Matt Busby
Encyclopedia
Sir Alexander Matthew "Matt" Busby, CBE
, KCSG
(26 May 1909 – 20 January 1994) was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Manchester United
between 1945 and 1969 and again for the second half of the 1970–1971 season. His manager records and logivity at helm of Manchester United are only surpassed by Sir Alex Ferguson
Before going into management, Busby was a player for two of Manchester United's greatest rivals, Manchester City
and Liverpool
. During his time at City, Busby played in two FA Cup Finals, winning one of them. After his playing career was interrupted by the Second World War
, Busby was offered the job of assistant coach at Liverpool, but they were unwilling to give him the control over the team that he wanted and he took the vacant manager's job at Manchester United instead.
, North Lanarkshire
, Busby was raised a practising Roman Catholic of Lithuania
n ancestry. When he was born, Busby's mother was told by the doctor "A footballer has come into this house today". Busby's father – a miner – was killed by a German sniper during the First World War
at the Battle of the Somme, while three of his uncles were killed in France with the Cameron Highlanders
.
Busby would often accompany his father down into the coal pits, but his true aspiration was to become a professional footballer. In his 1973 autobiography Busby described himself as being as football mad as any other boy in Bellshill citing in particular the impression made on him by Alex James
and Hughie Gallacher
.
His mother might have quashed those dreams when she applied to emigrate with Matt to the United States, but he was granted a reprieve by the nine-month processing time. In the meantime, Busby got a full-time job as a collier and played football part-time for Stirlingshire side Denny Hibs. He had played only a few matches for Denny Hibs, but it was not long before he was signed up by a Manchester City
side that was a couple of games away from regaining promotion to the First Division
.
on a one-year contract worth £5 per week on 11 February 1928, with the provision for him to leave at the end of the deal if he still wished to emigrate to the United States with his mother. He decided to stay and made his debut for City on 2 November 1929, more than 18 months after first signing for the Blues, when he played at inside left
in a 3–1 win at home to Middlesbrough
in the First Division
. He made 11 more appearances for City that season, all at inside forward
, scoring five goals in the process.
During the 1930–31 season, City manager Peter Hodge
decided that Busby's talents could be better exploited from the half-back line, with Busby playing the right-half role. In his new position, Busby built up a reputation as an intelligent player and a finer passer of the ball. In 1930, Manchester United made an enquiry about signing Busby from their cross-town rivals, but they were unable to afford the £150 fee that City demanded. By the 1931–32 season, Busby was firmly established in the first team, missing just one match that season. Indeed, Busby and Jackie Bray
became such fixtures at wing-half that club captain Jimmy McMullan
had to move to forward to keep his place in the team. In the 1930s Manchester City performed strongly in the FA Cup
. They reached the semi-finals in 1932, and the final in 1933
before finally winning the tournament in 1934. However, from the second half of the 1934–35 season, Busby's number 4 jersey was worn by Jack Percival with increasing regularity, and Busby was sold to Liverpool
for £
8,000 on 12 March 1936, having made more than 200 appearances for Manchester City.
He made his debut for the Reds just two days later, on 14 March, away to Huddersfield Town
; the match ended in a 1–0 Liverpool defeat. Busby opened his goalscoring account a month later – his 47th minute strike helped his team to a 2–2 draw with Blackburn Rovers
at Ewood Park
. Busby soon made the number 4 shirt his own, ousting Ted Savage
in the process. He rarely missed a game over the following three seasons. This consistency earned Busby the Liverpool captaincy and he led the club with great distinction. Along with Jimmy McDougall and Tom Bradshaw, Busby made up what is considered by many to be the best half-back line Liverpool had ever had.
Bob Paisley
joined Liverpool from Bishop Auckland in 1939, and it was Busby who took him under his wing and showed him the ropes at Anfield
. This led to a lifelong friendship between two of the most successful managers in English football history. The Second World War
arrived soon after, and with it came an end to Busby's playing days. Like many of the Liverpool playing staff, he signed on for national service in the King's Liverpool Regiment.
Busby carried on playing football during the war, making three appearances for Chelsea
. He also turned out for Middlesbrough
, Reading
, Brentford
, Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and Hibernian
.
; he played in a 3–2 British Home Championship
defeat to Wales
at Ninian Park
, Cardiff
, on 4 October 1933. Playing opposite Busby in the Welsh half-back line was his future assistant Jimmy Murphy. Busby also made seven appearances for Scotland against England
during the Second World War, winning just one of them, but these are considered unofficial. He represented the Scottish League XI
in an inter-league match in 1941, while he was a guest player of Hibernian
.
