LEGENDS
Louis Rocca – The Kingmaker of Old Trafford
Atiqul Ghani
T
here are a number of
unsung
heroes
associated
with the glorious history of
Manchester
United.
You
can mention some of them
at a breath-Jimmy Murphy.
Brian Kidd, Denzil Haroun, Eric
Harrison. Does the name of
Louis Rocca sound familiar
to you? Maybe not, but don’t
worry. He was neither a player,
manager or owner of this club,
but he is the unsung of unsung
heroes at Manchester United,
the man who dedicated his life
to red cause.In the summer of
1870, a 28 year old Italian man
decided to try his luck elsewhere outside the warm sunny Borzonasca, a pretty hill village on
Italian Riviera, Genoa. His sight was set on Manchester, England, the heart of industrial
revolution. There he settled at number 3, Ancoats St. Salford and married Maria Casinelli. Louis
Rocca senior was living happily and his ice cream business was running well.
One of his sons, Louis Rocca, born in 1882 had something different in mind. Living in Newton Heath district, he developed an affection towards Newton Heath LYR. Such was his passion
for the club that he was appointed official tea boy of the club at the age of 12. Gradually being
tasked with looking after the first team kit the young Italian was also to become the first official
groundsman of the club in 1907.
At the beginning of 20th century Newton Heath LYR was struggling financially to keep Newton
Heath district, he developed an affection towards Newton Heath LYR. Such was his passion for
the club that he was appointed official tea boy of the club at the age of 12.
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