Original version on Ray Adler’s Flickr Stream

The 1928–29 season was Manchester United’s 33rd season in the Football League.

Manager Herbert Bamlett signed Charlie Spencer from Newcastle for £3,250 and continued to play a 2-3-5 formation.

Despite this, United suffered so many injuries – including Tom Jones with a hernia and Charlie Spencer, another new signing, with malaria before Hugh McLenahan broke his leg at Villa Park. Captain Jack Wilson had quinsies and Billy Johnston damaged knee ligaments.

They lost just once in their final fifteen games after signing Tommy Reid from Liverpool who scored 14 in 17, and Bamlett was rewarded with a two year extension to his contract – a fine turnaround from the club being bottom as 1929 began.

First Division

Date	Opponents	H / A	ResultF – A	Scorers	Attendance
25 August 1928	Leicester City	H	1 – 1	Rawlings	20,129
27 August 1928	Aston Villa	A	0 – 0		30,356
1 September 1928	Manchester City	A	2 – 2	Johnston, Wilson	61,007
8 September 1928	Leeds United	A	2 – 3	Johnston, Spence	28,723
15 September 1928	Liverpool	H	2 – 2	Hanson, Silcock	24,077
22 September 1928	West Ham United	A	1 – 3	Rawlings	20,788
29 September 1928	Newcastle United	H	5 – 0	Rawlings (2), Hanson, Johnston,Spence	25,243
6 October 1928	Burnley	A	4 – 3	Hanson (2), Spence (2)	17,493
13 October 1928	Cardiff City	H	1 – 1	Johnston	26,010
20 October 1928	Birmingham	H	1 – 0	Johnston	17,522
27 October 1928	Huddersfield Town	A	2 – 1	Hanson, Spence	13,648
3 November 1928	Bolton Wanderers	H	1 – 1	Hanson	31,185
10 November 1928	The Wednesday	A	1 – 2	Hanson	18,113
17 November 1928	Derby County	H	0 – 1		26,122
24 November 1928	Sunderland	A	1 – 5	Rowley	15,932
1 December 1928	Blackburn Rovers	H	1 – 4	Ramsden	19,589
8 December 1928	Arsenal	A	1 – 3	Hanson	18,923
15 December 1928	Everton	H	1 – 1	Hanson	17,080
22 December 1928	Portsmouth	A	0 – 3		12,836
25 December 1928	Sheffield United	H	1 – 1	Ramsden	22,202
26 December 1928	Sheffield United	A	1 – 6	Rawlings	34,696
29 December 1928	Leicester City	A	1 – 2	Hanson	21,535
1 January 1929	Aston Villa	H	2 – 2	Hilditch, Rowley	25,935
5 January 1929	Manchester City	H	1 – 2	Rawlings	42,555
19 January 1929	Leeds United	H	1 – 2	Sweeney	21,995
2 February 1929	West Ham United	H	2 – 3	Reid, Rowley	12,020
9 February 1929	Newcastle United	A	0 – 5		31,134
13 February 1929	Liverpool	A	3 – 2	Reid (2), Thomas	8,852
16 February 1929	Burnley	H	1 – 0	Rowley	12,516
23 February 1929	Cardiff City	A	2 – 2	Hanson, Reid	13,070
2 March 1929	Birmingham	A	1 – 1	Hanson	16,738
9 March 1929	Huddersfield Town	H	1 – 0	Hanson	28,183
16 March 1929	Bolton Wanderers	A	1 – 1	Hanson	17,354
23 March 1929	The Wednesday	H	2 – 1	Reid, Rowley	27,095
29 March 1929	Bury	A	3 – 1	Reid (2), Thomas	27,167
30 March 1929	Derby County	A	1 – 6	Hanson	14,619
1 April 1929	Bury	H	1 – 0	Thomas	29,742
6 April 1929	Sunderland	H	3 – 0	Hanson, Mann, Reid	27,772
13 April 1929	Blackburn Rovers	A	3 – 0	Reid (2), Ramsden	8,193
20 April 1929	Arsenal	H	4 – 1	Reid (2), Hanson, Thomas	22,858
27 April 1929	Everton	A	4 – 2	Hanson (2), Reid (2)	19,442
4 May 1929	Portsmouth	H	0 – 0		17,728

Pos	Club	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
11	Sheffield United	42	15	11	16	86	85	+1	41
12	Manchester United	42	14	13	15	66	76	–10	41
13	Leeds United	42	16	9	17	71	84	–13	41

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
12 January 1929	Round 3	Port Vale	A	3 – 0	Hanson, Spence, Taylor	17,519
26 January 1929	Round 4	Bury	H	0 – 1		40,558