Football in England

Season	1993–94
Men's football
FA Premier League	Manchester United
First Division	Crystal Palace
Second Division	Reading
Third Division	Shrewsbury Town
Football Conference	Kidderminster Harriers
FA Cup	Manchester United
Football League Trophy	Swansea City
League Cup	Aston Villa
Charity Shield	Manchester United
Women's football
National League Premier Division	Doncaster Belles
National League Division One North	Wolverhampton Wanderers
National League Division One South	Bromley Borough
FA Women's Cup	Doncaster Belles
National League Cup	Arsenal
← 1992–93 1994–95 →

The1993–94 season was the 114th season of competitivefootball in England.

From the start of this season, thePremier League was sponsored byCarling, an association which lasted for eight years. The Premier League was without a sponsor for the previous season.

• Manchester United broke the English transfer record before the start of the season by paying relegated Nottingham Forest £3.75million for midfielderRoy Keane.
• Graham Taylor resigned as England manager after their failure to qualify for theWorld Cup. He was succeeded byTerry Venables.^[1][2]
• SirMatt Busby died on 20 January at the age of 84. He had been associated with Manchester United since being appointed manager at the end of the Second World War, and remained at the club as a director after calling time on his managerial career in 1969.
• Manchester United won the Premiership title and FA Cup to become only the fourth club this century to be league champions and FA Cup winners in the same season.
• Howard Kendall resigned three years into his second spell as Everton manager and was replaced by Norwich City's Mike Walker. They looked set for relegation from the Premiership on the final day of the season as they were 2–0 down to Wimbledon but turned the tables on their opponents to win 3–2 and beat the drop. Sheffield United went down instead.
• Swindon Town, in the top division for the first time, were relegated from the Premiership after collecting just five wins, conceding 100 goals in 42 games.^[3]
• Bryan Robson leftManchester United after 13 years to become player-manager ofMiddlesbrough in place ofLennie Lawrence.
• Huddersfield Town relocated from Leeds Road to the newAlfred McAlpine Stadium at Kirklees.
• After the end of the season, Tottenham Hotspur were docked five points and were found guilty of financial irregularities dating back to the 1980s and hit with the most severe punishment handed down on any English club: a £600,000 fine, 12 league points deducted for the 1994–95 season, and a one-year ban from the F.A Cup. The points deduction and FA Cup were eventually quashed after a series of appeals, although the fine was increased to £1.5million.
• Northampton Town, who spent one season in the top division during the 1960s, finished bottom of Division Three but retained their league status because Conference champions Kidderminster Harriers were unable to meet the Football League's minimum stadium capacity requirements. This was the first time that there had been no exits or arrivals in the Football League since the re-election system was scrapped in 1987.

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15 September 1993:Darren Eadie, 18-year-old winger, makes his debut forNorwich City in their first-ever European fixture – theUEFA Cup first round first leg clash withDutch sideVitesse Arnhem.

22 September 1993:Robbie Fowler, 18-year-old striker, makes his debut forLiverpool in their 3–1 win atFulham in theFootball League Cup second round first leg.

29 September 1993:Stephen Carr, 17-year-oldIrish defender, makes his debut forTottenham Hotspur in a Premier League fixture againstIpswich Town atPortman Road.^[4]

3 November 1993:Ade Akinbiyi, 19-year-old striker, makes his debut as a substitute for Norwich City in their UEFA Cup second round, second leg fixture withBayern Munich atCarrow Road, which ends in a 1–1 draw.

7 December 1993:Kevin Campbell, 23-year-old striker, made his debut forArsenal in a League Cup quarter-final match against Sheffield United atHighbury.^[5]

4 May 1994:Michael Duberry, 17-year-old defender, played inChelsea's final Premier League game of the season – a 2–1 home defeat byCoventry City.

• Andy Cole (Newcastle United) – 34 goals^[6]

• John McGinlay (Bolton Wanderers) – 25 goals

• Jimmy Quinn (Reading) – 35 goals

• Tony Ellis (Preston North End) – 26 goals^[7]

Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour (First Division & Premier League). Number after slash is Premier League only. * indicates new record for competition

Even with the 7–1 victory overSan Marino (in whichDavide Gualtieri scores the fastest goal inFIFA World Cup qualification history). England fail to qualify for the finals of the1994 World Cup and managerGraham Taylor resigns within days of the failure.Terry Venables is appointed as his replacement.

The second season of the Premier League saw Manchester United retain their title, taking the lead before the end of August and not surrendering it all season, holding a double-digit lead for much of it and eventually finishing eight points ahead of runners-up Blackburn Rovers, who had managed to draw level on points with them a few weeks before the season's end. United then went on to lift the FA Cup and become only the sixth team ever to win the double of the league title and FA Cup. Their top scorer and key playerEric Cantona was votedPFA Players' Player of the Year, while colleagues includingRyan Giggs,Paul Ince andLee Sharpe also received many plaudits. Blackburn Rovers finished runners-up, thanks toAlan Shearer, whose 31 goals earned him theFWA Footballer of the Year award but weren't quite enough to gain his team the league title.

Newly promoted Newcastle United finished third, largely thanks to the 34 goals ofPFA Young Player of the YearAndy Cole who was the division's top scorer and his formidable strike partnerPeter Beardsley, as well as support from the likes ofRob Lee andBarry Venison. Fourth placed Arsenal won theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup to claim their sixth trophy in eight seasons under managerGeorge Graham. Leeds United completed the top five, recovering from their dismal Premier League debut the previous season, while unfancied Wimbledon achieved an impressive sixth-place finish.

The previous season's runners-up, Aston Villa, dropped to 10th place in the league but compensated for this with a League Cup triumph. Norwich, who had finished third the previous campaign, started the season well but their league form slumped after managerMike Walker left for Everton in January and they finished twelfth, while Walker's new club only narrowly avoided relegation.

Swindon Town, in the top flight for the first time, endured a hopeless season with just five wins in the league, 100 goals conceded and no wins from their opening 16 games; they went bottom of the table after three games, and never left it. Oldham Athletic's three-year spell in the top flight came to an end after they failed to defeat Norwich on the final day of the season, just weeks after they had almost reached the FA Cup final before a last-gasp equaliser for Manchester United in the semi-final forced a replay, in which they were well beaten. The last relegation place went to Sheffield United, who were relegated in dramatic fashion when they suffered a last minute defeat to FA Cup finalists Chelsea. Their late collapse meant that Ipswich Town were the lucky side to preserve their top flight status.

Leading goalscorer:Andy Cole (Newcastle United) - 34

Alan Smith kicked off his management career by guiding Crystal Palace to the Division One title and regaining their Premiership place at first invitation. Frank Clark began Nottingham Forest's post Brian Clough era by helping them finish second to achieve promotion back to the top flight. They were joined by play-off winners Leicester City, who beat local rivals Derby County in the final which they finally won promotion to the Premiership after two successive play-off final defeats.

Notts County narrowly missed out on the play-offs, as did Wolverhampton Wanderers, who had just replacedGraham Turner as manager after nearly eight years with the former England manager Graham Taylor. Ninth placed Middlesbrough brought in Manchester United and former England captainBryan Robson as their new player-manager at the end of the season to succeedLennie Lawrence.

Oxford United's decline since losing their top flight status in 1988 continued as they slid into Division Two, along with Peterborough United (who had finished a strong 10th in the previous season, their first in the second tier) and Birmingham City. Newly promoted West Bromwich Albion narrowly avoided relegation at the expense of their local rivals, while Portsmouth's bottom half finish was a major disappointment after they had almost won promotion the previous season, although they did at least have the satisfaction of reaching the quarter-final of the League Cup and taking Manchester United to a replay. Luton Town endured a second successive struggle against relegation, eventually finishing a point above the drop zone, but enjoyed a run to the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in nine years.

Leading goalscorer:John McGinlay (Bolton Wanderers) - 25

Mark McGhee won the Division Two championship for Reading after their first successful season in years. They were joined by John Rudge's Port Vale in second place. Burnley triumphed in the Division Two playoffs to secure their second promotion in three seasons, beating a Stockport County side who lost at Wembley for the fourth time in three seasons.Peter Shilton oversaw Plymouth's best season for nearly a decade but they finished three points short of automatic promotion and lost to Burnley in the playoffs.

Going down to Division Three were Fulham (who would be in the league's lowest tier for the first time in their history), Hartlepool United, Exeter City and Barnet. Blackpool narrowly avoided relegation, but chairmanOwen Oyston decided it was time for a change after three-and-a-half seasons under the management ofBilly Ayre, and appointedSam Allardyce as the club's new manager.

