1 00:00:01,734 --> 00:00:03,425 [crowd cheering] 2 00:00:09,983 --> 00:00:14,781 The Football Association has approved controversial plans to set up a new super league. 3 00:00:16,059 --> 00:00:17,336 [announcer] On he goes! 4 00:00:17,474 --> 00:00:19,648 [crowd cheering] 5 00:00:20,684 --> 00:00:23,066 [man] When Murdoch wrote the cheque, 6 00:00:23,204 --> 00:00:25,585 everyone said, "Poor old Rupert's lost it this time." 7 00:00:31,108 --> 00:00:34,111 [Alan Shearer] How big it was gonna be, I don't think anyone could have predicted. 8 00:00:34,249 --> 00:00:36,941 20,000 fans surrounded St James's Park 9 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,806 to welcome the world's most expensive footballer. 10 00:00:40,911 --> 00:00:42,706 I would love it if we beat them. Love it! 11 00:00:42,844 --> 00:00:45,018 [Eric Cantona] When the seagulls follow the trawler, 12 00:00:45,157 --> 00:00:47,711 they think sardines will be thrown. 13 00:00:47,849 --> 00:00:51,715 It's just all money. Each club is one big theme park now. 14 00:00:51,853 --> 00:00:54,649 [man 1] Footballers became sort of like rock stars overnight. 15 00:00:54,787 --> 00:01:00,137 I don't think anything prepares you for media attention at such a young age. 16 00:01:00,275 --> 00:01:02,691 [man 2] I look at myself and think, "What an arsehole." 17 00:01:02,829 --> 00:01:04,417 'Cause I'd let everything go to my head. 18 00:01:05,384 --> 00:01:06,764 [crowd cheering] 19 00:01:08,766 --> 00:01:10,320 [man 3] I've got a choice in life now. 20 00:01:10,458 --> 00:01:12,115 I either go back to the booze 21 00:01:12,253 --> 00:01:15,428 and the gambling and the drugs or I go the other way. 22 00:01:16,498 --> 00:01:18,776 [woman] It's like a religion. 23 00:01:18,914 --> 00:01:20,088 It's something to believe in. 24 00:01:30,547 --> 00:01:32,825 [interviewer] Three, two, one... 25 00:01:32,963 --> 00:01:35,345 Doing a documentary for the BBC 26 00:01:35,483 --> 00:01:40,039 on the Premier League in the '90s. 27 00:01:42,421 --> 00:01:45,251 I know I definitely wouldn't have been able to do that. 28 00:01:45,389 --> 00:01:46,839 [laughs] 29 00:01:46,977 --> 00:01:48,530 Yeah, let's go.[woman] Okay? 30 00:01:48,668 --> 00:01:49,842 Yeah. 31 00:01:49,980 --> 00:01:51,464 [announcer] Here's McGrath. 32 00:01:51,602 --> 00:01:53,294 Oof, Vinnie Jones caught him there. 33 00:01:54,916 --> 00:01:56,469 [Jones] When I first played, 34 00:01:56,607 --> 00:01:58,678 there was a lot more crunching tackles 35 00:01:58,816 --> 00:02:00,163 that you could get away with. 36 00:02:02,234 --> 00:02:03,407 [whistle blows] 37 00:02:03,545 --> 00:02:04,926 You're fighting for every game, 38 00:02:05,064 --> 00:02:07,618 every tackle, every header every second. 39 00:02:08,585 --> 00:02:10,621 We were more of a borstal 40 00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:12,623 than a football team. 41 00:02:14,418 --> 00:02:16,558 People will go on YouTube and look stuff up, 42 00:02:16,696 --> 00:02:19,078 and they'll go, "You was a lunatic!" 43 00:02:19,216 --> 00:02:21,839 And I'll go, "Yeah. I was a bit lively, yeah." 44 00:02:21,977 --> 00:02:24,428 [announcer] Dreadful scenes at Kenilworth Road. 45 00:02:24,566 --> 00:02:26,327 Absolutely disgraceful. 46 00:02:26,465 --> 00:02:28,432 [man] Football was going nowhere in the '80s. 47 00:02:28,570 --> 00:02:30,331 You know, let's be honest, you know? 48 00:02:30,469 --> 00:02:32,747 There was such bad press, stadiums were empty, 49 00:02:32,885 --> 00:02:37,165 and I think people were scared to go to football matches. They were scared. 50 00:02:37,303 --> 00:02:39,478 It was football violence, football violence, football violence. 51 00:02:41,583 --> 00:02:44,655 There were quite often fights on the forecourt, you know, regularly. 52 00:02:44,793 --> 00:02:48,694 And your dad was pulling me and Phil through at the age of five and six. 53 00:02:48,832 --> 00:02:51,041 It wasn't an environment for the family to attend. 54 00:02:51,973 --> 00:02:53,561 [Jones] At that time, it was like 55 00:02:53,699 --> 00:02:56,874 all these intercity firms going down the tube station 56 00:02:57,012 --> 00:02:58,255 for a punch-up. 57 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,882 [narrator] In the 1980s, football was a source of shame. 58 00:03:05,020 --> 00:03:09,404 Ordinary fans were turning their back on the once beautiful game. 59 00:03:09,542 --> 00:03:12,304 The Sunday Times branded it a "slum sport" 60 00:03:12,442 --> 00:03:16,722 watched by "slum people" in "slum stadiums". 61 00:03:16,860 --> 00:03:19,034 I'll show you this graph. 62 00:03:20,035 --> 00:03:22,521 After we won the World Cup in 1966, 63 00:03:22,659 --> 00:03:25,455 attendances were at a high of something like 30 million. 64 00:03:25,593 --> 00:03:32,496 And by 1986, they had declined to 17 million. 65 00:03:32,634 --> 00:03:37,536 Had that been Tesco supermarkets or Boots chemists or Rank cinemas, 66 00:03:37,674 --> 00:03:41,954 they'd have had to have done something very dramatic to stop going out of business. 67 00:03:44,439 --> 00:03:46,890 [Dein] Football was not glamorous 68 00:03:47,028 --> 00:03:49,720 and there was no television income of any consequence. 69 00:03:49,858 --> 00:03:55,001 So nobody could ever say it was a well-run business 'cause it wasn't. 70 00:03:56,209 --> 00:03:58,142 ["Nessun Dorma" playing] 71 00:03:58,281 --> 00:04:01,732 [Pavarotti] ♪ Nessun dorma♪ 72 00:04:01,870 --> 00:04:02,975 [crowd cheering] 73 00:04:05,495 --> 00:04:07,842 [man] At that time, I was working for The Independent, 74 00:04:07,980 --> 00:04:10,638 which was a new newspaper start-up, 75 00:04:10,776 --> 00:04:15,263 and the World Cup in 1990 changed our view 76 00:04:15,401 --> 00:04:18,024 of how the game could be reported, 77 00:04:18,162 --> 00:04:19,474 what we could see in it. 78 00:04:19,612 --> 00:04:23,202 And it produced amazing characters. 79 00:04:26,964 --> 00:04:29,760 [narrator] The emotional highs and lows of Italia '90 80 00:04:29,898 --> 00:04:32,625 marked a turning point for English football. 81 00:04:32,763 --> 00:04:35,663 Different types of people suddenly started watching. 82 00:04:35,801 --> 00:04:38,907 Football was bringing the nation together. 83 00:04:39,045 --> 00:04:41,496 [announcer] And chipped in, and volleyed in! 84 00:04:41,634 --> 00:04:44,119 And it's there by David Platt! 85 00:04:44,257 --> 00:04:47,260 And Bobby Robson-- ecstatic. 86 00:04:47,399 --> 00:04:49,021 [inaudible] 87 00:04:50,022 --> 00:04:52,335 [White] And what happened in 1990 was 88 00:04:52,473 --> 00:04:55,683 you had the added drama of those penalty shoot-outs. 89 00:04:55,821 --> 00:04:58,548 I remember being with friends and them having to leave the room 90 00:04:58,686 --> 00:05:00,446 while the penalties were going on. 91 00:05:00,584 --> 00:05:05,244 ♪ Vincero♪ 92 00:05:05,382 --> 00:05:10,525 ♪ Vincero♪ 93 00:05:10,663 --> 00:05:12,285 [crowd roars] 94 00:05:12,424 --> 00:05:14,495 [announcer] And England are out of the World Cup. 95 00:05:14,633 --> 00:05:18,188 West Germany are through to the final on penalty kicks. 96 00:05:18,326 --> 00:05:20,155 [Robson] We played a major part in the tournament. 97 00:05:20,293 --> 00:05:22,468 We've done very well to get to the semis, 98 00:05:22,606 --> 00:05:26,369 and we can go home, you know, feeling very proud, I think. 99 00:05:27,784 --> 00:05:31,374 [music crescendos] 100 00:05:33,893 --> 00:05:36,551 [crowd cheering] 101 00:05:37,656 --> 00:05:40,175 [narrator] When England finally bowed out, 102 00:05:40,313 --> 00:05:45,249 the match was witnessed by a UK television audience of more than 25 million. 103 00:05:45,388 --> 00:05:47,355 [White] Lights were going on in brains 104 00:05:47,493 --> 00:05:51,083 amongst the next generation of media moguls, 105 00:05:51,221 --> 00:05:54,500 realizing, "Hang on. This is something very, very powerful. 106 00:05:54,638 --> 00:05:57,745 And if we get this right, there's money here." 107 00:06:03,371 --> 00:06:05,615 [narrator] With the prospect of bringing fans back to the game, 108 00:06:05,753 --> 00:06:08,549 a new breed of business-minded chairmen 109 00:06:08,687 --> 00:06:12,000 sensed the time was ripe for a sporting revolution. 110 00:06:13,450 --> 00:06:16,867 I was in the commodity business actually trading physical sugar, 111 00:06:17,005 --> 00:06:20,353 and I built up my own business, and it was going fairly well. 112 00:06:20,492 --> 00:06:23,943 A group of us got together who were more progressive than others 113 00:06:24,081 --> 00:06:26,705 and said, you know, it's time to change. 114 00:06:26,843 --> 00:06:30,398 My own personal motto is the motto of the turtle. 115 00:06:30,536 --> 00:06:33,988 You don't get anywhere unless you stick your neck out. 116 00:06:35,196 --> 00:06:37,060 [man] Being young and enthusiastic, 117 00:06:37,198 --> 00:06:39,787 we sort of thought, well, things need to change. 118 00:06:39,925 --> 00:06:45,758 We all realized that, really, under the 92 old football league formula, 119 00:06:45,896 --> 00:06:50,625 the big clubs in England were never really going to reach their full potential. 120 00:06:53,386 --> 00:06:57,045 The big five, the two Liverpool clubs, Liverpool and Everton, 121 00:06:57,183 --> 00:07:00,290 the two north London clubs, Arsenal and Spurs-- and United-- 122 00:07:00,428 --> 00:07:03,396 got together, had this unofficial cartel, 123 00:07:03,535 --> 00:07:09,541 and they were trying to work out ways that they could grab more of the take. 124 00:07:11,197 --> 00:07:15,685 [Dein] We had a famous meeting, and the plot was laid to break away. 125 00:07:17,203 --> 00:07:19,585 The Football League had been going since the 1880s or something-- 126 00:07:19,723 --> 00:07:24,038 over a hundred years-- and all of a sudden, here we come, five of us decide 127 00:07:24,176 --> 00:07:26,143 here's the four divisions of 92 clubs. 