Colourising decades of legendary Reds

The legendary squads constructed by Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson set the standards that all Manchester United managers aspire to, but those great Scots’ eras comprise just two (admittedly sizeable) chunks of United history. The full story is a complicated epic, with teams of all shapes and sizes. Not all of them climbed football’s highest peaks, but that’s not to say many of them were not wholeheartedly loved by United fans.  

The most memorable team of the pre-war period was forged by Ernest Mangnall – perhaps the third-best United manager in history – who led the Reds to two titles (1907/08, 1910/11) and a first FA Cup (1908/09) before moving crosstown to join Manchester City. Mangnall signed some legendary players, among them ball-playing defender and captain Charlie Roberts, plus one of the period’s most famous footballers, Welsh winger Billy Meredith. Also in attack was Sandy Turnbull, whose 25 league goals fuelled the 1907/08 title drive. Turnbull then scored the winner in the 1909 FA Cup final against Bristol City, before meeting a tragic end at the Battle of Arras during the penultimate year of the First World War. It was a talented team crammed with charismatic individuals but, crucially, also a punishingly fit one. Mangnall was an early stickler for physical conditioning, and had even cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats during his younger days.

Following Mangnall was a tough task, as was following Sir Matt nearly 60 years later, but in those periods many United managers strove to construct teams that played the United way and thrilled fans who would stream down Warwick Road in their thousands, from Scott Duncan to the Doc and Big Ron. Those teams might not have won the game’s biggest prizes, or matched the incredible standards set by some of the legendary United teams that preceded them. But they inspired huge affection from those on the terraces at Old Trafford, for regularly playing with the spirit and the style associated with Manchester United. 

NEWTON HEATH: MARCH 1895

The image above shows Newton Heath Football Club lining up in March 1895, after beating Walsall Swifts 9-0 in a replayed league game. The visitors had complained about the state of the Bank Street pitch after losing the original fixture 14-0, meaning the result was nullified.

FA CUP WINNERS 1908/09

This composite photograph was created as a souvenir for the 1908/09 FA Cup final and depicts the United secretary-manager and 14 of his players. George Livingston (spelt wrongly in the image), Alex Downie and Jack Picken were the unlucky men to miss out in the final against Bristol City, played at Crystal Palace in front of 71,401, as their team-mates secured a 1-0 victory. Although the United players are pictured in red shirts – including the goalkeeper, which was permitted by the FA at this point – both sides were requested to wear change strips for the final. So United wore a white jersey with a red ‘V’, plus the red rose of Lancashire on the left of the chest. Which probably explains the two roses positioned above the pen pics of the players in this image.

DOUBLE DELIGHT AHEAD OF 1952/53

United’s Football League First Division championship and Charity Shield winners pose with the trophies ahead of the 1952/53 season, joined by the coaches and club directors.   

THE REDS RETURN IN 1975

Photographers focus their lenses on Tommy Docherty’s United players ahead of their return to the First Division. The Reds had romped back into the top flight in 1974/75 and there was much interest in how they would fare with their thrilling, swashbuckling approach back at English football’s top table. The answer would be a pleasing one for the Red Army legions, who watched their side finish third in the league and reach the FA Cup final. Sadly, Southampton sprung a shock 1-0 victory at Wembley, but the passion and devotion for the Reds was undiminished and 12 months later they’d be back at Wembley to watch Doc’s Reds lift the FA Cup and deny Liverpool the Treble.

ORDER YOUR COPY

To see more revolutionised images from the club's past, you can order Old Manchester United in Colour from United Direct by clicking here or look out for it in all good book stores.

It could prove a perfect Christmas present for the Red in your life!