In 1953, United entered the inaugural FA Youth Cup. Finally, the club's fabled youth system had a platform, and Wolves were torn apart in the final at Old Trafford...

The Background: The Football Association introduced the FA Youth Challenge Cup in 1952, opening the competition to amateur and professional clubs affiliated with the FA. United stormed through to the final, en route posting a merciless 23-0 annihilation against Nantwich at The Cliff. A highly-rated young Wolves side awaited in a two-legged final, the first of which took place at Old Trafford in May 1953.

The Occasion: The visitors were brushed aside by a United team featuring future first-teamers Duncan Edwards, Billy Whelan, David Pegg, Eddie Coleman and Albert Scanlon. Watched by 20,934 supporters, Jimmy Murphy led The Reds to a 7-1 victory in which Noel McFarland (2), Eddie Lewis (2), Pegg, Scanlon and Whelan all found the net. 

The Aftermath: The second leg ended 2-2, giving United a 9-3 aggregate cakewalk. Soon afterwards, more silverware was swept as the young Reds snared the Blue Stars tournament in Switzerland, and the conveyor belt of talent showed no signs of slowing. As Edwards et al stepped up to the first team, so others took their place in the youth team, and United won the next four FA Youth Cups.