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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.
| 1991–92 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Guy Askham | |||
| Manager | Ian Branfoot | |||
| Stadium | The Dell | |||
| First Division | 16th | |||
| FA Cup | Sixth round | |||
| League Cup | Fourth round | |||
| Full Members' Cup | Runners-up | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Alan Shearer (13) All: Alan Shearer (19) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 19,264 v Manchester United (14 September 1991) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 4,036 v Scarborough (9 October 1991) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 14,070 | |||
| Biggest win | 2–0 (two matches) 3–1 (three matches) | |||
| Biggest defeat | 0–4 v Leeds United (28 August 1991) 0–4 v Arsenal (28 September 1991) 1–5 v Arsenal (2 May 1992) | |||
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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.
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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4][5] 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.[6] In dismissing a player described by club historians as "a favourite of the fans",[3] this decision has been identified by commentators as one of the primary early reasons for the supporters' disapproval of Branfoot as manager.[7][8] 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.[9][10] 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.[11]
After the opening three league games of the season, Branfoot signed winger David Lee from Third Division side Bury for £350,000.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14] Later in September, the club sold striker Paul Rideout to Notts County for £250,000,[15] left-back Andy Cook to Exeter City for £60,000,[16] and midfielder Sergey Gotsmanov (who had only arrived a year before) to German club Hallescher for free.[17] Defensive midfielder Stuart Gray signed for £200,000 from Aston Villa,[18] who then briefly signed Alan McLoughlin on loan.[19]
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.[20] 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.[21] 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,[22][23][24] while McLoughlin was loaned out (and subsequently sold) to nearby rivals Portsmouth.[19] 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.[25]
Players transferred in
| Name | Nationality | Pos. | Club | Date | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Moody |  England |
FW | Waterlooville |
July 1991 | Unknown | [9] |
| Matthew Robinson | England |
DF | none (free agent) | July 1991 | Free[lower-alpha 1] | [10] |
| David Lee | England |
MF | Bury |
26 August 1991 | £350,000 | [12] |
| Iain Dowie |  Northern Ireland |
FW | West Ham United |
3 September 1991 | £500,000 | [13] |
| Terry Hurlock | England |
MF |  Rangers |
9 September 1991 | £400,000 | [14] |
| Stuart Gray | England |
MF | Aston Villa |
September 1991 | £200,000 | [18] |
| Steve Wood | England |
DF | Millwall |
October 1991 | £400,000 | [20] |
| Andy Williams |  Wales |
DF | none (free agent) | January 1992 | Free[lower-alpha 2] | [26] |
Players transferred out
| Name | Nationality | Pos. | Club | Date | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Wallace | England |
DF | Leeds United |
May 1991 | £1,600,000 | [4] |
| Rod Wallace | England |
FW | [5] | |||
| Jimmy Case | England |
MF | Bournemouth |
June 1991 | Free | [6] |
| Steve Davis | England |
DF | Burnley |
August 1991 | £60,000 | [11] |
| Paul Rideout | England |
FW | Notts County |
16 September 1991 | £250,000 | [15] |
| Andy Cook | England |
DF | Exeter City |
September 1991 | £60,000 | [16] |
| Sergey Gotsmanov |  Soviet Union |
MF |  Hallescher |
September 1991 | Free | [17] |
| Russell Osman | England |
DF | Bristol City |
December 1991 | £60,000 | [21] |
| Alan McLoughlin |  Republic of Ireland |
MF | Portsmouth |
March 1992 | Unknown | [19] |
Players loaned in
| Name | Nationality | Pos. | Club | Date from | Date to | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Gilkes |  Barbados |
MF | Reading |
March 1992 | End of season | [25] |
Players loaned out
| Name | Nationality | Pos. | Club | Date from | Date to | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan McLoughlin | Republic of Ireland |
MF | Aston Villa |
September 1991 | October 1991 | [19] |
| Tommy Widdrington | England |
MF | Wigan Athletic |
September 1991 | October 1991 | [27] |