Leading goalscorer:Jimmy Quinn (Reading) - 35

Shrewsbury Town, Chester City and Crewe Alexandra occupied the three promotion places in Division Three, while Martin O'Neill's Wycombe Wanderers won the playoffs in their first season of league football. The Chairboys beat Preston North End, whose managerJohn Beck was looking to repeat the same success he had enjoyed at Cambridge. Carlisle and Torquay were the losing semi-finalists, but it was a big step forward for two sides who had narrowly avoided relegation to the Conference a year earlier.

Northampton Town finished bottom of the league but were saved from demotion because Conference champions Kidderminster Harriers did not meet the league's stadium capacity requirements.

Wigan Athletic's first season at this level for over a decade brought their lowest ever finish of 19th place (89th out of the league's 92 clubs).

Leading goalscorer:Tony Ellis (Preston North End) - 26

Eric Cantona received thePFA Players' Player of the Year award after his 25 goals in all competitions were the key force inManchester United's double glory.

Alan Shearer was votedFWA Footballer of the Year after returning from injury to score 31Premier League goals for runners-upBlackburn Rovers.

Andy Cole was votedPFA Young Player of the Year after finishing top scorer in thePremier League with 34 goals for newly promotedNewcastle United, who finished third and qualified forEurope for the first time since the 1970s.

Cole's veteran partnerPeter Beardsley scored 24 goals in all competitions in his first season back onTyneside.

Dean Saunders was again a consistent goalscorer forAston Villa, who dipped to 10th in the league a year after finishing runners-up, but booked themselves another UEFA Cup campaign thanks to glory in theLeague Cup.

21-year-old strikerChris Sutton attracted huge attention fromEngland's top clubs before his record-breaking transfer fromNorwich City to Blackburn Rovers.

Stan Collymore established himself as one of the country's top marksmen as he poweredNottingham Forest back into thePremier League at the first attempt.

VeteranReading strikerJimmy Quinn scored 35 league goals to lead his side to the Division Two title.

Crystal Palace andNottingham Forest gained promotion to the Premiership in their first season under the respective management of Alan Smith and Frank Clark.

Brian Little helpedLeicester City win promotion to the Premiership.

Jimmy Mullen inspired Burnley's second promotion in two seasons as they won the Division Two playoffs.

Martin O'Neill helpedWycombe Wanderers gain their second successive promotion and earn a place in Division Two.

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21 January 1994:Mel Sterland, 32-year-oldLeeds United defender, retires after failing to overcome an achilles injury suffered more than a year ago.^[8]

2 May 1994:Frank Stapleton, 38-year-old formerArsenal andManchester United striker, retires from playing after being dismissed as player-manager by Division Two clubBradford City.^[9]

9 May 1994:Paul Elliott, 30-year-oldChelsea central defender, retires from playing 20 months after suffering a serious knee injury for which he began a legal challenge againstDean Saunders, the formerLiverpool striker who collided with him when he was injured.^[10]

31 May 1994:Kevin Moran, 38-year-oldBlackburn Rovers central defender, announces his retirement as a player but will not retire completely until the end of theRepublic of Ireland's World Cup campaign.^[11]

1 July 1993 –Barnsley appointSheffield Wednesday defenderViv Anderson as their player-manager to succeedMel Machin.

5 July 1993 –Gordon Cowans begins his third spell atAston Villa after joining them on a free transfer fromBlackburn Rovers, whileNottingham Forest pay £2million for 22-year-oldSouthend United strikerStan Collymore.

9 July 1993 -Ian Porterfield returns to football management four months after being sacked by Chelsea to become the newZambia national coach, just over two months after the previous national coach and 18 members of the national squad were killed in an air crash.

12 July 1993 - Veteran strikerMick Harford returns to the Premier League after four months in Division withSunderland to sign for Coventry City in a £200,000 deal.

14 July 1993 – AfterLee Chapman departs toPortsmouth on a free transfer,Leeds United replace him with record signingBrian Deane fromSheffield United for £2.9million, while England midfielderDavid Platt is transferred for the third year running when he leavesJuventus in a £5.2million move to ItalianSerie A rivalsSampdoria.

15 July 1993 –Huddersfield Town managerIan Ross pays the price for the club's horrid form in the first half of the previous season by being sacked. He is replaced byNeil Warnock, who recently left the manager's job atTorquay United.

16 July 1993 –Peter Beardsley returns toNewcastle United in a £1.4million move fromEverton, six years after he leftTyneside forLiverpool.

20 July 1993 – For the first time in more than 40 years, the British transfer fee record is broken by a Scottish club rather than an English one, whenRangers signDundee United strikerDuncan Ferguson for £4million.

22 July 1993 - Manchester United pay an English record fee of £3.75million for Nottingham Forest midfielderRoy Keane.

26 July 1993 – Aston Villa signRepublic of Ireland midfielderAndy Townsend fromChelsea for £2.1million.

29 July 1993 – Former Manchester United, Everton andWales wingerMickey Thomas, 39, is sentenced to 18 months in prison for producing and distributing forged banknotes. This comes just eight days after he was in court to see two men sent to prison forassaulting him.^[12]

1 August 1993 –Guy Whittingham, whose 42Division One goals weren't quite enough to get Portsmouth promoted to thePremier League last season, is transferred to Aston Villa for £1.2million. InDivision Three, 37-year-oldKeith Alexander becomes the first black manager of aFootball League club when he takes over atLincoln City.^[13]

4 August 1993 –John Smith, leader of theLabour Party, opensMillwall'sNew Den, a 20,000-seat stadium, which sees its first action in a friendly withSporting Clube de Portugal that ends in a 2–1 win for theLisbon club. The stadium was first planned in 1990 in the wake of theTaylor Report and was initially going to have a capacity of 25,000, but these plans were downsized as Millwall could not meet the cost.

7 August 1993 –Frank Clark is named as manager of Nottingham Forest, replacingBrian Clough, who retired earlier in the summer after 18 years at the helm. His first task is to guide Forest back into the Premier League after last season's relegation. On the same day, Ipswich Town managerJohn Lyall announces that he will become the club's director of football, and thatMick McGiven will take over as first-team manager.Manchester United win theFA Charity Shield on penalties after a 1–1 draw withArsenal.^[14]

12 August 1993 –Chelsea buy midfielderGavin Peacock from Newcastle United for £1.2million, while Everton's longest-serving playerKevin Ratcliffe leavesGoodison Park after 15 years and joinsCardiff City on a free transfer.

14 August 1993 – On the opening day of the Premier League season,Coventry City pull off a major surprise by beatingArsenal 3–0 in the first game at the new all-seaterHighbury, withMicky Quinn scoring all three goals.^[15]Swindon Town's first top division game ends in a 3–1 defeat at Sheffield United. Last season's runners-upAston Villa head the table with a 4–1 win overQPR.Ipswich Town beatOldham Athletic 3–0 atBoundary Park. The Division One campaign kicks off with a 5–0 win forDerby County overSunderland at theBaseball Ground.Middlesbrough begin their quest for an immediate return to the Premier League with a 3–2 win atNotts County.Crystal Palace begin their comeback trail with a goalless draw at home toTranmere Rovers.^[16]

15 August 1993 – Manchester United's defence of the Premier League title begins with a 2–0 away win overNorwich City, last season's third placed side.^[17]Nottingham Forest begin their Division One promotion push with a 1–1 draw atSouthend United.^[18]

17 August 1993 – Sheffield Wednesday pay a club record fee £2.7million forQueens Park Rangers midfielderAndy Sinton.

18 August 1993 - The second round of Premier League fixtures include a 3–0 home win for Manchester United over Sheffield United, in which record signingRoy Keane scores his first two goals from the club. Norwich City win 3–2 overBlackburn Rovers atEwood Park, 10 months after their found themselves on the receiving end of a 7–1 defeat there. Coventry City beat Newcastle United 2–1 at home, and QPR find themselves on the receiving end of a second successive comprehensive defeat, this time losing 3–1 at home toLiverpool.^[19]

19 August 1993 –Tony Barton, who managed Aston Villa toEuropean Cup glory in 1982, dies of a heart attack aged 56.

21 August 1993 – Manchester United are held to a 1–1 home draw with newly promoted Newcastle United, allowing Everton (who beat Sheffield United 4–2, withTony Cottee scoring a hat-trick) to go top of the Premier League after three games. Ipswich Town go second with a 1–0 home win overChelsea. Norwich manage an impressive 4–0 win overLeeds atElland Road. The Division One fixtures include a 5–3 home win for Nottingham Forest overGrimsby Town,Sunderland's 4–0 win overCharlton Athletic atRoker Park, and a 3–0 win over Derby County for Middlesbrough atAyresome Park.^[20]

22 August 1993 - Liverpool go top of the league for the first time since early 1991 with a 5–0 away win over Swindon Town.Southend United, who were contenders for place in the new Premier League two seasons ago, give their promotion dreams for this season a boost with a 4–1 win atMillwall in Division One in one of the first games staged at Millwall's new stadium. A Midlands derby atSt Andrew's seesBirmingham City andWolves draw 2-2.^[21]

23 August 1993 –Lee Sharpe scores twice as Manchester United beat last season's runners-up Aston Villa 2–1 atVilla Park, allowing United to go top of the Premier League – they will not be headed all season.

