1991–92 Southampton F.C. season

October 2024 Southampton F.C. 1991–92 Guy Askham Ian Branfoot The Dell First Division 16th FA Cup Sixth round League Cup Fourth round Full Members' Cup Runners-up Alan Shearer (13) Alan Shearer (19) 19,264 v ManchesterUnited (14 September 1991) 4,036 v Scarborough(9 October 1991) 14,070 2–0 (two matches)3–1 (three matches) 0–4 v Leeds United(28 August 1991)0–4 v Arsenal(28 September 1991)1–5 v Arsenal(2 May 1992) _southampton9192h _southampton9192h _southampton9192h _southampton9192h _southampton9192h FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF 000000 FFFFFF _southampton9192a _southampton9192a _southampton9192a _southampton9192a _southampton9192a 0039AB 0039AB 0039AB 3B92E3 3B92E3 _southampton9192t _southampton9192t _southampton9192t _southampton9192t _southampton9192t E0960B E0960B E0960B FFFFFF FFFFFF 1990–91 1992–93 The 1991–92 Southampton F.C. season was the club's 91st season of competitive football and their 22nd in the First Division of the Football League. The season was Southampton's first with manager Ian Branfoot, who replaced Chris Nicholl in the summer after six years. It was a disappointing year for the club, who finished 16th in the league after spending much of the year in the relegation zone. Outside the league, the club reached the sixth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 1986, were knocked out of the League Cup in the fourth round, and finished as runners-up of the final Full Members' Cup. With Nicholl's departure came a busy transfer period, as players including brothers Ray and Rod Wallace, Jimmy Case, Steve Davis and Paul Rideout all left the club. New signings included Paul Moody, Iain Dowie, Terry Hurlock and Stuart Gray. The Saints started their first season with Branfoot on dreadful form, dropping into the relegation zone almost immediately and falling to the very bottom of the table by the end of 1991. However, a run of six consecutive wins starting in March (their joint-longest run of consecutive league wins since 1964) saw the team make progress towards mid-table, as they reached a season-high of 13th before settling three positions lower. This was the club's lowest First Division finish since their last relegation from the top flight in 1974. In the FA Cup, Southampton reached the sixth round for the first time since the 1985–86 season, eliminating First Division rivals Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United, then Third Division side Bolton Wanderers, in the process. They were knocked out after a replay by another top-flight side, Norwich City. In the League Cup, the club made it past Scarborough of the Fourth Division and First Division high-flyers Sheffield Wednesday, before facing elimination at the hands of Nottingham Forest in the fourth round. In the Full Members' Cup – the last before the tournament was discontinued – the Saints beat Second Division sides Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle, then league rivals Chelsea, before losing in their first and only final appearance to Nottingham Forest. Southampton used 29 players during the 1991–92 season and had 12 different goalscorers. In his final season with the club, Alan Shearer finished as the top scorer for the Saints, with 19 goals in all competitions. Matt Le Tissier was second with 15 goals, followed by Iain Dowie on nine. Shearer and goalkeeper Tim Flowers made the most appearances during the campaign, playing in 59 of Southampton's 61 games across all competitions. Flowers received the Southampton F.C. Player of the Season award for the first time. The average league attendance at The Dell during 1991–92 was 14,070. The highest attendance was 19,264 against Manchester United in September and the lowest was 4,036 against Scarborough in the League Cup in October. Background and transfers At the end of the 1990–91 season, manager Chris Nicholl was sacked by Southampton's board after six seasons in charge. In his first two seasons as manager, the Saints had reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the League Cup, respectively; however, during his tenure, Nicholl had only managed to lead the club to one top-half finishing position in the First Division.Holley Chalk 2003 218 He was also credited for giving debuts to several successful players at a young age, including Matt Le Tissier, Alan Shearer, Francis Benali, and brothers Ray and Rod Wallace.https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/chris-nicholl-1946-2024 Chris Nicholl: 1946-2024 Southampton F.C. 25 February 2024 7 October 2024 Nicholl was replaced in the summer of 1991 by Ian Branfoot, who had previously worked as a coach at Southampton between 1977 and 1983, before having a successful five-year spell as manager of Reading in the Second and Third Divisions.Holley Chalk 2003 220 thumb|upright|New manager Ian Branfoot controversially released Jimmy Case on a free transfer shortly after arriving at the club. Ahead of Branfoot's arrival, brothers Ray and Rod Wallace both left Southampton, after having unsuccessfully requested transfers several times during the previous season. They were sold for a combined £1.6 million – the highest fee set by a tribunal to date – to First Division title challengers Leeds United.