Manchester United F.C.

Several terms redirect here. For other uses, seeManchester United (disambiguation),MUFC (disambiguation),andMan U (disambiguation).

This article is about the men's professional football team. For the women's team associated to the same club, seeManchester United W.F.C.For the independent club established by supporters, seeF.C. United of Manchester.

Manchester United

Full name	Manchester United Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Red Devils United
Short name	Man United Man Utd
Founded	1878(1878) (as Newton Heath LYR F.C.) 24 April 1902(1902-04-24) (as Manchester United F.C.)
Ground	Old Trafford
Capacity	74,310
Coordinates	53.4631°N 2.2913°W/53.4631; -2.2913
Owner	Manchester United plc(72.3%) Trawlers, Ltd.(27.7%)
Co-chairmen	Joel Glazer Avram Glazer
Head coach	Erik ten Hag
League	Premier League
2023–24	Premier League,8th of 20
Website	Club website
Home colours

Manchester United Football Club,commonly referred to asMan United(often stylised asMan Utd), or simplyUnited,is a professionalfootballclub based inOld Trafford,Greater Manchester,England. The club competes in thePremier League,the top tier ofEnglish football.Nicknamed the Red Devils, they were founded asNewton Heath LYR Football Clubin 1878, but changed their name to Manchester United in 1902. After a spell playing inClayton, Manchester,the club moved to their current stadium,Old Trafford,in 1910.

Domestically, Manchester United have won a record 20top-flight league titles,13FA Cups,6League Cupsand a record 21FA Community Shields.Additionally, in international football, they have won theEuropean Cup/UEFA Champions Leaguethree times, and theUEFA Europa League,theUEFA Cup Winners' Cup,theUEFA Super Cup,theIntercontinental Cupand theFIFA Club World Cuponce each.In 1968, under the management ofMatt Busby,10 years after eight of the club's players were killed in theMunich air disaster,they became the first English club to win the European Cup.Sir Alex Fergusonis the club's longest-serving and most successful manager, winning 38 trophies, including 13 league titles, five FA Cups, and two Champions League titles between 1986 and 2013.In the1998–99 season,under Ferguson, the club became the first in the history of English football to achieve the continentaltrebleof the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.In winning the UEFA Europa League underJosé Mourinhoin2016–17,they becameone of five clubsto have won the original three mainUEFAclub competitions (the Champions League, Europa League and Cup Winners' Cup). They have won the Premier League three years in a row twice; for the first 21 years of the Premier League they came 1st (13), 2nd (5) or 3rd (3).

Manchester United is one of the most widely supported football clubs in the worldand has rivalries withLiverpool,Manchester City,ArsenalandLeeds United.Manchester United was thehighest-earningfootball club in the world for 2016–17, with an annual revenue of €676.3 million,and the world'sthird-most-valuablefootball club in 2019, valued at £3.15 billion ($3.81 billion).After being floated on theLondon Stock Exchangein 1991, the club was taken private in 2005 after a purchase by American businessmanMalcolm Glazervalued at almost £800 million, of which over £500 million of borrowed money became the club's debt.From 2012, some shares of the club were listed on theNew York Stock Exchange,althoughthe Glazer family retains overall ownership and control of the club.

History

See also:List of Manchester United F.C. seasons

A chart showing the progress of Manchester United through theEnglish football league system,from joining as Newton Heath in1892–93to the present

Early years (1878–1945)

Main article:History of Manchester United F.C. (1878–1945)

Manchester United was formed in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club by the Carriage and Wagon department of theLancashire and Yorkshire Railway(LYR) depot atNewton Heath.The team initially played games against other departments and railway companies, but on 20 November 1880, they competed in their first recorded match; wearing the colours of the railway company – green and gold – they were defeated 6–0 byBolton Wanderers' reserve team.By 1888, the club had become a founding member ofThe Combination,a regional football league. Following the league's dissolution after only one season, Newton Heath joined the newly formed'Football Alliance',which ran for three seasons before being merged with The Football League. This resulted in the club starting the 1892–93 season in theFirst Division,by which time it had become independent of the railway company and dropped the "LYR" from its name.After two seasons, the club was relegated to theSecond Division.

The Manchester United team at the start of the1905–06 season,in which they were runners-up in the Second Division

In January 1902, with debts of £2,670 – equivalent to £370,000 in 2024– the club was served with awinding-up order.CaptainHarry Staffordfound four local businessmen, includingJohn Henry Davies(who became club president), each willing to invest £500 in return for a direct interest in running the club and who subsequently changed the name;on 24 April 1902, Manchester United was officially born.UnderErnest Mangnall,who assumed managerial duties in 1903, the team finished as Second Division runners-up in 1906 and secured promotion to the First Division, which they won in 1908 – the club's first league title. The following season began with victory in the first everCharity Shieldand ended with the club's firstFA Cuptitle. Manchester United won the First Division for the second time in 1911, but at the end of the following season, Mangnall left the club to joinManchester City.

In 1922, three years after the resumption of football following the First World War, the club was relegated to the Second Division, where it remained until regaining promotion in 1925. Relegated again in 1931, Manchester United became ayo-yo club,achieving its all-time lowest position of 20th place in the Second Division in 1934. Following the death of principal benefactor John Henry Davies in October 1927, the club's finances deteriorated to the extent that Manchester United would likely have gone bankrupt had it not been forJames W. Gibson,who, in December 1931, invested £2,000 and assumed control of the club.In the1938–39 season,the last year of football before the Second World War, the club finished 14th in the First Division.

Busby years (1945–1969)

Main article:History of Manchester United F.C. (1945–1969)

The Busby Babes in 1955. ManagerMatt Busbyis pictured front right.

In October 1945, the impending resumption of football after the war led to the managerial appointment ofMatt Busby,who demanded an unprecedented level of control over team selection, player transfers and training sessions.Busby led the team to second-place league finishes in 1947, 1948 and 1949, and to FA Cup victory in1948.In 1952, the club won the First Division, its first league title for 41 years.They then won back-to-back league titles in 1956 and 1957; the squad, who had an average age of 22, were nicknamed "theBusby Babes"by the media, a testament to Busby's faith in his youth players.In 1957, Manchester United became the first English team to compete in theEuropean Cup,despite objections from The Football League, who had deniedChelseathe same opportunity the previous season.En route to the semi-final, which they lost toReal Madrid,the team recorded a 10–0 victory over Belgian championsAnderlecht,which remains the club's biggest victory on record.

