# 1948–49 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1948–49 season was Manchester United's 47th season in the Football League. They finished second in the league and as FA Cup holders they reached the semi-finals.

## FA Charity Shield

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 6 October 1948 | Arsenal | A | 3–4 | Rowley, Burke, own goal | 31,000 |

## First Division

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 21 August 1948 | Derby County | H | 1–2 | Pearson | 52,620 |
| 23 August 1948 | Blackpool | A | 3–0 | Rowley (2), Mitten | 36,880 |
| 28 August 1948 | Arsenal | A | 1–0 | Mitten | 64,150 |
| 1 September 1948 | Blackpool | H | 3–4 | Delaney, Mitten, Morris | 51,187 |
| 4 September 1948 | Huddersfield Town | H | 4–1 | Pearson (2), Delaney, Mitten | 57,714 |
| 8 September 1948 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 2–3 | Morris, Rowley | 42,617 |
| 11 September 1948 | Manchester City | A | 0–0 | | 64,502 |
| 15 September 1948 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–0 | Buckle, Pearson | 33,871 |
| 18 September 1948 | Sheffield United | A | 2–2 | Buckle, Pearson | 36,880 |
| 25 September 1948 | Aston Villa | H | 3–1 | Mitten (2), Pearson | 53,820 |
| 2 October 1948 | Sunderland | A | 1–2 | Rowley | 54,419 |
| 9 October 1948 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–1 | Burke | 46,964 |
| 16 October 1948 | Stoke City | A | 1–2 | Morris | 45,830 |
| 23 October 1948 | Burnley | H | 1–1 | Mitten | 47,093 |
| 30 October 1948 | Preston North End | A | 6–1 | Mitten (2), Pearson (2), Morris, Rowley | 37,372 |
| 6 November 1948 | Everton | H | 2–0 | Delaney, Morris | 42,789 |
| 13 November 1948 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | Rowley | 62,542 |
| 20 November 1948 | Birmingham City | H | 3–0 | Morris, Pearson, Rowley | 45,482 |
| 27 November 1948 | Middlesbrough | A | 4–1 | Rowley (3), Delaney | 31,331 |
| 4 December 1948 | Newcastle United | H | 1–1 | Mitten | 70,787 |
| 11 December 1948 | Portsmouth | A | 2–2 | McGlen, Mitten | 29,966 |
| 18 December 1948 | Derby County | A | 3–1 | Burke (2), Mitten | 31,498 |
| 25 December 1948 | Liverpool | H | 0–0 | | 47,788 |
| 27 December 1948 | Liverpool | A | 2–0 | Burke, Pearson | 53,325 |
| 1 January 1949 | Arsenal | H | 2–0 | Burke, Mitten | 58,688 |
| 22 January 1949 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | | 66,485 |
| 19 February 1949 | Aston Villa | A | 1–2 | Rowley | 68,354 |
| 5 March 1949 | Charlton Athletic | A | 3–2 | Pearson (2), Downie | 55,291 |
| 12 March 1949 | Stoke City | H | 3–0 | Downie, Mitten, Rowley | 55,949 |
| 19 March 1949 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 | | 46,819 |
| 6 April 1949 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–2 | Rowley | 17,256 |
| 9 April 1949 | Chelsea | H | 1–1 | Mitten | 27,304 |
| 15 April 1949 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–0 | Carey | 44,999 |
| 16 April 1949 | Burnley | A | 2–0 | Rowley (2) | 37,722 |
| 18 April 1949 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 3–0 | Rowley (2), Mitten | 47,653 |
| 21 April 1949 | Sunderland | H | 1–2 | Mitten | 30,640 |
| 23 April 1949 | Preston North End | H | 2–2 | Downie (2) | 43,214 |
| 27 April 1949 | Everton | A | 0–2 | | 39,106 |
| 30 April 1949 | Newcastle United | A | 1–0 | Burke | 38,266 |
| 2 May 1949 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–0 | Rowley | 20,158 |
| 4 May 1949 | Sheffield United | H | 3–2 | Downie, Mitten, Pearson | 20,880 |
| 7 May 1949 | Portsmouth | H | 3–2 | Rowley (2), Mitten | 49,808 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Relegation |
| 1 | Portsmouth (C) | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 84 | 42 | 2.000 | 58 | |
| 2 | Manchester United | 42 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 77 | 44 | 1.750 | 53 | |
| 3 | Derby County | 42 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 74 | 55 | 1.345 | 53 | |
| 4 | Newcastle United | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 70 | 56 | 1.250 | 52 | |
| 5 | Arsenal | 42 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 74 | 44 | 1.682 | 49 | |
| 6 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 79 | 66 | 1.197 | 46 | |
