FC Manchester United was founded in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club. The club was founded by Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot. A few years later, in 1902 it was renamed to Manchester United and moved to the home stadium of Old Trafford. The football club has long and very successful history, with many trophies in all the leagues and cups of the world.

   The first official match of Newton Heath LYR Football Club was against the Bolton Wanderers’ reserves on 20th November 1880 and was won with 6-0. This was the start of the big and famous team of Manchester. The matches between the factories and the rail companies, were not enough for the team of Newton Heath LYR Football Club and they formed the regional league – The Combination. Later the club joined the Football Alliance, which later merged with Football League. After these administrative changes the football club started in First Division in English professional league, but after only two seasons relegated to the Second Division. The club quickly got some debts and the rail company was unable to pay them, so the club was served with a winding-up order. The new owners of the football club were Captain Harry Stafford and John Henry Davies, who signed the contract on 24th April 1902 and also renamed the club to Manchester United. This date was official for founding of the modern club, which we know nowadays, but definitely though the years its vision changed many times. In 1906 the team qualified again in the First Division and in 1908 won the club’s first league title. The next season Manchester United won the the first Charity Shield and FA Cup titles. A few years later in 1911 Manchester United won the title for First Division again, but the world entered into World War I and the leagues were stopped. A few years later the normal football championship was renewed, but unfortunately the club lost its form and the manager transferred to the city rival – Manchester City. In 1922 Manchester United relegated to Second Division and found itself in high crisis, which continued to 1931 and the club became one mediocre yo-yo club, which was moving between divisions and was far away from the majesty of the first years of foundation. In 1931 James W. Gibson assumed the control over the club and even finished on 14th place in First Division, but unfortunately the world entered in World War II, so the football championship was stepped again.

   In October 1945, the football championship in England was renewed and the world entered into post-war recovery. The manager of Manchester United in these years was Matt Busby, who got the full control over the team selection, transfers and training. The growth of the team was visible and Manchester United finished on second place in the years 1947-1949 and for FA Cup in 1948. In 1952 the club got the most wanted trophy – Champion of First Division and 4 years later repeated the successful season. The average age of the team was about 22 years, which made Manchester United one of the most perspective and most powerful team of UK and Europe. In 1957 the team of Manchester qualified for the semi-final of European Champions Cup, where met Real Madrid, after beating Anderlecht with 10-0. On the next season, the team continued with the winning series, but marred by violent incident. On 6th February 1958 the aircraft of the Manchester United team players, officials and journalists crashed in Munich Germany, while attempting to take off. The air disaster of the team claimed 23 lives, including those of eight of the best players of Manchester United – Eddie Colman, Tommy Taylor, Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, David Pegg, Mark Jones, Duncan Edwards and Billy Whelan. Also a few more players were injured, among which was the legend of the English football Bobby Charlton. The season was terrible for Manchester United, but the reserves team, reached to the final of FA Cup, which was lost from Bolton Wanderers. The manager Busby rebuilt the team till 1960 by signing some good players, such as Pat Grerand, George Best and Denis Law. The wining series of the team returned and in 1963 they got the FA Cup trophy and in 1964 they finished second in the league. Manchester United won the trophies in 1965 and 1967 and in 1968 the team won the European Champions League and recorded as the first English club, which got the title. The final match was against Benfica and Manchester United won with 4-1, where shined the star of Bobby Charlton, who was named as the World Footballer of the year.

   After the good games in the 60s, the team entered into crisis in 1969-1970, when finished on eight position and even started terrible in the next season. This was the reason the manager to be replaced by the reserves team coach McGuinness. In 1971 Frank O-Farrell was signed as manager of the team, but quickly disappointed with poor results and only 18 months later was replaced by Tommy Docherty. The crisis in the team continued and some of the best players left the club, so it relegated to Second Division. However the team reached the final of FA Cup in 1976, when was beaten by Southampton and 1977, when won against Liverpool. After that a lot of different managers and coaches leaded the team, but with different success, until 1986, when started the era of Alex Ferguson. The good games and victories surprised fans and the board of directors of the club, so Sir Alex Ferguson was kept leading the team till that moment. In 1998-1999 the team of Manchester United reached the most wanted trophies in one year – FA Cup, Premier League Champion and UEFA Champions League. This is called “The Treble” and Manchester United was the first English team, which reached this. Definitely the team is one of the best and most impressive, who we can see and we will be impressed by many new titles and trophies, because Manchester United is the team of our hearts.