There are three (and only three) football clubs which to this day hold winning league records against Manchester United.
Here’s a little story about each...
Bradford Park Avenue (W9-D1-L8)
Bradford Association Football Club, founded 1907, is a football club in Bradford, West Yorkshire, currently competing in the National League North.
Its name, derived from its former home, Park Avenue, was used to avoid confusion with Bradford City, but the club is traditionally known locally simply as Bradford.
Len Shackleton was capped for England during his time at the club (before being sold to Newcastle United and scoring six on his debut there), and Ron Greenwood (later to become England manager) also turned out for the club.
Bradford Park Avenue FC is now run as a community benefit society and is owned by its supporters
https://bpafc.com/club/history/
Burton Wanderers (W3-D1-L2)
Burton Wanderers was a football club based in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club was a member of the Football League for three seasons in the mid-1890s. In 1901, it merged with Burton Swifts to form Burton United. (Burton United has a (W1-D2-L7) league record against United.)
With such a short history, there isn’t too much to write about Wanderers, but they do have another claim to fame: the history books show that their record win was a 9-0 drubbing of Newcastle United on 15 April 1895, which remains Newcastle’s heaviest ever league defeat.
Wanderers’ highest league position was 4th in Division 2 in 1895-6.
Sunderland Albion (W3-D0-L1)
Sunderland Albion is a football club based in Sunderland, formed in 1888 and dissolved in 1892. The club was reformed in 2020.
Here’s a great story about the history of the club, which touches on the competition between the Football League and Football Alliance, a breakaway organisation formed in 1889 by clubs and players disillusioned with the commercialisation of the game, and features an interview with re-founder Kieran Proudlock focusing on why the club has been rebooted, and its aim to serve the community and people of Sunderland
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2020/9/3/21410106/interview-after-127-years-sunderland-albion-are-back
There are three clubs, beyond the above, who don’t hold winning records against United, but do hold superior goal differences in head-to-head league games.
1,000,000 points if anyone can name any of them without cheating
If people are interested, I’ll follow up with another article on those three.
The forgotten three
posted on 25/2/21
comment by rosso - championing freedom of speech and freedom to refuse to listen since 2013 (U17054)
posted 49 seconds ago
comment by merrysupersteve (monitoring the situation) (U1132)
posted 3 minutes ago
Very interesting article. I thought Bolton had a winning record against us but a quick Google search has us tied at 60 wins a piece. Might be a while before we get the chance to move ahead of them!
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That stat includes cup games, so it *might* not be so long before we get the chance to rectify it
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🤣 Fair enough. Hopefully we draw them next year then!
posted on 25/2/21
didn't Shackleton play for Newcastle and transferred to Sunderland, yes he was born in Bradford.
posted on 25/2/21
comment by merrysupersteve (monitoring the situation) (U1132)
posted 7 minutes ago
Very interesting article. I thought Bolton had a winning record against us but a quick Google search has us tied at 60 wins a piece. Might be a while before we get the chance to move ahead of them!
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We also have tied records with Brentford (4-2-4) and Grimsby (17-8-17). The former tie could be resolved next season if Brentford keep up their form. Every season we have terrible results against one of the promoted clubs...
Looking down the list, it's a relief to see that none of our present rivals have a chance to tip the balance anytime soon.
posted on 25/2/21
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 25 minutes ago
comment by merrysupersteve (monitoring the situation) (U1132)
posted 7 minutes ago
Very interesting article. I thought Bolton had a winning record against us but a quick Google search has us tied at 60 wins a piece. Might be a while before we get the chance to move ahead of them!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We also have tied records with Brentford (4-2-4) and Grimsby (17-8-17). The former tie could be resolved next season if Brentford keep up their form. Every season we have terrible results against one of the promoted clubs...
Looking down the list, it's a relief to see that none of our present rivals have a chance to tip the balance anytime soon.
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Grimsby is actually one of the other three sides with a positive goal difference against us in league games.
Have 500,000 points for accidentally mentioning them.
posted on 25/2/21
That's the most points I've ever accrued in any aspect of my life's endeavour, rosso. This feels like a real high point.
posted on 25/2/21
boomshankar. Hes walked
posted on 25/2/21
oops wrong thread
posted on 25/2/21
comment by RB&W (U21434)
posted 31 minutes ago
oops wrong thread
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Not even the right sport, ffs
posted on 25/2/21
comment by rosso - championing freedom of speech and freedom to refuse to listen since 2013 (U17054)
posted 28 minutes ago
comment by RB&W (U21434)
posted 31 minutes ago
oops wrong thread
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Not even the right sport, ffs
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#RootOut
posted on 25/2/21
Interesting.
Was well aware United was the only that had head-to-head superiority against all 92 league clubs that were at present at the turn of the century (20th).
Weirdly even though (at that stage) Liverpool had still recorded more titles. It was notable that, even during the period of Liverpool's relative league success, they still had an inferior head-to-head record against United.
The perceived wisdom was that the 'smaller' clubs were still more prepared to treat United (and old Trafford) as the greatest opponent and venue. United certainly played the more creative and attacking football, but Liverpool's boring, negativity and capacity to 'back pass' was enough to bring about the changes necessary to make the premier league the better beast it is today.