| Russell Osman | England |
DF | Bristol City |
October 1991 | December 1991 | [21] |
| Kevin Moore | England |
DF | Bristol Rovers |
January 1992 | End of season | [22] |
| Jon Gittens | England |
MF | Middlesbrough |
February 1992 | End of season | [23] |
| Alan McLoughlin | Republic of Ireland |
MF | Portsmouth |
February 1992 | March 1992 | [19] |
| Paul Tisdale | England |
MF | Northampton Town |
March 1992 | End of season | [24] |
Notes
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).[28] 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.[28] 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.[28]
| 24 July 1991 Friendly | Southampton | 5–0 |  Kuwait Olympic XI | Southampton |
Hall  Le Tissier Rideout Shearer |
Stadium: Road-Sea Park |
| 26 July 1991 Friendly | Exeter City | 0–3 | Southampton | Exeter |
| McLoughlin Moore Rideout |
Stadium: St James Park |
| 27 July 1991 Friendly | Torpoint Athletic | 3–5 | Southampton | Torpoint |
| Maddison Hall Moody Rideout |
Stadium: The Mill |
| 29 July 1991 Friendly | Plymouth Argyle | 1–2 | Southampton | Plymouth |
| Cockerill Shearer |
Stadium: Home Park |
| 30 July 1991 Friendly | Bodmin Town | 0–5 | Southampton | Bodmin |
| Shearer Cockerill Ruddock |
Stadium: Priory Park |
| 2 August 1991 Friendly | St Johnstone | 0–0 | Southampton | Perth, Scotland |
| Stadium: McDiarmid Park |
| 4 August 1991 Friendly | Falkirk | 0–2 | Southampton | Falkirk, Scotland |
| Shearer |
Stadium: Brockville Park |
| 6 August 1991 Brian Tiler Memorial | Bournemouth | 1–4 | Southampton | Bournemouth |
| Cockerill Osman Shearer |
Stadium: Dean Court |
| 9 August 1991 Friendly | Southampton | 0–1 |  Real Sociedad | Southampton |
| Stadium: The Dell |
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.[3] 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.[29] 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.[29] By the end of September, Southampton had already dropped to 21st out of 22 in the First Division league table.[30] 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.[29]
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.[29] 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.[29] 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.[31] 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.[32] An away win over Tottenham Hotspur saw Southampton briefly leapfrog Luton Town at the bottom of the table,[33] however they quickly returned their after another loss at Norwich City followed by three draws in a row against Chelsea, Coventry City and Liverpool.[32]
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.[32] 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.[34] 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.[32]
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.[32]
List of match results
| 16 August 1991 1 | Southampton | 2–3 | Tottenham Hotspur | Southampton |
| Shearer 2' Hall 74' |
Lineker 40' Durie 70' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 18,581 |
| 20 August 1991 2 | Notts County | 1–0 | Southampton | Nottingham |
| Yates 39' |
Stadium: Meadow Lane |
| 24 August 1991 3 | Sheffield United | 0–2 | Southampton | Sheffield |
| Shearer 45' Le Tissier 78' |
Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 18,029 |
| 28 August 1991 4 | Southampton | 0–4 | Leeds United | Southampton |
| Speed 22', 89' Strachan 56' (pen.), 70' (pen.) |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 15,862 |
| 31 August 1991 5 | Southampton | 1–1 | Aston Villa | Southampton |
| Shearer 33' |
Richardson 2' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 16,161 |
| 4 September 1991 6 | Luton Town | 2–1 | Southampton | Luton |
| Gray 32' Harvey 40' |
Le Tissier 30' (pen.) |
Stadium: Kenilworth Road Attendance: 8,055 |
| 7 September 1991 7 | Queens Park Rangers | 2–2 | Southampton | London |
| Barker 68' Thompson 84' |
Shearer 1' Dowie 81' |
Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 9,237 |
| 14 September 1991 8 | Southampton | 0–1 | Manchester United | Southampton |
| Hughes 48' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 19,264 |
| 18 September 1991 9 | Southampton | 1–0 | Wimbledon | Southampton |
| Cockerill 40' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 11,280 |
| 21 September 1991 10 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–0 | Southampton | Sheffield |
| Harkes 3' Worthington 65' |
Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium Attendance: 27,291 |
| 28 September 1991 11 | Southampton | 0–4 | Arsenal | Southampton |
