Six and a half years after leaving Manchester United, David Beckham faces for the first time Sir Alex Ferguson’s team that turned him into a global star when AC Milan host the Reds in San Siro.

Beckham’s story began in July 1991 when he, a lifelong United fan, moved north from Leytonstone to sign apprentice forms for the Reds. Early in his career he was described by Ferguson as, “a normal, likable, straightforward boy”. Sir Alex carefully and masterfully reared him into one of the outstanding midfielders of the generation. But by the early 2000s, the relationship between Ferguson and Beckham had begun to deteriorate, perhaps as a consequence of Beckham’s fame and commitments away from football.

In 2007 Ferguson commented, “He was never a problem until he got married. He used to go into work with the academy coaches at night time; he was a fantastic young lad. Getting married into that entertainment scene was a difficult thing – from that moment, his life was never going to be the same. He is such a big celebrity; football is only a small part.”

His departure from United in 2003 left a bruising impression on all fans. Leaving and coming to terms that he was not a United player was the toughest thing he had to do in his life. Beckham later revealed in his autobiography, My Side, how devastated he felt. He wrote: ‘The gaffer had had enough. I’d grown up as a person and he didn’t seem to like what I’d become. Now (after a Champions League tie against Real Madrid in 2003) it looked like he’d seen enough of me as a player, as well. If it was anything to do with the gaffer – and, of course, it would be – I was sure I was finished.’

It will be a very emotional moment for both Beckham as well as the fans when he sets foot on the pitch against United. Beckham has revealed to the media: “I was nearly in tears when I heard the draw. Manchester is a special place for me and I haven’t played there for nearly seven years. I have a lot of friends at United and a great rapport with the fans. It will be a special evening, but we will be trying to win the tie.”

Beckham has always lavished honour for Ferguson in all these years away from Old Trafford. Speaking to the media before the first leg he hailed Ferguson saying, “Sir Alex will always be a father figure to me. He always has been and he always will be. No matter what has been said in the past, whether good or bad, I only remember the good times. He was the man who gave me my chance to play for club I had always dreamed of playing for. For me they were only good times. Sir Alex is respected throughout football all around the world. Clubs move forward and it was my time to leave Manchester United in 2003 and I moved on. I definitely hold nothing against the manager, he’s an incredible man. There’s definitely no score to be settled. He added “I wouldn’t celebrate. Obviously I’d be pleased to score. But out of respect to Manchester United and the fans, I wouldn’t celebrate. But I wouldn’t want Milan fans to think I wasn’t excited to score. But I’m more focused on winning the game than the emotional part. To say that as a Manchester United fan is quite difficult.”

On the other hand Ferguson has not been so placate like Beckham leading up to the tie and has said: “The only difference with David’s return to Manchester United compared with other players is that there will be a big media circus surrounding him when Milan arrive.[I have] no regrets. We move on. He’s such a high-profile celebrity – not just a high-profile footballer – and we haven’t really seen anybody else return to the club in that situation. Our job is to concentrate on the football match and let the David Beckham media circus carry on – we know we’re not going to stop it anyway.”

Whatever be the result of the tie it will be a great showpiece of footballing romance.

Newton Heath. Inner-city Manchester. The original home of the team that would one day be globally famous. Manchester United. Our team. Save for a few passing mentions and a money-spinning retro kit in the nineties, Newton Heath has been relegated to simply being a long-forgotten part of United’s impressive history. Now, however, things have changed.

As frustration turns to anger at the debt with which the Glazer ownership has saddled the club, this small part of North Manchester has, incredibly, become an important part of our club’s present. Supporters have taken on the original green and gold colors as the symbol of their protest. As a result, Old Trafford has been bathed in these colors to such an extent that the general media has turned their attention to the situation. I am particularly pleased at this turn of events, and not only because I agree with those who are unhappy with owners who share no feeling for the club and its history, but also because I was born in the very place now forming on many lips: Newton Heath.

I am long since removed from this part of Lancashire; but, it will always mean something to me that I share a birthplace with my club. To those not familiar with it, let me give you a quick synopsis. It was once, during the industrial revolution and its attendant boon, a busy town of mills, factories, and pubs. The railway and the Manchester Ship Canal were two of the central features that contributed to the bustle of activity. You could find the stereotype Northern world of brick tenements and flat caps. But, you could also find proud people, a loving community, and a sense of belonging.

Over time, it has suffered, like much of Britain, in the retreat from manufacturing and industry. The city of Manchester, and indeed the club, have often neglected this area; the town has suffered as a result. But, there are still proud people who continue to press toward a brighter future. A present United connection exists in the fact that there are streets named after some of those killed in the Munich disaster. I hope one day MUFC will one day use their vast resources to help rekindle their connection with Newton Heath via community help and project support.

Why should the average United supporter care about any of this? Because the origins of the club they support are here. It is a beginning from a time when football was about the bond between player and supporter and the love of the game was paramount. I am not naive to think that it can every be completely this way again, but in some small way the green and gold protest lets us touch a little of that time. A football club should be about more than results on the pitch; it should be about place, family, and commitment.

As the club moves on into the stretch run of the season, there will be many big games and exciting moments. I will throw my full support behind the team as they seek to garner even more silverware. However, I will do so in my Newton Heath shirt and green and gold scarf. Some may think we are simply tilting at windmills. I see it different. For it is not always in the victory that the world is changed, but in the trying.

It is Derby Week. Yes, I know that, technically, City is considered the derby match. But, let’s face it…they are the nouveau riche who have only recently even come within spitting distance of threatening our reign. No, the real enemy is up the M62 and speaks with a Scouse accent. For those of us old enough to remember the 70s and 80s nothing is sweeter than a victory over Liverpool; and nothing is quite as bitter as a loss to the faux reds.