128 00:07:26,281 --> 00:07:29,353 We're gonna take the top division of 22 clubs at the time 129 00:07:29,492 --> 00:07:32,874 and break away, form a whole new legal entity, 130 00:07:33,012 --> 00:07:35,601 rebrand ourselves, reinvent ourselves, 131 00:07:35,739 --> 00:07:39,225 call ourselves the Premier League and start again. 132 00:07:39,363 --> 00:07:41,745 [news intro playing] 133 00:07:41,883 --> 00:07:45,922 Good evening. The Football Association has approved controversial plans 134 00:07:46,060 --> 00:07:51,203 to set up a new super league, but the decision looks certain to cause a rift within the game. 135 00:07:51,341 --> 00:07:56,519 Upsetting. Ah, more divisive, 136 00:07:56,657 --> 00:08:00,488 and bringing all the aggro to the fore again. 137 00:08:00,626 --> 00:08:03,318 [female anchor] The elite clubs will set up their own premier division 138 00:08:03,456 --> 00:08:07,530 enabling them to keep more of the profits from sponsorship and television. 139 00:08:07,668 --> 00:08:10,153 That may not worry the fans of Arsenal, Spurs and the rest, 140 00:08:10,291 --> 00:08:13,674 but what about the likes of Oxford, Southend and Gillingham? 141 00:08:13,812 --> 00:08:17,678 It's a difficult thing to change anything that's been going for over a hundred years, 142 00:08:17,816 --> 00:08:20,128 and of course there was a lot of resistance. 143 00:08:20,266 --> 00:08:24,270 This is the last thing that the man in the streets wants or even understands. 144 00:08:24,408 --> 00:08:28,689 I thought it was all about 22 men kicking the ball about. 145 00:08:28,827 --> 00:08:31,105 You know, I could be radically wrong in that situation. 146 00:08:31,243 --> 00:08:33,935 That guy, and I don't want to talk badly about him, 147 00:08:34,073 --> 00:08:36,248 but he was chairman of the Football League, 148 00:08:36,386 --> 00:08:39,527 and he said, "It's always been like this, for over a hundred years. 149 00:08:39,665 --> 00:08:40,908 You can't change it now." 150 00:08:43,289 --> 00:08:47,742 Oh, really? Well, you know what? A hundred years ago, buses were drawn by horses. 151 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:50,227 [man] Five, four, three... 152 00:08:50,365 --> 00:08:52,885 ...two, one and cue. 153 00:08:53,023 --> 00:08:54,507 We're on BBC. 154 00:09:00,893 --> 00:09:04,241 [narrator] The new founders were staking the success of their breakaway league 155 00:09:04,379 --> 00:09:07,555 on selling TV rights to live matches. 156 00:09:07,693 --> 00:09:10,558 And just as they were looking for broadcast partners, 157 00:09:10,696 --> 00:09:13,526 television was going through its own revolution. 158 00:09:13,665 --> 00:09:18,186 [TV host] Programmes beamed from outer space, the shape of television to come. 159 00:09:18,324 --> 00:09:23,157 In February, you'll be able to pick up programmes from the Astra satellite. 160 00:09:23,295 --> 00:09:25,642 Now to do it, you'll need this. 161 00:09:25,780 --> 00:09:29,163 This is a dish, shallow curve there, made by Amstrad. 162 00:09:29,301 --> 00:09:32,235 Costs about £200 on sale at Christmas. 163 00:09:33,857 --> 00:09:36,135 [man] I remember it vividly. 164 00:09:36,273 --> 00:09:39,622 -The phone rang. -[ringing] 165 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,416 Rupert Murdoch wanted to see me. 166 00:09:44,178 --> 00:09:48,182 To me, Rupert was a mystical figure. 167 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,185 It was like following Gandalf the Grey. 168 00:09:51,323 --> 00:09:53,118 Gandalf the Grey, though, 169 00:09:53,256 --> 00:09:56,259 wearing glasses like the windscreen of a Ford Cortina. 170 00:09:57,329 --> 00:09:59,365 [narrator] Rupert Murdoch was attempting 171 00:09:59,503 --> 00:10:03,266 to expand his media empire with the launch of a new network, 172 00:10:03,404 --> 00:10:04,957 Sky Television. 173 00:10:05,095 --> 00:10:07,546 Rupert Murdoch has officially launched his bid 174 00:10:07,684 --> 00:10:09,548 to win over Britain's television viewers. 175 00:10:09,686 --> 00:10:12,862 He plans four new satellite television channels. 176 00:10:14,898 --> 00:10:18,522 [reporter] The man may own more newspapers and more television stations than anyone on Earth... 177 00:10:18,661 --> 00:10:22,112 [Crick] I've been a television news reporter for 40 years. 178 00:10:22,250 --> 00:10:26,392 I was at that event when Murdoch launched Sky, 179 00:10:26,530 --> 00:10:30,086 and I remember, um, rather nervously 180 00:10:30,224 --> 00:10:36,540 asking him, "Will the standards of journalism on Sky be the same as in your newspapers? 181 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:42,339 Fabrication and lies and obsession with people's private lives?" 182 00:10:42,477 --> 00:10:44,756 And everybody was absolutely stunned. 183 00:10:44,894 --> 00:10:48,794 Is it going to be the same kind of standard of journalism as we see in those newspapers? 184 00:10:48,932 --> 00:10:52,902 It'll be totally different. I've told you it will be absolutely first class. 185 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,767 -Thank you. -And there was huge scepticism 186 00:10:55,905 --> 00:11:01,462 about whether it would ever work and whether people would pay to subscribe to new channels 187 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,672 when they already had several channels to watch. 188 00:11:04,810 --> 00:11:10,782 I suppose the worry about it was that Sky would monopolise football on television 189 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,302 and therefore we wouldn't get to watch it on Match of the Day 190 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:16,477 or on the ITV equivalent. 191 00:11:16,615 --> 00:11:19,687 [Hill] At the time the Premier League was forming, 192 00:11:19,825 --> 00:11:23,311 Sky was in a fairly perilous financial state. 193 00:11:23,449 --> 00:11:27,108 We'd been losing a lot of money-- couple million quid a week-- 194 00:11:27,246 --> 00:11:31,388 and we had a tiny, little viewing audience. 195 00:11:31,526 --> 00:11:34,460 [White] Initially, Rupert Murdoch's idea was 196 00:11:34,598 --> 00:11:37,325 that films would be the driver of that. 197 00:11:37,463 --> 00:11:41,951 You'd subscribe rather than go into the cinema and you'd get new movies. 198 00:11:42,089 --> 00:11:47,370 But when they launched, there wasn't much take-up. People weren't that interested. 199 00:11:47,508 --> 00:11:52,927 They realized that sport might be the way of doing it if we could get into sport. 200 00:11:53,065 --> 00:11:57,898 Then I went looking to every sporting body in the UK 201 00:11:58,036 --> 00:12:00,245 to try and pick up rights that weren't being used. 202 00:12:00,383 --> 00:12:03,869 And, obviously, football was top of the list. 203 00:12:04,007 --> 00:12:10,048 Getting the Premier League became that pot of gold that we desperately needed. 204 00:12:10,186 --> 00:12:11,290 ♪ Hey♪ 205 00:12:12,844 --> 00:12:17,331 Football's new Premier League has struck a £300 million deal, 206 00:12:17,469 --> 00:12:20,679 which means its matches will only be seen live on satellite TV. 207 00:12:24,579 --> 00:12:26,996 [narrator] If fans wanted to watch live matches, 208 00:12:27,134 --> 00:12:31,103 they'd have to pay £200 for a dish and a monthly subscription on top. 209 00:12:31,241 --> 00:12:36,695 When Mr. Murdoch wrote the cheque to the football league, 210 00:12:36,833 --> 00:12:39,871 everyone said, "Oh, my God! 211 00:12:41,734 --> 00:12:44,254 Poor old Rupert's lost it this time. 212 00:12:44,392 --> 00:12:45,738 He's paid too much money." 213 00:12:47,119 --> 00:12:48,741 [White] The pound signs were ringing 214 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,503 in the eyes of the football club chairmen. 215 00:12:51,641 --> 00:12:56,439 It was transformational the amount of money that was being offered by Sky. 216 00:12:56,577 --> 00:12:58,717 It was huge. 217 00:12:58,855 --> 00:13:01,582 [man] So how much is he prepared to lose? 218 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:04,792 I don't know. Whatever... Whatever it takes. 219 00:13:08,416 --> 00:13:11,488 [interviewer] I'm just gonna show you one of our clips.Yeah. 220 00:13:11,626 --> 00:13:13,870 All right. Go on then. 221 00:13:14,008 --> 00:13:15,907 Yeah, I have to put my glasses on. 222 00:13:16,045 --> 00:13:17,460 Is that all right?Yeah. 223 00:13:17,598 --> 00:13:21,257 ["Alive and Kicking" by Simple Minds playing] 224 00:13:27,608 --> 00:13:29,196 Oh, God, the ad. 225 00:13:30,853 --> 00:13:33,096 I remember the music. That was it, wasn't it? 226 00:13:33,234 --> 00:13:35,271 That was the start of the Premier League. 227 00:13:35,409 --> 00:13:39,516 ♪ You turn me on♪ 228 00:13:39,654 --> 00:13:41,553 [Jones] This was on a Sunday morning, I think. 229 00:13:41,691 --> 00:13:43,935 Obviously, we'd been out Saturday night after the games, 230 00:13:44,073 --> 00:13:45,660 you know what I mean? 231 00:13:45,798 --> 00:13:48,249 No one told me I had to bring football boots. 232 00:13:48,387 --> 00:13:50,493 I think I was sponsored by Nike at the time. 233 00:13:50,631 --> 00:13:55,463 I think I had somebody's Reeboks on, about four sizes too small, hungover, 234 00:13:55,601 --> 00:14:01,262 and, er... yeah, lost my Nike contract, thanks very much, Sky. [laughs] 235 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,575 That was my start to the Premier League, yeah. 236 00:14:03,713 --> 00:14:07,406 -♪ Who's got the touch♪ -♪ To calm the storm inside?♪ 237 00:14:07,544 --> 00:14:12,584 -♪ Who's gonna save you?