The1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitivefootball in England.
The season sawArsenal win their first league title for 18 years, in dramatic fashion, as they beat defending championsLiverpool2–0 atAnfield to clinch the title on number of goals scored. Liverpool had won theFA Cup six days earlier and for the second season running missed out on a unique seconddouble. Third placedNottingham Forest lifted both theFootball League Cup andFull Members' Cup. The ban on English clubs, following theHeysel Stadium disaster, was now in its fourth season andUEFA then voted for it to continue for a fifth season. In April 1989, fourteen Liverpool supporters were convicted of manslaughter relating to the disaster.
The season was overshadowed by theHillsborough disaster on 15 April 1989, which resulted in the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans in a crowd crush at theFA Cup semi-final.
On 15 April, a crowd crush at theFA Cup semi-final betweenLiverpool andNottingham Forest atHillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital four days later. The death toll became 96 in March 1993, whenTony Bland died after being in a coma for nearly four years, and 97 in July 2021. A subsequent inquiry into the tragedy led to theTaylor Report, in whichLord Justice Taylor of Gosforth ordered that all top division clubs should haveall-seater stadiums from the1994–95 season onwards.
One of the biggest changes in the history of football on television began in this season, asITV gained exclusive rights to showFootball League matches, both in live and highlights form. The rights cost £11m, up from £5.2m in 1983.[1] Most of their coverage was of live matches on Sunday afternoons of top-flight games. They would hold the exclusive rights until 1992, when they lost coverage of the newly formedPremier League toSky.
It ended a long-term partnership with theBBC, who in turn struck up a partnership with theFA for exclusive coverage of theFA Cup. The BBC did not show another live English Football League match until 2009 and would not show another live top-flight football league match until 2020.
Scunthorpe United relocated from theOld Showground toGlanford Park in the first relocation of a Football League team sinceSouthend United moved toRoots Hall in 1955.[2]
The play-off system was slightly altered: they were now contested by the four sides just missing out on promotion, with one fewer team automatically promoted. The system has stayed in place since then (although it was not until the following season thatWembley Stadium began hosting finals).
4 July 1988 – UruguayanDanny Bergara, 46, becomes the first foreign manager[citation needed] in English football when he takes over atFourth Division clubRochdale.[3]
5 July 1988 – After three years in Italy withBari, formerAston Villa strikerPaul Rideout returns to England in a £430,000 move toSouthampton.[4]
7 July 1988 – Tottenham Hotspur complete a British transfer record £2 million deal for 21-year-old Newcastle United midfielderPaul Gascoigne. Gascoigne signs a contract atWhite Hart Lane until the end of the1992–93 season.[5]
12 July 1988 – The long hunt for a newWales national football team manager ends whenSwansea City managerTerry Yorath is appointed on a part-time basis.[6]
13 July 1988 –Gordon Cowans ends his three-year spell at Bari to rejoin Aston Villa in a £250,000 deal,[7] while Everton strengthen their midfield in a £925,000 move forChelsea and Scotland midfielderPat Nevin.[8]
19 July 1988 – England defenderGary Stevens moves to Scotland in a £1 million move from Everton toRangers in the costliest transfer involving a British defender.[9] He is replaced atGoodison Park by Newcastle United'sNeil McDonald.[10]
20 July 1988 – After two seasons atBarcelona,Mark Hughes returns toManchester United for a club record £1.8 million, breaking the previous record of £1.75 million that the club paid forBryan Robson seven years ago.[11]
25 July 1988 – Less than three weeks after Tottenham broke the national transfer record, a new record is set when Everton complete the signing ofWest Ham United's 23-year-old strikerTony Cottee for £2.2 million.[12]
28 July 1988 –Billy Bonds, the oldest player in the Football League at 41, announces his retirement as a player but will remain with West Ham United as youth team coach.
1 August 1988 – West Ham United sign strikerDavid Kelly fromWalsall for £600,000.[13] Newcastle United sign defenderAndy Thorn fromFA Cup winnersWimbledon for a club record £850,000.[14]
8 August 1988 –Graham Roberts returns to England in a £470,000 move to Chelsea from Rangers.
13 August 1988 – The firstNorth London derby to be held atWembley Stadium ends in a 4–0 victory forArsenal in the friendlyWembley International Tournament. The Gunners' goalscorers arePaul Merson,Alan Smith, andBrian Marwood (2).[15]
14 August 1988 – Arsenal beatBayern Munich 3–0 to win the Wembley International Tournament on goal difference.[15]
17 August 1988 – Nottingham Forest sign England midfielderSteve Hodge from Tottenham Hotspur for £550,000.[16]
18 August 1988 – After an unhappy season atJuventus,Ian Rush returns toLiverpool for £2.8 million. It is the third time in two months that the national transfer fee record has been broken.[17]
20 August 1988 – Liverpool gain revenge for their FA Cup final defeat by Wimbledon in May by beating them 2–1 in theCharity Shield.John Aldridge, who missed a penalty in the FA Cup final, scores both goals for Liverpool, andJohn Fashanu scores for Wimbledon.[18]
23 August 1988 –Kevin Moran leaves Manchester United on a free transfer after ten years and joins Spanish sideSporting Gijón.
26 August 1988 –Alan Ball preparesPortsmouth's challenge for an immediate return to the First Division by paying Aston Villa £315,000 for strikerWarren Aspinall.[19]
27 August 1988 –Millwall begin their life as aFirst Division side by drawing 2–2 at Aston Villa. ForwardsJohn Aldridge, Alan Smith, andTony Cottee score opening dayhat-tricks as Liverpool beatCharlton Athletic 3–0, Arsenal thrash FA Cup holders Wimbledon 5–1, and Everton thump Newcastle United 4–0.[20] Tottenham Hotspur's opening fixture at home toCoventry City was postponed following the Londoners' failure to obtain a safety certificate forWhite Hart Lane.[1]
31 August 1988 –Norwich City sign Irish midfielderAndy Townsend fromSouthampton for £300,000.[21] Chelsea defenderSteve Wicks retires from playing due to a back injury.
1 September 1988 –Brighton & Hove Albion, newly promoted back to the Second Division, signBarnet defenderNicky Bissett for £115,000, a record fee for a non-league player.Richard Thompson, 24, becomes the youngest chairman in the Football League when he takes over atQueens Park Rangers in place ofDavid Bulstrode.
10 September 1988 – In the North London derby atWhite Hart Lane, Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–2.[22] Southampton go top of the First Division after three games with a 2–1 home win over Luton Town. Norwich City hold the First Division's other remaining 100% record by beating QPR 1–0 atCarrow Road.Bryan Robson helps Manchester United achieve their first goal and win of the season with a 1–0 home win overMiddlesbrough.[23]
12 September 1988 – Nearly a decade after leaving them forSunderland, goalkeeperChris Turner returns toSheffield Wednesday in a £175,000 move from Manchester United.
