Inside United magazine, March 2025

the king Remembering

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KICK-OFF

4 Some topical shots to set the scene

6 Don’t miss a thing: the month ahead in Red

8 Recapping United’s transfer window business

DENIS LAW – A TRIBUTE

12 The epic career of one of our true greats

20 Busby, Charlton and Best on Law

22 Stretford End fans on why he was The King

29 Wit and wisdom: Law in his own words

THE PLAYERS

38 Leny Yoro Read our big exclusive interview

46 Moving in: Dorgu and Heaven join the family

50 Amad and Garnacho go back to school

56 Bayindir: haven’t we seen that save before?

THE MATCHES

60 Previews: Spurs, Everton, Ipswich and Arsenal

64 Sights set high for United Women

68 How our Academy sides are thriving in the cups

THE HISTORY

74 Destiny fulfilled for Busby’s 1968 heroes

80 Red Decades – fond Goodison Park snapshots

THE FANS

86 The Orlando Red Army tell us their story

88 Fan memories of days on the road at Goodison

94 Eats Everything on the GOAT’s GOAT

97 Enough left in the tank to take on the IU quiz?

SHOW OF LOVE

All in the United family, and many beyond, were devastated by news of the death of ‘The King’ Denis Law. The huge hole he left has been filled with an outpouring of love and respect, along with shared memories of the great man. You’ll find a lot of affection for Denis in our special tribute section to come.

67 YEARS ON...

As always, the club paused in early February to reflect on the Munich Air Disaster. One way in which the tragedy was commemorated was by a matchday memorial service under the Munich clock at Old Trafford, prior to the game against Crystal Palace.

YOUTH POLICY

And later that afternoon, two new Reds were presented on the pitch pre-match. Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven are the next in a long line of young talent given an Old Trafford opportunity, going back to those Babes and beyond. More on our new boys later in the issue…

The month ahead

TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY

Inside United March 2025 issue on sale

SUNDAY 16 FEBRUARY

UNITED WOMEN v CRYSTAL PALACE Women’s Super League, 12pm

SUNDAY 16 FEBRUARY

SPURS v UNITED Premier League, 4.30pm

FRIDAY 21 FEBRUARY Europa League knockout stages draw

SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY

MOVING FORWARD

The major pluses of the last month’s football for Ruben Amorim’s side have been in cup competition, with the dramatic victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup via a well-executed penalty shoot-out, and wins in the Europa League against Rangers and FCSB that earned us a coveted place in the top eight of the league phase and excused us the play-off round.

We continued to be a little hit-and-miss in the Premier League, however, with wins against Southampton and Fulham counterbalanced by defeats to Brighton and Crystal Palace, showing that the Reds are still searching for that key attribute, consistency. So in the month ahead’s league fixtures, Ruben and his men will no doubt strive for some of that said consistency – with a couple of trickylooking away days to come at Spurs and Everton, followed by home matches with Ipswich and Arsenal

EVERTON v UNITED Premier League, 12.30pm

WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY

UNITED v IPSWICH Premier League, 7.30pm

SATURDAY 1 MARCH

FA CUP FIFTH ROUND TBC

SUNDAY 2 MARCH

UNITED WOMEN v LEICESTER CITY Women’s Super League, 12.30pm

THURSDAY 6 MARCH EUROPA LEAGUE LAST 16 FIRST LEG

SUNDAY 9 MARCH

UNITED v ARSENAL Premier League, 4.30pm

SUNDAY 9 MARCH

WOMEN’S FA CUP QUARTER-FINAL TBC

TUESDAY 11 MARCH

Inside United April 2025 issue on sale

What Ruben does have in his favour this month is some time away from constant match action: that Europa League table finish means that there is a break of over a week before the Spurs game, then nearly another week before Everton. Time for rest and recovery, no doubt – but also crucial time on the training ground (including integrating a couple of new faces; more on Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven to come).

KNOCKOUT TIME

Back to the cups, make a note of Friday 21 February. That is when we will learn our opponents in the Europa League last 16 stage. It’s not a complete mystery, however – following the draw for the knockout play-off stage, we already know that we will face one of AZ Alkmaar, Galatasaray, Midtjylland or Real Sociedad. In that knockout draw we will also get a picture of our potential path to the final, with quarters and semis all mapped out. In the FA Cup, there is potential for a fifth-round clash in the calendar ahead. We say potential, because at the time this magazine was sent to print, we hadn’t quite got to the fourth round game at home to Leicester City. So we can only hope by the time this is being read, we have navigated that tie and earned a place among the last 16 teams still standing…

BRUNO SEES ‘GOOD THINGS’

“It is a setback, but we need to understand we have been doing good things and, even today, we showed some good things. The result doesn’t show that, but we need to be aware that we can achieve a lot with the things that we have been doing.”

Bruno Fernandes identifies positive traits in recent performances – and even in the disappointing defeat to Crystal Palace

MOVING ON UP

In the Women’s FA Cup it is a similar story in that Marc Skinner’s side played a tie after these pages had been sent to press, leaving us hoping that we are in the hat for the next round. That tie was away at Wolverhampton Wanderers of the third tier, with the prize being a quarter-final place, with that round to be played in March.

On the WSL front, United Women have been making good ground and will aim to consolidate that in the month ahead with visits from the league’s bottom two clubs, Crystal Palace and Leicester City. Maximum points from those fixtures would be a big boost in the scrap for the top positions in the league – and the Champions League places that they bring as rewards. Skinner has a new goalkeeper in his squad to help with that push. More on Kayla Rendell, and news of some loan moves, to come.

The number of games we will have played at Goodison Park after the match – our final visit, barring an FA Cup tie – on 22 February. Tears!

Where Goodison ranks in terms of grounds United have played at as the away team (102 – Anfield is next on 99, then Villa Park on 95; neutral and ‘home’ games not included!)

United Women continue their push for a strong finish in the WSL

TRANSFER WRAP

Summing up the winter transfer window for the men’s and women’s squads…

There were a number of comings and goings at United during the winter transfer window, which closed for business on 30 January for the women’s team and 3 February on the men’s side.

Ruben Amorim was able to welcome two fresh faces to his squad, with the arrival of the versatile 20-yearold defender Patrick Dorgu from Lecce, and 18-year-old centre-back Ayden Heaven from Arsenal. Marc Skinner, meanwhile, strengthened in the goalkeeping department by welcoming 23-year-old stopper Kayla Rendell (pictured left) from Southampton. All three of those players joined the club’s respective first-team squads, though at the time of writing none had yet had the opportunity to make a playing

Patrick Dorgu arrived from Lecce

Marcus Rashford is on loan at Aston Villa until the end of the season

debut. Welcome aboard, Patrick, Ayden and Kayla.

There were also a range of exits during the windows. Marcus Rashford – after significant achievements at the club having come through the Academy, with the 27-year-old having made 426 appearances and scored 138 goals as a Red – has joined Aston Villa on a loan basis until the end of the season. Also leaving Amorim’s first-team squad on loan until the end of 2024/25 were Antony, the 24-year-old winger joining Real Betis in Spain’s La Liga, and Tyrell Malacia, the 25-year-old leftback spending the rest of the campaign with PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie

For United Women, Hayley Ladd left on a permanent basis to join fellow WSL side Everton. Hayley has been a Red since 2019 and had made 110 appearances, one of only seven players to have compiled over a century of games for United since the club relaunched in 2018. Meanwhile, three young players have gone on loan to continue their development elsewhere for the remainder of the campaign: Lucy Newell (18) has joined Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, Emma Watson (19) has linked up with Everton, and Jess Simpson (20) has moved temporarily to Bristol City in the Championship.

We wish all our departed players every success going forward, and will be supporting our loanees from afar.

INS

Patrick Dorgu From Lecce

Ayden Heaven from Arsenal

Kayla Rendell From Southampton

OUTS

Marcus Rashford Loan to Aston Villa

Antony Loan to Real Betis

Tyrell Malacia Loan to PSV Eindhoven

Hayley Ladd Permanent move to Everton

Lucy Newell Loan to Blackburn Rovers

Emma Watson Loan to Everton

Jess Simpson Loan to Bristol City

Ayden Heaven has arrived from Arsenal

Tyrell Malacia has gone on loan to PSV Eindhoven

Emma Watson (left) and Hayley Ladd have already seen action for Everton

Jess Simpson will spend the rest of 2024/25 at Bristol City

IN SALUTE OF THE KING

Inside United adds to the tributes honouring the great Denis Law, with a 21-page special section devoted to the memory of the last of the Trinity and a Red of enormous, legendary status

After the sadness, the love. A true deluge of affection, admiration, warmth and respect for Denis Law poured forth after news of the Scotsman’s death filtered through on the evening of Friday 17 January.

ManUtd.com first shared a communication from the Law family

announcing Denis’s passing. “We know how much people supported and loved him,” the short statement concluded, “and that love was always appreciated and made the difference. Thank you.”

Soon, tributes were arriving, from Sir Alex Ferguson – peer, friend and devotee –and beyond, encompassing a vast array of

Scarves, flowers and messages in honour of our own beloved Denis

the so many who were stirred in some way by Denis Law, in person or from afar. Come Saturday morning, Old Trafford became a shrine to its king, as Law disciples left flags, flowers and messages, which sat alongside a wreath laid by the club at the Trinity statue immortalising the great Scot alongside fellow immeasurables George Best and Bobby Charlton.

On Sunday a lone piper led the teams poignantly from the tunnel at Old Trafford before the game against Brighton, and the minute’s silence at the Theatre of Dreams was followed at the Etihad Stadium when the women’s team took on Manchester City. A book of condolences, meanwhile, was opened for everyone who wished to leave in ink their own personal paean to Denis.

On the Thursday evening of the Rangers game in the Europa League at Old Trafford, our club matchday programme United Review put Denis on the front cover, with a special tribute section to the great man inside.

Now, as a companion to United Review’s homage, and in addition to the great outpouring of feeling, loss and love during the weeks since Law’s death, Inside United adds its own salute.

The next 19 pages endeavour to do at least barest justice to the life and career of the mighty Denis Law.

FROM THE BLUE BOLT

With a background that included the blue of Manchester City, a darker hue of the same in Huddersfield stripes, and deeper yet in the Scotland shirt, DENIS LAW struck Old Trafford like a bolt of lightning on his arrival in 1962.

His crackling electricity energised the crowd from the off, sparking a special relationship and an extraordinary career clad in his true Red colours. For the uninitiated and for the aficionados alike – and in honour of our departed friend – this is the Denis Law story…

Words Steve Morgan

It wasn’t just the goals, numerous though they were. Two-hundred-andthirty-seven to be precise, flying in from every angle – fitting considering Denis Law’s youthful love of technical drawing, and daydreams of a career as a draughtsman instead of the supreme marksman he became.

It wasn’t just the goals, though they came across 11 seasons. And in more varieties than Heinz: headers from inconceivable heights, suspended as if by some superpower; outrageously athletic bicycle kicks, limbs all a whir; or the predator’s calling card, the scrambled or scuffed strike in a six-yard stramash on sodden or sandy Sixties pitches.

What set Denis Law apart, what made

him a shoo-in when the retiring Matt Busby selected his greatest United XI, was the character underpinning that greatness, a quality that arguably made it possible in the first place. All United legends have had it, from Billy Meredith and Charlie Roberts to Roy Keane and Eric Cantona, the man who would also be King. It’s the plundering desire, common of boys with the thorn in their side, driven by the need to win, to be the last one standing. Or, if the situation demands it, on your back, or face down in the mud, poking the ball home.

That’s why Denis Law’s life and times were so special. The reaction to his death in January after a lengthy battle with dementia, and the endless heartfelt tributes, were a timely reminder of how

we love those who commit to the cause like Law did. Few put as much value on the shirt, each game approached as if it might be his last.

a fateful arrival

Looking back on Law’s life, the road always led to Old Trafford. He was a pioneer on a now well-worn trail from the granite city of Aberdeen that has gifted us, among others, Law’s schoolboy team-mate Alex Dawson, Martin Buchan, Graeme Hogg, Gordon Strachan, John Fitzpatrick, and so memorably served as Alex Ferguson’s managerial proving ground. Though Law played first and last in Manchester in blue, his final act the backheeled, famously

Matt Busby knew what he was getting when the club splashed out to bring Denis to United from Torino

uncelebrated goal that coincided with United’s demotion in 1974, it was with M16 that his destiny seemed inexorably linked, and where he will forever be feted.

As an 18-year-old with Huddersfield Town, Law hopped across the Pennines in February 1958 for United’s fifth-round FA Cup clash with Sheffield Wednesday – the club’s first post-Munich outing –paying a tout and taking his place as a spectator on the Stretford End. He knew plenty about Matt Busby and Manchester United by then. In late 1956, shortly before Law broke into Huddersfield’s first team, Busby had offered Terriers counterpart Andy Beattie £10,000 for the 16-year-old after he’d impressed in a 4-2 defeat by his omnipotent FA Youth Cup side. Law later reflected on the ‘sliding doors’ nature of that moment, and the strong likelihood of him having been on that fateful flight in Munich had he signed for United and become a Busby Babe.

A shade over four years after the horror of Munich, Busby had his man – and, at the end of the 1962/63 campaign, United had the FA Cup, the club’s first trophy since the crash. It was Busby who had given Law his Scotland bow when standing in prior to Ian McCall’s arrival at the back end of 1958. His nation’s youngest international, at 18 years 236 days, Law repaid the faith instantly with a goal in a 3-0 win over Wales, coached by United number two Jimmy Murphy.

A protracted transfer saga brought him to United early in July 1962, the Reds parting with a British record £115,000 to end Law’s unhappy spell with Torino, whom he had joined from Manchester City a year earlier. Despite acquitting himself well in Italy, he despaired of the football, which

failed to get his pulse racing. After weeks of ‘will-he-won’t he’ – the player homesick and desperate to come but club not keen to sell – were eventually resolved, United now had a pivotal striking figure.

A new chapter was about to be penned at Old Trafford, a chapter that would thrill a generation.

off and running

Law scored on his Reds debut – registering after only a few minutes – on the opening day of the 1962/63 season against West Bromwich Albion, and nine months later crowned his first term with the FA Cup final opener at Wembley. The goal was a piece of typically opportunistic brilliance, pirouetting in the blink of an eye to shoot across Gordon Banks. Easing United’s nerves, it inspired a 3-1 victory over much-fancied Leicester City. If eyes, and voices, had been raised in the Old Trafford boardroom over the size of Law’s fee, Busby knew what exactly what he was getting – and here was the proof.

His debut United campaign ended in Wembley glory in 1963, with FA Cup victory over Leicester City – Denis netted the opener

Celebrations appeared to take their toll on the train journey home!

Fiercely competitive, hugely combative, totally fearless – Denis was a force of nature on the pitch

With 29 goals all told in that first term, Law was an instant terrace hero. Here was a player known not by one, but two nicknames – ‘The Lawman’, or ‘King’. His early years as a slight, pencil-thin kid with a terrible squint – one of seven siblings –had taught him the value of fighting your corner. His “if they kick, you kick them back” mantra came in handy against practitioners of the darker defensive arts,

and his refusal to take a backward step instantly won Stretford End hearts and minds, creating a special bond between player and fans.

