Dark Ages Begin

The 1920's were a bad few years for United. Relegation to the Second Division in 1922 was only one black mark during this period.

In the 1920/21 season United lost their best player in recent years as Billy Meredith left to rejoin Manchester City after falling out with the club board. Given a free transfer, Meredith left the club at the age of 48 after playing 332 matches, putting him in 30th place in the list of appearance records.

While the football may not have been vintage stuff, it did not put off the crowds and a record attendance of 70,504 packed into Old Trafford on December 27th 1920 for a match against Aston Villa.

The season ended wth Manchester United in 13th place with only 15 wins and 17 defeats. Making it worse was the fact that cross-town neighbours Manchester City finished runners-up to Burnley.

The following season was even worse. When John Robson fell ill it was decided that he would step down to assistant manager and John Chapman, a Scot brought in from Airdrieonians, took over as manager.

Chapman, however, could do nothing to stop the club's slide down the table and a particular low point occurred when rivals Manchester City handed out a 4-1 hammering to the former champions.

The club continued to decline and ended up bottom of the league where they remained for the rest of the season, suffering relegation with only 28 points.

The only United player to shine during that terrible season was John Spence, signed from Scotswood in 1919. He went on to make 510 appearances for the club, a record that stood for 40 years, finally broken by Bill Foulkes.

Second Division Woes

Everyone expected Manchester United to bounce straight back up following their relegation but it didn't occur. Instead Notts County were promoted as Second Division champions. United could only finish fourth, despite hammering Notts 6-1 on their own ground.

Man of the Match that afternoon was United's centre half Frank Barson. Barson had been signed from Aston Villa for £5000 and had been promised his own pub if the club gained promotion inside three years.

They did and the club were good to their word, providing Barson with the business. However, legend has it that when Barson opened the pub for the first time there was such a rush that he decided the pub game was not for him!

The season after, 1923/24, is still one of the worst in Manchester United's history. Knocked out of the FA Cup in the second round, they finished the in 13th place in the league, losing 15 matches in the process. Relegation to the Third Division was now a worry.

Instead of relegation, however, United managed to get promoted back to the First Division in the 1924/25 season. Victories in 23 of their 42 matches that season, along with only eight defeats, meant that the club finished second, just enough to secure First Division status. United also achieved a new record, gaining promotion with the fewest goals ever conceded - just 23.

This was also the year that a match between a combined United and City team and a combined Everton and Liverpool team was arranged as a testimonial to Ernest Mangnall, United's most successful manager up to then.

Back Where We Belong

The first year back in the top flight was a mixed one. United finished in midtable, a long way off both the championship and relegation, with 19 wins and 17 defeats.

The club faired much better in the FA Cup, however, going as far as the semi-finals.

The season was to be Chapman's last as the club were once more embroiled in controversy.

On September 20th 1926 an FA investigation committee met at the Grand Hotel in Manchester to begin an inquiry into Manchester United affairs. Further meetings led to a shock announcement on October 7th that United manager John Chapman was to recieve a lifetime ban from football following 'improper conduct in his position as Secretary-Manager' of Manchester United.

Quite what was being investigated or what the improper conduct was has never been disclosed and Clarence Hilditch, United's starting right half, was installed as caretaker manager. Hilditch remains United's only ever player manager.

Before the new season began the first full international to be played in Manchester took place at Old Trafford, further testament to the quality of United's home ground. The game was England versus Scotland, but no Reds featured in either side.

The 1926/27 season was not a good one and under Hilditch they only just avoided relegation, finishing 15th in the League. Hilditch was soon replaced as manager and he returned to the playing staff.

Relegation Battles

With a new manager installed, Herbert Bamlett, hopes were high for a successful season at Old Trafford. Bamlett, it is interesting to note, was the referee that abandoned the 1909 FA Cup final between United and Burnley which United went on to win in the rescheduled match.

While his presence on that day may have been a help to United, his presence as manager of the club was not.

Relegation was a constant threat throughout the season and as it drew to a close United found themselves in a threeway battle with Spurs and Middlesborough for survival. It came down to the last game of the season and goal difference, as all three clubs were level on points.

United had to face Liverpool at Old Trafford. Few fans held any hope that United could pull off a miracle and recover, as both Spurs and Boro had better goal differences.

The fans should have known better with this club though. In the first half United rattled in four goals while Liverpool could only manage one. The four goals were scored by United hero John Spence and William Rawlings, with two apiece.

The 30,000 fans packed into Old Trafford knew that that was not enough to save the club from relegation and willed the team on. It must have worked because Spence added another two in the second half to send his total to four and United's to six. When the final whistle blew United's players remained on the pitch to see if the +5 goal difference was enough.

Slowly the news came down that it was. The sixth goal from Hulse had proved decisive and Spurs and Boro were relegated.

As a warm up to the following season, Manchester United embarked on their second European tour, this time heading over to Switzerland for warm up matches.

The 1928/29 season featured much of the same. Manchester United flirted with relegation for much of the season - losing 15 matches - but were saved from the Second Division with a fantastic run-in, winning five and drawing one of their last six games.

The remarkable escape can be attributed to one man...Tom Reid. Signed from Liverpool, Reid scored 14 goals in 17 games that season. He went on to score 67 in just 101 games before transferring to Oldham Athletic five years later.

Manchester United rounded off the '20s with yet another relegation battle, finally finishing just above the relegation zone in 17th. In 42 games that year they lost 19 and won only 15. A goal difference of -21 (67 scored; 88 conceded) told the story of a sorry season.