| Rocastle 38' Wright 40', 46', 74' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 18,050 |
| 5 October 1991 12 | Oldham Athletic | 1–1 | Southampton | Manchester |
| Henry 66' |
Shearer 28' |
Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 13,133 |
| 19 October 1991 13 | Southampton | 0–0 | Norwich City | Southampton |
| Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 12,516 |
| 26 October 1991 14 | Nottingham Forest | 1–3 | Southampton | Nottingham |
| Black 84' |
Le Tissier 31', 71' (pen.) Shearer 72' |
Stadium: City Ground Attendance: 20,026 |
| 2 November 1991 15 | Southampton | 0–3 | Manchester City | Southampton |
| Quinn 12' Sheron 47'Gittens 59' (o.g.) |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 13,933 |
| 16 November 1991 16 | Crystal Palace | 1–0 | Southampton | London |
| Thomas 67' |
Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 15,861 |
| 23 November 1991 17 | Southampton | 1–0 | Chelsea | Southampton |
| Shearer 42' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 14,933 |
| 30 November 1991 18 | Coventry City | 2–0 | Southampton | Coventry |
| Gallacher 23' Pearce 71' |
Stadium: Highfield Road Attendance: 8,585 |
| 7 December 1991 19 | Southampton | 1–1 | Liverpool | Southampton |
| Shearer 55' |
Redknapp 75' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 10,053 |
| 20 December 1991 20 | Southampton | 1–1 | Notts County | Southampton |
| Dowie 32' |
Slawson 81' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 11,054 |
| 26 December 1991 21 | Leeds United | 3–3 | Southampton | Leeds |
| Hodge 27', 29' Speed 73' |
Dowie 50', 90' Shearer 79' |
Stadium: Elland Road Attendance: 22,805 |
| 28 December 1991 22 | Aston Villa | 2–1 | Southampton | Birmingham |
| Regis 15' Yorke 60' |
Shearer 73' |
Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 23,094 |
| 1 January 1992 23 | Southampton | 1–2 | Everton | Southampton |
| Adams 90' |
Ward 4' Beardsley 69' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 16,546 |
| 11 January 1992 24 | Southampton | 2–4 | Sheffield United | Southampton |
| Le Tissier 3' Hall 59' |
Ward 13' Lake 58', 82'Marwood 68' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 12,502 |
| 18 January 1992 25 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–2 | Southampton | London |
| Mabbutt 81' |
Adams 24' Dowie 80' |
Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 23,191 |
| 1 February 1992 26 | Norwich City | 2–1 | Southampton | Norwich |
| Ullathorne 49' Fleck 74' |
Cockerill 71' |
Stadium: Carrow Road Attendance: 10,660 |
| 12 February 1992 27 | Chelsea | 1–1 | Southampton | London |
| Townsend 74' |
Horne 56' |
Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 7,148 |
| 22 February 1992 28 | Southampton | 0–0 | Coventry City | Southampton |
| Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 13,719 |
| 3 March 1992 30 | Southampton | 1–0 | West Ham United | Southampton |
| Dowie 65' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 14,548 |
| 11 March 1992 31 | Southampton | 1–0 | Crystal Palace | Southampton |
| Le Tissier 40' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 12,926 |
| 15 March 1992 32 | Manchester City | 0–1 | Southampton | Manchester |
| Dowie 35' |
Stadium: Maine Road Attendance: 24,265 |
| 21 March 1992 33 | Southampton | 2–1 | Luton Town | Southampton |
| Shearer 67' Dowie 80' |
Pembridge 45' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 14,192 |
| 1 April 1992 34 | Everton | 0–1 | Southampton | Liverpool |
| Cockerill 24' |
Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 15,201 |
| 4 April 1992 35 | Southampton | 2–1 | Queens Park Rangers | Southampton |
| Dowie 13' Shearer 64' (pen.) |
Ferdinand 62' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 13,849 |
| 8 April 1992 36 | Southampton | 0–1 | Nottingham Forest | Southampton |
| Tiler 14' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 14,905 |
| 14 April 1992 37 | West Ham United | 0–1 | Southampton | London |
| Adams 88' |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 18,298 |
| 16 April 1992 38 | Manchester United | 1–0 | Southampton | Manchester |
| Kanchelskis 64' |
Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 43,972 |
| 18 April 1992 39 | Southampton | 0–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | Southampton |
| Hirst 69' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 17,715 |
| 20 April 1992 40 | Wimbledon | 0–1 | Southampton | London |
| Hall 24' |
Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 4,025 |
| 25 April 1992 41 | Southampton | 1–0 | Oldham Athletic | Southampton |
| Shearer 84' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 15,875 |
Final league table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Chelsea | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 50 | 60 | −10 | 53 |
| 15 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 58 | 63 | −5 | 52 |
| 16 | Southampton | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 39 | 55 | −16 | 52 |
| 17 | Oldham Athletic | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 63 | 67 | −4 | 51 |
| 18 | Norwich City | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 47 | 63 | −16 | 45 |
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Results by matchday
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.[35] 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.[35] 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.[35]
In the fourth round, Southampton hosted Manchester United, who were second in the league and considered "cup favourites" according to club historians.[35] Despite chances for Alan Shearer and Mark Hughes at either end, the game ended in a goalless draw, necessitating a replay at Old Trafford.[35] 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.[35] 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".[35] 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).[36]
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.[37] 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.[37] 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.[37] 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.[35] 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.[35] Horne scored again to secure Southampton's passage to the sixth round.[35]
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".[36] In a third consecutive replay, Southampton travelled to Carrow Road, where they had lost 1–2 in the league less than two months earlier.[36] However, it was the visitors who opened the scoring just before the half-time break, when Ruddock headed in a corner from Le Tissier.[36] 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.[37] 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.[37]
| 3 January 1992 Round 3 | Southampton | 2–0 | Queens Park Rangers | Southampton |
| Wood 26' Le Tissier 38' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 13,710 |
| 26 January 1992 Round 4 | Southampton | 0–0 | Manchester United | Southampton |
| Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 19,506 |
| 4 February 1992 Round 4 Replay | Manchester United | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (2–4 p) | Southampton | Manchester |
| Kanchelskis 42' McClair 90' |
Gray 8' Shearer 22' |
Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 33,414 |
| 15 February 1992 Round 5 | Bolton Wanderers | 2–2 | Southampton | Manchester |
| Walker 78' Green 86' |
Hall 26', 28' |
Stadium: Burnden Park Attendance: 20,136 |
| 25 February 1992 Round 5 Replay | Southampton | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Bolton Wanderers | Southampton |
| Shearer 28' Horne 90' |
Walker 33' Darby 90' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 18,009 |
| 7 March 1992 Round 6 | Southampton | 0–0 | Norwich City | Southampton |
| Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 20,088 |
| 18 March 1992 Round 6 Replay | Norwich City | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Southampton | Norwich |
| Newman 55' Sutton 116' |
Ruddock 45' |
Stadium: Carrow Road Attendance: 21,107 |
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.[38] 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.[38] 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.[38]
| 24 September 1991 Round 2 Leg 1 | Scarborough | 1–3 | Southampton | Scarborough |
| Mooney 3' |
Shearer 17', 27' Cockerill 77' |
Stadium: McCain Stadium Attendance: 2,303 |
| 9 October 1991 Round 2 Leg 2 | Southampton | 2–2 (5–3 agg.) | Scarborough | Southampton, Hampshire |
| Le Tissier 2' Cockerill 3' |
Himsworth 48' Mocker 74' (pen.) |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 4,036 |
| 30 October 1991 Round 3 | Sheffield Wednesday | 1–1 | Southampton | Sheffield |
| Hirst 38' |
Shearer 81' |
Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium Attendance: 17,627 |
| 20 November 1991 Round 3 Replay | Southampton | 1–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | Southampton |
