1983–84 Manchester United F.C. season
The 1983–84 season was Manchester United's 82nd season in the Football League, and their 9th consecutive season in the top division of English football.[1] As FA Cup holders they suffered a shock exit at the hands of Third Division underdogs Bournemouth in the third round, but did reach the semi-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup and were narrowly defeated by Juventus. They frequently led the league during the season but eventually finish fourth, having been held to a draw in 14 out of 42 games despite losing just eight times. Perhaps the most memorable game of the season was the European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final clash with Barcelona of Spain, a side featuring Diego Maradona. After going 2–0 down in the first leg, United achieved a remarkable 3–0 win in the return leg at Old Trafford.[2]
1983–84 season | |||
---|---|---|---|
Chairman | Martin Edwards | ||
Manager | Ron Atkinson | ||
First Division | 4th | ||
FA Cup | Third Round | ||
League Cup | Fourth Round | ||
Charity Shield | Winners | ||
Cup Winners' Cup | Semi-finals | ||
Top goalscorer | League: Frank Stapleton (13) All: Frank Stapleton (19) | ||
Highest home attendance | 58,547 vs Barcelona (21 March 1984) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 23,589 vs Port Vale (26 October 1983) | ||
Average home league attendance | 42,215 | ||
| |||
It was the breakthrough season at the club for young striker Mark Hughes, who scored four times late in the season, and the final season at the club for midfielder Ray Wilkins who exited Old Trafford at the end of the campaign to sign for Milan. Captain Bryan Robson stayed at the club despite an attempt to sign him by Italian side Juventus.
The close season saw the arrival of wingers Gordon Strachan and Jesper Olsen.
FA Charity Shield
Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 August 1983 | Liverpool | N | 2–0 | Robson (2) | 92,000 |
First Division
Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
27 August 1983 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 3–1 | Mühren (2), Stapleton | 48,742 |
29 August 1983 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–2 | Moran | 43,005 |
3 September 1983 | Stoke City | A | 1–0 | Mühren | 23,704 |
6 September 1983 | Arsenal | A | 3–2 | Moran, Robson, Stapleton | 42,703 |
10 September 1983 | Luton Town | H | 2–0 | Albiston, Mühren | 41,013 |
17 September 1983 | Southampton | A | 0–3 | 20,674 | |
24 September 1983 | Liverpool | H | 1–0 | Stapleton | 56,121 |
1 October 1983 | Norwich City | A | 3–3 | Whiteside (2), Stapleton | 19,290 |
15 October 1983 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3–0 | Albiston, Graham, Whiteside | 42,221 |
22 October 1983 | Sunderland | A | 1–0 | Wilkins | 26,826 |
29 October 1983 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 3–0 | Stapleton (2), Robson | 41,880 |
5 November 1983 | Aston Villa | H | 1–2 | Robson | 45,077 |
12 November 1983 | Leicester City | A | 1–1 | Robson | 24,409 |
19 November 1983 | Watford | H | 4–1 | Stapleton (3), Robson | 43,111 |
27 November 1983 | West Ham United | A | 1–1 | Wilkins | 23,355 |
3 December 1983 | Everton | H | 0–1 | 43,664 | |
10 December 1983 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–0 | Crooks, Graham | 19,779 |
16 December 1983 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 4–2 | Graham (2), Moran (2) | 33,616 |
26 December 1983 | Coventry City | A | 1–1 | Mühren | 21,553 |
27 December 1983 | Notts County | H | 3–3 | Crooks, McQueen, Moran | 41,544 |
31 December 1983 | Stoke City | H | 1–0 | Graham | 40,164 |
2 January 1984 | Liverpool | A | 1–1 | Whiteside | 44,622 |
13 January 1984 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–1 | Robson | 16,308 |
21 January 1984 | Southampton | H | 3–2 | Mühren, Robson, Stapleton | 40,371 |
4 February 1984 | Norwich City | H | 0–0 | 36,851 | |
7 February 1984 | Birmingham City | A | 2–2 | Hogg, Whiteside | 19,957 |
12 February 1984 | Luton Town | A | 5–0 | Robson (2), Whiteside (2), Stapleton | 11,265 |
18 February 1984 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | Whiteside | 20,676 |
25 February 1984 | Sunderland | H | 2–1 | Moran (2) | 40,615 |
3 March 1984 | Aston Villa | A | 3–0 | Moses, Robson, Whiteside | 32,874 |
10 March 1984 | Leicester City | H | 2–0 | Hughes, Moses | 39,473 |
