The dawn of the Premiership era also brought about a new Manchester United. Alex Ferguson had tested the patience of both the board and the fans during his early tenure at the club but an inspirational signing in November 1992 was the boost the club in a way that hadn’t been seen for years. It was difficult to ever envisage United’s success over the last two decades back then and yet here we are now, looking back at the beginning of a new phase in the club’s illustrious history.
Emlyn Hughes, then a columnist with the Daily Mirror, described the signing of Eric Cantona as potentially the “last gamble in charge of Manchester United.” He also coined Cantona the “flashy foreigner,” believing that the Frenchman’s time at the club would be a failure. His signing was perhaps more a set of coincidences rather than a thought out transfer – United had missed out on signing Alan Shearer during the summer of 1992 but a second and third blow was just around the corner as Lee Sharpe was sidelined for three months with meningitis and new signing, Dion Dublin, snapped his leg during a match against Crystal Palace. United went on a seven match winless streak between September-November, which saw them slump to 10th in the Premiership table. And then came Eric Cantona, for the bargain price of £1m, a move which turned United’s season on its head.
With Cantona supporting Mark Hughes on the front line and Brian McClair operating in midfield alongside Paul Ince, United shifted up the gears – disposing of closest title rivals, Aston Villa, with ease as they recorded seven wins on the bounce at the end of the season, winning the league by ten clear points. The turning point in the season came in their match against Sheffield Wednesday in April 1993 – highlighting their never say die attitude. Down 1-0 at Old Trafford with seven minutes to go, United were understandably twitchy before Steve Bruce scored the equaliser. Rather amusingly earlier in the match the referee pulled a muscle and seven minutes were added to the end of the match (the beginning of the well known notion of Fergie time?). In somewhat typical fashion, Bruce scored United’s winner in the sixth of the additional minutes. The famous pictures of Fergie and Brian Kidd celebrating on the sidelines was captured for all to see, whilst the pleasure on Bruce’s face said it all.
With the introduction of Sky TV, fixtures no longer all took place at the same time. United were not playing when Aston Villa took on Oldham in a must win match to stay in contention for the league title and Ferguson had decided not to watch the game live, instead choosing a round of golf with his son. Their game was disturbed by a stranger running across the green to inform the United boss that Villa had lost, instead of being angry that his game had been interrupted, Fergie kissed the stranger.
Bryan Robson and Steve Bruce gleefully lifted the Premiership trophy following United’s final home again of the season against Blackburn. It didn’t take long before the TV camera’s focused on Matt Busby sat in the Director’s Box – proud, satisfied, at what he was witnessing. It had been 26 long years but United were back, and they weren’t ready to be moved.
-courtesy of football-united-blogs.com
After waiting for mor than 26 years finally Man Utd won the League..!! Dan sejak itulah bermula penguasaan Man Utd dalam kancah EPL yang amat dicemburui oleh rival2 semua..!! And sejak ni lah bermula nya minat aku terhadap Man Utd..perghh...pejam celik pejam celik dah dekat 20 tahun gak aku minat RED DEVILS ni yek..ekekeke!! GGMU..
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