1994–95 Southampton F.C. season

The 1994–95 Southampton F.C. season was the club's third in the Premier League, and their 25th in the top division of English football. Having narrowly avoided relegation from the league the previous season, the club were looking to improve their performances in order to remain in the top flight for another year. After finishing 18th in the division for two consecutive seasons, Southampton managed to finish 10th in the Premier League, their best top-flight finish since 1990. They also reached the fifth round of the FA Cup, and the third round of the League Cup.

Southampton F.C.
1994–95 season
ChairmanGuy Askham
ManagerAlan Ball
StadiumThe Dell
FA Premier League10th
FA CupFifth round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Matt Le Tissier (19)

All:
Matt Le Tissier (29)
Highest home attendance15,210 v Queens Park Rangers (15 April 1995)
Lowest home attendanceLeague:
12,876 v Norwich City
(2 November 1994)
Overall:
12,032 v Huddersfield Town (5 October 1994)
Average home league attendanceLeague: 14,685
Overall: 14,547

Southampton acted conservatively in the 1994 summer transfer window, although did make notable signings in the form of Zimbabwean goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar from Liverpool and Danish midfielder Ronnie Ekelund from Barcelona. After Christmas the spending was increased, with strikers Neil Shipperley and Gordon Watson moving to Southampton from Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday respectively, both for fees in excess of £1 million. Notable departures included striker Iain Dowie halfway through the season, and defender Jeff Kenna near the end of the campaign.

At the end of the season Southampton finished 10th in the Premier League table with 12 wins, 18 draws and 12 losses, although only nine points above the relegation zone. Matthew Le Tissier was the club's top scorer with 19 goals in the league, making him the seventh best goalscorer in the league that season. Le Tissier also won the Southampton Player of the Season award, surpassing Peter Shilton and Tim Flowers as the first player to win the award a third time.

FA Premier League edit

Southampton's start to the third Premier League season saw the Hampshire side pick up just two points from their first four games, all in August, including a 5–1 thrashing at the hands of Newcastle United. The following month was much more positive for the club, who picked up four wins out of five games, including a late win at Tottenham Hotspur and 3–1 wins against Coventry City and Ipswich Town. The Saints lost their next three games, and won only one of their November fixtures, a tightly-fought 1–0 victory over Arsenal. The run-up to Christmas was similarly difficult, with Southampton picking up only one win from a possible three.

Saints hosted Wimbledon on Boxing Day 1994, and eventually lost 3–2 after a close match-up between the sides. It took the Saints almost three months to win a match again, during which time the club dropped to 20th in the table. Between 28 December 1994 and 18 March 1995, Southampton took part in an amazing nine draws, including late losses of leads against Manchester City and Norwich City, and lost their other two matches at Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest.

Luck changed for the Saints after this poor run of results, as they picked up important victories against high-profile opponents Newcastle United (in which Southampton's three goals were scored within the last four minutes) and Tottenham Hotspur, and later against Chelsea and a number of other teams. Despite winning only one of their final five fixtures, the club remained in 10th position in the Premier League come the end of the season, with just ten points between themselves and the relegation zone.

