May 2, 1993: Fergie's Fledglings

May 2, 1993: Manchester United Football Club end a 26-year league championship drought -- without even taking the pitch.

The Premier League's 1st season was 1992-93. It replaced the old Football League Division One, which Manchester United -- known for short as "Man United," or just "United," or "Man U," or to their rivals' fans as "ManUre" -- hadn't won since 1967. They had a near-miss in 1992, the last season of the old League.

Manager Alex Ferguson was building a team around youth, with players known as "Fergie's Fledglings." There is no definitive list of them, but they are generally said to include right back Gary Neville; centreback Wes Brown; and midfielders Phil Neville (Gary's less talented, but no less dirty, younger brother), David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Lee Sharpe and Nicky Butt. Giggs was Welsh, and Keane Irish, but the rest were all English.

Along with veterans, and players acquired from outside the United youth system, like Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, centrebacks Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister, Irish left back Denis Irwin, midfielder Paul Ince, and Welsh forward Mark Hughes, it looked like this "Class of '92" might be the answer.

But the fanbase was antsy. They wanted to win now, having not won the League in 26 years, with only FA Cup wins in 1977, '83, '85 and '90 in the meantime. The last of these was Ferguson's only trophy since taking over as manager in 1986.

On the last day of the 1991-92 season, a win by Leeds United, combined with Man U's 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield, gave Leeds the League title. The Liverpool fans, having won the League title 13 times since United's last one in 1967, and having a longstanding rivalry with United, taunted them, singing, "You'll never win the title! You'll never win the title! You'll never win the title!"

That burned Ferguson up. The gum-chomping Scot was determined that nothing would stop him from winning the title in the new Premier League in 1992-93. In particular, he was quoted as saying he wanted to "knock Liverpool off their fucking perch" -- not as the League Champions, which they were not going into the 1992-93 season, but as the definitive leading football club in England. But by November 7, 1992, a 1-0 loss away to Birmingham team Aston Villa left United with a 7-game winless streak: 0-5-2.

Then came the key to the season, and to an era of English football. French forward Eric Cantona, a big reason why Leeds won the title, got into one of his moods, and wanted out. Ferguson purchased him on November 26, 1992, for £1.2 million. Although the rivalry between "Man U" and Leeds is a nasty one -- with echoes of the ancient rivalry between the Duchies of Lancaster (to which the region of Greater Manchester once belonged) and York (Leeds United remains the biggest team in Yorkshire).

But Cantona, a man whose great talent was exceeded by his ego, had made a nuisance of himself at Elland Road, and manager Howard Wilkinson -- who, through the 2021-22 season, remains the last title-winning manager in the English top flight who was born and raised in England -- sold him just to get rid of a headache.

It didn't have to be that way. On November 6, 1991, Liverpool beat French club Auxerre, 3-0 in the 2nd Round of the UEFA Cup at Anfield. Afterward, Liverpool manager Graeme Souness was met by French soccer legend Michel Platini, who told him that Cantona, then playing for French club Nîmes, was available for sale. Thinking he had a strong selection of forwards, Souness turned the deal down.

This decision changed the course of soccer history, because, later that season, Cantona was sold to Leeds United; and then, after another year, to Man United.

After the loss to Villa, United went on a 10-game unbeaten streak: 8-0-2. On January 9, 1993, at Old Trafford, their huge stadium just outside of Manchester, in Salford, they beat North London team Tottenham Hotspur, 4-1, with Cantona opening the scoring. That put them in 1st place for the 1st time that season.

A 2-1 win away to Liverpool on March 6 was huge. But they faltered: A 1-1 home draw to Villa on March 14 hurt, a 1-1 draw away to local rivals Manchester City on March 20 dropped them to 2nd behind Villa, and a 0-0 draw at home to North London team Arsenal on March 24 dropped them to 3rd, behind Villa and Norfolk team Norwich City.

That draw with Arsenal seemed to wake them up, though: They went to Norwich on April 5, and won, 3-1. They hosted Yorkshire team Sheffield Wednesday on April 10, and trailed, 1-0, before Bruce scored in the 86th minute. Then, in the 96th minute of a game that the 4th official said would have at least 93, Bruce scored again to win it, 2-1, vaulting United back into 1st place. It is remembered by United haters as the 1st "Fergie Time," in which United always seemed to get enough stoppage time to get the goal they needed.

A popular anti-United meme 

They went to Midlands team Coventry City on April 12, and won, 1-0. They hosted West London team Chelsea on April 17, and won, 3-0. They went to South London to play Crystal Palace on April 21, and won, 2-0.

On May 2, Aston Villa hosted another Manchester-area team, Oldham Athletic. Oldham, in a rare top-flight season for them, were desperate to stay up. Apparently, that need was greater than that of Villa to win the title, which they'd done in 1981, but only that once since 1910. Oldham beat Villa, 1-0. That all but confirmed that they would stay up, and it meant that Villa could no longer catch Man United: The Red Devils became Premier League Champions that day, without even taking the pitch.

The next day, a Bank Holiday Monday, United came onto the pitch at Old Trafford as Champions. To the tune of "Go West," a Village People song recently covered by British synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, the fans sang, "Stand up, for the Champions!" United beat Lancashire team Blackburn Rovers, 3-1. ("Go West" would inspire countless more English football chants over the years, including, "One-nil to The Arsenal," "Two-nil, and you fucked it up!" and "You're shit, and you know you are!")

