World War II (cont.)

With the outbreak of war and the abandonment of a full league program football in England once again reverted to regional leagues like during the previous war.

Again, players were allowed to make 'guest appearances' for other clubs and this led to some strange line-ups, with Third Division clubs fielding experienced internationals and major clubs playing local pub players.

Manchester United were not immune to this and in 1940 put out a side containing Manchester City's Peter Doherty, the great Stanley Matthews and a local centre forward who played for a nearby pub.

Crowds understandably dropped dramatically and United rarely drew more than 4000 spectators.

With football in a disarray, there were precious little trophies to pick up, but United did manage to win the Lancashire Cup in 1941 and their regional league in 1941/42.

Fall Of Old Trafford

On the night of Tuesday 11th March 1941 the German airforce blitzed Manchester. Old Trafford sustained heavy damage and the once glorious stadium lay in ruins.

As the war dragged on and little was done to rebuild the ground weeds and grass grew out of the terraces and a 6' bush grew out of the turf.

With Old Trafford out of action, Manchester City stepped in and offered Maine Road. United duly accepted...and handed out a 7-1 thrashing to their neighbours only a month later!

Matt Busby

At the end of the war Manchester United set about rebuilding the club. With Old Trafford lying in ruins still, they continued to use Maine Road.

A new manager was needed and Louis Rocca contacted a Liverpool player still working in the army as an instructor at Sandhurst Military Academy.

The soldier was keen and a meeting with United secretary Crickmer was arranged. The meeting went well and Manchester United appointed Matt Busby as manager on Monday 19th February 1945.

The Manchester Evening News reported it like this:

Matt Busby signs as United manager

Company Sergeant-Major instructor Matt Busby, Liverpool right back and Scotland captain, today signed an agreement to become manager of Manchester United when he is demobilised. Only a few years ago Busby (now aged 34), who has proved himself one of the great half backs of modern times, was the "forgotten man" of International Football.

ATTRACTIVE PLAYER

His thousands of Manchester fans, remembering him as a stylish and attractive player when he turned out for Manchester City, unswervingly believed in his brilliance when Scotland's selectors seem to have neglected and forgotten him. And he justified their faith. After one pre-war international cap in 1934 he was ignored until the 1941-42 season, since when he has appeared for Scotland in eight games, several times as skipper. In these games he has been outstanding, and today he made a name in Scottish Football.

"Busby has had a number of offers, but he approached us himself as he particularly wanted to come back to Manchester," Mr. W. Crickmer, Manchester United secretary explained today. "He will build up the team and put it where it belongs - at the top."

Busby, who played with Alex James as a boy, left Manchester City for Liverpool in 1936 at a fee of 8,000 pounds, and has been released from his appointment as Liverpool's post-war coach.

League Football Returns

1946 saw the resumption of League Football in England and Busby had put together an exciting team in preparation for it.

In goal was Jack Crompton and just in front of him were Johnny Carey and John Aston Senior. The halfback line was made up of Allenby Chilton, Henry Cockburn and John Warner.

The rest of the team included Rowley, Charlie Mitten, Jimmy Delaney, a £4000 buy from Celtic, and Stan Pearson. All were great players and the 1946/47 was one of relative success for United.

After the disappointment of the Thirties and the disruption caused by the war fans were flooding back to football and United were averaging 40,000 a game, although still at Maine Road while rebuilding at Old Trafford was being completed.

Matt Busby had installed Jimmy Murphy as his number two and the partnership immediately began to pay dividends.

United were in the championship hunt throughout the season, eventually finishing runners-up to Liverpool who stayed the pace better.

The signs were clearly encouraging, however, United scoring 95 goals and losing less matches than anyone else in the division.

Another name worth mentioning at this point is Bert Whalley. Chosen regularly at half back through that season he chose to retire in 1947 and took up a coaching role with the club. This was to prove significant, as Whalley developed the players that would go on to be known as the Busby Babes.

FA Cup Triumph

The 1947/48 season was an FA Cup story. While United did very well in the League, again finishing runners-up, this time to Arsenal and just missing out on the Double, it was the Cup which inspired the club and the fans the most.

The final itself was called "Wembley's Finest" by the News of the Word, and depending on your point of view they have a case.

But United's route to the final was also an incredible one with some fantastic matches, the most memorable being the third round tie against Aston Villa.

Villa took the lead after only 13 seconds but United were unfazed and at half time were leading 5-1. Villa were not about to give up however and fought back to make it 5-4. Stan Pearson broke their hearts with a sixth though and United were through to the fourth round.

From this point on United were drawn at home in every round but as they were sharing with Manchester City still and City were at home on every Cup weekend United played at several venues for their 'home' ties.

In the fourth round they faced champions Liverpool. The match was played at Everton's Goodison Park and 74,000 saw United brush Liverpool aside in a 3-0 victory.

Charlton were the fifth round opponents and the match took place at Leeds Road, Huddersfield. Two goals were enough to see off the London side and United drew Preston North End in the quarter final. Villa Park was chosen as the venue and another 74,000 showed up to see a thrilling 4-2 win for United.

Derby County provided the semi final opposition at Hillsborough, Sheffield. Stan Pearson scored a hat trick in the 3-1 win to take his total to seven goals in the Cup alone.

And so it was on to the final at Wembley against Blackpool who boasted arguably the best player in the world at that time, Stanley Matthews, as well as the great Stan Mortenson.

It was a match of great entertainment with the advantage swinging first one way, then the other. Blackpool took the lead from the penalty spot after only 12 minutes but 15 minutes later United equalised through Rowley.

Then the Matthews/Mortenson roadshow took off and Mortenson scored directly from a Matthews freekick. Johnny Carey was not about to let this opportunity slip away however, and his constant probing and passing forward won United a freekick from which Rowley scored his second with a header.

It was then left to the freescoring Pearson to win the Cup for United, scoring with a blistering shot for the 3-2 victory.

That was eight goals in six FA Cup matches for Pearson, now remembered as the man who won the final.

United's aggregate attendance for the whole FA Cup run was 400,000 and that remains a record to this day.

The Double was once again within United's reach the following season but they were knocked out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage and for the third season running finished runners-up in the league.

Old Trafford Return

In 1949 Manchester United returned to their spiritual home, Old Trafford, after a break of eight years. The rebuilding work was not quite complete after the bombings during the war but 42,000 packed in to see United face Bolton Wanderers in August.

It was a big event in Manchester and as traffic backed up the kick off had to be delayed. When the game finally kicked off Charlie Mitten became the first player to score a goal at the ground for eight years and United went on to record an easy 3-0 victory.

While the return home was a joyous occassion the season as a whole was not quite as successful as the previous two. The club were knocked out of the Cup at the sixth round stage and could only manage fourth in the League.

It was clear to fans and boardroom alike, though, that Matt Busby was building for the future and no-one complained at the slight drop in standards.

To underline the point, this was the year Busby signed goalkeeper Ray Wood from Darlington for £6000.

During the summer of after the 1949/50 seson though, Busby was dealt a blow when Charlie Mitten suddenly deserted Manchester United after 113 consecutive appearances. His destination was Santa Fe, an unknown Columbian team.

On only £12 a week at United, Mitten was lured by the promise of a £2,500 signing on fee, £2,500 a year wage and a £35 win bonus.

Unsuited to the lifestyle in Bogota, however, Mitten was soon back in England where he was still officially a Manchester United player. Busby made it clear that he didn't appreciate Mitten's desertion and that he would never play for the club again.

He was transferred to Fulham for the remainder of his playing career.