Chairman Martin Edwards First Division 3rd League Cup Second Round | Manager Ron Atkinson FA Cup Third Round | |
Top goalscorer League:
Frank Stapleton (13)
All:
Frank Stapleton (13) | ||
The 1981–82 season was Manchester United's 80th season in the Football League, and their 7th consecutive season in the top division of English football. It was their first season under the management of Ron Atkinson, who had been appointed in the summer to replace Dave Sexton.
In early October, he brought midfielder Bryan Robson to Old Trafford from his former club West Bromwich Albion for a British record fee of £1.5million. He also signed fellow Albion midfielder Remi Moses for £500,000.
After constantly leading the league during the first half of the season, United finished the season third in the league and qualified for the UEFA Cup, while the league title went to Liverpool (who surged in the second half of the season after being mid table at Christmas) and Ipswich Town finished second. Late in the season came the debut of teenage forward Norman Whiteside, who at just 17 was selected for the Northern Ireland squad at the FIFA World Cup. He also scored for United on the last day of the league season in only his second senior appearance for the club.
First Division
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points