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/ray-wallace/ Ray Wallace SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/rod-wallace/ Rod Wallace SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 The new manager's first transfer activity saw him release 37-year-old midfielder Jimmy Case on a free transfer to Bournemouth in the Third Division.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/jimmy-case/ Jimmy Case SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 In dismissing a player described by club historians as "a favourite of the fans", this decision has been identified by commentators as one of the primary early reasons for the supporters' disapproval of Branfoot as manager.https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-taylor-enters-frame-as-branfoot-bows-to-fans-pressure-exengland-manager-may-be-saint-1399584.html Football: Taylor enters frame as Branfoot bows to fans' pressure: Ex-England manager may be Saint Haylett Trevor The Independent 12 January 1994 7 October 2024 https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5629555.case-history/ Case history Southern Daily Echo 22 April 2000 7 October 2024 Just two new players joined ahead of the start of the league campaign – striker Paul Moody was signed from Southern League side Waterlooville and left-back Matthew Robinson was signed as a trainee.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/paul-moody/ Paul Moody SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/matthew-robinson/ Matthew Robinson SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 Centre-back Steve Davis, who had struggled to break into Southampton's first team, also left in August to join Fourth Division side and former loan club Burnley.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/steve-davis/ Steve Davis SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 After the opening three league games of the season, Branfoot signed winger David Lee from Third Division side Bury for £350,000.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/david-lee/ David Lee SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 He was followed just over a week later by Northern Irish striker and former Southampton schoolboy Iain Dowie, who joined from West Ham United on 3 September for a fee of £500,000.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/iain-dowie/ Iain Dowie SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 Another week later, Branfoot signed former Reading acquisition Terry Hurlock from Scottish champions Rangers as a replacement for Case, paying £400,000 for his services.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/terry-hurlock/ Terry Hurlock SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 Later in September, the club sold striker Paul Rideout to Notts County for £250,000,https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/paul-rideout/ Paul Rideout SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 left-back Andy Cook to Exeter City for £60,000,https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/andy-cook/ Andy Cook SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 and midfielder Sergey Gotsmanov (who had only arrived a year before) to German club Hallescher FC for free.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/sergey-gotsmanov/ Sergey Gotsmanov SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 Defensive midfielder Stuart Gray signed for £200,000 from Aston Villa,https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/stuart-gray/ Stuart Gray SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 who then briefly signed Alan McLoughlin on loan.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/alan-mcloughlin/ Alan McLoughlin SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 Transfer activity continued throughout much of the 1991–92 season. At the beginning of October, the club brought in centre-back Steve Wood – another key player in Branfoot's promotion-winning Reading side from 1986 – from second-flight side Millwall for a fee of £400,000.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/steve-wood/ Steve Wood SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 At the same time, fellow centre-back Russell Osman was loaned to Bristol City in the Second Division; he would later make his move permanent in December, for a fee of £60,000.