The Management 1947/48

George Martin secured promotion in his first year of the club but it was anything but a smooth ride.

The team's performances were often not up to scratch especially in the first half of the season and Martin was not afraid to chop and change. It was not unusual for 5 or 6 changes to be made at a time.

It is a reflection of the manager's role at the time that when the manager and players met for a crisis meeting after the defeat at Plymouth Martin's view was "it is up to you chaps (the players) to get together (and sort it out)"

Martin and the directors adopted a very bold approach in the transfer market as they effectively sold 4/5 of their strike force.

Neither were they interested in currying public favour as crowd favourites Pearson and Shackleton were not persuaded to stay.

Indeed it was clear that they were more concerned with rooting out those that they perceived as "disruptive elements".

They certainly didn't believe they were in the wrong. Chairman George Rutherford made this clear on a number of occasions; "No club in the country can do more towards the comfort and happiness of it's players" he claimed

On Shackleton's transfer request he argued: "surely it is reasonable for a club to put a player on the reserve team...without expecting the man left out to immediately seek transfer"

Transfers both in and out were on a scale never witnessed before or since as (in the 13 months from July 1947 to July 1948) United spent £54,500 and recouped £47,050. Doesn't seem much now but it is put into perspective when you consider that the fee received for Shackleton (£20,050) was the record fee at that time.