My First United Game

On top of the alarm clock were two tickets to Old Trafford

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:17:55 -0500

Date : 17th March 1984

Opposition : Arsenal

Score : 4-0

Mühren (2), Robson, Stapleton

I was 12 years old. I had woken up on the Friday morning, to the sound of my mam and dad asking me to check the time on my alarm clock, I shouted down to them it was 7.30am, they said are you sure, look again, I did….only I turned on my light and there sitting on top of the alarm clock were two tickets to Old Trafford. Went to school buzzing, told everybody from the teacher to the janitor that I was off to Old Trafford,took lots of orders for programmes from the few United lads and also Arsenal fans. Liverpool were the big big club back in the 80’s in my school.

My dad had been a regular at Old Trafford for 1970/71 season going to all home games from August to December. His memory of the games were United were pretty poor and the team was old, however he did go to Anfield with local lads from the buses and saw a 1-0 nil away win, Brian Kidd scored. He worked on the buses in the city due to a six month bank strike in Ireland.

That evening got the ferry with my dad from Dublin to Liverpool. Liverpool were playing that night on the BBC, when the BBC used to show live league games. They were playing away to Southampton, the ferry was full of pissed up lads all going to Old Trafford so the buzz was pretty unreal ..to a 12 year old, stepping over drunks and puke. Watched the game in a smoke filled bar with my dad, 2-0 to Southampton and now a win for United would see them go top on Saturday.

Ferry docked early on Saturday morning and we got a bus to Manchester and had a bit of time to wander around the Arandale centre then out to Old Trafford. I remember going into the old shop that was at the Busby way end of the South Stand, the chaos inside trying to get a scarf and some pins.

We were sat in the South Stand around the half way line but only a few rows in front of what i remember being the executive boxes.

Anyway as it was St. Patrick’s day, a couple of Aer Lingus stewardess’s went onto the pitch and gave Kevin Moran, Paul McGrath and Frank Stapleton some “shamrock leafs”.

The game itself is hard to remember except the score, 4-0, i remember that Arnold Muhren scored a penalty and that Robbo and Remi Moses seemed to be able to run all day long.

After the game we got a bus back to Liverpool and went to some Holiday Inn down by the dock for dinner and then back on the ferry to Dublin. Slept the whole way home. Went to school on Monday and handed out the programmes, one of which i still have and got it signed by Kevin Moran that summer when he was doing some promotional work in a supermarket near my home.

Of course the events a few days later against Diego & Barcelona made that a week not to forget.

He took a fair amount above face value and I headed for the gates...

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:09:58 -0500

Date: April 2, 2005

Opposition: Blackburn Rovers

Score: Manchester United 0 Blackburn Rovers 0

I’d only been a footy fan for two years, and it took leaving the country to see what I was missing.

I worked late on a Wednesday in Feb of 2003 in Toronto. I arrived back at my hotel room around 02:00. Flipping around the channels I stumbled upon a soccer match that was unlike anything I’d seen before. Long, crisp accurate passes, booming shots and a tremendous pace. Come to find out, it was United/Juve in a Champions league match. I spoke to my Danish collegue, knowing he was a United fan, and he started teaching me the game. Well, two weeks later I had to return to Toronto for some more work.

It was a Tuesday this time and I’d worked late again. Same drill with the remote. Wow, the same two teams! Just marvellous.

I moved to Denmark in December of 2003. An experienced fan now, I arrived in London for a training class around Easter 2005. I would stay for two weekends. I needed to see Manchester, so I took Virgin train late the Friday I arrived. It was late and I was given a refund….wow. That Saturday morning was a World Cup qualifier at Old Trafford. England vs Northern Ireland. The parade of Northern Ireland fans throughout the street was extraordinary. I stayed the weekend, and was a tourist. I returned back to London for class late Sunday night.

The next weekend I had a choice to make. I could try to go see Arsenal that Sunday against Norwich City, or get back on the train and attempt scalping a ticket at Old Trafford to see United vs. Blackburn.

I had to get into Old Trafford.

I arrived at the grounds a few hours early and started working the crowd for two tickets. (My girlfriend had made the trip with me.) “Who’s got two?” and “Who’s selling?” I asked passersby from the train tracks, to the front of the stadium. I was scared to death. I’d pulled this off many times before in the states. But in another country all I could see was jail. Still I was on a mission.

On my third lap up, a guy said he had some. “I need two.” I said to him. “Ahh you’re an American?” he said to me as my accent apparently was obvious. “Aww, I’ve got two for you” he said as if they were special, or as if I was getting beat. I honestly thought the latter. We exchanged money, he took a fair amount above face value, and I headed for the gates. Heart beating tremendously thinking I was getting cuffed.

While I was walking I kept looking at the tickets. I could not believe I pulled this off. Too good to be true I thought. The tickets each had a gentleman’s name on them. Mr. Vu and Mr. something else. Were these someone’s season tickets I pondered? Would it be a problem? I could possibly pull off looking like Mr. Vu but no doubt my girlfriend could not be a man.

At the gates we were waved in. WooHoo. I’ve made it to Old Trafford!

We found our entrance to our seats and headed downwards to the pitch. We did not walk up, these should be good seats I was thinking. They weren’t just good, they were front row on the flag opposite the player entrance, Stretford end. Jackpot! (A thousand thanks for taking care of the American Mr. British scalper, you are a true gentleman. I’ve since become an advocate here in the States and it seems this was why I was put on earth; to spread the word of how great English footy is).

The match started and the singing was outrageous. It was non-stop and I could not understand 80% of what they were saying. But I sang along the best I could. I couldn’t help it.

Things that stood out:

OT was electric!
Christiano Ronaldo is good.
Wayne Rooney looks 12.
Roy Keane is a very special player.

Brad Friedel stood on his head and there were no goals. I felt like I should feel robbed, but there was just so much cool stuff that I couldn’t possibly be disappointed. No worries I made the right choice and have been treated to phenomenal United footy ever since!