17 March 1984 | Arsenal | H | 4–0 | Mühren (2), Robson, Stapleton | 48,942 |
31 March 1984 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–2 | 28,104 | |
7 April 1984 | Birmingham City | H | 1–0 | Robson | 39,896 |
14 April 1984 | Notts County | A | 0–1 | 13,911 | |
17 April 1984 | Watford | A | 0–0 | 20,764 | |
21 April 1984 | Coventry City | H | 4–1 | Hughes (2), McGrath, Wilkins | 38,524 |
28 April 1984 | West Ham United | H | 0–0 | 44,124 | |
5 May 1984 | Everton | A | 1–1 | Stapleton | 28,802 |
7 May 1984 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–2 | Hughes | 44,257 |
12 May 1984 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–1 | Whiteside | 39,790 |
16 May 1984 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–2 | 23,651 |
Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 22 | 8 | 12 | 76 | 45 | +31 | 74 |
4 | Manchester United | 42 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 71 | 41 | +30 | 74 |
5 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 67 | 37 | +30 | 73 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
FA Cup
Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 January 1984 | Round 3 | Bournemouth | A | 0–2 | 14,782 |
League Cup
Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 October 1983 | Round 2 First leg |
Port Vale | A | 1–0 | Stapleton | 19,885 |
26 October 1983 | Round 2 Second leg |
Port Vale | H | 2–0 | Whiteside, Wilkins | 23,589 |
8 November 1983 | Round 3 | Colchester United | A | 2–0 | McQueen, Moses | 13,031 |
30 November 1983 | Round 4 | Oxford United | A | 1–1 | Hughes | 13,739 |
7 December 1983 | Round 4 Replay |
Oxford United | H | 1–1 | Stapleton | 27,459 |
19 December 1983 | Round 4 2nd Replay |
Oxford United | A | 1–2 | Graham | 13,912 |
Cup Winners' Cup
Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 September 1983 | Round 1 First leg |
Dukla Prague | H | 1–1 | Wilkins | 39,745 |
27 September 1983 | Round 1 Second leg |
Dukla Prague | A | 2–2 | Robson, Stapleton | 28,850 |
19 October 1983 | Round 2 First leg |
Spartak Varna | A | 2–1 | Graham, Robson | 40,000 |
2 November 1983 | Round 2 Second leg |
Spartak Varna | H | 2–0 | Stapleton (2) | 39,079 |
7 March 1984 | Round 3 First leg |
Barcelona | A | 0–2 | 70,000 | |
21 March 1984 | Round 3 Second leg |
Barcelona | H | 3–0 | Robson (2), Stapleton | 58,547 |
11 April 1984 | Semi-final First leg |
Juventus | H | 1–1 | Davies | 58,171 |
25 April 1984 | Semi-final Second leg |
Juventus | A | 1–2 | Whiteside | 64,655 |
Squad statistics
Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | Milk Cup | UEFA Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
GK | ![]() |
40 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 0 |
GK | ![]() |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
40 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 2 |
DF | ![]() |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 6(2) | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
DF | ![]() |
9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
DF | ![]() |
20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
DF | ![]() |
38 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 7 |
MF | ![]() |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 1 |
MF | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
MF | ![]() |
33(4) | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 46(5) | 7 |
MF | ![]() |
0(5) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(8) | 0 |
MF | ![]() |
31(4) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5(1) | 1 | 5(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42(6) | 3 |
MF | ![]() |
26 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 8 |
MF | ![]() |
33 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 47 | 18 |
MF | ![]() |
42 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 5 |
FW | ![]() |
6(1) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6(1) | 2 |
FW | ![]() |
7(4) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 1 | 2(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10(7) | 5 |
FW | ![]() |
42 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 19 |
FW | ![]() |
30(7) | 10 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43(8) | 12 |
References
- "Manchester United Season 1983/84". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- "Managers–Ron Atkinson". AboutManUtd.com. About ManUtd. Retrieved 9 March 2012.