16 September 1988 –Andy Gray returns to his native Scotland after 13 years to sign for Rangers.
17 September – Southampton drop points for the first time this season with a 2–2 draw against Arsenal atHighbury, and their midfielderGlenn Cockerill suffers a broken jaw in a clash with Arsenal'sPaul Davis. The result allows Norwich to go top with a 2–0 win at Newcastle United, who move to the bottom of the table. Liverpool goalkeeperBruce Grobbelaar is hospitalised withmeningitis and is expected to be out of action until the new year.[24]
24 September – Norwich City drop points for the first time this season but remain top of the First Division with a 2–2 draw at home to third-place Millwall.[25]
28 September 1988 – Wimbledon sign Nottingham Forest goalkeeperHans Segers for £180,000.[26]Leeds United, fourth from bottom in the Second Division, sack managerBilly Bremner after three years at the helm.[27]
29 September 1988 – Paul Davis is fined a record £3,000 and banned for nine matches for punching Glenn Cockerill in Arsenal's recent League match against Southampton.[28]
30 September 1988 – The month ends with Norwich City as the surprise leaders of the First Division, two points ahead of Liverpool and newly-promoted Millwall. FA Cup holders Wimbledon occupy bottom place.[20] The Second Division promotion race is headed byBlackburn Rovers andWatford.Ipswich Town, Portsmouth, Bradford City andOldham Athletic occupy the promotion play-off places, while pre-season promotion favourites Leeds United occupy a lowly 18th place.[29]
1 October 1988 – Millwall go top of the league in their first season in the First Division with a 3–2 win over Queens Park Rangers.[20] Norwich's 3–1 home defeat to Charlton Athletic pushes them down to second place. West Ham United go bottom of the division with a 4–1 home defeat to Arsenal. Ipswich go top of the Second Division with a 2–1 away win over West Bromwich Albion. Bottom-of-the-table Birmingham lose a thrilling game at home to Barnsley 5–3.[30]
2 October 1988 – Aston Villa sell defenderNeale Cooper to Rangers for £300,000.[31]
7 October 1988 –Derby County managerArthur Cox dismisses speculation that he will take over at Leeds United.
8 October 1988 – Norwich City return to the top of the First Division with a 1–0 win over Derby County at theBaseball Ground. Second Division promotion challengers Blackburn Rovers beat Crystal Palace 5–4 in a nine-goal thriller atEwood Park.[32]
9 October 1988 –Jackie Milburn, Newcastle's record goal scorer who helped them win threeFA Cups during the 1950s, dies of cancer aged 64.
10 October 1988 –Howard Wilkinson ends six years as Sheffield Wednesday manager by agreeing to drop down a division to join Leeds United,[33] whileWillie McFaul ends his 22-year association with Newcastle United when he is sacked as manager.[34] Reserve team coachColin Suggett is put in charge, with the club's board saying that he will stay in the role until the end of the season.[35]
13 October 1988 –Ron Atkinson steps down as West Bromwich Albion manager for the second time, taking over atAtlético Madrid in Spain, in a contract worth £250,000 per year.[36]
15 October 1988 – Millwall miss the chance to go back to the top of the First Division when Coventry hold them to a goalless draw atHighfield Road. A West Midlands derby at St Andrew's sees West Bromwich Albion beat their local rivals Birmingham City 4–1. Chelsea boost their hopes of an immediate return to the First Division by beating Oldham Athletic 4–1 atBoundary Park.[37]
17 October 1988 – Liverpool midfielderJan Molby is found guilty ofreckless driving anddriving under the influence of alcohol, and is sentenced to three months in prison.[citation needed]
20 October 1988 – Liverpool sign 20-year-old defenderDavid Burrows fromWest Bromwich Albion for £550,000.[38]
21 October 1988 – Wimbledon pay a club record £500,000 forReading defenderKeith Curle.[39]
22 October 1988 – Southampton make history by fielding three brothers in the same team in their 2–1 league defeat to Sheffield Wednesday: 24-year-oldDanny Wallace lines up alongside twin brothersRod andRay. Norwich City maintain their lead of the First Division with a 3–1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur, which sends the visitors into the bottom three. West Ham United remain in the bottom three despite a 2–0 win over Newcastle United, which sends theTynesiders back to the bottom of the table. Chelsea's Second Division surge continues with a 5–0 home win over Plymouth Argyle.[40]
25 October 1988 – Tottenham Hotspur remain in the bottom three after losing 2–1 at home to Southampton, who climb from tenth place to fifth. Arsenal's title hopes are dented when they are held to a 1–1 draw by Luton Town atKenilworth Road. Watford go top of the Second Division with a 4–0 home win over Barnsley.[41]
26 October 1988 – Norwich City strengthen their lead of the First Division with a 2–1 win over Manchester United atOld Trafford. Newcastle United climb off the bottom of the division with a 3–0 home win over local rivals Middlesbrough. Liverpool are seventh after a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at theCity Ground.[42]
