Miscellany

The Red Devils of Manchester and the
Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company.

While the connection between the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway and Manchester United Football club is well known, much remains to be discovered about the railway company's involvement in the early history of the club.

Back in the 1870's Association Football was becoming established in Lancashire and in 1878 workers at the L&Y's carriage and wagon works at Newton Heath formed a team. By 1879 the club had adopted colours of green and gold halves and become more widely known as 'Newton Heath (L&YR) F.C.' The team was also affectionately known as 'The Coachbuilders'.

The first matches were with a variety of local sides and by the early 1880's was becoming succesful, with some matches being reported in the Manchester Guardian. The 1883-1884 season included a game with the FA Cup holders, Blackburn Olympic, however, the 'Heathens' as they were by then known lost that match 7-2.

In 1888 the Football League of just twelve clubs was formed, but the Heathens were excluded. However a parallel Football Combination of 20 clubs was formed and Newton Heath (L&YR) joined the Football Alliance in 1889 which went on to become the Second Division of the Football League.

In the Football League the club became an independant company with a full time Secretary and an office at 33 Oldham Road. the 'L&YR' was dropped from it's title and it became simply 'Newton Heath FC'.

In 1893 it moved to a new ground at Bank Street in Clayton, further severing its links with the L&YR's works. Ten years on, in 1902, in the midst of a financial crisis, the Football Association agreed to a rescue plan and the club was saved but changed its name.

After considering several options it was finally decided that the new name would be 'Manchester United'.