The Rough Guide Manchester United 2 (Rough Guide Reference) [Paperback]

Andy Mitten (Author), Jim White (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rough Guide Reference | Publication Date: September 19, 2002

This essential almanac gives a match-by-match analysis of the 2001-2 season, telling how Europe and the Championship unfolded for players and fans, and provides a supporters' diary for the 2002-3 season. It also includes opinion on every first team player and an introduction to the new faces coming through, plus a guide to Manchester and Old Trafford, and a full history of one of the world's greatest clubs.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andy Mitten founded United We Stand in 1989 and has edited it ever since - it is the biggest selling fanzine in Britain. Guardian columnist Jim White has written two books about Man Utd.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

It was, apparently, when Gary Neville, looking at the fixture list after a wonderful away win at Sunderland, said to his manager that he only had 12 more league games left, that it hit him. He was having the time of his life, loving the challenge from Arsenal and Liverpool, turning round the fortunes of a team whose potential had barely been explored, did he really want to give all this up? After he decided to stay, the rest of the season shaped itself entirely in his image. His team refused to accept all available logic that they had blown the league. Led by the remarkable new centre forward Ruud van Nistelrooy, they climbed from the pit of autumn through a glorious spring.

And triumph was so close. Until the last fortnight of the season, there was still the mathematical possibility of a Premiership and Champions League double. That it didn’t come was, naturally, profoundly disappointing. If Reds had become blasé in all those victories these past few years, one thing is certain: we miss triumph when it isn’t there. But the truth is, there is something admirable in the way this side never gave up until the fat lady cleared her throat.

We all have our reasons where it all went wrong: the departure of Jaap Stam, the defeat at home in the league (and FA Cup) to Steve McClaren’s Middlesbrough, the failure of Juan Sebastian Veron to dominate the Premiership in quite the manner we had hoped. And you can relive those issues in this book, following the story of the season as it unfolds; a tale told without punches being pulled.

But there is a lot more to this Rough Guide to Man Utd than just match reports: there’s a critical rundown of the playing staff, a comprehensive directory of all things red, a fixture-filled diary of the new season, plus an unrivalled where-are-they-now section of virtually every player who has pulled on a Red shirt and still kicks a ball, or even talks about it. There is also a history of the club. And as they say in the song, if you know your history, you will know this about United: even in disappointment there is always glory.

That is the ultimate thing about last season: the highlights were unbeatable. None who were there will ever forget the victory away in La Coruña in the quarter final of the Champions League, a win as accomplished as any in Red European history, when Ryan Giggs played like it was Arsenal in 1999 all over again, when the Spanish press was lauding United as the best in Europe, when even that hard task master Roy Keane came home wearing a smile. No-one with any sense would have wanted to miss out on those amazing comebacks at Tottenham in the league and Villa in the Cup, as a reminder was issued that Arsenal may have been worthy champions, but United are always the team to watch.

True, there are problems. There is much rebuilding to be done in defence; the youth system is not the well-oiled machine it once was; the coaching staff needs to recover from the loss of Steve McClaren. But now at least we know who it will be looking for the answers. The new man couldn’t be better for Red tastes. With Ferguson still at the controls, the problems will become challenges, to be met head on and with relish. Welcome back, Sir Alex: without you, none of this book would have been possible.

Jim White and Andy Mitten, July 2002.

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 2nd edition (September 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843530074
• ISBN-13: 978-1843530077
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,949,809 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)