United's players got the bird 80 years ago today – but they weren’t complaining. A £2,000 cash windfall and a Christmas turkey for the Reds players of the 1930s was the outcome of a historic plea which saved the Reds from the brink of extinction. In December 1931 United were in serious danger of folding.
The club were heavily in debt and the Reds board hadn’t enough in the coffers to even pay the players’ wages.
The economic depression had struck the country and hit Old Trafford particularly hard.
United had enjoyed some glory years, but it was City who were prospering in Manchester and the Reds were in desperate need of a cash lifeline.
On discovering the story that United’s players had been told they wouldn’t be paid, sports writer Stacey Lintott visited a contact and told Salford businessman James Gibson of the club’s plight.
Gibson was a sports fan whose military uniform manufacturing business – Briggs, Jones & Gibson – was thriving, and United’s secretary Walter Crickmer – who was the Reds’ temporary manager at the time too – went cap-in-hand to his home in Hale Barns.
Gibson agreed to donate a then not-unsubstantial sum of £2,000 to pay the players’ and officials’ wages until mid-January.
There was even enough cash left over for the United stars of the day to enjoy that Christmas bird.
As part of the deal, JW Gibson took over as chairman, supported the club financially and stood guarantor to the bank – despite the risks.
United were saved, and their benefactor ultimately invested £30,000 of his own money into the club helping the Reds on their way to becoming the world’s most famous football club.
But the club still had a mortgage of around £25,000 and there were no funds for transfers.
So, with players desperately needed, Gibson and Crickmer came up with the idea to set up a production line of young players and the Manchester United Junior Athletic Club (MUJAC) was born.
Stars
Gibson secured a tenancy for a pitch at the Old Broughton Rangers Rugby Ground, later to become United’s Cliff training ground, where the young United stars of the future were developed.
The youth team won the Chorlton Amateur League in 1939, scoring an amazing 223 goals in the process.
It was the MUJAC’s idea that eventually produced the Busby Babes.
Gibson also persuaded the Midland Railway, who operated trains from Manchester Central Station to London St Pancras to stop at Old Trafford station on match days,
making it easier for fans to get to the games. Attendances steadily began to rise.
And it was Gibson’s foresight and judge of character that saw United put former Liverpool and City player Matt Busby in charge at Old Trafford after the war.
Gibson died in 1951. He had witnessed Busby bring the FA Cup back to the club, but passed away before the 1952 League title was delivered.
His dream continues to this day and there is a red plaque on the bridge over the train track at Old Trafford marking his impact on the club over the years.
Today, relatives of James Gibson – the Embling family – along with the Mayor of Trafford, laid flowers at the James Gibson plaque on that railway bridge on Sir Matt Busby Way.
The man who saved Manchester United
December 19, 2011
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All you nited "Dave's" who go about City's arab owners, you wouldn't have a club if it wasn't for the first "Sugar Daddy" in English football...
Scruffs.....Handouts for food !.....Should set a Soup Kitchen for all the Tramps who go to The Toilet every other Week !!!!!!.
Great story, I began watching United in the middle 1950s, so he was a bit before my time, though I knew of his contribution.
The story continues.
Happy Christmas to all.
Christams Turkey and then dodgy meat sold for school dinners!!. But wait a minute every thing United have done is because of there name and history. YCNMIU
What a very interesting story that was. It evoked many happy memories of my childhood when I lived in Chatfield Road, and for those who don't know the area, it was in a "posh" area of Chorlton Cum Hardy! I remember very well listening to the radio, with my dad, to the 1948 FA Cup Final. However, my best memory is of the 1952 League winning season and watching Arthur Rowley , Roger Byrne, Johnny Carey, etc. I was eleven years old at the time, and these guys were my heroes!
As an interesting addition to that fine 1952 team, our left winger was a diminutive lad called Ernie Bond, and I used to admire his dashing runs down the wing. I must now apologise to other posters who have heard this tale before, but I believe that we have more fans/posters who are recently new to this forum. .....
Many years later, on retiring to Walton Le Dale, I met up with Ernie, who lives in this area and is now into his eighties. We have become firm friends, and he always fascinates me with his recollections of the Busby Babes before they actually became regular first team players, Indeed the player that took over from Ernie was David Pegg! The full story of that transition is worth an article in itself!
When Ernie was eighty, Manchester United made a special occasion of the event, and I was delighted to accompany him and his family to a great day out when we played Arsenal and the Premiership Trophy was awarded. I will name-drop here and say that I was also delighted to meet up with our very own Stuart Mathieson on the day.
Ernie would be very embarrassed if he knew that I have posted this comment, so it is a good job that he is not a follower of this forum. I better stop now or I will babble on indefinitely!
