Watch NEC vs Willem II Live Streaming
Watch NEC vs Willem II Live StreamingStill, in its own way, Old Trafford was special. An 82,000-capacity stadium in the days before Wembley. The best for the best, just as United like to think of it today.
"There has always been a view that it should be the best," said United secretary Ken Ramsden, who has been at Old Trafford for 50 of its 100 illustrious years.
"Whether it was ever discussed or not I am not sure but it was implicit that a grander plan was in process.
"As each bit was bolted on, so the plan expanded, so having the same architects was helpful."
Leitch was that architect, Davies the club chairman who sanctioned the project.
It was supposed to be even bigger. But a £30,000 overspend led to a swift adjustment of the plans, reducing what was supposed to be a 100,000 capacity by a fifth.
Funnily enough, no-one involved in construction would have known the positioning, on land acquired from the Manchester Brewery Company for £60,000, would turn out to be so controversial.
For the railway line behind the only stand with a roof for that opening match, a 4-3 defeat by Liverpool, clearly cannot be moved.