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/russell-osman/ Russell Osman SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 In the second half of the campaign, Kevin Moore, Jon Gittens and Paul Tisdale were all sent out on loans until the end of the season,https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/kevin-moore/ Kevin Moore SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/jon-gittens/ Jon Gittens SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/paul-tisdale/ Paul Tisdale SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 while McLoughlin was loaned out (and subsequently sold) to nearby rivals Portsmouth. During the latter stages of the season, Barbadian winger Michael Gilkes was loaned in from Reading, where he had played under Branfoot during his tenure as manager.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/michael-gilkes/ Michael Gilkes SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 Players transferred in NameNationalityPos. Playing positionClubDateFeeRef.Paul MoodyEnglandFW ForwardENG WaterloovilleJuly 1991UnknownMatthew RobinsonEnglandDF Defendernone (free agent)July 1991FreeMatthew Robinson initially signed as a trainee in July 1991, before turning professional in July 1993.David LeeEnglandMF MidfielderENG Bury26 August 1991£350,000Iain DowieNorthern IrelandFW ForwardENG West Ham United3 September 1991£500,000Terry HurlockEnglandMF MidfielderSCO Rangers9 September 1991£400,000Stuart GrayEnglandMF MidfielderENG Aston VillaSeptember 1991£200,000Steve WoodEnglandDF DefenderENG MillwallOctober 1991£400,000Andy WilliamsWalesDF Defendernone (free agent)January 1992FreeAndy Williams initially signed as an associate schoolboy in January 1992, before becoming a trainee in July 1994 and turning professional in May 1996.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/andy-williams/ Andy Williams SaintsPlayers.co.uk 14 October 2024 Players transferred out NameNationalityPos. Playing positionClubDateFeeRef.Ray WallaceEnglandDF DefenderENG Leeds UnitedMay 1991£1,600,000Rod WallaceEnglandFW ForwardJimmy CaseEnglandMF MidfielderENG BournemouthJune 1991FreeSteve DavisEnglandDF DefenderENG BurnleyAugust 1991£60,000Paul RideoutEnglandFW ForwardENG Notts County16 September 1991£250,000Andy CookEnglandDF DefenderENG Exeter CitySeptember 1991£60,000Sergey GotsmanovSoviet UnionMF MidfielderGER Hallescher FCSeptember 1991FreeRussell OsmanEnglandDF DefenderENG Bristol CityDecember 1991£60,000Alan McLoughlinRepublic of IrelandMF MidfielderENG PortsmouthMarch 1992Unknown Players loaned in NameNationalityPos. Playing positionClubDate fromDate toRef.Michael GilkesBarbadosMF MidfielderENG ReadingMarch 1992End of season Players loaned out NameNationalityPos. Playing positionClubDate fromDate toRef.Alan McLoughlinRepublic of IrelandMF MidfielderENG Aston VillaSeptember 1991October 1991Tommy WiddringtonEnglandMF MidfielderENG Wigan AthleticSeptember 1991October 1991https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/tommy-widdrington/ Tommy Widdrington SaintsPlayers.co.uk 7 October 2024 Russell OsmanEnglandDF DefenderENG Bristol CityOctober 1991December 1991Kevin MooreEnglandDF DefenderENG Bristol RoversJanuary 1992End of seasonJon GittensEnglandMF MidfielderENG MiddlesbroughFebruary 1992End of seasonAlan McLoughlinRepublic of IrelandMF MidfielderENG PortsmouthFebruary 1992March 1992Paul TisdaleEnglandMF MidfielderENG Northampton TownMarch 1992End of season Notes Pre-season friendlies Ahead of the 1991–92 league campaign, Southampton played nine pre-season friendlies. The pre-season period started in July with five straight wins, as the Saints beat a Kuwait Olympic XI 5–0, Third Division side Exeter City 3–0, South Western League club Torpoint Athletic 5–3, Plymouth Argyle of the Second Division 2–1, and another South Western League side, Bodmin Town, 5–0 (the final match saw Alan Shearer score a hat-trick).Holley Chalk 2003 430 August started with two games against Scottish opposition, as the club drew 0–0 with St Johnstone and picked up a 2-0 victory over First Division champions Falkirk. The final two pre-season friendlies included a 4–1 win over Bournemouth for Brian Tiler's testimonial and their only loss, a 0–1 defeat at home to Spanish side Real Sociedad. Friendly 24 July 1991 Southampton 5–0 Kuwait Olympic XI Hall Le Tissier Rideout Shearer Road-Sea Park Southampton W Friendly 26 July 1991 Exeter City 0–3 Southampton McLoughlin Moore Rideout St James Park Exeter W Friendly 27 July 1991 Torpoint Athletic 3–5 Southampton Maddison Hall Moody Rideout The Mill Torpoint W Friendly 29 July 1991 Plymouth Argyle 1–2 Southampton Cockerill Shearer Home Park Plymouth W Friendly 30 July 1991 Bodmin Town 0–5 Southampton Shearer Cockerill Ruddock Priory Park Bodmin W Friendly 2 August 1991 St Johnstone 0–0 Southampton McDiarmid Park Perth, Scotland D Friendly 4 August 1991 Falkirk 0–2 Southampton Shearer Brockville Park Falkirk, Scotland W Brian Tiler Memorial 6 August 1991 Bournemouth 1–4 Southampton Cockerill Osman Shearer Dean Court Bournemouth W Friendly 9 August 1991 Southampton 0–1 Real Sociedad The Dell Southampton L First Division thumb|upright|left|Alan Shearer took over as Southampton's main goalscorer in the 1991–92 season, which would be his final year before moving to Blackburn Rovers. 