♪ -♪ Alive and kicking♪ 238 00:14:12,722 --> 00:14:16,726 ♪ Stay until your love is♪ 239 00:14:16,864 --> 00:14:21,075 ♪ Alive and kicking♪ 240 00:14:21,213 --> 00:14:25,148 I guess when we saw this, we thought, "Maybe things are a little bit different." 241 00:14:25,286 --> 00:14:29,981 We were aware that the whole of the country were about to embark on a journey, 242 00:14:30,119 --> 00:14:33,053 but what that journey was gonna be or how big it was gonna be, 243 00:14:33,191 --> 00:14:35,020 I don't think anyone could have predicted. 244 00:14:36,297 --> 00:14:40,267 [Hill] Rupert's career has been marked by gambles. 245 00:14:41,302 --> 00:14:43,684 He's virtually pushed all the chips 246 00:14:43,822 --> 00:14:45,824 into the centre of the table. 247 00:14:45,962 --> 00:14:48,137 [announcer] The FA Premier League, 248 00:14:48,275 --> 00:14:50,553 live only on Sky. 249 00:14:50,691 --> 00:14:53,107 It's a whole new ball game. 250 00:14:53,245 --> 00:14:54,453 [crowd cheering] 251 00:14:56,110 --> 00:14:59,355 ♪ Right here, right now♪ 252 00:14:59,493 --> 00:15:03,600 ♪ There is no other place That I'd rather be♪ 253 00:15:05,395 --> 00:15:08,226 ♪ Right here, right now♪ 254 00:15:08,364 --> 00:15:13,058 ♪ Watching the world wake up From history♪ 255 00:15:16,786 --> 00:15:19,651 [Hill] Football is the greatest entertainment of all time, 256 00:15:19,789 --> 00:15:21,653 but it wasn't being represented that way. 257 00:15:22,826 --> 00:15:26,451 What we had to do was market it properly. 258 00:15:27,245 --> 00:15:28,729 Make people realize 259 00:15:28,867 --> 00:15:31,456 the FA Premier League was not the same. 260 00:15:31,594 --> 00:15:34,804 For us, this was like make or break. 261 00:15:34,942 --> 00:15:40,361 [narrator] The multimillion- pound injection from Sky would have an immediate impact. 262 00:15:40,499 --> 00:15:44,124 The money would be shared between 22 teams, but not equally. 263 00:15:44,262 --> 00:15:47,748 The higher up the league table a side finished, the more money they'd get. 264 00:15:47,886 --> 00:15:50,061 [announcer] Good afternoon, everyone. 265 00:15:50,199 --> 00:15:53,685 A new league, even a different button to push on your television set. 266 00:15:53,823 --> 00:15:55,859 We're all lovers of this marvellous game, 267 00:15:55,998 --> 00:15:59,932 especially when players of this pedigree are involved. 268 00:16:02,832 --> 00:16:07,319 Founding members Manchester United should have been amongst the favourites, 269 00:16:07,457 --> 00:16:12,669 but after six years in charge, Alex Ferguson had failed to win a league title. 270 00:16:12,807 --> 00:16:14,499 The fans were losing patience. 271 00:16:14,637 --> 00:16:16,432 [crowd chanting] 272 00:16:22,024 --> 00:16:25,820 The club just had one theme, and that was to go and win the Premier League title. 273 00:16:26,856 --> 00:16:30,066 Denis, Denis, just play football. Denis! 274 00:16:30,204 --> 00:16:31,861 You listened to the boss. 275 00:16:31,999 --> 00:16:34,588 He knew he needed it. You could see it in his face. 276 00:16:37,453 --> 00:16:41,526 Well, the fans were ambivalent about Ferguson up to that point. 277 00:16:41,664 --> 00:16:45,185 I mean, he'd come down from Scotland having had this extraordinary record 278 00:16:45,323 --> 00:16:49,292 with Aberdeen, but he'd been at United then for nearly six years, 279 00:16:49,430 --> 00:16:50,776 and we still hadn't won the league. 280 00:16:56,230 --> 00:16:58,784 Manchester United will be expected to win titles. 281 00:16:58,922 --> 00:17:02,478 So that's just about the only thing that your predecessor, Ron Atkinson, didn't do, 282 00:17:02,616 --> 00:17:05,101 and he's almost been branded a failure after five years. 283 00:17:05,239 --> 00:17:09,001 I mean, that in itself does sum up the magnitude of the job you've taken on, doesn't it? 284 00:17:11,003 --> 00:17:15,318 [man] We hadn't won the league since 1967. 285 00:17:16,664 --> 00:17:19,115 Every year that went by, it got more and more difficult 286 00:17:19,253 --> 00:17:20,944 and the tension grew. 287 00:17:21,083 --> 00:17:23,913 So by the time we got to '92, 288 00:17:24,051 --> 00:17:26,295 it'd become a big... Like a monster. 289 00:17:26,433 --> 00:17:28,883 It was... It was hanging over us. 290 00:17:30,299 --> 00:17:32,335 Of course, he was under enormous pressure. 291 00:17:32,473 --> 00:17:35,890 I mean, we used to receive a lot of letters from supporters 292 00:17:36,028 --> 00:17:39,791 complaining that Alex wasn't the right man, he'd come from Scotland, 293 00:17:39,929 --> 00:17:42,276 he hadn't got experience in the English league and all the rest of it. 294 00:17:43,933 --> 00:17:48,800 [man] Around that time, Fergie's football was dire. It was really poor. 295 00:17:48,938 --> 00:17:53,011 So it came to me one night that I should take the bedsheet off the bed 296 00:17:53,149 --> 00:17:54,978 and get some black paints out the shed 297 00:17:55,117 --> 00:17:59,259 and paint a banner expressing my feelings. 298 00:18:01,019 --> 00:18:04,747 The banner said "3 years of excuses but it's still crap... 299 00:18:04,885 --> 00:18:06,197 Ta ra Fergie". 300 00:18:07,508 --> 00:18:11,063 Most of the crowd cheered and applauded as they saw it, 301 00:18:11,202 --> 00:18:13,928 and Fergie called it his darkest day in football. 302 00:18:15,171 --> 00:18:17,104 The overriding feeling though was still sadness 303 00:18:17,242 --> 00:18:19,175 that I'd had to do it and I wanted to do it 304 00:18:19,313 --> 00:18:21,073 and that United were still playing poorly. 305 00:18:26,182 --> 00:18:28,598 Denis, just play football. 306 00:18:31,187 --> 00:18:33,914 [crowd cheering] 307 00:18:34,052 --> 00:18:35,433 [announcer] And up comes Schmeichel, 308 00:18:35,571 --> 00:18:37,849 and a clean strike effected. 309 00:18:48,860 --> 00:18:51,034 -[crowd roaring] -[announcer] And Deane scores. 310 00:18:52,381 --> 00:18:55,004 The start wasn't great. Uh... 311 00:18:55,142 --> 00:18:57,800 We actually conceded the first ever Premier League goal. 312 00:18:57,938 --> 00:19:02,080 [announcer] Four minutes and 36 seconds when the ball went into the net. 313 00:19:06,843 --> 00:19:08,431 [crowd roars] 314 00:19:11,572 --> 00:19:13,678 [announcer] And the referee says penalty. 315 00:19:15,438 --> 00:19:17,268 [Pallister] I'd come with a reckless slide, 316 00:19:17,406 --> 00:19:20,685 and I took a little bit of flak, as did a lot of players. 317 00:19:20,823 --> 00:19:24,447 You can feel the history. It certainly brings it home to you very quickly. 318 00:19:26,656 --> 00:19:28,693 [crowd roars] 319 00:19:28,831 --> 00:19:32,075 [announcer] So Alex Ferguson's team open with a defeat. 320 00:19:33,215 --> 00:19:35,527 [Pallister] To start that year so badly 321 00:19:35,665 --> 00:19:38,392 kind of left us doubting ourselves. 322 00:19:41,947 --> 00:19:45,779 [narrator] Something had to change for Ferguson, and fast. 323 00:19:45,917 --> 00:19:48,437 He'd been closely tracking a young Southampton striker 324 00:19:48,575 --> 00:19:50,991 who'd recently broken into the England team. 325 00:19:51,129 --> 00:19:53,718 [announcer] Straight to Cook, and that's a lovely ball for Shearer! 326 00:19:53,856 --> 00:19:56,997 He's got himself away from the defenders here. He's done well. 327 00:19:57,135 --> 00:19:59,517 -He's done brilliantly! -[crowd roars] 328 00:20:02,830 --> 00:20:05,937 [Merson] The all-round centre forward. The all-round centre forward. 329 00:20:06,075 --> 00:20:09,389 I don't think people appreciate how rock solid he was as well. 330 00:20:09,527 --> 00:20:13,151 I mean, he could hold a ball up, he was strong, he'd run the channels, 331 00:20:13,289 --> 00:20:16,637 he'd score bundles of goals. He was the all-round package. 332 00:20:20,296 --> 00:20:22,471 [narrator] At just 21, Alan Shearer 333 00:20:22,609 --> 00:20:24,852 was the country's most talked about centre forward 334 00:20:24,990 --> 00:20:26,958 and was being bombarded with offers. 335 00:20:27,096 --> 00:20:30,341 I got a call from a representative from Manchester United 336 00:20:30,479 --> 00:20:34,690 and said, "Man United would like to speak to you." 337 00:20:34,828 --> 00:20:38,141 And I said, "Well, that's really great, thank you, 338 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,903 but I have promised that I'd give Blackburn an answer 339 00:20:41,041 --> 00:20:42,698 before the end of the week." 340 00:20:42,836 --> 00:20:45,390 And they said they couldn't get the money together 341 00:20:45,528 --> 00:20:47,047 for whatever reason for a couple of weeks, 342 00:20:47,185 --> 00:20:49,670 so would I be prepared to wait? 343 00:20:49,808 --> 00:20:52,155 [clears throat] I said, "No, I'm not prepared to wait. 344 00:20:52,294 --> 00:20:56,367 If you want me that much then you'd make something happen now." 345 00:20:56,505 --> 00:21:00,336 I was disappointed in that conversation with him, I must say that. 346 00:21:00,474 --> 00:21:03,305 He surprised me a lot. 347 00:21:03,443 --> 00:21:06,929 He seemed to be-- Money seemed to be the most important thing to him. 348 00:21:07,067 --> 00:21:11,313 [narrator] United's name, history and reputation wasn't enough. 349 00:21:12,106 --> 00:21:14,730 Ferguson had been outbid. 350 00:21:18,734 --> 00:21:21,909 I was actually flattered and hugely impressed 351 00:21:22,047 --> 00:21:26,120 that someone was prepared to pay that amount of money for me, stupidly maybe. 352 00:21:26,258 --> 00:21:29,054 Alan Shearer playing at Blackburn Rovers, you know. 353 00:21:29,192 --> 00:21:31,712 Everybody wants Alan Shearer. 354 00:21:31,850 --> 00:21:35,371 He could've gone anywhere. He could've gone Man United, anywhere he wanted, 355 00:21:35,509 --> 00:21:37,131 and he went there. 