View source for Company:Manchester United F.C.

{{short description|Association football club in England}}
{{pp-move}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Manchester United
| image = Manchester United FC crest.svg
| upright = 0.85
| alt = The words "Manchester" and "United" surround a pennant featuring a ship in full sail and a devil holding a trident.
| fullname = Manchester United Football Club
| nickname = {{hlist|The Red Devils<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.premierleague.com/content/dam/premierleague/site-content/News/publications/handbooks/premier-league-handbook-2015-16.pdf |title=Premier League Handbook Season 2015/16 |access-date=23 May 2016 |publisher=Premier League |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906045556/http://www.premierleague.com/content/dam/premierleague/site-content/News/publications/handbooks/premier-league-handbook-2015-16.pdf |archive-date=6 September 2015 }}</ref>|United}}
| short name = Man United<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-bou-mun-idUKKCN1N7169 |title=Man United must aim for top four, not title challenge – Mourinho |work={{wipe|Reuters}} |date=2 November 2018 |access-date=27 November 2022 |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127005734/https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-bou-mun-idUKKCN1N7169 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/marcus-rashfords-92nd-minute-winner-enough-for-man-united-to-scrape-a-win-at-bournemouth-37488476.html |title=Marcus Rashford's 92nd minute winner enough for Man United to scrape a win at Bournemouth |work=Irish Independent |date=3 November 2018 |access-date=6 November 2018 |archive-date=7 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107010148/https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/marcus-rashfords-92nd-minute-winner-enough-for-man-united-to-scrape-a-win-at-bournemouth-37488476.html |url-status=live }}</ref><br />Man Utd<br>
| founded = {{ubl|{{Start date and age|df=y|1878}} (as Newton Heath LYR F.C.)|{{Start date and age|1902|4|24|df=y}} (as Manchester United F.C.)}}
| ground = Old Trafford
| capacity = 74,310<ref name="pl">{{cite web|title=Old Trafford|url=https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/12/Manchester-United/stadium|access-date=25 August 2022|work=premierleague.com|publisher=Premier League|archive-date=5 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805060730/https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/12/Manchester-United/stadium|url-status=live}}</ref>
| coordinates = {{coord|53.4631|-2.2913|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100}}
| owner = Manchester United plc (75%)<br>Ineos (25%)
| chrtitle = Co-chairmen
| chairman = {{ubl|Joel Glazer|Avram Glazer}}
| manager = Erik ten Hag
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| website = https://www.manutd.com/
| current = 2023–24 Manchester United F.C. season
}}
'''Manchester United Football Club''', commonly referred to as '''Man United''' (often stylised as '''Man Utd'''), or simply '''United''', is a professional football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top division in the English football league system. Nicknamed the Red Devils, they were founded as '''Newton Heath LYR Football Club''' in 1878, but changed their name to Manchester United in 1902. After a spell playing in Clayton, Manchester, the club moved to their current stadium, Old Trafford, in 1910.

Domestically, Manchester United have won a record 20 top-flight league titles, 12 FA Cups, six League Cups and a record 21 FA Community Shields. In international football, they have won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League three times, and the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup once each.<ref name="skysports.com"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/19653230 |title=Liverpool v Manchester United: The bitter rivalry |work=BBC Sports |first=Phil |last=McNulty |date=21 September 2012 |access-date=14 June 2018 |archive-date=31 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531152305/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/19653230 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1968, under the management of Matt Busby, 10 years after eight of the club's players were killed in the Munich air disaster, they became the first English club to win the European Cup. Sir Alex Ferguson is the club's longest-serving and most successful manager, winning 38 trophies, including 13 league titles, five FA Cups, and two Champions League titles between 1986 and 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=The 49 trophies of Sir Alex Ferguson – the most successful managerial career Britain has ever known |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/the-49-trophies-of-sir-alex-ferguson-the-most-successful-managerial-career-britain-has-ever-known-8607136.html |work=The Independent |location=London |date=8 May 2013 |access-date=30 October 2015 |archive-date=5 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605092616/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/the-49-trophies-of-sir-alex-ferguson-the-most-successful-managerial-career-britain-has-ever-known-8607136.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Jonathan |last=Northcroft |title=20 glorious years, 20 key decisions |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article625585.ece |work=The Sunday Times |location=London |date=5 November 2006 |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=9 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309065821/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article625585.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> In the 1998–99 season, under Ferguson, the club became the first in the history of English football to achieve the continental treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/14/newsid_3334000/3334059.stm|title=BBC ON THIS DAY – 14 – 1969: Matt Busby retires from Man United|work=BBC News|access-date=10 October 2015|archive-date=17 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117111940/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/14/newsid_3334000/3334059.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In winning the UEFA Europa League under José Mourinho in 2016–17, they became one of five clubs to have won the original three main UEFA club competitions (the Champions League, Europa League and Cup Winners' Cup).

Manchester United is one of the most widely supported football clubs in the world<ref name="hamil_126">Hamil (2008), p. 126.</ref><ref name="Marca"/> and has rivalries with Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Leeds United. Manchester United was the highest-earning football club in the world for 2016–17, with an annual revenue of €676.3&nbsp;million,<ref>{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Wilson |title=Manchester United remain football's top revenue-generator |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42767374 |publisher=BBC News (British Broadcasting Corporation) |date=23 January 2018 |access-date=14 April 2018 |archive-date=5 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305042925/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42767374 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the world's third-most-valuable football club in 2019, valued at £3.15&nbsp;billion ($3.81&nbsp;billion).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/soccer-valuations/list/#tab:overall |title=The Business Of Soccer |work=Forbes |access-date=16 August 2019 |archive-date=20 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820010417/https://www.forbes.com/soccer-valuations/list/#tab:overall |url-status=live }}</ref> After being floated on the [[Company:London Stock Exchange|London Stock Exchange]] in 1991, the club was taken private in 2005 after a purchase by American businessman Malcolm Glazer valued at almost £800&nbsp;million, of which over £500&nbsp;million of borrowed money became the club's debt.<ref name=Maidment/> From 2012, some shares of the club were listed on the [[Company:New York Stock Exchange|New York Stock Exchange]], although the Glazer family retains overall ownership and control of the club.


==History==
[[File:Manchester United FC League Performance.svg|thumb|A chart showing the progress of Manchester United through the English football league system, from joining as Newton Heath in 1892–93 to the present|alt=refer to caption]]

===Early years (1878–1945)===
Manchester United was formed in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club by the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (LYR) depot at Newton Heath.<ref name="barnes_8">Barnes et al. (2001), p. 8.</ref> The team initially played games against other departments and railway companies, but on 20 November 1880, they competed in their first recorded match; wearing the colours of the railway company – green and gold – they were defeated 6–0 by Bolton Wanderers' reserve team.<ref>James (2008), p. 66.</ref> By 1888, the club had become a founding member of The Combination, a regional football league. Following the league's dissolution after only one season, Newton Heath joined the newly formed 'Football Alliance', which ran for three seasons before being merged with The Football League. This resulted in the club starting the 1892–93 season in the First Division, by which time it had become independent of the railway company and dropped the "LYR" from its name.<ref name="barnes_8"/> After two seasons, the club was relegated to the Second Division.<ref name="barnes_8"/>

[[File:Man.utd 1905-06 dailygraph.jpg|thumb|left|The Manchester United team at the start of the 1905–06 season, in which they were runners-up in the Second Division|alt=A black-and-white photograph of a football team lining up before a match. Four players, wearing dark shirts, light shorts and dark socks, are seated. Four more players are standing immediately behind them, and three more are standing on a higher level on the back row. Two men in suits are standing on either side of the players.]]
In January 1902, with debts of £2,670 – equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|2670|1902|r=-4}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|group=nb}} – the club was served with a [[Finance:Liquidation|winding-up order]].<ref>Tyrrell & Meek (1996), p. 99.</ref> Captain Harry Stafford found four local businessmen, including John Henry Davies (who became club president), each willing to invest £500 in return for a direct interest in running the club and who subsequently changed the name;<ref name="barnes_9">Barnes et al. (2001), p. 9.</ref> on 24 April 1902, Manchester United was officially born.<ref>James (2008), p. 92.</ref><ref group=nb>Sources are divided on the exact date of the meeting and subsequent name change. Whilst official club sources claim that it occurred on 26 April, the meeting was reported by the ''Manchester Evening Chronicle'' in its edition of 25 April, suggesting it was indeed on 24 April.</ref> Under Ernest Mangnall, who assumed managerial duties in 1903, the team finished as Second Division runners-up in 1906 and secured promotion to the First Division, which they won in 1908 – the club's first league title. The following season began with victory in the first ever Charity Shield<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), p. 118.</ref> and ended with the club's first FA Cup title. Manchester United won the First Division for the second time in 1911, but at the end of the following season, Mangnall left the club to join Manchester City.<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), p. 11.</ref>

In 1922, three years after the resumption of football following the First World War, the club was relegated to the Second Division, where it remained until regaining promotion in 1925. Relegated again in 1931, Manchester United became a yo-yo club, achieving its all-time lowest position of 20th place in the Second Division in 1934. Following the death of principal benefactor John Henry Davies in October 1927, the club's finances deteriorated to the extent that Manchester United would likely have gone bankrupt had it not been for James W. Gibson, who, in December 1931, invested £2,000 and assumed control of the club.<ref name="barnes_12">Barnes et al. (2001), p. 12.</ref> In the 1938–39 season, the last year of football before the Second World War, the club finished 14th in the First Division.<ref name="barnes_12"/>

===Busby years (1945–1969)===
[[File:Busby babes 1955.jpg|thumb|The Busby Babes in 1955. Manager Matt Busby is pictured front right.|alt=A black-and-white photograph of several people in suits and overcoats on the steps of an aircraft.]]
In October 1945, the impending resumption of football after the war led to the managerial appointment of Matt Busby, who demanded an unprecedented level of control over team selection, player transfers and training sessions.<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), p. 13.</ref> Busby led the team to second-place league finishes in 1947, 1948 and 1949, and to FA Cup victory in 1948. In 1952, the club won the First Division, its first league title for 41 years.<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), p. 10.</ref> They then won back-to-back league titles in 1956 and 1957; the squad, who had an average age of 22, were nicknamed "the Busby Babes" by the media, a testament to Busby's faith in his youth players.<ref>Murphy (2006), p. 71.</ref> In 1957, Manchester United became the first English team to compete in the European Cup, despite objections from The Football League, who had denied Chelsea the same opportunity the previous season.<ref>{{cite news |first=Brian |last=Glanville |title=The great Chelsea surrender |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,762-1586242,00.html |work=The Times |location=London |date=27 April 2005 |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629133659/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,762-1586242,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> En route to the semi-final, which they lost to Real Madrid, the team recorded a 10–0 victory over Belgian champions Anderlecht, which remains the club's biggest victory on record.<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), pp. 14–15.</ref>

[[File:Munich air disaster plaque.jpg|thumb|left|A plaque at Old Trafford in memory of those who died in the Munich air disaster, including players' names |alt=A stone tablet, inscribed with the image of a football pitch and several names. It is surrounded by a stone border in the shape of a football stadium. Above the tablet is a wooden carving of two men holding a large wreath.]]
The following season, on the way home from a European Cup quarter-final victory against Red Star Belgrade, the aircraft carrying the Manchester United players, officials and journalists crashed while attempting to take off after refuelling in Munich, Germany. The Munich air disaster of 6 February 1958 claimed 23 lives, including those of eight players&nbsp;– Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Billy Whelan&nbsp;– and injured several more.<ref>{{cite news |title=1958: United players killed in air disaster |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/6/newsid_2535000/2535961.stm |work=BBC News |date=6 February 1958 |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=17 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917140201/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/6/newsid_2535000/2535961.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Barnes et al. (2001), pp. 16–17.</ref>

[[File:Manchester The United trinity.jpg|thumb|upright|The ''United Trinity'' statue of George Best (left), Denis Law (centre) and Bobby Charlton (right) outside Old Trafford]]
Assistant manager Jimmy Murphy took over as manager while Busby recovered from his injuries and the club's makeshift side reached the FA Cup final, which they lost to Bolton Wanderers. In recognition of the team's tragedy, UEFA invited the club to compete in the 1958–59 European Cup alongside eventual League champions Wolverhampton Wanderers. Despite approval from The Football Association, The Football League determined that the club should not enter the competition, since it had not qualified.<ref>White, Jim (2008), p. 136.</ref><ref>Barnes et al. (2001), p. 17.</ref> Busby rebuilt the team through the 1960s by signing players such as Denis Law and Pat Crerand, who combined with the next generation of youth players – including George Best – to win the FA Cup in 1963. The following season, they finished second in the league, then won the title in 1965 and 1967. In 1968, Manchester United became the first English club to win the European Cup, beating Benfica 4–1 in the final<ref name="barnes_18-19">Barnes et al. (2001), pp. 18–19.</ref> with a team that contained three European Footballers of the Year: Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and George Best.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Rob |last1=Moore |first2=Karel |last2=Stokkermans |date=11 December 2009 |title=European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") |website=RSSSF |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy.html |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=17 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217034637/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/europa-poy.html |url-status=live }}</ref> They then represented Europe in the 1968 Intercontinental Cup against Estudiantes de La Plata of Argentina, but defeat in the first leg in Buenos Aires meant a 1–1 draw at Old Trafford three weeks later was not enough to claim the title. Busby resigned as manager in 1969 before being replaced by the reserve team coach, former Manchester United player Wilf McGuinness.<ref name="barnes_19"/>

===1969–1986===
[[File:Bryan Robson at the cliff -march 92.JPG|thumb|upright|Bryan Robson was the captain of Manchester United for 12 years, longer than any other player.<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), p. 110.</ref>|alt=A smiling man with dark hair wearing a white, green and blue tracksuit top over a blue shirt. He is holding a washbag under his right arm.]]
Following an eighth-place finish in the 1969–70 season and a poor start to the 1970–71 season, Busby was persuaded to temporarily resume managerial duties, and McGuinness returned to his position as reserve team coach. In June 1971, Frank O'Farrell was appointed as manager, but lasted less than 18&nbsp;months before being replaced by Tommy Docherty in December 1972.<ref>Murphy (2006), p. 134.</ref> Docherty saved Manchester United from relegation that season, only to see them relegated in 1974; by that time the trio of Best, Law, and Charlton had left the club.<ref name="barnes_18-19"/> The team won promotion at the first attempt and reached the FA Cup final in 1976, but were beaten by Southampton. They reached the final again in 1977, beating Liverpool 2–1. Docherty was dismissed shortly afterwards, following the revelation of his affair with the club physiotherapist's wife.<ref name="barnes_19">Barnes et al. (2001), p. 19.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=1977: Manchester United sack manager |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/4/newsid_2492000/2492743.stm |work=BBC News |date=4 July 1977 |access-date=2 April 2010 |archive-date=28 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828180430/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/4/newsid_2492000/2492743.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Dave Sexton replaced Docherty as manager in the summer of 1977. Despite major signings, including Joe Jordan, Gordon McQueen, Gary Bailey, and Ray Wilkins, the team failed to win any trophies; they finished second in 1979–80 and lost to Arsenal in the 1979 FA Cup final. Sexton was dismissed in 1981, even though the team won the last seven games under his direction.<ref name="barnes_20">Barnes et al. (2001), p. 20.</ref> He was replaced by Ron Atkinson, who immediately broke the British record transfer fee to sign Bryan Robson from his former club West Bromwich Albion. Under Atkinson, Manchester United won the FA Cup in 1983 and 1985 and beat rivals Liverpool to win the 1983 Charity Shield. In 1985–86, after 13 wins and two draws in its first 15 matches, the club was favourite to win the league but finished in fourth place. The following season, with the club in danger of relegation by November, Atkinson was dismissed.<ref name="barnes_20-21">Barnes et al. (2001), pp. 20–1.</ref>