27 October 1988 – Manchester United payLuton Town £650,000 for 31-year-old full-backMal Donaghy.
28 October 1988 – Derby County pay a club-record £1million forOxford United and Wales strikerDean Saunders.[43]
29 October 1988 –Mark Lawrenson is sacked as Oxford United manager after a dispute with the club's board over the sale of Dean Saunders.[44] His assistantBrian Horton, the former Hull City manager, is appointed as his successor.[45] First Division leaders Norwich City draw 1–1 at home to Southampton, while Arsenal climb into second place with a 2–0 home win over Coventry City. Liverpool get back on track with a 2–0 win at West Ham United. In the Second Division, there is a seven-goal thriller at theManor Ground, where Bradford City beat Oxford United 4–3.[46]
30 October 1988 – Everton and Manchester United draw 1–1 in a First Division encounter atGoodison Park. Both teams were among the pre-season title favourites but have so far been disappointing in the league, with Everton 14th and United 10th. Tottenham Hotspur, another team widely expected[by whom?] to challenge for the title this season, are currently second from bottom.[47]
31 October 1988 – Norwich City are back at the top of the First Division table at the end of the month, now with a six-point lead over nearest rivals Arsenal, who have a game in hand, while Millwall are still third. The bottom three places are occupied by Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. Middlesbrough, who two seasons ago were in the Third Division and threatened with closure due to financial problems, finish the month in a creditable seventh place.[20] Watford lead the Second Division by five points over Blackburn Rovers. The playoff zone is occupied by West Bromwich Albion, Portsmouth, Chelsea andManchester City. Leeds United continue to struggle, only being out of the relegation zone on goal difference.[48]
1 November 1988 – Out-of-favour Manchester United strikerPeter Davenport becomes Middlesbrough's record signing in a £750,000 deal.[49] Former Tottenham Hotspur managerKeith Burkinshaw takes over as manager of Third Division strugglersGillingham.[50]
5 November 1988 – In the Second Division,Chelsea win at league leaders Watford through goals fromGordon Durie andKerry Dixon,Tommy Tynan fires four forPlymouth Argyle againstBlackburn Rovers, andJohn Sheridan scores the only goal asLeeds United pick up an away win atIpswich Town.[51] Norwich City continue to head the First Division title race with a 2–0 win over Wimbledon atPlough Lane. Millwall go second with a 3–1 home win over Luton. Tottenham Hotspur are bottom after a 3–1 home defeat to Derby County, which sees theEast Midlanders bounce from 13th to sixth in the table. Manchester United's frustrating form continues when they are held to a 1–1 draw at home to Aston Villa, meaning that they have now drawn five out of 10 First Division games this season.[52]
6 November 1988 – Arsenal go second in the First Division with a 4–1 away over Nottingham Forest. They are now Norwich's nearest challengers, six points behind with a game in hand.[53]
11 November 1988 –Ralph Milne, the 27-year-old winger withBristol City in the Third Division, makes a surprise £170,000 move to Manchester United.[54]
12 November 1988 – Norwich City are still top of the First Division but draw 1–1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday, with Arsenal winning 1–0 at Newcastle United to cut Norwich's lead to four points. Southampton go third win a 3–1 home win over Aston Villa. Manchester United make it six draws from their first 11 games with a 2–2 stalemate away to Derby County.[55]
15 November 1988 – Everton strikerAdrian Heath is sold toEspanyol of Spain for £600,000.[56]
16 November 1988 – Manchester United sell wingerJesper Olsen toBordeaux of France for £400,000,[57] where he links up with former Tottenham Hotspur strikerClive Allen.
18 November 1988 – Oxford United captainTommy Caton returns to the First Division in a £100,000 move to Charlton Athletic. Manchester United sellDanish wingerJesper Olsen toBordeaux for £400,000.[58]
19 November 1988 – TheFA Cup first round kicks off with non-leagueAltrincham andBognor Regis Town both seeing off Football League opposition. Norwich drop points again when they are held to a 1–1 draw at Everton, with Arsenal cutting the gap between first and second to two points with a 3–0 home win over Middlesbrough. A relegation crunch game at Kenilworth Road sees Luton Town beat West Ham United 4–1. Bottom club Newcastle United crash to a 4–0 defeat at Millwall. Portsmouth go top of the Second Division, level on points with Watford and Blackburn, with a 3–0 home win over Barnsley.[59]
23 November 1988 – Manchester United are held to a 1–1 draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday in the First Division, and have now drawn eight of their opening 13 league games. Tottenham Hotspur and Coventry City draw 1–1 in a stalemate atWhite Hart Lane. Liverpool beat Arsenal 2–1 in a League Cup third round replay atVilla Park.[60]
25 November 1988 – Wimbledon defenderTerry Phelan is omitted from tomorrow's squad for the First Division fixture against Liverpool due to a court appearance he faces on a charge ofcannabis possession.[citation needed]
26 November 1988 – Norwich City are held to another draw, this time 2–2 at home to Luton Town, but retain their lead of the First Division. Arsenal lose 2–1 to Derby County at the Baseball Ground in a match where victory would have taken them to the top of the league on goal difference. Coventry City go fifth with a 2–1 home win over local rivals Aston Villa. There are thrilling victories for two promotion-chasing teams in the Second Division, with Barnsley beatingBournemouth 5–2 atOakwell and West Bromwich Albion beating Crystal Palace 5–3 at theHawthorns.[61]
27 November 1988 – The only professional action of the day sees Manchester United and Newcastle United grind out a goalless draw onTyneside. Newcastle are still bottom of the First Division, having won just two of their first 14 games. Manchester United have so far lost just twice in the league, but nine draws and a mere three victories have left them rooted in mid table.[62]
30 November 1988 – The month ends with Norwich City still top of the First Division, with Arsenal, Millwall, Liverpool, Coventry City and Southampton all in close contention. Newcastle United and West Ham United are level on points at the bottom.[20] Watford and Blackburn Rovers lead the way in the Second Division, level on 33 points. Manchester City, Chelsea, Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion occupy the play-off zone.[63]
1 December 1988 – Jan Molby is released from prison after serving 45 days of his three-month prison sentence for motoring offences.[citation needed]
3 December 1988 – Manchester United end their long run without a win in the First Division by beating Charlton Athletic 3–0 at Old Trafford. Norwich City are still top of the First Division despite a 3–1 defeat at Aston Villa, but Arsenal are three points behind them with two games in hand. Chelsea go second in the Second Division with a 3–0 win over Stoke City at theVictoria Ground.[64]
4 December 1988 – Newcastle United's search for a manager ends when they recruitJim Smith from Queens Park Rangers,[65] who put coachPeter Shreeves in temporary charge of the first team. Arsenal miss the chance to go top of the First Division when they are held to a 1–1 draw at home to Liverpool.[66]
7 December 1988 – StrikerJohn Robertson returns to his native Scotland to rejoinHearts in a £750,000 deal after just seven months at Newcastle United.[67]
10 December 1988 – Norwich City remain top of the First Division after drawing 0–0 at home with their nearest rivals Arsenal. Coventry City close in on the leading pair by beating Manchester United 1–0 at Highfield Road. Manchester City go top of the Second Division with a 4–0 home win over Bradford City.[68]
11 December 1988 – TheMerseyside derby ends in a 1–1 draw atAnfield.[69]
14 December 1988 – Luton Town sign 23-year-old Northern Irish strikerIain Dowie fromIsthmian League sideHendon for £30,000.[70] Queens Park Rangers appoint their 34-year-old former England strikerTrevor Francis as player-manager.[71]
17 December 1988 – Liverpool are now sixth in the First Division and eight points off the top of the table after losing 1–0 at home to Norwich City, who stay top despite Arsenal's 2–1 home win over Manchester United. Derby County go fourth win a 2–0 away win over Coventry City. Newcastle United claim a point in their battle for survival with a 3–3 draw at home to Southampton. Millwall remain third in the league with a 1–0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday.[72]
18 December 1988 – Wimbledon climb out of the bottom three with a 1–0 away win over Nottingham Forest. Sunderland remain within touching distance of the Second Division playoffs – and the chance of a second successive promotion – by beating Plymout Argyle 4–1 atHome Park. West Bromwich Albion keep up their push for automatic promotion with a 6–0 home win over Stoke City.[73]