356 00:21:37,269 --> 00:21:39,202 [Shearer] The major factor of me going to Blackburn 357 00:21:39,341 --> 00:21:42,723 was because one of the first things they said to me was, 358 00:21:42,861 --> 00:21:46,313 "We want to win this Premier League, and we want to win it sharpish." 359 00:21:48,073 --> 00:21:51,007 [dog barking] 360 00:21:51,145 --> 00:21:55,736 [narrator] Blackburn Rovers hadn't won a major honour since 1928. 361 00:21:55,874 --> 00:21:59,119 But having clinched the final spot in the new Premier League, 362 00:21:59,257 --> 00:22:02,053 this was a small club with big ambitions. 363 00:22:02,191 --> 00:22:04,676 Where's Blackburn? Where's Blackburn? 364 00:22:04,814 --> 00:22:09,094 Blackburn? Ah, it's a town in the north? [laughs] 365 00:22:09,232 --> 00:22:11,096 Yorkshire, is it? 366 00:22:11,234 --> 00:22:13,444 Seaside town?[man] Sorry? 367 00:22:13,582 --> 00:22:17,482 Um, it's in Merseyside near Manchester. 368 00:22:17,620 --> 00:22:19,553 [scoffs] 369 00:22:19,691 --> 00:22:24,006 Blackburn... Tony Blackburn? [laughs] 370 00:22:24,144 --> 00:22:27,112 You don't think that people don't know about this place 371 00:22:27,250 --> 00:22:29,701 because it's your be-all and end-all, isn't it? 372 00:22:30,702 --> 00:22:31,703 Wow. 373 00:22:34,844 --> 00:22:36,639 Blackburn Rovers, Julie speaking. 374 00:22:36,777 --> 00:22:39,711 I came to Ewood Park when I was 29. 375 00:22:39,849 --> 00:22:43,612 My family have always been Blackburn Rovers fans. Always. 376 00:22:44,716 --> 00:22:47,478 It was a poor place. It was poor. 377 00:22:47,616 --> 00:22:50,377 You know, the stadium was poor. 378 00:22:50,515 --> 00:22:52,655 There were a row of terraced houses, 379 00:22:52,793 --> 00:22:56,107 and they bought the two end terraces. 380 00:22:56,245 --> 00:23:00,111 One was converted into a gym for the players, and it was grim. 381 00:23:00,249 --> 00:23:03,217 I mean, grim. The town needed a lift. 382 00:23:08,913 --> 00:23:14,505 The day that he did take over, the club secretary said, "I'm expecting a fax." 383 00:23:14,643 --> 00:23:16,817 Usually, I had to pick up the fax and take it in to him, 384 00:23:16,955 --> 00:23:19,786 but he were there hovering over it, waiting and waiting and waiting, 385 00:23:19,924 --> 00:23:22,167 and when it finally came through, he says... 386 00:23:22,305 --> 00:23:26,240 Held it up, and he said, "This will change our lives forever." 387 00:23:29,554 --> 00:23:32,281 [reporter] Jack Walker is a millionaire many times over. 388 00:23:32,419 --> 00:23:35,664 One survey ranks him as the 24th richest man in Britain 389 00:23:35,802 --> 00:23:38,080 and lives a life of true luxury. 390 00:23:38,218 --> 00:23:42,015 His wealth wasn't inherited or won. He earned it. 391 00:23:42,153 --> 00:23:45,846 I'm fortunate. I managed to sell my business two years ago, 392 00:23:45,984 --> 00:23:50,092 and I now have the time to do what I always wanted to do 393 00:23:50,230 --> 00:23:51,921 and be involved in the Blackburn Rovers. 394 00:23:52,059 --> 00:23:55,338 [narrator] Walker had sold the family steel business 395 00:23:55,477 --> 00:24:00,136 and now had £360 million burning a hole in his pocket. 396 00:24:00,274 --> 00:24:05,314 [White] The established giants did not like the arrival of Walker. 397 00:24:05,452 --> 00:24:07,212 This was meant to be a super league. 398 00:24:07,350 --> 00:24:10,181 This was meant to be creating a world in which Liverpool, 399 00:24:10,319 --> 00:24:14,461 Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham reigned supreme, 400 00:24:14,599 --> 00:24:17,602 not some upstart with a bit of cash. 401 00:24:22,814 --> 00:24:24,920 [crowd cheering] 402 00:24:28,233 --> 00:24:30,028 I had to go in and I had to do the business. 403 00:24:30,166 --> 00:24:31,202 I had to score goals. 404 00:24:36,103 --> 00:24:37,760 It shocked us. 405 00:24:37,898 --> 00:24:42,593 You think, "Hold on a minute, 3.6 million, 406 00:24:42,731 --> 00:24:45,665 and he's only how old, and he's done what? 407 00:24:45,803 --> 00:24:48,357 He'd better be good." [laughs] 408 00:24:48,495 --> 00:24:49,600 [man] Free kick! 409 00:24:50,393 --> 00:24:52,188 [crowd jeers] 410 00:24:53,914 --> 00:24:57,504 [crowd chanting] Not worth the money! Not worth the money! 411 00:24:57,642 --> 00:25:01,128 Not worth the money! Not worth the money! 412 00:25:01,266 --> 00:25:04,166 [Shearer] To get off to a good start and score a goal 413 00:25:04,304 --> 00:25:09,827 was hugely important because I cost so much then. The pressure was on me. 414 00:25:12,864 --> 00:25:15,004 [crowd roars] 415 00:25:27,258 --> 00:25:29,398 [Preugschat] He didn't buy it just to play with it. 416 00:25:29,536 --> 00:25:33,298 Jack Walker meant business. He wanted to go all the way. 417 00:25:42,238 --> 00:25:45,587 [narrator] The new league was producing unexpected plotlines, 418 00:25:45,725 --> 00:25:52,076 and the success of Sky's £300 million gamble relied on the public getting hooked in. 419 00:25:52,214 --> 00:25:56,736 But the fledgling broadcaster could not rely on the sport itself. 420 00:25:56,874 --> 00:26:02,500 It assembled a marketing team tasked with commercializing English football. 421 00:26:04,882 --> 00:26:08,540 Marketing is everything. It has to tell you something. 422 00:26:08,679 --> 00:26:11,474 It has to touch your... your lifestyle. 423 00:26:17,066 --> 00:26:19,310 ♪ Can't, can't, can't Can't get up♪ 424 00:26:19,448 --> 00:26:21,864 [Smith] I had been living in Los Angeles 425 00:26:22,002 --> 00:26:25,454 and just loved what they were doing with sport. 426 00:26:25,592 --> 00:26:27,732 It was essentially entertainment. 427 00:26:27,870 --> 00:26:30,873 So you go and see something like the LA Raiders, and it was a show, 428 00:26:31,011 --> 00:26:32,910 and the sport was in the middle of the show. 429 00:26:33,048 --> 00:26:35,395 ♪ Get up, get up...♪ 430 00:26:35,533 --> 00:26:38,950 [Dein] I got taken to an American football game. The Miami Dolphins were playing. 431 00:26:39,088 --> 00:26:42,264 And I'm trying to concentrate on the game, and all I can hear in my ear is, 432 00:26:42,402 --> 00:26:46,371 "Hot dogs, Coca-Cola, cold beer. Cold beer, hot dogs, Coca-Cola". 433 00:26:46,509 --> 00:26:49,340 And I'm finding I'm passing a dollar bill this way, a Coca-cola that way, 434 00:26:49,478 --> 00:26:51,894 a hamburger this way. [laughs] 435 00:26:52,032 --> 00:26:54,966 And that's just because they made an event out of it, which we didn't. 436 00:26:55,104 --> 00:26:58,142 [announcer] Ford'sMonday Night Football. 437 00:27:02,249 --> 00:27:03,803 [Richard Keys] Mondays are changing. 438 00:27:03,941 --> 00:27:05,943 No longer that start-of-the-week depression. 439 00:27:06,081 --> 00:27:09,740 We're into a whole new ball game on Sky Sports. Good evening to you. 440 00:27:09,878 --> 00:27:11,776 Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers tonight 441 00:27:11,914 --> 00:27:14,089 marking the start of a whole new era. 442 00:27:14,227 --> 00:27:16,401 ♪ But if that don't mean Nothing♪ 443 00:27:16,539 --> 00:27:20,026 [Hill] Monday Night Football was something that we'd insisted on 444 00:27:20,164 --> 00:27:24,133 in the development of the Sky bid right from the get-go, 445 00:27:24,271 --> 00:27:26,308 and the reason was very simple. 446 00:27:26,446 --> 00:27:30,553 If you looked at the viewing figures in the United States, 447 00:27:30,692 --> 00:27:35,006 the number of women watching on Monday night was almost double the number 448 00:27:35,144 --> 00:27:39,183 that would watch the traditional time spot, which were on Sunday afternoon. 449 00:27:39,321 --> 00:27:42,358 And it became a phenomenon in the US, 450 00:27:42,496 --> 00:27:45,707 that people would have parties, and the weekend didn't really end 451 00:27:45,845 --> 00:27:48,779 until the football game happened on the Monday night. 452 00:27:48,917 --> 00:27:51,816 ♪ But if that don't mean Nothing♪ 453 00:27:51,954 --> 00:27:55,682 I remember that the first few games, there were dancing girls, there were fireworks, 454 00:27:55,820 --> 00:27:58,616 there was all sorts of stuff going off, 455 00:27:58,754 --> 00:28:03,276 and you're thinking, you know, "We're just coming to play ball. Never seen none of this before." 456 00:28:03,414 --> 00:28:05,347 [Keys] It's a family crowd. These are the Sky Strikers 457 00:28:05,485 --> 00:28:07,314 about which you've heard so much. 458 00:28:07,452 --> 00:28:09,316 ♪ What you gonna do When it all cracks up♪ 459 00:28:09,454 --> 00:28:11,111 ♪ What you gonna do When the love burns down?♪ 460 00:28:11,249 --> 00:28:14,908 We got whacked for the Sky Strikers. 461 00:28:15,046 --> 00:28:16,979 ♪ What's it gonna take...♪ 462 00:28:17,117 --> 00:28:18,740 [reporter] What are you actually gonna do? 463 00:28:18,878 --> 00:28:20,845 We're doing pregame and halftime, you know, 464 00:28:20,983 --> 00:28:24,400 and hopefully getting the crowd going. [laughs] 465 00:28:24,538 --> 00:28:26,195 Just getting the crowd entertained. 466 00:28:27,231 --> 00:28:29,336 That was our attempt at cheerleaders. 467 00:28:29,474 --> 00:28:31,442 ♪ Alive and kicking♪ 468 00:28:31,580 --> 00:28:34,790 Which, um... which didn't work. 469 00:28:34,928 --> 00:28:37,931 [man] Impressed with what was in the centre circle, boys? 470 00:28:38,069 --> 00:28:42,004 Yeah, in fact, I forgot the game was on. I decided I'd just watch them. 471 00:28:44,006 --> 00:28:45,145 ♪ Ooh, oh♪ 472 00:28:45,283 --> 00:28:46,284 [Smith laughing] 473 00:28:47,078 --> 00:28:48,908 This was one of our ideas. 474 00:28:50,668 --> 00:28:52,704 I stood in the crowd for it, and I thought, 475 00:28:52,843 --> 00:28:54,914 "This is gonna be great. I'm gonna get their reaction." 