His willowy figure was at odds with his wiry strength. It had certainly deceived Bill Shankly, then Huddersfield’s assistant manager. Spotting the bespectacled 15-year-old triallist, then just 5ft 3in, Shankly wondered whether they’d got the

Lawman that keepers dreaded –always there, always ready, just waiting for

right lad. “He looked like a case for Oxfam, rather than a young footballer,” he mused. “The first thing we did was get his squint sorted out, so he knew who he was looking at when we talked to him. Then we got some steaks inside him, and he started to fill out. Once we let him loose on the football pitch, he suddenly became a tiger.”

The rest is history – folk Law, if you like. In 1963/64, Law’s 46-goal haul – including eight hat-tricks – established a club seasonal record that stands today. The breakthrough of George Best on the wing freed up Bobby Charlton to drift inside, with Law as the attacking spearhead. Their first fixture together – all three on the scoresheet in a 4-1 win at West Brom on 18 January 1964 – birthed a trio of unique talents: Best’s off-the-cuff genius, Charlton’s scheming flourishes, and Law a mixture of both, executioner’s blood coursing through his veins when the target was in sights. All three would wear the European Footballer of the Year crown –Law got there first.

It’s one of the great sadnesses that his time at Old Trafford yielded just three winners’ medals: that 1963 FA Cup followed by league titles in 1965 and 1967 – where his seasonal tallies of 39 and 25 topped the club’s scoring chart. It’s an even greater loss that on that night of nights, 1968’s European Cup final win, Law was absent. He watched instead with friends on a portable TV from his hospital bed at Manchester St Joseph’s, recuperating

In his youthful pomp, unhindered by injury and at his physical peak, Denis needed only 110 games to reach 100 United goals – a club record that remains all his own

The

one slip to pounce…

from cartilage surgery. The combative streak that so informed his game was a double-edged sword – the latter years at Old Trafford were heavily disrupted by injuries, though his goalscoring touch never deserted him.

goalscoring king

You can lose hours feasting on Law clips: that unmistakable feather cut atop a willowy frame, shirt cuffs wrapped over fists, that trademark goal celebration, finger pointing skywards – a first in the game and aped by so many. One of those 237 goals – at a lick of 0.587 per game –came against Crystal Palace in mid-April 1971. Selected by the club’s website to mark Law’s 80th birthday in February 2020, it’s a stunning feat of athleticism.

Bobby Charlton pings in a free kick at pace from the left touchline, just inside Palace’s half. Waiting for it to arrive is Law, back to goal. He meets it with an audacious, precision-timed bicycle kick. Palace keeper John Jackson stands, rooted to the spot, shaking his head. He knows

how good it is – the balletic technique is worthy of Rudolf Nureyev. With fist stabbed skywards twice, Law – snaring the last of his 18 club hat-tricks in a 5-3 win that day –clearly knows how good this one is.

There are clips of this goal elsewhere. Alongside one, a fan recollects his own youth spent in street games, always pretending to be Denis: except for the summer of 1970. That summer belonged to Brazil, World Cup winners, playing arguably the most stylish football the game has seen. “I went back to Denis as soon as the league season started,” the writer adds.

Law returned to City on a free transfer in July 1973. Now 33, the player for whom they had paid a British transfer-record £55,000 in 1960 was considered surplus to requirements by Old Trafford supremo Tommy Docherty. Law had the last laugh. Not that he enjoyed it. On derby day, 27 April 1974, doomed already by results elsewhere, United lost to Law’s late backheeled goal. Unwittingly, it was also his last in domestic football: that summer’s World Cup was the curtain call on a glittering career. Law didn’t score as the Scots exited the group stage unbeaten, holding the boys from Brazil, Pele and all, to a 0-0 draw.

Returning to Maine Road to find the ignominy of reserve-team football his likely fate, he hung up his boots. Among his 55 caps and a record 30-goal tally shared with Kenny Dalglish, his mostprized strike for his beloved Scotland came against the Auld Enemy in 1967, downing Alf Ramsey’s Boys of ’66 to become ‘unofficial World champions’.

Our flowers of Scotland have been bountiful, but few have blossomed with such beauty or grace. Games 404, goals 237; two nicknames, two statues. Narrow your eyes, and you’d swear you can see the one outside the Stretford End statue move. Long live the King.

24 February 1940, Aberdeen

Previous clubs: Huddersfield, Manchester City, Torino

United debut: 18 August 1963, United 2-2 West Bromwich Albion (scored)

Reds career: Season Games/goals

Title winner in 1964/65 and 1966/67 1963 FA Cup winner

Member of 1968 European Cupwinning team, though missed the final through injury

Third in United’s all-time goalscoring list with 237 goals

United club record holder for most goals in a single season: 46 in 1963/64

United club record holder for hat-tricks scored: 18

Fastest United player ever to 100 club goals: 110 games

Served as club captain European Footballer of the Year 1964

Tributes to Denis pile up by the Trinity statue

Ever-chirpy Denis was always an enormously popular figure at Old Trafford, long after his playing career had ended

sir MATT BUSBY LEGENDS ON

Surely the equal of anyone ever as judge of a player, Busby kenned something special in the young Scot well before he could finally make him a United player. Busby offered a huge £10,000 for a teenage Law when he was still a stripling at Huddersfield, gave him his Scotland debut, and finally bought him from Torino – for a record fee, something he fought to justify in the United boardroom –in 1962 when Law was aged 22. Busby’s assessment of Law speaks vividly of Denis’s prodigious gifts…

“I bought him for £115,000, the most expensive signing I ever made. On achievement he turned out to be the cheapest.

“Once he was with us I knew at first sight that we indeed had the most exciting player in the game. He was the quickest-thinking player I ever saw, seconds quicker than anyone else. He had the most tremendous acceleration. He leapt Olympian heights.

“He headed the ball with almost unbelievable accuracy and with the power of a shot. He had the courage to take on the biggest and most ferocious opponents. His passing was impeccable. He was one of the most unselfish players I have

seen. If he was not in the best position to score he would give it to someone who was. But when a chance was on for him, or a half- or a quarter-chance, or a chance that was no sort of chance at all for anybody else but him, whether he had his back to goal, was sideways on, or the ball was on the deck or shoulder-height, he would have it in the net with such power and acrobatic agility that colleagues and opponents alike could only stand and gasp. No other player scored as many miracle goals as Denis Law. Goals that looked simple as Denis tapped them in were simple only because he got himself into positions so quickly that opponents just could not cope with him.

“He was the first player to salaam or salute the crowd. To start with it was the imp in him. Early on at Old Trafford the multitudes cheered him and the few who did not recognise his fun as fun perhaps jeered him, though not for long. Because he soon became what the crowd called him – ‘The King’. And other scorers copied his salute, so that now the scorer of the flukiest goal of the season shoots an arm to the sky wherever football is played, on huge First Division grounds, on village greens, in streets where lamp-posts become goal-posts.” Sir Matt Busby

LAW

Who better for pure insight

on Denis Law than three legendary contemporaries, one who signed him and let him loose in the red shirt, and the two giant team-mates with whom he formed the hallowed ‘Trinity’…

BOBBY CHARLTON

Charlton was already well established at United when Law arrived, and quickly they forged the sort of partnership that players themselves – not to mention supporters, and managers – dream of. Denis loved Charlton’s crossing ability when on the wing, knowing his accurate and early balls would feed his runs to the near post. Bobby, likewise, just knew that Denis would be there so he didn’t have to think before whipping one in. And something the Lawman also loved about playing with Charlton was quick-wittedly snaffling the rebounds from his rocket shots after goalkeepers had spilled them!

“What the fans loved most about Denis Law, I believe, was his incredible aggression and self-belief. There were times when he seemed to define urgency on a football field – all that some of his most brilliant interventions lacked were puffs of smoke – and always there was the gleam in his eye, and the courage. They never made a big centre-half who could induce in Denis even a flicker of apprehension.

“There was a period around the mid-Sixties when Denis was free from injury, and then we saw the full scale of his brilliance. He was an awesome sight as he went into the dangerous places, daring a centre-half or a goalkeeper to blink. He got up to incredible heights and when he did so the defenders knew they couldn’t afford half a mistake. The semblance of a slip was all he needed. The ball would be in the back of the net and his arm would be shooting skywards.

“One result was that if I ever found space on the right or the left, I always knew precisely what I had to do. I had to get the ball to the near post; never the back one because Denis would not be there. If I could get the ball to the near post, Denis was guaranteed to sneak half a yard, and when it happened the result was inevitable.” Sir Bobby Charlton

GEORGE BEST

And what about George, the final prong in the trident, who joined the Trinity in 1964? Though Denis could be left frustrated by showman George’s love of holding onto the ball on the dribble so he could beat as many men as possible (often the same one more than once!), there was huge mutual admiration between the two virtuosos, and they linked up many, many times to deadly effect. And though they were in different age brackets when Best first emerged, the two – both intelligent and witty, with insightful opinions on football and beyond – became very close pals over the years…

“Denis Law was a magnificent footballer and he’s a tremendous human being. Certainly he was one of the most exciting performers I have ever played with or against, and I consider myself lucky to count him among the best, and most enduring, friends I made in the game. Denis offered the fans such fabulous value for money, and I understand completely why they loved him so much.” George Best

NEXT: DENIS AND THE FANS

WHAT MAKES DENIS ‘THE KING?’

Examining the special relationship that the ‘box of exploding fireworks’ shared with United supporters

Words Joe Ganley

Has any football team ever been more blessed than Manchester United were in the 1960s? There’s a pub debate for you and your pals to get stuck into, the next time you’re a few drinks deep.

But once George Best joined Denis Law and Bobby Charlton in Matt Busby’s XI for the first time, in January 1964, the Reds could boast three players who would each claim the prestigious European Footballer of the Year award (now the Ballon d’Or) before the decade was out.

All three were hugely popular; icons not just of our club, but the world game. It has

HE CHANGED EVERYTHING

Roy Cavanagh: “In my opinion, having watched United for 70 years, he’s one of the two most significant signings we’ve ever made. The other one would be Cantona, and they both had similarities: they changed the team, they changed the fans massively, and they stamped their presence on the whole club. Don’t forget, in August 1962, 1958 was still in the memories of people. But when Denis came, he seemed to galvanise the fans, because they could look on him as a genuine hero. He lifted us and you just thought: ‘We’re going to do something – we’ve got Denis Law.’ He was the catalyst.”

Damian Ganley: “I would agree; I would put him in the Cantona category. He had this presence and these mannerisms that marked him out as different. He had that something beyond being a footballer. An iconic figure. He was, in the parlance of the day, a character.”

Ade Keenan: “It was still a difficult time with Matt Busby and Jimmy Murphy rebuilding the team after the tragedy of Munich. Then, in 1962, Denis signed and lifted those dark clouds. I constantly nagged at my dad to take me across the Pennines to see Denis play. So both Denis and I made our Old Trafford debut against West Brom! It only took Denis about six minutes to open his account and I was smitten.”

ROY CAVANAGH

DAMIAN GANLEY

ADE KEENAN

One of the tremendously athletic Law’s famously towering leaps to get a header in

‘A BOX OF EXPLODING FIREWORKS’

AK: “From then on, I used to travel to Old Trafford early on a Saturday morning to make sure that I was right behind the goal at the Stretford End so that I didn’t miss one of Denis’s spectacular goals. He was like a box of exploding fireworks. Everything seemed to happen when he got the ball.”

DG: “His manner of playing was explosive. When the ball came to him in the area, he had this quickness and sharpness. He wasn’t a guy that thought about what he was going to do; he just did it, like the shooting of a gun.”

RC: “He exuded this presence as he walked on the pitch. Cocky arrogance, but in a nice way. You thought: ‘Wow.’ He could score goals of all types: he could flick it over the goalkeeper, his heading was magnificent, and he scored from 20 yards – so he had this whole panoply of goals in him.”

DG: “I remember one game, we were sat in the little stand at the back of the Stretford End, and the ball came to him in the six-yard box. He had one defender right up his backside, and I remember his arms going like pistons into this defender, to push or hold him off. He swivelled round and had the ball in the net in an instant. It all happened in a flash. He was also the first person in my consciousness that

I associated with an overhead kick. He did that numerous times. And he had this amazing ability to leap and hang in the air. His neck muscles could generate a lot of pace on the ball by swivelling his neck really fast before making a connection.”

FOOTBALL’S FIRST POP STAR

RC: “This sounds silly, but his hair just looked… different. Properly combed. Styled, that’s the word! The shirt on him looked, to me, at 15, as if it was made just for him.”

DG: “Match of the Day came in just when Law was hitting his peak for United, and his

Denis takes a retaliatory swing at big Ian Ure in 1967 – he misses, but they both end up being sent off

image went beyond football. Even kids who weren’t that into football still copied him. A lot of Rod Stewart’s mannerisms were copied from Denis Law! Denis was his big idol. I think he said his two idols were Denis Law and Sam Cooke.”

RC: “You wouldn’t find anybody who would have a bad word for him: he was you, but how you wanted to be!”

DG: “People always talk about George Best as the first pop-star footballer, but I would say Denis was before that. Denis was a football star just as the Beatles were starting. Best came really big on the scene with the win against Benfica in Lisbon in ’66. But I’d say during the period from ’63-’66, Law was the number one idol of kids. People in the playground used to copy the celebration – the one finger in the air – a bit like Cantona later, with his collar up.”

AK: “Whatever position I played as an amateur, I wore no.10, holding my right cuff like Denis!”

THE RED REBEL

AK: “Bobby was a Rolls-Royce of a player. He purred in performance. Georgie was like a sports car, weaving in and out at great pace. Denis was like a fairground ride; he had that steel in him. Never give in, never be beaten. Like a dodgem car, he’d retaliate head-on if provoked… every time!”

DG: “He knew how to look after himself. I was 10, 11 and 12 when Denis was at his peak, but if you were a teenager, I’m sure he was your idol, more so than Best. Football was a lot more physical then and defenders could tackle players right through from behind. Denis wasn’t big or burly like Hughes or Rooney, but he kicked and elbowed a few in his

time. There was a famous game against Arsenal, who had Ian Ure, who actually played for United later on. Another Scot. He and Denis had a fighting match for literally the whole game! They both got sent off!”

RC: “I was right there when he belted Ian Ure. Ure was built like a brick outhouse and six-foot-two. Denis was… I nearly used the phrase ‘waif-like’, but that’s not fair. But he wasn’t stocky. Though he never took any nonsense.”

DG: “Every team had a hard man then: Leeds had Bremner, Giles was really tough; Liverpool had Tommy Smith; Spurs had Dave Mackay. But Denis wouldn’t be intimidated at all.”

AK: “Bobby and Georgie took some stick, but Denis would give it back. I remember him tackling Peter Thompson of Liverpool at Old Trafford – Denis sent him over the white line and through the corner flag! He was full of mischief!”

UNITED’S GREATEST?

DG: “I’d say he was quite similar to Van Nistelrooy in many respects, in terms of sharpness in front of goal, knowing exactly what you had to do at any point. But more explosive than Van Nistelrooy, and more of a pop-star footballer. As an out-and-out goalscorer, I would say he’s probably the best United have had in the penalty area and six-yard box. He just came alive.”

