1976–77 Manchester United F.C. season
{{Short description|95th season in existence of Manchester United}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox football club season
| club = Manchester United
| season = 1976–77
|image=AjaxManchesterUnited1976a.jpg
|caption=Ruud Krol celebrates after scoring for Ajax against United in the UEFA Cup, 15 September 1976
| chairman = Louis Edwards
| manager = Tommy Docherty
| league = First Division
| league result = 6th
| cup1 = FA Cup
| cup1 result = Winners
| cup2 = League Cup
| cup2 result = Fifth Round
| cup3 = UEFA Cup
| cup3 result = Second Round
| league topscorer =
Gordon Hill (15)
Stuart Pearson (15)
| season topscorer =
Gordon Hill (22)
| pattern_la1 = _manutdh7580 |pattern_b1 = _manutdh7580 |pattern_ra1 = _manutdh7580 |pattern_sh1 = |pattern_so1 = _redtopwhitestripe
| leftarm1 = E20E0E |body1 = E20E0E |rightarm1 = E20E0E |shorts1 = FFFFFF |socks1 = 000000
| pattern_la2 = _manutda7580 |pattern_b2 = _manutda7580 |pattern_ra2 = _manutda7580 |pattern_sh2 = _manutda7580 |pattern_so2 = _redtopwhitestripe
| leftarm2 = FFFFFF |body2 = FFFFFF |rightarm2 = FFFFFF |shorts2 = 000000 |socks2 = 000000
| pattern_la3 = _manutdh7580 |pattern_b3 = _manutdh7580 |pattern_ra3 = _manutdh7580 |pattern_sh3 = |pattern_so3 = _bluetop_whitestripe
| leftarm3 = 0000C0 |body3 = 0000C0 |rightarm3 = 0000C0 |shorts3 = FFFFFF |socks3 = 000000
| highest attendance = 60,723 vs Tottenham Hotspur (4 September 1976)
| lowest attendance = 37,586 vs Tranmere Rovers (1 September 1976)
| average attendance = 53,390
| prevseason = 1975–76
| nextseason = 1977–78
}}
The 1976–77 season was Manchester United's 75th season in the Football League, and their second consecutive season in the top division of English football.{{cite web |url=http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/seasons/season1977.html |title=Manchester United Season 1976/77 |access-date=21 December 2011|publisher=StretfordEnd.co.uk }} They finished the season sixth in the league and won the FA Cup to end a nine-year spell without a major trophy. Despite this success, it was to be their last season under the management of Tommy Docherty, who had been at the helm for four-and-a-half years and revived United following several years of decline. During the close season, he was dismissed by the club after revealing his love affair with the wife of the club's physiotherapist.{{cite news |title=1977: Manchester United sack manager |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/4/newsid_2492000/2492743.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=4 July 1977 |publisher=BBC |access-date=9 March 2012 }}
First Division
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Date
!Opponents !H / A !Result !Scorers !Attendance |
|---|
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|21 August 1976 |H |2–2 |58,898 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|24 August 1976 |A |2–0 |26,775 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|28 August 1976 |A |0–0 | |30,054 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|4 September 1976 |H |2–3 |60,723 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|11 September 1976 |A |2–2 |39,037 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|18 September 1976 |H |2–0 |56,712 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|25 September 1976 |A |3–1 |48,861 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|2 October 1976 |A |2–0 |44,512 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|16 October 1976 |A |0–4 | |36,615 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|23 October 1976 |H |2–2 |54,356 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|30 October 1976 |H |0–1 | |57,416 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|6 November 1976 |A |2–3 |44,789 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|10 November 1976 |H |3–3 |42,685 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|20 November 1976 |A |1–1 |26,421 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|27 November 1976 |H |0–2 | |55,366 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|18 December 1976 |A |1–3 |39,572 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|27 December 1976 |H |4–0 |Pearson, J. Greenhoff, Hill, Macari |56,786 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|1 January 1977 |H |2–0 |Pearson (2) |55,446 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|3 January 1977 |A |1–2 |30,105 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|15 January 1977 |H |2–0 |Macari (2) |46,567 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|19 January 1977 |H |2–1 |43,051 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|22 January 1977 |A |3–2 |J. Greenhoff, Pearson, Houston |35,316 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|5 February 1977 |H |3–1 |Macari, Houston, Powell (o.g.) |54,044 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|12 February 1977 |A |3–1 |46,946 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|16 February 1977 |H |0–0 | |57,487 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|19 February 1977 |H |3–1 |J. Greenhoff (3) |51,828 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|5 March 1977 |H |3–1 |58,595 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|12 March 1977 |H |1–0 |60,612 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|23 March 1977 |H |2–2 |51,053 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|2 April 1977 |A |1–2 |24,161 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|5 April 1977 |A |2–1 |Hill (2) |38,216 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|9 April 1977 |H |3–0 |53,102 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|11 April 1977 |A |1–2 |38,785 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|16 April 1977 |H |1–1 |49,161 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|19 April 1977 |A |0–4 | |28,848 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|26 April 1977 |A |0–3 | |21,744 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|30 April 1977 |H |1–0 |50,788 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|3 May 1977 |A |0–1 | |53,046 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|7 May 1977 |A |1–1 |J. Greenhoff (pen.) |28,864 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|11 May 1977 |A |3–3 |24,204 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|14 May 1977 |H |3–2 |53,232 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|16 May 1977 |A |2–4 |29,904 |
