The 1977–78 season was Manchester United‘s 75th season in the Football League, and their third consecutive season in the top division of English football.
It was their first season under the management of Dave Sexton, following the dismissal of Tommy Docherty. Shortly after winning the FA Cup, news that Docherty was having an extramarital affair with the wife of a United physiotherapist, Laurie Brown, became public. He was sacked in a blaze of publicity in July 1977. Docherty was replaced at Old Trafford by the same man who had replaced him at Chelsea, Dave Sexton. Tommy later married Mary Brown and they are still together after more than 30 years.
As FA Cup holders United contested the Charity Shield and were joint holders with league champions Liverpool, but failed to make an impact in Europe or on either of the domestic cups and finished only 10th in the league.
Winger Gordon Hill, who was transferred to Derby County (now managed by Tommy Docherty) at the end of the season, bowed out of Old Trafford in style as the club’s top scorer once again with 17 goals in the league and 19 in all competitions.
FA Charity Shield
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result
F – A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 August 1977 | Liverpool | N | 0 – 0 | 82,000 |
First Division
For the 1977/78 season, the programmes were printed in landscape.
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result
F – A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 August 1977 | Birmingham City | A | 4 – 1 | Macari (3), Hill | 28,005 |
| 24 August 1977 | Coventry City | H | 2 – 1 | Hill, McCreery | 55,726 |
| 27 August 1977 | Ipswich Town | H | 0 – 0 | 57,904 | |
| 3 September 1977 | Derby County | A | 1 – 0 | Macari | 21,279 |
| 10 September 1977 | Manchester City | A | 1 – 3 | Nicholl | 50,856 |
| 17 September 1977 | Chelsea | H | 0 – 1 | 54,951 | |
| 24 September 1977 | Leeds United | A | 1 – 1 | Hill | 33,517 |
| 1 October 1977 | Liverpool | H | 2 – 0 | Macari, McIlroy | 55,089 |
| 8 October 1977 | Middlesbrough | A | 1 – 2 | Coppell | 26,882 |
| 15 October 1977 | Newcastle United | H | 3 – 2 | Coppell, J. Greenhoff, Macari | 55,056 |
| 22 October 1977 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0 – 4 | 27,526 | |
| 29 October 1977 | Aston Villa | A | 1 – 2 | Nicholl | 39,144 |
| 5 November 1977 | Arsenal | H | 1 – 2 | Hill | 53,055 |
| 12 November 1977 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1 – 2 | Pearson | 30,183 |
| 19 November 1977 | Norwich City | H | 1 – 0 | Pearson | 48,729 |
| 26 November 1977 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2 – 2 | Hill (2) | 25,367 |
| 3 December 1977 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 3 – 1 | J. Greenhoff, McIlroy, Pearson | 48,874 |
| 10 December 1977 | West Ham United | A | 1 – 2 | McGrath | 20,242 |
| 17 December 1977 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0 – 4 | 54,374 | |
| 26 December 1977 | Everton | A | 6 – 2 | J. Greenhoff (2), Coppell, Hill, Macari, McIlroy | 48,335 |
| 27 December 1977 | Leicester City | H | 3 – 1 | Coppell, J. Greenhoff, Hill | 57,396 |
| 31 December 1977 | Coventry City | A | 0 – 3 | 24,706 | |
| 2 January 1978 | Birmingham City | H | 1 – 2 | J. Greenhoff | 53,501 |
| 14 January 1978 | Ipswich Town | A | 2 – 1 | McIlroy, Pearson | 23,321 |
| 21 January 1978 | Derby County | H | 4 – 0 | Hill (2), Buchan, Pearson | 57,115 |
| 8 February 1978 | Bristol City | H | 1 – 1 | Hill | 43,457 |
| 11 February 1978 | Chelsea | A | 2 – 2 | Hill, McIlroy | 32,849 |
| 25 February 1978 | Liverpool | A | 1 – 3 | McIlroy | 49,095 |
| 1 March 1978 | Leeds United | H | 0 – 1 | 49,101 | |
| 4 March 1978 | Middlesbrough | H | 0 – 0 | 46,322 | |
| 11 March 1978 | Newcastle United | A | 2 – 2 | Hill, Jordan | 25,825 |
| 15 March 1978 | Manchester City | H | 2 – 2 | Hill (2) | 58,398 |
| 18 March 1978 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1 – 1 | McQueen | 46,329 |
| 25 March 1978 | Leicester City | A | 3 – 2 | J. Greenhoff, Hill, Pearson | 20,299 |
| 27 March 1978 | Everton | H | 1 – 2 | Hill | 55,277 |
