The Reds wound up their league season at Old Trafford last night with a 3-1 flourish against Blackburn Rovers to emphasise their worth as the new champions.
The Reds made perhaps a distracted start as if they had their minds more on the celebrations than beating the Rovers, and they paid for it in the ninth minute when Kevin Gallacher nipped in to score from Tim Sherwood's cross.
But there is character and determination in this Ferguson team and in the 22nd minute, Giggs flashed home his free kick for an equaliser.
Paul Ince put the Reds in front after an hour when he raced through from Eric Cantona's shrewd defence-splitting pass. Gary Pallister rammed home a late third goal with a free kick to give United a comfortable win and take their lead at the top of the table to an impressive seven points with a game still to play.
But the big question now is whether their success heralds the kind of sustained glory enjoyed by Busby, and it seems to me that they have, as Ferguson puts it, opened the door.
Best sees the hallmarks of greatness and says about Giggs: "He is going to be one of the great characters as well as a great player. Nothing unsettles him. He is cool and he has everything."
Giggs of course is just one player, but he is the symbol of a new era which I believe is going to be as successful as the team which won the league in 1967 and the European Cup the following year.
The fans are certainly ready. Their hunger is ravenous and I don't think they are going to be disappointed.
Man of the Match
Paul Ince again put the sparkle into United to underline the championship success with a victory.
