Manchester United On This Day: History, Facts & Figures from Every Day of the Year

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledgements in books can provide a seemingly endless list of thank yous, like all sincere Oscar-accepting speeches at the Academy awards in Hollywood. I make no excuses for doing just that as no man is an island, to quote John Donne. So my thanks for either the help, support, encouragement, inspiration or all of the above to the following. Charlie Tobin, Danny Short, Rebecca Lucy Darrington and Tony Morris, United fans to the core. Manchester United Football Club, in particular its official and spectacularly good websites with contributors including Cliff Butler. Other sources of invaluable reference via either recommended United sites such as mufcinfo.com, Wikipedia and books like John White’s The United Miscellany and Manchester United Supporters’ Book, Rob Wightman’s The Pocket Book of Man United, Glenda and Jack Rollins’ Sky Sports Football Yearbook, football annuals (various, including Charlie Buchan’s Soccer Gift Book, The Topical Times, Roy of the Rovers, The Sun Soccer Annual) dating back to the 1940s (thanks dad), Aubrey Malone’s Football Wit and George Best autobiographies Where Do I Go From Here? and Blessed, ghost-written by Graeme Wright and Roy Collins. Plus the Fourth Estate, especially Manchester Evening News and The Guardian. And social network sites Facebook and Twitter. I could go on! Pitch Publishing, especially Paul and Jane, who, in quiet, friendly and efficient fashion, provided me with months of fascinating work on a great football club – and left me in peace to get on with it. Mark Friedlander, Nick, Jan and Debbie Saloman, Kevin and Pauline Rogers, Mims, Kathryn and Keith Howells, Dave and Sue Harley, Tony Harris, Paul Simmons, Eliza Skelton, the Bexhill ‘mob’ and the memory of Simon Adams, Kevin Brennan, Graham Cumming, Howard Griggs, Mike McNamara, the Loughton five-a-siders, Marc and Louise Whitmore, my brother Sean and sister Christine, Nobby, my lovely mum, my dad’s memory, son Matthew and the love of my life, Rosemary. BBC Radio 6 Music, Leaving of London by The Bevis Frond, ASDA chocolate biscuits, cheese toasties and tea as I served solitary confinement to complete the task. Anyone or anything I’ve accidently missed out.

INTRODUCTION

I once visited a hotel in Kensington in West London to see George Best on the off-chance he might agree to meet me. This was more as a fan than a writer (although I had a professional reason as he was in town with his touring San Jose Earthquakes who were playing a team I wrote about, Brentford). It was, to my mind, like turning up at Lionel Messi’s place seeking an audience without a prior booking. After all, Pele, no less, considers Best the greatest footballer of all time.

I phoned his room from the lobby. No problem. We spoke over a cup of tea – nothing stronger – a few minutes later. A genius, a man of the people. I will always treasure the time he gave me.

Manchester United also appreciated his company. The rest the fact he graced the game. Skilled beyond belief, brave beyond the cause and entertaining beyond imagination with an end product to end all end products. The complete footballer.

His autobiography was called Blessed and United certainly have been since a group of railway workers formed Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company Cricket and Football Club morphed into Manchester United 24 years later in 1902.

Household names associated trip off the tongue. Besides Best, there’s Duncan Edwards and the rest of the Busby Babes including Bobby Charlton. There’s Denis Law, David Beckham, Jack Rowley, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney et al. That’s just post-war. The list seems endless. And that’s just the players.

Mike Donovan

TUESDAY 1st JANUARY 1907

Billy Meredith makes his Manchester United debut in a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa. The earliest of superstars – dubbed the Prince of Wingers – had spent 12 years across town at Manchester City, skippering them to the FA Cup. He is an instant hit at Old Trafford with the fans, having joined the previous May while serving an 18-month ban for bribing an opposing player. He assists United to two titles and the FA Cup. The Welsh international helps found the players’ union and returns to City to play on until he is 49 years 245 days old.

