Old Utd Fans, how was it like during 1989/90 season?

[Red Comet]

I do consider myself an "old" fan, but I only started watching football and supporting Man Utd in 1991/92 where (if my memories were correct) we were leading the table for a large part of the season but eventually losing it to Leeds.

We signed Cantona in the following season and the rest is history. It took SAF 6(?) years after his appointment to finally deliver the title and start our dominance of EPL for the next 2 decades.

I would like to ask the older fans here, how was it like in 1989/90? It was always said that the goal by Mark Robins saved SAF from the sack, but how was the team doing in general. Did it look like a team slowly coming together after SAF tried to got rid of the drinking culture and establish discipline? Was there a defined playing style that was slowly taking shape despite still being rough around the edges? Or was it a lot of doom and gloom like what we are experiencing now where we have a team looking very disjointed and a manager struggling to implement his style whilst dealing with disciplinary issues?

 

[Northstand]

My memory of those first few years under Sir Alex was that the team was largely pretty dysfunctional and awful to watch. Being honest, there were plenty of times I wanted him out, as I couldn’t see the development of a cohesive team at that time.

I know the club has always scorned the idea that the Mark Robins goal saved Fergie, but the pressure for change from fans at that time was pretty fierce, and I believe the club might have heeded it at that point, had United exited the FA Cup.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

I wasn’t born yet

 

[Pughnichi]

I do consider myself an "old" fan, but I only started watching football and supporting Man Utd in 1991/92 where (if my memories were correct) we were leading the table for a large part of the season but eventually losing it to Leeds.

We signed Cantona in the following season and the rest is history. It took SAF 6(?) years after his appointment to finally deliver the title and start our dominance of EPL for the next 2 decades.

I would like to ask the older fans here, how was it like in 1989/90? It was always said that the goal by Mark Robins saved SAF from the sack, but how was the team doing in general. Did it look like a team slowly coming together after SAF tried to got rid of the drinking culture and establish discipline? Was there a defined playing style that was slowly taking shape despite still being rough around the edges? Or was it a lot of doom and gloom like what we are experiencing now where we have a team looking very disjointed and a manager struggling to implement his style whilst dealing with disciplinary issues?

A tough time to start supporting the club. I was exactly the same. Went to the rumbelows cup final in 92 aged 10.

all I (and you) knew was success for the nxt 20 years. And my word it makes the last 10 years that much harder only ever knowing success.

Good post though. And will be interesting reading the insight of others

 

[horsechoker]

United didn't have fans before 1992, and definitely not in Manchester. I recommend going to a pub in Essex.

 

[Red Royal]

It was pretty grim, but we had become (sadly) accustomed to being close but never near winning the league. It did look like Sir Alex was living on borrowed time and was close to the boot. I know there is this version that Robins's goal didn't actually save his boss, but winning the FA Cup certainly kept him safe.

 

[Red Comet]

I wasn’t born yet

ngl, I would expect someone with the user name "LawCharltonBest" to be way older, much much you would expect someone called "RooneyScholesRonaldo" to be younger.

 

[Bilbo]

I can't remember what happened 8 games ago, let alone 25 years, but I do recall that it didn't feel that we had anything particularly special going on at United at that time.

The Cantona signing was the defining moment, followed by the emergence of the class of 92 (I do remember well the enormous amount of criticism Ferguson received letting Hughes, Ince and Kanchelskis leave in the same summer - that took balls).

 

[Oranges038]

Football only started in 1992.

 

[pacifictheme]

I can't remember what happened 8 games ago, let alone 25 years, but I do recall that it didn't feel that we had anything particularly special going on at United at that time.

The Cantona signing was the defining moment, followed by the emergence of the class of 92 (I do remember well the enormous amount of criticism Ferguson received letting Hughes, Ince and Kanchelskis leave in the same summer - that took balls).

I would disagree with this assessment. We narrowly lost the league in the 91/92 season, before cantona and the class of 92. We won the fa cup and the cup winners cup which were huge deals. Momentum was building from the end of 89/90 onwards.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

ngl, I would expect someone with the user name "LawCharltonBest" to be way older, much much you would expect someone called "RooneyScholesRonaldo" to be younger.

I’ve unintentionally mislead people. I wanted something United related, and I remember looking at that statue on my first OT visit and asking my dad a shit load of questions about them and their importance

Also wanted it to be ‘BestLawCharlton’ which is how they stand from left to right when you’re looking at them. But for some reason it wouldn’t allow the username

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

I would disagree with this assessment. We narrowly lost the league in the 91/92 season, before cantona and the class of 92. We won the fa cup and the cup winners cup which were huge deals. Momentum was building from the end of 89/90 onwards.

