He lifted Man United from its knees! How Manchester United Ascended to the Pinnacle of Football Excellence

Manchester United has long been accustomed to being the first in everything, at least in their own country. The Red Devils were the first to win the European Cup among English teams, and at the end of the last century, they became the first representative of Albion to conquer the golden treble. What particularly warms the hearts of the Red Devils’ fans is that their club is the most decorated in England.

Another aspect in which Manchester United has long held the lead is annual revenue. For a considerable time, the Mancunians held the top spot in England in terms of profit. However, in 2021, a significant and noteworthy event occurred — the despised Manchester City, for the first time in history, surpassed their neighbors. According to financial reports published in early January, City’s operating revenue for the past year grew by 17% to €644 million, while the Red Devils earned significantly less — €557 million.

Such a financial outcome is a big blow not only to the budget but also to the pride of United, emphasizing an unpleasant trend for the club. Now, besides achievements on the football field, City is ahead of its fierce competitor economically as well. This means that the leadership of Manchester United has something to ponder.

While the club’s bosses contemplate how to restore results and revenues to previous levels, we would like to reminisce about the man who made the greatest contribution to the popularity and success of the Red Devils. He also played a key role in shaping them into a leading team in Albion. It was the outstanding period of Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure, Ferguson built several great teams that triumphed in different football eras, and he permanently changed United’s status, making it one of the most significant and recognizable entities on the football map of the planet.

Manchester United Before Ferguson

The history of the Red Devils dates back to the turn of the last century when football was far from its current state. Originally, the team, now proudly known as Manchester United, was called Newton Heath. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they found themselves in a challenging financial situation.

In today’s terms, £2500 may seem like a trivial amount for a professional club, but in those times, such a debt meant the potential cessation of existence. To avoid bankruptcy, one of Newton’s players, Harry Stafford, started fundraising, even involving his St. Bernard named Major in the process.

Desperate, he sent the dog into town with a donation box around its neck, but the pet went missing, taking the last hope of the modest team with it. Then something miraculous happened: Major was found in one of the pubs owned by businessman John Henry Davies, who happened to be looking for a dog as a gift for his daughter.

The dog impressed the pub owner so much that he offered Stafford a lifeline for the club: in exchange for the pet, Davies pledged to buy the rights to the team and clear all its debts. In 1902, Newton Heath changed its name to Manchester United, and along with it, the colors shifted from green and gold to red and white.

By the way, the author of the new team name was a 19-year-old fan, Louis Rocca, who later played a significant role in the history of the Red Devils. Initially, he worked as a scout for the Mancunians, then as an assistant coach and even as a sporting director. However, his main achievement was inviting Matt Busby to take on the role of the team’s manager, who became the architect of the first great era in United’s history.

During Busby’s playing career, by an ironic twist of fate, he defended the colors of both Manchester City and Liverpool, but his main club was Manchester United. Taking the managerial reins immediately after World War II, he created a team that finished second in the league four times, simultaneously winning the FA Cup. Finally, in the 51/52 season, Manchester United secured the coveted golden medals.

In those years, football was a game for hardened men, so Busby’s decision to rejuvenate the team seemed unusual and risky, but it turned out to be revolutionary. Despite the nickname “Busby Babes,” the renewed young squad showed a mature result. The young Red Devils won the league title twice in the mid-1950s, making them one of the most promising teams in Europe, but conquering the football summit was not destined for them.

February 6, 1958, is considered one of the most tragic days in football history. After a match with Red Star Belgrade, the plane carrying the Mancunians and press representatives landed in Munich for refueling. After two unsuccessful takeoff attempts, the pilots made a third, which turned out to be fatal.

As a result of the crash, 23 people died, including eight players from the United first team. The horrific tragedy shook the world and dealt a severe blow to the Manchester club. In addition to the fatalities, two more Red Devils players could not continue their careers due to serious injuries. Those lucky enough to survive, avoiding serious disabilities, took a very long time to recover psychologically, and it’s doubtful whether they fully managed.

The plane crash, dividing the history of the Mancunians into “before” and “after,” was dramatized in the 2011 film called “United. The Munich Air Disaster.” This biographical drama vividly depicts the full range of emotions of the survivors. Basby himself suffered severe injuries due to the tragic events, but after several months in the hospital and rehabilitation, he returned to football.

