Appointed in the summer of 1971, United were five points clear at the top of Division One (old money!) by Christmas with the old firm of Charlton and Co having a new lease of life.
After beating Southampton in early December, United lost the next 11 games and by the end of the season, they never recovered, finishing in 8th place and well behind Derby, the new champions.
The following season they were no better and by December were two points short of bottom place. Best was in free fall, the manager failed to sign Alan Ball who was full of energy and when Best failed to turn up for a game at Norwich, O'Farrell did what most managers would do, transfer list him. The United board disagreed, morale plumetted and Don Rogers flying high with Crystal Palace had one of those days and helped his team thump United 5-0.
Rogers was a spectacular winger, whom I saw play at Horsham FC, of all places, earlier in his career, in an FA Cup match for Swindon. Rogers by this time had reach higher things and weaved his way round the United defence for a brilliant individual goal in the First Division. It is worth watching this and seeing how many goals Rogers could have scored. AND YES that is a moustache not a ferret.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRPvJ-fYqDA
Some pundits blamed the United decision makers, O'Farrell lost his cool and was sacked. Tommy Docherty came into to stave off relegation but 12 months later, the unbelieveable happened, United went down.
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