WEDNESDAY 1st JANUARY 1992

Manchester United suffer their biggest home defeat of the 1990s when Gerry Francis’s QPR defeat them 4-1 in the last First Division season before the Premiership. Live on ITV, Dennis Bailey scores a hat-trick for the visitors. On this publication’s deadline, it is the last time an opposing player had achieved the feat in the league at Old Trafford.

MONDAY 1st JANUARY 2007

Paul Scholes hits both goals as Manchester United draw 2-2 with Newcastle United at St James’ Park in the club’s 50th match played on New Year’s Day.

MONDAY 2nd JANUARY 1905

Tom Arkesden (2), Charlie Roberts (2), Jack Allan, Jack Peddie and an own goal secure a 7-0 home whitewash of Bradford City in Division Two. It is the second of a three-match free-scoring winning run over four days. An Allan hat-trick, plus efforts from Arkesden, Vince Hayes and Roberts, battered Burslem Port Vale 6-1 on New Year’s Eve and the treble is completed the day after Bradford are beaten when hosts Bolton Wanderers are defeated 4-2 with Allan scoring twice more and Peddie and Henry Williams also on target.

SATURDAY 2nd JANUARY 1960

Manchester United are involved in a ten-goal First Division thriller at St James’ Park. But they lose 7-3 to Newcastle with Albert Quixall (2) and Dennis Viollet scoring.

SATURDAY 3rd JANUARY 1914

Enoch West is the lone scorer as the high-flying Reds are grounded by a 6-1 reverse at Bolton Wanderers. FA Cup-winning duo Sandy Turnbull and Billy Meredith give United a cutting edge five years on from the Cup triumph as they made a promising start to their 1913/14 season. But the defeat follows a 5-0 Boxing Day loss at Everton and threatens to blunt the First Division title ambitions of manager John Bentley and his team.

SATURDAY 4th JANUARY 1930

Tom Boyle bags a couple and John Ball and Harry Rowley one each as Manchester United notch four goals at Blackburn Rovers who manage one more in a high-scoring First Division thriller. Portsmouth and Sheffield United scored 7-1 wins over Burnley and Leicester City in a goal-filled day for the top flight.

SATURDAY 5th JANUARY 1932

Bill Foulkes is born in St Helens, the grandson of a rugby league player who had skippered the town’s side. The former miner joins Manchester United and takes on the captaincy from Roger Byrne who perishes in the Munich air disaster. The defender, a survivor of the tragedy, wins First Division medals in 1956, 1957, 1965 and 1967. He also skippers the Red Devils to the FA Cup in 1963 and their first European Cup in 1968 (scoring at Real Madrid in the semi-final).

SATURDAY 6th JANUARY 1906

Clem Beddow hits a hat-trick and Jack Picken a double as Manchester United grill Grimsby Town 5-0 at home en route to earning a first promotion after the change of name from Newton Heath. Picken went on to finish top scorer for the season with 20 while Beddow chipped in with 11.

SATURDAY 6th JANUARY 1973

George Graham makes his United debut against Arsenal, who he goes on to manage to a multitude of trophies. This day the midfielder, nicknamed Stroller due to his relaxed stride, is on the receiving end of a 3-1 defeat at Highbury with Brian Kidd scoring United’s consolation goal.

SUNDAY 7th JANUARY 2007

Henrik Larsson, the legendary Swedish striker who had become a world football figure with Glasgow Celtic and Barcelona, makes his United debut on a three-month loan from Helsingborg. He nets in a 2-1 FA Cup victory against Aston Villa. Larsson, a Champions League winner with Barca, would be given the opportunity to extend the loan by his home club but turns it down.

SUNDAY 7th JANUARY 1990

Manchester United defeat Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup with Mark Robins scoring the only goal. It is cited as the victory which keeps Alex Ferguson in his job with fans and pundits calling for his head following a nightmare first half to the season. They had gone into the Forest match without a win in seven with Fergie describing the last month of 1989 as the darkest period he had ever suffered in the game. The manager later reveals the board never intended to sack him and were happy with his reorganising of the coaching and scouting system.

