Sir Matt Busby Way

Lore & Background

The road is approximately 420 metres (459 yd) long and runs from Chester Road (A56) to Trafford Park Road/Wharfside Way (A5081). It also connects to United Road, which runs under the North Stand of the Old Trafford stadium, and Railway Road, which runs alongside the railway line adjacent to the stadium.

In Their Own Story

The rain had just begun to fall on a crisp Manchester morning, misting the pavement of Sir Matt Busby Way. A young boy, clutching a worn plastic ticket in his hand, looked up at the towering floodlights that framed the entrance ahead. Beside him, his father adjusted a scarf emblazoned with the 1956 crest, pointing toward the stand where legends once walked. 'Remember,' he whispered, 'we walk this road not just to watch a game, but to honor the man who built it all.' As they merged into the flowing river of red jerseys, the roar of the crowd grew faintly audible, a sound that seemed to rise from the very asphalt beneath their feet.

Reader's Guide

In June 2011, Manchester United and Trafford Council began the process of permanently pedestrianising Sir Matt Busby Way. Previously, it was completely open to traffic, except for short periods during events at the Old Trafford stadium. The restrictions, which were introduced on 12 December 2008, meant the road would close three hours prior to an event and reopen two hours afterwards.

Did You Know?

• The road was renamed in 1993, before Busby's death in 1994.
• Busby received his knighthood in 1968, not shortly before his death.
• The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand was originally the North Stand; it was renamed in 2011, not directly linked to the renaming of the road in 1993.
• The road runs from Chester Road (A56) to Trafford Park Road/Wharfside Way (A5081), not directly outside the north stand.
• Busby managed Manchester United in two spells between 1945 and 1971, not until 1969.