Scholes retires - but stays at OT

"This was not a decision that I have taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing. To have been part of the team that helped the club reach that 19th title is a great privilege."

- Paul Scholes

Paul Scholes has decided it is time for him to hang up his boots and retire from playing football.

Paul was part of the new wave of talent that came through to United's first team during the mid-90's. He scored twice on his debut in the League Cup at Port Vale in the 1994/95 season and since then has enjoyed a long a successful career, making an incredible 676 appearances for the Reds.
Paul will take on a coaching role with United from the start of next season. Fans will also have the opportunity to see Paul play again at Old Trafford in his testimonial match in August.
Sir Alex Ferguson said: "What more can I say about Paul Scholes that I haven't said before. We are going to miss a truly unbelievable player. Paul has always been fully committed to this club and I am delighted he will be joining the coaching staff from next season. Paul has always been inspirational to players of all ages and we know that will continue in his new role."
Paul Scholes said: "I am not a man of many words but I can honestly say that playing football is all I have ever wanted to do and to have had such a long and successful career at Manchester United has been a real honour. This was not a decision that I have taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing. To have been part of the team that helped the club reach that 19th title is a great privilege.
"I would like to thank the fans for their tremendous support throughout my career, I would also like to thank all the coaches and players that I have worked with over the years, but most of all I would like to thank Sir Alex for being such a great manager, from the day I joined the club his door has always been open and I know this team will go on to win many more trophies under his leadership."
David Gill said: "It is very sad day for Manchester United fans around the world. We all know that Paul was one of the players that came through the ranks of the academy system in the 1990's and has established himself as one of the greatest players to ever wear the United shirt. It is very important that the club keeps its association with these great players and we are delighted that Paul will join the coaching staff."

Rooney: We'll all miss Scholes

Wayne Rooney admits he will miss playing alongside Paul Scholes.

The midfielder has decided to hang up his boots and is rightly being lauded as one of the best footballers of his generation.
Rooney will have learned plenty from the 36-year-old and it's encouraging that Scholes is staying at Old Trafford in a coaching capacity to help pass on his experience to the promising midfielders coming through the ranks.
"He’ll be missed greatly," said Rooney. "I just heard the news this morning. We knew he’d make a decision but didn’t think it would be this quick. We’re all sad to see him stop playing. He’s been great for United and England and he’ll be missed by all of us.
"He hasn't started that many games of late and I'm sure that’s come into his head and he's made his decision.
"But he’ll be a big miss for us. He’s the best I’ve played with and against. He’s only small but it’s so difficult to get the ball off him. Every United fan will miss him."

Farewell to the little master

Vision of the future

"It is a masterstroke of Sir Alex Ferguson to retain Scholes’ experience in a coaching capacity. Unwittingly, he’s been educating his fellow pros for years, and if he can work directly with United’s FA Youth Cup winners – particularly midfielders Pogba, Morrison and Tunnicliffe – then his brilliance will live on at first team level."

Andrés Iniesta was nowhere to be seen as Barcelona’s celebrations began at Wembley on Saturday evening. United had spent much of the previous 90 minutes looking for the little Spaniard, and now even his team-mates were unable to locate him.

But as the new European champions were embracing and cavorting, their unassuming little midfielder was once again deep in United territory, this time locked in conversation with Paul Scholes. The 27-year-old had two priorities before Saturday’s game: win the match; then get Scholes’ shirt.
Iniesta, perhaps the leading exponent of modern midfield artistry, got his wish before trotting off to rejoin his colleagues, white shirt draped carefully around his neck. Even in the final game of his epic career, Paul Scholes attracted the admiration of his most distinguished peers.
It should be no surprise, of course. The last 15 years have been soundtracked by cooing from modern greats. Zidane, Davids, Vieira, Henry and countless more have labelled Scholes as their most gifted opponent. Even last week Pep Guardiola – himself a pre-eminent midfielder before he started out in the trophy monopolising business – paid tribute to the 36-year-old, labelling him: “the best midfielder of his generation.”
Being the gruff, bashful soul that he is, Scholes would wince with every proclamation of his brilliance. So we shouldn’t be surprised that his retirement, when it came, was so low key. Typically, for a player who made a living from going unnoticed, he has ghosted onto the sidelines. No teary speeches, no fanfare. They will be left to others.
Allow me to set the ball rolling. The little man has been the most naturally gifted footballer I have seen in over two decades of coming to Old Trafford. This most gilded era has hosted legendary talents such as Cantona, Hughes, Keane, Beckham, van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo and Giggs, yet, for me, Scholes stands above them all, shuffling uncomfortably on a podium.
He did, of course, do his level best to shun all attempts to elevate him. “I’m alright, I suppose,” was a stock response whenever fronted with his excellence in interviews. That’s when you could pin him down for more than five minutes. A particular trick of Scholesy’s was to arrange interviews for before training. He would then arrive 10 minutes before the session began, giving him the perfect excuse to cut the chat short. One minute he was there, the next he’d vanished. I suppose it was a flavour of being a Premier League defender over the last decade and a half.
Though no bosom buddy of the media, the man dubbed ‘Sat Nav’ by his colleagues was the definitive players’ player. His very mention usually provokes a shake of the head and artistic articulation of his brilliance. In years of asking different players who stands out in training, nobody has ever failed to name Scholes first. And coaches loved him. “Playing with Paul Scholes is like playing with the light on,” Carlos Queiroz once said. “Scholesy could play five-a-side blindfolded,” added former chief scout Mick Brown. “Everything he does is absolutely functional,” opined Rene Meulensteen.
That last one sums up the value of Scholes: a priceless lucidity which allowed him to read and dictate games. As every good snooker player thinks three shots ahead, United’s number 18 had already passed and moved before he
had even received the ball. From the little asthmatic ginger kid who would bang in goals for fun at Littleton Road and The Cliff, to the radar-slipping phantom who brought the guile to United’s midfield for a decade and a half, Scholes has always been ahead of the game.
The media will heave with tributes and video montages over the coming days. You’ll relive the thumping long-rangers, the boundless passing and the sporadically feral challenges. If you didn’t already, you’ll appreciate what we will come to miss. There will also be plentiful players tipped to fill the great man’s boots, but they can’t. Just as the hunt for the new Roy Keane was called off, the search for the new Paul Scholes is doomed to failure. United must evolve, rather than attempt to replace the irreplaceable.
It is a masterstroke of Sir Alex Ferguson to retain Scholes’ experience in a coaching capacity. Unwittingly, he’s been educating his fellow pros for years, and if he can work directly with United’s FA Youth Cup winners – particularly midfielders Pogba, Morrison and Tunnicliffe – then his brilliance will live on at first team level.
Barcelona’s players certainly recognised his worth on Saturday. Stood, clad in Iniesta’s sweat-drenched shirt, Scholes had to disappoint Messi, Xavi, Busquets and Pedro by informing each that he had already surrendered his jersey. For all their modern mastery of the football, Barcelona’s pass-poppers recognised that they were in the presence of the greatest little maestro of his generation.