Coping with depression was the most challenging part, but his beloved work became his salvation. Matt began to rebuild the team, and by the mid-1960s, this process was completed. At that time, George Best, Denis Law, and Bobby Charlton, a survivor of the air disaster, shone in the ranks of the Mancunians. This time, besides two league victories, Busby managed to win the European Cup, a dream he had cherished for many years.

In the famous final of 1968, his proteges defeated the powerful Benfica with Eusébio, with a convincing score of 4–1. Soon after that victory, Busby left his post, which he held for almost a quarter of a century, and with his departure, the first glorious era in the history of United came to an end. Liverpool took the lead in English football, and the Red Devils ceased to be a grand for two decades.

Initially, the Manchester team turned into a mid-table side, then spent time in the Second Division, and after returning to the top flight, occasionally climbed to the podium, but these were only episodic bursts. The Mancunians performed inconsistently, and they were constantly scattered across the league table. After dropping down at the start of the 86/87 season, the patience of the management snapped.

Ron Atkinson, who had been at Old Trafford for five years, was fired, and his place was taken by the promising Scottish coach named Alex Ferguson, who had previously done an outstanding job at Aberdeen.

Challenging Beginnings for Ferguson at Manchester United

In those years, European specialists didn’t attract much attention on the Foggy Albion, and European football, in general, wasn’t closely observed. However, one Scottish manager’s achievement in Europe received high praise even on the expanses of Great Britain.

In the 82/83 Cup Winners’ Cup campaign, Aberdeen, under Ferguson’s guidance, started from the preliminary round but sensationally reached the final, defeating even Munich’s Bayern along the way. The “Reds” were far from being considered favorites in the decisive match against Real Madrid, but unexpectedly managed to overcome the formidable Madrid giant, earning the young Scottish coach considerable interest and respect.

It is important to note that success on the European stage was by no means accidental. In Scotland, Aberdeen made a significant impact, disrupting the usual dominance of Rangers and Celtic. In his eight years of work, Ferguson won 11 trophies, including 3 championships and 4 national cups. It was his ability to consistently win that attracted the attention of the United bosses.

The “Red Devils” longed for the sweet taste of “gold,” and under Atkinson’s leadership, they became known as a cup team. Therefore, a clear task was set before Alex — to bring the championship title back to Old Trafford. The predecessor’s unsuccessful start provided Ferguson with space for failure and time for adaptation, which he took advantage of.

Finishing in the eleventh place in his debut campaign, the Scotsman elevated Manchester United to the second position in the 87/88 season. However, Liverpool still won the main trophy. Progress in the championship strengthened the United bosses’ belief in Ferguson, despite the ongoing problems. When the Scotsman arrived at the Theatre of Dreams, he encountered a culture of alcohol consumption that thrived in English football and decided to challenge it by making his club more professional.

Under the previous rules, players were forbidden to drink within two days before matches, but Ferguson tightened this law, prohibiting alcoholic drinks not only before games but also before training sessions. Such innovations were not liked by everyone. Some players even left the club due to non-compliance with alcohol consumption rules, and the results on the football field in the following years clearly indicated that Alex’s methods did not always work.

Finishing in the eleventh place in the 88/89 campaign, in the next season, Ferguson’s team finished thirteenth. At the midpoint of that football year, a real threat of dismissal hung over the Scotsman. Legend has it that the point of no return for Ferguson would have come in case of defeat against Nottingham in the third round of the FA Cup. However, in that match, United won, marking the beginning of an amazing march to their first trophy under the guidance of the Scottish coach.

The coveted title had to be fought for — in the semifinals and finals, the Mancunians won by the minimum margin and only in replays. However, the team demonstrated an incredible thirst for victory. At first glance, that turning success may seem somewhat accidental, but even then, at the dawn of his tenure at Old Trafford, Alex was an excellent psychologist and distinguished himself with personal insight, best exemplified by the situation with Mark Hughes, who, to a large extent, became Ferguson’s savior. The Welsh forward played for United at the youth level, then excelled in the first team.

To bring Mark back to Manchester, the club bosses had to fork out £1.8 million, setting a new transfer record for the Mancunians, but the investment paid off. It was Hughes, in the match against Nottingham, who delivered a superb assist to Mark Robins, who scored the only goal. Later, in the final of the FA Cup, the Welshman scored a brace, directly influencing Ferguson’s fate. In the live broadcast?

