After completing his schooling in 1980, Hughes departed from Wrexham and made his way to Manchester, where he spent six years in his initial spell with the Reds. In 1986, FC Barcelona expressed interest, and for a significant fee of £2 million, he joined fellow Brit Gary Lineker at the Nou Camp.
While Lineker quickly won the hearts of the Spanish fans, Sparky struggled to make a similar impact. After just one season with the demanding La Liga side, he found himself on loan at Bayern Munich in Germany.
In 1998, when United was under the management of Alex Ferguson, Hughes made his return to M16 for a then-club-record fee of £1.8 million. During his first season back, he emerged as the club’s joint-top scorer with 16 goals. Although we finished in a disappointing 11th place, Mark achieved the honor of being the first Red to be named PFA’s Player of the Year.
Hughes then enjoyed another six years with the club, becoming known for his ability to deliver in crucial cup finals and winning two league titles with us, before eventually transferring to Chelsea. His tenure with the Reds was instrumental in establishing a strong foundation for the dominance that followed under Sir Alex Ferguson.