goal that sent United through to the quarter finals and another emotion charged encounter with West Bromwich Albion, who`d draw the first game 2-2 with goals from Alex Dawson and Ernie Taylor. Taylor had been brought by Busby as a reluctant stop gap at inside right from Aston Villa, but it was inside forward, Colin Webster, who`d made 15 appearances and scored 4 times for United in the 1955-56 championship campaign to win a medal, who got the only goal of the replay to beat W.B.A. 1-0 to set up a semi-final occasion against Fulham who held United 2-2 in the initial game with Charlton (2) ensuring the replay. United won 5-3 after a hat-trick from Alex Dawson and further strikes from Charlton and Brennan.

 Manchester United lost 0-2 in the F.A. Cup Final after losing in the previous season`s showpiece 1-2 to Aston Villa and a double strike in the 68<sup>th</sup> and 73<sup>rd</sup> minute from outside left, Peter McParland, which left United with too much to do and only a late 83<sup>rd</sup> minute consolation goal from centre forward, Tommy Taylor, cheered the fans. In the 1958 Final, the almost terrifying presence of colossal centre forward, captain Nat Lofthouse, and the venue of the national stadium, Wembley, awed a very young United and possible the referee also. Lofthouse scored twice; once using his gigantic strength to bundle United `keeper, Harry Gregg, over the line with the ball in his hands shortly after the interval with Bolton 1-0 up after catching the United defence cold on just 3 minutes. But United had shown that faith in youth produced resilience and hopes were that the club could rebuild from defeat to triumph over disaster. The following season`s campaign was intensely emotional with supporters wondering who would make the team and become the new soccer stars at the Theatre Of Dreams.

 Matt Busby responded by bringing to Old Trafford the `golden boy of British football`, centre forward Albert Quixall, who`d scored 63 goals in 243 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday for a then record transfer fee of 45, 000 GBP. The team was much more static than the fluid selection of the `Busby Babe` era when players from the youth and reserve teams were in and out of the senior side constantly as Busby looked to permutate amongst a large pool of talent that was reminiscent of the later era of Alex Ferguson who applied the principle of `squad rotation` to rest and freshen his troops throughout a long season`s campaign that brought him four trophies in 1999; the league; the F.A. Cup; the European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup. Busby`s policy of permutating a squad lay the foundations for Ferguson`s legendary success. But the Munich disaster had taken its toll. Pared to a nucleus of players, it`d be several more seasons before there was enough talent at the club to again sustain a long season`s campaign for trophies on several fronts.

 Ian Greaves who`d played 15 times at left back in the title winning season of 1955-56 for a medal, but made only 3 appearances in the successful 1956-57 triumph and missed the Munich crash through injury, was the obvious first choice replacement for Byrne after February 6, and with `keeper Gregg and right back Foulkes he formed a more or less permanent defence that had Ronnie Cope at centre half, Goodwin at right half and McGuinness at left half. With Charlton taking up the deep lying centre forward role in a roving midfield role from where he could direct play and try on his shooting boots, Quixall partnered Viollet with Scanlon on the left wing. On the right was Warren Bradley who`d been amongst England amateur internationals at Bishop Auckland loaned to United during their rebuilding program. Bradley made 24 appearances on the right wing in a 1958-59 season in which, ironically apart from Quixall, United`s goalscoring prowess was enviable; Bradley (12), Charlton (29), Scanlon (16) and Viollet (21) each weighed in for a season`s haul of 78 between them. Quixall found the net only 4 times in 33 appearances, which probably accounted for United`s failure to take the title that year. The fate of United`s `golden boy` was reminiscent of Gary Birtles`, who made 28 starts for United in 1980-81, after costing 1, 000, 000 GBP from Nottingham Forest, and didn`t score.

 United languished at the foot of the table for a couple of seasons before success again in the 1963 F.A. Cup Final defeat of Leicester City, 3-1, in which Denis Law (1) and David Herd (2) scored the goals in the 30^th, 57^th and 85^th minutes. Herd was a proven striker bought by Busby from Arsenal in an attempt to raise United`s league title ambitions through goals, while Denis had been a goalscoring prodigy at Manchester City scoring 19 goals in 37 appearances in 1960-61, before Italian giants, Torino, took him away for a brief experimental sojourn in Serie `A` and a relatively disappointing return of 10 goals in 27 appearances. Busby paid a then record fee of 115, 000 GBP for the services of Law, who was so effective he became known as Old Trafford`s `King` (1962-73), finally scoring 171 goals in 309 appearances, and winning two league championships in 1964-65 and 1966-67 alongside Herd.

 The period of Law and Herd as striking partners was the most productive in terms of trophies that Manchester United would have before Alex Ferguson`s legendary reign properly began with the F.A. Cup Final replay win of 1990 over Crystal Palace, 1-0, thanks to a run and shoot from left full back, Lee Martin. On a speculative charge from his own penalty area to Palace`s, in the 53^rd minute Martin accepted a ball on his chest before allowing it to fall to where he could unleash an unstoppable drive into the net. United were nurturing a future Arsenal `keeper in the reserves, Jimmy Rimmer, while David Gaskell, the 1957 F.A. Youth Cup winning `keeper had been between the posts in United`s defeat of Leicester, 3-1, in the 1963 F.A. Cup Final. JImmy Rimmer would make several appearances for United in the `keeper`s role after being  a part of the 1964 F.A. Youth Cup winning side that contained other stars of the future; left back, Bobby Noble, who made 29 appearances for the championship winning team of 1966-67, before injury ended his career; wing half, John Fitzpatrick; winger Willie Anderson, who would later be first team understudy to winger, George Best; centre forward or centre back, David Sadler, and left wing, John Aston. Best and Sadler would contribute to Manchester United`s championship successes in 1965 while Aston and Noble would have to wait to join them for the successful 1967 campaign, and they would also be amongst the pivotal members of a United team that would be the first English club to win the coveted European Champions` Cup, 4-1, against Benfica with goals from Charlton in the 53^rd and 99^th minutes, Best (92^nd ) and Kidd (94^th), after extra time when the scores were at 1-1.

 The story of the 1968 European Cup win is of a team bereft of the talent it needed. David Herd broke his leg in 1967 and never really recovered. Denis Law had a knee injury that kept him out of the Final and he was never really at his peak again. Nobby Stiles entertained viewing audiences globally as he danced around Wembley stadium after a Geoff Hurst hat-trick and another goal from West Ham colleague, inside forward Martin Peters, beat Germany, 4-2, in the 1966 World Cup Final, but star United defender Nobby was blind without his contact lenses and he had a reputation for losing them on the pitch, which caused him to lunge into life-endangering tackles. John Fitzpatrick would be getting his chance after the 1968 European Cup Final, so centre forward, David Sadler, played centre half against Benfica while, in deference to the needs of an injury hit team, Nobby Stiles received from Busby a berth in left midfield. Hugely exciting and dynamic winger, George Best, was moved inside by Busby so John Aston could shine on the left wing against the Portuguese. Without Law and Herd, 19 year old Brian Kidd was selected for the Final as a zestful replacement for Law, while Best was in Herd`s position up front. Although the chemistry worked particularly well for that game only, Bill Foulkes had been at centre back since 1951 or thereabouts and he didn`t move as well as he had. Busby`s retirement a year later after failing to master what the English newspapers described as, a `brutal` Estudiantes De La Plata in the Intercontinental Cup Final between the Argentinian winners of the South American Copa Libertadores and the European Champions, which the English team lost 1-2 on aggregate, had left Manchester United ruing a brief Renaissance inspired in no small measure by the winning graduates of the 1964 F.A. Youth Cup.

 Scot, Tommy Docherty, who`d managed Chelsea to a 1965 League Cup Final win, replaced Frank O` Farrell, who`d arrived from Leicester to replace Wilf McGuinness after he`d steered an ageing team to a 1969-70 F.A. Cup semi-final against Leeds, which United lost in the second replay, 0-1, after successive goalless draws, and Wilf`s inexplicable preference for Italian midfielder, Carlo Sartori, to goal `King` Denis Law. The League Cup semi-final of 1970 followed against Manchester City, which United lost on aggregate, 3-4, after a goal from Charlton in the first leg, which United lost 1-2 at Maine Road. In the second leg at Old Trafford, right full back, Paul Edwards, scored. Paul`s contribution to United, like Ian Ure`s,  bought from Arsenal as a centre half, wouldn`t extend further than the 1969-70 (18 appearances) and 1970-71 (29 appearances) campaigns. Ure would make 34 and 13 appearances respectively for United in seasons 1969-70 and 1970-71, and the defeats to Leeds in the 1970 F.A. Cup semi-final, together with the 1970 League Cup semi-final defeat, ultimately curtailed his United career. Despite a second goal from Denis Law, a 2-2 draw in the 1970 League Cup semi-final at Old Trafford put Manchester City through. After the 1971 League Cup semi-final against Aston Villa, which United lost on aggregate, 2-3, despite Brian Kidd scoring in each leg home and away, Wilf McGuinness` days as manager at the Theatre of Dreams were over and so were the playing careers of Edwards and Ure.

 Frank O` Farrell arrived feeling he was qualified to manage Manchester United after steering Second Division Leicester City to the title and into the top tier of English soccer by the end of the 1970-71 season. United were 10 points clear at Christmas but lost 7 straight games in the New Year and O`Farrell had had his chance. Tommy Docherty was appointed after the 1971-72 season and began an overhaul of the United playing staff, which would see the end of the careers of players like John Fitzpatrick at Manchester United. John was a one club player with an unquenchable thirst for success who appeared significantly for United for just four seasons before retiring through injury. He made 14 appearances in 1967-68, 28 appearances in 1968-69 for 3 goals, 20 appearances in 1969-70 for 3 goals, and 35 appearances in 1970-71 for 2 goals, while he received only a European Cup Winners` medal as the named `reserve` in 1968 to go with his F.A. Youth Cup winners` medal of 1964.

 The player to span the managerial generations at Old Trafford was Willie Morgan, a Scot brought by Busby for the 1968-69 campaign from Burnley to play on the right wing as a replacement for John Connelly who`d been transferred from Burnley to United in 1964-65 and had won a championship medal that same season. Morgan was used to replacing Connelly, because he`d done the same at Burnley when John left for United. Willie went on to survive managers McGuinness, O` Farrell, and for a while, Docherty, who gave Morgan the captain`s armband for the 1974-75 campaign to get promotion from the Second Division at the first attempt after the club was humiliatingly relegated to a Denis Law back heeled goal when the former `King` of Old Trafford had been offloaded back to Manchester City by Docherty as a player `past his prime`.

 Tommy Docherty bought Second Division veteran centre forward, Stuart Pearson, from Hull City for 200, 000 GBP, because of his experience and proven scoring ability at that level. Pearson repaid the money well spent with goals that would take United back to the top tier at the end of the 1974-75 season as Second Division champions. But the Pearson goal that would give United the platform for their first trophy since 1968`s European Cup triumph, came when Stuart drove the ball under the legs of Liverpool `keeper, Ray Clemence, for the equalizing goal in the 1977 F.A. Cup Final, which would be won, 2-1, after a strike from midfield battler, Lou Macari, was steered into the net off his chest by Jimmy Greenhoff, United`s centre forward. By the end of the 1974-75 season, Docherty had replaced Morgan on the right wing and Irishman Gerry Daly on the left. Daly moved into midfield but Morgan had survived his last manager. Steve Coppell, right wing, and Gordon Hill, left wing, were bought from Tranmere and Millwall respectively to be the wings of a prayer that would take United and Pearson to F.A. Cup Final success in 1977.

 Youth team players would emerge to make a difference, most notably centre forwards, Mark Hughes and Norman Whiteside, who weren`t F.A. Youth Cup winners, but did make the 1982 Final, which United narrowly lost to Watford, 7-6 on aggregate. Hughes (2) Whiteside (1) and the powerful shooting boots of midfielder, Clayton Blackmore (1), demonstrated enough to `Big Ron` Atkinson, then United`s manager after Docherty`s replacement, Dave Sexton, who`d guided Q.P.R to second place in the table, just one point behind Liverpool in 1975-76, had also failed to put the championship trophy in the Old Trafford cabinet. Hughes would score twice against Crystal Palace to force a 3-3 draw and a replay in the F.A. Cup Final of 1990, before left full back, Lee Martin, who`d been an F.A. Youth Cup Finalist with United in Manchester City`s 3-1 defeat of the red shirts in 1986, drove in the goal in the replay that would properly begin Ferguson`s reign as a successful manager. Martin was withdrawn in the 88<sup>th</sup> minute and was replaced by Clayton Blackmore, who would excel in the role for a season or so. Despite Mark Hughes` top scoring in 1984-85 and 1985-86, Atkinson sold him to Barcelona for 2, 000, 000 GBP, and he`d starred alongside Norman Whiteside in the 1985 F.A. Cup Final against Everton, which was notable mainly for United centre back, Kevin Moran, being sent off in the 78<sup>th</sup> minute, so leaving the side with only ten men, and Norman Whiteside`s curling shot from the right edge of the penalty area that went in at the far post in the 110^tth minute of extra time to give United a surprisingly well earned win. Whiteside had scored in the 4-0 F.A. Cup Final replay victory over Brighton and Hove Albion after a 2-2 draw, but it was Atkinson`s decision to sell Hughes that was his downfall. After taking up the managerial reins for the 1986-87 season, Ferguson resigned Hughes in 1988-89 for 1, 800, 000 GBP and Mark didn`t drop below double figures for a season until his last in 1994-95 (8) when he still made the team for the F.A. Cup Final defeat to Everton, 0-1.

