This weekends visit of West Bromwich Albion to Old Trafford rekindles memories of the best transfer deal Manchester United ever made between the two clubs. Ron Atkinson had just taken over from Dave Sexton in 1981 when he went back to The Hawthorns to grab the signature of Bryan Robson for a British record transfer fee of £1.5m. It was the best signing Atkinson ever made as Robson became known as Captain Marvel and went on to play for his country 90 times, making him the sixth most capped England player of all time – and it all started at West Bromwich Albion.

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It has to be as sure a bet as you’re ever likely to get, not quite impossible to lose but as near a certainty as can be. Managing the same club for 700 consecutive Premier League matches is a record that nobody will ever take from Sir Alex Ferguson. That milestone was reached at Goodison Park on Saturday but overall, the Scotsman has been in charge of Manchester United on 1336 occasions. It’s an incredible record built over 24 years at the club and nobody has any doubt that a quarter of a century will be clocked up in November next year to take him a shade past Sir Matt Busby. As Sir Alex celebrated his unique achievement, Sportsmail writers recall the moments of football genius and volcanic temper that put Fergie in a league of his own.

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When footballers are quoted in newspapers these days you have to wonder if they are talking through the mouths of smooth talking agents. Netherlands midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has joined Tottenham Hotspur just two weeks after claiming it would be a step down to play for any Premier League club except Manchester United. It begs the question of whether he was being genuine or if was he just giving a ‘come on’ from his agent in a desperate attempt to attract an offer from manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

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