These are strange times indeed for any Manchester United supporter under the age of 30 — you know, not winning, or at least competing for, the Premier League title every season.
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Seven years ago today — April 22, 2013 — the Red Devils were busy clinching their record 20th first-division title (13th in the PL era, also a record) on the back of a 33-minute hat trick from Robin van Persie, who claimed the Golden Boot (26 goals) by a three-goal margin to cap off a spectacular first season at Old Trafford. Goal no. 2 from the Dutchman is one of the best the PL has ever seen.
A @ManUtd title party, #OnThisDay in 2013 🎉🏆 pic.twitter.com/ww5oNo6dkS
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 22, 2019
Little did we know at the time that it would be the last title of Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary career. Less than a month later, Ferguson announced that he would be retiring after 26 years at Man United. A day later, David Moyes was appointed the incoming manager to replace Ferguson, which ever so conveniently brings us to “On this Day” in 2014, a year later…
After less than 10 months in charge — with United sitting seventh in the table, 23 points back of the then-leaders Liverpool, with a record of 17W-6D-11L — Moyes was fired.
In retrospect, Moyes’ immediate struggles only served to highlight the genius that was Ferguson. He was the man who not only built United into a global powerhouse over two and a half decades, but also overcame every last obstacle which proved too great a hurdle for every United manager who followed him.
