List of Manchester United F.C. managers

From the beginning of the club's official managerial records in 1892 to the start of the 2024–25 season, Manchester United have had 24 full-time managers.

After guiding the club to 9th place in the league and the FA Cup semi-finals in 1925–26, Chapman received a telegram from the Football Association on 8 October 1926 informing him of his suspension from management for the rest of the season; no reason was given.

However, the club was relegated again the following year, and Walter Crickmer resumed control until the end of the Second World War.

[3] United allowed Busby the responsibilities he requested, and in his first five seasons in charge he guided the team to four second-place finishes in the league, before finally winning his first title in 1952.

Unfortunately, the careers of many of the players were cut short by the Munich air disaster, which also left Busby fighting for his life.

[4] While Busby was in hospital recovering from the injuries he sustained in the air crash, his managerial duties were left to his assistant, Jimmy Murphy.

He continued as manager for one more year after this success, leaving his managerial duties to club trainer Wilf McGuinness.

O'Farrell's stay was short-lived, though, as his inability to control George Best's extravagances forced the board to sack him with three years still to run on his contract.

It was soon discovered, however, that Docherty was having an affair with the wife of the club's physiotherapist, and he was immediately fired,[5] replaced by Queens Park Rangers' manager Dave Sexton.

[6] His replacement, Alex Ferguson, had, in recent years, become the first manager to break the dominance of Rangers and Celtic in the Scottish league, winning the Scottish Premier Division title with Aberdeen three times in six years, as well as finishing as runner-up twice and winning the European Cup Winners' Cup against Real Madrid in 1983.

During his tenure, Ferguson was credited with the distinction of making some of the most shrewd purchases in the club's history, including the signings of Peter Schmeichel and Eric Cantona, each for less than £1.5 million.

[12] Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal was appointed as Moyes' permanent replacement on 19 May 2014, taking charge after the end of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

[13] In his inaugural season, United signed many prominent players and returned to the Champions League with a fourth-place finish.

In his second season, United finished in fifth place behind Manchester City, out of the Champions League positions, but won the 2015–16 FA Cup, the club's first in a dozen years.

The board, however, decided that not enough progress had been made from the previous season and Van Gaal was sacked on 23 May 2016, just two days after lifting the cup.

[15] On 21 November 2021, Solskjær left his post as the first full-time manager since Frank O'Farrell, and like McGuinness, to not win a trophy for United.

[20] Former United striker and one of Ten Hag's assistants Ruud van Nistelrooy took interim charge for the following four matches before the appointment of Ruben Amorim on 11 November.