| 7 | Manchester City | 42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 47 | 51 | 0.922 | 45 | |
| 8 | Sunderland | 42 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 49 | 58 | 0.845 | 43 | |
| 9 | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 63 | 67 | 0.940 | 42 | |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 60 | 76 | 0.789 | 42 | |
| 11 | Stoke City | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 66 | 68 | 0.971 | 41 | |
| 12 | Liverpool | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 53 | 43 | 1.233 | 40 | |
| 13 | Chelsea | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 69 | 68 | 1.015 | 38 | |
| 14 | Bolton Wanderers | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 59 | 68 | 0.868 | 38 | |
| 15 | Burnley | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 43 | 50 | 0.860 | 38 | |
| 16 | Blackpool | 42 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 54 | 67 | 0.806 | 38 | |
| 17 | Birmingham City | 42 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 36 | 38 | 0.947 | 37 | |
| 18 | Everton | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 41 | 63 | 0.651 | 37 | |
| 19 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 46 | 57 | 0.807 | 34 | |
| 20 | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 40 | 69 | 0.580 | 34 | |
| 21 | Preston North End (R) | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 62 | 75 | 0.827 | 33 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 22 | Sheffield United (R) | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 57 | 78 | 0.731 | 33 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 8 January 1949 | Round 3 | Bournemouth & Boscombe AFC | H | 6–0 | Burke (2), Rowley (2), Pearson, Mitten | 55,012 |
| 29 January 1949 | Round 4 | Bradford Park Avenue | H | 1–1 | Mitten | 82,771 |
| 5 February 1949 | Round 4 Replay | Bradford Park Avenue | A | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Mitten | 30,000 |
| 7 February 1949 | Round 4 Second Replay | Bradford Park Avenue | H | 5–0 | Burke (2), Rowley (2), Pearson | 70,434 |
| 12 February 1949 | Round 5 | Yeovil Town | H | 8–0 | Rowley (5), Burke (2), Mitten | 81,565 |
| 26 February 1949 | Round 6 | Hull City | A | 1–0 | Pearson | 55,000 |
| 26 March 1949 | Semi-final | Wolverhampton Wanderers | N | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Mitten | 62,250 |
| 2 April 1949 | Semi-final Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | N | 0–1 | | 73,000 |

## Squad statistics

| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | Charity Shield | Charity Shield | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Jack Crompton | 41 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| GK | Berry Brown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FB | John Aston, Sr. | 39 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| FB | John Ball | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| FB | Johnny Carey | 41 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 1 |
| FB | Tommy Lowrie | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| HB | Allenby Chilton | 42 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
| HB | Henry Cockburn | 36 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| HB | Billy McGlen | 23 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| HB | Jack Warner | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| FW | John Anderson | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| FW | Ted Buckle | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| FW | Ronnie Burke | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 13 |
| FW | Laurie Cassidy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | Jimmy Delaney | 36 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 4 |
| FW | John Downie | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 |
| FW | Charlie Mitten | 42 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 23 |
| FW | Johnny Morris | 21 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 6 |
| FW | Stan Pearson | 39 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 17 |
| FW | Jack Rowley | 39 | 20 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 48 | 30 |
| – | Own goals | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 1 |