1991–92 Football League First Division Ian Branfoot's debut season with Southampton started poorly, as they faced two marginal defeats in their opening fixtures, losing 2–3 at home to Tottenham Hotspur and 0–1 at Notts County, who had recently been promoted from the Second Division. Their first win came in a 2–0 away victory over Sheffield United, however this was followed by a 0–4 defeat (the joint-heaviest of the season) at home to Leeds United and another three games spawning just two points.Holley Chalk 2003 221 A 1–0 win over Wimbledon was a brief high point followed by another two losses, the second of which saw Arsenal emulating Leeds United's 4–0 thrashing of the Saints, with Ian Wright netting a hat-trick. By the end of September, Southampton had already dropped to 21st out of 22 in the First Division league table.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-one/28-september-1991/ League Division One table after close of play on 28 September 1991 11v11.com 7 October 2024 An undefeated October saw the South Coast side draw 1–1 with Oldham Athletic and 0–0 with Norwich City, before picking up an unexpected 3–1 away win at Nottingham Forest, with Matt Le Tissier scoring his first double of the season. Southampton remained in the relegation zone throughout most of the rest of the calendar year, only briefly pulling themselves out with a 1–0 win over Chelsea in late-November. Despite their poor run of results, the Saints did manage to hold their own against several high-profile opponents during this period, including holding Liverpool to a 1–1 draw and sharing the points with title hopefuls Leeds United in a 3–3 stalemate either side of Christmas. After an 11th defeat from their opening 22 games, however, the club ended December at the bottom of the league table with just 19 points.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-one/28-december-1991/ League Division One table after close of play on 28 December 1991 11v11.com 7 October 2024 1992 started in much the same manner, as the Saints lost two home games in a row – the first to Everton and the second to Sheffield United, who were also fighting against the risk of relegation.Holley Chalk 2003 222 An away win over Tottenham Hotspur saw Southampton briefly leapfrog Luton Town at the bottom of the table,https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-one/18-january-1992/ League Division One table after close of play on 18 January 1992 11v11.com 7 October 2024 however they quickly returned their after another loss at Norwich City followed by three draws in a row against Chelsea, Coventry City and Liverpool. Despite being at the bottom of the league table, Southampton embarked on a winning streak in March which saw them pick up six victories in a row – the first time they had done so since the early stages of the 1964–65 season. The games were all closely fought, with the Saints beating fellow strugglers West Ham United, mid-table side Crystal Palace and title contenders Manchester City 1–0 in the first three fixtures, which were followed by a late 2–1 defeat of relegation-threatened Luton Town, a 1–0 win over Everton at Goodison Park, and finally a 2–1 home win over Queens Park Rangers. By the end of the spell, Southampton had climbed from 22nd to 17th in the table, with eight points between them and the first relegation place.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-one/4-april-1992/ League Division One table after close of play on 4 April 1992 11v11.com 7 October 2024 The penultimate six games included three wins and three losses, which was followed on the final day by another heavy defeat to Arsenal, this time 1–5 at Highbury, matching the season record heaviest defeats from earlier in the campaign – like the 0–4 loss at The Dell in September, this game also included an Ian Wright hat-trick. Southampton finished the season 16th in the table with 14 wins, ten draws and 18 defeats. Having only scored 39 goals in the 42-game campaign, this marked the first season since 1924–25 that the club had scored less than one goal per game on average; it was also the first time in the club's history that a league season had ended with both a goal-per-game average under 1.0 and a negative goal difference. List of match results 1 17 August 1991 Southampton 2–3 Tottenham Hotspur Shearer 2Hall 74 Lineker 40 Durie 70 