22 December 1988 –Kenny Sansom ends eight years at Arsenal by making a £300,000 move to Newcastle United.
24 December 1988 – Aston Villa sell strikerGarry Thompson to Watford for £325,000.[74]
26 December 1988 – Arsenal go top of the First Division after beating Charlton Athletic 3–2 atSelhurst Park. Everton go fifth win a 2–1 home win over Middlesbrough. Manchester United climb two places to ninth with a 2–0 home win over Nottingham Forest. Newcastle United pick up three vital points in their fight to avoid relegation by winning 2–1 at Sheffield Wednesday. Liverpool pick up three points in their bid to remain on track for the league title, beating Derby County 1–0 at the Baseball Ground. Chelsea go top of the Second Division with a 3–0 home win over Ipswich Town.[75]
27 December 1988 – Walsall, bottom of the Second Division, sack managerTommy Coakley, their manager for two-and-a-half years, after an 11th successive league defeat.[76] Norwich return to the top of the First Division with a 2–1 home win over West Ham, who are now bottom of the First Division and six points adrift of safety just three seasons after coming close to winning the league title.[77]
31 December 1988 – Arsenal move to the top the First Division on goal difference from Norwich City after beating Aston Villa 3–0. Norwich could only manage a goalless draw at home to Middlesbrough. Wimbledon climb into 14th place with a 4–0 home win over Luton Town, Everton go fourth win a 3–1 home win over Coventry City, and Tottenham reach ninth place with a 2–0 win over Newcastle United less than two months after being bottom of the table. The Second Division leading pair of Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion remain level on goal difference after a 1–1 draw atStamford Bridge. Watford draw level on points with them after beating AFC Bournemouth 1–0. Manchester City maintain their promotion push with a 2–1 win over Swindon at theCounty Ground. Leicester City are just four points short of the playoffs after a 4–0 home win over Blackburn Rovers. Sunderland are just two points off the playoffs after beating Portsmouth 4–0 atRoker Park. Barnsley climb into the playoff zone and are in strong contention for a place in the top flight of English football for the first time, beating struggling Shrewsbury 3–2 atGay Meadow.[78]
1 January 1989 – Manchester United beat Liverpool 3–1 atOld Trafford to leave the Merseysiders nine points behind leaders Arsenal. 20-year-old midfielderRussell Beardsmore, starting for only the second time in the league, scored a second half equaliser for United before setting up a goal each forBrian McClair andMark Hughes to wipe out Liverpool's lead.[20]
2 January 1989 – Luton Town thrash Southampton 6–1 in the biggest win of the First Division season.[20]
5 January 1989 –Neil Warnock leavesScarborough to become manager ofNotts County, to replaceJohn Barnwell, sacked a month ago.[79][80]
6 January 1989 – Manchester City boost their Second Division promotion push with a £250,000 move for Sheffield Wednesday midfielderGary Megson.[81]
7 January 1989 –Sutton United, of the Conference, knock Coventry City out of the FA Cup with a shock 2–1 win in the third round. Middlesbrough lose 2–1 at home to Fourth DivisionGrimsby Town.[82]
11 January 1989 – Struggling West Ham United surprisingly beat Arsenal 1–0 in an FA Cup third roundreplay at Highbury.[82]
12 January 1989 – After just seven months at Newcastle United, goalkeeperDave Beasant signs for Second Division leaders Chelsea in a £725,000 deal which contracts him to theStamford Bridge club until 1994.[83]
28 January 1989 – Sutton United's FA Cup adventure ends in the Fourth Round when they are hammered 8–0 by Norwich City. Brentford beat Manchester City 3–1.[82]
31 January 1989 – Arsenal remain top of the First Division, three points ahead of Norwich City. Coventry City are third, but Millwall have slipped to seventh. Newcastle United are back in bottom place after failing to gain a single league point this month, and are level on points with West Ham United.[20] Chelsea continue to lead the way in the Second Division, while Watford now stand second, level on points with third placed Manchester City. West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers andSunderland complete the top six.[84]
2 February 1989 – Liverpool sell midfielderNigel Spackman to Queens Park Rangers for £500,000.[85]
8 February 1989 – MidfielderPeter Reid moves from Everton to Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer.[86] Watford boost their Second Division promotion challenge with a £175,000 move for Halifax Town's 19-year-old wingerLee Richardson.[87]
9 February 1989 – Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough is fined £5,000 and banned from the touchline for the rest of the season for punching supporters who invaded the pitch in the recent League Cup quarter-final victory over Queens Park Rangers.[88]
14 February 1989 – Just three months after quitting West Bromwich Albion to take over at Spanish side Atlético Madrid, Ron Atkinson returns to England to succeedPeter Eustace as manager of First Division strugglers Sheffield Wednesday.[89][90] Arsenal win afriendly against theFrance national football team 2–0.[91]
18 February 1989 – Liverpool come from behind to beat Hull City 3–2 in the FA Cup fifth round. Everton win 1–0 at Barnsley, and Third Division Brentford continue their good run by beating Blackburn Rovers.[82]
23 February 1989 – MidfielderCarlton Palmer follows Ron Atkinson to Sheffield Wednesday from West Bromwich Albion for a club record fee of £750,000.[92]
24 February 1989 –Roy Hattersley, deputyLabour Party leader, warns that theConservative government's proposed ID card scheme will increase violence outside football grounds.[93]
27 February 1989 – Newport County, relegated from the Football League last season, are wound up in theHigh Court with huge debts.[94]
28 February 1989 – Arsenal remain top of the First Division as February ends, with Norwich City still second, and Millwall back up to third. Liverpool are eighth, 19 points behind Arsenal, but with four games in hand. West Ham United are now bottom of the division, and Newcastle United and Sheffield Wednesday complete the relegation zone.[20] Manchester City have overtaken Chelsea as Second Division leaders. The play-off zone is occupied by Blackburn Rovers, Watford, West Bromwich Albion and AFC Bournemouth.[95]