20 August 1994 1 Southampton 1–1 Blackburn Rovers Southampton
Banger   15' Shearer   60' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,209
Referee: Keith Cooper
24 August 1994 2 Aston Villa 1–1 Southampton Birmingham
Saunders   32' Le Tissier   89' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 24,179
Referee: Philip Don
27 August 1994 3 Newcastle United 5–1 Southampton Newcastle upon Tyne
Watson   30', 37'
Cole   40', 73'
Lee   85'
Banger   53' Stadium: St James' Park
Attendance: 34,183
Referee: David Elleray
31 August 1994 4 Southampton 0–2 Liverpool Southampton
Fowler   21'
Barnes   77'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,190
Referee: Martin Bodenham
12 September 1994 5 Tottenham Hotspur 1–2 Southampton London
Klinsmann   6' Le Tissier   75' (pen.), 89' Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 22,387
Referee: Alan Wilkie
17 September 1994 6 Southampton 1–1 Nottingham Forest Southampton
Le Tissier   54' (pen.) Collymore   43' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,185
Referee: Mike Reed
24 September 1994 7 Coventry City 1–3 Southampton Coventry
Dublin   2' Dowie   34', 55'
Ekelund   81'
Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 11,798
Referee: Kelvin Morton
1 October 1994 8 Southampton 3–1 Ipswich Town Southampton
Maddison   53'
Ekelund   65'
Dowie   90'
Marshall   77' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 13,266
Referee: Gerald Ashby
8 October 1994 9 Southampton 2–0 Everton Southampton
Ekelund   19'
Le Tissier   72'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,163
Referee: Brian Hill
15 October 1994 10 Leicester City 4–3 Southampton Leicester
Blake   3', 53'
Roberts   21'
Carr   82'
Dowie   78', 90'
Le Tissier   89'
Stadium: Filbert Street
Attendance: 20,020
Referee: Robbie Hart
22 October 1994 11 West Ham United 2–0 Southampton London
Allen   49'
Rush   62'
Stadium: Boleyn Ground
Attendance: 18,853
Referee: Joe Worrall
29 October 1994 12 Southampton 1–3 Leeds United Southampton
Maddison   44' Maddison   54' (o.g.)
Wallace   83', 89'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,202
Referee: Rodger Gifford
2 November 1994 13 Southampton 1–1 Norwich City Southampton
Le Tissier   89' (pen.) Robins   49' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 12,876
Referee: Paul Durkin
5 November 1994 14 Manchester City 3–3 Southampton Manchester
Walsh   50', 61'
Beagrie   79'
Hall   26'
Ekelund   62', 66'
Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 21,589
Referee: Mike Reed
19 November 1994 15 Southampton 1–0 Arsenal Southampton
Magilton   60' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,201
Referee: Roger Dilkes
26 November 1994 16 Crystal Palace 0–0 Southampton London
Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 14,186
Referee: Paul Danson
3 December 1994 17 Southampton 0–1 Chelsea Southampton
Furlong   89' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,404
Referee: Rodger Gifford
10 December 1994 18 Blackburn Rovers 3–2 Southampton Blackburn
Atkins   6'
Shearer   13', 74'
Le Tissier   65', 78' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 23,372
Referee: Alan Wilkie
19 December 1994 19 Southampton 2–1 Aston Villa Southampton
Hall   8'
Le Tissier   90'
Houghton   79' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 13,874
Referee: Stephen Lodge
26 December 1994 20 Southampton 2–3 Wimbledon Southampton
Dodd   11'
Le Tissier   43'
Holdsworth   20', 72' (pen.)
Harford   38'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,603
Referee: Graham Poll
28 December 1994 21 Queens Park Rangers 2–2 Southampton London
Barker   7'
Gallen   49'
Dodd   14'
Hughes   71'
Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 16,078
Referee: Keith Cooper
31 December 1994 22 Southampton 2–2 Manchester United Southampton
Magilton   44'
Hughes   74'
Butt   51'
Pallister   78'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,204
Referee: Martin Bodenham
2 January 1995 23 Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Southampton Sheffield
Hyde   19' Le Tissier   70' (pen.) Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium
Attendance: 28,424
Referee: Roger Dilkes
14 January 1995 24 Leeds United 0–0 Southampton Leeds
Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 28,869
Referee: Steve Dunn
24 January 1995 25 Arsenal 1–1 Southampton London
Hartson   21' Magilton   74' Stadium: Arsenal Stadium
Attendance: 27,213
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
4 February 1995 26 Southampton 2–2 Manchester City Southampton
Coton   24' (o.g.)
Le Tissier   60'
Kernaghan   29'
Flitcroft   88'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,902
Referee: Paul Durkin
11 February 1995 27 Norwich City 2–2 Southampton Norwich
Newsome   37'
Ward   90'
Hall   33'
Magilton   36'
Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 18,361
Referee: Robbie Hart
25 February 1995 28 Ipswich Town 2–1 Southampton Ipswich
Mathie   70'
Chapman   77'
Maddison   38' Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 15,788
Referee: Peter Jones
4 March 1995 29 Southampton 0–0 Coventry City Southampton
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,505
Referee: Kelvin Morton
15 March 1995 30 Southampton 1–1 West Ham United Southampton
Shipperley   48' Hutchison   38' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,178
Referee: Keith Burge
18 March 1995 31 Nottingham Forest 3–0 Southampton Nottingham
Roy   38', 81'
Collymore   64'
Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 24,146
Referee: Keith Cooper
22 March 1995 32 Southampton 3–1 Newcastle United Southampton
Heaney   86'
Watson   89'
Shipperley   90'
Kitson   18' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,666
Referee: Joe Worrall
2 April 1995 33 Southampton 4–3 Tottenham Hotspur Southampton
Heaney   13'
Le Tissier   44', 58'
Magilton   62'
Sheringham   17', 59'
Klinsmann   59'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,105
Referee: Gary Willard
5 April 1995 34 Liverpool 3–1 Southampton Liverpool
Rush   28', 50'
Fowler   71' (pen.)
Hall   13' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 29,881
Referee: Stephen Lodge
12 April 1995 35 Chelsea 0–2 Southampton London
Shipperley   10'
Le Tissier   32'
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 16,739
Referee: Alan Wilkie
15 April 1995 36 Southampton 2–1 Queens Park Rangers Southampton
Shipperley   50'
Watson   67'
Ferdinand   63' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,210
Referee: Peter Jones
17 April 1995 37 Wimbledon 0–2 Southampton London
Le Tissier   9'
Magilton   30'
Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 10,521
Referee: Gerald Ashby
29 April 1995 38 Southampton 0–0 Sheffield Wednesday Southampton
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,189
Referee: Joe Worrall
3 May 1995 39 Southampton 3–1 Crystal Palace Southampton
Wilmot   1' (o.g.)
Watson   9'
Le Tissier   86'
Southgate   26' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,151
Referee: Graham Poll
6 May 1995 40 Everton 0–0 Southampton Liverpool
Stadium: Goodison Park
Attendance: 36,851
Referee: Terry Holbrook
10 May 1995 41 Manchester United 2–1 Southampton Manchester
Cole   21'
Irwin   80' (pen.)
Charlton   5' Stadium: Old Trafford
Attendance: 43,479
Referee: Paul Danson
14 May 1995 42 Southampton 2–2 Leicester City Southampton
Monkou   21'
Le Tissier   56'
Parker   58'
Robins   89'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,101
Referee: Keith Burge
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
ResultDDLLWDWWWLLLDDWDLLWLDDDDDDDLDDLWWLWWWDWDLD
Position91317171514138710101213129111313121414151514141515171820201917171413111110101010
Source: statto.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
8 Queens Park Rangers 42 17 9 16 61 59 +2 60
9 Wimbledon 42 15 11 16 48 65 −17 56
10 Southampton 42 12 18 12 61 63 −2 54
11 Chelsea 42 13 15 14 50 55 −5 54
12 Arsenal 42 13 12 17 52 49 +3 51
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