 F.A. Youth Cup Finalist teammate, Clayton Blackmore, was at left back when Mark Hughes added the European Cup Winners` Cup of 1991 to his trophy haul, scoring twice in a 2-1 defeat of Spanish club Barcelona. Clayton was on the left side of midfield when the European Super Cup was added that same year, 1-0, thanks to a goal in the 67<sup>th</sup> minute from Hughes` strike partner, Brian McClair, who`d been brought from Celtic by Ferguson for 850, 000 GBP for the 1987-88 season`s campaigning. Hughes and McClair combined again to bring the League Cup to Old Trafford for the first time in 1992, with McClair scoring the winning goal as early as the 14^th minute, while Clayton Blackmore was making his last appearances as a midfielder/defender for United, since he became a fully fledged professional in 1985-86, as the twenty six year wait for the league title ended in 1992-93, before the `double` winning season of 1993-94 in which McClair and Hughes would each score to take United to an F.A. Cup win over Chelsea, 4-0.

United had won the F.A. Youth Cup in 1992 and again in 1995, with right back, Gary Neville as captain in `92 and his brother, Phil, captain in `95. In his team Gary had right winger and future England captain, David Beckham, who`d inspire United to a further European Cup win in 1999 against Bayern Munich, 2-1, in injury time with goals from Teddy Sheringham in the 91<sup>st</sup> and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the 93<sup>rd</sup> minute. Gary`s Youth Cup Final winning team of 1992 also contained left winger, Ryan Giggs, who`d go on to win one more European Cup than Beckham in 2008 when Ryan scored the winning goal in the penalty shoot out that beat Chelsea. Gary`s captain`s armband would last for most of his career (1992-2011), and Phil Neville would have a lengthy spell at Old Trafford (1995-2005) under his brother`s watchful eye. Phil`s F.A. Youth Cup captaincy bore its own fruit too. Ronnie Wallwork was the 1995 F.A. Youth Cup Final teammate of Phil`s that would go on to appear 12 times for Manchester United in the 2000-01 season to claim a championship medal as a defensive midfield player replacing the reds` usual driving force in midfield, captain Roy Keane, whose rugged `never say die` style resulted in his body making efforts it shouldn`t.

 Injury often restricted Keane`s season long effectiveness, as it had with former England captain, Bryan Robson, during his period of driving dynamism at Manchester United, and was as detrimental to the team`s success as critics claimed the jinking wing skills of players like George Best and Gordon Hill had been a handicap to the collective achievements of the side, because they were individually effective, but not incorporated into a pattern of play that the others could work with rather than admire enviously and lament that they couldn`t understand and so weren`t able to control. Uncontrollability was ironically the reason for the success of geniuses like Best and Hill. Genius was what frustrated the dour dullness of coaches obsessed with harnessing technically gifted performers. Less skillful players, who could never emulate unpredictability, wouldn`t get into a first eleven made up of creative individuals, and so the aim of the `professional` became fascistic elimination of the gifted talent. Players like Robson and Keane combined flair with aggression as dominant driving forces from midfield, which satisfied coaches` desire for involvement, but damned creativity while inculcating an ethos of physical disregard that inevitably produced what the critics had suggested unique invention did. With a midfield dynamo never fully operational due to breakdown, the side was limited by an engine that functioned marvelously but fitfully. Bryan Robson was even called `Captain Marvel` jeeringly, because he could perform superheroically in fits and starts, but it was all `sound and fury, signifying nothing`1 when he couldn`t make the team for the next encounter because of a thigh strain or a `niggling` hamstring, and clubs challenging for honors talked Robson and Keane up so that they`d make ever more prodigious efforts and break down before the prizes were handed out to the tortoises rather than the hare.

 The typical scenario was Manchester United under manager, Frank O` Farrell, 10 points clear at Christmas and an 8th place finish in 1971-72, following a hare start and an injury to aggressive yet skilful left wing, Ian Storey Moore, bought from Nottingham Forest for 225, 000 GBP, stalled the engine after the kick start from 11 starts and 5 goals which United had badly needed. Manager, Ron Atkinson, amassed 30 league points after winning 10 straight games at the beginning of the 1985-86 season, but the team finished 4<sup>th</sup> on 76 points. Bryan Robson dislocated his shoulder in February 1986, which ruled him out of any effectiveness he might have had with England in the 1986 World Cup Finals, and for Manchester United he made only 21 starts for 7 goals. Ron Atkinson`s solution was to have adequate replacements for injury prone Robson, which is why he brought defensive midfield star Remi Moses from W.B.A in the transfer package that secured the services of Robson.  Alex Ferguson did the same with Roy Keane, which meant an opportunity for Phil Neville to hone his talent for emergency central midfield duty.

 Juan Ramon, `the little witch`, had been the thorn in the side of Manchester United as they  lost 2-1 to Argentina`s Estudiantes De La Plata in the Intercontinental Cup Final of 1969, making the headed goal from Conigliaro in the 28<sup>th</sup> minute of the first leg, 1-0, and scoring with a header at Old Trafford in the 7<sup>th</sup> minute of the second leg, to make it 2-0 on aggregate, with only a Willie Morgan strike in the 89<sup>th</sup> minute as the consolation for United. Ferguson would bring Juan Sebastian Ramon, son of `the little witch`, to the Theatre Of Dreams, for the 2001-02 season for a then record 28, 100, 000 GBP, largely because United needed cover for a midfield that contained England`s Paul Scholes and Keane, and that had won three successive championships since 1999`s treble winning season, but was finding it difficult to maintain momentum in the face of strong tackles from opposition defenders trying to stop or injure those working in the engine room. Veron won a league title in 2003 before being lured to Chelsea by new owner, Russia`s billionaire Abramovich, while Keane`s retirement after 2005 led to Ferguson`s turning to West Ham United`s Michael Carrick (2006-14) as a ball player who could tackle without getting `crocked`, which steadied United`s midfield wondrously. Manchester United had won the Youth Cup Final in 2003 against Middlesboro and left winger, Kieran Richardson, who scored in the 3-1 win, would have some impact before and after Carrick`s arrival. With 8 starts and 7 substitute appearances in United`s championship winning season of 2006-07, Richardson represented the possibilities afforded by the then novel five substitutes rule implemented by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which made it possible to `spell` ageing performers like Ryan Giggs during the game to prolong their career.

 By 2014 Giggs had been a player at Manchester United since 1991 and was so well established he was given the role of caretaker manager after the sacking of Ferguson`s replacement, David Moyes, who`d flattered to deceive. Moyes lost a League Cup semi-final to bottom team Sunderland and failed to master a Bayern Munich team in the European Cup quarter final, 2-4, after taking the lead in a game that ended 1-1 at Old Trafford. United had been buoyed after a 58^th minute headed goal from Serbian central defensive stalwart since 2005-06, Nemanja Vidic, who`d already declared he was leaving and the club would have nothing left to play for that season if Bayern won, which they did, 1-3, in Munich. United`s only strike came from Patrice Evra, French left back, who`d opened the floodgates in the 57<sup>th</sup> minute at 0-1 after being found in the penalty area by an out swinging cross from Ecuadorian right winger, Antonio Valencia, that missed everyone but Evra who delightedly crashed the ball into the top corner of the Bayern net. The strike was reminiscent of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer`s against Bayern Munich in the European Cup Final of 1999, which gave Manchester United a 2-1 victory. Giggs played on that occasion and would again in 2008, in some measure due to Richardson and other players spelling him for long periods of play when the winger`s ageing legs wouldn`t serve for more than an hour or so. 

 Teamwork gave Giggs his shot at managership on 26^th April 2014, at home to Norwich, which United won, 4-0, but the side lost the next game at home to Sunderland, and that was it. Giggs didn`t yet have the experience, but his persevering with the mercurial brilliance of 19 year old Belgian, Adnan Januzaj, who scored in the 94th minute against Norwich and made 27 appearances in a roving striking midfield role that season for 4 goals, indicated Giggs` managerial pedigree. Against Hull City Giggs selected young forwards, Tom Lawrence (20) and James Wilson (18) for their debuts and Wilson scored twice, in the 31^st and 61^st minute as United won, 3-1. The last game of the 2013-14 season produced a 1-1 away draw at Southampton, where Adnan Januzaj continued his run in the team as United`s hope in the future. Although Netherlands` World Cup manager, Louis Van Gaal, would be arriving, Giggs` teammates had protected him enough: he`d be Van Gaal`s assistant.

 The Youth Cup had been won again in 2011 against Sheffield United, but Ferguson hadn`t had the option of keeping the midfield star of the team, Paul Pogba, who waited for his contract with the `red devils` to expire and signed on for consecutive championship success with Juventus in Italy`s Serie `A` in 2012-13 and 2013-14, and the Supercoppa Italiana against Lazio in 2012-13 after coming on as a substitute in the 20^th minute for Claudio Marchisio and opening the scoring in the 23^rd minute of what was to be a 4-0 win for Juvé. If United wanted to have Paul back at Old Trafford, the newspapers reported it`d cost 60, 000, 000 GBP, and it was shaping up like the Hughes` saga, where `Big Ron` had sold Hughes for 1, 800, 000 GBP to Barcelona and Alex Ferguson had to pay 2, 000, 000 GBP to have him returned. United`s youth team policy had now contributed to the rise of a new French star who`d play in the World Cup of 2014, but the role of `feeder` club to the Spanish giants, Barcelona had taken Hughes, and Real Madrid had taken Beckham and his groomed successor, Portuguese right winger, Christiano Ronaldo.

 David Beckham had been instrumental in bringing the 1999 European Cup to Old Trafford, when the right winger had crossed from the left for Teddy Sheringham to head the ball on for Solskjaer to put out his foot and steer the ball into Bayern`s goal in the 93<sup>rd</sup> minute, 2-1. Ronaldo had scored the headed goal against Chelsea, in Moscow`s Luzhniki stadium in 2008, from a cross by right back, Wes Brown, over by the right touchline on 26 minutes, which had given United a 1-0 lead devastatingly cancelled out by Frank Lampard in the 45^th minute as the players were looking forward to the half time interval. The contest went to extra time and penalties when Chelsea captain John Terry fell on his arse in the rain where he had to score to win the trophy for the blues but missed. Giggs stepped up to convert his spot kick and the European Cup went back to the Theatre Of Dreams.

 Paul Pogba`s declining of a contract with United to play for Juventus was symptomatic of United`s failure to attract and keep good players at the club. United centre forward, Wayne Rooney, used United`s inability to lure new talent to raise his salary to 300, 000 GBP per week under David Moyes` stewardship, but United didn`t win a trophy. Louis Van Gaal`s arrival as the new Dutch boss at Old Trafford meant either Youth Cup Final success, productive of talent grown for the overseas market, as Paul Pogba ultimately was, or a youth policy designed to tie good young players to the club if overseas imports couldn`t be persuaded to brave the Manchester winters, and the absence of a tan, for a more satisfying path to heaven on the wings of the prayerful.

 1 Shakespeare, William MacBeth, `Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.` (Act 5, Scene 5, l. 24-8), 1599-1606.

What Did Dave Sexton Ever Do For Manchester United?

Dave Sexton was Chelsea manager after Tommy Docherty left for Manchester United and United boss after Tommy Docherty was sacked shortly after the team he`d built to climb out of the Second Division of English football in 1974-75 upon relegation at the end of the 1973-74 season had won the 1977 F.A. Cup Final 2-1 against a Liverpool team that would have completed the treble of league, European Cup and F.A. Cup that year if United hadn`t defeated the Merseysiders at Wembley stadium, London, to take the trophy for only the fourth time in the club`s history and the first since 1963 when David Herd and Denis Law had scored the goals that beat Leicester City 3-1. United`s 1977 victory was recompense for their failure the previous season to beat Second Division Southampton in the F.A. Cup Final of 1976 which the team lost to a late Bobby Stokes strike in the 83rd minute. Although Stuart Pearson and Jimmy Greenhoff were the goalscoring heroes against Liverpool a year later at Wembley, an extra-marital affair with Mary, wife of the United physiotherapist, Laurie Brown, and the relative paucity of success for the United players during Docherty`s tenure, resulted in Dave Sexton`s being brought from Queens Park Rangers, where he`d nurtured a fine team that included Scotland`s playmaker, Don Masson, England right winger, Dave Thomas, England captain and midfield maestro, Gerry Francis, and the mercurial striking skills of England forward Stan Bowles.

 Although Sexton didn`t win anything with QPR, a team he`d bolstered with players from Chelsea, midfielder John Hollins and defender David Webb, the London team had come within a point of the league title in 1975-76. Success with Chelsea had come on the heels of Docherty`s departure as manager there in 1967 where Tommy`s side had won the League Cup in 1965. Sexton`s Chelsea won the F.A. Cup in 1970 and the European Cup Winners` Cup in 1971 before Sexton`s sacking by relegated Chelsea and his move to QPR in 1974-75 coincided with United`s relegation to the Second Division under Docherty. Sexton`s arrival at Manchester United for the 1977-78 campaign looked very similar to his taking over the reins at Chelsea after Docherty`s dismissal. Hopes at United were that Sexton would win a European trophy as he had at Chelsea with the squad Docherty had built there, but hadn`t been able to make the best use of, whereas Sexton had taken the players to successive triumphs in the 1970 F.A. Cup Final and 1971 Cup Winners` Cup. United had won the European Cup in 1968 at Wembley against Benfica of Portugal 4-1, with goals from Bobby Charlton (2), George Best and Brian Kidd, so ambition was high, but would Sexton be able to satisfy the demand for achievement at `the world`s biggest club`, as he had improved Chelsea`s standing in the early 1970s, when Docherty there hadn`t lived up to expectations; despite building a good young blues` side.

