1971–72 Manchester United F.C. season
# 1971–72 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1971–72 season was Manchester United's 70th season in the Football League, and their 27th consecutive season in the top division of English football. In a pre-season competition United participated in the Watney Cup, which was contested by the teams that had scored the most goals in each of the four divisions of the Football League the previous season who had not been promoted or admitted to one of the European competitions.

Before the beginning of the season, on 8 June 1971, Frank O'Farrell was appointed as United manager, more than five months after Wilf McGuinness had been sacked. Sir Matt Busby had returned to the role of manager until the end of the season before returning to his role of director.

Due to Manchester United being banned from playing their first two home matches in Old Trafford, after hooligans had thrown knives into the away section at a match at the end of the previous season, their opening "home" games were played at Anfield and the Victoria Ground.

O'Farrell's first season as United managed started well, and they were top of the league by Christmas. However, a run of seven successive league defeats after the turn of 1972 dragged them down the table. In January and February 1972, United conceded 16 goals, including 5 at Elland Road. O'Farrell attempted to shore up the leaky defence with the signing of Martin Buchan from Aberdeen for a (then) club record fee of £125,000. United never recovered their early season form and they could only manage an eighth-place finish.

## Watney Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 31 July 1971 | Round 1 | Halifax Town | A | 1 – 2 | Best | 19,765 |

## First Division

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 14 August 1971 | Derby County | A | 2 – 2 | Gowling, Law | 35,386 |
| 18 August 1971 | Chelsea | A | 3 – 2 | Charlton, Kidd, Morgan | 54,663 |
| 20 August 1971 | Arsenal | H | 3 – 1 | Charlton, Gowling, Kidd | 27,649 |
| 23 August 1971 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3 – 1 | Best (2), Gowling | 23,146 |
| 28 August 1971 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1 – 1 | Best | 46,479 |
| 31 August 1971 | Everton | A | 0 – 1 | | 52,151 |
| 4 September 1971 | Ipswich Town | H | 1 – 0 | Best | 45,656 |
| 11 September 1971 | Crystal Palace | A | 3 – 1 | Law (2), Kidd | 43,720 |
| 18 September 1971 | West Ham United | H | 4 – 2 | Best (3), Charlton | 53,339 |
| 25 September 1971 | Liverpool | A | 2 – 2 | Charlton, Law | 55,642 |
| 2 October 1971 | Sheffield United | H | 2 – 0 | Best, Gowling | 51,758 |
| 9 October 1971 | Huddersfield Town | A | 3 – 0 | Best, Charlton, Law | 33,458 |
| 16 October 1971 | Derby County | H | 1 – 0 | Best | 53,247 |
| 23 October 1971 | Newcastle United | A | 1 – 0 | Best | 55,603 |
| 30 October 1971 | Leeds United | H | 0 – 1 | | 53,884 |
| 6 November 1971 | Manchester City | A | 3 – 3 | Gowling, Kidd, McIlroy | 63,326 |
| 13 November 1971 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 3 – 1 | Law (2), McIlroy | 54,058 |
| 20 November 1971 | Leicester City | H | 3 – 2 | Law (2), Kidd | 48,764 |
| 27 November 1971 | Southampton | A | 5 – 2 | Best (3), Kidd, McIlroy | 30,323 |
| 4 December 1971 | Nottingham Forest | H | 3 – 2 | Kidd (2), Law | 45,411 |
| 11 December 1971 | Stoke City | A | 1 – 1 | Law | 33,875 |
| 18 December 1971 | Ipswich Town | A | 0 – 0 | | 29,213 |
| 27 December 1971 | Coventry City | H | 2 – 2 | James, Law | 52,035 |
| 1 January 1972 | West Ham United | A | 0 – 3 | | 41,990 |
| 8 January 1972 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1 – 3 | McIlroy | 47,626 |
| 22 January 1972 | Chelsea | H | 0 – 1 | | 55,927 |
| 29 January 1972 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1 – 2 | Kidd | 46,992 |
| 12 February 1972 | Newcastle United | H | 0 – 2 | | 44,983 |
| 19 February 1972 | Leeds United | A | 1 – 5 | Burns | 45,399 |
| 4 March 1972 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0 – 2 | | 54,814 |
| 8 March 1972 | Everton | H | 0 – 0 | | 38,415 |
| 11 March 1972 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2 – 0 | Best, Storey-Moore | 53,581 |
| 25 March 1972 | Crystal Palace | H | 4 – 0 | Charlton, Gowling, Law, Storey-Moore | 41,550 |
| 1 April 1972 | Coventry City | A | 3 – 2 | Best, Charlton, Storey-Moore | 37,870 |
| 3 April 1972 | Liverpool | H | 0 – 3 | | 54,000 |
| 4 April 1972 | Sheffield United | A | 1 – 1 | Sadler | 45,045 |
| 8 April 1972 | Leicester City | A | 0 – 2 | | 35,649 |
| 12 April 1972 | Manchester City | H | 1 – 3 | Buchan | 56,362 |
| 15 April 1972 | Southampton | H | 3 – 2 | Best, Kidd, Storey-Moore | 38,437 |
| 22 April 1972 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0 – 0 | | 35,063 |
| 25 April 1972 | Arsenal | A | 0 – 3 | | 49,125 |
| 29 April 1972 | Stoke City | H | 3 – 0 | Best, Charlton, Storey-Moore | 34,959 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Derby County (C) | 42 | 24 | 10 | 8 | 69 | 33 | 2.091 | 58 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
| 2 | Leeds United | 42 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 73 | 31 | 2.355 | 57 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 3 | Liverpool | 42 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 64 | 30 | 2.133 | 57 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Manchester City | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 77 | 45 | 1.711 | 57 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | Arsenal | 42 | 22 | 8 | 12 | 58 | 40 | 1.450 | 52 | |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 63 | 42 | 1.500 | 51 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 7 | Chelsea | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 58 | 49 | 1.184 | 48 | |
| 8 | Manchester United | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 69 | 61 | 1.131 | 48 | |
| 9 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 65 | 57 | 1.140 | 47 | Qualification for the Watney Cup |
| 10 | Sheffield United | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 61 | 60 | 1.017 | 46 | Qualification for the Watney Cup |
| 11 | Newcastle United | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 49 | 52 | 0.942 | 41 | |
| 12 | Leicester City | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 41 | 46 | 0.891 | 39 | |
| 13 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 39 | 53 | 0.736 | 38 | |
| 14 | West Ham United | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 47 | 51 | 0.922 | 36 | |
| 15 | Everton | 42 | 9 | 18 | 15 | 37 | 48 | 0.771 | 36 | |
| 16 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 42 | 54 | 0.778 | 35 | |
| 17 | Stoke City | 42 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 39 | 56 | 0.696 | 35 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 18 | Coventry City | 42 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 44 | 67 | 0.657 | 33 | |
| 19 | Southampton | 42 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 52 | 80 | 0.650 | 31 | |
| 20 | Crystal Palace | 42 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 39 | 65 | 0.600 | 29 | |
| 21 | Nottingham Forest (R) | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 47 | 81 | 0.580 | 25 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 22 | Huddersfield Town (R) | 42 | 6 | 13 | 23 | 27 | 59 | 0.458 | 25 | Relegation to the Second Division |