476 00:28:55,052 --> 00:28:58,607 And the guys around me said, "What the fuck's going on here now? 477 00:28:58,745 --> 00:29:00,195 What's all that about, eh? What?" 478 00:29:00,333 --> 00:29:01,575 [whistle blows] 479 00:29:01,713 --> 00:29:04,855 [announcer] Here he comes. Yes! 480 00:29:04,993 --> 00:29:05,925 [crowd shouting] 481 00:29:06,063 --> 00:29:07,616 [laughs] 482 00:29:09,791 --> 00:29:14,278 [crowd chanting] 483 00:29:17,902 --> 00:29:20,698 I go, "Okay, we didn't quite get that right. Okay." 484 00:29:20,836 --> 00:29:24,288 But the idea had a germ of something in it. 485 00:29:24,426 --> 00:29:28,119 Let's entertain. Let's do better than a brass band at halftime. 486 00:29:28,257 --> 00:29:32,054 [playing sax solo from "Baker Street"] 487 00:29:38,302 --> 00:29:41,132 For us, there were no boundaries anymore. 488 00:29:41,270 --> 00:29:43,307 We wanted everybody in that crowd. 489 00:29:43,445 --> 00:29:46,897 We wanted women, we wanted kids, we wanted everybody. 490 00:29:47,035 --> 00:29:52,281 We got advertising boards that weren't flat pieces of wood or cardboard. 491 00:29:52,419 --> 00:29:53,869 They revolved. 492 00:29:54,007 --> 00:29:56,907 And then you could have ball boys branded 493 00:29:57,045 --> 00:29:59,116 with another form of advertising. 494 00:29:59,254 --> 00:30:01,394 Oh, and by the way, you can have people in your stadium early, 495 00:30:01,532 --> 00:30:03,568 so you're gonna sell more food, you're gonna sell more beer, 496 00:30:03,706 --> 00:30:05,329 you're gonna sell more merchandise. 497 00:30:05,467 --> 00:30:08,090 And anything that moved was saleable. 498 00:30:08,228 --> 00:30:13,716 Many football fans certainly feel that commercialism is the priority of the game now. 499 00:30:13,855 --> 00:30:17,203 And I think we ought to remember it's a sport. It's not pure business at all. 500 00:30:17,341 --> 00:30:20,206 Yeah, playing Monday night games is such a killer. 501 00:30:20,344 --> 00:30:22,967 How can fans from Manchester travel into Southampton, 502 00:30:23,105 --> 00:30:25,280 hundreds of miles, on Monday night, pouring rain? 503 00:30:25,418 --> 00:30:26,971 No chance. Haven't got money for that. 504 00:30:27,109 --> 00:30:28,800 It's just out of order. Totally out of order. 505 00:30:28,939 --> 00:30:31,355 Yes, it was done for financial gain. 506 00:30:31,493 --> 00:30:33,702 No question, and I make no bones about it. 507 00:30:35,152 --> 00:30:39,121 And in a way, it was a bit outrageous, really. But it worked. 508 00:30:39,259 --> 00:30:43,746 [stadium announcer] Our thanks to the Sky Strikers. 509 00:30:48,648 --> 00:30:50,753 [narrator] Having failed to land Alan Shearer, 510 00:30:50,892 --> 00:30:54,412 Alex Ferguson was desperate to find another frontman. 511 00:30:54,550 --> 00:30:57,277 He took a risk on a newcomer from the lower leagues, 512 00:30:57,415 --> 00:30:59,901 23-year-old Dion Dublin. 513 00:31:00,039 --> 00:31:02,834 [Ferguson] Well, I think we tried to be a bit sane about it. 514 00:31:02,973 --> 00:31:07,011 You know? We did get involved in Alan Shearer a bit, 515 00:31:07,149 --> 00:31:10,601 but when it came to the situation where, oh... 516 00:31:10,739 --> 00:31:15,468 the terms and the actual transfer fees for a 21-year-old, 517 00:31:15,606 --> 00:31:18,505 we just felt Dion Dublin was an alternative. 518 00:31:18,643 --> 00:31:23,510 He's comfortable on the ball, and I think he's got a decent goal-scoring record. 519 00:31:23,648 --> 00:31:26,479 And I just felt that probably, possibly, we've got the better value. 520 00:31:26,617 --> 00:31:30,414 [narrator] But just three weeks later, disaster struck. 521 00:31:37,283 --> 00:31:38,836 The tackle was horrendous, 522 00:31:38,974 --> 00:31:43,496 and it broke his leg and his ankle at the joint. 523 00:31:43,634 --> 00:31:45,601 You knew straightaway he was in trouble. 524 00:31:47,810 --> 00:31:51,883 And he was a great guy, and he'd really just got into the team and started playing. 525 00:31:52,022 --> 00:31:54,024 Come from Cambridge, which was back then 526 00:31:54,162 --> 00:31:56,336 in the second or third division or whatever it was. 527 00:31:56,474 --> 00:31:59,719 And he was just finding his feet as a Manchester United player. 528 00:32:01,686 --> 00:32:04,689 [narrator] The pressure was mounting on Alex Ferguson. 529 00:32:04,827 --> 00:32:07,761 Manchester United fans were growing impatient 530 00:32:07,899 --> 00:32:11,179 and success looked a long way off. 531 00:32:11,317 --> 00:32:15,459 If I asked you which side had only gained one victory from their last ten matches, 532 00:32:15,597 --> 00:32:19,946 scoring just six goals, it might surprise you the answer is Manchester United. 533 00:32:20,084 --> 00:32:22,397 [Edwards] We were having a tough time in the league, 534 00:32:22,535 --> 00:32:24,986 and once we knew the seriousness of Dublin's injury, 535 00:32:25,124 --> 00:32:27,264 then we had to bring in somebody else. 536 00:32:31,613 --> 00:32:33,787 [phone rings] 537 00:32:33,925 --> 00:32:36,411 I was literally in my office one day, 538 00:32:36,549 --> 00:32:39,310 and I got a call from Bill Fotherby, 539 00:32:39,448 --> 00:32:42,762 who was the chief executive of Leeds United. 540 00:32:44,039 --> 00:32:46,490 And Bill said, "Martin, we're wondering, 541 00:32:46,628 --> 00:32:50,011 would you be prepared to sell us Denis Irwin?" 542 00:32:50,149 --> 00:32:54,360 And I said, "We can't let Denis go. He's too important", I said. 543 00:32:54,498 --> 00:32:57,466 "But we'll take Eric off your hands." 544 00:33:00,538 --> 00:33:03,231 [narrator] In France, Eric Cantona had earned a reputation 545 00:33:03,369 --> 00:33:07,649 as a difficult character to manage and had fallen out with his coach. 546 00:33:09,409 --> 00:33:11,549 [in French] 547 00:33:14,690 --> 00:33:17,728 [Cantona in French] 548 00:33:21,973 --> 00:33:24,355 [narrator] After threatening to quit football altogether, 549 00:33:24,493 --> 00:33:26,426 he'd moved to England to play for Leeds United, 550 00:33:26,564 --> 00:33:28,566 but the rumour was he was less than settled. 551 00:33:28,704 --> 00:33:31,500 [Edwards] I'd heard through the grapevine 552 00:33:31,638 --> 00:33:34,883 that Howard Wilkinson didn't particularly get on with Eric. 553 00:33:35,021 --> 00:33:37,299 You know, he was a bit of a maverick character 554 00:33:37,437 --> 00:33:39,370 and Howard couldn't cope with him and the rest of it, 555 00:33:39,508 --> 00:33:41,717 and I'd heard that he wasn't happy with him. 556 00:33:41,855 --> 00:33:45,687 So I just happened to throw in, "Would you be prepared to sell Cantona?" 557 00:33:46,964 --> 00:33:49,587 "Right. What would you be prepared to pay?" 558 00:33:49,725 --> 00:33:52,521 I said a million. 559 00:33:52,659 --> 00:33:55,145 "Don't be stupid", he said. "I'll not let him go for a million. 560 00:33:55,283 --> 00:33:57,561 What about 1.5?" 561 00:33:57,699 --> 00:33:58,976 "No, no. No, a million." 562 00:33:59,114 --> 00:34:01,358 "You give me 1.2..." 563 00:34:01,496 --> 00:34:05,086 "Look, I've said a million. We've discussed it all last week. 564 00:34:05,224 --> 00:34:07,605 We're taking him off your hands. Howard wants to get rid of him." 565 00:34:07,743 --> 00:34:12,783 "Well, listen," he said. "We'll do a million, but can we say it's 1.2?" 566 00:34:12,921 --> 00:34:15,579 He says, "We'll get slaughtered by our supporters here." 567 00:34:15,717 --> 00:34:19,100 I said, "You can say what you like, Bill. Say what you like." 568 00:34:22,033 --> 00:34:24,967 [man 1] Au revoir,Leeds. Bonjour,Manchester. 569 00:34:25,106 --> 00:34:27,625 [man 2] The footballing fraternity was stunned 570 00:34:27,763 --> 00:34:29,972 when Cantona left Leeds after just a year. 571 00:34:30,111 --> 00:34:33,010 [man 3] Now Manchester United have to try and tame the wayward talent 572 00:34:33,148 --> 00:34:34,770 of the French international. 573 00:34:35,737 --> 00:34:37,601 [man 4] All right, look in this one. 574 00:34:37,739 --> 00:34:39,948 -[man 5] And this one, please. -[man 6] This one, please. 575 00:34:42,226 --> 00:34:44,263 [men shouting] 576 00:34:45,850 --> 00:34:50,786 [Cantona] I came from France where they wanted us to be all the same. 577 00:34:50,924 --> 00:34:54,928 But England was... was special. 578 00:34:55,066 --> 00:34:59,036 They could accept somebody who was... 579 00:35:01,038 --> 00:35:03,247 was a certain kind of personality. 580 00:35:03,385 --> 00:35:08,149 Somebody who is a bit different can be accepted and loved. 581 00:35:08,287 --> 00:35:10,599 [men shouting] 582 00:35:10,737 --> 00:35:11,945 All the best, mate. 583 00:35:13,361 --> 00:35:15,949 [reporter] Eric, can I ask you, are you surprised to be here? 584 00:35:16,087 --> 00:35:18,297 No.[man] No, he's not surprised. 585 00:35:18,435 --> 00:35:21,369 He arrived at Old Trafford like he was already the king of Old Trafford. 586 00:35:21,507 --> 00:35:25,752 He walked in with his chest puffed out, his collars up. 587 00:35:25,890 --> 00:35:28,134 Just such a confidence about the lad. 588 00:35:29,653 --> 00:35:32,207 [Cantona] The day I signed for Manchester United, I'd say... 589 00:35:33,346 --> 00:35:37,350 It was a great club, and I had to... 590 00:35:37,488 --> 00:35:39,041 I had to succeed. 591 00:35:39,180 --> 00:35:42,804 [reporter] Are you able to tell us how much the deal was for? 592 00:35:42,942 --> 00:35:44,426 Ah, 1.2 million. 593 00:35:49,535 --> 00:35:53,090 [reporter] Has playing English football made him a more mature person 594 00:35:53,228 --> 00:35:55,886 and less of an enfant terrible? 595 00:35:56,024 --> 00:35:58,060 [laughter] 596 00:35:58,199 --> 00:36:01,132 [speaking French] 597 00:36:01,271 --> 00:36:06,483 [interpreter] It still upsets him, that image, as it did before. 