1892-1893

Newton Heath a local Manchester team had started playing in 1878, a group of railway workers for Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways have formed the first team. They played at a small ground in North Road on Monsall Road Newton Heath.

They were a resounding success that first season and soon picked up the nickname "the Heathens". In 1885 they turned professional and were admitted to the Football Alliance after their efforts to join the Football league failed. Eventually they were admitted in 1892 when the Division one was expanded from 14 to 16 clubs and a second Division added. Newton Heath's inaugural league game took place on September 3rd 1892 against the then mighty Blackburn rovers, the attendance was 8,000 and the game played in a torrential rainstorm with the Heathens going down to defeat 4-3. A Scot named Robert Donaldson became the first player to score a league goal for the team that was to become Manchester United (he later transferred to Luton Town).

Newton Heath's first season turned out to be a near disaster with only a victory in a relegation/promotion playoff game saved them from dropping into the lower division. Their first home game was against Burnley and the result was a 1-1 tie, heavy defeats followed from Everton (6-0) Burnley (4-0), West Brom (4-0) Then came an amazing triumph a victory over Wolves 10-1 at the North road Ground, but more defeats followed and they finished their first season in 16th place (last) with 18 points and conceding 85 goals.

They won their playoff game 5-2 against Stoke City in a replay after the first game turned out a 1-1, the game was played at North Road in front of 4,000 on mud path of a pitch. The facilities in those days were not very good and the teams actually changed in a pub down the road called the Three Crowns.