December 19, 1931. Walter Crickmer, the team secretary for a struggling Manchester United, is making the lonely walk up a long driveway to meet with a local businessman by the name of James W. Gibson. Though Gibson has no affiliation with the team and isn't even a fan of the sport, he's been targeted as the man to save Manchester United. But Gibson is not offering the club a simple loan; he's got big plans for the future that will come to be known as "The Gibson Guarantee."Why was Manchester United in such a dire financial position? And how did Gibson manage to not only become the team's primary investor, but also steward the team into unparalleled success that continues nearly a century later?Specials thanks to our guests. Dr. Gary James, organizer of the International Football History conference and author of "Manchester: A Football History," Jim White, author of "Manchester United: The Biography," Jon Reeves, author of "The Battle for Manchester", and Alan Embling, the great-nephew of James W. Gibson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.