1976–77 Manchester United F.C. season

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Manchester United
1976–77 season
Ruud Krol celebrates after scoring for Ajax against United in the UEFA Cup, 15 September 1976
ChairmanLouis Edwards
ManagerTommy Docherty
First Division6th
FA CupWinners
League CupFifth Round
UEFA CupSecond Round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Gordon Hill (15)
Stuart Pearson (15)

All:
Gordon Hill (22)
Highest home attendance60,723 vs Tottenham Hotspur (4 September 1976)
Lowest home attendance37,586 vs Tranmere Rovers (1 September 1976)
Average home league attendance53,390

The 1976–77 season was Manchester United's 75th season in the Football League, and their second consecutive season in the top division of English football.[1] They finished the season sixth in the league and won the FA Cup to end a nine-year spell without a major trophy. Despite this success, it was to be their last season under the management of Tommy Docherty, who had been at the helm for four-and-a-half years and revived United following several years of decline. During the close season, he was dismissed by the club after revealing his love affair with the wife of the club's physiotherapist.[2]

First Division

Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
21 August 1976 Birmingham City H 2–2 Coppell, Pearson 58,898
24 August 1976 Coventry City A 2–0 Macari, Hill 26,775
28 August 1976 Derby County A 0–0 30,054
4 September 1976 Tottenham Hotspur H 2–3 Coppell, Pearson 60,723
11 September 1976 Newcastle United A 2–2 B. Greenhoff, Pearson 39,037
18 September 1976 Middlesbrough H 2–0 McAndrew (o.g.), Pearson 56,712
25 September 1976 Manchester City A 3–1 Coppell, McCreery, Daly 48,861
2 October 1976 Leeds United A 2–0 Daly, Coppell 44,512
16 October 1976 West Bromwich Albion A 0–4 36,615
23 October 1976 Norwich City H 2–2 Daly (pen.), Hill 54,356
30 October 1976 Ipswich Town H 0–1 57,416
6 November 1976 Aston Villa A 2–3 Pearson. Hill 44,789
10 November 1976 Sunderland H 3–3 Hill, Pearson, B. Greenhoff 42,685
20 November 1976 Leicester City A 1–1 Daly (pen.) 26,421
27 November 1976 West Ham United H 0–2 55,366
18 December 1976 Arsenal A 1–3 McIlroy 39,572
27 December 1976 Everton H 4–0 Pearson, J. Greenhoff, Hill, Macari 56,786
1 January 1977 Aston Villa H 2–0 Pearson (2) 55,446
3 January 1977 Ipswich Town A 1–2 Pearson 30,105
15 January 1977 Coventry City H 2–0 Macari (2) 46,567
19 January 1977 Bristol City H 2–1 Pearson, B. Greenhoff 43,051
22 January 1977 Birmingham City A 3–2 J. Greenhoff, Pearson, Houston 35,316
5 February 1977 Derby County H 3–1 Macari, Houston, Powell (o.g.) 54,044
12 February 1977 Tottenham Hotspur A 3–1 Macari, McIlroy, Hill 46,946
16 February 1977 Liverpool H 0–0 57,487
19 February 1977 Newcastle United H 3–1 J. Greenhoff (3) 51,828
5 March 1977 Manchester City H 3–1 Pearson, Hill, Coppell 58,595
12 March 1977 Leeds United H 1–0 Cherry (o.g.) 60,612
23 March 1977 West Bromwich Albion H 2–2 Hill (pen.), Coppell 51,053
2 April 1977 Norwich City A 1–2 Powell (o.g.) 24,161
5 April 1977 Everton A 2–1 Hill (2) 38,216
9 April 1977 Stoke City H 3–0 Houston, Macari, Pearson 53,102
11 April 1977 Sunderland A 1–2 Hill (pen.) 38,785
16 April 1977 Leicester City H 1–1 J. Greenhoff 49,161
19 April 1977 Queens Park Rangers A 0–4 28,848
26 April 1977 Middlesbrough A 0–3 21,744
30 April 1977 Queens Park Rangers H 1–0 Macari 50,788
3 May 1977 Liverpool A 0–1 53,046
7 May 1977 Bristol City A 1–1 J. Greenhoff (pen.) 28,864
11 May 1977 Stoke City A 3–3 Hill (2), McCreery 24,204
14 May 1977 Arsenal H 3–2 J. Greenhoff, Macari, Hill 53,232
16 May 1977 West Ham United A 2–4 Hill, Pearson 29,904

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
4 Aston Villa 42 22 7 13 76 50 +26 51 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
5 Newcastle United 42 18 13 11 64 49 +15 49
6 Manchester United 42 18 11 13 71 62 +9 47 Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round[a]
7 West Bromwich Albion 42 16 13 13 62 56 +6 45
8 Arsenal 42 16 11 15 64 59 +5 43
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ Manchester United qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1976–77 FA Cup winners.