THE CLUB : TROPHY ROOM

FA PREMIER LEAGUE / FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

United have won 19 League Championships, overtaking Liverpool's long-standing record with the 2010/2011 Barclays Premier League title.

The Reds' total comprises 12 Premier League titles (since 1992) and seven First Division Championships (pre-1992).
The club's first League Championship was secured in 1908, six years after the name of Newton Heath - league entrants in 1892 - was changed to Manchester United. A second title followed in 1911 but it wasn’t until after the Second World War, when United really became a force in English football under the leadership of Sir Matt Busby.
The Reds finished league runners-up in 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1951 before winning a third League Championship in 1952. The next few years were to see the birth of the famed Busby Babes. More Championships followed in 1956 and 1957 before the tragic events of the Munich air crash, which claimed the lives of 21 people, including eight United players. Busby rebuilt his team successfully in the 1960s, winning the title again in 1965 and 1967.
United had to endure a long wait of 26 years for the next title (finishing runners-up on four occasions in the meantime). Sir Alex Ferguson was the man who masterminded the triumph in the inaugural Premier League season, in 1993. The Reds have since dominated the top flight with titles in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011.
United's title triumph of 2008/09 was achieved despite a slow start to the campaign and the rigours of fighting for seven trophies (the Club World Cup, Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carling Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Community Shield). The Reds eventually clicked into gear, finishing the league season in style with 18 wins from the final 21 games. Only a point was required against Arsenal on the penultimate weekend, and a goalless draw at Old Trafford secured United's 11th title since the Premier League began and the club's 18th League Championship overall.
After Chelsea won the Double under Carlo Ancelotti, the Reds wrestled the title back to Old Trafford with a success based on the foundation of an incredible home record. After the West Londoners were beaten in front of a jubilant home crowd in a virtual title decider, a point at Blackburn sealed the 12th league success of Sir Alex's remarkable reign with Wayne Rooney's penalty ensuring United could not be caught at the top.

FA Cup

Following 2004's victory over Millwall, United has a record eleven FA Cups to its name and has appeared in the final on seventeen occasions. United are also the only club to appear in an FA Cup final in every decade since the war.

The club first competed in the FA Cup in 1890 as Newton Heath, but were beaten 6-1 by the then League Champions Preston North End. In fact the club had to wait until 1902, when it changed its name to Manchester United, to progress beyond the Third round.
The club’s first win in the competition came in 1909 against Bristol City (1-0). The Reds had to wait until 1948 to reach another final when they beat Blackpool 4-2 at Wembley stadium. The club appeared in consecutive finals in 1957 and 1958.
United next won the FA Cup in 1963 when a Denis Law goal helped see off Leicester City 3-1. The late 1970’s saw the club reach three finals in four years, losing to Southampton in 1976, beating Liverpool in 1977 and losing an epic final to Arsenal in 1979. After being 2-0 down, they came back to score two goals in the final five minutes only to see Arsenal snatch the Cup with almost the last kick of the game.
Two more successes followed, against Brighton in 1983 and against Everton in 1985, when United defender Kevin Moran became the first player to be sent off in a Cup final. During the Nineties the club reached no less than five finals, winning four of them. In 1990 United beat Crystal Palace 1-0 after a replay, in 1994 and 1996 the club completed the ‘Double’ after wins against Chelsea and Liverpool respectively and in 1999 United completed the second part of a historic ‘Treble’ with a 2-0 win over Newcastle.
United reached the final again in 2004. After beating arch-rivals Arsenal 1-0 in the semi-final at Villa Park, they had the more straightforward task of seeing off First Division side Millwall at the Millennium Stadium. Goals by Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy (2) won the match 3-0 for United.
The Reds were back at the Millennium Stadium just 12 months later, in May 2005, seeking their 12th FA Cup win. This time, their arch-rivals Arsenal were waiting to meet them - and to exact their revenge, it seems, for the semi-final results of 1999 and 2004. United dominated the match and created the best chances but ultimately failed to kill-off the more defensively minded Gunners. Consequently the FA Cup Final was decided by a penalty shoot-out for the first time in its history, regrettably in Arsenal's favour.
The FA Cup final returned to Wembley in 2007, with freshly-crowned Premiership champions United and previous incumbents Chelsea locking horns in what seemed set to be a fitting curtain raiser for the revamped stadium. In truth, the final was a massive anti-climax as United's fatigue at the end of a long season, allied to an ultra-conservative approach from Jose Mourinho's side made for a stifling affair, which was eventually settled late in extra-time by a strike from Didier Drogba.

