Should've gone BestCharltonLaw and convinced people that in certain parts of southeast London you were allowed to attack a scouser with a crossbow on a Saturday.
Old Utd Fans, how was it like during 1989/90 season?
- Thread starter Red Comet
- Start date
It's a shame there's no a bit more love for Mark Hughes because he went to city, but he is a proper united legend.
I went regularly then, but thinking about individual games is a blur as the seasons all run into one that long ago. Obviously I remember the two finals and the joy when Martin scored. The league form was up and down and to be honest I was never expecting a league win. I did expect Fergie would be sacked in a season or two. I also remember thinking that.Ian Wright was superb in the first final and we should go for him.
His goals against Barca in cup winners cup are one of my fondest earliest memory as a United fan.
The 1990 World Cup Ireland team was what got me hooked on soccer
Well I must be amongst the oldest. I didn't know much about Alex Ferguson when he first came to OT. But although the results were not good then, I did think that he was going to be better than Docherty and Atkinson.
He was still quite young. But he was obviously a strong with a winning at all costs character and I recall that his interviews were pretty entertaining even if the football was not.
In those days, there wasn't the 'sack the manager' as soon as you lose mentality. But obviously he had a massive job and a massive club to manage.
He was still quite young. But he was obviously a strong with a winning at all costs character and I recall that his interviews were pretty entertaining even if the football was not.
In those days, there wasn't the 'sack the manager' as soon as you lose mentality. But obviously he had a massive job and a massive club to manage.
I'm old enough to remember this time and it's hard to convey the sense of one step forward / two steps back that it felt at the time. You had stalwarts / fan favourites of the club like Whiteside, Mcgrath, Moses, Strachan leaving and being replaced by people like Mal Donaghy, Ralph Milne, Neil Webb, Mike Phelan. Fergie's eye for a squad bargain was at times a little underwhelming and created some of the fan animosity.
However he had also brought in Lee Sharpe, Steve Bruce, Brian McClair in the previous year. McClair had an immediate impact being the first forward since Best to score over 20 league goals in a season, but those other names took some time to establish themselves / become the force they would be in a league winning side. Paul Ince had a big impact as well as we finally weren't dependant on Robson as our sole quality combative force in midfield.
Squad players like Phelan and Blackmore were useful but not at the same standard as Robson, and we gained extra strength in midfield when McClair dropped back into midfield to accommodate the return of Mark Hughes as a striker.
Looking back you can see he was assembling a title challenging squad but some players were seen as "flops" particularly in midfield. Getting that domination in the centre of the pitch proved to be the key to us mounting a serious title challenge...Eric provided the magic extra something that made us move from challenger to champion!
However he had also brought in Lee Sharpe, Steve Bruce, Brian McClair in the previous year. McClair had an immediate impact being the first forward since Best to score over 20 league goals in a season, but those other names took some time to establish themselves / become the force they would be in a league winning side. Paul Ince had a big impact as well as we finally weren't dependant on Robson as our sole quality combative force in midfield.
Squad players like Phelan and Blackmore were useful but not at the same standard as Robson, and we gained extra strength in midfield when McClair dropped back into midfield to accommodate the return of Mark Hughes as a striker.
Looking back you can see he was assembling a title challenging squad but some players were seen as "flops" particularly in midfield. Getting that domination in the centre of the pitch proved to be the key to us mounting a serious title challenge...Eric provided the magic extra something that made us move from challenger to champion!
Yes but would you expect somebody who watches fox porn to be that old
I don’t know how anyone can answer this. I can’t because - despite being very old - I’m a bit too young. I do have memories of watching United from that season but they’re not very clear. And I wouldn’t have had a clue what a team “slowly coming together” would look like as I’d never seen one in my United supporting years up until that point.
I'd just been born, so it was mostly sicking up on myself I think.
I remember the 1990 season so so well despite being 10 years old.