“What’s often forgotten is that he had a fantastic football brain. He was quoted as saying that he would have made an outstanding midfielder, but if you’ve got a goalscorer like that, you want him in the box. There were so many memorable goals, and there was not a type of goal that he couldn’t score. He looked the part, he was the part, and he will be forever remembered as a true Manchester United great.”

SIR ALEX “DENIS TURNED FOOTBALL INTO THEATRE”

“He typified my idea of a Scottish footballer: he was dashing; he was mischievous; he was everything I wanted to be. He was pure theatre. I think it was Pele who said Denis was the only British player who could get into the Brazilian team, and that says it all. There are not a lot of years between Denis and myself, but I list him as one of my heroes.”

‘Maybe it’s because I’m from Manchester, that I love United so, Maybe it’s because I’m from Manchester, that I follow them wherever they go, I get a funny feeling inside of me, when I see George Best score, Maybe it’s because I’m from Manchester, where the king is Denis Law’ Terrace song to the tune of Maybe It’s Because I’m A Londoner

Law could score every type of goal, and was a pioneer of the overhead kick

Sir Alex with his ‘hero’, the great Denis Law

NEXT: DENIS IN COLOUR

PRIME COLOURS

The story behind our tinted images of Denis – and a brush with the man himself

Some of the images you see in this Denis Law tribute section – and the shot on the front cover – have been enhanced through colourisation, becoming reborn as colour pictures having originally been taken in black and white. That intricate work was done by Andy Imrie (pictured inset right) originally for the club book Old Manchester United in Colour – and in the case of the cover image, especially for this special edition of Inside United Andy (@andythephotodr on X and Facebook) is himself a Scot, and – like so many individuals – has his own warm story of a close encounter with the great and charismatic Denis.

“I was asked to do an image in colour for the Denis Law Legacy Trust, as they had seen some of the colourised stuff I did on social media,” recounts Andy. “For my time on that job, all I asked was whether it be possible to get a signature of the great man. And I was given a lovely signed photo with a personalised message from Denis, thanking me.

“By the time I was into

football Denis was a pundit and he was characterised in the famous Scottish football comedy show Only an Excuse, where the fabulous Jonathan Watson had this over-the-top impression of Denis and the way he spoke. It was all done out of love and respect, and Denis was happy to be part of the fun.

“It was folks like my older brothers and my football-daft granny who would tell me just what a fabulous footballer Denis was when he was in his prime, and he was way more than just a pundit or this character on a comedy show. I suppose it is some of the joy for me when I colourise these players in their prime, at the height of their powers, that people are reminded of that, and that they were not always old men – I think the colour helps emphasise that.

“It was such a joy for me just to have that wee bit of contact from a legend and I have the signed photo from him to cherish.”

Denis Law and the signature that means so much to colour artist and admirer Andy

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TRUE TO HIS WORD

Denis Law was a man of natural charisma, someone with a strong sense of self and ever-ready with something to say – usually insightful, often funny, regularly self-deprecating and always authentic. To have been in his company was to have taken a true measure of his wit and wisdom –but here we offer a sample of Denis’s own words on himself and his career…

“As a growing youngster in Scotland, I looked anything but a future professional sportsman. Small, skinny and bespectacled with a dreadful squint, it is a wonder my fisherman father did not throw me straight back into the North Sea.”

On his early days in Aberdeen

“As early as I can remember I was kicking a football about, and with three older brothers there was usually someone to play with. There was no football heritage in the family at all. In those days in Aberdeen, youngsters just didn’t dream of becoming a footballer, unlike today.”

On the start of a journey down an unlikely career path

“Football was my life and I suppose I always did play as if my life depended on it.”

His competitive spirit was there from the start

“I hated being called Cock-Eye by the other kids, so much so that to play football I took my glasses off, closed my right eye and played with the view afforded by my left. Mind, if anyone threw that name at me then I’d kick them. You had to stand up for yourself, and the fact that I had the squint made me battle that bit harder.”

On the childhood trouble with his eye… and how it helped toughen him

“It was a tremendous thrill to know that Huddersfield were interested. Up to that moment I had never considered playing football as a future occupation, but now things were beginning to change in my mind. I did not think that Huddersfield would be very impressed when they saw me. I looked more like a drowned chicken than a would-be professional sportsman, but I was determined to do my best to show what I could do.”

His first inkling of a life playing football, when Huddersfield came calling

“The first time [landlady] Mrs Clarke saw me, she shook her head and said: ‘Meat pudding wouldn’t do you any harm, my lad!’ She made it her personal crusade to fatten me up, and I worked up a good appetite to satisfy her ambitions as a groundstaff boy at Huddersfield.”

Surprise and delight at the mountains of food he suddenly had access to!

“The first time I ever attended a game at Old Trafford, after the Munich air crash in 1958, it was more of a pilgrimage than just going to watch a football match. I made the journey from my digs in Huddersfield and paid eight times the value of the ticket – the one and only time in my life I paid black-market prices.”

On his first ever experience of M16: the legendary post-Munich win over Sheffield Wednesday

“I was not easy to live with. I am the first to admit that fact. I had already earned a reputation for being extremely quick to flare up and quite often happy to enter into a punch-up at the drop of a hat.”

A fiery nature and fierce independence was evident both at Huddersfield and then at Manchester City

“I’m happy to admit I went to Italy for the money. It didn’t work out, but I would do it again. I did a lot of growing up while I was there, which stood me in good stead. The nature of the football made me grow up quickly too. It was the dirtiest football I had ever been involved in and it was a shock to someone who thought he could handle himself. I’m convinced that those of us who had played in Italy could look after ourselves much better, not only in terms of how to ride a tackle, but also how to ride a punch.”

On the pros and cons of a shock move to Torino at 21

“I would not go as far as saying that it was a mistake because it was certainly an experience that must have been of some benefit to me in my life but, as adventures go, I don’t think it rates as highly as bungeejumping without the elastic.”

Assessing his time in Italy in a more caustic mood!

“If somebody kicks you, then you kick ’em back. You have to stand up for yourself otherwise they’ll bully you forever.”

For Denis, ‘a maxim I’d grown up with’

Stylish young Denis in April 1962 – a Torino player at the time, but not too long from finally becoming a Manchester United man

“I loved the clothes and the food, and in no time at all a typical pint-of-lager lad from Aberdeen was turned on to wine. As a result, when I returned to England in 1962 and started asking for Pinot Noir or Chianti, everyone looked at me as if I was mad.”

On a personal cultural awakening in Italy

“I had always had a feeling that one day I would join United. I know that is easy to say in hindsight, but even in my days at Maine Road it always seemed just a matter of time before I would be pulling on that famous red shirt at Old Trafford.”

Destiny seemed to pull Denis to United, and Matt Busby had tried to sign him long before he eventually did

“When I was asked if I would like to join the club I said ‘yes’ almost as quickly and emphatically as I did on the day that I was married.”

When Busby asked Law to join United and escape from Torino

“I knew Matt from my Scotland games, and for me it was inevitable that I was going to sign for him one day. United was the club I had always dreamed of playing for. I would have walked from Aberdeen to sign that contract.”

Even though it was a prolonged and messy transfer, Denis’s mind was not for changing

“I was overjoyed to be working for someone I trusted and respected [Busby], and delighted to be back in Manchester where I had loads of friends. Also, it was important that I had been bought to play attacking football – the sort I loved.”

Delighted with his move to United

“I was only 22, and the manager saw me as one of the building blocks of a new Old Trafford generation. I felt I had become part of something special at Old Trafford – and I was right.”

You certainly were, Denis…

“I was thrilled to bits and raised an arm in salute to the fans. Someone took a photo of that and it was so well used in the newspapers that it became a kind of trademark. I did not do it on purpose every time I scored, it was just an instinctive reaction.”

Denis on his celebration, first acted out after a goal on his Reds debut

“I clutched my medal from the moment I received it to the time I went to sleep. It was the first medal that I had ever won as a professional footballer and it was a great souvenir of a dream day.”

That 1963 final meant an awful lot

“I will always remember the roar that met the team as we emerged from the tunnel. It was a roar that I was to hear so often and yet never take for granted.”

Emerging

into the Old Trafford cauldron never lost its thrill

“Before a game, I liked to stretch out on a bench [in the dressing room] and go to sleep. I didn’t want to stuff my head full of tactics. The way I saw it, we were like gladiators waiting to meet the lions. We were going out to do battle.”

Denis Law did everything his way – including pre-match prep

“Playing in that final was undoubtedly special. I know it’s a bit clichéd, but it was a dream to be at Wembley for the showpiece of the season. I would have paid to play.”

On ending a dream debut campaign with victory – and a goal – in the 1963 FA Cup final

Ball in the net, arm in the air – Denis was the first to do it

“Half a dozen stitches were holding the [knee] wound together. I was about to hobble home after treatment when Matt Busby stopped me and said: ‘Where are you going?’ They strapped me up, I played and the night could not have gone better. The stitches stayed intact and I scored two goals in a 3-1 win. I’m grateful for Matt’s intervention because it proved to be the victory that won us the league. The joy at Old Trafford was unconfined; it was, after all, only seven years after Munich.”

On a key contribution against Arsenal to clinch the 1964/65 First Division title

“You can become addicted to winning the championship. When you have done it once you want to do it again, and again.”

After that title, Denis wanted more…

“The tradition behind the award was what thrilled me most. It had only begun in 1956 when Stanley Matthews won it; after that came Alfredo Di Stefano (twice), Raymond Kopa, Luis Suarez, Omar Sivori, Josef Masopust and, the year before me, Lev Yashin. It has retained its prestigious status in the years since I won it. Talk about a who’s who of fine players; I feel genuinely honoured to be among them.”

On becoming – and remaining – Scotland’s first and only Ballon d’Or winner in 1964

“It had been a great season. I don’t know which had given me the most pleasure, winning the title again or playing in the Scotland side which beat England at Wembley a month or so earlier.”

And he duly won another championship in 1966/67 – and hit the heights with his beloved Scotland

“Sometimes the work of a frontman has to be done in the blink of an eye. There’s no stopping to ponder what might be best, just instant reflex reaction… instinct is all-important.”

Denis gets to the nub of his penalty-box brilliance

“It was one of the most emotionally mixed-up years that I have ever experienced. On the one hand I was filled with the sheer delight of United’s triumph, but on the other I was utterly devastated that injury prevented me from being there on that great night at Wembley when the European Cup was conquered.”

On 1968 and missing the European Cup final through injury

“I’m not a great watcher of football, certainly not when I was playing, but this was different. This was the European Cup final, and all the nurses at St Joseph’s were Manchester United supporters. A few of my pals came in too, and along with the nurses we watched the match in my room and got bladdered on a case of McEwan’s. It was a great, emotional night for everyone. The cheers were mixed with tears as Matt Busby lifted aloft the European Cup.” He did manage something of a party from his hospital bed, nonetheless!

European Footballer of the Year 1964 – some accolade

“I tried running freezing cold water on the knee for long periods at a time and I can honestly say that, throughout the 1967/68 season, I spent more time in our bathroom than any other room in the house. It had become my own personal medical room and I was sick of the sight of it. I was acquainted with every tile in the place and I was beginning to call the bath-taps by their first names.”

Knee trouble had been a constant menace, and grew worse as time went on

“I would have been keen to stay at Manchester United for the rest of my life if only I was given the chance. I had no intention of becoming a manager but the idea of coaching appealed to me.”

Things might have ended differently had Tommy Docherty carried through on an offer to introduce Denis into the United coaching staff

“I played for Manchester United for around 10 years. I played alongside and against world-class footballers and sampled the unique joy of having a great relationship with the magnificent Manchester United supporters. I served under the greatest manager of all time, Sir Matt Busby, and I enjoyed wonderful experiences virtually every single day of my life at Old Trafford.”

Denis sums up his Reds career – not bad going at all

“There is nothing like football. Whether you are playing for your country in front of millions of television viewers and being paid a fortune to do so, or whether you are putting your hands in your pockets and paying to play in your local park or to watch a game, please never lose sight of the fact that this game of ours is supposed to be a game of pleasure. Just enjoy yourself – I have.”

Timeless wisdom from a football immortal

“United fans have always been absolutely brilliant to me personally. Even when I left the club and became a Manchester City player for a season they turned up in their thousands for my testimonial early on in the 1973/74 season. The fans could easily have turned their backs on me once I had stopped wearing the red of United and pulled on the blue of City – but they didn’t.”

The fans loved Denis – he loved them back

“I stuck out a heel. The ball flew into the corner of the net. The rest of the City team dived on me, but I didn’t celebrate. I was feeling sick, wondering what I had done. I was totally depressed, wishing the ball had gone wide.”

On his infamous goal against United on the day of the Reds’ 1974 relegation to Division Two

“I was lucky enough to have a fabulous relationship with the Stretford End, and it was a relationship I treasured.”

More on his magical bond with the Old Trafford faithful

“If anybody told me that one day there would be a statue of Bobby, Bestie and myself outside Old Trafford, I’d have thought they were bonkers.”

Denis is in fact the only man favoured with two statues at Old Trafford…

“I am not the sort of person who readily dwells on the past but occasionally I will look back, and then I realise just how lucky I have been. I escaped life on the trawlers simply because I could kick a football better than other people.”

A moment of reflection

Denis will be missed, and loved, always

Players The

“We are honestly always together. We give confidence to each other to try to keep this team spirit, it’s important”

Kicking off with a big exclusive interview with Leny Yoro, this section also includes two new signings, two young pals going back to school together – and two penalty-saving goalkeepers...

Leny Yoro

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW!

READ IT FIRST AND IN FULL HERE

STRIDE TAKING IT IN HIS

LENY YORO couldn’t have come into the United team during a more testing period. But amid the challenges, the teenager has kept calm and carried on in impressive style…

Interview Mikey Partington

Talk about the proverbial baptism of fire. For all the waiting Leny Yoro had to do in order to start his United career proper, once it began it was full-on. His injury in late-July – against Arsenal in Los Angeles on the pre-season tour of the USA, just his second taste of friendly action shortly after signing from Lille – meant that it wasn’t until over four months later that he took to the pitch in earnest with a United shirt on his back.

That was, in a neat piece of symmetry, also against Arsenal, at the Emirates in early December. Not the easiest place to make your competitive debut. Leny was soon to experience the Etihad Stadium for a first Manchester derby (a joyful occasion), plus an away trip to Tottenham Hotspur

(not so much). He began 2025 with a visit to Anfield to continue his whistlestop tour of our most hostile away territories, and was back in north London to face the Gunners again soon after (complete with a high-pressure penalty shoot-out, in which Leny put his hand up for his first ever professional penalty).

It meant that in his first nine appearances for the Reds, in not much more than a month, five of his opponents read: Arsenal (a), Manchester City (a), Tottenham Hotspur (a), Liverpool (a), Arsenal (a).

