 United continued with a sizable turnover of playing staff but were now focusing on using their financial position to target experienced professionals rather than relying on the untied talents of previous seasons. Bob Cain and Harry Hammond arrived in August, recruited from Bootle and Everton respectively, while previous stalwarts like Edward Cross, Billy Bridgewater and W. Robertson were allowed to leave. A young Ernest Needham was promoted to the first team and began to feature regularly as the season progressed; he would eventually go on to make over 450 league appearances for the Blades and to captain England during his career.
