The 1969–70 season was Manchester United's 68th season in the Football League, and their 25th consecutive season in the top division of English football. Before the beginning of the season, on 4 June 1969, United manager Matt Busby stepped down as manager after 24 years as manager. McGuinness guided United to an eighth-place finish in his first season as manager, and they reached the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the League Cup.
First Division DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance9 August 1969Crystal PalaceA2–2Charlton, Morgan48,61013 August 1969EvertonH0–257,75216 August 1969SouthamptonH1–4Morgan46,32819 August 1969EvertonA0–353,18523 August 1969Wolverhampton WanderersA0–050,78327 August 1969Newcastle UnitedH0–052,77430 August 1969SunderlandH3–1Best, Givens, Kidd50,5706 September 1969Leeds UnitedA2–2Best (2)44,27113 September 1969LiverpoolH1–0Morgan56,50917 September 1969Sheffield WednesdayA3–1Best (2), Kidd39,29820 September 1969ArsenalA2–2Best, Sadler59,49827 September 1969West Ham UnitedH5–2Best (2), Burns, Charlton, Kidd58,5794 October 1969Derby CountyA0–240,7248 October 1969SouthamptonA3–0Best, Burns, Kidd31,04411 October 1969Ipswich TownH2–1Best, Kidd52,28118 October 1969Nottingham ForestH1–1Best53,70225 October 1969West Bromwich AlbionA1–2Kidd45,1201 November 1969Stoke CityH1–1Charlton53,4068 November 1969Coventry CityA2–1Aston, Law43,44615 November 1969Manchester CityA0–463,01322 November 1969Tottenham HotspurH3–1Charlton (2), Burns50,00329 November 1969BurnleyA1–1Best23,7706 December 1969ChelseaH0–249,34413 December 1969LiverpoolA4–1Charlton, Morgan, Ure, own goal47,68226 December 1969Wolverhampton WanderersH0–050,80627 December 1969SunderlandA1–1Kidd36,50410 January 1970ArsenalH2–1Morgan, Sartori41,05517 January 1970West Ham UnitedA0–041,64326 January 1970Leeds UnitedH2–2Kidd, Sadler59,87931 January 1970Derby CountyH1–0Charlton59,31510 February 1970Ipswich TownA1–0Kidd29,75514 February 1970Crystal PalaceH1–1Kidd54,71128 February 1970Stoke CityA2–2Morgan, Sartori38,91717 March 1970BurnleyH3–3Best, Crerand, Law38,37721 March 1970ChelseaA1–2Morgan61,47928 March 1970Manchester CityH1–2Kidd59,77730 March 1970Coventry CityH1–1Kidd38,64731 March 1970Nottingham ForestA2–1Charlton, Gowling39,2284 April 1970Newcastle UnitedA1–5Charlton43,0948 April 1970West Bromwich AlbionH7–0Charlton (2), Fitzpatrick (2), Gowling (2), Best26,58213 April 1970Tottenham HotspurA1–2Fitzpatrick41,80815 April 1970Sheffield WednesdayH2–2Best, Charlton36,649
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance3 January 1970Round 3Ipswich TownA1–0own goal29,55224 January 1970Round 4Manchester CityH3–0Kidd (2), Morgan63,4177 February 1970Round 5Northampton TownA8–2Best (6), Kidd (2)21,77121 February 1970Round 6MiddlesbroughA1–1Sartori40,00025 February 1970Round 6ReplayMiddlesbroughH2–1Charlton, Morgan63,41814 March 1970Semi-FinalLeeds UnitedN0–0 55,00023 March 1970Semi-FinalReplayLeeds UnitedN0–0 (a.e.t.)62,50026 March 1970Semi-FinalSecond ReplayLeeds UnitedN0–156,00010 April 1970Third Place PlayoffWatfordN2–0Kidd (2)15,105
League Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance3 September 1969Round 2MiddlesbroughH1–0Sadler38,93923 September 1969Round 3WrexhamH2–0Kidd, Best48,34714 October 1969Round 4BurnleyA0–027,95920 October 1969Round 4ReplayBurnleyH1–0Best50,27512 November 1969Round 5Derby CountyA0–038,89519 November 1969Round 5ReplayDerby CountyH1–0Kidd57,3933 December 1969Semi FinalFirst LegManchester CityA1–2Charlton55,79917 December 1969Semi FinalSecond LegManchester CityH2–2Edwards, Law63,418
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Jimmy Rimmer50000050GK Alex Stepney3709080540DF Shay Brennan8(1)0101010(1)0DF Francis Burns30(2)33(1)06039(3)3DF Tony Dunne3307080480DF Paul Edwards18(1)0702127(1)1DF Bill Foulkes30000030DF Steve James20001030DF David Sadler4029081573DF Ian Ure3417070481MF John Aston, Jr.21(1)11(1)06028(2)1MF George Best371586825323MF Bobby Charlton401291815714MF Paddy Crerand2519020361MF John Fitzpatrick2031050263MF Willie Morgan3579250499MF Jimmy Ryan0(1)000000(1)0MF Carlo Sartori13(4)2711(2)021(6)3MF Nobby Stiles803020130FW Don Givens4(4)100105(4)1FW Alan Gowling6(1)3000(1)06(2)3FW Brian Kidd33(1)12966248(1)20FW Denis Law10(1)20(2)03113(3)3–Own goals–1–1–0–2
References