Had Cantona not joined in 1992/93 we would not of won the league and Ferguson might of ended up just another manager footnote. I really don’t think people realise how certain things (like robins goal and Cantona signing) had such a pivotal role in SAF career.

United were something like 6th in the league when Cantona signed. P 17 W 7 D 6 L 4 GD +6 Pts 27 before Cantona signed.

After he signed our record was P 25 W 17 D 5 L 2 GD + 30 Pts 56

Averages

Before : Points 1.58 heading for 66 points
After : Points 2.24 heading for 94 points

Cantona made nearly 50% difference to our points potential.

When I see people say stuff like “that manager over relies on one player” I don’t think they know what they are talking about because there’s plenty of examples of teams relying on one player a lot more then others. And sometimes a managers career can have a massive sliding door moment that is the difference between being a legend and being somebody who is forgotten.

I was at Cantonas debut against city , won’t ever forget it. I was only 14 at the time. Everybody else supported Liverpool or Arsenal or Leeds. I remember watching United lift the trophy in the Blackburn match with my dad in an empty pub as there was no United fans back then.

 

[Scanny]

A tough time to start supporting the club. I was exactly the same. Went to the rumbelows cup final in 92 aged 10.

all I (and you) knew was success for the nxt 20 years. And my word it makes the last 10 years that much harder only ever knowing success.

Good post though. And will be interesting reading the insight of others

Started supporting United during Tommy Doc’s tenure. One FA Cup final win to savour and then onto the Sexton/Atkinson years.
At times the football was dire.
The best that could be hoped for was an FA Cup or League Cup run.
We never really got that far in European competitions.
Then Ferguson arrived. Then Cantona arrived. Success.
Now it feels like the Sexton years again.
That’s how it feels currently but as an eternally optimistic fan I’m hoping success is just around the corner

 

[Bilbo]

I would disagree with this assessment. We narrowly lost the league in the 91/92 season, before cantona and the class of 92. We won the fa cup and the cup winners cup which were huge deals. Momentum was building from the end of 89/90 onwards.

Oh I agree that we were building, but we were essentially still a cup team. Losing the league to Leeds was heartbreaking for me at that age, and my first ever game was the 2-1 win against Wednesday (the two late Bruce headers) which spurned us on to win the following season, so that first title was so special.

Cantona just bought an extra level of belief into the squad. He lifted everyone up a level with his arrogance. The fact that we actually wanted Lee Chapman just shows how much you also need fortune to go your way. Getting the player we wanted instead of the one we got would have changed everything.

 

[pacifictheme]

Had Cantona not joined in 1992/93 we would not of won the league and Ferguson might of ended up just another manager footnote. I really don’t think people realise how certain things (like robins goal and Cantona signing) had such a pivotal role in SAF career.

United were something like 6th in the league when Cantona signed. P 17 W 7 D 6 L 4 GD +6 Pts 27 before Cantona signed.

After he signed our record was P 25 W 17 D 5 L 2 GD + 30 Pts 56

Averages

Before : Points 1.58 heading for 66 points
After : Points 2.24 heading for 94 points

Cantona made nearly 50% difference to our points potential.

When I see people say stuff like “that manager over relies on one player” I don’t think they know what they are talking about because there’s plenty of examples of teams relying on one player a lot more then others. And sometimes a managers career can have a massive sliding door moment that is the difference between being a legend and being somebody who is forgotten.

I was at Cantonas debut against city , won’t ever forget it. I was only 14 at the time. Everybody else supported Liverpool or Arsenal or Leeds. I remember watching United lift the trophy in the Blackburn match with my dad in an empty pub as there was no United fans back then.

Yes I was also there for his debut. I am not saying it wasn't important, but I disagree that not a lot was going on before it.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

Oh I agree that we were building, but we were essentially still a cup team. Losing the league to Leeds was heartbreaking for me at that age, and my first ever game was the 2-1 win against Wednesday (the two late Bruce headers) which spurned us on to win the following season, so that first title was so special.

Cantona just bought an extra level of belief into the squad. He lifted everyone up a level with his arrogance. The fact that we actually wanted Lee Chapman just shows how much you also need fortune to go your way. Getting the player we wanted instead of the one we got would have changed everything.