A plaque at Old Trafford in memory of those who died in the Munich air disaster, including players' names

The following season, on the way home from a European Cup quarter-final victory againstRed Star Belgrade,the aircraft carrying the Manchester United players, officials and journalists crashed while attempting to take off after refuelling in Munich, Germany. TheMunich air disasterof 6 February 1958 claimed 23 lives, including those of eight players –Geoff Bent,Roger Byrne,Eddie Colman,Duncan Edwards,Mark Jones,David Pegg,Tommy TaylorandBilly Whelan– and injured several more.

TheUnited Trinitystatue ofGeorge Best(left),Denis Law(centre) andBobby Charlton(right) outside Old Trafford

Assistant managerJimmy Murphytook over as manager while Busby recovered from his injuries and the club's makeshift side reached theFA Cup final,which they lost to Bolton Wanderers. In recognition of the team's tragedy,UEFAinvited the club to compete in the1958–59 European Cupalongside eventual League championsWolverhampton Wanderers.Despite approval from The Football Association, The Football League determined that the club should not enter the competition, since it had not qualified.Busby rebuilt the team through the 1960s by signing players such asDenis LawandPat Crerand,who combined with the next generation of youth players – includingGeorge Best– to win the FA Cup in1963.Busby rested several key players for the League game before the Cup Final which gaveDennis Walkerthe chance to make his debut against Nottingham Forest on 20 May. Walker thus became the first Black player to represent United.The following season, they finished second in the league, then won the title in 1965 and 1967. In 1968, Manchester United became the first English club to win the European Cup, beatingBenfica4–1 in thefinalwith a team that contained threeEuropean Footballers of the Year:Bobby Charlton,Denis Law and George Best.They then represented Europe in the1968 Intercontinental CupagainstEstudiantesof Argentina, but defeat in the first leg in Buenos Aires meant a 1–1 draw at Old Trafford three weeks later was not enough to claim the title. Busby resigned as manager in 1969 before being replaced by the reserve team coach, former Manchester United playerWilf McGuinness.

1969–1986

Main article:History of Manchester United F.C. (1969–1986)

Bryan Robsonwas the captain of Manchester United for 12 years, longer than any other player.

Following an eighth-place finish in the1969–70 seasonand a poor start to the1970–71 season,Busby was persuaded to temporarily resume managerial duties, and McGuinness returned to his position as reserve team coach. In June 1971,Frank O'Farrellwas appointed as manager, but lasted less than 18 months before being replaced byTommy Dochertyin December 1972.Docherty saved Manchester United from relegation that season, only to see them relegated in 1974; by that time the trio of Best, Law, and Charlton had left the club.The team won promotion at the first attempt and reached the FA Cup final in1976,but were beaten bySouthampton.They reached the final again in1977,beatingLiverpool2–1. Docherty was dismissed shortly afterwards, following the revelation of his affair with the club physiotherapist's wife.

Dave Sextonreplaced Docherty as manager in the summer of 1977. Despite major signings, includingJoe Jordan,Gordon McQueen,Gary Bailey,andRay Wilkins,the team failed to win any trophies; they finished second in 1979–80 and lost toArsenalin the1979 FA Cup final.Sexton was dismissed in 1981, even though the team won the last seven games under his direction.He was replaced byRon Atkinson,who immediately broke the British record transfer fee to signBryan Robsonfrom his former clubWest Bromwich Albion.Under Atkinson, Manchester United won the FA Cup in1983and1985and beatrivalsLiverpool to win the1983 Charity Shield.In1985–86,after 13 wins and two draws in its first 15 matches, the club was favourite to win the league but finished in fourth place. The following season, with the club in danger of relegation by November, Atkinson was dismissed.

Anthem of Manchester United FC

Ferguson years (1986–2013)

Main article:History of Manchester United F.C. (1986–2013)

Alex Fergusonmanaged the team between 1986 and 2013.

Alex Fergusonand his assistantArchie Knoxarrived fromAberdeenon the day of Atkinson's dismissal,and guided the club to an 11th-place finish in the league.Despite a second-place finish in1987–88,the club was back in 11th place the following season.Reportedly on the verge of being dismissed, Ferguson's job was saved by victory overCrystal Palacein the1990 FA Cup final.The following season, Manchester United claimed their firstUEFA Cup Winners' Cuptitle. That triumph allowed the club to compete in theEuropean Super Cupfor the first time, where United beatEuropean Cupholders Red Star Belgrade 1–0 atOld Trafford.The club appeared in two consecutiveLeague Cupfinals in1991and1992,beatingNottingham Forest1–0 in the second to win that competition for the first time as well.In 1993, in thefirst seasonof the newly foundedPremier League,the club won theirfirst league titlesince 1967, and a year later, for the first time since 1957, they won asecond consecutive title– alongside theFA Cup– to complete the first "Double"in the club's history.United then became the first English club to do the Double twice when they won both competitions again in1995–96,before retaining the league title once more in1996–97with a game to spare.

Front three: Manchester United'streblemedals of the1998–99 seasonare displayed at the club's museum.

In the1998–99 season,Manchester United became the first team to win the Premier League, FA Cup andUEFA Champions League– "The Treble" – in the same season.Trailing 1–0 going intoinjury timein the1999 UEFA Champions League final,Teddy SheringhamandOle Gunnar Solskjærscored late goals to claim a dramatic victory overBayern Munich,in what is considered one of the greatest comebacks of all time.That summer, Ferguson received aknighthoodfor his services to football.

In November 1999, the club became the only British team to ever win theIntercontinental Cupwith a1–0 victoryover the strong1999 Copa LibertadoreswinnersPalmeirasin Tokyo. The Red Devils counted on an unexpected goalkeeper fail by future2002 FIFA World CupwinnerMarcosand a disallowed goal scored byAlexto win the game.

Ryan Giggsis the most decorated player in English football history.

Manchester United won the league again in the1999–2000and2000–01seasons, becoming only the fourth club to win the English title three times in a row. The team finished third in2001–02,before regaining the title in2002–03.They won the2003–04 FA Cup,beatingMillwall3–0 in thefinalat theMillennium StadiuminCardiffto lift the trophy for a record 11th time.In the2005–06 season,Manchester United failed to qualify for the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over a decade,but recovered to secure a second-place league finish and victory overWigan Athleticin the2006 Football League Cup final.The club regained the Premier League title in the 2006–07 season, before completing theEuropean doublein 2007–08 with a 6–5 penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea in the2008 UEFA Champions League finalin Moscow to go with their 17th English league title.Ryan Giggsmade a record 759th appearance for the club in that game, overtaking previous record holder Bobby Charlton.In December 2008, the club became the first British team to win theFIFA Club World Cupafter beatingLDU Quito1–0 in the final. Manchester United followed this with the2008–09 Football League Cup,and its third successive Premier League title.That summer, forwardCristiano Ronaldowas sold to Real Madrid for a world record £80 million.In 2010, Manchester United defeated Aston Villa 2–1 at Wembley to retain theLeague Cup,its first successful defence of a knockout cup competition.

