We're ManchesteROFL United, we do what we want

[Vision]

Noticed that after Saturday Jose has the best winning percentage of any Man Utd manager ever (can't remember the exact figures but he's something like 0.2% ahead of Fergie) Little wonder the fans at OT have still got his back

Good on Jose, bossing the League Cup and Europa League 2 seasons ago then when everyone else was concentrating on the mickey mouse competitions, although I'm not entirly sure he inherited a poor squad sitting in the relegation places.

united had finished 3rd or 4th the preceding 6 seasons before Fergie took over...(I know they were in 21st at that time..Nov)

They finished 11th that season and second the next which makes me think he didn't inherit a poor squad.

The next two seasons were poor, finishing 11th and 13th.

Didn't his first few transfers yield a few lower league and Scottish duds hence the pressure he was under at the time. Then he realised that he had to change approach from his Aberdeen days so started spending bigger money and utilising Utd's youth system.

[BR0B0T]

Good on Jose, bossing the League Cup and Europa League 2 seasons ago then when everyone else was concentrating on the mickey mouse competitions, although I'm not entirly sure he inherited a poor squad sitting in the relegation places.

united had finished 3rd or 4th the preceding 6 seasons before Fergie took over...(I know they were in 21st at that time..Nov)

They finished 11th that season and second the next which makes me think he didn't inherit a poor squad.

The next two seasons were poor, finishing 11th and 13th.

Didn't his first few transfers yield a few lower league and Scottish duds hence the pressure he was under at the time. Then he realised that he had to change approach from his Aberdeen days so started spending bigger money and utilising Utd's youth system.

Brought in Steve Bruce, Jim Leighton and Brian McLair in the first season. Giggs and Sharpe didn't 'emerge' until early 90's

Think the poor league finishes were as much down to injuries to key players as anything else

[Vision]

united had finished 3rd or 4th the preceding 6 seasons before Fergie took over...(I know they were in 21st at that time..Nov)

They finished 11th that season and second the next which makes me think he didn't inherit a poor squad.

The next two seasons were poor, finishing 11th and 13th.

Didn't his first few transfers yield a few lower league and Scottish duds hence the pressure he was under at the time. Then he realised that he had to change approach from his Aberdeen days so started spending bigger money and utilising Utd's youth system.

Brought in Steve Bruce, Jim Leighton and Brian McLair in the first season. Giggs and Sharpe didn't 'emerge' until early 90's

Think the poor league finishes were as much down to injuries to key players as anything else

I was thinking more of Mark Robins and Lee Martin prior to Giggs/Sharpe.

Injuries may have been a factor. Wasn't there something of a power struggle with the holy trinity of Robson/McGrath/Whiteside at the beginning?

[BR0B0T]

Didn't his first few transfers yield a few lower league and Scottish duds hence the pressure he was under at the time. Then he realised that he had to change approach from his Aberdeen days so started spending bigger money and utilising Utd's youth system.

Brought in Steve Bruce, Jim Leighton and Brian McLair in the first season. Giggs and Sharpe didn't 'emerge' until early 90's

Think the poor league finishes were as much down to injuries to key players as anything else

I was thinking more of Mark Robins and Lee Martin prior to Giggs/Sharpe.

Injuries may have been a factor. Wasn't there something of a power struggle with the holy trinity of Robson/McGrath/Whiteside at the beginning?

Mark Robins and Lee Martin both came through the youth system

[Vision]

Brought in Steve Bruce, Jim Leighton and Brian McLair in the first season. Giggs and Sharpe didn't 'emerge' until early 90's

Think the poor league finishes were as much down to injuries to key players as anything else

I was thinking more of Mark Robins and Lee Martin prior to Giggs/Sharpe.

Injuries may have been a factor. Wasn't there something of a power struggle with the holy trinity of Robson/McGrath/Whiteside at the beginning?

Mark Robins and Lee Martin both came through the youth system

Yeah that's what I meant. Prior to Giggs. Wasn't it Robins goal that supposedly kept him in a job?

As it turns out I looked it up and my memory of Ralph Milne seems to have conflated into a few dud jocks when actually it was really just him and I guess Leighton wasn't exactly a roaring success initially as I recall. But I'd completely forgotten about Viv Anderson.

What year did he bomb out McGrath and Whiteside.?

[From Despair To Where?]

Lee Sharpe was signed from Torquay in 88 and pretty much replaced Milne and Olsen in the first team squad almost straight away.

Ferguson broke up the Robson Whiteside McGrath drinking club in 89.

[BR0B0T]

Lee Sharpe was signed from Torquay in 88 and pretty much replaced Milne and Olsen in the first team squad almost straight away.

Ferguson broke up the Robson Whiteside McGrath drinking club in 89.