That weds game still gives me goosebumps even thinking about it. You are so lucky !!!

The game was show “as live” half an hour after kick off in Ireland. Was unbelievable. Think it was ref getting injured that causes the injury time. Sheridan , a United fan scoring the peno. 2 CB goals in injury time.

Again , when you think of how narrow the margins of error were that season. And Villa lost the next game at home to Oldham I think , so it wasn’t a cakewalk.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

Yes I was also there for his debut. I am not saying it wasn't important, but I disagree that not a lot was going on before it.

Im not saying things weren’t going well before it, but had we not won the league , that could have led to a downward spiral. we were going nowhere that season before Cantona arrived which would of meant one league cup in 2 years !! Roy Keane wouldn’t have signed, probably joins Blackburn and that would equally be huge. You just look at how things could have been so different!!

 

[Bilbo]

That weds game still gives me goosebumps even thinking about it. You are so lucky !!!

The game was show “as live” half an hour after kick off in Ireland. Was unbelievable. Think it was ref getting injured that causes the injury time. Sheridan , a United fan scoring the peno. 2 CB goals in injury time.

Again , when you think of how narrow the margins of error were that season. And Villa lost the next game at home to Oldham I think , so it wasn’t a cakewalk.

I didn't sleep a wink the night before that game. I can't even remember how I got there from London, but I recall with great clarity how devastated I was being 1-0 down late on and faced with missing the title again. Honestly I don't think anything has ever topped how I felt when we won that game.

 

[G-manc]

I remember me and my mate got tickets for the fa cup QF at Sheffield United in
the home support behind the goal.

He celebrated Danny Wallace’s goal and we spent the rest of the game moving around the stand trying not to get filled in. I was 14.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

I didn't sleep a wink the night before that game. I can't even remember how I got there from London, but I recall with great clarity how devastated I was being 1-0 down late on and faced with missing the title again. Honestly I don't think anything has ever topped how I felt when we won that game.

Yeh, it really is an iconic moment for us, possibly the difference between overtaking Liverpools league record and city nearly overtaking our league record now!!!

If I could choose a game to goto, that would be near the top of my list , if not top.

 

[Monmouthshire Red]

I started supporting United in 1976 and until 1992 when we finished runners up to Leeds, I honestly didn't ever think I would see us win the league.

 

[Bilbo]

Yeh, it really is an iconic moment for us, possibly the difference between overtaking Liverpools league record and city nearly overtaking our league record now!!!

If I could choose a game to goto, that would be near the top of my list , if not top.

I love to get people to watch Nigel Worthington on the first Bruce goal. Standing casually, hand on hip, while Bruce's looping header sails past him into the net. It's hilarious.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

I love to get people to watch Nigel Worthington on the first Bruce goal. Standing casually, hand on hip, while Bruce's looping header sails past him into the net. It's hilarious.

Will look out for that next time I watch the goals.

Speaking of Bruce, I remember going to a United game and not sure if he was playing or managing the team we were playing against, feel like it was Birmingham but can’t remember. His team was staying in our hotel and I couldn’t believe the size of him. He was massive !

 

[Snow]

It was an emotional roller-coaster. Sometimes the most mundane moments seemed absolutely brilliant. Other times it felt like the world was ending. Every night I was shitting and pissing myself. Most of the times games put me to sleep. Can't say I remember anything good about that season. I was one year old mind you.

 

[Rood]

I would like to ask the older fans here, how was it like in 1989/90? It was always said that the goal by Mark Robins saved SAF from the sack, but how was the team doing in general. Did it look like a team slowly coming together after SAF tried to got rid of the drinking culture and establish discipline? Was there a defined playing style that was slowly taking shape despite still being rough around the edges? Or was it a lot of doom and gloom like what we are experiencing now where we have a team looking very disjointed and a manager struggling to implement his style whilst dealing with disciplinary issues?

Hardly anyone talked about things like 'defined playing style' back then - all that kind of chat is a very modern phenomenon with stats, tactical analysis etc. British teams all played in a similar way, so it was essentially down to results and goals.

The team was mostly shit the year before (11th in the league) so expectations weren't particularly high but it turned out to be the worst league season since getting relegated! Winning the cup undoubtedly saved his job.

Lots of parallels to today as expensive signing like Pallister was considered a waste of money. Many fans blamed the ownership and Michael Knighton came close to the buying the club.

