When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over from disgraced former boss Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, fans were elated.
The Man Utd legend-turned-manager got off to a strong start, registering six Premier League wins in a row, and the Red Devils briefly flirted with the possibility of a top-four finish and European glory for a few weeks in the spring.
A chant sung by Red Devils supporters – "Ole's at the wheel" – has become synonymous with the optimism for the club that arrives with Solskjaer's appointment. With the former Norway international now appointed full-time manager, they will be singing the song for years to come and is another addition to the Manchester side's already impressive songbook.
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Sung to the tune of "Waterfall" by iconic Manchester band the Stone Roses, the chant also plays tribute to players Alexis Sanchez, Paul Pogba, Fred and Marcus Rashford:
Ole's at the wheel,
Tell me how does it feel,
We’ve got Sanchez, Paul Pogba and Fred,
Marcus Rashford, a Manc born and bred,
Duh du, du du du du du
Duh du, du du du du du
The origins of the iconic song, however, will come as a surprise to many United fans, as it was originally crafted for ex-boss Mourinho.
Man Utd completed a shock 2-1 away victory against Juventus in the 2018-19 Champions League group stage, prompting supporters to gather outside the Allianz Stadium and chant the name of their former manager: "Jose's at the wheel!"
The Red Devils' form deteriorated under Mourinho towards the halfway point in the campaign, however, as did the relationship between the Portuguese boss and the club. Poor performances, off-pitch controversy regarding Pogba and a dire mood around the club led to Mourinho's dismissal following their 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in December.
The Mourinho-specific chant never really took off with most United supporters amid the turmoil heading into the festive season, but everything changed when fan favourite and club legend Solskjaer was appointed manager on a then-interim basis and had the song dutifully changed for him.
United fans backed Solskjaer from the start, already having loved him from his days as a Red Devil when he famously scored the last-minute winner in the 1999 UCL final against Barcelona and won the historic treble.
From that moment onwards, he has enjoyed a cult-like reputation at Old Trafford and etched himself permanently in the United history books. "Ole's at the wheel" was born.
Solskjaer's reign began with an impressive winning streak in the Premier League as well as a return to form to Pogba, who became so maligned under Mourinho. When Man Utd knocked Paris Saint-Germain out of the UCL round of 16 group stage, chants of "Ole's at the wheel" became stronger and stronger, with supporters reciting the words off the pitch as much as on.
"Ole's at the wheel," Man Utd fans chanted gleefully following the appointment of their beloved hero. From then on, those four words became the mantra of Solskjaer's appointment – rescuing the United team from the scruff of the neck once again.