What an experience!

We’d won the previous ten league matches and everyone was already calling us the Champions Elect...

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:04:42 -0500

Date: November 9th 1985

Opposition: Sheffield Wednesday

Score: Sheffield Wednesday 1 Manchester United 0

The 11th game of the 1985-86 season, versus Sheffield Wednesday, at Hillsborough. We’d won the previous ten league matches and everyone was already calling us the Champions Elect.

We lost 1-0, and apart from the amazement of seeing my heroes in the flesh for the first time, followed by the crushing disappointment of losing, I remember three other things distinctly:

1) We were standing in the away end at Leppings Lane, the very same one that 96 scousers died in. It was packed, and it felt dangerous as hell. Luckily we managed to move and stand with our backs to some barriers within the enclosure, because whenever the ball came down our end, there was a scary, crushing surge to the front of the enclosure.

2) If you weren’t avoiding getting crushed, you had to keep a look out for people taking a crafty piss – luckily I managed to get away with dry ankles and shoes. I saw one guy get it all down the back of his coat!

3) At the end of the match, as the whistle went, Sparky booted the ball into a home stand, and I saw it go so clearly like an arrow into a kid’s face…I think it led to an FA charge, or an official apology at least.

Fan: Iftikhar Khan

What an amazing feeling walking up the steps...

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 08:40:59 -0500

Date: Saturday 28th December 2002

Opposition: Birmingham City

Score: Manchester United 2 Birmingham 0 (Forlan 38, Beckham 74)

What an amazing feeling walking up the steps and then stepping out into the stadium, amazing atmosphere. Got to see Solskjaer play due to Van Nistelrooy being out with a poisoned toe!

First goal a header by Forlan but will never forget Becks lob from outside the box. Probably my biggest idol.

Haven’t had the chance to go back again but I will!

Fan: Sam Cox

I was so exited that I felt sick...

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 08:40:45 -0500

Date: March 5th 1997

Opposition: Porto

Score: Manchester United 4 Porto 0

I was finally going to Old Trafford to see United. Being from Norway I had to wait until I turned 14, and I remember the day as it was yesterday. At the time I was huge fans of Peter Schmeichel, and I had been lucky enough to be at the Cliff for a training session a couple of days before the match. I got his autograph and even if I don’t really care about autographs now I think it is great to look back meeting him as a teenager. I also got autographs from the King, Becks, Giggsy, Pallister so I value the shirt I had them write on.

On the day of the match I was so exited that I felt sick, however when I took the first steps into the ground and you could see Old Trafford all the sickness disappeared. This was the time when United where starting to get that experienced to play in Europe and the fans had not been filled with European nights the way our fans has today. The atmosphere were absolutely brilliant that night. I been to Old Trafford several times since and never experienced the atmosphere being the same. Porto had eased in the quarter-finals so everybody were expecting a close game, but all our big players performed on the night so it ended up being comfortable.

I will also mention Cantona scoring, this being his final season in the red shirt, I am so glad that I got to see him play and also see him score a goal. We all know what he meant and still means to United fans, Legend!

Fan: Stian Wensel

I'd waited so long to see Manchester United play at Old Trafford...

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 08:38:05 -0500

Date: November 8th 1998

Opposition: Newcastle United

Score: 0-0

I’d waited so long to see Manchester United play at Old Trafford, 12 years in fact. I’d previously seen United play at The Molineux in a pre-season friendly where we turned around a great Steve Bull lobbed goal (against Schmeichel) to win 2-1.

However, I’ll never forget the feeling of stepping into the Theatre of Dreams for the first time, actually seeing the team I’d supported since I was 8 years old and taking in the atmosphere of Old Trafford. The atmosphere was good, mainly due to the abuse aimed at Alan Shearer, who almost broke our hearts with a vicious free-kick that hit the woodwork.

Although it wasn’t the best game and I didn’t get to experience the atmosphere and thrill of a United goal, it didn’t matter, I was there. We all know what we went on to do that season!

I couldn't hide my joy at knowing that United was coming to Brazil...

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 06:58:08 -0500

Date: January 8th 2000

Opposition: Vasco da Gama

Score: Vasco 3-1 Manchester United

Living so far away from England, I could only see the team playing on TV. So, obviously, I couldn’t hide my joy at knowing that United was coming to Brazil to featuring at the first FIFA Club World Championship. And I was even happier when I figured that the team would play here in my city.

I tried to watch the first game (vs Necaxa), but due to family problems, I couldn’t go to the stadium. But that’s okay. In an hellish heat, there I was at Maracana Stadium to finally see United playing.… live! I felt some disappointment at not seeing Beckham playing (he was sent off Against Necaxa), but still, it was great to see likes of Neville, Stam, Keane, Giggs and Ole playing. Unfortunately the game was terrible for United, but that was a great moment for me.

There was much doubt surrounding the team’s commitment with with the tournament, but I don’t care. I watched United playing and I feel privileged for that.

Fan: Jorge Lima

I'll never forget the excitement of walking up towards the ground...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:59:30 -0500

Date: September 17th 1971

Opposition: Manchester City

Score: Manchester City 3 Manchester United 3

All my family are blues and we had not long moved to Manchester from Dublin, all big football fans, and it was the first match we all went to over here. I’ll never forget the excitement of walking up towards the ground, the singing, the noise, the match day buzz. I expect I too would have been a Blue, but for the fact the minute the teams ran out, I was literally dazzled by the vivid red of the United strip against the green of the pitch and the grey of the stands.

My granddad said “here they come, our team, come on you Blues.” But my 10 year old self said “no I like like the ones in red” Cue utter family horror, but the start of my now nigh on 40 year devotion to those red shirts.