Obviously everyone talks about the pressure on the manager and the Mark Robbins moment, but as a 10 year old you’re oblivious to this. Surely a huge majority weee turning against Fergie at that point, after making some huge strides with the team, the team looked like the were going backwards, not hugely different from this season in fairness.
Best thing that happened though personally was the Cup final going to a replay, something that seems absolutely unfathomable today (but way better than pens).
As the replay was midweek and anyone with a full token sheet had spent loads on the first game, it was fairly easy for the old fella to grab some extras. Incredible night.
Obviously everyone talks about the pressure on the manager and the Mark Robbins moment, but as a 10 year old you’re oblivious to this. Surely a huge majority weee turning against Fergie at that point, after making some huge strides with the team, the team looked like the were going backwards, not hugely different from this season in fairness.
Best thing that happened though personally was the Cup final going to a replay, something that seems absolutely unfathomable today (but way better than pens).
As the replay was midweek and anyone with a full token sheet had spent loads on the first game, it was fairly easy for the old fella to grab some extras. Incredible night.
I was 4 and remember going to primary school wearing United shirts (no push to wear uniforms back then) and despite the school being in Greater Manchester and about 14 miles from Old Trafford other kids at the school would take the piss and say they were rubbish and never won anything, and all supported teams like Oldham and Leeds.
Leeds were in the 2nd Division for most of the 80s so I'm not sure what they were all laughing at.
Oldham were the same until 89/90 when they had two amazing cup runs and got promoted the year after.
It couldn't have started better. Beating the defending Champions 4-1, Stretford end bouncing, new signings scoring worldies, we went away that day thinking a corner had been turned (and there was Knighton and a new dawn too). But it unravelled very quickly. Towards the end of the previous season I went to OT when we played Everton and Wimbledon in front of 21k and 26k crowds, unbelievable to think that now. So we had a real first game bounce, then remarkably the wheels came off quickly. Neil Webb got injured playing for England in the September which was a real blow, followed by some very poor performances where we looked like a lost team, culimating in the 1-5 trouncing at Maine Road. Tensions after that began to climb, and some - including myself - had run out of patience with Ferguson. I still went to every game, but it was a tough watch. At one point, I remember us going to Millwall in a real relegation battle and scraping a win, and at the time of the FA Cup Semi I think we were around fifth from bottom. I would say though, that you had a sense of camaraderie from those who went to the game at the time, almost like diehards only at one point! But it still felt good that we were there, through the bad times as well as good. We still cheered on youngsters like Beardsmore and Sharpe, hoping they'd give us a little light, and ultimately as we all know the FA Cup saved the season - and Fergie without doubt. I think playing away from home every round actually relieved some pressure at the time, and I cheered Robins' winner in the semi-replay louder than any goal since Whiteside in '85. We felt we just needed to get over the line and win a trophy, which we did in the Final reply, which brought relief more than anything. I can't say it honestly felt to me like a team coming together in '90 (Although it was a great time to be alive in Manchester!), and I was a pretty surpised that we did so well in Europe the following year, and suddenly looked like a squad going places. Thankfully, we rose from the Division One depths like the prevebrial Phoenix, and it was times like 88/89 & 89/90 that made the following twenty years so magnificently wonderful.
FFS. That thread title.
I was a matchgoing fan throughout the 80s. The whole decade was frustrating, we always had a good team on it's day - we could often beat Liverpool home and away in the same season but we'd be miles behind them come Christmas. I grew up thinking I'd never see United win a league title ever.
The second half of the 80s was the absolute nadir. It was dire. in 1989 there wasn't much sense that things were going in the right direction, far from it in fact. It was depressing in every way, we finished 13th in the table. We even got humilated losing 5-1 to city, which was truly embarrasing in those days.
We had that brief spell of optimism when a bunch of promising kids came through but it only lasted a few games. The fanzines and the media were calling for SAF to be sacked. It's a good job social media wasn't a thing back then. In today's climate SAF would never have got the chance to be successful.
