The 1916–17 season was Manchester United's second season in the non-competitive War League.
With the ongoing First World War, once again Manchester United played non-competitive war league football. In the principal tournament they contested the Lancashire Section, which was expanded to 16 teams to give a more complete 30-game season. In the subsidiary tournament they contested Group D of the Lancashire Section, with the groups reduced to four teams in size to complement the increased playing season of the Principal Tournament. However, none of these were considered to be competitive football, and thus their records are not recognised by the Football League.
On 8 August 1916, while fighting in France during the war, former United player Private Oscar Linkson went missing in the battle to seize Guillemont Station during the Battle of the Somme. His body was never recovered and he was recorded as missing presumed dead.
On 3 May 1917, Another United former player Sandy Turnbull was killed in France. Turnbull was killed in Arras while serving as a Lance Sergeant in the Eighth Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment of the British Army. His body was never found and he is commemorated on the Arras memorial.
Lancashire Section Principal Tournament DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance2 September 1916Port ValeH2–2Woodcock (2)9 September 1916Oldham AthleticA2–0Armstrong, O'Connell16 September 1916Preston North EndH2–1Woodcock (2)23 September 1916BurnleyA1–7Armstrong30 September 1916BlackpoolA2–2Woodcock (2)7 October 1916LiverpoolH0–014 October 1916Stockport CountyA0–121 October 1916BuryH3–1Armstrong (2), Own goal28 October 1916StokeA0–34 November 1916Southport CentralH1–0Woodcock11 November 1916Blackburn RoversA2–1Anderson, Woodcock18 November 1916Manchester CityH2–1Anderson, Woodcock25 November 1916EvertonA2–3Anderson, Woodcock2 December 1916RochdaleH1–1Anderson9 December 1916Bolton WanderersA1–5Anderson23 December 1916Oldham AthleticH3–2Anderson (2), Ogden30 December 1916Preston North EndA2–3Anderson, Woodcock6 January 1917BurnleyH3–1Anderson (2), Woodcock13 January 1917BlackpoolH3–2Woodcock (2), Crossley20 January 1917LiverpoolA3–3Anderson (3)27 January 1917Stockport CountyH0–13 February 1917BuryA1–1Woodcock10 February 1917StokeH4–2Woodcock (2), Ellis, Robinson17 February 1917Southport CentralA1–0Ellis24 February 1917Blackburn RoversH1–0Anderson3 March 1917Manchester CityA0–110 March 1917EvertonH0–217 March 1917RochdaleA0–224 March 1917Bolton WanderersH6–3Woodcock (3), Anderson (2), Hilditch6 April 1917Port ValeA0–3
Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament Group D DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance31 March 1917StokeA1–2Ellis7 April 1917Manchester CityH5–1Anderson (3), Woodcock (2)9 April 1917Port ValeH5–1Anderson (3), Travis (2)14 April 1917StokeH1–0Woodcock21 April 1917Manchester CityA1–0Anderson28 April 1917Port ValeA2–5McMenemy, Woodcock
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