Manchester United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. The club was formed in Newton Heath in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR F.C., and played their first competitive match in October 1886, when they entered the First Round of the 1886–87 FA Cup.[2] The club was renamed Manchester United F.C. in 1902, and they moved to Old Trafford in 1910.[3] The club won its first significant trophy in 1908 – the First Division title. Since then, the club has won a further 19 league titles, along with 12 FA Cups and five League Cups, among many other honours. They have also been crowned champions of Europe on three occasions by winning the European Cup.[3][4] The club was one of 22 teams in the Premier League when it was formed in 1992. They experienced the most successful period in their history under the management of Alex Ferguson, who guided the team to 13 league titles in 21 years.[5][6]
Since playing their first competitive match, 970 players have made a competitive first-team appearance for the club, of whom 224 players have made at least 100 appearances (including substitute appearances). Manchester United's record appearance-maker is Ryan Giggs, who made a total of 963 appearances over a 23-year playing career; he broke Bobby Charlton's previous appearance record in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final.[7] Giggs also holds the record for the most starts (802 matches), and for the most matches played as a substitute (161).
Charlton was also the club's top goalscorer with 249 goals in his 17 years with the club. He held the mark for 45 years, until his record was overtaken by Wayne Rooney, who scored his 250th goal during the 2016–17 season; Rooney finished his 13-year tenure with Manchester United with 253 goals in 559 appearances. Other than Charlton, Giggs and Rooney, only eight players have made more than 500 appearances for the club, including three members of the 1968 European Cup–winning team (Tony Dunne, Alex Stepney and Bill Foulkes as well as Charlton) and three members of the 1999 Treble-winning team (Denis Irwin, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes as well as Giggs); the two other players to reach 500 appearances are Joe Spence, who played for the club during the interwar period, and David de Gea, who played for the club from 2011 to 2023. De Gea, who is Spanish, is the first 500 Club member from outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Other than Charlton and Rooney, only two players (Denis Law and Jack Rowley) have scored more than 200 goals for the club.
The most recent player to reach 100 appearances for the club is Argentinian winger Alejandro Garnacho, who reached the milestone on 27 October 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Giggswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Club – History by Decade". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ a b "Club – History by Decade – 1900–1909". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ "Club – Trophy Room". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ "Club – History by Decade – 1990–1999". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
- ^ "Club – History by Decade – 2000–2009". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
- ^ Shuttleworth, Peter (21 May 2008). "Spot-on Giggs overtakes Charlton". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2014.