The 1953–54 season was Manchester United's 52nd season in the Football League, and their ninth consecutive season in the top division of English football.
United finished the season in fourth place, recovering well after an eight-match winless start. Top scorer for the season was Tommy Taylor, who in his first full season at the club scored 22 goals in the league and a further goal in the FA Cup. 20-year-old striker Dennis Viollet established himself in the first team this season and scored 12 goals, and 17-year-old Duncan Edwards gradually displaced the veteran Henry Cockburn at left-half.
First Division DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance19 August 1953ChelseaH1–1Pearson28,93622 August 1953LiverpoolA4–4 Byrne, Lewis, Rowley, Taylor48,42226 August 1953West Bromwich AlbionH1–3Taylor31,80629 August 1953Newcastle UnitedH1–1Chilton27,8372 September 1953West Bromwich AlbionA0–2 28,8925 September 1953Manchester CityA0–2 53,0979 September 1953MiddlesbroughH2–2Rowley (2)18,16112 September 1953Bolton WanderersA0–0 43,54416 September 1953MiddlesbroughA4–1 Taylor (2), Byrne, Rowley23,60719 September 1953Preston North EndH1–0Byrne41,17126 September 1953Tottenham HotspurA1–1 Rowley52,8373 October 1953BurnleyH1–2Pearson37,69610 October 1953SunderlandH1–0Rowley34,61717 October 1953Wolverhampton WanderersA1–3 Taylor40,08424 October 1953Aston VillaH1–0Berry30,26631 October 1953Huddersfield TownA0–0 34,1757 November 1953ArsenalH2–2Blanchflower, Rowley28,14114 November 1953Cardiff CityA6–1 Viollet (2), Berry, Blanchflower, Rowley, Taylor26,84421 November 1953BlackpoolH4–1Taylor (3), Viollet49,85328 November 1953PortsmouthA1–1 Taylor29,2335 December 1953Sheffield UnitedH2–2Blanchflower (2)31,69312 December 1953ChelseaA1–3 Berry37,15319 December 1953LiverpoolH5–1Blanchflower (2), Taylor (2), Viollet26,07425 December 1953Sheffield WednesdayH5–2Taylor (3), Blanchflower, Viollet27,12326 December 1953Sheffield WednesdayA1–0 Viollet44,1962 January 1954Newcastle UnitedA2–1 Blanchflower, Foulkes55,78016 January 1954Manchester CityH1–1Berry46,37923 January 1954Bolton WanderersH1–5Taylor46,6636 February 1954Preston North EndA3–1 Blanchflower, Rowley, Taylor30,06413 February 1954Tottenham HotspurH2–0Rowley, Taylor35,48520 February 1954BurnleyA0–2 29,57627 February 1954SunderlandA2–0 Taylor, Blanchflower58,4406 March 1954Wolverhampton WanderersH1–0Berry38,93913 March 1954Aston VillaA2–2 Taylor (2)26,02320 March 1954Huddersfield TownH3–1Blanchflower, Rowley, Viollet40,18127 March 1954ArsenalA1–3 Taylor42,7533 April 1954Cardiff CityH2–3Rowley, Viollet22,83210 April 1954BlackpoolA0–2 25,99616 April 1954Charlton AthleticH2–0Aston, Viollet31,87617 April 1954PortsmouthH2–0Blanchflower, Viollet29,66319 April 1954Charlton AthleticA0–1 19,11124 April 1954Sheffield UnitedA3–1 Aston, Blanchflower, Viollet29,189
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance19 January 1954Round 3BurnleyA3–5Blanchflower, Taylor, Viollet54,000
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Jack Crompton15000150GK Ray Wood27010280FB John Aston, Sr.12200122FB Roger Byrne41310413FB Bill Foulkes32110331FB Tommy McNulty400040FB Billy Redman100010HB Jackie Blanchflower2713112814HB Allenby Chilton42110431HB Henry Cockburn18000180HB Duncan Edwards24010250HB Don Gibson700070HB Jeff Whitefoot38010390FW Johnny Berry37510385FW Eddie Lewis610061FW Noel McFarlane100010FW David Pegg900090FW Stan Pearson11200112FW Harry McShane900090FW Jack Rowley3612103712FW Tommy Taylor3522113623FW Dennis Viollet2911113012FW Colin Webster100010
References