 The Chelsea core of Tommy Docherty`s League Cup winners` 3-2 against Leicester City were still much in evidence during Sexton`s successful period; `keeper Peter Bonetti, Ron `Chopper` Harris, at centre half, and midfield general, John Hollins, had been in Docherty`s `65 team, and alongside most notably, Peter Osgood, Docherty`s centre forward nurtured since `64, Bonetti, `Chopper` and Hollins would be there for Sexton against Leeds United in the 1970 F.A. Cup Final. Leeds were beaten 2-1 in a replay with Osgood making the scoresheet after a 2-2 draw, while the team beat Real Madrid in the 1971 European Cup Winners` Cup Final with Osgood scoring home and away in an aggregate 3-2 win over both legs. Speculation at United revolved around who`d be the backbone of the team for Sexton for the 1977-78 season after Docherty and could Sexton improve the United team to win as he`d done with the Chelsea side he`d also inherited from Tommy, `the Doc`, Docherty.

 Osgood had been in the Southampton team that had beaten United 0-1 in the 1976 F.A. Cup Final in the twilight of the England centre forward`s career, but Sexton had had the dynamic and forceful England captain at QPR, Gerry Francis, and speculation was rife that he`d bring the superstar performer to Old Trafford where he`d command the `serried ranks against the foe`1 (Sam: 2. 8) The reputed fee was 450,000 GBP and United had already lost out to Liverpool on Kenny Dalglish`s much heralded 440,000 GBP move from Scotland`s Glasgow Celtic to improve his soccer experience in England and replace English striker, Kevin Keegan, who`d opted to leave Merseyside for Germany`s Hamburg SV to broaden his own experience after Liverpool`s crushing 3-1 victory over Germany`s Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 1977 European Cup Final. As it turned out the rumors weren’t enough to persuade QPR to part with England captain Francis` undoubtedly great talent as a skilful midfield dynamo and goalscorer, so what would Sexton do? Gordon Hill, Manchester United`s left winger, substituted by tenacious Irish midfielder, David McCreery, in successive F.A. Cup Finals to bolster United`s defence when it looked as if they`d lose by more or lose their lead, was top scorer in consecutive seasons for United (1976-8), but Sexton decided to sell him to Derby County for 250,000 GBP and bring Wrexham`s Mickey Thomas from Wales to play on the left side of midfield. Most commentators believed the sale of Hill contributed to Sexton`s failure, but Dave had other contributions to make before leaving.

 The giant Scots` centre forward and centre back pairing at Leeds United, Joe Jordan (350, 000 GBP) and Gordon McQueen (495, 000 GBP), were brought to rectify a flaw many had perceived at the heart of the United defence, where Brian Greenhoff, a converted midfielder, had often looked too small to deal with towering opposition centre forwards like Peter Osgood, for example, which had left Scotland centre back, Martin Buchan, with often too much to do. It was also felt that United`s forward line had lacked height for many seasons since the decline of Brian Kidd, who`d scored against Benfica of Lisbon with his head as a 19 year old replacement for injured `King` Denis Law against the Portuguese side in the 4-1 European Cup Final triumph of 1968, but Kidd hadn`t fulfilled expectations after scoring a career high 15 league goals at Manchester United in his debut season, and it was expected that Joe Jordan`s height would now make itself felt in goals in an area United had been deficient since Kidd`s seasons` tally began to fall away drastically after Docherty`s arrival to replace Frank O` Farrell in December 1972 when Brian had 8 goals so far for the campaign. Brian Kidd would score but 2 more that season, and 4 in 1972-73 followed by 2 in 1973-74 when United were relegated at season`s end.

 Although Sexton gave an opportunity to Irish `keeper Paddy Roche in the 1977-78 season in which he made 19 appearances, Paddy`s performances towards the middle of the 1975-76 season when Tommy Docherty had inexplicably decided to drop England `keeper, Alex Stepney, and promote the raw young Irishman to put himself between the ball at the striker`s foot and the net, had been disastrous when it seemed as if United would sweep all before them that season on the wings of Steve Coppell and Gordon Hill. Roche was given a run of five consecutive matches in November, 1975. Although he kept the ball out of the net in two games, he lost ten goals in three losses to Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal. Roche didn`t make another appearance that season and the defeat to Manchester City 0-4 at Maine Road in the 4<sup>th</sup> round of the League Cup was accounted suicide when the reliable Stepney was available. United hadn`t won a domestic cup in well over a decade and the decision to select the untried Roche over the seasoned veteran, Stepney, contributed to Docherty`s final removal as a manager of unsound judgement.

 Dave Sexton promoted a young South African `keeper, Gary Bailey, aged 20, who made 28 appearances in the 1978-79 season. Bailey`d paid his own airfare to attend a Manchester United trial and became amongst the best `keepers of his generation, although he was blamed for letting in a headed Alan Sunderland goal after a seemingly innocuous left wing cross from over by the corner flag by Graham Rix in the final moments of the 1979 F.A. Cup Final. United had lost 2-3 in what was amongst the earliest games Gary played in the team. Ultimately it was Sexton`s farewell, because United never came closer to winning a trophy under Dave`s management. Bringing England playmaker, Ray `Butch` Wilkins, from Chelsea for 800, 000 GBP was a bold move forward. Wilkins would go on to captain England and United. Sexton`s successor, `Big Ron` Atkinson from West Bromwich Albion, would be grateful for `Butch`, who would score dramatically from long range in the 1983 F.A. Cup Final draw, 2-2, with Brighton And Hove Albion, before United won the replay, 4-0. United finished two points behind champions Liverpool in 1979-80 and a leggy 22 year old Irishman, Ashley Grimes, made 20 starts on the left side of midfield, scoring 3 goals. Although Joe Jordan managed to get into double figures in 1979-80 (13) and 1980-81 (15), it wasn`t enough to keep Sexton at Manchester United. Irish defender, Kevin Moran, had emerged at centre back and would remain there for many seasons, but Yugoslavian defender, Nikolai Jovanovic, brought from Red Star Belgrade where he scored 50 goals in 359 appearances was much less impressive in the 19 starts Sexton gave him in the 1980-81 season. Paying a club record transfer fee of 1, 000, 000 GBP for Nottingham Forest striker, Gary Birtles, who started 25 times without finding the net, brought Sexton the sack.

 Ron Atkinson`s 1983 F.A. Cup winning side was but the first of only two trophy successes at the club during Atkinson`s tenure as manager. Bailey, McQueen, Moran, Wilkins and Grimes would be the Sexton imports and promotions present in the 1983 line up, while the 1-0 1985 F.A. Cup team would still contain Bailey and former Gaelic football star, Kevin Moran. Sexton had unearthed a `keeper and eventually a centre back, but Ron sent Gary Birtles back to Forest. Atkinson would sell `Butch` Wilkins to Forest at a time when he had the new England captain, powerhouse Bryan Robson, brought from his old club WBA to make a complete England midfield, but `Big Ron` sold Ray to Italian soccer giants A. C. Milan for 1, 500, 000 GBP, as later he`d sell newly emerged young Welsh striking hero Mark Hughes to Barcelona for 2, 000, 000 GBP in a Summer `86 move that further branded him susceptible to European glamour clubs looking to prey on Ron`s weakness for loving the limelight of the newspapers` sports` pages at the expense of the club`s fortunes.

 After beginning the 1985-86 season, with three consecutive defeats, Ron was sacked by the United board in November 1986 after a 4^th round League Cup exit to Southampton with the club languishing second to bottom in the championship race. Legendary Rangers` centre forward, Scot Alex Ferguson, was brought from Aberdeen, where he`d been the only manager outside of the big Glasgow clubs, Rangers and Celtic, to win a European trophy; the Cup Winners` Cup in 1983. Docherty, Sexton and Atkinson had managed United out of the Matt Busby era of five championships between 1952 and 1967, but the title had eluded all of them. Hughes was pointedly returned by Alex Ferguson in the Summer of `88 for a club record 1, 800, 000 GBP from where he was playing for Germany`s Bayern Munich to commence the 1988-89 season as Manchester United`s centre forward. The F.A. Cup was subsequently won in 1990, with Mark Hughes putting United in front at 2-1 with a confusingly rare left foot shot into the top right corner from the left of the penalty area in the 62^nd minute, before extra time and an equalizer for the physically indefatigable Hughes receiving a through ball from Paul Ince and driving a shot along the ground past the onrushing Crystal Palace `keeper into the bottom left corner to level the score at 3-3 in the 113<sup>th</sup> minute. United won the replay 1-0 with a goal from left full back, Lee Martin, who`d run speculatively upfield before surprisedly receiving the ball on his chest on the edge of the area and, finding it fall at his feet nicely, ran on to blast it high into the roof of the net with no little glee.

 Victory for Manchester United in the European Cup Winners` Cup in 1991 followed upon their F.A. Cup Final success of 1990, with Hughes getting both goals in the 2-1 victory over Barcelona. The European Super Cup was won against Red Star Belgrade, 1-0, in 1991, and the League Cup, 1-0, against Nottingham Forest, in 1992, with Hughes` striking partner, Brian McClair, brought from Celtic to start the 1987-88 campaign for 850, 000 GBP, getting the single goal on both occasions. But it`d be twenty six years after their first championship win in 1907-08, under the stewardship of Ernest Mangnall, before in 1992-93 Hughes` stolid reliability as a finisher, combined with occasional genius in front of goal, brought to Old Trafford`s Theatre Of Dreams Manchester United`s eighth championship and the first of the thirteen Alex would eventually win for the club before his retirement season`s last league title in 2012-13.

 Alex Ferguson`s eye for a striker was by then legendary after signing such devastating forwards as Mark Hughes (120), Brian McClair (88), Eric Cantona (64), Dwight Yorke (48), Andy Cole (93), Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (91), Teddy Sheringham (31), Ruud Van Nistelrooy (95), Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov (48) so, when United`s spirit seemed exhausted in losing the title on goal difference to Manchester City in 2011-12, noone was surprised as Alex went to North London rivals Arsenal and bought Dutchman, Robin Van Persie for 24, 000, 000 GBP, to score the 26 goals in Ferguson`s last season that won the championship and a hero`s farewell for the manager.

1 https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/view.cgi?bk=9&ch=8 .

Brian McClair

Arriving at Manchester United at the beginning of the 1987-88 season, Brian McClair had won the Scottish FA Cup in 1985 and the Scottish league championship in 1986 as a goalscoring centre forward brought to Old Trafford by Alex Ferguson who bore a strikers` resemblance to future United captain, Bryan Robson, as a player for `Gers.

  For many years the taboo against playing for both Glasgow Celtic and Rangers remained until striker, Alfie Conn, who`d been transferred to England`s Tottenham Hotspur (1974-77) from Protestant Rangers (1968-74), went to the green hoops of Catholic Celtic (1977-79), where he scored 32 goals after netting 38 for `Spurs` and 93 for Rangers. Former `Gers centre forward, Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager (1986-2013), had no such taboo against Celtic players to enforce at traditionally Catholic United and McClair was brought to lead the line after Ferguson`s appointment at the start of the 1986 campaign failed to produce a trophy.  

 Indeed, Manchester United would be trophyless until 1989-90 despite McClair`s tally of 24 league goals in his first season, which established his place in the team and, although he was never really effective as a forward, Brian found favour with Ferguson in what was initially a midfield support role familiar to United fans from the days of Sammy McIlroy (1971-81) who`d begun as a centre forward as `the last of the Busby babes` nurtured by legendary manager, Matt Busby, scoring in a 3-3 draw against Manchester City at Old Trafford in the 1971-72 campaign and was preferred by succeeding manager, Tommy Docherty, in a midfield support role after the team was relegated and promoted in successive seasons (1973-75) before winning the only trophy of Docherty`s tenure, the FA Cup in 1977 with a 2-1 victory over Liverpool who were almost treble winners that season but for the Wembley upset as the Merseyside giants` league championship side went on to beat Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 in the European Cup Final of that year. Super `Sam` had almost won the FA Cup the previous season for United but had inexplicably hit the left hand post with a header when it seemed impossible that it shouldn`t go in and the Old Trafford outfit had lost 0-1 to Second Division Southampton and a late `sucker punch` from Bobby Stokes in a Southampton counter attack after United had dominated throughout. Just as McIlroy`s goals dried up under pressure with his highest number of goals scored being 10 in 1975-76, so McClair reached double figures only thrice more, 10 in 1988-89, 13 in 1990-91, and 18 in 1991-92, in a `converted` goalscoring midfield support role.

 In a distinguished career Brian McClair emulated two Manchester United legends, Arthur Albiston (1974-88), Scotland`s left back, and England`s captain, Bryan Robson (1981-94), who both won three FA Cup winners` medals in a period of relative mediocrity. Arthur had been fortunate that an injury had kept Stewart Houston out of the 1977 FA Cup Final, but appearances in the 1983 Final against Brighton and Hove Albion (2-2 and 4-0 in the replay) and Everton in the 1985 Final (1-0) were the record breaking highlights of a fourteen year career at Old Trafford`s `Theatre of Dreams`. Midfield powerhouse Bryan Robson arrived when his manager, Ron Atkinson at West Bromwich Albion, decided he couldn`t accept the job in Manchester unless Robson went with him. Bryan signed in 1981 for a then record transfer fee of 1.5 million GBP but received only 1983 and 1985 Cup Final winners` medals for his dynamic efforts until Ferguson and McClair`s arrival and Manchester United began to fulfil their potential as the club with the greatest support globally and the financial wherewithal to rise from a falsely mediocre position that had embarrassed Old Trafford since Matt Busby (1945-69) had managed the club to European Cup Final victory over Benfica (4-1) in 1968.

