1907-1908, Manchester United season

The 1907-1908 season brought Manchester United its first league title. Promoted only two seasons before, the club won the first division title with a record number of points. The team was also successful in the inaugural FA Charity Shield, beating Queens Park Rangers in a replay.

There were grounds for optimism at the start of the season. The arrival, half way through the previous season, of four players from Manchester City (Herbert Burgess, Billy Meredith, Jimmy Bannister and Sandy Turnbull) had significantly strengthened the team. Other players were added during the summer, notably Jimmy Turnbull from Leyton in the Southern League. In his first season in Manchester, Jimmy Turnbull made thirty-one appearances and scored fourteen goals. The oldest member of the team, Billy Meredith, had an excellent season as did the captain Charlie Roberts. Most of the goals were scored by Sandy Turnbull and George Wall (fifty between them) and the half-back line of Dick Duckworth, Charlie Roberts and Alex Bell was formidable.

The team began is fine style. Thirteen of the first fourteen matches were won, including ten in succession between 21 September and 23 November. The victories included a 1-6 away win against the previous champions, Newcastle United, followed by a 1-5 away win against Blackburn Rovers. Manchester United topped the table for the whole season, finishing with a record-breaking fifty-two points. The second half of the season was less dramatic. Injuries disrupted the team and, with success assured, a hint of complacency probably affected the players.

The team’s early season performances prompted thoughts of a league and cup double. On reaching the quarter-finals, Manchester United was clearly one of the favourites to win the FA Cup. But second division Fulham ended the double dream by winning the quarter-final 2-1. At the end of the season, Manchester United was invited to play in the inaugural FA Charity Shield against Queens Park Rangers, who had won the Southern League. The first game ended 1-1, but Manchester United won the replay (not played until the end of August) 4-0.

One notable meeting during the season took place at the Imperial Hotel, Manchester, on 2 December. Some five hundred professional footballers gathered and formed the Association Football Players’ Union. The meeting was chaired by Billy Meredith and attended by a number of other Manchester United players including captain, Charlie Roberts.

At the end of the season, the team was rewarded by the board with a trip to the Austro-Hungarian empire. A number of friendly matches were played, although one of the final ones was far from friendly. With Manchester United winning comfortably in Budapest, mounted police were needed to restore order among the spectators.