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Manchester United Football Club began life as Newton Heath in 1878, later changing its name to Manchester United in 1902.
United moved in to their current home over a century ago, when they relocated to Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams in 1910.
United are arguably the most successful club in English Football history, having won a record 20 top tier League Championships (13 of which coming in the Premier League era), 12 FA Cups, 5 League Cups and 3 European Cups. They are the only English club to be World Club Champions as well.
They are one of the richest clubs in the world and the best supported with fans across the globe in such continents as Asia and South America.
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Legendary for their famed academy that has produced such Footballing legends as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, the Nevilles, George Best and Bobby Charlton to name a few. A tradition that is still in full force today in 2018, with the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford.
In 2016-17, they became one of only five clubs in history to win every UEFA trophy available to them when they claimed the Europa League. The only other clubs to do so are European giants Juventus, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
The club's longest serving managers, Sir Matt Busby (1945-69, 1970-71) and Sir Alex Ferguson (1986-2013) enjoyed the greatest success at the club winning 18 of the club's 20 League Championships and all of the team's European Cups between them.
Over the course of their history, many legendary Footballers have played in the famous red shirt in front of the Stretford End and in this slideshow, SK count down the 10 greatest players in United's history.
The following slideshow revisits the careers of 10 men who did more for the club than anyone else.
10 true legends of the club.
#10 Cristiano Ronaldo (2003-09)
Major Honours Won: 8
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United as a fresh faced 18 year old from Sporting Lisbon, after he impressed United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson and his players in an August 2003 friendly.
United agreed to pay Sporting £12.24 million after the game and Ronaldo signed on for the 2003-04 season.
Despite his indifferent form for the club in his initial seasons, Ferguson persevered with his young star and suddenly in the 2006-07 season everything just clicked.
After the departure of United's talisman striker, Ruud Van Nisterooy who had been at odds with Ronaldo, the Portuguese grew into a more varied attacking role than just that of a winger which he had primarily played as in his first seasons with the club.
With more freedom going forward, Ronaldo prospered and scored 23 goals in 53 appearances in all competitions as he helped United to win the Premier League for the first time since 2002-03. The club also reached the FA Cup Final and European Cup Semi-Finals as they once again became a force on the big stage.
Ronaldo and United improved on as successful 2006-07 with a League and European Cup Double in 2007-08 during which Ronaldo scored a mammoth 42 goals in 49 appearances.
His performances earned him the 2008 Ballon d'Or, the first United player to win the award in 40 years, following George Best's 1968 success.
Ronaldo's success caught the attention of Real Madrid who attempted to prise him away from the club, however Ferguson convinced Ronaldo to stay an extra year and Ronaldo's 26 goals helped the club win a League and League Cup Double in 2008-09.
Ronaldo departed United at the end of the season when he joined Madrid for a then world record fee of £80 million. However, his mark had forever been left on United.
#9 Bryan Robson (1981-94)
Major Honours Won: 6
Then Manchester United Manager, Ron Atkinson made signing his former charge, Bryan Robson, his number one priority when he took the reigns as United boss.
Robson cost a then British record transfer fee of £1.5 million but more than repaid that cost as he played for United for the next 13 years as Captain of the club, becoming the longest serving Captain in club history.
Robson lifted the FA Cup in 1983 and 1985 before obtaining his greatest success at United under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson, claiming another FA Cup win in 1990, before securing the 1991 Cup Winners Cup and ending United's 26 year wait for a League Championship in the inaugural Premier League season in 1992-93.
Robson's final season as a United player saw him collect a Double of Premier League and FA Cup trophies as he signed off his tenure with the club in style.
A dynamic box to box midfielder, Robson tirelessly covered every blade of grass on the pitch as he assisted and scored consistently, turning United from also ran's to genuine title contenders for much of his tenure at the club.
Today, Robson is still employed by the club as a Global Ambassador; a position he has held since 2011.
#8 Jack Rowley (1937-54)
Major Honours Won: 2
Jack Rowley, nicknamed "The Gunner" for his prolific goal scoring record and accurate shooting which saw him score 211 times in 434 appearances for Manchester United was the star of Sir Matt Busby's first great United side.
Rowley scored twice as United won the 1948 FA Cup Final 4-2 versus the great Stanley Matthews Blackpool team.
Rowley also top scored for United in their 1951-52 League success, netting 30 times in 41 appearances in all competitions.
After 17 years, playing for the first team, Rowley left United in 1954, having become the first man in club history to score over 200 goals for the side.
Rowley went into club management until 1969 when he retired. Rowley died in June 1998 at the age of 77.
#7 Wayne Rooney (2004-17)
Major Honours Won: 12
On the 21st January 2017, Wayne Rooney scored a brilliant free-kick to earn Manchester United a dramatic equaliser against Stoke City in stoppage time. That goal saw Rooney overtake Sir Bobby Charlton to become United's greatest ever goalscorer by reaching the landmark of 250 goals.
Rooney would score three more goals in a United shirt, bringing his overall tally to 253, before he re-joined Everton in the summer of 2017.
An incredible record-breaking United career came to an end, thirteen years after it began when Rooney was a fresh-faced 18-year-old, signed from Everton for a fee of £33.3 million.