24 August 1993 - Arsenal beat Leeds United 2–1 at Highbury. Blackburn Rovers beatManchester City 2–0 atMaine Road. A thrilling game at Boundary Park sees Oldham and Coventry battle out a 3–3 draw.Dave Bassett's Sheffield United beat his old club Wimbledon 2–1 atBramall Lane. Middlesbrough remain top of Division One with a 4–1 win atBarnsley.^[22]

25 August 1993 – Swindon Town's dismal Premier League debut continues as they are crushed 5–1 atSouthampton.

26 August 1993 –Peter Reid is sacked byManchester City, who have lost three of their four opening FA Premier League games.

27 August 1993 –Brian Horton leavesOxford United to become the new manager of Manchester City. He takes charge of his second game later in the day, as the Blues draw 1–1 at home to Coventry City in the Premier League.

28 August 1993 - The Premier League action includes a 2–0 home win over Arsenal over Everton, a 3–1 win at Southampton for Manchester United and a 4–0 away win for QPR over their London rivals West Ham. Crystal Palace boost their bid for an immediate return to the Premier League by beating Portsmouth 5–1. Last season's beaten playoff finalistsLeicester City beatMillwall 4–0 atFilbert Street.^[23]

29 August 1993 –Alan Shearer scores his first goal for Blackburn Rovers since returning from injury in a 1–1 draw at his hometown club Newcastle United.

31 August 1993 – The first month of the league season ends with defending champions Manchester United top of the Premier League with Liverpool, Arsenal, Norwich City and Ipswich Town completing the top five. Meanwhile, Swindon Town have gained just one point from their first-ever five top division games, and prop up the table. Completing the bottom three are Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday, who had been largely expected to compete near the top of the table this season.^[24] The first month of the Division One campaign has seenMiddlesbrough andCharlton Athletic take a joint lead at the top of the table with 12 points. Nottingham Forest,Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southend United andCrystal Palace occupy the playoff places.^[25]

1 September 1993 - Manchester United keep up their winning ways a 3–0 home win over West Ham. Sheffield Wednesday are still looking for their first Premier League win six games into the season when they are held to a 3–3 draw at home to Norwich. Coventry hold on to fourth place with a 1–0 home win over Liverpool, who drop one place into third. Manchester City achieve their first win of the season with a 3–1 away win over Swindon, who have picked up one point from their opening six games.^[26]

3 September 1993 –Paul Warhurst moves from Sheffield Wednesday to Blackburn Rovers in a £2.75million deal – the fifth highest fee between English clubs.

5 September 1993 - TheBlack Country derby is contested for the first time in three seasons, withWest Bromwich Albion beatingWolves 3–2 atThe Hawthorns.^[27]

8 September 1993 –England put theirWorld Cup qualification hopes back on track with a 3–0 win overPoland atWembley.

11 September 1993 –Kevin Campbell scores a hat-trick in Arsenal's 4–0 home league win over Ipswich Town.Eric Cantona's shot from the halfway line atStamford Bridge hits the crossbar, and aGavin Peacock goal givesChelsea a 1–0 win over Manchester United. Down in Division One,Oxford United climb six places from the foot of the table with a spectacular 4–2 home win overBristol City.^[28]

13 September 1993 - Newcastle United beat Sheffield Wednesday 4–2 in the only league action of the day.^[29]

14 September 1993 - Tranmere Rovers go top of Division One with a 4–1 home win over bottom clubLuton Town.^[30]

15 September 1993 – Manchester United beatHonved ofHungary 3–2 away in their firstEuropean Cup fixture since 1969.

16 September 1993 – After two months at Portsmouth, Lee Chapman returns to the Premier League with newly promotedWest Ham United for £250,000.

17 September 1993 – Liverpool sign West Ham United defenderJulian Dicks for £1.5million, withMike Marsh andDavid Burrows going toUpton Park in exchange.

19 September 1993 - Manchester United go into their fixture with second placed Arsenal as Premier League leaders on goal difference, but then go ahead by three points with a 1–0 victory atOld Trafford. Nottingham Forest's erratic start to their Division One season continues with a 3–2 home defeat toStoke City.^[31]

21 September 1993 - The first leg of round two in theFootball League Cup sees top-flight clubsOldham Athletic and Sheffield United beaten byDivision Two opposition, while Premier League outfit Leeds United lose away atSunderland from Division One. Elsewhere,Paul Rideout's hat-trick-completing late winner against basement tier club Lincoln City avoids another upset, Division Two sideWrexham draw 3–3 with First Division Nottingham Forest andIan Wright scores a hat-trick as Arsenal put five past Huddersfield Town without reply.^[32]

22 September 1993 –Mark Stein scores twice forStoke City in their surprise 2–1 over Manchester United in the first leg of the League Cup second round at theVictoria Ground.South African born Stein, 27, is a target for several Premier League clubs.

25 September 1993 – Everton, fourth in the Premier League, suffer a 5–1 defeat at home to Norwich City in one of the most thrilling league games so far this season. Norwich strikerEfan Ekoku scores four goals in the game – the first player to score four goals in a Premier League game. Manchester United maintain their lead at the top of the table with a 4–2 home win over Swindon, who are still bottom with no wins and a mere three points from their first nine games. Southampton remain level with Swindon at the bottom of the table with a 1–0 defeat at Arsenal. AnEast Midlands derby atMeadow Lane seesNotts County beat Derby County 4–1 in Division One.^[33]

30 September 1993 – September draws to a close with Manchester United still top of the table, leading by three points over Arsenal. Aston Villa, Leeds United, Norwich City andWimbledon are just some of the many other clubs currently in strong contention. Liverpool, meanwhile, have slumped to 13th place after a disappointing month, mounting the pressure uponGraeme Souness. Swindon are still bottom of the table and looking for their first-ever top division win after nine games, being level on points with a Southampton side who have lost eight of their first nine games, while Oldham Athletic have fallen into the relegation zone as well.^[34] In the race to win promotion to the Premier League, Crystal Palace top Division One on goal difference ahead ofTranmere Rovers. The playoff zone is occupied byLeicester City, Charlton Athletic, Middlesbrough and Southend United.^[35]

1 October 1993 – Former Manchester City player-manager Peter Reid signs a short-term playing contract withSouthampton, while Everton strikerMo Johnson returns to hishomeland after agreeing a contract withHearts.

2 October 1993 –Gary Speed andGary McAllister both score twice from midfield in a 4–0 home league win for Leeds United against Wimbledon. Liverpool hold Arsenal to a goalless draw atAnfield, allowing Manchester United to extend their lead of the Premier League after coming from behind twice to beat Sheffield Wednesday 3–2 away from home. Southampton and Sheffield United draw 3–3 atThe Dell. Crystal Palace maintain their lead of Division One with a 4–1 home win over Stoke City. Luton Town climb of the bottom of the table in style with a 5–0 home win over Barnsley.^[36]

3 October 1993 -Derby County managerArthur Cox, who had already been under pressure after the club's poor start to the season, resigns due to health problems. His assistant,Roy McFarland replaces him as manager until the end of the season.

4 October 1993 –Jim Holton, who played for Manchester United at centre-half in the 1970s, dies from a heart attack at the wheel of his car. He was 42 years old.

7 October 1993 – Newcastle United managerKevin Keegan rules him out of the running to take over as England manager ifGraham Taylor's reign is ended by failure to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

13 October 1993 – England are left with little hope of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup after suffering a 2–0 defeat bythe Netherlands in their penultimate qualifying game.

16 October 1993 - Manchester United extend their lead of the Premier League to seven points with a 2–1 home win over Tottenham. Norwich go second with a 2–1 win at Chelsea, while Arsenal drop into third with a goalless draw at home to Manchester City. The big news in Division One is Southend's 6–1 home win over Oxford United, which keeps up their surprise promotion push.^[37]

18 October 1993 –Lou Macari walks out on Stoke City to succeedLiam Brady as manager ofGlasgow clubCeltic.

19 October 1993 - Norwich City become the first English team to beatGerman giantsBayern Munich on their own soil, winning 2–1 in theUEFA Cup second round first leg.