===Ferguson years (1986–2013)===
[[File:Alex Ferguson.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Alex Ferguson managed the team between 1986 and 2013.|alt=The torso and head of a grey-haired white man. He is wearing spectacles and a black coat.]]
Alex Ferguson and his assistant Archie Knox arrived from Aberdeen on the day of Atkinson's dismissal,<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), p. 21.</ref> and guided the club to an 11th-place finish in the league.<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), p. 148.</ref> Despite a second-place finish in 1987–88, the club was back in 11th place the following season.<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), pp. 148–149.</ref> Reportedly on the verge of being dismissed, Ferguson's job was saved by victory over Crystal Palace in the 1990 FA Cup final.<ref>{{cite news |title=Arise Sir Alex? |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/05/99/uniteds_treble_triumph/354282.stm |work=BBC News |date=27 May 1999 |access-date=2 April 2010 |archive-date=26 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326203559/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/05/99/uniteds_treble_triumph/354282.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Bevan |title=How Robins saved Ferguson's job |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/6096520.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=4 November 2006 |access-date=2 April 2010 |archive-date=11 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111174629/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/6096520.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The following season, Manchester United claimed their first UEFA Cup Winners' Cup title. That triumph allowed the club to compete in the European Super Cup for the first time, where United beat European Cup holders Red Star Belgrade 1–0 at Old Trafford. The club appeared in two consecutive League Cup finals in 1991 and 1992, beating Nottingham Forest 1–0 in the second to win that competition for the first time as well.<ref name="barnes_20-21"/> In 1993, in the first season of the newly founded Premier League, the club won their first league title since 1967, and a year later, for the first time since 1957, they won a second consecutive title – alongside the FA Cup – to complete the first "Double" in the club's history.<ref name="barnes_20-21"/> United then became the first English club to do the Double twice when they won both competitions again in 1995–96,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://talksport.com/football/fa-cup/228286/trophy-doubles-english-clubs-ranked-number-times-they-have-claimed-two-major-trophies-one/|title=Clubs ranked by the number of times they have claimed trophy doubles|last=Bloomfield|first=Craig|date=4 May 2017|access-date=23 February 2019|archive-date=23 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223131423/https://talksport.com/football/fa-cup/228286/trophy-doubles-english-clubs-ranked-number-times-they-have-claimed-two-major-trophies-one/|url-status=live}}</ref> before retaining the league title once more in 1996–97 with a game to spare.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21878651|title=Golden years: The tale of Manchester United's 20 titles|date=22 April 2013|work=BBC Sport|access-date=23 February 2019|archive-date=29 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029040737/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21878651|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:The Champions League Winners Medal (Manchester United Museum) (262769292).jpg|thumb|upright|Front three: Manchester United's treble medals of the 1998–99 season are displayed at the club's museum.]] 
In the 1998–99 season, Manchester United became the first team to win the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League – "The Treble" – in the same season.<ref name="kings">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/353842.stm |title=United crowned kings of Europe |work=BBC Sport |date=26 May 1999 |access-date=22 June 2010 |archive-date=1 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901045431/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/353842.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Trailing 1–0 going into injury time in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær scored late goals to claim a dramatic victory over Bayern Munich, in what is considered one of the greatest comebacks of all time.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nick |last=Hoult |title=Ole Gunnar Solskjaer leaves golden memories |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2320013/Ole-Gunnar-Solskjaer-leaves-golden-memories.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2320013/Ole-Gunnar-Solskjaer-leaves-golden-memories.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=28 August 2007 |access-date=23 July 2011 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> That summer, Ferguson received a knighthood for his services to football.<ref>{{cite news |title=Knights Bachelor |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/06/99/queens_birthday_honours/366661.stm |work=BBC News |date=12 June 1999 |access-date=19 January 2022 |archive-date=13 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313022952/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/06/99/queens_birthday_honours/366661.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 1999, the club became the only British team to ever win the Intercontinental Cup with a 1–0 victory over the strong 1999 Copa Libertadores winners Palmeiras in Tokyo. The Red Devils counted on an unexpected goalkeeper fail by future 2002 FIFA World Cup winner Marcos and a disallowed goal scored by Alex to win the game.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Loris |last1=Magnani |first2=Karel |last2=Stokkermans |date=30 April 2005 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablest/toyota.html |title=Intercontinental Club Cup |website=RSSSF |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=12 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812151601/https://www.rsssf.org/tablest/toyota.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Ryan Giggs vs Everton-5 cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Ryan Giggs is the most decorated player in English football history.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ryan Giggs wins 2009 BBC Sports Personality award |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_of_the_year/8410840.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=13 December 2009 |access-date=11 June 2010 |archive-date=12 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112103845/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_of_the_year/8410840.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>|alt=A white football player with short, dark, greying hair. He is wearing a red shirt, white shorts, white socks and white football boots. He is running and has puffed-out cheeks.]] 
Manchester United won the league again in the 1999–2000 and 2000–01 seasons, becoming only the fourth club to win the English title three times in a row. The team finished third in 2001–02, before regaining the title in 2002–03.<ref>{{cite news |title=Viduka hands title to Man Utd |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/2968015.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=4 May 2003 |access-date=14 August 2014 |archive-date=16 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516114120/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/2968015.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> They won the 2003–04 FA Cup, beating Millwall 3–0 in the final at the Millennium Stadium in [[Place:Cardiff|Cardiff]] to lift the trophy for a record 11th time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd win FA Cup |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/3725063.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=22 May 2004 |access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-date=25 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225084836/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/3725063.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In the 2005–06 season, Manchester United failed to qualify for the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over a decade,<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United's Champions League exits, 1993–2011 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/dec/08/manchester-united-champions-league-exit |work=The Guardian |date=8 December 2011 |access-date=14 August 2014 |archive-date=14 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814193541/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/dec/08/manchester-united-champions-league-exit |url-status=live }}</ref> but recovered to secure a second-place league finish and victory over Wigan Athletic in the 2006 Football League Cup final. The club regained the Premier League title in the 2006–07 season, before completing the European double in 2007–08 with a 6–5 penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final in Moscow to go with their 17th English league title. Ryan Giggs made a record 759th appearance for the club in that game, overtaking previous record holder Bobby Charlton.<ref>{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Shuttleworth |title=Spot-on Giggs overtakes Charlton |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7411587.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=21 May 2008 |access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-date=21 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021030602/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7411587.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2008, the club became the first British team to win the FIFA Club World Cup after beating LDU Quito 1–0 in the final. Manchester United followed this with the 2008–09 Football League Cup, and its third successive Premier League title.<ref>{{cite news |first=Phil |last=McNulty |title=Man Utd 0–0 Tottenham (aet) |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7905889.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=1 March 2009 |access-date=1 March 2009 |archive-date=2 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302073046/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7905889.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Phil |last=McNulty |title=Man Utd 0–0 Arsenal |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8038259.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=16 May 2009 |access-date=16 May 2009 |archive-date=19 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519202948/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8038259.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> That summer, forward Cristiano Ronaldo was sold to Real Madrid for a world record £80&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Ogden |title=Cristiano Ronaldo transfer: World-record deal shows football is booming, says Sepp Blatter |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/5517910/Cristiano-Ronaldo-transfer-World-record-deal-shows-football-is-booming-says-Sepp-Blatter.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/5517910/Cristiano-Ronaldo-transfer-World-record-deal-shows-football-is-booming-says-Sepp-Blatter.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=12 June 2009 |access-date=9 January 2011 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2010, Manchester United defeated Aston Villa 2–1 at Wembley to retain the League Cup, its first successful defence of a knockout cup competition.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rooney the hero as United overcome Villa |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=287675&cc=5739 |work=ESPNsoccernet |date=28 February 2010 |access-date=2 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303090528/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=287675&cc=5739 |archive-date=3 March 2010 }}</ref>

After finishing as runners-up to Chelsea in the 2009–10 season, United achieved a record 19th league title in 2010–11, securing the championship with a 1–1 away draw against Blackburn Rovers on 14 May 2011.<ref>{{cite news |first=Simon |last=Stone |title=Manchester United clinch record 19th English title |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-clinch-record-19th-english-title-2284086.html |work=The Independent |location=London |date=14 May 2011 |access-date=14 May 2011 |archive-date=11 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211082229/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-clinch-record-19th-english-title-2284086.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This was extended to 20 league titles in 2012–13, securing the championship with a 3–0 home win against Aston Villa on 22 April 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=How Manchester United won the 2012–13 Barclays Premier League |url=http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/features/man-united-2012-13-season-at-a-glance.html |work=Premier League |date=22 April 2013 |access-date=22 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425075443/http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/features/man-united-2012-13-season-at-a-glance.html |archive-date=25 April 2013 }}</ref>