Fan: Liz Murphy

I remember Cole scoring very early...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:45:13 -0500

Date: December 27th 1995

Opposition: Newcastle United

Score: Manchester United 2 Newcastle 0 (Cole & Keane)

I was six years old and after repeatedly whinging at my Grandad that I wanted to go to Old Trafford with him he took me.

I can’t really remember the game, but I remember Cole scoring very early and the noise being deafening.

The atmosphere was the thing that struck me most, come the final whistle, at just six years old you knew their was only one love. United.

Fan: Jamie Ratcliffe

It was a dream to see Beckham score...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:17:00 -0500

Date: October 12th 1996

Opposition: Liverpool

Score: Manchester United 1 Liverpool 0

It’s fair to say that before the 96/97 my idol was purely Catona. But after that goal at Wimbledon, Beckham was quickly up there with him.

I found out that I was going to be going to United vs. Liverpool but at the time I had no idea about what the game stood for. I was just too excited about the prospect of Beckham and Cantona on the pitch.

My memories of the game are a bit fuzzy. I seem to remember United scoring and otherwise the game being rather scrappy. I was beyond happy for Cantona to set up (well I’ll give him the assist even if his blocked shot fell to Beckham) Beckham to slam in the ball from 20 yards. I always felt it was one of Beckham’s best strikes and often goes forgotten. He had so little time to react and beat the defenders to the ball - the shot itself was sweet, hard, low and in the corner.

Schmeichel vs. Collymore is the only other thing I remember. I think Stan had two or three great chances but Pete was having a blinder that day.

Liverpool played in a ghastly cream coloured kit - worth a mention…matched their infamous FA Cup suits!

Fan: Doron Salomon, Streford-End, aged 22

I had to sit with the Coventry fans...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:36:00 -0500

Date: 22nd November 1995

Opponent: Coventry City

Score: Coventry 0 Manchester United 4

I was nine years old when my dad finally took me to my first United match. Being a Baggies fan he never had much interest in taking me before. He got tickets through a friend and I had to sit with the Coventry fans - I remember Brian McClair scored two goals and I think Beckham and Irwin got the others if my memory serves me right. I was most excited about seeing Eric the King though, my favourite ever player. Being only nine and a girl I didn’t see anything wrong with cheering each and every goal, despite my dad’s pleas to stop. A great evening!

I realised United would be playing Arsenal the day before my 19th birthday...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:35:32 -0500

Date: April 9th 2006

Opposition: Arsenal

Score: 2-0

As a real girly girl from Cape Town my obsession with United was never taken seriously by anyone other than my family and close friends. My Dad had created a monster out of me, his eldest, and my first love affair with football and United started before I could walk. I live, eat, sleep and breathe United and when the fixture list for the 05/06 season came out I realised United would be playing Arsenal at Old Trafford on the 9^th of April 2006, the day before my 19^th birthday.

I finished High School at the end of 2005 and vowed that while on my gap year in England I would make that game no matter what. Everyone laughed at my declaration as the game in question would only be taking place about 9 months after the fixture list came out and my gap year abroad wasn’t even finalised yet. Luckily for me I got the last laugh. 9 months later I sat alone on the train at 9am heading to Manchester from London.

I had no plan other than my ticket to watch the game. I knew after the match I would have to find a place to spend the night so that I could spend the next day, my birthday, at the museum doing the stadium tour. I think the memory of my walk to the stadium will always be the clearest memory I will ever have. As I passed the cricket ground hail the size of golf balls started falling form the sky and while we all dove for cover I looked up to see the road I had always dreamed of walking down ‘Sir Matt Busby Way’- if only my Dad was beside me now.

Sitting in my seat in the North Stand ‘United Road’ started and while I sang my heart out, tears streaming down my face, my Dad listen on the phone from Cape Town. The actual match was a bit of a blur with both goals (Rooney and Park) being scored by the Stretford End but I will never forgot my 19^th birthday or the atmosphere, the stadium, the walk, the fans or the dream a little girl which had finally become a reality.

Fan: Candice Kinnear, age 23

There was some ill feelings between the two sets of fans...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:32:54 -0500

Date: April 10th 2007

Opposition: Roma

Score: Manchester United 7 Roma 1

After the trouble from the first leg there was some ill feelings between the two sets of fans (putting it mildly) and topping the event, we were 2-1 down. What a response. I remember that Carrick scored a 25 yard dipping shot within the first 5 minutes or so, then the flood gates opened. Rooney, Ronaldo, Evra and even Alan Smith got on the score board. I fell down 2 rows or so celebrating Smith’s goal. Shame possibly the best goal of the night was Danielle De Rossi’s consolation goal.

Danny Murphy broke my heart in my first United game...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:31:05 -0500

Date: 24th April 2004

Opposition: Liverpool

Score: 0-1

I was 14 and not many people were able to get what I had as i came all the way from Malaysia. We came to OT the day before the match day for the stadium tour, and the tour guide was in good mood to tell me and my father that if we were lucky, we could get tickets for the match vs liverpool from the ticketing and membership services building prior to kick off. So on the match day we did lined up for the tickets and it was really a gift from god that me and my father managed to get two tickets. And we had to sat in front of the away end.I was amazed when i enter the stadium with the fans singing and chant. I didn’t expect to sit that close to the pitch initially as i expect to get seats far at the top and far rows. It was my luck I guess.

That particular United team was in the ‘rebuilding’ process as the likes of Bellion, Djemba Djemba and Kleberson was in the team. Talking about luck, it was all so good until Liverpool got the penalty on 60 odd minutes. Danny Murphy took the penalty spot, and scored the only goal of the game. Yes, we lost.

It was a wonderful experience never the less, and psssst, I got the signature of Keano, Fletcher, O’Shea and Tim Howard. It was an awesomely beautiful trip.