598 00:36:06,621 --> 00:36:08,416 [interviewer] He's got a fiery reputation 599 00:36:08,554 --> 00:36:10,590 a fiery Frenchman, and, with due respect, a fiery Scot. 600 00:36:10,728 --> 00:36:12,523 How's that relationship gonna develop? 601 00:36:12,661 --> 00:36:15,354 Well, the French and Scots have great old alliances 602 00:36:15,492 --> 00:36:17,148 if you know your history. 603 00:36:17,287 --> 00:36:20,186 I'm hoping this is part of a new alliance. 604 00:36:20,324 --> 00:36:22,947 He has got a bad-boy image, hasn't he? How are you gonna deal with that? 605 00:36:23,085 --> 00:36:26,088 Well, we'll just have this experience. 606 00:36:26,227 --> 00:36:28,125 Hopefully, I have the experience to handle it. 607 00:36:28,263 --> 00:36:30,092 This might be a new challenge for me too. 608 00:36:32,336 --> 00:36:35,788 [announcer] There hasn't been a more controversial move in English football. 609 00:36:35,926 --> 00:36:40,965 £1.2 million it cost for Cantona to come to Old Trafford. 610 00:36:41,103 --> 00:36:43,658 Great cross, Phelan arriving. Cantona made it. Yes! 611 00:36:43,796 --> 00:36:46,247 [crowd roaring] 612 00:36:46,385 --> 00:36:50,043 Eric Cantona's first goal for Manchester United just seemed to land. 613 00:36:50,181 --> 00:36:53,495 He's always had coaches or managers who were trying to shape him, 614 00:36:53,633 --> 00:36:55,290 where Fergie let him be a free spirit. 615 00:36:57,119 --> 00:37:00,088 [Cantona] And when you receive the ball, you want to... 616 00:37:00,226 --> 00:37:01,917 It's like caressing the ball. 617 00:37:02,055 --> 00:37:03,471 It's like a dance. 618 00:37:05,127 --> 00:37:06,888 [announcer] Cantona, he's really in the mood. 619 00:37:07,026 --> 00:37:08,959 [crowd roars] 620 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:12,549 They say a rising tide lifts all boats, 621 00:37:12,687 --> 00:37:15,345 and Cantona was a rising tide. 622 00:37:15,483 --> 00:37:19,245 He was exciting. It was good to watch. It was like we had United back. 623 00:37:19,383 --> 00:37:23,387 [announcer] Passed forward. But not past the first time, but he does the second time. 624 00:37:23,525 --> 00:37:26,942 Of course I was a winner. 625 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:32,085 I wanted to win, but I have to express myself. 626 00:37:34,364 --> 00:37:38,609 [announcer] Cross with a left from Irwin. Cantona's looping header, and a goal! 627 00:37:38,747 --> 00:37:42,268 -[crowd cheering] -[announcer] And the cult hero here 628 00:37:42,406 --> 00:37:45,306 has his status elevated even higher. 629 00:37:46,962 --> 00:37:52,589 Eric Cantona was a producer's gift from God. 630 00:37:52,727 --> 00:37:57,248 Here you had this wonderful, wonderful character. 631 00:37:57,387 --> 00:38:01,529 He almost had a hip-hugging hologram around him when he was playing, 632 00:38:01,667 --> 00:38:05,429 that he was always doing something. The eye couldn't leave him. 633 00:38:06,465 --> 00:38:08,605 [Cantona] Like the lions or the tigers, 634 00:38:08,743 --> 00:38:10,469 you know, the way they move. 635 00:38:10,607 --> 00:38:13,403 Like this, like they are sleeping, you know? 636 00:38:13,541 --> 00:38:15,439 But if they move, they move quickly. 637 00:38:16,578 --> 00:38:19,201 [announcer] Over the goalkeeper, Cantona! 638 00:38:19,340 --> 00:38:22,757 Confidence, arrogance, belief, he had all those things. 639 00:38:22,895 --> 00:38:25,276 He was different. He did art. 640 00:38:26,761 --> 00:38:30,385 And then he'd talk about painting pictures on a football pitch. 641 00:38:30,523 --> 00:38:33,043 Nobody used that analogy. I certainly never used that, 642 00:38:33,181 --> 00:38:35,114 and I'm painting pictures on a football pitch. 643 00:38:35,252 --> 00:38:37,703 That's how Eric saw himself, as an artist. 644 00:38:38,393 --> 00:38:40,015 [Cantona] If you see 645 00:38:40,153 --> 00:38:43,674 all the movements of the players, you know, on the pitch, 646 00:38:43,812 --> 00:38:46,021 if you can draw it, you know, 647 00:38:46,159 --> 00:38:49,300 make a big, wonderful piece of art. 648 00:38:49,439 --> 00:38:52,580 [announcer] Cantona making ground in the middle, and he finds him! 649 00:38:52,718 --> 00:38:57,205 Yes! A magnificent equalizer by Manchester United! 650 00:38:57,343 --> 00:38:59,034 Eric Cantona! 651 00:39:06,973 --> 00:39:11,426 [narrator] The £360 million fortune of steel magnate Jack Walker 652 00:39:11,564 --> 00:39:14,118 was having a direct impact on the title race. 653 00:39:14,256 --> 00:39:18,675 The return on his investment was being paid back with interest. 654 00:39:21,850 --> 00:39:23,887 [crowd cheering] 655 00:39:24,025 --> 00:39:25,992 [both] A Shearer shirt, please. 656 00:39:26,130 --> 00:39:27,753 [woman] What size?Small boy's. 657 00:39:27,891 --> 00:39:31,619 We never really had fan mail for players, you know. 658 00:39:31,757 --> 00:39:35,381 But with Alan Shearer, it was a different story. 659 00:39:36,624 --> 00:39:39,420 It just came in thick and fast. 660 00:39:39,558 --> 00:39:44,252 My mum and dad were so proud 'cause they couldn't wait to tell everybody where I worked. 661 00:39:44,390 --> 00:39:47,635 "Oh, she works for Blackburn Rovers. She's Alan Shearer's secretary." 662 00:39:47,773 --> 00:39:50,603 If they'd said I were a surgeon, they would just be as proud. 663 00:39:50,741 --> 00:39:52,191 [announcer] He's-- Oh! 664 00:39:52,329 --> 00:39:54,883 [Hendry] It could have been an expensive failure, 665 00:39:55,021 --> 00:39:57,368 but it was never gonna be an expensive failure 666 00:39:57,507 --> 00:40:03,133 because as a finisher of goals, Alan Shearer was just... as good as there was. 667 00:40:03,271 --> 00:40:05,307 Who was that?Shearer. 668 00:40:05,446 --> 00:40:07,344 Shearer scored. 669 00:40:07,482 --> 00:40:11,106 ♪ I used to think that the day Would never come♪ 670 00:40:11,244 --> 00:40:13,419 ♪ I'd see the light in the shade Of the morning sun♪ 671 00:40:13,557 --> 00:40:16,387 All of a sudden, there were a new life in the town. 672 00:40:16,526 --> 00:40:19,839 [to "Winter Wonderland"] ♪ There's only one Alan Shearer♪ 673 00:40:19,977 --> 00:40:22,877 ♪ Walking along Singing a song♪ 674 00:40:23,015 --> 00:40:24,948 ♪ Walking In a Shearer wonderland♪ 675 00:40:25,086 --> 00:40:26,915 [both] Yay! [laughing] 676 00:40:32,645 --> 00:40:34,578 [announcer] They've done it! They've caught Leeds out, 677 00:40:34,716 --> 00:40:37,167 and Wilcox, who's got one goal, can get another one, 678 00:40:37,305 --> 00:40:40,722 or he might lay it on who else but Alan Shearer! 679 00:40:40,860 --> 00:40:42,483 [crowd cheering] 680 00:40:54,874 --> 00:40:57,601 [Shearer] You felt a sort of a ping go in my knee. 681 00:41:01,087 --> 00:41:05,989 When any player goes down and then doesn't move very much, 682 00:41:06,127 --> 00:41:09,579 you automatically think that's something serious. 683 00:41:09,717 --> 00:41:12,927 That runs through everybody's mind, and certainly through mine as well. 684 00:41:15,136 --> 00:41:18,726 A ruptured cruciate ligament back in '92, '93 685 00:41:18,864 --> 00:41:21,970 was viewed as a career-threatening injury. 686 00:41:22,108 --> 00:41:25,042 [crowd chanting] Shearer! Shearer! Shearer! 687 00:41:25,180 --> 00:41:27,976 [Preugschat] We'd just got going in the Premier League, 688 00:41:28,114 --> 00:41:30,910 and then all of a sudden, it's cut, you know? 689 00:41:31,048 --> 00:41:32,498 Alan's gone. 690 00:41:32,636 --> 00:41:34,465 Heartbreaking. 691 00:41:36,951 --> 00:41:41,507 The one time where the cost of this guy actually came into my thoughts 692 00:41:41,645 --> 00:41:46,201 was when the surgeon produced a hammer and a chisel, 693 00:41:46,339 --> 00:41:50,827 and I thought, "Oh, my God, you can't take that to this guy's knee. 694 00:41:50,965 --> 00:41:52,483 You know, he's worth a fortune." 695 00:41:54,140 --> 00:41:57,385 [Shearer] It's a long, hard road back, and you've got to accept that. 696 00:41:57,523 --> 00:42:02,045 But then I was determined to get back bigger and stronger than ever. 697 00:42:02,183 --> 00:42:04,426 [funk music playing] 698 00:42:04,565 --> 00:42:07,050 ♪ Get down, get down♪ 699 00:42:11,882 --> 00:42:15,403 The most complete football service in the world, seven days a week, 700 00:42:15,541 --> 00:42:20,201 Sky Sports is in a league of its own. This is why. 701 00:42:20,339 --> 00:42:27,173 Sky had a commercial association with other branches of Murdoch's media empire. 702 00:42:27,311 --> 00:42:32,109 So he had The Sun, which was the most popular daily newspaper. 703 00:42:32,247 --> 00:42:35,043 He had The Times, which was the paper of record. 704 00:42:35,181 --> 00:42:39,703 And what he could do was fantastically push this new product 705 00:42:39,841 --> 00:42:41,809 on the pages of his newspapers. 706 00:42:41,947 --> 00:42:44,708 The Sunday Times,of course, was part of the Murdoch empire, 707 00:42:44,846 --> 00:42:47,608 so you're not calling it a slum sport anymore. 708 00:42:47,746 --> 00:42:51,094 You're saying, "This is something you should get involved in." 709 00:42:51,232 --> 00:42:53,165 [man] It's quite good, really, you know what I mean? 710 00:42:53,303 --> 00:42:55,374 Bit of coverage, see much more of the game. 711 00:42:55,512 --> 00:42:58,998 I like the interviews after. It's all right, mate. See plenty of football. 712 00:42:59,136 --> 00:43:00,690 So I like it, know what I mean? 713 00:43:02,450 --> 00:43:07,800 [Hill] Every pub in Britain had to have Sky in there 714 00:43:07,938 --> 00:43:10,492 for Sunday afternoon and Monday night. 715 00:43:10,631 --> 00:43:13,910 Sky had arrived. 716 00:43:14,048 --> 00:43:16,533 [chattering] 717 00:43:27,544 --> 00:43:31,375 [narrator] On the pitch, a drama was starting to take shape. 