The Rise and Struggle of Manchester United: From Glory to Challenges

Few clubs in world football boast the history and prestige of Manchester United. Once a symbol of dominance, the Red Devils have experienced dramatic highs and equally challenging lows throughout their storied existence. The rise and struggle of Manchester United is not just a tale of football—it’s a saga of resilience, reinvention, and determination to remain at the pinnacle of the sport.

This article delves into the illustrious history of the club, tracing its rise to global prominence, the iconic players and managers who contributed to its success, and the recent struggles that have tested its legacy. Along the way, we’ll explore how Manchester United’s story reflects broader trends in football, from financial pressures to the rapid evolution of tactics and management styles.

Early Days: The Formation of a Club

Manchester United’s origins can be traced back to 1878 when it was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club by the carriage and wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot. The team originally played matches against other departments and railway companies, but they quickly began to establish themselves as a competitive club. However, financial difficulties almost saw the team disband in the early 1900s, a pivotal moment in the club’s history.

In 1902, a group of local businessmen, led by John Henry Davies, stepped in to save the club from bankruptcy. It was during this period that the club was renamed Manchester United, marking the beginning of its journey to become one of the most recognized names in football.

The Rise to Dominance: Busby’s Babes

The post-World War II era saw Manchester United rise to prominence under the guidance of Sir Matt Busby, one of the most influential managers in the club’s history. Busby took charge of the club in 1945, immediately making an impact with his innovative coaching style and vision for youth development. His philosophy revolved around nurturing young talent and building a team that could dominate English football for years to come.

Busby’s Babes, as they were affectionately known, were a young and exciting team that captured the imagination of football fans across the country. They won their first league title under Busby in 1952, followed by two more in 1956 and 1957. Manchester United became synonymous with fast, attacking football, characterized by the brilliance of players like Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton, and Tommy Taylor.

However, the club’s golden era was tragically interrupted by the Munich air disaster on February 6, 1958. The crash claimed the lives of eight Manchester United players, including some of the brightest young talents in football. It was a devastating blow, and many questioned whether the club would ever recover.

The Munich Air Disaster: A Test of Resilience

The Munich air disaster was a turning point in Manchester United’s history. The team had been returning from a European Cup match in Belgrade when their plane crashed after refueling in Munich. The loss of life and talent was immeasurable, but it also highlighted the resilience of the club and the spirit of its supporters.

Despite the tragedy, Busby survived the crash and vowed to rebuild the team. It took years, but his determination to honor the legacy of the fallen players ultimately paid off. Busby’s leadership and the club’s refusal to be defined by tragedy became a defining aspect of Manchester United’s identity.

1968 European Glory: A Triumph of Persistence

The club’s resurrection culminated in their victory in the 1968 European Cup final, marking the first time an English team won the prestigious competition. Manchester United defeated Benfica 4-1 at Wembley, with goals from legends like George Best, Bobby Charlton, and Brian Kidd.

This victory was more than just a footballing achievement; it was a symbol of the club’s enduring spirit and a tribute to the players lost in the Munich disaster. Busby’s triumph solidified his status as one of the greatest managers in football history, and Manchester United had firmly established itself as a global footballing powerhouse.

Decline in the 1970s and 1980s: Searching for Stability

The success of the 1960s was difficult to replicate in the following decades. Busby retired in 1969, and Manchester United struggled to find consistent success under his successors. The 1970s and 1980s were marked by instability both on and off the pitch. The club went through a revolving door of managers, including Frank O’Farrell, Tommy Docherty, and Ron Atkinson, but none could bring the sustained success the club craved.

During this period, Manchester United found themselves playing second fiddle to rivals such as Liverpool, who dominated English football throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Although Manchester United won the FA Cup in 1977 and 1983, league success eluded them. The club even faced the ignominy of relegation in 1974, though they quickly bounced back to the top flight the following year.

Off the field, Manchester United began to struggle financially. As commercialization of football increased, the club’s inability to win major trophies led to reduced revenues and concerns about its long-term future. It was clear that Manchester United needed a visionary leader who could restore its former glory.

The Ferguson Era: Building a Dynasty

The arrival of Sir Alex Ferguson in November 1986 would change the fortunes of Manchester United forever. The fiery Scotsman took over a club that was in disarray, but it would take time for his vision to come to fruition. Ferguson’s first few years at Old Trafford were challenging, and there were even calls for his dismissal. However, the board’s patience paid off, as Ferguson embarked on a journey that would establish him as one of the greatest football managers of all time.

Ferguson’s first major success came in 1990 when Manchester United won the FA Cup. This victory was followed by the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1991, but it was the inaugural Premier League season in 1992-1993 that marked the beginning of Ferguson’s era of dominance. Manchester United claimed their first league title in 26 years, ending decades of frustration for the club and its supporters.

