The last time United played under a King

Back in January 1952, a few days before the death of King George VI (pictured above at the previous year's FA Cup final), the Reds welcomed champions Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford for a big game.

Matt Busby’s side knew it was a chance to show off our title credentials, and a 2-0 win took United to the top of the old Division One. The winter fixture was staged on an icy pitch, with the slippery conditions making life difficult for both sets of players.

The match report in The Manchester Guardian described it as "the type of football one might expect to encounter any time in the Arctic on any available ice-floe." Yet the Reds handled the occasion far better and were worthy winners, with only Spurs keeper Ted Ditchburn preventing a greater margin of victory with some excellent saves.

Before the end of the first half, Rowley launched an audacious effort from fully 40 yards out, after robbing Spurs defender Alf Ramsey, and narrowly missed the target with what would have been a sensational goal.

Ditchburn made a tremendous save to thwart Johnny Berry, and pounce on the rebound before Aston could profit, and then denied Stan Pearson but was powerless when Ramsey - the future World Cup winning-manager - put through his own net. Under pressure from Clempson, when Ditchburn was unable to reach a Berry cross, he inadvertently turned the ball in with an attempted clearance.

Len Duquemin spurned a rare, but very presentable, chance for the north Londoners to get back on level terms and was punished, five minutes from time, when Rowley centred and Pearson did the rest, although there was a suspicion of handball against the forward when he brought the ball down.

United would go on to win the title, for the first time in 41 years and half a century after joining the league. A 6-1 thumping of Arsenal on the final day ensured top spot by a margin of four points, ahead of both north London rivals.

An expected period of dominance for United, following back-to-back league triumphs in 1956 and 1957, was later tragically cut short by the Munich Air Disaster but Busby would rebuild a team that conquered Europe a decade later, in 1968.

Spurs have only won one domestic title since, in 1961. Five years after that, Ramsey earned his place in football folklore by guiding England to World Cup glory on home turf.

From February 1952 to September 2022, all of United’s games were played during the remarkably long reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The Reds were the country's most successful club across this 70-year period, in terms of league titles won.

Our next fixture, the Manchester derby on Sunday 2 October after the international break, will be our first league game under King Charles III.