718 00:43:31,513 --> 00:43:35,034 The fairy tale, where a sleeping giant is reawoken, 719 00:43:35,172 --> 00:43:37,381 was about to enter the closing chapter. 720 00:43:39,004 --> 00:43:43,008 As his side climbed the table, Ferguson was winning back the fans. 721 00:43:43,146 --> 00:43:46,459 But one slip, and the tide could so easily turn. 722 00:43:47,944 --> 00:43:51,223 [chattering] 723 00:43:51,361 --> 00:43:54,226 [Cantona] When you didn't win things for so long, 724 00:43:54,364 --> 00:43:55,537 you have maybe more pressure. 725 00:43:57,056 --> 00:43:59,818 And Alex Ferguson was the perfect manager for that 726 00:43:59,956 --> 00:44:02,303 because he had everything. 727 00:44:02,441 --> 00:44:05,824 He-- He knows football perfectly. 728 00:44:05,962 --> 00:44:12,623 And I remember the pre-match talk from Alex Ferguson was always... 729 00:44:12,762 --> 00:44:19,596 He always finished by, "Now you know everything. Now enjoy it." 730 00:44:22,219 --> 00:44:24,359 [chattering] 731 00:44:24,497 --> 00:44:26,396 [man] Since their last title in 1967, 732 00:44:26,534 --> 00:44:29,019 United have won numerous cup competitions, 733 00:44:29,157 --> 00:44:32,816 but have continually seemed to lack the resilience to clinch that league title again. 734 00:44:37,027 --> 00:44:39,512 [crowd singing] 735 00:44:39,650 --> 00:44:42,550 [announcer] Hello again. I'm Martin Tyler. This is Old Trafford. 736 00:44:43,931 --> 00:44:46,899 Alex Ferguson on a crusade 737 00:44:47,037 --> 00:44:49,350 to try and bring the championship here. 738 00:44:49,488 --> 00:44:51,939 [narrator] With just six matches remaining, 739 00:44:52,077 --> 00:44:54,942 the game against Sheffield Wednesday was seen as pivotal. 740 00:44:55,080 --> 00:44:57,392 Locked in a title battle with Aston Villa, 741 00:44:57,530 --> 00:44:59,532 a United win would put them top of the league 742 00:44:59,670 --> 00:45:02,225 and provide momentum for the final run-in. 743 00:45:04,227 --> 00:45:08,852 [crowd chanting] 744 00:45:08,990 --> 00:45:13,374 [Schmeichel] We need to win this game in order to stay in the race. 745 00:45:14,720 --> 00:45:16,377 This is thegame. 746 00:45:18,103 --> 00:45:19,725 [announcer] Sharpe... Here's McClair! 747 00:45:19,863 --> 00:45:21,658 [crowd groans] 748 00:45:23,902 --> 00:45:27,629 [announcer] Cantona knew exactly what he was going to do before the ball arrived. 749 00:45:27,768 --> 00:45:31,219 When you start to think too much, analyse everything... 750 00:45:31,357 --> 00:45:33,981 You know, now they analyse everything in football. 751 00:45:34,119 --> 00:45:38,675 All I know is that I could express myself, 752 00:45:38,813 --> 00:45:40,194 and I don't want to know more. 753 00:45:41,885 --> 00:45:44,992 [announcer] That's a great touch by Cantona for Giggs. 754 00:45:45,130 --> 00:45:46,407 [crowd groans] 755 00:45:46,545 --> 00:45:48,340 It's like in love. 756 00:45:48,478 --> 00:45:52,240 I don't want to know why I love my wife. 757 00:45:53,379 --> 00:45:55,899 Cantona has done it again! This is McClair. 758 00:45:56,037 --> 00:45:57,798 [crowd groans] 759 00:45:58,971 --> 00:46:01,180 [Pallister] We'd had so many chances in the game, 760 00:46:01,318 --> 00:46:03,355 and then all of a sudden, this came around. 761 00:46:04,701 --> 00:46:06,047 [announcer] Waddle. 762 00:46:06,737 --> 00:46:08,256 Penalty! 763 00:46:13,089 --> 00:46:16,402 [White] I was at that game, and here we were, 764 00:46:16,540 --> 00:46:21,028 United's inherent weakness seemed to be there. 765 00:46:21,166 --> 00:46:23,962 That nerve about getting over the line. 766 00:46:25,342 --> 00:46:26,896 There's no doubt about it. 767 00:46:27,034 --> 00:46:29,450 Ferguson was desperate to win that title. 768 00:46:31,521 --> 00:46:35,905 You could almost see it in his eyes, thinking, "This is gonna slip away." 769 00:46:41,669 --> 00:46:44,775 [crowd shouting, booing] 770 00:46:46,260 --> 00:46:47,813 [stadium announcer] The Sheffield Wednesday penalty 771 00:46:47,951 --> 00:46:50,298 scored by number five, John Sheridan. 772 00:46:51,368 --> 00:46:53,750 [Pallister] I remember the deathly silence. 773 00:46:55,338 --> 00:46:57,478 The fans were just... 774 00:46:58,651 --> 00:46:59,860 dumbstruck really. 775 00:47:01,309 --> 00:47:04,934 You're thinking this is a moment where 776 00:47:05,072 --> 00:47:07,281 we could be throwing away the title. 777 00:47:07,419 --> 00:47:12,044 We find ourselves 1-0 down going into the final minutes of normal time. 778 00:47:13,597 --> 00:47:17,429 [announcer] Alex Ferguson needs his players to dig very deep. 779 00:47:17,567 --> 00:47:19,224 [Cantona] What is great with Alex Ferguson, 780 00:47:19,362 --> 00:47:24,160 he wasn't afraid to be in front of personalities. 781 00:47:25,126 --> 00:47:28,612 He had Schmeichel, Robson, 782 00:47:28,750 --> 00:47:31,961 Paul Ince, Steve Bruce. 783 00:47:32,099 --> 00:47:34,411 He could deal with any kind of personality, and more than that, 784 00:47:34,549 --> 00:47:36,793 he helped them to express themselves. 785 00:47:36,931 --> 00:47:38,588 [announcer] Now Cantona. 786 00:47:39,761 --> 00:47:42,592 That's a great play by Chris Woods. 787 00:47:42,730 --> 00:47:45,733 And then be part of the team. 788 00:47:46,941 --> 00:47:48,839 [announcer] Hughes. Still Hughes... 789 00:47:48,978 --> 00:47:52,705 and Woods has kept it out again. Corner. 790 00:47:52,843 --> 00:47:57,055 And I think this kind of team managed like this is... 791 00:47:59,264 --> 00:48:01,300 stronger than anyone. 792 00:48:03,751 --> 00:48:06,788 [announcer] Back to Bruce. Oh, it's in! 793 00:48:06,927 --> 00:48:08,998 Woods couldn't do it that time. 794 00:48:09,136 --> 00:48:10,723 Have Manchester United 795 00:48:10,861 --> 00:48:12,587 got it in them to find another goal here? 796 00:48:14,141 --> 00:48:19,249 It was that idea that, don't think that you can write this team off. 797 00:48:19,387 --> 00:48:21,044 They'll come good at the last. 798 00:48:21,182 --> 00:48:23,426 And, of course, for a broadcaster, 799 00:48:23,564 --> 00:48:28,189 that is really, really brilliant content because it's the cliffhanger. 800 00:48:28,327 --> 00:48:30,916 You've gotta stick to the end. You can't switch off 801 00:48:31,054 --> 00:48:32,987 'cause anything could happen. 802 00:48:33,125 --> 00:48:35,334 [announcer] We're in the 90th minute. 803 00:48:35,472 --> 00:48:39,131 This is Premier League drama of the highest order. 804 00:48:39,269 --> 00:48:46,104 For some reason, which I never ever found any sense or good explanation as to why, 805 00:48:46,242 --> 00:48:48,899 Pally turned up on the right wing. 806 00:48:50,315 --> 00:48:51,488 [announcer] Pallister. 807 00:48:56,873 --> 00:48:58,530 Bruce... Yes! 808 00:48:58,668 --> 00:49:00,532 -Yes, for Manchester United! -[crowd roaring] 809 00:49:00,670 --> 00:49:01,912 Unbelievable! 810 00:49:08,022 --> 00:49:11,370 Out of the depths of despair comes that. 811 00:49:11,508 --> 00:49:13,545 It's all about the cross. [laughs] 812 00:49:16,341 --> 00:49:18,860 [crowd chanting] 813 00:49:21,139 --> 00:49:23,589 [reporter] I've never seen him go so ape shit. 814 00:49:23,727 --> 00:49:25,626 Who?The manager. 815 00:49:25,764 --> 00:49:27,938 You'll see the shot tonight. He's run onto the track. 816 00:49:28,077 --> 00:49:29,561 I think it was Brian who went on the pitch. 817 00:49:29,699 --> 00:49:32,081 Brian went on the pitch and they went mad. 818 00:49:32,219 --> 00:49:35,360 I never ever, ever saw Fergie celebrate like that. 819 00:49:35,498 --> 00:49:40,503 And when he's running up, I think he's about to do somersaults and everything. 820 00:49:40,641 --> 00:49:43,609 And then he realizes... [snaps finger] "Oh, I'm the manager here. 821 00:49:43,747 --> 00:49:45,508 I have to contain myself." 822 00:49:45,646 --> 00:49:47,786 But Brian Kidd doesn't get that thought. 823 00:49:47,924 --> 00:49:52,584 He carries on. He's on his knees and looking at the sky and everything. 824 00:49:52,722 --> 00:49:55,656 From that moment on, everything changed. 825 00:49:55,794 --> 00:49:58,038 [Ferguson] It brought us all excitement, the support. 826 00:49:58,176 --> 00:50:01,765 Almost saying, "We are gonna do it. It's gonna happen." 827 00:50:01,903 --> 00:50:03,871 [crowd singing] 828 00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:09,635 [narrator] After their last-minute victory, 829 00:50:09,773 --> 00:50:13,018 there was no looking back for Manchester United. 830 00:50:13,156 --> 00:50:18,058 They were assured of the Premier League title before the season finished. 831 00:50:19,266 --> 00:50:22,062 We had a sort of like a... 832 00:50:22,200 --> 00:50:26,238 Eh, we had a... We had a... Oh, I'll put it the way it is. 833 00:50:26,376 --> 00:50:27,998 We had a party at Bruce's house. 834 00:50:28,137 --> 00:50:29,931 ♪ Pump it up a little more♪ 835 00:50:30,070 --> 00:50:32,762 ♪ Get the party going On the dance floor♪ 836 00:50:32,900 --> 00:50:35,351 ♪ 'Cause that's where The party's at...♪ 837 00:50:35,489 --> 00:50:37,905 [narrator] On the evening before their final home game, 838 00:50:38,043 --> 00:50:41,805 the players' celebrations would become the stuff of suburban legend. 839 00:50:41,943 --> 00:50:45,430 [Pallister] We all piled round Bruce's house about 7:00, 840 00:50:45,568 --> 00:50:48,502 and I think we left there about 4:00 in the morning. [laughs] 841 00:50:48,640 --> 00:50:50,745 So it was like an eight, nine-hour bender. 842 00:50:50,883 --> 00:50:52,851 ♪ I don't want A place to stay♪ 843 00:50:52,989 --> 00:50:54,404 [man] If the gaffer could see us now. 844 00:50:54,542 --> 00:50:57,304 Consistency, consistency. The man Ince. 845 00:50:57,442 --> 00:50:59,029 I love him! I love him! 846 00:50:59,168 --> 00:51:03,206 [in French] 847 00:51:03,344 --> 00:51:07,659 And, of course, we tried to be sensible, but it's difficult. 