1916–17 Manchester United F.C. season

Manchester United
1916–17 season
ChairmanJohn Henry Davies
ManagerJack Robson
Principal Tournament7th
Subsidiary Tournament
Group D		1st

The 1916–17 season was Manchester United's second season in the non-competitive War League.[1]

With the ongoing First World War, once again Manchester United played non-competitive war league football. In the principal tournament they contested the Lancashire Section, which was expanded to 16 teams to give a more complete 30-game season. In the subsidiary tournament they contested Group D of the Lancashire Section, with the groups reduced to four teams in size to complement the increased playing season of the Principal Tournament.[2] However, none of these were considered to be competitive football, and thus their records are not recognised by the Football League.

On 8 August 1916, while fighting in France during the war, former United player Private Oscar Linkson went missing in the battle to seize Guillemont Station during the Battle of the Somme. His body was never recovered and he was recorded as missing presumed dead.[3]

On 3 May 1917, Another United former player Sandy Turnbull was killed in France. Turnbull was killed in Arras while serving as a Lance Sergeant in the Eighth Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment of the British Army. His body was never found and he is commemorated on the Arras memorial.[4]

Lancashire Section Principal Tournament

Date Opponents H / A Result
F – A 		Scorers Attendance
2 September 1916 Port Vale H 2 – 2 Woodcock (2)
9 September 1916 Oldham Athletic A 2 – 0 Armstrong, O'Connell
16 September 1916 Preston North End H 2 – 1 Woodcock (2)
23 September 1916 Burnley A 1 – 7 Armstrong
30 September 1916 Blackpool A 2 – 2 Woodcock (2)
7 October 1916 Liverpool H 0 – 0
14 October 1916 Stockport County A 0 – 1
21 October 1916 Bury H 3 – 1 Armstrong (2), Own goal
28 October 1916 Stoke A 0 – 3
4 November 1916 Southport Central H 1 – 0 Woodcock
11 November 1916 Blackburn Rovers A 2 – 1 Anderson, Woodcock
18 November 1916 Manchester City H 2 – 1 Anderson, Woodcock
25 November 1916 Everton A 2 – 3 Anderson, Woodcock
2 December 1916 Rochdale H 1 – 1 Anderson
9 December 1916 Bolton Wanderers A 1 – 5 Anderson
23 December 1916 Oldham Athletic H 3 – 2 Anderson (2), Ogden
30 December 1916 Preston North End A 2 – 3 Anderson, Woodcock
6 January 1917 Burnley H 3 – 1 Anderson (2), Woodcock
13 January 1917 Blackpool H 3 – 2 Woodcock (2), Crossley
20 January 1917 Liverpool A 3 – 3 Anderson (3)
27 January 1917 Stockport County H 0 – 1
3 February 1917 Bury A 1 – 1 Woodcock
10 February 1917 Stoke H 4 – 2 Woodcock (2), Ellis, Robinson
17 February 1917 Southport Central A 1 – 0 Ellis
24 February 1917 Blackburn Rovers H 1 – 0 Anderson
3 March 1917 Manchester City A 0 – 1
10 March 1917 Everton H 0 – 2
17 March 1917 Rochdale A 0 – 2
24 March 1917 Bolton Wanderers H 6 – 3 Woodcock (3), Anderson (2), Hilditch
6 April 1917 Port Vale A 0 – 3
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
6 Burnley 30 15 4 11 73 56 1.304 34
7 Manchester United 30 13 6 11 48 54 0.889 32
8 Rochdale 30 12 5 13 47 54 0.870 29
Source: [citation needed]

Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament Group D

Date Opponents H / A Result
F – A 		Scorers Attendance
31 March 1917 Stoke A 1 – 2 Ellis
7 April 1917 Manchester City H 5 – 1 Anderson (3), Woodcock (2)
9 April 1917 Port Vale H 5 – 1 Anderson (3), Travis (2)
14 April 1917 Stoke H 1 – 0 Woodcock
21 April 1917 Manchester City A 1 – 0 Anderson
28 April 1917 Port Vale A 2 – 5 McMenemy, Woodcock
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1 Manchester United 6 4 0 2 15 9 1.667 8
2 Stoke 6 3 0 3 11 6 1.833 6
3 Port Vale 6 2 1 3 9 12 0.750 5
4 Manchester City 6 2 1 3 3 11 0.273 5
Source: [citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "Manchester United In War League 1916/17". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  2. ^ "England 1916/17". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  3. ^ "Oscar Linkson". Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Alexander "Sandy" Turnbull". Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). Retrieved 30 December 2011.