M a n c h e s t e r U n i t e d

Kevi n Brophy
Level 3
Ret ol d by Mi chael and J udi t h Dean
Series Editors: Andy Hopkins and Jocelyn Potter
(scanned by sem911)
\
C o n t e n t s
I n t r o d u c t i o n i v
A r e Y o u a M a n c h e s t e r U n i t e d F a n ? 1
T h r e e T i m e s C h a m p i o n s ! 2
T a c t i c s 7
U p s a n d D o w n s 9
T h e R e d a n d t h e B lu e P a r t 1 1 2
M u n i c h : O n e M a n ' s S t o r y 1 4
T h e G r e a t P l a y e r s 1 7
T h e R e d a n d t h e B lu e P a r t 2 2 2
T h e M a n a g e r s 2 4
T h e R e d a n d t h e B lu e P a r t 3 2 8
T r a i n i n g a n d Fo o d 3 0
T h e R e d a n d t h e B l u e P a r t 4 3 2
F a n s A r o u n d t h e W o r l d 3 4
T h e B o o t B o y s 3 7
B r e a m T e a m 4 1
A c t i v i t i e s 4 2
Pearson Education Li mi t ed
Edinburgh Gate, Harlow,
Essex CM20 2JE, England
and Associated Companies throughout the world.
ISBN 0 582 435641
First published 2001
3 5 7 9 1 0 8 6 4 2
Text copyright Kevin Brophy 2001
Illustrations for ' The Red and The Blue' and p. 2 copyright Bob Harvey 2001
Illustrations for 'Training and Food' copyright Alan Fraser 2001
Designed by Dan Newman/Perfect Bound Lt d
Printed in China
SWTC/ 02
A l l rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored i n a
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mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written
: permission of the Publishers.
Published by Pearson Education Limited in association wi t h Penguin
Books Lt d, both companies being subsidiaries of Pearson Plc
Photograph acknowledgements:
Coloursport: pp 18, 19,24 and 25;Corbis: pp 4, 15 and 27;
Popperfoto: p 17; Rex: pp 20 and 21; Photodisc: pp 34 and 35;
David Watts: pp 37,39 and 40
I n t r o d u c t i o n
T h e 4 5,0 0 0 M a n c h e s t e r U n i t e d fa n s a r e qu i e t n o w . T h e y
h a v e fo l l o w e d t h e i r t e a m t o B a r c e l o n a . C a n t h e y be
t h r e e t i m e s lu c ky a ft e r t h e i r s u c c e s s i n t h e Le a g u e a n d
t h e C up? T h e s c o r e i s s t i l l 1 -0 t o B a y e r n M u n i c h . . .
Hi s t or y was made on t hat ni ght i n 1998. On l y
mi nut es f r om t he end, Un i t e d scored t wo goals t o
become Champi ons of Europe.
Thi s book is the st ory of a great team: Manchester
Un i t e d are the biggest, ri chest and most successful
foot bal l cl ub i n the wo r l d .
Ke v i n Br ophy l i ves i n Ir el and. He spends most of hi s
t i me wr i t i n g, b u t he also teaches Engl i s h as a forei gn
language. Thi s is hi s fi rst book for Pengui n Readers.
Some of his ot her books are Al most Heaven, Walking
the Line and In the Company o f Wolves (about
foot bal l ).
Ke vi n has one son and t wo daughters. Hi s ot her
interests are books and musi c, ci nema and
Wol ve r ha mpt on Wanderers foot bal l cl ub.
A r e Y o u a M a n c h e s t e r
U n i t e d F a n ?
C h o o s e t h e c o r r e c t a n s w e r s . T h e n t r y t h e qu e s t i o n s a g a i n a ft e r y o u
h a v e fi n i s h e d t h e bo o k.
1 M a n c h e s t e r U n i t e d 's c o lo u r s a r e
a bl ue and whi t e
b red, whi t e and bl ue
c red and whi t e
2 M a n c h e s t e r U n i t e d 's g r o u n d i s
a Selhurst Park
b Ol d Trafford
c Mai ne Road
3 W h i c h t e a m lo s t a g a i n s t M a n c h e s t e r U n i t e d i n t h e
1999 Eu r o p e a n C up?
a Real Ma d r i d
b Benfica
c Bayern Mu n i c h
4 W h o w a s a U n i t e d m a n a g e r ?
a Ma t t Busby
b Bi l l Shankl y
c Bobby Robson
5 W h i c h m a n a g e r w a s n o t a S c o ts m a n ?
a Ron At k i n s o n
b Ma t t Busby
c Tommy Docher t y
6 W h i c h U n i t e d p la y e r w a s n e v e r s e n t o ff?
a George Best
b Bobby Char l t on
c Eri c Cantona
T h e a n s w e r s a r e o n p a g e 4 1 .
'The 45,000 Manchester United fans are
quiet now. They have f ol l owe d t hei r
t eam t o Barcel ona. Can t hey be
t hree t i mes l u c k y after t hei r
success i n t he League and t he
Cup?* We are al ready i n i n j u r y
t i me and n o w t hey can onl y
hope. The score i s s t i l l 1-0 t o
Bayer n Mu n i c h . The boys' heads
are d o wn , t hei r legs are t i r ed. A
cor ner t o Un i t e d . Even Schmei chel
has come up for i t . Beckham takes the
corner, t he Ger mans get t he b a l l away . . .
no, there's Gi ggs! He ki cks i t t owar ds t he Bayer n goal . He fi nds
Sher i ngham . . . Goal ! Goal ! Sher i ngham has scored for Un i t e d .
One a l l , i n t he n i n e t i e t h mi n u t e . Let's see t hat goal agai n . . .
The fans' hopes are s t i l l al i ve. Now, can Ma n U score again?
There are o n l y anot her f or t y-f i ve seconds t o play. Anot he r
corner! Beckham agai n, Sher i ngham passes to Solskjaer,
Solskjaer heads t he ba l l . . . It's t here! It's in t he back of t he
goal . Thi s i s unbel i evabl e. Manchest er
Un i t e d have scored t wo goals i n
the last seconds of the game.
They w i l l never forget 26
May, 1999. They have
already wo n the FA Cup
and t he League, and n o w
t hey have wo n t he
Eur opean Cha mpi ons hi p! '
* The League and the FA Cup: In the League, every team plays every other team
twice, 'at home' and 'away'. In the FA Cup, a team only plays unt i l it loses a
game; the final is played at Wembley Stadium, in London.
3
The game was wo n i n the fi nal seconds by t wo goals scored by
Sheringham and Solskjaer, bot h fr om corners by Beckham.
Solskjaer, United' s Nor wegi an striker, was on the pi t c h onl y ei ght
mi nut es before he scored the wi n n i n g goal.
