John Anderson: Man United half-back Profile & Stats
Facebook X (Twitter) Blue Sky MUFCINFO.COM Instagram Account Munich Air Disaster MUFC Higher Lower by Player Goals
MUFC Logo

 

Portrait of John Anderson

John Anderson

Position: half-back

England England flag

PWDLFA

HAN P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 20 12 5 3 48 22 +26 60.00
A 17 7 2 8 27 24 +3 41.18
N 3 2 1 0 8 4 +4 66.67
TOTALS 40 21 8 11 83 50 +33 52.50

Name: John Anderson
Birthdate: 11-10-1921
Age: 104
Birthplace: Salford, England
Height: 5' 6" (1.68m)
Weight: 11st (69.85kg)
Years at Club: 1946-1948
Signing Info: Signed Trainee: 03/1938. Signed Professional: 12/1938
Previous Clubs:
Debut: 20/12/1947 v Middlesbrough (Maine Road) 2-1 (League Division One)
Farewell: Transferred to Nottingham Forest, 10/1949, £
Passed Away: 08/08/2006

Biography

John Anderson was born in Salford, Lancashire, and began his footballing journey in local youth setups before being scouted for professional football. His natural pace & skill quickly made him stand out as a promising talent.

Career at Manchester United
Anderson joined Manchester United in 1946, as English football was rebuilding after World War II. He became an important part of manager Matt Busby's post-war plans, contributing to the team's resurgence as a competitive force in English football.

Anderson's most memorable moment with Manchester United came in the 1948 FA Cup Final. On April 24, 1948, United faced Blackpool at Wembley Stadium in a thrilling contest. The match ended in a 4-2 victory for Manchester United, with Anderson playing a key role on the wing. His work rate, creativity, and attacking threat were pivotal in helping the team secure their first major trophy after the war. The victory was a significant milestone in the club's history and set the stage for their dominance in the coming years under Busby.

During his time with Manchester United, Anderson made 40 appearances scoring twice, contributing consistently to the team's efforts both in attack and defense.

Later Career
In October 1949, Anderson transferred to Nottingham Forest, where he continued to showcase his skills. In 1952, he moved to Peterborough United, where he played until his retirement in 1955. After hanging up his boots, Anderson remained involved in football, taking on backroom roles as a trainer and coach at Peterborough United.

Legacy
John Anderson is fondly remembered as part of the team that brought Manchester United their first FA Cup triumph in the modern era. His contributions to the 1948 FA Cup Final remain a highlight of his career and a cherished moment in the club's history.

Anderson passed away on August 8, 2006, at the age of 84. His legacy lives on as an integral figure in the history of Manchester United and as a representative of the resilience and rebuilding spirit of football in post-war England.
 
League League Cup FA Cup Charity Shield European Cup Europa League Super Cup Cup Winners Cup Inter-cont Cup World Clubs Cup    
Season Goals Season Apps
No Season League Goals League Apps LC Goals LC Apps FAC Goals FAC Apps CS Goals CS Apps EC Goals EC Apps Europa Goals Europa Apps SC Goals SC Apps CWC Goals CWC Apps IC Goals IC Apps CWC Goals CWC Apps Season
Goals		 Season
Apps
1. 1947-1948 1 18 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 23
2. 1948-1949 0 15 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17
TOTALS 1 33 0 0 1 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 40

