Manchester United Books
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A huge number of books has been written about Manchester United over the years and the list continues to grow. Heavily researched histories & encyclopaedias, players' biographies, fans' own stories - there's something out there on just about every conceivable aspect of United. In recent years so many books on United have been written that, inevitably, there have been many lightweight efforts, often trying to cash in on the popularity of the Reds . Our aim is to help you find the gems - and there are many. We concentrate our efforts on the best Manchester United books.
As the owner of one of the largest collections of United books, PrideOfManchester is pleased to share its' passion with you by providing the Internet's most comprehensive guide to publications on the Reds and its' players.
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Recent Manchester United Books & Forthcoming Releases
Denis Law Scrapbook by Douglas Graham
Sir Matt Busby by Patrick Barclay
The Men Who Killed Manchester United by Bruce Thomas
A DENIS LAW SCRAPBOOK: It's always refreshing to read a United book written by a fan purely as a labour of love. Even better if the book is about one of our all-time heroes. This offering by Douglas Graham ticks all the boxes. Douglas is a lifelong fan of "The King" and, in this sumptious 172 page offering, he has brought to life his personal scrapbook to tell the career story of Denis in a terrific, beautifully illustrated way. We give this limited edition book top marks and encourage you to splash out £15, in the knowledge that all the proceeds go to Cancer Research UK, which is particularly apt for those who know about Denis's personal battle with prostrate cancer.
Sir MATT BUSBY; The Definitive Biography is exactly that. A very readable, immaculately researched book by one of our most respected journalists, Patrick Barclay. There are many biographies of Sir Matt but this is up there with the very best. 380+ pages, beautifully written and nicely illustrated. The book will appeal to the full spectrum of fans, from those who lived through his era to the younger fans who want to get closer to United's history and particularly to the man whose name still rings out to the rafters of Old Trafford.
The MEN WHO KILLED UNITED is written by Bruce Thomas, the ex-bassist of Elvis Costello's band, the Attractions, and a lifelong fan of the Reds. Covering the most difficult period in United's recent history, the book is an excellent analysis of the post-Fergie years and the frustrating search for renewed success. Very readable and well-researched, the Moyes/Giggs/Van Gaal tragic managerial story is sandwiched between accounts of the tenures of SAF and Jose Mourinho, skilfully told.
The Impossible Treble Red Rebels. The Glazers FC Revolution by John-Paul O'Neill Manchester United Supporters Book by John White
THE IMPOSSIBLE TREBLE by Steve Bartram, Paul Davies and Ben Hibbs. We never miss a chance to relive the greatest moments in Manchester United's greatest season and this book tells the story of that unforgettable season in superb manner.
RED REBELS; The Glazers and the FC Revolution tells a story many of us didn't want to emerge. The takeover of United by a family who hocked the club to the hilt with massive debts alienated a massive number of fans, some of whom, controversially, decided to clear off and do their own thing. This is the story of the club they created (by John-Paul O'Neill)
The MANCHESTER UNITED SUPPORTERS BOOK is a new offering from a lifelong fan, John White, who has delivered several good quality books in the past. Due out late 2017, we have yet to see a copy but based on past experience, we would expect it to be a good addition to the library.
Red Glory, Manchester United and Me by Martin Edwards The Forgotten Legends The United Tour of Manchester
RED GLORY; Manchester United and Me is the autobiography of Martin Edwards, written in collaberation with Robert Sellars. It's fair to say that Edwards would not feature on a fans' list of Old Trafford favourites but, as the lifelong President of the club and the son and successor of the controversial Louis Edwards, he is a seminal figure in the history of United and his story is an important one.
The FORGOTTEN LEGENDS gives detailed life stories of Charlie Roberts, Sandy Turnbull, Joe Spence, Johnny Carey and Jack Rowley. It's good to see a book which puts the focus onto Co-authored by Charbel Boujaoude, Iain McCartney and Frank Colbert.
The UNITED TOUR of MANCHESTER has been created by two Red stalwarts, Iain McCartney and Tom Clare, to give a detailed guide to the places which are part of United's history, from the early days at Clayton to the present day.An excellent book which is particularly informative in respect of the Busby Babes' era.
Reluctant Redfellows by John Oram Roy Keane The Second Half Louis Van Gaal by Marten Meijer
RED LEADERS - THE OFFICIAL STORY OF MANCHESTER UNITED's CAPTAINS by Ben Hibbs. Full details awaited but this promises to cover United's captains from 1910 onwards. Penned by an experienced journalist, this should be a good read.
ROY KEANE - THE SECOND HALF. An eternal legend as a player but not every United fan's cup of tea these days, Roy has always got something to say for himself and this book gives him yet another platform to spout his pearls of wisdom.
GREENHOFF! is the late Brian Greehoff's autobiography and tells the story of the popular player who started well over over 200 games for the Reds. An interesting insight into what life was like under Tommy Docherty's management. The book was published in 2012 and we list it here as a tribute to Brian who sadly died at the age of just 60 in 2013.
Manchester United Busby's Legacy by Iain McCartney Manchester United The First Halcyon Years 1907-1911 Fergies Last Stand by Mark Payne