Bayern Muni ch' s Mar i o Basler scored the fi rst goal for his team
after onl y si x mi nut es. The Germans were u n l u c k y not to score
again. They also defended we l l and t ur ned away at t acki ng balls
fr om Andy Cole and Dwi ght Yorke. But i n the end i t was
Manchester United' s name on the Cup after the most exci t i ng fi nal
of the European Champi onshi p i n history.
The No u Camp St adi um was compl et el y f ul l last ni ght , wi t h a
cr owd of 90,000 excited fans. About 45,000 Manchester Uni t ed fans
made the j our ney sout h. Many were weari ng the club's red and
whi t e. Anot her 5,000 fans were wat chi ng the game at the
Manchester Uni t e d gr ound on Ol d Trafford's bi g television. Sixteen
mi l l i o n wat ched the game on Br i t i sh t el evi si on and about five
hundr ed mi l l i o n people wat ched on t el evi si on ar ound the wo r l d ,
more t han for any cl ub game ever.
The part y started i mmedi at el y after the end of the game. The
streets of Manchester were qui et and empt y for ni net y mi nut es, but
t hen the fans pour ed on to the streets ar ound Ol d Trafford. They
sang 'We are the Champi ons' . They kissed, t hey danced. Even
Manchester Ci t y fans, pr oud of t hei r home t own, j o i n e d the fun.
'Never seen anyt hi ng l i ke i t , ' said a red-shi rt ed fan. ' The wor st
ni net y mi nut es of my life and the best three.' Anot her happy fan
said, 'We've done i t . Ferguson is the greatest!'
Uni t e d were the first Engl i sh team t o wi n the European Cup i n
1968. The n t hey pl ayed Benfica of Port ugal at Wembl ey St adi um
and wo n 4 - 1 . They had a Scottish manager t hen, too: Sir Mat t
Busby. Scottish managers have br ought Uni t e d l uck. But today's
Scotsman, manager Al ex Ferguson, has t aken Uni t e d to the t op.
Manchester Uni t e d have not lost any of t hei r last t hi r t y-t hr ee
games. They have wo n three Cups in eleven days. As one fan said
last ni ght i n Barcelona, ' I t was the best ni ght of my l i fe. '
The party in the streets of Barcelona di d not finish unt i l the
early hours of Thursday morning. Manchester United made
history in the Nou Camp Stadium last night wi t h their 2-1 wi n
over Bayern Muni ch.
Ever ybody i n Manchest er s t opped wo r k yest er day wh e n t he
t r i u mp h a n t Un i t e d t eam br ought t he Eur opean Cup home.
A mi l l i o n fans came out t o wel come the team. They sang and
shout ed and a few had tears i n t hei r eyes. Uni t ed' s open-t op bus
drove the t wel ve ki l omet r es f r om the ai r por t t o the ci t y centre.
One after another, the players hel d t he Cup up. I r i s hme n Roy
Keane and Deni s I r wi n . Ryan Giggs f r om Wales. Paul Scholes,
Ni c k y But t , Teddy Sher i ngham, An d y Col e, Da vi d Beckham and
the Nevi l l e br ot her s, al l f r om Engl and. The Tr i ni da d and Tobago
st r i ker Dwi gh t Yorke. Ol e Gunnar Solskjaer f r om Norway,
Dut c hma n Jaap Stam, and Peter Schmei chel , the Dani s h
goalkeeper wh o i s l eavi ng Ma n U t omor r ow.
But the l oudest shouts were for Uni t ed' s manager, Al e x
Ferguson. Wi t h three Cups i n three weeks, he i s the most
successful manager in foot bal l . He is also the best Manchest er
Uni t e d manager since Sir Ma t t Busby.
The fans t h i n k t hi s is the greatest foot bal l team. The players
t h i n k so t oo. They t al ked about the special s pi r i t i n the Un i t e d
team. Jaap Stam said, We have scored a l ot of late goals at the
end of games t hi s season. We d i d i t against Li ve r pool and we
have done i t here. I j u s t t h i n k there i s no better s pi r i t t han t hi s. '
Ol e Gunnar Solskjaer added: ' The team s pi r i t i s unbel i evabl e.
We are a l l i n t hi s together. That i s wh y I stay i n Manchester.'
The crowds stayed i n the ci t y centre u n t i l late i n the eveni ng.
Everyone was wear i ng r ed and whi t e ; everyone was t a l ki ng about
Wednesday's game. Nobody wi l l forget t hi s ni ght .
Perhaps we are a l i t t l e sor r y for Manchest er City. But the
Ci t y fans were keepi ng qui et . They were pr obabl y at t he street
par t y t oo.
The backs stayed near the goalkeeper. They pl ayed be hi nd the
wi ngers al l the t i me.
There was onl y one centre half.
The same number s always pl ayed against the same number s i n
the ot her team: number 2 (t he r i ght back) always pl ayed
against the ot her team's left wi nger, number 11. The r i ght hal f
and left half, number s 4 and 6, always pl ayed against the ot her
team's i nsi de r i ght and i nsi de left (number s 8 and 10). The
number 5 (centre half) always pl ayed against the other team's
centre for war d.
Tactics were usual l y the same in every game. The defence gave
the bal l to the i nsi de forwards. The i nsi de forwards passed to
the wi nger s. The wi ngers ki c ke d the bal l - usual l y i n the air -
t o the centre for war d. An d the centre f or war d scored! Usual l y
wi t h his head.
7
Ma n U's f u l l backs do not stay back. They are ver y i mpor t ant
at t acki ng players. They give the bal l t o the wi nger s, and t hen
they can r u n i n fr ont of the wi ngers. Gary Nevi l l e and Davi d
Beckham pl ay ver y we l l together l i ke t hi s.
There are t wo centre halves. They are often cal l ed ' centre
backs' or 'stoppers' now.
There are t wo centre forwards. They are usually called 'strikers' now.
Wh e n the ot her team has the bal l , al l the players 'get be hi nd
the bal l ' . They move bet ween the ba l l and t hei r goal . Everybody
defends!
Wh e n Ma n U have the bal l , everybody attacks. Everybody
(except the goalkeeper) has to score goals. 'Defenders' l i ke
Nevi l l e and I r wi n score a l ot of ver y good goals.
Tactics are different i n every game. A l l the players play
everywhere on the pi t c h.
U p s a n d
D o w n s
T h e be g i n n i n g
1878: Some r ai l way wor ker s i n
the nor t h-west of Engl and
f or m a foot bal l cl ub. They
cal l i t Ne wt o n Heat h. The
players wear red, whi t e and
bl ue clothes.
1892: The cl ub j oi ns the Engl i sh Foot bal l
League i n Di vi s i on One.
1894: The cl ub loses a l ot of games, and it goes d o wn to Di vi s i on
Two. The team changes the cl ub col ours t o green and gol d
for better l uck.