2 March 1989 – Chelsea signDutch defenderKen Monkou fromFeyenoord for £100,000.[96]
3 March 1989 – Rangers sign defenderMel Sterland from Sheffield Wednesday on a free.[97]
9 March 1989 – Queens Park Rangers set a club record transfer by paying Southampton £800,000 for strikerColin Clarke.
14 March 1989 – Manchester City, pushing for promotion from the Second Division, pay £600,000 for Luton Town midfielderDavid Oldfield.[98]
15 March 1989 – Southampton sign 18-year-old defenderJason Dodd from Conference sideBath City for £50,000.[99]
18 March 1989 – Brentford's FA Cup dream ends in the quarter-finals when they lose 4–0 to Liverpool atAnfield. Nottingham Forest defeat Manchester United 1–0 atOld Trafford. West Ham United and Norwich City draw 0–0 atUpton Park.[82]
19 March 1989 – Wimbledon's defence of the FA Cup ends in a 1–0 defeat to Everton atGoodison Park.[82]
21 March 1989 – Fourth Division strugglersStockport County sack player-managerAsa Hartford and replace him with Rochdale manager Danny Bergera.[100][101]
22 March 1989 – Norwich City move closer to their first FA Cup final by defeating West Ham United 3–1 in the quarter-final replay atCarrow Road.[82] while Southampton pay a club record £700,000 for Portsmouth midfielderBarry Horne.[102] West Ham United also break their transfer fee record by paying £1.1million to bring strikerFrank McAvennie back to the club after 18 months atCeltic.[103]
23 March 1989 –Gordon Strachan leaves Manchester United after nearly five years to join Leeds United for £300,000.[104] Trevor Francis bolsters the Queens Park Rangers midfield with a £350,000 move for Brentford'sAndy Sinton.[105]
27 March 1989 – Referee Kelvin Morton awards fivepenalties in just 27 minutes during theCrystal Palace versusBrighton & Hove Albion match. Crystal Palace miss three of their four penalties, while Brighton score from their only penalty. Palace eventually win the match 2–1.[106]
31 March 1989 – Arsenal remain top of the league, three points ahead of Norwich City, while Liverpool, who won six League games this month, have moved into third place with a game in hand and a five-point deficit behind the leaders. West Ham United occupy bottom place with 22 points from 27 games, but Newcastle United are now just one point adrift of safety. Southampton have slipped into the bottom three.[20] Chelsea have returned to the top of the Second Division, exchanging places with Manchester City, while the play-off zone is occupied by West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers, Ipswich Town and AFC Bournemouth.[107]
4 April 1989 – Liverpool play Scottish championsCeltic in the lastDubai Champions Cup, an unofficial "British Championship".John Aldridge scores for Liverpool to equalise aMark McGhee goal for Celtic, and the game finishes 1–1. Liverpool lose 4–2 on penalty kicks.[108]
5 April 1989 – Newport County lose a final appeal against their closure in the High Court more than a month ago; they are expelled from the GM Vauxhall Conference and their record for the season is expunged.
9 April 1989 – Nottingham Forest win theLeague Cup with a 3–1 win over holders Luton Town in thefinal at Wembley.[109]
10 April 1989 – Walsall announce the sale ofFellows Park, their home since 1903, and will relocate to a new stadium atBescot from the start of the 1990–91 season.
15 April 1989 – English football endures its greatest ever tragedy with the death of 94Liverpool supporters, and injury of some 300 others, at the FA Cup semi-final clash with Nottingham Forest atHillsborough. Some of the injured are in a serious condition and there are fears that the death toll could rise even higher.[110] The match is abandoned, while the other semi-final sees Everton beat Norwich City 1–0 atVilla Park.[20]
17 April 1989 – Within 48 hours of the tragedy at Hillsborough,Home SecretaryDouglas Hurd promises to pass new legislation which will force allFootball League teams to remove standing accommodation from their stadiums. The Football Association gives the go-ahead for the FA Cup to continue, with the re-staged match to take place at Old Trafford on 7 May, despite calls for the final not to be played.
18 April 1989 – TheHillsborough disaster death toll reaches 95 when 14-year-old Lee Nicol dies in hospital from his injuries.[111] Many more of the injured are still in hospital, and there are fears that six spectators who had to be resuscitated have suffered brain damage.
19 April 1989 –The Sun newspaper posts a front-page article about the Hillsborough disaster, headlined "The Truth", with lurid and untrue allegations about Liverpool fans' conduct,[112][113] from sources including South Yorkshire Police andConservativeMPIrvine Patnick. The claims were later disproved by the Hillsborough inquest,[114][112] and caused an ongoing boycott ofThe Sun in Liverpool.[115]
28 April 1989 – Of the 25 Liverpool fans who were extradited in connection with theHeysel disaster of May 1985, in which 39 spectators died at theEuropean Cup final, 14 are found guilty of voluntary manslaughter; they went on to serve one year in prison.[116]
30 April 1989 – Arsenal remain top of the league as April draws to a close, but are now just three points ahead of a Liverpool side who have superior goal difference and a game in hand. Norwich City are now eight points behind the leaders. At the other end of the table West Ham United are ten points from safety, and occupy the relegation zone with Newcastle United and Luton Town.[20] Chelsea have sealed an immediate return to the First Division as Second Division champions, while Manchester City are just five points away from returning as runners-up after a two-year exile. Watford and Crystal Palace are now the only other teams who can go up automatically, while Blackburn Rovers andSwindon Town complete the top six.[117] Nottingham Forest beat Everton 4–3 in theFull Members Cup final at Wembley to become the first club in English football to win two domestic cups in the same season. Liverpool travelled toGlasgow to play their first game since the Hillsborough disaster. 60,000 attend atParkhead to watch them beat Celtic 4–0 in a match arranged to raise money for the disaster fund. An estimated £500,000 is raised.
1 May 1989 – Arsenal thrash Norwich City 5–0 atHighbury to effectively end the Canaries' title challenge.[20]Maidstone United clinch the Conference title and are promoted to the Football League, giving them a clash next season with fellowKent clubGillingham, who are relegated to the Fourth Division on the same day.
2 May 1989 – Manchester United beat Wimbledon 1–0 in a league game at Old Trafford which is watched by 23,368, the club's lowest home crowd in the league since August 1971.[citation needed]
3 May 1989 – Liverpool play their first match since the Hillsborough tragedy, a 0–0 draw with Everton. Newcastle United are relegated from the First Division after losing 2–1 to West Ham United, whose victory keeps their own slim survival hopes alive.[20]
6 May 1989 –Darlington are relegated from the Football League after 68 years when they lose 5–1 toScunthorpe United atGlanford Park.
7 May 1989 – Three weeks after the Hillsborough disaster, Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final clash with Nottingham Forest is replayed at Old Trafford. Liverpool win 3–1 to keep their dream of a second double alive.[82]
10 May 1989 – England striker Gary Lineker collects aEuropean Cup Winners' Cup medal as Barcelona beatSampdoria 2–0 in the final.
13 May 1989 – Middlesbrough join Newcastle United in being relegated from the First Division after they lose a relegation showdown 1–0 away to Sheffield Wednesday and Luton Town beat Norwich City 1–0. The result ensures Wednesday's survival, and West Ham United must now win their last two games to stay up at the expense of Aston Villa. At the top, Arsenal suffer a 2–1 defeat at home to Derby County, while Liverpool beat Wimbledon 2–1 to move within two points of the Gunners with a game in hand.[20]
16 May 1989 – Liverpool move to the top of the First Division for the first time this season after beating Queens Park Rangers 2–0.[20]
17 May 1989 – Arsenal draw 2–2 with Wimbledon in their last home League game of the season. They are level on points with Liverpool having played one game more.[20]
20 May 1989 – Liverpool lift the FA Cup with a 3–2 win over Everton after extra time. Ian Rush scores twice for Liverpool whileJohn Aldridge scores the other goal, and Stuart McCall scores twice for Everton.[118]
23 May 1989 – West Ham United are relegated after eight successive seasons of First Division football as they lose 5–1 to Liverpool at Anfield. The result moves Liverpool three points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table with one game remaining.[20]
26 May 1989 – Arsenal win the league title in the final moments of the season thanks to a late goal fromMichael Thomas against Liverpool which gives them a2–0 away win. First Division top scorerAlan Smith had put Arsenal ahead earlier in the second half.[119] Their triumph gives them their first league championship trophy for 18 years, having scored more goals than their rivals, their points tallies and goal differences being identical.[20] Former Leeds United and England managerDon Revie dies ofmotor neuron disease at the age of 61.