What followed was an unprecedented period of success. Ferguson built a team that was as ruthless as it was talented. The likes of Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, and Peter Schmeichel became the backbone of a squad that dominated English football in the 1990s. Manchester United won the Premier League title in 1994, 1996, and 1997, cementing their place as the dominant force in English football.

The Treble: United’s Greatest Achievement

The crowning moment of Ferguson’s reign came in 1999 when Manchester United achieved an extraordinary treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League in the same season. This feat remains one of the greatest accomplishments in football history and solidified Manchester United’s status as one of the world’s most successful clubs.

The 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich is etched into footballing folklore. United trailed 1-0 going into injury time but produced a miraculous comeback, with late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer securing a 2-1 victory. The triumph encapsulated the never-say-die attitude that had become synonymous with Manchester United under Ferguson’s leadership.

Continued Success and the Rise of Globalization

In the early 2000s, Manchester United continued to dominate domestically and remained competitive on the European stage. The arrival of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Rio Ferdinand helped maintain the club’s success, and they added more Premier League titles to their collection in 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011.

Manchester United’s global appeal also soared during this time. The club became one of the most commercially successful sports teams in the world, with millions of fans spanning continents. The growth of the Premier League and advancements in television broadcasting turned Manchester United into a global brand, with tours to the United States and Asia further boosting their popularity.

Ferguson’s Retirement: The Beginning of the Struggles

In 2013, Sir Alex Ferguson retired after 27 years in charge, leaving behind a legacy of 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, and countless other honors. His departure marked the end of an era, and the club has struggled to replicate his success ever since.

David Moyes was handpicked by Ferguson to be his successor, but the transition was far from smooth. Moyes’ tenure was brief and disappointing, as Manchester United finished seventh in the 2013-2014 season, missing out on European football for the first time in over two decades. His tenure lasted less than a year, and the revolving door of managers returned, with Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho taking turns at the helm.

Though Van Gaal delivered an FA Cup and Mourinho won the Europa League and League Cup, neither manager could bring the sustained success the club enjoyed under Ferguson. Manchester United’s struggles were further compounded by the rise of rivals such as Manchester City and Liverpool, who began to dominate English football.

The Glazers’ Ownership and Fan Discontent

One of the most significant and contentious aspects of Manchester United’s modern struggles revolves around the ownership of the club by the Glazer family. Since taking over the club in 2005, the Glazers have faced widespread criticism and opposition from supporters, with many blaming them for the club’s decline in on-field performance and its growing commercial focus. The discontent stems not only from the manner of their acquisition but also from the long-term impact their ownership model has had on the club’s finances, footballing priorities, and overall direction.

The 2005 Takeover: Controversial Beginnings

In May 2005, Malcolm Glazer, an American businessman, completed a leveraged buyout of Manchester United, acquiring the club for around £790 million. This takeover was particularly controversial because it involved borrowing a significant portion of the purchase price, which was then loaded onto the club’s balance sheet, leaving Manchester United in substantial debt for the first time in its modern history.

This financial model, known as a leveraged buyout, meant that the club itself—not the Glazer family—was responsible for repaying the loans used to fund the acquisition. Fans were outraged that one of the most successful and financially stable football clubs in the world had been saddled with enormous debt for the sake of private ownership. Many viewed this move as placing profit above the welfare and long-term success of the club.

Formation of FC United of Manchester

The discontent with the Glazers was so profound that a section of Manchester United supporters took drastic action in response to the takeover. Some lifelong fans of the club decided to form their own football club, FC United of Manchester, as a protest against the Glazers’ ownership. FC United was established in 2005 with the goal of giving fans more control over the direction of their club, promoting values of community and fan engagement that they felt were being eroded at Manchester United.

While FC United started in the lower tiers of English football, the club quickly gained a following of disenfranchised United supporters. This protest movement, though small in comparison to Manchester United’s global fanbase, demonstrated the deep resentment some fans felt towards the new ownership and their concerns about the commercialization of the club.

The Debt Problem

The most persistent criticism of the Glazers’ ownership has been the massive debt burden placed on Manchester United as a result of the leveraged buyout. Before the takeover, the club had no debt and was considered one of the most financially robust football clubs in the world. However, by 2021, the club’s debt had risen to over £500 million, with hundreds of millions more spent on interest payments, dividends, and fees associated with servicing this debt.

For many fans, this financial situation has been deeply frustrating. They believe that the funds used to pay off debt and interest could have been invested in improving the squad, upgrading Old Trafford, or enhancing the club’s youth academy. The lack of significant investment in the stadium, in particular, has been a sore point for fans, as Old Trafford has begun to show signs of age compared to the state-of-the-art facilities at other top clubs.

