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1908 - 1909: Cup fever grips United

Following their first Championship victory United played QPR in the Charity Shield match, the game was played at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge and finished in a 1-1 draw. A replay was arranged and this time more than 40,000 turned out to watch United put on an impressive display with Turnbull getting a hatrick in their 4-0 win. In United's history they had come no closer to winning the FA Cup than the 8th round, with the Championship trophy tucked away in the boardroom they now set sights on the only major British trophy that had so far alluded them.

They started the campaign with a win against Southern league Brighton 1-0. And in the second round were drawn at home again this time against Everton. The Toffees were eliminated by a goal from Halse and the Reds marched on. The Rovers of Blackburn were United's next victims getting a severe 6-1 thrashing at Clayton. For the first time that year they were drawn away in the next round to 2nd division Burnley and were down a goal to nil and looked like they were going out of the Cup again at the eight round when Mother Nature stepped in, snow started to fall in the 18th minute of the game, it turned into a blizzard and the referee had no option but to call off the tie. The replay favoured the Reds and they won a 3-2 contest.

United were now in the semi-finals for the first time in their history where they faced stiff opposition from the Cup holders Newcastle. The Geordie's fell to another goal from Halse and United were through to the final. (Newcastle did go on to win the Championship).

The final took place at the Crystal Palace and Bristol City were United's opponents. The City of Manchester was gripped with Cup fever and train excursions to London were offered to the fans for 11 shillings each. United were forced to change their strip and instead of their usual scarlet red they wore white with a red "V". The City of Manchester poured into the Capital and despite the threat of rain 70,000 fans packed into the ground to watch Turnbull score the only goal of the game and with it win the Cup for United.

Billy Meredith is said to have been the difference in the two sides, although by most accounts it was a poor game. After their Cup win the United team were taken to the Alhambra Theatre where they were enter***ned by football's favorite comedian of the time, George Robey. Accompanying United fans in tweed caps and jackets were a stark contrast to the clientele of the dress circle in their evening jackets and bow ties. The next morning there was something of a scare when the lid to the cup could not be found, but it was eventually discovered in the pocket of Sandy Turnbulls jacket where some practical joker had hid it.

The United team arrived at central station Manchester at 3:30pm that afternoon and were surprised to find an estimated 300,000 fans waiting to welcome them back home. With the brass band playing "see, the conquering hero comes" Mangnall opened the door of his carriage and lifted the old trophy high to a huge roar from the crowd. Following Mangnall, dressed in cloth cap, came Charlie Roberts and the rest of the United team, many of them wearing red and white hats. A motor coach took them through the City and all along the route people hung from windows, climbed statues, perched on roof's all to get a glimpse of their hero's.

Never before had Albert Square seen such scenes. The procession continued to the Clayton ground where over 30,000 fans had been awaiting them for over 3 hours. It was to be the old Clayton grounds finest hour, for United had already given notice that they would be soon quitting its muddy fields for a new stadium being built at Old Trafford.

United still had a game left to play and not surprisingly lost to Arsenal, after the game United's chairman took the FA Cup and filled it with champagne, he then took it to the Arsenal dressing room and invited them to drink to United's health.

In August 1909, 4 months after winning the FA cup the whole Manchester United team was suspended by the FA for refusing to renounce the trade union they had helped form. At the outset it had been every professional player in the country that had joined the union, but after pressure from the FA they dropped out one by one until only the Manchester United team was left. The United players stood firm and gained themselves the nickname "the outcasts". It seemed like the end of the season before it started for the club that had just begun to taste success, but when all seemed lost Tim Coleman of Everton walked out on his team mates and sided with the United players. Newcastle United, Middlesborough, and Sunderland all changed their minds also and were followed soon by the rest of the Everton team and the Liverpool team. The FA backed down! A muddled agreement was signed and the crisis was over, but it is thanks to that United team that the player union survived and exists to this day. In the league Manchester did not continue their previous success, finishing a disappointing 13th.

1909 - 1910: Arise Old Trafford!

The move to a new stadium had been agreed in 1908, Clayton was a disgrace of a pitch. During the winter months it was a quagmire and hardly a fitting place for a team that had won the FA Cup and Championship. The old stadium was sold to the Manchester Corporation for 5,000 pounds and the new site in Trafford Park was purchased with the help of a grant for 60,000 pounds. The site for the new stadium was chosen and paid for by John Henry Davies, who paid all the costs out of his own pocket. The new stadium was planned to be the largest and finest in the country. It was originally designed to hold 100,000 fans, but after construction estimates soared an additional 30,000 pounds over budget, the plans were revised, restricting the gate to around 60,000.

United played their last game at Clayton's Bank street ground on January 10, 1910, defeating Spurs 5-0. Shortly after United officially left the old ground a gale swept across Manchester and blew down the Bank Street stand causing damage to houses in the surrounding area. The new ground was opened on February 19 and named 'Old Trafford'. Liverpool were the opponents that day and spoiled the party by beating United 4-3 after United had led 2-0. They soon got used to the new ground though and it was October 21, a year later, before they suffered another defeat at home.

The price of admission for the games at Old Trafford at the time was, best reserved seats five shillings, while to stand on the terraces cost sixpence. With the new stadium, United had a better season than last year, finishing on fifth in the league.

1910 - 1911: Champions again!

But after two disappointing seasons the 1910/11 season would be a great season for Manchester United, it also would be the last season of one of the great managers of United, Ernest Mangnall.

For the first time in their new stadium they became the Champions of the first division for the second time. This time United's title was clinched by just one point ahead of Aston Villa. United lost 8 of their 38 matches and drew 8 as well, they scored 72 goals. In the FA Cup United could reach the third round.

1911 - 1912

As League Champions United were once again invited to play in the Charity Shield. This time their opponents were Swindon Town, winners of the Southern League. The game was played at Stamford Bridge but only attracted a crowd of 8,000 which was a pity because the two teams served up 12 goals in a 8-4 win for United.

1911 began another bleak period for the Reds. Ernest Mangnall had created a great team, but in August 1912 he surprisingly left the club and joined Manchester City as their new manager. Earlier the same week he had turned down a 1,500 pound bid from City for United cap***n Charlie Roberts. After a emergency meeting of the board at Old Trafford it was decided that they could not change Mangnall's mind and he left with their blessings.

Eighteen months later City were top of division 1 and United were struggling next to bottom. Mangnall's achievements at United cannot be underestimated, not only did he win two championships and an FA Cup, he bought players of skill and flair who gave United an unmistakable touch of class and a reputation for attacking flowing football. He had also built the finest stadium in the land at Old Trafford to accommodate all this talent. It would take United 40 years to recover from the loss of him.

Without Mangnall the Champions finished the season a very disappointing 13th, with more defeats than wins (14 defeats and 13 wins).