It is hard to imagine now, but there was a time when our Northwest rivals were winning as a matter of course. We were the underdogs who were, on occasion, able to trip them up as they sought yet another title. Their supporters enjoyed nothing more than lording it over us and loudly pronouncing their superiority. One-off victories for us, like the 1977 Cup Final that denied them a treble, were the best we could do. But, times have changed.

United are now level with their eighteen league titles. We are the world’s most famous team. We have the highest average attendance in the land. We even have their once-upon-a-time hero (little Mickey Owen) on our roster. They seethe with hatred and envy at all things United. That is why a win at Anfield will always mean more to many of us than victory at the Emirates, Stamford Bridge, or the Council House known as Eastlands.

We go into the match with some injury worries, but then so do they. And we should feel much more confident in our depth than they do in theirs. With Torres and Gerrard possibly out of the lineup, Liverpool must surely be worried. Yes, they did the double over us last year and did so with less than a full-strength roster, but can anyone really expect that to happen again? Sir Alex will simply not allow it. He knows that victory on Sunday not only keeps United at the top of the table, but that it also puts Liverpool’s title challenge to the sword.
United, in many people’s opinions, have not yet hit full stride. This would be the perfect time to make a statement. Assuming Rooney, Giggs, and Fletcher are fit, they will be in the starting eleven. All three are United through and through and know full well how important the match is to the city, team, and supporters. With Van Der Sar back providing a calm presence, Ferdinand and Vidic will surely regain the regal composure that has marked their partnership in the past. The signs are all there for us to make a powerful and lasting statement against the Scouse hoard.

Enjoy the days and hours leading up to the match. Revel in the nervous anticipation of a truly big match. And forget about geography; this is the Real Derby.

So much for a calm, measured start to the season! Like so many times in the past the boys in red have found ways to keep the supporters’ stress levels high. From a frankly tepid performance on the opening day to the shockingly bad performance at Burnley to a thrilling five-goal second half at Wigan, United have produced the full range of footballing exhibitions.

Where does this leave us now? Which is the real Manchester United? With Arsenal to come and much tougher tests down the road, it is important that the team is at their best every week. There were obvious improvements seen in the Wigan match. Ben Foster has grown in confidence and is producing strong work between the sticks. Nemanja Vidic is back and with him comes new assurance in our back four. Darren Fletcher has come a long way from being a favourite whipping boy of supporters to the one name that is most probably a certainty to start any big match. And, of course, our strikers all found the net; that can only send confidence spiraling upwards.

There are some concerns. Rio Ferdinand’s injury deprives of us a key figure and important leader. Johnny Evans’ continued struggles with an ankle lessens our depth at the centre half position. But, perhaps more than that, there is a lingering suspicion that Sir Alex is having to rotate players not so much to rest them, but because he cannot get a string of consistent performances from a core group of players, particularly in midfield. Michael Carrick has certainly looked off the pace, as has Anderson. Nani has begun to exhibit some of his undoubted skill, but the jury is still out. The old guard of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs cannot be counted on as week-in week-out contributors.

It is hard not to think that our biggest rivals have the upper hand in the middle of the park. The likes of Fabregas, Lampard, Gerrard, Essien, Mascherano, Robinho, and others have clearly defined roles and are usually ever-presents in their sides. We are having to chop and change and it seems that this is to do with players having a lack of consistency from match to match. Of course, at a big club, rotation is unavoidable to some extent, but it would be nice to see one or two players really stake a claim to a midfield spot on a more permanent basis.

The transfer window is coming to a close and Sir Alex has said repeatedly that he is not shopping. And, realistically, who is going to be available and willing to move? The usual suspects keep being named (Aguero, Villa, Silva, Ribery), but it appears increasingly unlikely that a big name is coming anytime soon. If that is the case, then it really is an opportunity for the present squad to make their case. The chance will be there for all of them to grab. And the first big chance comes against the Gunners; a win against the Premiership’s form team would be just the tonic for any niggling doubts about this season’s title chances.

We can all remember the feeling. the first day of a new school year. A rare mixture of nerves, excitement, trepidation, and above all, optimism. It matters not that last year’s term was rife with social turmoil, middling grades, and a worrying attack of spots. We convince ourselves that armed with a fresh perspective, new rucksack, and shiny trainers, the coming year will bring us all that we desire. This yearly dance never really goes away; it just transfers itself onto the football pitch.

The new season breeds optimism like no other time. the parallels to those school years are all around. The prettiest girl in school may have left you for some glamorous Spanish bloke, your loyal best friend may have now buddied up to your fiercest rival from the next street over, and the last dance of the year may have ended in tears. But, none of that matters now. Armed with confidence (and some new clobber) we step excitedly into the days ahead.

So what if Ronaldo is gone? Valencia will let us go back to the days of Coppell, Kanchelskis, and direct wing play. Tevez off to City? No worries, he wasn’t the most prolific of players and Owen will give us more goals. We weren’t able to attract big-name replacements? It will give our outstanding youngsters a chance to prove themselves (Wellbeck for South Africa 2010, anyone?) Van Der Sar to miss the start of the season? We’ve got England’s next number one between the posts. See? Nothing at all to trouble us.

Of course, only time will tell if we are correct or simply deceiving ourselves. But that is the beauty and power of a new season. We can believe that Berbatov will be better this time around, that Hargreaves will be actually sighted on the pitch, and that Giggs really is immortal. Even if some of these are a bit speculative, don’t take them away from us. This is the one moment in the year where there has been no crushing of dreams, only the stirrings of belief in the joy to come. Let us simply revel in the fact that we support Manchester United Football Club, the best the world has ever seen. Roll on the new season!