1957–58 in English football

The 1957–58 season was the 78th season of competitive football in England.

The season ended with Wolverhampton Wanderers as First Division champions and Bolton Wanderers as FA Cup winners. However, the season is remembered most for the Munich air disaster which occurred on 6 February 1958 and involved Manchester United on the return flight from a European Cup quarter-final win in Yugoslavia. 23 people died as a result of their injuries in the crash, including eight of the club's players.

Overview

In this season, Sunderland was relegated for the first time in their history. This was the last season in which Division 3 was split, North and South. Teams finishing between 2nd and 12th were placed in Division 3 the following season, the remainder in Division 4

Diary of the season

31 August 1957: The Manchester derby at Old Trafford sees United beat City 4-1 with goals from Duncan Edwards, Tommy Taylor, Johnny Berry and Dennis Viollet.[1]

1 December 1957: Harry Gregg becomes the world's most expensive goalkeeper in a £23,500 transfer from Doncaster Rovers to Manchester United.[2]

1 February 1958: A thrilling First Division match at Highbury sees Manchester United defeat Arsenal 5–4.[3]

5 February 1958: Manchester United reach the European Cup semi-finals with a 3–3 draw (5–4 win on aggregate) in the quarter-final second leg against Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia.

6 February 1958: The Manchester United team plane crashes at Munich Airport in West Germany. 21 people are killed, including seven of the team's players (Roger Byrne, Geoff Bent, Eddie Colman, Bill Whelan, Tommy Taylor, David Pegg and Mark Jones) and three club officials (secretary Walter Crickmer, coach Tom Curry and trainer Bert Whalley). Also among the dead is journalist Frank Swift, the former Manchester City and England goalkeeper. 10 other players are injured, with doctors being particularly concerned about the conditions of winger Johnny Berry and left-half Duncan Edwards.[4] Manager Matt Busby is also seriously injured.[5]

19 February 1958: In their first game since the Munich air disaster, Manchester United (with a side mostly made up of reserve players) defeat Sheffield Wednesday 3–0 in the FA Cup fifth round at Old Trafford. However, the victory is overshadowed by news from Munich that the condition of Duncan Edwards has deteriorated once more.[6]

21 February 1958: Duncan Edwards (aged 21) dies in hospital from injuries sustained 15 days ago in the Munich air disaster.

3 May 1958: Nat Lofthouse scores both goals as Bolton Wanderers beat Manchester United 2–0 at Wembley Stadium to win the FA Cup for the fourth time.

Notable debutants

24 August 1957: Jimmy Greaves, 17-year-old forward, makes his debut for Chelsea in a First Division fixture against Tottenham Hotspur and scores.[7]

21 December 1957: Kenny Morgans, 18-year-old winger, makes his debut for Manchester United in First Division home match against Leicester City.[8]

19 February 1958: Shay Brennan, 20-year-old full-back or winger, scores twice on his debut for Manchester United as they beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 in the FA Cup third round, their first game after the Munich air disaster.[9]

Awards

Football Writers' Association

Top goalscorer

Honours

CompetitionWinnerRunner-up
First DivisionWolverhampton Wanderers (2)Preston North End
Second DivisionWest Ham UnitedBlackburn Rovers
Third Division NorthScunthorpe & Lindsey UnitedAccrington Stanley
Third Division SouthBrighton & Hove AlbionBrentford
FA CupBolton Wanderers (4)Manchester United
Charity ShieldManchester UnitedAston Villa
Home ChampionshipShared by  England &  Northern Ireland

Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition

League table

First Division

The First Division title went to Wolves, still captained by Billy Wright and managed by Stan Cullis. Preston North End finished runners-up, while Tottenham Hotspur finished third thanks largely to the influence of captain and FWA Player of the Year, Danny Blanchflower. West Bromwich Albion finished fourth and the top five was completed by Manchester City. After the Munich air disaster, Manchester United won only one more league game and dipped to ninth place, although they did reach the FA Cup final, where they were beaten by Bolton Wanderers.

Sheffield Wednesday propped up the First Division and were the first side to go down, being joined soon after by a Sunderland side who had enjoyed the longest run in the First Division totaling nearly 70 years.