In the 90/91 season, United climbed to the sixth position in the league, reached the League Cup final, but most importantly, MU won the Cup Winners’ Cup. In the decisive game, they defeated Barcelona managed by Johan Cruyff, thanks to another brace from Hughes. Triumph on the European stage firmly strengthened Ferguson’s position at Old Trafford and emphasized the wisdom of the club’s leadership. Unlike current times, when the bosses of the “Red Devils” sometimes hastily cut ties, giving coaches too little credit — the Scotsman was given enough time to implement his ideas, despite openly unsuccessful results.

If we draw parallels with today’s football, the story of Ferguson’s early years at United resembles a similar period of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. Just as the German received time and the opportunity to calmly rebuild the “Reds,” Ferguson was allowed to make mistakes and endure failures until the desired result finally came.

Another similar feature between Jurgen and Alex is the ability to turn top players from average ones. Henderson, Firmino, Robertson, Mane, and even Salah were by no means considered stars before working with Klopp, but then they reached a fundamentally new level, giving their best under the guidance of the German.

Ferguson’s amazing ability to pick and develop players would be more vividly demonstrated in the later years of his tenure, but even at the dawn of his time at Old Trafford, he made quite a few exquisite personnel decisions. For example, in the summer of 1991, the ranks of the Mancunians were replenished with Peter Schmeichel, Andrei Kanchelskis, and the young Ryan Giggs, who was promoted from the youth team. In the 91/92 season, it was evident that winning the English Premier League was a priority for the “Red Devils.”

Throughout the campaign, they demonstrated stability and were involved in the title race, but at the finish, they lost three consecutive matches, which Leeds took advantage of, securing the trophy with a four-point lead. The parallel victory in the League Cup became an easy compensation for United for the missed title. However, for the Scottish coach, the championship remained the most coveted prize, so he took a risk by inviting an amazing but too eccentric player.

Тriumph in the Premier League

Eric Cantona’s career in English football developed rapidly. He donned the Leeds shirt in February 1992, and within a few months, he won the league title, captivating fans with his unconventional playing style from the very first matches. The Frenchman became one of the main reasons for the historic victory of the “Peacocks,” and then fantastically started the 1992/93 season, but the joy of the fans was short-lived.

Soon, Cantona’s unruly nature became apparent, leading to a conflict with coach Howard Wilkinson, which the “Red Devils” seized upon. To some extent, Ferguson was lucky — had there been no tense relationship between Eric and his coach, the Frenchman would have continued playing at Elland Road — but at the same time, the Scotsman knowingly took a risk, as a player with such a character could easily disrupt the atmosphere in his team.

Before Cantona’s move, which took place in November, United was struggling in the newly formed Premier League. The team was in eighth place and struggled to score goals, but the arrival of the Frenchman changed everything dramatically. Eric formed an amazing attacking duo with Hughes, young Giggs demonstrated excellent productivity, and ultimately, the “Red Devils” clinched the “gold” with a huge lead of 10 points.

Fans were over the moon — it was their team’s first league title in 26 years. The attacking trio of Hughes, Cantona, and Giggs also performed brilliantly in the following season, 1993/94, with Eric scoring 25 goals. The first generation nurtured by Ferguson reached its peak.

The team from Manchester started the football year with a victory in the Charity Shield and concluded it with triumph in the FA Cup, and, most importantly, defended the Premier League title.

Ferguson-Wenger Rivalry

Having won four league titles in the first five years of the Premier League’s existence, the “Red Devils” felt invincible. However, in October 1996, Arsène Wenger arrived on the British Isles, becoming the first major rival for Ferguson. The great rivalry between these two brilliant managers began in the 1997/98 season when the French coach, with his first full attempt, surpassed United in the Premier League.

Arsenal defeated Manchester United twice during the season and snatched the championship from their grasp, finishing one point ahead. Sensing the challenge posed by Wenger, the Scotsman decided not to take any risks and spent the most money on the transfer market since his arrival in Manchester. The club paid nearly £25 million for Dwight Yorke and Jaap Stam, but these were top-quality players and essential for United.

The Dutch defender, costing £10.5 million, became the most expensive defender of all time. However, after the departure of aging legends like Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister, the “Red Devils” needed a world-class center-back around whom they could build their defense. By making such promising moves in the transfer market, Ferguson primarily aimed to reclaim the Premier League title. Little did he know that he was creating a true monster that conquered historic heights for English football.

