The 1890–91 season was Newton Heath's second season in the Football Alliance; they finished in 9th position. The club also took part in the FA Cup, reaching the Second Qualifying Round; the Lancashire Senior Cup, in which they reached the second round; and the Manchester and District Challenge Cup, in which they finished as runners-up to Ardwick.[1]
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 September 1890 | Darwen | H | 4–2 | Farman, Evans, J. Doughty, Owen | 6,000 |
| 13 September 1890 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–3 | Stewart | 3,000 |
| 20 September 1890 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | J. Doughty | 5,000 |
| 27 September 1890 | Stoke | A | 1–2 | Milarvie | 2,000 |
| 11 October 1890 | Bootle | A | 0–5 | 4,000 | |
| 18 October 1890 | Grimsby Town | H | 3–1 | Ramsay, Evans, Sharpe | 2,500 |
| 1 November 1890 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 6–3 | Farman, Stewart (2), Craig, Evans, Ramsay | 4,000 |
| 8 November 1890 | Walsall Town Swifts | A | 1–2 | Sharpe | 3,000 |
| 22 November 1890 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–8 | Farman, Ramsay | 2,000 |
| 29 November 1890 | Sunderland Albion | H | 1–5 | Ramsay | 2,000 |
| 13 December 1890 | Small Heath | H | 3–1 | Sharpe, Milarvie, Speller (o.g.) | 1,000 |
| 27 December 1890 | Bootle | H | 2–1 | Stewart, Milarvie | 5,000 |
| 5 January 1891 | Stoke | H | 0–1 | 3,000 | |
| 10 January 1891 | Birmingham St George's | A | 1–6 | Farman | 1,000 |
| 17 January 1891 | Walsall Town Swifts | H | 3–3 | Owen, Milarvie, Ramsay | 1,500 |
| 24 January 1891 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–1 | Sharpe, Stewart | 3,000 |
| 14 February 1891 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1–0 | Farman | 3,000 |
| 21 February 1891 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–1 | Craig | 4,000 |
| 7 March 1891 | Small Heath | A | 1–2 | Sharpe | 2,000 |
| 14 March 1891 | Birmingham St George's | H | 1–3 | Sharpe | 2,000 |
| 28 March 1891 | Darwen | A | 1–2 | Ramsay | 2,000 |
| 11 April 1891 | Sunderland Albion | A | 1–2 | Ramsay | 3,500 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Walsall Town Swifts | 22 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 34 | 61 | 0.557 | 21 |
| 8 | Crewe Alexandra | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 59 | 67 | 0.881 | 20 |
| 9 | Newton Heath | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 37 | 55 | 0.673 | 17 |
| 10 | Small Heath | 22 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 58 | 66 | 0.879 | 16 |
| 11 | Bootle | 22 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 40 | 61 | 0.656 | 13 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 October 1890 | First round qualifying | Higher Walton | H | 2–0 | Farman, Evans | 3,000 |
| 25 October 1890 | Second round qualifying | Bootle Reserves | A | 0–1 | 3,000 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 February 1891 | Round 1 | Witton | A | 4–3 | Craig, Milarvie, unknown, unknown | |
| 19 February 1891 | Round 2 | Preston North End | A | 1–3 | Farman | 2,000 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 February 1891 | Round 3 | Hurst | H | 2–2 | Jones (2) | 500 |
| 21 March 1891 | Semi-final | Stockport County | Ardwick | 3–1 | Stewart, Craig, Milarvie | 5,000 |
| 18 April 1891 | Final | Ardwick | West Manchester | 0–1 | 10,000 |