After finishing as runners-up to Chelsea in the2009–10 season,United achieved a record 19th league title in2010–11,securing the championship with a 1–1 away draw against Blackburn Rovers on 14 May 2011.This was extended to 20 league titles in2012–13,securing the championship with a 3–0 home win against Aston Villa on 22 April 2013.

2013–present

On 8 May 2013, Ferguson announced that he was to retire as manager at the end of the football season, but would remain at the club as a director and club ambassador.He retired as the most decorated manager in football history.The club announced the next day thatEvertonmanagerDavid Moyeswould replace him from 1 July, having signed a six-year contract.Ryan Giggs took over as interim player-manager 10 months later, on 22 April 2014, when Moyes was sacked after a poor season in which the club failed to defend their Premier League title and failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1995–96.They also failed to qualify for theUEFA Europa League,the first time Manchester United had not qualified for a European competition since 1990.On 19 May 2014, it was confirmed thatLouis van Gaalwould replace Moyes as Manchester United manager on a three-year deal, with Giggs as his assistant.Malcolm Glazer,the patriarch of thefamily that owns the club,died on 28 May 2014.

Wayne Rooneyreceiving an award for becoming the club's record goalscorer from previous record holder SirBobby Charltonin January 2017

Under Van Gaal, United won a12th FA Cup,but a disappointing slump in the middle of his second season led to rumours of the board sounding out potential replacements.Van Gaal was ultimately sacked just two days after the cup final victory, with United having finished fifth in the league.FormerPorto,Chelsea,Inter Milanand Real Madrid managerJosé Mourinhowas appointed in his place on 27 May 2016.Mourinho signed a three-year contract, and in his first season won theFA Community Shield,EFL CupandUEFA Europa League.Wayne Rooneyscored his 250th goal for United, a stoppage-time equaliser in a league game againstStoke Cityin January 2017, surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton as the club's all-time top scorer.The following season, United finished second in the league – their highest league placing since 2013 – but were still 19 points behindrivalsManchester City. Mourinho also guided the club to a 19thFA Cup final,but they lost 1–0 to Chelsea. On 18 December 2018, with United in sixth place in the Premier League table, 19 points behind leaders Liverpool and 11 points outside the Champions League places, Mourinho was sacked after 144 games in charge. The following day, former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjær was appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season.On 28 March 2019, after winning 14 of his first 19 matches in charge, Solskjær was appointed permanent manager on a three-year deal.

On 18 April 2021, Manchester United announced they were joining 11 other European clubs as founding members of theEuropean Super League,a proposed 20-team competition intended to rival the UEFA Champions League.The announcement drew a significant backlash from supporters, other clubs, media partners, sponsors, players and theUK Government,forcing the club to withdraw just two days later.The failure of the project led to the resignation of executive vice-chairmanEd Woodward,whileresultant protestsagainst Woodward and the Glazer family led to a pitch invasion ahead of a league match against Liverpool on 2 May 2021, which saw the first postponement of a Premier League game due to supporter protests in the competition's history.

On the pitch, United equalled their own record for the biggest win in Premier League history with a9–0 winover Southampton on 2 February 2021,but ended the season with defeat on penalties in theUEFA Europa League finalagainstVillarreal,going four straight seasons without a trophy.On 20 November 2021, Solskjær left his role as manager.Former midfielderMichael Carricktook charge for the next three games, before the appointment ofRalf Rangnickas interim manager until the end of the season.

On 21 April 2022,Erik ten Hagwas appointed as the manager from the end of the 2021–22 season, signing a contract until June 2025 with the option of extending for a further year.Ten Hag won Manchester United the2022–23 EFL CupagainstNewcastle United,winning 2–0.On 5 March 2023, the club suffered their joint-heaviest defeat, losing 7–0 to rivals Liverpool at Anfield.At the end of the2023–24 season,following initial failure to qualify for European football and an eighth-place finish in the league and, the club's lowest finish in the English top flight since the1989–90 season,the club secured a 2–1 victory over rivals Manchester City in the2024 FA Cup final,securing qualification for the2024–25 UEFA Europa League.

Crest and colours

Manchester United badge in the 1960s

The clubcrestis derived from theManchester City Council coat of arms,although all that remains of it on the current crest is the ship in full sail.The devil stems from the club's nickname "The Red Devils" inspired fromSalford Rugby Club;it was included on club programmes and scarves in the 1960s, and incorporated into the club crest in 1970, although the crest was not included on the chest of the shirt until 1971.In 1975, the red devil ( "A devil facing the sinister guardant supporting with both hands a trident gules") was granted as aheraldic badgeby theCollege of Armsto theEnglish Football Leaguefor use by Manchester United.In 2023, the Red Devil motif alone, which had been used in promotional items and merchandise previously, was used as the sole badge on the Manchester United third kit. The existing crest remains on the home and away kits.

Newton Heath's uniform in 1879, four years before the club played its first competitive match, has been documented as 'white with blue cord'.A photograph of the Newton Heath team, taken in 1892, is believed to show the players wearing red-and-white quartered jerseys and navy blueknickerbockers.Between 1894 and 1896, the players wore green and gold jerseyswhich were replaced in 1896 by white shirts, which were worn with navy blue shorts.

After the name change in 1902, the club colours were changed to red shirts, white shorts, and black socks, which has become the standard Manchester United home kit.Very few changes were made to the kit until 1922 when the club adopted white shirts bearing a deep red "V" around the neck, similar to the shirt worn in the1909 FA Cup final.They remained part of their home kits until 1927.For a period in 1934, the cherry and white hooped change shirt became the home colours, but the following season the red shirt was recalled after the club's lowest ever league placing of 20th in the Second Division and the hooped shirt dropped back to being the change.

The black socks were changed to white from 1959 to 1965, where they were replaced with red socks up until 1971 with white used on occasion, when the club reverted to black. Black shorts and white socks are sometimes worn with the home strip, most often in away games, if there is a clash with the opponent's kit. For 2018–19, black shorts and red socks became the primary choice for the home kit.Since 1997–98, white socks have been the preferred choice for European games, which are typically played on weeknights, to aid with player visibility.The current home kit is a red shirt withAdidas' trademarkthree stripesin red on the shoulders, white shorts, and black socks.