. However, the experience also forged Busby's opinions about how football should be played and governed, and when it became clear that they differed from those of the Liverpool board, their chairman Billy McConnell
allowed Busby to pursue alternate employment.
After Manchester United had tried to sign Busby from Manchester City in 1930, he became good friends with United's fixer, Louis Rocca
; their relationship was helped in part by the fact that both were members of the Manchester Catholic Sportsman's Club. United were in desperate need of a manager to take over from club secretary Walter Crickmer
after the war and a board meeting was called in December 1944 so as to ascertain who that new manager might be. Knowing that Liverpool had already offered Busby a job, Rocca convinced the United board to "leave it to [him]" and immediately wrote a letter to Busby, addressed to his army regiment. The letter was vague, referring only to "a job", just in case it fell into the wrong hands, namely the Liverpool officials.
In February 1945, still in uniform, Busby turned up at Cornbrook Cold Storage, one of the United chairman James W. Gibson
's businesses at Trafford Park to discuss the contents of Rocca's letter with the chairman. Busby requested that he be directly involved in training, pick the team on matchdays and even choose the players to be bought and sold without interference from the club directors, who, he believed, did not know the game as well as he did. Such a level of control over the team was unprecedented in the English game, but the United chairman was in no position to argue. Busby was originally offered a three-year contract, but managed to secure himself a five-year deal after explaining that it would take at least that long for his revolution to have a tangible effect.
The contract was signed that day – 19 February 1945 – but it was not until 1 October that Busby officially took over the reins at Manchester United. In the interim, he returned to the Army Physical Training Corps, whose football team he took to Bari
, Italy, in the spring of 1945. There, he took in a training session for a football team made up of non-commissioned officer
s led by West Bromwich Albion
's former half-back Jimmy Murphy. Impressed by the Welshman's oratory skills, Busby engaged him in conversation and offered him the job of assistant manager at Manchester United, which Murphy accepted there and then.
The two men immediately put their mark on the side, leading them to the runners-up spot in the league, behind Busby's former employers Liverpool, by the end of the 1946–47 season. Manchester United were runners-up in the league in 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1951, and won the FA Cup
in 1948, before winning the league championship in 1952. By this stage, the side, captained by Johnny Carey
, was beginning to show its age, and a new set of players had to be found. Busby, who had achieved a great deal of success in spite of his lack of previous managerial experience, was expected to spend large sums of money on high profile players. Instead, he gradually replaced the older players with players as young as 16 and 17. These included right-back Bill Foulkes
, centre-halves Mark Jones
and Jackie Blanchflower
, wingers Albert Scanlon
and David Pegg
and forward Liam Whelan
. Among them was Duncan Edwards
, judged by many to be England's finest player of his era, and capped by England
at 18 – setting a record for the youngest-ever full international that remained unbroken for more than 40 years.
Busby managed the Great Britain team
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
. The team reached the semi-finals, but lost 3–1 to the eventual runners-up, Yugoslavia
.
, because of the youthfulness of many of the players he fielded. They won the league in both 1956 and 1957, and were runners-up to Aston Villa
in the 1957 FA Cup Final
. The young side was so successful that centre-forward Tommy Taylor
and goalkeeper Harry Gregg
were United's only major signings over a spell of four years.
Busby and his team began the 1957–58 season full of ambition for an assault on the Football League
title, FA Cup
and European Cup
. On the way home from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade
on 6 February 1958, their plane crashed on the runway
at Munich Airport. Seven players and three club officials were among the 23 people who were killed at the scene; Duncan Edwards died from his injuries two weeks later, while two other players were injured to such an extent that they never played football again. Busby suffered multiple injuries and twice received the Last Rites
, but he recovered from his injuries and left hospital after nine weeks.
He was not aware of the extent of the Munich tragedy until some weeks after the crash, as doctors felt he was not strong enough to know the truth until then. He reportedly told his wife Jean that he felt like quitting the manager's job, as he had feelings of guilt over the disaster (he had gone against Football League officials wishes by pressing for Manchester United's participation in the European Cup, and had not felt able to challenge the aircraft's pilot about taking off in heavy snow), but his wife urged him to carry on with his duties in honour of the players who had died.
In the meantime, the team was managed by Jimmy Murphy, who had been taking charge of the Wales
team at the time of the crash, and so was not present. Busby was present at a new-look United side's FA Cup final
defeat against Bolton Wanderers
at Wembley three months later, and resumed full managerial duties for the following season.
Busby had been appointed as Scotland's temporary manager and took charge of the team for two games later that year against Wales and Northern Ireland, giving Denis Law
his first cap.
