Relegation to the Third Division for the first time since 1965 was the fate of a United team that still seemed to be suffering from the hangover of relegation from the First two years earlier.

With the genial Dick Young resigning the manager's hot seat in November to return to coaching and Bobby Moncur, the former Scottish international taking over the reins, there was hope that things would turn around.

Alas, it was not to be. Moncur shored up the defence with his vast experience but the Blues eventually slipped up on a Bristol Rovers banana skin in the final six minutes of their last home match. It was the most infamous finish to a match in the club's history. Two-nil up against a key relegation rival, United conceded three goals, one of them scored by a man destined to sign for them within a few months, a certain Jimmy Hamilton.

In truth, the warning signs had been evident for months. Carlisle crashed 6-0 at home to Southampton in January, a horrific mismatch between the FA Cup holders and a demoralised collection of players apparently resigned to their fate. There were the highspots, including a 5-1 thrashing of the non-league upstarts of Matlock Town in the FA Cup Third Round.

The goalscoring ability of Billy Rafferty, purchased from Plymouth Argyle in the pre-season, almost managed to lift United out of danger. He conjured a hat-trick out of nowhere in the last ten minutes against Cardiff City in December to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 victory and he was on hand to score the first goal against champions-elect Wolves in a 2-1 home win at Easter that raised more hopes that an escape act was possible. Home gates slipped too, as the fans who had feasted on First Division fare turned their backs on the prospects of famine in the Third.