Theatre of Dreams (and gratuitous photos of David Beckham)

Today we are off to the Theatre of Dreams.  No, we are not off to enjoy a Shakespeare play or similarly cultural experience, and for the excited nerds amongst you, nor is this a reference to the popular World of Warcraft game.  No - the Theatre of Dreams is a sporting arena better known as Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United.

With a capacity of 75,000, Old Trafford is the second largest football stadium in the UK and has hosted Manchester United games since the early 1900s.  The stadium suffered bombing damage in the second war and for a period United had to share grounds with local rivals Manchester City for nine years.

The "Theatre of  Dreams" - Old Trafford

The internet forums include some very poetic accounts explaining the origins of this appellation. The truth is duller, in an interview in 1978 United legend Bobby Charlton coined the phrase and at the time it was hardly noticed, but in the ensuring years it has gained traction.  All the emails I have received from the club about our booking are signed - We look forward to welcoming you to the Theatre of Dreams - which just reinforces the feeling of magic.

It would be an understatement to say that United have been a successful club.  They have certainly had their lean years, not least of which was the period after the Munich plane disaster.  The team were returning from a European Cup game on 6 February 1958 when the plane carrying players, officials and journalists crashed attempting to take off after refuelling in Munich.  The crash claimed 23 lives and many more passengers were injured.  Eight United players died.  The club cobbled together a makeshift side which remarkably reached the FA Cup final that season, eventually losing to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Just a section of the Manchester United trophy cabinet 
Enough to make St Kilda and Dogs fans weep

During the 1960s the club rebuilt, signing some of the greats of the game including two of the best ever, Bobby Charlton and George Best.  George Best started the whole footballer-as-celebrity genre: his life outside football was just one long celebrity stereotype - nightclub owner, Las Vegas wedding, film cameos. Best made a fortune from football, but sadly his alcoholism saw him involved in many controversies, including a conviction for stealing money from a woman's handbag in a bar to fund his drinking session. When asked what happened to the money he had earned, Best replied: I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered. 

As I head out the door I will leave you with an excerpt from the Bobby Charlton interview which encompasses his passion for Old Trafford:

I’ll always have a great affection for this place. I suppose that I have put a lot of blood and tears into it. Look at it now – it must be the envy of every club in the country.

As for the man on the street, the guys on the terraces, they’re everything. They’re not a part of the backroom politics and all the in-fighting that goes on. They don’t really understand that side of it. What they do understand is that they have their team and their whole lives revolve around coming down here to Old Trafford.

They are a part of a never ending story. They are a Theatre of Dreams!”

Now for those gratuitous pictures I promised - and for those of you who may think this inappropriate just be grateful that I did not take this selection from Beckham's underwear model oeuvre.