20 October 1993 - Manchester United surrender a two-goal lead overTurkish championsGalatasaray to draw 3–3 in the European Cup second round first leg at Old Trafford.

23 October 1993 - Manchester United extend their lead of the Premier League to nine points with a 1–0 win over Everton atGoodison Park, withLee Sharpe scoring the only goal of the game. Their nearest challengers Norwich, Arsenal and Leeds all drop points, while QPR move into fifth place with a 5–1 home win over Coventry. Swindon Town hold Tottenham to a 1–1 draw atWhite Hart Lane but are still bottom of the table and without a win after 12 games. Charlton Athletic go top of Division One with a 1–0 win over Grimsby Town atBlundell Park.Watford keep up their promotion push with a 4–3 home win over Bolton.^[38]

24 October 1993 - Southampton boost their survival push with a 2–1 home win over Newcastle, only their second league win of the season.^[39]

26 October 1993 – Blackburn Rovers pay Leeds United £2.75million for midfielderDavid Batty.

30 October 1993 – 18-year-old Liverpool strikerRobbie Fowler scores a hat-trick in a 4–2 home league win over Southampton. Newcastle beat Wimbledon 4–0 at home, and leaders Manchester United now have an 11-point lead after beating QPR 2–1 at Old Trafford, with their nearest rivals Norwich and Arsenal drawing 0–0 at Highbury. An entertaining mid-table game in Division sees Stoke beat Barnsley 5–4 at the Victoria Ground.^[40]

31 October 1993 – Manchester United end October as Premier League leaders with an 11-point margin over their nearest rivals Norwich City, Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa who are all bracketed together on points. Swindon are still bottom of the league and their winless run has now stretched to 13 games, while Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday are still in the relegation zone. Liverpool have improved after last season's wobbles to occupy seventh place.^[41] Charlton Athletic are top of Division One, with Leicester City occupying second place. The playoff zone is occupied by Crystal Palace, Tranmere Rovers, Middlesbrough and Derby County. Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who both began the season in promotion form, have slipped into the bottom half of the table.^[42]

3 November 1993 – Manchester United are eliminated from the European Cup on away goals byTurkish sideGalatasaray, while Arsenal progress to the next stage of theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup with a 7–0 away victory overStandard Liège ofBelgium.

4-5 November 1993 – 34-year-old goalkeeperDave Beasant joins Southampton from Chelsea in a £300,000 deal, while the national record fee for a goalkeeper (a record of which Beasant was once a holder) is broken whenTim Flowers exitsThe Dell from Blackburn Rovers for £2.4million.

6 November 1993 - Sheffield Wednesday climb out of the relegation one with a 4–1 win over Ipswich atPortman Road. Chelsea are on the brink of the relegation zone after losing 4–1 to Leeds atElland Road. Leicester go top of Division One with a 3–0 home win over Southend.^[43]

7 November 1993 – TheManchester derby atMaine Road sees City take a 2–0 lead in the first half with two goals fromNiall Quinn, only for Eric Cantona (twice) and Roy Keane to overturn City's lead and win the game 3–2 for United. In Division One, aSteve Bull hat-trick sees Wolves beat Derby at the Baseball Ground and ensure that they remain in the hunt for a playoff place.

17 November 1993 – England beatSan Marino 7–1 in their final World Cup qualifying game, but fail to qualify for the finals, as Holland beat Poland. Media reports suggest that manager Graham Taylor is likely to resign or be sacked imminently.

20 November 1993 – Alan Shearer scores both of Blackburn's goals in their 2–0 home league win over his old club Southampton, as his new club close in on the leading pack in the Premier League. Manchester United maintain their 11-point lead of the table by beating Wimbledon 3–1.

21 November 1993 - Andy Cole scores a hat-trick for Newcastle in a 3–0 home win over Liverpool in the Premier League, liftingKevin Keegan's men into eighth place, displacing their opponents whose promising start to the season has given way to what appears to be another frustrating league campaign.^[44]

23 November 1993 - Blackburn climb five places into second place in the Premier League with a 2–1 home win over Coventry.^[45]

24 November 1993 – Graham Taylor announces his resignation as England manager after being vilified by the media (notablyThe Sun newspaper, who branded him a "turnip") for failing to achieve qualification for the 1994 World Cup. On the same day, Swindon Town finally win a Premier League game at the 16th attempt in their first-ever top division campaign, beating Queens Park Rangers 1–0 at home with a goal fromKeith Scott.^[46] Manchester United now have a 12-point lead at the top of the table despite being held to a goalless draw at home to Ipswich. Newcastle's surge continues as a 4–0 home win over Sheffield United lifts them into fourth place and pushes the visitors into the drop zone.^[47]

27 November 1993 – QPR managerGerry Francis rules himself out of the running to become the next England manager. Manchester City striker Niall Quinn suffers a knee injury against Sheffield Wednesday. Manchester United now have a 14-point lead at the top of the Premier League after beating Coventry 1–0, while Blackburn and Newcastle both drop points.^[48]

29 November 1993 –Peter Swales resigns as Manchester City chairman after 20 years.Francis Lee, who had been campaigning for control of the club's board since early in the year, succeeds him.

30 November 1993 – November draws to a close with Manchester United now leading by 14 points ahead of their nearest rivals Leeds United and Arsenal, while newly promoted Newcastle United are starting to give the top five a run for their money. Swindon Town finally managed to win a league game at the 16th attempt, but are still bottom of the division with a mere nine points from their opening 17 games, while Oldham Athletic remain second from bottom and Chelsea have slipped into the relegation zone after Southampton climbed out of it on goal difference.^[41] Charlton Athletic remain top of Division One, with Tranmere Rovers occupying second place. Southend United's resurgence in form has seen them rise to third place in the league, with the playoff zone being completed by Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Millwall.^[49] Niall Quinn's knee injury is diagnosed as cruciate ligament damage, and he is warned that he is likely to miss the rest of the English league season as well as next summer's World Cup.Jimmy Armfield, the former England international, is selected byThe Football Association as the man with the task of finding the national side's next manager.^[50]

4 December 1993 –Howard Kendall resigns after three years in his second spell as charge of Everton, who have fallen into the bottom half of the Premier League table after topping it in the first month of the season. Curiously, Kendall's resignation comes within hours of Everton's 1–0 home league win over Southampton. Manchester United and Norwich draw 2–2 in a thrilling match at Old Trafford, while second placed Leeds beat Manchester City 3–2 at Elland Road.^[51]

7 December 1993 –Lazio deny rumours thatPaul Gascoigne is due to return to English football in a move to either Leeds United or Manchester United.

10 December 1993 – Former England managerBobby Robson resigns as manager ofPortuguese side Sporting Clube de Portugal, sparking media speculation that he will be offered the Everton job.

11 December 1993 - Liverpool are held to a 2–2 at home to bottom club Swindon in the Premier League, although the visitors still have just one league win to their names after 20 matches.^[52]

12 December 1993 –Northampton Town, who are bottom of Division Three, dismiss managerPhil Chard and replace him withJohn Barnwell.

18 December 1993 - The main Premier League action sees Sheffield Wednesday win 5–0 at home over West Ham and Tottenham draw 3–3 at home to Liverpool. Swindon win for the second time in the Premier League this season and for the first time at home by beating Southampton 2–1.^[53]

19 December 1993 - With three of the game's four goals coming during the closing few minutes, Manchester United beat Aston Villa 3–1 at Old Trafford to go 13 points ahead at the top of the Premier League.^[54]

21 December 1993 -David Rocastle leaves Leeds after 16 months to sign forManchester City in a £2million, afterDavid White went in the opposite direction for the same fee.