* ↑ Leeds United qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as the 1971-72 FA Cup winners.
* ↑ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Cup as the 1971-72 UEFA Cup winners.
* ↑ Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United qualified for the Watney Cup as the two teams with the most goals that hadn't already qualified for a European competition.

## FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 15 January 1972 | Round 3 | Southampton | A | 1 – 1 | Charlton | 30,190 |
| 19 January 1972 | Round 3 Replay | Southampton | H | 4 – 1 | Best (2), Sadler, Aston | 50,966 |
| 5 February 1972 | Round 4 | Preston North End | A | 2 – 0 | Gowling (2) | 27,025 |
| 26 February 1972 | Round 5 | Middlesbrough | H | 0 – 0 | | 53,850 |
| 29 February 1972 | Round 5 Replay | Middlesbrough | A | 3 – 0 | Morgan, Best, Charlton | 39,683 |
| 18 March 1972 | Round 6 | Stoke City | H | 1 – 1 | Best | 54,226 |
| 22 March 1972 | Round 6 Replay | Stoke City | A | 1 – 2 | Best | 49,192 |

## League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 7 September 1971 | Round 2 | Ipswich Town | A | 3 – 1 | Morgan, Best (2) | 28,143 |
| 6 October 1971 | Round 3 | Burnley | H | 1 – 1 | Charlton | 44,600 |
| 18 October 1971 | Round 3 Replay | Burnley | A | 1 – 0 | Charlton | 27,511 |
| 27 October 1971 | Round 4 | Stoke City | H | 1 – 1 | Gowling | 47,062 |
| 8 November 1971 | Round 4 Replay | Stoke City | A | 0 – 0 | | 40,805 |
| 15 November 1971 | Round 4 Second Replay | Stoke City | A | 1 – 2 | Best | 42,249 |

## Squad statistics

| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | John Connaughton | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | Alex Stepney | 39 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| DF | Martin Buchan | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| DF | Francis Burns | 15(2) | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23(2) | 1 |
| DF | Tony Dunne | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| DF | Paul Edwards | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| DF | Steve James | 37 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 48 | 1 |
| DF | Tommy O'Neil | 37 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| DF | David Sadler | 37 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 49 | 2 |
| DF | Tony Young | 5(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(2) | 0 |
| MF | John Aston, Jr. | 2(7) | 0 | 0(1) | 1 | 2(2) | 0 | 4(10) | 1 |
| MF | George Best | 40 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 53 | 26 |
| MF | Bobby Charlton | 40 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 53 | 12 |
| MF | John Fitzpatrick | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Sammy McIlroy | 8(8) | 4 | 1(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11(10) | 4 |
| MF | Willie Morgan | 35 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 48 | 3 |
| MF | Carlo Sartori | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(2) | 0 |
| FW | Alan Gowling | 35(2) | 6 | 6(1) | 2 | 6 | 1 | 47(3) | 9 |
| FW | Brian Kidd | 34 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 43 | 10 |
| FW | Denis Law | 32(1) | 13 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41(1) | 13 |
| FW | Ian Storey-Moore | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 |
| – | Own goals | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 0 |