Unfortunately, like baseball's Boston Red Sox in 2004, football's New England Patriots in 2002, hockey's New York Rangers in 1994, college basketball's Duke University in 1991, and English soccer's Chelsea in 2005, United had a fanbase that turned a long period of struggle into a burst of arrogance. After years as sore losers, they were completely obnoxious as winners. As a result, while, like many other newly winning teams, they gained a great number of bandwagon fans, even more fans began hating them. Cantona became a target of their ire, and the media labeled him "Le Brat."

But United fans adored him, calling him "King Eric." Many of them cut their hair very short like him. When playing in their neighborhood games, they turned their collars up like him. Men with a "unibrow" saw that he had one, and were no longer ashamed of their own. He was the latest in a string of United stars who had worn the Number 7 shirt, including George Best and Bryan Robson. The string would later extend to David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Starting in 1993, over the next 19 seasons, United would win the Premier League title 12 times. They would also win the FA Cup 4 times, including 1994 and 1996, also winning the League, to "do The Double." They won the UEFA Champions League in 1999 and 2008. They won all 3 in 1999, which remains the only "European Treble" in English football history, and led to Ferguson being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

Indeed, one year to the day after winning the 1993 title, on May 2, 1994, history repeated itself: United won the title without taking the pitch, because the team in 2nd lost. That was Blackburn. In 1995, needing to match United's performance on the last day to win the title, Blackburn lost -- but so did United, and Blackburn won the title.

But United resumed their dominance the next season. nd it didn't have to be that way. In hindsight, it wasn't Ferguson who "knocked Liverpool off their perch." It was Souness, through his poor management of Liverpool.

In English football history, the truth that dares not speak its name is that Sir Alex Ferguson won none of these trophies fairly. Referees have looked the other way when United have scored offside goals and made dirty tackles. They have ruled good opposing goals off for false reasons, given yellow and red cards for offenses far less than what United players had done. And they had given United excessive stoppage time, leading to the term "Fergie Time."

Ferguson retired after the 2013 title. Since then, United's trophy haul has consisted of the 2016 FA Cup, the 2017 League Cup, and the 2017 UEFA Europa League. That's it. They finished 2nd in the Premier League in 2018, but 19 points behind Manchester City; and in 2021, 12 points behind City.

They have seen Chelsea, then City, take over the League and surpass them for relevance, and seen Liverpool win the League for the 1st time since 1990, in 2020. United have become like the New York Yankees: Still good enough to deserve the attention, but not good enough to seriously challenge for trophies.

Ferguson is still alive, and still goes to the games. But he can no longer seem to affect the outcomes.

UPDATE: United won the League Cup again in 2023. But, also that year, Man City matched their 1999 "European Treble."

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May 2, 1993 was a Sunday. These Major League Baseball games were played that day:

* The New York Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners, 3-2 at Yankee Stadium. Bernie Williams drew a bases-loaded walk to win it in the bottom of the 10th inning. This made a winning pitcher of John Habyan, in relief of Jimmy Key. Don Mattingly went 1-for-3 with 2 walks. Ken Griffey Jr. did not play for the Mariners in this game.

* The New York Mets beat the San Diego Padres, 3-2 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego. Dwight Gooden went the distance for the win. Tony Gwynn went 2-for-4.

* The Boston Red Sox beat the California Angels, 4-3 at Fenway Park in Boston.

* The Baltimore Orioles beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-3 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Harold Baines singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. Cal Ripken went 0-for-3, but drew 2 walks. George Brett, in his final season, went 0-for-4.

* The Atlanta Braves beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3 at Turner Field in Atlanta.

* In a game between the season's 2 new National League expansion teams, the Colorado Rockies beat the Florida Marlins, 2-1 at Joe Robbie Stadium (now Hard Rock Stadium) in Miami Gardens, Florida.

* The Cleveland Indians beat the Oakland Athletics, 10-2 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Rickey Henderson went 2-for-3 with 3 stolen bases.

* The Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.

* The Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers, 6-3 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit.

* The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-1 at the new Comiskey Park (now Rate Field) in Chicago.

* The Texas Rangers beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 13-2 at Arlington Stadium in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas. Robin Yount, in his final season, did not play for the Brewers.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Houston Astros, 6-2 at the Astrodome in Houston.

* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-1 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

* And the San Francisco Giants beat the Montreal Expos, 4-3 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Barry Bonds singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning.

There were 4 games played in the NBA Playoffs:

* The New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers, 101-91 at Madison Square Garden.

* The Chicago Bulls beat the Atlanta Hawks, 117-102 at the Chicago Stadium. The Hawks got 37 points from Dominique Wilkins and 26 from Kevin Willis, but the Bulls got 29 from Michael Jordan and 25 from Scottie Pippen.

Both "Air" Jordan and Wilkins, "The Human Highlight Film," were known for their spectacular dunks. But both were originally known as selfish players, "ball hogs." There was a joke about a new road in Atlanta: The Dominique Wilkins Highway, with no passing allowed. The main reason Jordan went on to win 6 NBA Championships is that he was eventually paired with Pippen, while Wilkins never found such a teammate. If Jordan hadn't, he might now be considered on the same level as Wilkins, instead of a finalist for the title of "Greatest Player Ever."

* The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns, 86-81 at the America West Arena (now the Mortgage Matchup Center) in Phoenix.

* And the Utah Jazz beat the Seattle SuperSonics, 89-85 at the Seattle Center Coliseum.

There were 3 games played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:

* The New York Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-2 at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.

* The Montreal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres, 4-3 at the Montreal Forum.

* And the Vancouver Canucks beat the Los Angeles Kings, 5-2 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.