The second half of the 80s was the absolute nadir. It was dire. in 1989 there wasn't much sense that things were going in the right direction, far from it in fact. It was depressing in every way, we finished 13th in the table. We even got humilated losing 5-1 to city, which was truly embarrasing in those days.
We had that brief spell of optimism when a bunch of promising kids came through but it only lasted a few games. The fanzines and the media were calling for SAF to be sacked. It's a good job social media wasn't a thing back then. In today's climate SAF would never have got the chance to be successful.
Old Utd Fans!!! Well that says it all.
Well I'm a old one that remembers that year and previous ones.. 90 was FA cup won on replay then back into Europe following season after 5 years out from the Hysel debacle.
91 Rotterdam Cup winners cup .. got better and better ..rest is History.. it comes around again now that's the bad points... it will get better again that's Man utd for you .. suffer for years than bang..its happening again..
Well I'm a old one that remembers that year and previous ones.. 90 was FA cup won on replay then back into Europe following season after 5 years out from the Hysel debacle.
91 Rotterdam Cup winners cup .. got better and better ..rest is History.. it comes around again now that's the bad points... it will get better again that's Man utd for you .. suffer for years than bang..its happening again..
It was dire.
In a four month spell between November and March we had a record that looked like this:
P17 W2 D6 L9 F12 A20 Pts 10
In ten of those games we didn't score a goal despite Hughes and McClair playing in 37/38 league matches.
League goal-scorers that season...
Hughes 13
Robins 7
McClair 5
Wallace 3
Pallister 3
Bruce 3
If social media was around then god only knows how Ferguson would have survived.
In a four month spell between November and March we had a record that looked like this:
P17 W2 D6 L9 F12 A20 Pts 10
In ten of those games we didn't score a goal despite Hughes and McClair playing in 37/38 league matches.
League goal-scorers that season...
Hughes 13
Robins 7
McClair 5
Wallace 3
Pallister 3
Bruce 3
If social media was around then god only knows how Ferguson would have survived.
The increased number of European Cup/Champions League places has changed the perception of what a 'successful' campaign looks like.
Pre 97, there wasn't really much difference between finishing 3rd/4th (qualifying for the UEFA Cup was a bigger deal) and much lower down in the table. Teams tended to switch off when they had nothing to play for. In the aftermath of Heysel and the European ban, you could argue that apart from the team that won the league where you finished, outside the bottom few, was largely irrelevant. Winning the FA Cup/League Cup was also a much bigger deal.
The modern era created more of a desperation to get in the Champions League and we reached the point where finishing 4th is more important than winning a trophy. If we win the cup this season, Ten Hag will probably still be sacked. In a previous era, winning the FA Cup (like Fergie) would buy you time with the fans and the board.
Pre 97, there wasn't really much difference between finishing 3rd/4th (qualifying for the UEFA Cup was a bigger deal) and much lower down in the table. Teams tended to switch off when they had nothing to play for. In the aftermath of Heysel and the European ban, you could argue that apart from the team that won the league where you finished, outside the bottom few, was largely irrelevant. Winning the FA Cup/League Cup was also a much bigger deal.
The modern era created more of a desperation to get in the Champions League and we reached the point where finishing 4th is more important than winning a trophy. If we win the cup this season, Ten Hag will probably still be sacked. In a previous era, winning the FA Cup (like Fergie) would buy you time with the fans and the board.
I was 11 in 1990, and had been going to Old Trafford since I was 8. Think I was a bit oblivious to the feeling of the fans.
My dad didn't really have any football-supporting mates or relatives so I couldn't be present to hear them slagging the team off to each other. My own conversations with him about football would have been quite basic still, and I had two mates from my class at school who would go too. We'd just be buzzing to be young kids going to something as exciting as a football match at that age still. Results and performances not really important.