1902: The cl ub has no money, but it is saved by a Manchester
businessman, J ohn Davies. He put s a l ot of money i nt o the
cl ub. The name i s changed t o Manchest er Uni t e d. The new
cl ub col ours are red and whi t e . Ernest Mangnal l i s the new
manager. The cl ub ret urns t o Di v i s i o n One i n 1906.
1908: Manchester Uni t e d are League Champi ons, and in 1909
they wi n the FA Cup for the fi rst t i me. J ohn Davies buys
l and at Ol d Trafford for a new s t adi um for his cl ub. It costs
60, 000. Ma n U lose the fi rst game at Ol d Trafford; the
score is 3-4 to Li ver pool !
Between the wars
1921-5: Ma n U r e t ur n t o Di v i s i o n Two.
1931: The cl ub again has no money. It is saved by anot her
businessman, James Gi bson.
1939-45: There i s no foot bal l at Ol d Trafford d u r i n g the Second
Wo r l d War.
1945: Scotsman Ma t t Busby becomes manager.
Matt Busby's golden years
1945: Wh i l e they are r ebui l di ng the gr ound at Ol d Trafford, Busby
is r ebui l di ng the team. He sends out scouts to f i nd good
young players. The young players are called 'Busby's Babes'.
1948: Ma n U pl ay Bl ackpool i n the FA Cup Fi nal and wi n 4- 2.
1952: League Champi ons (and 1956
and 1957).
1958: Aft er a Eur opean Cup game
i n Yugoslavia, Ma n U's
aeroplane crashes at
Mu n i c h . Ei ght players are
k i l l e d and Busby i s badl y
i nj ur ed. Wh i l e Busby i s i n
hospi t al , J i mmy Mu r p h y i s
the manager. United' s first
game after Mu n i c h i s onl y t wo
weeks later.
1960: Busby r et ur ns t o hi s j o b at Ol d Trafford. Hi s most famous
young player is George Best. Best j oi ns Ma n U at the age of
seventeen.
1963: Five years after Muni c h, Man U wi n the FA Cup. They are Fi rst
Di vi s i on Champi ons i n 1965, and again i n 1967.
10
1968: Manchester Uni t e d are the fi rst Engl i sh team t o wi n the
European Cup.
1969: Busby leaves Manchester Uni t e d for the fi rst t i me. He leaves
again i n 1971!
After Busby
1972-4: Tommy Docher t y i s Manchester Uni t ed' s t h i r d manager
after Busby. Hi s t i me there begins badly. Ma n U go d o wn to
Di vi s i on Two, for the fi rst t i me since 1938.
1975: Docherty' s plans begi n to wo r k . Ma n U r e t ur n to
Di vi s i on One.
1981: Ron At k i n s o n becomes the manager. Ma n U wi n the
FA Cup i n 1983 and are one of the t op clubs.
Ferguson's successes
1986: Al ex Ferguson becomes manager.
1989: Success ret urns t o Uni t e d. They wi n the FA Cup.
1991: They wi n 2- 1 against Barcelona i n the Cup Wi nner s Cup.
1993: Eri c Cantona is bought f r om Leeds. Ma n U wi n the League
for the fi rst t i me i n t went y-si x years.
1994: Ma n U wi n the Doubl e (FA Cup and League) for the fi rst
t i me.
1996: Ma n U wi n the Doubl e again!
1997: Uni t e d wi n the League for the f our t h t i me i n five seasons.
1999: Manchester Uni t e d wi n the FA Cup, League and European
Cup. No ot her Engl i sh team has ever done t hi s before.
11
Har r y Gregg f r om Nor t he r n Ir el and j o i n e d Manchester Uni t e d i n
December 1957. At t went y-fi ve years ol d, he was too o l d t o be a
Busby Babe. Busby needed a good goalkeeper and he bought
Gregg f r om Doncaster Rovers.
Two mont hs later, on 5 February, Gregg was i n t he t eam
wh i c h pl ayed Red Star Belgrade i n t he Eur opean Cup. The score
i n Belgrade was 3- 3. The t eam fl ew t o Mu n i c h t o j o i n t hei r
pl ane t o Manchest er. Some ot her peopl e f r om t he cl ub, some
report ers and a few ot her passengers were on the aeroplane wi t h
the Ma n U pl ayers.
Because there was a pr obl em wi t h the second aeroplane, the
passengers wai t ed at Mu n i c h ai r por t . Di d t hey have t o t ravel by
bus t o Ho l l a n d and t hen by sea t o England? But after t wo hour s,
the passengers r et ur ned to t hei r seats on the plane. It was
s nowi ng. J ohn Berry, one of United' s forwards, said, 'We're goi ng
t o die.' Gregg l aughed, wi t h the ot her players.
The plane began t o move, b u t i t never left the gr ound. It
crashed. It we nt out of the ai r por t , across a r oad and i nt o a fi el d. It
was suddenl y qui et and ver y dar k on the plane. The n the
passengers began t o move - i f t hey c oul d move.
Har r y Gregg pushed past Bert Wha l l e y, a Manchester Uni t e d
trainer. Wha l l e y was dead. Gregg ki c ke d the side of the plane and
got out on t o the snowy fi el d. ' Run!' shout ed the pi l ot . He was
also i n the fi el d. The n Gregg heard a cr yi ng c hi l d. He d i d not r u n ,
but we nt back i nt o the plane. He pul l e d out a t wo-year-ol d gi r l .
Then he pul l e d out her mot her.
There was a danger of fire i n the plane, b u t Gregg r et ur ned
again. He f ound Ma n U's Denni s Vi ol l et and Bobby Char l t on, and
pul l e d t hem out t oo.
Then he saw Ma t t Busby. Busby was l y i n g on the gr ound i n the
snow. He was i n pai n, wi t h i njur i es t o his chest and legs. Jackie
Bl anchfl ower was l y i n g near h i m, and Roger Byrne was l y i n g on
t op of Bl anchfl ower. He was dead.
1 4
The i nj ur ed people were t aken t o hospi t al
i n Mu n i c h . Seven players - Geoff Bent,
Roger Byrne, Eddi e Col man, Ma r k
Jones, Da vi d Pegg, Tommy Tayl or
and Li a m Whe l a n, al l bet ween
t went y-one and t went y-ei ght -
were dead. Three ot her Uni t e d
me n and seven reporters di ed t oo.
Young Duncan Edwards l i ve d for
fifteen days after t he crash. Before
he di ed, hi s last wor ds were, ' What
t i me i s ki ck-off?'
The next Manchester Uni t e d game was pl ayed
on 19 February against Sheffield Wednesday. Two players, Bi l l
Foul kes and Ha r r y Gregg, t ravel l ed back f r om Mu n i c h and pl ayed
i n t hat game. Un i t e d wo n 3-0.