The Manchester United away strip has often been a white shirt, black shorts and white socks, but there have been several exceptions. These include an all-black strip with blue and gold trimmings between 1993 and 1995, the navy blue shirt with silver horizontal pinstripes worn during the 1999–2000 season,and the 2011–12 away kit, which had a royal blue body and sleeves with hoops made of small midnight navy blue and black stripes, with black shorts and blue socks.An all-grey away kit worn during the 1995–96 season was dropped after just five games; in its final outing against Southampton, Alex Ferguson instructed the team to change into the third kit during half-time. The reason for dropping it being that the players claimed to have trouble finding their teammates against the crowd, United failed to win a competitive game in the kit in five attempts.In 2001, to celebrate 100 years as "Manchester United", a reversible white and gold away kit was released, although the actual match day shirts were not reversible.

The club's third kit is often all-blue; this was most recently the case during the 2014–15 season.Exceptions include a green-and-gold halved shirt worn between 1992 and 1994, a blue-and-white striped shirt worn during the 1994–95 and 1995–96 seasons and once in 1996–97, an all-black kit worn during the Treble-winning 1998–99 season, and a white shirt with black-and-red horizontal pinstripes worn between 2003–04 and 2005–06.From 2006–07 to 2013–14, the third kit was the previous season's away kit, albeit updated with the new club sponsor in 2006–07 and 2010–11, apart from the 2008–09 season, when an all-blue kit was launched to mark the 40th anniversary of the1967–68 European Cupsuccess.

Grounds

United's current ground, Old Trafford, after its expansion in 2006

1878–1893: North Road

Main article:North Road (Manchester)

Newton Heath initially played on a field onNorth Road,close to the railway yard; the original capacity was about 12,000, but club officials deemed the facilities inadequate for a club hoping to join The Football League.Some expansion took place in 1887, and in 1891, Newton Heath used its minimal financial reserves to purchase two grandstands, each able to hold 1,000 spectators.Although attendances were not recorded for many of the earliest matches at North Road, the highest documented attendance was approximately 15,000 for a First Division match againstSunderlandon 4 March 1893.A similar attendance was also recorded for a friendly match against Gorton Villa on 5 September 1889.

1893–1910: Bank Street

Main article:Bank Street (football ground)

In June 1893, after the club was evicted from North Road by its owners, Manchester Deans and Canons, who felt it was inappropriate for the club to charge an entry fee to the ground, secretaryA. H. Albutprocured the use of theBank Street groundinClayton.It initially had no stands, by the start of the1893–94 season,two had been built; one spanning the full length of the pitch on one side and the other behind the goal at the "Bradford end". At the opposite end, the "Clayton end", the ground had been "built up, thousands thus being provided for".Newton Heath's first league match at Bank Street was played againstBurnleyon 1 September 1893, when 10,000 people sawAlf Farmanscore ahat-trick,Newton Heath's only goals in a 3–2 win. The remaining stands were completed for the following league game against Nottingham Forest three weeks later.In October 1895, before the visit of Manchester City, the club purchased a 2,000-capacity stand from theBroughton Rangersrugby leagueclub, and put up another stand on the "reserved side" (as distinct from the "popular side" ); however, weather restricted the attendance for the Manchester City match to just 12,000.

When the Bank Street ground was temporarily closed by bailiffs in 1902, club captain Harry Stafford raised enough money to pay for the club's next away game at Bristol City and found a temporary ground atHarpurheyfor the next reserves game against Padiham.Following financial investment, new club president John Henry Davies paid £500 for the erection of a new 1,000-seat stand at Bank Street.Within four years, the stadium had cover on all four sides, as well as the ability to hold approximately 50,000 spectators, some of whom could watch from the viewing gallery atop the Main Stand.

1910–present: Old Trafford

Main article:Old Trafford

Following Manchester United's first league title in 1908 and the FA Cup a year later, it was decided that Bank Street was too restrictive for Davies' ambition;in February 1909, six weeks before the club's first FA Cup title, Old Trafford was named as the home of Manchester United, following the purchase of land for around £60,000. ArchitectArchibald Leitchwas given a budget of £30,000 for construction; original plans called for seating capacity of 100,000, though budget constraints forced a revision to 77,000.The building was constructed by Messrs Brameld and Smith of Manchester. The stadium's record attendance was registered on 25 March 1939, when an FA Cup semi-final between Wolverhampton Wanderers andGrimsby Towndrew 76,962 spectators.

Bombing in the Second World War destroyed much of the stadium; the central tunnel in the South Stand was all that remained of that quarter. After the war, the club received compensation from theWar Damage Commissionin the amount of £22,278. While reconstruction took place, the team played its "home" games at Manchester City'sMaine Roadground; Manchester United was charged £5,000 per year, plus a nominal percentage of gate receipts.Later improvements included the addition of roofs, first to the Stretford End and then to the North and East Stands. The roofs were supported by pillars that obstructed many fans' views, and they were eventually replaced with acantileveredstructure. The Stretford End was the last stand to receive a cantilevered roof, completed in time for the1993–94 season.First used on 25 March 1957 and costing £40,000, four 180-foot (55 m) pylons were erected, each housing 54 individual floodlights. These were dismantled in 1987 and replaced by a lighting system embedded in the roof of each stand, which remains in use today.

TheTaylor Report's requirement for an all-seater stadium lowered capacity at Old Trafford to around 44,000 by 1993. In 1995, the North Stand was redeveloped into three tiers, restoring capacity to approximately 55,000. At the end of the 1998–99 season, second tiers were added to the East and West Stands, raising capacity to around 67,000, and between July 2005 and May 2006, 8,000 more seats were added via second tiers in the north-west and north-east quadrants. Part of the new seating was used for the first time on 26 March 2006, when an attendance of 69,070 became a new Premier League record.The record was pushed steadily upwards before reaching its peak on 31 March 2007, when 76,098 spectators saw Manchester United beatBlackburn Rovers4–1, with just 114 seats (0.15 per cent of the total capacity of 76,212) unoccupied.In 2009, reorganisation of the seating resulted in a reduction of capacity by 255 to 75,957.Manchester United has the second highest average attendance of European football clubs only behindBorussia Dortmund.In 2021 United co-chairman Joel Glazer said that "early-stage planning work" for the redevelopment of Old Trafford was underway. This followed "increasing criticism" over the lack of development of the ground since 2006.

Support

AverageOld TraffordManchester United attendance, 1949–2009

Manchester United is one of the most popular football clubs in the world, with one of the highest average home attendances in Europe.The club states that its worldwide fan base includes more than 200 officially recognised branches of the Manchester United Supporters Club (MUSC), in at least 24 countries.The club takes advantage of this support through its worldwide summer tours. Accountancy firm and sports industry consultantsDeloitteestimate that Manchester United has 75 million fans worldwide.The club has the third highest social media following in the world among sports teams (afterBarcelonaand Real Madrid), with over82 million Facebook followersas of July 2023.A 2014 study showed that Manchester United had the loudest fans in the Premier League.

