This picture shows how Old Trafford looked like from above in 1984. Still not completely covered, the old Stretford End stands alone in the left of the image (west). The west side of the ground for many fans, will always be the legendary Stretford End. Crammed behind the goal was a heaving mass of almost 20,000 standing United fans who were amongst the loudest in Britain.
As Alex Ferguson prepares to pass Sir Matt Busby as the club's longest-serving manager, many people do not remember that he has survived chants of
"Fergie out" from the Stretford End, taken himself to the brink of retirement and been re-energised by the youth within his squad, yet even Ferguson admits his looming milestone is not one he expected to pass.
'I could never have imagined that I would surpass Sir Matt's longevity. When I came here, my main thought was to win the league and that was my driving force. I couldn't visualise that I would end up with 24 years behind me, going into my 25th year. When I came to United, I had Sir Matt at the club and Bobby Charlton also. They were a comforting part for me. I knew they could understand what I was looking to achieve.'
However, the Stretford End congregation still has little sympathy for their prodigal son
Wayne Rooney.
