Manchester United: History And Impacts

Manchester United Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Manchester United Manchester United is among the best and most prominent football clubs in the world, and it is based in the city of Manchester. Since it was founded in 1878, the club has managed to win numerous national and international titles and has consistently shown a record of success throughout its history (Mellor, 2007). Also known as The Red Devils, Manchester United together with Liverpool are the most successful teams in the United Kingdom having won several trophies. This paper analyses the history, impacts, and significance of Manchester United and its contributions to the society. Historical Context of the Club When Manchester United FC was founded in 1878, it was initially known as Newton Health L&YR Football Club and its players consisted of individuals working in Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Club. It joined the Football League in 1892 but was relegated in 1894. In 1902, management roles were taken over by businessmen and they changed its name to Manchester United. Under the leadership of Ernest Mangnall, it won its first English League in 1908 and later the FA Cup in 1909. The team also moved to Old Trafford in 1910, which is its current stadium to date (footballhistory.org, 2018). In 1955-56 and 1956-57, Manchester won the League with a team whose average age was 21, making it the youngest team to win the League. However, a dark moment of the club was in 1958 when that aircraft carrying the team crashed, killing three staff members and eight players (Mellor, 2007). However, the coach survived and managed to rearrange another team and win several other trophies. A shift in management occurred later with some of the most successful teams being managed by Tommy Docherty, Dave Sexton, and Ron Atkinson. The appointment of Alex Ferguson in 1986 marked the most successful era of the club with the team winning over 25 major football trophies, which include 11 League Cups. The first Double was won in 1994 while the first Tremble was won during the 1998-1999 period, which included the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. This made Manchester United to be the first club in England to achieve such a victory. Since 2014, Man UTD has become the second highest earning club with revenue of 518 million, the third most valuable club, and the most valuable brand worth close to $1.2 billion (footballhistory.org, 2018). The club is currently managed by Jose Mourinho who was given a three year contract starting from 2016/2017 season. Historical Events that have Helped Shape the Club There are important historical events that have played an instrumental role in shaping the success of Manchester United. The first and most important reason is the organizational culture that has been implemented at the club. Its 139-year heritage has been built on the belief that the team endeavours for perfection and when this is not achieved, the players settle for excellence (footballhistory.org, 2018). Manchester is managed and operated as a single reporting segment and a professional sports team. Another important event is hiring of competent and experienced managers who are able to guide the team to victories and make important decisions of purchasing skilled players. The decisions that coaches make in the field, including playing tactics, have been instrumental in the success of the team. For instance, the legacy that was present during the Alex Ferguson era, which includes his playing style, enabled Manchester to win numerous trophies during his twenty-year period (Szymanski, 2012). Despite the fact that the winning trend has declined after Freguson, the team has made several changes and hired a competent coach who is enabling the team to return to its royal legacy. It can be argued that winning numerous league cups and other trophies may be the reason for the popularity of Manchester United, but there are other important factors that have enhanced the success of the team. For instance, the club is managed as a modern corporate empire that has established systems that can effectively market the club. Manchester has established well-organized fan clubs in several cities in different parts of the world. The powerful merchandising ties it makes with major organizations such as Aon, Addidas, and General Motors (Chevrolet) have enhanced the success of the company. Over the years, the club has invested in wonder players such as Best, Ronald, and Beckham, who have been instrumental in motivating other team members. The soccer schools established by the club have nurtured young players who have notable talent (Ogden, 2014). Apart from the sponsorship deals it makes with other global brands, Manchester United uses summer tours to tour other parts of the world, a factor that enhances the popularity of the team. Another important factor is the English Premier league (EPL) which is highly competitive and popular and this has influenced Manchester United to invest heavily in world class players. This has also been instrumental in enhancing the success and popularity of the team since EPL has a huge following across the world (Szymanski, 2012). All its matches are widely broadcasted and this not only increases the significance of the team, but it also showcases the performance of top notch players. Lastly, Manchester has a rich history of more than 130 years which shows how the club has risen up after a terrible performance in the past. History pla...