Fan: Ferdaus Norzally

Any other day it would have been a dream...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:16:30 -0500

Date: February 6, 2010

Opposition: Portsmouth

Score: United 5-0 Portsmouth

My first United game was a tough one. I had been to Old Trafford the previous summer, but of course that was only for a tour as there were no matches on. My friend contacted me and said he was given tickets to the match and asked me to fly over from Los Angeles. I asked my boss for three days off and booked my flight to London. I knew I’d only be there for 3 days, that my friend had to work all day for the first 2 days, but it would be worth it purely for the game at Old Trafford.

On the train up from London, my friend got a text that his mom had not been feeling well and had checked herself into the hospital, but seemed to be okay. We arrived in Manchester and went to the Trafford for a few pints, then walked over to the ground. As we were finding our seats, my friend got a call and stepped back inside. About five minutes after kickoff he walked back to his seat, sat down next to me, and slumped over with his face in his hands. His mom had just passed, suddenly and unexpectedly. I was shocked, as I had known her nearly 20 years myself. I pleaded with him to leave and head back to London but he insisted that we stay. I felt terrible that he might be staying simply because I flew from LA just for this game, but the match actually helped distract him. The OT staff were extremely helpful and let him use their computer to book a flight home the next day.

We watched the remainder of the match, which United won easily, in a somber mood. After all the anticipation, it was difficult to get up for the game.
Sorry for the depressing story of my first game, but I do hold that game close to me because it really did get my friend through the initial shock and heartbreak of losing his mother. We were distracted, even a little, from the awful news, and that helped so much more than getting right on the train back to London and having two hours to do nothing but think about her death.

I hope to get back to Old Trafford for another match, under better circumstances. But now United will always be part of even my saddest memories, not only my happiest. I may not be a native Mancunian, or even English, but United is now in my blood.

Fan: Andrew DeLoach, 31.

My eyes lit up when my dad told me...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:58:00 -0500

Date: October 25th 2003

Opposition: Fulham

Score: Man United 1 Fulham 3

I was 10 years old and I’d been asking my dad to take me to a United game for quite a while. Every Saturday I said to him “Are we going to watch United this week?” and his answer was always “soon son”. He had took me to the England vs Greece game at Old Trafford the day before my 8th birthday but even a last minute David Beckham free kick couldn’t hide the fact it wasn’t United I was watching. On the 24th October 2003, the day before United played Fulham at home, my dad received a phone call from my Uncle asking whether Ryan wanted to come to the match. My eyes lit up when my dad told me, I was going to see United for the first time.

My Uncle picked me up a couple hours before the match started and it felt like a lifetime the amount of time I was in the car. We drove around Manchester so my Uncle could pick up 3 of his mates. Me, 10 years old, was sat in the front when 3 grown men were squished together in the back. I remember coming off the motorway and getting a glimpse of Old Trafford when I saw the famous roof. We pulled in to a car park and then followed the crowds of Reds walking to the stadium. We saw a guy selling hats and my Uncle bought me one which said ‘Ruud Van Tastic” on it. I still have that hat in my wardrobe today. My Uncle and I then split from his mates to find our seats, Stretford End, 1st Tier. We entered the ground 10 minutes before kick off and went straight to our seats. It was a full house, 65000 United fans cheering on the team as they walked out. I was seeing a young Ronaldo, a Giggs and Van Nistelrooy in their primes and surely these 3 players could have seen off the likes of Fulham.

I was sadly mistaken. It seemed like seconds had gone when Fulham crossed in a ball which was tapped in at the front post by Clark (I think). Fulham were dominating the game completely. I remember they had a couple of very good chances, hitting the bar on one occasion. United’s chances were not clear cut and were very easy saves for Van der Sar. Finally, I saw my first ever United goal, deep into stoppage time Diego Forlan was one on one against Van der Sar and he easily slotted the ball past him into the back of the net. We went in at half time with an undeserved 1-1 scoreline. Malbranque ran the show for Fulham in the second half but most of what happened was a blur. I remember going 2-1 down and it seemed we were dominating play. But in the final 10 minutes Inamoto lobbed Howard in goal to make it 3-1. I was crushed, I felt like I jinxed the team and I didn’t go for the rest of the season. I remember walking out of the stadium and everyone had their heads down. It was silent in the car as we sat in traffic trying to get away from the ground. I got home at about 6 and refused to talk to my parents about the day. I didn’t want to talk about it, the Champions had just been beaten by Fulham 3-1. My next game was better though, beating 49 game undefeated Arsenal 2-0. What a day that was.

Fan: Ryan Marsden

The first thing that struck me was the sheer size of Old Trafford...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:58:00 -0500

Date: 3rd December 1993

Opposition: Norwich City

Score: 2-2

I would have been 10 or 11 at the time and the first thing that struck me was the sheer size of Old Trafford and the masses of people (attendance was only about 44,000 back then).

It was the height of Giggsy-mania and United had just won their first title in 26 years and were on their way to the first double. Me and my Dad had seats in the family enclosure in the newly re-built Stretford End and witness my then hero Giggs score made my day. The other goal came from Brian McClair courtesy of a sublime bit of skill from King Eric. Although the game ended in a draw I was hooked and have made regular pilgrimages back ever since. The love affair had begun.

Fan: Dave Wood, age 28

I had been begging my Dad for a few years to go...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:27:00 -0500

Date: Saturday 28th 1998

Opposition: Wimbledon

Score: Manchester United 2 Wimbledon 0

I had been begging my Dad for a few years to go and see United play so finally he decided to take me.

A week after my 7th birthday he got me out of school early on the Friday before the match and tells me we’re getting on a coach and then a ferry and heading off Old Trafford to finally see United.

I think we went with a Supports Club or something I can’t recall exactly I just remember sitting on a coach and my Dad getting stick because he was a dirty Leeds fan.

After the ferry and a coach drive to a hotel some where outside of Manchester, I can’t recall what Hotel it was I just remember it was massive, saying that at seven everything is massive, bar City.

