1967–68 Manchester United F.C. season

Manchester United
1967–68 season
The European Cup trophy won by Manchester United displayed in the Manchester United museum, 1992.
ChairmanLouis Edwards
ManagerMatt Busby
First Division2nd
FA CupThird Round
European CupWinners
Charity ShieldShared
Top goalscorerLeague:
George Best (28)
All:
George Best (32)
Highest home attendance63,500 vs Tottenham Hotspur (27 January 1968)
63,500 vs Real Madrid (24 April 1968)
Lowest home attendance43,912 vs Hibernians (20 September 1967)
Average home league attendance57,790

The 1967–68 season was one of the most successful seasons in Manchester United's history, as the team beat Benfica 4–1 in the final of the 1967–68 European Cup to become the first English team to win the competition. The team was led by manager Matt Busby. Despite the European Cup success, United finished second in the First Division, two points behind local rival Manchester City after losing the last game of the season against Sunderland.

The 1967–68 season was a breakout year for winger George Best, who led the team with 28 goals in the First Division and 32 goals overall, being voted European Footballer of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year. Four other players scored double-digit goals during the campaign: Bobby Charlton (20), Brian Kidd (17), Denis Law (11), and young winger John Aston, Jr. (10).

FA Charity Shield

Main article: 1967 FA Charity Shield

On 12 August 1967, United and Tottenham Hotspur kicked off the season, playing for the 1967 FA Charity Shield at Old Trafford. Bobby Charlton scored two goals for United, while Denis Law scored their third. The match finished at 3–3,[1] which meant that the two clubs shared the Shield, each holding it for six months.

Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A 		Scorers Attendance
12 August 1967 Tottenham Hotspur H 3–3 Charlton (2), Law 54,106

Football League First Division

Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A 		Scorers Attendance League
position
19 August 1967 Everton A 1–3 Charlton 61,452 18th
23 August 1967 Leeds United H 1–0 Charlton 53,016 13th
26 August 1967 Leicester City H 1–1 Foulkes 51,256 11th
2 September 1967 West Ham United A 3–1 Kidd, Ryan, Sadler 36,562 9th
6 September 1967 Sunderland A 1–1 Kidd 51,527 10th
9 September 1967 Burnley H 2–2 Burns, Crerand 55,809 11th
16 September 1967 Sheffield Wednesday A 1–1 Best 47,274 9th
23 September 1967 Tottenham Hotspur H 3–1 Best (2), Law 58,779 7th
30 September 1967 Manchester City A 2–1 Charlton (2) 62,942 5th
7 October 1967 Arsenal H 1–0 Aston 60,197 3rd
14 October 1967 Sheffield United A 3–0 Aston, Kidd, Law 29,170 3rd
25 October 1967 Coventry City H 4–0 Aston (2), Best, Charlton 54,253 2nd
28 October 1967 Nottingham Forest A 1–3 Best 49,946 2nd
4 November 1967 Stoke City H 1–0 Charlton 51,041 2nd
8 November 1967 Leeds United A 0–1 43,999 2nd
11 November 1967 Liverpool A 2–0 Best (2) 54,515 1st
18 November 1967 Southampton H 3–2 Aston, Charlton, Kidd 48,732 1st
25 November 1967 Chelsea A 1–1 Kidd 54,712 1st
2 December 1967 West Bromwich Albion H 2–1 Best (2) 52,568 1st
9 December 1967 Newcastle United A 2–2 Dunne, Kidd 48,639 1st
16 December 1967 Everton H 3–1 Aston, Law, Sadler 60,736 1st
23 December 1967 Leicester City A 2–2 Charlton, Law 40,104 1st
26 December 1967 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 4–0 Best (2), Charlton, Kidd 63,450 1st
30 December 1967 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 3–2 Aston, Charlton, Kidd 53,940 1st
6 January 1968 West Ham United H 3–1 Aston, Best, Charlton 54,468 1st
20 January 1968 Sheffield Wednesday H 4–2 Best (2), Charlton, Kidd 55,254 1st
3 February 1968 Tottenham Hotspur A 2–1 Best, Charlton 57,790 1st
17 February 1968 Burnley A 1–2 Best 31,965 1st
24 February 1968 Arsenal H 2–0 Best, Own goal 46,417 1st
2 March 1968 Chelsea H 1–3 Kidd 62,978 1st
16 March 1968 Coventry City A 0–2 47,110 2nd
23 March 1968 Nottingham Forest H 3–0 Brennan, Burns, Herd 61,978 2nd
27 March 1968 Manchester City H 1–3 Best 63,004 3rd
30 March 1968 Stoke City A 4–2 Aston, Best, Gowling, Ryan 30,141 1st
6 April 1968 Liverpool H 1–2 Best 63,059 2nd
12 April 1968 Fulham A 4–0 Best (2), Kidd, Law 40,152 1st
13 April 1968 Southampton A 2–2 Best, Charlton 30,079 1st
15 April 1968 Fulham H 3–0 Aston, Best, Charlton 60,465 1st
20 April 1968 Sheffield United H 1–0 Law 55,033 1st
29 April 1968 West Bromwich Albion A 3–6 Law, Kidd (2) 43,412 1st
4 May 1968 Newcastle United H 6–0 Best (3), Kidd (2), Sadler 59,976 2nd
11 May 1968 Sunderland H 1–2 Best 62,963 2nd

