Champions! - Season 1926/27 matches - part 2 [October - November]
02/10/26 - Arsenal [A] Drew 2-2 [Clark Seymour] - 45,000 - 10th
Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - McKenzie, 5 - Spencer, 6- Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - Clark, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.
The Magpies had to settle for their fourth consecutive away draw despite the fact they had stormed into a two goal lead in the first six minutes.
United started in breathtaking fashion. Clark headed them in front within a minute and following two more close shaves (including a decent penalty shout) Seymour drove the ball in for the second.
In the second period Newcastle made a tactical error of concentrating on defending their advantage. Arsenal gained the ascendancy and they also scored twice in six minutes (57 and 63). The second goal from a penalty controversially awarded for handball.
Newcastle stormed back on the attack and Gallagher was unlucky to have a "goal" chalked off for offside.
09/10/26 - Liverpool [H] Won 1-0 [Gallagher] - 22,000 [9th]
Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - McKenzie, 5 - Park, 6- Harris, 7 - Urwin, 8 - Clark, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.
A biting gale force wind "with a force which almost swept the pedestrian off his feet" made for very unfavourable playing conditions in a match decided by Gallagher's third minute goal.
Injuries resulted in changes to the half-back line, but United with the winds at their back dominated the first half possession. Hudspeth nearly scored a freak second when Pool keeper Riley nearly let in a wind assisted free-kick taken from inside United's half.
The Scousers couldn't take advantage of the conditions in the second half and it was the home side who looked more likely to score again, Riley denying them on a number of occasions.
16/10/26 - Everton [A] Won 3-1 [Clark Gallagher McDonald] - 45,000 [6th]
Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - McKenzie, 5 - Spencer, 6- Harris, 7 - Urwin, 8 - Clark, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.
Much better conditions greeted the side a week later on Merseyside and the ground was more yielding than "the hard baked" pitches of previous games. Everton were struggling without the injured Dixie Dean and Newcastle took advantage to record their first away victory of the season.
Everton started with "rare spirit" but didn't take their chances and came unstuck when Clark swept the ball in [35] after a McDonald shot came back off the bar.
Everton opened brightly again on the resumption but United gradually wrestled control from them. Gallagher was receiving some rough treatment and "as so often happens the referee only noticed it when the visitor retaliated".
Twenty minutes before the end McDonald added a second from close range and Everton's play became "wild and disorganised". Hughie exacted some revenge by adding a third (85) before Trop scored a last minute consolation.
23/10/26 - Blackburn [H] Won 6-1 [Clark McDonald McKenzie Seymour 3] - 25,000 [2nd]
Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - McKenzie, 5 - Spencer, 6- Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - Clark, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.
Struggling Blackburn were taken apart by a Newcastle side whose first half performance was "reminiscent of their greatest days". They were four goals up at the interval and if it hadn't been for some miraculous keepmanship from Rovers' rookie keeper Cope (playing his second game after conceding five on his debut) and the fact that United eased off the score could easily have ran into double figures.
McKenzie opened the scoring [7] and then (number 11) Seymour scored a "true" and spooky hat-trick with goals on 22, 33 and 44 minutes.
Clark crashed in the fifth off the underside off the crossbar [48] before Maitland inexplicably dribbled the ball right back to his own goal before falling under a challenge from Rovers' centre-forward who then tapped into an open goal.
For the rest of the match United seemed intent on trying to tee up Gallagher but it was McDonald who scored the sixth five minutes from time. It remains Newcastle's best victory against the Lancastrians.
30/10/26 - Sunderland [A] Lost 0-2 []- 31,152 [5th]
Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - McKenzie, 5 - Spencer, 6- Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - Clark, 9 - Loughlin, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.
United's nine match unbeaten run came to an end at Roker Park against a Sunderland side who had led the table for most of the season. It was a "pulsating game, chockful of incident", but despite playing the better football; the absence of Gallagher (on international duty) and the brilliance of new England custodian McInroy meant derby defeat.
United enjoyed the balance of play but the Hughieless forward line were in the news for not exploiting their numerous chances and "a certain dalliance was noticeable" in their play.
