The FA Carling Premier League 1992-93

The 1992-93 season was the first season Of the F.A. Carling Premier League.

Manchester United had lost the previous season's Championship to Leeds United in the closing weeks of the season. United should have won the title but indifferent form after Christmas, and a run in the League Cup, resulting in the winning of the competition, meant it wasn't to be.

It was over twenty-six years since United had won the Championship, and the start United made to the campaign made it look like the fans would have to wait at least another year for the elusive trophy.

Dion Dublin, the only close-season signing broke his leg in the fourth game, putting him out of virtually the rest of the campaign.

United's form began to pick up in September, with some good away wins, but the team did not seem to be one that could go the distance. Norwich City were the surprise package of the season, and were storming away at the top of the league.

In November, Alex Ferguson made the most controversial signing of the season. He signed Eric Cantona, the bad-boy of French football from Leeds, United's arch-rivals. Cantona had signed for Leeds towards the end of the previous season, and was one of the reason's Leeds became champions. Ferguson paid �1.1 million for Cantona, it turned out to be the bargain of the decade.

With Cantona in their side, United went from being a good team, to a great team. United began their relentless march up the table.

United had early exits in all Cup competitions, this also turned out to be a blessing in disguise, unlike the previous season, they could focus purely on the league programme.

Aston Villa seemed to be the only team that would challenge United, and Villa put up a great effort until the end of April.

The balance of power swung in United's favour in their home game against Sheffield Wednesday. United went one-nil down early in the second half to a John Sheridan penalty. In the last minute of normal time, after immense United pressure, Steve Bruce equalised with a magnificent header from a corner. The capacity crowd were happy, but realised one point in a home game was not sufficient, they had to win. United continued their pressure, sending in cross after cross, the goal did not look like it would arrive, time must have been up. After six minutes of injury-time, Gary Pallister, now a make-shift winger, sent in another cross, it took a deflection of a Sheffield head, and looped towards Steve Bruce, now playing as a centre-forward, on the penalty spot. Bruce dipped his head and sent another glorious header into the bottom corner of Chris Woods' net. The scenes at that moment at Old Trafford will live in the hearts of everyone who was at the game for the rest of their lives. Grown men were hugging and crying, Alex Ferguson and Brian Kidd were on their knees on the Old Trafford turf, United had got the luck they needed in order to bring the title to Old Trafford.

United ended the season with seven straight victories, Villa lost at Blackburn, and then to Oldham at home to give United the title when they were not playing.

United's last home game against Blackburn Rovers was a carnival for the fans, and at the end of that game, Steve Bruce and Bryan Robson lifted the F.A. Carling Premier League trophy together, United were champions at last!