BUSBY'S LEGACY by Iain McCartney covers a period which has generally been neglected by writers: the turbulent years immediately following on from Sir Matt's retirement. Another excellent book from a writer who is well on his way to producing the perfect library for Red fans. Well researched, and told in a way that takes you back to those difficult days, when managers came and went quickly, superstars faded and the team slid steadily towards the big drop. Highly recommended

Manchester United - THE FIRST HALCYON YEARS 1907-1911 by Mark Metcalf. An in-depth study of United's first great Championship winning team. Released June 2014

FERGIE'S LAST STAND, A correspondent's diary 2012/13 is Mark Payne's first book but he's no stranger to writing about United as he is the official United blogger for ESPN. In fact, the book comprises the story of Sir Alex's last managerial season as told via his blogs. Consequently it's a lot more than just a straightforward review of the season- Mark's blog subjects range from match reports, playing style, form of individuals, pre-match analysis, the speculation about players leaving (eg Rooney) and lots more. It sets Fergie's last, memorable Premier League winning season in context and fittingly ends on page 270 with a report on United's first ever 5-5 draw. A book which does credit to an historic last hurrah.

Flyin' High  by Mike Whittaker United in Europe by Chris Davies A Deeper Shade of Red
FLYIN' HIGH as far as we are aware, is the first time that the passion of supporting Manchester United has been presented in poetry. Mike Whittaker, a lifelong avid Red, tells the story from his first match in 1966 up until Sir Alex's final game at OT. His verse is lively, full of Manc humour, passionate and brings hundreds of great memories rushing back. Poetry? Dry? Not in this case! .......A word here in praise of a relatively small Manchester publishing house, Empire Publications, which for many years has produced a range of excellent books about United and all things Manchester . Flyin' High is just one example of many published by Empire 2014 and you will find many others in our pages
MATCH OF MY LIFE - 17 Manchester United Stars relive their greatest games by Ivan Ponting. This book was first published in 2012 but it's timeless and well worth looking at today. A good pub game would be to guess which matches the following stars have chosen as their greatest games. Will they match up to the personal choices in the book, I wonder? Crompton, Doherty, Dawson, Foulkes, Sadler, Stepney, Buchan, Greenhoff (J), Albiston, Stapleton, Martin, Robson, Bruce, Parker, Pallister, Yorke and Scholes.
A DEEPER SHADE OF RED, by Mark Nevin, is one of several books which examine the rivalry between United and Liverpool, this time from the point of view of a United supporter whose parents are of the opposite faith.
Its Mick not Mike by Mick Duxbury Merlin by Gordon Hill
 
MERLIN, by Gordon Hill with Wayne Barton, is the autobiography of a player who became a cult hero in his relatively short period at United. Three swashbuckling years under Tommy Docherty in the '70's endeared him to United fans starved of success. His two FA Cup semi-final goals in 1977 took United to th Final against Liverpool where we were able, for the first time in a long time, to puit one over our local rivals. Hill was a flying winger with a reputation as a cheekie chappie and a scorer of great goals. It's a source of regret for most Reds fans that Merlin didn't suit the mundane style of Dave Sexton and left the OT stage so quickly. Published by Vertical Editions
Class of 92 by Ian Marshall Fergie's Fledglings Football Wizard by John Harding
CLASS OF 92, by Ian Marshall, is the official story of the team that transformed United. The influence of that young group of players cannot be over emphasized and this book takes us back to the early days when Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Butt, the Nevilles and others were learning their trade.
FOOTBALL WIZARD , by John Harding was first published in 1984 and it is no surprise that it is still in print . This is the second update of a major book telling the story of one of the most important players in the history of the British game. Billy Meredith was the first superstar footballer and his impact was huge, as a player and as one of the pioneers of a Players' Union. Add to the mix, allegations of match fixing and bribery, long term suspensions, transfers between the two Manchester clubs and a stellar playing career that lasted until he was fifty and you have a riveting story. Superbly written, sumptiously illustrated and presented, very highly recommended!
Tooting Common to the Stretford End by Alex Stepney Reluctant Redfellows by John Oram Greatest Games by Rob Clark
TOOTING COMMON TO THE STRETFORD END, by Alex Stepney with David Saffer, is the autobiography of the goalkeeper who will forever be linked with 'that' save against Eusebio in the 1968 European Cup Final. Alex played for United for 12 seasons, winning a League Championship, a European Cup and an FA Cup winners medal, but also seeing the other side of the coin when the Reds were relegated. His story covers an important slice of United's history and is an enjoyable read. Published by Vertical Editions
RELUCTANT REDFELLOWS byJohn Oram covers a subject which has been written about several times but we particularly like the way this book is constructed and presented. It is well researched, very readable and has opinions to stimulate or challenge, dependent on your perspective. It puts the rivalry between United and Liverpool into the context of the social history of the two cities and weaves the individual stories of fans into the picture. There are comparisons between the records of the teams down the years and those of managers such as Sir Matt and Bill Shankly, Sir Alex and Benitez. Oram also goes into the sometimes difficult subject of fans' chants and the lack of respect often shown.
GREATEST GAMES - MANCHESTER UNITED, by Rob Clark is another volume in a current fashion to write about United's matches in history. This very readable book covers fifty key matches from1892 to 2013,and puts each game into historical context, telling the stories in atmospheric and incident packed detail
United in Europe by Chris Davies The Busby Years From the Stars by John Ludden
UNITED IN EUROPE - Manchester United's Complete European Record by Chris Davies, a highly respected journalist, is a well researched book presenting summaries of each season and complete teamsheets and stats for every match. It lives up to its' claim to be the most comprehensive coverage yet of United's European campaigns. Chris isn't a United supporter though and that inevitably dilutes the amount of passion in his reporting of some of those great nights.
Manchester United BUILDING A LEGEND. THE BUSBY YEARS by Tim Hill. With rare photographs. We have yet to see the book but think it will be a re-working of an earlier Daily Mail publication.
FROM THE STARS; Sir Matt Busby & the Decline of Manchester United 1968-1974 by John Ludden is an ambitious book. Although described as a novel it is actually a highly factual and well researched account of United's rapid decline from the heady heights of European Champions, 1968, to the ignominy of relegation in 1974. It's an imaginative concept as the story is told mainly through the eyes of Sir Matt Busby and it is a well executed approach, which will keep you engrossed throughout. For those of us who followed the Reds through that difficult period it brings out all of the emotions. Published by Empire
A Season In The Red Managing Man Utd by Jamie Jackson Louis Van Gaal by Marten Meijer O Louis by Hugo Borst
     
