If a tenner a week were to ensure a generous flow of goals for the next few seasons, any football manager in the world would without a second thought rummage through his jeans and pay it up himself. This, however, was 1966, and Matt Busby usually wore tracksuits.
1. Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester United, 1968 European Cup Semi-Final
(OK, so it wasn't at Old Trafford, but this is the most important game United ever had against Madrid, and there are only four other home legs, and this column is called top fives. So be quiet.)
Determined to prove his prophecy that preceded Munich, Matt Busby's new side had won a narrow victory in the first leg and had the task of completing the job in front of over a hundred thousand fans at a packed Bernabeu, without the injured Denis Law.
After several months of planning and editing, we are today proud to launch "Red Matters". This book compiles the writing of Giles Oakley who has been supporting Manchester United since the Munich Air Disaster. Having attended United games since 1960 onwards, Giles delves in to the history of club, discussing stories and events you have probably never heard of.
Earlier this afternoon, spaced out considerably into a half hour meeting of people in suits, the
Champions League group stage draw took place in Monaco. The buildup was understandly rowdy, with
several people extracting pens from suit pockets and others still shifting in their seats. The
agenda got underway through the explanation of the rules, mainly who country representatives can
allowed to play.
I was on TV this week which in itself is a monumental moment for an ordinary man. I was asked which
was the my most memorable moment from the Manchester derby and my reply was the
come-from-behind...
Manchester United All-Time Top Scorers - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
Manchester United's top goalscorers of all time, from the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton to Best
and Rooney, all the way through the great players of United's illustrious past, including many from
Sir Alex Ferguson's time at United.
My hero was Denis Law; as a player I loved Denis Law even though he is only a couple of years
older than me. He epitomised to me everything about a Scotsman. He could start a row in an empty
house, fight his own shadow, unbelievable courage, electric pace, exciting and dynamic to watch –
I always loved Denis as a player.
Michael Vaughan is the England cricket captain, and he was able to Thursday night's function at Old
Trafford to celebrate 25 years of Sir Alex Ferguson's reign at Manchester United.
Vaughan wrote of the lessons learned from the Manchester United manager.
It was a huge honour for me to be in that room, filled with the great players of the last
quarter century and beyond.
The Museum & Stadium Tour of Manchester United's Old Trafford ground, the self-styled "Theatre of
Dreams" is hugely popular with football fans from all over the world, not just Manchester United
supporters.
Participants of our tour included visitors from Hong Kong and Russia as well as Swansea City
supporters in Manchester for their team's Monday night game with Manchester City.
The best goalscorer Manchester United legend Denis Law has ever seen is Jimmy Greaves but when he
looks around the Premier League the striker he can relate to best is Wayne Rooney. Law does not
watch...
Well I hope everyone enjoyed my first foray at top tens with my list of United's all time best
center forwards. Now I have been granted the privilege of offering you my take at the top ten
strikers to have played for our illustrious Red Devils. Let me start by saying that there is a
difference [..
Sir Bobby Charlton has today claimed he thinks Wayne Rooney can break his goalscoring record for
Manchester United.
Our legend saw his appearances record broken by Ryan Giggs during the 2008 European Cup final in
Moscow, but has still scored 98 more goals than any other player in the history of our club.
Wayne Rooney is on course to shatter Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time Manchester United
goal-scoring record of 249-goals by the time he turns 30.
In his seven years at United Rooney has averaged 21 goals a season. If he maintains that rate,
the 25-year-old Rooney will hit his 250th United goal at the age of 30.
In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen — the most complete
— is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular
player who has everything. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets
knocked off the ball and he doesn't give possession away.
In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen — the most complete
— is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular
player who has everything. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets
knocked off the ball and he doesn't give possession away.
There was a tiny, insignificant incident in one of the first matches I saw George Best play for
Manchester United that has always haunted me, in some ways more than than the many moments of
genius I witnessed in his brilliant subsequent career.It occured in March 1964 against Fulham as
United were desperately trying to keep alive a faltering campaign to win the league title, having
recently unexpectedly lost both a Cup Winners Cup quarter final against Sporting Lisbon and an FA
Cup semi-final against West Ham in successive matches.
There was a tiny, insignificant incident in one of the first matches I saw George Best play for
Manchester United that has always haunted me, in some ways more than than the many moments of
genius I witnessed in his brilliant subsequent career.It occured in March 1964 against Fulham as
United were desperately trying to keep alive a faltering campaign to win the league title, having
recently unexpectedly lost both a Cup Winners Cup quarter final against Sporting Lisbon and an FA
Cup semi-final against West Ham in successive matches.
The deadly triumvirate of Law, Best and Charlton swept opposition from its path and led Manchester
United to win the FA Cup in 1963 and the League in 1965 and 1967. Had it not been for a
cruel...
My mind suddenly went back to the sixties with images of George Best, Brian Kidd, Bobby Charlton,
Denis Law and John Aston terrorising opposition defences with a frightening array of fire power.
It...
The Royal Mail are marking the Football Association's 150th anniversary by issuing a special set ofcommemorativestamps featuring 11 of the British game's most revered players asillustrated by artist Andrew Kinsman.
England are represented by Gordon Banks, Bobby Moore, Bryan Robson, Kevin Keegan, John Barnes, Sir Bobby Charlton and Jimmy Greaves, while Wales' John Charles, Norn Iron's George Best and Scotland pair Dave Mackay and Denis Law make up the rest of the home nations XI all 11 players have been inducted into the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame.