Southampton The Dell 18,581 L 2 20 August 1991 Notts County 1–0 Southampton Yates 39 Nottingham Meadow Lane L 3 24 August 1991 Sheffield United 0–2 Southampton Shearer 45Le Tissier 78 Sheffield Bramall Lane 18,029 W 4 28 August 1991 Southampton 0–4 Leeds United Speed 22 89Strachan 56 pen. 70 pen. Southampton The Dell 15,862 L 5 31 August 1991 Southampton 1–1 Aston Villa Shearer 33 Richardson 2 Southampton The Dell 16,161 D 6 4 September 1991 Luton Town 2–1 Southampton Gray 32Harvey 40 Le Tissier 30 pen. Luton Kenilworth Road 8,055 L 7 7 September 1991 Queens Park Rangers 2–2 Southampton Barker 68Thompson 84 Shearer 1Dowie 81 London Loftus Road 9,237 D 8 14 September 1991 Southampton 0–1 Manchester United Hughes 48 Southampton The Dell 19,264 L 9 18 September 1991 Southampton 1–0 Wimbledon Cockerill 40 Southampton The Dell 11,280 W 10 21 September 1991 Sheffield Wednesday 2–0 Southampton Harkes 3Worthington 65 Sheffield Hillsborough Stadium 27,291 L 11 28 September 1991 Southampton 0–4 Arsenal Rocastle 38Wright 40 46 74 Southampton The Dell 18,050 L 12 5 October 1991 Oldham Athletic 1–1 Southampton Henry 66 Shearer 28 Manchester Boundary Park 13,133 D 13 19 October 1991 Southampton 0–0 Norwich City Southampton The Dell 12,516 D 14 26 October 1991 Nottingham Forest 1–3 Southampton Black 84 Le Tissier 31 71 pen.Shearer 72 Nottingham City Ground 20,026 W 15 2 November 1991 Southampton 0–3 Manchester City Quinn 12Sheron 47Gittens 59 o.g. Southampton The Dell 13,933 L 16 16 November 1991 Crystal Palace 1–0 Southampton Thomas 67 London Selhurst Park 15,861 L 17 23 November 1991 Southampton 1–0 Chelsea Shearer 42 Southampton The Dell 14,933 W 18 30 November 1991 Coventry City 2–0 Southampton Gallacher 23Pearce 71 Coventry Highfield Road 8,585 L 19 7 December 1991 Southampton 1–1 Liverpool Shearer 55 Redknapp 75 Southampton The Dell 10,053 D 20 20 December 1991 Southampton 1–1 Notts County Dowie 32 Slawson 81 Southampton The Dell 11,054 D 21 26 December 1991 Leeds United 3–3 Southampton Hodge 27 29Speed 73 Dowie 50 90Shearer 79 Leeds Elland Road 22,805 D 22 28 December 1991 Aston Villa 2–1 Southampton Regis 15Yorke 60 Shearer 73 Birmingham Villa Park 23,094 L 23 1 January 1992 Southampton 1–2 Everton Adams 90 Ward 4Beardsley 69 Southampton The Dell 16,546 L 24 11 January 1992 Southampton 2–4 Sheffield United Le Tissier 3Hall 59 Ward 13Lake 58 82Marwood 68 Southampton The Dell 12,502 L 25 18 January 1992 Tottenham Hotspur 1–2 Southampton Mabbutt 81 Adams 24Dowie 80 London White Hart Lane 23,191 W 26 1 February 1992 Norwich City 2–1 Southampton Ullathorne 49Fleck 74 Cockerill 71 Norwich Carrow Road 10,660 L 27 12 February 1992 Chelsea 1–1 Southampton Townsend 74 Horne 56 London Stamford Bridge 7,148 D 28 22 February 1992 Southampton 0–0 Coventry City Southampton The Dell 13,719 D 29 29 February 1992 Liverpool 0–0 Southampton Liverpool Anfield 34,449 D 30 3 March 1992 Southampton 1–0 West Ham United Dowie 65 Southampton The Dell 14,548 W 31 11 March 1992 Southampton 1–0 Crystal Palace Le Tissier 40 Southampton The Dell 12,926 W 32 15 March 1992 Manchester City 0–1 Southampton Dowie 35 Manchester Maine Road 24,265 W 33 21 March 1992 Southampton 2–1 Luton Town Shearer 67Dowie 80 Pembridge 45 Southampton The Dell 14,192 W 34 1 April 1992 Everton 0–1 Southampton Cockerill 24 Liverpool Goodison Park 15,201 W 35 4 April 1992 Southampton 2–1 Queens Park Rangers Dowie 13Shearer 64 pen. Ferdinand 62 Southampton The Dell 13,849 W 36 8 April 1992 Southampton 0–1 Nottingham Forest Tiler 14 Southampton The Dell 14,905 L 37 14 April 1992 West Ham United 0–1 Southampton Adams 88 London Boleyn Ground 18,298 W 38 16 April 1992 Manchester United 1–0 Southampton Kanchelskis 64 Manchester Old Trafford 43,972 L 39 18 April 1992 Southampton 0–1 Sheffield Wednesday Hirst 69 Southampton The Dell 17,715 L 40 20 April 1992 Wimbledon 0–1 Southampton Hall 24 London Selhurst Park 4,025 W 41 25 April 1992 Southampton 1–0 Oldham Athletic Shearer 84 Southampton The Dell 15,875 W 42 2 May 1992 Arsenal 5–1 Southampton Campbell 66Wright 70 90 90Smith 84 Cockerill 68 London Arsenal Stadium 37,702 L Final league table y SOU RSSSF Results by matchday table b Round Ground H /A /A /H /H /A /A /H /H /A /H /A /H /A /H /A /H /A /H /H /A /A /H /H /A /A /A /H /A /H /H /A /H /A /H /H /A /A /H /A /H /A Result L / L / W / L / D / L / D / L / W / L / L / D / D / W / L / L / W / L / D / D / D / L / L / L / W / L / D / D / D / W / W / W / W / W / W / L / W / L / L / W / W / L Position 14 / 21 / 13 / 19 / 19 / 20 / 19 / 21 / 19 / 19 / 21 / 20 / 20 / 20 / 20 / 20 / 19 / 21 / 20 / 21 / 21 / 22 / 22 / 22 / 21 / 21 / 22 / 22 / 22 / 21 / 19 / 19 / 18 / 19 / 17 / 18 / 17 / 17 / 17 / 17 / 13 / 16 green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss 1st 2nd 3rd red1 11v11.com FA Cup 1991–92 FA Cup Southampton entered the 1991–92 