Ernest Mangnall

Managerial career

Mangnall was born in Bolton, Lancashire, and played amateur football as a goalkeeper before becoming a director at Bolton Wanderers. He entered football management with Burnley in March 1900, hired as the club's second official manager after Harry Bradshaw had left nearly a year earlier. Burnley were struggling when he arrived, and with one month left of the 1899–1900 season, relegation to the Second Division seemed almost certain; it was confirmed on 28 April 1900 following a 4–0 defeat away at Nottingham Forest.

During the close season he signed three players: Henry Collins, Jimmy Lindsay and George Lockhart. The team finished third in their first Second Division season and ninth the following year. In 1902–03 the club's fortunes declined sharply, and Burnley finished bottom of the Football League, requiring re-election. They were re-elected, and Mangnall began the next campaign as manager, but left in October 1903 to join Second Division rivals Manchester United.

At Manchester United, Mangnall was hired as the third secretary of the club and the second after its name change from Newton Heath (the term 'manager' was not used at United until Jack Robson arrived). He led the club to its first major trophy and first league title by winning the First Division in 1908. In his first two seasons the team narrowly missed promotion, but succeeded at the third attempt by finishing as runners-up in the Second Division.

In the first season in the First Division the club placed mid-table. In the second season, 1907–08, United won its first League Championship by a nine-point margin over Aston Villa. The following year the club dropped below mid-table but won its first FA Cup, defeating Bristol City 1–0 in the final with a goal from Sandy Turnbull. The next season brought no new silverware, but the team improved to fifth in the league.

In 1910–11 United were champions again, beating Aston Villa by one point; this would be the club's last league championship for over 40 years, its longest ever run without a league title. Mangnall remains the third most successful manager at Manchester United, with two First Division titles, one FA Cup and two Charity Shield trophies.