During the 1983–94 season, Chairman Maurice Cadman announced that win bonuses would be dropped for the 1984–85 season with an insurance-backed promotion bonus on offer and that the club was available for sale at £150,000. During the summer, only three of the eight players out of contract chose to move on despite the new bonus scheme. The biggest loss was Steve Wignall who joined Brentford.

Remarkably, United were paired with Gillingham in both major Cup competitions and the Freight Rover Trophy. The 5-0 FA Cup thrashing at Layer Road on 8 December 1984 became United's biggest ever home defeat.

Forward Tony Adcock continued to score at will and by January had 28 goals to his credit. It was rumoured that Liverpool were only a signature away from his capture, but a cruel knee injury virtually finished his season in which he surely would have smashed Bobby Hunt's 38 goal club record.

United also lost their shirt sponsors but Cadman finally got his buyer when Jonathan Crisp paid £150,000 for overall control of United. He promised Second Division football within five years but in the light of the horrific Bradford fire, the timber-constructed Layer Road stands and terracing meant that it was of utmost importance to accelerate United's move to a new stadium.

As was becoming the norm, United were just not quite good enough for promotion finishing seventh and ten points adrift of fourth place. The club equalled its record away win with a 5-1 return from the 23 March 1985 trip to Exeter but worryingly average crowds totalled just 2,076.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

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