===2013–present===
On 8 May 2013, Ferguson announced that he was to retire as manager at the end of the football season, but would remain at the club as a director and club ambassador.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Alex Ferguson to retire as Manchester United manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22447018 |work=BBC Sport |date=8 May 2013 |access-date=8 May 2013 |archive-date=1 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101074719/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22447018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Alex Ferguson to retire this summer, Manchester United confirm |url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/8698530/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-to-retire-this-summer-Manchester-United-confirm |work=Sky Sports |date=8 May 2013 |access-date=8 May 2013 |archive-date=29 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629084315/http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/8698530/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-to-retire-this-summer-Manchester-United-confirm |url-status=live }}</ref> He retired as the most decorated manager in football history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/05/10/3967894/sir-alex-ferguson-is-the-greatest-manager-ever-and-only-mourinho-|title=Sir Alex Ferguson is the greatest manager ever – and only Mourinho can catch him|website=Goal.com|access-date=3 March 2021|archive-date=29 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129140040/https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/05/10/3967894/sir-alex-ferguson-is-the-greatest-manager-ever-and-only-mourinho-|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.marca.com/en/football/international-football/2019/05/23/5ce5c24eca4741c7638b4567.html |title=Guardiola on his way to becoming the most successful coach of all time |publisher=Marca |last1=Rubio |first1=Alberto |last2=Clancy |first2=Conor |date=23 May 2019 |access-date=3 March 2021 |archive-date=24 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624040914/https://www.marca.com/en/football/international-football/2019/05/23/5ce5c24eca4741c7638b4567.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The club announced the next day that Everton manager David Moyes would replace him from 1 July, having signed a six-year contract.<ref>{{cite news |title=David Moyes: Manchester United appoint Everton boss |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22453802 |work=BBC Sport |date=9 May 2013 |access-date=9 May 2013 |archive-date=10 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510022217/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22453802 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United confirm appointment of David Moyes on a six-year contract |url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11671/8701469/Manchester-United-confirm-appointment-of-David-Moyes-on-a-six-year-contract |work=Sky Sports |date=9 May 2013 |access-date=9 May 2013 |archive-date=7 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607062956/http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11671/8701469/Manchester-United-confirm-appointment-of-David-Moyes-on-a-six-year-contract |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Jamie |last=Jackson |title=David Moyes quits as Everton manager to take over at Manchester United |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/may/09/david-moyes-quits-everton-manchester-united |work=The Guardian |date=9 May 2013 |access-date=9 May 2013 |archive-date=4 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104194312/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/may/09/david-moyes-quits-everton-manchester-united |url-status=live }}</ref> Ryan Giggs took over as interim player-manager 10 months later, on 22 April 2014, when Moyes was sacked after a poor season in which the club failed to defend their Premier League title and failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1995–96.<ref>{{cite news |title=David Moyes sacked by Manchester United after just 10 months in charge |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/22/david-moyes-sacked-manchester-united |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 April 2014 |access-date=22 April 2014 |archive-date=20 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220020053/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/22/david-moyes-sacked-manchester-united |url-status=live }}</ref> They also failed to qualify for the UEFA Europa League, the first time Manchester United had not qualified for a European competition since 1990.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nabil |last=Hassan |title=Southampton 1–1 Man Utd |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27273510 |date=11 May 2014 |access-date=29 May 2014 |archive-date=19 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519083217/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27273510 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 19 May 2014, it was confirmed that Louis van Gaal would replace Moyes as Manchester United manager on a three-year deal, with Giggs as his assistant.<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United: Louis van Gaal confirmed as new manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27243233 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=19 May 2014 |access-date=29 May 2014 |archive-date=20 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520005510/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27243233 |url-status=live }}</ref> Malcolm Glazer, the patriarch of the family that owns the club, died on 28 May 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jackson |first=Jamie |title=Manchester United owner Malcolm Glazer dies aged 86 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/28/malcolm-glazer-manchester-united-death-tampa-bay |newspaper=The Guardian |date=28 May 2014 |access-date=28 May 2014 |archive-date=28 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528235747/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/28/malcolm-glazer-manchester-united-death-tampa-bay |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Manchester United v Wigan Athletic, January 2017 (06).JPG|thumb|Wayne Rooney receiving an award for becoming the club's record goalscorer from previous record holder Sir Bobby Charlton in January 2017]]
Under Van Gaal, United won a 12th FA Cup, but a disappointing slump in the middle of his second season led to rumours of the board sounding out potential replacements.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/mar/19/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-pre-contract|title=José Mourinho has signed pre-contract agreement with Manchester United – report|date=20 March 2016|website=The Guardian|access-date=4 April 2021|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108115538/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/mar/19/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-pre-contract|url-status=live}}</ref> Van Gaal was ultimately sacked just two days after the cup final victory, with United having finished fifth in the league.<ref name="BBCvanGaalSacked">{{cite news |last1=Stone |first1=Simon |last2=Roan |first2=Dan |title=Manchester United: Louis van Gaal sacked as manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36356584 |work=BBC Sport |date=23 May 2016 |access-date=23 May 2016 |archive-date=26 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326203052/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36356584 |url-status=live }}</ref> Former Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid manager José Mourinho was appointed in his place on 27 May 2016.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jose Mourinho: Man Utd confirm former Chelsea boss as new manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36363365 |work=BBC Sport |date=27 May 2016 |access-date=27 May 2016 |archive-date=1 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401080746/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36363365 |url-status=live }}</ref> Mourinho signed a three-year contract, and in his first season won the FA Community Shield, EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League. Wayne Rooney scored his 250th goal for United, a stoppage-time equaliser in a league game against Stoke City in January 2017, surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton as the club's all-time top scorer.<ref>{{cite news |first=Stephan |last=Shemilt |title=Stoke City 1-1 Manchester United |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38620111 |website=BBC Sport |date=21 January 2017 |access-date=19 January 2022 |archive-date=31 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131092728/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38620111 |url-status=live }}</ref> The following season, United finished second in the league – their highest league placing since 2013 – but were still 19 points behind rivals Manchester City. Mourinho also guided the club to a 19th FA Cup final, but they lost 1–0 to Chelsea. On 18 December 2018, with United in sixth place in the Premier League table, 19 points behind leaders Liverpool and 11 points outside the Champions League places, Mourinho was sacked after 144 games in charge. The following day, former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjær was appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46640577|title=Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Man Utd caretaker boss will 'get players enjoying football' again|date=20 December 2018|work=BBC Sport|access-date=21 December 2018|archive-date=21 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181221003132/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46640577|url-status=live}}</ref> On 28 March 2019, after winning 14 of his first 19 matches in charge, Solskjær was appointed permanent manager on a three-year deal.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/11676599/ole-gunnar-solskjaer-appointed-manchester-united-permanent-manager |title=Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appointed Manchester United permanent manager |publisher=Sky Sports |access-date=28 March 2019 |archive-date=31 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131060811/https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/11676599/ole-gunnar-solskjaer-appointed-manchester-united-permanent-manager |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 18 April 2021, Manchester United announced they were joining 11 other European clubs as founding members of the European Super League, a proposed 20-team competition intended to rival the UEFA Champions League.<ref>{{cite news |title=Leading football clubs announce new Super League competition |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/leading-football-clubs-announce-new-super-league-competition-18-april-2021 |work=Manchester United |date=18 April 2021 |access-date=19 January 2022 |archive-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419133610/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/leading-football-clubs-announce-new-super-league-competition-18-april-2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> The announcement drew a significant backlash from supporters, other clubs, media partners, sponsors, players and the UK Government, forcing the club to withdraw just two days later.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/2021/4/20/22394177/manchester-united-figures-react-to-super-league-news |title=Manchester United figures react to Super League news |first=Vince |last=Rosetta |date=20 April 2021 |website=The Busby Babe |access-date=29 June 2021 |archive-date=29 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629200715/https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/2021/4/20/22394177/manchester-united-figures-react-to-super-league-news |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Samuel |last=Luckhurst |title=Brands halted sponsorship talks with Premier League clubs over Super League |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-united-super-league-sponsors-20431669 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=21 April 2021 |access-date=29 June 2021 |archive-date=29 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629200713/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-united-super-league-sponsors-20431669 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=European Super League offends principles of competition – Boris Johnson |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56822592 |website=BBC Sport |date=20 April 2021 |access-date=1 September 2021 |archive-date=1 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901223643/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56822592 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Keir Starmer urges government to block English clubs' involvement in European Super League |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european-super-league-keir-starmer-b1834111.html |website=The Independent |date=20 April 2021 |access-date=29 June 2021 |archive-date=20 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420030517/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european-super-league-keir-starmer-b1834111.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Manchester United to withdraw from European Super League |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/official-statement-on-man-utd-withdrawal-from-european-super-league |work=Manchester United |date=20 April 2021 |access-date=19 January 2022 |archive-date=23 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423032845/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/official-statement-on-man-utd-withdrawal-from-european-super-league |url-status=live }}</ref> The failure of the project led to the resignation of executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, while resultant protests against Woodward and the Glazer family led to a pitch invasion ahead of a league match against Liverpool on 2 May 2021, which saw the first postponement of a Premier League game due to supporter protests in the competition's history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/manchester-united/story/4365318/woodward-out-as-manchester-united-executive-vice-chairman|title=Woodward resigns as Man United vice-chairman|date=20 April 2021|website=ESPN.com|access-date=29 June 2021|archive-date=29 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629200728/https://www.espn.com/soccer/manchester-united/story/4365318/woodward-out-as-manchester-united-executive-vice-chairman|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56960091|title=Man Utd v Liverpool off after protest|website=BBC Sport|date=2 May 2021|access-date=19 January 2022|archive-date=30 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130031845/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56960091|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the pitch, United equalled their own record for the biggest win in Premier League history with a 9–0 win over Southampton on 2 February 2021,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55806211|title=Man Utd beat nine-man Southampton 9-0|website=BBC Sport|date=2 February 2021|access-date=19 January 2022|archive-date=15 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815214453/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55806211|url-status=live}}</ref> but ended the season with defeat on penalties in the UEFA Europa League final against Villarreal, going four straight seasons without a trophy.<ref>{{cite news |first=Charlotte |last=Duncker |url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/solskjaer-shown-up-familiar-failings-extend-man-utd-trophy/tam5tdvdhrln17nc9z7vw7vwt |title=Solskjaer shown up as familiar failings extend Man Utd's trophy drought |website=goal.com |date=27 May 2021 |access-date=19 January 2022 |archive-date=28 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628190009/https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/solskjaer-shown-up-familiar-failings-extend-man-utd-trophy/tam5tdvdhrln17nc9z7vw7vwt |url-status=live }}</ref> On 20 November 2021, Solskjær left his role as manager.<ref>{{cite news |title=Club statement on Ole Gunnar Solskjær |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-statement-on-ole-gunnar-solskjaer |work=Manchester United |date=21 November 2021 |access-date=21 November 2021 |archive-date=15 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615173120/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-statement-on-ole-gunnar-solskjaer |url-status=live }}</ref> Former midfielder Michael Carrick took charge for the next three games, before the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United appoint Ralf Rangnick as interim manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59439956 |website=BBC Sport |date=29 November 2021 |access-date=19 January 2022 |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106192231/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59439956 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 21 April 2022, Erik ten Hag was appointed as the manager from the end of the 2021–22 season, signing a contract until June 2025 with the option of extending for a further year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/erik-ten-hag-appointed-as-man-utd-manager-official-statement|title=Manchester United appoints Erik Ten Hag as Manager|website=manutd.com|date=21 April 2022|access-date=21 April 2022|archive-date=31 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531040020/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/erik-ten-hag-appointed-as-man-utd-manager-official-statement|url-status=live}}</ref> Ten Hag won Manchester United the 2022–23 EFL Cup against Newcastle United, winning 2–0.<ref name="2023_efl_cup">{{cite news |first=Phil |last=McNulty |title=Manchester United 2–0 Newcastle United: Erik ten Hag's side win Carabao Cup for first trophy since 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64693810 |website=BBC Sport |date=26 February 2023 |access-date=27 February 2023 |archive-date=25 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225230713/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64693810 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 5 March 2023, the club suffered their joint-heaviest defeat, losing 7–0 to rivals Liverpool at Anfield.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Liverpool 7–0 Manchester United: Reds thrash old rivals in Anfield rout |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64775037 |website=BBC Sport |date=4 March 2023 |access-date=25 March 2023 |archive-date=21 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321141435/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64775037 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Crest and colours==
{{Commons|Manchester United F.C. kits}} {{Commons|Manchester United F.C. kits (alternates)}} {{Commons|Manchester United F.C. kits (goalkeeper kits)}}
[[File:Manchester United Badge 1960s-1973.png|thumb|Manchester United badge in the 1960s|alt=A football crest. In the centre is a shield with a ship in full sail above a red field with three diagonal black lines. On either side of the shield are two stylised roses, separating two scrolls. The upper scroll is red and reads "Manchester United" in black type, while the lower scroll is white with "Football Club" also written in black]]
The club crest is derived from the Manchester City Council coat of arms, although all that remains of it on the current crest is the ship in full sail.<ref name="Barnes_49">Barnes et al. (2001), p. 49.</ref> The devil stems from the club's nickname "The Red Devils" inspired from Salford Rugby Club;<ref>{{cite web |title=The rise of the Red Devils: A look at the Manchester United logo history |url=https://fabrikbrands.com/manchester-united-logo-history-mufc-badge-crest-and-meaning/ |access-date=9 March 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230512155422/https://fabrikbrands.com/manchester-united-logo-history-mufc-badge-crest-and-meaning/ |archive-date=12 May 2023 |last=Peate |first=Stephen |work=Fabrik Brands}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Why is Manchester United called the "Red Devils"? Explaining the famous nickname |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/why-manchester-united-called-red-devils-nickname/1vfau0qgayh5d1b98wcditbxw4 |date=30 Dec 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230512160613/https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/why-manchester-united-called-red-devils-nickname/1vfau0qgayh5d1b98wcditbxw4 |archive-date=12 May 2023 |last=Bonn |first=Kyle |work=The Sporting News}}</ref> it was included on club programmes and scarves in the 1960s, and incorporated into the club crest in 1970, although the crest was not included on the chest of the shirt until 1971.<ref name="Barnes_49"/> In 1975, the red devil ("''A devil facing the sinister guardant supporting with both hands a trident gules''") was granted as a heraldic badge by the College of Arms to the English Football League for use by Manchester United.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Phillips |first=David Llewelyn |date=Spring 2015 |title=Badges and 'Crests': The Twentieth-Century Relationship Between Football and Heraldry |url=https://www.theheraldrysociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CoA-229-Phillips-paper.pdf |journal=The Coat of Arms |volume=XI Part I |issue=229 |pages=40–43 |access-date=31 January 2022 |archive-date=24 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224161126/https://www.theheraldrysociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CoA-229-Phillips-paper.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2023, the Red Devil motif alone, which had been used in promotional items and merchandise previously, was used as the sole badge on the Manchester United third kit. The existing crest remains on the home and away kits.

Newton Heath's uniform in 1879, four years before the club played its first competitive match, has been documented as 'white with blue cord'.<ref>{{cite book |last=Angus |first=J. Keith |year=1879 |title=The Sportsman's Year-Book for 1880 |publisher=Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co. |page=182 }}</ref> A photograph of the Newton Heath team, taken in 1892, is believed to show the players wearing red-and-white quartered jerseys and navy blue knickerbockers.<ref name="Barnes_48">Barnes et al. (2001), p. 48.</ref> Between 1894 and 1896, the players wore green and gold jerseys<ref name="Barnes_48"/> which were replaced in 1896 by white shirts, which were worn with navy blue shorts.<ref name="Barnes_48"/>

After the name change in 1902, the club colours were changed to red shirts, white shorts, and black socks, which has become the standard Manchester United home kit.<ref name="Barnes_48"/> Very few changes were made to the kit until 1922 when the club adopted white shirts bearing a deep red "V" around the neck, similar to the shirt worn in the 1909 FA Cup final. They remained part of their home kits until 1927.<ref name="Barnes_48"/> For a period in 1934, the cherry and white hooped change shirt became the home colours, but the following season the red shirt was recalled after the club's lowest ever league placing of 20th in the Second Division and the hooped shirt dropped back to being the change.<ref name="Barnes_48"/>

The black socks were changed to white from 1959 to 1965, where they were replaced with red socks up until 1971 with white used on occasion, when the club reverted to black. Black shorts and white socks are sometimes worn with the home strip, most often in away games, if there is a clash with the opponent's kit. For 2018–19, black shorts and red socks became the primary choice for the home kit.<ref name="1819home">{{cite news |title=Adidas launches new United home kit for 2018/19 |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/adidas-launches-new-manchester-united-home-kit-for-2018-19-season |work=Manchester United |date=17 July 2018 |access-date=17 July 2018 |archive-date=17 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717111526/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/adidas-launches-new-manchester-united-home-kit-for-2018-19-season |url-status=live }}</ref> Since 1997–98, white socks have been the preferred choice for European games, which are typically played on weeknights, to aid with player visibility.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Alex Ferguson's ability to play the generation game is vital to Manchester United's phenomenal success |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8725483/Sir-Alex-Fergusons-ability-to-play-the-generation-game-is-vital-to-Manchester-Uniteds-phenomenal-success.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8725483/Sir-Alex-Fergusons-ability-to-play-the-generation-game-is-vital-to-Manchester-Uniteds-phenomenal-success.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |first=Mark |last=Ogden |website=The Telegraph |date=26 August 2011 |access-date=12 May 2017 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> The current home kit is a red shirt with Adidas' trademark three stripes in red on the shoulders, white shorts, and black socks.<ref>{{cite news |title=Revealed: New Man Utd home kit for 2019/20 |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/adidas-and-man-utd-launch-new-home-kit-for-2019-20-season |work=Manchester United |date=16 May 2019 |access-date=17 May 2019 |archive-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516213459/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/adidas-and-man-utd-launch-new-home-kit-for-2019-20-season |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Manchester United away strip has often been a white shirt, black shorts and white socks, but there have been several exceptions. These include an all-black strip with blue and gold trimmings between 1993 and 1995, the navy blue shirt with silver horizontal pinstripes worn during the 1999–2000 season,<ref>Devlin (2005), p. 157.</ref> and the 2011–12 away kit, which had a royal blue body and sleeves with hoops 
made of small midnight navy blue and black stripes, with black shorts and blue socks.<ref>{{cite news |title=Reds unveil new away kit |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2011/Jul/manchester-united-unveil-new-away-kit.aspx |work=Manchester United |date=15 July 2011 |access-date=16 July 2011 |archive-date=17 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717164505/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2011/Jul/manchester-united-unveil-new-away-kit.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> An all-grey away kit worn during the 1995–96 season was dropped after just five games; in its final outing against Southampton, Alex Ferguson instructed the team to change into the third kit during half-time. The reason for dropping it being that the players claimed to have trouble finding their teammates against the crowd, United failed to win a competitive game in the kit in five attempts.<ref>{{cite news |first=Lee |last=Sharpe |title=13.04.96 Manchester United's grey day at The Dell |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/apr/15/sport.comment2 |work=The Guardian |date=15 April 2006 |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-date=4 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104194341/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/apr/15/sport.comment2 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2001, to celebrate 100 years as "Manchester United", a reversible white and gold away kit was released, although the actual match day shirts were not reversible.<ref>Devlin (2005), p. 158.</ref>

The club's third kit is often all-blue; this was most recently the case during the 2014–15 season.<ref name="1415blue">{{cite news |title=United reveal blue third kit for 2014/15 season |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2014/Jul/New-Manchester-United-third-kit-press-release.aspx |work=Manchester United |date=29 July 2014 |access-date=30 July 2014 |archive-date=30 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140730182608/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2014/Jul/New-Manchester-United-third-kit-press-release.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> Exceptions include a green-and-gold halved shirt worn between 1992 and 1994, a blue-and-white striped shirt worn during the 1994–95 and 1995–96 seasons and once in 1996–97, an all-black kit worn during the Treble-winning 1998–99 season, and a white shirt with black-and-red horizontal pinstripes worn between 2003–04 and 2005–06.<ref>Devlin (2005), pp. 154–159.</ref> From 2006–07 to 2013–14, the third kit was the previous season's away kit, albeit updated with the new club sponsor in 2006–07 and 2010–11, apart from the 2008–09 season, when an all-blue kit was launched to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1967–68 European Cup success.<ref>{{cite news |title=New blue kit for 08/09 |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2008/Aug/New-blue-kit-for-0809.aspx |work=Manchester United |date=28 August 2008 |access-date=3 December 2010 |archive-date=18 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118174920/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2008/Aug/New-blue-kit-for-0809.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Grounds==
{{wide image|Old Trafford WV banner.jpg|1200px|United's current ground, Old Trafford, after its expansion in 2006|alt=A stand of a football stadium. The seats are red, and the words "Manchester United" are written in white seats. The roof of the stand is supported by a cantilever structure. On the lip of the roof, it reads "Old Trafford Manchester".}}

===1878–1893: North Road===
Newton Heath initially played on a field on North Road, close to the railway yard; the original capacity was about 12,000, but club officials deemed the facilities inadequate for a club hoping to join The Football League.<ref name="white_21">White, Jim (2008) p. 21.</ref> Some expansion took place in 1887, and in 1891, Newton Heath used its minimal financial reserves to purchase two grandstands, each able to hold 1,000 spectators.<ref>James (2008), p. 392.</ref> Although attendances were not recorded for many of the earliest matches at North Road, the highest documented attendance was approximately 15,000 for a First Division match against Sunderland on 4 March 1893.<ref>Shury & Landamore (2005), p. 54.</ref> A similar attendance was also recorded for a friendly match against Gorton Villa on 5 September 1889.<ref>Shury & Landamore (2005), p. 51.</ref>