, Bobby Charlton
and Bill Foulkes
. He also brought in players from other clubs – these included David Herd
, Albert Quixall
and Denis Law
. Northern Irish
forward George Best
was scouted for Man Utd by Bob Bishop and signed to the club's playing staff by chief scout Joe Armstrong.
Busby successfully rebuilt United, as he guided them to a 3–1 victory over Leicester City
in the 1963 FA Cup Final
. They were league champions in 1965 and again in 1967, with only a defeat on the final day of the 1967–68 season stopping them from retaining their title.
. He retired as manager a year later but remained at the club as a director, handing over managerial duties to trainer and former player Wilf McGuinness
. When McGuinness was sacked in December 1970, Busby briefly returned to his managerial duties, but there was never any question of his returning as manager permanently. He carried on as a club director for 11 more years, before being made president in 1982.
Busby was awarded the CBE
in 1958 and was knight
ed following the European Cup victory in 1968, before being made a Knight Commander of St Gregory by the Pope in 1972.
in August 1991, in which a Manchester United side featuring a new generation of star players including Mark Hughes
and Steve Bruce
took on a Republic of Ireland XI
. The result was a 1–1 draw.
Busby was mentioned, along with B.B. King and Doris Day
, in the Beatles song, Dig It, on the album Let It Be, released in 1970.
He died of cancer, aged 84, in January 1994 at The Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, Manchester. He was buried in Southern Cemetery, Manchester
, alongside his wife Jean, who had died in December 1988, at the age of 80. He is buried in grave space "Roman Catholic, Section G, Grave 997". His friend Willie Satinoff, who died in the Munich crash is buried in the same cemetery.
In 1999 in securing the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and European Cup, Manchester United won the European cup on what would have been Sir Matt's 90th birthday. Then, in 2008, Manchester United won the Champions League again, 50 years after the Munich tragedy that almost killed Busby, and 40 years since his own triumph in Europe in 1968 where Busby's United defeated Benfica. The day after the 100th anniversary of Busby's birth, Manchester United played Barcelona
in the 2009 Champions League final
but lost to the Spanish side 2–0. Busby was made an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame
in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game.
Also, the sports centre
in Bellshill
, his place of birth, was named after him. This opened to the public in 1995.
On 6 September 2009, the Sir Matt Busby shield was contested between Manchester United Reserves and Motherwell
(located only 2 miles from Busby's place of birth). This was held at Fir Park
to mark 100 years since his birth. Motherwell won the match 1–0.
in the 2011 television drama United
, which was centred on the successes of the Busby Babes and their decimation in the Munich air crash, as well as the rebuilding of the team by Jimmy Murphy (David Tennant
) while Busby recovered from his injuries. However, Busby's son Sandy told the BBC
that he was "disgusted" by the film, criticising them for their inaccurate portrayal of his late father. He pointed out that the character of Busby, despite being the first "tracksuit manager" in English football, was never seen in a tracksuit throughout the film, instead wearing a camel coat and a fedora.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, KCSG
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
(26 May 1909 – 20 January 1994) was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
between 1945 and 1969 and again for the second half of the 1970–1971 season. His manager records and logivity at helm of Manchester United are only surpassed by Sir Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
Before going into management, Busby was a player for two of Manchester United's greatest rivals, Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. During his time at City, Busby played in two FA Cup Finals, winning one of them. After his playing career was interrupted by the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Busby was offered the job of assistant coach at Liverpool, but they were unwilling to give him the control over the team that he wanted and he took the vacant manager's job at Manchester United instead.
Early life
Born to Alexander and Nellie Busby in a two-roomed pitman's cottage in the mining village of Orbiston, BellshillBellshill
Bellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 10 miles south east of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Other nearby towns are Motherwell , Hamilton and Coatbridge . Since 1996, it has been situated in the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area...
, North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
, Busby was raised a practising Roman Catholic of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n ancestry. When he was born, Busby's mother was told by the doctor "A footballer has come into this house today". Busby's father – a miner – was killed by a German sniper during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
at the Battle of the Somme, while three of his uncles were killed in France with the Cameron Highlanders
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
.
Busby would often accompany his father down into the coal pits, but his true aspiration was to become a professional footballer. In his 1973 autobiography Busby described himself as being as football mad as any other boy in Bellshill citing in particular the impression made on him by Alex James
Alex James (footballer)
Alexander Wilson James was a Scottish footballer, and is most noted for his success with Arsenal, where he is regarded as one of the club's greatest players of all time. James played as an inside forward, as a supporting player for the main strikers...
and Hughie Gallacher
Hughie Gallacher
Hugh Kilpatrick "Hughie" Gallacher was a Scottish football player in the 1920s and 1930s. In 624 senior games, Gallacher scored 463 times....
.