Couple that granite run with a slump in United form over Christmas, especially at Old Trafford – not to mention the fact that Leny, while still fresh to the club, had a new manager to relate to after Ruben Amorim’s

“That was the... I won’t say the best 10 minutes of my life, but it was really good! I’d just come on, we got the penalty and then Amad scored”

appointment in the stead of the man who had signed him, Erik ten Hag – and you can sum up the start Yoro was dealt as a United player as… ‘challenging’.

But, likewise, what an extraordinary learning experience for a 19-year-old being introduced to a new country, new league and new club. Being plunged into the fire as he has, no doubt the young Frenchman is being forged strong and to last.

Inside United had the opportunity to catch up with Leny in January for an exclusive interview, and we were eager to talk football. After all, the last time Leny had spoken to club media he had been in

the latter stages of his injury recovery and hadn’t yet set foot on a pitch competitively for the Reds. This time he had 11 senior games and counting to his name – so we began at the start, with that patiently awaited United debut against Arsenal…

Leny, last time you spoke with us you hadn’t yet played your first game for United. Now you’ve got matches under your belt after your debut at Arsenal in December. How did it feel to finally have that moment after a long process?

Like you say, it was really long for me, and to return in this game against Arsenal, I was

really happy. Of course, it was difficult for me to wait all of this time off the pitch, but now I’m good.

When you’ve finally got on the pitch, how did the feeling compare to what you imagined it would be like?

I’d say this is a big feeling. It was a big game against Arsenal, so for my first game this was very good. For me it was a big feeling, very proud, and my first game in the Premier League.

You’d worn the United shirt against Arsenal in pre-season, so it was almost like coming full circle when you finally got on the pitch against them competitively…

Yeah, that’s true. I’d got injured against them and I came back against them. Life is like this.

Not long after that we had the derby against Manchester City. In the build-up to that fixture, did you hear about how big that derby game was, and what were your expectations of the game?

Making his comeback from injury against Arsenal was fitting after a pre-season setback against the same opponents

There are a lot of games in the year but the derby is different – in the week leading up to the game, the fans, the feeling you have. You can feel this is a big game, a big derby, and you need to win.

You came off the bench in that game, and you were waiting on the sidelines for quite a bit to come on. How were you feeling? It was very cold, but yeah, I was just waiting to come on. We won, so it was good.

When you came on it was 1-0 to City. What do you remember of those next 10 minutes or so, with the penalty equaliser and Amad’s winner?

That was the… I won’t say the best 10 minutes of my life, but it was really good! I’d just come on, we got the penalty and then Amad scored, and the feeling with the fans was really good.

What is Amad like as a team-mate?

Amad is a little bit shy, but when you know him really well – I can speak French with him, so for me it’s good – he is a really good guy, really humble and a hard worker. It’s always good to have a team-mate like this.

The fact that you can both speak French must have helped you to connect, and you’re a similar age as well… Yeah, he has three years more than me, we stay a lot together and speak, so it’s good.

rivals

A couple of weeks later you were involved in another big rivalry, playing Liverpool at Anfield. Your great recovery tackle on Darwin Nunez really blew up on social media – can you talk us through your recollection of that moment, and the sprint back you made to make the tackle?

Yeah, for me it happened really quick and you don’t think too much in this case. We had the corner so the coach asks us always to return really quick, as fast as we can. And yeah, all the team just returned and I saw Darwin Nunez in front of me. I ran really quick so it was easier for me to slide on the floor and tackle him. In this case you don’t think, you just tackle.

Is there any fear that if you get that tackle wrong by even a split-second it’s probably a penalty and a chance for Liverpool to win the game?

Yeah, honestly, I was a little bit scared that the ref would give a penalty. But I touched the ball so it was okay.

For strikers it can be massive if they score a goal, for their confidence – for defenders, does a big tackle have a similar impact?

For defenders, of course. When you score you go to celebrate, but in this case you save a goal for your team. The feeling is really good.

Did that give you confidence, as being out injured for a while can sometimes knock you back?

This type of action gives you confidence. When you return from being injured you

you get your confidence and build your game up again.

Then later against Arsenal in the FA Cup, did you volunteer to take a penalty when the game went to a shoot-out?

The coach asked if I wanted to shoot and I said yes, because why not? I’ve never shot a penalty in my life professionally, so I wanted to try. And it went well, so that’s good.

Had you practised much?

Yeah, in training before an FA Cup game we shoot penalties. So I was a little bit confident. But without the pressure it’s not the same in training. It’s just a question

of choosing a good side and putting the ball in.

There were 8,000 United fans in the stand behind the goal –have you ever felt a pressure like that before?

Honestly, I wasn’t under too much pressure, as for me a penalty is down to a little bit of chance. Choosing a good side, for me I take the ball and if I score it’s good.

You’ve already played at the Emirates, the Etihad and Anfield. How much impact have those experiences had, and how much have you learned from them already in your United career so far?

These are big stadiums, I think every player wants to play here and it’s a big atmosphere against big teams. This gives you a lot of experience in the Premier League and this is why, to play these types of games, that you come to the Prem. For me it’s really good to play these types of games, for my experience in the long term.

In your first interview with the club, you described England as ‘the country of football’. In terms of the atmospheres you’ve experienced since then, how has it lived up to what you’d expected?

This is what I expected, all the fans standing up and not sitting, they all scream and shout. The fans are 100 per cent in the game together and this is the best thing here.

The fearlessness of youth meant Yoro was happy to step up to take a penalty at a crucial time in the FA Cup tie at Arsenal

A big tackle on Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez went down a storm with fans

Let’s talk about some of your teammates and the head coach. First of all, Ruben Amorim – what have your first impressions of the coach been and what’s your relationship like with him? I spoke with him when he came to the club. This is a very good coach who likes to speak with the players and really likes to have a good relationship with the players. He understands us a lot because he was a player before, so he knows a lot about what it’s like, the feelings you can have when you play or don’t play, and when you have a bad game. He knows how to manage this and I think this is the most important; tactically this is top. We don’t have too much training time to learn everything but he tries to give us everything before the game to be 100 per cent the best version of the team.

How important is his communication, as it’s one of his skills that people have spoken about? Is he good at getting his messages out?

He is focused on having a relationship with players. With him we have a good relationship; if it is a difficult moment for us we stay together. This is the most important for us. We know he is with us and we are with him, so it’s good.

What kind of messages has he given you so far?

The first impression was good, this is a coach who pushes the team every day. He is always pushing 100 per cent to be the best version and this is good.

Ruben said when describing you: “He is really fast, a modern defender, and that is good when you want to press high and leave strikers one against one.”

That must be good to hear?

Of course, it is good for me. This is a good impression and I need to do what he says on the pitch. I am confident with this. Maybe I am not 100 per cent of my capability but I know with time and experience I will be.

Are the younger guys in the squad the ones you hang out with and talk to the most?

Of course, we stay most of the time together. All of the team have a good relationship and speak together, but I stay most of the time with them, speaking about the game and things outside of football. It is important.

Do you sit near them in the dressing room?

Yeah, we eat together and stay together in the dressing room.

Andre Onana is another French speaker – what’s he like?

He has a big personality but as a team-mate he is really good, he is a chilled guy. I speak a lot with him, and Amad, when we eat we speak about football and his experience because he has had a big career.

How is your relationship building out on the pitch?

On the pitch, we have a good relationship. The defenders and the goalkeeper is maybe the most important relationship on the pitch. So we need to give each other a lot of confidence to always, even if you make a mistake, help your team-mates stay in the game.

You’re also building relationships with fellow defenders such as Harry Maguire and Matthijs De Ligt. How much are you learning from those senior players?

They are all experienced guys with a lot of games. It is always good to have team-mates like these to look up to and see how they manage the games and the training. Even outside of this, in the gym and for recuperation, I always look at the experienced guys.

What do you admire about Harry and Matthijs, as characters and in their performances on the pitch? They are big characters. It’s always important on the pitch to have players like this to give advice to team-mates.

“In training before an FA Cup game we shoot penalties. So I was a little bit confident. But without the pressure it’s not the same. It’s just a question of choosing a side and putting the ball in”

Leny’s attributes make him a great ‘modern defender’ according to his manager

Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans are senior figures who are composed, calm centre-backs. Have you picked things up from them?

Like I said, these are experienced guys who have played a lot of times for United, and they know how to manage Old Trafford and the games. It is always good to speak with them and learn more about the club, and about how to be every day.

And another centre-back in Lisandro Martinez; what’s he like as a team-mate and character?

He is like the guys who fight for the club, who are really ready to win the games and not be scared to play.

Team spirit and togetherness is clear in this team. How have you found this? When you are in a difficult situation, like we are to be honest, it is always good to keep this team spirit, and I think we are honestly always together. We give confidence to each other to try to keep this team spirit, and it’s important to the team to keep trying to be like this.

What is it that you are most concentrating on, now and going forward this season?

The target of the team now is to win games, go higher in the table, try to stay together. For me individually it is just to help the team to be the best on the pitch. We try our best every game.

“I chill out, stay at home”

We ask Leny some quickfire questions about his life away from the training ground and matchdays. He’s a laidback lad – happy to be at home relaxing with a TV series…

How are you settling in on and off the pitch?

Everything off the pitch is good. I try to keep a good circle around me with my friends and family. I’m just trying to live life and be happy every day, to keep my circle good.

What does a normal day off look like for you?

A day off, I try to sleep well and have a good recovery. My physio comes to my home to do some recovery stuff and work with me. After this I just chill out, play video games, watch movies, stay at home with my girlfriend and my dog. I don’t go outside, I just stay at home.

What about family? You have three brothers. Do you stay in contact?

“When you are in a difficult situation it is always good to keep this team spirit, and I think we are honestly always together. We give confidence to each other to try to keep this team spirit”

I stay in contact every day and they try to come when there are holidays. For my brothers it is not easy with school but when they can they try to come. I was there for Christmas and when I have a day off I try to go to them sometimes,

For them is it cool to have a brother who plays for Manchester United?

Of course they are proud of me and I try to set a good example for my little brothers to follow.

Do you get to spend much time away from football with your team-mates?

Most of the time I stay at home but I sometimes go to chill with Kobbie.

Can you name your favourite food?

I like everything, but I do like African food.

We know another sport you like is basketball – have you chatted to Joshua Zirkzee, as he is also a fan?

We don’t talk too much about

it and it’s difficult to watch the games because it’s late in the night. But yeah, maybe one day we can watch or play together. I watch for the show of the NBA, I don’t have a particular team.

Are there any particular kinds of films you enjoy?

I’m more into series, I watch a lot of series and not too many movies. I like Peaky Blinders and series like Prison Break. It’s good for when we travel to have something to watch.

Are you someone who likes to do a lot of shopping?

Most of the time I do it online, it’s easier for me.

Do you feel the love from United supporters, who really seem to have taken to you?

Yes, of course. You can feel the love of the fans in the stadium and on social media, even on the street.

Team spirit is key to succeeding and Leny believes the bond between his team-mates is strong

“I BRING INTENSITY AND ENERGY” Patrick Dorgu

As we welcome PATRICK DORGU to the club, read the adaptable left-footed Dane’s opening interview, conducted when he signed on the dotted line as a Red…

Patrick, welcome to the Manchester United family. How does it feel?

It feels amazing to be part of the family. I’m very excited to get going.

You grew up in Denmark and Manchester United have a huge following across Scandinavia, so you must have heard about the incredible support for the Reds over there…

I have heard about the incredible support and I’m happy to be one of the players of United now.

You are very young but you have had some huge landmarks in a short space of time. Nordsjaelland to Lecce, then you made your senior debut at 18 and you made your national team debut, and you’re officially a Manchester United player – so this is an exciting few years for you…

It’s been really quick and I’m really happy that everything has been going so fast. Hopefully it can continue this way.

How would you reflect on the time you spent at Lecce?

It’s been very, very good. I went from FCN [Nordsjaelland] to Lecce and I started at the academy, and I was lucky to play every game and we won the league. And then from there I just keep going and I got my debut very early.

Now you are here at Carrington Training Complex. Have you had a chance to catch up with Ruben Amorim?

Yeah, I just saw him quickly before I came here so it was nice to see him in person.

Are you looking forward to having time working with him?

I’ve heard only good stuff about him, so I look forward to working with him.

There are a couple of players that you know here already, Rasmus Hojlund and Christian Eriksen. How have you found them to train and play with?

I’m looking forward to playing with them.

I already played with them with the national team, so it’s going to be good to play with them here as well.

Speaking of that national team, we have to speak about your Denmark career so far. You scored within a minute of your debut, which must have been an incredible moment for you. How would you describe it? It was a surreal moment. My family was in the stands. It couldn’t have been much better.

What do you think of the group of players that we have here?

I think we have a great team and it’s very exciting to see the new project with Ruben, and I’m excited to be part of it.

People will be looking forward to you being a great addition to this team. What do you think your best qualities are that you’re going to bring? I think I’m going to bring a lot of intensity

“Patrick is a really exciting talent; his strong defensive and attacking attributes, adaptability and work-rate will make him a key part of Ruben Amorim’s squad. Patrick has had a superb start to his career, and at the age of just 20, we know he will continue to develop under the guidance of our excellent coaching team. Patrick is the latest exciting young player that we have brought into the club. We believe that each of these talents has world-class potential and the ability to play a key role in achieving the success that everyone at Manchester United is striving for.”

Jason Wilcox

Manchester United technical director

and physique on the pitch, and a lot of energy and running.

Your chosen squad number is 13, why did you choose it?

I had it since I came to Lecce and I think it’s good to keep going with what’s going good. So I think, yeah, 13 is working really good for me at the moment.

Why did you choose to come to Manchester United?

Because it’s a huge club. It’s the biggest club in England. And I’m really looking forward to working with the new manager in Ruben. I feel the system suits me really well, so I’m excited to be here.

The coaches that you’ve worked with previously have been complimentary about your mentality and your focus. How important is that to you?

For me, it’s the most important thing because there’s a lot of talk around football and you really need to be strong outside of football as well. And when I’ve been in Italy, I’ve lived alone – of course, my family is visiting me a lot, but you need to be really good mentally to stay focused and concentrated on football.

If people don’t know, you’ve got a pretty sporty family. Your brothers are both footballers and your sister is a handballer – how thankful are you to your parents for supporting all of you throughout your careers in sport?

It’s amazing that our family is supporting all of us, and it’s a very nice feeling for them to be here with me, I love them so much. So it’s a great feeling for all of us that we are a sporty family.

We’ve got a few months of the season left, what do you want us to achieve in that time?

We’re still in cup competitions so to win the cup games, and of course to win as many Premier League games as possible.

Finally, Patrick, what are your ambitions over the next few years?

Just to play a lot of games and to be a great part of the United family, and just to keep pushing and improve my potential.

