Before becoming one of the biggest names on the planet, Manchester United was the team of the workers at a railway depot. It was founded in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR. The club's official history gives only the year, but the date that has become established is 5 March 1878, so on 5 March 2027 United turn 149 years old.

The railwaymen of Newton Heath

The team was formed by workers in the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, at the Newton Heath depot. That is why its first name carried the company's initials, LYR. It played on a field next to the tracks, on North Road, and the railway paid the rent.

Green and gold before red

United were not always red. In their early years they often wore green and gold, the colours of the railway company. Sources disagree on the details: Historical Football Kits says the first shirts were white with a blue cord, while Wikipedia places green and gold in the first recorded match of 1880.

Red and white first appeared around the late 1880s. But the team went back to green and gold in the early 1890s.

A dog, a brewer and a new name

By the early 20th century Newton Heath owed money everywhere. According to legend, the solution came from a dog: Major, captain Harry Stafford's St Bernard, wandered off after a fundraising bazaar with a collection box around his neck. He was found by the wealthy brewer John Henry Davies, who asked about the box and ended up saving the club.

With Davies as president, the team also needed a new name. "Manchester Celtic" was discussed, because many of the founders were Irish immigrants, as was "Manchester Central". In the end, in April 1902, Manchester United was born, with red shirts, white shorts and black socks.

From Old Trafford to Munich

In 1909 United won their first FA Cup wearing a special white shirt with a red "V" and the red rose of Lancashire. The following year they moved to Old Trafford, funded by a £60,000 loan from Davies. In the first match there, in February 1910, they lost 4-3 to Liverpool.

The 1950s brought the "Busby Babes", Matt Busby's young side. On 6 February 1958, returning from a match against Red Star Belgrade, their plane crashed in Munich and 23 people died, eight of them players. Ten years later, in 1968, the team became England's first European champions with a 4-1 win over Benfica at Wembley.

The devil on the chest and legendary shirts

The nickname "Red Devils" was inspired by Salford's rugby team. The devil entered the crest in 1970 and the front of the shirt in 1971, alongside the sailing ship taken from Manchester's coat of arms.

Some shirts went down in history for strange reasons. In April 1996 United were 3-0 down at half-time against Southampton wearing a grey shirt and were allowed to change kit for the second half, eventually losing 3-1. The 2012-13 season had a gingham shirt, a tribute to the city's cotton industry.

In red, history was written by George Best, Denis Law, Bobby Charlton, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. And of course by the 1999 team, who completed the treble with two stoppage-time goals in the Champions League final against Bayern.

Celebrate with us

Railwaymen on a field, a dog with a collection box and a green that turned red. From these came a club with 20 English league titles and three European Cups.

Happy 149th birthday, United! May you always be red and proud.

See our Manchester United jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: the Newton Heath team of the 1892-93 season – Unknown author (The Graphic), Wikimedia Commons, public domain.