 

[Von Mistelroum]

Yeah I don't even fully remember it. I was quite young and was a much more casual fan. What I do remember is that we suddenly had dozens of Liverpool fans in my primary school who made my life a misery! The defining moment was when a group of them performed the 'Anfield rap' at our school talent competition.

 

[MancunianAngels]

Had Cantona not joined in 1992/93 we would not of won the league and Ferguson might of ended up just another manager footnote. I really don’t think people realise how certain things (like robins goal and Cantona signing) had such a pivotal role in SAF career.

United were something like 6th in the league when Cantona signed. P 17 W 7 D 6 L 4 GD +6 Pts 27 before Cantona signed.

After he signed our record was P 25 W 17 D 5 L 2 GD + 30 Pts 56

Averages

Before : Points 1.58 heading for 66 points
After : Points 2.24 heading for 94 points

Cantona made nearly 50% difference to our points potential.

When I see people say stuff like “that manager over relies on one player” I don’t think they know what they are talking about because there’s plenty of examples of teams relying on one player a lot more then others. And sometimes a managers career can have a massive sliding door moment that is the difference between being a legend and being somebody who is forgotten.

I was at Cantonas debut against city , won’t ever forget it. I was only 14 at the time. Everybody else supported Liverpool or Arsenal or Leeds. I remember watching United lift the trophy in the Blackburn match with my dad in an empty pub as there was no United fans back then.

The 1990 cup win was very important for Fergie. The team was poor but that helped him. What's interesting is a few of those players were still there in 1993 and played a huge part in Fergie's first great team.

There's also every chance we would have been successful without Cantona. The team in 91/92 was very unlucky. At the end of that season, the FA made us play 5 games in 10 days which is what killed us. Cantona is what probably got us over the line in 93 but ultimately any good attacker would have had a similar impact eventually. Fergie also had the trust of Edwards. There was every confidence he would do something massive with the club. Three successive trophy campaigns gave him a huge help with that

I'd always argue that Fergie's other two most important signings in that era were Schmeichel and Keane. They both gave the team an arrogance that we could beat anyone.

To also say there was no United fans back then is also an odd thing to say. We had more supporters clubs than anyone. Even when we were proper shite in the 70s (long before I was born) we had branches attending OT from all over the UK and Ireland.

 

[Maticmaker]

I was born into a United household, attended my first game at OT at the age of 9 (1955) but don't remember much, except we beat Wolves, and being impressed by the massive 'tree-trunk' legs of a certain Duncan Edwards. Started attending regularly at OT in the early 6O's, United Road Paddock, but then I've been in almost every part of the ground since (not Directors box though!)

I believe we are in a very similar situation now to what it was then, around 1989.. ish.

A new Manager with a reputation made in another country (Scotland) coming into a club with a world wide profile, but a club wandering in the 'footballing wilderness' for almost 20 years.

SAF had to fight to get the club 'ship-shape', sort out players personally and professionally, the drinking clubs, with some players past their best or otherwise massively under performing, but capable on their day of winning a game for you, trouble was he never knew when that day would arrive.
Fans were restless, most had gotten over the fact that the Busby era was now gone, but nothing was replacing it, a succession of managers, some not so bad, (best probably Tommy doc) some awful, the odd FA Cup win along the way.

One thing on the new managers side was that the man (who had brought him in) was now running the club full time(*). Martin Edwards had replaced his father and he had big ideas for the club, not just football wise but as a company listed on the Stock exchange (we all know how that was to turn 'bad' much later). Edwards reputation rested on SAF's success and so did the whole board's credibility. Whilst I tend to believe Robbins goal helped, don't think there was a real danger to Fergie.

The acid test would be the new PL about to start, and we all know what happened from 91/92 onward.

(* perhaps this is the omen for Sir Jim's arrival... lets hope so)

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

The 1990 cup win was very important for Fergie. The team was poor but that helped him. What's interesting is a few of those players were still there in 1993 and played a huge part in Fergie's first great team.

There's also every chance we would have been successful without Cantona. The team in 91/92 was very unlucky. At the end of that season, the FA made us play 5 games in 10 days which is what killed us. Cantona is what probably got us over the line in 93 but ultimately any good attacker would have had a similar impact eventually. Fergie also had the trust of Edwards. There was every confidence he would do something massive with the club. Three successive trophy campaigns gave him a huge help with that

I'd always argue that Fergie's other two most important signings in that era were Schmeichel and Keane. They both gave the team an arrogance that we could beat anyone.