Manchest er Un i t e d reached the FA Cup Fi na l t hat year. They
pl ayed against Bol t on Wanderers. A year before Mu n i c h , wh e n
Bol t on Wanderers wo n the Cup against Uni t e d, Roger Byrne said,
We ' l l be back next year'. They were back, but wi t h o u t Roger
Byrne. He was k i l l e d at Mu n i c h .
Ever ybody i n t he count ry, except Bol t on Wanderers fans,
want ed Un i t e d t o wi n . But they l ost 2- 0.
Ha r r y Gregg w i l l always remember Mu n i c h , and hi s friends wh o
di ed. But nobody can ever forget Mu n i c h .
Ma t t Busby stayed i n hospi t al i n
Mu n i c h for seventy-one days. J ohn
Berry (We' r e goi ng t o die' ) d i d not
die, but he d i d not pl ay again.
Gregg pl ayed for Un i t e d u n t i l
1966. He has met the l i t t l e gi r l
f r om t he pl ane again. For t y
years after the Mu n i c h ai r por t
accident, Vesna Lu k i c came to
Manchester to remember the team
of 1958.
T h e G r e a t P l a y e r s
Duncan Edwards (born 1936, died 1958)
Duncan Edwards was the
best school boy player of
hi s t i me. He was the best
player i n the 1958
Manchester Uni t e d team.
Some people t h i n k that
there has never been a
better Engl i sh player. He
was i n United' s Yout h
Team and d i d al l the usual
trainee j obs - he hel ped i n
the gr ound, he cleaned
boots. On
4 Ap r i l 1953 Ma t t Busby
said, 'Get your boot s on.
You're pl ayi ng against
Cardi ff Ci t y t hi s
aft ernoon.' Edwards was
the youngest foot bal l er i n
a Di v i s i o n One team. In
1955 Edwards became the
youngest Engl i sh i nt er nat i onal player wh e n he pl ayed for
Engl and. Thi s was a record u n t i l Li verpool ' s Mi chael Owe n pl ayed
for Engl and i n 1998. Tr ai ni ng i s i mpor t a nt today, but i n the 1950s
players j us t r an ar ound the p i t c h four or five times. No t Edwards.
He r an ar ound the pi t c h ten times. He was a st r ong man and a
good, fast runner. He usual l y pl ayed hal f back, but he was good i n
any pos i t i on. Once, pl ayi ng at centre f or war d for the Engl and
Under-23s, he scored si x goals. He c oul d do anyt hi ng and
ever yt hi ng wi t h the bal l . Manchester Un i t e d always pl ayed better
whe n he was i n the team. Wh e n Edwards di ed f r om hi s i njur i es
after the Mu n i c h crash, he was onl y t went y-one.
Bobby Charlton (born 1937)
Bobby Char l t on comes f r om a
foot bal l i ng family. Three uncles
pl ayed for Leeds Uni t e d, another
uncl e was a Leicester Ci t y player, a
cousi n pl ayed for Newcastle Uni t e d,
and hi s ol der br ot her Jack became a
Leeds Uni t e d player. Wh e n Char l t on
was pl ayi ng for Engl and Schoolboys,
about eighteen clubs want ed h i m. But
he want ed to wear the Ma n U shi r t .
He fi rst pl ayed at Ol d Trafford i n 1956. Thi s was t he begi nni ng of
seventeen years as a Ma n U player.
Charlton' s i njur i es i n the Mu n i c h air crash were not t oo serious.
He was pl ayi ng again for Uni t e d j us t one mo n t h later. He also
pl ayed for Engl and for the fi rst t i me i n Ap r i l t hat year.
Busby had t o r e bui l d the Un i t e d team after Mu n i c h , and
Cha r l t on was always there. Fi r st he pl ayed left wi n g, but he was
happi er i n mi df i e l d. He was named foot bal l er of the year i n 1966,
after England's success i n the Wo r l d Cup against Germany. The
same year, he was named Eur opean Foot bal l er of t he Year. He was
United' s capt ai n i n t hei r fi rst European Cup t r i u mp h i n 1968.
Du r i n g hi s seventeen years at Ma n U, Bobby Cha r l t on scored
199 goals. He was a fair player and he was never sent off the pi t c h.
He s t i l l wor ks for Engl i s h and wo r l d foot bal l , and he watches
Uni t e d pl ay as oft en as possible.
George Best (born 1946)
George Best was the bad boy of
Manchester Uni t e d, b u t fans
remember hi s wonde r f ul foot bal l . He
coul d do ever yt hi ng: wi n the bal l , r u n
wi t h i t , score goals, hel p others t o
score. An d he was handsome, too.
A Uni t e d scout saw the young Best
pl ayi ng i n hi s home t o wn of Belfast.
Best was onl y fifteen wh e n he ar r i ved i n Manchester. He d i d not
l i ke bei ng away f r om home and he r et ur ned t o Nor t he r n Ir el and
18
after a few weeks. Hi s father sent h i m back to Manchester and he
fi rst pl ayed i n the team i n 1963.
One success f ol l owed another. In 1966 he scored t wo goals
against Benfica, wh e n Uni t e d wo n 5 - 1 . The Portuguese called h i m
' El Beatle', because he had l ong hai r l i ke the Beatles. In 1968 Best
was i n the team against Benfica again, wh e n he scored a goal i n
the European Cup Fi nal . Best was the youngest European
Foot bal l er of the Year i n 1968.
In 1967-8 he scored t went y-ei ght league goals. But t hi s was the
begi nni ng of the end. In 1972-3 he scored onl y four times. Best
had many interests outside foot bal l and he had many beaut i ful
gi rl fri ends. Hi s l i fe out si de foot bal l was mor e i nt er est i ng t han
t r ai ni ng. Busby t r i ed t o keep h i m i n the team. Wh e n Busby left,
Best became mor e di ffi cul t . He pl ayed hi s last game for Uni t e d on
1 January 1974.
Denis Law (born 1940)
Wh e n Scotsman Denis Law was
fifteen, he j o i n e d Hudder sfi el d Town.
He had a pr obl em wi t h his r i ght eye,
b u t he c oul d not wear glasses and pl ay
foot bal l at the same t i me. He pl ayed
wi t h one eye closed. So Hudder sfi el d
pai d for h i m t o go t o hospi t al .
Law was t h i n , but very f i t , and he
headed the ba l l we l l . Busby want ed t o buy h i m i n 1956, but he
had t o wa i t five years before he c oul d buy Law f r om the I t al i an
cl ub, Tor i no.
Law was a good buy. Wh e n he scored a goal , he always p u t hi s
r i ght ar m up. Fans saw Law's r i ght ar m i n t he ai r t h i r t y times i n
1963-4. He was named European Foot bal l er of the Year that year.
But Law was u n l u c k y i n 1968. He was i n hospi t al and missed
the t r i umpha nt European Cup Fi nal . The next day, Busby br ought
the European Cup to Law's hospi t al bed.