We arrived at the hotel and done a few things we headed off Old Trafford to check out the Megastore and do a few other things.

Game Day

I don’t remember much of the travel to Old Trafford but it was early enough. We hung around Sir Matt Busby Way drinking some “Man Utd Coke” and just watching all the fans walking about. I just remember being in awe of how many people there was.

The next part I remember we were hanging around the Tunnel entrance trying nab a few autographs.

It wasn’t like what it is now. You could actually get right up to the players and tunnel entrance. I was dying to grab Beckhams autograph but one of the security guys told us he went through an entrance at the other side of the ground, whether that was true or not I have no idea but I remember being super gutted.

I did manage to get Wes Brown, Andy Cole, Ryan Giggs and if I recall correctly Chris Casper too. I probably managed more but they are four I remember.

The match

I don’t remember too much about the actual match itself if I’m honest.

I think I was in awe of the atmosphere and size of Old Trafford, the only matches I had been at before this were matches at The Showgrounds in Coleraine to watch Coleraine play and a few other Northern Irish Premier League grounds. Grounds around 10 times, maybe more, as small as Old Trafford at that time. And properly because of the fact I was seven…

The only proper thing I remember was Scholes scoring late on. I’m sure if I managed to find footage of it somewhere I’d remember a lot more of the game but unfortunately 12 years on I’ve forgotten a lot of it.

Fan: Eóin McCready

I'd been nagging to be taken for a while...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 10:36:00 -0500

Date: August 16th 1985

Opposition: West Ham

Score: Manchester United 2 West Ham 0

First game I went to was West Ham at home on Bank Holiday Monday at the start of 85/86. I’d been nagging to be taken for a while - I was displeased to discover my parents went to the 83 Cup Final replay without me, and dissatisfied with the rosette that I was given as compensation. When my old fella sneaked off to a game away to Watford without me - it was immediately prior to the 85 Cup Final, and United lost 5-1 - I was still pissed with him upon discovering the subterfuge the following morning, a sentiment I doubtless expressed with eloquence, dignity and restraint. Thus he resolved to take me at the next possible opportunity.

West Ham was the fourth of the 10-game winning run that would undoubtedly lead to our first title since 1967, though it was too early on for the Insert name of next team you are next song - or at least I don’t recall hearing it. We sat on a bench at the back of the Stretty, and I was wearing an itchy red polo neck that I don’t think I wore before or after, because my mum was worried I’d get cold - this was a matter of some controversy, that almost ended in my not going, after I politely voiced my opinion.

Anyway, United won 2-0 with goals from Hughes and Strachan, which I semi-remember, and Olsen beat half the West Ham team in order to then miss a sitter at some point too; the game occurred during the dispute with the TV companies, so there’s no footage, though I do recollect seeing some grainy pictures of the game a few years later playing in the club shop. The only song I particularly remember is Oh Frankie Frankie - I was far too obsessed with the football to pay very much attention to what was going on off the pitch.

Fan: Daniel Harris, On The Road: A Journey Through a Season

I watched Manchester United live for the first time 50 years ago...

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:33:00 -0500

Date: March 26th 1960

Opposition: Fulham

Score: Fulham 0 Manchester United 5

I watched Manchester United live for the first time 50 years ago and it was just as magical as I’d always dreamed it would be, even though no trophies were at stake and United were languishing in mid-table mediocrity at the time. What gave the match wider historical significance however was the fact that when Dennis Viollet scored two goals that afternoon he overtook Jack ‘Gunner’ Rowley’s club record of 30 league goals in a season, previously set in 1951/52. Astonishingly, despite the prodigious achievements of United goal-scorers since, such as the electric Denis Law, the bewitching George Best,the lethal Ruud Van Nistelrooy or the unstoppable Cristiano Ronaldo, Viollet’s record still stands, half a century later.

That goalscoring landmark helps lift the match out of humdrum anonymity and enables me to make the proud boast that, ‘I was at the match when the great Dennis Viollet broke the United all-time league goalscoring record’. The only problem is, I didn’t actually witness either goal. Oh dear.

I’ll come to why in a moment, but first let me go a bit further back.

By the time I finally got to see United for the first time, out there on the muddy, scuffed-up Craven Cottage pitch on March 26th, 1960, I had been a supporter for over two years, feeding on a meagre diet of ‘highlights’ coverage on TV and commentary on the radio. I felt a fraud never having seen the Red Devils in person.

As with so many others, my allegiance to United was born and sustained two years earlier, following the terrible Munich Air Crash of 6 February 1958, when I was aged 11.The deaths of those 23 people, including 8 United players and three members of the coaching staff made an enormous emotional impact on me and I came to identify myself as a supporter ever more passionately over the following months. I was transfixed from afar as the club rose from the dead, reaching the FA Cup Final less than three months after the crash, an eye-opening achievement in the circumstances. When United were beaten 2-0 by Bolton Wanderers in that Wembley Final it was the first time I’d been able to see United live on TV.

Out in the sticks, 30 miles from ‘the Smoke’

After seeing United in the Cup Final I was naturally desperate to get to an actual match and see my heroes up close. One major problem was that I lived out in ‘the sticks’ in Amersham, a commuter town in Buckinghamshire some thirty miles from London and far from any big clubs. Worse, I went to school in Berkhamsted , Herts, where we were forced to play rugby or go on long dreary runs on Saturday afternoons. No doubt this was all good ‘character building’ stuff (‘moral fibre’ was a favourite term) but it cut drastically into my ability to go to football, let alone see United.

When I was growing up it was actually pretty rare for kids to go ‘up to town’ from Amersham for football matches, or indeed anything else, despite only being about 35-minutes away by rail or Underground to central London. I knew plenty of people who had never been to ‘the Smoke’, such as the fearsome hard man, Big Pete, who finally made the trip for the first time in his mid-30s. He went up to the ticket office at Amersham station and curtly demanded, ‘ Give me a ticket to London’. The man patiently responded by asking, ‘Where in London would you like to go, sir?’ to which Pete replied with a menacing Roy Keane-glare, ‘To the fucking station, you stupid cunt!’

