Among the many greats who helmed the Red Devils was Billy Meredith, but who was his rival? Matt Busby and Wilf O’Farrell are also important figures. Matt Busby helped rebuild Manchester United’s team after the Munich Air Disaster robbed the club of many great players. Read on to find out more about these three famous men. Hopefully, the article will answer your question.
Billy Meredith
Before becoming a manager, Billy Meredith was a player with Manchester United. He played for the club for three-and-a-half seasons, scoring 36 goals. He played in both the first two league championships and the FA Cup. In addition to his role as a manager, Meredith was also a popular figure in Manchester City’s football circles. His playing career included spells at Maine Road and Hyde Road.
Although he may not have managed Manchester United in the early years of their existence, Meredith’s influence on the game went far beyond his own playing skills. He campaigned for better conditions for players, and even went on strike. Despite being banned by the Football Association, he stood by his players, and eventually the Players’ Union was recognized. Today, the Players’ Union is the oldest and most active professional union in the world.
In 1904, Billy Meredith’s actions led Manchester City to a disastrous season. After being promoted to the Premiership, City were accused of match-fixing. Meredith proclaimed the team had gone beyond the wage cap, which led to an FA investigation. As a result, City were fined, five directors were removed, and 18 players were banned from playing for one year. City were not able to recover their lost title and they suffered a hammer blow, so Manchester United took advantage of their misfortune and sacked Meredith in 1907.
Meredith also served as the club’s first legendary player. Although his time at Manchester United was brief, he became a firm favorite among United fans. His impact on the club went far beyond the players and to the club’s fans. Meredith is considered to be a hero to the working class, which made him a popular figure among Manchester fans. In fact, his life as a manager was so exemplary that many of the fans of Manchester United still admire him today.
Although Meredith was a talented player, his career was interrupted by a bribery scandal in 1905. Meredith allegedly bribed a player from Aston Villa with PS10 in order to lose the game. Meredith was suspended for two seasons and banned from playing for a year after the scandal. This scandal was crucial to the development of Manchester United. It also led to the founding of Manchester City’s National League, which Meredith won in 1907.
Before joining Manchester United, Meredith played for Stoke City and represented Wales. His first appearance as a professional was for the club’s amateur team, Chirk Amateur Athletic Association Football Club, which consisted of mainly miners. He went on to win the Welsh Cup with his team in 1894. A year later, he was named the club’s first manager. In fact, Billy Meredith was the first manager of Manchester United.
Matt Busby
The club have a rich history and Busby was the first manager to lead them to European Cup success. But what of the time when he was fired from the team? How did the new manager come to power? And what of his religion? Many people speculated that his religion spilled over into his work. However, Busby dismisses such rumours and maintains that he is a Protestant.
The manager was knighted in 1968 and announced his retirement in 1969. The next season, United reached the FA Charity Shield, where they beat Manchester City 1-0. The following season, United failed to defend their title and finished eighth in the league. The club moved to the new stadium in 1950 and Busby’s squad consisted of nine players. In 1952-53, Busby’s squad included Bill Foulkes, Dennis Viollet, David Pegg and Duncan Edwards.
The first season of Busby’s tenure at Manchester United was a rocky one. The club failed to win the FA Cup at Wembley, and it failed to make the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1956. The failure was a setback for the club, but it spurred them on to win the European Cup the following season. During that season, Busby also began blooding young players and became known as the “Busby Babes.”
In 1980, Busby was appointed as president of the club, but resigned after a year. The team had been struggling under the management of Wilf McGuinness and had lost the League Cup. He returned in December 1970 and took over from his failing successor. Eventually, he retired in June 1971. Frank O’Farrell took over as manager of Manchester United. Despite being a renowned manager, Busby was also awarded the Knight Commander of St Gregory by Pope Paul VI. He was named the president of the club in 1980, and in 1993, Warwick Road North was renamed Sir Matt Busby Way.
In 1958, a plane carrying the Manchester United team crashed near Munich, West Germany. Eight of the team’s first-string players died in the crash, but Busby guided the patchwork side to the final. The Manchester United team lost the game to Bolton Wanderers, and Busby was knighted in 1968. It was the first time that a manager was knighted. So, Matt Busby had a long and successful career.
He was a devout Catholic. In 1968, he received the CBE and was knighted by the Queen. However, Busby always denied favouring players of his own religion. While he was very religious, he kissed visiting bishops in the boardroom. And it was all in the name of faith. The club’s success and reputation made him a revered man.
Wilf O’Farrell
O’Farrell’s time in Manchester was short and controversial, and he was sacked after 18 months after a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace. He subsequently went on to manage Cardiff City and later led the national team of Iran to the Asian Cup and the Montreal Olympics. In between, he also managed Torquay and was later fired from his managerial position. O’Farrell had also managed Cardiff City, the Iran national team and the club Al-Shaab in the United Arab Emirates.
O’Farrell’s reign at Old Trafford was brief and his record was relatively average, winning just 30 games out of 81. However, he was instrumental in bringing back the fading George Best, who had retired a few years earlier. The manager ended his time at Old Trafford third in the old First Division. After his tenure, Tommy Doherty took over as manager.
O’Farrell became the first manager of Manchester United in 1971 after Sir Matt Busby stepped down. Despite his limited time in charge of the club, he led Leicester to the 1969 FA Cup final. He was subsequently sacked three weeks later. The manager’s short reign at Old Trafford lasted only 18 months. He started out his career at Weymouth and managed them to the Third Division before moving on to Preston North End and then Newcastle United.
Before joining Manchester United, O’Farrell was a player at Torquay and had played for the club. He was a great team builder, and was able to recruit many top-class players. He also cultivated the talent of many players, including Bobby Charlton and Denis Law. O’Farrell’s time at Old Trafford included some turbulent periods.
After the tragedy in Munich, Murphy was the only man to keep the club in the top flight. But he was unsuccessful in keeping the club in the Premier League. United were relegated in 1973 and 1974. After that, they climbed back up to the top flight and won the FA Cup. And after a period of mediocrity, Docherty took the job permanently.
O’Farrell left Manchester United a year later, and BT Sport began broadcasting the club’s matches since December 31. Despite occasional moments of success in various competitions, the club has struggled to win regular silverware since Ferguson’s departure. Wilf O’Farrell’s legacy at Old Trafford remains. But it is unlikely that BT Sport will ever bring the treble back to the Old Trafford.
After John O’Farrell’s departure from the club, his replacement, Louis Van Gaal, was named manager in May 2014. While in charge of the Premier League giants, he had moderate success. United finished fourth in the league in 2014/15, above Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. However, they suffered an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to MK Dons in the Second Round of the League Cup in May 2017.