Patrick Dorgu

• Born 26 October 2004, Copenhagen, Denmark (20 years old)

• As a youngster he was in the youth system of Danish club Nordsjaelland

• Then moved to Italian side Lecce in 2022, beginning in their academy

• Made his professional debut for Lecce in the Coppa Italia in August 2023 against Como, aged 18, and his Serie A debut against Lazio the same month

• Finished the 2023/24 season with a total of 34 senior appearances to his name, plus a couple of goals

• Made his full Denmark international debut in September 2024, dramatically scoring with his first touch soon after coming on against Switzerland. Has four caps and one goal to date for Denmark, where he is a team-mate of Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund

• Had made another 23 appearances in 2024/25 for Lecce, and added three more goals to his tally, before the January switch to United

Patrick can’t wait to work with Ruben Amorim and the United squad

Patrick promises intensity, physicality, energy and running

Jason Wilcox is sure the club have made a smart acquisition

“I’LL

BE GIVING EVERYTHING” Ayden Heaven

Also joining the Reds first team during the January transfer window was AYDEN HEAVEN, the young centre-back who has signed from Arsenal…

“We are delighted that Ayden has joined Manchester United. He is already an extremely talented defender who is ready to join our first-team squad in order to maximise his development. This club has a phenomenal track record of supporting young players and we believe that Ayden is in the perfect place to reach his excellent potential.”

Jason Wilcox Manchester United technical director

“I am incredibly proud to join Manchester United. I’m grateful to everyone who helped make this dream a reality. There is so much that I want to achieve in the game, I’ll be giving everything to continue my development and become the best player that I can be.”

Ayden Heaven

ayden heaven

• Born 22 September 2006, Enfield, London (18 years old)

• Began his football journey as a child in the West Ham youth system, before joining the Arsenal academy

• Part of the Arsenal first-team squad during 2024/25, being named as a substitute in the Premier League (including against United at the Emirates in December) and in the Champions League

• Made his senior professional debut for the Gunners against Preston in the Carabao Cup in October

• Ayden is an England Under-19 international

Ayden was in an Arsenal squad that faced United earlier in the season

CLASS

OF THEIR OWN

Two of our brightest young stars AMAD and ALEJANDRO GARNACHO recently took time out to visit one of the schools supported by Manchester United Foundation, in Moss Side. Inside United was with them for a special afternoon…

Words Harry Robinson

“They are so funny,” Alejandro Garnacho says to Amad as they walk away from a group of giddy children. “Bro, these guys! They ask, are you real? Is it really you?”

It’s true. “I CAN’T STOP LOOKING AT THEM!” one youngster shouted to his classmate. That’s also true. When they come to take a group photo, Garnacho has to tell him: “Look at the camera, not at me.” He does, but only for a second, and then whips back round to stare.

“Are you actually Garnacho?” another says. “No, I’m his brother!” Alejandro jokes. “No, but are you actually him?”

Yes, he actually is, recent recipient of the Puskas Award, joined by Amad, who is reminded again and again by the kids of his most recent magic moment: “That hattrick against Southampton! That hat-trick!”

They smile and enjoy it. “I just remember when I was a kid and sometimes it’s good to spend time with kids and to make them happy,” reflects Amad. “So it’s a very nice day for me.”

They are here primarily to provide

special memories for these children, but also to present the Premier League’s ‘Community Captain’ award to Manchester United Foundation’s Nick Bradshaw for his long service and contribution to football and society. As always, the much-loved Bradshaw was thinking of the kids first when reviewing a memorable day for him.

“To see the kids outside and their reactions to the players coming down was brilliant,” Nick said. “They got to meet the players and do a bit of interviewing. It feels really good to be acknowledged for the work that you do, but I’m not the only person in the Foundation. We have a number of staff, so to be singled out it is good, I do appreciate it.

“I enjoy helping people. Being able to see them thrive with the opportunities that we give them, I get a real buzz from doing that. That’s why we do what we do. Yes, we have difficult times some days but that’s why we do it. The players recognising that is a bit special because football is the tool in engaging the kids in what we do.

“You see the kids turn around, one catches [sight of] them, then the rest, and their eyes just go as big as anything! Those things… they’ll be lasting memories for those kids. That’s something, that small part that we’ve played in creating those opportunities, that moment might change those kids’ lives.”

Nick gets Amad and Alejandro to join in a sports session. They play handball, switching teams and pitches, and clearly appreciate the role that Nick plays in these children’s lives.

“I think it’s important for the young kids to have a mentor, especially for their age,” Garnacho says. “They have to understand certain things are important in their life. For me, it was always my dad. He brought me every time when I was young to the training ground and he helped me with everything. He was always there with me.”

The two young Reds get a bit sweaty out in Mancunian drizzle before heading into the school for a Q&A with the kids, plus a chat with Inside United Read on for more…

FOOTBALL, FOOD AND FAVOURITES

Amad and Alejandro face the ultimate grilling… a class of schoolkids armed with all their own questions!

What was your favourite food when you were growing up?

Garnacho: Let me think because I like everything, you know, I can eat everything. When it’s a cold day, I like soup. And normally, I like pasta.

What is your favourite TV programme?

Amad: Right now I’m watching Squid Game but my favourite is Prison Break

What was it like when you both walked out at Old Trafford, for the first time?

Garnacho: I remember when I made my debut three seasons ago against Chelsea when I was 17 years old, I was so nervous. I’d never been like this, but it’s an incredible feeling to play at Old Trafford with these fans. Incredible.

Amad: The same for me. It’s an incredible feeling when you play for this big club Manchester United, you have to be proud and you have to always say thanks to God because not everyone can play here. The feeling is just unbelievable and I was so happy on the first day I was at Old Trafford.

Which team-mate’s hairstyle would you choose to have?

Garnacho: Maybe Kobbie. I like it.

What’s the best goal you have scored?

Garnacho: Of course the one against Everton – the bicycle kick!

Who is your best friend in the dressing room at the moment?

Amad: Everyone is my best friend but I spend more time with the young guys like Garna, Kobbie and Leny. So I can’t choose one, everyone is my best friend in the dressing room!

“When I made my debut against Chelsea when I was 17, I was so nervous. But it’s an incredible feeling to play at Old Trafford”

What is your favourite football memory?

Garnacho: When I scored my first professional goal, when Ronaldo made the assist for this [against Real Sociedad in November 2022]. It was incredible, it was not real, you know? This moment for me is the best.

Who inspired you to get into football?

Amad: For me, I would say Messi. I grew up watching Messi when I was a kid. I want to say also Drogba because he’s from my country, Cote D’Ivoire. But if I have to say just one player, I would say Messi. Garnacho: For me I would say if it’s a player, of course Messi or Ronaldo. But I would say also my dad because in my house, they always liked and watched football and when I was a kid, he always drove me to the training ground, waited for me and drove me home. He always helped me. Ronaldo and Messi, players like this, were always a big inspiration as well.

Do you have anything you always do before a game?

Garnacho: Yeah, I always try to do the same things. Nothing special, but, for example, the music or the way when I go to the game, I change the clothes every time at the same time, then the massage. There are the small things that I always try to do the same. I think it’s good for me.

Amad: Because I’m Muslim, I always pray before the game. I make dua [an Islamic prayer] to make sure everything can happen for us to win the game.

What is your secret skill to help you score a perfect goal?

Garnacho: It’s difficult, because it’s not like a secret. In the game it’s more difficult, you don’t know what the opponent is going to do! But I think my best part of the game is to run in behind, get closer to goal and it’ll be easier to score.

Amad: The same as Garna.

Amad had to engage brain power and leg power when he visited a school in Moss Side

Which memory makes you smile when you think about it?

Garnacho: Playing football!

Amad: I have a lot of good memories!

One of the memories is against Liverpool [his winning goal last season]. I can’t choose one, but one of the best ones is when I signed for this club.

What is your favourite goal of the season so far?

Garnacho: From every team or just Man United? [Every team!] The Casemiro goal against Leicester City. Top corner.

Amad: Mine is my goal against City. Right now, that’s my best goal of this season.

What was it like when you won the FA Youth Cup?

Garnacho: It was an incredible moment, winning the Youth Cup and playing the final at Old Trafford at 16 years old, and all the fans there supporting young players. It was incredible. I also won the FA Cup so it’s an incredible memory for me.

What was your favourite memory from when you were in school?

Garnacho: I wasn’t a big fan of school but I would say maths because I wasn’t good, but this was entertaining for me. I liked it. Amad: I don’t know! I was good in everything! [laughs]

“I have a lot of good memories –I can’t choose one, but one of the best is when I signed for this club”

Who are your top three managers?

Garnacho: Alex Ferguson. That’s it. That’s the one!

Amad: All time? First, Ferguson. Guardiola. I will say two.

What’s your favourite match?

Garnacho: For me, I think last season, the comeback at home against Aston Villa when I scored two goals.

Amad: Up until now for me, it’s against City. The derby.

How old were you when you started playing football?

Amad: I started very early, at the age of six or seven. I started when I was in Africa with my dad, I was so young.

Garnacho: Earlier for me, I think. Four or five, in the club of my town when I was

The children were amazed to have actual first-team players in their school

very, very young. I remember the first days I cried going to training, I said to my dad, ‘I don’t want to come back here.’ But he pushed me, he said you have to play football, you have to try, you will be good. That’s why I say thank you to him because he’s always pushed me to be the best.

If you could be anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?

Amad: This is a difficult one! I will be Messi because he’s won everything.

Garnacho: Okay, me Ronaldo!

Amad: Competition, eh?

If you could trade boots with any footballer in the world, who would it be?

Amad: Messi, again! I can’t choose anyone else.

Garnacho: Neymar, to choose another one.

Nick Bradshaw with his Community Captain award

“SOMOSMANCHESTER UNITED...”

We also caught up with the two star visitors for some extra tuition, starting with some language lessons…

Can you teach us a few words in Spanish and Italian? Alejandro, we’ll start with you – ‘great goal’ in Spanish?

Garnacho: Buen gol

Amad: Gran di golazzo

And ‘good game’?

Garnacho: Buen partido

Amad: Bella partita

And what about ‘fighting spirit’, we know it’s something big in Argentina?

Garnacho: Espirito luchador

Amad: Combattente

Who has the best fighting spirit in the squad?

Both: Licha!

Licha, both of you? Manu Ugarte?

Garnacho: Manu also, yes, but Licha I know very well.

In training as well?

Amad: Everywhere!

How about ‘forward’ or ‘winger’, your positions?

Garnacho: Delantero

Amad: Atacante

And finally, ‘We’re Man United and we’re never gonna stop?’

Garnacho: Somos Manchester United y no vamos a parar nunca

Amad: Siamo il Man United e non smettere mai

And the two of you, how much do you see each other outside of Carrington and training?

Garnacho: Sometimes I drive him after the games, when we came in late on the plane or after training. We went sometimes for dinner, not too much. We are chilled guys at home.

We’re in a school a little bit like the one that Kobbie went to, somewhere near here in Manchester. But the fact that you are all brought together as young guys through football, from Spain and an Argentinian family, from Italy and the Ivory Coast, and Kobbie from here. Do you think about these friendships that are only because of United – it’s cool, isn’t it?

Amad: Of course. We are all friends, we play in the same team and we are just young players. And outside of the pitch we are every time together, we go

“I think Garna has the potential to be one of the best players in football”

to dinner together sometimes, so we are really happy to play for this club and to spend time sometimes together also.

And Leny Yoro is the latest young player to join; have you given him some advice on United and Manchester?

Garnacho: Yeah, Leny is also with us. We are always together after training, before training when we go to breakfast, after training at the gym. Of course in the changing room we are all good teammates but the young lads, we always try to be together and to help each other.

We are in a school, somewhere you learn, somewhere you develop. With a new head coach since November, what has Ruben taught you since he joined, Amad?

system, because it’s a new system for everyone. We make sure we do our best every game, in the game and also in training. And to also be involved with everyone. The best advice

give, not only to me but to everyone, is to give your best every day.

Do you two learn from each other?

Amad: Of course.

Garnacho: Yeah, of course we learn from each other with this type of team. When you have great players in the squad, you have to learn from your team-mates maybe some things that you have to improve. So it’s good to have each other in the team.

Okay, final thing, we want you Alejandro to describe this player next to you. Tell us what Amad’s good at and tell us what he can go on to achieve in the future?

Amad: Don’t make me cry!

Garnacho: I think everyone knows he’s a great player. But also you can see when a player with good quality like Amad plays with confidence, I think it’s the most important thing to play like you are. It’s incredible, and it’s helped us a lot in a difficult moment. Amad is one of the ones trying to help and he’s doing it every time. I’m happy for him because last season was difficult for him but now he’s showing what he can do. It’s incredible and I’m happy for him.

And Amad, can you describe Alejandro?

Amad: Ahhh, Garna. Garna is a good player, a good young player. He’s doing very, very good with this club. I think he’s already achieved a lot of things with the club, and he has to achieve a lot of things. But I hope we can do it together. He’s a player who’s trying to do his best every time in the game, he’s very focused in his life. He wants to be the best. You can see it in every game. This is the mentality he’s trying to follow. I think Garna has the potential to be one of the best players in football. I just want to say he has to continue like this, and me and him can win more trophies with this club.

Happy with that?

Garnacho: Very happy!

Amad and Garnacho are friends on and off the pitch

Two spot-kicks, separated in time but connected in so many ways – all hail Altay Bayindir’s brilliant Peter Schmeichel impression in the FA Cup against Arsenal!

FA Cup tie. United v Arsenal. Poised at 1-1, the Reds having been pegged back – and now down to 10 men. Penalty to the Gunners, and their creative talisman steps up from 12 yards with the opportunity to make it 2-1 and surely dump the Manchester men out. But the greenshirted United stopper plunges to his left to fend off the penalty kick, and with clenched fist roars in celebration once the ball is safe. And United, against the odds and in extraordinary circumstances, go on to win and keep the Cup dream alive.

Did that just happen in January… or are we talking about April 1999? Because Altay Bayindir’s spot-kick heroics against Arsenal in the FA Cup last month share spooky similarities with the legendary penalty-saving intervention Peter Schmeichel made against the Gunners

SPOT

in the same competition on our way to a glorious Treble.

Back then, it was the semi-final stage, a replay held at Villa Park after a 0-0 draw first time around. Roy Keane was the United man sent off for two yellow cards, and the crucial Arsenal penalty – given late on for a foul by Phil Neville – was taken by Dennis Bergkamp. Peter Schmeichel launched himself to his left and palmed away the Dutchman’s effort… and the rest – Ryan Giggs and all – you know very well.

Fast-forward some 26 years, and the part of Keane was played by Diogo Dalot, Neville by the extremely unlucky Harry Maguire, Bergkamp by Martin Odegaard –and of course Bayindir reprised the starring Schmeichel role by also flinging his body left to keep out what would most likely have been a match-winning spot-kick.

For United fans who remember that night in ’99 – and the memory will be a vivid one, among many crammed into that period – the parallels when Bayindir made his save were unmistakable. For the Turkish stopper – who of course went on to save Kai Havertz’s penalty in the shoot-out for a further helping of glory – it was the reward for his hard work and ever-ready attitude.

“If you are not playing it doesn’t matter,” he said after the game. “You have to be ready every minute, every second. If you are a Manchester United player you have to be ready always. I am working every day. I am patient. I just want to help this great team. I want to make everyone happy for this great club.”

Congratulations, Altay, on a fantastic performance – and thanks for a throwback to ’99!

THE DIFFERENCE

1999: Peter Schmeichel keeps FA Cup hopes alive with a stunning penalty save from Dennis Bergkamp

2025: Altay Bayindir leaps to his left to make a save that was eerily familiar to United fans of a certain vintage

Discover more

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The

matches

matches

“You can feel the dressing room is more relaxed, in a good way. You feel it’s a different

environment. You want to keep that feeling”

Ruben

Amorim

Match previews for Amorim’s men, a catchup with United Women, Academy insight, plus all the key stats and details...

