It was rescued when the Stretford End was demolished in 1992
The demolition of Old Trafford’s Stretford End. 16th July 1992
Manchester United fans will have an extraordinary opportunity to pick up a piece of the club’s history. An original Manchester United sign from the ground goes under the hammer later this month.
The six-foot-high red lettering was mounted at the Stretford End of the Old Trafford ground until its redevelopment in 1992. Believed to have been presented to former manager Sir Matt Busby’s barber at the time, it is currently owned by a private collector and holds an estimated value of £40,000–£60,000.
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When Old Trafford opened in 1910, it was described as ‘a wonder to behold.’ Designed by the great Archibald ‘Engineering Archie”’ Leitch, it had cost £60,000 and been built to hold 80,000 fans.
Original Manchester United Stretford End sign, £40,000-£60,000(Image: BUDDS / SWNS)
In World War Two, the stadium was used as a military depot. It was heavily damaged by the Luftwaffe in March 1941, following a German bombing raid.
After the war, the stadium was rebuilt. A series of renovations were made during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and by 1985, capacity had reached 56,385.
However, the conversion of the stadium to an all-seater reduced capacity to approximately 44,000 by 1992.
In 1992, Old Trafford underwent a major redevelopment, highlighted by the demolition of the famous Stretford End terrace to meet all-seater stadium requirements.
Aerial view of Old Trafford during construction, circa 1992
The project, part of long-term planning, saw the terrace replaced with a new, larger stand for the 1992–93 season to increase capacity
The auction also includes three pairs of Cristiano Ronaldo’s boots, including a prototype featuring the earliest CR7 branding.
BUDDS auction say the boots were obtained from a former Manchester United kit cleaner who worked for the club for around 40 years.
Cristiano Ronaldo a pair of gold Nike Vapor II player worn football boots, 2004, £10,000 – £15,000(Image: BUDDS / SWNS)
Valuations for these range from £4,000 to £15,000.
BUDDS will conduct their ‘Made in Manchester’ sale on April 28.