1955–56 in English football
The 1955–56 season was the 76th season of competitive football in England. Overview Defending league champions Chelsea decided not to compete in the new European Champions Cup, following opposition from the Football League about the participation of English clubs in the competition. The league title is taken by a Manchester United side with an average age of just 22, which finished an incredible 11 points ahead of their nearest contenders, Blackpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers. It was a Manchester double for trophies, with Manchester City winning the FA Cup, with goalkeeper Bert Trautmann famously playing on despite suffering what was later diagnosed as a broken neck in a collision with a Birmingham City player. Honours Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition Awards Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year – Bert Trautmann (Manchester City) Top goalscorer Nat Lofthouse (Bolton Wanderers), 33 Football League First Division Manchester United won the First Division title by 11 points, featuring a squad of players with an average age of just 22, with manager Matt Busby's emphasis on youth paying dividends and answering the critics who felt that his policy would not