{{:1976–77 Football League First Division|showteam=MUN|only_totals=y}}
FA Cup
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Date
!Round !Opponents !H / A !Result !Scorers !Attendance |
|---|
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|8 January 1977 |Round 3 |H |1–0 |Hill |48,870 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|29 January 1977 |Round 4 |H |1–0 |57,422 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|26 February 1977 |Round 5 |A |2–2 |29,137 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|8 March 1977 |Round 5 |H |2–1 |J. Greenhoff (2) |58,103 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|19 March 1977 |Round 6 |H |2–1 |57,089 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|23 April 1977 |Semi-final |N |2–1 |55,000 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|21 May 1977 |N |2–1 |100,000 |
League Cup
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Date
!Round !Opponents !H / A !Result !Scorers !Attendance |
|---|
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|1 September 1976 |Round 2 |H |5–0 |Daly (2), Macari, Pearson, Hill |37,586 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|22 September 1976 |Round 3 |H |2–2 |46,170 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|4 October 1976 |Round 3 |A |2–2 |B. Greenhoff, Daly (pen.) |46,170 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|6 October 1976 |Round 3 |H |1–0 |47,689 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|27 October 1976 |Round 4 |H |7–2 |Houston, Hill (3), Pearson, Nicholl, Coppell |52,002 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|1 December 1976 |Round 5 |H |0–3 | |57,738 |
UEFA Cup
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Date
!Round !Opponents !H / A !Result !Scorers !Attendance |
|---|
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|15 September 1976 |Round 1 |Ajax |A |0–1 | |30,000 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|29 September 1976 |Round 1 |Ajax |H |2–0 |58,918 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|20 October 1976 |Round 2 |H |1–0 |Hill |59,021 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|3 November 1976 |Round 2 |A |0–3 | |66,632 |
Squad statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2" valign="bottom"|Pos.
!rowspan="2"|Name !colspan="2" width="85"|League !colspan="2" width="85"|FA Cup !colspan="2" width="85"|League Cup !colspan="2" width="85"|UEFA Cup !colspan="2" width="85"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps
!Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | ||||||||||
| align="left"|GK | align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} Paddy Roche
|2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| align="left"|GK | align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Alex Stepney
|40 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 57 | 0 |
| align="left"|DF | align="left"|{{flagicon|SCO}} Arthur Albiston
|14(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2(2) | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 19(6) | 0 |
| align="left"|DF | align="left"|{{flagicon|SCO}} Martin Buchan
|33 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 0 |
| align="left"|DF | align="left"|{{flagicon|SCO}} Alex Forsyth
|3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(1) | 0 |
| align="left"|DF | align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Brian Greenhoff
|40 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 57 | 5 |
| align="left"|DF | align="left"|{{flagicon|SCO}} Stewart Houston
|36 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 5 |
| align="left"|DF | align="left"|{{flagicon|NIR}} Jimmy Nicholl
|39 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 1 |
| align="left"|DF | align="left"|{{flagicon|SCO}} Steve Paterson
|2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 3(2) | 0 |
| align="left"|DF | align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Colin Waldron
|3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| align="left"|MF | align="left"|{{flagicon|WAL}} Jonathan Clark
|0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| align="left"|MF | align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Steve Coppell
|40 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 56 | 8 |
| align="left"|MF | align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} Gerry Daly
|16(1) | 4 | 0(1) | 0 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 26(2) | 7 |
| align="left"|MF | align="left"|{{flagicon|NIR}} Tommy Jackson
|2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| align="left"|MF | align="left"|{{flagicon|NIR}} David McCreery
|9(16) | 2 | 0(3) | 0 | 3(2) | 0 | 1(3) | 0 | 13(24) | 2 |
| align="left"|MF | align="left"|{{flagicon|NIR}} Chris McGrath
|2(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(5) | 0 |
| align="left"|MF | align="left"|{{flagicon|NIR}} Sammy McIlroy
|39(1) | 2 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 56(1) | 3 |
| align="left"|FW | align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Alan Foggon
|0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(3) | 0 |
| align="left"|FW | align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Jimmy Greenhoff
|27 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 12 |
| align="left"|FW | align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Gordon Hill
|38(1) | 15 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 55(1) | 22 |
| align="left"|FW | align="left"|{{flagicon|SCO}} Lou Macari
|38 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 53 | 14 |
| align="left"|FW | align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Stuart Pearson
|39 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 53 | 19 |
| align="left"|– | align="left"|Own goals
|– | 4 | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 5 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Manchester United F.C. seasons}}
{{1976–77 in English football}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1976-77 Manchester United F.C. season}}