Supporters are represented by two independent bodies; theIndependent Manchester United Supporters' Association(IMUSA), which maintains close links to the club through the MUFC Fans Forum,and theManchester United Supporters' Trust(MUST). After the Glazer family's takeover in 2005, a group of fans formed a splinter club,F.C. United of Manchester.The West Stand of Old Trafford – the "Stretford End"– is the home end and the traditional source of the club's most vocal support.

Rivalries

Liverpool v Manchester Unitedat Old Trafford on 14 March 2009

Manchester United have rivalries with Arsenal,Leeds United,Liverpool, and Manchester City, against whom they contest the Manchester derby.

The rivalry with Liverpool is rooted in competition between the cities during theIndustrial Revolution,when Manchester was famous for its textile industry whileLiverpoolwas a major port.The two clubs are the most successful English teams in both domestic and international competitions; and between them they have won39 league titles,9 European Cups, 4UEFA Cups,5 UEFA Super Cups, 20 FA Cups, 14 League Cups, 2FIFA Club World Cups,1 Intercontinental Cup and 37FA Community Shields.Ranked the two biggest clubs in England byFrance Footballmagazine based on metrics such as fanbase and historical importance,Manchester United v Liverpool is considered to be the most famous fixture in English football and one of the biggest rivalries in the football world.No player has been transferred between the clubs since 1964.Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said in 2002, "My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their fucking perch".

The "Roses Rivalry" with Leeds stems from theWars of the Roses,fought between theHouse of Lancasterand theHouse of York,with Manchester United representing Lancashire and Leeds representing Yorkshire.

The rivalry with Arsenal arises from the numerous times the two teams, as well as managers Alex Ferguson andAr sắc ne Wenger,have battled for the Premier League title. With 33 titles between them (20 for Manchester United, 13 for Arsenal) this fixture has become known as one of the finest Premier League match-ups in history.

Global brand

Manchester United has been described as a global brand; a 2011 report by Brand Finance, valued the club's trademarks and associated intellectual property at £412 million – an increase of £39 million on the previous year, valuing it at £11 million more than the second best brand, Real Madrid – and gave the brand a strength rating of AAA (Extremely Strong).In July 2012, Manchester United was ranked first byForbesmagazine in its list of the ten most valuable sports team brands, valuing the Manchester United brand at $2.23 billion.The club is ranked third in theDeloitte Football Money League(behind Real Madrid and Barcelona).In January 2013, the club became the first sports team in the world to be valued at $3 billion.Forbesmagazine valued the club at $3.3 billion – $1.2 billion higher than the next most valuable sports team.They were overtaken by Real Madrid for the next four years, but Manchester United returned to the top of theForbeslist in June 2017, with a valuation of $3.689 billion.

An official partner of the club,Turkish Airlinesin Manchester United livery

The core strength of Manchester United's global brand is often attributed to Matt Busby's rebuilding of the team and subsequent success following the Munich air disaster, which drew worldwide acclaim.The "iconic" team included Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles (members of England's World Cup winning team), Denis Law and George Best. The attacking style of play adopted by this team (in contrast to the defensive-minded "catenaccio"approach favoured by the leading Italian teams of the era)" captured the imagination of the English footballing public ".Busby's team also became associated with the liberalisation of Western society during the 1960s; George Best, known as the "Fifth Beatle"for his iconic haircut, was the first footballer to significantly develop an off-the-field media profile.

As the second English football club to float on the London Stock Exchange in 1991, the club raised significant capital, with which it further developed its commercial strategy. The club's focus on commercial and sporting success brought significant profits in an industry often characterised by chronic losses.The strength of the Manchester United brand was bolstered by intense off-the-field media attention to individual players, most notably David Beckham (who quickly developed his own global brand). This attention often generates greater interest in on-the-field activities, and hence generates sponsorship opportunities – the value of which is driven by television exposure.During his time with the club, Beckham's popularity across Asia was integral to the club's commercial success in that part of the world.

Because higher league placement results in a greater share of television rights, success on the field generates greater income for the club. Since the inception of the Premier League, Manchester United has received the largest share of the revenue generated from theBSkyBbroadcasting deal.Manchester United has also consistently enjoyed the highest commercial income of any English club; in 2005–06, the club's commercial arm generated £51 million, compared to £42.5 million at Chelsea, £39.3 million at Liverpool, £34 million at Arsenal and £27.9 million at Newcastle United. A key sponsorship relationship was with sportswear companyNike,who managed the club's merchandising operation as part of a £303 million 13-year partnership between 2002 and 2015.Through Manchester United Finance and the club's membership scheme, One United, those with an affinity for the club can purchase a range of branded goods and services. Additionally, Manchester United-branded media services – such as the club's dedicated television channel,MUTV– have allowed the club to expand its fan base to those beyond the reach of its Old Trafford stadium.

Sponsorship

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor (chest)	Shirt sponsor (sleeve)
1945–1975	Umbro	—	—
1975–1980	Admiral
1980–1982	Adidas
1982–1992		Sharp Electronics
1992–2000	Umbro
2000–2002		Vodafone
2002–2006	Nike
2006–2010		AIG
2010–2014		Aon
2014–2015		Chevrolet
2015–2018	Adidas
2018–2021			Kohler
2021–2022		TeamViewer
2022–2024			DXC Technology
2024–		Snapdragon

In an initial five-year deal worth £500,000,Sharp Electronicsbecame the club's first shirt sponsor at the beginning of the 1982–83 season, a relationship that lasted until the end of the 1999–2000 season, whenVodafoneagreed a four-year, £30 million deal.Vodafone agreed to pay £36 million to extend the deal by four years, but after two seasons triggered a break clause in order to concentrate on its sponsorship of the Champions League.

To commence at the start of the 2006–07 season, American insurance corporationAIGagreed a four-year £56.5 million deal which in September 2006 became the most valuable in the world.At the beginning of the 2010–11 season, American reinsurance companyAonbecame the club's principal sponsor in a four-year deal reputed to be worth approximately £80 million, making it the most lucrative shirt sponsorship deal in football history.Manchester United announced their first training kit sponsor in August 2011, agreeing a four-year deal withDHLreported to be worth £40 million; it is believed to be the first instance of training kit sponsorship in English football.The DHL contract lasted for over a year before the club bought back the contract in October 2012, although they remained the club's official logistics partner.The contract for the training kit sponsorship was then sold to Aon in April 2013 for a deal worth £180 million over eight years, which also included purchasing the naming rights for theTrafford Training Centre.

