Two squad pictures for the 76/77 season
The 1976–77 season was Manchester United‘s 74th season in the Football League, and their second consecutive season in the top division of English football.
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. The club’s top scorer for this season was winger Gordon Hill, who found the net 22 times in all competitions, with 15 of his goals coming in the league.
United failed to carry their consistent League form of the two previous years into the first half of the new season. Although they went top of the table following a 2-0 win at Leeds on 2 October, the cracks were already showing, most notably in a 3-2 home defeat by Spurs after leading 2-0 at half-time. A 4-0 thrashing at West Brom was the first in a run of eight matches without a win, and defeat at Arsenal just before Christmas left United in 17th place. Remarkably, a run of 10 wins from 12 matches then took them back into contention for the title, and although they were unable to sustain this upturn in form, a sixth-placed finish was far better than had looked likely at the turn of the year.
In the FA Cup, home wins over Walsall and QPR set up a fifth round tie with Second Division Southampton, who had shattered United’s Wembley dreams the previous May. A 2-2 draw at The Dell was followed by a 2-1 win back at Old Trafford, courtesy of two goals from Brian Greenhoff’s elder brother Jimmy, a £100,000 signing from Stoke in November.
After disposing of Aston Villa in the quarter-final and Leeds in the semi-final at Hillsborough, United faced the formidable challenge of League champions and prospective European Cup winners Liverpool in the final. Stuart Pearson broke clear to fire United in front early in the second half, and although Jimmy Case equalised within minutes, United’s fourth FA Cup success was clinched by one of the luckiest and most unusual goals in the history of the final, as Lou Macari’s wayward shot looped into the net off the shoulder of Jimmy Greenhoff.
In the League Cup, United scored 17 times on their way to the quarter-final, where they were well-beaten at home by Everton. Their UEFA Cup campaign was ended in the second round by Italian giants Juventus.
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 | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | Newcastle United | 42 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 64 | 49 | +15 | 49 |
6 | Manchester United | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 71 | 62 | +9 | 47 |
7 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 62 | 56 | +6 | 45 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
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 |
Full FA Cup Final 1977
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 | 59,000 |
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 | Paddy Roche | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
GK | Alex Stepney | 40 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 57 | 0 |
DF | Arthur Albiston | 14(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2(2) | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 19(6) | 0 |
DF | Martin Buchan | 33 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 0 |
DF | Alex Forsyth | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(1) | 0 |
DF | Brian Greenhoff | 40 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 57 | 5 |
DF | Stewart Houston | 36 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 5 |
DF | Jimmy Nicholl | 39 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 1 |
DF | Steve Paterson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 3(2) | 0 |
DF | Colin Waldron | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
MF | Jonathan Clark | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
MF | Steve Coppell | 40 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 56 | 8 |
MF | Gerry Daly | 16(1) | 4 | 0(1) | 0 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 26(2) | 7 |
MF | Tommy Jackson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
MF | David McCreery | 9(16) | 2 | 0(3) | 0 | 3(2) | 0 | 1(3) | 0 | 13(24) | 2 |
MF | Chris McGrath | 2(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(5) | 0 |
MF | Sammy McIlroy | 39(1) | 2 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 56(1) | 3 |
FW | Alan Foggon | 0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(3) | 0 |
FW | Jimmy Greenhoff | 27 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 12 |
FW | Gordon Hill | 38(1) | 15 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 55(1) | 22 |
FW | Lou Macari | 38 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 53 | 14 |
FW | Stuart Pearson | 39 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 53 | 19 |
– | Own goals | – | 4 | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 5 |