Manchester United is one of the most commercially-attractive sports franchises in the world, which has seen footballing operations pushed to the back seat in recent years.
Given the near-75,000 capacity at Old Trafford, there will always be heaps of demand for Manchester United tickets and, fortunately, fans can find the best available MUFC ticket deals right here at SeatPick.
Manchester United History
The club was founded in 1878, under the name Newton Heath LYR. The name Manchester United was adopted in 1902, eight years before the club relocated to Old Trafford.
There wasn't much to celebrate for the club in its early years, in fact only after WWII did Man Utd start to become a credible force in the English game. Matt Busby was appointed Man United manager in 1945 and the Scotsman set about taking the club to the next level. Busby provided a clear pathway for youth players to be streamed into the senior team, adding that “if you’re good enough, you’re old enough” to play for Manchester United.
It took some years for Busby to mould his team to his liking, yielding only sprinkles of success at first. The Reds won the FA Cup in 1948, for only the second time in the club's history, before capturing three First Division titles by 1958.
Munich Air Disaster
Busby had assembled a top team with several youngsters featuring in his ranks. The Scottish coach was determined to conquer Europe with this collection of players, affectionately known as the 'Busby Babes'. Man United played out a 3-3 draw at Red Star Belgrade on 5 February 1958, which was enough to see the English outfit into the European Cup semi-finals with a 5-4 victory on aggregate.
The aircraft back to Manchester stopped to refuel in Germany, followed by two aborted take-off attempts in icy conditions. The third attempt was fatal, as eight players and three club officials perished in (or as a result of) the Munich Air Disaster. This included five players from the starting XI against Red Star.
Rebuilding Manchester United
Busby sustained life-threatening injuries from the crash and required several months to heal before resuming his job. His assistant Jimmy Murphy took charge of a depleted and broken United side, tasked with rebuilding the team in the interim.
Even once Busby had returned to health, it was Murphy leading training and laying out the blueprint for the next great Man United team. Busby and Murphy masterminded the club's resurgence led by captain and talisman Bobby Charlton, a survivor of the crash in Munich.
The Red Devils won the First Division twice more in the 60s before Busby and co. achieved their long-held ambition of being crowned European champions. Manchester United defeated SL Benfica in the 1968 European Cup final, 4-1, with Charlton and George Best among the scorers.
Man United Fall From Grace
Busby relinquished his role as Man Utd manager in 1969 to take up a position as a director of the club. It proved an arduous task to identify a worthy successor to the great Scotsman, one that resulted in Manchester United succumbing to relegation to the Second Division in 1974.
The Red Devils returned to the top flight at the first time of asking, before winning the FA Cup three times over the decade to follow, but they failed to stake their claim in the First Division.
Man United: The Ferguson Years
In November 1986, another Scottish manager was appointed to get Manchester United back on an upward trajectory. Alex Ferguson was prised away from Aberdeen FC, where he had done a stellar job in disrupting the Celtic-Rangers domination in Scottish football.
Just like Busby before him, Ferguson emphasised the importance of a strong youth system with a direct pathway to the first-team. It took some time for his methods to translate into success, with only a solitary FA Cup title to show for his efforts after five years in the Old Traffiord hot seat.
The signing of Eric Cantona in late 1992 is widely considered as being pivotal in taking Man United from being challengers to champions. The Reds won the inaugural Premier League title, setting the tone for a prolonged period of domination.
Ferguson's side went on to lift a further four league championships before the turn of the century, also winning an unprecedented treble in 1998/99 as Man United won the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League in the space of 11 days.
Other title contenders emerged in the late 90s and early 2000s, namely Arsène Wenger's Arsenal and José Mourinho's Chelsea.
By the time Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as Manchester United manager in 2013, the Red Devils had won a record 13 Premier League titles (20 first-division wins overall) as well as an additional Champions League triumph in 2008.
Post-Ferguson Era
Manchester United have mostly struggled to find the winning formula since the club's greatest manager retired more than a decade ago.
His immediate successor David Moyes was relieved of his duties less than one season into a six-year contract. Louis van Gaal delivered FA Cup success before he too was dismissed, while José Mourinho has been the most successful Man United boss since Ferguson.
The Red Devils lost the Europa League final in the last full season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and failed to add any silverware to the cabinet during his tenure.
Erik ten Hag was hired in 2022 following impressive showings as manager of AFC Ajax. His first season in the Old Trafford hot-seat saw Man United end its six-year trophy drought with victory in the EFL Cup, beating Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium.
The Reds also finished 3rd in the Premier League, earning qualification for the 2023/24 Champions League, and reached the FA Cup final only to lose to neighbours and rivals Manchester City.
A turbulent second season left Ten Hag fighting for his job as Man United had to settle for 8th place, the club's lowest finish in the Premier League. MUFC did however manage to claim FA Cup glory for a 13th time, courtesy of a courageous performance to defeat local rivals Manchester City, 2-1, at Wembley.
After a disappointing 2023/24 season, only a handful of Man United players will be representing their nations at the European Championships in Germany. Veteran midfielder Christian Eriksen may be up against some of his teammates when Denmark face England in the group stage. Secure your Euro 2024 tickets with just a few clicks on SeatPick.
Manchester Derby Tickets
A club of Man United's stature is expected to have its fair share of rivalries. Manchester City, United's local foes, are often regarded as the 'noisy neighbours' to the Red Devils.
The Manchester derby is among the annual highlights of the English football calendar and Man United vs Man City tickets can be found at the best prices with SeatPick.
Manchester United vs Liverpool Tickets
Liverpool FC are the sworn enemy of Man United, with plenty of history fuelling this feud. When it comes to football fixtures in the UK, this North-West derby is arguably the biggest match of the season.
Battles between these sides have always meant a great deal to both teams and their respective fans, and therefore Man United vs Liverpool tickets are always a precious commodity.
Manchester United Best Footballers
The club has been graced by some of the best talents in football history, with countless high-profile stars donning the Man United badge over the years. Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, and Paul Scholes are just a few of the many world-class players who have etched their names into Manchester United folklore.
Other Notable Manchester United Players:
Sir Bobby Charlton
George Best
Denis Law
Bryan Robson
Eric Cantona
Roy Keane
Manchester United Stadium
Old Trafford has served as the club's home ground since the venue opened back in 1910.
Nicknamed the 'Theatre of Dreams', this terrific stadium has bared witness to so many iconic moments, breath-taking goals and stunning results. The facility can accommodate up to 74,310 spectators, making it the largest club stadium in the United Kingdom.
Check out the Old Trafford seating plan for a more detailed view of the ins and outs of this classic ground.
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