His mother might have quashed those dreams when she applied to emigrate with Matt to the United States, but he was granted a reprieve by the nine-month processing time. In the meantime, Busby got a full-time job as a collier and played football part-time for Stirlingshire side Denny Hibs. He had played only a few matches for Denny Hibs, but it was not long before he was signed up by a Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
side that was a couple of games away from regaining promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
.
Club career
Aged 17, Busby signed for Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on a one-year contract worth £5 per week on 11 February 1928, with the provision for him to leave at the end of the deal if he still wished to emigrate to the United States with his mother. He decided to stay and made his debut for City on 2 November 1929, more than 18 months after first signing for the Blues, when he played at inside left
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
in a 3–1 win at home to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. He made 11 more appearances for City that season, all at inside forward
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
, scoring five goals in the process.
During the 1930–31 season, City manager Peter Hodge
Peter Hodge
Peter Hodge was a Scottish football manager who managed Raith Rovers, Stoke City, Manchester City and most notably Leicester City...
decided that Busby's talents could be better exploited from the half-back line, with Busby playing the right-half role. In his new position, Busby built up a reputation as an intelligent player and a finer passer of the ball. In 1930, Manchester United made an enquiry about signing Busby from their cross-town rivals, but they were unable to afford the £150 fee that City demanded. By the 1931–32 season, Busby was firmly established in the first team, missing just one match that season. Indeed, Busby and Jackie Bray
Jackie Bray
John Bray was an English football player who played in the left half position. He won 6 caps for England between 1934 and 1937.-Playing career:...
became such fixtures at wing-half that club captain Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan was a Scottish football player and manager. McMullan won 16 Scotland caps as a player at half-back and was part of the famous "Wembley Wizards" side of 1928.-Early life:...
had to move to forward to keep his place in the team. In the 1930s Manchester City performed strongly in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. They reached the semi-finals in 1932, and the final in 1933
1933 FA Cup Final
The 1933 FA Cup Final was a football match between Everton and Manchester City on 29 April 1933 at Wembley Stadium in London. The deciding match of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup , it was the 62nd final, and the 11th at Wembley...
before finally winning the tournament in 1934. However, from the second half of the 1934–35 season, Busby's number 4 jersey was worn by Jack Percival with increasing regularity, and Busby was sold to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
8,000 on 12 March 1936, having made more than 200 appearances for Manchester City.
He made his debut for the Reds just two days later, on 14 March, away to Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
; the match ended in a 1–0 Liverpool defeat. Busby opened his goalscoring account a month later – his 47th minute strike helped his team to a 2–2 draw with Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
. Busby soon made the number 4 shirt his own, ousting Ted Savage
Ted Savage (footballer)
Robert Edward "Ted" Savage was an English footballer who played at wing-half for Liverpool.-Life and playing career:Born in Louth, Lincolnshire, England, Savage played for Stewton F.C...
in the process. He rarely missed a game over the following three seasons. This consistency earned Busby the Liverpool captaincy and he led the club with great distinction. Along with Jimmy McDougall and Tom Bradshaw, Busby made up what is considered by many to be the best half-back line Liverpool had ever had.
Bob Paisley
Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
joined Liverpool from Bishop Auckland in 1939, and it was Busby who took him under his wing and showed him the ropes at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
. This led to a lifelong friendship between two of the most successful managers in English football history. The Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
arrived soon after, and with it came an end to Busby's playing days. Like many of the Liverpool playing staff, he signed on for national service in the King's Liverpool Regiment.
Busby carried on playing football during the war, making three appearances for Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. He also turned out for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
, Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
, Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
.
International career
Busby made only one official international appearance for ScotlandScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
; he played in a 3–2 British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
defeat to Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, on 4 October 1933. Playing opposite Busby in the Welsh half-back line was his future assistant Jimmy Murphy. Busby also made seven appearances for Scotland against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
during the Second World War, winning just one of them, but these are considered unofficial. He represented the Scottish League XI
Scottish League XI
The Scottish League XI is a representative side of the Scottish Football League. The team regularly played against the Football League and other national league select teams between 1892 and 1980. For a long period the annual fixture between the English and Scottish leagues was only second in...
in an inter-league match in 1941, while he was a guest player of Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
.
Arrival and early days at Manchester United
During the Second World War, Busby served as a football coach in the Army Physical Training Corps, and the experience resulted in Liverpool offering him the job of assistant to their then-manager George KayGeorge Kay
George Kay was an English football player and manager of Luton Town, Southampton and Liverpool.The highlight of his playing career was when he captained West Ham United in the first FA Cup final to be played at Wembley, the so-called White Horse Final.He was manager of Liverpool for 15 years and...
