1947–48 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1947–48 season was Manchester United's 46th season in the Football League and third back in the First Division since their promotion from the Second Division in 1938. They finished the season second in the league but most significantly won the FA Cup with a 4–2 win over Blackpool in their first appearance at Wembley Stadium, ending the club's 37-year wait for a major trophy.[1]

Manchester United
1947–48 season
ChairmanJames W. Gibson
ManagerMatt Busby
StadiumMaine Road
First Division2nd
FA CupWinners
Top goalscorerLeague:
Jack Rowley (23)

All:
Jack Rowley (28)
Highest home attendance81,962 vs Arsenal (17 January 1948)
Lowest home attendance33,312 vs Charlton Athletic (7 February 1948)
Average home league attendance54,484

Pre-season and friendlies

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Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
12 May 1948 Bohemians Select XI A 1–2 Mitten 32' 37,500
16 May 1948 Shelbourne Select XI N 4–3 Buckle (2), Anderson, Leuty (o.g.) 25,000
19 May 1948 Linfield A 3–2 Morris, Buckle, Rowley 30,000

First Division

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Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance League
position[2]
23 August 1947 Middlesbrough A 2–2 Rowley (2) 39,554 10th
27 August 1947 Liverpool H 2–0 Morris, Pearson 52,385 4th
30 August 1947 Charlton Athletic H 6–2 Rowley (4), Morris, Pearson 52,659 2nd
3 September 1947 Liverpool A 2–2 Mitten, Pearson 48,081 4th
6 September 1947 Arsenal A 1–2 Morris 64,905 6th
8 September 1947 Burnley A 0–0 37,517 5th
13 September 1947 Sheffield United H 0–1 49,808 8th
20 September 1947 Manchester City A 0–0 71,364 12th
27 September 1947 Preston North End A 1–2 Morris 34,372 14th
4 October 1947 Stoke City H 1–1 Hanlon 45,745 14th
11 October 1947 Grimsby Town H 3–4 Mitten, Morris, Rowley 40,035 17th
18 October 1947 Sunderland A 0–1 37,148 18th
25 October 1947 Aston Villa H 2–0 Delaney, Rowley 47,078 17th
1 November 1947 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 6–2 Morris (2), Pearson (2), Delaney, Mitten 44,309 15th
8 November 1947 Huddersfield Town H 4–4 Rowley (4) 59,772 15th
15 November 1947 Derby County A 1–1 Carey 32,990 13th
22 November 1947 Everton H 2–2 Cockburn, Morris 35,509 15th
29 November 1947 Chelsea A 4–0 Morris (3), Rowley 43,617 11th
6 December 1947 Blackpool H 1–1 Pearson 63,683 10th
13 December 1947 Blackburn Rovers A 1–1 Morris 22,784 11th
20 December 1947 Middlesbrough H 2–1 Pearson (2) 46,666 10th
25 December 1947 Portsmouth H 3–2 Morris (2), Rowley 42,776 8th
27 December 1947 Portsmouth A 3–1 Morris (2), Delaney 27,674 6th
1 January 1948 Burnley H 5–0 Rowley (3), Mitten (2) 59,838 5th
3 January 1948 Charlton Athletic A 2–1 Morris, Pearson 40,484 4th
17 January 1948 Arsenal H 1–1 Rowley 81,962 5th
31 January 1948 Sheffield United A 1–2 Rowley 45,189 5th
14 February 1948 Preston North End H 1–1 Delaney 61,765 7th
21 February 1948 Stoke City A 2–0 Buckle, Pearson 36,794 5th
6 March 1948 Sunderland H 3–1 Delaney, Mitten, Rowley 55,160 4th
17 March 1948 Grimsby Town A 1–1 Rowley 12,284 4th
20 March 1948 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 3–2 Delaney, Mitten, Morris 50,667 4th
22 March 1948 Aston Villa A 1–0 Pearson 52,368 3rd
26 March 1948 Bolton Wanderers H 0–2 71,623 4th
27 March 1948 Huddersfield Town A 2–0 Burke, Pearson 38,266 3rd
29 March 1948 Bolton Wanderers A 1–0 Anderson 44,225 2nd
3 April 1948 Derby County H 1–0 Pearson 49,609 2nd
7 April 1948 Manchester City H 1–1 Rowley 71,690 2nd
10 April 1948 Everton A 0–2 44,198 2nd
17 April 1948 Chelsea H 5–0 Pearson (2), Delaney, Mitten, Rowley 43,225 2nd
28 April 1948 Blackpool A 0–1 32,236 2nd
1 May 1948 Blackburn Rovers H 4–1 Pearson (3), Delaney 44,439 2nd

