The first five times United entered the European Cup, they never failed to get to the Semi Final stage. Sir Matt Busby did not buy any players between 1953-57. In his 13 years before Munich, he bought only 16 players and 4 of those were goalkeepers Between May 1965 and September 1980, United won 17 successive home matches in European competition. From 1964-72 United bought only 3 players, Ian Ure, Alex Stepney and Willie Morgan Between December 72 and April 73, the Doc bought 7 players! Longest run of consecutive league games is 206 by Steve Coppell between 15 January 1977 and 7 November 1981 Only player to score a hat-trick in each of the three major European competitions was Dennis Law. The King scored 18 hat-tricks in total while at Old Trafford including a record 7 during 1963/4 Between 6 December 1975 and 28 February 1976, United's starting line-up remained unchanged for 13 consecutive league matches and 5 cup games - 18 games in all. Oh for such luck with injuries now. At the beginning of 1951-52 season, Jack Rowley scored 14 goals in seven games, including three hat-tricks in 22 days. United's yougest hat-trick scorer (and probably the youngest hat-trick scorer in league history) was Jack Rowley when he hit four against Swansea Town in December 1937. Jack was 17 years and 58 days old and it was only his second game for United. The most goals scored by a United player in a league match is 5 by Andy Cole versus Ipswich in the 9-0 mauling in March 1995.This 9-0 victory is also the record win in the newly formatted Premier League. Bryan Robson scored at least one League goal a season from 1974-75 to 1994-95, for either West Brom, United or Middlesborough. Bryan Robson is the only player this century to have captained 3 FA Cup winning sides - 1983, 85, 90. Martin Buchan is the only player to have captained a team which won the Scottish Cup (Aberdeen 1970) as well as one which won the English FA Cup - United 1977. United have won their last 9 FA Cup, Semi-finals. Incredibly, in the last 7 they have triumphed after going a goal down: 79 v Liverpool, 83 v Arsenal, 85 Liverpool again. 90 and 94 v Oldham and 96 v Chelsea. In 1928-29 United lost 5-0 away to Newcastle but won the game at Old Trafford 5-0. In February 1973 Scotland faced England with 5 United players in the line-up - Buchan, Forsyth, Graham, Morgan & Macari. They lost 5-0! On the way to winning the FA cup in 1990, United played every game until the Semi final replay on a Sunday. Eric Cantona has played in 14 FA cup games for United. He has yet to finish on the losing side. United have scored a record 37 goals in the FA Charity Shield United won the first 5 FA Youth Cups from 1953-57. They won 3 finals by 6 goal margins. Only 3 of the 14 players used in the 192 Youth Cup final never reached the United first team. 5 of those remaining 11 have already become full internationals. The only players ever sent of in FA or League Cup finals were United players. Kevin Moran got his marching orders when we beat Everton 1-0 in the 1985 FA final. Andrei Kanchelskis was ejected in the 3-1 loss to Aston Villa in the 1994 League Cup final. Bryan Robson became United's oldest postwar scorer when he hit the mark against Oldham in the 94 FA Semi replay. He was 37 years and 92 days. The most penalties scored by a United player in a season is 11, by Steve Bruce in 1990-91. That season, Brucie scored a total of 19 goals - surely a record for a defender. Joe Spence, Jack Rowley, Denis Law and Mark Hughes can each claim to be United's top scorer in all competitions in five different seasons. George Best is the only player to have been United's top league scorer in five successive seasons - 67-68 (28), 68-69 (19), 69-70 (15), 70-71 (18) and 71-72 (18). The most expensive team United ever fielded was on the fateful night at Selhurst Park in Jan 1995 when Eric Cantona attacked a fan. The side that night cost around 21 million quid. Hughes, Parker and Bruce were not playing and cost another 4 million between them Andrei Kanchelskis was the first United player to make his home debut in an international match. He played for hte USSR against Argentina at Old Trafford in May 1991 before he had played there for United. While at United Andrei won international caps with three nations - Russia, Ukraine and the USSR/CIS. In 1974-75, during a one season visit to the old second division, United attracted an average home crowd of 48,389, over 2,000 more than the best supported first-division side that season - Liverpool. Norman Whiteside is United's youngest ever scorer. He was just 17 years and 7 days when he scored on May 15 1982 versus Stoke. Bobby Charlton scored twice on his debut against Charlton Athletic on October 6 1956. His first hat-trick was just 4 months later - at Charlton. At least 32 players have appeared for the first teams of Manchester United and City. Billy Meredith, Denis Law, Peter Barnes, Brian Kidd, John Gidman and Sammy McIlroy among the most famous. The most expensive transfer between the clubs was Tony Coton (£500,000) who never even played for the United first team. Only Coton and Wyn Davies (bought for 60,000 in 1972) have been acquired directly from City since 1934. Both Bobby Charlton and Bryan Robson represented England in 3 World Cup Finals. Joe Jordan represented Scotland in 3 finals. The first, in 1974, while at Leeds. When Paul Scholes scored for England against Tunisia in the World Cup in France, he was the first United player to score in the World Cup since Jesper Olsen scored for Denmark in 1986. Eddie McIlvenny, captain of the United States when they beat England 1-0 in the World Cup in 1950, played the first two games of the following season for United. The fewest defeats in a season is 4, from 42 games in 1993-4 and from 38 matches in division 2 in 1905-06. In 1998-9 United lost only 3 league matches out of 38. The fewest draws in a season is 2, out of 30 games in 1893-94; and from 42 matches in 1934-35. The lowest number in a post war season is 7, in 59-60, 63-64 and 95-96 United players have scored hat-tricks five times away at Leicester City The most appearances for United in European competition is 52 by Billy Foulkes. When United lost in the Champions League match at home to Fenerbahce , it was the first home defeat in Europe ever for the team. An incredible sequence going back 40 years and 57 matches. It was also the first time in 27 home games in the European Cup that they had failed to score. Until the start of that season, United's record in home European Cup games at home was played 25 - won 22 - drawn 3. United's top European scorer is Denis Law with 28 goals in only 33 appearances. On the way to winning the FA Cup in 1963, United played the first four rounds over 27 days in March. Freezing weather had caused many matches to be postponed. Ryan Giggs is a full international with Wales despite having played for the England schoolboy team (under the name Ryan Wilson) Although Pat Jennings is Northern Ireland's most capped player with 119 appearances, the country's most capped outfield players all played for United - Mal Donaghy (91), Sammy McIlroy (88), Jimmy Nichol (73) and David McCreery (67). United have twice ended the season with seven successive wins. In 1992-93 when we won the championship and in 1980-81. A few weeks later, Dave Sexton got the sack! In 1977 another United left after a successful season. Tommy Docherty was forced to quit after winning the FA Cup against Liverpool. He was having an affair with Mary Brown - wife of the club physiotherapist, Laurie Brown. At least five United players have represented their country before playing for United. Don Givens played for the Republic of Ireland, 3 months before his United first team debut. Jovan Kirovski, a United junior played for the US National team at least 9 times yet never made a first team appearance for the Reds. Philip Mulryne has played 4 times for N. Ireland but has yet to play for the United first XI. In 1993-94 United played an amazing 63 first team games. This total was made up of 42 league games, 9 in the League Cup, 7 in the FA Cup, 4 in the European Cup and the Charity Shield.