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Manchester City (C) 42 26 6 10 86 43 2.000 58 Qualification for the European Cup first round
2 Manchester United 42 24 8 10 89 55 1.618 56 Qualification for the European Cup first round[a]
3 Liverpool 42 22 11 9 71 40 1.775 55 Qualification for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup first round
4 Leeds United 42 22 9 11 71 41 1.732 53
5 Everton 42 23 6 13 67 40 1.675 52
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ^ Manchester United qualified for the European Cup as the 1967–68 European Cup winners.

FA Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A 		Scorers Attendance
27 January 1968 Third Round Tottenham Hotspur H 2–2 Best, Charlton 63,500
31 January 1968 Third Round
Replay 		Tottenham Hotspur A 0–1 57,200

European Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A 		Scorers Attendance
20 September 1967 First round
First leg 		Hibernians H 4–0 Law (2), Sadler (2) 43,912
27 September 1967 First round
Second leg 		Hibernians A 0–0 25,000
15 November 1967 Second round
First leg 		FK Sarajevo A 0–0 45,000
29 November 1967 Second round
Second leg 		FK Sarajevo H 2–1 Aston, Best 62,801
27 February 1968 Quarter-final
First leg 		Górnik Zabrze H 2–0 Florenski (o.g.), Kidd 63,456
13 March 1968 Quarter-final
Second leg 		Górnik Zabrze A 0–1 105,000
24 April 1968 Semi-final
First leg 		Real Madrid H 1–0 Best 63,500
15 May 1968 Semi-final
Second leg 		Real Madrid A 3–3 Foulkes, Sadler, Zoco (o.g.) 125,000
29 May 1968 Final Benfica N 4–1
(a.e.t.) 		Charlton (2), Best, Kidd 100,000

Squad statistics

Pos. Name First Division FA Cup European Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Jimmy Rimmer 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
GK England Alex Stepney 41 0 2 0 9 0 1 0 53 0
FB Republic of Ireland Shay Brennan 13 1 0 0 3 0 1 0 17 1
FB Scotland Francis Burns 36 2 2 0 7 0 0 0 49 2
FB Republic of Ireland Tony Dunne 37 1 2 0 9 0 1 0 49 1
FB Scotland Frank Kopel 1(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1(1) 0
HB Scotland Pat Crerand 41 1 2 0 9 0 1 0 53 1
HB Scotland John Fitzpatrick 14(3) 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 18(3) 0
HB England Bill Foulkes 24 1 0 0 6 1 1 0 31 2
HB England David Sadler 40(1) 3 2 0 9 3 0 0 51(1) 6
HB England Nobby Stiles 20 0 0 0 7 0 1 0 28 0
FW England John Aston, Jr. 34(3) 11 2 0 6 1 1 0 43(3) 11
FW Northern Ireland George Best 41 28 2 1 9 3 1 0 53 32
FW England Bobby Charlton 41 15 2 1 9 2 1 2 53 20
FW England Alan Gowling 4(1) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4(1) 1
FW Scotland David Herd 6 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 8 1
FW England Brian Kidd 38 15 2 0 9 2 1 0 50 17
FW Scotland Denis Law 23 7 1 0 3 2 1 1 28 10
FW Scotland Jimmy Ryan 7(1) 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 8(1) 2
Own goals – 1 – 0 – 2 – 0 – 3

References

  1. ^ "GOALIE REGISTERS IN SOCCER GAME; Jennings Helps Tottenham Gain 3-3 Deadlock". The New York Times. 13 August 1967. p. 175.