FA Cup edit

As a Premier League club, Southampton entered the 1994–95 FA Cup in the Third Round. They were drawn against First Division side Southend United, who the Saints defeated comfortably 2–0 to move onto the Fourth Round. In the next match against Luton Town the sides drew 1–1, but Southampton asserted their dominance in the replay with a 6–0 home win. In the Fifth Round, against Tottenham Hotspur, a replay was required again after another 1–1 draw, but it was Spurs who enjoyed the spoils when they defeated the Saints 6–2 in the second game, with Ronny Rosenthal scoring a hat-trick.

7 January 1995 Round 3 Southampton 2–0 Southend United Southampton
Le Tissier  
Heaney  
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 13,003
28 January 1995 Round 4 Luton Town 1–1 Southampton Luton
Shipperley   53' Stadium: Kenilworth Road
Attendance: 9,938
8 February 1995 Round 4 Replay Southampton 6–0 Luton Town Southampton
Le Tissier   
Monkou  
Heaney  
Magilton  
Hughes  
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,075
18 February 1995 Round 5 Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Southampton London
Klinsmann   20' Le Tissier   21' (pen.) Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 28,091
1 March 1995 Round 5 Replay Southampton 2–6
a.e.t.
Tottenham Hotspur Southampton
Shipperley   5'
Le Tissier   40' (pen.)
Rosenthal   57', 59', 102'
Sheringham   113'
Barmby   115'
Anderton   120'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,172

League Cup edit

As a Premier League club, Southampton entered the 1994–95 Football League Cup in the Second Round. They were drawn against Second Division side Huddersfield Town, whom they eliminated with 1–0 and 4–0 wins, all goals coming from Matthew Le Tissier. Fellow FA Premier League side Sheffield Wednesday were the opposition in the Third Round, and a goal from Chris Bart-Williams was enough to eliminate the South Coast side from the competition.