 Although McClair scored only 5 times in 1989-90, his support from midfield was a factor contributory to Manchester United`s first trophy under Ferguson and since the FA Cup Final victory over Everton in 1985 overseen by `Big Ron` Atkinson. The victory was Robson`s third and last; even though a very young United side would win the FA Cup without him in 1994 while he was still a vital part of the championship winning squad that term. McClair would be a part of that success too, although he`d come off the substitutes` bench to score the fourth goal against Chelsea in the 92^nd minute. Notable by their absence, McClair and centre half, Steve Bruce, didn`t make the 1996 FA Cup Final in which `Fergie`s Fledglings`, who`d won the double in 1993-94, were going for the FA Cup again after winning the championship in 1995-96. United won against Liverpool 1-0 after a typically mercurial performance from inspirational captain and French centre forward, Eric Cantona, who scored in the 85<sup>th</sup> minute with a volley through a crowd of Liverpool players inside the `keeper`s area. McClair and Bruce were surprisingly omitted but, after winning the Scottish FA Cup in 1985, the Scot did have three FA Cup Final winners` medals and so had emulated England captain, Bryan Robson, and fellow Scot, Arthur Albiston, left back for his country and United.

 McClair`s spell at United was rewarded with more than two FA Cup winners` medals to add to his Scots` Cup medal and league championship. Robson`s perseverance was rewarded by a winners` medal in the European Cup Winners` Cup Final of 1991 against Barcelona (2-1), followed by the European Super Cup (1-0) in which McClair scored the winning goal against European Cup holders, Red Star Belgrade, in the 67^th minute. A league Cup winners` medal in 1992 following a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest with a goal from McClair in the 14<sup>th</sup> minute, before United`s first championship in twenty-seven years in the 1992-93 season, were rewards for injury prone Robson and squad player Brian, who both kept persevering and picking up trophies with just a few significant appearances towards the conclusion of fine career contributions. In 1992-93 and 1993-94, Bryan Robson made 14 and 15 appearances respectively and picked up a championship medal on each occasion before ending his career at United, while McClair also kept up appearances and claimed a championship winners` medal in his penultimate season of 1996-97 with his lowest number of appearances (19), before a trophyless 1997-98 (13) season saw the end of a United playing career that was never anything less than doggedly determined and fiercely understated in its illustriousness.

Soccer Tsar Andrei Kanchelskis

Manchester United right winger, Andrei Kanchelskis, played for the Soviet Union of Socialist Republics (USSR), known as the Soviet Union before the Russian Federation was brought into being by President Mikhail Gorbachev on December 25, 1991. Before the USSR became the Russian Federation a Russian Soviet team that had qualified for the 1992 European soccer championships played under the flag of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which consisted of those nations of Eastern Europe that would be a part of the new Russian Federation, while others would remain independent (CIS) and some would join the European Union that had come into being in 1958 as a group of nations in Western Europe aiming to help each other economically.

 The European Economic Community (EEC) became the European Union (EU) in 1993 after its political aims expanded until it was a part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with a defence system shared with the United States and others. The Commonwealth of Independent States` soccer team was important for Eastern Europe because it represented the goal of a European Commonwealth inclusive of Russia, who had players in the squad, and not a federation of states described as Russian because controlled by Russia in what was a new Soviet system of centralized government from the Russian capital, Moscow.

 Andrei Kanchelskis had begun his soccer career with Ukraine`s Dynamo Kiev (1998-90) before leaving for another Ukrainian club, Shaktar Donetsk, where he was a member of the team that won the Russian cup in 1990. Of Lithuanian origin, Kanchelskis was born in the Ukraine but chose to play for Russia 59 times scoring 7 goals. Alex Ferguson signed Andrei in 1991 for Manchester United and in 1992 he was a member of the multinational squad that took part as the Commonwealth of International States (CIS) in the European Championships in which the side finished 8^th overall.

 The results of the Commonwealth of Independent States` (CIS) team were afterwards transferred to the Russian Federation national side and Andrei Kanchelskis participated in the 1996 European Championships as a member of the Russian Federation team. Andrei played in all three CIS games against Germany, 1-1, Holland, 0-0 and Scotland, 0-3, in which Manchester United`s centre forward, Brian McClair, in his 26^th international appearance, scored his first for Scotland and the team`s second in the 16<sup>th</sup> minute after his shot was deflected past CIS `keeper, Dmitri Kharine, by left full back, Kakhaber Tskhadadze. In Euro` `96 Russia finished bottom of their group and Kanchelskis played in defeats against Italy, 1-2, and Germany, 0-3, but was omitted for the final drawn game against the Czech Republic, 3-3.

 Andrei Kanchelskis was the first choice right winger at Old Trafford until future England captain, David Beckham, made his debut in a 1994-95 season in which United failed to win a trophy despite appearing in the FA Cup Final against Everton, 0-1. The following 1995-96 season Andrei was transferred to Everton and David, who`d made just four first team appearances the previous season, began to emerge as the dominant right sided midfield star of his generation with 33 appearances and 7 goals. During his years at the Theatre Of Dreams, the Russian winger collected medals in the European Super Cup (1991), the English League Cup (1992), the English championship (1993 and 1994) and the FA Cup (1994), which included the elusive league and cup double (1994) that had only previously been achieved in the modern era by Tottenham Hotspur (1960-61), Arsenal (1970-71) and Liverpool (1985-86).

 Manchester United was becoming a political force as they prepared one of their players to play for a team that included Russia as a member of an international organization of nations, that is, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), rather than as a central governor of unfree states, which is what the Soviet Union had been and the Russian Federation would be after the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Because Andrei had played for an Eastern European union the possibility of a European Union with Russia as a member was mooted.

 Although politics isn`t generally felt to be a part of soccer`s remit, Manchester United`s triumph in the European Cup of 1999 was followed by the club`s acceptance of the invitation to play against Palmeiras of Brazil in the Final of the Intercontinental Cup which the English based team won, 1-0, thanks to a goal from Irish midfield supremo, Roy Keane, who arrived at the far post to drive in a pinpoint left wing cross from Welsh wing wizard, Ryan Giggs, in the 35^th minute. United were making friends in South America and the next time they played for the World Club Championship against Ecuador`s LDU Quito in the Final they`d three South American players in the starting line-up, Brazilian right back Rafael, midfield creator Anderson of Brazil, and centre forward Carlos Tevez of Argentina, both of whom had helped the side at Moscow`s Luzhniki stadium beat Chelsea on penalties in the European Cup Final of 2008 to qualify for the World Club Championship Finals in Japan.

 Star right winger, Portugal`s Cristiano Ronaldo, missed in the penalty shoot out against Chelsea after scoring with a header to give United the lead. Chelsea midfielder, Frank Lampard, had tapped in from close range just before half time after a long range shot by Michael Essien was deflected; first off central defender, Nemanja Vidic, and then off his defensive partner Rio Ferdinand. `Keeper Edwin Van Der Sar lost his footing trying to recover and Lampard pounced. The game finished 1-1 and Brazil`s Anderson took the first penalty for United in the shoot out and scored. Anderson had come on as a substitute for defender Wes Brown at right full back. Wes had put in the cross from out wide for Ronaldo to score the United goal in normal time with a header. After added extra time Argentina`s Carlos Tevez scored from his spot kick in the penalty shoot out to decide the winners, but Ronaldo missed and Chelsea centre forward, Nicholas Anelka too. Ryan Giggs got the winner after Chelsea captain, centre back John Terry, fell on his arse in the rain and hit the post.

 Manchester United had appeared in the Intercontinental Cup Final on one other occasion after wining the European Cup in 1968. Played over two legs home and away, United faced Estudiantes of Argentina and lost, 1-2, on aggregate. Juan Ramon Veron, the `little witch`, Estudiantes` right winger, had crossed for forward Marcos Conigliaro to give the Argentinians a 28<sup>th</sup> minute lead to take to Old Trafford. Veron himself scored from a header in the 7<sup>th</sup> minute at the Theatre Of Dreams and a late goal from the boot of right winger, Willie Morgan, in the 90<sup>th</sup> minute wasn`t enough to win the trophy for United. But the club had won friends in South America. Unlike Liverpool who refused to play against the Argentine side, Boca Juniors, in consecutive seasons after winning the European Cup in 1977 and 1978.

 Although Liverpool agreed to play Brazilian team Flamengo in 1981 and lost, 0-3, the single game took place in Japan, and the Falklands war with Argentina broke out in 1982 over dictator General Galtieri`s invasion of the small group of islands under British government close to the Argentine mainland on the South American continent. Liverpool`s refusal to participate in a two leg encounter with Boca Juniors at Anfield and La Boca in Buenos Aires was because of prejudice against players from a nation Alf Ramsay described as `animals` when he was the manager of England`s World Cup winners in 1966. A Geoff Hurst hat trick against Germany won the World Cup for England, and just as the wave of feeling for Manchester United went some way to healing the rift between the English and the Germans after World War Two (1939-45) when the team`s plane crashed at Munich`s airport on February 6, 1958, and several players lost their lives as they prepared for the upcoming World Cup in Sweden, so Liverpool`s taking the hand of friendship with Boca Juniors could have lessened feelings of hostility between the people of the United Kingdom and Argentina. Germany`s World Cup loss of 1966 wasn`t felt so bitterly, because of the bridges Manchester United had built with the German people after Munich. Borussia Monchengladbach grasped the hand of the Argentinians in 1977, although the German side lost, 2-5, on aggregate, while Boca Juniors would again have been Liverpool`s opponents in the 1978 Intercontinental Cup Final, but the Anfield team wouldn`t travel to South America and the competition was cancelled; even though the 1978 World Cup Finals were to be played in Argentina and the English players needed the experience.

 Manchester United won the European Cup Final of 2008 against London`s Chelsea, at Moscow`s Luzhniki stadium in Russia, while their Russian winger, Andrei Kanchelskis, was prepared to play for a United Europe team in the 1992 European nations` championship, because a European Union inclusive of Russia is desirable. Friendship with South America is the prize for teams who win in Europe and Manchester United are sporting ambassadors for the world, because they choose not to hide from the responsibility which goes with global renown. To compete for the World Club Cup with European sides, the South American teams have to win the Copa Libertadores, which is the cup of freedom, that is, the cup of the liberators of South America, whereas Liverpool was the centre of the slave trade with the United States of America that, at its peak in 1799, transported by ship 45,000 slaves per annum to the Southern States of the Union. Refusing to compete for freedom`s cup suggests a preference for slavery rather than a United Europe or a United America.

 Manchester United`s England captain, David Beckham, won Major League Soccer`s (MLS) champions` cup with Los Angeles Galaxy of the United States` Western Conference (2011, 2012), so the L.A. Galaxy could compete for the World Club Cup of a United America and Europe. Liverpool`s failure to try to win for freedom against Boca Juniors of South America and make representations on behalf of Europe for peace before the Falklands war seems to have been what Liverpool`s winning of the old English divisions were for. To make war for Europe and divide America to maintain slavery. Liverpool were kicked out of the European Cup competition for their fans` killing Italian supporters of Juventus at the 1985 Final. With a reduced number of teams competing and three points for a win rather than two, Manchester United won the new English Premier league title of 1992-93 with Andrei Kanchelskis on the right wing; whatever his politics. Lithuania became a member of the European Union in 2004 while the Ukraine had become an independent nation in 1991. Lithuanian soccer star, Andrei Kanchelskis, born in Ukraine, chose to play on the right wing for Russia. He wasn`t hiding from Liverpool in South America; even though he had played for Everton.

Praying For A Wing

Manchester United have always had a simple playing policy, which is to find the best wingers, like legendary manager, with 13 league titles, Alex Ferguson, found David Beckham (1993-2003) and Ryan Giggs (1990-), to make the forwards responsible for scoring goals, because of a plentiful supply of excellent opportunities, which worked with players like the beligerent and occasionally miraculous Mark Hughes (1980-86, 1988-95) who, never known for bagging hatfuls of goals, got his highest total of 17 in 1985-86 when Danish left winger, Jesper Olsen (1984-88), was the provider.

 Welshman Hughes` strike rate didn`t improve, but he was Mr Reliable. Hughes always got into double figures, mainly because of the speed and energy of United`s resourceful Ukrainian winger, Andrei Kanchelskis (1990-95). In Mark`s second spell at the club, after Ron Atkinson made the mistake that cost him the manager`s job and sold Hughes to Barcelona, Kanchelskis and Lee Sharpe (1988-96) provided support along the right and left flanks, while later Ferguson additions, England`s Andy Cole (1994-2002), Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (1996-2007), and Trinidadian Dwight Yorke (1998-2002) were more natural goalscorers and found it less arduous to find the net.

 Gary Birtles (1980-82) was a great performer for Nottingham Forest with Brian Clough as manager when Forest won the European Cup twice in succession (1979, 80), but Birtles was heavily criticized at Old Trafford for putting the ball in the net only once in 25 appearances after United manager, Dave Sexton, had Gary transferred to Manchester for 1.25 million GBP at the beginning of the 1980-1 campaign. Sexton was ultimately sacked because he preferred to bring left midfielder, Mickey Thomas (1978-81), from Wrexham for 300, 000 GBP, although United already had an excellent wing pairing of Steve Coppell (1975-83) and Gordon Hill (1975-78).  But Sexton sold United`s top goalscorer, Hill, for the seasons 1976-77 (15) and 1977-78 (17), before commencement of the 1978-79 season, and although Gary Birtles had joined from Nottingham Forest as a proven forward who`d won everything in the English game and European honours too, Mickey Thomas` industry on the left of midfield wasn`t enough to assist the new striker, who`d been used to a skilful provider in  wingman, Trevor Francis, and a Forest side brimful with enthusiasm and expectation of success based on a series of triumphs and displays of goalscoring prowess from the forwards.