The biggest thing I did pick up on was the season before. United v Wimbledon for a midweek game in May 1989. Officially 23,368 at Old Trafford, a very poor showing and many were claiming it was less. Think 18k was mentioned in the media. When the attendance figure was put up on the scoreboard it would always say "thank you for your support". For this game they changed it to "thank you for your loyal support". Club could obviously see crowds were starting to dwindle. Guessing that must have been the lowest attendance in years for a league match.
My dad didn't really have any football-supporting mates or relatives so I couldn't be present to hear them slagging the team off to each other. My own conversations with him about football would have been quite basic still, and I had two mates from my class at school who would go too. We'd just be buzzing to be young kids going to something as exciting as a football match at that age still. Results and performances not really important.
The biggest thing I did pick up on was the season before. United v Wimbledon for a midweek game in May 1989. Officially 23,368 at Old Trafford, a very poor showing and many were claiming it was less. Think 18k was mentioned in the media. When the attendance figure was put up on the scoreboard it would always say "thank you for your support". For this game they changed it to "thank you for your loyal support". Club could obviously see crowds were starting to dwindle. Guessing that must have been the lowest attendance in years for a league match.
We were woefully inconsistent - miles off of Liverpool who were the equivalent to City these days. Always felt like one step forward and then two back.
I’ll be honest and say that Fergie’s first few years were very uninspiring and you’d never have anticipated what was to come in the next two decades.
As others have said, there was no internet or social media in those days. Ceefax/Teletext for info or the red top papers. You never heard much from the players or anyone within the club unlike these days.
If Fergie started now then he would have gone after 2 years - he would have probably gone earlier when he started to break up the drinking culture as those players would have thrown him under the bus.
Very, very different times…..
I’ll be honest and say that Fergie’s first few years were very uninspiring and you’d never have anticipated what was to come in the next two decades.
As others have said, there was no internet or social media in those days. Ceefax/Teletext for info or the red top papers. You never heard much from the players or anyone within the club unlike these days.
If Fergie started now then he would have gone after 2 years - he would have probably gone earlier when he started to break up the drinking culture as those players would have thrown him under the bus.
Very, very different times…..
Was only 8 back then. My uncle who was a massive United fan and staying with us would watch the games on tele whenever United was on which weren’t that often. I became a fan by default for watching along with him, but I cannot for the love of god remember what our games were like. I do have vague memory of my uncle being quite riled up and upset watching United games which is very much similar to how I am watching our games these days. There’s parallel but that doesn’t mean ETH would win the FA Cup and go on another 20years of success with United. He might, but I think I have better odds winning the lottery.
Agree with this.We were really struggling in 89/90. The football was poor and it appeared that Fergie wasn't up to the task.
The FA Cup run was a boost in an otherwise sorry season. Both semis against Oldham were exciting .Palace beating Liverpool in the other semi made us think it was our year but we really struggled to beat Palace.
Things didn't improve much the following season either but winning the Cup Winners Cup in Rotterdam I felt was a big turning point.
The crazy fixture schedule in 92 did for us.
Cantona was cool and a great addition but I always think his influence is overstated.Dont get me wrong I loved Eric but we were getting it together anyway.
United fan since 68.
89/90 we where never in contention for the league more like relegation I think you might referring to 91/92
Correct !
I started following at the 1983 cup final. The Whiteside goal in '85 was a great underdog moment. 1986, we won 10 in a row (i think) under Atkinson, and it felt like we could become something. Then, back to normal - like now - all fell apart. A few great players - Robbo, Hughes, McGrath, but lots of dross.
Fergie brought in some crap players at the beginning for big money - Webb, Danny Wallace, Mike Phelan, Ralf Milne. But some good ones like Viv Anderson and McClair (for a bit, he was crap later). Leighton was a mixed bag, not really good enough - like Onana, tbh. Hughes was a massive signing.
But by 1990, we didn't look that much better and Fergie could have left and I wouldn't have shedded a tear.
I would not put Cantona as the spark that made Utd exciting. It was Lee Sharpe and Giggs who made them exciting. Sharpe had incredible pace, suddenly we were a team that could create stuff. Then Giggs and Kanchelskis, and with Cantona and Ince and Keane, we became a team.
