History of Manchester United 1880-2007 Quiz

Answer: 1880

Manchester United's first recorded match came on 20 November 1880, when the reserve team for Bolton Wanderers won 6-0 vs. Newton Heath LYR Football Club (United's original club name). The club was founded in 1878 by the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot.

However, most of the club's early fixtures came against other departments and fellow railway companies. None of these fixtures were officially documented.

Answer: 1892-93

The Football League was formed in 1888, but Newton Heath was not one of its founding members. Instead, it joined The Combination, a league that ran across the North of England and the Midlands. However, The Combination folded before the conclusion of its first season.

In 1889, the club joined the Football Alliance, which merged with the Football League in 1892 to form the Second Division. Newton Heath was elected to the First Division football for the 1892-93 season.

Answer: Ernest Mangnall

Between 1878 and 1914, Manchester United did not have a "manager" as is understood in modern terms. The club had a committee whose secretary had managerial powers, such as selecting the team. Mangnall was the secretary between 1903 and 1912, winning league titles in 1908 and 1911, in addition to the club's first FA Cup triumph in 1909.

Bentley took over as secretary after Mangnall left for rivals Manchester City. During his life, Bentley also held the position of president of the Football League and vice-president of the FA. Stafford was a former Manchester United captain. Davies saved the club from folding in the early twentieth-century, paving the way for the success achieved under Mangnall.

Answer: 20th in Second Division

The club fell into financial uncertainty again when John Henry Davies died in 1927. Even though local businessman James W. Gibson saved the club from collapse in 1931, the performances on the pitch did not improve. The club was relegated that same year, and became known as a "yo-yo club", essentially a club that often gets promoted and then relegated again. United never played in the Third Division, but escaped relegation to the third tier by just one point in 1933-34, scoring 34 points compared to Millwall's 33.

Answer: 21

Busby had already achieved success at United before 1956, having won an FA Cup in 1948 and the club's first league title in 41 years in 1952. The 1956 title winning team came to be collectively known as the "Busby Babes", a term coined by journalist Tom Jackson. Busby's philosophy of developing young talent in the club's academy was unique, and has created a mentality in United fans that almost demands for academy graduates to be in the first team, even in the modern day.

Answer: Anderlecht

United defeated the Belgian side 12-0 on aggregate, also defeating them 2-0 away from home. In the first round proper, United defeated Dortmund 3-2 on aggregate. In the quarter-finals, Bilbao looked set to defeat Busby's men, leading 5-3 after the first leg, only for United to win 3-0 in the return leg at Old Trafford. Dinamo Bucuresti never faced United in this tournament, but did suffer a 8-1 hammering by CDNA Sofia in the first leg of the first round.

Answer: 8

In total, there were 23 fatalities as a result of the crash. The eight United players to perish were Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Liam "Billy" Whelan.

The other fatalities were United staff Walter Crickmer (club secretary), Tom Curry (trainer) and Bert Whalley (chief coach). Also, journalists Alf Clarke, Donny Davies, George Follows, Tom Jackson, Archie Ledbrooke, Henry Rose, Frank Swift and Eric Thompson. Other passenger deaths included Bela Miklos (travel agent) and Willie Satinoff (racecourse owner). Co-pilot Kenneth Rayment and cabin steward Tom Cable also perished.

Answer: The Football League

The FA gave their approval, but the Football League refused to green light United's entry as they did not meet the League champion criteria that UEFA normally demanded. The Football League was hostile towards the European Cup anyway, having previously forbidden Chelsea from competing in the 1955-56 competition and strongly recommending United to not participate in the 1956-57 edition.

Answer: 1963

Busby rebuilt the side through signings such as Pat Crerand and Denis Law. Alongside more youth talent such as George Best, Busby had a competitive side again soon, and United defeated Leicester City 3-1 to win the Cup. League titles soon followed in 1965 and 1967, with Busby finally lifting the European Cup in 1968, defeating Benfica 4-1 in the final.

Answer: Wilf McGuinness

McGuinness struggled to maintain United's place at the top of the game, finishing eighth in his first season. After a poor start to the 1970-71 campaign, Busby returned in an interim role until the end of the season. McGuinness had held the position of reserve team coach before succeeding Busby, and returned there when Busby came back. Murphy trained the Busby Babes in the youth system, but he only managed the club in a temporary role as Busby recovered from his injuries after the Munich tragedy.

Answer: Jimmy Greenhoff

Greenhoff's 55th minute goal sealed a 2-1 win for Man United. Macari played a large role in the winner, as it was his shot deflecting off Greenhoff's chest that gave United the winning goal. It capped off an incredible five minute spell that saw Stuart Pearson open the scoring for minute before Liverpool midfielder Jimmy Case equalised for Liverpool.

It was United's fourth FA Cup win and the club's first trophy since winning the European Cup in 1968.

Answer: 12

Robson was a legendary figure at Old Trafford, winning two Premier League medals, three FA Cups and a European Cup Winners' Cup medal with the club.
He was named captain in 1982, just his second season at the club. He would remain captain until he parted ways with United at the end of the 1993-94 season.

Answer: Queen's Park Rangers

Ferguson's first win as United manager came in his first home game, with John Sivebaek scoring the only goal of the game. Ferguson lost his first game, a 2-0 reverse at Oxford United before a goalless draw away at Norwich City. United did get a surprise victory at Anfield on Boxing day against Liverpool, but this was the team's third league win under Ferguson's stewardship.

Answer: Ipswich Town

United at one point had led the league table by 16 points. However, March saw the team draw 2-2 at Arsenal and against Swindon Town. In April, losses to Blackburn Rovers and Wimbledon put their title aspirations on hold, with United eventually only leading Blackburn on goal difference at the top of the table.

Despite this, United had an upturn in form and a 2-1 win at Ipswich eventually sealed the title for Ferguson's men. United ended the season with 92 points, eight clear of Blackburn.

Answer: Middlesbrough

United lost to Middlesbrough at Old Trafford in December 1998 by a 3-2 scoreline. The team then proceded to win 14 and draw six of their last 20 Premier League games that season. Tottenham hold the distinction of being the only team to eliminate United from a competition in 1998-99, defeating Ferguson's men 3-1 in the fifth round of the League Cup.

United very nearly lost to Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup, winning the tie with two late goals for a 2-1 victory. Newcastle were beaten 2-0 in the FA Cup final.

Answer: Wayne Rooney

Rooney scored 14 goals in the Premier League that season, and was nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year, where he ultimately lost out to teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. Rooney had the joint-fourth most goals in the league that year.

The eight United players included Neville, Scholes, van der Sar, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo. The only non-United players to make the team were Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Tottenham Hotspur's Dimitar Berbatov. Berbatov joined United the following summer.