To also say there was no United fans back then is also an odd thing to say. We had more supporters clubs than anyone. Even when we were proper shite in the 70s (long before I was born) we had branches attending OT from all over the UK and Ireland.

Two things though, Cantona doesn’t sign we really don’t win the league and Keane doesn’t join us as Blackburn were in for him. Next time we didn’t win a league , Cantona was banned and we win the next season he comes back.

I don’t think “any other decent forward” has anywhere near the same impact. Again, hypothetics, but I don’t share your optimism, especially as we had a bunch of youngsters who arrived at a dominant club , not a sort of good winning a bit club.

In terms of United fans, I guess I’m talking from an Irish perspective. Liverpool were the biggest supported team. I watched the game in a pub (only places that could afford sky back then) and it was empty. No joke, we were chatting with the bar tender, just me and my dad.

 

[tenpoless]

Back in the 90's whenever you look at the match day calendar, the year always begins with '90', not '20'.
It was the most memorable thing for me. Like how did that happen... mindboggling stuff.

 

[Catt]

I wasn’t born yet

I had just turned 89 when the season ended. Was bad.

 

[horsechoker]

I had just turned 89 when the season ended. Was bad.

Bloody hell you're ancient!

 

[Bilbo]

Two things though, Cantona doesn’t sign we really don’t win the league and Keane doesn’t join us as Blackburn were in for him. Next time we didn’t win a league , Cantona was banned and we win the next season he comes back.

I don’t think “any other decent forward” has anywhere near the same impact. Again, hypothetics, but I don’t share your optimism, especially as we had a bunch of youngsters who arrived at a dominant club , not a sort of good winning a bit club.

In terms of United fans, I guess I’m talking from an Irish perspective. Liverpool were the biggest supported team. I watched the game in a pub (only places that could afford sky back then) and it was empty. No joke, we were chatting with the bar tender, just me and my dad.

Yeah Cantona was special. I never thought too much of him at Leeds but it was a perfect marriage at United. We gave him the platform he wanted and needed, and he gave the team an arrogance that lifted everyone.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

Yeah Cantona was special. I never thought too much of him at Leeds but it was a perfect marriage at United. We gave him the platform he wanted and needed, and he gave the team an arrogance that lifted everyone.

I remember some people quoted Cantonas record in Europe as some sort of “he wasn’t as good as some say”.

But English teams had been out of Europe for years and were well behind the serie A and top Spanish clubs. Even our great treble winning team didn’t blow European teams away, most our games were close, nothing between teams. So it’s unfair to blame Cantona for Uniteds euro shortcomings (foreigner rule also f**ked us).

For me, Cantona was the difference between dominating English football in 90s, to maybe being decent and winning the odd trophy. The momentum his presence helped build was quite remarkable. Even his practising after training and how that influenced other players in the squad and youngsters. The more I think about it, the more I feel I have forgotten how important he really was to us.

 

[CallyRed]

I'm young but an old United fan.

 

[pacifictheme]

Im not saying things weren’t going well before it, but had we not won the league , that could have led to a downward spiral. we were going nowhere that season before Cantona arrived which would of meant one league cup in 2 years !! Roy Keane wouldn’t have signed, probably joins Blackburn and that would equally be huge. You just look at how things could have been so different!!

I know, you weren't the person I was originally replying to.

 

[fergies coat]

That weds game still gives me goosebumps even thinking about it. You are so lucky !!!

The game was show “as live” half an hour after kick off in Ireland. Was unbelievable. Think it was ref getting injured that causes the injury time. Sheridan , a United fan scoring the peno. 2 CB goals in injury time.

Again , when you think of how narrow the margins of error were that season. And Villa lost the next game at home to Oldham I think , so it wasn’t a cakewalk.

I was 9 years old watching grandstand. I remember going out to play with my mates thinking we've lost 1-0. It wasn't until later that night I found out we won. It was probably the real start of Fergie time goals.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

I was 9 years old watching grandstand. I remember going out to play with my mates thinking we've lost 1-0. It wasn't until later that night I found out we won. It was probably the real start of Fergie time goals.

Agreed

although I think Schmeichal did get an injury time equaliser against rotograd a season before ! Not as important of course

 

[fergies coat]

Agreed

although I think Schmeichal did get an injury time equaliser against rotograd a season before ! Not as important of course

Always remember Mark Hughes against Oldham in the semi final. There has been so many since then.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

Always remember Mark Hughes against Oldham in the semi final. There has been so many since then.

“It’s hooked back in for Hughes” , always remember that commentary for that Semi final