FA Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
8 January 1977 Round 3 Walsall H 1–0 Hill 48,870
29 January 1977 Round 4 Queens Park Rangers H 1–0 Macari 57,422
26 February 1977 Round 5 Southampton A 2–2 Macari, Hill 29,137
8 March 1977 Round 5
Replay
Southampton H 2–1 J. Greenhoff (2) 58,103
19 March 1977 Round 6 Aston Villa H 2–1 Houston, Macari 57,089
23 April 1977 Semi-final Leeds United N 2–1 J. Greenhoff, Coppell 55,000
21 May 1977 Final Liverpool N 2–1 Pearson, J. Greenhoff 100,000

League Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
1 September 1976 Round 2 Tranmere Rovers H 5–0 Daly (2), Macari, Pearson, Hill 37,586
22 September 1976 Round 3 Sunderland H 2–2 Pearson, Clarke (o.g.) 46,170
4 October 1976 Round 3
Replay
Sunderland A 2–2 B. Greenhoff, Daly (pen.) 46,170
6 October 1976 Round 3
2nd Replay
Sunderland H 1–0 B. Greenhoff 47,689
27 October 1976 Round 4 Newcastle United H 7–2 Houston, Hill (3), Pearson, Nicholl, Coppell 52,002
1 December 1976 Round 5 Everton H 0–3 57,738

UEFA Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
15 September 1976 Round 1
First leg
Ajax A 0–1 30,000
29 September 1976 Round 1
Second leg
Ajax H 2–0 Macari, McIlroy 58,918
20 October 1976 Round 2
First leg
Juventus H 1–0 Hill 59,021
3 November 1976 Round 2
Second leg
Juventus A 0–3 66,632

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup UEFA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Republic of Ireland Paddy Roche 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
GK England Alex Stepney 40 0 7 0 6 0 4 0 57 0
DF Scotland Arthur Albiston 14(3) 0 1 0 2(2) 0 2(1) 0 19(6) 0
DF Scotland Martin Buchan 33 0 7 0 4 0 2 0 46 0
DF Scotland Alex Forsyth 3(1) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4(1) 0
DF England Brian Greenhoff 40 3 7 0 6 2 4 0 57 5
DF Scotland Stewart Houston 36 3 6 1 5 1 4 0 51 5
DF Northern Ireland Jimmy Nicholl 39 0 7 0 5 1 4 0 55 1
DF Scotland Steve Paterson 2 0 0 0 1 0 0(2) 0 3(2) 0
DF England Colin Waldron 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0
MF Wales Jonathan Clark 0(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0
MF England Steve Coppell 40 6 7 1 5 1 4 0 56 8
MF Republic of Ireland Gerry Daly 16(1) 4 0(1) 0 6 3 4 0 26(2) 7
MF Northern Ireland Tommy Jackson 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
MF Northern Ireland David McCreery 9(16) 2 0(3) 0 3(2) 0 1(3) 0 13(24) 2
MF Northern Ireland Chris McGrath 2(4) 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0 0 2(5) 0
MF Northern Ireland Sammy McIlroy 39(1) 2 7 0 6 0 4 1 56(1) 3
FW England Alan Foggon 0(3) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0(3) 0
FW England Jimmy Greenhoff 27 8 7 4 0 0 0 0 34 12
FW England Gordon Hill 38(1) 15 7 2 6 4 4 1 55(1) 22
FW Scotland Lou Macari 38 9 7 3 4 1 4 1 53 14
FW England Stuart Pearson 39 15 7 1 4 3 3 0 53 19
Own goals 4 0 1 0 5

References

  1. ^ "Manchester United Season 1976/77". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  2. ^ "1977: Manchester United sack manager". BBC Sport. BBC. 4 July 1977. Retrieved 9 March 2012.