Wh e n Tommy Docher t y became United' s manager, Law we nt t o
Manchester City. In the 1974 Ci t y game against Uni t e d, he scored
wi t h the back of hi s foot. Law's goal sent his ol d cl ub d o wn t o
Di vi s i on Two.
19
Eric Cantona
(born 1966)
Fr enchman Er i c Cant ona
pl ayed for si x Fr ench clubs
i n the same number of years
before he signed for Leeds
Uni t e d i n 1992. The Leeds
fans l oved h i m. They
shout ed, ' Ooh aah Cantona!'
every t i me he pl ayed. But
Eri c was unhappy there. Six
mont hs later he moved t o
Ma n U and the Un i t e d fans
began to shout , ' Ooh aah
Cantona!' and cal l h i m ' The
Ki ng' .
Cant ona, wi t h hi s
wonder f ul foot bal l , became
a favouri t e wi t h the fans,
and for the next five years
success r et ur ned t o Ol d Trafford. In 1994 Un i t e d wo n the Doubl e
for the fi rst t i me and Cant ona was the fi rst forei gn Player of the
Year i n Engl and.
But Cant ona was a di f f i cul t man. He became angry ver y qui ckl y.
He was i n t r oubl e i n 1995 wh e n he ki c ke d a
Cryst al Palace fan. He had to stop
pl ayi ng foot bal l for ei ght mont hs , but
Uni t e d fans cont i nued t o shout his
name. The manager, Al ex
Ferguson, under st ood Cant ona
and made h i m team capt ai n.
Cant ona left foot bal l i n 1997
and has acted in a few fi l ms, but
he i s s t i l l i nt erest ed i n Ma n U. He
wat ched the European Cup game
against Real Ma d r i d i n Ap r i l 2000 and
after the game he t al ked to Ma n U fans
for an hour.
Ryan Giggs (born 1973)
Ryan Giggs signed school boy forms for
Manchester Un i t e d whe n he was
fourteen-and-a-half years ol d. Since hi s
first game for Uni t e d i n 1991, people
have t al ked about Ryan Giggs i n the
same way t hat t hey t al ked about
George Best: beaut i ful foot bal l ,
wonder f ul goals. Giggs is fast t oo. In
1995 he scored United' s qui ckest goal
after onl y fifteen seconds! In 1991 he
was Wales's youngest player ever,
wh e n he pl ayed for t hem against Germany.
In the 1990s, he hel ped Un i t e d t o wi n t wo doubles and three
champi onshi ps.
David Beckham (born 1975)
Manchester Un i t e d has fans everywhere. Da vi d Beckham, a
Londoner, was a fan wh e n he was a l i t t l e boy. He always wor e a
Un i t e d shi rt . He si gned for Un i t e d as a schoolboy, wh e n he was
fourt een. Ever ybody knew that he was a great player t hen. He
l oved t r a i ni ng and he practised for hours.
In 1996 Beckham scored an unforget t abl e goal. Uni t e d were
pl ayi ng Wi mb l e d o n and Beckham ki c ke d the ba l l fr om i nsi de
United' s half, over the goalkeeper's head, and i nt o the goal - about
si xt y-ei ght metres. But many people
also remember wh e n Beckham ki c ke d
an Ar gent i ni an player i n a Wo r l d Cup
game. Beckham was sent off the p i t c h
and Engl and lost.
Some fans l ove h i m, some hate h i m.
But Ferguson knows a good foot bal l er
and Beckham is very good.
Beckham has a famous wi fe -
Vi ct or i a Adams, 'Posh Spice' of the
Spice Gi r l s. Thei r pi ct ures are always i n
the newspapers. He is perhaps the most
famous young foot bal l er of today.
T h e M a n a g e r s
Matt Busby (manager 1 945-69,1 970 -71 )
After the war, there were t wo bi g probl ems at Ol d Trafford.
Nobody c oul d pl ay foot bal l on t hat gr ound and there were very
few players. The fi rst pr obl e m was easy. Uni t e d pl ayed at
Manchester City's gr ound, Mai ne Road. The second pr obl em t ook
t i me. Busby sent hi s scouts t o streets i n bi g cities and t o sports
clubs. They were l o o k i n g for boys wh o c oul d pl ay foot bal l . Thi s
was the begi nni ng of Busby's Babes, the famous team of the 1950s.
Managers t hen were usual l y not very i nt erest ed i n t r ai ni ng. But
Busby was an unus ual man. He p u t on hi s sports clothes and
t r ai ned wi t h hi s footballers.
Sadly, Busby l ost some of hi s best young players i n the Mu n i c h
air crash. He began a ga i n, l ooki ng for new young players. But he
also bought players f r om ot her clubs. Success f ol l owed. Uni t e d
wo n the Fi r st Di v i s i o n t wi ce, the FA Cup and the European Cup.
Tommy Docherty (manager 1972-7)
Tommy Docher t y anot her
Scotsman, was a different
k i n d of manager. They called
h i m ' The Doc' and he was
l i ke a doctor. He sometimes
gave bad-t ast i ng medi ci ne to
the players.
By the 1970s, Uni t e d was
a r i c h cl ub. The Doc c oul d
spend a l ot of money on
successful players. He sol d
the ol der Uni t e d players and
bought good, young
footballers. For exampl e, he
bought George Gr aham fr om
Arsenal . Gr aham was the
fi rst of ni ne Scottish players wh o were bought by Docher t y
At fi rst there were probl ems. Uni t e d we nt d o wn t o Di vi s i on
Two. ' We' l l be back,' Docher t y pr omi sed. The next year Uni t e d
were i n Di vi s i on One again.
The Doc's biggest success was the 1977 FA Cup. He l ost his j o b
t wo weeks later, wh e n he left hi s wi fe for anot her woma n.
Ron Atkinson (manager 1981-6)
Ron At k i n s o n i s a bi g, l o u d
man f r om Li ver pool , the
opposi t e of qui et Ma t t Busby.
He wears a l ot of gol d ri ngs
and peopl e cal l h i m ' Big Ron' .
He was manager of a
smaller cl ub, West Br omwi c h
Al b i o n , before 1981, b u t at
Manchester he began to
spend money. He bought
24-year-old Br yan Robson
f r om West Br om. for one and
a hal f mi l l i o n pounds - a
record for the next si x years.
Robson was expensive, b u t
he was a great footballer. He
was made capt ai n of Ma n U
i n 1982 and he was also capt ai n of Engl and si xt y-fi ve times.
Bi g Ron l i k e d t o t r ai n wi t h his team. He under st ood foot bal l
and footballers. Uni t e d wo n the FA Cup i n 1983 and again i n
1985. But Bi g Ron was unl ucky. Li ve r pool was the wi n n i n g
League team five times. After some bad results i n 1986, Bi g Ron
left Uni t e d and r et ur ned t o West Br o mwi c h Al b i o n .