 Dave Sexton had begun the 1977-78 campaign as manager after replacing Tommy Docherty, who`d installed Steve Coppell to replace ageing right wing and Scotland captain, Willie Morgan (1968-75), who`d been signed by United`s other legendary manager, Matt Busby, after the club`s first European Cup win of 1968 at Wembley against Portuguese champions from Lisbon, Benfica, 4-1. Busby wanted to move Irish winger, George Best (1963-74), from the wing into a more central forward role so Best`s goalscoring flair could be fully utilized in front of goal. Ironically, George`s goals tally increased but the team lost impetus after his move from out wide and won nothing until Willie captained the side out of the Second Division in 1974-75 as champions. After replacing Morgan with Coppell, Tommy Docherty seemed to have made a mistake similar to Busby`s with Best`s wide talent when switching the wing effectiveness of Irishman Gerry Daly (1973-77) into midfield from the left and replacing him with Gordon Hill, but for a while it seemed to have worked. Stuart Pearson (1974-79) appeared as England`s centre forward between Hill and Coppell for an England U-23 European Championship Quarter Final against Hungary at Old Trafford in March, 1976, which England won, 3-1. Hill scored in the 74^th minute, but Hungary had won 0-3 in Budapest. The Hungarians went on to lose to Russia in the Final, but the new England trio of Pearson, Coppell and Hill had almost got the team through. United prayers seemed to have been answered by wings.

 Ultimately it was the removal of Gordon Hill from Manchester United that was manager Dave Sexton`s downfall, because he preferred industry to flair. Although Manchester United won the FA Cup with Hill`s style and panache, tenacious Irish midfield destroyer, David McCreery (1974-79), had displaced the England winger after being brought on as substitute for Gordon in successive FA Cup Finals (1976, 77) when Tommy Docherty had feared his team might concede a goal rather than score another. United`s tremulousness with regard to out and out wing play after Morgan`s arrival and Best`s move inside brought only three further domestic trophies, the FA Cup (1977, 1983 and 1985), after the league title of 1966-67, before Alex Ferguson`s reign as United`s most successful manager of all time began in 1986. Among Ferguson`s signings was Southampton`s winger, Danny Wallace (1989-93), but it was the 1988 signing of 17 year old Lee Sharpe from Torquay as a dazzlingly brilliant left wing at speed that would satisfy Alex`s future ambitions.

 Many had thought that Gordon Strachan, who`d been brought from Ferguson`s previous Scottish champions and European Cup Winners` Cup winners (1983), Aberdeen, by manager Ron Atkinson, who`d replaced Sexton, would renew the successful partnership the pair had in Scotland, but Strachan was a right sided midfielder rather than a winger and was transferred to Leeds. Despite finishing second in the table to Liverpool in 1987-88, a nine point gap didn`t inspire confidence, so Ferguson replaced Strachan with out and out wide man Wallace. Manchester United were to return to the traditional style of serving the forwards with the best opportunities from wingers who could get penetration and the emergence of young striker, Mark Hughes, from within the youth team ranks at Old Trafford set the stage for a feast of excitement as wingers dribbled speedily, swerving around opposition defenders to serve up the ball on a plate for forwards to feed their opponent`s always expectant goalmouth.

 Tommy Docherty was dismissed by the club for a lack of adventure, especially in the transfer market, when players like Celtic and Scottish captain, Kenny Dalglish, were available. Dalglish replaced forward, Kevin Keegan, who left Liverpool for Germany`s Hamburg S.V., after he`d helped win the 1977 European Cup for the Anfield outfit in a 3-1 victory over Germany`s Borussia Monchengladbach. Although Sexton agreed terms to bring Gerry Francis, the dynamically visionary tenacious England captain and midfield general, from previous club Queens Park Rangers (Q.P.R), the deal fell through. Dave`s subsequent policy in the aftermath of failure in the transfer market was to promote industry, rather than buy skill. Prolific Nottingham Forest striker, Gary Birtles, had been used to playing alongside genius, like Trevor Francis, the former Birmingham City star winger, who Clough made England`s first 1m GBP player, but an industrious Manchester United bereft of skill left Gary too much to do alone.

 If wingers don`t play the ball in to target men, like Stuart Pearson, who was transferred by Manchester United`s Tommy Docherty from Second Division Hull City to score the goals that brought promotion after United themselves were relegated to the Second Division in the 1973-74 season, goals can only materialize from midfield and the efforts of forwards unsupplied by the wings. As wings and a prayer, Coppell, Hill and Pearson carried the team on for the goals that beat Liverpool in the 1977 FA Cup Final win, 2-1. United`s wings had carried the side forward the previous season only to lose to unfancied Second Division, Southampton, 0-1, but goals from striker Jimmy Greenhoff`s chest (1976-80), deflecting diminutive midfield dynamo Lou Macari`s (1973-84) strike past Liverpool `keeper Ray Clemence from the right of the area, had won the game. 

 Manchester United`s experienced Irish midfielder, Sammy McIlroy (1971-82), had headed the ball forward for Greenhoff, who had headed on further to Pearson, whose powerful low shot went between and beneath Clemence`s legs to open the scoring in the 51^st minute. Jimmy Case had equalized for Liverpool with a typical turn and strong right foot shot from just inside and centrally placed within the Manchester United area. Trapping a long through ball from the right boot of Liverpool full back, Joey Jones, wide on the left, Case had turned to blast the ball into the top right corner, past the despairing grasp of United `keeper Alex Stepney (1967-78) in the 53^rd minute, who doubtless feared successive FA Cup Final defeats would be unbearable, but Macari and Greenhoff worked some alchemical magic in the 55^th minute to eventually carry the day for the reds.

  At Manchester United it`s important they have the best wingers to carry the team forward and make the strikers score. If the goal machines don`t work with the best wings, the manager is justified in dispensing with forwards who can`t function.  Stuart Pearson scored goals off his elbows, knees, thighs, and the back of his head, when he wasn`t paying enough attention to the crosses from the heroes on the flanks who made him function in his position. Steve Coppell and Gordon Hill hit Pearson with the ball often, and as well as they could, but Pearson lived up to expectations by putting the ball in the net as much as he was able. Steve Coppell was the only winger to play along the flank at United for a while after Ron Atkinson took over the manager`s role, but the 4-3-3 system of two forwards and one winger took the club through to the FA Cup Final of 1983 where the team drew with Brighton, 2-2, before winning a replay at Wembley`s national stadium, London, 4-0.

 An injury to Steve Coppell ended his career just before the Final and his place was taken by Welsh right wing, Alan Davies (1982-85). The next season Davies scored United`s only goal as a substitute against Juventus in the home leg of the European Cup Winners` Cup Semi Final before the side lost in Turin, Italy, 2-1. `Big Ron` Atkinson had brought ageing left winger, Arthur Graham (1983-85), from Leeds and it almost brought victory against Juvé. Young Irish centre forward, Norman Whiteside (1982-89), had equalized after winger Graham had taken a pass from his full back, Arthur Albiston (1974-88), wide on the left. Arthur`s cross  found Irish utility player, Paul McGrath (1982-89), in the Juventus area and the defender, playing a midfield role, backheeled the ball for substitute Norman to crash a left foot shot high into the Italians` net.

 Norman Whiteside was the second youngest man ever to play in the first team against Brighton and Hove Albion away on April 24, 1982, aged 16. The next season he made 39 league appearances before contributing to Manchester United`s 1983 FA Cup Final success, which gave the club entry to the European Cup Winners` Cup of 1983-84. `Big Ron` had brought centre forward, Frank Stapleton (1981-87), who partnered Whiteside, from Arsenal for 900, 000 GBP as his first big transfer signing in 1981. Stapleton and cultured England central midfielder, Ray Wilkins (1979-84), brought from Chelsea by former manager, Dave Sexton, had scored the goals against Brighton in the drawn FA Cup Final of 1983, but United won the replay easily after Norman Whiteside got United`s third in the 30<sup>th</sup> minute with a header from a right wing cross by injured Steve Coppell`s replacement, Alan Davies. `Big Ron` had brought ageing left winger, Arthur Graham, from Leeds and it almost brought victory against Juvé in the European Cup Winners` Cup Semi Final. Seeing success came with wings, Atkinson brought the younger, Jesper Olsen, from Ajax Amsterdam to be newly emergent marksman Hughes` goal provider from the left wing in what were to be Mark`s most successful scoring seasons of 1984-85 (16) and 1985-86 (17), before the FA Cup Final triumph of 1985 in which Hughes` strike partner Norman Whiteside`s low curved shot from the right of the penalty area bent around `keeper Southall and snuck inside the far left post to beat Everton, 1-0, after United`s centre back Kevin Moran had been sent off and the team became ruggedly determined not to lose.

 If United are unsuccessful the onus is on the manager to improve the supply from the wings so that he can see if the forwards are up to the task, and if they`re not then he must get better players. Gary Birtles` goal dearth was due to Welshman Mickey Thomas` withdrawn midfield role, whereas Birtles` strike rate could only have been improved by the presence of prolific topscoring, Gordon Hill, jinking his way along the left touchline. Cutting inside to have a go solo, or putting over a cross onto the heads of the forwards, or a ball into their feet in front of the goal, Gordon Hill`s service would have brought thrill and spills and Gary Birtles would have scored a few he didn`t even consciously aim to bag in the midst of the storm.

 The first superstar Manchester United had was Welshman, Billy Meredith (1906-21), a winger, who helped the club to the FA Cup in 1909 and championships in 1907-08 and 1910-11. United`s next major trophy wasn`t until 1948 after WWI (1914-18) and WWII (1939-45) when Charlie Mitten (1946-50) and Jimmy Delaney (1946-50) were the wings. Matt Busby had seemingly turned to wide play in desperation but wingers were what soccer was about. Pulling opposition defenders around the pitch, clutching at shadows, so as to get their own players forward without being kicked, was the wingmen`s objective. Having shaken off their shadows, the wingers could play the ball into forwards who`d run upfield unhampered. The simple ploy had resulted in the more defensive playing system of a less creatively talented Leeds United team and their emulators. Under future England manager, Don Revie, Leeds took advantage of the single substitute ruling of 1965-66 to entrench the principle of stopping opponents from playing when you were ahead. In Italian soccer what was known as the catenaccio, that is, defend until certain opportunities for strikers arise, became endemic in the English game; to the extent that wingers disappeared and every schoolboy wanted to be a midfielder because the new substitute position was invariably filled by a utility player who primarily functioned as a stop gap central midfield jack of all trades and master of none who came onto the field to prevent play from developing against his team`s lead.

 The role of wingers had been to bedazzle and avoid being kicked because there weren`t substitutions before 1965-66. The belief that players were stronger then is a myth. The more central players gave the ball to the wingers who had to perform so that the other members of the team could run unimpeded and the onus was upon the wide player to make it easy for the forward to score or the manager would get a new winger. Soccer was changing after WWII because clubs had played with a single stopper centre half flanked by half backs. The modern era saw that wings were a consequence of fear and sides began to play with two mobile centre halves flanked by left and right full backs with a stronger, more creative midfield and a single winger. Players like George Best, who became forwards after a spell out wide, were expected to see that as a reward, whereas it was deleterious to the team to sacrifice a winger for goals that should be scored by forwards.

 Although George was very successful as a forward the club wasn`t. United had won the championship (1951-52, 1955-56 and 1956-57) but, although the wingers changed, that is, Johnny Berry (1951-58) and David Pegg (1952-58) for Delaney and Mitten, the centre back pairing still featured a stopper and a half back rather than two mobile centre halves, like `Dolly and Daisy`, the nickname given to Manchester United`s central defenders of the early Ferguson era, Steve Bruce (1987-96) and Gary Pallister (1989-96). Bill Foulkes (1951-70) and Nobby Stiles (1960-71) were the centre half and half back combination that won championships (1964-65 and 1966-67) with John Connelly (1964-66) and George Best on the right and left wings, before the introduction of two substitutes for tactical reasons in 1967-68 began to change the way in which defenders were selected.

 Tactical substitutions  homogenized the defence with the midfield through the preparation of utility players for the bench. All purpose defensive midfielders became indispensable and began to appear in all of the positions behind the forwards in front of the `keeper. John Aston (1965-72) was the man out wide on the left when United won the European Cup (1968), and when Busby brought Willie Morgan to the club from Burnley everything seemed set for further success but Matt retired and was replaced by coach Wilf McGuinness, who was so defensively minded that he refused to play prolific centre forward, `The King`, Denis Law (1962-73), in three attempts to beat Leeds United in the FA Cup Semi Final of 1970, which the team eventually lost to the only goal in a third replay.

 When Frank O` Farrell became manager after McGuinness` failure to change United to suit the modern era, he brought England left winger, Ian Storey-Moore (1972-74), from Nottingham Forest, but Ian didn`t survive the cloggers and was invalided out of the game of soccer. It was the period in which the tackle from behind was being outlawed so that strikers and creative players didn`t have fear of being chopped down by defenders they couldn`t see as they attempted to move forward. The outlawing of the tackle from behind made the game more skilful and exciting for fans who wanted to see the best from players.

 After being moved from the wing by United manager, Matt Busby, George Best had become an inside forward, but the gap out wide was too big for any one player to fill. The changing pattern of the modern game was confusing for United. With two substitutes permitted for tactical rather than injury reasons in 1967-68, attention focused on the centre back pairing and the desirability of playing with two wingers if a single sub would do for defensive cover. If centre halves were essentially full backs in different guise, either could be switched to the centre in the case of injury to a centrocampista, and vice versa, so a utility forward could be employed in the `sub` role, rather than another midfield half back. 

