The 1930–31 season was Manchester United's 35th season in the Football League.
At the end of the season, United finished last in the league and were relegated to the Second Division, having won just seven games all season and lost all of their opening 12 fixtures. Herbert Bamlett was sacked as manager with six games remaining and relegation looking virtually certain, with club secretary Walter Crickmer stepping in as acting manager for the rest of the season (though Crickmer would, in the event, stay in charge until the summer of 1932). The last game of the season, a 4–4 home draw with Middlesbrough, was watched by fewer than 4,000 spectators, as the Great Depression further affected attendances.
First Division DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance30 August 1930Aston VillaH3–4 Reid, Rowley, Warburton18,0043 September 1930MiddlesbroughA1–3 Rowley15,7126 September 1930ChelseaA2–6Reid, Spence68,64810 September 1930Huddersfield TownH0–6 11,83613 September 1930Newcastle UnitedH4–7 Reid (3), Rowley10,90715 September 1930Huddersfield TownA0–3 14,02820 September 1930Sheffield WednesdayA0–3 18,70527 September 1930Grimsby TownH0–2 14,6954 October 1930Manchester CityA1–4 Spence41,75711 October 1930West Ham UnitedA1–5 Reid20,00318 October 1930ArsenalH1–2 McLachlan23,40625 October 1930PortsmouthA1–4 Rowley19,2621 November 1930BirminghamH2–0 Gallimore, Rowley11,4798 November 1930Leicester CityA4–5 Bullock (3), McLachlan17,46615 November 1930BlackpoolH0–0 14,76522 November 1930Sheffield UnitedA1–3 Gallimore12,69829 November 1930SunderlandH1–1 Gallimore10,9716 December 1930Blackburn RoversA1–4 Rowley10,80213 December 1930Derby CountyH2–1 Reid, Spence9,70120 December 1930Leeds UnitedA0–5 11,28225 December 1930Bolton WanderersA1–3 Reid22,66226 December 1930Bolton WanderersH1–1 Reid12,74127 December 1930Aston VillaA0–7 32,5051 January 1931Leeds UnitedH0–0 9,8753 January 1931ChelseaH1–0 Warburton8,96617 January 1931Newcastle UnitedA3–4 Warburton (2), Reid24,83528 January 1931Sheffield WednesdayH4–1 Hopkinson, Reid, Spence, Warburton6,07731 January 1931Grimsby TownA1–2 Reid9,3057 February 1931Manchester CityH1–3 Spence39,87614 February 1931West Ham UnitedH1–0 Gallimore9,74521 February 1931ArsenalA1–4 Thomson41,5107 March 1931BirminghamA0–0 17,67816 March 1931PortsmouthH0–1 4,80821 March 1931BlackpoolA1–5 Hopkinson13,16225 March 1931Leicester CityH0–0 3,67928 March 1931Sheffield UnitedH1–2 Hopkinson5,4203 April 1931LiverpoolA1–1 Wilson27,7824 April 1931SunderlandA2–1Hopkinson, Reid13,5906 April 1931LiverpoolH4–1 Reid (2), McLenahan, Rowley8,05811 April 1931Blackburn RoversH0–1 6,41418 April 1931Derby CountyA1–6 Spence6,6102 May 1931MiddlesbroughH4–4 Reid (2), Bennion, Gallimore3,969
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance10 January 1931Round 3Stoke CityA3–3Reid (3)23,41514 January 1931Round 3ReplayStoke CityH0–022,01319 January 1931Round 3ReplayStoke CityN4–2Hopkinson (2), Gallimore, Spence11,78824 January 1931Round 4Grimsby TownA0–115,000
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Arthur Chesters400040GK Alf Steward38040420FB Thomas Jones500050FB Jack Mellor35040390FB Jack Silcock25000250HB Ray Bennion36140401HB Bill Dale22040260HB Lal Hilditch25040290HB George Lydon100010HB Hugh McLenahan21100211HB Thomas Parker900090HB Frank Williams300030HB Jack Wilson20120221FW Jimmy Bullock10300103FW Stanley Gallimore28541326FW Samuel Hopkinson17422196FW George McLachlan42240462FW Charlie Ramsden702090FW Tommy Reid3017333320FW Harry Rowley29700297FW Joe Spence35621377FW Arthur Thomson211031FW Arthur Warburton18540225
References