Manchester Utd 3 Fulham 0
Manchester United 3 Fulham 0, Old Trafford, English Football League First Division, April 15, 1968. Southport born goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer kept a clean sheet on his Football League debut for Manchester United in a comprehensive 3-0 win over Fulham. Bobby Charlton and George Best netted a goal each for United in the first period before John Aston added a third with five minutes left on the watch.
Defending Football League Champions and table-toppers Manchester United had beaten relegation candidates Fulham 4-0 at Craven Cottage only three days earlier thanks to a double from George Best and a goal each by Brian Kidd and Denis Law and were massive favourites among the pundits to defeat The Cottagers at Old Trafford. Already within the first minute of the contest, Kidd came close to scoring for Matt Busby´s United, but his effort went wide. Keeping up the pressure, Three Lions international Bobby Charlton put Manchester United ahead when he blasted the ball past Fulham shot stopper Ian Seymour and into the goal after breaking through the middle in the 13th minute of the fixture, and a few minutes past the half-hour mark Best found the back of the net from an awkward angle to double the advantage for the hosts. Then, with just five minutes remaining of normal time, Best crossed for John Aston who beat Seymour to round off a well-earned 3-0 home victory over Fulham. Goalkeeping debutant Jimmy Rimmer had very few opportunities to show his abilities during a First Division game which Manchester United dominated from start to finish, and regular goalkeeper Alex Stepney would return to the starting lineup in the next fixture against Sheffield United at Old Trafford five days later. A true comeback man, Rimmer was eventually shipped out on loan to Harry Gregg´s Swansea City side in 1973 before he signed a permanent contract with Arsenal in 1974. Following 124 First Division appearances for The Gunners, he was transferred to Aston Villa, for whom he made 229 top-flight outings between 1977 and 1983. The Sandgrounder later made a return to his former club Swansea City where he finally finished his active shot stopping career in 1986. Manchester United Team: Jimmy Rimmer, Bill Foulkes, David Sadler, Francis Burns, Tony Dunne, Paddy Crerand, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Brian Kidd, Denis Law, John Aston. Substitutes: None. Fulham Team: Ian Seymour, Barry Mealand, John Ryan, Fred Callaghan, John Dempsey, Steve Earle, Stan Brown, Jimmy Conway, Les Barrett, Joe Gilroy, Allan Clarke. Substitute: Brian Nichols.
Manchester United Quickfacts
Manchester United beat Fulham 4-3 in a Division Two clash at Old Trafford on the 19th of November 1932 with a brace by Stanley Gallimore and a goal each from Jimmy Brown and William Ridding.
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