SATURDAY 8th JANUARY 1949

Matt Busby’s FA Cup holders begin their defence with a 6-0 demolition of Bournemouth and Boscombe. Ron Burke, who played for Liverpool in the Second World War, and Jack Rowley net two each, while Stan Pearson and Charlie Mitten make it six of the best for the Reds who go all the way to the semi-finals where their run ends against eventual winners Wolverhampton Wanderers.

THURSDAY 8th JANUARY 2009

Cristiano Ronaldo is reported to have been uninjured after writing off his £200,000 Ferrari when it smashes into a barrier in a tunnel close to Manchester Airport. The BBC report Police Constable Nigel Snell saying that the United superstar was fortunate to have escaped unharmed given the damage to the vehicle.

SATURDAY 9th JANUARY 1965

Albert Kinsey scores in his only Manchester United appearance, a 2-1 FA Cup third round win over Chester City at Old Trafford. George Best gets the other goal.

SUNDAY 9th JANUARY 2011

Ryan Giggs is spot on to ruin Kenny Dalglish’s second coming as Liverpool manager. Giggs’ penalty in the second minute is enough to seal a 1-0 FA Cup third round victory at Old Trafford. Liverpool, who had replaced Roy Hodgson with Dalglish the day before, complete the tie with ten men as Steven Gerrard sees red for a foul on Michael Carrick.

SATURDAY 10th JANUARY 1948

Manchester United survive a remarkable comeback against Aston Villa in their first tie en route to lifting the FA Cup. Villa take the lead after a mere 13 seconds before United roar back to lead 5-1 at half-time. It looks all over bar the shouting but Villa pull three back to get United nerves twitching. Fortunately for the Red Devils, Stan Pearson bags his second to ensure a 6-4 win. United’s other goalscorers are Johnny Morris, who also manages a double, Jack Rowley and Jimmy Delaney.

WEDNESDAY 11th JANUARY 1922

Jack Robson passes away with pneumonia a few months after resigning as manager through ill health. He goes down in history as the first United manager without secretarial duties. He started his managerial career with Middlesbrough and guided them from the amateur Northern League into the professional ranks and the First Division. He becomes Crystal Palace’s first boss and later leads Brighton and Hove Albion to the Southern League title and the Charity Shield in 1910.

FRIDAY 11th JANUARY 1957

Bryan Robson is born in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, growing up a Newcastle United fan. He captains his school and district teams and earns trials with the Toon, Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry City, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion. He accepts the offer of a two-year apprenticeship with the Baggies. Robson turns pro two-years later and makes his debut in April 1975 in a 3-1 win at York City. Under Ron Atkinson, who would become his manager at Manchester United, he establishes a spot in the team and in 1980 earns a full England cap. But he has to come back from three broken legs in his time at the Hawthorns.

MONDAY 12th JANUARY 1995

Andy Cole joins from Newcastle United in a £7m deal, a new British transfer record. He is valued at £6m with winger Keith Gillespie switching from Old Trafford to St James’ Park as a makeweight.

SATURDAY 13th JANUARY 1973

Bobby Charlton plays his final FA Cup tie for Manchester United. The 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux is also his 75th consecutive appearance in the competition. He plays four more times in the Cup for Preston North End.

SATURDAY 14th JANUARY 1893

Jack Peden (2), Robert Donaldson and Harry Erentz secure Newton Heath a 4-1 victory against West Bromwich Albion. But the Reds would put financial pressure on themselves by suing Birmingham’s Daily Gazette with the publication accusing them of dirty play. The jury finds on their side but sets compensation at one farthing. The Heathens had wanted £200 in damages. The judge orders both clubs to pay their legal costs. Heathens have to fork out £145.

SATURDAY 15th JANUARY 1898

Jack Silcock, who becomes a Manchester United full-back for 15 years, is born in Wigan. He begins his working life as a miner at Aspull Colliery and plays for Aspull Juniors. United boss Jack Robson spots him on a scouting trip and he signs for the Reds as an amateur in 1916, turning pro the following year. He debuts after the Great War in a 1-1 league draw at Derby County three years later. He is rated a strong, talented defender with an eye for a pass and makes 449 appearances. Silcock plays three times for England and the Football League representative side.