Detailed Match & Performance Charts

MUFC Player Goals MUFC Player Appearances MUFC Player Opponent Manager MUFC Player Club Manager
No Opponent Goals Appearances
1. Bolton Wanderers 1 1
2. Blackpool 1 1
No Opponent Appearances Goals
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 0
2. Blackpool 4 1
3. Arsenal 3 0
4. Derby County 3 0
5. Chelsea 3 0
6. Portsmouth 2 0
7. Burnley 2 0
8. Aston Villa 2 0
9. Stoke City 2 0
10. Bolton Wanderers 2 1
11. Huddersfield Town 2 0
12. Middlesbrough 1 0
13. Liverpool 1 0
14. Sheffield United 1 0
15. Preston North End 1 0
16. Sunderland 1 0
17. Grimsby Town 1 0
18. Manchester City 1 0
19. Everton 1 0
20. Blackburn Rovers 1 0
21. Charlton Athletic 1 0
22. Birmingham City 1 0
No Opponent Manager No
1. Smith, Joe 4
2. Whittaker, Tom 3
3. McMillan, Stuart 3
4. Birrell, Billy 3
5. Cullis, Stan 3
6. Jackson, Bob 2
7. Massie, Alex 2
8. McGrory, Bob 2
9. Rowley, Walter 2
10. Stephenson, George 2
11. Jack, David 1
12. Britton, Cliff 1
13. Kay, George 1
14. Davison, Teddy 1
15. Preston North End Committee 1
16. Murray, Bill 1
17. Spencer, Charlie 1
18. Vizard, Ted 1
19. Thomson, Jock 1
20. Kelly, Theo 1
21. Bruton, Jack 1
22. Seed, Jimmy 1
23. Hill, Frank 1
24. Brocklebank, Bob 1
No MUFC Managers Count
1. Busby, Matt 40
Stadiums Competition Opponents Opponent Nationality
No Stadium Count
1. Maine Road 19
2. Bloomfield Road 2
3. Goodison Park 2
4. Highbury 2
5. Hillsborough 2
6. Victoria Ground 2
7. Villa Park 2
8. Blundell Park 1
9. Bramall Lane 1
10. Burnden Park 1
11. Fratton Park 1
12. Leeds Road 1
13. Molineux 1
14. St Andrews 1
15. Stamford Bridge 1
16. Wembley 1
No Competition Count
1. League Division One 33
2. FA Cup 6
3. Charity Shield 1
No Opponent Count
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers 4
2. Blackpool 4
3. Arsenal 3
4. Derby County 3
5. Chelsea 3
6. Portsmouth 2
7. Burnley 2
8. Aston Villa 2
9. Stoke City 2
10. Bolton Wanderers 2
11. Huddersfield Town 2
12. Middlesbrough 1
13. Liverpool 1
14. Sheffield United 1
15. Preston North End 1
16. Sunderland 1
17. Grimsby Town 1
18. Manchester City 1
19. Everton 1
20. Blackburn Rovers 1
21. Charlton Athletic 1
22. Birmingham City 1
No Opponent Nationality Count
1. England 40
Roy Keane own goal v Real Madrid Old Trafford 2000 Cup Finals
No Date Opponent Competition Own Goals
Player has never scored an own goal against the club.
No Date Opponent WDL F-A Competition
1. 24-04-1948 Blackpool W 4-2 FA Cup
2. 06-10-1948 Arsenal L 3-4 Charity Shield
Penalties scored for Manchester United Manchester United Hat-Tricks
No Date Opponents Competition Penaltys
Player has never scored a penalty for the club.
No Date Opponent Competition Goals
Player has never scored a hat-trick or better during a game.
 
Red Cards  
No Date Opponent Competition
Player has never been sent off during a match.
 

