Old Trafford

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Lore & Background

Nicknamed 'The Theatre of Dreams' by Bobby Charlton, Old Trafford has been United's home ground since 1910, although from 1941 to 1949 the club shared Maine Road with local rivals Manchester City due to the Blitz. Old Trafford underwent several expansions in the 1990s and 2000s, including the addition of extra tiers to the North, West and East Stands, almost returning the stadium to its original capacity of 80,000 in 2006, up from roughly 44,000 in 1993, following the conversion to an all-seater stadium. Should further expansion occur, it is likely to involve the addition of a second tier to the South Stand, which would raise the capacity to around 88,000, although alternative suggestions have been made for a new stadium in recent years. The stadium's record attendance was recorded in 1939, when 76,962 spectators watched the FA Cup semi-final between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Grimsby Town.

In Their Own Story

Old Trafford expanded and became an urban area after the building of the Manchester Ship Canal in the 1890s, and the subsequent development of nearby Trafford Park Industrial Estate, in the early 20th century. Trafford Park provided employment for thousands of local residents. Employment was also provided on a smaller scale, notably by the railways (Trafford Park shed alone had over 300 staff), Duerr's Jams, Vimto, Arkady Soya Mill and Ludwig Oppenheimer Mosaics. Slum clearances during the 1960s and early 1970s saw some of the old Victorian housing stock demolished. However, after the perceived failure of the deck-access concrete crescents of Hulme, Old Trafford's residents preferred renovation to demolition. As a result, there are still many Victorian terraced streets in the area. By 1985, employment at Trafford Park had fallen to 24,500, as unemployment in the northwest soared above 30 per cent in some inner-city areas. Nearby Manchester Docks, which had also been a major source of local employment, closed in 1982. As the revitalised Salford Quays it has become an emblematic part of the regeneration of Manchester in general.

Reader's Guide

Old Trafford has hosted an FA Cup Final, two final replays and was regularly used as a neutral venue for the competition's semi-finals. It has also hosted England fixtures, and matches at the 1966 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 1996, the 2012 Summer Olympics and UEFA Women's Euro 2022. The stadium also hosted the 2003 Champions League Final. Outside football, the stadium is used occasionally for rugby league. It has been the venue for the Rugby Football League's annual Super League Grand Final, and previously Premiership Final, since 1987. In addition, it has been a host venue for four editions of the Rugby League World Cup - 1995, 2000, 2013, and 2021 (men's and women's).

Did You Know?

• The stadium was designed by Scottish architect Archibald Leitch.
• The first goal at Old Trafford was scored by Sandy Turnbull in a 4–3 loss to Liverpool on 19 February 1910.
• During the Second World War, German bombing raids in 1940 and 1941 damaged the stadium, forcing United to play at Maine Road until 1949.
• The record attendance of 76,962 was set at an FA Cup semi-final in 1939, not a Manchester United home game.