▁first ▁year ▁finishing ▁sevent h ▁in ▁the ▁twenty ▁team ▁competition . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁an ▁immediate ▁application ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Football ▁League ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 9 – 3 0 ▁season ; ▁this ▁bid ▁failed . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 2 9 – 3 0 ▁season , ▁the ▁club ▁finished ▁as ▁run ners ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁Com bin ation ▁and ▁the ▁res erves ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁Ch esh ire ▁County ▁League , ▁the ▁only ▁other ▁reserve ▁teams ▁in ▁that ▁league ▁being ▁from ▁Football ▁League ▁clubs . ▁After ▁a ▁successful ▁season ▁another ▁application ▁for ▁League ▁status ▁was ▁made ▁and ▁failed ▁again . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 3 0 – 3 1 ▁season ▁was ▁less ▁successful ▁finishing ▁sevent h ▁in ▁the ▁Com bin ation ▁and ▁the ▁res erves ▁bottom . ▁A ▁further ▁application ▁for ▁League ▁status ▁failed ▁with ▁Ch ester ▁gain ing ▁membership . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁the ▁Com bin ation ▁and ▁focus ▁sole ly ▁on ▁the ▁Ch esh ire ▁County ▁League . ▁After ▁W igan ▁Bor ough ▁had ▁to ▁res ign ▁from ▁the ▁Football ▁League ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁Central ▁applied ▁to ▁take ▁their ▁place . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁initially ▁accepted ▁by ▁the ▁leaders ▁of ▁Division ▁Three ▁( N orth ), ▁but ▁a ▁formal ▁compla int ▁was ▁made ▁joint ly ▁by ▁First ▁Division ▁Manchester ▁City ▁and ▁Second ▁Division ▁Manchester ▁United . ▁They ▁believed ▁that ▁a ▁third ▁Manchester ▁side ▁would ▁seriously ▁damage ▁Manchester ▁United , ▁who ▁were ▁struggling ▁for ▁support ▁and ▁fin ance .