All Matches played
No Date Comp Opponent WDL F-A HAN Goal!! Scorers Opponent scorers
1. 20-12-1947 Div 1 Middlesbrough W 2-1 H 0 Stan Pearson 32', 72' Mick Fenton 35'
2. 27-12-1947 Div 1 Portsmouth W 3-1 A 0 Johnny Morris 40', 75', Jimmy Delaney 89' Duggie Reid 20'
3. 01-01-1948 Div 1 Burnley W 5-0 H 0 Charlie Mitten 10', 62', Jack Rowley 21', 43', 72'
4. 10-01-1948 FAC Aston Villa W 6-4 A 0 Jack Rowley 8', Johnny Morris 17', 31', Stan Pearson 29', 88', Jimmy Delaney 43' George Edwards 1', 46', Leslie Smith 70', Richard Dorsett 81' (pen)
5. 17-01-1948 Div 1 Arsenal D 1-1 H 0 Jack Rowley 27' Reg Lewis 18'
6. 24-01-1948 FAC Liverpool W 3-0 H 0 Jack Rowley 30', Johnny Morris 34', Charlie Mitten 36'
7. 31-01-1948 Div 1 Sheffield United L 1-2 A 0 Jack Rowley 11' George Jones 15', 27'
8. 21-02-1948 Div 1 Stoke City W 2-0 A 0 Edward Buckle 35' (pen), Stan Pearson 52'
9. 28-02-1948 FAC Preston North End W 4-1 H 0 Charlie Mitten 23', Stan Pearson 33', 77', Jack Rowley 84' Willie McIntosh 43'
10. 06-03-1948 Div 1 Sunderland W 3-1 H 0 Charlie Mitten 29' (pen), Jimmy Delaney 70', Jack Rowley 73' Tommy Reynolds 81'
11. 13-03-1948 FAC Derby County W 3-1 N 0 Stan Pearson 30', 32', 55' William Steel 44'
12. 17-03-1948 Div 1 Grimsby Town D 1-1 A 0 Jack Rowley 80' James McGowan 36'
13. 20-03-1948 Div 1 Wolves W 3-2 H 0 Charlie Mitten 52', Johnny Morris 69', Jimmy Delaney 74' James Dunn 27', Sammy Smyth 56'
14. 22-03-1948 Div 1 Aston Villa W 1-0 A 0 Stan Pearson 15'
15. 26-03-1948 Div 1 Bolton Wanderers L 0-2 H 0 Tom Woodward 32', Malcolm Barrass 65'
16. 29-03-1948 Div 1 Bolton Wanderers W 1-0 A 1 John Anderson 88'
17. 03-04-1948 Div 1 Derby County W 1-0 H 0 Stan Pearson 76'
18. 07-04-1948 Div 1 Manchester City D 1-1 H 0 Jack Rowley 31' Billy Linacre 16'
19. 10-04-1948 Div 1 Everton L 0-2 A 0 Ephraim Dodds 53', Alex Stevenson 82'
20. 17-04-1948 Div 1 Chelsea W 5-0 H 0 Charlie Mitten 11' (pen), Jimmy Delaney 43', Stan Pearson 83', 89', Jack Rowley 48'
21. 24-04-1948 FAC Blackpool W 4-2 N 1 Jack Rowley 30', 69', Stan Pearson 79', John Anderson 85' Eddie Shimwell 15' (pen), Stan Mortensen 35'
22. 28-04-1948 Div 1 Blackpool L 0-1 A 0 Stan Mortensen 10'
23. 01-05-1948 Div 1 Blackburn Rovers W 4-1 H 0 Jimmy Delaney 35', Stan Pearson 42', 78', 83' Tom Murphy 50'
24. 21-08-1948 Div 1 Derby County L 1-2 H 0 Stan Pearson 87' Frank Broome 77', Reg Harrison 79'
25. 23-08-1948 Div 1 Blackpool W 3-0 A 0 Charlie Mitten 51', 84', Stan Pearson 87'
26. 28-08-1948 Div 1 Arsenal W 1-0 A 0 Charlie Mitten 48'
27. 01-09-1948 Div 1 Blackpool L 3-4 H 0 Jimmy Delaney 43', Charlie Mitten 55' (pen), Johnny Morris 67' Walter Rickett 33', William McIntosh 51', 90', Hugh Kelly 81'
28. 04-09-1948 Div 1 Huddersfield Town W 4-1 H 0 Charlie Mitten 1' (pen), Stan Pearson 32', 74', Jimmy Delaney 35' Peter Doherty 78'
29. 08-09-1948 Div 1 Wolves L 2-3 A 0 Johnny Morris 6', Jack Rowley 53' Johnny Hancocks 9', 75' (pen), Sammy Smyth 76'
30. 15-09-1948 Div 1 Wolves W 2-0 H 0 Stan Pearson 16', Edward Buckle 17'
31. 06-10-1948 CS Arsenal L 3-4 A 0 Jack Rowley 12', Ronald Burke 42', Lionel Smith (o.g.) 60' Bryn Jones 2', Reg Lewis 3', 34' Ronnie Rooke 6'
32. 09-10-1948 Div 1 Charlton Athletic D 1-1 H 0 Ronald Burke 9' Charlie Vaughan 44'
33. 16-10-1948 Div 1 Stoke City L 1-2 A 0 Johnny Morris 42' Freddie Steele 6', George Mountford 60'
34. 23-10-1948 Div 1 Burnley D 1-1 H 0 Charlie Mitten 84' John Billingham 85'
35. 13-11-1948 Div 1 Chelsea D 1-1 A 0 Jack Rowley 22' Roy Bentley 55'
36. 19-03-1949 Div 1 Birmingham City L 0-1 A 0 Len Boyd 49'
37. 26-03-1949 FAC Wolves D 1-1 N 0 Charlie Mitten 24' Sammy Smyth 12'
38. 06-04-1949 Div 1 Huddersfield Town L 1-2 A 0 Jack Rowley 75' Peter Doherty 31' (pen), Vic Metcalfe 55'
39. 09-04-1949 Div 1 Chelsea D 1-1 H 0 Charlie Mitten 80' (pen) John McInnes 74'
40. 07-05-1949 Div 1 Portsmouth W 3-2 H 0 Jack Rowley 10', 54', Charlie Mitten 44' (pen) Duggie Reid 25', Peter Harris 35'
 

About this site

 West Cumbria Reds Branch Flag  
MUFCINFO.com is not an official Manchester United website.
All pages are designed, maintained and copyright © Mark Graham.
Email: mufcinfo@sky.com