 
LOUIS VAN GAAL by Maarten Meijer is a biography of the manager culminating in his appointment as United's manager. It is a well researched, balanced study of the man and is recommended.
O, LOUIS, by Hugo Borst, is not a book that we would recommend, unless you want to endure a 296 page blow by blow analysis of a relationship between journalist and football manager turning sour. Yes, there is some interesting stuff from time to time but a large part of this book is, quite frankly, the rant of a very unhappy writer, who, for example, takes pleasure in quoting old, sometimes very old, interviews which serve to prove that Louis Van Gaal can be a very difficult man to deal with or understand. In fact, compared to the LVG described in this book, Sir Alex was a mere pussycat!
Got Not Got The Lost World of Manchester United United Official Graphice Novel
GOT NOT GOT - THE LOST WORLD OF MANCHESTER UNITED. For anybody who collects anything to do with United and for those of us who like nostalgia, this book is a treasure trove. It is packed with photos and features about United memorabilia down the years. Programmes, tickets, kits, badges, jam jar lids - you name it and you'll probably find it in here. Very entertaining and well presented. This is one volume of a series of books which covers several of the top clubs. Painstakingly researched and written by Derek Hammond & Gary Silke
Manchester United - Tales from History - The Official Graphic Novel Volume 1 is the first United book of its' type that we've seen and it's a fine effort by Philippe Glenowski. The storyline is told through the eyes of a 14 year old who has developed a passion for the club and is learning about the history by talking to his Grandad. The artwork is excellent and The book is an enjoyable read for any age and will be particularly appealing to young supporters and all those who are keen on this format of book. In 48 large sized pages the novel shines a light on the roots of the club and the key moments in its' history, and it succeeds in showing the passion involved in becoming a real Red.
United! The Comic Strip History - Bob Bond
Manchester United's Greatest Ever Matches - MUFC, Adam Marshall & Steve Bartram
Sir Alex Ferguson - The Official Manchester United Celebration of His Career At Old Trafford - MUFC
The Promised Land - Manchester United's Historic Treble - Daniel Harris
Our Pick Of the Recent Books:
BUILDING THE DYNASTY, MANCHESTER UNITED 1946-1958 : Having previously covered the post-Munich years and the difficult period after Sir Matt Busby's retirement, Iain MCartney now takes us further back in time. This book is an informative account of the pre-war period followed by a detailed look at: (1) Matt taking the reins at a bombed out Old Trafford (2) the cobbling together and shaping of the team which won the 1948 FA Cup and 1952 League Championship (3) the building of the youth system and the blooding of the Babes and, finally, (4) the successes of that great team .. This impressively researched book is highly readable and covers a seminal period in United's history. Another book from the excellent Pitch Publishing.

 

SOME OF OUR ALL TIME FAVOURITES
    Building The Dynasty Manchester United 1946-1958 by Iaian McCartney
My Manchester United Years - By Bobby Charlton
Cantona : The Rebel Who Would Be King - By Philippe Auclairr
Blessed - The Autobiography - By George Best

 

Manchester United History Books
Manchester Utd History Books

Manchester United books on their players and managers
United Players & Managers Books

Man Utd Season By Season

Manchester United Fans Books

Manchester United Facts and Figures Books
United Facts & Figures Books

Manchester United Facts and Figures Books

   
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