On this day in History » Manchester United

[Rijat]

24 Mei 2017

UEFA Europa League won by Manchester United 2-0 against Ajax in Stockholm, Pogba & Mhkitaryan scores the goals

[Rijat]

The former hero and a legend forever for Manchester United is turning 52 on this day, May 24. The French maverick transferred to United from bitter rivals Leeds United back in 1992 and stayed at the club until his retirement in 1997. He scored some 63 goals in 143 games and won quite a few things in that spell:
🏆Premier League: 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97
🎖FA Cup: 1993–94, 1995–96
🎗FA Charity Shield: 1993, 1994, 1996

And he scored some absolute bangers back then:
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As King Eric celebrates his birthday today, what better time to take a look back at a couple of Cantona crackers in the @PremierLeague?

First up: this effort was cleared for take-off against Arsenal in 1993. Boom! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/6athaVOtAz

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 24, 2018
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👑 Then, of course, came this iconic chip against Sunderland at Old Trafford in 1996...

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 24, 2018

Yet he's best remembered for his kung-fu skills that he tried on a Crystal Palace fan that annoyed him for an entire game that ended in a 1-1 draw:

Does Eric have regrets about the incident? He does. He said last year: "I didn’t punch him strong enough. I should have punched him harder. I didn’t think that I had a responsibility not to do it because of who I was. I’m not a role model. I’m not a superior teacher, telling you how to behave. I think the more you see, the more you realise that life is a circus."

🎈Enjoy a good & happy birthday, Eric:
Happy birthday to the Commissioner of Football: Eric Cantona

Source: MU Live I ManUtd @ Twitter

[Rijat]

Sir Alex Ferguson said '1-0' to Manchester United the moment he saw Liverpool's 'ridiculous' 1996 FA Cup final white suits

The former Manchester United manager felt they gave his side an immediate advantage

Sir Alex Ferguson predicted Manchester United would win the 1996 FA Cup final 1-0 the moment he saw Liverpool's "ridiculous" white suits.

In a BBC documentary focusing on the former Manchester United manager's leadership qualities, the Scot looked back at that memorable Wembley final.

Shown a picture of Jamie Redknapp, Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler wearing their white suits, Ferguson said "Why did they do that?" before recounting that he turned to his then assistant Brian Kidd and said: "1-0".

Explaining why he felt it gave his side an advantage in a game United would win thanks to a single goal from Eric Cantona, Ferguson said: "I think that's arrogance or over confidence or I don't know. It was ridiculous. Blue shirt, red and white tie and a white suit. With a blue flower. Who designed that? I mean Jamie Redknapp's got his sunglasses on."


He continued: "You know, the most telling part of it was Roy Evans (Liverpool's manager) and Ron Moran (coach) had black suits on. I think they were embarrassed.

"Liverpool's a great club with history. They've won the European Cup more times than Manchester United. Between Manchester United and Liverpool they've won more trophies than any club in Britain. That (the white suits) didn't represent Liverpool."


The documentary, which will be shown on BBC1 on Sunday, features various former players and leadership experts. Among them is Ryan Giggs who revealed how Ferguson would use such trivial incidents to help his team.

"He would use stuff like that (the white suits)," says Giggs. "Have you seen what they're wearing. They think they've won it already."

Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success will be on BBC1 at 10.30pm on Sunday 11th October

[Andi Istiabudi]

KINGS OF EUROPE: STEPNEY RECALLS '68 SUCCESS

Legendary goalkeeper Alex Stepney, pictured here watching Sir Bobby Charlton lift the silverware, looks back on that famous night at Wembley 50 years ago today when Manchester United became the first English club to win the European Cup...

"To this day, I still think we never realised the scale of what we achieved when we won the European Cup for Manchester United in 1968.

"We were a team, but the great man – Matt Busby – had made us a family. For us to accomplish that for him, and for all the other people caught up in the Munich tragedy, was so, so important.