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Relegation
1 Arsenal (C) 42 23 13 6 81 32 2.531 59
2 Manchester United 42 19 14 9 81 48 1.688 52
3 Burnley 42 20 12 10 56 43 1.302 52
4 Derby County 42 19 12 11 77 57 1.351 50
5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 42 19 9 14 83 70 1.186 47
6 Aston Villa 42 19 9 14 65 57 1.140 47
7 Preston North End 42 20 7 15 67 68 0.985 47
8 Portsmouth 42 19 7 16 68 50 1.360 45
9 Blackpool 42 17 10 15 57 41 1.390 44
10 Manchester City 42 15 12 15 52 47 1.106 42
11 Liverpool 42 16 10 16 65 61 1.066 42
12 Sheffield United 42 16 10 16 65 70 0.929 42
13 Charlton Athletic 42 17 6 19 57 66 0.864 40
14 Everton 42 17 6 19 52 66 0.788 40
15 Stoke City 42 14 10 18 41 55 0.745 38
16 Middlesbrough 42 14 9 19 71 73 0.973 37
17 Bolton Wanderers 42 16 5 21 46 58 0.793 37
18 Chelsea 42 14 9 19 53 71 0.746 37
19 Huddersfield Town 42 12 12 18 51 60 0.850 36
20 Sunderland 42 13 10 19 56 67 0.836 36
21 Blackburn Rovers (R) 42 11 10 21 54 72 0.750 32 Relegation to the Second Division
22 Grimsby Town (R) 42 8 6 28 45 111 0.405 22
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

FA Cup

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Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
10 January 1948 Third Round Aston Villa A 6–4 Morris (2), Pearson (2), Delaney, Rowley 58,683
24 January 1948 Fourth Round Liverpool H 3–0 Mitten, Morris, Rowley 74,000
7 February 1948 Fifth Round Charlton Athletic H 2–0 Mitten, Warner 33,312
28 February 1948 Sixth Round Preston North End H 4–2 Pearson (2), Mitten, Rowley 74,213
13 March 1948 Semi-Final Derby County N 3–1 Pearson (3) 60,000
24 April 1948 Final Blackpool N 4–2 Rowley (2), Anderson, Pearson 99,000

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Jack Crompton 37 0 6 0 43 0
GK   Berry Brown 3 0 0 0 3 0
GK   Jimmy Pegg 2 0 0 0 2 0
FB   John Aston, Sr. 42 0 6 0 48 0
FB   John Ball 1 0 0 0 1 0
FB   Johnny Carey 37 1 6 0 43 1
FB   Tommy Lowrie 2 0 0 0 2 0
FB   Sammy Lynn 3 0 0 0 3 0
FB   Joe Walton 6 0 0 0 6 0
FB   Harry Worrall 5 0 0 0 5 0
HB   Allenby Chilton 41 0 6 0 47 0
HB   Henry Cockburn 26 1 6 0 32 1
HB   Billy McGlen 13 0 0 0 13 0
HB   Jack Warner 15 0 1 1 16 1
FW   John Anderson 18 1 5 1 23 2
FW   Ted Buckle 3 1 0 0 3 1
FW   Ronnie Burke 6 1 0 0 6 1
FW   Laurie Cassidy 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Joe Dale 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW   Jimmy Delaney 36 8 6 1 42 9
FW   Jimmy Hanlon 8 1 0 0 8 1
FW   Charlie Mitten 38 8 6 3 44 11
FW   Johnny Morris 38 18 6 3 44 21
FW   Stan Pearson 40 18 6 8 46 26
FW   Jack Rowley 39 23 6 5 45 28
Own goals 0 0 0

References

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  1. ^ "Manchester United Season 1947/48". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 21 April 2009.
  2. ^ "Historic league table generator - League Division One end of season table for 1947-48 season". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 20 August 2020.