Halliday gave Sunderland the lead against the run of play with a tremendous volley [34] but it was United who continued to create and fail to convert the clearest chances.
The second half continued in the same pattern with no sign of a slackening in pace with play proceeding to the "accompaniment of a continuous roar from the now thoroughly rouse crowd". Both sides had chances but a second from Death [71] put the nail in the Magpies coffin.
06/11/26 - WBA [H] Won 5-2 [Gallagher 2 McKay 3]- 30,000 [2nd]
Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - McKenzie, 5 - Spencer, 6- Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - McKay, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.
Gallagher scored two goals on his return but it was new signing Bob McKay who grabbed the headlines with a debut hat-trick against table footers West Brom. The United forward line was in "captivating form, almost of exhibition type towards the end of the game"
They were two ahead within five minutes with McKay opening his account in the first minute and Gallagher adding a second. Complacency allowed The Throstles to halve the arrears and almost equalise before McKay restored the advantage. His powerful shot "spun Spronson round and into the net before the (pesky) ball jumped out of his hands".
Spronson kept the Brummies in the game before McKay [70] and a Gallagher header [79] put United into an unassailable lead. Wilson got Albion's second four minuted from time.
13/11/26 - Bury [A] Lost 2-3 [Gallagher Hudspeth p] - 12,000 [5th]
Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - McKenzie, 5 - Spencer, 6- Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - McKay, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.
A gruelling game for the Mags who were hampered by injuries to a number of players during the game and had two "goals" controversially disallowed. The display lacked their usual polish as they sacrificed "craft for fury".
Torrential rain across the country resulted in a number of postponements and as a result the going was "very soft", but sunshine greeted the teams at Gigg Lane. Bury - with a "rather strong breeze" in their favour - dominated the first half but it was Newcastle who opened the scoring [17]; "Gallagher heading a delightful goal from a finely placed Seymour centre" .
The Shakers responded well and 17 minutes later they led. Wilson had to make several fine saves to prevent more goals from Bury's "frisky raiders".
In the second period the driving rain returned and United went on the offensive. Bury had many narrow escapes, none more so than when United claimed that McKay's shot had crossed the line before it was cleared. Bury added a third with a fine individual effort from Ball before Hudspeth scored from the penalty spot after "Bradshaw stopped the ball from going into the net in approved goalkeeper style". United went all out for a winner but to no avail.
The game was often "in grave danger of being spoiled by the referee ... so much so that before the finish it was almost out of control. He had occasion to speak to McKenzie and Spencer, but he seemed to spend quite a lot of time talking to both players and spectators."
20/11/26 - Birmingham [H] Won 5-1 [McKay Gallagher McDonald Seymour Hudspeth p ] - 31,000 [3rd]
Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - McKenzie, 5 - Spencer, 6 - Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - McKay, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.
The Brummies were equal on points before the match but they were soundly beaten by a scoreline that "did not exaggerate the general measure of United's superiority". They had now scored 16 times in their last three home matches. United were dominant for nearly the whole game "playing football which must have captivated the most exacting critic".
After an enterprising start from the Midlanders, McKay [15] and Gallagher scored in the first half with Tremelling having to keep his nerve in The Blues citadel to keep the score down.
After Mcdonald had increased the advantage [57] United relaxed and allowed Birmingham to get one back. But they responded well with further goals from Seymour and a Hudspeth penalty.
27/11/26 - Tottenham [A] Won 3-1 [Gallagher 3] - 31,000 [2nd]
Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - Harris, 5 - Spencer, 6 - Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - McKay, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.
Gallagher had failed to score on his three previous visits to London, but the sceptical media couldn't fail to be impressed after a devastating display from Wee Hughie. Spurs were unbeaten at home but there was little for the Cockerels to crow about after the game.
It was very much a game of two halves. The first period was an "exhibition of football which soared to the heights". Spurs played well but United were "beyond all praise" combining "perfect combination" with "individual and collective cleverness". Gallagher scored with two brilliant goals before needing treatment for a bad foul that "escaped the observation of the referee".
After Gallagher completed his hat-trick [58] the match degenerated with Spurs employing "get there" tactics and United replying in kind. Eventually referee Lines called all the players together to issue a "general caution".