 FOOTBALL LEAGUE CUP 

The Carling Cup or Football League Cup (also previously known as the Worthington Cup, Milk Cup, Coca-Cola Cup and Rumbelows Cup) was first played in 1961. Manchester United have won it four times; the Reds overcame Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the 1992 final, beat Wigan Athletic 4-0 in 2006, vanquished Tottenham on penalties in 2009 and came from behind to defeat Aston Villa 2-1 in 2010.United would probably rather forget the team's first match in the Football League Cup. On 2 November 1960 the Reds lost 2-1 in the Second round to Third Division Bradford City. The club had to wait until 1983 for a first appearance in a final when the opponents that day were Liverpool. A young Norman Whiteside, only seventeen years of age at the time, gave United the lead but Liverpool came back to win in extra time.
Undoubtedly the club’s golden period in the competition came in the early nineties when United reached three finals in four years. On the way to the 1991 final - which the Reds lost to Ron Atkinson’s Sheffield Wednesday - Sir Alex Ferguson's young side demolished the then League Champions Arsenal 6-2 at Highbury. In 1992, United reached Wembley again and won the competition for the first time, beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 thanks to a goal from Brian McClair.
The Reds' next final appearance, in 1994, ended in defeat (1-3) to Ron Atkinson's Aston Villa. Victory would have ultimately given the club the domestic ‘Treble’ as the side would go on to win the League and FA Cup later that year.
A mix of young and senior players was sufficient to see United past Barnet, West Brom and Birmingham in the early rounds of the triumphant 2005/06 campaign. Sir Alex Ferguson then beefed up his side with more first-team regulars for the two-legged semi-final against Blackburn and then the final against Wigan in Cardiff. Goals from Wayne Rooney (2), Louis Saha and Cristiano Ronaldo ensured United did not finish a difficult season empty-handed.
Three years later, plenty of the players who had their first taste of silverware against the Latics were now much-decorated, but there were still a number of youngsters involved as the Reds swept to Wembley at the expense of Middlesbrough, QPR, Blackburn and Derby. Tottenham awaited in the final and, after a tense 120 minutes failed to produce a telling goal, a penalty shootout was required to give United the trophy. Ryan Giggs, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Anderson all scored, while only Vedran Corluka could find a route past Reds keeper Ben Foster, handing United a 4-1 shootout win.
In 2009/10, United became the first club since Nottingham Forest 20 years earlier to retain the cup. The Reds started the campaign with a home win over Wolves (1-0) and then beat Barnsley away (2-0) and Tottenham (2-0) at Old Trafford to tee up an all-Manchester semi-final against local rivals City. The Blues won the first leg at Eastlands 2-1 but an electric atmosphere for the return match helped the Reds to win 3-1 on the night and go through 4-3 on aggregate. Aston Villa took the lead in the Wembley final after just five minutes, when James Milner converted a penalty conceded by Nemanja Vidic. But an equaliser from Michael Owen and a second-half header from Wayne Rooney ensured the silverware would stay in United's trophy room for another 12 months.

FA CHARITY / COMMUNITY SHIELD

From its humble beginnings in 1908, when it was known as the Sheriff of London Shield, to its place today as the annual curtain raiser to the English football season, the FA Community Shield (until recent years known as the FA Charity Shield) has long been an important part of the football calendar.

The Shield was initially introduced as a professionals v amateurs charity match with the first game being played in 1908. The reigning Football League Champions, Manchester United, took on Queens Park Rangers, the then-Southern League Champions. This format, with the occasional representative side taking part, was to form the basis of the competition for many years.
The competition's profile was raised immeasurably in 1974 when the then-FA Secretary Ted Croker proposed the Shield be played at Wembley. It was to prove a great success with the 1974 encounter attracting 67,000 fans when Liverpool beat Leeds United 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Nowadays whenever a Charity Shield match is drawn the tie is decided by a penalty shoot-out, although for a short spell during the 1980s and 1990s the trophy was shared. United hold the record for Shield appearances and also the most wins - 13.
United appeared in no fewer than seven Shield matches in the 1990s - winning four, drawing one and losing one. In 2001 United appeared in their sixth Shield in a row and eighth in nine years. United also competed in the highest scoring Shield match ever when they defeated Swindon Town 8-4 in 1911.
The Reds suffered Community Shield defeats at the start of the 1998/99, 1999/2000 and 2000/01 seasons, but went on to win the league title at the end of each term.
After going down 2-1 to Liverpool in 2001 Shield, Tim Howard was the hero in the 2003 victory over Arsenal, acrobatically saving spot-kicks from Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Robert Pires to give United a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win after the game had ended 1-1. Arsenal gained revenge a year later, sealing a 3-1 victory over Sir Alex's men.
United claimed two successive shoot-out victories in the 2007 and 2008 spectacles against Chelsea and Portsmouth respectively.
Having lost out to Chelsea in the 2009 clash, the Reds ensured a positive start to the 2010/11 campaign with a 3-1 victory over the Blues. Goals from Antonio Valencia, Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez - making his full debut as a half-time substitute - and Dimitar Berbatov secured a record 18th triumph. 

EUROPEAN CUP / UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

The Champions League is the ultimate club prize in European football. United have won the trophy three times, in 1968, 1999 and 2008. Real Madrid have the record number of wins, with nine European Cups to their name. 
United first played in the European Cup in 1957. The decision did not go down well with the Football League due to the fear that it would affect the quality of domestic competitions. This was quickly quashed as the competition helped raise standards in the English game.
United’s first match in the competition was a 10-0 win against Belgian Champions Anderlecht. The Reds reached the semi-finals in both 1956-57 and 1957-58 seasons, but the club’s involvement in the 1957-58 competition, however, will be forever linked to the Munich air disaster. United’s draw in Belgrade and subsequent semi-final defeat against AC Milan were overshadowed by the tragic death of eight United players.
From tragedy came hope as Sir Matt Busby built a new team. Another semi-final in 1965-66 was followed by the club’s first European Cup success in 1967-68 when Goals from Bobby Charlton (two), George Best and Brian Kidd at Wembley gave England its first European Cup winning side against Benfica.
The club had to wait a long 26 years to compete in the competition again, now expanded and renamed the Champions League. United have played in the Champions League every year since 1994 and reached the semi-finals in 1997 before winning the Cup for a second time in 1999.
The final in Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium looked all but lost as United trailed 1-0 going into the three minutes of added time at the end of the match. Goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left Bayern devastated and United's 50,000-strong throng of supporters in ecstacy. Sir Alex Ferguson had finally emulated the achievement of his predecessor Sir Matt Busby.
European glory proved elusive for United in the following seasons. Their defence of the trophy in 1999/00 was ended by a 3-2 home defeat by eventual winners Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, while two semi-final appearances (2001/02 against Bayer Leverkusen and 2006/07 against AC Milan) ultimately ended in elimination despite United holding the lead in both ties.
In May 2008, in Moscow, the Reds sealed their third European Cup triumph - 50 years after the Munich air disaster and 40 years since the Reds' first win in '68 - with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea. Ryan Giggs, making his 759th appearance in a red shirt, thus breaking Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time record, scored what turned out to be United's winning penalty. Edwin van der Sar confirmed United as Kings of Europe with his subsequent penalty save from Nicolas Anelka and sealed a historic double for the Reds.

