Street pedlars now ply not only the traditional red shirts and scarves of one of the world's best-known clubs but also the green and gold colours of the Newton Heath works team.
Newton Heath, United's predecessors, were founded by railway workers in 1878, a decade before the world's first football league was instituted in Manchester's Royal Hotel.
After United's sweeping 4-0 Champions League win over AC Milan last month, they also dominated the newspapers and TV news bulletins when returning hero David Beckham stooped to pick up a green and gold scarf and wrapped it around his neck.
The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) is behind the green-and-gold protest and chief executive Duncan Drasdo told Reuters that Beckham's gesture had been a superb piece of public relations.
"Fantastic," he said. "It was really just an emotional response for him, reaching out to supporters and showing them he was with them.
"The green-and-gold thing has been tremendous for the atmosphere in the ground. It's made people feel reinvigorated about what it is to support a football team.
"I think people were feeling pretty disillusioned, supporters were feeling exploited about the loyalty they once felt towards their club."
"This clearly demonstrates the power supporters have when they come together as a unified group," he said.
"We know from sources inside the club the Glazers are very concerned about the growing green and gold campaign. I think that was a major step forward for us.
"It could be a combination of things of course, the campaign that has been going on inside the ground, the growing membership of a serious organisation, obviously that has created the uncertainty whether they could push through another price rise.
"I think they judged they couldn't," added Drasdo.
The reclusive Glazers have also angered fans by increasing the club's debt burden.
Two years ago there was another reminder of Manchester's reputation as a spawning ground