Fergie brought in some crap players at the beginning for big money - Webb, Danny Wallace, Mike Phelan, Ralf Milne. But some good ones like Viv Anderson and McClair (for a bit, he was crap later). Leighton was a mixed bag, not really good enough - like Onana, tbh. Hughes was a massive signing.
But by 1990, we didn't look that much better and Fergie could have left and I wouldn't have shedded a tear.
I would not put Cantona as the spark that made Utd exciting. It was Lee Sharpe and Giggs who made them exciting. Sharpe had incredible pace, suddenly we were a team that could create stuff. Then Giggs and Kanchelskis, and with Cantona and Ince and Keane, we became a team.
I can see why people are likening this season to 89/90 because of a shit under performing expensively assembled team getting to the cup final.but I find this season resembles 80/81 in a way high expectations after a good season European football and hopefully winning the league but a new expensive striker who lost confidence shit on a stick football to many defeats and draws finished 9 games unbeaten but an uninspiring manager lost his job after finishing 9th not to much unlike 23/ 24 just a thought
Supporter since 1983 here. 1989/90 was bad - Fergie bought a lot of dross, particularly in midfield - Phelan, Webb, Milne, Wallace. Replacing great players like McGrath with Donaghy. Hughes and Sharpe and McClair and Ince and Irwin and Bruce swung it for him. 1990/91 things starting looking up.
For me, this was the key game where i saw we had a team that could make it.
Arsenal 2 - Utd 6
For me, this was the key game where i saw we had a team that could make it.
Arsenal 2 - Utd 6
In other news, Margaret Thatcher stepped down the same day.
It was the day that the 90s truly began...
The football was rough, going to the game was rough, going to the Hacienda after the game was rough and I was rough until Tuesday! I can’t remember much more!! 
It was horrible. I remember supporting players more than expecting United to win. I adored Robson and Hughes. Not in the modern manner of people getting into Messi vs Ronaldo meta arguments that spoke of output or numbers. Just an absolute adoration of what Sparky could do. A short fella who was great in the air, outrageous chest control, and insane volleying ability from any height or angle.
Personality didn’t come into it then. My Liverpool supporting mates didn’t make shit Rush vs Hughes. The shape of support was so different.
I’d also look forward to watching Match of The Day even after seeing we’d lost 3-2 on Ceefax. Because I wanted to see the 2 goals. It wasn’t some existential crisis if we’d lost to Norwich or similar.
Simpler times.
Personality didn’t come into it then. My Liverpool supporting mates didn’t make shit Rush vs Hughes. The shape of support was so different.
I’d also look forward to watching Match of The Day even after seeing we’d lost 3-2 on Ceefax. Because I wanted to see the 2 goals. It wasn’t some existential crisis if we’d lost to Norwich or similar.
Simpler times.
Plenty of ups and downs that season. Most fans were not happy that fan favourites like Whiteside, McGrath and Remi Moses were sold. There were plenty of "Fergie Out" banners around OT at the time. You felt that on their day the team could beat anyone as they gave Champions Arsenal a hiding on the first day of the season before going on a losing streak. We were so inconsistent. Michael Knighton could have got the best deal of all time by buying Man United for £20M (I think) which fell through within a few weeks. Mark Robins scored the goal v Forest. I don't know if it saved SAF's job but I remember it did feel like a "name on the trophy" moment. Poor Jim Leighton was terrible in the final and Les Sealey came in and did a great job in the replay. (He was very popular with fans)
Felt like we had half a team. Remember going to Highbury and seeing players like Russell Beardsmore come on to try and save the game.
The building blocks were there but I can remember the rubbish football that also happened at the same time.
The building blocks were there but I can remember the rubbish football that also happened at the same time.