28 May 1989 –Bolton Wanderers claim their first major trophy since the1958 FA Cup by beatingTorquay United 4–1 in theAssociate Members' Cup final.
1 June 1989 –Trevor Steven, the Everton winger, becomes the latest Englishman to sign for Rangers when he agrees terms for a £1.5 million transfer. Kenny Sansom leaves Newcastle United to return toLondon in an exchange deal to Queens Park Rangers, withWayne Fereday moving in the opposite direction.
3 June 1989 – The domestic season draws to a close when Crystal Palace overhaul a 3–1 deficit to defeat Blackburn Rovers 4–3 on aggregate to win promotion to the First Division after an eight-year exile.[120]5 June 1989 –John Lyall, the longest-serving manager currently employed in the Football League, is sacked after 15 years in charge of relegated West Ham United. He had been with the club for 34 years, since joining them as an apprentice on leaving school in 1955 at the age of 15.
7 June 1989 – Sheffield Wednesday sign 20-year-old strikerDalian Atkinson from Ipswich Town for £450,000.[121]
20 June 1989 – Leeds United sign midfielderVinnie Jones from Wimbledon for £650,000.[122]
21 June 1989 – Gary Lineker ends three years in Spain with Barcelona to return to England in a £2 million move to Tottenham Hotspur.[123]
30 June 1989 –Billy Bremner is appointed manager ofDoncaster Rovers for the second time succeeding caretaker managerJoe Kinnear.[124]
David Rocastle, Paul Gascoigne and Tony Cottee won their first international caps forEngland in a 1–0 friendly win overDenmark atWembley.[125]
England began theirWorld Cup qualifying campaign with a goalless draw inGroup 2 againstSweden at Wembley.[125] England drew 1–1 withSaudi Arabia in a friendly inRiyadh, with goalkeeperDavid Seaman making his international debut.[126]
England achieved their first wins of the World Cup qualifying series by defeatingAlbania 2–0 inTirana[126] and 5–0 at Wembley. Substitute Paul Gascoigne scored his first international goal in the latter game.[127]
Steve Bull, who scored 52 goals in all competitions for Third DivisionWolverhampton Wanderers this season, scored on his international debut for England against Scotland atHampden Park. England won 2–0 to take theRous Cup.[128] England then made it three wins from their opening four World Cup qualifying games with a 3–0 win overPoland at Wembley.[129]
Liverpool won the Cup by beatingEverton 3–2 at Wembley.Ian Rush, who had returned to Anfield after a year atJuventus the previous summer, scored twice. This year's FA Cup featured a famous upset as First DivisionCoventry City, who had won the competition two years earlier, sunk to a 2–1 loss in the third round at lowlySutton United. The joy of the non-leaguers was ended emphatically though in the next round as they were thumped 8–0 by Norwich City. Also, Third DivisionBrentford went on an impressive run to the quarter-finals before losing to Liverpool at Anfield.
Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest ended their nine-year trophy drought by beating holdersLuton Town 3–1 in the final to win the League Cup. Nottingham Forest also won the Full Members' Cup, beating Everton 4–3 in the final after extra time, having come twice from behind.Garry Parker scored a brilliant goal for Nottingham Forest, running nearly the full length of the Wembley pitch, before beatingNeville Southall in the Everton goal. This is arguably one of the best goals scored in a Wembley final.
LikeWolverhampton Wanderers the previous season,Bolton Wanderers announced their intentions to return to the big time by winning theAssociate Members' Cup at Wembley againstTorquay United 4–1.
An exciting League season was eventually won byArsenal, who clinched the title on number of goals scored with a late goal from midfielderMichael Thomas on the final day of the season atLiverpool, six weeks after the death of more than 90 fans at theFA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough, which delayed the end of the league season by two weeks and meant that the last games were played six days after theFA Cup Final, in which Liverpool beatMerseyside rivalsEverton 3–2. It was Arsenal's first league title for 18 years.
Nottingham Forest's title challenge was over by the end of April, by which time it was a two-horse race between Arsenal and Liverpool, but compensated for this by winning theFootball League Cup andFull Members Cup to end nine years without a major trophy. Fourth placedNorwich City mounted the first serious top flight title challenge of their history and although their challenge was over some weeks before the season's end, their final position was their best until they finished third in theinaugural Premier League season. They also reached the FA Cup semi-finals for only the second time.Derby County completed the top five to secure their best finish since finishing fourth in1976.
Coventry City enjoyed their best season since 1977-78 with a seventh-place finish, unlike Everton who's eighth-place finish was their lowest since 1981. Newly promotedMillwall finished tenth following a strong start to the season.
A disastrous season forNewcastle United saw them relegated in bottom place after five years back in the First Division. They were relegated alongside local rivalsMiddlesbrough and aWest Ham United side who had almost won the league title three years earlier, and who then sacked their managerJohn Lyall after 15 years in charge.Aston Villa,Luton Town,Sheffield Wednesday (who went through three managers in the season) andCharlton Athletic all had narrow escapes from relegation.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal(C) | 38 | 22 | 10 | 6 | 73 | 36 | +37 | 76 | Disqualified from theEuropean Cup[130] |
| 2 | Liverpool[a] | 38 | 22 | 10 | 6 | 65 | 28 | +37 | 76 | Disqualified from theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup[131] |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest[b] | 38 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 64 | 43 | +21 | 64 | Disqualified from theUEFA Cup[132] |
| 4 | Norwich City | 38 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 48 | 45 | +3 | 62 | |
| 5 | Derby County | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 40 | 38 | +2 | 58 | |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 60 | 46 | +14 | 57 | |
| 7 | Coventry City | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 47 | 42 | +5 | 55 | |
| 8 | Everton | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 54 | |
| 9 | Queens Park Rangers | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 43 | 37 | +6 | 53 | |
| 10 | Millwall | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 47 | 52 | −5 | 53 | |
| 11 | Manchester United | 38 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 45 | 35 | +10 | 51 | |
| 12 | Wimbledon | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 50 | 46 | +4 | 51 | |
| 13 | Southampton | 38 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 52 | 66 | −14 | 45 | |
| 14 | Charlton Athletic | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 44 | 58 | −14 | 42 | |
| 15 | Sheffield Wednesday | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 34 | 51 | −17 | 42 | |
| 16 | Luton Town | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 42 | 52 | −10 | 41 | |
| 17 | Aston Villa | 38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 45 | 56 | −11 | 40 | |
| 18 | Middlesbrough(R) | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 44 | 61 | −17 | 39 | Relegation to theSecond Division |
| 19 | West Ham United(R) | 38 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 37 | 62 | −25 | 38 | |
| 20 | Newcastle United(R) | 38 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 32 | 63 | −31 | 31 |
Chelsea sealed an instant return to the First Division by topping the Second Division with 99 points, giving them a 17-point lead over second-placedManchester City. The final promotion place went toCrystal Palace, whose managerSteve Coppell had gradually rebuilt the club since taking over as manager five years earlier. They overcameBlackburn Rovers in the two-legged final by overhauling a two-goal deficit and prolonging theLancashire club's absence from the First Division into its 24th season.West Bromwich had looked all set for promotion as late as February, only for a late season collapse to drag them down to ninth in the final table – not even enough for a playoff place.
