1917–18 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1917–18 season was Manchester United's third season in the non-competitive War League.[1]

Manchester United

1917–18 season
Chairman	John Henry Davies
Manager	Jack Robson
Principal Tournament	8th
Subsidiary Tournament Group B	2nd
Home colours Away colours

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, in a 30-game season. In the subsidiary tournament they contested Group B of the Lancashire Section, in a group of four teams.[2] However, none of these were considered to be competitive football, and thus their records are not recognised by the Football League.

On 9 October 1917 while Fighting in France during the First World War, former United player Arthur Beadsworth was killed while serving as a Sergeant in the Seventh Battalion of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment of the British Army.[3]

Lancashire Section Principal Tournament

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance
1 September 1917	Blackburn Rovers	A	5 – 0	Anderson (3), Meehan, Woodcock
8 September 1917	Blackburn Rovers	H	6 – 1	Anderson (4), Woodcock (2)
15 September 1917	Rochdale	A	0 – 3
22 September 1917	Rochdale	H	1 – 1	Woodcock
29 September 1917	Manchester City	A	1 – 3	Anderson
6 October 1917	Manchester City	H	1 – 1	Woodcock
13 October 1917	Everton	A	0 – 3
20 October 1917	Everton	H	0 – 0
27 October 1917	Port Vale	H	3 – 3	Anderson, Connor, Ellis
3 November 1917	Port Vale	A	2 – 2	Anderson, Ellis
10 November 1917	Bolton Wanderers	A	1 – 3	Ellis
17 November 1917	Bolton Wanderers	H	2 – 4	Anderson, Ellis
24 November 1917	Preston North End	A	2 – 1	Anderson (2)
1 December 1917	Preston North End	H	0 – 0
8 December 1917	Blackpool	H	1 – 0	Ellis
15 December 1917	Blackpool	A	3 – 2	Woodcock (2), Meehan
22 December 1917	Burnley	A	5 – 0	Anderson (3), Connor, Meehan
29 December 1917	Burnley	H	1 – 0	Connor
5 January 1918	Southport Central	A	0 – 3
12 January 1918	Southport Central	H	0 – 0
19 January 1918	Liverpool	A	1 – 5	Woodcock
26 January 1918	Liverpool	H	0 – 2
2 February 1918	Stoke	H	1 – 5	Woodcock
9 February 1918	Stoke	A	2 – 1	Ellis, Woodcock
16 February 1918	Bury	A	0 – 0
23 February 1918	Bury	H	2 – 1	Massey, Woodcock
2 March 1918	Oldham Athletic	A	2 – 1	Ellis, Woodcock
9 March 1918	Oldham Athletic	H	0 – 2
16 March 1918	Stockport County	A	2 – 0	Buckley (2)
23 March 1918	Stockport County	A	1 – 2	Buckley

Pos	Club	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
7	Burnley	30	13	4	13	68	70	–2	30
8	Manchester United	30	11	8	11	45	49	–4	30
9	Rochdale	30	11	6	13	50	59	–9	28

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points

Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament Group B

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance
29 March 1918	Manchester City	A	0 – 3
30 March 1918	Stoke	H	2 – 1	Stafford, Woodcock
1 April 1918	Manchester City	H	2 – 0	Buckley, Woodcock
6 April 1918	Stoke	A	0 – 0
13 April 1918	Port Vale	H	2 – 0	Bourne (2)
20 April 1918	Port Vale	A	0 – 2

Pos	Club	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Manchester City	6	4	1	1	11	4	+7	9
2	Manchester United	6	3	1	2	6	7	+1	7
3	Stoke	6	2	2	2	10	5	+5	6
4	Port Vale	6	1	0	5	4	15	–11	2

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points

References

1. "Manchester United In War League 1917/18". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
2. "England 1917/18". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 31 December 2011.
3. "Arthur Beadsworth". Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). Retrieved 30 December 2011.