1958–59 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1958–59 season was Manchester United's 57th season in the Football League, and their 14th consecutive season in the top division of English football.[1] It was the first season of a revamped United side which was being rebuilt following the Munich air disaster in the February of the previous season which had claimed the lives of eight players. The most notable addition to the squad for the new season as forward Albert Quixall, a pre-season signing from Sheffield Wednesday.[2]

Manchester United
1958–59 season
ChairmanHarold Hardman
ManagerMatt Busby
First Division2nd
FA CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Bobby Charlton (29)

All:
Bobby Charlton (29)
Highest home attendance65,187 vs Blackburn Rovers (6 September 1958)
Lowest home attendance38,482 vs Leicester City (6 December 1958)
Average home league attendance53,258

The season saw the retirement of centre-half Jackie Blanchflower as a result of the injuries he suffered in the Munich crash.[3]

Munich crash survivor Bobby Charlton was United's top scorer this season with 29 league goals, while fellow survivor Albert Scanlon was also impressive with 16 goals from the left wing.

The new look United side finished second in the league this season.

First Division

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Date Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance League
position
23 August 1958 Chelsea H 5 – 2 Charlton (3), Dawson (2) 52,382 5th
27 August 1958 Nottingham Forest A 3 – 0 Charlton (2), Scanlon 44,971 2nd
30 August 1958 Blackpool A 1 – 2 Viollet 26,719 6th
3 September 1958 Nottingham Forest H 1 – 1 Charlton 51,880 7th
6 September 1958 Blackburn Rovers H 6 – 1 Charlton (2), Viollet (2), Scanlon, Webster 65,187 2nd
8 September 1958 West Ham United A 2 – 3 McGuinness, Webster 35,672 5th
13 September 1958 Newcastle United A 1 – 1 Charlton 60,670 7th
17 September 1958 West Ham United H 4 – 1 Scanlon (3), Webster 53,276 7th
20 September 1958 Tottenham Hotspur H 2 – 2 Webster (2) 62,277 4th
27 September 1958 Manchester City A 1 – 1 Charlton 62,912 6th
4 October 1958 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0 – 4 36,840 8th
8 October 1958 Preston North End H 0 – 2 46,163 8th
11 October 1958 Arsenal H 1 – 1 Viollet 56,148 7th
18 October 1958 Everton A 2 – 3 Cope (2) 64,079 10th
25 October 1958 West Bromwich Albion H 1 – 2 Goodwin 51,721 14th
1 November 1958 Leeds United A 2 – 1 Goodwin, Scanlon 48,574 12th
8 November 1958 Burnley H 1 – 3 Quixall 48,509 14th
15 November 1958 Bolton Wanderers A 3 – 6 Dawson (2), Charlton 33,358 15th
22 November 1958 Luton Town H 2 – 1 Charlton, Viollet 42,428 12th
29 November 1958 Birmingham City A 4 – 0 Charlton (2), Bradley, Scanlon 28,658 10th
6 December 1958 Leicester City H 4 – 1 Charlton, Bradley, Scanlon, Viollet 38,482 9th
13 December 1958 Preston North End A 4 – 3 Charlton, Bradley, Scanlon, Viollet 26,290 8th
20 December 1958 Chelsea A 3 – 2 Charlton, Goodwin, own goal 48,550 7th
26 December 1958 Aston Villa H 2 – 1 Quixall, Viollet 63,098 7th
27 December 1958 Aston Villa A 2 – 0 Pearson, Viollet 56,450 4th
3 January 1959 Blackpool H 3 – 1 Charlton (2), Viollet 61,961 3rd
31 January 1959 Newcastle United H 4 – 4 Charlton, Quixall, Scanlon, Viollet 49,008 4th
7 February 1959 Tottenham Hotspur A 3 – 1 Charlton (2), Scanlon 48,401 3rd
16 February 1959 Manchester City H 4 – 1 Bradley (2), Goodwin, Scanlon 59,846 3rd
21 February 1959 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2 – 1 Charlton, Viollet 62,794 2nd
28 February 1959 Arsenal A 2 – 3 Bradley, Viollet 67,162 3rd
2 March 1959 Blackburn Rovers A 3 – 1 Bradley (2), Scanlon 40,401 3rd
7 March 1959 Everton H 2 – 1 Goodwin, Scanlon 51,254 2nd
14 March 1959 West Bromwich Albion A 3 – 1 Bradley, Scanlon, Viollet 35,463 2nd
21 March 1959 Leeds United H 4 – 0 Viollet (3), Charlton 45,473 2nd
27 March 1959 Portsmouth H 6 – 1 Charlton (2), Viollet (2), Bradley, own goal 52,004 1st
28 March 1959 Burnley A 2 – 4 Goodwin, Viollet 44,577 2nd
30 March 1959 Portsmouth A 3 – 1 Charlton (2), Bradley 29,359 1st
4 April 1959 Bolton Wanderers H 3 – 0 Charlton, Scanlon, Viollet 61,528 2nd
11 April 1959 Luton Town A 0 – 0 27,025 2nd
18 April 1959 Birmingham City H 1 – 0 Quixall 43,006 2nd
25 April 1959 Leicester City A 1 – 2 Bradley 38,466 2nd