Alex Ferguson (manager 1 986-)
Aberdeen was a very successful team i n the Scot t i sh League whe n
Al ex Ferguson was manager. He left Aberdeen for Manchester
Uni t e d wh e n Bi g Ron left. Under Busby's management, Un i t e d had
a good y o u t h t r ai ni ng pr ogr amme. Ferguson want ed t o cont i nue
t hi s and make i t bigger. He want ed mor e scouts, more young
about t wo mi l l i o n pounds i n
1989. Ince became an
excellent mi df i e l d player and
he was made Engl and captain
against the Uni t e d States i n
1993. But i n 1995 Ferguson
sol d h i m t o I nt er Mi l a n .
Ferguson had three very
good mi dfi el ders - Ince, But t
and Keane - so he coul d sell
one. The pr i ce was seven
mi l l i o n pounds, a record for
Uni t ed.
But Ma n U b u y players
t oo. A favouri t e Uni t e d
for war d, Ma r k Hughes, was
sol d t o Barcelona by Ron
At k i n s o n i n 1986. In J ul y 1988 Ferguson bought h i m back at a
l ower pri ce. The fans were ver y happy to have t hei r favouri t e at
Ol d Trafford again.
Under Ferguson, Manchester Un i t e d pay a l ot of money for the
r i ght players. Ferguson not i ced An d y Cole at Newcastle Uni t ed.
There, he scored fort y-one goals in a season. Ferguson pai d six
and a quart er mi l l i o n pounds for h i m i n 1995. Dwi gh t Yorke cost
mor e t han t wel ve and a hal f mi l l i o n pounds f r om As t on Vi l l a i n
1998 - a cl ub record at the t i me. He scored
t wo goals i n hi s fi rst game at Ol d
Trafford and he has scored mor e
t han t went y goals every season
since t hen. Ferguson's ' bi g money'
st ri kers have been a bi g success.
Ferguson's players k n o w that
they have t o wo r k har d. If they
do not do t hei r best al l the t i me,
Ferguson does not p u t t hem i n the
team. There is always anot her
player wh o i s wa i t i ng t o put on the
red Un i t e d shi r t .
players, more t r ai ni ng. Success d i d not come i mmedi at el y. But
l ook at the Manchester Un i t e d players wh o have come f r om the
y o u t h t r ai ni ng pr ogr amme:
A Manchester United Youth Team
Ferguson i s always l o o k i n g for young players. If they are really
good, they can pl ay i n the fi rst team. But at fi rst , onl y once! Davi d
Beckham fi rst pl ayed for Un i t e d i n 1992. The n he wai t ed u n t i l
1994 before he pl ayed in the fi rst team again. He scored a goal
against Galatasaray in a European Cup game.
Ferguson keeps hi s young players ' hungr y' to play. Sometimes
t hey t r a i n wi t h t he fi rst team for t wo or three days. The n for t wo
weeks they do t hei r t r ai ni ng wi t h the Yout h Team again. They
never k n o w i f Ferguson i s wat chi ng. He i s l o o k i n g for good
foot bal l , but also for har d wo r k , i n t r ai ni ng and i n games.
Managers usual l y sell players wh e n t hey are get t i ng ol d and
'past t hei r best'. Ferguson often sells players before that. Wh e n a
player i s pl ayi ng ver y we l l , the pr i ce for h i m i s hi gh. For example,
Ferguson bought 21-year-ol d Paul Ince f r om West Ha m Un i t e d for
and pl ayers wa t c h a vi deo of t he game. If a pl ayer has not
pl ayed we l l , he has t o pr act i se hi s weak poi nt s .
Food i s i mp o r t a n t for foot bal l er s' heal t h. In t he past,
foot bal l er s ate a l o t of meat , pot at oes, br ead a nd but t er . Today
we k n o w t hat t he a mount of body fat i s i mp o r t a n t . Ryan Gi ggs
has l o w b o d y fat of about 8%, b u t 10- 15% body fat i s al l r i gh t
for b i g defenders l i k e Jaap St am, Ronny J ohns on and He n n i n g
Berg. So t he pl ayers eat heal t hy f ood. Ther e is a r est aur ant at
The Cl i f f wher e t hey eat l u n c h .
Here are t wo menus, one f r om To mmy Docher t y' s t i me at Ol d
Tr affor d (t he 1970s) and one f r om today. Wh i c h i s t he o l d
menu? A n d wh i c h i s today's?
T r a i n i n g a n d F o o d
The Engl i s h f oot ba l l season starts i n Augus t and fi ni shes i n
May. The t r a i n i n g season starts i n earl y June and cont i nues for
el even mont hs .
Manchest er Uni t ed' s ma i n t r a i n i n g gr o u n d i s The Cl i f f . The
pl ayers t r a i n t here fi ve or si x days a week. They us ua l l y be gi n
at hal f-past t en i n t he mo r n i n g and t r a i n for t wo hour s , t he n
for anot her h o u r after l u n c h .
The fi r s t we e k of t r a i n i n g i n J ul y i s mos t l y r u n n i n g and b a l l
wo r k . Du r i n g a n i n e t y - mi n u t e game, a f oot bal l er somet i mes
r uns about t en ki l ome t r e s , b u t foot bal l er s do n o t r u n for every
mi n u t e of t he game and t hey do n o t al ways r u n fast. The
t r a i n i n g r u n pract i ses t hi s .
The pl ayers r u n 100 met res qui t e sl owl y, b u t t he n t hey r u n
faster, and t he n ver y fast. They repeat t hi s r u n n i n g exercise
many t i mes.
Ther e are a l o t of b a l l wo r k exercises. Somet i mes one
defender pl ays one at t acker. The at t acker t r i es t o get t he b a l l
past t he defender. The defender t ri es t o st op h i m and t o get t he
ball.
In anot her exercise, each pl ayer has a b a l l and t ri es t o keep
i t up i n t he ai r for as l o n g as possi bl e. He can use hi s feet,
head, chest a nd knees. Somet i mes t he pl ayer passes t he b a l l t o
t he ot her pl ayer, b u t i t mus t n o t t o u c h t he gr o u n d .
The pl ayer s also use exercise bi cycl es, we i gh t t r a i n i n g, press-
ups, st ep-ups and ot her exercises t o make t h e m s t r ong.
In t he second week of Jul y, t hey pl ay f oot ba l l games and
pr act i se t act i cs. The pl ayer s pr act i se free k i c k s , and t he
goal keeper has cat chi ng exercises. At t he end of Jul y, t hey pl ay
five or si x f r i e ndl y games against ot her cl ubs.