| 29 March 1978 | Aston Villa | H | 1 – 1 | McIlroy | 41,625 |
| 1 April 1978 | Arsenal | A | 1 – 3 | Joe Jordan | 40,829 |
| 8 April 1978 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 3 – 1 | Pearson (2), Grimes | 42,677 |
| 15 April 1978 | Norwich City | A | 3 – 1 | Coppell, Jordan, McIlroy | 19,778 |
| 22 April 1978 | West Ham United | H | 3 – 0 | Grimes, McIlroy, Pearson | 54,089 |
| 25 April 1978 | Bristol City | A | 1 – 0 | Pearson | 26,035 |
| 29 April 1978 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1 – 2 | B. Greenhoff | 24,774 |
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Leeds United | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 63 | 53 | +10 | 46 |
| 10 | Manchester United | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 67 | 63 | +4 | 42 |
| 11 | Birmingham City | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 55 | 60 | –5 | 41 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
FA Cup
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | ResultF – A | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 January 1978 | Round 3 | Carlisle United | A | 1 – 1 | Macari | 21,710 |
| 11 January 1978 | Round 3
Replay |
Carlisle United | H | 4 – 2 | Macari (2), Pearson (2) | 54,156 |
| 28 January 1978 | Round 4 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1 – 1 | Coppell | 57,056 |
| 1 February 1978 | Round 4
Replay |
West Bromwich Albion | A | 2 – 3 | Hill, Pearson | 37,086 |
League Cup
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result
F – A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 August 1977 | Round 2 | Arsenal | A | 2 – 3 | McCreery, Pearson | 36,171 |
Cup Winners’ Cup
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result
F – A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 September 1977 | Round 1
First leg |
Saint-Étienne | A | 1 – 1 | Hill | 33,678 |
| 5 October 1977 | Round 1
Second leg |
Saint-Étienne | H | 2 – 0 | Coppell, Pearson | 31,634 |
| 19 October 1977 | Round 2
First leg |
Porto | A | 0 – 4 | 70,000 | |
| 2 November 1977 | Round 2
Second leg |
Porto | H | 5 – 2 | Coppell (2), Nicholl, Murça (2 o.g.) | 51,831 |
Squad statistics
| Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Cup Winners’ Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| GK | Paddy Roche | 19 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| GK | Alex Stepney | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| DF | Arthur Albiston | 27(1) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37(1) | 0 |
| DF | Martin Buchan | 28 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| DF | Alex Forsyth | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 |
| DF | Brian Greenhoff | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| DF | Stewart Houston | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36(1) | 0 |
| DF | Gordon McQueen | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| DF | Jimmy Nicholl | 37 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 3 |
| DF | Martyn Rogers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Steve Coppell | 42 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 9 |
| MF | Ashley Grimes | 7(6) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9(8) | 2 |
| MF | Gordon Hill | 36 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 19 |
| MF | Lou Macari | 32 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 11 |
| MF | David McCreery | 13(4) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 17(6) | 2 |
| MF | Chris McGrath | 9(9) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12(11) | 1 |
| MF | Sammy McIlroy | 39 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 9 |
| FW | Jimmy Greenhoff | 22(1) | 6 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26(2) | 6 |
| FW | Joe Jordan | 14 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 |
| FW | Stuart Pearson | 30 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 15 |
| FW | Andy Ritchie | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| – | Own goals | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 2 | – | 0 | – | 2 |