The 1957–58 season was the 78th season of competitive football in England.
Contents
- Overview
- Diary of the season
- Notable debutants
- Awards
- Honours
- First Division
- Second Division
- Third Division North
- Third Division South
- References
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 were 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 December 1957: Harry Gregg becomes the world's most expensive goalkeeper in a £23,500 transfer from Doncaster Rovers to Manchester United.
1 February 1958: A thrilling First Division match at Highbury sees Manchester United defeat Arsenal 5–4.
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. Manager Matt Busby is also seriously injured.
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.
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, scores once on his debut for Chelsea in a First Division fixture against Tottenham Hotspur.
21 December 1957: Kenny Morgans, 18-year-old winger, makes his debut for Manchester United in First Division home match against Leicester City.
19 February 1958: Shay Brennan, 20-year-old 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.
Awards
Football Writers' Association
Top goalscorer
Honours
Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition
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 Footballer 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.
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.
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.
Third Division South
Brighton won promotion to the Second Division as champions of the Third Division South.
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points