"When we started out in the autumn of 1967, nothing was said about doing it for the lads who had died, but we all knew, without words, that there was this extra dimension because the manager and two of his most trusted players – Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes – had survived the crash. There was also the notion that, given Matt’s age and all he had been through, possibly it might be this side’s last chance.

"You have to remember that in those days you had to win the league title to get into the European Cup – fourth place didn’t do it then! – and while Bobby and Bill were still going strong, there was always a thought about Matt’s health. Whenever possible, he tried to train with us, often joining in five-a-sides, but to see the scars on his chest brought home to us the enormous trauma he had experienced at Munich.

"We started the campaign with a comfortable win over Hibernians of Malta, then came through extremely stern tests against Sarajevo from Yugoslavia and Gornik Zabrze of Poland before our epic semi-final victory over Real Madrid, snatching a 4-3 aggregate victory from the jaws of defeat at a seething Bernabeu Stadium.

"That set up an emotional final against Benfica on a punishingly humid night at Wembley. After a pretty even first half, Bobby put us in front with a glancing header, only for Jaime Graca to equalise at 1-1.

"It might have been worse when Eusebio escaped his marker, Nobby Stiles, for the only time in the match with four minutes left and bore down on my goal. At first, I thought I could claim the ball, so I advanced, but it was held up on the lush Wembley grass and the great Portuguese was through. Now all I could do was step back slightly so it would be harder for him to chip, and stand up straight. Instead of slotting it, he elected to try and burst the net, which he loved to do. His ferocious shot cannoned into my chest – I tell everybody that the Mitre logo is still imprinted on my skin! – and I managed to hold on to it.

"Looking back, I suppose that was a crucial turning point because I doubt if we would have recovered from 2-1 down at that late stage. As it was, I launched a drop-kick early into extra-time, Brian Kidd nodded on and George Best, with typical brilliance, put us in front. After that, Benfica collapsed, with Kiddo and Bobby scoring to make it 4-1. At the final whistle we all ran to Matt, Bobby and Bill. We had all pulled together, but deep down we all felt this was their night."

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

KEY QUOTES ON THE 1968 EUROPEAN CUP FINAL

Fifty years ago today, and ten years after the Munich Air Disaster, Sir Matt Busby's Manchester United team beat Portuguese champions Benfica 4-1 after extra-time at Wembley to win the European Cup. Here's what some of the men who were there have said about it since...

UNITED PLAYERS

Brian Kidd: Everyone was just convinced we had to win it. I honestly felt it was something that was meant to be. We knew we had to do it for Sir Matt.

Sir Bobby Charlton: Without being disrespectful to the team, a lot of us were beginning to be past our peak and I knew a lot of us weren’t going to get another chance at this cup. But on the morning of the game I can remember thinking we had come too far and had been through too much to fail now. And we had everything going for us, playing at home and with a good record against Portuguese sides – and besides, after coming back in the Madrid semi-final the way we did, I thought it would be impossible for us to get beaten.

Nobby Stiles: There was ballyhoo about before about how I would mark Eusebio: people were suggesting I was a clogger. One paper said he had asked the ref for protection. But I respected Eusebio and never went out to kick him – and I always found him to be all right with me.

George Best: I was so looking forward to what I imagined would be 90 minutes of pure magic, us hammering them. But I only played well in snatches and it was tough going – we weren’t playing that well to start with, the tackles were coming in hard and it was still 0-0 at half-time.

Sir Bobby Charlton (on his first goal): I was only on a decoy run but David knocked it nicely and I was just trying to flick it on - it flew into the bottom corner! Lovely!

David Sadler: It was such an emotional night and we were feeling the pressure, but that goal set us on the way. Bobby could actually be quite a good header of the ball you know!

Pat Crerand (on Benfica almost making it 2-1): I was thinking ‘this isn’t the type of chance Eusebio misses’. My heart sank. He blasted a thunderbolt... and straight at Alex who made quite a brilliant save.

