Written by John White for Manchester United Did You Know That
“The road is long
There are mountains in our way
But we climb a step every day”
The first three lines from the song “Up Where We Belong” sung by Joe Cocker and
Jennifer Warnes.
In season 1974-75, United found themselves in the English Second Division after
being relegated at the end of the previous season. They had not played in the second
tier of English football since season 1937-38 when they finished runners-up to Aston
Villa and won promotion back into the top flight where they had remained until the
ignominy of relegation in season 1973-74.
Gone were away trips to Anfield (Liverpool), Arsenal Stadium (Arsenal), Elland Road
(Leeds United), Goodison Park (Everton), Maine Road (Manchester City), St James’
Park (Newcastle United), Stamford Bridge (Chelsea) and White Hart Lane
(Tottenham Hotspur). These were replaced with road trips to play Blackpool at
Bloomfield Road, Bristol Rovers at Eastville Stadium, Hull City at Boothferry Park,
Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road, Millwall at The Den, Notts County at Meadow Lane,
Oxford United at Manor Ground and York City at Bootham Crescent.
The road back to the First Division was going to be a long one for United, they had
several mountains to climb but they had to take things game by game and let the
players express themselves. The Board of Directors at Old Trafford did not panic and
sack Tommy Docherty when United were relegated. They kept faith in The Doc
winning promotion at the first time of asking and Docherty knew his job was on the
line if he did not deliver First Division football for season 1975-76. Following
United’s relegation he bought a player who would help propel United back into the
First Division with his goals and his menace in front of goal. In May 1974, Docherty
purchased Stuart Pearson from Hull City for £200,000 with Paul Fletcher, a Reserve
Team player at United, also forming part of the transfer as he went in the opposite
direction. It proved to be not only money well spent but an inspired signing. The 24-
year old Pearson, no relation to previous United players with the same surname,
Mark and Stan, played for The Tigers (Hull City’s nickname) from 1968-74 and
scored 44 goals in 129 League games, all in the Second Division. He was Hull City’s
top League goal scorer in seasons 1971-72 (15 goals) and 1972-73 (17 goals) and joint-
top goal scorer in his final season at Boothferry Park with Roy Greenwood on 12
goals. Pearson was a player accustomed to the hustle and bustle of a 42 game
campaign in the Second Division.
On the opening day of the 1974-75 season, United travelled to East London to play
Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road on 17 August 1974. The Three Degrees had just gone
to No.1 that very same day in the UK Singles Charts with their song “When Will I See
You Again.” The United fans who made the four hour coach trip to the game must
have been thinking when they were going to see the First Division again.
United won the game 2-0 with goals from Willie Morgan, United’s first goal in the
Second Division for 36 years (William McKay scored in a 2-0 win over Bury at Old
Trafford on 7 May 1938) and Stuart Houston. Stuart “Pancho” Pearson made his
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