1978–79 Manchester United F.C. season

Manchester United
1978–79 season
Steve Coppell taking a corner against Norwich City, 7 April 1979
ChairmanLouis Edwards
ManagerDave Sexton
First Division9th
FA CupRunners-up
League CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Steve Coppell (11)
Jimmy Greenhoff (11)
All:
Jimmy Greenhoff (17)
Highest home attendance56,139 vs Birmingham City (19 August 1978)
Lowest home attendance33,678 vs Norwich City (25 April 1979)
Average home league attendance46,164

The 1978–79 season was Manchester United's 77th season in the Football League, and their fourth consecutive season in the top division of English football.[1] They finished the season ninth in the league, but were more successful in the FA Cup, reaching the final where they lost 3-2 to Arsenal at Wembley, conceding a late goal from Alan Sunderland in the final minute of the game after coming from 2-0 down make it 2-2 in the closing minutes of the game.

First Division

Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A 		Scorers Attendance
19 August 1978 Birmingham City H 1–0 Jordan 56,139
23 August 1978 Leeds United A 3–2 Macari, McIlroy, McQueen 36,845
26 August 1978 Ipswich Town A 0–3 21,802
2 September 1978 Everton H 1–1 Buchan 53,982
9 September 1978 Queens Park Rangers A 1–1 J. Greenhoff 23,477
16 September 1978 Nottingham Forest H 1–1 J. Greenhoff 53,039
23 September 1978 Arsenal A 1–1 Coppell 45,393
30 September 1978 Manchester City H 1–0 Jordan 55,301
7 October 1978 Middlesbrough H 3–2 Macari (2), Jordan 45,402
14 October 1978 Aston Villa A 2–2 Macari, McIlroy 36,204
21 October 1978 Bristol City H 1–3 J. Greenhoff 47,211
28 October 1978 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 4–2 J. Greenhoff (2), B. Greenhoff, Jordan 23,141
4 November 1978 Southampton H 1–1 J. Greenhoff 46,259
11 November 1978 Birmingham City A 1–5 Jordan 23,550
18 November 1978 Ipswich Town H 2–0 Coppell, J. Greenhoff 42,109
21 November 1978 Everton A 0–3 42,126
25 November 1978 Chelsea A 1–0 J. Greenhoff 28,162
9 December 1978 Derby County A 3–1 Ritchie (2), J. Greenhoff 23,180
16 December 1978 Tottenham Hotspur H 2–0 McIlroy, Ritchie 52,026
22 December 1978 Bolton Wanderers A 0–3 32,390
26 December 1978 Liverpool H 0–3 54,910
30 December 1978 West Bromwich Albion H 3–5 B. Greenhoff, McIlroy, McQueen 45,091
3 February 1979 Arsenal H 0–2 45,460
10 February 1979 Manchester City A 3–0 Coppell (2), Ritchie 46,151
24 February 1979 Aston Villa H 1–1 J. Greenhoff 44,437
28 February 1979 Queens Park Rangers H 2–0 Coppell, J. Greenhoff 36,085
3 March 1979 Bristol City A 2–1 McQueen, Ritchie 24,583
20 March 1979 Coventry City A 3–4 Coppell (2), McIlroy 25,382
24 March 1979 Leeds United H 4–1 Ritchie (3), Thomas 51,191
27 March 1979 Middlesbrough A 2–2 Coppell, McQueen 20,138
7 April 1979 Norwich City A 2–2 Macari, McQueen 19,382
11 April 1979 Bolton Wanderers H 1–2 Buchan 49,617
14 April 1979 Liverpool A 0–2 46,608
16 April 1979 Coventry City H 0–0 43,035
18 April 1979 Nottingham Forest A 1–1 Jordan 33,074
21 April 1979 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–1 McQueen 36,665
25 April 1979 Norwich City H 1–0 Macari 33,678
28 April 1979 Derby County H 0–0 42,546
30 April 1979 Southampton A 1–1 Ritchie 21,616
5 May 1979 West Bromwich Albion A 0–1 27,960
7 May 1979 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 3–2 Coppell (2), Ritchie 39,402
16 May 1979 Chelsea H 1–1 Coppell 38,109

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
7 Arsenal 42 17 14 11 61 48 +13 48 Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round[a]
8 Aston Villa 42 15 16 11 59 49 +10 46
9 Manchester United 42 15 15 12 60 63 −3 45
10 Coventry City 42 14 16 12 58 68 −10 44
11 Tottenham Hotspur 42 13 15 14 48 61 −13 41
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ Arsenal qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1978–79 FA Cup winners.

FA Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A 		Scorers Attendance
15 January 1979 Round 3 Chelsea H 3–0 Coppell, J. Greenhoff, Grimes 38,743
31 January 1979 Round 4 Fulham A 1–1 J. Greenhoff 25,229
12 February 1979 Round 4
Replay 		Fulham H 1–0 J. Greenhoff 41,200
20 February 1979 Round 5 Colchester United A 1–0 J. Greenhoff 13,171
10 March 1979 Round 6 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–1 Thomas 51,800
14 March 1979 Round 6
Replay 		Tottenham Hotspur H 2–0 McIlroy, Jordan 55,584
31 March 1979 Semi-Final Liverpool N 2–2 Jordan, B. Greenhoff 52,524
4 April 1979 Semi-Final
Replay 		Liverpool N 1–0 J. Greenhoff 53,069
12 May 1979 Final Arsenal N 2–3 McQueen, McIlroy 100,000

League Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A 		Scorers Attendance
30 August 1978 Round 2 Stockport County H 3–2 McIlroy, J. Greenhoff, Jordan 41,761
4 October 1978 Round 3 Watford H 1–2 Jordan 40,534

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Gary Bailey 28 0 9 0 0 0 37 0
GK Republic of Ireland Paddy Roche 14 0 0 0 2 0 16 0
DF Scotland Arthur Albiston 32(1) 0 7 0 2 0 41(1) 0
DF Scotland Martin Buchan 37 2 9 0 2 0 48 2
DF Northern Ireland Tom Connell 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
DF Scotland Stewart Houston 21(1) 0 2 0 1 0 24(1) 0
DF Scotland Gordon McQueen 36 6 9 1 2 0 47 7
DF Republic of Ireland Kevin Moran 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
DF Northern Ireland Jimmy Nicholl 19(2) 0 6(2) 0 0 0 25(4) 0
DF Scotland Steve Paterson 1(2) 0 0 0 0 0 1(2) 0
MF England Steve Coppell 42 11 9 1 2 0 53 12
MF England Brian Greenhoff 32(1) 2 5 1 2 0 39(1) 3
MF Republic of Ireland Ashley Grimes 5(11) 0 3 1 2 0 10(11) 1
MF Scotland Lou Macari 31(1) 6 5 0 1 0 37(1) 6
MF Northern Ireland David McCreery 14(1) 0 0 0 0(1) 0 14(2) 0
MF Northern Ireland Chris McGrath 0(2) 0 0 0 0 0 0(2) 0
MF Northern Ireland Sammy McIlroy 40 5 9 2 2 1 51 8
MF Northern Ireland Tom Sloan 3(1) 0 0 0 0 0 3(1) 0
MF Wales Mickey Thomas 25 1 8 1 0 0 33 2
FW England Jimmy Greenhoff 33 11 9 5 2 1 44 17
FW Scotland Joe Jordan 30 6 4(1) 2 2 2 36(1) 10
FW England Stuart Pearson 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW England Andy Ritchie 16(1) 10 3(1) 0 0 0 19(2) 10

References

  1. ^ "Manchester United Season 1978/79". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2011.