. However, the experience also forged Busby's opinions about how football should be played and governed, and when it became clear that they differed from those of the Liverpool board, their chairman Billy McConnell
Billy McConnell
Billy McConnell is an Australian motorcycle racer.-Arrival in the UK:In 2004 Billy was invited to come to the UK by Yamaha to ride in British Superstock Cup...
allowed Busby to pursue alternate employment.
After Manchester United had tried to sign Busby from Manchester City in 1930, he became good friends with United's fixer, Louis Rocca
Louis Rocca
Louis Rocca was born in Manchester between September and December 1882; and died 13th June 1950. He played a pivotal role in the development of Manchester United Football Club and had several roles within the club from the 1890s to the 1940s, most notably putting them in contact with Matt Busby in...
; their relationship was helped in part by the fact that both were members of the Manchester Catholic Sportsman's Club. United were in desperate need of a manager to take over from club secretary Walter Crickmer
Walter Crickmer
Walter Crickmer was an English football club secretary and manager.He became Manchester United club secretary in 1926. He twice assumed managerial responsibility: from 1 April 1931 to 1 June 1932, and then again from 1 August 1937 to 1 February 1945.Together with club owner James W...
after the war and a board meeting was called in December 1944 so as to ascertain who that new manager might be. Knowing that Liverpool had already offered Busby a job, Rocca convinced the United board to "leave it to [him]" and immediately wrote a letter to Busby, addressed to his army regiment. The letter was vague, referring only to "a job", just in case it fell into the wrong hands, namely the Liverpool officials.
In February 1945, still in uniform, Busby turned up at Cornbrook Cold Storage, one of the United chairman James W. Gibson
James W. Gibson
James William Gibson was a British businessman who was the owner of the English football club Manchester United from 1931 until his death in 1951.-Early life:...
's businesses at Trafford Park to discuss the contents of Rocca's letter with the chairman. Busby requested that he be directly involved in training, pick the team on matchdays and even choose the players to be bought and sold without interference from the club directors, who, he believed, did not know the game as well as he did. Such a level of control over the team was unprecedented in the English game, but the United chairman was in no position to argue. Busby was originally offered a three-year contract, but managed to secure himself a five-year deal after explaining that it would take at least that long for his revolution to have a tangible effect.
The contract was signed that day – 19 February 1945 – but it was not until 1 October that Busby officially took over the reins at Manchester United. In the interim, he returned to the Army Physical Training Corps, whose football team he took to Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Italy, in the spring of 1945. There, he took in a training session for a football team made up of non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s led by West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
's former half-back Jimmy Murphy. Impressed by the Welshman's oratory skills, Busby engaged him in conversation and offered him the job of assistant manager at Manchester United, which Murphy accepted there and then.
The two men immediately put their mark on the side, leading them to the runners-up spot in the league, behind Busby's former employers Liverpool, by the end of the 1946–47 season. Manchester United were runners-up in the league in 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1951, and won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1948, before winning the league championship in 1952. By this stage, the side, captained by Johnny Carey
Johnny Carey
John Joseph "Johnny" Carey , also known as Jackie Carey, was an Irish footballer and manager. As a player Carey spent most of his career at Manchester United, where he was team captain from 1946 until he retired as a player in 1953...
, was beginning to show its age, and a new set of players had to be found. Busby, who had achieved a great deal of success in spite of his lack of previous managerial experience, was expected to spend large sums of money on high profile players. Instead, he gradually replaced the older players with players as young as 16 and 17. These included right-back Bill Foulkes
Bill Foulkes
William Anthony Foulkes is a former English footballer who played for Manchester United in the Busby Babes teams of the 1950s, and also in the 1960s. His favoured position was centre back. For Manchester United, he played 679 games, third to Ryan Giggs and Sir Bobby Charlton, he also made 3...
, centre-halves Mark Jones
Mark Jones (footballer)
Mark Jones was an English footballer and one of eight Manchester United players to lose their lives in the Munich air disaster...
and Jackie Blanchflower
Jackie Blanchflower
John "Jackie" Blanchflower was a Northern Irish football player. He graduated from Manchester United's youth system and played for the club on 117 occasions, before his career was cut short due to injuries sustained in the Munich air disaster...
, wingers Albert Scanlon
Albert Scanlon
Albert Joseph Scanlon was an English football player. He began his career with Manchester United and was one of the "Busby Babes" who survived the Munich air disaster of 1958. Although he sustained severe injuries, he recovered and continued to play league football for Newcastle United, Lincoln...
and David Pegg
David Pegg
David Pegg was an English footballer and one of the eight Manchester United players who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958....
and forward Liam Whelan
Liam Whelan
William Augustine Whelan , also known as Billy Whelan or Liam Whelan, was an Irish footballer and one of the eight Manchester United players who were killed in the Munich air disaster...