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP

United became the first British club to win the FIFA Club World Cup when the Reds beat LDU Quito in Yokohama, Japan on 21 December 2008. Wayne Rooney scored the only goal.The 1-0 win over LDU Quito in the final was the second of two matches United played in the tournament - Sir Alex Ferguson's men also won a semi-final a few days earlier against Gamba Osaka, beating the Japanese side 5-3 with goals from Rooney (2), Nemanja Vidic, Cristiano Ronaldo and Darren Fletcher.

In all, the following seven teams took part in the 2008 Club World Cup - representing either the host nation or one of world football's six confederations:

Gamba Osaka (Japan, host nation); Waitakere United (New Zealand, OFC), Adelaide United (Australia, AFC), Pachuca (Mexico, CONCACAF), LDU Quito (Ecuador, CONMEBOL), Al Ahly (Egypt, CAF), Manchester United (England, UEFA).

December 2008 in Japan was United's second participation in the tournament. The Reds previously entered in 1999/2000, when the competition was inaugurated under the title of FIFA Club World Championship.

The inaugural tournament took place in January 2000 and featured eight teams - representatives from the six football confederations, plus the 1998 winners of the Inter-Continental Cup (inspiration for FIFA's competition) and the champions of the host nation, Brazil:
Manchester United (England, UEFA), Rayos del Necaxa (Mexico, CONCACAF), Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia, AFC), South Melbourne (Australia, OFC), Vasco da Gama (Brazil, CONMEBOL), Raja Casablanca (Morocco, CAF), Real Madrid (Inter-Continental Cup winners 1998), Corinthians (Brazil, host nation).
The format was two groups of four, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-finals. United failed to reach the semis, after drawing with Necaxa 1-1, losing to Vasco da Gama 3-1 and beating South Melbourne 2-0, all in the famous Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
The inaugural winners of the FIFA Club World Championship were Corinthians, who beat their great Brazilian rivals Vasco da Gama 4-3 on penalties in the final.
United's record: entrants 2000, winners 2008.

UEFA SUPER CUP

The European Super Cup was the brainchild of reporter Anton Witkamp. After a period of supreme Dutch dominance (either Ajax or Feyenoord had won the European Cup final for the last four years), Witkamp had the idea of pitting the winner of the 1972 European Cup against the winner of the same year's Cup Winners' Cup.

The first Super Cup was played between Ajax and Rangers in January 1973 but was not endorsed by UEFA because the Scottish team were serving a one-year European ban at the time. It was an enormously popular concept with fans – more than 100,000 turned out across two legs – and Ajax ran out eventual winners, 6-3 on aggregate.
UEFA could see Witkamp was onto a winner and adopted the competition in an official capacity the following season, where Ajax again triumphed. This time, the Dutch champions thrashed AC Milan 6-1. The Italian team have since fared much better and have won the trophy a record four times.
Manchester United's first taste of the competition came in 1991 when, after the Reds' victory over Barcelona in the Cup Winners' Cup, they faced European champions Red Star Belgrade. Due to Yugoslavia's unstable political climate, it was decided the 1991 Super Sup would be settled over one leg. A Brian McClair strike was enough to hand United a 1-0 win and hand Sir Alex his third trophy.
United's only other appearance in the Super Cup was earned after the Reds' last-gasp Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich in 1999. They met Lazio – by this stage all finals were held over one leg and in Monaco's Stade Loud II stadium – but went down thanks to a 35th-minute goal from Marcelo Salas.

EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS' CUP

Sir Alex Ferguson guided United to success in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1990/91 – thirty years after the competition was inaugurated by UEFA. It was the Reds’ first triumph in the Cup but Sir Alex’s second, having previously won it with Aberdeen in 1983, courtesy of a shock 2-1 win over Real Madrid.

