As Victorian Britain was gripped by 'the football craze', eight men laid the foundations at one of the world's greatest clubs. These pioneers ranged from miners to brewery owners, fitness fanatics to portly beer drinkers. From Stretford, Ancoats, Birmingham, Bolton, Darlington, Chirk and Crewe, some were rebels, others were leaders. All were grafters. The Men Who Made Manchester United brings you the definitive history of Manchester United before Sir Matt Busby's post-war halcyon days. Inside are tales that will make you squirm, laugh and cry: the transfer fee of two freezers of ice cream, the tragic death of a young footballer and his forgotten family, the fight for the right to unionise, Edwardian Cockney Reds, severed fingers and the pelting stones of the angry residents of Budapest. This is the story behind the club's name and colours, the building of Old Trafford, the founding of the PFA and the creation of the Academy. It's filled with tales that will fascinate and entertain.

About the Author

Harry Robinson is a lifelong Manchester United fan, freelance journalist and historian. He has written for The Independent, FourFourTwo, MUNDIAL, United We Stand and The Blizzard. He hosts United Through Time and the Manchester United Weekly Podcast. He was born and raised in London but currently lives in Manchester, studying history at university and working for Manchester United.

Reviews

"A great background spanning almost a hundred years on the men who made everything that followed possible. A must-read for any Manchester United fan."

-- Gary Neville * Former Manchester United captain and Sky Sports Football pundit *

"A fine book with incredible attention to detail as Robinson unearths and examines long forgotten United stories."

-- Andy Mitten * Founder and editor of United We Stand *

"At a time when money is king in football, this is an important insight into just how humble the beginnings of Manchester United were. These are human football stories but they also provide a slice of Manchester's social history."

-- John Murray * BBC Football Correspondent *

"Harry Robinson's new book on the first 70 years of Manchester United is just brilliant... one of the best in the 1000 United books on my shelves. Robinson hasn't just done loads of painstaking research, with sparkling new details, he's also a great storyteller. It just flows from page to page."

-- Michael Crick



Book Information
ISBN 9781801500852
Author Harry Robinson
Format Hardback
Page Count 416
Imprint Pitch Publishing Ltd
Publisher Pitch Publishing Ltd