1996-1997, Manchester United season

In 1996-1997 Manchester United won the Premiership for the fourth time in five seasons. They also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

At the start of the season, Eric Cantona took over as club captain following the transfer to Birmingham of Steve Bruce. A number of new players arrived at Old Trafford, but not Alan Shearer. Shearer had been the club’s main transfer target during the summer, but he eventually chose to go to Newcastle. An unknown Norwegian, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, came to Old Trafford instead. In his first season he was the club’s top scorer, and a further goal in 1998-1999 later made him one the club’s all-time heros. At the heart of the 1996-1997 league season was a sixteen-game unbeaten run between November and March. Prior to that was a spectacular autumn blip. Within a fortnight, Manchester United lost 5-0 at Newcastle, 6-3 at Southampton and then 2-1 at home to Chelsea. Before that, the season had begun with one of the most stunning goals ever scored for Manchester United. In the opening game of the season, David Beckham noticed the Wimbledon goalkeeper off his line and proceeded to lob the ball over the goalkeeper’s head from inside his own half. Beckham ended the season with eleven goals and was voted the PFA Young Player of the Year.

In both domestic cup competitions, the club was eliminated in the fourth round. In Europe they reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, without achieving any great consistency. In the group phase they lost both matches against Juventus, only then to win a spectacular quarter-final first leg game 4-0 against Porto. In the semi-finals they lost both games against Borussia Dortmund, who then went on to beat Juventus in the final. Success in the Champions League was beginning to be as illusive as league success had been prior to 1992-1993. Defeat to Fenerbahce in October was the club’s first European home defeat in forty years.

Shortly after the season ended, Eric Cantona announced his retirement. He was only thirty and the announcement shocked the supporters. There could never be another Eric!