United made their debut in the competition in 1963/64, having fulfilled the entry criteria in 1963 – winning their senior domestic cup, aka the FA Cup. Sir Matt Busby’s team made light work of Willem II, beating the Dutch side 7-2 on aggregate, and toppled Tottenham 4-3 over two legs in an all-English affair before suffering a 6-4 aggregate defeat to Sporting Lisbon.
The Reds had to wait until 1977 for their next FA Cup victory and subsequent crack at the Cup Winners’ Cup. Dave Sexton’s side beat St Etienne 2-0 at Plymouth Argyle’s ground – UEFA had ordered United to play their ‘home’ leg at least 200 kilometres from Manchester, following crowd trouble at the 1-1 draw in France.
After Plymouth, the Reds travelled to Portugal where they suffered another heavy away defeat, 0-4 to FC Porto. A valiant effort to turn things round at Old Trafford ended in vain – United won 5-2 on the night  but lost 6-5 on aggregate.
Ron Atkinson won two FA Cups as United manager but was given only one chance to win the Cup Winners’ Cup – all English clubs were banned from European competitions in 1985, in the wake of the Heysel Stadium disaster.
In 1983/84, Big Ron led the Reds through a rollercoaster campaign: an away goals victory over Dukla Prague, a more straightforward 4-1 aggregate win against Spartak Varna and then an epic quarter-final against Barcelona. Diego Maradona and all came to Manchester leading 2-0 from the first leg but Bryan Robson (2) and Frank Stapleton sent them packing on an unforgettable evening at OT. The semi-final was a bridge too far, however – missing the injured Robson, the Reds were held 1-1 at home before losing 2-1 in Turin against Juventus.
Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge when United played their first European match after the ban was lifted, in 1990. The Reds beat Pecsi Munkas 2-0 in Manchester and 1-0 in Hungary, to set-up an all-British tie against Welsh Cup winners Wrexham. Again the Reds kept two clean sheets, beating the Robins 3-0 at home and 2-0 away. United conceded their first goal of the competition against Montpellier, but still won 3-1 on aggregate before beating Legia Warsaw 4-2 over both legs of the semi-finals
Hughes was the hero in the 1991 final in Rotterdam, scoring two goals in the 68th and 75th minutes against his former club Barcelona. Ronald Koeman clawed one back for Barca but to no avail as United won the Cup Winners’ Cup at their fourth attempt. It was also their final attempt – the subsequent FA Cup triumphs, in 1994, 1996 and 1999, were topped by league titles and therefore the club qualified for and entered the Champions League instead - before UEFA abolished the competition in 1999.

Sir Alex Ferguson plans Manchester United overhaul to catch Barcelona

• Sir Alex Ferguson will stay for 'at least three years'
• Jack Rodwell and Ashley Young among transfer targets

Sir Alex Ferguson, who is reeling from what he said was the worst "hiding" he had suffered as Manchester United's manager, is planning to stay at Old Trafford long enough to oversee an overhaul of personnel, aimed at dismantling Barcelona's European dynasty.
Ferguson, who will be 70 this year, is approaching the 25th anniversary of his appointment. But the most successful manager in the game still sees himself as being in the job on a long-term basis and has told United that only his health will prevent him from working.
Instead the manager is going to break up his squad in what promises to be a summer of change at Old Trafford, with up to 10 players on their way out. The Glazer family have told Ferguson that he will be given substantial funds with which to purchase replacements.
It is nearly 10 years since Ferguson announced a plan to retire, only to change his mind and talk of nearly having made "the biggest mistake of my life". His spending this summer will be designed to close the gap on a Barcelona side whose masterclass of passing at Wembley strengthened their claim to be recognised as the greatest club side ever.
The task will be a significant one but Ferguson sees himself working at Old Trafford for at least three years, according to one of his closest allies in the game. The aim in that time will be to catch and overhaul Barcelona. Ferguson may be encouraged that Pep Guardiola, the Barcelona manager, indicated after his team's 3-1 win on Saturday that he would stay at the Camp Nou for one more season. Guardiola, the youngest manager to win the European Cup twice, is being seen at Old Trafford as a candidate to manage United but that time seems far away. Ferguson's attitude to his career could be sensed in a recent conversation with an associate, in which he said that "once the brain stops working, you are on the road to death".
United's rebuilding was a necessity before the Champions League final, with Edwin van der Sar joining Gary Neville in retirement and Owen Hargreaves being released from his contract.
Ferguson must establish whether Paul Scholes is to end his playing career and if, as is increasingly expected, that is the case, one idea is for the former England midfielder to take control of the reserve team.
Even if Scholes can be persuaded to continue, however, Ferguson is aware of the need to bring in a top central midfielder. United admire Wesley Sneijder but are not certain an agreement with Internazionale will materialise. Luka Modric of Tottenham Hotspur has also been discussed at length.
A £17m deal has been put in place for David de Gea, Atlético Madrid's Spain Under-21 goalkeeper, and talks are at an advanced stage with Lens about an £8m move for the 18-year-old centre-half Raphaël Varane. Ferguson also believes that Jack Rodwell has the necessary attributes to flourish at Old Trafford, if he can be lured away from Everton.
Ashley Young of Aston Villa is another target. United made inquiries about signing Young in the January transfer window and are now competing with Liverpool for his signature.
Ferguson must also decide whether to offer Michael Owen a new contract. Dimitar Berbatov presents a different problem. The Bulgarian finished as the Premier League's joint top scorer with 20 goals but he did not make the squad against Barcelona. Berbatov did not sit with the other players who were not in Ferguson's 18-man squad and he is thought to have watched the match in the changing room.
Asked about reports that Berbatov had left Wembley early, the striker's agent, Emil Danchev, said: "It's nonsense. Mitko [Berbatov] was at Wembley and watched the game. There is nothing to say. Let us take a few days."
United are encouraged by the development of their FA Youth Cup-winning side, particularly Ravel Morrison, Ryan Tunnicliffe and Paul Pogba. Senior players who could leave include Tomasz Kuszczak, Wes Brown, Gabriel Obertan, Bébé and Darron Gibson.
Nani, the club's player of the year, said after the Champions League final that he would be at Old Trafford next season but the winger is known to be open-minded about the possibility of a transfer.

Dimitar Berbatov joins Manchester United's Premier League parade

Bulgarian was omitted from Champions League final squad

The Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov was part of the club's rain-sodden Premier League trophy parade this morning. The Bulgarian was left out of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad for Saturday's Champions League final defeat by Barcelona at Wembley.
That decision caused some observers to question whether Berbatov, who scored 20 Premier League goals this season, would stay at Old Trafford this summer. Many wondered if the 30-year-old would be in Manchester this morning for an open-topped bus journey from the city centre to Stretford, but Berbatov was among the squad that assembled at Manchester Arena.
In keeping with the mood of gloom that followed Saturday's defeat, rain poured down as United made their way down Deansgate. Paul Scholes and Michael Owen were also present despite uncertainty over their futures. Owen's contract has expired and there has been no announcement on the possibility of an extension, though the striker has confirmed he would love to stay. Scholes has been offered a one-year extension but has been considering retirement.
There has been speculation that Scholes had decided to leave but was persuaded by Ferguson not to disturb preparations for Saturday's game.

