Manchester United legends help celebrate Pools centenary with jackpot win

Manchester United legends joined fans at Old Trafford to recreate a landmark day in football history. Former players Clayton Blackmore and Frank Stapleton were outside the stadium ahead of United’s Premier League clash with Brentford, celebrating the centenary of The Pools in the place where it began.

And, just like the friends who started the iconic company back in 1923, they gave 4,000 supporters a chance to win for free.

The matchday institution of the Football Pools began 100 years ago when three workmates decided to create their own football betting game based around score predictions.

One of the three, John Moores - who later became Sir John - took a hands-on approach to launching the idea, personally giving out coupons to fans heading into the ground to watch United’s home game on Saturday 6 October 1923.

It wasn’t an instant hit, only 35 of 4,000 coupons were returned on that first weekend, but it grew to be a hugely successful business that not only became a tradition among millions of families, it also went on to be the cornerstone of the Littlewoods empire.

Now, as part of a series of celebration events to mark 100 years since supporters placed their first Pools crosses, two United stars returned to Old Trafford, following in the footsteps of the company’s founder. They handed out free 100-year celebration scratch cards during the pre-match build-up.

And they also handed Pools winner Howard Binns with his jackpot cheque of £259,000.

James Arnold, CEO of The Pools, said: “Although The Pools has traditionally been associated with having Liverpool as its home, it was actually Manchester which was the birthplace of the famous Pools coupon. As we mark our centenary we wanted to recognise where it all began and