The 1976–77 season was Manchester United's 75th season in the Football League, and their second consecutive season in the top division of English football. They finished sixth in the league and won the FA Cup, beating rivals Liverpool in the final to win their first major trophy since the European Cup triumph nine years prior. 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.

First Division DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance21 August 1976Birmingham CityH2–2Coppell, Pearson58,89824 August 1976Coventry CityA2–0Macari, Hill26,77528 August 1976Derby CountyA0–030,0544 September 1976Tottenham HotspurH2–3Coppell, Pearson60,72311 September 1976Newcastle UnitedA2–2B. Greenhoff, Pearson39,03718 September 1976MiddlesbroughH2–0McAndrew (o.g.), Pearson56,71225 September 1976Manchester CityA3–1Coppell, McCreery, Daly48,8612 October 1976Leeds UnitedA2–0Daly, Coppell44,51216 October 1976West Bromwich AlbionA0–436,61523 October 1976Norwich CityH2–2Daly (pen.), Hill54,35630 October 1976Ipswich TownH0–157,4166 November 1976Aston VillaA2–3Pearson. Hill44,78910 November 1976SunderlandH3–3Hill, Pearson, B. Greenhoff42,68520 November 1976Leicester CityA1–1Daly (pen.)26,42127 November 1976West Ham UnitedH0–255,36618 December 1976ArsenalA1–3McIlroy39,57227 December 1976EvertonH4–0Pearson, J. Greenhoff, Hill, Macari56,7861 January 1977Aston VillaH2–0Pearson (2)55,4463 January 1977Ipswich TownA1–2Pearson30,10515 January 1977Coventry CityH2–0Macari (2)46,56719 January 1977Bristol CityH2–1Pearson, B. Greenhoff43,05122 January 1977Birmingham CityA3–2J. Greenhoff, Pearson, Houston35,3165 February 1977Derby CountyH3–1Macari, Houston, Powell (o.g.)54,04412 February 1977Tottenham HotspurA3–1Macari, McIlroy, Hill46,94616 February 1977LiverpoolH0–057,48719 February 1977Newcastle UnitedH3–1J. Greenhoff (3)51,8285 March 1977Manchester CityH3–1Pearson, Hill, Coppell58,59512 March 1977Leeds UnitedH1–0Cherry (o.g.)60,61223 March 1977West Bromwich AlbionH2–2Hill (pen.), Coppell51,0532 April 1977Norwich CityA1–2Powell (o.g.)24,1615 April 1977EvertonA2–1Hill (2)38,2169 April 1977Stoke CityH3–0Houston, Macari, Pearson53,10211 April 1977SunderlandA1–2Hill (pen.)38,78516 April 1977Leicester CityH1–1J. Greenhoff49,16119 April 1977Queens Park RangersA0–428,84826 April 1977MiddlesbroughA0–321,74430 April 1977Queens Park RangersH1–0Macari50,7883 May 1977LiverpoolA0–153,0467 May 1977Bristol CityA1–1J. Greenhoff (pen.)28,86411 May 1977Stoke CityA3–3Hill (2), McCreery24,20414 May 1977ArsenalH3–2J. Greenhoff, Macari, Hill53,23216 May 1977West Ham UnitedA2–4Hill, Pearson29,904

FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance8 January 1977Round 3WalsallH1–0Hill48,87029 January 1977Round 4Queens Park RangersH1–0Macari57,42226 February 1977Round 5SouthamptonA2–2Macari, Hill29,1378 March 1977Round 5ReplaySouthamptonH2–1J. Greenhoff (2)58,10319 March 1977Round 6Aston VillaH2–1Houston, Macari57,08923 April 1977Semi-finalLeeds UnitedN2–1J. Greenhoff, Coppell55,00021 May 1977FinalLiverpoolN2–1Pearson, J. Greenhoff100,000

League Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance1 September 1976Round 2Tranmere RoversH5–0Daly (2), Macari, Pearson, Hill37,58622 September 1976Round 3SunderlandH2–2Pearson, Clarke (o.g.)46,1704 October 1976Round 3ReplaySunderlandA2–2B. Greenhoff, Daly (pen.)46,1706 October 1976Round 32nd ReplaySunderlandH1–0B. Greenhoff47,68927 October 1976Round 4Newcastle UnitedH7–2Houston, Hill (3), Pearson, Nicholl, Coppell52,0021 December 1976Round 5EvertonH0–357,738

UEFA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance15 September 1976Round 1First legAjaxA0–130,00029 September 1976Round 1Second legAjaxH2–0Macari, McIlroy58,91820 October 1976Round 2First legJuventusH1–0Hill59,0213 November 1976Round 2Second legJuventusA0–366,632

Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupUEFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Paddy Roche2000000020GK Alex Stepney400706040570DF Arthur Albiston14(3)0102(2)02(1)019(6)0DF Martin Buchan330704020460DF Alex Forsyth3(1)00010004(1)0DF Brian Greenhoff403706240575DF Stewart Houston363615140515DF Jimmy Nicholl390705140551DF Steve Paterson2000100(2)03(2)0DF Colin Waldron3000100040MF Jonathan Clark0(1)00000000(1)0MF Steve Coppell406715140568MF Gerry Daly16(1)40(1)0634026(2)7MF Tommy Jackson2000100030MF David McCreery9(16)20(3)03(2)01(3)013(24)2MF Chris McGrath2(4)0000(1)0002(5)0MF Sammy McIlroy39(1)270604156(1)3FW Alan Foggon0(3)00000000(3)0FW Jimmy Greenhoff2787400003412FW Gordon Hill38(1)1572644155(1)22FW Lou Macari3897341415314FW Stuart Pearson39157143305319–Own goals–4–0–1–0–5

References