26 December 1993 - TheBoxing Day action sees a late equaliser fromPaul Ince give Manchester United a 1–1 draw at home to Blackburn afterKevin Gallacher had put the visitors ahead.^[55]

27 December 1993 – Kevin Campbell scores his second league hat-trick of the season as Arsenal beat Swindon Town 4–0 at theCounty Ground. Meanwhile, Arsenal's underperformingNorth London rivals Tottenham are beaten 3–1 at home by a Norwich City side with two goals coming from prolific 20-year-old strikerChris Sutton. In Division One, Leicester draw 4–4 with Watford in a thrilling match at Filbert Street, and Southend climb back into the top six with a 4–2 home win over fourth-placed Charlton.^[56]

29 December 1993 - Manchester United beat Oldham 5–2 at Boundary Park in a match whereAndrei Kanchelskis scores twice for the defending champions, who now lead the Premier League by 14 points. Swindon keep up their fight for survival by battling out it for a 3–3 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.^[57]

30 December 1993 –Lawrie McMenemy, Southampton manager from 1973 to 1985 and until last month assistant manager of the England team since 1990, returns to The Dell as Director of Football, working alongside under-fire managerIan Branfoot.^[58]

31 December 1993 – The year draws to a close with Manchester United still top of the table with a 14-point lead over nearest rivals Blackburn Rovers, who have a game in hand. Leeds United, Arsenal and Newcastle United complete the top five, while at the other end of the table Swindon Town remain bottom with Oldham Athletic and Chelsea now out of the relegation zone at the expense of Southampton and Sheffield United.^[59] Crystal Palace are now leaders of Division One, with the other automatic promotion place currently being occupied by Tranmere Rovers. Charlton Athletic, Leicester City and Southend United complete the top six. Nottingham Forest are catching up with the leading pack and are now just one point and two places outside the playoff zone.^[60]

1 January 1994 - The new year begins with Manchester United still 12 points ahead at the top of the Premier League after a goalless draw at home to Leeds. Blackburn narrowly eat in their lead with a 1–0 win at Aston Villa. The key action in Division One includes a 4-2 for Bolton over Notts County atBurnden Park, whileMillwall keep up their promotion push with a 3–0 home win over London rivals Crystal Palace and Southend United keep hold of their place in the top six with a 3–1 home win over Birmingham City.^[61]

3 January 1994 -Chelsea climb five points clear of the relegation zone with a 4–2 home win over Everton. Derby County keep their push for a playoff place on track with a 4–0 home win over Tranmere Rovers, who lose their place in the top two to Charlton, who win 2–1 at home to West Bromwich Albion.^[62]

4 January 1994 – After taking a 3–0 lead in the first half, Manchester United are held to a 3–3 draw by Liverpool in the league atAnfield.

5 January 1994 – It is reported in the media that the former Tottenham Hotspur managerTerry Venables will take over as manager of the England team.

8 January 1994 – TheFA Cup third round sparks some major upsets.Bristol City hold Liverpool to a 1–1 draw, while an identical scoreline occurs for Everton at Bolton Wanderers. Queens Park Rangers are defeated byStockport County, but the big shock comes when Division OneBirmingham City lose 2–1 at home toConference leadersKidderminster Harriers. Chelsea were surprised to be held 0–0 atStamford Bridge byBarnet, despite it being Barnet's 'home' tie. Barnet had been struggling at the bottom of the third tier for the entire season, having seen most of their squad and manager leave for Southend United, who they ironically knocked out of the season's League Cup. The match against Chelsea was billed as Hoddle vs Hoddle, as Glenn managed Chelsea, whilst his brother,Carl, had scored a Hoddlesque goal for Barnet versusCrawley Town in the 2nd Round.

11 January 1994 – Ian Branfoot resigns after two and a half years as manager of Southampton, with former England manager Graham Taylor rumoured to be on the shortlist of possible successors. Sheffield Wednesday beat Wimbledon 2–1 in the League Cup quarter-final.^[63]Terry Butcher sues Coventry City for £40,000 after his fourteen-month spell as player-manager was ended in January 1992.^[64]

12 January 1994 - Manchester United are held to a 2–2 draw in the League Cup quarter-final against Portsmouth at Old Trafford, withPaul Walsh scoring twice for Portsmouth to force a replay. Aston Villa beat Tottenham 2–1 atWhite Hart Lane in their quarter-final clash.^[65]

13 January 1994 –Alex Ferguson sells his son, midfielderDarren Ferguson, from Manchester United to Wolverhampton Wanderers for £250,000.

14 January 1994 –Mike Walker, the manager who took Norwich City to a club best of third place in the Premier League last season, departsCarrow Road to take over at Everton. Norwich announce that Walker's assistant,John Deehan will succeed him as manager with immediate effect, and that the club will be taking legal action against Everton for "tapping up" Walker.

15 January 1994 – Mike Walker starts on a high at Everton, guiding them to a 6–2 home win over Premier League basement club Swindon Town, in which Tony Cottee scores his second league hat-trick of the season. Aston Villa beat West Ham 3–1 atVilla Park and Liverpool win 3–0 at Oldham. In Division One, a relegation crunch game atVicarage Road sees Watford beat Birmingham 5–2, withPaul Furlong scoring a hat-trick.^[66]

20 January 1994 –

• • – Legendary former Manchester United managerSir Matt Busby dies at the age of 84.
    • –Alan Ball is appointed manager of Southampton, who pay £100,000 to release him from his contract as manager ofExeter City.^[67]
      • –Colin Harvey, who has been at Everton since joining them as a player 30 years ago, leaves theGoodison Park club. He had worked under Howard Kendall as a coach during his two spells as manager, and was also manager of the club from June 1987 to October 1990 between Kendall's two spells.

22 January 1994 - Manchester United beat Everton 1–0 at Old Trafford with a goal fromRyan Giggs in their first match since the death of Sir Matt Busby. The Steel City derby at Hillsborough sees Sheffield Wednesday beat Sheffield United 3–1.^[68]

24 January 1994 - A thrilling match at Upton Park sees West Ham draw 3–3 with Norwich, who have scored 32 goals on their travels in the Premier League this season but just eight times at home.^[69]

25 January 1994 - ABrian Tinnion goal gives Bristol City a 1–0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup third round replay.

26 January 1994 - Manchester United reach the League Cup semi-finals for the third time in four seasons by beating Portsmouth 1–0 in theFratton Park quarter-final replay.

28 January 1994 –

• • – The Football Association's two-month search for a successor to Graham Taylor ends with the appointment of Terry Venables.
    • – Graeme Souness quits as Liverpool manager after their shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Bristol City. He is succeeded by long-serving coachRoy Evans. Neighbouring Everton are also reeling from a third round replay exit in the FA Cup at the hands of a much smaller club, in their case Bolton Wanderers.

29 January 1994 – Kidderminster Harriers claim another Football League scalp when they triumph 1–0 at home toPreston North End in the FA Cup fourth round. Other surprise results include Manchester City's 1–0 defeat to Division Two strugglers Cardiff City. Tranmere reach the League Cup semi-finals for the first time ever by beating Nottingham Forest 2–0 in the quarter-final replay atPrenton Park.

30 January 1994 - Manchester United keep their treble bid on track with a 2–0 win at Norwich in the FA Cup fourth round.

31 January 1994 – Manchester United finish January as leaders with a 16-point margin, though Blackburn Rovers in second place have three games in hand. Arsenal, Newcastle United and a resurgent Liverpool side undaunted by the FA Cup shock and change of manager complete the top five. Swindon Town remain bottom, while Oldham Athletic occupy the next lowest position, though Sheffield United have climbed out of the relegation zone at the expense of Manchester City.^[70] In Division One, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic lead the race for promotion to the Premier League. The playoff zone is occupied by Millwall, Leicester City, Tranmere Rovers and Nottingham Forest. Wolverhampton Wanderers are on the comeback trail after a run of dismal form beforeChristmas, and are now just two points and two places outside the playoff zone.^[71]

2 February 1994 – Newcastle United pay a club record £2.5million for Norwich City wingerRuel Fox.

5 February 1994 – Having scored only one league goal all season before now,Norwegian strikerJan Age Fjortoft scores a hat-trick for Swindon Town (still bottom of the Premier League) in their 3–1 home win over Coventry City.

6 February 1994 - Middlesbrough arrest their slide down Division One with a 4–2 win over Millwall atAyresome Park, denying the visitors the chance of going second in the league. AnEast Midlands derby at theCity Ground sees Nottingham Forest beat Leicester 4–0.^[72]

9 February 1994 – The FA Cup fourth roundreplays witness some of the most surprising results ever seen in the competition. Holders Arsenal lose 3–1 at home to Division One underdogsBolton Wanderers. Leeds United, chasing aUEFA Cup place in the Premier League, lose 3–2 at home to an Oxford United side who are battling against relegation to Division Two.Newcastle United, another team in the race for a European place, lose 2–0 at another Division One struggling side –Luton Town. This means that a mere seven of the 16 clubs in the FA Cup fifth round will be Premier League members.^[73]

12 February 1994 –Dean Saunders scores a hat-trick for Aston Villa in their 5–0 home league win over Swindon Town. Wimbledon beat Newcastle United 4–2 atSelhurst Park.