Whiteside and McGrath were consistently injured (as well as the boozing). Whiteside went to Everton who were a 'better' side than Utd at the time (and for better money)

Milne and Sharpe both signed in 88 (Olsen left that year). Milner was proper dogshit so Sharpe replaced him

[Sanguine]

Lee Sharpe is 47. Fcuking hell.

[Winston Biscuit]

Wasn't it Robins goal that supposedly kept him in a job?

that is the often repeated story but those in charge of MU at the time have repeatedly said since then that it is just rubbish made up by journo's & fans looking to add an additional exciting angle to Ferguson's story

[Winston Biscuit]

Lee Sharpe is 47. Fcuking hell.

my previous company paid for him to do a guest appearance at a customer event about 5 years ago where he would sit on stage and ask questions. They paid him about £3000 I believe. he was moody, made it look like the whole thing inconvenienced him and was sh*t.

[Hoop Blah]

Lee Sharpe is 47. Fcuking hell.

my previous company paid for him to do a guest appearance at a customer event about 5 years ago where he would sit on stage and ask questions. They paid him about £3000 I believe. he was moody, made it look like the whole thing inconvenienced him and was sh*t.

Not surprised if he was only getting his share of £3k.

[stealthpapes]

Didn't his first few transfers yield a few lower league and Scottish duds hence the pressure he was under at the time. Then he realised that he had to change approach from his Aberdeen days so started spending bigger money and utilising Utd's youth system.

Brought in Steve Bruce, Jim Leighton and Brian McLair in the first season. Giggs and Sharpe didn't 'emerge' until early 90's

Think the poor league finishes were as much down to injuries to key players as anything else

I was thinking more of Mark Robins and Lee Martin prior to Giggs/Sharpe.

Injuries may have been a factor. Wasn't there something of a power struggle with the holy trinity of Robson/McGrath/Whiteside at the beginning?

The original set of fergie's fledglings would have been the cohort of Robins, Lee Martin, Lee Sharpe, Beardsmore and Giuliano Mayo ... Maior ... oh, someone else. Italian surname. Supposedly really good. Shagged his knee backwards.

There's a solid Guardian article on them: https://www.theguardian.com/football/bl ... ter-united

[stealthpapes]

might have been something in The Blizzard more recently.

[stealthpapes]

One of the seasons just before Ferguson took over, of course, dovetails with the RFC story.

1984-85 saw Ron Atkinson's United go 10 straight wins at the start of the season, threatening but not beating the record of 11 set by Spurs in the 60s.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... all-season

Meanwhile in Berkshire ...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/bl ... -86-season

[From Despair To Where?]

Lovely picture of Ron Atkinson with a face like a dog's arse.

He's what is known in some schools as a fcuking racist, thick twat.

[Mr Optimist]

The foundations for Fergie at United were the building of the defence with the signings of Schmeicel, Pallister, Bruce, Paul Parker and Dennis Irwin. It took him two or three years and a mixture of astute cheap buys like Schmeicel, Irwin and Bruce, and flashing the cash on Pallister.

All good teams are built from the back but I am not sure anyone gets three years to build a team anymore, certainly not at United.

It galls me to say it but the genius of Fergie was he managed to build several great sides over the years and knew when it was time to move players on. Jose can't do this, but I am not sure who still can in the modern game.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Lovely picture of Ron Atkinson with a face like a dog's arse.

He's what is known in some schools as a fcuking racist, thick twat.

Yet did more to advance and support black players then almost anyone else...

[Victor Meldrew]

Luke Shaw earns £190,000 per week under his new contract for 5 years so that is something like £50 million over that period for a left-back who was out of the game for over a year injured.
IMHO he is not bad going forward but can't defend-same comment for Rose-but I suppose full-backs are no longer expected to be great defenders with Tripper and Walker being the same on the right-side.

I'm not often amazed at footballers' earnings but £190,000 for playing 90 minutes most weeks as a full-back.

[Royal Rother]

Hmm, interesting. Now obviously I know Sweet fa about football and don’t watch an awful lot of the pro game these days but I think Trippier is a brilliant defender. No one ever gets passed him, he’s quick, athletic and times his tackles brilliantly and cleanly.

[Victor Meldrew]

Hmm, interesting. Now obviously I know Sweet fa about football and don’t watch an awful lot of the pro game these days but I think Trippier is a brilliant defender. No one ever gets passed him, he’s quick, athletic and times his tackles brilliantly and cleanly.

Totally disagree-a typical modern-day full-back who is quick going forward and can cross a ball but he is poor defensively and is easily outmuscled.

Back to Man Utd-hilarious bit of acting by the midget version of Mr Bean at Stamford Bridge yesterday.