They do n o t t r a i n so mu c h d u r i n g t he season - us ual l y for
t wo hour s , n o t t hree. Before a game, t he manager and t r ai ner
have wa t c he d t he ot her c l ub. They discuss speci al t act i cs for
t he game and pr act i se t he m. Aft er a game, t he manager, t r ai ner
F a n s A r o u n d t h e W o r l d
One hundr ed and for t y t housand fans pay t o be i n the ma i n
Manchester Uni t e d Cl ub. But there are another 200 Ma n U fan
clubs i n Br i t ai n and there are fan clubs i n t went y-four other
count ri es. One of t he biggest clubs has 28,000 fans i n i t and i t i s i n
Scandinavia!
No t al l these fans can go t o games, but many wat ch on t el evi si on
and vi deo. Here are a few of the fans:
One day I'll visit Old Trafford. It is my
dream. Keep wi nni ng, Man U!
Arene Magnussen, Keflavik, Iceland
In Singapore it is
difficult to see
Man U. The
different time in
England means we have problems
watching games on TV. But your fans in
Singapore thi nk you are great!
Arif Amin, Singapore
I have been a Man U fan since Cantona
played for you. I am still a fan now.
Cecile Lavanchy, Lille. France
My brother Wayne
and I are fans.
Wayne's dog is called Ciggsy. I'm getting a
baby dog soon. I'm going to call it Fergie.
We are a Man U family!
Paul Feyrer, Detroit, USA
When I was on holiday in England, my
parents took me to Old Trafford. It was
the best day of my life.
Willem Kriek, Durban, South Africa
I saw Peter Schmeichel when he was
playing for Denmark against Greece in
1 998. He signed my programme for me.
I'm proud that he played for Man U in the
European Cup. Man U is my favourite
English club.
Kostas Marcou, Athens, Greece
I had to stay up until five in the morning to
see the European Cup Final on Australian
TV. I was tired at school next day!
Greg Rinstead, Sydney, Australia
Hundr eds of fans f r om al l over the wo r l d vi s i t Ol d Trafford every
year. There t hey can see ever yt hi ng about Manchester United' s
hi st or y: t he early begi nni ngs, the famous players, t he fans. There
are shi rt s, t i cket s, programmes and boot s f r om the past. But , best
of al l , there are the Cups. Uni t e d have wo n a l ot of cups d u r i n g
the last 100 years and they are al l there in a special r oom.
There is a fl oor at Ol d Trafford wher e there are comput er s.
You can choose the best pl ayers f r om any t i me i n the club's
hi s t or y and make a Dr eam Team. You can also wa t c h a favour i t e
game and speak i nt o a mi cr ophone. You describe wha t i s
happeni ng - j u s t l i k e on r adi o or t el evi si on.
No vi s i t t o Ol d Trafford i s compl et e wi t h o u t a vi s i t t o the
shop. The Ma n U shop i s ver y b i g and i t sells ever yt hi ng for
fans. You can b u y foot bal l s, shi r t s, sports bags, books and
vi deos, of course. But for t he real fans there are also
r ed-and-whi t e wat ches and cl ocks, t oys, pens a nd penci l s, t owel s
and bed covers!
If you wa nt mor e i nf or ma t i on, the address is: Manchester United
Football Club, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 ORA, UK. Or you can f i nd
the cl ub on your comput er, at: www.manutd.com. There you can
leave messages for the cl ub and for ot her fans. Here are some
messages f r om fans ar ound the wo r l d , and some messages f r om
enemies!
The Boot Boy s
Manchester United's Hopes for the Future
Our r e p o r t e r B e n S ki l be c k i s t a l ki n g t o t h r e e y o u th t r a i n e e s a t
M a n c h e s t e r U n i t e d 's t r a i n i n g g r o u n d , T h e C li ff. Ja s o n A p p le by a n d
C h r i s t i a n R i c ks a r e s e v e n t e e n , a n d D a n i e l M c S h a n e i s ju s t
e i g h t e e n . W h a t a r e t h e i r h o p e s , fe a r s a n d d r e a m s ?
Ben Skilbeck: Many young boys want to be footballers. How did you
start? Jason, let's begin with you.
Jason Appleby : We l l , l i ke a l ot of boys, I' ve always want ed to be a
footballer. I eat, d r i n k and sleep foot bal l . I can't remember a t i me
wh e n I di dn' t play.
Daniel McShane: Oh yes! You c oul d k i c k before y o u c oul d wal k,
coul dn' t you?
JA: We l l , that's wha t my mu m says.
BS: What about you, Daniel?
DMc: I started pl ayi ng at school . But I wasn' t ver y good u n t i l I got
taller. I wasn' t ver y t al l u n t i l I was about t hi r t een. The n I started to
enjoy my foot bal l . I ' m a goalkeeper. I was i n my school's fi rst
team, t hen a Ma n U scout saw me.
Christian Ricks: I was wat ched by a scout, t oo, wh e n I was pl ayi ng
i n my school team.
BS: Was he a scout for United? You're not from round here, are you?
CR: No, I ' m f r om Br i s t ol . The fi rst scout was l o o k i n g for good
school boy players for Br i s t ol City. The n later, a Ma n U scout saw
me. I signed a school boy f or m for Ma n U wh e n I was fourt een.
BS: What happened then?
CR: No t h i n g, really. I stayed at home for anot her t wo years. I onl y
came to Manchest er wh e n I was sixteen.
JA: Yes, I signed the f or m at fourt een, t oo, and started t r ai ni ng at
sixteen. You can't pl ay t oo mu c h wh e n you' re young. It's
dangerous wh i l e you' r e s t i l l gr owi ng.
BS: Do you still live at home, Jason?
JA: Yes, I ' m f r om Wi l ms l ow. It's onl y d o wn the r oad f r om
Manchester, b u t I have t o get up at si x o' cl ock. My dad dri ves me
to the gr ound and we start at about half-past eight.
BS: Where do you live, Daniel ? Are you still with your family ?
DMc: No t exactly. I ' m f r om Sout hpor t and it's a b i t far. I l i ve wi t h
my uncle's fami l y d u r i n g the week and go home at the weekend.
CR: I l i ve wi t h a fami l y in Manchester. I don' t see my mu m and
dad very often. I miss t hem and my gi r l f r i end, Emma.
BS: Yes, I'm sure it's difficult. I think George Best went home to
Belfast. But he came back to Manchester again - and the rest is
history! Do you two boys have time for a girlfriend?
DMc: I have t i me, but the gi rl s don' t l i ke goi ng out wi t h trainees.
We're always t i r ed - and we don' t earn mu c h money.
JA: Gi r l fr i ends can wai t ! Foot bal l i s more i mpor t ant .
BS: OK, tell me, Daniel. What does a trainee do every day? Do you
just play football?
DMc: No ! No, fi rst we put ever yt hi ng on the team bus and we
come to The Cl i ff. Our wei ght is checked every day . . .