Say it Again, Sam

When I was planning my journey to Fulham to see United for that first time in 1960, I sought the advice of my friend Sam Vince, a somewhat ferrety character with a slyly subversive, back-of-hand sense of humour, now sadly passed away from a surfeit of fags and greasy spoon fry-ups. He was not only a Fulham fan, rare enough in Amersham, but he also had an amazing knowledge of all the wheres and hows of getting anywhere, including how to sneak in free at Stamford Bridge.He later became a long-distance lorry driver and was like a human SatNav (not that there were such things then) and used to write travel tips in Watford FC programmes for their away matches, complete with the inevitable cheap cafe details thrown in.

On the day of the Fulham match I managed to persuade my sceptical mother to write me an ‘off games’ sicknote so I could get away from school in the afternoon, without telling her I’d be off to see United. I bunked off early without lunch, terrified my absence would be noticed by one of the ‘beaks’ swishing about the school perimeters in their hawk-like black gowns. Sam had advised me what route to take, most of which took me me through entirely new territory, all on my own, a shy, awkward kid just turned 14 a few days earlier. The only problem was Sam hadn’t taken account of the infrequency of trains from Berkhamsted to Euston, or how slow they were. I have a vivid memory of how anxious and agitated I got throughout the journey , with time running out before kick-off. Yet I still somehow managed to take in what a fantastic view one got of the ancient ruins of Berkhamsted’s Norman Castle from the train. Such are the small incidental pleasures of football fandom.

A Walk in the Park

The journey took far longer than I’d expected and I was in a right old panic by the time I got to Putney Bridge Underground station , the nearest to Fulham’s ground. I grabbed the preview souvenir editions of all three London evening papers from the news-stand, Star, News and Standard , each with a spread of team photos and star player pics. Sam’s words were ringing in my ears, ‘Cross the road, walk though Bishop’s Park, keep going close to the River and you’ll come to Craven Cottage, you can’t miss it’. The Park seemed to go on forever, with me increasingly fearful that I’d somehow taken a wrong turning. Despite my mounting anxiety, such was the intensity of the experience I still somehow managed to take in what a beautiful Park it was, with glimpses of the silvery Thames through the trees. By this time it was already long past kick-off and I was just desperate to see United, even if it was only to see them walk off the pitch at the end.

As I ran through the Park, expecting to see floodlights like all the big football grounds I’d been to so far, the stadium suddenly loomed up at me, but with no floodlights in sight (they were built a year or two later). It’s one of the smaller top-division grounds, but it was still a pretty impressive place, with a neat ornamented brick frontage. To my horror I found all the turnstile entrances closed. How was I going to get in? Was it all a terrible waste of time? To make it even more tantalising I could hear a mighty roar from the crowd, making me fear, have Fulham just scored? Not only was I going to fail to get in, United were going to lose.

Knocking on Heaven’s Door

I rushed from door to door until I found some larger gates and there was a crack. I peered through and could see some vaguely official-looking bloke. I called him over and pleaded with him to let me in, blushing with adolescent fear of making a spectacle of myself. A little reluctantly but very kindly he opened up just wide enough for me to squeeze in through the exit gates , and he generously waved away my offers of money. I found myself below what I now know is the Hammersmith End, then all steep terracing and no seating.

I breathlessly pushed my way through the dense crowd and took in the wondrous view. There they were, my heroes, all arrayed in the famous V-neck ‘Busby Babes’ cherry-red shirts with white shorts (or ‘knickers’ as the match programme quaintly put it) and plain white socks. They looked fabulous, and so did everything, I felt intoxicated by it all. Then , somewhat embarrassedly, I turned to the man next to me and asked what the score was, as though it was the most natural question in the world half an hour into a match. ‘Two-Nil’ he said, with a broad grin. ‘Er, who to?’ I asked, nervously. ‘To United of course’, came the reply. In a pattern to be repeated many times over the next 50 years I’d found myself next to a ‘closet’ United fan, in the heart of enemy territory. As it happens, there was no segregation of support in those innocent times, just co-mingling. Few tickets in advance or seats in the stands, largely just rough concrete steps. Almost everyone had to queue to get into football matches in those days so the trick was to rush for the shortest line at games like this, when United would draw large attendances.

It was relatively rare for there to be much travelling support for United in 1960, although then, as now , there were plenty of ‘Cockney Reds’, some in red & white scarfs, and they kicked up a pretty good racket every time United’s attack poured forward. They weren’t all packed together then, unlike today, so the support was not so compressed but more evenly spread around the ground. Today the United section of maybe 2000 away fans always creates a thunderous sound at Craven Cottage , in victory and defeat, but in the 1960s you could be suddenly amazed at just how many Reds there were round a stadium as soon as United scored. The cheering often sounded as loud as the home support.

The Sound of a Broken Record

Getting my quick update from my new friend on the terraces I gathered that Dennis Viollet had just scored his second goal of the match (in the 34th minute) so it was undoubtedly the big roar I’d just heard as I was bargaining my way in. Dennis ’s two goals against Fulham took him to 31, breaking the club record for a season and only bad luck prevented him added many more to the total.He scored one further goal in the next match but unluckily got injured at the same time. He only played once more that season, leaving his record as 32 goals in 36 league matches.It’s astonishing to think the record from 1959/60 still stands, given that Dennis was playing in a largely unsuccessful team still suffering from the aftermath of Munich. It’s a treasured memory for me and I love being able to boast,‘I heard Dennis Viollet breaking the record for United.’

