'Best in the business' - The Manchester United star signing who died in tragic circumstances just a month into the job

In the summer of 1981, Manchester United were going through a big change.

Ron Atkinson had just become the manager after Dave Sexton was let go. The club hadn't won any major trophies in four years and they were hoping Atkinson could turn things around.

Atkinson brought in new players like Frank Stapleton from Arsenal and Remi Moses and Bryan Robson from his old club, West Brom. But one of his most important signings wasn't a player - it was physiotherapist Jimmy Headrige.

Atkinson was allowed to bring in his own team, so he chose Headrige, Mick Brown, Brian Whitehouse and Eric Harrison to join him at Manchester United. "It took something special for me to leave Bolton and it came in the shape of United," said Headrige after he moved to Manchester.

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Atkinson thought getting Headrige was a big win for the club. He said: "I tried to take him to West Brom but he said the only club he would leave for was Manchester United. He might have only been with us a month but he made a huge impact at the club and he was extremely popular. It was a real tragedy to lose him like that."

Headrige, 42, was a proud Scot and a proud Glaswegian. He was even more proud of his work for the Football Association as a staff lecturer on football injuries, pioneering the modern approach seen today.

His playing career in Scotland ended early due to a severe knee injury. The setback fuelled his passion for physiotherapy, having recognised the lack of care for footballers in the game himself.

Headrige built a strong reputation after helping Peter Reid overcome a serious knee injury. The Everton