===1893–1910: Bank Street===
In June 1893, after the club was evicted from North Road by its owners, Manchester Deans and Canons, who felt it was inappropriate for the club to charge an entry fee to the ground, secretary A. H. Albut procured the use of the Bank Street ground in Clayton.<ref name="shury_21-22"/> It initially had no stands, by the start of the 1893–94 season, two had been built; one spanning the full length of the pitch on one side and the other behind the goal at the "Bradford end". At the opposite end, the "Clayton end", the ground had been "built up, thousands thus being provided for".<ref name="shury_21-22">Shury & Landamore (2005), pp. 21–22.</ref> Newton Heath's first league match at Bank Street was played against Burnley on 1 September 1893, when 10,000 people saw Alf Farman score a hat-trick, Newton Heath's only goals in a 3–2 win. The remaining stands were completed for the following league game against Nottingham Forest three weeks later.<ref name="shury_21-22"/> In October 1895, before the visit of Manchester City, the club purchased a 2,000-capacity stand from the Broughton Rangers rugby league club, and put up another stand on the "reserved side" (as distinct from the "popular side"); however, weather restricted the attendance for the Manchester City match to just 12,000.<ref>Shury & Landamore (2005), p. 24.</ref>

When the Bank Street ground was temporarily closed by bailiffs in 1902, club captain Harry Stafford raised enough money to pay for the club's next away game at Bristol City and found a temporary ground at Harpurhey for the next reserves game against Padiham.<ref>Shury & Landamore (2005), pp. 33–34.</ref> Following financial investment, new club president John Henry Davies paid £500 for the erection of a new 1,000-seat stand at Bank Street.<ref name="inglis_234">Inglis (1996), p. 234.</ref> Within four years, the stadium had cover on all four sides, as well as the ability to hold approximately 50,000 spectators, some of whom could watch from the viewing gallery atop the Main Stand.<ref name="inglis_234"/>

===1910–present: Old Trafford===
Following Manchester United's first league title in 1908 and the FA Cup a year later, it was decided that Bank Street was too restrictive for Davies' ambition;<ref name="inglis_234"/> in February 1909, six weeks before the club's first FA Cup title, Old Trafford was named as the home of Manchester United, following the purchase of land for around £60,000. Architect Archibald Leitch was given a budget of £30,000 for construction; original plans called for seating capacity of 100,000, though budget constraints forced a revision to 77,000.<ref>Inglis, pp. 234–235</ref><ref>White (2007), p. 50</ref> The building was constructed by Messrs Brameld and Smith of Manchester. The stadium's record attendance was registered on 25 March 1939, when an FA Cup semi-final between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Grimsby Town drew 76,962&nbsp;spectators.<ref>Rollin and Rollin, pp. 254–255.</ref>

Bombing in the Second World War destroyed much of the stadium; the central tunnel in the South Stand was all that remained of that quarter. After the war, the club received compensation from the War Damage Commission in the amount of £22,278. While reconstruction took place, the team played its "home" games at Manchester City's Maine Road ground; Manchester United was charged £5,000 per year, plus a nominal percentage of gate receipts.<ref>White, John (2007), p. 11.</ref> Later improvements included the addition of roofs, first to the Stretford End and then to the North and East Stands. The roofs were supported by pillars that obstructed many fans' views, and they were eventually replaced with a [[Engineering:Cantilever|cantilever]]ed structure. The Stretford End was the last stand to receive a cantilevered roof, completed in time for the 1993–94 season.<ref name="barnes_19"/> First used on 25 March 1957 and costing £40,000, four {{convert|180|ft|m|adj=on}} pylons were erected, each housing 54&nbsp;individual floodlights. These were dismantled in 1987 and replaced by a lighting system embedded in the roof of each stand, which remains in use today.<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), pp. 44–45.</ref>

The Taylor Report's requirement for an all-seater stadium lowered capacity at Old Trafford to around 44,000 by 1993. In 1995, the North Stand was redeveloped into three tiers, restoring capacity to approximately 55,000. At the end of the 1998–99 season, second tiers were added to the East and West Stands, raising capacity to around 67,000, and between July 2005 and May 2006, 8,000 more seats were added via second tiers in the north-west and north-east quadrants. Part of the new seating was used for the first time on 26 March 2006, when an attendance of 69,070 became a new Premier League record.<ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd 3–0 Birmingham |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4820120.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=26 March 2006 |access-date=29 January 2011 |archive-date=25 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725212757/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/4820120.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The record was pushed steadily upwards before reaching its peak on 31 March 2007, when 76,098 spectators saw Manchester United beat Blackburn Rovers 4–1, with just 114 seats (0.15&nbsp;per&nbsp;cent of the total capacity of 76,212) unoccupied.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nick |last=Coppack |title=Report: United 4 Blackburn 1 |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/Fixtures-And-Results/Match-Reports/2007/Mar/Report-United-4-Blackburn-1.aspx |work=Manchester United |date=31 March 2007 |access-date=3 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216043425/http://www.manutd.com/en/Fixtures-And-Results/Match-Reports/2007/Mar/Report-United-4-Blackburn-1.aspx |archive-date=16 December 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2009, reorganisation of the seating resulted in a reduction of capacity by 255 to 75,957.<ref name="inside_united">Morgan (2010), pp. 44–48.</ref><ref name="record_gate">{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Bartram |title=OT100 #9: Record gate |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/The-OT-100-News/2009/Nov/OT100-9-Record-gate.aspx |work=Manchester United |date=19 November 2009 |access-date=3 December 2010 |archive-date=16 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216030119/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/The-OT-100-News/2009/Nov/OT100-9-Record-gate.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> Manchester United has the second highest average attendance of European football clubs only behind Borussia Dortmund.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Barclays Premier League Stats: Team Attendance – 2012–13 |url=http://www.espnfc.com/barclays-premier-league/23/statistics/performance?season=2012 |work=ESPN FC |date=3 May 2013 |access-date=11 May 2013 |archive-date=15 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715144130/http://www.espnfc.com/barclays-premier-league/23/statistics/performance?season=2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=German Bundesliga Stats: Team Attendance – 2012–13 |url=http://www.espnfc.com/german-bundesliga/10/statistics/performance?season=2012 |work=ESPN |access-date=11 May 2013 |archive-date=15 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715121520/http://www.espnfc.com/german-bundesliga/10/statistics/performance?season=2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Spanish La Liga Stats: Team Attendance – 2012–13 |url=http://www.espnfc.com/spanish-primera-division/15/statistics/performance?season=2012 |work=ESPN |access-date=11 May 2013 |archive-date=15 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715145857/http://www.espnfc.com/spanish-primera-division/15/statistics/performance?season=2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2021 United co-chairman Joel Glazer said that "early-stage planning work" for the redevelopment of Old Trafford was underway. This followed "increasing criticism" over the lack of development of the ground since 2006.<ref>{{cite news |first=Simon |last=Stone |title=Man Utd discussing Old Trafford overhaul |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59020785 |work=BBC Sport |date=23 October 2021 |access-date=7 December 2021 |archive-date=7 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207172335/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59020785 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Support==
[[File:Oldtraffordaverageattendances.png|thumb|Average Old Trafford Manchester United attendance, 1949–2009]]
Manchester United is one of the most popular football clubs in the world, with one of the highest average home attendances in Europe.<ref>{{cite news |first=Simon |last=Rice |title=Manchester United top of the 25 best supported clubs in Europe |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/manchester-united-top-of-the-25-best-supported-clubs-in-europe-1816245.html |work=The Independent |location=London |date=6 November 2009 |access-date=6 November 2009 |archive-date=9 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809094425/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/manchester-united-top-of-the-25-best-supported-clubs-in-europe-1816245.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The club states that its worldwide fan base includes more than 200 officially recognised branches of the Manchester United Supporters Club (MUSC), in at least 24 countries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Local Supporters Clubs |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/Fanzone/Local-Supporters-Clubs.aspx |work=Manchester United |access-date=3 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807033724/http://www.manutd.com/en/Fanzone/Local-Supporters-Clubs.aspx |archive-date=7 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The club takes advantage of this support through its worldwide summer tours. Accountancy firm and sports industry consultants [[Company:Deloitte|Deloitte]] estimate that Manchester United has 75&nbsp;million fans worldwide.<ref name="hamil_126"/> The club has the third highest social media following in the world among sports teams (after Barcelona and Real Madrid), with over 82&nbsp;million Facebook followers as of July 2023.<ref name="Marca">[http://www.marca.com/en/2014/11/13/en/football/barcelona/1415913827.html "Barça, the most loved club in the world"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114222009/http://www.marca.com/en/2014/11/13/en/football/barcelona/1415913827.html |date=14 November 2014 }}. Marca. Retrieved 15 December 2014</ref><ref>[http://fanpagelist.com/category/top_users/view/list/sort/fans/page1 "Top 100 Facebook fan pages"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209081114/http://fanpagelist.com/category/top_users/view/list/sort/fans/page1 |date=9 February 2015 }}. FanPageList.com. Retrieved 23 November 2015</ref> A 2014 study showed that Manchester United had the loudest fans in the Premier League.<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United fans the Premier League's loudest, says study |url=http://www.espnfc.com/barclays-premier-league/story/2162036/manchester-united-the-premier-leagues-loudest-fanssays-study |work=ESPN FC |date=24 November 2014 |access-date=20 February 2015 |archive-date=21 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221025829/http://www.espnfc.com/barclays-premier-league/story/2162036/manchester-united-the-premier-leagues-loudest-fanssays-study |url-status=live }}</ref>

Supporters are represented by two independent bodies; the Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association (IMUSA), which maintains close links to the club through the MUFC Fans Forum,<ref>{{cite web |title=Fans' Forum |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/Club/Fans-Forum.aspx |work=Manchester United |access-date=3 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814003417/http://www.manutd.com/en/Club/Fans-Forum.aspx |archive-date=14 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST). After the Glazer family's takeover in 2005, a group of fans formed a splinter club, F.C. United of Manchester. The West Stand of Old Trafford – the "Stretford End" – is the home end and the traditional source of the club's most vocal support.<ref name="barnes_52">Barnes et al. (2001), p. 52.</ref>

===Rivalries===
[[File:2009-3-14 ManUtd vs LFC Red Card Vidic.JPG|thumb|Liverpool–Manchester United match at Old Trafford on 14 March 2009]]
Manchester United have rivalries with Arsenal, Leeds United, Liverpool, and Manchester City, against whom they contest the Manchester derby.<ref>{{cite news |first=Martin |last=Smith |title=Bitter rivals do battle |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2297404/Wolves-v-West-Brom-Bitter-rivals-do-battle.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2297404/Wolves-v-West-Brom-Bitter-rivals-do-battle.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=15 April 2008 |access-date=24 June 2010 }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Simon |last=Stone |title=Giggs: Liverpool our biggest test |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_united/s/174/174381_giggs_liverpool_our_biggest_test.html |work=Manchester Evening News |date=16 September 2005 |access-date=31 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814034532/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_united/s/174/174381_giggs_liverpool_our_biggest_test.html |archive-date=14 August 2011 }}</ref>

The rivalry with Liverpool is rooted in competition between the cities during the [[History:Industrial Revolution|Industrial Revolution]], when Manchester was famous for its textile industry while Liverpool was a major port.<ref>{{cite news |first=Finlo |last=Rohrer |title=Scouse v Manc |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6956608.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=21 August 2007 |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=12 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112222904/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6956608.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The two clubs are the most successful English teams in both domestic and international competitions; and between them they have won 39 league titles, 9 European Cups, 4 UEFA Cups, 5 UEFA Super Cups, 20 FA Cups, 14 League Cups, 2 FIFA Club World Cups, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 37 FA Community Shields.<ref name="skysports.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11715/10676765/leeds-united-englands-13th-biggest-club-according-to-sky-sports-study |title=Leeds United England's 12th biggest club, according to Sky Sports study |work=Sky Sports |first=Adam |last=Smith |date=30 November 2016 |access-date=21 May 2018 |archive-date=28 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228210113/http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11715/10676765/leeds-united-englands-13th-biggest-club-according-to-sky-sports-study |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Liverpool v Manchester United: The bitter rivalry|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19653230|newspaper=BBC Sport|date=21 September 2012|access-date=23 February 2019|archive-date=19 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719014036/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19653230|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Which club has won the most trophies in Europe|url=http://talksport.com/football/which-club-has-won-most-trophies-europe-most-successful-clubs-best-leagues-revealed|access-date=26 September 2015|date=13 August 2015|archive-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926210603/http://talksport.com/football/which-club-has-won-most-trophies-europe-most-successful-clubs-best-leagues-revealed|url-status=live}}</ref> Ranked the two biggest clubs in England by ''France Football'' magazine based on metrics such as fanbase and historical importance,<ref>{{cite news|first=Joe|last=Bray|title=Manchester United ranked as the biggest football club in England ahead of Liverpool FC|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-liverpool-chelsea-arsenal-15816734|date=12 February 2019|access-date=11 November 2022|work=Manchester Evening News|archive-date=4 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704143128/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-liverpool-chelsea-arsenal-15816734|url-status=live}}</ref> Manchester United v Liverpool is considered to be the most famous fixture in English football and one of the biggest rivalries in the football world.<ref name=TelLivMan>{{cite news |title=The 20 biggest rivalries in world football ranked – Liverpool vs Manchester Utd |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/picturegalleries/11484651/The-20-biggest-rivalries-in-world-football-ranked.html?frame=3239123 |work=The Telegraph |date=20 March 2015 |access-date=7 November 2015 |archive-date=26 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926014156/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/picturegalleries/11484651/The-20-biggest-rivalries-in-world-football-ranked.html?frame=3239123 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=GuardianFanCensus>{{cite news |first=Tanya |last=Aldred |title=Rivals uncovered |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/jan/22/newsstory.sport11 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 January 2004 |access-date=7 November 2015 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144520/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/jan/22/newsstory.sport11 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool-remain-manchester-uniteds-biggest-rival-says-ryan-giggs-8390079.html |title=Liverpool remain Manchester United's 'biggest rival' says Ryan Giggs |newspaper=The Independent |date=6 December 2012 |access-date=7 November 2015 |archive-date=23 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123145802/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool-remain-manchester-uniteds-biggest-rival-says-ryan-giggs-8390079.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Bleacher>{{cite web |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1867347-the-7-greatest-rivalries-in-club-football-from-boca-to-the-bernabeu/page/4 |title=The 7 Greatest Rivalries in Club Football: From Boca to the Bernabeu |website=The Bleacher Report |date=26 November 2013 |access-date=7 November 2015 |archive-date=23 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123144913/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1867347-the-7-greatest-rivalries-in-club-football-from-boca-to-the-bernabeu/page/4 |url-status=live }}</ref> No player has been transferred between the clubs since 1964.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2000/may/10/newsstory.sport8 |first1=Sean |last1=Ingle |first2=Scott |last2=Murray |title=Knowledge Unlimited |work=The Guardian |date=10 May 2000 |access-date=11 November 2022 |archive-date=28 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028012550/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2000/may/10/newsstory.sport8 |url-status=live }}</ref> Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said in 2002, "My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their fucking perch".<ref>{{cite news|title=The greatest challenge of Sir Alex Ferguson's career is almost over|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/jan/09/sir-alex-ferguson-manchester-united-liverpool|first=Daniel|last=Taylor|date=9 January 2011|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=10 July 2020|archive-date=5 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605092341/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/jan/09/sir-alex-ferguson-manchester-united-liverpool|url-status=live}}</ref>

The "Roses Rivalry" with Leeds stems from the Wars of the Roses, fought between the House of Lancaster and the House of York, with Manchester United representing Lancashire and Leeds representing Yorkshire.<ref>Dunning (1999), p. 151.</ref>