On the train back to Manchester after the match, Manager Matt Busby brought out Champagne to toast Viollet’s tremendous achievement. The modest Dennis thanked his team-mates, singling out Albert Quixall (injured that day) for his selfless contribution to his record-breaking run. His praise is worth recalling as Quixall is too often dismissed as a failure at Old Trafford.

Munich Survivors

As the first half neared its end, I scanned all the players in red, especially looking for Munich-survivors and heroes of the ‘58 FA Cup campaign. I instantly identified Bobby Charlton, star of current newspaper adverts for the Flour Advisory Council announcing that ‘Bobby Charlton Uses His Loaf’. He’d only recently switched to playing out on the left wing at the expense of fellow Busby Babe Albert Scanlon. There was the great Harry Gregg in goal of course, clad in the famous green sweater, sleeves rolled half-way up his fore-arms and the teak-tough ex-coal miner, Bill Foulkes at right back. Up front there was the goal-scorer Viollet gliding in and out like a red-shirted Cobra, scheming away, orchestrating everything, unlucky not to get his hat-trick with a pin-point 25-yard daisy-cutter which was just tipped round the post at full stretch.

United looked almost casually in control as they passed the ball about at pace in mesmerising interchanging movements. Almost before I could take it all in it was half time. Wow, here I was, at last seeing the Reds for real. In the ten minutes I’d seen, they looked fantastic. Could they keep it up?

Tales of the Riverbank

At half time I began to relax and take in my surroundings. The stadium, which overlooks the Thames, looked packed full (the attendance was 38,250, nearly double what Fulham get now, with all-seating) and I was amazed to see that there really was a Craven Cottage, a strangely rustic structure in one of the corners of the stadium somewhat like a cricket pavilion. The stadium construction was supervised by Archibald Leitch in 1905, five years before he oversaw the creation of the far more majestic Old Trafford, whose centenary has been celebrated in 2010. It should be more widely recognised how many classic football grounds were down to him.

Up on the Cottage balcony I caught a glance of the famous Fulham Chairman, Tommy Trinder, a ’50s comedian known for his big-chinned Cockney spiv persona, with rakishly angled trilby hat, ‘wide-boy’ suit and ‘You lucky people!’ catch phrase.These days it’s Mohammed al-Fayed who likes to play the role of comedian, just as visible as showman Tommy Trinder used to be, usually parading round the pitch before kick-off brandishing a Fulham scarf.

Johnny Haynes’ Fulham

Of course I was mainly at Craven Cottage to see United but it’s worth saying something about the Fulham team that day, which included some excellent players.Only recently promoted into the top division, they were led by the marvellous Johnny Haynes at ‘inside left’, poster boy for Brylcreem hair oil, soon to be England skipper and the first £100-a-week footballer after the abolition of the minimum wage. The wider union campaign for that historic concession was led by Fulham’s inside right, the jut-jaw, bearded Jimmy Hill, leader of the PFA, later famously called a ‘prat’ by Sir Alex Ferguson after comments about Eric Cantona in the ’90s. Hill missed a sitter against United that day in 1960 after a Haynes shot rebounded off a post into his lap, with him on his arse. No sign of Trinder’s Fulham being ‘lucky people’ at that moment.

Fulham had other good players, such as ex-England centre forward Roy Bentley (a league title winner with Chelsea in 1955) and the pugnacious Scottish International, Graham Leggat on the wing, who’d scored a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford earlier in the season. There were a couple of England U-23 Internationals in defence. The right back George Cohen is now revered as an England World Cup Winner in 1966 , and on this occasion he did much to keep his future team-mate Bobby Charlton quiet. In goal was Tony Macedo, who unfortunately seemed to reserve his worst performances for United, despite being a top keeper. He had been at fault with more than one goal in the epic FA Cup Semi-final replay with United in 1958, when Alex Dawson scored a hat-track in the 5-3 victory which took United to Wembley.Charlton had scored three across the two ties against Macedo.

Another excellent Fulham player in 1960 was the forceful right half Alan Mullery, who went on to fame with Spurs, and was a key member of England’s World Cup squad in 1970. Like Jimmy Hill, he often still crops up as a media pundit, perhaps a little too keen to dispense ‘In my day…’ lamentations.Mind you, my brother once played with him in some charity match and he found him very down to earth and friendly.

So, although Fulham were not a top side they had good players and on their day they could challenge the best, having held Tottenham to a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane the previous week, at a time when Spurs were on the rise, becoming the first ‘Double Winners’of the 20th Century the following season.

New Babes

Fulham were no mugs and United must have known they could not afford to be complacent, even with their two-goal half-time lead . I was in a fever of anticipation for the second half. Having taken in all the older Babes and Munich survivors I next wanted to scrutinise the next generation, including the promising understudy ‘inside forward trio’, Giles, Dawson and Pearson, youngsters who could step in for the normal first team combination of Quixall, Viollet and Charlton. As it happened, as a result of injuries and loss of form the kids were all playing, but with Giles wide right and Charlton wide left.This new formation had only appeared together once before, beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 a week previously. At left back was another player who’d come up through the ranks, Joe Carolan, who played for Ireland at right back a couple of times around that time. He made a respectable 71 appearences for United, and seemed pretty good, but he was not quite the long term answer to United’s defensive frailties.

This was a transitional period of intense experimentation for United , with players switching positions from week to week as Manager Matt Busby tried to re-build his shattered team, still recovering from the trauma of Munich. It could be a testing time for supporters, as the constant changes sometimes unsettled the players, and results swung about alarmingly.

