1901/02 – Newton Heath | Manchester United News
1901/02 – Newton Heath

The 1901–02 season was Newton Heath‘s tenth season in the Football League and their eighth in the Second Division. They finished 15th in the league, avoiding relegation by only five points. In the FA Cup, the Heathens were knocked out byLincoln City, losing 2–1 in the Intermediate Round.

The club also entered teams in the Lancashire and Manchester Senior Cups in 1901–02. They only managed to reach the second round of the Lancashire Cup, before losing 5–0 to Southport Central, but the real success came in the Manchester Cup, in which they beat Bolton Wanderers after a replay in the semi-final, before beating Manchester City 2–1 in the final.

The club had been struggling financially during the season, and were taken to court by their president, William Healey, over a sum of £242 17s 10d owed to him by the club in January 1902. Unable to pay, as they were £2,600 in debt, the club was declared bankrupt. Two months later, club captain Harry Stafford managed to enlist the help of Manchester brewer John Henry Davies, who, in conjunction with three other local businessmen, invested a total of £2,000 in the club. Davies was installed as club president and the club was renamed “Manchester United”.

Second Division

Date Opponents H / A ResultF – A Scorers Attendance
7 September 1901 Gainsborough Trinity H 3 – 0 Preston (2), Lappin 10,000
14 September 1901 Middlesbrough A 0 – 5 12,000
21 September 1901 Bristol City H 1 – 0 Griffiths 6,000
28 September 1901 Blackpool A 4 – 2 Preston (2), Schofield, own goal 4,000
5 October 1901 Stockport County H 3 – 3 Schofield, Smith, Preston 5,000
12 October 1901 Burton United A 0 – 0 3,000
19 October 1901 Glossop A 0 – 0 5,000
26 October 1901 Doncaster Rovers H 6 – 0 Coupar (2), Schofield,Griffiths, Preston, own goal 7,000
9 November 1901 West Bromwich Albion H 1 – 2 Fisher 13,000
16 November 1901 Woolwich Arsenal A 0 – 2 3,000
23 November 1901 Barnsley H 1 – 0 Griffiths 4,000
30 November 1901 Leicester Fosse A 2 – 3 Cartwright (2) 4,000
7 December 1901 Preston North End A 1 – 5 Preston 3,000
21 December 1901 Burslem Port Vale H 1 – 0 Richards 3,000
26 December 1901 Lincoln City A 0 – 2 4,000
1 January 1902 Preston North End H 0 – 2 10,000
4 January 1902 Gainsborough Trinity A 1 – 1 Lappin 2,000
18 January 1902 Bristol City A 0 – 4 6,000
25 January 1902 Blackpool H 0 – 1 3,000
1 February 1902 Stockport County A 0 – 1 3,000
11 February 1902 Burnley H 2 – 0 Lappin, Preston 1,000
15 February 1902 Glossop H 1 – 0 Erentz 4,000
22 February 1902 Doncaster Rovers A 0 – 4 3,000
1 March 1902 Lincoln City H 0 – 0 6,000
8 March 1902 West Bromwich Albion A 0 – 4 8,000
15 March 1902 Woolwich Arsenal H 0 – 1 3,000
17 March 1902 Chesterfield A 0 – 3 2,000
22 March 1902 Barnsley A 2 – 3 Cartwright, Higson 2,500
28 March 1902 Burnley A 0 – 1 3,000
29 March 1902 Leicester Fosse H 2 – 0 Griffiths, Hayes 2,000
7 April 1902 Middlesbrough H 1 – 2 Erentz (pen.) 2,000
19 April 1902 Burslem Port Vale A 1 – 1 Coupar 2,000
21 April 1902 Burton United H 3 – 1 Cartwright, Griffiths, Preston 500
23 April 1902 Chesterfield H 2 – 0 Coupar, Preston 2,000
Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA Pts
14 Leicester Fosse 34 12 5 17 38 56 29
15 Newton Heath 34 11 6 17 38 53 28
16 Chesterfield 34 11 6 17 47 68 28

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points

FA Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A ResultF – A Scorers Attendance
14 December 1901 Intermediate Round Lincoln City H 1 – 2 Fisher 4,000