The post-Busby years at Man Utd were a lean time indeed for the soon to be fallen giants. Wilf McGuinness was promoted from reserve team coach to take Matt Busby’s place as manager. Despite having been associated with the club since joining them as a player in the mid 1950s, the boot-room promotion technique didn’t come off; he quickly faltered, although he wasn’t helped by Busby’s constant presence in the background.
The United of the early ’70s were clearly an ageing side, much like Sounness would inherit at Liverpool 20 years later. The rot had set in and they were in need of new blood, a circumstance that would be difficult for any manager to deal with. In December, 1970, with the team floundering, he was fired, Busby returning to the manager’s seat on a temporary basis until the appointment of Frank O’Farrell in the 1970-71 close season.
Despite starting the 1971-72 season well, a run of seven defeats from 1st January meant they finished in a lowly 8th place for the third successive year. As if problems weren’t running deep enough, George Best was becoming intolerable, continually flouting the rules and getting into constant disciplinary trouble. At the end of the 1971-72 season, a day short of his 26th birthday, he announced his retirement, only to turn back on his decision and announce his intention to play again.
With Best’s erratic behaviour not helping, United continued to struggle, opening the 1972-73 season with a disastrous run of nine games without a win. The board began making plans to bring in Tommy Docherty as manager and on 19th December, 1972, Frank O’Farrell having lost his job following a 5-0 defeat to Crystal Palace. It was effectively the real end of the Busby era, with Bill Foulkes retiring, Bobby Charlton’s testimonial having been held the previous day and George Best once again announcing his retirement on the same day.
Docherty immediately began to rebuild the side with an exciting series of signings, most notably Lou Macari. United recovered and avoided relegation, finishing that season in 18th place. Denis Law left on a free transfer during the close season to sign for Manchester City, which predictably sparked protests among fans. George Best came out of retirement once more to sign with the team for the 1973-74 season.
United were again caught in a relegation battle and entered the penultimate game of the season needing to win the remaining two games and for Birmingham to lose in order to stay in the First Division. Birmingham won their game (thus sealing United’s fate) and Denis Law, playing for City against United, rubbed salt in United’s wound with the only goal of the derby game. Manchester United were relegated to the Second Division for the first time since 1937.
The famous derby
By the time the season was over, George Best had finally walked out of United for good, although he did not actually leave the club until the following season when he was finally given a free transfer and signed for Stockport County.
George Best on Parkinson in 1973
In spite of relegation, attendances at Old Trafford swelled during the 1974-75 season and United responded well, winning the Second Division and returning to the top flight, where they topped the standings in the early stages of the 1975-76 season. For a while, there were high hopes that United could become only the third club to be champions of the top flight one season after being promoted. Form slipped mid-season, however, and they finished a respectable third. A good FA Cup run also ended in disappointment with a 1-0 defeat by Southampton in the final.
United performed erratically in the league in 1976-77, at one stage once again being in danger of relegation, but ultimately finishing 8th. They reached the FA Cup final again, this time beating Liverpool 2-1, a result that ended Liverpool’s chances of completing the treble, as they had already won the Football League title and were on the verge of European Cup glory.