FA Cup in the third round against Queens Park Rangers, a First Division side who were sitting 13th in the league table before the game – nine positions ahead of the Saints.Holley Chalk 2003 394 Southampton scored two goals in quick succession in the first half, with Steve Wood heading in a cross from Matt Le Tissier, before Le Tissier scored one himself with a long-range effort just before the break. QPR came close to scoring on numerous occasions in the second half, including a late penalty for a foul by Jason Dodd, but goalkeeper Tim Flowers kept the attacks at bay to keep the 2–0 win safe. thumb|upright|Southampton won their fourth round tie against Manchester United when goalkeeper Tim Flowers saved their fourth penalty in a shootout. In the fourth round, Southampton hosted Manchester United, who were second in the league and considered "cup favourites" according to club historians. Despite chances for Alan Shearer and Mark Hughes at either end, the game ended in a goalless draw, necessitating a replay at Old Trafford. Stuart Gray put the visiting Saints ahead within ten minutes with his only goal for the club, before Shearer doubled their lead with a header from a Le Tissier free kick; Andrei Kanchelskis pulled one back for the hosts just before the break. After half-time, United increased the pressure on Southampton's goal and finally scored an equaliser in stoppage time at the end of the game, when Brian McClair converted "the flukiest of chances". After a goalless half an hour of extra time, Southampton won the tie through a penalty shootout – Neil Ruddock, Shearer, Barry Horne and Micky Adams all scored for the Saints, while Neil Webb saw his effort go "high and wide" and Ryan Giggs had his penalty saved by Flowers for the win (their first over United in the FA Cup).Holley Chalk 2003 395 Southampton travelled to Manchester again for the fifth round, in which they played Third Division side Bolton Wanderers. The first half saw the Saints go 2–0 up, as centre-back Richard Hall scored two headers in two minutes from successive Le Tissier corners; in the 38th minute, he almost completed a first-half hat-trick with a third goal of the same ilk.Holley Chalk 2003 396 The second half saw Southampton continue to dominate, but chances for Le Tissier, Shearer and David Lee were all saved by Bolton goalkeeper David Felgate. In the last 15 minutes of the game, the hosts scored two goals to force a replay, first through Andy Walker and later Scott Green, both as a result of crosses from the wings. The replay at The Dell also ended in a 2–2 draw. In the first 45 minutes, Southampton went 1–0 up through Shearer, before Walker responded 12 minutes before the break. After a relatively quiet second half, Bolton looked set to progress when Julian Darby volleyed past Flowers in the final minute of normal time; from the subsequent kick-off, however, the Saints put pressure on the visitors and eventually equalised through a long-range effort from Horne, which forced extra time. Horne scored again to secure Southampton's passage to the sixth round. In their first FA Cup sixth round appearance since the 1985–86 season, Southampton faced fellow top-flight strugglers Norwich City. Despite chances for both sides to score during each half, it remained goalless as both teams played defensively to avoid letting in a goal – club historians report that the game was described by commentators as "drab".Holley Chalk 2003 395 In a third consecutive replay, Southampton travelled to Carrow Road, where they had lost 1–2 in the league less than two months earlier. However, it was the visitors who opened the scoring just before the half-time break, when Ruddock headed in a corner from Le Tissier. In the second half, however, the Canaries dominated possession and enjoyed numerous chances on goal. A few minutes after the break, Le Tissier was sent off and Rob Newman scored an equaliser a few minutes later. When the game remained 1–1, extra time was played, during which Horne was also dismissed; before the end of extra time, Chris Sutton scored a winner to send Norwich through. Round 3 3 January 1992 Southampton 2–0 Queens Park Rangers Wood 26Le Tissier 38 Southampton The Dell 13,710 W Round 4 26 January 1992 Southampton 0–0 Manchester United Southampton The Dell 19,506 D Round 4 Replay 4 February 1992 Manchester United 2–2 yes 2–4 Southampton Kanchelskis 42McClair 90 Gray 8Shearer 22 Manchester Old Trafford 33,414 W Round 5 15 February 1992 Bolton Wanderers 2–2 Southampton Walker 78Green 86 Hall 26 28 Manchester Burnden Park 20,136 D Round 5 Replay 25 February 1992 Southampton 3–2 yes Bolton Wanderers Shearer 28Horne 90 Walker 33Darby 90 Southampton The Dell 18,009 W Round 6 7 March 1992 Southampton 0–0 Norwich City Southampton The Dell 20,088 D Round 6 Replay 18 March 1992 Norwich City 2–1 