Sir Bobby Charlton: I knew we’d find something extra – British teams had that resilience, especially in extra-time. Of course there was a moment of despair when they equalised, but I knew our stamina training would stand us in good stead and that they’d be tiring too.

Brian Kidd (on his goal): The cheers for Besty’s goal had barely died when my moment of glory came; what a 19th birthday present. Bobby’s corner was only half cleared and I got a header in which Henrique scooped out from under the bar – but in doing so, he’d come out just enough for me to be able to lob him with a second header. 3-1: the clincher!

Bill Foulkes: I had come the whole way with the boss trying to make us Champions of Europe. I’m proud to have been a part of it, of course – and our victory seemed the right tribute to the memory of all those we lost on the way.

Sir Bobby Charlton: At the whistle Matt and I hugged and I didn’t need to say anything to the old man because I didn’t need to. I knew exactly what he was thinking. I remember thinking that it was the ultimate achievement. And it had been our duty; it had become a family thing.

THE MANAGERS

Otto Gloria, Benfica: The player I especially admired was George Best – muito bon! As we say! But as a team they could all go forward – and then all go back just as well – and I thought their speed could upset my team.

Sir Matt Busby: In my team talk before extra-time, I told the players they were in danger of throwing the game away with careless passing instead of continuing with their previously confident football. I told them ‘start to hold the ball – and play again’. The moment Bobby lifted the cup, it cleansed me. It eased the pain of the guilt of going into Europe. It was my justification.

THE WRITERS

Eamon Dunphy: George Best all but won the cup with a classic street-game goal to make it 2-1 in extra-time. Fastening with razor reflexes onto the ball with 25 yards from goal, he beat one man, then another, then rounded the desperate goalkeeper before gliding the ball deftly across the turf into the net.

Eric Todd, The Manchester Guardian: The scenes after this match defied adequate description; even those beforehand challenged it seriously as United’s legions captured the heights around the stadium. The transcending emotion afterwards was that of unequivocal universal pleasure for Matt Busby. And did he look briefly up to the heavens for the approval of the spirits of Munich?

Geoffrey Green, The Times: Few Wembley occasions equalled that night. Out of nothing drew a dramatic climax. The first-half was episodic, as a spate of ruthless Portuguese tackling and a symphony of Italian referee whistling broke the match into a thousand pieces, both teams clearly out of humour with each other. Yet this merely proved to be crucible. Out of the fire and cruelty came something to treasure.

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

Kemarin (11 Juni) merupakan hari kelahiran dari kiper lawas United, Raymond Ernest Wood (Ray Wood) ke-87. Ray Wood sudah meninggal dunia pada tanggal 7 Juli 2002 dalam usia 71 tahun. Rest in peace Ray, ..

[Andi Istiabudi]

Hari ini 36 tahun lalu (16 Juni 1982) Bryan Robson menjadi pencetak gol tercepat dalam Piala Dunia Spanyol 1982 dengan catatan waktu hanya 27 detik sejak pluit awal pertandingan ketika Inggris berhadapan dengan Perancis. Rekor ini bertahan selama 20 tahun sebelum akhirnya dipecahkan oleh Hakan Sukur (Turki) pada tahun 2002 yang berhasil mencetak gol tercepat dalam sejarah Piala Dunia hanya 10 detik ketika Turki melawan Korea Selatan dalam perebutan tempat ketiga.

Berikut video aksi Robson mencetak gol hanya dalam 27 detik setelah kick-off :

[Andi Istiabudi]

Hari ini 25 tahun lalu Roy Keane resmi bergabung dengan United.
480 kali penampilan, 51 gol dan 13 gelar. Sebuah pencapaian yang luar biasa dari Keano

[Andi Istiabudi]

27 Tahun lalu Manchester United resmi mengontrak sang "Big Dane" Peter Schmeichel, salah satu kiper terbaik sepanjang sejarah United

[Andi Istiabudi]

On This Day in 1992, Gary Neville made his first appearance for Manchester United