1951–52 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1951–52 season was Manchester United's 50th season in the Football League, and their seventh consecutive season in the top division of English football. They finished the season as champions for the first time in 41 years, securing their title on the final day of the season with a 6-1 home win over an Arsenal side who were their last remaining contenders in the race for the title.

Manchester United
1951–52 season
ChairmanJames W. Gibson (until September 1951)
Harold Hardman (from September 1951)
ManagerMatt Busby
First Division1st
FA CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Jack Rowley (30)

All:
Jack Rowley (30)
Highest home attendance54,245 vs Manchester City (19 January 1952)
Lowest home attendance25,616 vs Huddersfield Town (3 November 1951)
Average home league attendance41,374

United were still captained by Johnny Carey, who along with the likes of high scoring forward Jack Rowley had been at the club since before the war and helped them win the FA Cup in 1948, but by this stage most of the players from United's first postwar side were now in their thirties, and Busby was gradually replacing his older stars with younger players from the youth team. He made a club record move for Birmingham City winger Johnny Berry before the start of this title winning season, and also drafted in 22-year-old Roger Byrne from the reserve side to occupy the left wing, with Byrne scoring a host of crucial goals to help United clinch the title. Another young player who made his debut in the season, but did not play enough times to collect a championship medal, was the Belfast born teenager Jackie Blanchflower, who was equally capable as a half-back or inside-forward.[1]

Friendlies

Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
26 September 1951 Hapoel H 6–0 Rowley (2), Pearson (2), Walton, Aston 12,000
23 February 1952 Manchester City H 4–2 Pearson (2), Aston, Clempson 25,002
29 March 1952 Hibernian H 1–1 Clempson 20,098
9 May 1952 New Jersey XI N 4–0 Byrne (2), Berry, Carey 9,000
11 May 1952 Philadelphia All-Stars N 4–0 Rowley (2), Clempson, Byrne 5,000
13 May 1952 Montreal All-Stars N 10–0 Rowley (3), Downie (3), Clempson (3), McShane 6,400
18 May 1952 American League XI N 5–1 Clempson (2), Berry, Rowley, Downie 7,150
21 May 1952 Fall River All-Stars N 11–1 Rowley (7), Downie (3), Martin (o.g.) 3,102
25 May 1952 Stuttgart N 5–2 Byrne, Clempson, Downie/Rowley, Downie/Byrne, Rowley 5,874
27 May 1952 Chicago All-Stars N 6–1 Rowley (3), Downie (2), Aston 3,564
1 June 1952 Atlas N 2–0 Pearson, Byrne (pen.)
8 June 1952 Atlas N 4–3 Pearson (3), Byrne 12,000
12 June 1952 Toronto Ulster United N 4–2 Clempson, Aston, Downie, Pearson 10,000
14 June 1952 Tottenham Hotspur N 0–5 25,321
15 June 1952 Tottenham Hotspur N 1–7 Rowley 24,582

First Division

Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
18 August 1951 West Bromwich Albion A 3–3 Rowley (3) 27,486
22 August 1951 Middlesbrough H 4–2 Rowley (3), Pearson 37,339
25 August 1951 Newcastle United H 2–1 Downie, Rowley 51,850
29 August 1951 Middlesbrough A 4–1 Pearson (2), Rowley (2) 44,212
1 September 1951 Bolton Wanderers A 0–1 52,239
5 September 1951 Charlton Athletic H 3–2 Rowley (2), Downie 26,773
8 September 1951 Stoke City H 4–0 Rowley (3), Pearson 48,660
12 September 1951 Charlton Athletic A 2–2 Downie (2) 28,806
15 September 1951 Manchester City A 2–1 Berry, McShane 52,571
22 September 1951 Tottenham Hotspur A 0–2 70,882
29 September 1951 Preston North End H 1–2 Aston 53,454
6 October 1951 Derby County H 2–1 Berry, Pearson 39,767
13 October 1951 Aston Villa A 5–2 Pearson (2), Rowley (2), Bond 47,795
20 October 1951 Sunderland H 0–1 40,915
27 October 1951 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–0 Pearson, Rowley 46,167
3 November 1951 Huddersfield Town H 1–1 Pearson 25,616
10 November 1951 Chelsea A 2–4 Pearson, Rowley 48,960
17 November 1951 Portsmouth H 1–3 Downie 35,914
24 November 1951 Liverpool A 0–0 42,378
1 December 1951 Blackpool H 3–1 Downie (2), Rowley 34,154
8 December 1951 Arsenal A 3–1 Pearson, Rowley, own goal 55,451
15 December 1951 West Bromwich Albion H 5–1 Downie (2), Pearson (2), Berry 27,584
22 December 1951 Newcastle United A 2–2 Bond, Cockburn 45,414
25 December 1951 Fulham H 3–2 Berry, Bond, Rowley 33,802
26 December 1951 Fulham A 3–3 Bond, Pearson, Rowley 32,671
29 December 1951 Bolton Wanderers H 1–0 Pearson 53,205
5 January 1952 Stoke City A 0–0 36,389
19 January 1952 Manchester City H 1–1 Carey 54,245
26 January 1952 Tottenham Hotspur H 2–0 Pearson, own goal 40,845
9 February 1952 Preston North End A 2–1 Aston, Berry 38,792
16 February 1952 Derby County A 3–0 Aston, Pearson, Rowley 27,693
1 March 1952 Aston Villa H 1–1 Berry 38,910
8 March 1952 Sunderland A 2–1 Cockburn, Rowley 48,078
15 March 1952 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2–0 Aston, Clempson 45,109
22 March 1952 Huddersfield Town A 2–3 Clempson, Pearson 30,316
5 April 1952 Portsmouth A 0–1 25,522
11 April 1952 Burnley A 1–1 Byrne 38,907
12 April 1952 Liverpool H 4–0 Byrne (2), Downie, Rowley 42,970
14 April 1952 Burnley H 6–1 Byrne (2), Carey, Downie, Pearson, Rowley 44,508
19 April 1952 Blackpool A 2–2 Byrne, Rowley 29,118
21 April 1952 Chelsea H 3–0 Carey, Pearson, own goal 37,436
26 April 1952 Arsenal H 6–1 Rowley (3), Pearson (2), Byrne 53,651
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Manchester United 42 23 11 8 95 52 1.827 57 League Champions
2 Tottenham Hotspur 42 22 9 11 76 51 1.490 53
3 Arsenal 42 21 11 10 80 61 1.311 53
4 Portsmouth 42 20 8 14 68 58 1.172 48
5 Bolton Wanderers 42 19 10 13 65 61 1.066 48
Source:

FA Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
12 January 1952 Round 3 Hull City A 0–2 43,517

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Reg Allen 33010340
GK Jack Crompton 900090
FB Roger Byrne 24710257
FB Johnny Carey 38310393
FB Thomas McNulty 24010250
FB Billy Redman 18000180
HB Jackie Blanchflower 100010
HB Allenby Chilton 42010430
HB Henry Cockburn 38210392
HB Don Gibson 17000170
HB Mark Jones 300030
HB Billy McGlen 200020
HB Jeff Whitefoot 300030
FW John Aston, Sr. 18400184
FW Johnny Berry 36610376
FW Brian Birch 200020
FW Ernie Bond 19410204
FW Laurie Cassidy 100010
FW Frank Clempson 820082
FW John Downie 3111103211
FW Harry McShane 12100121
FW Stan Pearson 4122104222
FW Jack Rowley 4030104130
FW John Walton 200020

References

  1. "Manchester United Season 1951/52". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
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