| Club: | Manchester United |
| Season: | 1945–46 |
| Manager: | Matt Busby (unofficial until 1 October 1945, and officially since) |
| Chairman: | James W. Gibson |
| Stadium: | Maine Road |
| League: | War League North Regional League |
| League Result: | 4th |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Fourth Round |
| League Topscorer: | n/a |
| Season Topscorer: | Jimmy Hanlon (2) Jack Rowley (2) Billy Wrigglesworth (2) |
| Highest Attendance: | 36,237 vs Preston North End (26 January 1946) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 15,339 vs Accrington Stanley (9 January 1946) |
| Average Attendance: | 25,788 |
| Pattern B1: | _white_collar |
| Leftarm1: | E20E0E |
| Body1: | E20E0E |
| Rightarm1: | E20E0E |
| Shorts1: | FFFFFF |
| Socks1: | 000000 |
| Pattern B2: | _white_collar |
| Pattern So2: | _top_blue |
| Leftarm2: | 0000C0 |
| Body2: | 0000C0 |
| Rightarm2: | 0000C0 |
| Shorts2: | FFFFFF |
| Socks2: | 000000 |
| Prevseason: | 1944–45 |
| Nextseason: | 1946–47 |
The 1945–46 season was Manchester United's seventh and last season in the non-competitive War League during the Second World War.[1] [2] [3] With the ending of the war, the FA Cup returned in January 1946, with Manchester United losing 3–2 on aggregate to Preston North End in the Fourth Round.[4]
Matt Busby had been appointed as the successor to Walter Crickmer as manager in February 1945, and officially took over the position on 1 October, following his demobilisation from the British Army. He was joined by head coach Jimmy Murphy in early 1946.
See main article: Football League North and South.
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 August 1945 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2–3 | Smith (2) | ||
| 1 September 1945 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–3 | Koffman, Rowley | ||
| 8 September 1945 | Chesterfield | H | 0–2 | |||
| 12 September 1945 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–2 | Davie | ||
| 15 September 1945 | Chesterfield | A | 1–1 | Bryant | ||
| 20 September 1945 | Stoke City | A | 2–1 | Hullett, Reid | ||
| 22 September 1945 | Barnsley | A | 2–2 | Cockburn, Hullett | ||
| 29 September 1945 | Barnsley | H | 1–1 | Smith | ||
| 6 October 1945 | Everton | H | 0–0 | |||
| 13 October 1945 | Everton | A | 0–3 | |||
| 20 October 1945 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | Wrigglesworth | ||
| 27 October 1945 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2–1 | Carey, Worrall | ||
| 3 November 1945 | Preston North End | H | 6–1 | Rowley (2), Smith, Warner, Worrall | ||
| 10 November 1945 | Preston North End | A | 2–2 | Bainbridge, Smith | ||
| 17 November 1945 | Leeds United | A | 3–3 | Hanlon (2), Buckle | ||
| 24 November 1945 | Leeds United | H | 6–1 | Buckle (2), Wrigglesworth (2), Hanlon, Rowley | ||
| 1 December 1945 | Burnley | H | 3–3 | Hullett (3) | ||
| 8 December 1945 | Burnley | A | 2–2 | Hanlon, Smith | ||
| 15 December 1945 | Sunderland | H | 2–1 | Smith (2) | ||
| 22 December 1945 | Sunderland | A | 2–4 | Smith, Wrigglesworth | ||
| 25 December 1945 | Sheffield United | A | 0–1 | |||
| 26 December 1945 | Sheffield United | H | 2–3 | Carey, Hullett | ||
| 29 December 1945 | Middlesbrough | H | 4–1 | Rowley (2), Smith (2) | ||
| 12 January 1946 | Grimsby Town | H | 5–0 | Rowley (3), Bainbridge, Smith | ||
| 19 January 1946 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–1 | |||
| 2 February 1946 | Blackpool | H | 4–2 | Rowley (2), Bainbridge, Wrigglesworth | ||
| 9 February 1946 | Liverpool | H | 2–1 | Smith (2) | ||
| 16 February 1946 | Liverpool | A | 5–0 | Hanlon (2), Rowley (2), Wrigglesworth | ||
| 23 February 1946 | Bury | A | 1–1 | Hanlon | ||
| 2 March 1946 | Bury | H | 1–1 | Hanlon | ||
| 9 March 1946 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 6–2 | Rowley (3), Hanlon (2), Delaney | ||
| 16 March 1946 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 3–1 | Smith (2), Pearson | ||
| 23 March 1946 | Bradford | A | 1–2 | Carey | ||
| 27 March 1946 | Blackpool | A | 5–1 | Pearson (3), Carey, Wrigglesworth | ||
| 30 March 1946 | Bradford | H | 4–0 | Aston, Delaney, Rowley, Wrigglesworth | ||
| 6 April 1946 | Manchester City | H | 1–4 | Aston | ||
| 13 April 1946 | Manchester City | A | 3–1 | Hanlon, Pearson, Rowley | ||
| 19 April 1946 | Newcastle United | A | 1–0 | Pearson | ||
| 20 April 1946 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 4–0 | Pearson (2), Delaney, Rowley | ||
| 22 April 1946 | Newcastle United | H | 4–1 | Delaney, Mitten, Rowley, Wrigglesworth | ||
| 27 April 1946 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–1 | |||
| 4 May 1946 | Stoke City | H | 2–1 | Buckle, Pearson |
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 January 1946 | Round 3 First leg | Accrington Stanley | A | 2–2 | Smith, Wrigglesworth | 9,968 | |
| 9 January 1946 | Round 3 Second leg | Accrington Stanley | H | 5–1 | Rowley (2), Bainbridge, Wrigglesworth, own goal | 15,339 | |
| 26 January 1946 | Round 4 First leg | Preston North End | H | 1–0 | Hanlon | 36,237 | |
| 30 January 1946 | Round 4 Second leg | Preston North End | A | 1–3 | Hanlon | 21,000 |
| Pos. | Name | FA Cup | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | |||
| GK | Jack Crompton | 4 | 0 | |
| FB |  Johnny Carey | 4 | 0 | |
| FB | John Roach | 2 | 0 | |
| FB | Joe Walton | 2 | 0 | |
| HB | Allenby Chilton | 3 | 0 | |
| HB | Henry Cockburn | 4 | 0 | |
| HB | Jack Warner | 4 | 0 | |
| HB | Bert Whalley | 4 | 0 | |
| FW | Bill Bainbridge | 1 | 1 | |
| FW | Jimmy Hanlon | 4 | 2 | |
| FW | Jack Rowley | 4 | 2 | |
| FW | Jack Smith | 4 | 1 | |
| FW | Billy Wrigglesworth | 4 | 2 | |
| – | Own goals | – | 1 | |