The rivalry with Arsenal arises from the numerous times the two teams, as well as managers Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger, have battled for the Premier League title. With 33 titles between them (20 for Manchester United, 13 for Arsenal) this fixture has become known as one of the finest Premier League match-ups in history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arsenal-world.co.uk/head_to_head/arsenal/vs/manchester_united/index.shtml|title=Arsenal v Manchester United head-to-head record|publisher=Arsenal World |access-date=24 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101140857/http://www.arsenal-world.co.uk/head_to_head/arsenal/vs/manchester_united/index.shtml|archive-date=1 November 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2010/jan/31/sir-alex-ferguson-arsene-wenger-rivalry|title=Rivalry between Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson unmatched in sport|newspaper=The Guardian|date=31 January 2010|access-date=24 April 2013|last1=Hayward|first1=Paul|archive-date=7 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907213037/https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2010/jan/31/sir-alex-ferguson-arsene-wenger-rivalry|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Global brand==
Manchester United has been described as a global brand; a 2011 report by Brand Finance, valued the club's trademarks and associated intellectual property at £412&nbsp;million – an increase of £39&nbsp;million on the previous year, valuing it at £11&nbsp;million more than the second best brand, Real Madrid – and gave the brand a strength rating of AAA (Extremely Strong).<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 30 Football Club Brands |url=http://www.brandfinance.com/images/upload/top_30_european_football_brands_2011_final_website.pdf |publisher=Brand Finance |access-date=4 October 2011 |date=September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227144940/http://www.brandfinance.com/images/upload/top_30_european_football_brands_2011_final_website.pdf |archive-date=27 February 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2012, Manchester United was ranked first by ''{{wipe|Forbes}}'' magazine in its list of the ten most valuable sports team brands, valuing the Manchester United brand at $2.23&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United Tops The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/07/16/manchester-united-tops-the-worlds-50-most-valuable-sports-teams/ |work=Forbes |date=16 July 2012 |access-date=16 July 2012 |first=Kurt |last=Badenhausen |archive-date=16 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716112318/https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/07/16/manchester-united-tops-the-worlds-50-most-valuable-sports-teams/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The club is ranked third in the Deloitte Football Money League (behind Real Madrid and Barcelona).<ref name="Deloitte_money_league">{{cite news |title=Real Madrid becomes the first sports team in the world to generate €400m in revenues as it tops Deloitte Football Money League |url=http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_GB/uk/industries/sportsbusinessgroup/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614035034/http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_GB/uk/industries/sportsbusinessgroup/d039400401a17210VgnVCM100000ba42f00aRCRD.htm |work=Deloitte |date=2 March 2010 |access-date=22 June 2010 |archive-date=14 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In January 2013, the club became the first sports team in the world to be valued at $3&nbsp;billion.<ref name="bstonfrbs"/> ''Forbes'' magazine valued the club at $3.3&nbsp;billion – $1.2&nbsp;billion higher than the next most valuable sports team.<ref name="bstonfrbs">{{cite news |first=Mike |last=Ozanian |title=Manchester United Becomes First Team Valued At $3 Billion |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2013/01/27/manchester-united-becomes-first-team-valued-at-3-billion/ |work=Forbes |date=27 January 2013 |access-date=29 January 2013 |archive-date=29 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129210449/http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2013/01/27/manchester-united-becomes-first-team-valued-at-3-billion/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They were overtaken by Real Madrid for the next four years, but Manchester United returned to the top of the ''Forbes'' list in June 2017, with a valuation of $3.689&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Mike |last=Ozanian |title=The World's Most Valuable Soccer Teams 2017 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2017/06/06/the-worlds-most-valuable-soccer-teams-2017/ |work=Forbes |date=6 June 2017 |access-date=13 October 2017 |archive-date=3 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003032352/https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2017/06/06/the-worlds-most-valuable-soccer-teams-2017/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 ManU Karakas.jpg|thumb|left|An official partner of the club, Turkish Airlines in Manchester United livery]]
The core strength of Manchester United's global brand is often attributed to Matt Busby's rebuilding of the team and subsequent success following the Munich air disaster, which drew worldwide acclaim.<ref name="barnes_52"/> The "iconic" team included Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles (members of England's World Cup winning team), Denis Law and George Best. The attacking style of play adopted by this team (in contrast to the defensive-minded "catenaccio" approach favoured by the leading Italian teams of the era) "captured the imagination of the English footballing public".<ref name="hamil_116">Hamil (2008), p. 116.</ref> Busby's team also became associated with the liberalisation of Western society during the 1960s; George Best, known as the "Fifth Beatle" for his iconic haircut, was the first footballer to significantly develop an off-the-field media profile.<ref name="hamil_116"/>

As the second English football club to float on the London Stock Exchange in 1991, the club raised significant capital, with which it further developed its commercial strategy. The club's focus on commercial and sporting success brought significant profits in an industry often characterised by chronic losses.<ref>Hamil (2008), p. 124.</ref> The strength of the Manchester United brand was bolstered by intense off-the-field media attention to individual players, most notably David Beckham (who quickly developed his own global brand). This attention often generates greater interest in on-the-field activities, and hence generates sponsorship opportunities – the value of which is driven by television exposure.<ref>Hamil (2008), p. 121.</ref> During his time with the club, Beckham's popularity across Asia was integral to the club's commercial success in that part of the world.<ref>{{cite news |title=Beckham fever grips Japan |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2999514.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=18 June 2003 |access-date=20 June 2010 |archive-date=11 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511095439/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2999514.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Because higher league placement results in a greater share of television rights, success on the field generates greater income for the club. Since the inception of the Premier League, Manchester United has received the largest share of the revenue generated from the BSkyB broadcasting deal.<ref>Hamil (2008), p. 120.</ref> Manchester United has also consistently enjoyed the highest commercial income of any English club; in 2005–06, the club's commercial arm generated £51&nbsp;million, compared to £42.5&nbsp;million at Chelsea, £39.3&nbsp;million at Liverpool, £34&nbsp;million at Arsenal and £27.9&nbsp;million at Newcastle United. A key sponsorship relationship was with sportswear company [[Company:Nike, Inc.|Nike]], who managed the club's merchandising operation as part of a £303&nbsp;million 13-year partnership between 2002 and 2015.<ref>Hamil (2008), p. 122.</ref> Through Manchester United Finance and the club's membership scheme, One United, those with an affinity for the club can purchase a range of branded goods and services. Additionally, Manchester United-branded media services – such as the club's dedicated television channel, MUTV – have allowed the club to expand its fan base to those beyond the reach of its Old Trafford stadium.<ref name="hamil_126"/>

===Sponsorship===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:right"
|-
!scope="col"| Period
!scope="col"| Kit manufacturer
!scope="col"| Shirt sponsor (chest)
!scope="col"| Shirt sponsor (sleeve)
|-
|1945–1975
|Umbro
|rowspan="3"| —
|rowspan="11"| —
|-
|1975–1980
|Admiral
|-
|1980–1982
|rowspan="2"|Adidas
|-
|1982–1992
|rowspan="2"|[[Company:Sharp Corporation|Sharp Electronics]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Spencer |first=Jamie |date=2021-03-08 |title=Man Utd in talks over new £70m a season shirt sponsor |url=https://www.90min.com/posts/man-utd-in-70m-a-season-talks-over-new-shirt-sponsor |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=90min.com |language=en-GB |archive-date=12 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312212828/https://www.90min.com/posts/man-utd-in-70m-a-season-talks-over-new-shirt-sponsor |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|1992–2000
|rowspan="2"|Umbro
|-
|2000–2002
|rowspan="2"|[[Company:Vodafone|Vodafone]]<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2002–2006
|rowspan="4"|[[Company:Nike, Inc.|Nike]]
|-
|2006–2010
|[[Company:American International Group|AIG]]<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2010–2014
|[[Company:Aon|Aon]]<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2014–2015
|rowspan="3"|Chevrolet<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2015–2018
|rowspan="4"|Adidas
|-
|2018–2021
|rowspan="2"|Kohler
|-
|2021–2022
|rowspan=2|[[Software:TeamViewer|TeamViewer]]
|-
|2022–
|[[Company:DXC Technology|DXC Technology]]
|}
In an initial five-year deal worth £500,000, [[Company:Sharp Corporation|Sharp Electronics]] became the club's first shirt sponsor at the beginning of the 1982–83 season, a relationship that lasted until the end of the 1999–2000 season, when [[Company:Vodafone|Vodafone]] agreed a four-year, £30&nbsp;million deal.<ref name="shirt_sponsorship">{{cite news |first=James |last=Ducker |title=Manchester United show financial muscle after signing record £80m shirt contract |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6426463.ece |work=The Times |location=London |date=4 June 2009 |access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-date=1 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201172528/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6426463.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> Vodafone agreed to pay £36&nbsp;million to extend the deal by four years, but after two seasons triggered a break clause in order to concentrate on its sponsorship of the Champions League.<ref name="shirt_sponsorship"/>

To commence at the start of the 2006–07 season, American insurance corporation [[Company:American International Group|AIG]] agreed a four-year £56.5&nbsp;million deal which in September 2006 became the most valuable in the world.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oilinvest to renegotiate Juventus sponsorship |url=http://www.sportbusiness.com/oilinvest-renegotiate-juventus-sponsorship |publisher=SportBusiness (SBG Companies) |date=7 September 2006 |access-date=28 May 2007 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924110250/http://www.sportbusiness.com/oilinvest-renegotiate-juventus-sponsorship |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd sign £56m AIG shirt deal |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4882640.stm |work=BBC News |date=6 April 2006 |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=18 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518155937/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4882640.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> At the beginning of the 2010–11 season, American reinsurance company Aon became the club's principal sponsor in a four-year deal reputed to be worth approximately £80&nbsp;million, making it the most lucrative shirt sponsorship deal in football history.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Ben |last1=Smith |first2=James |last2=Ducker |title=Manchester United announce £80&nbsp;million sponsorship deal with Aon |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6422090.ece |work=The Times |location=London |date=3 June 2009 |access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-date=1 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201172528/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6422090.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> Manchester United announced their first training kit sponsor in August 2011, agreeing a four-year deal with DHL reported to be worth £40&nbsp;million; it is believed to be the first instance of training kit sponsorship in English football.<ref>{{cite news |title=DHL delivers new shirt deal |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2011/Aug/DHL-delivers-ground-breaking-deal.aspx |work=Manchester United |date=22 August 2011 |access-date=22 August 2011 |archive-date=13 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113205356/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2011/Aug/DHL-delivers-ground-breaking-deal.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United unveils two new commercial deals |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14615711 |work=BBC News |date=22 August 2011 |access-date=22 August 2011 |archive-date=22 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822171759/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14615711 |url-status=live }}</ref> The DHL contract lasted for over a year before the club bought back the contract in October 2012, although they remained the club's official logistics partner.<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United buy back training kit sponsorship rights from DHL |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/oct/26/manchester-united-training-kit-sponsorship |work=The Guardian |date=26 October 2012 |access-date=12 September 2014 |archive-date=13 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913032456/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/oct/26/manchester-united-training-kit-sponsorship |url-status=live }}</ref> The contract for the training kit sponsorship was then sold to Aon in April 2013 for a deal worth £180&nbsp;million over eight years, which also included purchasing the naming rights for the Trafford Training Centre.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ogden |first=Mark |title=Manchester United to sign £180m Aon deal to change name of Carrington training base |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/9977438/Manchester-United-to-sign-180m-Aon-deal-to-change-name-of-Carrington-training-base.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/9977438/Manchester-United-to-sign-180m-Aon-deal-to-change-name-of-Carrington-training-base.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=7 April 2013 |access-date=28 January 2014 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The club's first kit manufacturer was Umbro, until a five-year deal was agreed with Admiral Sportswear in 1975.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.admiralsportswear.com/heritage.htm |title=Admiral: Heritage |access-date=11 July 2010 |work=Admiral Sportswear |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228182703/http://www.admiralsportswear.com/heritage.htm |archive-date=28 February 2009 }}</ref> Adidas won the contract in 1980,<ref>Devlin (2005), p. 149.</ref> before Umbro started a second spell in 1992.<ref>Devlin (2005), p. 148.</ref> That sponsorship lasted for ten years, followed by Nike's record-breaking £302.9&nbsp;million deal, which lasted until 2015; 3.8&nbsp;million replica shirts were sold in the first 22 months with the company.<ref>Hamil (2008), p. 127.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd in £300m Nike deal |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1005794.stm |work=BBC News |date=3 November 2000 |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=12 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112104000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1005794.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to Nike and Chevrolet, the club also has several lower-level "platinum" sponsors, including Aon and Budweiser.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wachman |first=Richard |title=Manchester United fans call on corporate sponsors to back fight against Glazers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/apr/24/manchester-united-corporate-sponsors-glazers-red-knights |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=24 April 2010 |access-date=14 July 2010 |archive-date=28 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928130848/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/apr/24/manchester-united-corporate-sponsors-glazers-red-knights |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 30 July 2012, United signed a seven-year deal with American automotive corporation [[Company:General Motors|General Motors]], which replaced Aon as the shirt sponsor from the 2014–15 season. The new $80m-a-year shirt deal is worth $559m over seven years and features the logo of General Motors brand Chevrolet.<ref>{{cite web |last=Edgecliffe |first=Andrew |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/776d0ba2-ddb6-11e1-aa7b-00144feab49a.html#axzz2Ahv4xupV |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210201257/https://www.ft.com/content/776d0ba2-ddb6-11e1-aa7b-00144feab49a#axzz2Ahv4xupV |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=GM in record Man Utd sponsorship deal |publisher=FT.com |date=4 August 2012 |access-date=29 October 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Chevrolet signs seven-year deal |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2012/Jul/chevrolet-signs-seven-year-shirt-deal-beginning-in-2014.aspx |work=Manchester United |date=30 July 2012 |access-date=30 July 2012 |archive-date=26 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926192500/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2012/Jul/chevrolet-signs-seven-year-shirt-deal-beginning-in-2014.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> Nike announced that they would not renew their kit supply deal with Manchester United after the 2014–15 season, citing rising costs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Premier League: Sportswear giants Nike to end Manchester United sponsorship|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12040/9375980/premier-league-sportswear-giants-nike-to-end-manchester-united-sponsorship|publisher=Sky Sports|access-date=9 July 2014|archive-date=12 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712010003/http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12040/9375980/premier-league-sportswear-giants-nike-to-end-manchester-united-sponsorship|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Chad |last=Bray |title=Nike and Manchester United Set to End Equipment Partnership |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/10/business/international/nike-and-manchester-united-set-to-end-partnership.html |work=The New York Times |date=9 July 2014 |access-date=9 July 2014 |archive-date=9 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709221518/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/10/business/international/nike-and-manchester-united-set-to-end-partnership.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Since the start of the 2015–16 season, Adidas has manufactured Manchester United's kit as part of a world-record 10-year deal worth a minimum of £750&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jamie |last=Jackson |title=Manchester United sign record 10-year kit deal with Adidas worth £750m |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/14/manchester-united-kit-deal-adidas |work=theguardian.com |date=14 July 2014 |access-date=14 July 2014 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714134516/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/14/manchester-united-kit-deal-adidas |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Jack |last=De Menezes |title=Manchester United and adidas announce record £75m-per-year deal after Nike pull out |url=http://www.flicksfromthepast.com/article/manchester-united-and-adidas-announce-record---75m-per-year-deal-after-nike-pull-out |work=The Independent |date=14 July 2014 |access-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101074719/http://www.flicksfromthepast.com/article/manchester-united-and-adidas-announce-record---75m-per-year-deal-after-nike-pull-out |archive-date=1 January 2016 }}</ref> Plumbing products manufacturer Kohler became the club's first sleeve sponsor ahead of the 2018–19 season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kohler Unveiled as Shirt Sleeve Sponsor |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/kohler-unveiled-as-man-united-principal-partner-and-shirt-sleeve-sponsor |work=Manchester United |date=12 July 2018 |access-date=12 July 2018 |archive-date=5 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605231853/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/kohler-unveiled-as-man-united-principal-partner-and-shirt-sleeve-sponsor |url-status=live }}</ref> Manchester United and General Motors did not renew their sponsorship deal, and the club subsequently signed a five-year, £235m sponsorship deal with [[Software:TeamViewer|TeamViewer]] ahead of the 2021–22 season.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 March 2021|title=Manchester United agree £235m shirt sponsorship contract with TeamViewer from next season in five-year deal|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/12250656/manchester-united-agree-235m-shirt-sponsorship-contract-with-teamviewer-from-next-season-in-five-year-deal|access-date=4 July 2021|website=Sky Sports|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190722/https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/12250656/manchester-united-agree-235m-shirt-sponsorship-contract-with-teamviewer-from-next-season-in-five-year-deal|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Ownership and finances==
Originally funded by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, the club became a limited company in 1892 and sold shares to local supporters for £1 via an application form.<ref name="barnes_9"/> In 1902, majority ownership passed to the four local businessmen who invested £500 to save the club from bankruptcy, including future club president John Henry Davies.<ref name="barnes_9"/> After his death in 1927, the club faced bankruptcy yet again, but was saved in December 1931 by James W. Gibson, who assumed control of the club after an investment of £2,000.<ref name="barnes_12"/> Gibson promoted his son, Alan, to the board in 1948,<ref>Crick & Smith (1990), p. 181.</ref> but died three years later; the Gibson family retained ownership of the club through James' wife, Lillian,<ref>Crick & Smith (1990), p. 92.</ref> but the position of chairman passed to former player Harold Hardman.<ref>White, Jim (2008), p. 92.</ref>

