Part Two: Walter Crickmer

This is the breathtaking story of an old Manchester United manager. This is the story of the ravenously determined man who created the club's academy, who single-handedly dragged the club through a six-year global war, who set up United to be managed by an ambitious young scot named Matt Busby. This is a man who died in the Munich snow. This is Walter Crickmer's story.

In 1930, United had nothing. Supporters protested. The bank said, 'no more'. The directors didn't know what they were doing. Walter Crickmer dragged Manchester United back from debt to glory. But by the end of the decade, by which time Crickmer had started Manchester United's world-famous academy and become first team manager too, war had begun. In 1941, United had nothing once again. Kits, records, footballs and everything else was destroyed as a stray Nazi bomb struck Old Trafford. Crickmer single-handedly dragged United back to life. This Wigan-born football fanatic cared deeply for his club and worked tirelessly to ensure its success. When Matt Busby came, yet to be demobbed, he had a team ready for glory. All thanks to Walter Crickmer

He is the subject of Episode Seven of United Through Time and begins our first series: "The Inter-War Years".

Host Harry Robinson is joined on this episode of United Through Time by three guests:

Tony Park - author of Sons of United, @mrmujac on Twitter.

Jim White - author of Manchester United: The Biography, among other books, writer for The Telegraph and United We Stand. @jim1 on Twitter.

Alan Embling - nephew of former-United President James W. Gibson.

United Through Time is the podcast delving into the history of Manchester United with extensive original research, thorough interviews, and immersive documentaries. Going in chronological order, the podcast looks at the most influential individuals from Newton Heath to Manchester United.

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