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"The Outcasts"
For years since the formation of the Professional Footballers Union, tensions had mounted as players were unable to get their employers to recognise them as unionists. Things finally came to a head before the 1909-10 season when the League decided to ban, without pay, any player who was a union member.
The move inflamed the players, Manchester United's especially. They refused to give up union membership. Most clubs turned to amateurs to replace their professional players, but United were unable to sign enough. It was during this period that the famous "Outcasts FC" photograph was taken. Finally, the day before the season was due to begin, the League gave in, removing the suspensions and recognising the union.
Old Trafford
1909 was also a milestone for United for another reason. John Henry Davies once again lent financial support by lending £60,000, a huge sum at the time, to finalise the team's move to Old Trafford. They played their first game there on 19 February 1910 as Liverpool spoiled the celebrations with a 4-3 win in a close game.
Ernest Mangnall's leadership brought United to their first successful era. They would be the first winners of the Charity Shield in 1908, and the League again in 1911 pipping Aston Villa on a tense last day of the season. The Charity Shield victory in 1911 would be the end of this era and J. Ernest Mangnall would leave the next year for Manchester City.
Without Mangnall, the club stumbled to 13th place in 1912. Attendances slumped to 15,000 and the squad started to age under the leadership of JJ Bentley. They narrowly escaped relegation in 1914-15 by one point; three of United's players were later found to have conspired with Liverpool players in fixing a United win in the match between the sides, in the 1915 British football betting scandal. The United players were found guilty of match-fixing and banned for life.
The Football League was suspended at the outbreak of the First World War, during which Sandy Turnbull was killed in France.
Post-World War I
The League resumed in 1919 following the end of the war, but United were overshadowed by the rebuilding of Manchester City under old manager Ernest Magnall and despite crowds sometimes in excess of 40,000, the club only managed 13 wins and finished in 12th place. The worst was yet to come and in 1921/22, they won only eight of 42 games, conceded 72 goals and were relegated. Billy Meredith had also left in 1921, following Ernest Mangnall to a thriving Manchester City.
Demoted to Division 2, United were a mere shadow of the former team. None of the big names from the pre-war era remained and fans had to get used to seeing the likes of Clapton and South Shields visit Old Trafford. Having finished 4th in their first season after relegation, they ended up 14th during the 1923/24 season, losing to sides like Clapton.
United finally returned to the top flight under John Chapman in 1925, finishing second to Leicester City. But in 1927, one of the great builders of Manchester United died. John Henry Davies, who had saved the club from extinction and brought them to Old Trafford, died and was replaced by G H Lawton as club president. That same year, Chapman received a lifetime ban from involvement with football for reasons known only to himself and the F.A., and was replaced for the rest of the season by experienced player Lal Hilditch. The team lost 15 games and finished a disappointing 15th.
A new manager, Herbert Bamlett, was appointed but his reign was not a successful one as United slowly slipped in the standings, never finishing higher than 12th in 1929 and finally finishing bottom of the league in 1931 after starting the season losing twelve times in a row. The finances were once again in a mess, and the much criticised Herbert Bamlett lost his job. Secretary Walter Crickmer was given control of the team for the next season, and was aided by chief scout Louis Roca, largely because the club couldn't afford a new manager. The players had gone to collect their wages on Christmas week and were told there was no money available. Another financial bailout was needed.
Enter James W. Gibson, who was approached by a Manchester sportswriter, Stacey Lintott. He met with the board and offered to help on condition that he became chairman and could choose his directors. They had little choice but to agree, and Gibson invested £30,000 into the club. A new manager was found, Scott Duncan, one of the new breed of managers who were retired players, now common, but an innovation in those days.
Scott Duncan
In 1934, United reached their lowest ever league position. On the final day of the season they were placed second-last in the table with their final match away against Millwall, who were one point ahead. With destiny in their own hands, they beat Millwall 2-0 and stayed in the Second Division by one point.
The next season saw an improvement with the side winning ten out of eleven games during October and November 1934. It seemed things were back on track and the fans started to flock back to Old Trafford as United finished 5th, and they announced their return to the top flight with a shout as they won the Second Division title in 1936 after being unbeaten in the last 19 games of the season. The title was won with a 3-2 victory at Bury, where over 31,000 fans invaded the pitch to celebrate a return to the big time.
Their joy was short-lived, however, as they were relegated back to the Second Division the next season. Scott Duncan resigned, and Crickmer resumed the manager's chair. Although now £70,000 in debt, United picked themselves up and finished runners-up in 1938, returning to the First Division, with future stars such as Johnny Carey, Jack Rowley and Stan Pearson. They would stay there for 36 years; after finishing 14th the next season, World War II broke out.
Old Trafford is bombed
First-class football was suspended for the duration of the Second World War (1939-45), but Manchester United continued to compete in part-time regional competitions. Old Trafford was severely damaged during a German air raid on Manchester in the early hours of 11 March 1941. It took eight years to rebuild and until 1949 United ground-shared with neighbouring Manchester City at Maine Road.
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