1928 - 1929
United lost 15 matches before March 1929 was over and again were looking contenders for relegation. However thanks to a rousing end to the season they again managed to survive, finishing the last 6 games with 5 wins and a tie.
Most of the explanation for this turn around could be found in the signing of Tom Reid from Liverpool. Reid, a Scot scored 14 goals in 17 appearances that season and went on to score 67 goals in just 101 games before joining Oldham five years later. But United were still not setting the league alight, it seemed as though they stayed in a never ending battle to stay out of the relegation zone. And it was to get Worse!
1929 - 1930
And worse it got in the next season, when United had a lot of trouble staying in the first division. They finished the league in 17th place, just enough to stay in the top division. But from 42 games United lost 19 and won only 15, with a goal average of -21 (67-88). But although United played no role whatsoever in the title run-ins of the last few years, they did better in the FA Cup. In the 1925/26 season they reached the semi-finals of the competition. In 1926/27 they reached the third round, in 1927/28 they got to the sixth round, while in 1928/29 they lost in the fourth round and in 1929/30 United were knocked out in the third round.
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