# 1945–46 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1945–46 season was Manchester United's seventh and last season in the non-competitive War League during the Second World War. With the ending of the war, the FA Cup returned in January 1946, with Manchester United losing 3–2 on aggregate to Preston North End in the Fourth Round.
Matt Busby had been appointed as the successor to Walter Crickmer as manager in February 1945, and officially took over the position on 1 October, following his demobilisation from the British Army. He was joined by head coach Jimmy Murphy in early 1946.

## War League North Regional League

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers |
| 25 August 1945 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2–3 | Smith (2) |
| 1 September 1945 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–3 | Koffman, Rowley |
| 8 September 1945 | Chesterfield | H | 0–2 | |
| 12 September 1945 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–2 | Davie |
| 15 September 1945 | Chesterfield | A | 1–1 | Bryant |
| 20 September 1945 | Stoke City | A | 2–1 | Hullett, Reid |
| 22 September 1945 | Barnsley | A | 2–2 | Cockburn, Hullett |
| 29 September 1945 | Barnsley | H | 1–1 | Smith |
| 6 October 1945 | Everton | H | 0–0 | |
| 13 October 1945 | Everton | A | 0–3 | |
| 20 October 1945 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | Wrigglesworth |
| 27 October 1945 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2–1 | Carey, Worrall |
| 3 November 1945 | Preston North End | H | 6–1 | Rowley (2), Smith, Warner, Worrall |
| 10 November 1945 | Preston North End | A | 2–2 | Bainbridge, Smith |
| 17 November 1945 | Leeds United | A | 3–3 | Hanlon (2), Buckle |
| 24 November 1945 | Leeds United | H | 6–1 | Buckle (2), Wrigglesworth (2), Hanlon, Rowley |
| 1 December 1945 | Burnley | H | 3–3 | Hullett (3) |
| 8 December 1945 | Burnley | A | 2–2 | Hanlon, Smith |
| 15 December 1945 | Sunderland | H | 2–1 | Smith (2) |
| 22 December 1945 | Sunderland | A | 2–4 | Smith, Wrigglesworth |
| 25 December 1945 | Sheffield United | A | 0–1 | |
| 26 December 1945 | Sheffield United | H | 2–3 | Carey, Hullett |
| 29 December 1945 | Middlesbrough | H | 4–1 | Rowley (2), Smith (2) |
| 12 January 1946 | Grimsby Town | H | 5–0 | Rowley (3), Bainbridge, Smith |
| 19 January 1946 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–1 | |
| 2 February 1946 | Blackpool | H | 4–2 | Rowley (2), Bainbridge, Wrigglesworth |
| 9 February 1946 | Liverpool | H | 2–1 | Smith (2) |
| 16 February 1946 | Liverpool | A | 5–0 | Hanlon (2), Rowley (2), Wrigglesworth |
| 23 February 1946 | Bury | A | 1–1 | Hanlon |
| 2 March 1946 | Bury | H | 1–1 | Hanlon |
| 9 March 1946 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 6–2 | Rowley (3), Hanlon (2), Delaney |
| 16 March 1946 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 3–1 | Smith (2), Pearson |
| 23 March 1946 | Bradford | A | 1–2 | Carey |
| 27 March 1946 | Blackpool | A | 5–1 | Pearson (3), Carey, Wrigglesworth |
| 30 March 1946 | Bradford | H | 4–0 | Aston, Delaney, Rowley, Wrigglesworth |
| 6 April 1946 | Manchester City | H | 1–4 | Aston |
| 13 April 1946 | Manchester City | A | 3–1 | Hanlon, Pearson, Rowley |
| 19 April 1946 | Newcastle United | A | 1–0 | Pearson |
| 20 April 1946 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 4–0 | Pearson (2), Delaney, Rowley |
| 22 April 1946 | Newcastle United | H | 4–1 | Delaney, Mitten, Rowley, Wrigglesworth |
| 27 April 1946 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–1 | |
| 4 May 1946 | Stoke City | H | 2–1 | Buckle, Pearson |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts |
| 2 | Everton | 42 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 88 | 54 | 1.630 | 55 |
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 67 | 45 | 1.489 | 51 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 98 | 62 | 1.581 | 49 |
| 5 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 67 | 60 | 1.117 | 48 |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 42 | 21 | 5 | 16 | 106 | 70 | 1.514 | 47 |

## FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 5 January 1946 | Round 3 First leg | Accrington Stanley | A | 2–2 | Smith, Wrigglesworth | 9,968 |
| 9 January 1946 | Round 3 Second leg | Accrington Stanley | H | 5–1 | Rowley (2), Bainbridge, Wrigglesworth, own goal | 15,339 |
| 26 January 1946 | Round 4 First leg | Preston North End | H | 1–0 | Hanlon | 36,237 |
| 30 January 1946 | Round 4 Second leg | Preston North End | A | 1–3 | Hanlon | 21,000 |

## Squad statistics

| Pos. | Name | FA Cup | FA Cup |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Jack Crompton | 4 | 0 |
| FB | Johnny Carey | 4 | 0 |
| FB | John Roach | 2 | 0 |
| FB | Joe Walton | 2 | 0 |
| HB | Allenby Chilton | 3 | 0 |
| HB | Henry Cockburn | 4 | 0 |
| HB | Jack Warner | 4 | 0 |
| HB | Bert Whalley | 4 | 0 |
| FW | Bill Bainbridge | 1 | 1 |
| FW | Jimmy Hanlon | 4 | 2 |
| FW | Jack Rowley | 4 | 2 |
| FW | Jack Smith | 4 | 1 |
| FW | Billy Wrigglesworth | 4 | 2 |
| – | Own goals | – | 1 |