Promoted to the board a few days after the Munich air disaster, Louis Edwards, a friend of Matt Busby, began acquiring shares in the club; for an investment of approximately £40,000, he accumulated a 54&nbsp;per&nbsp;cent shareholding and took control in January 1964.<ref>Dobson & Goddard (2004), p. 190.</ref> When Lillian Gibson died in January 1971, her shares passed to Alan Gibson who sold a percentage of his shares to Louis Edwards' son, Martin, in 1978; Martin Edwards went on to become chairman upon his father's death in 1980.<ref name="knighton_bid">{{cite news |title=1989: Man U sold in record takeover deal |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/18/newsid_2499000/2499267.stm |work=BBC News |access-date=24 June 2010 |date=18 August 1989 |archive-date=9 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609182211/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/18/newsid_2499000/2499267.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Media tycoon Robert Maxwell attempted to buy the club in 1984, but did not meet Edwards' asking price.<ref name="knighton_bid"/> In 1989, chairman Martin Edwards attempted to sell the club to Michael Knighton for £20&nbsp;million, but the sale fell through and Knighton joined the board of directors instead.<ref name="knighton_bid"/>

Manchester United was floated on the stock market in June 1991 (raising £6.7&nbsp;million),<ref>Dobson & Goddard (2004), p. 191.</ref> and received yet another takeover bid in 1998, this time from Rupert Murdoch's British Sky Broadcasting Corporation. This resulted in the formation of ''Shareholders United Against Murdoch'' – now the ''Manchester United Supporters' Trust'' – who encouraged supporters to buy shares in the club in an attempt to block any hostile takeover. The Manchester United board accepted a £623&nbsp;million offer,<ref>Bose (2007), p. 157.</ref> but the takeover was blocked by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission at the final hurdle in April 1999.<ref>Bose (2007), p. 175.</ref> A few years later, a power struggle emerged between the club's manager, Alex Ferguson, and his horse-racing partners, John Magnier and J. P. McManus, who had gradually become the majority shareholders. In a dispute that stemmed from contested ownership of the horse Rock of Gibraltar, Magnier and McManus attempted to have Ferguson removed from his position as manager, and the board responded by approaching investors to attempt to reduce the Irishmen's majority.<ref>Bose (2007), pp. 234–235.</ref>

===Glazer ownership===
In May 2005, Malcolm Glazer purchased the 28.7&nbsp;per&nbsp;cent stake held by McManus and Magnier, thus acquiring a controlling interest through his investment vehicle Red Football Ltd in a highly leveraged takeover valuing the club at approximately £800&nbsp;million (then approx. $1.5&nbsp;billion).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4550141.stm |title=Glazer Man Utd stake exceeds 75% |work=BBC News |date=16 May 2005 |access-date=11 August 2007 |archive-date=24 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424062136/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4550141.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Once the purchase was complete, the club was taken off the stock exchange.<ref>{{cite news |title=Glazer gets 98% of Man Utd shares |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4629401.stm |work=BBC News |date=23 June 2005 |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=1 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901035224/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4629401.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Much of the takeover money was borrowed by the Glazers; the debts were transferred to the club. As a result, the club went from being debt-free to being saddled with debts of £540&nbsp;million, at interest rates of between 7% to 20%.<ref name="Maidment">{{cite news |last1=Maidment |first1=Neil |title=Could the Glazers lose their public enemy No.1 tag at Manchester United? |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/manchester-united-glazers/feature-could-the-glazers-lose-their-public-enemy-no-1-tag-at-manchester-united-idUSL1N0XW0O620150615 |access-date=30 August 2020 |work={{wipe|Reuters}} |date=15 June 2015 |archive-date=12 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212113019/https://www.reuters.com/article/manchester-united-glazers/feature-could-the-glazers-lose-their-public-enemy-no-1-tag-at-manchester-united-idUSL1N0XW0O620150615 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sabbagh |first1=Dan |title=Glazers set to lighten Man Utd's debt burden |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/glazers-set-to-lighten-man-utds-debt-burden-nrr7hf5chbq |access-date=26 August 2020 |work=The Times |date=13 June 2006 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200826141601/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/glazers-set-to-lighten-man-utds-debt-burden-nrr7hf5chbq |archive-date=26 August 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Conn1>{{cite news |last=Conn |first=David |title=Debt £511m but dividends galore: the Glazers' legacy at Manchester United |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/oct/17/glazers-legacy-manchester-united-liverpool |access-date=26 August 2020 |work={{wipe|The Guardian}} |date=17 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409071801/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/oct/17/glazers-legacy-manchester-united-liverpool |archive-date=9 April 2020 }}</ref>

In July 2006, the club announced a £660&nbsp;million debt refinancing package, resulting in a 30&nbsp;per&nbsp;cent reduction in annual interest payments to £62&nbsp;million a year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.footballeconomy.com/archive/archive_2006_jul_08.htm |title=Glazers Tighten Grip on United With Debt Refinancing |work=The Political Economy of Football |date=8 July 2006 |access-date=11 August 2008 |archive-date=27 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127185005/http://www.footballeconomy.com/archive/archive_2006_jul_08.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="refinancing">{{cite news|title=Manchester United reveal refinancing plans |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2006/0718/manunited2.html |publisher=RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) |date=18 July 2006 |access-date=24 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105215252/http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2006/0718/manunited2.html |archive-date=5 January 2010 }}</ref> In January 2010, with debts of £716.5&nbsp;million ($1.17&nbsp;billion),<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United debt hits £716m |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8470595.stm |work=BBC News |date=20 January 2010 |access-date=26 January 2010 |archive-date=3 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403004654/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8470595.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Manchester United further refinanced through a bond issue worth £504&nbsp;million, enabling them to pay off most of the £509&nbsp;million owed to international banks.<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United to raise £500m |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8451848.stm |work=BBC News |date=11 January 2010 |access-date=26 January 2010 |archive-date=7 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107114026/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8451848.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The annual interest payable on the bonds – which were to mature on 1 February 2017 – is approximately £45&nbsp;million per annum.<ref>{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Wilson |title=Manchester United raise £504m in bond issue |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8475317.stm |work=BBC News |date=22 January 2010 |access-date=26 January 2010 |archive-date=3 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203021805/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8475317.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite restructuring, the club's debt prompted protests from fans on 23 January 2010, at Old Trafford and the club's Trafford Training Centre.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ian |last=Hughes |title=Man Utd 4–0 Hull |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8472354.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=23 January 2010 |access-date=26 January 2010 |archive-date=27 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327084638/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/8472354.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Prime Minister Gordon Brown warns football over debts |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8479331.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=25 January 2010 |access-date=26 January 2010 |archive-date=26 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326223742/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/8479331.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Supporter groups encouraged match-going fans to wear green and gold, the colours of Newton Heath. On 30 January, reports emerged that the Manchester United Supporters' Trust had held meetings with a group of wealthy fans, dubbed the "Red Knights", with plans to buying out the Glazers' controlling interest.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Nabil |last1=Hassan |first2=Dan |last2=Roan |title=Wealthy Man Utd fans approach broker about takeover |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8488910.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=30 January 2010 |access-date=4 March 2010 |archive-date=27 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027052428/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8488910.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The club's debts reached a high of £777&nbsp;million in June 2007.<ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd: 10 years of the Glazers - is Old Trafford club better off? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32615111 |website=BBC News |date=12 May 2015 |access-date=30 August 2020 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108102816/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32615111 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In August 2011, the Glazers were believed to have approached [[Company:Credit Suisse|Credit Suisse]] in preparation for a $1&nbsp;billion (approx. £600&nbsp;million) [[Finance:Initial public offering|initial public offering]] (IPO) on the Singapore stock exchange that would value the club at more than £2&nbsp;billion;<ref>{{cite news |first=Owen |last=Gibson |title=Manchester United eyes a partial flotation on Singapore stock exchange |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/aug/16/manchester-united-glazers-flotation-singapore |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=16 August 2011 |access-date=17 August 2011 |archive-date=2 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002213349/http://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/aug/16/manchester-united-glazers-flotation-singapore |url-status=live }}</ref> however, in July 2012, the club announced plans to list its IPO on the [[Company:New York Stock Exchange|New York Stock Exchange]] instead.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Sharanya |last1=1Hrishikesh |first2=Ashutosh |last2=Pandey |title=Manchester United picks NYSE for U.S. public offering |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-manchesterunited-ipo-idUSBRE86219520120704 |publisher=Thomson Reuters |date=3 July 2012 |access-date=4 July 2012 |archive-date=6 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306193311/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-manchesterunited-ipo-idUSBRE86219520120704 |url-status=live }}</ref> Shares were originally set to go on sale for between $16 and $20 each, but the price was cut to $14 by the launch of the IPO on 10 August, following negative comments from Wall Street analysts and [[Company:Facebook|Facebook]]'s disappointing stock market debut in May. Even after the cut, Manchester United was valued at $2.3&nbsp;billion, making it the most valuable football club in the world.<ref>{{cite news |first=Dominic |last=Rushe |title=Manchester United IPO: share prices cut before US stock market flotation |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/aug/10/manchester-united-ipo-share-prices |work=The Guardian |date=10 August 2012 |access-date=24 August 2012 |archive-date=2 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002213219/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/aug/10/manchester-united-ipo-share-prices |url-status=live }}</ref>

The New York Stock Exchange allows for different shareholders to enjoy different voting rights over the club. Shares offered to the public ("Class A") had 10 times lesser voting rights than shares retained by the Glazers ("Class B").<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jolly |first1=Richard |title=Manchester United IPO - Q&A |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/columns/story/_/id/1128842/richard-jolly%3A-manchester-united-ipo---q%26a |access-date=30 August 2020 |work=ESPN |date=1 August 2012 |archive-date=31 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131055144/https://www.espn.com/soccer/columns/story/_/id/1128842/richard-jolly%3A-manchester-united-ipo---q%26a |url-status=live }}</ref> Initially in 2012, only 10% of shares were offered to the public.<ref>{{cite news |title=Glazers to sell two percent of Manchester United shares - sources |url=https://www.espn.com.sg/soccer/manchester-united/story/3176288/glazers-to-sell-two-percent-of-manchester-united-shares-on-new-york-stock-exchange-sources |access-date=30 August 2020 |work=ESPN |date=10 August 2017 |archive-date=24 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124222746/https://www.espn.com.sg/soccer/manchester-united/story/3176288/glazers-to-sell-two-percent-of-manchester-united-shares-on-new-york-stock-exchange-sources |url-status=live }}</ref> As of 2019, the Glazers retain ultimate control over the club, with over 70% of shares, and even higher voting power.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rudge |first1=Dean |title=The truth behind claims Manchester United owners the Glazers are set to sell millions of shares |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-glazers-shares-woodward-16977534 |access-date=30 August 2020 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=25 September 2019 |archive-date=21 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921101850/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-glazers-shares-woodward-16977534 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2012, ''{{wipe|The Guardian}}'' estimated that the club had paid a total of over £500&nbsp;million in debt interest and other fees on behalf of the Glazers,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Conn |first1=David |title=Cost of Glazers' takeover at Manchester United reaches £500m |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2012/feb/22/manchester-united-glazers-debt |access-date=26 August 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=22 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409100918/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2012/feb/22/manchester-united-glazers-debt |archive-date=9 April 2020 }}</ref> and in 2019, reported that the total sum paid by the club for such fees had risen to £1&nbsp;billion.<ref name=Conn1/> At the end of 2019, the club had a net debt of nearly £400&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jackson |first1=Jamie |title=Manchester United's net debt rises £73.6m to £391.3m in three months |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/feb/25/manchester-uniteds-net-debt-rises-736m-to-3913m-in-three-months-solskjaer-woodward |access-date=30 August 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=25 February 2020 |archive-date=8 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008035329/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/feb/25/manchester-uniteds-net-debt-rises-736m-to-3913m-in-three-months-solskjaer-woodward |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2023, the Glazers began soliciting bids for the sale of the club, and several bids were received. Jim Ratcliffe, who owns INEOS, and Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, a Qatari sheikh, were the only bidders who had publicly declared their interest in a controlling share of the club.<ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd takeover: Sir Jim Ratcliffe & Sheikh Jassim to submit new bids as deadline extended amid confusion |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65043304 |website=BBC Sport |date=23 March 2023 |access-date=23 March 2023 |archive-date=22 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322201910/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65043304 |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2023, Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus also made his interest in Manchester United public.<ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd takeover latest: Sheikh Jassim also submits second bid after Sir Jim Ratcliffe |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65054294 |website=BBC Sport |date=25 March 2023 |access-date=4 April 2023 |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405115401/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65054294 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 24 December 2023, it was announced that Ratcliffe had purchased 25 per cent of Manchester United, and that his INEOS Sport company was taking control of football operations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-24 |title=Club statement |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-reaches-agreement-for-sir-jim-ratcliffe-to-acquire-25-per-cent-shareholding?utm_campaign=ManUtd&utm_medium=post&utm_source=twitter |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=Manchester United F.C. |language=en-GB}}</ref> The Glazers remain as majority shareholders.