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Wolverhampton Wanderers422886103472.19164
2Preston North End422679100511.96159
3Tottenham Hotspur422191293771.20851
4West Bromwich Albion4218141092701.31450
5Manchester City42225151041001.04049
6Burnley422151680741.08147
7Blackpool421961780671.19444
8Luton Town421961769631.09544
9Manchester United4216111585751.13343
10Nottingham Forest4216101669631.09542
11Chelsea4215121583791.05142
12Arsenal421671973850.85939
13Birmingham City4214111776890.85439
14Aston Villa421671973860.84939
15Bolton Wanderers4214101865870.74738
16Everton4213111865750.86737
17Leeds United421491951630.81037
18Leicester City4214523911120.81333
19Newcastle United421282273810.90132
20Portsmouth421282273880.83032
21Sunderland4210122054970.55632
22Sheffield Wednesday421272369920.75031

Second Division

West Ham United topped the Second Division to secure First Division football for the first time in the postwar era, while Blackburn Rovers finished one point behind them in second place. Charlton Athletic missed out on an immediate return to the First Division by a single point, while Liverpool missed out on promotion by two points.

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1West Ham United4223118101541.87057
2Blackburn Rovers422212893571.63256
3Charlton Athletic4224711107691.55155
4Liverpool4222101079541.46354
5Fulham4220121097591.64452
6Sheffield United4221101175501.50052
7Middlesbrough421971683741.12245
8Ipswich Town4216121468690.98644
9Huddersfield Town4214161263660.95544
10Bristol Rovers421781785801.06342
11Stoke City421861875731.02742
12Leyton Orient421851977790.97541
13Grimsby Town421761986831.03640
14Barnsley4214121670740.94640
15Cardiff City421491963770.81837
16Derby County421482060810.74136
17Bristol City421392063880.71635
18Rotherham United4214523651010.64433
19Swansea Town421192272990.72731
20Lincoln City421192255820.67131
21Notts County421262444800.55030
22Doncaster Rovers428112356880.63627

Third Division North

Scunthorpe & Lindsey United sealed the Third Division North title by a comfortable margin and secured their place in the Second Division, while runners-up Accrington Stanley had the consolation of at least being able to play in the third of the league's fourth tiers following the decision to reorganize into four national divisions for the 1958-59 season.

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Scunthorpe & Lindsey United46298988501.76066
2Accrington Stanley462591283611.36159
3Bradford City4621151073491.49057
4Bury4623101394621.51656
5Hull City4619151278671.16453
6Mansfield Town4622816100921.08752
7Halifax Town4620111583691.20351
8Chesterfield4618151371691.02951
9Stockport County4618111774671.10447
10Rochdale461981979671.17946
11Tranmere Rovers4618101882761.07946
12Wrexham4617121761630.96846
13York City4617121768760.89546
14Gateshead4615151668760.89545
15Oldham Athletic4614171572840.85745
16Carlisle United461962180781.02644
17Hartlepools United4616121873760.96144
18Barrow4613151866740.89241
19Workington4614131972810.88941
20Darlington461772278890.87641
21Chester4613132073810.90139
22Bradford Park Avenue4613112268950.71637
23Southport461162952880.59128
24Crewe Alexandra46873147930.50523

Third Division South

Brighton won promotion to the Second Division as champions of the Third Division South.

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Brighton & Hove Albion4624121088641.37560
2Brentford4624101282561.46458
3Plymouth Argyle462581367481.39658
4Swindon Town4621151079501.58057
5Reading4621131279511.54955
6Southampton46221014112721.55654
7Southend United4621121390581.55254
8Norwich City4619151275701.07153
9Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic462191681741.09551
10Queens Park Rangers4618141464650.98550
11Newport County4617141573671.09048
12Colchester United4617131677790.97547
13Northampton Town461962187791.10144
14Crystal Palace4615131870720.97243
15Port Vale4616102067581.15542
16Watford4613161759770.76642
17Shrewsbury Town4615102149710.69040
18Aldershot4612161859890.66340
19Coventry City4613132061810.75339
20Walsall461492361750.81337
21Torquay United4611132249740.66235
22Gillingham461392452810.64235
23Millwall461192663910.69231
24Exeter City461192657990.57631

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points

References

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