Despite a shaky start in the 1998/99 season — United lost twice to Arsenal 0–3 in the league and the Charity Shield — Ferguson’s team “rectified” in the second half of the campaign, gaining a fantastic form. The team did not lose a single Premier League match from mid-December to the end of the season, confidently winning the title. Simultaneously, they secured the FA Cup, defeating Arsenal in the semifinals.

The journey of the “Red Devils” in the Champions League deserves special attention. In addition to facing numerous strong opponents in all stages and witnessing a series of incredible matches, such as the away game against Juventus, it culminated in a legendary battle with Bayern Munich in the final. It was that famous match where United scored twice in injury time through Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, snatching victory from the hands of the Munich giant.

That season is considered the pinnacle of the development of Sir Alex’s second great team, but the next two were also very respectable. Nominally, United battled for the championship with Arsenal, often playing “fiery” matches, but from a tournament perspective, they performed much more consistently and confidently secured the title both times.

Ferguson’s fledglings basked in the glory. Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole formed an incredible partnership in attack, while Stam was an impregnable wall in defense. In three years on Old Trafford, Stam was thrice included in the PFA Team of the Season and twice won the UEFA Best Defender of the Year award. During this period, the “Red Devils” won the championship three times — there can be no coincidences; Jaap Stam was a key figure in that team.

However, in the summer of 2001, a shocking event occurred — the Dutchman was sold to Lazio for an impressive sum of £16.5 million. Supposedly, it was because of Stam’s scandalous autobiography where he revealed details of his transfer to United, but in reality, the main reason for the transfer was different. Later, it became known that Stam had Achilles problems that could become an issue in the future, and he was no longer young. Therefore, Ferguson made a conscious decision, although he later regretted it.

Confirmation of Stam’s level and importance came in the unsuccessful 2001/2002 season. Despite fantastic reinforcements such as Juan Sebastián Verón, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Diego Forlán, and Laurent Blanc, the “Red Devils” failed to win any trophies for the first time in twelve years and slid down to third place in the league.

Arsenal took advantage of the situation, defeating Manchester United twice in the Premier League that season and confidently claiming the championship. One of Sir Alex’s main virtues was always the ability to identify his team’s weaknesses and respond correctly. Realizing that he needed a figure like Stam in defense, he entered the market and broke the English transfer record by signing Rio Ferdinand for almost £30 million.

The sum seemed colossal, but Ferguson’s plan worked. In the 2002/2003 Premier League season, United took four points in direct duels with Arsenal and rightfully reclaimed the English crown. One of the most crucial components of that success for the “Red Devils” was Van Nistelrooy, who joined Old Trafford with many adventures but ultimately became a key figure in the forward line for five years.

Sir Alex did not shy away from signing the Dutchman even after he suffered a severe injury, and he was rewarded for his patience with a world-class striker. The 2002/2003 campaign is undoubtedly considered the most remarkable in Ruud’s performance at United. In 52 matches that season, he scored 44 goals, becoming the top scorer in the Premier League and the Champions League.

The Best Manchester United in History

These three years turned out to be unsuccessful for the “Red Devils” from a football standpoint, but they were eventful. Firstly, Arsenal had that unbeaten season in the Premier League, concluding the rivalry between Ferguson and Wenger in the league. Right after, a new epic battle of managers began. This time, Sir Alex entered into a showdown with Jose Mourinho, who had previously shocked United in the Champions League and then won two league titles in his first two attempts. While rivals were celebrating their Premier League victories, Ferguson was not idle; he orchestrated fantastic deals.

First, he lured two prodigies, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, to Old Trafford. As the 2005/2006 campaign unfolded, he further strengthened the squad with Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Park Ji-sung, and Edwin van der Sar.

At the time of their arrivals, they were far from being stars, but they peaked in Manchester… After two bronzes and one silver, the Red Devils returned to showcase their new strength. Arguably, this was the best team during Ferguson’s entire tenure. The United squad had never been so balanced and harmonious — there were no weak links in any position, with the attacking line of Ronaldo and Rooney forming a lethal symbiosis.

After the initial three years at Old Trafford, where Cristiano Ronaldo showcased his tricks and technical skills, he shifted his focus to productivity and turned into a true goal-scoring machine. Meanwhile, Rooney embodied the power of the Red Devils, effortlessly dismantling defenders, much like his team did against most opponents.