CR: Yes, we must n' t eat t oo muc h.
DMc: The n we t el l the t rai ners i f we have any i nj ur y probl ems.
Then, at about t en o' cl ock, we do our t r ai ni ng. You know,
headi ng, passing, ba l l wo r k . That sort of t hi ng.
BS: Do you do that all day?
CR: No , we stop for l unc h. The n my favouri t e b i t of the day - I
don' t t hi nk! Cl eani ng boots.
JA: Yes, we clean everybody's boot s - our boot s, the fi rst and
second team's boots. It's a di r t y j o b , but somebody has to do i t .
CR: Yes, I know, but it's every day!
DMc: No, i t isn' t. We don' t clean boot s on Wednesdays.
BS: Why? What happens on Wednesdays?
JA: The wor s t day of the week. We go to college.
DMc: It's not so bad. I l i ke i t .
BS: And what are you studying?
JA: No t h i n g ver y i nt erest i ng.
DMc: I ' m doi ng business. It's qui t e i nt er est i ng . . .
CR: I ' m l ear ni ng the business side of sport , t oo.
JA: I j us t want to play foot bal l .
DMc: Yes, but i f you have a bad i nj ur y . . . Wh a t wi l l you do i f you
can't play? You have to earn money. Wh a t can you do then?
BS: Let's hope that doesn't happen. Now, Daniel, you're already
eighteen. Tell me what's going to happen next.
DMc: Thi s i s fr i ght eni ng! Uni t e d wi l l si gn me i n t wo weeks. But
onl y i f they t h i n k I ' m a good player. If not - we l l , I don' t know. I ' l l
have t o t h i n k again.
CR: Perhaps anot her cl ub wi l l si gn you. Li ke Ryan Giggs. He was a
trainee wi t h Manchester City.
JA: Ri ght !
CR: An d t hen Ma n U signed h i m before Ci t y decided. An d what
about Ol e Gunnar Solsjkaer? He was pl ayi ng i n Norway' s Th i r d
Di vi s i on wh e n a Ma n U scout fi rst saw h i m. You never k n o w
whe n a scout's i n the cr owd. There are always ot her foot bal l clubs.
JA: No, there aren't. For me there's onl y one cl ub and that's
Ma n U.
BS: So what will you do, Jason, if United don't sign you?
JA: They wi l l si gn me. I ' m a trainee here for anot her year. I ' l l wo r k
every mi nut e t o pl ay better and better. I ' m goi ng t o succeed.
DMc: Oh yes, our Jason is hungr y for success!
BS: OK, boys. To finish . . . Tell me your favourite Man U players,
past or present. Christian?
CR: I don' t have to t h i n k . It's Eri c Cantona. He pl ayed wonder f ul
foot bal l .
DMc: Because I ' m a goalkeeper, I l i ke Peter Schmei chel . Wh e n he
was good, he was great.
JA: I choose Da vi d Beckham. He's my favouri t e.
BS: Well, thank you, boys. We hope to see your names in the Man U
team very soon. Good luck, all of you.
D r e a m T e a m
Peter Schmei chel : He was a goalkeeper and anot her defender.
Bryan Robson: The most useful player ever. He coul d pl ay
anywhere.
Duncan Edwards: He di ed at Mu n i c h . We can onl y i magi ne the
greatness t hat was possible f r om h i m.
Bi l l y Foul kes: A sure-footed defender.
Denis I r wi n : The best left f u l l back t hat Ma n U have ever had!
He can pass, head and score goals.
Eri c Cantona: The greatest player i n the wo r l d i n the space j us t
behi nd the st ri kers. He c oul d wi n games wi t h his passes.
Roy Keane: A great capt ai n wh o c oul d score goals. He c oul d
change a game completely.
George Best: Probably the second best foot bal l er (after Pele)
t hat the wo r l d has ever seen.
Bobby Char l t on: A great player - and a great sport sman.
Ryan Giggs: He can r u n at defenders and go past t hem to the
left or the r i ght .
Denis Law: He c oul d score goals wi t h hi s head, r i ght foot or
left foot, wh e n he was i n t he air or on t he gr ound.
Wh a t is your Ma n U dream team?
Are You a Manchester Uni t ed Fan?: Answers
1:c 2:b 3: c 4: a 5: a 6: b
A c t i v i t i e s
P a g e s 1 -1 1
Before you read
1 Find the words in italics in your dictionary. They are all in the book.
Which word is correct here?
a a first division/league club
b to win the champion/cup
c to goal/score for England
d to manage/injure the club
e a dangerously wet pitch/stadium
f a terrible team spirit/triumph
g a fan/scout for an important club
h to learn new tactics/records
2 What do you think these parts of the book are about?
1 Three Times Champions a Manchester United, 1878-1999
2 Tactics b Manchester United, 1999
3 Ups and Downs c The great Manchester United
teams of the past and now
After you read
3 Explain in your own words what happened on 26 May, 1999.
4 Read about the tactics on pages 7 and 8 again. Does your
favourite team use tactics like these? If not, how do they play?
How should they play?
P a g e s 1 2 -2 7
Before you read
5 Answer these questions. Find the words in italics in your dictionary.
a Who is the captain of your favourite football team?
b How many kick-offs are there in a game that ends 1-1 ?
c Why do footballers train?
d What is a youth team?
6 Discuss what a manager or a scout looks for in young players.
What is most important, do you think?
After you read
7 Answer these questions.
a Which of the footballers in The Great Players played longest
for Man U?
b Why did Man U fans call Cantona The King'? And why do you
think the Leeds fans were angry?
c How many English players finished the 1998 World Cup game
against Argentina? Why?
d What did Busby do that was unusual in the 1950s?
e How does Ferguson keep his young players 'hungry'?
P a g e s 2 8 - 4 1
Before you read
8 What do you think is going to happen in The Red and the Blue?
What do you want to happen?
After you read
9 Discuss these questions.
a What kind of training makes footballers strong? What makes
them fast?
b Why do they not train so much during the season?
c Why does Man U change its shirt so often?
d Why must young players on the youth training programme
go to college one day a week?
W r i t i n g
1 0 You are a Man U fan or a Bayern Munich fan in Barcelona for the
1999 European Cup Final. Write a postcard home the next
morning.
11 Write a newspaper report about the Munich air crash.
12 Compare Duncan Edwards and George Best. How were they
different?
13 You are the 'boot boy', Daniel McShane. Manchester United have
signed you as a player. Write a letter home to tell your parents.
B ES T S ELLING
PENGUIN READERS
A T LEVEL 3
Amistad
Braveheart
British Life
Dracula
Forrest Gump
The Horse Whisperer
K's First Case
Matilda
Princess Diana
Rain Man
Sense and Sensibility
The Thirty-nine Steps
w w w . p e n g u i n r e a d e r s . c o m