 The need for more defensive flexibility had resulted in United`s midfield tiger, Brian Greenhoff (1970-79), becoming a prototypical centre back of the modern era with Tommy Docherty`s team. Defensive flexibility was illustrated in manager Dave Sexton`s decision to prefer defender, Jimmy Nicholl (1974-82), at right back, before the 1979 FA Cup Final against Arsenal. Manchester United lost, 2-3, and Brian had expected to play in the right full back berth, but Jimmy who himself was a regular centre back, was preferred. Both were centre backs and Greenhoff was a half back, rather than a right back, but Nicholl was a right back and a centre back. Jimmy was preferred although Brian had played much of the season at right full back.

 Although Manchester United lost to Arsenal, defensive flexibility was further illustrated in centre back Gordon McQueen`s (1978-85) mobility and agility for the reds` first goal at 0-2. A right footed cross from a free kick by Coppell over near the right touchline found centre forward, Joe Jordan (1978-81), on the left of the Arsenal area and he drove it into the penalty area where McQueen slotted it home in front of goal in the 86th minute, 1-2. Sammy McIlroy equalized after a left footed forward pass over the Arsenal defence from near the centre circle found the midfielder in the Arsenal area in the 88th miinute, 2-2. McIlroy scored with a solo run and dribble but striker, Alan Sunderland, headed the winner for Arsenal from left winger Graham RIx`s cross wide on the left wing near the corner flag in the 89th, although improved defensive mobility would be United`s successful new strategy in the future.

 When Tommy Docherty took over in 1972 he`d continued the policy of the big centre half, Jim Holton and the half back, Martin Buchan. O` Farrell had inherited Ian Ure (1969-71) as the stopper bought by McGuinness from Arsenal to partner the more mobile Martin Buchan (1972-83). Frank had transferred Buchan from Aberdeen, and Docherty found future Scotland stopper, Jim Holton (1972-76), at Shrewsbury Town. It wouldn`t be until Kevin Moran (1978-88) and Martin Buchan were paired by Ron Atkinson in preference to the big stopper centre half Dave Sexton had bought from Leeds, Gordon McQueen (1978-85), that the future of paired mobile centre halves could be perceived as United and that was because the number of substitutes available was increased from two to five for the beginning of the season 1995-96, and that would be increased to seven for 2008-09, which meant that defensive and midfield cover could be given by a single player, like the new breed of utility half-back, Phil Jones (2011-), while specialist forwards appearing from the bench was an optimal solution that had become real.

 Brian Greenhoff`s role in an effectively seminal role alongside Martin Buchan in the heart of Tommy Docherty`s United defence showed the emphasis in the modern game would be upon mobility at the back and versatility amongst the forwards, because getting ahead became more possible after being behind if there was a fresh wide player to gee-up the striker amongst the `subs` as well as an all purpose half back. Always concerned to adopt the simplest and most effective route to glory, Alex Ferguson`s Manchester United threw caution to the winds and spread their wings to fly in Europe and bring home two more European Cups (1999, 2008) before the manager`s retirement led to greater caution, or perhaps more expansion with new manager, David Moyes (2002-13), who`d kept Everton afloat for a dozen seasons or so without winning anything, which didn`t augur well for a club used to celebrating triumphs on the wings and the prayers of the faithful supporters at the North Stand`s Stretford End.

 Soccer theory at Manchester United has been that the team will go forward if the wings are strong enough and, although the nickname of the `red devils` suggests bedevilment, angels have wings. Managers that bedevil the development of the club are devils to the team while defenders like Nemanja Vidic (2006-14) and Rio Ferdinand (2002-), mobile centre halves of Ferguson`s modern era, `devil` the opposition and wingers, like Cristiano Ronaldo (2003-09), who arrived from Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon to provide the impetus on the right flank for the 2008 European Cup win, raise the team to dizzying heights. Angels have wings and Manchester United are hell to play against, or so the opposition`s legend has it, so devils are welcome at other clubs and the better players have to look to Old Trafford to get a game and spread their wings further. If you`re fooled by the `red devils` image, you won`t fly on the wings of God at the Theatre Of Dreams.

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, 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 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. 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, after being appointed to take over from Atkinson on 6^th November, 1986, 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) and Wales’ Mark Hughes (1980-86; 37, 1988-95; 83), and Mark Hughes and Frenchman Eric Cantona (1992-97; 64), 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.

 However, both McClair and Hughes were 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 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 goal from Wayne Rooney after Nemanja Vidić was sent off, against LDU Quito of Ecuador.

 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, 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 Southampton 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.

 Gaal experimented until victory, 2-1, a.e.t., in the 2016 F.A. Cup Final, against Crystal Palace, although by the time the line ups were announced, it was clear the Dutchman had accepted the United way and a team had taken 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 Belgian’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 José Mourinho, arriving via Chelsea, where he’d managed ‘the Blues’ to the 2014-15 English Championship, as well as the League Cup that season, galvanized 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 Southampton, 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, was 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, 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, led to Mourinho’s dismissal, 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, 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 caretaker 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 three 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, 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, 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 Germany’s 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 left footed overhead kick on Sunday, November 26^th, at Goodison Park, Walton, Liverpool, opening the scoring in an away victory, 3-0, over Everton.

Supermarket Stam And The Plates Of Meat That Couldn`t Run Enough After Him

1 https://production.investis.com/manutd/findata/reports/anrep01/chstat.pdf.

Clubs Cups

1 Key, Francis Scott `Defence of Fort McHenry`, on the bombardment by the British Royal Navy in Chesapeake Bay, 1814, during the second North American war of independence from George III`s British Empire (1812-15), and which became the lyrics of the national anthem of the United States of America set to a tune by Briton, John Stafford Smith, as `The Star Spangled Banner`, 1931-.

Leeds To Soccer Success At Manchester United

1 BBC News, BBC Home, `On This Day 1950-2005`, May 29,  https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/29/newsid_4464000/4464446.stm.

Manchester United And The Carriage And Wagon Department Of The Lancashire And Yorkshire Railway Depot At Newton Heath

1 `Proud Achievement By Manchester United; Young Forwards Rise To The Occasion In F.A. Cup`, The Times, 20 February, 1958. p. 12.

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

Mangnall, Busby, Docherty And Ferguson, Managing Triumph From Disaster

This article can be found in the May-June 2014 edition of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America`s (NSCAA) Soccer Journal

Clogging In Soccer, Will The Reds Survive?

Manchester United are known for attractive, attacking, entertaining, and successful footballing skills, which survived soccer`s so-called `hard men` to welcome changes in the Football Association rules to prevent the horrendous injury list of players under treatment, because of the notoriously hated `tackle from behind` by defenders that forwards couldn`t see coming and avoid. Hospitalization resulted for many victims of defenders` `clogging`, which was the euphemism employed to describe the practise of kicking a player until he stopped attempting to perform for the entertainment of the supporters.

 Clogs were English wooden shoes, and `clog` came to be used as a generic term for any form of strong footwear, especially in the industrial North of England, where clogs were working shoes for those engaged in hard labour at the beginning of the 18th century`s `Industrial Revolution` and thereafter. In English soccer `clogging` became a euphemism for the brutal activity of kicking, with football boots, those who were otherwise unstoppable skilful footballing geniuses; like George Best of Manchester United, Rodney Marsh at Manchester City, Stan Bowles at Queens Park Rangers, Tony Currie at Sheffield United, and Frank Worthington at Leicester City. Interviewers once asked George Best about his afternoon `taking on` defenders as he tried to go past them with the ball at his feet. Taking off his shirt, George showed the reporters a body almost entirely covered in bruises: `... a bruise is always caused by internal bleeding ... `1

 George Best  had been playing against Chelsea that day and Ron `Chopper` Harris, the Chelsea centre half, had been earning his money by following George around the pitch and kicking, that is, `chopping` George down, everytime Best got near the ball. Photographers particularly found `Chopper` annoying, and one of them wanted to ask Best who the `bullet headed guy` following the Manchester United superstar about the field had been? Everytime there was a photo opportunity, `Chopper` Harris was in the scene framed by the camera lens and the photographer couldn`t get a decent picture of George Best.

 The photographer`s question about the `bullet headed guy`, who was George Best`s footballing assassin on the pitch wasn`t inapposite. George used to relate how, one time at Manchester United`s Old Trafford stadium, the club had received a death threat against him by someone with an Irish accent during the time of what were euphemistically known as `the troubles` in Northern Ireland. The British Army were policing Catholic and Protestant `sectarian violence`, which was being perpetrated by extremist paramilitary organizations against each others` communities. George Best spent the entire game running as fast as he could, even in stoppage time for injuries, or when the ball was out of play, because it was feared the Catholics` Irish Republican Army (IRA), or the Protestant`s Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), or some lunatic group of pseudo-politicos, were out to finish `Chopper` Harris` assassination attempt on George with a sniper`s bullet.

 Before Manchester United`s championship successes in 1964-65 and 1966-67, came the 1963 F.A. Cup Final defeat of Leicester City, 3-1, when a goal from Denis Law, who`d taken a pass from midfielder, Paddy Crerand, after Leicester `keeper Gordon Banks hadn`t kicked the ball out far enough, opened Manchester United`s account against an embarassed England goalkeeper in the 38th minute. David Herd`s two goals, the third to give United a two goal unassailable lead in the 85th minute, after Leicester had pulled a goal back, took the cup back to Manchester and a place in the Old Trafford stadium`s trophy room at what was coming to be known as the `Theatre of Dreams`.

 Fulfilment of the Manchester United dream had to wait until rivals were overcome. The team to beat was Leeds United. Before the outlawing of the `tackle from behind`, Norman `bite yer legs` Hunter was the mainstay of a primarily defensively oriented Leeds United team not averse to a bit of `clogging` to prevent the opposition becoming successful. With the elder brother of Bobby Charlton, Jack, as the centre half who himself declared his hatred of losing, Leeds United and their captain, combative Scottish battler, midfield `general` Billy Bremner, won the English league championship in 1968-69 and 1973-74, but despite reaching the European Cup Final in 1975 against Bayern Munich they lost 0-2.

 In the developmental psychology of Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) dreams are the place where images that impel the inventive genius of humans surface into consciousness from the depths of the unconscious mind. George Best`s experience of the `tackle from behind` as a red for Manchester United at the `Theatre of Dreams` against the white shirts of Leeds United and Real Madrid has what Jung calls an archetypal significance insofar as red blood cells or corpuscles carry oxygen to vivify the body while white cells are the defenders of the body`s immune system: `Disease states such as insufficient or malfunctioning platelets, other coagulation deficiencies, or vascular disorders, such as venous blockage ... [is] haemorrhage called bleeding.`2

 The outlawed English soccer practise of `clogging` corresponds to the formation of bruises, but diseases such as HIV/AIDS cause a malfunction of the blood platelets, which coagulate around a wound, for example, to stop bleeding, while veins block if red cells die, because the white defensive cells of the body`s immune system are killed by the HIV/AIDS virus that pretends to be white cells in order to fool the supporting body into accepting the virality as virility. In footballing terms, `cloggers` kill the game of soccer for the body of its supporters, who aren`t engaged in the `brutality and violence` of pederasty`s `English disease`.

 The prototypical British farce, No Sex Please, We`re British (1971),3 about mannered psychology depicts a woman, Frances, and her husband`s fear of discovery by the English authorities when she begins to mysteriously receive Scandinavian pornography in the mail. In Britain news of the penis is scarce because visual depictions are taboo.

 Soccer is a repressive`s sport designed to inform the participants that they can`t put the ball in their mouths because it`s too big, whereas the mouth of the goal isn`t. Women who have a penis of their own as `futanarian` is what the game of `futty` is about, Moloch, which was one of the `false gods` of the Bible that people were forbidden to worship by God. Pagans sacrificed children to Moloch by throwing them into its maw, and so the open goalmouth of `futty` is where the human children of the `futanarian` woman`s penis` seed` are symbolically devoured to those involved in pagan worship. To humans soccer is a training program telling them not to confuse sexual appetite with food. The human species isn`t for being devoured, and the mouth of the goal isn`t actually Moloch so the football doesn`t represent the testicle sack of the `woman`s seed`, which isn`t consumed by Moloch because the disciplined and trained soccer exponent is a human hero.

 As an independent species with her own penis` semen, women are self-reproductive and socio-economically free, while censorship and media blackouts on her penis` existence are because men don`t want women to know they`re becoming extinct as the human `futty` race of `futanarian`, that is, she`s being secretly eaten by her ogres, men, who have enslaved her host womb to produce civilization, culture and art to devour humanity in their aliens` ceaseless wars against the human race of `futanarian` woman with her own penis` `seed`. God even tells Eve in the Bible that her `seed` will have `perpetual enmity` with the `serpent`s seed`, but she: `... will crush the head of the serpent as she leaves.` (Gen: 3. 15)

 The outlawing of the `tackle from behind` by the English Football Association is sexually relevant because `tackle` is slang for the male penis and testicles, which became an issue for most people after the `killer disease` of HIV/AIDS was discovered to have been created by homosexuals in the late 20th century by mixing blood, semen, and shit in their anuses during women rejecting acts of anal sex together. The `tackle from behind` added the new dimension of anal rape to its repertoire of meaning, while `clogging` in medical terminology refers to what happens during an attack by the viral disease, HIV/AIDS, as the red corpuscles of the blood die and block the arterial walls of the blood vessels because there aren`t any white cells of the body`s immune system to kill the bacteria which attacks the red cells of the oxygen bearing blood. The individual who has clogging of the arteries expires from lack of oxygen, which is sometimes experienced as heart attack or brain haemorrhage. In footballing terms, `Chopper` Harris` clogging of George Best with the `tackle from behind` is analogous to the HIV/AIDS` virus preventing the body from successfully functioning until the individual collapses and dies of exhaustion from fighting the disease, which is what occurs with HIV/AIDS` sufferers.