13 February 1994 - A spectacular goal from Ryan Giggs gives Manchester United a 1–0 lead over Sheffield Wednesday in their League Cup semi-final first leg at Old Trafford.^[74]

14 February 1994 –Matthew Le Tissier scores a hat-trick for Southampton in their 4–2 home league win over Liverpool.

16 February 1994 – Tranmere Rovers, who have never played in an FA Cup or Football League Cup final, move closer to their Wembley dream with a 3–1 win over Aston Villa in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.

17 February 1994 – In the wake of a two-month winless run, Ipswich Town announce that John Lyall will be returning as team manager, and that Mick McGiven will revert to his previous job as assistant manager.

19 February 1994 –

• • – Aston Villa's hopes of achieving a cup double are ended when they are beaten 1–0 by Bolton Wanderers atBurnden Park in the FA Cup fifth round. Kidderminster Harriers, among the few non-league teams ever to reach this stage of the competition, have their dream ended in a 1–0 defeat by West Ham United.
    • – Jan Age Fjortoft's goalscoring surge continues as he scores twice in the league for Swindon against Norwich City, but theEast Anglians still hold out for a 3–3 draw at the County Ground. Coventry beat Manchester City 4–0 at Highfield Road. Derby County climb into the Division One playoff zone with a 4–3 win at Watford.^[75]

20 February 1994 - Cardiff City's FA Cup ends with a 2–1 home defeat to Luton Town in the fifth round. Bolton knock out Aston Villa with a 1–0 win at Burnden Park. Manchester United travel to Selhurst Park to take on Wimbledon and win 3–0.^[76]

22 February 1994 - Sheffield United's survival hopes are hit by a 3–2 defeat Ipswich. Manchester City climb out of the bottom three on goal difference with a goalless draw at Aston Villa. Blackburn are now six points behind Manchester United after a 2–2 draw at Norwich.^[77]

23 February 1994 – Andy Cole scores a hat-trick for Newcastle in a 4–0 home win over Coventry City.

26 February 1994 - An epic Premier League clash at Upton Park seesMark Hughes give Manchester United an early lead over West Ham, before the hosts go ahead with goals fromLee Chapman andTrevor Morley, untilPaul Ince scores a late equaliser against his old club to make it a 2–2 draw. West Bromwich Albion complete the "double" over their local rivals Wolves with a 2–1 win at the Molineux, which boosts their survival bid and dents the playoff challenge of their rivals, mounting the pressure on long-serving managerGraham Turner.^[78]

27 February 1994 - Aston Villa reach a domestic cup final for the first time in 17 years after clawing back a two-goal deficit to beat Tranmere 3-1 and win the penalty shootout at Villa Park. In the Premier League, Chelsea boost their survival push with a 4–3 home win over Tottenham.^[79]

28 February 1994 – February draws to a close with Manchester United still top, though with their lead now cut to seven points, and they have a game in hand over second-placed Blackburn Rovers. Arsenal, Newcastle United and Liverpool complete an unchanged top five at this month end. At the other end of the table, Oldham Athletic and Swindon Town prop up the rest of the Premier League while Manchester City have climbed out of the bottom three at the expense of Sheffield United.^[80] Crystal Palace remain top of Division One, with Charlton Athletic second in the table. The playoff zone is occupied by Leicester City, Derby County, Millwall and a Stoke City side who have prospered under new managerJoe Jordan since the departure of Lou Macari to Celtic in October and mounted a serious challenge for a second successive promotion.^[81]

2 March 1994 – Manchester City signGerman strikerUwe Rosler fromDynamo Dresden for £750,000. Manchester United reach their third League Cup final in four seasons with a 4–1 win at Sheffield Wednesday in the semi-final second leg. Charlton and Wolves both reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.^[82]

5 March 1994 – Arsenal heap misery upon Ipswich Town, this time with a 5–1 league win atPortman Road in which Ian Wright scores a hat-trick. Meanwhile, Manchester United suffer their first home league defeat since October 1992 when they lose 1–0 to Chelsea atOld Trafford.

6 March 1994 - Aston Villa climb into fifth place with a 1–0 win at Coventry.^[83]

7 March 1994 – New England managerTerry Venables announces thatDavid Platt, who currently plays for Sampdoria ofItaly, will be thecaptain of the national team.

9 March 1994 – England beatDenmark 1–0 in a friendly at Wembley in their first game under Terry Venables.

10 March 1994 – Division One leaders Crystal Palace prepare for their inevitable return to the Premier League with a £1.1million move forWatford strikerBruce Dyer.

12 March 1994 – The biggest win of the Premier League season so far sees Newcastle United beat Swindon Town 7–1 at St James's Park. Peter Beardsley,Rob Lee andSteve Watson all find the net twice, withRuel Fox also scoring. The consolation goal comes fromJohn Moncur. QPR beat Norwich 4–3 in a thrilling match atCarrow Road. In the FA Cup,Peter Schmeichel is sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area but Manchester United still beat Charlton 3–1 in the Old Trafford quarter-final. Bolton's FA Cup run ends with a 1–0 defeat at home to Oldham.^[84]

13 March 1994 - Liverpool beat Everton 2–1 in the lastMerseyside derby atAnfield before the Spion Kop is rebuilt.^[85]

16 March 1994 - Midweek drama in the Premier League sees Manchester United return to their winning ways with a 5–0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, which gives them a seven-point lead over Blackburn with 11 games remaining.^[86]

19 March 1994 – Eric Cantona is sent off for stamping on John Moncur in Manchester United's 2–2 league draw with Swindon Town at the County Ground. Ian Wright scores a second successive Premier League hat-trick for Arsenal in a 4–0 win at Southampton. Newcastle win 4–2 at West Ham. Nottingham Forest's surge in Division One continues with a 3–2 win over Bolton which puts them just two points behind leaders Crystal Palace.^[87]

22 March 1994 – Three days after being sent off against Swindon, Eric Cantona is sent off again – also in a 2–2 draw, this time in the league against Arsenal at Highbury.Lee Sharpe scores both of United's goals.

23 March 1994 - Luton Town reach the FA Cup semi-final when aScott Oakes hat-trick gives them a 3–2 win over West Ham in the quarter-final replay atKenilworth Road.^[88]

24 March 1994 – Manchester City sign Everton wingerPeter Beagrie for £1.1million. He is succeeded at Goodison Park by Arsenal'sAnders Limpar for £1.6million. Tottenham Hotspur's quest to sign a new striker in an attempt to stave off relegation ends in failure when West Ham'sClive Allen signs for Division One promotion chasers Millwall for £75,000, ending talk his return to Tottenham, who also fail to lureFrenchmanJean-Pierre Papin fromBayern Munich.Steve Morrow is reportedly set for a new Arsenal contract after a proposed move to a Swindon Town side heading for relegation is called off. Another player going nowhere is QPR strikerLes Ferdinand, who has been subject to transfer speculation for months. Joining Anders Limpar at Goodison Park is 20-year-oldAFC Bournemouth midfielderJoe Parkinson, a hot prospect costing £250,000. Leicester City boost their promotion challenge with a £360,000 move for Portsmouth midfielderMark Blake. Wimbledon signBrentford strikerMarcus Gayle for £250,000. Loan moves includeJeroen Boere (West Ham United to Portsmouth),Ian Kilford (Nottingham Forest toWigan Athletic),Tom Cowan (Sheffield United to Huddersfield Town),Scott Marshall andJimmy Carter (both Arsenal to Oxford United) andPaul Dickov (Arsenal toBrighton & Hove Albion).^[89]

26 March 1994 –Fulham managerDon Mackay is sacked at half-time by chairmanJimmy Hill, with the team losing 2–0 to fellow strugglersLeyton Orient. Former managerRay Lewington is put in charge again for the second half, during which the Cottagers score twice and salvage a 2–2 draw. In the Premier League, Blackburn cut Manchester United's lead to three points with a 3–1 home win over Swindon. In Division One, Notts County home in on the playoff places with a 3–1 home win over East Midlands rivals Leicester.^[90]

27 March 1994 – Manchester United's bid for a unique domestic treble ends when they lost 3–1 to Aston Villa in the1994 Football League Cup Final.

