1981–82 Manchester United F.C. season


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 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

Club
2Ipswich Town42265117553+2283
3Manchester United42221285929+3078
4Tottenham Hotspur422011116748+1971

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

FA Cup

League Cup

Squad statistics