Sir Matt Busby's 1956-57 Double

Lore & Background

Nicknamed the Red Devils, they were founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, but changed their name to Manchester United in 1902. After a spell playing in Clayton, Manchester, the club moved to their current stadium, Old Trafford, in 1910. Appointed as manager in 1945, Matt Busby built a team with an average age of just 22 – nicknamed the Busby Babes – that won successive league titles in the 1950s, and became the first English club to compete in the European Cup. Eight players were killed in the Munich air disaster, but Busby rebuilt the team around star players George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton (known as the United Trinity). They won two more league titles before becoming the first English club to win the European Cup in 1968.

In Their Own Story

As the final whistle pierced the roar of the Old Trafford crowd against Bolton, history shifted on its axis. Young Bobby Charlton, face streaked with mud and sweat, looked up from the pitch, realizing he was no longer a prospect but a champion who had bested the establishment. On the touchline, Sir Matt Busby broke his usual stoicism with a rare, radiant smile, watching his 'Babes' hoist the FA Cup while the league title already waited in the cabinet. It was a fleeting moment of pure magic—a golden dawn before the shadow of Munich would ever fall.

Reader's Guide

In the 1956–57 season, Manchester United won the First Division league title, their second under Matt Busby. The squad, with an average age of 22, was nicknamed 'the Busby Babes'. They also became the first English team to compete in the European Cup that season, reaching the semi-final. However, they did not win the FA Cup; they lost the final 2–1 to Aston Villa. The club's first League and FA Cup Double was achieved in the 1993–94 season under Alex Ferguson.

Did You Know?

• Manchester United won back-to-back league titles in 1956 and 1957 under Matt Busby.
• The Busby Babes had an average age of just 22.
• Manchester United became the first English club to compete in the European Cup in 1957.
• The club's biggest victory on record is a 10–0 win over Anderlecht in the 1956–57 European Cup.
• Roger Byrne was the captain of the 1956–57 Manchester United side.