As Victorian Britain was gripped by 'the football craze', eight men laid the foundations at one of the world's greatest clubs. These pioneers ranged from miners to brewery owners, fitness fanatics to portly beer drinkers. From Stretford, Ancoats, Birmingham, Bolton, Darlington, Chirk and Crewe, some were rebels, others were leaders. All were grafters. The Men Who Made Manchester United brings you the definitive history of Manchester United before Sir Matt Busby's post-war halcyon days. Inside are tales that will make you squirm, laugh and cry: the transfer fee of two freezers of ice cream, the tragic death of a young footballer and his forgotten family, the fight for the right to unionise, Edwardian Cockney Reds, severed fingers and the pelting stones of the angry residents of Budapest. This is the story behind the club's name and colours, the building of Old Trafford, the founding of the PFA and the creation of the Academy. It's filled with tales that will fascinate and entertain.

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"A great background spanning almost a hundred years on the men who made everything that followed possible. A must-read for any Manchester United fan."

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"A fine book with incredible attention to detail as Robinson unearths and examines long forgotten United stories."

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"At a time when money is king in football, this is an important insight into just how humble the beginnings of Manchester United were. These are human football stories but they also provide a slice of Manchester’s social history."