1936/37 Season - Review

NUFC Season 1938/39

Manager	T Mather
Lge Pos	D2 - 9th
FA Cup	5th
Lge Cup
Euro
Attendance	35,339
Top Scorer	Cairns [20]

With Stan Seymour now on board and despite their perilous financial position United took the brave step of spending even more.

During the summer a club record fee [£8,500] was paid for Chesterfield attacker Henry Clifton and the same amount again was paid out for Ralph Birkett and Willie Scott. Eight more players were purchased during the season to almost £40,000; a colossal sum for the time. As less than £10,000 was recouped the scale of the gamble was clear to see.

Despite a mixed start to the season United gradually began to pick up form and when they beat leaders Fulham 2-1 on 12th November they hit top spot for the first time in three years. That match was watched by 63,962 people and was United's eigth consecutive home victory.

New signings like Birkett and Duggie Wright settled in quickly and at the turn of the year United were well on course for promotion. Unfortunately as had so often been the case during the decade their best laid plans were disrupted by a sereis of injuries.

A disastrous run of games in the New Year in which they lost four and drew two without netting a single goal knocked them back and although they staged a mini recovery they went another eight games without picking up maximum points before finishing with a win against Luton.

It was a disappointing end to a campaign which had promised much and it cost Tom Mather his job. At least the crowds were returning; the average gate rising by almost 15,000, a 75% increase on the previous campaign.