Club captains
| Dates[118] | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1878–1882 | Unknown | |
| 1882 |  E. Thomas | First known club captain |
| 1882–1883 | Unknown | |
| c.1883–1887 |  Sam Black | |
| c.1887–1890 |  Jack Powell | |
| 1890–1892 | Unknown | |
| 1892–1893 |  Joe Cassidy | |
| 1893–1894 | Unknown | |
| c.1894 | James McNaught | |
| 1894–1896 | Unknown | |
| c.1896–1903 | Harry Stafford | First captain of Manchester United |
| 1903–1904 | Unknown | |
| c.1904–1905 | Jack Peddie | |
| c.1905–1912 | Charlie Roberts | |
| 1912–1913 | George Stacey | |
| 1913 | Dick Duckworth | |
| 1914 | George Hunter | |
| 1914–1915 | Patrick O'Connell | |
| 1915–1919 | None | No football was played during the First World War |
| 1919–1922 | Unknown | |
| c.1922–1928 | Frank Barson | |
| c.1928–1931 | Jack Wilson | |
| 1931–1932 | George McLachlan | |
| 1932 | Louis Page | |
| 1932–1935 | Unknown | |
| c.1935–1939 | Jimmy Brown | |
| 1939–1945 | None | No football was played during the Second World War |
| 1945–1953 |  Johnny Carey | First post-war captain, and first from outside the United Kingdom |
| 1953–1954 | Stan Pearson | |
| 1954–1955 | Allenby Chilton | |
| 1955–1958 | Roger Byrne | Died in the 1958 Munich air disaster |
| 1958–1959 | Bill Foulkes | |
| 1959–1960 | Dennis Viollet | |
| 1960–1962 | Maurice Setters | |
| 1962–1964 | Noel Cantwell | |
| 1964–1967 | Denis Law | |
| 1967–1973 | Bobby Charlton | |
| 1973 | George Graham | |
| 1973–1975 | Willie Morgan | |
| 1975–1982 | Martin Buchan | |
| 1982 | Ray Wilkins | |
| 1982–1994 | Bryan Robson | Longest-serving captain in United's history |
| 1994–1996 | Steve Bruce | |
| 1996–1997 |  Eric Cantona | First United captain from outside the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland |
| 1997–2005 | Roy Keane | Most trophies won as captain |
| 2005–present | Gary Neville | First club captain to be born in Greater Manchester since Dennis Viollet |
