New Delhi: With the record-breaking 19th title in the bag, and Champions League squad glory in sight, this Manchester Untied squad has come a long way in the due course of the season than what was expected of them.
Cynics and followers feared the worst for United after high-profile departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. That fear soon took shape of stern belief as Manchester United had to whet their hunger of silverware with a solitary Carling Cup in the 2009-10 season.
With CR7's sale generating a jaw-dropping 80 million pounds, every fan who swears by the Red Devils expected a busy summer for the most valuable club in the world.
What transpired were low-key signings of Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan, which left everyone in more shock then awe. As a result United were unable to win the League title for an unprecedented fourth time and rub further salt into the wounds, lost out on the championship by a solitary point.
With the pressure of the growing unpopularity of the owners and the urge to bounce back, yet another summer went without a marquee signing for the red side of Manchester.
But the club have been blessed with a manager who has an eye for talent, and his vision did not disappoint.
After snapping up the likes of Paul Scholes from Port Vale and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer from Molde, he unearthed yet another gem. Chivas de Guadelajara was paid in the region of six million to acquire the services of one Javier Hernandez. Fulham had to part with up and coming centre-back Chris Smalling as he made way to the M16.
And yet again the clubs inability to flex its financial muscle was highlighted with these thrifty signings.
But talk about gold being bought for the price of scrap!
Chris Smalling has fast matured from being veteran Rio Ferdinand's understudy to a dependable force at the back. Javier Hernandez has scored goals from every part of his body, netting a total of 20 strikes, and playing a pivotal role in the Mancunians journey to the business end of domestic and European competitions.
Antonio Valencia moved out of the forced shadow of bearing the burden of Ronaldo's reins and carved his own niche.
All this, in one and one season alone.
And lo, the world was a better place for every United follower again.
The grunts turned into greetings, the criticisms into cheers and the boos into the woo-hoos.
Sir Alex Ferguson again proved to the world that it is not moneybags that makes the world round, but farsighted decisions that make the right sound.
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