==Players==
===First-team squad===
 <ref>{{cite web |title=Man Utd First Team Squad & Player Profiles |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/first-team |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |access-date=5 July 2023 |archive-date=11 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911021957/https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/first-team |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Joe |last=Nelson |title=Five new United squad numbers confirmed |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-announce-new-squad-numbers-for-2023-24 |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=3 September 2023 |access-date=3 September 2023 |archive-date=3 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903091520/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-announce-new-squad-numbers-for-2023-24 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<!----------------------------- READ THIS NOTICE FIRST BEFORE EDITING ----------------------------------
 – Do NOT add new players before their signing is officially announced by the club through their website, including medical and signing the contract. A transfer fee agreed doesn't mean the player will sign.
 – Do NOT remove players before their exit is officially announced by the club.
 – Do NOT add or change squad numbers until it is official on the Manchester United F.C. website
 – Only add numberless players that are likely to become part of the first team
 – Pre-season numbers can be added temporarily with A REFERENCE
 – This is Wikipedia, not a football gazette. Anything unconfirmed and unsourced will be removed on sight
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------->
{{fs player |no=4  |nat=MAR |pos=MF |name=Sofyan Amrabat |other=on loan from Fiorentina}}<ref>{{cite news |title=United complete loan move for Sofyan Ambrabat |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/sofyan-amrabat-joins-man-utd-on-loan-from-fiorentina |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=1 September 2023 |access-date=1 September 2023 |archive-date=1 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901213950/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/sofyan-amrabat-joins-man-utd-on-loan-from-fiorentina |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Out on loan====
{{fs player|no=25|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Jadon Sancho|other=at Borussia Dortmund}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/loan-news-jadon-sancho-rejoins-borussia-dortmund-from-man-utd-for-rest-of-2023-24-season |title=Loan news: Jadon Sancho rejoins Borussia Dortmund from Man Utd for rest of 2023/24 season |date=11 January 2024 |access-date=11 January 2024 }}</ref>
{{fs player|no=28|nat=URU|pos=MF|name=Facundo Pellistri|other=at Granada<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Manchester United transfer news: Winger Facundo Pellistri joins Granada on loan |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68162562 |work=BBC Sport |date=31 January 2024 |access-date=31 January 2024}}</ref> }}
{{fs player|no=33|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Brandon Williams|other=at Ipswich Town}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Williams completes loan move |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/brandon-williams-joins-ipswich-town-on-loan-for-remainder-of-2023-24-season-from-man-utd |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=24 August 2023 |access-date=24 August 2023 |archive-date=24 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824123805/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/brandon-williams-joins-ipswich-town-on-loan-for-remainder-of-2023-24-season-from-man-utd |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{fs player|no=34|nat=NED|pos=MF|name=Donny van de Beek|other=at Eintracht Frankfurt}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-midfielder-donny-van-de-beek-signs-on-loan-with-eintracht-frankfurt-1-january-2024 |title=Van de Beek joins Eintracht Frankfurt on loan |date=1 January 2024 |access-date=11 January 2024 }}</ref>
{{fs player|no=42|nat=ESP|pos=DF|name=Álvaro Carreras|other=at Benfica}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Alvaro Fernandez secures loan move |first=Adam|last=Bostock|url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/alvaro-fernandez-joins-benfica-on-loan-until-the-end-of-the-season |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=16 January 2024}}</ref>
{{fs player|no=46|nat=TUN|pos=MF|name=Hannibal Mejbri|other=at Sevilla}} <ref>{{cite news |title=Hannibal heads out on loan |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/hannibal-leaves-man-utd-for-sevilla-on-loan-for-rest-of-season |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=15 January 2024 |access-date=15 January 2024 }}</ref>
{{fs player|no=|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Mason Greenwood|other=at Getafe}} <ref>{{cite news |title=Greenwood joins Getafe on loan |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/mason-greenwood-signs-for-getafe-on-loan |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=1 September 2023 |access-date=1 September 2023 }}</ref>

===Under-21s and Academy===
 <ref>{{cite web |title=Man Utd Reserves Squad & Players Profile |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/reserves |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |access-date=22 November 2022 |archive-date=4 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204010930/https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/reserves |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Man Utd Academy Squad & Players Profile |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/the-academy |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |access-date=3 July 2023 |archive-date=22 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122153313/https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/the-academy |url-status=live }}</ref>
'''List of under-21s and academy players with articles'''

{{fs player |no=36 |nat=ENG |pos=MF |name=Tom Huddlestone |other=player-coach }}<ref>{{cite news |title=United issue academy coaching update |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-academy-coaching-update-includes-tom-huddlestone-appointment |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=2 August 2022 |access-date=2 August 2022 |archive-date=12 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812065732/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-academy-coaching-update-includes-tom-huddlestone-appointment |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Out on loan====
{{fs player |no=44 |nat=ENG |pos=MF |name=Dan Gore|other=at Port Vale }}<ref>{{cite news |title=Gore goes out on loan |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/dan-gore-joins-port-vale-on-loan-from-man-utd |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=23 January 2024 |access-date=24 January 2024 }}</ref>
{{fs player |no=48 |nat=ENG |pos=DF |name=Will Fish |other=at Hibernian }}<ref>{{cite news |title=Will Fish rejoins Hibernian for 2023/24 |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-defender-will-fish-returns-to-hibernian-on-loan-for-2023-24-season |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=27 July 2023 |access-date=27 July 2023 |archive-date=27 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727212153/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-defender-will-fish-returns-to-hibernian-on-loan-for-2023-24-season |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{fs player |no=52 |nat=ENG |pos=FW |name=Joe Hugill |other=at Burton Albion }}<ref>{{cite news |title=Hugill joins Burton Albion on loan |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/joe-hugill-joins-burton-albion-on-loan-from-man-utd-until-the-end-of-2023-24-season |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=12 January 2024 |access-date=12 January 2024 }}</ref>
{{fs player |no=66 |nat=ENG |pos=DF |name=Rhys Bennett|other=at Stockport County }}<ref>{{cite news |title=Bennett leaves the Reds on loan |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/rhys-bennett-joins-stockport-county-on-loan |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=19 January 2024 |access-date=24 January 2024 }}</ref>
{{fs player |no=68 |nat=POL |pos=MF |name=Maxi Oyedele |other=at Forest Green Rovers }}<ref>{{cite news |title=Oyedele clinches loan move |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/maxi-oyedele-joins-forest-green-rovers-on-loan |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=17 January 2024 |access-date=17 January 2024 |archive-date=17 January 2024 </ref>

===Player of the Year awards===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Team: ||colspan=2| First team || U21s{{efn|U-23s (2016–2022)}} || U18s
|-
! Award
| Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year
| Players' Player of the Year
| Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year
| Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year
|-
! Inaugurated
| 1987–88
| 2005–06
| 1989–90
| 1989–90
|-
! Holder<br>{{small|(2022–23)}}
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Marcus Rashford
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Marcus Rashford
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Dan Gore
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Kobbie Mainoo
|}
{{notelist}}

==Coaching staff==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!scope="col"| Position
!scope="col"| Staff
|-
| Manager
| {{flagicon|NED}} Erik ten Hag 
|-
| Assistant coaches
| {{flagicon|NED}} Mitchell van der Gaag<ref name="TenHagStaff">{{cite news |title=Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren appointments confirmed |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/mitchell-van-der-gaag-and-steve-mcclaren-appointments-confirmed |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=23 May 2022 |access-date=23 May 2022 |archive-date=23 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523080231/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/mitchell-van-der-gaag-and-steve-mcclaren-appointments-confirmed |url-status=live }}</ref><br />{{flagicon|ENG}} Steve McClaren<ref name="TenHagStaff"/>
|-
| First-team coaches
| {{flagicon|SCO}} Darren Fletcher<ref name="BMc"/><br>{{flagicon|RSA}} Benni McCarthy<ref name="BMc">{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Marshall |title=Benni McCarthy appointed as first-team coach |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/benni-mccarthy-joins-manchester-united-as-coach |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=30 July 2022 |access-date=30 July 2022 |archive-date=30 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730201206/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/benni-mccarthy-joins-manchester-united-as-coach |url-status=live }}</ref><br />{{flagicon|WAL}} Eric Ramsay<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United appoint new first-team coach |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/manchester-united-appoint-coach-eric-ramsay-to-join-the-first-team-set-up |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=12 July 2021 |access-date=12 July 2021 |archive-date=12 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712163338/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/manchester-united-appoint-coach-eric-ramsay-to-join-the-first-team-set-up |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Senior goalkeeping coach
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Richard Hartis<ref name="gk_coach">{{cite news |title=Richard Hartis appointed senior goalkeeping coach |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/manchester-united-confirms-appointment-of-senior-goalkeeping-coach |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=22 June 2019 |access-date=22 June 2019 |archive-date=11 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011081448/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/manchester-united-confirms-appointment-of-senior-goalkeeping-coach |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Assistant goalkeeping coach
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Craig Mawson<ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd appoint Craig Mawson as new assistant goalkeeping coach |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-united-appoint-craig-mawson-as-new-assistant-goalkeeping-coach |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=30 December 2019 |access-date=30 December 2019 |archive-date=2 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102130723/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-united-appoint-craig-mawson-as-new-assistant-goalkeeping-coach |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Head of sports medicine (first-team doctor)
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Gary O'Driscoll<ref>{{cite news |title=Gary O'Driscoll starts as head of sports medicine at Man Utd |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/gary-odriscoll-starts-as-head-of-sports-medicine-at-man-utd |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=22 September 2023 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927130748/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/gary-odriscoll-starts-as-head-of-sports-medicine-at-man-utd |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Head of rehabilitation and physiotherapy
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Robin Sadler<ref>{{cite news |title=Robin Sadler joins Manchester United |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/robin-sadler-joins-man-utd-as-head-of-rehabilitation-and-physiotherapy |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=4 January 2021 |access-date=4 January 2021 |archive-date=29 November 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211129221714/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/robin-sadler-joins-man-utd-as-head-of-rehabilitation-and-physiotherapy |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| First-team lead physio
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Richard Merron
|-
| Head of physical performance
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Ed Leng<ref>{{cite news |title=Erik ten Hag's kind gesture goes down well as Manchester United choose unique Las Vegas hotel |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-tour-diary-latest-27421864 |website=Manchester Evening News |date=30 July 2023 |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802004805/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-tour-diary-latest-27421864 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Fitness coaches
| {{flagicon|ITA}} Paulo Gaudino<br />{{flagicon|ENG}} Charlie Owen<ref>{{cite news |title=How Manchester United are getting their players fitter for the new season |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-pre-season-training-16621014 |website=Manchester Evening News |date=22 July 2019 |access-date=24 November 2019 |archive-date=9 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009231230/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-pre-season-training-16621014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| First-team strength and power coach
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Michael Clegg<ref name="first-team_staff">{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Marshall |title=Reds confirm additions to first-team staff |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/more-backroom-staff-positions-at-united-confirmed |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=6 July 2019 |access-date=6 July 2019 |archive-date=8 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008042742/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/more-backroom-staff-positions-at-united-confirmed |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| First-team sports scientist
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Michael Eglon
|-
| Director of academy
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Nick Cox<ref name="academy_restructure">{{cite news |title=Club announces academy restructure |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/new-roles-for-nicky-butt-nick-cox-in-man-utd-academy-restructure |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=22 July 2019 |access-date=23 July 2019 |archive-date=23 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723054014/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/new-roles-for-nicky-butt-nick-cox-in-man-utd-academy-restructure |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Head of player development & coaching (U19–U23)
|rowspan="2"| {{flagicon|IRL}} Travis Binnion<ref name="academy_coaching">{{cite news |title=Academy coaching update for 2023/24 |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-announce-academy-coaching-changes-for-2023-24 |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=19 July 2023 |access-date=19 July 2023 |archive-date=19 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719110740/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-announce-academy-coaching-changes-for-2023-24 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Under-21s lead coach
|-
| Under-18s lead coach
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Adam Lawrence<ref name="academy_coaching"/>
|-
| Senior academy coach
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Mark Dempsey<ref name="academy_coaching"/>
|}

===Managerial history===
[[File:Manchester United Managers.jpg|thumb|The wall of managers on display in the club museum at Old Trafford]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!scope="col"| Dates<ref>Barnes et al. (2001), pp. 54–57.</ref>
!scope="col"| Name
!scope="col"| Notes
|-
| 1878–1892
| Unknown
|
|-
| 1892–1900
| {{flagicon|ENG}} A. H. Albut
|
|-
| 1900–1903
| {{flagicon|ENG}} James West
|
|-
| 1903–1912
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Ernest Mangnall
|
|-
| 1912–1914
| {{flagicon|ENG}} John Bentley
|
|-
| 1914–1921
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Jack Robson
|
|-
| 1921–1926
| {{flagicon|SCO}} John Chapman
|
|-
| 1926–1927
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Lal Hilditch
| Player-manager
|-
| 1927–1931
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Herbert Bamlett
|
|-
| 1931–1932
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Walter Crickmer
|
|-
| 1932–1937
| {{flagicon|SCO}} Scott Duncan
|
|-
| 1937–1945
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Walter Crickmer
|
|-
| 1945–1969
| {{flagicon|SCO}} Matt Busby
|
|-
| 1958
| {{flagicon|WAL}} Jimmy Murphy
| Caretaker manager
|-
| 1969–1970
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Wilf McGuinness
|
|-
| 1970–1971
| {{flagicon|SCO}} Matt Busby
|
|-
| 1971–1972
| {{flagicon|IRL}} Frank O'Farrell
|
|-
| 1972–1977
| {{flagicon|SCO}} Tommy Docherty
|
|-
| 1977–1981
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Dave Sexton
|
|-
| 1981–1986
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Ron Atkinson
|
|-
| 1986–2013
| {{flagicon|SCO}} Alex Ferguson
|
|-
| 2013–2014
| {{flagicon|SCO}} David Moyes
|
|-
| 2014
| {{flagicon|WAL}} Ryan Giggs
| Caretaker player-manager
|-
| 2014–2016
| {{flagicon|NED}} Louis van Gaal
|
|-
| 2016–2018
| {{flagicon|POR}} José Mourinho
|
|-
| 2018–2021
| {{flagicon|NOR}} Ole Gunnar Solskjær
| {{refn|group=nb|Solskjaer was initially appointed as interim manager; he was given the job permanently on 28 March 2019.}}
|-
| 2021
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Michael Carrick 
| Caretaker manager
|-
| 2021–2022
| {{flagicon|GER}} Ralf Rangnick 
| Interim manager
|-
| 2022–
| {{flagicon|NED}} Erik ten Hag
|
|}

==Management==
*Owner: Glazer family via Red Football Shareholder Limited<ref>Red Football Shareholder Limited: Group of companies' accounts made up to 30 June 2009. Downloaded from Companies House UK</ref>

===Manchester United plc===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position
! Name<ref>{{cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=http://ir.manutd.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=133303&p=irol-govBoard |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |access-date=1 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612235303/https://ir.manutd.com/corporate-governance/board-of-directors.aspx|archive-date=12 June 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Co-chairmen
| Avram Glazer<br />Joel Glazer
|-
| Interim chief executive officer and chief legal officer / general counsel
| Patrick Stewart
|-
| Chief financial officer
| Cliff Baty<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United appoints Cliff Baty as Chief Financial Officer |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2015/Oct/Manchester-United-Appoints-Cliff-Baty-As-Chief-Financial-Officer.aspx |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=26 October 2015 |access-date=26 October 2015 |archive-date=27 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027050919/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2015/Oct/Manchester-United-Appoints-Cliff-Baty-As-Chief-Financial-Officer.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Chief operating officer
| Collette Roche<ref>{{cite news |title=The appointment of Collette Roche at Manchester United is a step forward for football – a game blighted by sexism |url=https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/manchester-united-collette-roche-female-chief-operating-officer-sends-message/ |website=inews.com |publisher=iNews |date=19 April 2018 |access-date=18 August 2018 |archive-date=18 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818182132/https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/manchester-united-collette-roche-female-chief-operating-officer-sends-message/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Non-executive directors
| Bryan Glazer<br />Kevin Glazer<br />Edward Glazer<br />Darcie Glazer Kassewitz<br />Robert Leitão<br />John Hooks<br />Manu Sawhney
|}