The men’s team’s month ahead, at a glance…

SPURS (A)

Sunday 16 February

Premier League, 4.30pm

EVERTON (A)

Saturday 22 February Premier League, 12.30pm

IPSWICH TOWN (H)

Wednesday 26 February Premier League, 7.30pm

ARSENAL (H)

Sunday 9 March

Premier League, 4.30pm

REFRESHED AND PREPARED

The first reward for finishing in the Europa League’s top eight is over a week’s rest – and work on the training ground – between the FA Cup tie against Leicester and this trip to Tottenham. It could just be one of the most unpredictable Spurs-Reds matches ever to attempt to assess, given the seasons the two sides have gone through and the giant fluctuations in form that both have shown they are capable of. Our opponents have ridden as high as a 4-0 win at Man City in November and stooped as low as eight league defeats in 11 matches thereafter. Not that any added motivation should ever be required, the Reds might look to September’s 3-0 Old Trafford defeat for lessons, learnings and lemme-at-’em.

LAST HURRAH AT GOODISON

There will be a tear in the traditionalist’s eye as we play our last game at Goodison Park (barring an FA Cup draw, still possible at the time of writing). And why not – our history on this piece of turf spans three separate centuries, and there is no other place United have played more games as the away side. Some more recent history in the dugout, with former Reds manager David Moyes now back in charge of the Toffees. Our 4-0 win at Old Trafford on 1 December – Ruben Amorim’s first home game in charge – came during the latter part of Sean Dyche’s reign, of course. Moyes made a good start, steering the Blues clear of the relegation zone – United must therefore be on guard for a rejuvenated opponent.

TRACTORS AT OLD TRAFFORD

Our game at Portman Road in November was, of course, Ruben’s very first as United boss. If his reign began with a bang thanks to Marcus Rashford’s opening goal inside a couple of minutes, then there was an early in-the-flesh demonstration for the new man of just how competitive the Premier League is, with the Tractor Boys fighting back and the match finishing all square. That battling spirit has never left Kieran McKenna’s side, even if they have been drawn inexorably into what is certainly a relegation scrap. Chasing every point they can get, they will harry and hassle for everything at Old Trafford, with Liam Delap the personification of that endeavour. The Reds need to be well up for this midweek tussle.

‘BEST OF THREE’ DECIDER v GUNNERS

There is significant action to factor in between Ipswich’s visit to Old Trafford and Arsenal’s 10 days later, with a Europa League last-16 first leg tie to play, plus potentially an FA Cup fifth round encounter prior to that (depending on whether we were able to overcome Leicester in the fourth round, a match played after these pages were sent to print). So the Gunners’ visit lands during a busy spell (the Europa second leg tie will follow in midweek) – though the same will go for Mikel Arteta’s men, who will have concomitant Champions League duty to deal with (though a clear FA Cup weekend... you might remember who knocked them out!).

That context accounted for, like all UnitedArsenal encounters, this stands on its own two feet as a big game. There’s been blood drawn either side of the rivalry this term, with the Gunners’ two set-piece goals earning their 2-0 Premier League win at the Emirates in early December, and our penalty-taking nerve deciding the FA Cup tie that followed in January. The sides know each other well, historically (this will be competitive meeting number 243) and in recent terms. Though the Gunners are likely to be fighting for the main prize and United the best possible consolation spot that can be mustered, the Reds must strive to close that table gap on the day and meet Arsenal on equal terms, with confidence and verve. Game on!

Portman Road provided Ruben Amorim with his first Premier League test

Joshua Zirkzee was on the mark in December’s eventful Carabao Cup tie at Spurs

United and Arsenal are familiar foes and this will be our third meeting of the season

One of the highlights of the season so far was a 4-0 win against Everton

united fixtures/results 2024/25

CLUB HONOURS

MATCH CATCH-UP

It’s been a positive set of results for Manchester United Women in the month since the Reds returned to action in January after the winter break, with just one blot on the copybook in a sequence of four wins from five games.

The season restart began with a fourthround FA Cup tie against West Bromwich Albion. And Marc Skinner’s side proved to be in a different class to the third-tier Baggies, sweeping them aside by a wide 7-0 margin. That scoreline actually stood at 1-0 for a large part of the game, mind, courtesy of Melvine Malard’s opener on 23 minutes. But in the last 25 minutes or so the floodgates well and truly opened, with Rachel Williams helping herself to a hat-trick, Celin Bizet notching a brace and Ella Toone also getting on the scoresheet.

Eight days later our WSL programme resumed with a crunch trip to Manchester City, a side vying with United for all-important table position. In a fine display – one in which manager Skinner said his side had “showed true Manchester United spirit” – the Reds emerged victorious, a Toone hat-trick the driving force behind a 4-2 win at the Etihad, with Leah Galton also on target. That win lifted United above City in the table into second place behind Chelsea.

Three days later, however, a revenge dish was served up by City, inflicting a 2-1 defeat on the Reds at Leigh Sports Village to knock us out of the League Cup at the quarter-final stage. Though Millie Turner had equalised on

NEW YEAR FORM united women

United Women make a front-foot start to 2025, putting themselves firmly in the picture around the top end of the Women’s Super League table…

35 minutes after Laura Coombs’s opener, a goal from Lily Murphy in first-half added time proved to be the slim difference between the two sides.

Back on WSL duty a few days later, the Reds responded well with a 3-0 win over visitors Brighton. Ella Toone was on the scoresheet again, getting the Reds off to a flying start, and in the second period Hinata Miyazawa and Bizet added one each to make it a comfortable result. A week later United kept up that league momentum and got February off to a good start with a hard-earned 1-0 win at Spurs, Elisabeth Terland’s early goal proving the difference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a result that put Skinner’s side in a strong position in the WSL table after 13 matches, second to Chelsea and two points ahead of Arsenal in third.

Elisabeth Terland settled the match against Tottenham

A big win against Manchester City in the WSL was part of an encouraging start to 2025

RENDELL IS A RED

There is a new face to welcome in the United squad, after 23-year-old goalkeeper Kayla Rendell joined the club, signed from Southampton during the recent January transfer window.

“It’s a dream to be signing for Manchester United and I can’t wait to join the group and get started,” said Kayla in the statement announcing her move, following well over 100 appearances for Saints after coming though their academy.

“I want to thank Southampton for all the support and opportunities they have given me since joining as a nine-year-old girl. I will always cherish so many fantastic memories of my time there. Now I’m ready to take the next step in my career and play my part in pushing for success at United.”

United’s interim head of women’s football Matt Johnson said: “Kayla is one of the most promising young goalkeepers in the women’s game and we have been tracking her progress with Southampton and England. She will add further strength to our pool of goalkeepers as we continue to build a talented young squad with the potential to grow and develop together.”

During the window a number of loans were also announced, as well as new contracts signed (see our transfer window round-up on p8).

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Marc Skinner recently discussed the balance to be struck, given how youthful a side United are, between developing experience and growing for the future, and getting important results in the here and now – a balance that the manager is happy that the Reds are striking well so far.

“We understand the challenges that having a young team brings,” the boss wrote in his programme notes for the Brighton game.

“We must work hard as a collective to drive our standards and grow as quickly as possible, while gaining experience and trying to win matches, and it’s been really encouraging to see how we’ve risen to that challenge so far this season.”

With an abundance of young talent in the squad, the future looks bright for the Reds – while the campaign so far says that the present has a lot going for it too.

LOOKING AHEAD

United were due to play third-tier Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup fifth round on 8 February –a match played after this magazine was sent to press – with the prize for victory a place in the quarterfinals. The Reds are of course defending the trophy and will hope to be among the last eight teams standing by the time this issue is on sale.

Before any thought of such a tie, though, the Reds have two important WSL home matches to play, against opposition occupying the two lowliest places in the table after 13 rounds of matches. Firstly bottom side Crystal Palace make the journey north to Leigh Sports Village, then two weeks later at the beginning of March it is the turn of Leicester City to visit LSV. Results in those two matches could prove highly valuable, with only seven games remaining thereafter in the WSL campaign.

Ella Toone and her team-mates will be pushing for more WSL points

Kayla Rendell is well thought of at club and international level

the academy CUPS OF PLENTY

The Academy’s involvement in an eclectic variety of cup competitions this season has provided stories aplenty. Here’s an overview of what we’ve been competing in and where we stand…

NATIONAL LEAGUE CUP

Four wins out of four meant United topped Group B in commanding fashion in the inaugural National League Cup, which pits 16 Category One academy sides such as ourselves against 16 senior teams from the National League (the fifth tier in the English football pyramid).

Victor Musa netted the winner in a 3-2 triumph at Forest Green in October, before a fine Ethan Ennis hat-trick helped down Altrincham 4-0 the following month. A first goal at U21s level for the nicely developing 16-year-old attacking midfielder Amir Ibragimov capped off a satisfying night on the road.

It was a tighter affair at Rochdale in early December when Ibragimov scored again, this time his edge-of-the-box effort on 82 minutes the only thing to separate United from our opponents in a 1-0 victory. United then secured top spot with a half-hour five-goal frenzy at Oldham Athletic at the end of January, the 5-0 win impressively featuring five different goalscorers.

That put the young Reds through to the knockout stages, with a quarterfinal fixture to be played but a date not yet confirmed at the time of going to press. If successful, a semi-final would follow most likely in March, with the competition’s final scheduled for April.

EFL TROPHY

Although we failed to progress from the group stage, United’s Under-21s enjoyed some euphoric moments in the EFL Trophy – a competition which gives our youngsters the opportunity to go up against senior League One and League Two opponents. In traditional United fashion, this side made comebacks their trademark. Jack Fletcher scored a double off the bench at Barnsley to inspire a three-goal fightback against the Tykes in front of a noisy United away following in August. At Doncaster Rovers in September, Sam Mather’s goal had put us in front but the hosts soon established a 3-1 lead. Ethan Ennis’s slick finish got United back in the game

Victor Musa (right) was the match-winner at Forest Green in the National League Cup

Sam Mather (left) was on the mark against Doncaster Rovers in the EFL Trophy

and a scrambled leveller from Louis Jackson followed in the dying seconds of injury time. That sent the game to a penalty shoot-out to determine the recipient of a second bonus point, in which United triumphed 5-3.

Our EFL Trophy campaign concluded at Huddersfield where this time, in searching for another turnaround, United suffered in transition. The hosts netted twice late on to win 4-1 and knock us out of the competition.

UEFA YOUTH LEAGUE

National league title success last season earned Adam Lawrence’s Under-19s squad a place in this campaign’s UEFA Youth League (a competition broadly mirroring the Champions League at youth level), and the young Reds wasted little time in making the most of it. Becoming the first-ever United side to represent the club in the Baltic state of Lithuania, doubles from Gabriele Biancheri and Ethan Williams featured in a 5-2 away victory in Vilnius against FK Zalgiris in late October, before a 6-0 home triumph a fortnight later.

AZ Alkmaar provided sterner opposition in the third round of the ‘domestic champions path’, though, with the disciplined Dutch defence showing much of the skill that took them to ultimate Youth League glory two seasons ago. United were beaten 2-1 in the Netherlands and we could count ourselves unlucky not to have levelled in the latter stages of that first leg. Failure to do so ultimately cost Lawrence’s lads the tie, with AZ proving solid under the glaring Old Trafford lights two weeks on and progressing thanks to a 0-0 second-leg stalemate, meaning the Reds missed out on the knockout phase.

FA YOUTH CUP

If Lawrence’s side believed themselves to have lacked a clinical edge in European competition, they showed lessons had been learned in one of the world’s most prestigious and storied youth tournaments. Gabriele Biancheri’s hat-trick, combined with a Chido Obi double, saw off Coventry City 5-0 in December’s third round, and United then hit four goals against Preston North End –who had beaten Liverpool 4-1 – in round four. That set up a meeting of two of the country’s best sides in the fifth round, with Chelsea visiting Leigh Sports Village for a crunch tie scheduled for Wednesday 12 February.

IMPACT OF THE CUPS

Loans

Cup nights can inspire a scout or watching manager to sign a young Red on loan for the season’s second half. Ethan Ennis’s most notable cup moment was his NLC hat-trick against Altrincham, but he also netted two EFL Trophy goals, the latter against Doncaster Rovers. The League Two club liked what they saw and signed Ennis up on loan as soon as the January window opened. Jack Kingdon enjoyed a similar story. He impressed in a tight National League Cup game at Rochdale – United won 1-0 late on – and subsequently joined Dale on loan.

Senior call-ups

First-team staff at United also keep a keen eye on these games, which are often a better barometer of a player’s progress than a normal league game in age-limited competition. Jack Fletcher’s strong performances in the EFL Trophy – including the headline-making double at Barnsley –no doubt played a role in his senior call-up in autumn. He was part of the matchday squad for our Premier League game against Brentford at Old Trafford.

His inclusion was partly due to injury to Toby Collyer, slightly more senior than Jack, who has since established himself as a valuable option for Ruben Amorim in midfield. Toby played in United’s opening EFL Trophy game.

WHERE ELSE DO UNITED PLAY?

In the U18 Premier League Cup the Reds reached the quarterfinals but were knocked out on penalties by West Ham, while in the Premier League International Cup we were eliminated at the group stage. United’s U21s have enjoyed a good start to 2025 in the league, defeating Aston Villa and Brighton to move into the PL2 table’s top four. The Under-18s continue to win regularly in the U18 Premier League, with 11 consecutive victories to begin the season. Keep up to date with all the latest Academy results at ManUtd.com or on the United app.

Jack Fletcher’s performances earned him a chance with the first-team

Ethan Ennis earned a loan spell at Doncaster

Gabriele Biancheri’s hat-trick helped see off Coventry City in the FA Youth Cup

history The

“On a balmy, midweek, late-May evening at Wembley, the Reds – sporting blue –were, finally, crowned champions of Europe”

Our monthly salute to United’s back pages takes us to the first triumphant European campaign – and remembers magic moments at one of Britain’s most historic stadiums...

anchesterUnited’shisto r y VIA10KEYYEARS

An extraordinary 10 years following the Munich Air Disaster of 1958 encompasses a recovery from that tragedy that begins with an FA Cup win in 1963, is strengthened by league titles in 1964/65 and 1966/67 – and reaches a crescendo with European Cup victory in May ’68… all of it played out during an epochal, vibrant decade and by a cast of club greats…

Words Steve Morgan

Surveying the fragments of his empire in 1958, Matt Busby reflected that it would take five years to get United back on its feet. If 1963’s FA Cup success achieved that initial aim, then 1968 – 10 years after the crash – was the fulfilment of the football fantasies that had first fuelled and then sustained his hopes. On a balmy, midweek, late-May evening at Wembley, the Reds – sporting blue – were, finally,

crowned champions of Europe: England’s first European Cup winners.