28 March 1994 - Sheffield United boost their survival bid with a 3–2 home win over West Ham.^[91]

29 March 1994 – Blackburn's hopes of catching Manchester United in the title race are dealt a major blow when they lose 4–1 away to Wimbledon. Andy Cole becomes the first player to reach the 30-goal mark in the Premier League when he scores in Newcastle's 3–0 home win over Norwich City.^[92]

30 March 1994 - Manchester United extend their lead of the Premier League to six points with a 1–0 win over Liverpool, in whichPaul Ince scores the only goal. Oldham climb out of the bottom three with a 3–1 win at Southampton, who take their place in the relegation zone.^[93]

31 March 1994 – Manchester United's treble bid may be over, but they finish March as Premier League leaders by a six-point lead over their nearest rivals Blackburn Rovers. They are also in theFA Cup semi-finals. Newcastle United, Arsenal and Leeds United complete the top five. Oldham Athletic, who will soon be competing in the FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United, are starting to look set for Premier League survival as they have climbed out of the relegation zone at the expense of Southampton, while Sheffield United and Swindon Town remain there.^[94] In Division One, Crystal Palace continue to head the table and have been joined in the automatic promotion places by a Nottingham Forest side who weren't even in the playoff zone a month ago. Leicester City, Millwall, Derby County and Tranmere Rovers occupy the playoff zone.^[95]

2 April 1994 – Blackburn Rovers cut Manchester United's lead at the top of the Premier League to two points after beating them 2–0 atEwood Park, three months after United had established a 16-point lead. Alan Shearer scores both of Blackburn's goals. In the relegation battle, Oldham Athletic give themselves a fresh boost by beating QPR 4–1 atBoundary Park, while Everton's relegation woes deepen when they lose 5–1 to Sheffield Wednesday atHillsborough.

4 April 1994 – Everton are pushed further into the relegation mire with a 3–0 home defeat by Blackburn Rovers, who are kept off the top by Manchester United's 3–2 home win over Oldham Athletic. Tottenham Hotspur are still in danger of relegation after suffering a 4–1 home defeat to West Ham United. Leeds beat QPR 4–0 atLoftus Road.^[96]

5 April 1994 - A thrilling East Midlands derby at Filbert Street sees Leicester and Derby draw 3-3 in the Division One promotion race. At the opposite end of the table, Watford win 4–3 at Peterborough.^[97]

9 April 1994 – Chelsea beat Luton Town 2–0 in the FA Cup semi-final to reach their firstFA Cup final since 1970. In the league, the drama of the day comes as Southampton boost their survival bid with a dramatic 5–4 win over Norwich City atCarrow Road.Matt Le Tissier scores a hat-trick for the Saints, while Chris Sutton scores twice for the Canaries. Everton, meanwhile, give their own survival bid a boost with a 1–0 away win over West Ham United, with Tony Cottee scoring against his old club.

10 April 1994 – A late equaliser byMark Hughes forces a replay for Manchester United as they draw 1–1 with Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup semi-final, on the same day thatEric Cantona (suspended for today's game) is votedPFA Player of the Year – the first foreign player to receive this accolade.

11 April 1994 – Alan Shearer scores his 30th league goal of the season in Blackburn's 1–0 home league win over Aston Villa to put Blackburn level on points with Manchester United, three months after 16 points separated the two teams.^[98]

12 April 1994 - Arsenal reach the final of theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup with a 2-1 aggregate win overParis St Germain.

13 April 1994 – Manchester United beat Oldham Athletic 4–1 in the FA Cup semi-final replay at Maine Road.

16 April 1994 - Wimbledon beat Manchester United 1–0 in the Premier League but Blackburn miss the chance to go top by losing 3–1 at Southampton, a result which is a big boost for Alan Ball's men in their bid for survival.^[99] In Division One, Crystal Palace make promotion almost certain with a 1–0 win at Luton.^[100]

17 April 1994 - Crystal Palace's promotion is confirmed whenMillwall - one of two teams who were still capable of finishing above them - draw 2–2 at home to second placed Nottingham Forest.^[101]

20 April 1994 – The Football League confirms that no team will be relegated to the GM Vauxhall Conference this year, as none of the teams in the top half of the Conference (which, curiously, includes former League membersSouthport) have a ground which meets the criteria for admission to the League. The recent requirement that all clubs must have a stadium holding at least 6,000 fans (1,200 or more seated) and must own their own stadium is the result of the collapse ofMaidstone United at the start of last season; they had won promotion to the Football League in 1989 but had no home of their own at the time and went on to spend a large sum of money on purchasing a piece of land with the intention of building a stadium there, only to be refused planning permission to build the stadium. This leaves Northampton Town andDarlington, who are both well adrift at the bottom of Division Three, fighting only the dishonour of placing as the League's bottom club. Northampton are in the process of building anew stadium to replace the County Ground later this year.

23 April 1994 – Eric Cantona returns from his five-match ban in style by scoring both of Manchester United's goals in theManchester derby atOld Trafford, which United win 2–0, going three points ahead of Blackburn with four games remaining. Swindon's relegation is confirmed with a 4–2 home defeat to Wimbledon. Ipswich are still in danger of going down after losing 5–0 at Sheffield Wednesday. Oldham miss an opportunity to climb back out of the relegation zone by losing 3–2 at Newcastle.^[102]

24 April 1994 - Blackburn are held to a 1–1 draw at home by QPR, denting their title bid just as Manchester United look to be recapturing their form.^[103]

26 April 1994 – ADean Holdsworth hat-trick gives Wimbledon a 3–0 home league win over Oldham Athletic, who fall further into relegation trouble.

27 April 1994 - Newcastle move closer to aUEFA Cup place by beating Aston Villa 5–1, and Manchester United move closer to the title with a 2–0 win at Leeds, placing them potentially four days away from winning the title. Blackburn keep their title hopes alive with a 2–1 win at West Ham. Nottingham Forest are on the brink of joining Crystal Palace for an immediate return to the Premier League with a 2–0 win at Derby leaving them needing just two points from their final three games to be sure of promotion.^[104]

30 April 1994 – April draws to a close with Manchester United still top of the league, though leading by just two points with a game in hand over Blackburn Rovers, the only team who now stand a mathematical chance of catching them. Newcastle United, Arsenal and Leeds United complete the top five, which a resurgent Wimbledon would now be in had it not been for their weaker form earlier on in the season. Swindon Town, meanwhile, have had their relegation confirmed as they occupy bottom place with a mere 27 points and just four wins so far this season, although they did record a first away win in the top flight today by beating QPR 3–1 at Loftus Road. Oldham Athletic and Sheffield United complete the bottom three, while Southampton, Everton, Ipswich Town, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City are still under threat of relegation.^{[citation needed]} Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest will be playing Premier League football next season after sealing promotion from Division One, a year after relegation. The playoff zone is occupied by Tranmere Rovers, Leicester City, Derby County and Millwall, but there is still a chance of Notts County or Wolverhampton Wanderers ousting Millwall from the playoff places. The last game is played in front of Liverpool's Spion Kop before it is rebuilt as an all-seater stand.^[105] Nottingham Forest's promotion was secured today with a 3–2 win at doomed Peterborough.^[106]

1 May 1994 – Manchester United move to the brink of a back-to-back FA Premier League title triumph after winning 2–1 at relegation-threatened Ipswich Town, withEric Cantona andRyan Giggs both scoring the net afterChris Kiwomya gave the hosts an early lead. Down in Division One,Lennie Lawrence resigns as manager ofMiddlesbrough after theAyresome Park side missed out on the playoffs and the chance of an immediate return to the Premier League. Former playerGraeme Souness is one of the names quickly linked to the Middlesbrough manager's job, as are the likes ofBryan Robson,Brian Little,Gordon Strachan andSteve Coppell.^[107]

2 May 1994 - Blackburn's 2–1 defeat at Coventry gives the Premier League title to Manchester United for a second successive season.^[108]

4 May 1994 – Arsenal win the European Cup Winners' Cup by beatingParma 1–0. The only goal in theFinal comes fromAlan Smith, who has missed most of this season due to injuries.

7 May 1994 – On the final weekend of the Premier League season, Oldham go in to their final game at Norwich needing a win to stand any chance of survival, but a 1–1 draw atCarrow Road is not enough to save them and they go down after three seasons in the top flight. Already-relegated Swindon lose 5–0 at home to Leeds, meaning that they become the first top flight team in 30 years to finish a league campaign with 100 goals conceded. Everton perform a miracle escape from relegation by beating Wimbledon 3-2 after going two goals down in the first half atGoodison Park. Sheffield United would have stayed up goal difference had they not conceded a last time goal atStamford Bridge which gave Chelsea 3–2 win and enabled Ipswich Town to survive by a single point after drawing 0–0 with league runners-up Blackburn atEwood Park. Newcastle secure a UEFA Cup place for the first time in 17 years by finishing third.^[109]

8 May 1994 - The last Premier League game of the season sees Manchester United draw 0–0 at home to Coventry and receive the Premier League trophy.

