The OT Story: 2003-2010

spectacle never materialised, however, as both sides' wariness suffocated their collective talent, and 120 lacklustre minutes finally spawned the drama of a penalty shootout. Even then, goals were hard to come by. Only five of the 10 kicks were scored; three by Milan, who took the trophy for the sixth time in their history.

There was widespread praise for Old Trafford's staging of the event, and for the stadium’s continued use by the Football Association for England’s home games during the arduous renovation of Wembley. Of the 23 England internationals to take place between 2003 and 2007, Old Trafford hosted 12, attracting near-capacity crowds each time.

There was nary a spare seat for United games either in that period, despite the Reds’ transitional phase of three seasons between successful Premier League title campaigns. To meet demand, almost 12 months of development to Old Trafford’s north-west and north-east quadrants, which were both furnished with second tiers, added around another 8,000 seats. This facilitated the regular setting of new stadium attendance