Why is Manchester United so successful?

Football is now a big industry worth studying in its own right: but it is also an excellent laboratory for studying success. The author argues that this is partly because, in contrast to say, American Football, there is less equalisation of resources between the clubs and English football is a highly competitive market. This article discusses one of the most successful clubs ever and argues that the reasons behind its success do not characterise football generally. It discusses how the different kinds of success in the English football industry are related to business success generally.