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Heroic United moments: 1-10

• marcteng

  13 Jul 09, 22:32

  

  We’ve hand-picked half a century of the most iconic Red-letter days. These moments are in no particular order, but there can only be one place to start…
  
  1. Sir Matt leads United to a first ever European Cup, 29 May 1968
  The United story doesn’t start here, of course, but much of what the club has come to stand for can be traced back to this epochal moment. The 4-1 European Cup final victory over Benfica in 1968 was hugely significant. Not only were United the first English club to lift the trophy, it was the realisation of the long-held vision of Matt Busby. When Busby became United manager in 1945 he and his backroom team – his inestimable right-hand man Jimmy Murphy and those men of football science, Bert Whalley, Tom Curry and Bill Inglis – set their vision of youth as the way forward. Busby first took his young charges into Europe in 1956 (see number 2) but the tragedy of Munich in 1958 blew a hole in Busby’s masterplan. Busby’s side were aiming for a third consecutive league title and European glory when disaster struck, claiming the lives of eight of his braves and so nearly his own. Those who knew him best said he felt that he owed it to them to go on. A decade later, against Eusebio and co on a sweltering Wembley night, the United flag was finally planted at Europe’s summit. Vindication came courtesy of two goals from Bobby Charlton, fellow Munich survivor; and one apiece from George Best, the game’s first superstar, and Brian Kidd, who turned 19 that day. Busby’s glorious dream came at a terrible price, but this was a night where the guilt he felt was, in a small but significant way, assuaged.
  
  2. United defy the Football League to enter the European stage, 22 May 1956
  The stiff shirts at the Football League scoffed in 1955 when Frenchman Gabriel Hanot proposed a champions club cup for which the cream of Europe could compete. ‘Learn something from

  Johnny Foreigner? Pah!’ – or words to that effect – was the attitude of Football League secretary Alan Hardaker. If the Football League squeeze worked on Chelsea, champions in 1954/55, it didn’t affect Busby 12 months on after his swashbuckling Babes took their first title. At a board meeting on May 22, 1956, Busby insisted he would take his team into Europe. The board backed him, against the Football League’s wishes. United entered the European Cup in 1956/57 – the first English club to do so – beating Anderlecht 10-0 in the first match. Busby’s trailblazing European adventure was afoot.
  
  3. “Knocking Liverpool off their perch…” Sir Alex arrives, 6 November 1986
  OK, tracking down the exact quote isn’t easy but this apocryphal version of the boss’ mission statement on arriving at OT in 1986 isn’t far off the mark. With these words, he sounded a call to arms that every soul in M16 could heed. Classic Sir Alex. Getting inside the head of the United fan has always been a key part of his armoury. If any Liverpool fan tells you they were already wobbling, they’re just putting a brave face on. At 18 titles apiece, their cage is still rattling, and they hate it. Just ask Rafa...
  
  4. “Fergie out!” say fans, but he’s backing by Sir Bobby, the board... and Mark Robins, 7 January 1990
  It’s hard now to believe those chants really happened. Back then, though, United weren’t the bookies’ favourites to win every trophy going. In fact in January 1990 the only certainty – according to some pundits – was that Alex Ferguson was headed for the Old Trafford exit. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. Behind the scenes the boss, with Archie Knox playing Murphy to his Busby, was working towards his goal. His blueprint was to unfold spectacularly in the early 1990s, and though Mark Robins’ header at the City Ground on 7 January 1990 passed into legend for steering the Reds through a sticky third round FA Cup tie at Forest, the club’s directors already liked what they saw. Sir Bobby Charlton knew this was the right man; 19 years, 33 trophies on, he was bang on the money…
  
  5. Brucey’s bonus: Sheffield Wednesday, 10 April 1993
  With Sheffield Wednesday leading at Old Trafford, three minutes remaining and the memory of our 1991/92 title concession still painfully fresh, only the bravest souls held out hope of victory. Fortunately, one wore our no.4 shirt. First Steve Bruce powered home Eric Cantona’s corner, then, in the sixth of seven added minutes, he met a cross from centre-half partner Gary Pallister to nod in his second. Despite OT’s delirium, Brucey shrugged: “Suddenly you get your head to a couple and they fly in.”
  
  6. Bright Spark: Oldham Athletic, 9 April 1994
  Having shaken off a 26-year albatross by taking the inaugural Premier League title, we developed the steadfast resolve of champions in the 90s. That fortitude was rarely more evident than in overcoming Oldham – and the clock – in an FA Cup semi-final to preserve hopes of our first Double. Neil Pointon put the Latics ahead in extra-time but, with seconds remaining, Brian McClair’s lob served up one last half-chance for Mark Hughes. Hardly a gimme, but fortunately Sparky called upon his own unique brand of intricate brutality, guiding the ball into the far corner with the velocity of a cruise missile.
  
  7&8. Spurs jangled: 16 May 1999 and 25 April 2009
  Glory is invariably sweeter after flirting with failure. And the stakes have rarely been higher than the 1998/99 Premiership finale, the first leg of the Treble. Nevertheless we contrived to fall behind, before David Beckham’s equaliser raised Old Trafford spirits. Andy Cole emerged as the man of the hour by coolly lobbing home the winner. Fast forward a decade and, although five games remained, Spurs were again the opposition in a defining victory. Double the deficit and only half an hour to play. No matter. United only needed 22 of those remaining minutes to score five times and take a huge step towards title number 18.
  
  9. The five-minute flip: Aston Villa, 6 January 2002
  Villa haven’t overcome United this millennium. But John Gregory’s charges seemed destined to dump the Reds out of the FA Cup third round, with the clock ticking past 77 minutes and a two-goal lead. Cue a five-minute turnaround of such drama the pitch invasion couldn’t wait for the final whistle. Peter Schmeichel, then at Villa, and having enjoyed so many turnarounds at United, must have known what was coming when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer smashed a shot between his legs. Ruud van Nistelrooy then hammered in a volley and was mobbed by jubilant travelling reds. They barely had time to retake their seats before returning to the field, now in droves, to celebrate Ruud rounding Schmeichel to nudge home the winner.
  
  10. Merseyside mayhem: Everton, 28 April 2007
  Chelsea had closed to within three points of season-long leaders United as May loomed. With the Blues ahead at home to Bolton and the Reds two down at Goodison Park, we’d done with our fingernails and were gnawing at our elbows. With the odds finally stacked high enough, United clicked into overdrive. John O’Shea pounced on rookie keeper Iain Turner’s mistake to halve the arrears, before Phil Neville’s helped out with an own goal to level. Inevitably Wayne Rooney had his say, before Chris Eagles’ solo strike sealed it. Down at the Bridge a Bolton equaliser created a five-point lead for the champions-elect.