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (C) 42 28 5 9 110 49 2.245 61 Qualification for the European Cup preliminary round
2 Manchester United 42 24 7 11 103 66 1.561 55
3 Arsenal 42 21 8 13 88 68 1.294 50
4 Bolton Wanderers 42 20 10 12 79 66 1.197 50
5 West Bromwich Albion 42 18 13 11 88 68 1.294 49
6 West Ham United 42 21 6 15 85 70 1.214 48
7 Burnley 42 19 10 13 81 70 1.157 48
8 Blackpool 42 18 11 13 66 49 1.347 47
9 Birmingham City 42 20 6 16 84 68 1.235 46
10 Blackburn Rovers 42 17 10 15 76 70 1.086 44
11 Newcastle United 42 17 7 18 80 80 1.000 41
12 Preston North End 42 17 7 18 70 77 0.909 41
13 Nottingham Forest 42 17 6 19 71 74 0.959 40
14 Chelsea 42 18 4 20 77 98 0.786 40
15 Leeds United 42 15 9 18 57 74 0.770 39
16 Everton 42 17 4 21 71 87 0.816 38
17 Luton Town 42 12 13 17 68 71 0.958 37
18 Tottenham Hotspur 42 13 10 19 85 95 0.895 36
19 Leicester City 42 11 10 21 67 98 0.684 32
20 Manchester City 42 11 9 22 64 95 0.674 31
21 Aston Villa (R) 42 11 8 23 58 87 0.667 30 Relegation to the Second Division
22 Portsmouth (R) 42 6 9 27 64 112 0.571 21
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

FA Cup

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Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
10 January 1959 Round 3 Norwich City A 0 – 3 38,000

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Harry Gregg 41 0 1 0 42 0
GK   Ray Wood 1 0 0 0 1 0
FB   Joe Carolan 23 0 1 0 24 0
FB   Bill Foulkes 32 0 1 0 33 0
FB   Ian Greaves 34 0 0 0 34 0
HB   Shay Brennan 1 0 0 0 1 0
HB   Ronnie Cope 32 2 1 0 33 2
HB   Stan Crowther 2 0 0 0 2 0
HB   Freddie Goodwin 42 6 1 0 43 6
HB   Bobby Harrop 5 0 0 0 5 0
HB   Wilf McGuinness 39 1 1 0 40 1
FW   Warren Bradley 24 12 1 0 25 12
FW   Bobby Charlton 38 29 1 0 39 29
FW   Alex Dawson 11 4 0 0 11 4
FW   Reg Hunter 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Kenny Morgans 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW   Mark Pearson 4 1 0 0 4 1
FW   Albert Quixall 33 4 1 0 34 4
FW   Albert Scanlon 42 16 1 0 43 16
FW   Ernie Taylor 11 0 0 0 11 0
FW   Dennis Viollet 37 21 1 0 38 21
FW   Colin Webster 7 5 0 0 7 5
Own goals 2 0 2

References

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  1. ^ "Manchester United Season 1958/59". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Albert Quixall". MUFCInfo.com. MUFC Info. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  3. ^ "BBC News | UK | Busby Babe loses battle against cancer".