Not all the young talent was home-grown, however. The United manager was equally happy to plunge into the transfer market, as shownby the big money signings of proven internationals Tommy Taylorand goalkeeper Harry Gregg. Little suspecting the impact they were about to have on the national, even global game, the workers in the railway yard at Newton Heath indulged their passion for association football with games against other departments of the LYR and other railway companies. Lukaku was arrested in Los Angeles last week following a noise complaint and is due is due to appear in court on 2 October.

The title-winning team seemed to be the finished article, but they finished a disappointing fourth the following season, and exited both the FA and European Cups in the semi-finals. The season's highlight had been the 5-1 away thrashing of Benfica in the European Cup quarter-finals, when Best had been in blistering form and earned the tag the 'El Beatle'. He is keen to expand a sporting portfolio that already includes French football club Nice and Swiss team FC Lausanne-Sport, as well as the cycling team Ineos Grenadiers, formerly Team Sky. A host of goalkeepers, including Mark Bosnich,tried and failed to establish themselves during the 1999/2000 season. So it was hardly surprising when World Cup and European Championship winner Fabien Barthezjoined United in July 2000. In 1955/56 and 1956/57, Byrne lifted the Division One trophy as skipper of a fabled young side that included several more products of Busby’s youth academy. Eddie Colman, Mark Jonesand David Peggwere all first-team regulars, having cut their teeth in the FA Youth Cup, which United won five years in a row from its inception in 1953. The views of fans on all policies related to matchday experience and services will continue to be a key objective of the club next season and beyond.Yet rather than switch allegiance elsewhere or simply desert an apparently sinking ship, the faithful remained exactly that – and despite operating in reduced circumstances Manchester United remained the best supported club in the country, the average Old Trafford attendance for a season of Division Two home matches an astonishing 47,781. He was the first to submit a bid by the ‘soft deadline’ of February 17 and has promised a “completely debt free” takeover of United.

In January, we announced the removal of executive seats from the Stretford End for the 2024/25 season, providing more general admission availability in the heart of the famous stand.

There was some solace to be found in the retention of the League Cup, achieved at Aston Villa’s expense and secured by a late winner from Wayne Rooney, whose individual excellence was rewarded with both the PFA Player’s Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Player of the Year awards. If not quite as manic as Tottenham manager Antonio Conte, the former Sevilla boss was open with his feelings. The striker spent the 2013-14 season on loan at the Merseyside club before signing a five-year deal that summer.

The result means Erik ten Hag's side have reached their second domestic final of the season, having won the Carabao Cup in February. Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag: "Mixed feelings. Of course in the end we were happy to win a Mourinho himself said: "To become Manchester United manager is a special honour in the game. It is a club known and admired throughout the world. There is a mystique and a romance about it which no other club can match."Although they failed in their attempt to start the season with six wins in a row for the first time since 1947, it wasn't a completely disastrous day for Arsenal. At the other end defensive frailties were largely eradicated and, even accounting for the mid-season loss of Holton, they still returned the best defensive record in the division. In conceding just twelve times at home, European Cup winning survivor Stepney had the quietest season of his long Old Trafford career. Mangnall also re-signed Meredith for City and despite his advancing years, it was perhaps no coincidence that United were relegated in their first season without him, winning only eight of their 42 matches in 1921/22. Chapman's team managed to climb out of the Second Division at the third attempt, when the on-field leadership of Frank Barsonhelped ensure promotion at the end of 1924/25. United finished second to Leicester City, after losing only eight games. Those who remained, however, became involved in a year-on-year struggle to recapture former glories, the onus falling increasingly on Best to galvanise a frequently disjointed and under-performing team. In January 2018, the club signed Alexis Sanchezfrom Arsenal and the Chilean helped us to amass our best points tally (81) and achieve our highest league position (second, to runaway champions Manchester City) since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure. We bowed out of the Champions League by losing in the last 16 to Sevilla but we finished the season with the 20th FA Cup final appearance in our history, only for Chelsea to win 1-0 at Wembley and thwart Mourinho's bid for another trophy with United.