El Balón de Oro (en francés, Ballon d'Or) era un premio individual que desde 1956 otorgaba
anualmente la revista France Football al mejor jugador europeo y que jugaban en Europa. A partir de
1995 se amplió a todos los futbolistas que actuaban en torneos europeos y desde 2007 el Balón de
Oro pasó a premiar al mejor jugador del planeta.
Sir Alex Ferguson has responded to claims by Benfica coach, Jorge Jesus, that Wayne Rooney plays
like a Brazilian or an Argentinian, by suggesting that whilst he is typically British, he is
similar to Pele.
"I think he's a typical British player," said Ferguson. "There have been British
players over the last few years, maybe for the last decades, who have similar great qualities that
make them great players, whether it's a Gascoigne, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law.
In 2008, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of United's first European Cup win, a statue of Denis
Law, George Best and Sir Bobby Charlton was put up outside Old Trafford, our "Holy Trinity".
Sir Bobby Charlton spend 17 seasons at United, scoring 259 goals (our highest ever goalscorer),
and won three league titles, one FA Cup and the European Cup.
Wayne Rooney has sung the praises of his team mate Ryan Giggs, who turned 38-years-old today,
claiming that United should put a statue of him outside the ground.
"If there's one player over the last 20 to 25 years who deserves a statue outside Old
Trafford, it's Ryan Giggs, because what Giggsy has done here is absolutely incredible," he
said.
- United have had a higher average attendance than City EVERY SINGLE SEASON since 1947.
- United players have won the European Player of the Year four times (Sir Bobby Charlton, Denis
Law, George Best and Cristiano Ronaldo). City players have won it zero times.
- When City won the league in the 1968, they had the 6th highest attendance in the country.
All of us have our heroes and villains, and in every generation there are players who
passionately divide opinion, causing us to dissect every possible flawed trait of the human DNA,
especially those representing Arsenal.
The first conscious connection I had with Arsenal was the side that won the UEFA Fairs Cup,
followed by the 'Double' a year later, which was particularly pleasing because we equalled what
Spurs had done ten years previous, and I'm sure I read somewhere in statute law that under no
circumstances are Spurs allowed to get one over Arsenal for as long as the sun rises in the east
and sets in the west.
All of us have our heroes and villains, and in every generation there are players who
passionately divide opinion, causing us to dissect every possible flawed trait of the human DNA,
especially those representing Arsenal.
The first conscious connection I had with Arsenal was the side that won the UEFA Fairs Cup,
followed by the 'Double' a year later, which was particularly pleasing because we equalled what
Spurs had done ten years previous, and I'm sure I read somewhere in statute law that under no
circumstances are Spurs allowed to get one over Arsenal for as long as the sun rises in the east
and sets in the west.
Delighted to be back on theFootypod this week with host Scott Johnston, regular guest Brent Artema
and indefatigable blog/pod main man Simon Furnivall.
Topics included the Champions League semi finals, cups north and south of the border, Saturday
night's El Clasico and some brief thoughts on the long, drawn out saga of league reconstruction in
Scotland.
Welcome news today is that it looks like Liverpool playmaker, Alberto Aquilani will be staying at
Anfield.
The attacking midfielder returned from his loan-spell at Juventus this Summer and he has been very
impressive in the pre-season friendlies in the Far East, setting up several goals for his
team-mates.
When Wenger first came to England, the other title contenders had more or less sewn up the
scouting network on the British Isles, the next George Best or Denis Law was going to be snapped up
by United or Liverpool.
He had his connections in France and other parts of the continent... he stole a massive march on
Fergie and Co by signing the likes of Anelka and Fabregras whilst the rest were scouting on a cold
evening at Turf Moor.
Ten more wonderful vintage photos picked at random from the Pies' archives...
England captain Bobby Moore shows off a particularly dapper shirt from his new line of
stylish fashion products, 1972
Chelsea's Dick Spence and Len Goulden play head tennis during training at Stamford Bridge,
1947
Sheffield Wednesday forward Derek Dooley (and his wife) travels home from Preston Royal
Infirmary in an ambulance after having his leg amputated following a gangrene infection to the
broken leg he suffered against Preston North End, 1953
West Ham footballers play leapfrog during a training session on the beach at Southend,
1951
Nothing more, nothing less just ten brilliant photos pulled from the PA's bulging
goldmine/archive at random...
Graffitied on a Manchester wall; the Tottenham Hotspur line-up, 1968
Chelsea captain Ron 'Chopper' Harris leads his team out (followed by goalkeeper Peter 'The
Cat' Bonetti) ahead of the Blues' FA Cup fourth-round replay against Preston North End,
1969
Manchester United's Denis Law is beaten to the ball in an airbourne duel with Rapid Vienna
goalkeeper Fuchsbicher during the first-leg of the European Cup Quarter Final at Old Trafford,
1969
Accompanied in shot by Jimmy Greaves, Stanley Matthews quite literally hangs up his boots
after making his final appearance for Stoke City at his star-studded testimonial game,
1965
The three recipients of the Golden Shoe Award for the 1982/83 season pose with a huge Adidas
boot, from left: Steve Cammack (Div.
6 February 1958 was the darkest day in Man Utd's history when 23 members of its football team
were killed after their plane crashed trying to take off a runaway at Munich airport. Amongst them
their best and brightest talent including the prodigious Duncan Edwards.