The club's first kit manufacturer wasUmbro,until a five-year deal was agreed withAdmiral Sportswearin 1975.Adidas won the contract in 1980,before Umbro started a second spell in 1992.That sponsorship lasted for ten years, followed by Nike's record-breaking £302.9 million deal, which lasted until 2015; 3.8 million replica shirts were sold in the first 22 months with the company.In addition to Nike and Chevrolet, the club also has several lower-level "platinum" sponsors, including Aon andBudweiser.

On 30 July 2012, United signed a seven-year deal with American automotive corporationGeneral Motors,which replaced Aon as the shirt sponsor from the 2014–15 season. The new $80m-a-year shirt deal is worth $559m over seven years and features the logo of General Motors brandChevrolet.Nike announced that they would not renew their kit supply deal with Manchester United after the 2014–15 season, citing rising costs.Since the start of the 2015–16 season, Adidas has manufactured Manchester United's kit as part of a world-record 10-year deal worth a minimum of £750 million.Plumbing products manufacturerKohlerbecame the club's first sleeve sponsor ahead of the 2018–19 season.Manchester United and General Motors did not renew their sponsorship deal, and the club subsequently signed a five-year, £235m sponsorship deal withTeamViewerahead of the 2021–22 season.

Ownership and finances

Originally funded by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, the club became a limited company in 1892 and sold shares to local supporters for £1 via an application form.In 1902, majority ownership passed to the four local businessmen who invested £500 to save the club from bankruptcy, including future club president John Henry Davies.After his death in 1927, the club faced bankruptcy yet again, but was saved in December 1931 by James W. Gibson, who assumed control of the club after an investment of £2,000.Gibson promoted his son, Alan, to the board in 1948,but died three years later; the Gibson family retained ownership of the club through James' wife, Lillian,but the position of chairman passed to former playerHarold Hardman.

Promoted to the board a few days after the Munich air disaster, Louis Edwards, a friend of Matt Busby, began acquiring shares in the club; for an investment of approximately £40,000, he accumulated a 54 per cent shareholding and took control in January 1964.When Lillian Gibson died in January 1971, her shares passed to Alan Gibson who sold a percentage of his shares to Louis Edwards' son, Martin, in 1978;Martin Edwardswent on to become chairman upon his father's death in 1980.Media tycoonRobert Maxwellattempted to buy the club in 1984, but did not meet Edwards' asking price.In 1989, chairman Martin Edwards attempted to sell the club toMichael Knightonfor £20 million, but the sale fell through and Knighton joined the board of directors instead.

Manchester United was floated on the stock market in June 1991 (raising £6.7 million),and received yet another takeover bid in 1998, this time fromRupert Murdoch's British Sky Broadcasting Corporation. This resulted in the formation ofShareholders United Against Murdoch– now theManchester United Supporters' Trust– who encouraged supporters to buy shares in the club in an attempt to block anyhostile takeover.The Manchester United board accepted a £623 million offer,but the takeover was blocked by theMonopolies and Mergers Commissionat the final hurdle in April 1999.A few years later, a power struggle emerged between the club's manager, Alex Ferguson, and his horse-racing partners,John MagnierandJ. P. McManus,who had gradually become the majority shareholders. In a dispute that stemmed from contested ownership of the horseRock of Gibraltar,Magnier and McManus attempted to have Ferguson removed from his position as manager, and the board responded by approaching investors to attempt to reduce the Irishmen's majority.

Glazer ownership

See also:Glazer ownership of Manchester United

In May 2005, Malcolm Glazer purchased the 28.7 per cent stake held by McManus and Magnier, thus acquiring a controlling interest through his investment vehicle Red Football Ltd in a highly leveraged takeover valuing the club at approximately £800 million (then approx. $1.5 billion).Once the purchase was complete, the club was taken off the stock exchange.Much of the takeover money was borrowed by the Glazers; the debts were transferred to the club. As a result, the club went from being debt-free to being saddled with debts of £540 million, at interest rates of between 7% and 20%.

In July 2006, the club announced a £660 million debt refinancing package, resulting in a 30 per cent reduction in annual interest payments to £62 million a year.In January 2010, with debts of £716.5 million ($1.17 billion),Manchester United further refinanced through a bond issue worth £504 million, enabling them to pay off most of the £509 million owed to international banks.The annual interest payable on the bonds – which were to mature on 1 February 2017 – is approximately £45 million per annum.Despite restructuring, the club's debt prompted protests from fans on 23 January 2010, at Old Trafford and the club's Trafford Training Centre.Supporter groups encouraged match-going fans to wear green and gold, the colours of Newton Heath. On 30 January, reports emerged that the Manchester United Supporters' Trust had held meetings with a group of wealthy fans, dubbed the "Red Knights", with plans to buying out the Glazers' controlling interest.The club's debts reached a high of £777 million in June 2007.

In August 2011, the Glazers were believed to have approachedCredit Suissein preparation for a $1 billion (approx. £600 million)initial public offering(IPO) on theSingapore stock exchangethat would value the club at more than £2 billion;however, in July 2012, the club announced plans to list its IPO on theNew York Stock Exchangeinstead.Shares were originally set to go on sale for between $16 and $20 each, but the price was cut to $14 by the launch of the IPO on 10 August, following negative comments from Wall Street analysts andFacebook's disappointing stock market debut in May. Even after the cut, Manchester United was valued at $2.3 billion, making it the most valuable football club in the world.

The New York Stock Exchange allows for different shareholders to enjoy different voting rights over the club. Shares offered to the public ( "Class A" ) had 10 times lesser voting rights than shares retained by the Glazers ( "Class B" ).Initially in 2012, only 10% of shares were offered to the public.As of 2019, the Glazers retain ultimate control over the club, with over 70% of shares, and even higher voting power.

In 2012,The Guardianestimated that the club had paid a total of over £500 million in debt interest and other fees on behalf of the Glazers,and in 2019, reported that the total sum paid by the club for such fees had risen to £1 billion.At the end of 2019, the club had a net debt of nearly £400 million.

In 2023, the Glazers began soliciting bids for the sale of the club, and several bids were received.Jim Ratcliffe,who ownsINEOS,andHamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani,a Qatari sheikh, were the only bidders who had publicly declared their interest in a controlling share of the club.In March 2023, Finnish entrepreneurThomas Zilliacusalso made his interest in Manchester United public.