. Among them was Duncan Edwards
Duncan Edwards
Duncan Edwards was an English footballer who played for Manchester United and the England national team. He was one of the Busby Babes, the young United team formed under manager Matt Busby in the mid 1950s, and one of eight players who died as a result of the Munich air disaster.Born in Dudley,...
, judged by many to be England's finest player of his era, and capped by England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at 18 – setting a record for the youngest-ever full international that remained unbroken for more than 40 years.
Busby managed the Great Britain team
Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team
The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team represents Great Britain and Northern Ireland in international football competitions in the Olympic Games. The selection is limited to players under the age of 23, except three overage players...
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Olympic Games title was won by Sweden, managed by Englishman George Raynor.-Summary:Sweden, whose Football Association forbade professionalism within domestic football, ran out as winners and only used 12 players throughout the entire tournament but there were exceptional performances put...
. The team reached the semi-finals, but lost 3–1 to the eventual runners-up, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
.
The Busby Babes and the Munich tragedy
During this period, the team picked up the affectionate nickname the Busby BabesBusby Babes
The Busby Babes were a group of Manchester United players, recruited and trained by the club's chief scout Joe Armstrong and assistant manager Jimmy Murphy, who progressed from the club's youth team into the first team under the management of the eponymous Matt Busby.The Busby Babes were notable...
, because of the youthfulness of many of the players he fielded. They won the league in both 1956 and 1957, and were runners-up to Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in the 1957 FA Cup Final
1957 FA Cup Final
The 1957 FA Cup Final was a football match played on 4 May 1957 at Wembley Stadium. The match was contested by Aston Villa and Manchester United. Villa won 2-1, with both of their goals scored by Peter McParland...
. The young side was so successful that centre-forward Tommy Taylor
Tommy Taylor
Thomas "Tommy" Taylor was an English footballer, who was known for his aerial ability. He was one of the eight Manchester United players who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster....
and goalkeeper Harry Gregg
Harry Gregg
Henry "Harry" Gregg, MBE is a former Northern Ireland international footballer and manager.He played 25 times for Northern Ireland as a goalkeeper and played for Manchester United during the reign of Sir Matt Busby with a total of 210 appearances.-Playing career:Gregg started his career with...
were United's only major signings over a spell of four years.
Busby and his team began the 1957–58 season full of ambition for an assault on the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
title, FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and European Cup
European Champion Clubs' Cup
The European Champion Clubs' Cup, also known as Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens, or simply the European Cup, is a trophy awarded annually by UEFA to the football club that wins the UEFA Champions League...
. On the way home from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
on 6 February 1958, their plane crashed on the runway
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
at Munich Airport. Seven players and three club officials were among the 23 people who were killed at the scene; Duncan Edwards died from his injuries two weeks later, while two other players were injured to such an extent that they never played football again. Busby suffered multiple injuries and twice received the Last Rites
Last Rites
The Last Rites are the very last prayers and ministrations given to many Christians before death. The last rites go by various names and include different practices in different Christian traditions...
, but he recovered from his injuries and left hospital after nine weeks.
He was not aware of the extent of the Munich tragedy until some weeks after the crash, as doctors felt he was not strong enough to know the truth until then. He reportedly told his wife Jean that he felt like quitting the manager's job, as he had feelings of guilt over the disaster (he had gone against Football League officials wishes by pressing for Manchester United's participation in the European Cup, and had not felt able to challenge the aircraft's pilot about taking off in heavy snow), but his wife urged him to carry on with his duties in honour of the players who had died.
In the meantime, the team was managed by Jimmy Murphy, who had been taking charge of the Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
team at the time of the crash, and so was not present. Busby was present at a new-look United side's FA Cup final
1958 FA Cup Final
The 1958 FA Cup Final was contested on 3 May 1958 by Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium, London, in front of a crowd of almost 100,000. The referee was J. Sherlock. Bolton won 2–0, with a double by Nat Lofthouse, who scored the goals in the 3rd and 55th minutes...
defeat against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
at Wembley three months later, and resumed full managerial duties for the following season.
Busby had been appointed as Scotland's temporary manager and took charge of the team for two games later that year against Wales and Northern Ireland, giving Denis Law
Denis Law
Denis Law is a retired Scottish football player, who enjoyed a long and successful career as a striker from the 1950s to the 1970s....
his first cap.