Mr James Gibson, I salute your memory, and thank you for all you did for my beloved Reds!
United 'til I die!
Mr Goodcat. Agent Provocateur and nited idiot hunter., Marston (19/12/2011 at 11:38)
James Gibson was a local and a supporter of the club. He was born in Salford and lived in Trafford for a long time. He supported the club financially through the great depression in order to keep his beloved club alive. He also funded the rebuilding of Old Trafford after it was bombed in ’41.
He set up the now famous academy production line of young talent and appointed Matt Busby as manager, decisions and actions that were to make United the biggest football club in the world.
He had a tough life, his parents died when he was a young teenager; he was taken in by grandparents, who also died early. His sister then died, leaving him with only a brother. He was self made, having set up his own company.
It is a very sad that having done so much for united, he did not live long enough to see much of what he had created through his vision and generosity.
So, Mr Goodcat, can we compare James Gibson to the current oil rich, foreign owners of City as you suggest? I think not son, now get back in your box and don’t come back on this side please.
united's history is littered with sugar daddies, charity, bail outs and hand-me-downs.
Never mind James Gibson, if it wasn't for Manchester City, united would have gone out of business years ago.
3 out of the first 4 posts on this article are from city fans/ bitter AMU's. absolutely astonishing to see how much people from the dark side are obsessed from united. go away you trolls james gibson wasn't some foreign billionare, he was a manc who supported his local club, man united. he saved them because they were DESPERATELY in trouble financially, and even still they didn't spend a bucketload of money every season.
so get your facts right bitter muppets, shows how unintelligent and stupid you lot are.
RedDoris and IsDEp, I always love reading your contributions on here. It's not only the prominence and historical figures that made us great, but also fans like you that made United what it is. Hoping you have a lovely Christmas. Thank you for all the good you do here!.
Comments to my young friend ISDEP heartily and fully endorsed - as always!!
Bill
Mr Goodcat, that really is a silly argument and also inacurate. Football clubs had such financial backing long before this incident. Unless, of course, I'm wrong and only wages are being paid along with some seasonal falafel
Also, I'm a proud Reds fan but I do wish people'd stop giving them the "The most famous team in the world." tag. Try telling that to Madrid or Barelona fans. They're "Among" only, which does put them way above City.
When I was a kid I played for the MUJAC i'm not sure what league it was we played in but we did train at the Cliff.I first saw Bobby Charlton there he was wearing a boiler suit he worked at the time at Lynotype(not sure that's spelt right)in Altrincham
Gibson also persuaded the Midland Railway, who operated trains from Manchester Central Station to London St Pancras to stop at Old Trafford station on match days,
making it easier for fans to get to the games. Attendances steadily began to rise.
I assume that the train stopped coming from the other direction ? and the cockney rags were spawned ?
I remember training at OT one night when we'd finished you went to a guy and asked for your expenses.I thought I'd ask for ninepence he asked where did you come from when I told him he said that's sixpence and that's all I got.Big change from today?
Very bitter cidy supporters!!!! City hv lived in our shadows and will continue to do so. MANUTD goes far beyond money!!!! The philosophy and history embedded into this club and the die hearted fans that supports this noble organisation stands above all. I will give barca there props but we r not far behind. Our time will come. Believe my fans.
Any chance of finding another like him ,and kicking the miserly geeks in touch can t see a plaque or flowers in their memory just a sigh of relief when they have gone .All i can say is thanks mr Gibson for your trust and vision , maybe the geeks need to take notice of this story and realise what the game and especially the fans is about .RTID
Sugar daddy?
And if it wasn't for united manchester wouldn't be on the world football map.... fantastic posts about uniteds history trying to be tainted by pathetic blues..typical...
Now thats a lovely story one to treasure for all fans.
A plaque on the railway bridge????? That's all he gets?????
The plaque should be attached to or inside the stadium.
Nice to see he got the London train to stop at the ground too ;)
and now we have the glazers who are going to ruin us.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
James Gibson was a Mancunian ,not from the desert .At least it proved successful in the long run whereas city can only look upon one trophy in recent decades after ploughing in £500 million.Come back Berties in 20 years or more ,then start spouting your nonsense!
The venomous minds of the Berties are out in force.Seething at the fact no matter what city do they cannot eradicate Uniteds glorious haul of silverware ,and charismatic history.
city are reaping the benefits of a benefactor,unfortunately not English like Mr.Gibson was.
Money was pumped into city by the late Peter Swales ,and still United werent fazed ! United nowadays with a long list of injuries are still only 2 points behind a £450million +squad ,and have gone down this road of winning Championships many ,many times.So crow like a Christmas turkey all you want Bitters ,United are still right behind you.It must irritate you no end!
What goes round comes round.
History didn't start in 1992 then?
That's official!