Walsall suffered an instant return to the Third Division after winning just five league games all season, whileBirmingham City's decline continued as they fell into the Third Division for the first time. The last club to go down wereShrewsbury Town, whose luck finally ran out after defying the odds at this level for a whole decade, while some of the game's most illustrious clubs had gone down before them.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea(C, P) | 46 | 29 | 12 | 5 | 96 | 50 | +46 | 99 | Promotion to theFirst Division |
| 2 | Manchester City(P) | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 77 | 53 | +24 | 82 | |
| 3 | Crystal Palace(O, P) | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 71 | 49 | +22 | 81 | Qualification for theSecond Division play-offs |
| 4 | Watford | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 74 | 48 | +26 | 78 | |
| 5 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 74 | 59 | +15 | 77 | |
| 6 | Swindon Town | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 68 | 53 | +15 | 76 | |
| 7 | Barnsley | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 66 | 58 | +8 | 74 | |
| 8 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 71 | 61 | +10 | 73 | |
| 9 | West Bromwich Albion | 46 | 18 | 18 | 10 | 65 | 41 | +24 | 72 | |
| 10 | Leeds United | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 59 | 50 | +9 | 67 | |
| 11 | Sunderland | 46 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 63 | |
| 12 | Bournemouth | 46 | 18 | 8 | 20 | 53 | 62 | −9 | 62 | |
| 13 | Stoke City | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 57 | 72 | −15 | 59 | |
| 14 | Bradford City | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 52 | 59 | −7 | 56 | |
| 15 | Leicester City | 46 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 56 | 63 | −7 | 55 | |
| 16 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 11 | 21 | 14 | 75 | 72 | +3 | 54 | |
| 17 | Oxford United | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 62 | 70 | −8 | 54 | |
| 18 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 55 | 66 | −11 | 54 | |
| 19 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 57 | 66 | −9 | 51 | |
| 20 | Portsmouth | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 53 | 62 | −9 | 51 | |
| 21 | Hull City | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 52 | 68 | −16 | 47 | |
| 22 | Shrewsbury Town(R) | 46 | 8 | 18 | 20 | 40 | 67 | −27 | 42 | Relegation to theThird Division |
| 23 | Birmingham City(R) | 46 | 8 | 11 | 27 | 31 | 76 | −45 | 35 | |
| 24 | Walsall(R) | 46 | 5 | 16 | 25 | 41 | 80 | −39 | 31 |
| Semi-finals 1st leg –21 May; 2nd leg –24 May 1989 | Finals 1st leg –31 May; 2nd leg –3 June 1989 | ||||||||||||
| 3rd | Crystal Palace | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
| 6th | Swindon Town | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| 3rd | Crystal Palace | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||
| 5th | Blackburn Rovers | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
| 4th | Watford | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| 5th | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
Wolverhampton Wanderers continued to thrive after a traumatic few seasons which had almost put the club out of business, as they sealed a second successive promotion and a second successive title, making them the first club to win all four professional divisions of English football, thanks largely to prolific strikerSteve Bull, who became the first player in senior football to reach the 50-goal mark in consecutive seasons. They were joined in the Second Division by runners-upSheffield United, whose managerDave Bassett secured his fifth promotion in nine seasons as a manager.Port Vale compensated for missing out on automatic promotion on goal difference by winning the playoffs.
Northampton Town, promotion contenders the previous season, only survived on goal difference.Southend United were relegated instead.Gillingham,Chesterfield andAldershot completed the bottom four.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers(C, P) | 46 | 26 | 14 | 6 | 96 | 49 | +47 | 92 | Promotion to theSecond Division |
| 2 | Sheffield United(P) | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 93 | 54 | +39 | 84 | |
| 3 | Port Vale(O, P) | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 78 | 48 | +30 | 84 | Qualification for theThird Division play-offs |
| 4 | Fulham | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 69 | 67 | +2 | 75 | |
| 5 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 67 | 51 | +16 | 74 | |
| 6 | Preston North End | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 79 | 60 | +19 | 72 | |
| 7 | Brentford | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 66 | 61 | +5 | 68 | |
| 8 | Chester City | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 64 | 61 | +3 | 68 | |
| 9 | Notts County | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 64 | 54 | +10 | 67 | |
| 10 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 58 | 54 | +4 | 64 | |
| 11 | Bristol City | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 53 | 55 | −2 | 63 | |
| 12 | Swansea City | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 51 | 53 | −2 | 61 | Qualification for theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 13 | Bury | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 55 | 67 | −12 | 61 | |
| 14 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 63 | 73 | −10 | 60 | |
| 15 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 48 | 52 | −4 | 59 | |
| 16 | Cardiff City | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 44 | 56 | −12 | 57 | |
| 17 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 55 | 53 | +2 | 56 | |
| 18 | Reading | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 68 | 72 | −4 | 56 | |
| 19 | Blackpool | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 56 | 59 | −3 | 55 | |
| 20 | Northampton Town | 46 | 16 | 6 | 24 | 66 | 76 | −10 | 54 | |
| 21 | Southend United(R) | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 56 | 75 | −19 | 54 | Relegation to theFourth Division |
| 22 | Chesterfield(R) | 46 | 14 | 7 | 25 | 51 | 86 | −35 | 49 | |
| 23 | Gillingham(R) | 46 | 12 | 4 | 30 | 47 | 81 | −34 | 40 | |
| 24 | Aldershot(R) | 46 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 48 | 78 | −30 | 37 |
| Semi-finals 1st leg –21/22 May; 2nd leg –25 May 1989 | Finals 1st leg –31 May; 2nd leg –3 June 1989 | ||||||||||||
| 3rd | Port Vale | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||
| 6th | Preston North End | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| 3rd | Port Vale | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| 5th | Bristol Rovers | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| 4th | Fulham | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 5th | Bristol Rovers | 1 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||
Rotherham United secured an instant return to the Third Division as Fourth Division champions.Tranmere Rovers finished runners-up to end the decade on a high by winning promotion from a division where they had spent most of the decade.Crewe Alexandra finally made it out of the Fourth Division at the right end after being there continuously for over 20 years.Leyton Orient triumphed in the playoffs less than three months after they had been 15th in the league and seemingly out of the promotion race.
