The 1951–52 season was Manchester United's 50th season in the Football League, and their seventh consecutive season in the top division of English football. They finished the season as champions for the first time in 41 years, securing their title on the final day of the season with a 6–1 home win over an Arsenal side who were their last remaining contenders in the race for the title.
United were still captained by Johnny Carey, who along with the likes of high scoring forward Jack Rowley had been at the club since before the war and helped them win the FA Cup in 1948, but by this stage most of the players from United's first postwar side were now in their thirties, and Busby was gradually replacing his older stars with younger players from the youth team. He made a club record move for Birmingham City winger Johnny Berry before the start of this title winning season, and also drafted in 22-year-old Roger Byrne from the reserve side to occupy the left wing, with Byrne scoring a host of crucial goals to help United clinch the title. Another young player who made his debut in the season, but did not play enough times to collect a championship medal, was the Belfast born teenager Jackie Blanchflower, who was equally capable as a half-back or inside-forward.
Friendlies DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance26 September 1951HapoelH6–0Rowley (2), Pearson (2), Walton, Aston12,00023 February 1952Manchester CityH4–2Pearson (2), Aston, Clempson25,00229 March 1952HibernianH1–1Clempson20,0989 May 1952New Jersey XIN4–0Byrne (2), Berry, Carey9,00011 May 1952Philadelphia All-StarsN4–0Rowley (2), Clempson, Byrne5,00013 May 1952Montreal All-StarsN10–0Rowley (3), Downie (3), Clempson (3), McShane6,40018 May 1952American League XIN5–1Clempson (2), Berry, Rowley, Downie7,15021 May 1952Fall River All-StarsN11–1Rowley (7), Downie (3), Martin (o.g.)3,10225 May 1952StuttgartN5–2Byrne, Clempson, Downie/Rowley, Downie/Byrne, Rowley5,87427 May 1952Chicago All-StarsN6–1Rowley (3), Downie (2), Aston3,5641 June 1952AtlasN2–0Pearson, Byrne (pen.)8 June 1952AtlasN4–3Pearson (3), Byrne12,00012 June 1952Toronto Ulster UnitedN4–2Clempson, Aston, Downie, Pearson10,00014 June 1952Tottenham HotspurN0–125,32115 June 1952Tottenham HotspurN1–2Rowley24,582
First Division DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance18 August 1951West Bromwich AlbionA3–3Rowley (3)27,48622 August 1951MiddlesbroughH4–2Rowley (3), Pearson37,33925 August 1951Newcastle UnitedH2–1Downie, Rowley51,85029 August 1951MiddlesbroughA4–1Pearson (2), Rowley (2)44,2121 September 1951Bolton WanderersA0–152,2395 September 1951Charlton AthleticH3–2Rowley (2), Downie26,7738 September 1951Stoke CityH4–0Rowley (3), Pearson48,66012 September 1951Charlton AthleticA2–2Downie (2)28,80615 September 1951Manchester CityA2–1Berry, McShane52,57122 September 1951Tottenham HotspurA0–270,88229 September 1951Preston North EndH1–2Aston53,4546 October 1951Derby CountyH2–1Berry, Pearson39,76713 October 1951Aston VillaA5–2Pearson (2), Rowley (2), Bond47,79520 October 1951SunderlandH0–140,91527 October 1951Wolverhampton WanderersA2–0Pearson, Rowley46,1673 November 1951Huddersfield TownH1–1Pearson25,61610 November 1951ChelseaA2–4Pearson, Rowley48,96017 November 1951PortsmouthH1–3Downie35,91424 November 1951LiverpoolA0–042,3781 December 1951BlackpoolH3–1Downie (2), Rowley34,1548 December 1951ArsenalA3–1Pearson, Rowley, own goal55,45115 December 1951West Bromwich AlbionH5–1Downie (2), Pearson (2), Berry27,58422 December 1951Newcastle UnitedA2–2Bond, Cockburn45,41425 December 1951FulhamH3–2Berry, Bond, Rowley33,80226 December 1951FulhamA3–3Bond, Pearson, Rowley32,67129 December 1951Bolton WanderersH1–0Pearson53,2055 January 1952Stoke CityA0–036,38919 January 1952Manchester CityH1–1Carey54,24526 January 1952Tottenham HotspurH2–0Pearson, own goal40,8459 February 1952Preston North EndA2–1Aston, Berry38,79216 February 1952Derby CountyA3–0Aston, Pearson, Rowley27,6931 March 1952Aston VillaH1–1Berry38,9108 March 1952SunderlandA2–1Cockburn, Rowley48,07815 March 1952Wolverhampton WanderersH2–0Aston, Clempson45,10922 March 1952Huddersfield TownA2–3Clempson, Pearson30,3165 April 1952PortsmouthA0–125,52211 April 1952BurnleyA1–1Byrne38,90712 April 1952LiverpoolH4–0Byrne (2), Downie, Rowley42,97014 April 1952BurnleyH6–1Byrne (2), Carey, Downie, Pearson, Rowley44,50819 April 1952BlackpoolA2–2Byrne, Rowley29,11821 April 1952ChelseaH3–0Carey, Pearson, own goal37,43626 April 1952ArsenalH6–1Rowley (3), Pearson (2), Byrne53,651
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance12 January 1952Round 3Hull CityA0–243,517
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Reg Allen33010340GK Jack Crompton900090FB Roger Byrne24710257FB Johnny Carey38310393FB Thomas McNulty24010250FB Billy Redman18000180HB Jackie Blanchflower100010HB Allenby Chilton42010430HB Henry Cockburn38210392HB Don Gibson17000170HB Mark Jones300030HB Billy McGlen200020HB Jeff Whitefoot300030FW John Aston, Sr.18400184FW Johnny Berry36610376FW Brian Birch200020FW Ernie Bond19410204FW Laurie Cassidy100010FW Frank Clempson820082FW John Downie3111103211FW Harry McShane12100121FW Stan Pearson4122104222FW Jack Rowley4030104130FW John Walton200020
References