14 May 1994 – Manchester United complete the 'double' by beating Chelsea 4–0 in the1994 FA Cup Final. The deadlock had yet to be broken at half time, beforeEric Cantona converted two penalties,Mark Hughes scored United's third goal (his sixth cup final goal in five seasons) and substituteBrian McClair completed the scoring just before the final whistle. United's status as league champions means that Chelsea will enter the European Cup Winners' Cup next season, their first venture into European competition for more than 20 years.

18 May 1994 - Bryan Robson calls time on 13 years and nearly 500 appearances for Manchester United to become player-manager of Middlesbrough.

20 May 1994 – QPR give a free transfer to 37-year-old midfielderRay Wilkins, the veteran midfielder who played 84 times for England between 1978 and 1986. Middlesbrough announce the appointment ofBryan Robson as player-manager, ending the 37-year-old Manchester United captain's 13-year spell at Manchester United.

24 May 1994 – Matt Le Tissier, who has been linked with a move to several big clubs including Manchester United, signs a new contract to stay at Southampton until at least 1997.

26 May 1994 – Ray Wilkins becomes player-coach of newly promoted Crystal Palace.

28 May 1994 -Wycombe Wanderers win the Division Three playoffs at the end of their first season as a Football League club, defeatingPreston North End 4-2 at Wembley.

29 May 1994 -Burnley beatStockport County 2-1 in the Division Two playoff final, ending their 11-year spell in the lower two tiers of the English league, and condemning Stockport to their fourth Wembley defeat in three seasons.

30 May 1994 -Leicester City beat theirEast Midlands rivalsDerby County 2-1 in the Division One playoff final to end their seven-year absence from the top flight, as well as winning at Wembley for the first time after seven attempts (four FA Cup final defeats and most recently back-to-back playoff final defeats).

31 May 1994 - Arsenal signSwedish midfielderStefan Schwarz fromSL Benfica for £1.75million.

1 June 1994 - Liverpool goalkeeperBruce Grobbelaar leavesAnfield after 13 years to sign for Southampton on a free transfer. The club's longest serving playerRonnie Whelan leaves Anfield on a free transfer after 15 years.

10 June 1994 –Bobby Charlton, record goalscorer for both Manchester United and England, receives aknighthood.

14 June 1994 – Tottenham Hotspur are found guilty of financial irregularities and receive the heaviest punishment ever imposed on an English club. The Football Association fines Tottenham £600,000, bans them from the1994–95 FA Cup, and deducts them 12 league points from the start of next season.

18 June 1994 - With England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all having failed to qualify for the World Cup, a mostly English basedRepublic of Ireland national side pull off a major shock in first group stage game of the tournament in theUSA when a goal fromAston Villa wingerRay Houghton gives the Irishmen a 1-0 win overItaly inEast Rutherford. The Republic are still managed by England's 1966 World Cup winning centre-halfJack Charlton, who has been in charge for eight years.

22 June 1994 – West Ham United sign Oxford United wingerJoey Beauchamp for £1million.

24 June 1994 - Manchester City sign wingerNicky Summerbee from Swindon Town for £1.5million. The Republic of Ireland's second World Cup group game ends in a 2-1 defeat toMexico inOrlando, with the only goal coming from 35-year-old Tranmere Rovers strikerJohn Aldridge.

28 June 1994 - The Republic of Ireland national side go through to the last 16 of the World Cup after holdingNorway (also with a number of English based players) to a goalless draw in East Rutherford.

4 July 1994 - The Republic of Ireland's World Cup dream ends with a 2-0 defeat to Holland in the Orlando last 16 clash. The only English based player still active in the World Cup isBulgarian strikerBoncho Genchev of Ipswich Town.

13 July 1994 - Bulgaria are beaten 2-1 byItaly in the World Cup semi-finals, ending the representation of English based players at the World Cup.

• 20 August 1993 –Tony Barton, 56, was manager of Aston Villa when they won the European Cup in 1982. Had taken over from Ron Saunders earlier during the 1981–82 season. He remained in charge for two more seasons at Villa Park and later in his career he managed Northampton Town as well as being assistant manager of Portsmouth and finally Southampton before retiring from football in 1991.
• 5 October 1993 -Jim Holton, 41, was centre-half inManchester United's Second Division title winning side of 1975, having signed fromShrewsbury Town in 1972. Later played forSunderland and finallyCoventry City before his career was ended by injury at the age of 29, after which he worked as a pub landlord inCoventry.
• 5 November 1993 -Arthur Rowe, 87, played more than 200 games forTottenham Hotspur in the interwar years, becoming manager in 1949 and taking them to promotion in hisfirst season in charge, securing the club's first top division title a year later. At the time no other club had won the top division title a year after promotion. Remained in charge atWhite Hart Lane until 1955. Later managedCrystal Palace.
• 4 December 1993 -Roy Vernon, 56, scored 101 goals in 176 league games forEverton between 1960 and 1965, helping them win the league title in 1963 after signing fromBlackburn Rovers. Also won 32 caps forWales, scoring eight goals.
• 7 December 1993 -John Simpson, 60, wasGillingham's first choice goalkeeper for most of his 15-year spell at the club, making a club record 571 league appearances between 1957 and 1972.
• 9 December 1993 –Danny Blanchflower, 67, was wing-half and captain of Tottenham Hotspur when they won the double in 1961, F.A Cup in 1962 and Cup Winners Cup in 1963. He retired through injury in 1964. During the late 1970s he managed Chelsea but was unable to sustain himself as a successful football manager, although he did make a successful living.
• 12 January 1994 -Arthur Turner, 84, played 358 league games as a centre-half in a career which took him fromStoke City toBirmingham City and finally toSouthport between 1930 and 1948, being disrupted by World War II. As a manager, he took Birmingham City to runners-up spot in the FA Cup in 1956 andOxford United into the Football League in 1962, remaining there until 1969, by which time they were in the Second Division.
• 20 January 1994 – SirMatt Busby, 84, won F.A Cup as player with Manchester City in 1934. Became one of the most famous names in world football when manager of Manchester United from 1945 to 1969. Built three great teams. The first great team made its name in the postwar years with an F.A Cup victory and a league title. Busby replaced the ageing members of this teams with exciting young players who were known as the 'Busby Babes'. They won two straight league titles before eight players died and two had their careers ended by the Munich Air Disaster in 1958. Busby himself was gravely injured but made a full recovery against all the odds. He then built a third great team for the 1960s which won an F.A Cup and two league titles before reaching its pinnacle with the European Cup in 1968. He retired a year later but remained as a director and later as president until his death, which marked the end of his association with the club which had lasted 49 years.
• 21 January 1994 –Tony Waddington, 68, was manager of Stoke City from 1960 to 1977 and guided them to League Cup glory in 1972 – still their only major trophy to date.
• 7 February 1994 -Billy Briscoe, 97, one of the oldest surviving players to have appeared in the Football League, was withPort Vale when they joined the league in 1919 and played 307 league games for them leading up to 1931, scoring 51 goals.
• 19 February 1994 -Johnny Hancocks, 74, scored 158 goals in 343 league games forWolverhampton Wanderers as a right-winger between 1946 and 1957, helping them win the FA Cup in 1949 and league title in 1954. Won three England caps and scored twice, being denied more caps by the fact that his career coincided with that of Stanley Matthews.
• 14 April 1994 -Bobby Gurney, 86, spent his entire professional career atSunderland from 1925 to 1950, playing 388 league games and scoring a club record 228 goals and collecting a league title medal in 1935 and an FA Cup winner's medal in 1937. He played for theWearside club, having joined them at 18, until his 43rd year, and then switched to management to take charge ofPeterborough United,Darlington and finallyHartlepool United. Was capped for England once in 1935.
• 7 May 1994 -Andy McEvoy, 55, played 183 league games forBlackburn Rovers between 1956 and 1967, scoring 89 goals. He was capped 17 times for theRepublic of Ireland, scoring six goals, and later returned to his homeland to play forLimerick and later manageBray Wanderers.
• 19 May 1994 -John Malkin, 72, succeededStanley Matthews on the right wing forStoke City in 1946, and played 175 league games for the club before injury ended his playing career in 1956.
• 15 June 1994 -Gerry Mannion, 54, played 17 league appearances as a right-winger for Wolverhampton Wanderers between 1957 and 1961, including the final 10 games of the1959-60 season, when Wolves were pipped to the title byBurnley. Then played forNorwich City, scoring in both legs of their 1962 League Cup final triumph.

• 1993 in English sport
• 1994 in English sport
• Seasons in English football
• 1993–94 in English football

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