| Horne 69' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 10,801 |
| 4 December 1991 Round 4 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | Southampton | Nottingham |
| Stadium: City Ground Attendance: 17,939 |
| 17 December 1991 Round 4 Replay | Southampton | 0–1 | Nottingham Forest | Southampton |
| Gemmill 17' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 10,861 |
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.[39] Another second-flight side, Plymouth Argyle, awaited the Saints in the next round, with a single Le Tissier header securing their passage.[39] 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.[39] 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.[39]
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.[39] 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.[39] The tie was forced to extra time, during which Gemmill scored his second and Forest's third to secure the win.[39]
| 22 October 1991 Round 2 | Bristol City | 1–2 | Southampton | Bristol |
| Taylor 9' |
Shearer 69' Le Tissier 84' |
Stadium: Ashton Gate Stadium Attendance: 5,672 |
| 26 November 1991 Round 3 | Plymouth Argyle | 0–1 | Southampton | Plymouth |
| Le Tissier 70' |
Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 5,578 |
| 7 January 1992 Area Semi-Final | Southampton | 2–1 | West Ham United | Southampton |
| Shearer 67' Le Tissier 85' |
Bishop 34' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 6,861 |
| 21 January 1992 Area Final Leg 1 | Southampton | 2–0 | Chelsea | Southampton |
| Shearer 15' Hurlock 79' |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 8,726 |
| 29 January 1992 Area Final Leg 2 | Chelsea | 1–3 (1–5 agg.) | Southampton | London |
| Wise 37' (pen.) |
Le Tissier 6' (pen.), 20', 51' |
Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 9,781 |
| 29 March 1992 Final | Nottingham Forest | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Southampton | London |
| Gemmill 15', 112' Black 45' |
Le Tissier 64' Moore 70' |
Stadium: Wembley Stadium Attendance: 67,688 |
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.[28] 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.[28]
| 11 September 1991 Friendly |  Saudi Arabia | 5–2 | Southampton | Saudi Arabia |
| Le Tissier Maddison |
| 7 May 1992 Ian McDonald Testimonial | Aldershot | 1–2 | Southampton | Aldershot |
| Cockerill Bound |
Stadium: Recreation Ground |
Southampton used 29 players during the 1991–92 season, 12 of whom scored during the campaign.[40] Nine players made their debut appearances for the club, including six of their seven new signings (Iain Dowie,[13] Stuart Gray,[18] Terry Hurlock,[14] David Lee,[12] Paul Moody,[9] and Steve Wood[20]), one loanee (Michael Gilkes[25]) and two players making the step up from youth to the first team (David Hughes[41] and Tommy Widdrington[42]). Eight players made their final appearances for the Saints during the campaign: three left during the season (Alan McLoughlin,[19] Russell Osman,[21] and Paul Rideout[15]), four left before the next season (Jon Gittens,[43] Barry Horne,[44] Neil Ruddock,[45] and Alan Shearer[46]), and one was a short-term loanee (Gilkes[25]). 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.[40] 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).[40] Flowers won the Southampton F.C. Player of the Season award.[32]
Squad statistics
| Name | Pos. | Nat. | League | FA Cup | League Cup | FM Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | |||
| Micky Adams | DF | |
34 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 3 |
| Ian Andrews | GK | |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Nicky Banger | FW | |
0(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(5) | 0 |
| Francis Benali | DF | |
19(3) | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 28(3) | 0 |
| Matthew Bound | DF | |
0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| Oleksiy Cherednyk | DF | |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Glenn Cockerill | MF | |
36(1) | 4 | 5(1) | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 49(2) | 5 |
| Jason Dodd | DF | |
26(2) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 38(2) | 0 |
| Iain Dowie | FW | |
25(5) | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0(3) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 33(8) | 9 |
| Tim Flowers | GK | |
41 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 59 | 0 |
| Michael Gilkes | MF | |
4(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(2) | 0 |