yes Southampton Newman 55Sutton 116 Ruddock 45 Norwich Carrow Road 21,107 L League Cup 1991–92 Football League Cup Southampton entered the 1991–92 League Cup in the second round against Fourth Division club Scarborough. The visiting Saints won the first leg 3–1 thanks to goals from Alan Shearer (two) and Glenn Cockerill, before a 2–2 draw at The Dell (in which Matt Le Tissier and Cockerill put the hosts 2–0 up within the first three minutes) secured a 5–3 aggregate victory for the top-flight side.Holley Chalk 2003 293 The club faced Sheffield Wednesday in the third round, drawing 1–1 at Hillsborough Stadium before beating the newly-promoted First Division side 1–0 in the replay thanks to a Barry Horne header. A replay was also required in the fourth round, after a goalless draw between Southampton and Nottingham Forest; despite hosting the replay, however, the Saints were eliminated by Forest in a 0–1 defeat. Round 2 Leg 1 24 September 1991 Scarborough 1–3 Southampton Mooney 3 Shearer 17 27Cockerill 77 Scarborough McCain Stadium 2,303 W Round 2 Leg 2 9 October 1991 Southampton 2–2 5–3 Scarborough Le Tissier 2Cockerill 3 Himsworth 48Mocker 74 pen. Southampton, Hampshire The Dell 4,036 D Round 3 30 October 1991 Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Southampton Hirst 38 Shearer 81 Sheffield Hillsborough Stadium 17,627 D Round 3 Replay 20 November 1991 Southampton 1–0 Sheffield Wednesday Horne 69 Southampton The Dell 10,801 W Round 4 4 December 1991 Nottingham Forest 0–0 Southampton Nottingham City Ground 17,939 D Round 4 Replay 17 December 1991 Southampton 0–1 Nottingham Forest Gemmill 17 Southampton The Dell 10,861 L Full Members' Cup 1991–92 Full Members' Cup In the final Full Members' Cup before the tournament was discontinued, Southampton entered the second round against Bristol City of the Second Division, winning 2–1 thanks to second-half goals from Alan Shearer and Matt Le Tissier.Holley Chalk 2003 301 Another second-flight side, Plymouth Argyle, awaited the Saints in the next round, with a single Le Tissier header securing their passage. In the area semi-finals, Southampton beat fellow First Division relegation risks West Ham United 2–1 at home, with a Shearer header followed in the last five minutes by a winning Le Tissier penalty. In the two-legged area final, Southampton played Chelsea – they won the first leg 2–0 thanks to goals from Shearer and Terry Hurlock, then won the second leg 3–1 thanks to a Le Tissier hat-trick. In their first cup final since the 1979 League Cup final, the Saints played league rivals Nottingham Forest at Wembley Stadium. The Saints were 0–2 down at half-time, with Forest going ahead through Scot Gemmill and Kingsley Black. Halfway through the second half, Le Tissier pulled one back for his side, heading in a Neil Ruddock cross, before defender Kevin Moore equalised with his own header from a Le Tissier cross six minutes later. The tie was forced to extra time, during which Gemmill scored his second and Forest's third to secure the win. Round 2 22 October 1991 Bristol City 1–2 Southampton Taylor 9 Shearer 69Le Tissier 84 Bristol Ashton Gate Stadium 5,672 W Round 3 26 November 1991 Plymouth Argyle 0–1 Southampton Le Tissier 70 Plymouth Home Park 5,578 W Area Semi-Final 7 January 1992 Southampton 2–1 West Ham United Shearer 67Le Tissier 85 Bishop 34 Southampton The Dell 6,861 W Area Final Leg 1 21 January 1992 Southampton 2–0 Chelsea Shearer 15Hurlock 79 Southampton The Dell 8,726 W Area Final Leg 2 29 January 1992 Chelsea 1–3 1–5 Southampton Wise 37 pen. Le Tissier 6 pen. 20 51 London Stamford Bridge 9,781 W Final 29 March 1992 Nottingham Forest 3–2 yes Southampton Gemmill 15 112Black 45 Le Tissier 64Moore 70 London Wembley Stadium 67,688 L Other matches Outside the league and cup competitions, Southampton played two additional matches during 1991–92. The first was a friendly with the Saudi Arabia national team less than a month after the start of the league, which the visiting Saints lost 2–5 with their goals coming from Matt Le Tissier and Neil Maddison. The second extra game came five days after the end of the league campaign in May 1992, as Aldershot hosted Southampton for a testimonial to mark the end of manager Ian McDonald's tenure, as the club was wound up that summer; the First Division side won 2–1, thanks to goals from Glenn Cockerill and Matthew Bound. Friendly 11 September 1991 KSA Saudi Arabia 5–2 Southampton Le Tissier Maddison Saudi Arabia L Ian McDonald Testimonial 7 May 1992 Aldershot 1–2 Southampton Cockerill Bound Recreation Ground Aldershot W Player details Southampton used 29 players during the 1991–92 season, 12 of whom scored during the campaign.Holley Chalk 2003 223, 293, 301, 394–397 Nine players made their debut appearances for the club, including six of their seven new signings (Iain