Our grand old stadium is 100 years old today and I am welcoming you to share your memories with us here at the Stretty Rant. 100 years ago today United played their first match at Old Trafford – a 4-3 loss to Liverpool. Over the years the stadium has witnessed some fascinating moments and played host to a number of wonderful United sides. Old Trafford was home to Jack Rowley, Bobby Charlton, George Best, Tommy Taylor, Duncan Edwards, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney – players who are engraved into the history and tradition of the football club. Here is to the next 100 years!
So if you’d like to share your memories of Old Trafford, please do so in the comments box below. Whether it be Bryan Robson’s epic performance in the victory over Barcelona in 1984 or whether it be the celebratory scenes against Blackburn Rovers in 1993 or if you have a memory of a piece of genius from a player – then please do let us know. I imagine Steve Bruce’s brace against Sheffield Wednesday in 1993 (you may be interested in reading Hetixo’s account of events that day) will be a favourite of many, whilst in more recent times the 1-0 victory over Barcelona to send us to Moscow and the 4-3 victory over City.
I will share with you a memory that always sticks out in my mind as I generally believe it was the best debut performance i’d ever seen – Cristiano Ronaldo coming off the bench in our 4-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers. Ruud VanNistelrooy had missed a penalty and if I remember correctly, Ryan Giggs struck a first half free kick to give us the lead. It wasn’t the best of games, with Bolton generally putting up a defensive wall that was frustrating the home crowd. So mid way through the second half come on a thin, gangly looking lad and you feel the mood lift around the stadium. Earlier in the week I been out for a few beers with the lads and came home to see “We’ve signed Ronaldo” – having watched him play in the a youth tournament earlier in the year, I knew what a great talent he was. Smugly looking around as to say “watch this” – I was left mouth open as he took on Premier League defenders like he was the older kid in the playground. You remember that kid? The one that was head and shoulders above everyone else. Step over after step over came. “Take the piss lad!” was being shouted by fans who would have twenty minutes earlier be wondering whether selling David Beckham to Real Madrid was such a good idea. Ronaldo won a penalty and had a monumental impact on the game that it would go down into legend. “There is only one Ronaldo!” boomed the Stretford End and the rest as they say is history.
So what is your moment?
I wanna wish all united faithfuls many more yrs of spectacular performance
Man you had had great memories in ma mind. They got the great legends in the world of football.
They’re great…….
haha i remember that ronaldo performance so clearly. I was in the stretty and everyone was raving about him. one guy near me goes ‘this lad is going to be the one lad that is compared to george best’ and how right he was.
other more recent favourite memories are Barcelona 2008. That atmosphere was on another planet. RVN’s penalty against Arsenal in 2004, King Eric’s comeback in 1996 and setting up Butt (I think) on his first touch and the last minute winner against city this season
Good post.
Old Trafford or the Theatre of Dreams as it is known now is one of the most famous stadiums in the world.
My first trips to OT were always with my Dad, When hearing he would take me to my first game I could hardly sleep the night before and it was all I had talked about for the few days preceding the game.
We parked just off the old railway lines in Trafford Park. It was all new to me, and I remember being fascinated by the area. I’m pretty sure I hadn’t been to an industrial estate before or anything like Trafford Park. The smells of Trafford park used to fascinate me, at one time I used to believe that I could predict the result by the smells that greeted us as we parked. I was young.
Everything was new and wonderful, the ground, going in to the stadium by the turnstile and the program. Then the wonderful moment you first see the pitch. I think we were in the United road or Stretford or Scoreboard paddock. Either way it was along one of the sides and I was at the front so I could see. Lots of other kids around my age in the same position. I remember a steward or someone who would tell you not to put your hands over or something as soon as he went we all put our hands back.
It was a night match against Chelsea in the old League Cup. We won 2-1 Charlton and Best scored for United. The Best goal is still replayed time and time again as Chelsea and especially Harris try desperately to bring Best to the floor but he refuses to be brought to his knees for a pen.
Some of my most memorable games at OT my first game obviously, United 3 Sunderland 2 when we were in the old 2nd division. The Barcelona game in 1984 when I doubt there has ever been a better atmosphere at OT. Winning the title for the first time in 26 years and celebrating against Blackburn – just celebrating and relief from everyone. The game after Busby’s death against Everton in 1994 and a late inclusion the game against City in the League cup semi recently.
Other great nights would include games that I didn’t go to such as the first game after the Munich disaster against Sheffield Wednesday and the AC Milan semi final of 1969 which some claim even eclipsed the 1984 game against Barcelona for atmosphere.
The ground has changed a lot and the great Stretford End is not the same or the scoreboard end and paddocks. But OT is still a magnificent stadium and is still capable of intimidating the opposition and energising the United team.