848 00:51:07,797 --> 00:51:09,730 In a way, it was quite unprofessional. 849 00:51:11,111 --> 00:51:14,976 I'll say that we didn't do it like we should have done. 850 00:51:16,046 --> 00:51:17,772 But it's not my fault. 851 00:51:17,910 --> 00:51:20,465 [chuckling] 852 00:51:22,570 --> 00:51:25,159 [chattering] 853 00:51:25,297 --> 00:51:28,783 It just went on maybe longer than what it should have done, to be perfectly honest. 854 00:51:28,921 --> 00:51:32,787 Everything about the game the next day was, "One more then I'll go. 855 00:51:32,925 --> 00:51:35,756 You know what? Someone please grab me and say I have to go, 856 00:51:35,894 --> 00:51:39,656 and then I will go." And obviously people weren't grabbing people early enough. 857 00:51:39,794 --> 00:51:42,970 ♪ Get your booty On the floor tonight♪ 858 00:51:43,108 --> 00:51:46,525 [horn honking rhythmically] 859 00:51:46,663 --> 00:51:47,975 Oh, when the Reds! 860 00:51:48,113 --> 00:51:49,149 Oh, when the Reds! 861 00:51:49,287 --> 00:51:51,530 -Go marching in! -Go marching in! 862 00:51:51,668 --> 00:51:54,775 ♪ Oh, when the Reds Go marching in♪ 863 00:51:54,913 --> 00:51:59,366 ♪ I want to be in that number When the Reds go marching in♪ 864 00:52:00,712 --> 00:52:02,162 Good evening from Old Trafford. 865 00:52:02,300 --> 00:52:03,784 There hasn't been a night here like this 866 00:52:03,922 --> 00:52:05,717 for over a quarter of a century. 867 00:52:05,855 --> 00:52:08,651 But once again, Manchester United are the champions. 868 00:52:08,789 --> 00:52:12,758 It's been a long, long wait since those days of Best and Law 869 00:52:12,896 --> 00:52:14,070 and Charlton. 870 00:52:15,313 --> 00:52:18,143 [Molyneux] I wrote a letter to Alex Ferguson saying 871 00:52:18,281 --> 00:52:20,387 that I criticised you when you got it wrong 872 00:52:20,525 --> 00:52:22,182 or when I thought you were getting wrong, 873 00:52:22,320 --> 00:52:25,185 and it's only fair that I applaud you now. 874 00:52:25,323 --> 00:52:28,947 ♪ Alex Ferguson, Ferguson, Ferguson♪ 875 00:52:29,085 --> 00:52:31,087 [Molyneux] You've made all our dreams come true. 876 00:52:31,225 --> 00:52:33,054 You've done what you were asked to do, 877 00:52:33,193 --> 00:52:35,195 and you'll always go down in the annals of time for that, 878 00:52:35,333 --> 00:52:38,646 and thanks for doing that. I never got a reply. 879 00:52:38,784 --> 00:52:41,925 And, also, I wouldn't have blamed him for thumping me. 880 00:52:44,065 --> 00:52:47,172 Well, you shouldn't drink the night before a big game! 881 00:52:47,310 --> 00:52:48,967 [all laughing] 882 00:52:49,105 --> 00:52:52,212 Remember before the game when we're... 883 00:52:52,350 --> 00:52:55,974 A lot of us are sitting down, virtually trying to keep our bodies upright 884 00:52:56,112 --> 00:53:00,116 because we had maybe celebrated a little bit too much the night before. 885 00:53:01,393 --> 00:53:03,361 [Ferguson] This is the greatest night of your lives. 886 00:53:04,776 --> 00:53:07,951 It's a night where you can relax and play, but win. 887 00:53:08,745 --> 00:53:10,540 -[players laughing] -Okay? 888 00:53:15,545 --> 00:53:19,031 I'm not even gonna ask you what you were up to last night. I daren't ask you. 889 00:53:19,169 --> 00:53:20,136 I daren't. 890 00:53:20,274 --> 00:53:22,794 [crowd cheering] 891 00:53:26,418 --> 00:53:29,179 [stadium announcer] Here they are, the Premier League champions, 1993, 892 00:53:29,318 --> 00:53:30,526 Manchester United! 893 00:53:30,664 --> 00:53:33,080 [crowd cheering] 894 00:53:33,218 --> 00:53:38,223 I've never known an atmosphere like it in Old Trafford in all my life that night. 895 00:53:38,361 --> 00:53:44,505 That was just... The relief, the enjoyment, the party atmosphere. 896 00:53:44,643 --> 00:53:48,682 ♪ We are the champions, My friends♪ 897 00:53:48,820 --> 00:53:51,374 [narrator] As the curtain came down on the first season, 898 00:53:51,512 --> 00:53:54,239 United were to be awarded the Premier League trophy 899 00:53:54,377 --> 00:53:58,554 after the final game against their ambitious rivals, Blackburn Rovers. 900 00:54:00,003 --> 00:54:03,524 Their star striker was still out with injury. 901 00:54:03,662 --> 00:54:07,528 Don't remember anything about that. It's irrelevant. 902 00:54:07,666 --> 00:54:09,530 Well, they won the league, we didn't. 903 00:54:09,668 --> 00:54:11,187 Not interested in it. 904 00:54:11,325 --> 00:54:13,672 That's why I don't remember it. [laughs] 905 00:54:17,952 --> 00:54:19,713 [announcer] Hughes trying to help it through. 906 00:54:19,851 --> 00:54:22,612 A bit of a scramble. Cantona. Ince is in there! 907 00:54:22,750 --> 00:54:26,961 And Manchester United have taken the lead through Paul Ince. 908 00:54:27,099 --> 00:54:32,139 And Cantona is again the provider, and again no wonder they applaud on the bench. 909 00:54:35,384 --> 00:54:36,730 [whistle blows] 910 00:54:36,868 --> 00:54:38,387 [crowd cheering] 911 00:54:55,576 --> 00:54:57,578 [reporter] Well, Alex, many, many congratulations. 912 00:54:57,716 --> 00:54:59,442 How good does it feel at the moment 913 00:54:59,580 --> 00:55:01,582 to know that you're the Premier League champions? 914 00:55:01,720 --> 00:55:04,965 Well, it's a wonderful, wonderful night. 915 00:55:05,103 --> 00:55:07,347 You strive all your life to get a feeling like tonight 916 00:55:07,485 --> 00:55:10,729 and to experience an atmosphere like we have tonight is... 917 00:55:10,867 --> 00:55:13,353 I've never seen anything like that in my life. 918 00:55:13,491 --> 00:55:17,149 [reporter] Now when you signed Eric Cantona, there were probably a few raised eyebrows. 919 00:55:17,287 --> 00:55:20,014 An absolutely inspired signing in hindsight, 920 00:55:20,152 --> 00:55:23,708 but can you just assess his contribution this season to you? 921 00:55:23,846 --> 00:55:26,331 I think he brought imagination to our game 922 00:55:26,469 --> 00:55:29,507 that only great players can bring to teams 923 00:55:29,645 --> 00:55:34,270 and our players immediately were magnetised by him. 924 00:55:34,408 --> 00:55:39,827 And he just created a sort of a flair and a chemistry 925 00:55:39,965 --> 00:55:43,659 that only United supporters can understand. 926 00:55:45,799 --> 00:55:47,870 [Cantona] What I mean to him, I don't know. 927 00:55:50,079 --> 00:55:52,633 What he means to me, it's like... 928 00:55:52,771 --> 00:55:55,671 He was like a second father for me. 929 00:55:57,914 --> 00:55:59,606 [interviewer] Did he make you a better player? 930 00:55:59,744 --> 00:56:01,642 I think so, yeah. Yeah. 931 00:56:02,747 --> 00:56:05,370 So thanks, Alex. 932 00:56:05,508 --> 00:56:06,440 Boss. 933 00:56:06,578 --> 00:56:08,131 Sir Alex Ferguson. 934 00:56:09,029 --> 00:56:11,307 [crowd cheering] 935 00:56:12,515 --> 00:56:14,206 [White] Well, at the beginning of that season, 936 00:56:14,344 --> 00:56:16,346 there'd been huge losses at Sky. 937 00:56:16,485 --> 00:56:19,626 And then suddenly, the Premier League was delivering 938 00:56:19,764 --> 00:56:22,387 a million subscribers in that first season. 939 00:56:22,525 --> 00:56:24,216 This was huge. 940 00:56:24,354 --> 00:56:27,565 They actually turned a profit at the end of that first season, 941 00:56:27,703 --> 00:56:30,291 and it was all done by the football. 942 00:56:31,638 --> 00:56:34,813 It was wonderful. We had amazing theatre, 943 00:56:34,951 --> 00:56:40,716 we had amazing stars and we had an amazing plotline that we didn't have to write. 944 00:56:40,854 --> 00:56:44,202 We just went along for the ride, and it was fantastic. 945 00:56:45,893 --> 00:56:48,240 [crowd] ♪ Glory, glory Man United♪ 946 00:56:48,378 --> 00:56:51,002 [narrator] Amongst the thousands of fans witnessing United make history 947 00:56:51,140 --> 00:56:54,454 was an 18-year-old on the verge of breaking into the team. 948 00:56:54,592 --> 00:56:57,905 I was in the stadium with my mum and dad. 949 00:56:59,217 --> 00:57:01,944 To see us lift the trophy, 950 00:57:02,082 --> 00:57:04,981 the team that me and my dad supported our whole lives, 951 00:57:05,119 --> 00:57:06,535 was the most incredible moment. 952 00:57:06,673 --> 00:57:09,848 You could feel that something special was happening. 953 00:57:09,986 --> 00:57:12,161 You could feel that there was a change within the club. 954 00:57:14,301 --> 00:57:16,545 Well, thanks...[man] Shh! Shh! 955 00:57:16,683 --> 00:57:19,168 ...to all of you for joining me tonight.[man] Cheers. 956 00:57:19,306 --> 00:57:21,411 A wonderful night. Appreciate you all being here. 957 00:57:21,550 --> 00:57:24,000 -[man] To Alex! -Hear, hear! 958 00:57:24,138 --> 00:57:26,865 [all cheering] 959 00:57:32,388 --> 00:57:35,736 [Le Saux] It was a celebration for them, but it was humiliating for us that night. 960 00:57:35,874 --> 00:57:38,532 It was a big motivator for the next season 961 00:57:38,670 --> 00:57:42,432 because how we felt afterwards 962 00:57:42,571 --> 00:57:45,021 really, I think, got our backs up. 963 00:57:45,159 --> 00:57:48,404 And I think we felt, 964 00:57:48,542 --> 00:57:52,753 okay, right, we've got you in our sights. 965 00:57:52,891 --> 00:57:55,307 [announcer] Ripley. Oh, and he's come for Alan Shearer! 966 00:57:55,445 --> 00:57:58,207 Goal for Blackburn Rovers! 967 00:57:58,345 --> 00:58:02,591 [man] Football became a huge part of the tapestry of the country. 968 00:58:02,729 --> 00:58:04,696 Everybody was talking about the Premier League. 969 00:58:06,802 --> 00:58:08,666 [crowd roars] 970 00:58:08,804 --> 00:58:11,427 No, I don't. I don't have any regrets. 971 00:58:11,565 --> 00:58:13,705 [announcer] Oh, my goodness me! 972 00:58:13,843 --> 00:58:17,191 Eric Cantona has kung-fu'd a Crystal Palace fan!