After another fine season, Manchester United found themselves well clear of their nearest challengers Manchester City as they captured their record 20th league title on Monday.
They realised their ambition with just a few games to go and were crowned champions at Old Trafford, in what has been a memorable season for Red Devils fans.
Here MM takes a look at other memorable title-winning seasons from United’s history.
5. 1955/1956 – The Busby Babes
With an average age of just 21, the United squad stormed to the First Division title without losing a game at Old Trafford.
Playing the attractive football definitive of Sir Matt Busby’s tenure, this was the first of two back-to-back titles won by the talented players of the club’s youth system.
The potential of these young players was huge and were it not for the tragedy of the Munich Air Disaster in 1958, the Busby Babes could have added countless more honours to their already outstanding achievements.
4. 1907/1908 – The one that started it all…
Little did fans know when United won their first ever league title in 1908, in just over 100 years they would be chasing their 20th.
Formed as Newton Heath in 1878, the club officially became Manchester United in 1902 and six years later they finished top of the First Division with 52 points.
In a season which included a 4-0 home win against fierce rivals Liverpool, the club finished nine points clear of Aston Villa in second.
3. 1995/1996 – ‘You’ll never win anything with kids’
Trailing Newcastle United by 12 points in January, many people were expecting the Premier League to reside in the North East come the end of the season.
But if there was one thing Sir Alex Ferguson and his ‘kids’ were good at, it was proving doubters – like Alan Hansen – wrong and sure enough by May United had secured the double.
A 3-0 final day win over Middlesbrough was enough to pip the Magpies to the title while a solitary Eric Cantona goal won the FA Cup at the expense of Liverpool.
2. 1992/1993 – Fergie’s First
Almost synonymous with football success, few would believe Manchester United could go 46 years without winning a top-flight title, but they did until Fergie came along.
Appointed to the club in 1986 following the dismissal of Ron Atkinson, Ferguson set about building a team that would go on to dominate English football for the next quarter of a century.
With the Premier League in its inaugural year, the Scot guided his side to the top, ahead of Villa and Norwich City, to secure the first of his 12 league titles.
1.1998/1999 – Three is the magic number
With a team including David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Peter Schmeichel, none would argue United’s crowning achievement was the treble-winning season of 1999.
The Red Devils won the Premier League for the fifth time in seven years losing only three games and beat Newcastle 2-0 at Wembley to win the FA Cup.
In the Champions League final, Bayern Munich looked set to ruin the party as they led United 1-0 after 90 minutes before stoppage-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer completed an unbelievable turnaround in Barcelona.
Do you agree with MM’s list? Or is there another glorious season that should have gone to No.1? Have your say below.
Image courtesy of FATV via YouTube, with thanks
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