The 1975–76 season was Manchester United's 74th season in The Football League and first in the First Division after winning the Second Division the season prior. They finished the season third in the First Division, their highest placing since 1968, to qualify for the UEFA Cup.
They reached the FA Cup Final at Wembley, where they lost 1–0 to Southampton of the Second Division. The only goal of the game came from Saints striker Bobby Stokes. It was the second time since World War II that a Second Division team had won the trophy, the other occasion had been three years earlier, when Sunderland beat Leeds United.
First Division DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition16 August 1975Wolverhampton WanderersA2–0Macari (2)32,3481st19 August 1975Birmingham CityA2–0McIlroy (2)33,1771st23 August 1975Sheffield UnitedH5–1Pearson (2), Badger (o.g.), Daly, McIlroy55,9481st27 August 1975Coventry CityH1–1Pearson52,1691st30 August 1975Stoke CityA1–0Dodd (o.g.)33,0921st6 September 1975Tottenham HotspurH3–2Pratt (o.g.), Daly (2; 1 pen.)51,6411st13 September 1975Queens Park RangersA0–129,2371st20 September 1975Ipswich TownH1–0Houston50,5131st24 September 1975Derby CountyA1–2Daly33,1872nd27 September 1975Manchester CityA2–2McCreery, Macari46,9313rd4 October 1975Leicester CityH0–047,8781st11 October 1975Leeds UnitedA2–1McIlroy (2)40,2642nd18 October 1975ArsenalH3–1Coppell (2), Pearson53,8851st25 October 1975West Ham UnitedA1–2Macari38,6012nd1 November 1975Norwich CityH1–0Pearson50,5871st8 November 1975LiverpoolA1–3Coppell49,1375th15 November 1975Aston VillaH2–0Coppell, McIlroy51,6823rd22 November 1975ArsenalA1–3Pearson40,1025th29 November 1975Newcastle UnitedH1–0Daly52,6244th6 December 1975MiddlesbroughA0–032,4544th13 December 1975Sheffield UnitedA4–1Pearson (2), Hill, Macari31,7413rd20 December 1975Wolverhampton WanderersH1–0Hill44,2692nd23 December 1975EvertonA1–1Macari41,7321st27 December 1975BurnleyH2–1McIlroy, Macari59,7262nd10 January 1976Queens Park RangersH2–1Hill, McIlroy58,3121st17 January 1976Tottenham HotspurA1–1Hill49,1891st31 January 1976Birmingham CityH3–1Forsyth, Macari, McIlroy50,7261st7 February 1976Coventry CityA1–1Macari33,9222nd18 February 1976LiverpoolH0–059,7092nd21 February 1976Aston VillaA1–2Macari50,0943rd25 February 1976Derby CountyH1–1Pearson59,6323rd28 February 1976West Ham UnitedH4–0Forsyth, Macari, McCreery, Pearson57,2203rd13 March 1976Leeds UnitedH3–2Houston, Pearson, Daly59,4293rd17 March 1976Norwich CityA1–1Hill27,7822nd20 March 1976Newcastle UnitedA4–3Pearson (2), Bird (o.g.), Howard (o.g.)45,0482nd27 March 1976MiddlesbroughH3–0Daly (pen.), McCreery, Hill58,5272nd10 April 1976Ipswich TownA0–334,8893rd17 April 1976EvertonH2–1Kenyon (o.g.), McCreery61,8793rd19 April 1976BurnleyA1–0Macari27,4183rd21 April 1976Stoke CityH0–153,8793rd24 April 1976Leicester CityA1–2Coyne31,0533rd4 May 1976Manchester CityH2–0Hill, McIlroy59,5173rd
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance3 January 1976Round 3Oxford UnitedH2–1 Daly (2; 2 pen.)41,08224 January 1976Round 4Peterborough UnitedH3–1Forsyth, McIlroy, Hill56,35214 February 1976Round 5Leicester CityA2–1Macari, Daly34,0006 March 1976Round 6Wolverhampton WanderersH1–1Daly59,4339 March 1976Round 6ReplayWolverhampton WanderersA3–2 (aet)Pearson, Greenhoff, McIlroy44,3733 April 1976Semi-FinalDerby CountyN2–0Hill (2)55,0001 May 1976FinalSouthamptonN0–1100,000
League Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance10 September 1975Round 2BrentfordH2–1Macari, McIlroy25,28622 September 1975Round 3Aston VillaA2–1Macari, Coppell41,44712 November 1975Round 4Manchester CityA0–450,182
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Paddy Roche40001050GK Alex Stepney3807020470DF Arthur Albiston2(1)000002(1)0DF Martin Buchan4207030520DF Alex Forsyth2827100353DF Brian Greenhoff4007130501DF Tony Grimshaw0(1)0000(1)00(2)0DF Stewart Houston4227030522DF Jimmy Nicholl15(5)00(2)03018(7)0DF Tony Young0(1)000000(1)0MF Steve Coppell3947031495MF Gerry Daly41774305111MF Tommy Jackson16(1)0003019(1)0MF Jimmy Kelly0(1)000000(1)0MF David McCreery12(16)41(2)00(1)013(19)4MF Sammy McIlroy411072315113FW Peter Coyne1(1)100001(1)1FW Gordon Hill26773003310FW Lou Macari361261324515FW Stuart Pearson391371304914–Own goals–6–0–0–6
References