Darlington slipped out of the Football League after a late rally byColchester United underJock Wallace. Darlington themselves had enjoyed a late improvement in form afterBrian Little's appointment as manager but were unable to recover from an abysmal run that saw them win just two league games prior to Little's appointment in mid-February.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rotherham United(C, P) | 46 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 76 | 35 | +41 | 82 | Promotion to theThird Division |
| 2 | Tranmere Rovers(P) | 46 | 21 | 17 | 8 | 62 | 43 | +19 | 80 | |
| 3 | Crewe Alexandra(P) | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 67 | 48 | +19 | 78 | |
| 4 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 77 | 57 | +20 | 77 | Qualification for theFourth Division play-offs |
| 5 | Scarborough | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 67 | 52 | +15 | 77 | |
| 6 | Leyton Orient(O, P) | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 86 | 50 | +36 | 75 | |
| 7 | Wrexham | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 77 | 63 | +14 | 71 | |
| 8 | Cambridge United | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 71 | 62 | +9 | 68 | |
| 9 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 65 | 59 | +6 | 66 | |
| 10 | Lincoln City | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 64 | 60 | +4 | 64 | |
| 11 | York City | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 62 | 63 | −1 | 64 | |
| 12 | Carlisle United | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 53 | 52 | +1 | 60 | |
| 13 | Exeter City | 46 | 18 | 6 | 22 | 65 | 68 | −3 | 60 | |
| 14 | Torquay United | 46 | 17 | 8 | 21 | 45 | 60 | −15 | 59 | |
| 15 | Hereford United | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 66 | 72 | −6 | 58 | |
| 16 | Burnley | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 52 | 61 | −9 | 55 | |
| 17 | Peterborough United | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 52 | 74 | −22 | 54 | |
| 18 | Rochdale | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 56 | 82 | −26 | 53 | |
| 19 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 50 | 78 | −28 | 52 | |
| 20 | Stockport County | 46 | 10 | 21 | 15 | 54 | 52 | +2 | 51 | |
| 21 | Halifax Town | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 69 | 75 | −6 | 50 | |
| 22 | Colchester United | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 60 | 78 | −18 | 50 | |
| 23 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 49 | 78 | −29 | 49 | |
| 24 | Darlington(R) | 46 | 8 | 18 | 20 | 53 | 76 | −23 | 42 | Relegation to theFootball Conference |
| Semi-finals 1st leg –21 May; 2nd leg –24 May 1989 | Finals 1st leg –30 May; 2nd leg –3 June 1989 | ||||||||||||
| 4th | Scunthorpe United | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| 7th | Wrexham | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||
| 7th | Wrexham | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| 6th | Leyton Orient | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
| 5th | Scarborough | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| 6th | Leyton Orient | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
First Division
Second Division
Third Division
Fourth Division
In their first season after relegation from the Football League,Newport County went out of business on 27 February. They were then expelled from the Conference for failing to fulfil their fixtures, but reformed three months later.
The divisional champions of the major non-League competitions were:
| Competition | Winners |
|---|---|
| Football Conference | Maidstone United |
| Isthmian League | Leytonstone/Ilford |
| Northern Premier League | Barrow |
| Southern League | Merthyr Tydfil |
| FA Trophy | Telford United |
| FA Vase | Tamworth |
Manchester United strikerMark Hughes, who had returned to the club after two unhappy seasons with Barcelona in Spain andBayern Munich in Germany was votedPFA Players' Player of the Year. ThePFA Young Player of the Year award went to Arsenal's wingerPaul Merson, who helped his side win their first league title for 18 years.
FWA Footballer of the Year was Liverpool captainSteve Nicol, while a special award was credited to the Liverpool players for their compassion shown to families bereaved by theHillsborough disaster.
In the Third Division, 24-year-old Wolves strikerSteve Bull scored 53 goals in all competitions and made a scoring debut for theEngland national football team.
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24 September 1988:Russell Beardsmore, 19-year-old midfielder, makes his debut for Manchester United in their First Division 2–0 home win overWest Ham United.
15 October 1988:Ian Olney, 18-year-old winger, makes his debut forAston Villa in their 2–2 draw withCharlton Athletic atSelhurst Park.
22 October 1988:Mark Robins, 18-year-old striker, makes his debut for Manchester United as a substitute in their First Division 1–1 draw withWimbledon atPlough Lane.
26 October 1988:Mark Crossley, 19-year-old goalkeeper, makes his debut forNottingham Forest in 2–1 home win overLiverpool in First Division at theCity Ground.
6 November 1988:Gary Charles, 18-year-old defender, makes his debut forNottingham Forest in their 4–1 home defeat byArsenal in the First Division at the City Ground.
10 December 1988:Scott Minto, 17-year-old defender, makes his debut forCharlton Athletic in their 1-1 draw withQ.P.R. in the First Division at Selhurst Park
4 February 1989:John Ebbrell, 19-year-old midfielder, makes his debut forEverton in their First Division 1–1 draw with Wimbledon at Plough Lane.
1 April 1989:David May, 18-year-old defender, makes his debut forBlackburn Rovers in a 1–1 Second Division draw with fellow promotion rivalsSwindon Town at theCounty Ground.
6 May 1989:Gary Speed, 19-year-old Welsh midfielder, makes his debut forLeeds United in 0–0 Second Division draw withOldham Athletic atElland Road.
13 May 1989:Steve Howey, 17-year-old defender, makes his debut as a substitute for relegatedNewcastle United on the final day of the First Division season, when they lose 2–0 toManchester United atOld Trafford.Graeme Le Saux, 20-year-oldJersey born defender, makes his debut for Second Division championsChelsea in 3–2 win againstPortsmouth atFratton Park.
Tottenham midfielderChris Waddle was sold toOlympique Marseille of France in a £4.25 million deal,[136] in the latest of big money deals which saw players desert English clubs for foreign clubs who were prepared to pay higher wages.Gary Lineker ended his three-year spell atFC Barcelona to join Tottenham.[123] He had played under Tottenham managerTerry Venables during his first season at Barcelona.
Lineker's strike partnerMark Hughes also left Barcelona and returned to his old clubManchester United in a £1.8 million deal.[11] Hughes had been a disappointment in his first season at Barcelona but had recaptured his form during a successful season-long loan deal atBayern Munich.
