As the dust settles on the anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson’s arrival at the club we are still a quarter of the way through an active football season and in the thick of the battle.
If you had offered us 26 points from that opening run of fixtures many of us would have taken it. Although we have managed to put Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool to the sword the performance against City was such an abomination that nothing can be taken for granted.
Although many will think we should also have a Sir Matt Busby stand no one can begrudge the appropriateness of the club’s gesture to Sir Alex. It is also important to note that we have named the street that leads to the ground ‘Sir Matt Busby way’
It remains to be seen whether the erection of the statue will prove more tribute than distraction. My personal feeling is that it is wholly correct a statue of Fergie should be outside of Old Trafford. Whilst he is still in the job of manager might be too soon though.
Nonetheless, at this stage of the season it is notoriously tricky to see how the rest of the campaign will pan out. Here is a selection Fergie anniversaries from the great man’s 25 year tenure to chew over.
November 1986
United travel to League Cup winners Oxford and are beaten 2-0 at the Manor Ground, easily one of the countries worst stadiums. My dad was in attendance and remembers it being an unremarkably glum match.
End of the season:
United finish in 11th place, 30 points behind champions Everton. Although our home form is impressive, 13 victories, it is not enough to trouble the top of the table.
November 1991
Fergie’s fifth anniversary at Old Trafford was a bittersweet experience. Six months before he had brought home the club’s first European trophy since the sixties, winning the European Cup Winners Cup final against Barcelona. November 6th 1991 saw us bow out of the competition for the last ever time after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford against Athletico Madrid who won 3-0 in the first leg.
End of the season:
The season’s end bore witness to a spectacular Manchester United collapse. Favourites until the start of April, United slipped behind Leeds after playing four fixtures in eight days. The team from Yorkshire finished four points above us in first, but it was still our most successful season for 25 years.
November 1996
Having proven the previous summer that you could win things with kids, a double in fact, United kept the ball rolling as the new season got underway. A one nil victory over Arsenal was the first result Fergie recorded after 10 years at the club.
End of the season:
This time United were league champions ahead of Newcastle United for the second season running. This time, however, it was far less spectacular and United won out by seven points in the end. By this stage, winning titles was expected at United, the ground capacity had increased and the club was almost unrecognisable to the one Ferguson had inherited 10 years before.
November 2001
After dreadful losses to Arsenal and Liverpool United picked themselves up again with a 2-0 victory over Leicester in the league. Goals from Van Nistelrooy and Yorke were enough but alas, Arsenal were to beat us again before 2001 was out.
End of the season:
In a season muddled by Ferguson’s retirement u-turn at Christmas the side underperformed hugely finishing third in the league behind Arsenal and Liverpool. Interestingly, United’s form in the second half of the season (after Fergie changed his mind) was much improved on the first half of the campaign.
November 2006
November 2006 was far from a vintage month for the Glasweigian. United lost his anniversary match to Southend in the League Cup and were beaten by Celtic, managed by United old boy Gordon Strachan, in the Champion’s League group stages.
End of the season:
This was, however, the season when Cristiano Ronaldo evolved from pretender to contender. His goals over Christmas and form towards the end of the campaign were sensational and saw United crowned league champions for the first time in four years.
November 2011
Although United are on a run of four successive victories with four clean sheets there is a certain trepidation around the place. Despite starting the season in blistering form playing with young players the recent mauling by Manchester City has everybody on edge.
End of the season:
Good question…
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