Host Harry Robinson is joined by Wayne Barton, author of 20+ books on Manchester United, including the excellent recent publications Jimmy Murphy: The Man Who Kept the Red Flag Flying and Eternal: Duncan Edwards.

The pair chat after listening to the latest episode of United Through Time, a one-hour documentary on James W. Gibson, who served as club President from 1932 until his 1951 death. Harry and Wayne discuss the enduring legacy of his actions and vision as well as his similarity to United's new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

You can buy Harry's book The Men Who Made Manchester United here and find him on Twitter here.

You can see all of Wayne's fantastic work here, and follow him on Twitter here.

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This is the story of a visionary businessman who laid the foundations for the modern Manchester United. This is the story of a man who answered United's desperate calls in the Great Depression, who worked with secretary Walter Crickmer to create the Academy and who played a part in the evolution of the football manager by appointing and trusting a fresh-faced Matt Busby after the Second World War. This is the man who rebuilt Manchester United twice. This is James W. Gibson and this is his story on United Through Time.

When Manchester United's long-serving President John Henry Davies died in 1927, there were fears that the club, often playing in front of a small crowd inside the vast Old Trafford stadium, would decline. They already had since their pre-World War One halcyon days. Those fears came true, exaggerated further by the 1929 Wall Street Crash and subsequent Great Depression. United needed a saviour, a second coming. Welcome James W. Gibson, a clothing magnate and proud Mancunian.

Few men have established the global reputation of Manchester United more prolifically than this Salford-born businessman, who had only a vague interest in football before Walter Crickmer arrived at his house in Hale Barns and asked him to save one of the city's finest institutions.

James Gibson would end up saving Manchester United twice.

In Episode Eight of United Through Time, this is the story of James 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 in the modern day,

Host Harry Robinson - author of The Men Who Made Manchester United - is joined by the following guests:

• Tony Park, author of Sons of United
• Jim White, author of Manchester United: The Biography, among other works
• Alan Embling, great-nephew of James W. Gibson himself

If you want a signed copy of The Men Who Made Manchester United with a special discount for United Through Time listeners, get in touch on Twitter at @UtdThroughTime or @HarryRobinson64. Alternatively, you can email at unitedthroughtime[at]gmail[dot]com

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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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.