Today is the anniversary of @ManUtd's miraculous treble and this thread from last year is my story of how I got to see it. But lockdown has meant a chance to go through boxes of old programmes and tickets and remember what life was like as a fan of @UtdBeforeFergie /1 https://twitter.com/daverich1/status/1128356669560377344

I was a United fan before I was born thanks to my Dad, who started going to OT in 1956 and never stopped. This is my first programme. I was 5 years old and to be honest can't remember the match at all but I remember loving that team, with Hill and Coppell flying down the wings /2

I remember this match though. United 3 West Brom 5. Walking out of OT I couldn't understand why everyone seemed in a good mood. "It was an amazing match!" was my Dad's reply. Lesson one: United fans always want to be entertained /3

The 80s was a fairly barren time as a United fan but I did get to go to Wembley for the first time. My dad made up an excuse to pull me out of school and we drove down to London to see United win the FA Cup. Even better, City were relegated the same year /4

Two years later we got to do it again, this time on the football special train to see @NormanWhiteside score a goal from heaven to win the cup. I was 14 and he was my all time hero - at least until a Frenchman called Eric came along /5

In those days you had to collect tokens from the programme to apply for away tickets. Sometimes they gave them out at reserve games so thousands would turn up /6

I'd graduated from sitting with my Dad and now had my own ticket book on the Stretford End. It didn't matter that I couldn't see anything because most of the time it wasn't worth watching. Sometimes it wasn't even United playing /7

There were some great moments though and none better than this one. Last year I got the chance to meet Bryan Robson and all I could think of to say was what a special night that was. He'll always be in my all time United 11 /8

The 80s were strange though. Division One teams playing indoor 6-a-side tournaments with their first team squads in the middle of the season! What was that about? /9

Into the 90s and you could tell things were heading in the right direction. The Cup Winners Cup Final in Rotterdam was my first European away match (typical glory hunter) and I thought it couldn't get any better /10

But it did. Two years later we finally won the league after 26 years. I'd been at Anfield the year before when we blew it and thought that might be as close as we'd ever come. How wrong I was. The outpouring of joy that night against Blackburn will never be matched /11

The years following that title were a sweet spot. A great team winning with ease and style and tickets were still easy to come by. It's strange how many historic moments happened at Selhurst Park. Cantona kick? Check. Beckham halfway line goal? check /12

And finally the magic of 1999. Not just the European Cup but a treble as well. It was enough. More than enough, really. Everything since has been a bonus /13

My dad passed away last year. His last match at OT was against Barcelona last season. He saw all of this and gave me everything, and every time I go to OT I see his name engraved on the forecourt. Football isn’t just a game: win or lose, enjoy it /End