| Stuart Gray | MF | |
10(2) | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19(2) | 1 |
| Richard Hall | DF | |
21(5) | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3(1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 32(6) | 5 |
| Barry Horne | MF | |
34 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 4(1) | 1 | 5 | 0 | 50(1) | 4 |
| David Hughes | MF | |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terry Hurlock | MF | |
27(2) | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 42(2) | 1 |
| Jeff Kenna | DF | |
14 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20(1) | 0 |
| Matt Le Tissier | MF | |
31(1) | 6 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 49(1) | 15 |
| David Lee | MF | |
11(8) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 12(10) | 0 |
| Neil Maddison | MF | |
4(2) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(3) | 0 |
| Paul Moody | FW | |
2(2) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(3) | 0 |
| Lee Powell | FW | |
1(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(3) | 0 |
| S. Roast | DF | |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Neil Ruddock | DF | |
30 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 44 | 1 |
| Alan Shearer | FW | |
41 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 59 | 19 |
| Tommy Widdrington | MF | |
2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 |
| Steve Wood | DF | |
15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| Squad members who ended the season out on loan | ||||||||||||
| Jon Gittens | DF | |
9(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14(2) | 0 |
| Kevin Moore | DF | |
15(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20(1) | 1 |
| Paul Tisdale | MF | |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players with appearances who left before the end of the season | ||||||||||||
| Alan McLoughlin | MF | |
0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(3) | 0 |
| Russell Osman | DF | |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Paul Rideout | FW | |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Most appearances
| Rank | Name | Pos. | League | FA Cup | League Cup | FM Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Total | |||
| 1 | Tim Flowers | GK | 41 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 59 | 0 | 59 |
| Alan Shearer | FW | 41 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 59 | 0 | 59 | |
| 3 | Barry Horne | MF | 34 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 50 | 1 | 51 |
| Glenn Cockerill | MF | 36 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 2 | 51 | |
| 5 | Matt Le Tissier | MF | 31 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 49 | 1 | 50 |
| 6 | Micky Adams | DF | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 48 |
| 7 | Neil Ruddock | DF | 30 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 44 |
| Terry Hurlock | MF | 27 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 42 | 2 | 44 | |
| 9 | Iain Dowie | FW | 25 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 33 | 8 | 41 |
| 10 | Jason Dodd | DF | 26 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 40 |
Top goalscorers
| Rank | Name | Pos. | League | FA Cup | League Cup | FM Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | GPG | |||
| 1 | Alan Shearer | FW | 13 | 41 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 59 | 0.32 |
| 2 | Matt Le Tissier | MF | 6 | 32 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 50 | 0.30 |
| 3 | Iain Dowie | FW | 9 | 30 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 41 | 0.22 |
| 4 | Richard Hall | DF | 3 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 38 | 0.13 |
| Glenn Cockerill | MF | 4 | 37 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 51 | 0.10 | |
| 6 | Barry Horne | MF | 1 | 34 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 51 | 0.08 |
| 7 | Micky Adams | DF | 3 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 48 | 0.06 |
| 8 | Steve Wood | DF | 0 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 0.05 |
| Stuart Gray | MF | 0 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 0.05 | |
| Kevin Moore | DF | 0 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 0.05 | |
| Terry Hurlock | MF | 0 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 44 | 0.02 | |
| Neil Ruddock | DF | 0 | 30 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 44 | 0.02 | |
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