As with many of those on here who were there, I have to say the football at times was dire and it would be long runs of it, not the bad one week, good the other, we were bad for games and games. Fergie had lost some of the fans by getting rid of the likes of Whiteside, Strachan, McGrath etc. and bringing in players who were not of the same ability, but would do a job for him.
Did Robins save Fergie? In many ways he certainly did, he gave us the springboard to get to the final and then win it, which then gave him more time to carry on building the club. I don't think Edwards was the man in the club to save him, I think it was Sir Bobby to be honest. He was the football man on the board and he could see what had been done at the youth level and saw some of the talent coming through. He'd seen how Fergie had used his youth at Aberdeen and I'm convinced it would have been him being the loudest voice on the board not to sack Fergie.
Did Robins save Fergie? In many ways he certainly did, he gave us the springboard to get to the final and then win it, which then gave him more time to carry on building the club. I don't think Edwards was the man in the club to save him, I think it was Sir Bobby to be honest. He was the football man on the board and he could see what had been done at the youth level and saw some of the talent coming through. He'd seen how Fergie had used his youth at Aberdeen and I'm convinced it would have been him being the loudest voice on the board not to sack Fergie.
I've seen a few posts describing the football as dire. What do you think were the issues that caused the football to be dire during this time? E.g. the players, tactics, commitment levels etc.
I watched that team of 89/90 and whilst it's true to say that football was dire you cannot compare that time with the present. Also, as a fanbase we really need to move away from harking back to times where we once gave the manager some time and it led to unprecedented success...because that what this era was, unprecedented.
I can see in another 50 yrs time, fans pining for a failing manager to be given undue licence to fail repeatedly because once in our long history it bore fruit!
I can see in another 50 yrs time, fans pining for a failing manager to be given undue licence to fail repeatedly because once in our long history it bore fruit!
He's speaking from beyond the grave
Only in younger fans, us older ones who actually saw him play do view him a a proper legend
I don't recall if the football was that dire or not, but there were plenty of chants for Fergie's head so I suspect it was.
If United hadn't won the FA Cup there wouldn't have been that night singing in the rain of Rotterdam, without those events I don't see any scenario where SAF wins the first PL.
Cantona was the catalyst for that, I think you had to be there to understand the influence he had on United, I can't explain it, it was more than just his ability on the field, I have no doubt that the class of 92 would not have been as successful without him
If United hadn't won the FA Cup there wouldn't have been that night singing in the rain of Rotterdam, without those events I don't see any scenario where SAF wins the first PL.
Cantona was the catalyst for that, I think you had to be there to understand the influence he had on United, I can't explain it, it was more than just his ability on the field, I have no doubt that the class of 92 would not have been as successful without him
I remember it well. Was gutting to lose it to Leeds, especially after years of being in the wilderness- title wise anyway. But I knew we were going to win the next season. It just felt like we almost there- which we were, 2nd. I live in bandit country surrounded by Leeds fans and hadn’t been over this way for that long and didn’t realise how much they hated United. Growing up in Manchester it was always Liverpool. City weren’t really relevant. But moving to Yorkshire really opened my eyes as to how much Man Utd are hated there. So, yeah, had to deal with all that as well! I remember a game towards the end of season where we’d gone into a pub to watch it. There were 3 of us. When the match had finished we went outside- the entrance to the pub was down an alley, and there was a load of Leeds fans outside. Got the shit kicked out of us. One mate snapped his leg, I got a fractured cheekbone, the other lad got away somehow. And just because we United shirts on.
Born in 89 in Peterborough and my Dad’s a rugby guy not a football guy, so didn’t have a natural team to follow. Mum’s Welsh so Sparky and Giggs got me into United as a kid (probably didn’t hurt that the team was good, too!). Was gutted when we sold him. He scored some brilliant goals in those first couple of seasons of the premier league.
An aside, but the club used to do official season reviews on VHS back then. I loved getting those tapes at the end of the season and seeing all the goals that I missed during the season. Think they stopped doing them in the early 2000s; shame.