Starting from the 2006/2007 season, the Red Devils won the league title three times in a row, and Ferguson took his revenge against Mourinho first in the Premier League and then in the Champions League final. Yes, at that point, Jose was no longer managing Chelsea, but it was still his creation. Some might say that United’s triumph had an element of luck, referring to John Terry’s tragic mistake in the penalty shootout. However, there were too many such “luck-based” occurrences throughout Sir Alex’s tenure, so other reasons should be sought here…

The three-year golden streak in the Premier League could have been crowned with a second consecutive Champions League victory, but in the 2009 final, Barcelona proved to be too strong. On that May evening in Rome, even the stars of Manchester dimmed in the presence of Lionel Messi and company. After the match against the Catalans, another successful cycle of Ferguson’s work came to an end, although the main reason for its conclusion was different.

Soon after the final, Manchester United bid farewell to undoubtedly the team’s strongest player over the previous three years — Cristiano Ronaldo, who, during that fantastic period, won the Player of the Year in the Premier League twice and earned his first Ballon d’Or.

The Last Generation of Winners

Instead of Cristiano, Rooney took on the role of the lead attacker, producing the most prolific season of his career with 34 goals, but it proved insufficient. In the final stretch, Chelsea secured a strategically important victory at Old Trafford, edging out United by one point in the title race. As it had happened before, Sir Alex drew necessary conclusions and taught his team to cope without Ronaldo.

Despite many key players aging, he managed to extract the maximum from them in the 10/11 season. Additionally, the attacking trio of United — Berbatov, Chicharito, and Rooney — often made the difference. It is fair to note that United’s main rivals did not perform at their best, but it is equally important not to underestimate Ferguson’s team, which played consistently, securing the first place in the Premier League with a significant lead.

The most eloquent confirmation of the team’s strength was reaching the Champions League final. Though the Red Devils would have had a chance against any other team, Barcelona, led by Guardiola, proved too strong and easily clinched the trophy. However, the Catalans were not the principal rivals for United; a new formidable opponent emerged in the Premier League.

After Wenger’s Arsenal and Mourinho’s Chelsea, the new force challenging Sir Alex’s team was Manchester City, backed by wealthy owners. By the 11/12 season, the “Citizens” had strengthened and entered into a title battle, which turned out to be the most dramatic in Premier League history. The final round matches were simultaneous, and if City stumbled, United would become the champion with their victory.

At the end of regular time, Manchester City surprisingly trailed at home against Queens Park Rangers. However, the unbelievable happened: Edin Dzeko scored on the second added minute, and on the fourth, Sergio Aguero found the net. The trophy was in the hands of the “Citizens.” Many forget that at that time, Mark Hughes was the manager of QPR.

Ironically, the Welsh forward initially saved Ferguson’s career and later could not prevent his fierce rival from winning the championship. For Sir Alex, it was a new significant challenge, but this time, he chose not to respond. It was not about the fear of failure; after twenty-six years of colossal work, he was simply physically and mentally exhausted.

Not all great football personalities retire timely and gracefully, but the Scotsman did just that. Ferguson couldn’t step down, leaving City on the throne. In the 12/13 season, with experienced and steady guidance, he reclaimed the title for the thirteenth time to its rightful place — the beloved Theatre of Dreams.

Why is Ferguson so Great?

When it comes to Sir Alex, many immediately think of his football achievements, such as the number of trophies, tactical genius, and his ability to manage a team during matches. However, behind all these obvious accomplishments of the Scotsman lies many other outstanding qualities that made him great. When the bosses invited Ferguson to Old Trafford, they saw in him a successful but still promising coach. However, they got something more — a man who led a true revolution, completely changing the perception of the coach’s role in the club.

Sir Alex was a perfectionist from a very young age, striving to achieve perfection in all aspects of his work. He paid attention to the smallest details and made every effort to improve every aspect of the game. For example, in the nineties, he noticed the influence of the color of the kit on the players’ perception of each other and introduced brighter colors into the away kit of the Red Devils.

Ferguson also proved to be an innovator in the field of health care and physical fitness for his players. He was the first to impose restrictions on alcohol consumption in the team, hired a dietitian, and created a recovery room at the training ground. He also embraced cutting-edge technologies, such as GPS trackers on players, for data analysis and improving the efficiency of training.

However, beyond all these structural changes, Ferguson was an exceptional leader and psychologist. He cared about every member of his team, knew everyone by name, and always made an effort to create unity and motivation within the collective. His ability to deal with players of various characters, his strategic thinking, and leadership qualities made him not only a great coach but a truly remarkable personality in the world of football.

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