He scored a hat trick on debut as his United career began with a bang on September 28, 2004 versus Fenerbache and continued to perform at a high level for his new employers.
Rooney scored twice in the 2006 League Cup Final success over Wigan Athletic, to help earn his first silverware with United.
Rooney's 23 goals in 2006-07 helped United win their first League title in four years.
In 2007-08, Rooney took ownership of the famous number 10 shirt vacated by Ruud Van Nistelrooy and in possession of the iconic jersey assisted the club in winning a historic League and Champions League Double.
In December 2008, Rooney was the player of the tournament in the FIFA Club World Cup and scored the winning goal in the 1-0 success over Japanese outfit, Gamba Osaka.
Rooney was named the PFA's player of the year in 2009/10 as he became the main man at the club following the summer departure of 2008 Ballon d'Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo.
His greatest United goal came in the Manchester derby versus Manchester City on February 12, 2011 when he scored an incredible bicycle kick which proved to be the winning goal.
Rooney's influence on United waned in his final years at the club and despite being Captain increasingly found himself restricted to the bench under new manager, Jose Mourinho.
Rooney departed the club in 2017 as a record breaker with a goal scoring record unlikely to ever be beaten.
In future years, the legacy Rooney built at United will be even more fondly remembered than it is today.
Rooney now plays in the United States for Major League Soccer outfit, DC United.
#6 George Best (1963-74)
Major Honours Won: 3
George Best signed for Manchester United as a 15 year old schoolboy and debuted for the first team in 1963 as a fresh faced 17 year old.
A phenomenal dribbler, with excellent balance, electric pace and accurate shooting, Best was the perfect winger and a focal part of Sir Matt Busby's rebuild following the horrors of the Munich Air Disaster.
The Northern Irishman played for the club for 11 years, top scoring in the League for five consecutive seasons between 1967-68 and 1971-72.
During his tenure, he was part of the United team that won the 1963 FA Cup, 1967 League Championship and 1968 European Cup (in which he scored the crucial second goal to restore United's lead in Extra-Time versus Benfica).
However, just as famous as his Football prowess was Best's non-Football persona as a 1960s celebrity personality. He was nicknamed "El Beatle", a reference to the musical sensation group, The Beatles.
Best famously paraphrased WC Fields when he declared: "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars – the rest I just squandered."
However, it was Best's predilection for alcohol which derailed his career and eventually led to his premature death in 2005, despite undergoing a liver transplant three years earlier.
However, most United fans choose to remember Best for the player he was in the 1960s and early 1970s; the man who won the Ballon d'Or in 1968. One of United's best ever players.
#5 Eric Cantona (1992-97)
Major Honours Won: 6
Manchester United's signing of Eric Cantona came about completely by chance but it was a slice of luck which completed the jigsaw puzzle from turning United from title contenders to Champions.
This occurred when then-Leeds Chairman, Bill Fotherby had contacted then-Manchester United Chairman, Martin Edwards, to enquire about the availability of United left-back, Denis Irwin.
Irwin was unavailable but Edwards, backed by Ferguson enquired about Leeds striker, Cantona and the rest is history.
Cantona slotted into the team seamlessly and formed a formidable partnership up front with Mark Hughes. United lost just two league matches following his arrival and finally brought the League title back to Old Trafford after a long 26 year wait.
Such was the Midas touch of Cantona, United were even better the following season, as the team secured their first ever league and FA Cup Double. The man dubbed “The King” by fans, Cantona top scored with 26 goals in all competitions including a brace in the FA Cup final victory over Chelsea.
It is notable that the only year in which United did not win the Premier League title during Cantona’s tenure, was 1994-95, the season in which he spent the final three months suspended, following a “Kung-Fu” kick on a Crystal Palace supporter.
Undoubtedly, the lowest point of Cantona’s career which had seen its fair share of controversy, his actions were more far-reaching than football. Cantona was sentenced to two weeks in prison which was quickly overturned on appeal and he instead served 120 hours of community service.
When Cantona returned, it was two months into a season that will forever remain engrained in the memories of all fans. 1995-96 saw the club win the “Double Double”, named as such as it was their second in three seasons.
The FA Cup Final on May 11, 1996 epitomised Cantona. As a drab game neared full time, the always alert Cantona, provided a piece of magic when he exploited a David James goalkeeping error to hit an expertly taken half volley to earn the FA Cup for United with a 1-0 win. Cantona captained the team that day and held the famous trophy aloft at Wembley. The comeback was complete.
Cantona's final season at United was not as successful but the Frenchman still contributed, playing 50 times and scoring 15 goals.
Nevertheless, despite his fading influence, the announcement in May 1997 shocked the football world. Cantona retired from football, days before his 31st birthday.
Despite only spending five years at Old Trafford, few players hold the cult status that “King Eric” enjoys at the Theatre of Dreams. That is testament to his talent.
#4 Roy Keane (1993-2005)
Major Honours Won: 13
It is easy to forget now, in 2018, 13 years after his hugely acrimonious exit from the club, but Roy Keane captained United to unprecedented success between 1997 and 2005.
