The 1949–50 season was Manchester United’s 48th season in the Football League. They finished fourth in the First Division and reached the Sixth Round Proper of the FA Cup.
A notable acquisition by the club during this season was 18-year-old goalkeeper Ray Wood, who was signed from Darlington as manager Matt Busby looked to find a younger goalkeeper to provide competition for Jack Crompton and Reg Allen for the 1950s.
First Division
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 August 1949 | Derby County | A | 1 – 0 | Rowley | 35,687 |
| 24 August 1949 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 3 – 0 | Mitten, Rowley, own goal | 41,748 |
| 27 August 1949 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1 – 1 | Pearson | 44,655 |
| 31 August 1949 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 2 – 1 | Mitten, Pearson | 36,277 |
| 3 September 1949 | Manchester City | H | 2 – 1 | Pearson (2) | 47,760 |
| 7 September 1949 | Liverpool | A | 1 – 1 | Mitten | 51,587 |
| 10 September 1949 | Chelsea | A | 1 – 1 | Rowley | 61,357 |
| 17 September 1949 | Stoke City | H | 2 – 2 | Rowley (2) | 43,522 |
| 24 September 1949 | Burnley | A | 0 – 1 | 41,072 | |
| 1 October 1949 | Sunderland | H | 1 – 3 | Pearson | 49,260 |
| 8 October 1949 | Charlton Athletic | H | 3 – 2 | Mitten (2), Rowley | 43,809 |
| 15 October 1949 | Aston Villa | A | 4 – 0 | Mitten (2), Bogan, Rowley | 47,483 |
| 22 October 1949 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 3 – 0 | Pearson (2), Bogan | 51,427 |
| 29 October 1949 | Portsmouth | A | 0 – 0 | 41,098 | |
| 5 November 1949 | Huddersfield Town | H | 6 – 0 | Pearson (2), Rowley (2), Delaney, Mitten | 40,295 |
| 12 November 1949 | Everton | A | 0 – 0 | 46,672 | |
| 19 November 1949 | Middlesbrough | H | 2 – 0 | Pearson, Rowley | 42,626 |
| 26 November 1949 | Blackpool | A | 3 – 3 | Pearson (2), Bogan | 27,742 |
| 3 December 1949 | Newcastle United | H | 1 – 1 | Mitten | 30,343 |
| 10 December 1949 | Fulham | A | 0 – 1 | 35,362 | |
| 17 December 1949 | Derby County | H | 0 – 1 | 33,753 | |
| 24 December 1949 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 2 – 1 | Bogan, Rowley | 46,973 |
| 26 December 1949 | Arsenal | H | 2 – 0 | Pearson (2) | 53,928 |
| 27 December 1949 | Arsenal | A | 0 – 0 | 65,133 | |
| 31 December 1949 | Manchester City | A | 2 – 1 | Delaney, Pearson | 63,704 |
| 14 January 1950 | Chelsea | H | 1 – 0 | Mitten | 46,954 |
| 21 January 1950 | Stoke City | A | 1 – 3 | Mitten | 38,877 |
| 4 February 1950 | Burnley | H | 3 – 2 | Rowley (2), Mitten | 46,702 |
| 18 February 1950 | Sunderland | A | 2 – 2 | Chilton, Rowley | 63,251 |
| 25 February 1950 | Charlton Athletic | A | 2 – 1 | Carey, Rowley | 44,920 |
| 8 March 1950 | Aston Villa | H | 7 – 0 | Mitten (4), Downie (2), Rowley | 22,149 |
| 11 March 1950 | Middlesbrough | A | 3 – 2 | Downie, Rowley | 46,702 |
| 15 March 1950 | Liverpool | H | 0 – 0 | 43,456 | |
| 18 March 1950 | Blackpool | H | 1 – 2 | Delaney | 53,688 |
| 25 March 1950 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1 – 3 | Downie | 34,348 |
| 1 April 1950 | Everton | H | 1 – 1 | Delaney | 35,381 |
| 7 April 1950 | Birmingham City | H | 0 – 2 | 47,170 | |
| 8 April 1950 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1 – 1 | Rowley | 54,296 |
| 10 April 1950 | Birmingham City | A | 0 – 0 | 35,863 | |
| 15 April 1950 | Portsmouth | H | 0 – 2 | 44,908 | |
| 22 April 1950 | Newcastle United | A | 1 – 2 | Downie | 52,203 |
| 29 April 1950 | Fulham | H | 3 – 0 | Rowley (2), Cockburn | 11,968 |
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Sunderland | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 83 | 62 | 52 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 42 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 69 | 44 | 50 |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 42 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 77 | 55 | 50 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
FA Cup
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 January 1950 | Round 3 | Weymouth | H | 4 – 0 | Rowley (2), Delaney, Pearson | 38,284 |
| 28 January 1950 | Round 4 | Watford | A | 1 – 0 | Rowley | 32,800 |
| 11 February 1950 | Round 5 | Portsmouth | H | 3 – 3 | Mitten (2), Pearson | 53,688 |
| 15 February 1950 | Round 5 Replay |
Portsmouth | A | 3 – 1 | Delaney, Downie, Mitten | 49,962 |
| 4 March 1950 | Round 6 | Chelsea | A | 0 – 2 | 70,362 |
Squad statistics
| Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| GK |  Jack Crompton |
27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| GK |  Sonny Feehan |
12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| GK | Joe Lancaster |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| GK | Ray Wood |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FB | John Aston, Sr. |
40 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| FB | John Ball |
13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| FB | Johnny Carey |
38 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 43 | 1 |
| FB |  Tommy Lowrie |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| FB | Sammy Lynn |
10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| FB | Thomas McNulty |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| HB | Allenby Chilton |
35 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 1 |
| HB | Henry Cockburn |
35 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 1 |
| HB | Billy McGlen |
13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| HB |  Jack Warner |
21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| HB | Jeff Whitefoot |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | Brian Birch |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | Tommy Bogan |
18 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 4 |
| FW | Ted Buckle |
7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| FW | Frank Clempson |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | Jimmy Delaney |
42 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 47 | 6 |
| FW | John Downie |
18 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 7 |
| FW | Charlie Mitten |
42 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 47 | 19 |
| FW | Stan Pearson |
41 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 45 | 17 |
| FW | Jack Rowley |
39 | 20 | 5 | 3 | 44 | 23 |
| – | Own goals | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 1 |