That victory was a delicious, agonising cameo, an examination of the resolve that defined the Busby era; a game won the United way. Having forged ahead, only to be pegged back and taken to extra-time, the well of desire that secured Busby’s first trophy success two decades earlier still ran deep. United had supped from it

first with that dramatic 1948 FA Cup final turnaround against Blackpool. Just weeks before Wembley’s 4-1 victory over Benfica, it had spurred Munich veteran Bill Foulkes (688 games, nine goals) on to upend any logical narrative, as the craggy centre-half hared into Real Madrid’s penalty area to meet George Best’s pass for the late semi-final clincher.

Best turned 22 the week before scoring

George Best – at his zenith – tormented Benfica in the 1968 European Cup final

Two-goal Bobby Charlton shares the joy with George

KINGS OF EUROPE

United’s second against Benfica. At 36, Foulkes was almost twice as old as Brian Kidd, the Wembley birthday boy who celebrated his 19th with the third, the goal that put the game beyond the Portuguese, the great Eusebio and all.

A year earlier, Busby’s old pal Bill Shankly, now his managerial sparring partner with Liverpool, had told Celtic’s Jock Stein he was “immortal” as his ‘Lisbon Lions’ downed Internazionale. Busby had already lived a thousand lives with United. Now his side were European champions. And, however bittersweet that glory might have felt in those small hours, after the last glasses had been clinked, the trays cleared and the guests retired, this was the high water mark. Fittingly, the boss sang What a Wonderful World that night.

Back in Manchester, a pride-filled Matt Busby holds aloft Europe’s greatest prize for gathered fans

Some of the United fans lucky enough to witness a mighty Wembley occasion

Bobby prepares to lift the famous old trophy which is adorned with unfamiliar blue ribbons

Matt Busby gees up the lads as extra-time takes its toll on the limbs

Best, in a swapped Benfica shirt, parades the trophy around the turf with team-mates

playground heroes

If European Cup victory was the icing, the pudding was also 100 per cent proof. Wembley glory capped that decade of gradual post-Munich rebirth and rebuild: the arrival of Denis Law in July 1962 for a record £115,000; the unearthing of George Best, the genius from Belfast’s back streets; the flowering of Bobby Charlton, finally given a more central position from which he could thrive. The ‘Trinity’ – Best,

The title-clinching 6-1 win at West Ham in May 1967 showcased a wonderful United side playing free-flowing football

A squad of superstars take the acclaim after clinching a second league title in three seasons in 1966/67

Law and Charlton – garnered the back pages. Increasingly, in Best’s case, the front pages. But make no mistake, United were a unit, from front to back.

In the old man’s third great side you could take your pick of playground heroes. Were you the prolific hat-trick collector Law, fearless scourge of defenders, dynamite in the six-yard box, plunderer of 46 goals in 1963/64 alone? The Jackin-the-box, off-the-scale, off-the-cuff impudent Best? Maybe instead, the quiet

George’s marvellous medicine

Great as Law, Charlton and the rest were, United’s Sixties were for many epitomised by the free-spirited genius of George Best, the shy superstar from the back streets of Belfast, whose winning smile and dazzling skills lit up the football landscape as black and white gave way to colour.

Handed a debut at 17 in 1963/64, and a first-team regular by 1964/65, Best informed the wider football world of his genius with a mesmeric display against Benfica in 1965/66’s European Cup quarter-final. Defending a slender 3-2 lead from the first leg, Busby urged his side to exercise caution against the Portuguese giants, still unbeaten on their own turf in Europe. Best had other ideas, scoring twice inside the opening 13 minutes. United romped home 5-1, 8-3 on aggregate.

Best’s return to England – snapped sporting a sombrero, he was instantly christened ‘El Beatle’ – captured the zeitgeist. Two years later, after he and

dignity of Charlton, all smouldering spark. Or how about Pat Crerand – a rare, shopbought addition alongside Law – capable of changing a game with one pass? Or local lad Nobby Stiles, his bark and bite overshadowing tremendous awareness? Then there was the quiet assuredness of Tony Dunne at full-back, or the similarly unsung efforts of the two Johns, Aston Jr – arguably man of the match at Wembley in 1968 – and Connelly, whose 15 strikes swung the 1964/65 title race United’s way from an emerging Leeds United.

The 3-1 FA Cup win over Leicester in 1963, played out amid the ‘Big Freeze’ that brought the country to a standstill, had thawed United out, offering distraction from the spectre of relegation amid desperately ordinary league form. Having finished 19th that season, 12 months later, United took the title on goal average, Law bagging 28 in the league and 39 in all competitions. Seven straight wins – the last, a 3-1 success over Arsenal in the

United did for Benfica again, Best was duly crowned 1968’s European Footballer of the Year – following in the footsteps of Law (1964) and Charlton (1966) – and he was also named Football Writers’ Player of the Year.

The league championship trophy gets a lap of Old Trafford at the end of the 1964/65 season – a first title since 1956/57 and an important waymarker in Busby’s rebuild

In March 1966 Benfica were given fair warning of what Best and United were capable of following a 5-1 win at the Stadium of Light

‘El Beatle’ George and his famous sombrero

Victory over Arsenal in April 1965 had delirious United fans spilling on to the home turf

Making a splash: that feeling of being champions in 1965

penultimate game – brought a first title since 1956/57 by 0.686 of a goal.

In 1966/67, with Charlton and Stiles now World Cup winners, and a spanking new revamped United Road stand holding 20,000, United were box-office material. The peak was arguably the fabled 6-1 shredding of West Ham on their own patch in May, the Hammers sporting a trio of World Cup winners themselves in Moore, Hurst and Peters.

Players came and went in a turbulent post-Munich decade. Some started well and faded, the shirt proving too heavy in a time of stiffer upper lips amid Old Trafford corridors, where Munich’s fallen heroes still cast long shadows. Yet all those who served, on that night of nights in 1968, would have known they had been part of something special: a narrative thread, the ‘blood of our lives’ as Stiles had it, blood that pulses through the club, just as surely as the River Irwell flows between Manchester and Salford.

The football world elsewhere in 1968...

It’s a great year for Manchester as City pip United to a first top-flight title since 1937 under Matt Busby’s old pal Joe Mercer There’s another double, across the Pennines, for Don Revie’s Leeds – the Yorkshiremen’s victories in the Fairs and League Cup are the club’s first notable silverware

A young Ron Atkinson stars as Oxford United, in only their sixth season as a Football League outfit, win the Third Division title…

Building something special: Old Trafford development work goes on in the background as Arsenal are dismantled in April 1965

The 1963 FA Cup win over Leicester was a key success on the way to further glory. Here Busby leads out the team at Wembley

Champagne flows for fellow Scots Busby, Crerand, Law and Herd

Victory over the Foxes brought the first silverware after Munich

*date and kick off time subject to change

Decades

In our regular gallery feature offering a historical Reds miscellanea via selected snaps taken from different decades, we bid a final farewell to Goodison Park…

19 60s

an

When

was the

that

Denis Law leads United out – followed by George Best, David Herd and Bill Foulkes – as the Reds emerge from Goodison’s bowels. The curiosity here is the cage-like structure around the players’ tunnel, an unusual feature of the stadium at that time.

it

Everton team’s turn to come out, the Z-Cars theme would have played out,

anthem adopted by the Blues

decade.

1990s

Jesper Blomqvist is the man in the huddle – with Dwight Yorke, David Beckham, Andy Cole and Gary Neville – after a Goodison goal sealing a 4-1 win in October 1998. The 1990s was a great decade for the Reds at Everton, with eight wins in 11 visits. This one helped us on our way to the Treble, of course. Becks was to play his last ever United game here, scoring a fine free-kick, in May 2003.

The centrepiece of our 1980s experiences at Goodison was surely the 2-2 FA Cup semi-final draw with Liverpool in April ’85. Liverpool equalised late in normal time and late in extra time to scrape a second chance. But we won the replay 2-1 at Maine Road and, of course, went on to win the Cup. Here you can see a couple of ever-enterprising Scousers have found the best view of the action.

20 00s

Wayne Rooney is one man who has many memories of Goodison Park. Having been a hero there as an Everton youngster, he suffered torrid abuse from home fans on his first return in a United shirt in the FA Cup in 2005. Here in April 2007, though, he is celebrating a huge goal – he has just netted to put the Reds 3-2 up in an eventual 4-2 win, a crucial comeback victory on the way to the title.

Our history at Goodison Park goes way back to a first visit to what was then a brand new stadium in 1892. This match in 1953 was our 30th of what will total 107 competitive games played there when we meet the Toffees on 22 February. In this image our goalkeeper Ray Wood is beaten by a shot from Everton’s grounded Dave Hickson in a 2-1 FA Cup defeat, as Roger Byrne looks on.

2020s

We know, we know. We showed some shots of this particular moment of action last issue. But Alejandro Garnacho’s goal in November 2023 will be remembered as truly one of the great United moments on Goodison soil – and in Goodison airspace. And in fairness, for aficionados of the stadium, it also offers a fine view of the distinctive blue cross-braced panels on the balcony of the Bullens Road stand behind – as designed by Archibald Leitch, the architect behind Old Trafford. ,

fans The

“Goodison Park has a very unique atmosphere; it feels very tight and condensed. You’re very close to the pitch…”

_____________________

Carly Lyes

Supporters swap stories on one of their favourite away stadiums and we hear views from Orlando, while an esteemed DJ takes on our questions – and there are more posers for all of the United faithful to tackle ...

MUSC FOCUS

In this month’s official supporters’ club round-up, we hear from a representative from our Orlando band of United-obsessed brothers and sisters…

Reds Around the World

ORLANDO RED ARMY

The leader of one of our Floridian supporters’ clubs, Matt Crisp, stopped to chat with IU after jetting in for the Rangers game…

When and how did your supporters’ club start?

Orlando Red Army started back in 2014 with just six fans that would get up early on weekends to head to our local pub. Back then it was difficult to get United matches on TV week-in and week-out, and we all bonded. So we started a Facebook group and invited every Red we knew. Fast-forward to today and we’ve surpassed 700 members!

Tell us about the developing fan culture in the USA – it seems a lot has changed since the 1994 World Cup…

Yeah, it’s been incredible to see. Growing up and playing in the States around that time, it felt like a foreign sport. Today it’s widely embraced and supported. The fan culture for domestic teams and the Premier League has grown unimaginably in that timespan. Now there are officially recognised United supporters’ groups all over and we’re very interconnected, from our brothers in Tampa and Miami, to Atlanta, Red Devils DC, New Jersey 7s, Dallas and all the way west to Seattle.

Tell us about your members… Orlando, or ‘The City Beautiful’, has always been a top tourist destination and, with that, has become a cultural melting pot of people from all over the world. Our group is just that, comprised of natives, transplants from other

states and Central and South America. We have quite a few from the UK and so many visitors too. Orlando is so much more than the theme parks we’re known for worldwide. We have countless guests reaching out to us to come and watch a match with us when they’re in town on holiday.

Do members typically support US football teams as well?

Absolutely. From 2010, Orlando had our first USL side (the second tier, just below MLS): Orlando City. From humble beginnings, it became wildly successful, winning the league three times before being promoted to MLS. The majority of ORA support Orlando City, with some supporting

The Orlando Red Army are always ready to get behind United

The US version of a full English and a pint or two usually make up a matchday meal at the club HQ Elixir

Interview Joe Ganley

Trips to Old Trafford happen as often as possible

NAME: Orlando Red Army FOUNDED: 2014

NATIONALITY: American MEMBERS: 700+

drink, and a guest appearance by Wes Brown. We were victorious on the day and it was an experience I’ll never forget.

New Faith

How often does the group get over to visit Old Trafford?

We made our inaugural supporters’ club trip just this year, but individuals and smaller numbers come regularly. This trip we were able to have fans at two home matches and one in London. We’re planning two organised group trips per season.

Describe a typical matchday… Kick-off can be anywhere from 7am to 2pm and our United faithful are always there to support! Sometimes over our version of a full English and a pint or two. Elixir, in downtown Orlando, is the official pub of ORA. When you walk in you’ll see our United kit (number 23, for the year we became officially recognised) framed on the wall and hear nothing but laughter, cheers and chants –everything from Wazza to Amorim, Bruno, Bruno, Brunooooo, and, of course, Julie’s favourite chant for Licha! I mean, he does wear a magic hat!

Who is the funniest character in the supporters’ club?

Easiest question yet! The award has to go to our very own Seebs! No-one will have you in stitches faster than he can, making light of the opposition’s missed tackles, poor penalties or missed sitters. He’s always sharp and witty, giving everyone something to laugh about.

Describe your best-ever day… It has to be our recent FA Cup triumph. We had over 200 in our packed pub, with some lucky fans taking home free hats, shirts, vouchers and even kits. It was incredible.

United have played in the US on many occasions in the past – tell us some of your favourite memories…

Orlando Red Army members have been organising stateside trips to see our Red Devils live for nearly 10 years. Most recently, we sent 125 to Columbia, South Carolina, to watch United take on Liverpool last summer. By far my favourite was the summer of ’23, when United faced Arsenal at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Many supporters’ groups got together to host a massive pre-match party that included food and

Which US footballer, past or present, would you most like to see play for us?

I can’t answer this question without mentioning former United goalkeeper Tim Howard. Such an incredibly nice guy. Christian Pulisic is probably top of the list (we’ve all seen that pic of him wearing our crest as a youngster). Then Antonee Robinson, and maybe Sergino Dest or Weston McKennie.

What’s the best thing about the Orlando supporters’ club?

We are a family, without a doubt; we look after our own. Our group is welcoming and supportive, caring for one another. United brings us together, but our relationships are so much more!

The Warm-Up returns

Old Trafford hosted the first Warm-Up event of 2025 in January, which was attended by a record crowd of more than 370 supporters’ club members.

Mark Hughes and Clayton Blackmore were the star attractions on the eve of the home game against Brighton, and the Welsh pair delivered an entertaining Q&A and meet-and-greet for the Reds present. More than £4,000 was raised on the night, too, via Manchester United Foundation’s auction and raffle. The next Warm-Up is scheduled for the weekend of our home game against Arsenal in March – contact your local supporters’ club for more information.

Manchester United has introduced a new multi-faith room on the Old Trafford stadium footprint. Situated on the W2 car park behind the Stretford End, it was made available for the first time for the recent FA Cup fixture against Leicester.

Ghulam Haydar, cofounder of the Muslim Supporters’ Club, said: “This collaboration marks a significant step for MUMSC and Manchester United in creating a more inclusive experience. We’re excited about the positive impact this will have on the global United community.”

NY Red Bulls and of course Beckham’s team in south Florida as well.

Different city, same heroes

Orlando Red Army on tour

Mark Hughes and Clayton Blackmore were the star turns at the event

Lucky enough to step on the hallowed turf

A well-attended Warm-up –the first of 2025

As United play for a 107th and (probably) final time at Everton’s Goodison Park on 22 February, five match-going Reds pay tribute to one of the last truly great British stadiums, home to some memorable occasions going back well over a century…

‘It’s the end of an era’

PETE BOYLE, terrace songsmith

“I first went to Everton in October 1984 with Ron Atkinson’s United, and we got blitzed 5-0! Everton were fantastic, and a real bogey team for us in the 1980s. But it was a great ground and I’ve had loads of memorable times there since: when Robson scored against Liverpool in ’85, Lee Sharpe’s cracking volley. If you see the footage of that, you can see our flag hanging down from the stand above: ‘The Brickhouse Reds.’ There was Rooney’s first game back there, in the FA Cup – we had so many fans there that day.