On 24 December 2023, it was announced that Ratcliffe had purchased 25 per cent of Manchester United, and that his INEOS Sport company was taking control of football operations.The Glazers remain as majority shareholders.

Players

First-team squad

See also:List of Manchester United F.C. players

As of 14 July 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules.Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	TUR	Altay Bayındır
2	DF	SWE	Victor Lindelöf
5	DF	ENG	Harry Maguire
6	DF	ARG	Lisandro Martínez
7	MF	ENG	Mason Mount
8	MF	POR	Bruno Fernandes(captain)
10	FW	ENG	Marcus Rashford
11	FW	DEN	Rasmus Højlund
12	DF	NED	Tyrell Malacia
14	MF	DEN	Christian Eriksen
16	MF	CIV	Amad Diallo
17	FW	ARG	Alejandro Garnacho
18	MF	BRA	Casemiro
20	DF	POR	Diogo Dalot
21	FW	BRA	Antony

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
22	GK	ENG	Tom Heaton
23	DF	ENG	Luke Shaw
24	GK	CMR	André Onana
25	FW	ENG	Jadon Sancho
28	MF	URU	Facundo Pellistri
29	DF	ENG	Aaron Wan-Bissaka
35	DF	NIR	Jonny Evans
36	FW	ENG	Ethan Wheatley
37	MF	ENG	Kobbie Mainoo
39	MF	SCO	Scott McTominay
44	MF	ENG	Dan Gore
46	MF	TUN	Hannibal Mejbri
47	FW	ENG	Shola Shoretire
—	FW	ENG	Mason Greenwood
—	FW	NED	Joshua Zirkzee

Under-21s and Academy

Main article:Manchester United F.C. Under-21s and Academy

As of 2023 summer transfer window

List of under-21s and academy players with articles Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules.Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
40	GK	CZE	Radek Vítek
43	MF	ENG	Toby Collyer
45	GK	NIR	Dermot Mee
48	DF	ENG	Will Fish
49	FW	ENG	Ethan Ennis
51	DF	ENG	Rhys Bennett
52	FW	ENG	Joe Hugill

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
55	DF	ENG	Tyler Fredricson
59	MF	POL	Maxi Oyedele
60	DF	ENG	Sonny Aljofree
61	DF	ENG	Sam Murray
63	MF	GIB	James Scanlon
67	MF	ENG	Sam Mather
71	GK	ENG	Tom Wooster

Player of the Year awards

Team	First team		U21s	U18s
Award	Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year	Players' Player of the Year	Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year	Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year
Inaugurated	1987–88	2005–06	1989–90	1989–90
Holder (2023–24)	Bruno Fernandes	Diogo Dalot	Elyh Harrison	Ethan Wheatley

Coaching staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Erik ten Hag
Assistant managers	Ruud van Nistelrooy René Hake
Senior first-team coach	Steve McClaren
First-team coach	Darren Fletcher
Goalkeeping coach	Jelle ten Rouwelaar
Assistant goalkeeping coach	Craig Mawson
Head of sports medicine	Gary O'Driscoll
Senior first team doctor	Jim Moxon
Head physio	Jordan Reece
Head of physical performance	Ed Leng
Fitness coaches	Paulo Gaudino Charlie Owen
First-team strength and power coach	Michael Clegg
First-team sports scientist	Michael Eglon
Director of academy	Nick Cox
Head of player development & coaching (U19–U23)	Travis Binnion
Under-21s lead coach
Under-18s lead coach	Adam Lawrence
Senior academy coach	Mark Dempsey

Managerial history

The wall of managers on display in the club museum at Old Trafford

Main article:List of Manchester United F.C. managers

Dates	Name	Notes
1878–1892	Unknown
1892–1900	A. H. Albut
1900–1903	James West
1903–1912	Ernest Mangnall
1912–1914	John Bentley
1914–1921	Jack Robson
1921–1926	John Chapman
1926–1927	Lal Hilditch	Player-manager
1927–1931	Herbert Bamlett
1931–1932	Walter Crickmer
1932–1937	Scott Duncan
1937–1945	Walter Crickmer
1945–1969	Matt Busby
1958	Jimmy Murphy	Caretaker manager
1969–1970	Wilf McGuinness
1970–1971	Matt Busby
1971–1972	Frank O'Farrell
1972–1977	Tommy Docherty
1977–1981	Dave Sexton
1981–1986	Ron Atkinson
1986–2013	Alex Ferguson
2013–2014	David Moyes
2014	Ryan Giggs	Caretaker player-manager
2014–2016	Louis van Gaal
2016–2018	José Mourinho
2018–2021	Ole Gunnar Solskjær
2021	Michael Carrick	Caretaker manager
2021–2022	Ralf Rangnick	Interim manager
2022–	Erik ten Hag

Management

• Owner: Glazer family via Red Football Shareholder LimitedandSir Jim Ratcliffe

Manchester United plc

Position	Name
Executive Co-chairmen	Avram Glazer Joel Glazer
Chief executive officer	Omar Berrada
Chief financial officer	Roger Bell
Chief operating officer	Collette Roche
Chief communications officer	Toby Craig
Directors	Avram Glazer Joel Glazer Kevin Glazer Bryan Glazer Darcie Glazer Kassewitz Edward Glazer John Reece Rob Nevin
Independent directors	Robert Leitão John Hooks

Manchester United Football Club

Office	Name
Honorary president	Martin Edwards
Directors	Sir David Brailsford Jean-Claude Blanc David Gill Michael Edelson Sir Alex Ferguson
Sporting director	Dan Ashworth
Deputy football director	Andy O'Boyle
Technical director	Jason Wilcox
Director of global talent	Christopher Vivell
Director of football negotiations	Matt Hargreaves
Director of football operations	David Harrison
Club secretary	Rebecca Britain
Director of football insights & innovation	Richard Hawkins
Director of data science	Dominic Jordan

Honours

See also:List of Manchester United F.C. records and statistics

Winner's and runners'-up medals from Manchester United's UEFA Champions League final appearances in 2008, 2009 and 2011

Trophies won by Manchester United on display in the club museum

Manchester United is one of the most successful clubs in Europe in terms of trophies won.The club's first trophy was the Manchester Cup, which they won as Newton Heath LYR in 1886.In 1908, the club won their first league title, and won the FA Cup for the first time the following year. Since then, they have gone on to win a record 20 top-division titles – including a record 13 Premier League titles – and their total of 13 FA Cups is second only toArsenal(14). Those titles have meant the club has appeared a record 30 times in the FA Community Shield (formerly the FA Charity Shield), which is played at the start of each season between the winners of the league and FA Cup from the previous season; of those 30 appearances, Manchester United have won a record 21, including four times when the match was drawn and the trophy shared by the two clubs.

