Soccer Six was launched by the Football League for clubs in the Midlands in 1982, and was won by Birmingham City – who retained their title a year later. The invite was then extended to London clubs, with Arsenal and Tottenham winning the next two tournaments. But it was in 1986, when the venue was switched from the NEC in Birmingham to Manchester that United took an interest.
Alex Ferguson’s side played in four tournaments at the G-Mex Centre, or Manchester Central as it’s known these days, finishing as runners-up to Nottingham Forest in 1987. Our then-boss was familiar with the format having taken charge of Aberdeen in the Scottish equivalent.