 The `tackle from behind` was a male behavioural `pattern` that the English F.A. in conjunction with the world body of soccer, UEFA, quite rightly stamped out as psychopathological by imposing rigorous refereeing to ensure that defenders who used the `tackle from behind` were summarily removed from the field of play by means of the red card, which referees were given authority to use in every instance of a player attempting to defeat the object of the game, which is to score goals and skilfully entertain without fear of loss of life or limb.

 In terms of Manchester United`s `Theatre of Dreams` the red shirts and white shorts of their strip represent the dream images or archetypes of Jung`s collective unconscious as they emerge into conscious thought. The red cells of the blood corpuscles needed by the body of soccer to live are supported by the white cells of the body`s immune system, the defenders that kill the bacteria, which would destroy the red oxygen carrying blood cells and harm the developed body. Manchester United`s red and white shirt and shorts archetypally denote the balanced harmony of the body`s systematic defence against attack and energizing necessary to progress healthily. Manchester United`s progress in domestic and European competitions can be examined symbolically in terms of red cells` energies and white cells` defensive and attacking functions before and after the emergence of the HIV/AIDS virus as a `killer disease` threatening the survival of the human species with its `tackle from behind` in the late 20th century.

 Winning European trophies wasn`t an unknown experience for the all white strip of Leeds United, who`d won the UEFA Cup in 1969 and 1971, while successes in the League Cup (1969) and F. A. Cup (1972) easily won their club the competition for greater glory than the reds of Manchester United, whose only achievements between winning the European Cup in 1968 and their triumphant F.A. Cup Final replay of 1990 against Crystal Palace, 1-0, were F.A Cup wins in 1977, 1983 and 1985. Liverpool had expected to win the treble of championship, F.A. Cup and European Cup in 1977, which Manchester United would actually achieve in 1999, after winning the league and second leg of the `treble`, the 1999 F.A. Cup Final against Newcastle United , with goals from Teddy Sheringham on 11 minutes, put through down his right side by the right boot of winger, David Beckham, to stroke the ball between the Newcastle `keeper`s legs with his own right boot from the right side of the area. After half-time, Paul Scholes, collecting a pass out of the Newcastle area from Mark Hughes, who`d shielded the ball with his back to goal, drove in a shot along the ground into the bottom left corner of the net on 52 minutes to complete the second leg of the treble of league, F.A. Cup, and European Cup.

 In the 1977 F.A. Cup Final, goals from Jimmy Greenhoff, who chested Lou Macari`s strike into the net in a frenetic few seconds in the Liverpool area on 51 minutes, and the centre forward from Hull, Stuart Pearson, who broke through on 55 minutes to power the ball underneath an embarassed England `keeper Ray Clemence, who felt he should have stopped Pearson`s effort, gave the F.A. Cup to Manchester United and Liverpool`s treble bid had failed.

 In 1983 Brighton and Hove Albion were the F.A. Cup Final opponents and Manchester United won, 4-0, after a replay. In the initial encounter the silky smooth endeavours of Ray `Butch` Wilkins salvaged the game for the reds in the 72nd minute with a curled strike from the right side of the Brighton area into the top left corner after former Arsenal `classic` target man, centre forward Frank Stapleton, tapped in a ball by the far post that the Brighton `keeper had pushed out at him following a cross from right full back, Mike Duxbury, in the 55th minute. In the replay, right winger Alan Davies, who`d made his Manchester United debut in the first game as a replacement for the injured England winger, Steve Coppell, facing away from the goal in the Brighton area, shielded the ball on 25 minutes and played it out to Bryan Robson, who struck the ball with his good left foot past the `keeper and into the right corner of the net. On 30 minutes Davies crossed from the right and 17 year old centre forward, Norman Whiteside, headed home. Just before half time centre back, Gordon McQueen, headed on a free-kick and the ball fell to Robson to tap in at the far post, and the scoring was completed in the 62nd minute when Dutch midfielder, Arnold Mühren, scored from the penalty spot after Bryan Robson had been brought down by Brighton right back, Gary Stevens.

 In the F.A. Cup Final of 1985, Norman Whiteside curled a shot from the right edge of the penalty area around the Everton `keeper and inside the far post in the 110th minute of extra time to win for a surprised and grateful 10-man Manchester United after centre back, Kevin Moran, had been sent off in the 78th minute for a foul on Peter Reid when he was clean through on the Manchester United goal and almost certain to score.

 At this point in the socio-history of soccer, the reds of Manchester United and any other team with white in their strip could be understood archetypally as the inevitable interplay between the white cells of the body`s defensive immune system and the energized activities of the healthy oxygenized red cells of the body of soccer as it enjoyed its progress towards another season`s conclusion, but the advent of the HIV/AIDS virus would change the meaning of reds against whites before the 21st century had begun.

 At London`s English national football stadium, Wembley, where all F.A. Cup Finals are traditionally staged, 1990`s first encounter between Manchester United and Crystal Palace ended in a draw. England captain, Bryan Robson, the Manchester United player known most for his skilful midfield aggression and strikers` eye for a goal opportunity, had made the score level at 1-1 in the 35th minute; backing away from centre forward  Brian McClair`s right wing cross to direct the header powerfully downwards and into the Palace net. After half-time, right-sided midfielder Neil Webb`s 62nd minute cross shot found Mark Hughes, who struck low into the corner of the net. With Crystal Palace leading 3-2 in extra time it was left to Mark Hughes` perseverance and iron will and determination to bring the scores level at 3-3 in the 113th minute when United winger, Danny Wallace, slipped a pass through centre midfield for Hughes to run onto and he slipped it through into the net as the `keeper came out. In the replay Lee Martin ran the length of the field from his left full back berth to surprisedly receive the ball he crashed into the top left corner of the Palace net to win the trophy in the 59th minute.

 Even though the white defensive cells of Leeds United had been beaten in the semi-final of the F.A. Cup in 1976 by the energized red blood cells of the Manchester United `system`, the reds had still been unable to overcome the Leeds United `hoodoo` upon their success and lost a match they should have won against second tier club Southampton through an 84th minute torpedo from Bobby Stokes that sank hopes of that ship coming in to deliver its cargo of silverware. Leeds United`s hold on Manchester United continued even up until 1991-92, when a seemingly unstoppable `red devils` championship charge mysteriously lost momentum and Leeds United  took control to take the title after Manchester United wilted  dismally 0-2 at Liverpool`s Anfield stadium on the last day of the campaign.

 There was a sense of unease around Old Trafford, but manager Alex Ferguson`s solution was to bring French soccer superstar, Eric Cantona, the coolly imperturbable, dynamically contemptuous and aloof French striker, from Leeds United. Reinforcing the attacking white shorts of Ferguson`s team, Eric Cantona would combine the energy of the oxygenated red cells with the attacking verve of the white cells and devastate the bacterial annoyance posed by Manchester United`s opponents with the brilliance of his footballing star as it had arisen, seen from afar, by the admiring gaze of Alex Ferguson holding a red and white `red devils` strip to tempt the Frenchman on to dizzier heights.

 A year after their F.A. Cup Final defeat of Crystal Palace, Manchester United were winners of the European Cup Winners` Cup, when two goals from Mark Hughes were enough to beat Barcelona, 2-1. Mark Hughes would have a decade of success in reaching double figures as a striker in each season before age and a goal tally that fell to eight in the 1994-95 league season resulted in Manchester United failing to win the 1995 F.A. Cup Final against Everton, 0-1, and an unsentimental manager`s decision let a great player leave. Bringing in youngsters known as `Fergie`s Fledglings`, after the style of former Manchester United manager, Matt Busby`s `Babes`, manager Alex Ferguson relied on the capable captain`s style of French superstar striker, Eric Cantona, to be their shepherd. Eric had caught the manager`s eye in season 1991-92, when Leeds United had just beaten Manchester United to the title; largely because of Eric`s sublime skills as a deep-lying centre forward in the traditional Manchester United mould. Rapt in admiration, Alex brought Cantona to Manchester United and the result was four league championships, beginning with a successful Mark Hughes` led campaign in 1992-93 and including the almost impossible league and F.A. Cup `double` in 1993-94 and 1995-96, before Eric Cantona, `le god` to the West Stand of Old Trafford`s Stretford End, retired with a last champions` medal as a reward for Manchester United 1996-97 season`s campaigning.

 Eric Cantona had scored the single goal that had beaten the `reds` of Liverpool in the F. A. Cup Final of 1996. In the inimitable style of `le god`, Eric had aloofly observed the ball bounce before him in the 85th minute. Majestically drawing back his boot to address the tempting target hanging suspended there in the air, Eric almost sneeringly struck through a crowd of players and into the Liverpool net. Although Chelsea had been beaten in the F.A. Cup Final of 1994, 4-0, mainly through the fortuitousness of two penalty awards in the 60th and 66th minutes and the ruthlessness of Eric Cantona`s finishing from the spot kicks, it was still poor consolation for Manchester United. Liverpool, in an all red strip that made them redder than Manchester United, who wore white shorts, had been winning European trophies consistently for twenty years. However, Manchester United, in archetypal signification of their role as defensive white cells of the body of soccer`s immune system, wore their white shorts with pride against Chelsea, while their red shirts continued to signify the energy in their blood`s resistance to the bacterial contamination of their rivals` desire to keep them down. Mark Hughes in the 69th minute of the 1994 F.A. Cup Final pounced on a slip by defender Frank Sinclair to increase United`s lead while Brian McClair got a fourth after an unselfish pass from midfield strong man, Paul Ince, left the Scots` striker with the easiest of chances to illustrate the Manchester United way: `The best form of defence is attack.`4

 Becoming only the second English team after Manchester United in 1968 to win the European Cup in 1977, thanks to their belligerently skilled forward, Kevin Keegan, who tormented Germany`s Borussia Munchengladbach`s international defender, Bertie Vogts, mercilessly, and Liverpool won 3-1. Kevin Keegan left at the close of the season for German club, SV Hamburg, but Liverpool went on to win the trophy again in 1978, 1981 and 1984 influenced by the arrival from Celtic of Scottish striker, Kenny Dalglish. Manchester United had only won a single European trophy, the European Cup in 1968, while Liverpool had triumphed in the UEFA Cup in 1973 and 1976 before even their first European Cup success, and would go on to win the European Cup again in 2005 led by the midfield strength and guile of England captain, Steven Gerrard, after Manchester United`s 1999 triumph and before the `red devils` won the European Cup for the third time against Chelsea at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow in 2008.

 The reds of Liverpool were far more successful than the `sleeping giant` of Manchester United until Alex Ferguson began the `red devils` climb back to greatness after the `ginger prince` to Eric Cantona`s `le roi`, Paul Scholes, took on the mantle of inspirer from Manchester United`s midfield upon the retirement of `le god`. Winging their way to glory, Ryan Giggs on the left wing and David Beckham on the right, were a pair of providers that would assist Manchester United in overtaking Liverpool`s total of nineteen championships by the close of another victorious 2012-13 title winning season.

 Liverpool`s last title had been in 1989-90, but the faces of the players of Manchester United had been redder than their shirts, either in frustration or embarassment, for twenty-six years, while Liverpool picked up league titles with a seemingly effortless passing and striking style that had swept all before them since Manchester United`s need to recover from the loss of the young team of `Busby Babes`, who`d been decimated in the Munich aircrash disaster on February 6, 1958. Manager Matt Busby`s newly built team of survivors, like Dennis Viollet, who went on to score 110 goals for Manchester United, and the imported talents of expensive strikeforce, David Herd, and soon-to-be goalscoring `King` of Old Trafford, Denis Law, went on to eventually  win the F.A. Cup in 1963 against Leicester City, 3-1, with goals from Herd and Law, who scored the opening goal and had come from Italy`s Torino to boost a faltering Manchester United forward line still recovering from the loss of centre forward, Tommy Taylor, right winger Johnny Berry, left winger David Pegg, and the devastating strength and skill of wing half prodigy, Duncan Edwards, whose untimely demise after the collapse of the Manchester United plane in the slush and ice of the runway at Munich airport on February 6, 1958, as it tried to lift off and take the team home to England, left a hole in the heart and soul of the club that couldn`t be repaired, not even by the emerging triumvirate of Irish wing wizard, George Best, the dynamite left boot of survivor, Bobby Charlton, and the extraordinary goal poaching skills of Denis Law.

 Liverpool`s early successes in the title race were only equal to Manchester United`s in 1964-65 and 1966-67, but the Old Trafford reds couldn`t compete with Liverpool`s red machine that persisted in being too good for everyone else and seemed able to take the title almost at will as the years rolled by; 1963–64, 1965–66, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1987–88, and 1989–90. Welsh wing wizard Ryan Giggs` debut on the world`s stage in 1991, coming on as substitute for Lee Martin in the 71st minute of the Super Cup, after qualifying for a chance to win the trophy by becoming European Cup Winners` Cup Winners in 1991 and taking the opportunity to defeat European Cup winners, Red Star Belgrade, signalled something of an eclipse of Liverpool`s fortunes. Manchester United won the European Super Cup, 1-0, thanks to a Brian McClair low shot in the 67th minute after Neil Webb hit the post with a long range effort and the ball bounced back to McClair centre goal, but Ryan Giggs would need to have the undauntedness of youth on his side if Liverpool`s haul of titles were to be equalled and bettered. Even after his right wing partner, David Beckham, left for Real Madrid at the end of the victorious 2002-3 season, however, left winger Ryan Giggs` calming authoritative personality and controlled play from the wing or midfield was up to the task, and Manchester United, with Ryan Giggs having taken league championship honours alongside David Beckham in 1999–2000, 2000–01, and 2002–03, following the inspirational `treble` year of 1998-99, went on to championship glory in 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, and 2010–11 to equal Liverpool`s haul of titles, before Manchester United`s twentieth success in 2012–13 finally overhauled the reds title tally at Anfield`s stadium on Merseyside.