The post-Munich side
After the crash, Busby built a new side around Munich survivors including Harry GreggHarry Gregg
Henry "Harry" Gregg, MBE is a former Northern Ireland international footballer and manager.He played 25 times for Northern Ireland as a goalkeeper and played for Manchester United during the reign of Sir Matt Busby with a total of 210 appearances.-Playing career:Gregg started his career with...
, Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
and Bill Foulkes
Bill Foulkes
William Anthony Foulkes is a former English footballer who played for Manchester United in the Busby Babes teams of the 1950s, and also in the 1960s. His favoured position was centre back. For Manchester United, he played 679 games, third to Ryan Giggs and Sir Bobby Charlton, he also made 3...
. He also brought in players from other clubs – these included David Herd
David Herd (footballer)
David George Herd is a Scottish former international association footballer. His regular position was as a forward where he was a consistent goal scorer.-Family:...
, Albert Quixall
Albert Quixall
Albert Quixall , was an English football player who played as an inside-forward.Quixall started his career with Sheffield Wednesday, signing as an amateur in 1948 and turning professional in 1950...
and Denis Law
Denis Law
Denis Law is a retired Scottish football player, who enjoyed a long and successful career as a striker from the 1950s to the 1970s....
. Northern Irish
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
forward George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
was scouted for Man Utd by Bob Bishop and signed to the club's playing staff by chief scout Joe Armstrong.
Busby successfully rebuilt United, as he guided them to a 3–1 victory over Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in the 1963 FA Cup Final
1963 FA Cup Final
The 1963 FA Cup Final was the final of the 1962–63 FA Cup, the 82nd season of England's premier club football competition. The match was played at Wembley Stadium on 25 May 1963 and contested by Manchester United and Leicester City. United won 3–1, with a goal from Denis Law and two from...
. They were league champions in 1965 and again in 1967, with only a defeat on the final day of the 1967–68 season stopping them from retaining their title.
European glory and retirement
The biggest success of his career came on 29 May 1968 when the team won the European CupUEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. He retired as manager a year later but remained at the club as a director, handing over managerial duties to trainer and former player Wilf McGuinness
Wilf McGuinness
Wilfred "Wilf" McGuinness is a former English football player and manager, who played twice for England. He is best known for taking over from Matt Busby as manager of Manchester United...
. When McGuinness was sacked in December 1970, Busby briefly returned to his managerial duties, but there was never any question of his returning as manager permanently. He carried on as a club director for 11 more years, before being made president in 1982.
Busby was awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1958 and was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed following the European Cup victory in 1968, before being made a Knight Commander of St Gregory by the Pope in 1972.
Later years and death
His testimonial was held at Old TraffordOld Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
in August 1991, in which a Manchester United side featuring a new generation of star players including Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
and Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham...
took on a Republic of Ireland XI
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
. The result was a 1–1 draw.
Busby was mentioned, along with B.B. King and Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
, in the Beatles song, Dig It, on the album Let It Be, released in 1970.
He died of cancer, aged 84, in January 1994 at The Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, Manchester. He was buried in Southern Cemetery, Manchester
Southern Cemetery, Manchester
Southern Cemetery, Manchester is a large municipal cemetery in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Greater Manchester, England, three miles south of Manchester city centre: it was opened in 1879...
, alongside his wife Jean, who had died in December 1988, at the age of 80. He is buried in grave space "Roman Catholic, Section G, Grave 997". His friend Willie Satinoff, who died in the Munich crash is buried in the same cemetery.
In 1999 in securing the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and European Cup, Manchester United won the European cup on what would have been Sir Matt's 90th birthday. Then, in 2008, Manchester United won the Champions League again, 50 years after the Munich tragedy that almost killed Busby, and 40 years since his own triumph in Europe in 1968 where Busby's United defeated Benfica. The day after the 100th anniversary of Busby's birth, Manchester United played Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
in the 2009 Champions League final
2009 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was played on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match determined the winners of the 2008–09 season of the UEFA Champions League, a tournament for the top football clubs in Europe. The match was won by Barcelona of Spain, who beat England's...
but lost to the Spanish side 2–0. Busby was made an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame
English Football Hall of Fame
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum, currently being relocated to Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and managers who have become...
in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game.
Also, the sports centre
Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex
The Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex is a public leisure centre located in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is named in honour of Sir Matt Busby, the football manager who was born in Bellshill in 1909, managed Manchester United from 1945 to 1969 and died in 1994.It opened in 1995, the year...
in Bellshill
Bellshill
Bellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 10 miles south east of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Other nearby towns are Motherwell , Hamilton and Coatbridge . Since 1996, it has been situated in the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area...
, his place of birth, was named after him. This opened to the public in 1995.