Out-of-contract Michael Owen wants to stay at Manchester United

''I have loved every minute … hopefully it can continue''

-Michael Owen 

Michael Owen is hopeful of extending his stay at Manchester United, despite a summer overhaul being on the cards at Old Trafford

Michael Owen has told Manchester United he has no desire to leave the club despite the chief executive, David Gill, confirming there will be an extensive overhaul of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad this summer.
The 31-year-old striker is out of contract at Old Trafford next month and, along with Paul Scholes and Dimitar Berbatov, is expected to discuss his future with Gill in the coming days. Owen is unlikely to be offered an extension to the two-year contract he signed on joining from Newcastle United in 2009, having started one Premier League game for the champions this season and made 33 of his 48 appearances for the club from the substitutes' bench. He is, however, content to continue in a peripheral role if required.
"I have loved every minute," said Owen, who qualified for a championship medal this season. "We have great players, great staff, a great manager and great fans. Hopefully it can continue."
Owen was speaking as United put aside their chastening Champions League final defeat by Barcelona on Saturday to parade the Premier League trophy in Manchester . Also on the open-top bus was Berbatov, the striker Owen ousted from the substitutes' bench at Wembley and who declined to watch the final with United's other uninvolved players.
United's record signing is another whose future at the club is in serious doubt, with just one year remaining on his current deal and the club yet to exercise a one-way option to extend his contract by 12 months. Berbatov did not speak to MUTV, the only media channel allowed on the bus tour, while Scholes discussed only the club's ambitions for a 20th league title next season and not whether he would have a part to play in it. The 36-year-old said: "Reaching 19 titles is not something you ever think about. All you want to do is win something. To go on like we have done is a great achievement. Now we want to stretch our lead even more."
The Premier League champions expect to complete the signing of the goalkeeper David de Gea from Atlético Madrid in the next few weeks, despite the club's new sporting director, José Caminero, insisting Edwin van der Sar's chosen successor "remains an Atlético player", and Luka Modric plus Ashley Young are also believed to be among Ferguson's targets. Gill said: "It will be a busier than usual summer this year. I will be going away at some point in June and be back for the start of our tour but I will be on with player stuff for the next few weeks I am sure."
Ferguson, meanwhile, believes it will take a cultural change – not simply new signings – for United and English teams in general to bridge the chasm in quality between themselves and Barcelona. "People have to understand the mechanics of the industry we are working in," he said. "We are only allowed to coach youngsters for an hour and a half, they [Barcelona] can coach every hour of the day if they want to. That's the great advantage they have got. It is a fantastic philosophy.
"We hope that in years to come our coaches will be able to spend more time with young kids, to teach them the basics, the technical abilities and the confidence to keep the ball all the time. We are good at it, but not as good as Barcelona at this moment in time. It is a wonderful challenge and we should always accept a challenge."

Glazers give Manchester United's manager green light for summer spree

Manchester United's owners have made it clear to Sir Alex Ferguson that he has a substantial transfer budget at his disposal for big-name targets during a summer in which the club's bank account is expected to swell to more than £160m.
The £17m signing of the Atlético Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea will not be the last big signing during a close season in which the club will spend more than in recent years, and Ferguson has been given the green light to target the best players in the world.
The Glazers have consistently maintained that the manager has funds to spend, but fans have questioned the club's ability to compete for the biggest names in recent years, amid concern at the club's debt levels and interest commitments.
Having smashed the pay ceiling to give Wayne Rooney a contract worth around £200,000 a week in the wake of his threat to leave, the owners are said to be relaxed about the prospect of Ferguson breaking the bank to sign a marquee name.
It was the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80m in 2009, followed by the departure of Carlos Tevez to Manchester City weeks later, that raised concerns among Manchester United fans worried that the demands of servicing the loans loaded on to the club had left it unable to compete for the best players.
Club insiders say that any acquisitions will have to fit the template followed by Manchester United under the Glazers, with an emphasis on younger players who will retain value. The club has bought one player in the past 14 years who was over 27 and cost more than £3m – Dimitar Berbatov for £31m.
According to Manchester United's most recent accounts, the club have £113m in the bank. That has fuelled suspicions that the owners will withdraw some of it in dividends but insiders claim it is there for transfers and to guard against unforeseen events.
That figure is expected to rise to more than £160m by the end of the summer, if it follows the pattern of previous seasons, once season-ticket revenue for the coming season is banked. Despite racking up a record pre-tax loss of £109m last year, much of that was attributable to one-off costs associated with a £500m bond issue.
The chief executive, David Gill, has repeatedly stated that the club will comfortably be able to pay the £45m annual interest on those bonds, especially as it bought back £26m itself, and still has about £60m in cash every year thanks to global growth in commercial and TV revenues.

Ferguson focused on catching Barca

"Finding a solution is not easy but that is the challenge"

- Sir Alex Ferguson

 

Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson maintains he's not "afraid of the challenge" of trying to catch Barcelona.

The challenge has been laid down - and Ferguson intends to spend his summer holidays working out what to do about it.
Ferguson has never been scared of a challenge.
In the aftermath of Manchester United's record 19th league title he spoke about his willingness to face the threat to his side's domestic supremacy posed by Manchester City.
On Saturday night in the Champions League final at Wembley, Ferguson encountered a problem of a different kind.
In previous meetings with Barcelona there has always been an explanation.
Three years ago it was the story of United's sensational defending in keeping two clean sheets in the narrowest of semi-final wins on the way to Moscow.
Twelve months after that, Ferguson could point to his team failing to turn up in Rome.
They turned up on Saturday night. At times they implemented his game-plan to perfection. They even scored.
Ultimately though, United were reduced to chasing shadows, overwhelmed by one of the greatest sides to play the game, containing the best player in the world and two more from the top five.
"Finding a solution is not easy but that is the challenge," said Ferguson in the wake of the 3-1 defeat.
"You should not be afraid of the challenge.
"The one thing we have shown is that we are consistent in Europe. We have got better and better over the past few years.
"Maybe this could be the kind of stepping stone we had when we lost 4-0 (to Barcelona in 1994).
"We improved from that. We want to improve. Next season may see us improve even more."
Not that it is Ferguson's problem alone.
"We all have a challenge with Barcelona, not just Manchester United," he added.
"It is not any consolation to say you are the second best team. We don't enjoy being second best.
"Any club with the history we have; Real Madrid, AC Milan, would say the same."