The club had a successful period under the management of Matt Busby, starting with the FA Cup in 1948 and culminating with becoming the first English club to win the European Cup in 1968, winning five league titles in the intervening years. The club's most successful decade, however, came in the 1990s under Alex Ferguson; five league titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup, five Charity Shields (one shared), one UEFA Champions League, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup and one Intercontinental Cup. The club has won the Double (winning the Premier League and FA Cup in the same season) three times; the second in 1995–96 saw them become the first club to do so twice, and it became referred to as the "Double Double".United became the sole British club to win the Intercontinental Cup in 1999 and are one of only three British clubs to have won the FIFA Club World Cup, in 2008. In 1999, United became the first English club to win theTreble.In 2017, United won the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, beatingAjaxin the final. In winning that title, United became the fifth club to have won the "European Treble"of European Cup/UEFA Champions League, Cup Winners' Cup, and UEFA Cup/Europa League afterJuventus,Ajax, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

The club's most recent trophy is the 2023–24 FA Cup.

Manchester United's honours

Type	Competition	Titles	Seasons
Domestic	First Division/Premier League	20	1907–08,1910–11,1951–52,1955–56,1956–57,1964–65,1966–67,1992–93,1993–94,1995–96,1996–97,1998–99,1999–2000,2000–01,2002–03,2006–07,2007–08,2008–09,2010–11,2012–13
	Second Division	2	1935–36,1974–75
	FA Cup	13	1908–09,1947–48,1962–63,1976–77,1982–83,1984–85,1989–90,1993–94,1995–96,1998–99,2003–04,2015–16,2023–24
	Football League Cup/EFL Cup	6	1991–92,2005–06,2008–09,2009–10,2016–17,2022–23
	FA Charity Shield/FA Community Shield	21	1908,1911,1952,1956,1957,1965*,1967*,1977*,1983,1990*,1993,1994,1996,1997,2003,2007,2008,2010,2011,2013,2016(* shared)
Continental	European Cup/UEFA Champions League	3	1967–68,1998–99,2007–08
	European Cup Winners' Cup	1	1990–91
	UEFA Europa League	1	2016–17
	UEFA Super Cup	1	1991
Worldwide	FIFA Club World Cup	1	2008
	Intercontinental Cup	1	1999

• record
• ^sshared record

Doubles and Trebles

• Doubles
  • League and FA Cup(3):1993–94,1995–96,1998–99
  • LeagueandUEFA Champions League(2):1998–99,2007–08
  • LeagueandEFL Cup(1):2008–09
  • EFL CupandUEFA Europa League(1):2016–17
• Trebles
  • League,FA CupandUEFA Champions League(1):1998–99

Short competitions – such as the FA Charity/Community Shield, Intercontinental Cup (now defunct), FIFA Club World Cup or UEFA Super Cup – are not generally considered to contribute towards a Double or Treble.

Manchester United Women

Main article:Manchester United W.F.C.

Manchester United Supporters Club Ladies began operations in the late 1970s and was unofficially recognised as the club's senior women's team. They became founding members of theNorth West Women's Regional Football Leaguein 1989.The team made an official partnership with Manchester United in 2001, becoming the club's official women's team; however, in 2005, following Malcolm Glazer's takeover, the club was disbanded as it was seen to be "unprofitable".In 2018, Manchester United formed a newwomen's football team,which entered thesecond division of women's football in Englandfor theirdebut season.The women's football team won their first trophy on 12 May 2024 as they lifted theWomen's FA Cupas they defeatedTottenham Hotspur4-0.

Further reading

• Andrews, David L., ed. (2004).Manchester United: A Thematic Study.London: Routledge.ISBN978-0-415-33333-7.
• Barnes, Justyn; Bostock, Adam; Butler, Cliff; Ferguson, Jim; Meek, David; Mitten, Andy; Pilger, Sam; Taylor, Frank OBE; Tyrrell, Tom (2001) [1998].The Official Manchester United Illustrated Encyclopedia(3rd ed.). London: Manchester United Books.ISBN978-0-233-99964-7.
• Bose, Mihir (2007).Manchester Disunited: Trouble and Takeover at the World's Richest Football Club.London: Aurum Press.ISBN978-1-84513-121-0.
• Crick, Michael; Smith, David (1990).Manchester United – The Betrayal of a Legend.London: Pan Books.ISBN978-0-330-31440-4.
• Devlin, John (2005).True Colours: Football Kits from 1980 to the Present Day.London: A & C Black.ISBN978-0-7136-7389-0.
• Dobson, Stephen; Goddard, John (2004). "Ownership and Finance of Professional Soccer in England and Europe". In Fort, Rodney; Fizel, John (eds.).International Sports Economics Comparisons.Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.ISBN978-0-275-98032-0.
• Dunning, Eric (1999).Sport Matters: Sociological Studies of Sport, Violence and Civilisation.London: Routledge.ISBN978-0-415-09378-1.
• Hamil, Sean (2008). "Case 9: Manchester United: the Commercial Development of a Global Football Brand". In Chadwick, Simon; Arth, Dave (eds.).International Cases in the Business of Sport.Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.ISBN978-0-7506-8543-6.
• Inglis, Simon (1996) [1985].Football Grounds of Britain(3rd ed.). London: CollinsWillow.ISBN978-0-00-218426-7.
• James, Gary (2008).Manchester: A Football History.Halifax: James Ward.ISBN978-0-9558127-0-5.
• Morgan, Steve (March 2010). McLeish, Ian (ed.). "Design for life".Inside United(212).ISSN1749-6497.
• Murphy, Alex (2006).The Official Illustrated History of Manchester United.London: Orion Books.ISBN978-0-7528-7603-0.
• Shury, Alan; Landamore, Brian (2005).The Definitive Newton Heath F.C.SoccerData.ISBN978-1-899468-16-4.
• Tyrrell, Tom; Meek, David (1996) [1988].The Hamlyn Illustrated History of Manchester United 1878–1996(5th ed.). London: Hamlyn.ISBN978-0-600-59074-3.
• White, Jim (2008).Manchester United: The Biography.London: Sphere.ISBN978-1-84744-088-4.
• White, John (2007) [2005].The United Miscellany(2nd ed.). London: Carlton Books.ISBN978-1-84442-745-1.

External links

• Official website(in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish)
• Official statistics website
• Official Manchester United Supporters' Trust
• Manchester United F.C. onBBC Sport:Club news–Recent results and fixtures
• Manchester Unitedat Sky Sports
• Manchester Unitedat Premier League
• Business data for Manchester United F.C.:
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  • Reuters
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