Legally red

At Old Trafford, in the corridors of power, Maurice Watkins was the guiding force. As the club solicitor, and later a director, for thirty-six years he was the man to whom Manchester United turned to negotiate the legal minefields. In his autobiography, written before his passing in 2021, the layers of secrecy are peeled back to expose the brilliance of a character who shaped the club’s destiny.

From the sacking of Tommy Docherty, through the late-night drive to Scotland to lure Alex Ferguson to the hot seat, to the courtroom defence of Eric Cantona for his ‘kung-fu kick’ on an abusive fan, Maurice Watkins was the key figure behind the scenes at United. Yet he was also front and centre for the triumphs under Ferguson and the rise of players such as David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. Later, a lifelong love of sports made him a natural for leadership roles throughout the sporting world.

Legally Red takes you into the boardroom of one of the greatest football clubs in the world in one of its most successful eras. But, ultimately, it’s a story that goes beyond the legal battles of Manchester United. It reveals the human stories, heroics and heartaches that shaped Watkins’s remarkable journey.