Manchester United FC

Club: Manchester Utd
Formed: 1878
Nickname: Red Devils
Colours: Red
Stadium: Old Trafford (68,174)
Address: Sir Matt Busby Way, Manchester, M16 0RA
Website: www.manutd.com

The most successful club of recent times was formed in a slightly less than glamorous manner - a club called Newton Heath being founded by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company in 1878. In 1902 they went bankrupt and Manchester United were born.

United always enjoyed moderate success but in the Fifties and Sixties under Matt Busby they won five titles and a European Cup in an era that was only marred by the Munich Air Disaster which claimed much of the first-team squad.

The club took some time to recover but under Sir Alex Ferguson they have become one of the biggst clubs in the world - winning an incredible eight of the 11 Premiership titles on offer and one European Cup in 1999. They have been a phenomenon of recent football.

Fast Fact: Manchester United's 1995/6 squad were on average the youngest champions.

Fast Fact: The first five times United entered the European Cup, they never failed to get to the semi-final stage.