“It’s a proper, old, traditional ground. You had to be careful walking there, particularly in the ’80s and ’90s; you didn’t walk up to it singing, like you would at some lesser grounds. Everton’s a tough place to go for players too. I’ve got a lot of respect for Everton’s hardcore fans.

“The old away end was a real weird end – a really small terrace at the front. There was always grease paint on the fence. When you first went there – we all did it as young lads –you climbed up and got all this black vandal paint on your hand. When you went next time, you thought you were a real old head, because someone else would try to climb up and they’d get it. You’d be grinning to yourself.

“It’s the end of an era. Perhaps Everton do need to move to a new ground. Perhaps they’re limited by where the ground is, like City and Arsenal were. But I’ll certainly miss Goodison Park – a great ground with great tradition. Goodbye, and thanks for great memories.”

Great Goodison Games #1

Pete: “It would be 2003 when Beckham scored his last United goal. We’d won the league and got the trophy that day. I don’t like saying we ‘took over’ places, but once the ground emptied there were so many Reds round Goodison.”

‘The Wrigley Field of English football’

ANDY MITTEN, United We Stand fanzine editor

“I can honestly see merit in any ground, because you wrap up your perception of them with your memories of being there. But I love Goodison. It’s the Wrigley Field of English football – a historic sports venue sitting on an irregular block close to the city centre. A map of the area around Goodison Park from 1900 is almost unchanged. Dozens of dense, terraced streets pack tightly around St Luke’s Church and the football ground on Goodison Road. I love how it’s packed into the community, but I also totally get why Everton need to go.”

Wayne Rooney made a big impression at Goodison Park, whether wearing red or blue

The streets around Goodison Park have hardly changed in well over a century

Title celebrations in 2003 were special

Great Goodison Games #2

Carly: “It wasn’t a classic, but I fondly remember winning 1-0 there in 2011, when Hernandez got the winner. My first game was the 4-2 in 2007, but I was in the home end and got booted out at half-time! I was trying to get through to the United end by going through various internal doors and got caught. I missed all four of United’s goals while stood outside our end!”

‘It’s

pure nostalgia’

CARLY LYES, Fans’ Forum local rep

“Goodison reminds me very much of the sort of grounds I used to go to when I was a kid. It’s very old-school, and a lot of modern grounds are a bit soulless and boring. Being right in the middle of a load of housing, it’s got a lot more atmosphere than a stadium in the middle of a big, empty car park. It’s probably just pure nostalgia, but it feels very familiar and reminds you of when you first started to go to football. It’s got a very unique atmosphere too; it feels very tight and condensed. You’re very close to the pitch and close to the community as well.

“Architecturally, I love the wooden seats and the low roof when you’re in the away end. It makes you feel very contained and that you’re a proper little section, tucked away and tucked in. I really like Everton fans too. They are very miserable but in a humorous way, and very real – the polar opposite to Liverpool’s ridiculous attempts to make themselves out to be poetic and sentimental. Everton are very funny, very miserable realists, who are under no pretences about Everton. It’s very refreshing.”

‘My favourite away ground’

ANDREW LINDSAY, journalist

“Goodison was my first ever away. It would have been a year or two before the Premier League, but I went a lot of times after that too.

I can remember a really late Ruud van Nistelrooy goal to win 4-3, with Louis Saha scoring as well, February 2004.

I’d probably say it’s my favourite Premier League away ground of all – it’s just the fact that Goodison’s so old-fashioned, with that mad, old stand and all the enclosed streets. The fact that it’s in Liverpool, too, always gave it a real edge.”

The wooden seats are part of the old-school Goodison character

Javier Hernandez’s winner in 2011 is a fond memory

Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a brace, as did Louis Saha, in the rollercoaster 4-3 win in 2004

‘I’ll miss it greatly’

STEVE BLACK, Monkey Bus MD

“I love going to Goodison and not just for the memories, because we have got lots of happy memories there. It’s the whole atmosphere of the ground. You’re close to the pitch, you’re on top of the pitch, and it can generate some really great noise. I’ve never had a problem with Evertonians, and they came up with one of the great football fanzines, When Skies Are Grey.

“My first trip was Boxing Day 1977, and I remember it because I got into a lot of trouble! My late grandfather used to come over for a meal every Boxing Day, and I informed everyone that I was going off to Goodison. I was only 14 or 15, and my dad always hated the idea of me going to Liverpool for football. We won 6-2 with the FA Cup final team of 1977. It was one of the first away games that I ever went to, so it was all new to me. That’s probably part of my romance with Everton.

“The night of the Greenhoff goal [April

1979, United beat Liverpool 1-0 in an FA Cup semi-final replay staged at Goodison, Jimmy Greenhoff scoring the crucial goal], I went with some lads from school and it was absolutely horrific afterwards. I had to run into a chippy and ask the guy to let me behind the counter so I could keep my head down. It was madness. Jimmy’s jewel! A wonderful night but very scary too. The 2-2 in ’85 [another FA Cup semifinal against Liverpool] was also really rum. We had bus after bus that got bricked and bottled.

“But that was Liverpool, and if we’re talking about Goodison, we’ve got to give Everton fans credit for the atmosphere they always created there. Because the memories I have are of the games against them, really. Another memory is Speedo Mick! A guy in the Everton end that always wore just a pair of trunks. We thought he was some weird bloke at first, but then we found out he was doing it all for charity.

“It has the church in the corner and the big clock too – just an iconic stadium. The players were in touching distance. My son Seb wanted to go on the front row when he first went and it was like being at a non-league game almost, where you lean on the fence and feel part of the action. It’s one of the last great stadiums and I’ll miss it greatly.”

Great Goodison Games #3

Steve: “April 2007, when we were 2-0 down and Chelsea were playing Bolton at the same time. Chelsea would have gone ahead of us. But we got a goal back and then Phil Neville scored an own goal – but it looked so deliberate! Then Rooney scored and Chris Eagles got another. And Bolton equalised against Chelsea and the whole season switched. It was just a special day. We won the league by

The ultimate Goodison goal?

It’s little more than a year since Alejandro Garnacho scored that miraculous overhead at the Gwladys Street End – a goal that would eventually take the prestigious Puskas Award. But, in Boylie’s opinion, our most memorable goal at Everton was delivered by a man from Barnsley.

“Goodison is the ground for one of the top three most iconic United goals ever,” asserts Pete.

“When Gary Bailey kicked it out, Mickey Thomas crossed it and… [mimics John Motson] ‘Greenhoff is far post! Jimmy Greenhoff! Manchester United have scored, and it’s the man that got the winner in the final!’ I even know the commentary.”

Pete is talking about our 1979 FA Cup semi-final replay winner against Liverpool – a goal which inspired arguably the greatest noise for any United goal. Check it out on YouTube, if you don’t believe us…

Chris Eagles starred in a pivotal match in 2007

Bryan Robson opens the scoring in April 1985 during an epic 2-2 FA Cup semi-final draw with Liverpool, in one of United’s great matches at Goodison Park

Jimmy Greenhoff sparked a raucous reaction in 1979

WATER MEETS SCIENCE

Also available at all Old Trafford kiosks and Megastore

UNITED My

The renowned DJ and producer from Bristol has been a Red since childhood, thanks to a chance family connection… and Hughesy’s iron thighs!

EATS EVERYTHING

When and why did you first start supporting United?

I first started supporting United when I was maybe six or seven years old because my dad played rugby up north and he worked for a company called BSS, who were involved with selling pipeline and plumbing infrastructure for renovations on Old Trafford. He took me along to a match and I was hooked!

Who was your first United hero?

My first hero was Mark Hughes. I loved how tough a player he was, how hard he hit the ball and, this is going sound ridiculous, but he had absolutely massive quads and I couldn’t quite get over how big they were!

Can you remember the first match you went to at Old Trafford?

My first memory was versus Southampton in 1988. It finished 2-2, Bryan Robson and Hughes scored but Matt Le Tissier scored late on to equalise! I was in the East Stand about 15 rows back, I think, seated, and it was magical. The atmosphere, the warmth of the Mancunian support and the family feel of the atmosphere. It was an unreal experience and one I’ll never forget.

Do you get any opportunities to get to the match at the moment?

I will try to go a couple of times a year and take my oldest son, Ralph, who is also hooked. It really all depends on my schedule and where I am on the weekends. I’ll sit wherever I can get tickets! They are like gold dust.

Do you have a favourite or lucky United shirt?

The black Sharp Viewcam away kit [1993-95]. I had it when I was a kid with Kanchelskis on the back. I loved Kanchelskis. He was an unreal player in an unreal team.

Interview Stephen Canavan

Which rival team do you most want United to beat and why?

Liverpool. Because they are our only equal in terms of legacy and rivalry. Despite that, I have to say that I absolutely love DJing in Liverpool and love the people.

What are your hopes for the current season?

That come the end of the season Ruben has got a solid starting 11 and the style of play is implemented. If the recent match at Anfield wasn’t the 465th false dawn since Fergie retired, then we could be well on our way!

Who are your favourite current United players?

Bruno, obviously, because without him these past few years we’d have been utterly s*****d. All this talk of his petulance I think is nonsense. All players are petulant in some respects. He wears his heart on his sleeve and plays like it, sometimes to his detriment. But he is class. I really like Ugarte as well. Feels like the player we’ve been crying out for since Carrick.

Do you have an all-time United memory?

I have three. Nou Camp ’99 for obvious reasons. Giggs’s goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup semi, again, for obvious reasons [also in ’99]. And the third is the Rooney/ Ronnie counter-attack versus Bolton [March 2007]. That era team was the best we ever had and that goal was just pure magic.

Can you pick an all-time favourite United goal?

That Rooney/Ronnie counter-attack versus Bolton or Mark Hughes versus Sheff Weds in ’94 (I think) – a 35-yard blaster off the bar and in [correct – March 1994 in a 5-0 win]. Wallop!

If you had a time machine, which player or United team of the past would you go to see play? It’s got to be George Best, hasn’t it? Imagine him nowadays, he’d be worth £500m! What a player!

Can you pick your all-time United legend?

Wayne Rooney. He’s the greatest English player of all time and doesn’t get the respect or plaudits he deserves. He was better than pretty much anyone in any position on the pitch. He could run with the ball, scored GREAT goals, tackled like a winner and was an absolute beast from box to box. All the nonsense the press have peddled about

“So much history at Theatre of Dreams”

We ask Eats for his view on the future of Old Trafford, whether he thinks the stadium should be redeveloped or a new one built…

“It’s a tough one for me, because there is so much history within the four walls of the Theatre of Dreams, but redevelopment is such a mammoth task. Look how a new stadium has worked out for Spurs, Arsenal, Madrid and others. I think maybe a new one is the way to go, but it will be a sad day if that does happen.”

his off-field antics have led to a level of disrespect of his unbelievable ability as a football player. At United, Ronaldo was great because Rooney was great. Every forward that Rooney played with at United was better because he made them better. In my opinion, the GOAT’S GOAT.

Select a United five-a-side team to save your life… Schmeichel in goal. The greatest of all time. Vidic in defence just because, aside from Keane, he was the toughest player we have ever had and positionally was next-level. Keane because he is just the greatest midfielder we’ve ever had. Doesn’t get enough credit for his actual game, he wasn’t just hard and a great captain, he was a brilliant footballer. Rooney because he’s the GOAT. And Ronaldo because he’s the understudy to the GOAT.

EATS EVERYTHING

Real name Daniel Pearce, the Bristol-born record producer and DJ shot to prominence in 2011 with the release of Entrance Song on Pets Recordings

Eats recently completed a residency at XOYO in London, and his latest single Side By Side, a collaboration with Gardna, came out in January

His new album follows later this year, and includes contributions from legendary figures MJ Cole and Goldie

https://www.eatseverything.com/ https://x.com/eats_everything https://linktr.ee/eatseverything

Mark Hughes had mighty quad muscles –and other attributes too!

Wayne Rooney: the GOAT’s GOAT

Impact Season 2023/24

1,685 signed and charitable items distributed

500k+ attendances at free-of-charge sessions 40% female participation

£608,317 raised by season ticket holders and online fan donations

42,178

117 young people engaged projects

mufoundation.org/ourimpact

IU Quiz The

This month’s teasers include a gallery of stars with their cars, and there’s some sleuthing to do in the final section – add up those clues…

1-5. Wordsearch

Find the surnames of the five Reds pictured, all of whom are mentioned somewhere in this issue of the magazine…

This month’s opposition

Questions on teams United play against while this issue of IU is on sale…

6. True or false: Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou first faced United over 25 years ago, in the Club World Championship, when he was the manager of South Melbourne…

(Words can go in any direction, including diagonally and reading backwards, and letters can be used more than once)

7. Before we go to Goodison Park for the final time to face Everton, what is our win ratio at that stadium? a) 26.4% b) 34.91% c) 45%

8. Which player has scored the most United goals at Goodison Park, netting six times in eight appearances there? A striker who made his name in the early years of Matt Busby’s reign and scored 211 Reds goals in total…

9. Name the former United player who is a current member of the Ipswich Town squad. A 27-year-old centre-back and Academy graduate, they were born in DR Congo and made 37 Reds appearances…

10. Above is David De Gea saving a penalty from future team-mate Robin van Persie against Arsenal in August 2011. If Van Persie had netted it would have made it 1-1… but what was the famous final scoreline?

Quizmaster Ben Ashby

Picture round

Who are these United figures pictured with their automobiles?

Former, first, final, total

Identify the United past-player from the former club they were signed from, their first Reds game, final Reds game and total appearances for the club…

16. Former: Tottenham First: 3 August 1997 Final: 19 May 2001 Total: 153

17. Former: Crystal Palace First: 11 August 2019 Final: 25 May 2024 Total: 190

18. Former: Leeds United First: 6 December 1992 Final: 11 May 1997 Total: 185

19. Former: Chelsea First: 28 January 2014 Final: 22 May 2022 Total: 285

20. Former: Helsingborgs First: 7 January 2007 Final: 10 March 2007 Total: 13 1-5 Wordsearch: (Leny) Yoro, (Patrick) Dorgu, (Peter) Schmeichel, (George) Best, (Altay) Bayindir; 6. True; 7. b) 34.91%; 8.

Jack Rowley; 9. Axel Tuanzebe; 10. United 8-2 Arsenal; 11. Ryan Giggs; 12. Nobby Stiles; 13. Mark Hughes; 14. Ron Atkinson; 15. Denis Law; 16. Teddy Sheringham; 17. Aaron Wan-Bissaka; 18. Eric Cantona; 19. Juan Mata; 20. Henrik Larsson

13. King of the volleys and scorer of 163 United goals in two spells…

12. A 1966 England World Cup winner as well as top Red…

11. Our record appearance-maker and club legend…

15. One of our great strikers, scorer of 237 United goals including 18 hat-tricks…

14. Managed the Reds to FA Cup wins in 1983 and 1985…

MANCHESTER UNITED

MANCHESTER UNITED