“I would have been about seven years old when the formative years of my competitive football education began. I was playing in the local leagues around Manchester, playing against lads from tough areas who had been taught they had to fight for everything.” YearsHas BeensFightingFootballTaughtToughAreasSevenLocalsLeagueSeven YearsManchesterLadFormative Years Author:Gary Neville
“The chairmen of the largest companies in the world can cancel an appointment or move a board meeting; a manager cannot change the date of a game. In the combined 42 years that Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have managed in English football, I can only remember one occasion when Sir Alex did not attend a Manchester United game.” WorldYearsI CanRememberMovingGamesUnitedCompanyFootballMeetingsManagersOccasionsBoardsChairmanAlexManchesterAppointmentsManchester UnitedFergusonBoard MeetingsEnglish FootballWengerSir Alex Ferguson Author:Howard Wilkinson
“I feel close to the rebelliousness of the youth here. Perhaps time will seperate us, but nobody can deny that here, behind the windows of Manchester, there is an insane love of football, of celebration and of music.” FeelsBehindsYouthFootballWindowDenyInsaneCelebrationManchester Author:Eric Cantona
“I don't follow football, I just love the name Aston Villa. Here in England you have other footballing entities like Manchester and Arsenal and Chelsea” NamesFootballEnglandEntityManchesterArsenalChelseaVilla Author:Tom Hanks
“I remember the 70s constantly being winter in Manchester and the Irish community in Manchester closing ranks because of the IRA bombings in Birmingham and Manchester, and you know the bin-workers' strike, all wrapped up in it... They were violent times. Violence at home and violence at football matches.” KnowsHomeRememberCommunityViolenceFootballWorkersWinterStrikesViolentClosingBombingManchesterBirminghamIraFootball Match Author:Noel Gallagher
“Manchester United breathe football. When I have to make hard decisions, I always listen to little boy inside me and what he wants. That little boy was screaming for United.” WantLittlesHardDecisionUnitedBoysFootballBreatheLittle BoysManchesterManchester UnitedHard Decision Author:Robin van Persie
“All I do know is that I'll never be able to achieve what Tommy Docherty did, and that is take Aston Villa into the third division and Manchester United into the second division” KnowsAbleUnitedAchieveFootballThirdsManagersSoccerDivisionChairmanManchesterManchester UnitedVilla Author:Ron Atkinson
“Manchester United have risen to the pinnacle of the English game at a time when the rewards are so high - thanks to the ticket to the Champions League - that they have resources that only a handful of other sides, through merit or the exploitation of the people of Russia, can approach.” PeopleGamesSidesUnitedFootballApproachResourcesRewardsRussiaThanksSoccerAnalysisLeagueMeritChampionExploitationTicketsHandfulRisenManchesterManchester UnitedPinnacleChampions League Author:Phil Cornwell
“Is this good for English football? In the short run, Chelsea's rise has broken up what was turning into an irritating Arsenal-Manchester United duopoly. But football leagues (look at Scotland, look at Spain) can get along OK with duopolies. A monopoly, however, is a disaster. Everyone else in the Premiership has to operate on some kind of business footing, and the terror stalking Highbury and Old Trafford is that Chelsea will be immune from financial discipline forever.” LooksKindRunningUnitedForeverFootballBrokenDisciplineFinancialTerrorDisasterSoccerAnalysisLeagueScotlandSpainMonopolyImmuneStalkingManchesterArsenalIrritatingChelseaManchester UnitedBroken UpEnglish FootballFinancial Discipline Author:Matthew Engel
“Arsenal and Manchester United play the best football. They're not happy with one goal, they want to win by three.” WantPlayThreeWinningGoalUnitedFootballManagersSoccerChairmanNot HappyManchesterArsenalBest FootballManchester United Author:Chris Coleman
“He lived in a fantasy world. There was not a day when he didn't add some Mickey Mouse story about a club that wanted him. First of all, he came in and told me that Arsenal wanted to buy him, then the next week it was Manchester Utd, then the next week it was Real Madrid. He made it clear that he did not want to be at the club so, in the end, there was only one thing I could do - send him to Wigan.” WorldWantFirstsMadeRealEndsStoriesWantedNextFantasyClearOne ThingWeekFootballAddClubsMade ItManagersSoccerMiceChairmanManchesterArsenalNext WeekMickeyMadridFantasy WorldsReal MadridWigan Author:Joe Kinnear
“If someone states that Ajax played a negative game then maybe we are smarter than Manchester City.” IfsStatesGamesCitiesFootballNegativeManagersSoccerSmarterChairmanManchesterAjaxManchester City Author:Ronald Koeman
“Let's be honest. We're not Manchester United or Arsenal, are we?” UnitedPlayerHonestFootballBeing HonestSoccerManchesterArsenalManchester United Author:Paolo Di Canio
“They (Bayern Munich) lost in the semi-finals of the Champions League to Real Madrid last year, and the year before that were beaten in the final by Manchester United, so their European pedigree is second to none.” YearsRealLastsLostUnitedFootballFinalsLeagueChampionLast YearBeatenCommentatorsManchesterManchester UnitedMadridMunichPedigreeChampions LeagueReal MadridBayern Munich Author:Simon Brotherton
“When I think football, I think Manchester United. I still support United and always will. I will die with them in my heart.” ThinkingHeartStillsDiesUnitedSupportFootballMy HeartManchesterManchester United Author:Eric Cantona
“When I was in Dutch and Italian football, a lot of people looked at Manchester United, and when they were asked who was the best player, a lot of them said Paul Scholes. Much of what he did looked simple, but actually it was quite hard. Invariably he controlled the ball instantly and passed it straight on, keeping the game moving. He made inch-perfect passes across the pitch; he saw the gaps and could play the ball through them. So it didn't surprise me that so many top-class international footballers recognized his quality.” PeopleMadeSaidHardPlayMovingGamesSimplePerfectUnitedQualityClassSawsPlayerFootballBallsSurpriseInternationalGapsControlledItalianInchesFootballerManchesterDutchBest PlayersSurprise MeManchester UnitedScholesPaul Scholes Author:Edwin van der Sar
“Paul Scholes is my favourite player. He epitomises the spirit of Manchester United and everything that is good about football.” SpiritUnitedPlayerFootballFavouriteManchesterManchester UnitedScholesPaul Scholes Author:Bobby Charlton
“I want to play football, I love to play football so if that opportunity is not going to be given there [Manchester City] then I'm going to have to look elsewhere and may have to make somewhere else my home.” IfsWantLooksMayPlayHomeOpportunityGivenCitiesFootballElsewhereSomewhere ElseManchesterManchester City Author:Joe Hart
“I love the introduction of international managers and players into the Premier League. However Manchester United's principles through their history had always been: they will appoint a British manager, there will always promote youth, they will always play a certain style of football, they will always look to entertain. So to me the idea of appointing a British manager, David Moyes, appointing somebody who deserved that opportunity to step up, was the right principle.” LooksIdeasPlayCertainOpportunityUnitedStepsPrinciplesPlayerStyleYouthFootballInternationalBritishManagersLeagueIntroductionStep UpManchesterManchester UnitedPremier League Author:Gary Neville
“Even though I support the blue side of Manchester's football heritage, I don't really mind that wherever I go in the world it's not Manchester City that starts the conversation. 'Ah, yes, Manchester United,' is the response when I say where I come from. It's commonplace everywhere - in Europe, Africa, Asia and even the U.S.” WorldMindSidesUnitedCitiesSupportFootballConversationEuropeBlueResponseHeritageAsiaCommonplaceManchesterManchester UnitedManchester City Author:Lucy Powell