The 1956–1957 season was Manchester United's 55th season in the Football League, and their 12th consecutive season in the top division of English football.
United retained their league title this season, which was also notable for being the breakthrough season of forward Bobby Charlton, who made his debut on 6 October 1956 in the league match against Charlton Athletic a few days before his 19th birthday and scored twice, making 17 appearances and scoring 12 goals that season and collecting a league title medal, his appearances mostly coming at the expense of Dennis Viollet. As Old Trafford didn't have floodlights installed at the time, United's first three European home games were played at Maine Road instead. United reached the semi-finals of the European Cup, where they were beaten by eventual winners Real Madrid. They also reached the FA Cup final, where they lost 2–1 to Aston Villa in a game where they were handicapped by an injury to goalkeeper Ray Wood, meaning Jackie Blanchflower had to stand in for him in goal.
FA Charity Shield
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance24 October 1956Manchester CityA1–0Viollet30,495
First Division DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance18 August 1956Birmingham CityH2–2Viollet (2)32,75220 August 1956Preston North EndA3–1Taylor (2), Whelan32,56925 August 1956West Bromwich AlbionA3–2Taylor, Viollet, Whelan26,38729 August 1956Preston North EndH3–2Viollet (3)32,5151 September 1956PortsmouthH3–0Berry, Pegg, Viollet40,3695 September 1956ChelseaA2–1Taylor, Whelan29,0828 September 1956Newcastle UnitedA1–1Whelan50,13015 September 1956Sheffield WednesdayH4–1Berry, Taylor, Viollet, Whelan48,07822 September 1956Manchester CityH2–0Viollet, Whelan53,52529 September 1956ArsenalA2–1Berry, Whelan62,4796 October 1956Charlton AthleticH4–2Charlton (2), Berry, Whelan41,43913 October 1956SunderlandA3–1Viollet, Whelan, own goal49,48720 October 1956EvertonH2–5Charlton, Whelan43,15127 October 1956BlackpoolA2–2Taylor (2)32,6323 November 1956Wolverhampton WanderersH3–0Pegg, Taylor, Whelan59,83510 November 1956Bolton WanderersA0–239,92217 November 1956Leeds UnitedH3–2Whelan (2), Charlton51,13124 November 1956Tottenham HotspurA2–2Berry, Colman57,7241 December 1956Luton TownH3–1Edwards, Pegg, Taylor34,7368 December 1956Aston VillaA3–1Taylor (2), Viollet42,53015 December 1956Birmingham CityA1–3Whelan36,14626 December 1956Cardiff CityH3–1Taylor, Viollet, Whelan28,60729 December 1956PortsmouthA3–1Edwards, Pegg, Viollet32,1471 January 1957ChelseaH3–0Taylor (2), Whelan42,11612 January 1957Newcastle UnitedH6–1Pegg (2), Viollet (2), Whelan (2)44,91119 January 1957Sheffield WednesdayA1–2Taylor51,0682 February 1957Manchester CityA4–2Edwards, Taylor, Viollet, Whelan63,8729 February 1957ArsenalH6–2Berry (2), Whelan (2), Edwards, Taylor60,38418 February 1957Charlton AthleticA5–1Charlton (3), Taylor (2)16,30823 February 1957BlackpoolH0–242,6026 March 1957EvertonA2–1Webster (2)34,0299 March 1957Aston VillaA1–1Charlton55,48416 March 1957Wolverhampton WanderersA1–1Charlton53,22825 March 1957Bolton WanderersH0–260,86230 March 1957Leeds UnitedA2–1Berry, Charlton47,2166 April 1957Tottenham HotspurH0–060,34913 April 1957Luton TownA2–0Taylor (2)21,22719 April 1957BurnleyA3–1Whelan (3)41,32120 April 1957SunderlandH4–0Whelan (2), Edwards, Taylor58,72522 April 1957BurnleyH2–0Dawson, Webster41,32127 April 1957Cardiff CityA3–2Scanlon (2), Dawson17,70829 April 1957West Bromwich AlbionH1–1Dawson20,357
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance5 January 1957Round 3Hartlepool UnitedA4–3Whelan (2), Berry, Taylor17,26426 January 1957Round 4WrexhamA5–0Taylor (2), Whelan (2), Byrne34,44516 February 1957Round 5EvertonH1–0Edwards61,8032 March 1957Round 6BournemouthA2–1Berry (2)28,79923 March 1957Semi-finalBirmingham CityN2–0Berry, Charlton65,1074 May 1957FinalAston VillaN1–2Taylor100,000
European Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance12 September 1956Preliminary roundFirst legAnderlechtA2–0Taylor, Viollet35,00026 September 1956Preliminary roundSecond legAnderlechtH10–0Viollet (4), Taylor (3), Whelan (2), Berry40,00017 October 1956First roundFirst legBorussia DortmundH3–2Viollet (2), Pegg75,59821 November 1956First roundSecond legBorussia DortmundA0–044,57016 January 1957Quarter-finalFirst legAthletic BilbaoA3–5Taylor, Viollet, Whelan60,0006 February 1957Quarter-finalSecond legAthletic BilbaoH3–0Berry, Taylor, Viollet70,00011 April 1957Semi-finalFirst legReal MadridA1–3Taylor135,00025 April 1957Semi-finalSecond legReal MadridH2–2Charlton, Taylor65,000
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupEuropean CupOtherTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Gordon Clayton2000000020GK Tony Hawksworth1000000010GK Ray Wood390608010540FB Geoff Bent6000000060FB Roger Byrne360618010511FB Bill Foulkes390608010540FB Ian Greaves3000000030HB Jackie Blanchflower110203000160HB Eddie Colman361608010511HB Ronnie Cope2000000020HB Duncan Edwards345617010486HB Freddie Goodwin6000000060HB Mark Jones290406010400HB Wilf McGuinness130101000150FW Johnny Berry4085482105414FW Bobby Charlton14102111001712FW Alex Dawson3300000033FW John Doherty3000000030FW David Pegg376608110527FW Albert Scanlon5200000052FW Tommy Taylor32224488104534FW Dennis Viollet27165069113926FW Colin Webster5310000063FW Billy Whelan39266483105433–Own goals–1–0–0–0–1
References