 

GALLERY : T19LE PARADE

Despite awful weather conditions, many thousands of fans lined the city’s streets to catch a glimpse of the champions as the open-top bus - numbered 19 - travelled from Manchester Cathedral to Stretford Mall via Chester Road and Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson, his backroom staff and seemingly the entire first-team squad were joined on the bus by chief executive David Gill and United legend Sir Bobby Charlton. The trophy was held aloft for fans to take photographs, and there were jubilant scenes at all points along the 4.5-mile route.

Wayne Rooney: "It’s a great feeling to win the league and it's great that we can celebrate with the fans. Without the fans we wouldn’t have been able to do it this season."
Darren Fletcher: "Some of the lads were down after Saturday but the fans watching the parade picked us up. The atmosphere on the bus was great."

Sir Alex looks to the future

Sir Alex Ferguson looked to the future of United – on the pitch and in the stands – as he travelled through Manchester on the club’s championship parade.

The boss was in positive mood as thousands of fans turned out in the teeming run to cheer the open top bus on its way from Deansgate to Stretford via Old Trafford. All along the way, there were reminders of the Reds’ record-breaking league title – not least the trophy being held aloft by the players and coaches and the no. 19 bus itself.
“This is what Manchester United is all about, it shows fantastic loyalty from the fans. The weather is horrible but the fans are here. Well done to them all,” said Sir Alex on MUTV.
“What really is impressive is the number of children who are here. There are a lot of fathers here with kids who are as young as one or two years of age sitting on their shoulders. That’s the future of Manchester United, young people.”
With Saturday’s Champions League final defeat still fresh in everyone’s minds, Sir Alex spoke of the “wonderful challenge” he now faces as the Reds bid to match Barcelona on the European stage.
“People have to understand the mechanics of the industry we’re working in,” said Sir Alex.
“We are only allowed to coach youngsters for an hour and a half, they [Barcelona] can coach every hour of the day if they want to. That’s the great
advantage they’ve got and they have a fantastic philosophy.
“We hope that in years to come our coaches will be able to spend more time with young kids, to teach them the basics, the technical abilities and the confidence to keep the ball all the time.
"We’re good at it but we’re not as good as Barcelona at this moment in time. It’s a wonderful challenge. We should always accept a challenge.”

Boss rues Wembley woes

Sir Alex Ferguson says two Wembley defeats are the only blemishes on an otherwise “fantastic season” for Manchester United.

Speaking after the Reds' disappointing loss to Barcelona in the Champions League final, the boss was keen to focus on the positive aspects of a campaign that has seen United claim a 19th top-flight title to become the most successful club in English league football.
“It has been a great season in many ways," said Sir Alex. "We are just disappointed we’ve come to Wembley twice and been beaten, against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final and then to Barcelona in the final of the European Cup. But it has been a fantastic season - we are just disappointed it has ended on a disappointing note.”
In the end, United succumbed to the power of an inspired Barcelona side, widely regarded as the best team in the world today, if not all time. Sir Alex feels his side also belong among the European elite after a strong run to a third final in four years.
“There is good evidence that we are a consistently good European team, " Sir Alex espoused.
"I think our record this season has been excellent. We have won some really important games, but tonight we were beaten by probably, in fact definitely, the best team in Europe. There is no shame in that. From time to time you do come up against a team that is better than you and tonight was that
night.
“I think it is the best team we have ever played. They are at a tremendous peak in the cycle of their team and you get teams who elevate themselves to that status and I think Barcelona are that team.
“We were well beaten. There is no other way to address the situation. We were beaten by the better team, a fantastic team of course, but I expected to do better. We expected to do better, it’s as simple as that.”

Duo dignified in defeat

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were gracious in defeat after United lost 3-1 to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley.

The two defenders were both excellent at the heart of the Reds' defence but even they were ultimately helpless to prevent Pepe Guardiola’s side lifting the European Cup, thanks mainly to an attacking masterclass from the Catalan giants.
Speaking after the match, Ferdinand was keen to praise Barcelona, who he admits were simply the better side on the night.
“Losing a cup final feels the same, it doesn’t matter where it is," said Ferdinand. "You don’t want to get to any final and lose, and we came here to become winners and genuinely believed that we could. But tonight, as I say, you have to give credit where credit is due and they were the deserving winners.
“We could have played better in parts but on the night they were the better team so we can’t really argue. From memory I think we could have done better with a couple of the goals. But on these occasions you need a little bit of lady luck with you and you need to defend well at all times, but maybe we got caught out a couple of times.”
United captain Vidic echoed his defensive partner and stated his belief that Barcelona are the greatest team he has ever faced during his Old Trafford career. 

“The result says what happened on the pitch," said Vidic. "In parts of the game I think we did well but we just didn’t do what we had to do to pause their players. You cannot give them time on the ball which they had, and when they have time on the ball they can give the final pass which they did, and they scored three goals.
“I think if you look at the past, we have never played against a team like we did tonight against Barcelona. We just have to give them credit. They played good football and they deserved to win.”

Berba absence explained

Dimitar Berbatov was the fall guy of Sir Alex Ferguson's most difficult decision at Wembley - how to fill his bench.