Dowie, Stuart Gray, Terry Hurlock, David Lee, Paul Moody, and Steve Wood), one loanee (Michael Gilkes) and two players making the step up from youth to the first team (David Hugheshttps://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/david-hughes/ David Hughes SaintsPlayers.co.uk 3 October 2024 and Tommy Widdringtonhttps://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/tommy-widdrington/ Tommy Widdrington SaintsPlayers.co.uk 3 October 2024 ). Eight players made their final appearances for the Saints during the campaign: three left during the season (Alan McLoughlin, Russell Osman, and Paul Rideout), four left before the next season (Jon Gittens,https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/jon-gittens/ Jon Gittens SaintsPlayers.co.uk 3 October 2024 Barry Horne,https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/barry-horne/ Barry Horne SaintsPlayers.co.uk 3 October 2024 Neil Ruddock,https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/neil-ruddock/ Neil Ruddock SaintsPlayers.co.uk 3 October 2024 and Alan Shearerhttps://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/alan-shearer/ Alan Shearer SaintsPlayers.co.uk 3 October 2024 ), and one was a short-term loanee (Gilkes). Goalkeeper Tim Flowers and striker Shearer both made the most appearances for Southampton during the season, missing just two matches each and playing in all 59 other games across all competitions. Shearer finished as the season's top goalscorer with 19 goals in all competitions, followed by Matt Le Tissier on 15 goals (Dowie was the club's second-highest scorer in the league, with nine goals to Le Tissier's six). Flowers won the Southampton F.C. Player of the Season award. Squad statistics NamePos. Playing positionNat. NationalityLeagueFA CupLeague CupFM CupTotalApps. AppearancesGoalsApps. AppearancesGoalsApps. AppearancesGoalsApps. AppearancesGoalsApps. AppearancesGoalsMicky AdamsDF DefenderENG343405050483Ian AndrewsGK GoalkeeperENG1000000010Nicky BangerFW ForwardENG0(4)0000(1)0101(5)0Francis BenaliDF DefenderENG19(3)060003028(3)0Matthew BoundDF DefenderENG0(1)00000000(1)0Oleksiy CherednykDF DefenderURS0000000000Glenn CockerillMF MidfielderENG36(1)45(1)0513049(2)5Jason DoddDF DefenderENG26(2)040503038(2)0Iain DowieFW ForwardNIR25(5)9400(3)04033(8)9Tim FlowersGK GoalkeeperENG410705060590Michael GilkesMF MidfielderBAR4(2)00000004(2)0Stuart GrayMF MidfielderENG10(2)041401019(2)1Richard HallDF DefenderENG21(5)3523(1)03032(6)5Barry HorneMF MidfielderWAL341724(1)15050(1)4David HughesMF MidfielderENG0000000000Terry HurlockMF MidfielderENG27(2)050406142(2)1Jeff KennaDF DefenderIRL1403(1)0003020(1)0Matt Le TissierMF MidfielderENG31(1)671516749(1)15David LeeMF MidfielderENG11(8)00(1)0001(1)012(10)0Neil MaddisonMF MidfielderENG4(2)00(1)000004(3)0Paul MoodyFW ForwardENG2(2)00(1)000002(3)0Lee PowellFW ForwardWAL1(3)00000001(3)0S. RoastDF DefenderENG0000000000Neil RuddockDF DefenderENG300614040441Alan ShearerFW ForwardENG41137251635919Tommy WiddringtonMF MidfielderENG2(1)00000002(1)0Steve WoodDF DefenderENG150110040201Squad members who ended the season out on loanJon GittensDF DefenderENG9(2)000401014(2)0Kevin MooreDF DefenderENG15(1)020201120(1)1Paul TisdaleMF MidfielderENG0000000000Players with appearances who left before the end of the seasonAlan McLoughlinMF MidfielderIRL0(2)0000(1)0000(3)0Russell OsmanDF DefenderENG5000000050Paul RideoutFW ForwardENG4000000040 Most appearances RankNamePos. Playing positionLeagueFA CupLeague CupFM CupTotalStartsSubsStartsSubsStartsSubsStartsSubsStartsSubsTotal1Tim FlowersGK Goalkeeper41070506059059Alan ShearerFW Forward410705060590593Barry HorneMF Midfielder34070415050151Glenn CockerillMF Midfielder361515030492515Matt Le TissierMF Midfielder311705060491506Micky AdamsDF Defender340405050480487Neil RuddockDF Defender30060404044044Terry HurlockMF Midfielder272504060422449Iain DowieFW Forward2554003403384110Jason DoddDF Defender26240503038240 Top goalscorers RankNamePos. Playing positionLeagueFA CupLeague CupFM CupTotalGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGPG Goals per game1Alan ShearerFW Forward134127153619590.322Matt Le TissierMF Midfielder63217157615500.303Iain DowieFW Forward9300403049410.224Richard HallDF Defender3262504035380.13Glenn CockerillMF Midfielder4370615035510.106Barry HorneMF Midfielder1342715054510.087Micky AdamsDF Defender3340405053480.068Steve WoodDF Defender0151100041200.05Stuart GrayMF Midfielder0121404011210.05Kevin MooreDF Defender0160202111210.05Terry HurlockMF Midfielder0290504161440.02Neil RuddockDF Defender0301604041440.02 References Bibliography Holley Duncan Chalk Gary Bull David 2003 In That Number: A Post-War Chronicle of Southampton FC Hagiology Publishing Bristol, England 0-9534474-3-X External links Southampton F.C. official website Category:Southampton F.C. seasons Southampton