On-Field Struggles Under Glazer Ownership

While Manchester United enjoyed some success in the early years of the Glazers’ ownership—largely due to the presence of Sir Alex Ferguson—the club’s performance on the field has declined significantly since his retirement in 2013. After Ferguson’s departure, Manchester United struggled to maintain the same level of dominance, with a series of managerial changes and inconsistent transfer policies undermining the team’s success.

Under the Glazers, there has been a perception that the club’s transfer strategy has often been more reactive than proactive, focusing on marquee signings for commercial reasons rather than building a cohesive squad capable of competing for major trophies. Players like Ángel Di María, Radamel Falcao, Paul Pogba, and Alexis Sánchez were all brought in on expensive deals, but few of these high-profile signings had the desired long-term impact on the pitch.

Moreover, as rivals such as Manchester City and Liverpool improved their recruitment strategies and built teams capable of challenging for top honors, Manchester United appeared to lag behind, leading to increasing frustration among the fanbase. The perception grew that the Glazers were more focused on the club’s commercial success—capitalizing on its global brand—than on delivering consistent success on the pitch.

Fan Protests and “Green and Gold” Campaign

Throughout the Glazers’ tenure, fan protests have been a common occurrence, with supporters frequently voicing their discontent through banners, chants, and organized marches. One of the most visible protests was the “Green and Gold” campaign, which began in 2010. The colors green and gold were adopted by fans as a symbolic rejection of the Glazers’ ownership, representing the original colors of Newton Heath, the club’s predecessor before it became Manchester United.

Supporters would wear green and gold scarves at matches to show their opposition to the Glazers, and the movement gained considerable traction, even attracting the attention of prominent figures within the club. Some fans hoped that the protest would prompt the Glazers to sell the club, but despite the widespread support for the movement, the Glazers maintained their control.

The “Green and Gold” campaign also highlighted a deeper concern among fans about the direction of modern football. Many Manchester United supporters saw the Glazers’ ownership as emblematic of a broader trend of corporate ownership in football, where clubs were increasingly viewed as assets to be exploited for financial gain rather than community institutions that represented the interests of their fans.

The 2021 European Super League Controversy

The growing divide between Manchester United’s owners and its fanbase came to a head in April 2021, when the club was one of 12 founding members of the proposed European Super League. The Super League was an attempt by some of Europe’s biggest clubs to create a closed competition that would replace the existing UEFA Champions League, with guaranteed places for its founding members and substantial financial rewards.

The announcement of the Super League was met with almost universal condemnation from fans, pundits, and football authorities alike, who saw it as a blatant attempt to prioritize profit over the integrity of the sport. Manchester United fans were particularly incensed by the club’s involvement in the project, viewing it as yet another example of the Glazers’ disregard for the traditions of the game and the interests of the supporters.

In response to the backlash, Manchester United, along with the other English clubs involved, quickly withdrew from the Super League. However, the damage had already been done. Fans were furious, and protests against the Glazers reached new levels of intensity. In May 2021, a large group of fans stormed Old Trafford, forcing the postponement of a Premier League match against Liverpool. It was the first time in Premier League history that a match had been postponed due to fan protests, underlining the depth of feeling against the Glazers.

Continued Ownership and Future Prospects

Despite the ongoing protests and fan discontent, the Glazers have shown no signs of selling Manchester United. Their ownership model, based on generating significant revenues from commercial deals and global fan engagement, continues to be profitable for them, even if on-field success has been harder to come by.

In recent years, there have been rumors of potential buyers, including interest from Middle Eastern investors and even reports of fan-led consortiums exploring the possibility of a takeover. However, as of 2024, the Glazers remain in control, and their relationship with the fanbase continues to be fraught with tension.

The club’s struggles since Ferguson’s retirement have led to questions about whether Manchester United can return to the top of English and European football under the current ownership. While the club has invested heavily in players and brought in experienced managers like Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, and now Erik ten Hag, the lack of a coherent long-term vision has prevented sustained success.

Conclusion

The rise and struggles of Manchester United encapsulate the challenges faced by a modern football club in balancing tradition with the demands of global commercial success. While the club’s history is steeped in success, its recent struggles have raised fundamental questions about its future direction.

The Glazers’ ownership has undoubtedly played a central role in shaping Manchester United’s fortunes, both on and off the field. Their controversial takeover and the financial model they implemented continue to polarize fans, many of whom remain disillusioned by the lack of transparency and perceived prioritization of profits over footballing success.

As Manchester United looks to the future, it remains to be seen whether the club can once again rise to the top of world football or whether its struggles will persist. For now, the battle between ownership, supporters, and the quest for success continues, making Manchester United’s story one of the most compelling in football.