The Bulgarian striker was the most notable absentee from United's matchday squad for the Champions League final against Barcelona. In his post-match press conference, Sir Alex explained why Michael Owen, among others, had been selected in preference.
"It was a difficult decision tonight. I found picking my team easy but picking my subs I found very, very difficult," said Sir Alex.
The Reds' seven substitutes were striker Owen, goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak, defender Chris Smalling, winger Nani and three central midfielders in Anderson, Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes. Only Nani, for Fabio, and Scholes, replacing Michael Carrick, came on during the 3-1 defeat.
Sir Alex admitted: "I tended to overload [the bench] with midfielders because I thought that was the area that was most important in terms of the way Barcelona play and the work you need to do in that central area.
"I gambled by selecting only one defender to allow me to give me as many options in midfield and the wide position with Nani.
"So it came down to a choice between Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov [as the substitute striker]. My view on that was if you're looking for someone to nick a goal in the last few minutes of a game,
then Owen's experience is I think why I took that decision."
When asked by the same reporter whether he regretted his approach to the game, Sir Alex said:
"I think we tried to play as near to the way we normally play. I think it would have been alien for us to, for example, manmark players and things like that. We tried to play our normal way as best we could. It wasn't good enough on the night and we acknowledge that.
"Hopefully we can step forward from here."

Barcelona 3 United 1

Sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and admit defeat.

The Reds could hardly have prepared better, and even dominated the game's early stages, but at Wembley on Saturday night Barcelona proved why so many regard them as the best footballing team on the planet. They're certainly champions of Europe. That much is certain now. Not even Wayne Rooney's first-half equaliser, after Pedro had put the Spanish side ahead, blunted their relentless passing game for long.
There can be no shame in defeat. Not to this Barcelona side, a group of players that will surely go down as one of the most talented sides ever assembled. This is a team that boasts, arguably, three of the best five players in the world, a side that battered Real Madrid 5-0 earlier this season in a performance that prompted Rooney to stand and applaud in his own living room.
Perhaps in years to come Rooney will admire Barcelona's performance in this match, too. At Wembley on Saturday there was only disappointment, though, punctuated briefly when he curled home from 15 yards to ignite hope. After that, Rooney, like most of his team-mates, struggled to make an impact.
Just as in Rome two years ago, the Reds started brightly and spent the majority of the opening 10 minutes in the Barcelona half. United's midfield made early challenges and pressed high up the pitch, with Ji-sung Park and Michael Carrick proving particularly effective at disrupting
the Catalans' rhythm.
Barcelona almost appeared shell-shocked. The Spanish champions were uncharacteristically wasteful in possession – even Lionel Messi – and nervy at the back. It wasn't until the 16th minute, when Pedro ghosted in front of Rio Ferdinand at the near post to poke wide from Sergio Busquet's right-wing centre, that Barcelona showed any signs of settling.
Messi's first flash of magic arrived shortly afterwards, although his pass at the end of a mazy dribble was slightly over-hit and Reds skipper Nemanja Vidic booted the ball to safety. David Villa flashed a long-range shot wide of Edwin van der Sar's left-hand post and then, a minute later, forced a smart save from the Dutchman as Barcelona began to take control. Vidic then showed why he's ranked amongst the best defenders in the world, stretching out a long leg to halt another Messi run inside the penalty area, but it was further proof that United's grip on the game was slipping.
And then Barcelona struck. Playmaker Xavi burst forward, drew two defenders and slipped the ball to Pedro on his outside. Vidic couldn't reach him quick enough and the 23-year-old kept his cool to beat van der Sar at the near post. The Reds stopper, playing in his fifth Champions League final and his last ever professional game, will have been disappointed with the concession, and United minds must have rolled back to the 2009 final. Then, after scoring first, the Spaniards held onto the ball superbly and barely gave United a kick.
Lessons were learned that night, though, and within seven minutes at Wembley the Reds were back on level terms. It was Rooney, at the end of a tumultuous season both on and off the pitch, who found the net and dragged United back into the game, exchanging passes with both Carrick and Giggs before curling the ball past Victor Valdes from 15 yards.
There was elegance in the move and grace in the finish – proof that Barcelona aren't the only side who can do justice to the beautiful game. And although Andres Iniesta tried his luck from distance and Messi was mere inches from Villa's cross on the stroke of half-time, Sir Alex's men went into the break at 1-1.
Barcelona remained in the ascendancy when the second period began. Xavi twice found space on the edge of the area to shoot, only to be denied by blocks from Vidic and Carrick, while Dani Alves blasted at van der Sar after finding space down the right; Messi's follow-up was headed clear by Patrice Evra.
A minute later, Messi restored the Catalans' advantage, stroking the ball home from 20 yards. Nobody was surprised the ball found the net – it was his 12th goal in 13 Champions League games this season – but even the Argentina star, the undoubted man of the match, must have have raised an eyebrow at the space he was afforded. There was no United player within five yards of the Barcelona no.10 when he received the ball. Evra and Vidic made tentative moves toward him, but by the time either had committed themselves, Messi had advanced and picked his spot, guiding
the ball past van der Sar from 20 yards.
At the other end, United struggled to involve Javier Hernandez, a player who so much seemed to rest upon before kick-off. The Mexican was often isolated, or caught offside – certainly, opportunities for him to unsettle Barcelona with his blistering pace were few and far between.
A cheeky Messi flick was cleared off the line by Fabio just after the hour-mark, before Xavi and Iniesta drew smart stops from van der Sar.
Barcelona's killer third goal arrived on 69 minutes, and in spectacular fashion. Again Messi was the architecht, wriggling his way into the area and drawing defenders like bees to honey. The Reds did nick the ball, but only briefly. When it was rolled back to David Villa on the edge of the area, he took one touch to trap it dead before his second delivered the fatal blow. With minimum backlift he achieved maximum impact, curling the ball sumptuously into the top corner.
That was that. There was no coming back from there. Not from 3-1 down. Not against Barcelona. Instead, as in 2009, United were left to settle for being champions of England and runners-up to the best team on the planet.