Club History: Frustrating Eighties 1980 - 1990

1980 - 1981: Sexton out, Atkinson in

In the League Cup they didn't do much better as they lost in the second round while in the FA Cup they were eliminated in the fourth round. This disappointing season meant the end of the managerial spell of Dave Sexton at United, he was dismissed at the end of the season and succeeded by Ron Atkinson.

1981 - 1982: Big Ron busy in the transfer market
Ron Atkinson followed Sexton into the hot seat and even though he brought the FA Cup to Old Trafford twice in three years he could not take United to the pinnacle. The League Championship was the measure of the best team in the nation and seeing Liverpool winning it year after year was having a demoralising effect on the great club that United was.

Sir Matt Busby had set the standard and it was proving a ball and chain around the necks of all his successors. An eventful summer preceeded the season as John Gidman signed from Everton and Frank Stapleton arrived from Arsenal. Mickey Thomas moved to Everton and Joe Jordan went overseas to AC Milan of Italy. A record deal totalling £2.4M brought Bryan Robson and Remi Moses to Old Trafford from West Bromwich Albion early in the season. Robson's pricetag of £1.5M clearly made him the most expensive player in Britain. 17-year-old Norman Whiteside became the youngest ever player to appear in the World Cup finals playing in all five of Northern Ireland's matches.

Although United bought a lot their season was largely unsuccessful. Defeat came early in the FA Cup and the League Cup. While in the League United finished the season in a respectable third place, but again a long way from the Championship.

1982 - 1983: Atkinson's first silverware
This season United again finished near the top of the table, but yet again they were not able to make the last step to the summit and at the end of the season they finished third.

United scored only 56 goals, what an average of only 1.3 goals per game. They did reach their first ever League Cup final however, but lost 2:1 at Wembley to Liverpool, Whiteside scoring the only goal for United. But the Reds returned to Wembley a few weeks later to play the FA Cup final against Brighton and Hove Albion.

The first game ended in a 2-2 draw, with Stapleton and Wilkins scoring for United. In the replay Brighton and Hove Albion was blown away as United played superbly, winning the replay by a record scoreline of 4-0. Robson scored twice, Whiteside and penalty by Murhen. For the fifth time in their history United lifted the FA Cup.

1983 - 1984: European glory, European agony
This season could again not bring United the continued success they desperately craved, finishing a respectable fourth, losing only eight games and scoring a total of 71 goals. United did lift the Charity Shield with a 2-0 win over Liverpool, Robson scoring again twice.

United were to enjoy more success in the European Cup Winners' Cup as they produced one of the most memorable European nights at Old Trafford, defeating Barcelona 3:0 after a 2:0 defeat in the first leg. Virtue of that great comeback they reached their first European semi-final in 15 years but lost narrowly to Juventus.

There were surprise exits from the domestic cups against third division sides, they lost to Oxford in the League Cup and to AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup. There was plenty of transfer activity at the end of the season with Jesper Olsen, Gordon Strachan and Alan Brazil all making the move to Old Trafford. Ray Wilkins joined Italian giants AC Milan for £:1.5M. The stadium was also being renovated with further extensions to the canteliver roof. Also that year Bobby Charlton joined the board of directors.

>1984 - 1985: FA Cup returns to Old Trafford
For the second time in a row United finished the season in fourth place in the league, with two points and six goals more than last year. Everton knocked United out of the League Cup in the third round, but United gained revenge in the FA Cup final with a brillant Norman Whiteside goal in extra time. Kevin Moran wrote history for all the wrong reasons by becoming the first player ever to be sent off in an FA Cup final.

In Europe United could again not fulfil their dreams as Hungary's Videoton ended their UEFA Cup run in the quarter finals by winning a penalty shoot-out. Chris Turner joined United from Sunderland and Peter Barnes moved from Coventry City. Further building would leave Old Trafford with unobstructed viewing facilities in three-quarters of the ground. United were also to follow the example of many European clubs by introducing a basketball team.

1985 - 1986: Consistent in the league, but no silverware
For the third successive time Manchester United finished fourth in the league and established themselves as consistant performers. They won 22 of their games and lost ten, scoring 70 goals with a goal average of +34. A club record run of ten consecutive victories opened the season to raise hopes of a league title but injuries and loss of form, saw the club finish in fourth.