===Manchester United Football Club===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Office
! Name
|-
| Honorary president
| Martin Edwards<ref>{{cite news |first=Neil |last=Gardner |title=Martin Edwards voices concerns over Manchester United's future |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6866287.ece |work=The Times |location=London |date=8 October 2009 |access-date=11 June 2010 |archive-date=14 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814140620/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6866287.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Directors
| David Gill<br />Michael Edelson<br />Sir Alex Ferguson<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sir-alex-ferguson-latest-manager-retires-but-will-remain-a-director-of-club-after-27-years-in-charge-8606905.html|title=Sir Alex Ferguson latest: Manager retires but will remain a director|website=The Independent|date=8 May 2013|access-date=20 November 2019|archive-date=3 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203102530/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sir-alex-ferguson-latest-manager-retires-but-will-remain-a-director-of-club-after-27-years-in-charge-8606905.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Football director 
| John Murtough<ref name="10Mar21">{{cite news |title=United appoint Football and Technical Directors |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-statement-on-appointment-of-football-director-and-technical-director |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |access-date=10 March 2021 |date=10 March 2021 |archive-date=10 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310120120/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-statement-on-appointment-of-football-director-and-technical-director |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Deputy football director
| Andy O'Boyle<ref>{{cite news|title=United appoint Deputy Football Director|url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/andy-oboyle-appointed-as-man-utd-deputy-football-director|website=ManUtd.com|publisher=Manchester United|access-date=31 May 2022|date=31 May 2022|archive-date=31 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531090056/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/andy-oboyle-appointed-as-man-utd-deputy-football-director|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Technical director 
| Darren Fletcher<ref name="10Mar21"/>
|-
| Director of football negotiations
| Matt Hargreaves
|-
| Director of football operations
| David Harrison<ref name="17Feb23">{{cite news |title=Harrison appointed director of football operations |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/statement-david-harrison-appointed-director-of-football-operations-at-man-utd |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |access-date=17 February 2023 |date=17 February 2023 |archive-date=17 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217120233/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/statement-david-harrison-appointed-director-of-football-operations-at-man-utd |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Club secretary
| Rebecca Britain<ref>{{cite news|title=Manchester United appoint Rebecca Britain as club secretary|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-news-rebecca-britain-14470177|website=Manchester Evening News|date=29 March 2018|access-date=5 August 2018|archive-date=5 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805233939/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-news-rebecca-britain-14470177|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Director of football insights & innovation
| Richard Hawkins
|-
| Director of data science
| Dominic Jordan
|-
|}

==Honours==
[[File:Manchester United Champions League Medals.jpg|thumb|Winner's and runners'-up medals from Manchester United's UEFA Champions League final appearances in 2008, 2009 and 2011|alt=A photograph of three medals sitting on a stand. One medal is gold and two are silver.]]
[[File:Manchester United trophy cabinet.jpg|thumb|Trophies won by Manchester United on display in the club museum]]
Manchester United is one of the most successful clubs in Europe in terms of trophies won.<ref>{{cite news |first=Craig |last=Bloomfield |title=Which club has won the most trophies in Europe? The most successful clubs from the best leagues revealed |url=http://talksport.com/football/which-club-has-won-most-trophies-europe-most-successful-clubs-best-leagues-revealed |publisher=talkSPORT |date=13 August 2015 |access-date=30 October 2015 |archive-date=16 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016051615/http://talksport.com/football/which-club-has-won-most-trophies-europe-most-successful-clubs-best-leagues-revealed |url-status=live }}</ref> The club's first trophy was the Manchester Cup, which they won as Newton Heath LYR in 1886.<ref>Shury & Landamore (2005), p. 8.</ref> In 1908, the club won their first league title, and won the FA Cup for the first time the following year. Since then, they have gone on to win a record 20 top-division titles – including a record 13 Premier League titles – and their total of 12 FA Cups is second only to Arsenal (14). Those titles have meant the club has appeared a record 30 times in the FA Community Shield (formerly the FA Charity Shield), which is played at the start of each season between the winners of the league and FA Cup from the previous season; of those 30 appearances, Manchester United have won a record 21, including four times when the match was drawn and the trophy shared by the two clubs.

The club had a successful period under the management of Matt Busby, starting with the FA Cup in 1948 and culminating with becoming the first English club to win the European Cup in 1968, winning five league titles in the intervening years. The club's most successful decade, however, came in the 1990s under Alex Ferguson; five league titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup, five Charity Shields (one shared), one UEFA Champions League, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup and one Intercontinental Cup. The club has won the Double (winning the Premier League and FA Cup in the same season) three times; the second in 1995–96 saw them become the first club to do so twice, and it became referred to as the "Double Double".<ref>{{cite news |title=On This Day: United's Historic 'Double Double' |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/glory-days-story-of-the-1996-fa-cup-win-for-man-utd |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=11 May 2020 |access-date=13 May 2020 |archive-date=17 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517101142/https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/glory-days-story-of-the-1996-fa-cup-win-for-man-utd |url-status=live }}</ref> United became the sole British club to win the Intercontinental Cup in 1999 and are one of only three British clubs to have won the FIFA Club World Cup, in 2008. In 1999, United became the first English club to win the Treble.<ref name="kings"/> In 2017, United won the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, beating Ajax in the final. In winning that title, United became the fifth club to have won the "European Treble" of European Cup/UEFA Champions League, Cup Winners' Cup, and UEFA Cup/Europa League after Juventus, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.<ref>{{cite news |title=Manchester United win the UEFA Europa League |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2017/May/Manchester-United-win-the-Europa-League-after-beating-Ajax-in-the-final-in-Stockholm-24-May-2017.aspx |website=ManUtd.com |publisher=Manchester United |date=24 May 2017 |access-date=26 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601015225/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2017/May/Manchester-United-win-the-Europa-League-after-beating-Ajax-in-the-final-in-Stockholm-24-May-2017.aspx |archive-date=1 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ts_unique">{{cite web |title=Europa League final: Manchester United on the brink of unique achievement no other English club could ever match |url=http://talksport.com/football/europa-league-final-manchester-united-brink-unique-achievement-no-other-english-club-could |publisher=talkSPORT |date=23 May 2017 |access-date=28 May 2017 |archive-date=27 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527015722/http://talksport.com/football/europa-league-final-manchester-united-brink-unique-achievement-no-other-english-club-could |url-status=live }}</ref>

The club's most recent trophy came in February 2023, with the 2022–23 EFL Cup.<ref name="2023_efl_cup"/>

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Manchester United's honours
!style="width:1%"| Type
!style="width:5%"| Competition
!style="width:1%"| Titles
!style="width:21%"| Seasons
|-
|rowspan="5"| '''Domestic'''
!scope=col| First Division/Premier League<ref name="premier_league" group="nb">Upon its formation in 1992, the Premier League became the top tier of English football; the Football League First and Second Divisions then became the second and third tiers, respectively. From 2004, the First Division became the Championship and the Second Division became League One.</ref>
|style="background-color:gold"| '''20'''
|align="left"| 1907–08, 1910–11, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
|-
!scope=col| Second Division<ref name="premier_league" group="nb" />
| 2
|align="left"| 1935–36, 1974–75
|-
!scope=col| FA Cup
| 12
|align="left"| 1908–09, 1947–48, 1962–63, 1976–77, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2015–16
|-
!scope=col| Football League Cup/EFL Cup
| 6
|align="left"| 1991–92, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2016–17, 2022–23
|-
!scope=col| FA Charity Shield/FA Community Shield
|style="background-color:gold"| '''21'''
|align="left"| 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965*, 1967*, 1977*, 1983, 1990*, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016 (* shared)
|-
|rowspan="4"| '''Continental'''
!scope=col| European Cup/UEFA Champions League
| 3
|align="left"| 1967–68, 1998–99, 2007–08
|-
!scope=col| European Cup Winners' Cup
| 1
|align="left"| 1990–91
|-
!scope=col| UEFA Europa League
| 1
|align="left"| 2016–17
|-
!scope=col| UEFA Super Cup
| 1
|align="left"| 1991
|-
|rowspan="2"| '''Worldwide'''
!scope=col| FIFA Club World Cup
| 1
|align="left"| 2008
|-
!scope=col| Intercontinental Cup
| 1
|align="left"| 1999
|}
* {{legend|gold|record}}
* {{smallsup|s}} shared record

===Doubles and Trebles===
*Doubles
**League and FA Cup (3): 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99
**League and UEFA Champions League (2): 1998–99, 2007–08
**League and EFL Cup (1): 2008–09
**EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League (1): 2016–17
*Trebles
**League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League (1): 1998–99

Short competitions – such as the FA Charity/Community Shield, Intercontinental Cup (now defunct), FIFA Club World Cup or UEFA Super Cup – are not generally considered to contribute towards a Double or Treble.<ref>{{cite news |first=Simon |last=Rice |title=Treble treble: The teams that won the treble |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/treble-treble-the-teams-that-won-the-treble-1976153.html |work=The Independent |location=London |date=20 May 2010 |access-date=14 July 2010 |archive-date=11 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211082236/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/treble-treble-the-teams-that-won-the-treble-1976153.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Manchester United Women==
A team called Manchester United Supporters Club Ladies began operations in the late 1970s and was unofficially recognised as the club's senior women's team. They became founding members of the North West Women's Regional Football League in 1989.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wigmore |first=Tim |title=Why Do Manchester United Still Not Have a Women's Team? |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2742131-why-do-manchester-united-still-not-have-a-womens-team |website=Bleacher Report |access-date=20 August 2019 |archive-date=9 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109203451/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2742131-why-do-manchester-united-still-not-have-a-womens-team |url-status=live }}</ref> The team made an official partnership with Manchester United in 2001, becoming the club's official women's team; however, in 2005, following Malcolm Glazer's takeover, the club was disbanded as it was seen to be "unprofitable".<ref>{{cite news |first=Tony |last=Leighton |title=United abandon women's game to focus on youth |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/feb/21/newsstory.sport2 |work=The Guardian |date=21 February 2005 |access-date=21 August 2019 |archive-date=9 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309024718/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/feb/21/newsstory.sport2 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2018, Manchester United formed a new women's football team, which entered the second division of women's football in England for their debut season. 2023 will see that team enter European competition for the first time.<ref name="The Independent 1">{{cite news|title=Manchester United granted place in Women's Championship by FA|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/womens_football/manchester-united-women-championship-football-association-fa-a8372731.html|access-date=28 May 2018|work=The Independent|date=28 May 2018|archive-date=9 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609025305/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/womens_football/manchester-united-women-championship-football-association-fa-a8372731.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Sky Sports">{{cite news|title=Manchester United granted FA Women's Championship place with West Ham in Super League|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/28508/11388053/manchester-united-granted-fa-womens-championship-place-with-west-ham-in-super-league|access-date=28 May 2018|work=Sky Sports|date=28 May 2018|archive-date=9 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609080117/https://www.skysports.com/football/news/28508/11388053/manchester-united-granted-fa-womens-championship-place-with-west-ham-in-super-league|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=nb}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |editor1-last=Andrews |editor1-first=David L. |title=Manchester United: A Thematic Study |year=2004 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-0-415-33333-7 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Barnes |first1=Justyn |last2=Bostock |first2=Adam |last3=Butler |first3=Cliff |last4=Ferguson |first4=Jim |last5=Meek |first5=David |last6=Mitten |first6=Andy |last7=Pilger |first7=Sam |last8=Taylor |first8=Frank OBE |last9=Tyrrell |first9=Tom |title=The Official Manchester United Illustrated Encyclopedia |orig-year=1998 |edition=3rd |year=2001 |publisher=Manchester United Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-233-99964-7}}
*{{cite book |last1=Bose |first1=Mihir |title=Manchester Disunited: Trouble and Takeover at the World's Richest Football Club |year=2007 |publisher=Aurum Press |location=London |isbn=978-1-84513-121-0 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Crick |first1=Michael |last2=Smith |first2=David |title=Manchester United – The Betrayal of a Legend |year=1990 |publisher=Pan Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-330-31440-4 }}
*{{cite book |last=Devlin |first=John |title=True Colours: Football Kits from 1980 to the Present Day |year=2005 |publisher=A & C Black |location=London |isbn=978-0-7136-7389-0 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Dobson |first1=Stephen |last2=Goddard |first2=John |editor1-last=Fort |editor1-first=Rodney |editor2-last=Fizel |editor2-first=John |title=International Sports Economics Comparisons |year=2004 |publisher=Praeger Publishers |location=Westport, CT |isbn=978-0-275-98032-0 |chapter=Ownership and Finance of Professional Soccer in England and Europe}}
*{{cite book |last=Dunning |first=Eric |title=Sport Matters: Sociological Studies of Sport, Violence and Civilisation |url=https://archive.org/details/sportmatterssoci0000dunn |url-access=registration |publisher=Routledge |year=1999 |location=London |isbn=978-0-415-09378-1 }}
*{{cite book |last=Hamil |first=Sean |editor1-last=Chadwick |editor1-first=Simon |editor2-last=Arth |editor2-first=Dave |title=International Cases in the Business of Sport |year=2008 |publisher=Butterworth-Heinemann |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-7506-8543-6 |chapter=Case 9: Manchester United: the Commercial Development of a Global Football Brand }}
*{{cite book |last=Inglis |first=Simon |title=Football Grounds of Britain |orig-year=1985 |edition=3rd |year=1996 |publisher=CollinsWillow |location=London |isbn=978-0-00-218426-7 }}
*{{cite book |last=James |first=Gary |title=Manchester: A Football History |publisher=James Ward |location=Halifax |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-9558127-0-5 }}
*{{cite journal |last=Morgan |first=Steve |editor-first=Ian |editor-last=McLeish |date=March 2010 |title=Design for life |journal=Inside United |issue=212 |issn=1749-6497 }}
*{{cite book |last=Murphy |first=Alex |title=The Official Illustrated History of Manchester United |publisher=Orion Books |year=2006 |location=London |isbn=978-0-7528-7603-0 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Shury |first1=Alan |last2=Landamore |first2=Brian |title=The Definitive Newton Heath F.C |publisher=SoccerData |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-899468-16-4 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Tyrrell |first1=Tom |last2=Meek |first2=David |title=The Hamlyn Illustrated History of Manchester United 1878–1996 |orig-year=1988 |edition=5th |year=1996 |publisher=Hamlyn |location=London |isbn=978-0-600-59074-3 }}
*{{cite book |last=White |first=Jim |title=Manchester United: The Biography |year=2008 |publisher=Sphere |location=London |isbn=978-1-84744-088-4 }}
*{{cite book |last=White |first=John |title=The United Miscellany |orig-year=2005 |edition=2nd |year=2007 |publisher=Carlton Books |location=London |isbn=978-1-84442-745-1 }}

==External links==
* [http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/ Official statistics website]
* [http://www.joinmust.org/ Official Manchester United Supporters' Trust]
* [http://www.skysports.com/football/teams/manchesterunited Manchester United] at Sky Sports
* [https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/12/Manchester-United/overview Manchester United] at Premier League
* {{Finance links
| symbol = MANU
| sec_cik = MANU
| google = NYSE:MANU
| yahoo = MANU
| bloomberg = MANU:US
| reuters = MANU
| nasdaq = MANU
}}

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{{Sourceattribution|Manchester United F.C.}}