The Shay Brennan Story

Against Fulham there was a typical example of this restless search for perfection, which only began to pay off about three or four years later. Playing at left-half was Seamus Brennan, who’d joined United as an inside left yet made his debut as a make-shift left winger in the emotional cauldron of United’s first match after Munich. Despite never having played on the wing in his life, he scored twice that night against Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup, in a jaw-dropping 3-0 victory that made people like me sit up and take notice. Then, when Wilf McGuinness broke his leg (and had to quit) Brennan was drafted in as a left half late in1959, his third position so far. He generally did OK as a half back, as he did at Fulham, but it was only when Busby tried a couple more switches the following season that he eventually came into his own. First he had a brief spell at left back and then, when Bill Foulkes definitively moved to centre half, Shay finally found his best position as a right back. Not only did he become a regular international with Ireland he established himself as a core player in the United team that won league titles in 1965 and 1967 and the European Cup in 1968. In my eyes he was among the best right backs I’ve seen with United in over 50 years.

It’s worth making the point that only two other players from that Fulham match in 1960 were still there to secure that historic European Cup victory against Benfica at Wembley eight years on: Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes. That just shows how unpredictable the game can be. No-on, absolutely no-one would have predicted from his performance against Fulham in 1960, good though it was, that the much-loved Shay Brennan would be in such elite company eight years later. In a way it’s an important lesson for impatient fans today. All we are saying, is give kids a chance. Let them make their mistakes, let them try out different roles. Don’t write anyone off too early.

The Second Half : A 3-Goal Thriller

At the start of the second half Fulham made a spirited come-back without ever threatening United’s classily complete dominance. Then came disaster for the Londoners when their centre half Derek Lampe went off with concussion. Worse was to follow when Jimmy Hill injured his knee and was more or less a passenger on the wing. In those pre-substitute days Fulham never really had a chance after that. Sure enough, relentless United pressure through wave after wave of attack finally crushed the team in white, effectively down to nine men. United’s recent signing, the tough-tackling right half Maurice Setters, whose gnarled and bandy ‘cowboy’ legs looked ideal to hook down opponents if they had the temerity to pass him, had completely bossed Johnny Haynes out of the game. No Haynes, no Fulham was the perception then, borne out against United that day.

United scored three quality goals in the final quarter of an hour, and I was thrilled, to say the least. It made all the aggravation of getting to Craven Cottage worth while. At long last I’d seen United, I’d seen the surviving Babes, I’d seen the post-Munich heroes, I’d been (sort of) present for a record-breaking moment of history.The long-suffering and disgruntled Fulham fans began to leave and there was some slow-handclapping, which I thought harsh in the circumstances.Nonetheless, in general I’ve always liked Fulham supporters, who are passionate about the game, appreciate good football and are fanatically loyal to their team, year in, year out, despite never winning a major trophy.

The Goals

The first second half goal was a peach by Johnny Giles, scored in the 76th minute, the one I can remember best from the game. He cut in from the right wing and hit a surprise curve-ball with the outside of his left foot to swerve the ball past Macedo from the narrowest of angles. That was John’s first goal for United.

By now the pressure was really relentless and the next goal was inevitable, scored by Mark ‘Pancho’ Pearson, the sideburned youngster who’d once been so unfairly dubbed a ‘teddy boy’ by Burnley’s chairman Bob Lord in 1958,after he’d been sent off in a bad tempered match. Lord, a fat, thick-necked meat merchant always gave the impression that he resented United’s popular youth appeal after the crash and was one of the first to have a pop at the youngsters as the team began to re-build.Pancho never shook off the hooligan tag, although he was quite a favourite of mine, perhaps precisely because of the sideburns, which in a faintly rebellious rock ‘n’ roll way I was myself growing, to the despair of my teachers in Berkhamsted.

The third second half goal was scored just before the final whistle by Alex Dawson, sealing a brilliant 5-0 victory with a fierce 20 yard drive. He was a powerful, rugged Scottish centre forward who never stopped battling and fighting for every ball and I was delighted to have seen him score because he was another Babe, having made his debut in 1957.

I could hardly believe my luck. I’d missed about a third of the match, I’d missed two goals, and yet I’d still seen United score three and deliver an outstanding victory away from home. What a début for me as a supporter.

The Shadow of Munich

I was delighted not only with the 5-0 victory but also because I’d seen so many pre-Munich players, Charlton, Gregg, Foulkes, Dawson, not forgetting Ronnie Cope, the youthful centre half. I’d also seen some of the most significant post-Munich, Class of ‘58 players, plus the new kids like Johnny Giles and Joe Carolan. I felt as though I’d now already become authentically immersed in the history of Manchester United.

But, as I made my weary way home I also thought about what it must be like, living with that extraordinary weight of expectation on all the players, young and old. It’s demanding enough at any top club, but here at United players not only had to live up to Busby’s profound footballing ideals they were also constantly being measured against the memories of those who had been killed.

What must it have been like for those like Shay Brennan, Mark Pearson and Alex Dawson who all played in that first match after the crash? It must have been a uniquely weird and disorientating experience for them all. How do you cope with having to suddenly fill the boots of some of the most worshipped footballers of a generation? How do you manage to convince yourself you’re entitled to be there if you’ve never even played a first team match before ? How do you cope emotionally , knowing a crowd of 60,000 people is grieving for the loss of the young heroes you have replaced?

In a way it’s no surprise that so many of the players I saw at Fulham 50 years ago didn’t ultimately make it to the top with United. But I prefer to look at it the other way. It was a miracle that so many of these previously untried youngsters did so well for United, keeping the club afloat at a time of incomparable stress and trauma. Even the less successful ones played 70, 80 or 90-odd games for United and I feel privileged to have seen them all, at Fulham and on other occasions in the pre-trophy early Sixties. It’s important to remember how much they contributed to the historic entity that Manchester United have become in the past half century, mostly without gaining any of the acclaim of the big-name super-stars.

When I now see the inspirational sea of Green & Gold scarves and ‘Love United, Hate Glazers’ banners raised in protest at Old Trafford, I cast my mind back to the distant time when I began supporting the club over half a century ago. I reflect on what an important place United have had in my life, and I give thanks to the kids I saw that time in March 1960 when I saw my heroes for the first time.

Fan: Giles Oakley