 Manchester United`s winning of a first league title since 1966-67 seemed dependent upon a rite of passage for the young Ryan Giggs, and although the team failed to clinch the championship when it looked to be easily within their grasp in 1991-92 but eventually went to Leeds United, the League Cup Final was won for the first time with a 1-0 victory against Nottingham Forrest, thanks to a single strike from former Celtic striker, Scottish international Brian McClair who, receiving a pass from Ryan Giggs, struck low and left footed to the `keepers left for the only goal of the game in the 14th minute. Success in the League Cup was something else Manchester United were behind in. Never having won `the Mickey Mouse cup`, third in importance in the English soccer season, even Leeds United had a single success in the competition, while Liverpool had consecutive success in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984 to boast over. Achieving victory in the contest was a step towards overcoming their rivals, and Manchester United duly went on to successes in 2006, 2009, and 2010.

 The decline of Alex Ferguson`s belief in the Dutch centre forward, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who he`d wooed away from Holland`s Feyenoord, but had introduced as `Manchester United`s centre forward for the next decade` when he began in the 2001-2 season, wasn`t because of a goal dearth. Nistelrooy found the net 95 times in 120 league appearances, but Manchester United were league champions only in 2002-3 with Ruud as first choice striker, while young winger Cristiano Ronaldo was brought from Spain`s Sporting Lisbon to boost United`s overall performance in front of goal. Although Ruud Van Nistelrooy made the F. A. Cup Final team of 2004, Cristiano Ronaldo made the breakthrough against Millwall, with a headed goal from right back Gary Neville`s cross on 44 minutes. While Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored from the penalty spot on 65 minutes after Millwall central midfielder, David Livermore, stopped a Ryan Giggs` surge into the penalty area and brought Giggs down unfairly as he was about to strike at the Millwall goal, questions were being raised over the number of strikes Ruud made from penalty kicks, and although he wrapped up the game with an 81st minute tap in from a driven Ryan Giggs` cross that might have gone in without Nistelrooy`s `assist`, questions were also being raised over the number of superfluous strikes he made when the game was won and over.

 Ruud Van Nistelrooy didn`t make the team for the League Cup Final of 2006, which Manchester United won without him. New young centre forward, Wayne Rooney, had arrived from Everton for the 2004-5 season, age 18, and Louis Saha was preferred to Ruud as Rooney`s striking partner even though he wasn`t really ever fully fit and was known to be prone to break downs and so couldn`t be relied upon for a season`s campaign. Ruud Van Nistelrooy`s campaigning at Manchester United was over after 2004-5 when he scored only 6 goals from 17 league appearances. Wayne Rooney top scored with 11 goals from 29 appearances and Ruud, who`d top scored in the European Champions` Cup with 8, while Manchester United  were knocked out by Italian giants A.C. Milan, 0-1 at home and 0-1 away, before even the Quarter FInals, left for Real Madrid where he scored a lot more easy goals and penalties.

 Ruud Van Nistelrooy wasn`t in the mould of a player like Mark Hughes, who scored fewer, but enough and important strikes, such as the brace against Crystal Palace that forced a replay in the F.A. Cup Final of 1990, which United subsequently won with a solo effort from left full back, Lee Martin, and the two against FC Barcelona, which won Manchester United the European Cup Winners` Cup in 1991. Mark Hughes` third goal for Manchester United in the F.A. Cup Final of 1994, which United won 4-0, contributed to the club`s first ever `double` of league and cup, and was the first goal not scored from the penalty spot, in contrast to Ruud Van Nistelrooy`s `pattern`. Real Madrid, the Spanish giants, didn`t win the European Champions` Cup with Ruud Van Nistelrooy, because the competition weren`t easier.

 Ryan Giggs` longevity as a Manchester United star meant that he had a role to play in all of the club`s League Cup triumphs. When Manchester United beat Wigan 4-0 in 2006, the first goal came after `keeper Edwin Van Der Sar's long punt downfield was flicked on by Saha and Wigan`s De Zeeuw and Chimbonda collided to leave Rooney with a clear run on goal before clinically beating the `keeper in the 33rd minute. The score remained the same until 55 minutes when forward Louis Saha scored the second goal, bundling the ball over the line as the goalkeeper failed to stop right back Gary Neville`s cross at Saha`s feet. United`s third came on 59 minutes when Saha at centre field in front of goal laid the ball out right for winger Cristiano Ronaldo to rifle the ball past the `keeper from a tight angle. Centre back Rio Ferdinand knocked the ball down for Wayne Rooney to lash the ball into the Wigan net after a Ryan Giggs` left footed free kick from the right touchline in the 61st minute that underlined the left winger`s  contribution.

 In the League Cup Final of 2009 Tottenham Hotspur were the opponents and Manchester United won on penalties after extra time, 4-1, with strikes from Ryan Giggs, coming on in the 91st minute as a substitute, and Carlos Tevez, who had won the Copa De Libertadores with Argentina`s South American champions Boca Juniors before coming to Old Trafford and winning the European Champions` Cup with Manchester United in 2008 against Chelsea, 1-0. The other penalty goals that defeated Spurs were scored by the Brazilian left midfielder Anderson, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

 The 2010 League Cup Final saw Manchester United come from behind after a penalty awarded against them after 5 minutes when Nemanja Vidic brought down Villa striker Daniel Agbonlahor. Former Liverpool centre forward, Michael Owen, replied with a goal on 12 minutes when Bulgarian centre forward, Dimitar Berbatov, broke down the right wing and surged into the Villa area before crumpling under a tackle from Richard Dunne. The ball rolled over to MIchael Owen who slotted an easy chance home. Michael Owen`s injury prone career once again saw him leave the field of play on 42 minutes to be replaced by England centre forward, Wayne Rooney, who scored Manchester United`s second on 74 minutes after a cross by right winger, Antonio Valencia, and a goal that saw Wayne backpedalling to get his head onto the ball and see it loop over the `keeper into the Aston Villa net.

 Manchester United`s great European rivals in white are Real Madrid who had won the European Cup in 1956 before they met the `Busby Babes`, United`s young championship winning team of the 1955-56 season in England, in the semi-final of the 1957 competition, which Real Madrid won over two legs, 5-4, after a 3-2 home win at the Bernbeau stadium and a 2-2 draw at the Old Trafford stadium, Manchester, before going on to win the European Cup again. The following season Manchester United were again English champions and had won through to the semi-final once more after defeating Red Star Belgrade of Yugoslavia, winning 2-1 at home and drawing 3-3 away. When the team`s plane crashed at Munich airport on February 6, 1958, trying to take off in the snow and ice, several members of the playing staff were killed, but Manchester United still had to play against A.C. Milan in the European Cup semi-final. The patched together side lost 2-5, while Real Madrid went on to again win the European Cup for the third time.

 The success story of the red of Manchester United and the white of Real Madrid symbolically represent the history of the `tackle from behind`, before the HIV/AIDS virus` began its attack on the red and white cells of the body`s living system, in the latter part of the 20th century. The HIV/AIDS virus` clogging of the white cells, so that they die and the red cells can`t breathe, is analogous to the thuggery practised in soccer, before the `tackle from behind` was outlawed. The result of contracting the HIV/AIDS virus` `killer disease` is analogous to the thuggery of the player who`s a plague, aiming to clog the skilful by means of the `tackle from behind`, which means the death of football, whether Real Madrid in white, or Manchester United in red: `Everybody hates us and we don`t care!`5

 After winning the European Cup in 1958 the white shirts of Real Madrid offered the trophy to the red shirts of Manchester United in token of Real`s love for the game and as a symbol of faith and hope in the future, which was subsequently repaid at United, when the playing staff decimated by the Munich air crash on February 6, 1958, recovered under the stewardship of manager, Matt Busby, and a young England winger, Bobby Charlton, with dynamite in his left boot, went on to captain Manchester United in their European Cup Final defeat of Benfica 4-1 in May 1968. Charlton had been the deep-lying centre forward of the England team in its change strip of red from white in its defeat of the white shirts of Germany 4-2 at London`s Wembley stadium in the summer of 1966, but it was the outlawing of the `tackle from behind` that would ensure the whites of Real Madrid and the reds of Manchester United remained giants in bodily health as exponents of the skills of soccer into the 21st century.

 The white shirts of Real Madrid went on to lift the European Cup again in 1959 and 1960, and once more in the season England won the World Cup, 1966. Manchester United`s second success in the competition in 1999 against Bayern Munich, 2-1, followed upon Real Madrid`s seventh in 1998, when Alex Ferguson`s genius for tactics brought on substitute striking partnership, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, in a move that had been rewarded with success before the game and would again afterwards, when the first choice forward pairing of `black pearls`, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, experienced a dearth of chances to blunt their effectiveness in front of goal. Sheringham and Solskjaer scored in the 91st and 93rd minutes to justify a young side`s resilience in the face of Bayern Munich`s teasing the team to frustration with `keep ball` possession play after the Germans went in front early in the 6th minute from a direct free kick by winger, Mario Basler, on the left side of the United area that `keeper Peter Schmeichel could only watch transfixed as Basler bent the ball right around the defensive wall of his Manchester teammates and into the right corner of the net.

 Just as Matt Busby`s 1968 success had resulted in his receiving a knighthood from the English Queen, Elizabeth II, to become Sir Matt Busby, so the honour was conferred upon his Scottish compatriot, and the title of the manager at Manchester United was thenceforth, Sir Alex Ferguson. Real Madrid were to receive European Cup winners` medals twice more in 2000 and 2002, which brought their total to nine European Cup triumphs, before Manchester United`s third in 2008 against Chelsea, 6-5 on penalties. The score had been 1-1 after extra time, and United had led from a power header by Portuguese right winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, who would soon leave the club for the white of Real Madrid. Ryan Giggs` deciding penalty and Manchester United `keeper Edwin Van Der Sar`s equally decisive save from Chelsea striker, Nicholas Anelka, ensured the red and white life`s blood of Europe`s two greatest soccer symbols would continue to run through her veins.

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruise.

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruise.

3 Foot, Alistair and Anthony Marriott, No Sex Please, We`re British, first staged in London's West End in 1971.

4 Clausewitz, Von Carl Phillip Gottfried, Vom Kriege, Berlin, 1832.

5 Football chant originating with Millwall to the tune of The Sutherland Brothers Band, `(We Are) Sailing` from the album, Lifeboat (1972), which was popularized in England by Scottish pop star, Rod Stewart, and appeared as a `cover version` on his 1975 album, Atlantic Crossing, while wife, Swedish film actress, Britt Ekland, appeared on board the British aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal, serenaded by her then husband in the video to promote the song.

Four Years Of Dimitar Berbatov?

Jesus` Football Academy

1 July 20 1969 (UTC).

The Dragon At Manchester United

The devil at Manchester United is a common piece of folklore, because of the red devil symbolism, but the developmental archetype is a real one. In Revelation the `woman clothed with the sun and with the moon at her feet`, for which we might substitute the ball, gives birth to the `New Redeemer` , while the red dragon waits in vain to devour him.

In archetypal terms, Welshman Ryan Giggs, the devil at Manchester United for twenty years, and whose symbol from Wales is the red dragon, rejected his father and took the name of his mother. The archetypal son of Revelation isn`t devoured because he eludes the red dragon, which is a symbol of the father who, jealous of his success, would prevent it. In other words, the red devil is a symbol of development, and the `devilling` of those who would hinder its progress. As the dynamic winger has done at Manchester United for a generation.

Players like George Best, European Cup winner in 1968, and alcoholic, devoured themselves. Lee Martin, F.A. Cup winning goalscorer, in 1990, felt that was enough and never fulfilled his potential, while Ruud Van Nistelrooy fell into the trap of scoring easy goals against inferior opposition and didn`t achieve against better quality opponents.

The danger for Manchester United is archetypal, because if the red devil grows into a red dragon it`ll devour where previously there had been development. In simple terms, as long as the players on the pitch elude the snapping of the dragon at their heels and continue going forward, devilling their opponents, they`ll defeat the red dragon, which is whatever is inside or outside of them that would prevent them from being successful at the `Theatre of Dreams`.

The woman of Revelation gives birth to her son who protects her before she leaves Earth for heaven, which is why Ryan Giggs played for Wales, where the national anthem is Land Of My Fathers:

This land of my fathers is dear to me
Land of poets and singers, and people of stature
Her brave warriors, fine patriots
Shed their blood for freedom.

Because protecting their mother is what fathers do, whether they`re married or not. If the rose is not in heaven, then they`re not heroes. Mickey Thomas was criticized at Manchester United for being aloof and praised for being elusive, which amounted to the same thing for Ryan Giggs` Welsh predecessor on the wing. Mickey was later imprisoned for laundering counterfeit currency, that is, the red dragon devoured him. Imogen Thomas is a Welshwoman and a heavenly rose, because it says so in the Welsh hymn Land Of My Fathers; `freedom on the wing` to Giggs but a developer of talent prepared to `devil` at Manchester United.

Alex Ferguson`s Mistake

1 The West stand at Manchester United`s Old Trafford Stadium, which contains the fans who traditionally stand behind the home goal, while the away team`s supporters are behind the away goal opposite.