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Manchester United’s history can be loosely understood as two titans of football management taking the club to the very top, and other coaches trying their best to do the same.

Away from Sirs Matt Busby and Alex Ferguson the Red Devils have seen managers of all calibres try and largely fail to make a go of it, and increasingly the club has turned to former players to occupy the dugout.

As Michael Carrick goes from strength to strength in his second spell in interim charge, we take a look at every former United player to manage the club – as interim, caretaker or full-time boss.

The first United player to manage the club balanced both roles at once. Lal Hilditch, a versatile midfielder signed from Altrincham, made over 300 appearances for United between 1914 and 1932.

But when John Chapman was suddenly and mysteriously suspended by the FA, the club turned to Hilditch to fill in as manager. He was in charge for 27 games in a tumultuous 1926-27 season, winning nine before being replaced by former referee Herbert Bamlett.

Wilf McGuinness – August 1969-December 1970

Following a legend is never easy – just...