Sir Matt Busby in his office in 1957

The deal that was worth every penny

Tuesday 22 May 2018 19:08

Manchester United has added Sir Matt Busby’s first contract with the club to its Old Trafford Museum collection, thereby securing an item of memorabilia which changed our history.

The contract, which details the agreement that secured his services in 1945, has been acquired by the club from a private collector for an undisclosed fee.
The document has never been displayed before but it will now be exhibited in the museum, which already boasts over 500 medals and trophies from throughout the club’s 140-year history.

The eight-page agreement lists the clauses in Sir Matt’s initial five-year contract, including his annual salary of £675, together with his housing arrangements.
Sir Matt was paid "a fixed annual salary of six hundred and seventy-five pounds" in 1946/47
Speaking of the acquisition, Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, commented:

"In a quarter of a century as manager, Sir Matt Busby changed the face of Manchester United and his role in shaping this club is well known.
The club provided the new manager with "a dwellinghouse free of rent and rates"
"From the devastating 1958 Munich Air Disaster to the pinnacle of becoming the first English side to win the European Cup just 10 years later, Sir Matt Busby has written such a large part of the history of this club and it is important we recognise and remember what he achieved.

"I’m sure supporters will welcome this addition to the museum, as an artefact which changed this famous old club forever."
The contract will be on display from Friday 25 May and supporters wishing to see it, along with other Sir Matt Busby memorabilia, can visit the Old Trafford Museum, which is open daily between 10:00 and 16:00 BST.