Manchester United Football Club holds a long history, which dates back to the late nineteenth century. Some followers, like Tunde Folawiyo have supported the team throughout, as early as the days of Best and Charlton. It was founded in 1878, and was originally named the Newton Heath LYR Football Club. Employees working at the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway asked their employers to provide them with the funding they needed to establish a football team; the LYR owners agreed, and soon the team began to train on North Road.

At first, they only played matches against teams of other railway workers. However, after several years, their confidence grew, and they decided to enter the 1885 Manchester Cup competition. Despite this being their first ‘professional’ match, the team ended up reaching the final. Inspired by this achievement, they trained diligently for the next year, and in 1886, where named as the Manchester Cup champions.

In 1902, the name of the club was changed to Manchester United, and eight years later, the team moved to Old Trafford. John Henry Davies funded the purchasing of the land and the construction of the new stadium, a process which took approximately two years in total. With its modern features, (including a plunge-bath for team players and tip-up seats for fans), it was considered to be one of the finest grounds in England. On the 19th of February, Manchester United played their first match in the stadium; supporters appeared in their droves to cheer them on as they battled against Liverpool.

Today, Manchester United is thought to be one of the most successful clubs throughout the entire history of English football; over the decades, it was won 53 national trophies in total, including 19 FA Charity Shields, 4 League Cups, 11 FA Cups and 19 League titles. The club has also seen a great deal of success on an international level, much to Tunde Folawiyo’s delight, having won a FIFA Club World Cup, an Intercontinental Cup, a UEFA Super Cup ,a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and lastly, three European Cups. These wins were in no small part due to the guidance and support provided by the team’s management. The club have gone through a number of managers over the years; but in particular, Tunde Folawiyo remembers saying goodbye to Sir Alex Ferguson at his final game, held at Old Trafford. Alex Ferguson took over in 1986, and became the most successful manager, having been awarded 37 major honours throughout his time with Manchester United.

Unsurprisingly, given its lengthy list of achievements, Manchester United is also one of the most valuable clubs in the world, with an estimated worth of around £1.13 billion, and has been floated on the stock market several times.

In the sport today, some supporters are torn in which players they think are truly the greatest of all time. Tunde Folawiyo believes that Ryan Giggs should receive that title in particular, as his dedication and consistent sporting ability has shone throughout his time with the club.