Signed from Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest in 1993 for a then British record transfer fee of £3.75 million, the young Irishman displaced the much more famous and experienced Paul Ince and Bryan Robson in the centre of the United midfield.
Known for his ferocious temper and unmatched competitive spirit, Keane was the embodiment of manager, Sir Alex Ferguson on the pitch.
After playing a commanding role in United securing League and FA Cup Doubles in 1994 and 1996, Keane was appointed Captain the following year after Eric Cantona's shock retirement and led the club to it's greatest ever success during the 1998-99 season after he missed much of 1997-98 through injury.
Keane inspired United to yet another League success and in one of his best performances ever, he rescued United in the European Cup Semi-Final Second Leg with Juventus in Turin when his team found themselves 2-0 down in the opening minutes.
A headed goal from Keane set United on their way to recovery and his dynamism in the middle of the park pushed his team to win 3-2.
Keane was injured during the FA Cup Final victory over Newcastle and missed the European Cup Final due to suspension but his role in United achieving a historic Treble was not to be underestimated.
The Irishman continued to inspire United to success in the new century before a now infamous falling out with Ferguson saw him quickly shuffled out of the club while still recognised as Captain.
Keane is a force that has never been adequately replaced in the middle of the park and despite the ignominy of his exit, he is still revered by much of the United fan-base.
#3 Ryan Giggs (1991-2014)
Major Honours Won: 26
No one has won more silverware in club Football than Ryan Giggs. His 23 year tenure as part of the United first team saw him win 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups, two European Cups, the Intercontinental Cup, the Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
Giggs's illustrious United career began when he signed a professional contract with the club during the 1990-91 season and began competing for a place in the starting line-up in the Left Wing position that was proving problematic for manager, Sir Alex Ferguson to resolve as he alternated between Danny Wallace and Lee Sharpe.
Giggs won consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year Awards in 1991-92 and 1992-93 as he took English Football by storm.
With unrivalled pace and dribbling skills, Giggs could breeze past opponents with ease and was a great provider and scorer of goals.
Giggs's promotion to the first team consisted of an incredible upturn in form as the club enjoyed unprecedented success over the next two decades.
Giggs is best remembered for his 1999 FA Cup Semi-Final Replay winning goal versus Arsenal. Reduced to 10 men and rapidly running out of steam, United appeared to be there for the taking by their great rivals. However, when Giggs took possession of the ball just inside his own half he dribbled 50 yards, past all of Arsenal's defence and smashed a shot past David Seaman into the roof of the Arsenal goal.
Giggs's association with United continued past his playing days as he was player coach under David Moyes, interim manager for four games following Moyes's dismissal and served as Assistant Manager under new manager Louis Van Gaal.
Giggs finally ended his long association with United in summer 2016 following Jose Mourinho's appointment as boss, wanting to become a first team coach rather than an assistant. Giggs is currently manager of the Wales international team.
#2 Bobby Charlton (1956-73)
Major Honours Won: 5
Sir Bobby Charlton is the embodiment of Manchester United, having been associated with the club for almost his entire life.
Charlton signed with United as a 15 year old in January 1953 and progressed to debut for the first team in October 1956 wherein he scored twice on debut versus Charlton Athletic and went on to score his first hat-trick for the club the following February in another clash with Charlton.
Charlton was part of the "Busby Babes"; United manager, Sir Matt Busby's team of young academy prospects which won the First Division Championship in 1957.
However, the success that the team could have achieved was never to be, as tragically eight United players and another 36 members of the coaching staff and journalists were killed in the Munich Air Disaster, as the plane carrying the team crashed as it attempted to take off the second time on the icy Munich runway on return from a European Cup Semi-Final clash with Red Star Belgrade.
Charlton was one of the few survivors of the crash and was a central part of Busby's rebuild of the United team and went on to win two more League Championships with the club as well as the 1968 European Cup, which was won, rather fittingly 10 years after Munich.
Charlton retired from playing full time in 1975, one year after leaving United after two decades at the club. He was appointed to the United board of directors in 1984, a position he has held ever since.
#1 Paul Scholes (1994-2013)
Major Honours Won: 20
Paul Scholes is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time if not the greatest.
Many of Scholes's legendary peers such as Andrea Pirlo, Zinedine Zidane and Edgar Davids have spoken of their respect for him as player and that in their eyes he is one of the greatest.
Such high praise is completely warranted.
Scholes racked up 718 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring 155 goals.
Debuting for the first team straight out of the United academy, Scholes impressed with five goals from 25 appearances in all competitions before being one of the driving forces for the clubs's 1995-96 Double success where he played predominantly as a central striker, scoring 14 times in 31 appearances despite big money signings Eric Cantona and Andy Cole being on United's books.
The following year, United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, decided to trial Scholes in a central midfield position to capitalise on his incredible footballing brain and unparallelled ability to read the game.
It was a decision that worked wonders for the club as Scholes quickly became one of the best central midfielders in the world an a key part of United squads that won a total of 11 Premier League and two European titles.
Scholes will always be remembered for his accurate passing, devastating shooting and versatile position play and the recognition as the finest United player of all time.