In the domestic Cups United went out of the FA Cup in the fifth round and in the League Cup it was defeat in the fourth round. Mark Hughes left for Barcelona, whilst Colin Gibson, Peter Davenport, Terry Gibson and John Sivebaek joined the ranks. The club's £100,000 museum and visiters centre opened to the public. Chairman Martin Edwards and the mother of the legendary Duncan Edwards performed the opening ceremony.

1986 - 1987: Alex Ferguson takes over
Poor form in the league saw United languishing at the bottom of the table and an early exit from the League Cup at Southampton meant the departure of Ron Atkinson. In the FA Cup United lost in the fourth round. Alex Ferguson stepped into the breach from Aberdeen and brought Archie Knox with him as his assistant.

When Ferguson was appointed in November 1986, most United supporters felt that here was a man who could lead United out of the wilderness. He had broken the Celtic/Rangers stranglehold in Scotland with Aberdeen. In just eight years as their boss, he took them to the Scottish championship three times (1980, 1984 and 1985), four Scottish Cups (1982, 1983, 1984 and 1986), the Scottish League Cup (1983) and even the Cup Winners' Cup in 1983. That was success United could only dream about. So was the double of League and Cup he led them to in 1984. Fittingly it would be precisely ten years later when he would lead United to the first of two doubles in three seasons.

Unlike Sir Matt, Alex was never a great player but he had many other attributes that made him into an accomplished manager. A fanatical determination to succeed coupled with superb future planning ensured that Alex was building both for the present and the future of the club. He had inherited a club which had won very little during the preceeding 18 years but how things were to change!

Realising that one of the main problem was the neglect of the junior sides he put together an ambitious membership scheme, launched in April of 1987 with a target of 40,000 members. Rugby League came to Old Trafford with 50,589 watching Great Britain play Australia and 38,755 present for the Premiership finals.

1987 - 1988: Second in the league
United finished second in the league despite amassing a total of 81 points, losing only five times and scoring 71 goals. In the FA Cup United reached the fifth round while in the League Cup they were out come the fourth round.

Three major signings were made, Brian McClair from Celtic, Viv Anderson from Arsenal and Steve Bruce from Norwich City. McClair finished the season with a total of 31 League and Cup goals, the first player to score more than 20 league goals since George Best.

Brian McClair went on to play 447 matches for United by 1996, putting him in 12th place of the record appearance list. He also scored 126 goals by 1996 and stand 11th in the goalscoring records. The club's association with the Basketball team ended after four years.

Les Olive, United's secretary for over 30 years, retired and his assistant Kenneth Merrett was appointed as his successor.

1988 - 1989: Pressure mounts on Fergie
The 1988/89 was a very disappointing season for Alex Ferguson and United, with injuries a major contributory factor, on all fronts. In the league United finished 11th, with 13 wins, 12 draws and 13 defeats, they scored 45 goals but conceded 45 as well. In the League Cup United were knocked out in the third round. In the FA Cup United managed to reach the sixth round.

The transfer money continued to be spent in great quantities as Mike Phelan came from Norwich City, Neil Webb from Nottingham Forest, Gary Pallister from Middlesbrough and Paul Ince from West Ham United. At the end of the season the board were considering Ferguson's future but wisely decided to retain his services in the hope that silverware would be forthcoming.

1989 - 1990: The turning point of Fergie's reign
Another poor showing in League was forgetten as United lifted the FA Cup in 1990. There wasn't one home tie as the Reds battled to Wembley for the first time since 1985. The turning point of the season and possibly of Alex Ferguson's reign at Old Trafford came with a narrow 1:0 quarter-final win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, many believing Mark Robins' solitary goal saved Ferguson from the sack.

Any threat of Ferguson losing his job was ended after two memorable meetings with Crystal Palace in the final. A pulsating 3-3 draw, with Hughes scoring twice and Robson scoring, was followed by a 1-0 replay win; full-back Lee Martin scoring the winning goal for United.

In the League United finished 13th, the lowest position since Alex Ferguson's arrival, having suffered 16 defeats and a goal average of -1 (47-48). In the League Cup United were knocked out in the third round. Denis Irwin moved from Oldham Athletic shortly after the end of the season.

Glorious Nineties 1990 - 1999