On 6 September 2009, the Sir Matt Busby shield was contested between Manchester United Reserves and Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
(located only 2 miles from Busby's place of birth). This was held at Fir Park
Fir Park
Fir Park Stadium is a football stadium situated in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The stadium plays host to the home matches of Scottish Premier League club Motherwell.- History :...
to mark 100 years since his birth. Motherwell won the match 1–0.
Portrayal in film and television
Busby was portrayed by actor Dougray ScottDougray Scott
-Early life:The son of Elma, a nurse, and Alan Scott, an actor and salesperson, Stephen Dougray Scott was born in Glenrothes, Fife and attended Auchmuty High School...
in the 2011 television drama United
United (TV drama)
United is a British television film directed by James Strong and written by Chris Chibnall. It is based on the true story of Manchester United's "Busby Babes" and the aftermath of the 1958 Munich air disaster...
, which was centred on the successes of the Busby Babes and their decimation in the Munich air crash, as well as the rebuilding of the team by Jimmy Murphy (David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
) while Busby recovered from his injuries. However, Busby's son Sandy told the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
that he was "disgusted" by the film, criticising them for their inaccurate portrayal of his late father. He pointed out that the character of Busby, despite being the first "tracksuit manager" in English football, was never seen in a tracksuit throughout the film, instead wearing a camel coat and a fedora.
Playing career
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Charity Shield | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
1928–29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929–30 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 | |
| 1930–31 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
| 1931–32 | 41 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 1 | |
| 1932–33 | 39 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 2 | |
| 1933–34 | 39 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 4 | |
| 1934–35 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 1 | |
| 1935–36 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
| Total | 204 | 11 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 229 | 14 | |
| Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
1935–36 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 1936–37 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 1 | |
| 1937–38 | 33 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| 1938–39 | 42 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 1 | |
| Total | 115 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 122 | 3 | |
| Career total | 319 | 14 | 31 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 351 | 17 | |
Managerial career
| eam | at | rom | o | Record | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win % | ||||
| Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
 |
1 October 1945 | 4 June 1969 |
|||||||
| Great Britain United Kingdom national football team No United Kingdom national football team currently exists, as there are separate teams representing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in football. These national teams compete in the World Cup and European Championships and other internationals. A UK team has played in friendly... |
 |
July 1948 | August 1948 |
|||||||
| Scotland Scotland national football team The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872... |
 |
September 1958 | December 1958 |
|||||||
| Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
|
29 December 1970 | 8 June 1971 |
|||||||
| Total |
||||||||||
Managerial honours
Manchester United- First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(5): 1951–52, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67 - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
(2): 1947–481948 FA Cup FinalThe 1948 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester United and Blackpool at Wembley Stadium on 24 April 1948. United, who had not appeared in an FA Cup Final for 39 years, won 4–2, with two goals from Jack Rowley and one apiece from Stan Pearson and John Anderson. Eddie Shimwell and Stan Mortensen...
, 1962–631963 FA Cup FinalThe 1963 FA Cup Final was the final of the 1962–63 FA Cup, the 82nd season of England's premier club football competition. The match was played at Wembley Stadium on 25 May 1963 and contested by Manchester United and Leicester City. United won 3–1, with a goal from Denis Law and two from... - FA Charity ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
(5): 19521952 FA Charity ShieldThe 1952 FA Charity Shield was the 30th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match held between the winners of the previous season's Football League and FA Cup competitions. The match was contested by Manchester United, who had won the 1951–52 Football League, and Newcastle United, who had won the...
, 19561956 FA Charity ShieldThe 1956 FA Charity Shield was the 34th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match held between the winners of the previous season's Football League and FA Cup competitions. The match was contested by Manchester United, who had won the 1955–56 Football League, and Manchester City, who had won the...
, 19571957 FA Charity ShieldThe 1957 FA Charity Shield was the 35th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match held between the winners of the previous season's Football League and FA Cup competitions. The match was contested by Manchester United, who had won the 1956–57 Football League, and Aston Villa, who had won the...
, 19651965 FA Charity ShieldThe 1965 FA Charity Shield was the 43rd FA Charity Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's First Division and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 14 August 1965 at Old Trafford, Manchester and contested by Manchester United, who had won the...
, 19671967 FA Charity ShieldThe 1967 FA Charity Shield was the 45th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match held between the winners of the previous season's Football League and FA Cup competitions. The match was contested by Manchester United, who had won the 1966–67 Football League, and Tottenham Hotspur, who had won... - European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
(1): 1967–681968 European Cup FinalThe 1968 European Cup Final was the 13th European Cup Final and the culmination of the 1967–68 European Cup, a club football tournament for the champions of European leagues. The match was held at Wembley Stadium, London, on 29 May 1968, between Manchester United of England and Benfica of Portugal...