20 September 1994 Round 2 Leg 1 Huddersfield Town 0–1 Southampton Huddersfield
Le Tissier   Stadium: McAlpine Stadium
Attendance: 13,814
5 October 1994 Round 2 Leg 2 Southampton 4–0 Huddersfield Town Southampton
Le Tissier   (pen.)    Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 12,032
26 October 1994 Round 3 Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 Southampton Sheffield
Bart-Williams   Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium
Attendance: 16,715

Squad statistics edit

Appearances and goals edit

No. Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total Discipline
Apps. Goals Apps. Goals Apps. Goals Apps. Goals    
1 GK   Bruce Grobbelaar 30 0 5 0 3 0 38 0 1 0
2 DF   Matthew Robinson 0(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0 0
3 DF   Francis Benali 32(3) 0 4 0 3 0 39(3) 0 11 0
4 MF   Jim Magilton 42 6 5 1 3 0 50 7 3 0
5 DF   Richard Hall 36(1) 3 4 0 2 0 42(1) 3 6 0
6 DF   Ken Monkou 31 1 4 1 2 0 37 2 12 0
7 MF   Matthew Le Tissier 41 19 5 5 3 5 49 29 6 0
8 FW   Craig Maskell 2(4) 0 1 0 0 0 3(4) 0 1 0
9 FW   Neil Shipperley 19 4 4 2 0 0 23 6 3 0
10 MF   Neil Maddison 35 3 4 0 2 0 41 3 2 0
11 MF   Paul Allen 11 0 0 0 2 0 13 0 2 0
12 MF   Neil Heaney 21(13) 2 5 2 2(1) 0 28(14) 4 3 0
13 GK   Dave Beasant 12(1) 0 0 0 0 0 12(1) 0 0 0
14 DF   Simon Charlton 25 1 1 0 2(1) 0 28(1) 1 1 0
15 DF   Jason Dodd 24(2) 2 3 0 1 0 28(2) 2 5 0
16 FW   Gordon Watson 12 3 0 0 0 0 12 3 1 0
17 DF   Derek Allan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 MF   David Hughes 2(10) 2 0(4) 1 0 0 2(14) 3 1 0
19 DF   Paul McDonald 0(2) 0 0 0 0 0 0(2) 0 0 0
21 MF   Tommy Widdrington 23(5) 0 5 0 1 0 29(5) 0 4 0
23 GK   Neil Hopper 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
24 FW   Frankie Bennett 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0(1) 0 0 0
27 DF   Peter Whiston 0(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0 0
28 MF   Paul Tisdale 0(7) 0 0(1) 0 0(1) 0 0(9) 0 0 0
33 MF   Matt Oakley 0(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0 0
Players with appearances who left before the end of the season
2 DF   Jeff Kenna 28 0 5 0 2 0 35 0 1 0
9 FW   Iain Dowie 17 5 0 0 3 0 20 5 2 0
16 FW   Nicky Banger 4 2 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 0
24 MF   Ronnie Ekelund 15(2) 5 0 0 2(1) 0 17(3) 5 1 0

Most appearances edit

Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Starts Subs Starts Subs Starts Subs Starts Subs Total
1 MF   Jim Magilton 42 0 5 0 3 0 50 0 50
2 FW   Matthew Le Tissier 41 0 5 0 3 0 49 0 49
3 DF   Richard Hall 36 1 4 0 2 0 42 1 43
4 DF   Francis Benali 32 3 4 0 3 0 39 3 42
MF   Neil Heaney 21 13 5 0 2 1 28 14 42
6 MF   Neil Maddison 35 0 4 0 2 0 41 0 41
7 GK   Bruce Grobbelaar 30 0 5 0 3 0 38 0 38
8 DF   Ken Monkou 31 0 4 0 2 0 37 0 37
9 DF   Jeff Kenna 28 0 5 0 2 0 35 0 35
10 MF   Tommy Widdrington 23 5 5 0 1 0 29 5 34

Top goalscorers edit

Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
1 FW   Matthew Le Tissier 19 5 5 29
2 MF   Jim Magilton 6 1 0 7
3 FW   Neil Shipperley 4 2 0 6
4 FW   Iain Dowie 5 0 0 5
MF   Ronnie Ekelund 5 0 0 5
6 DF   Richard Hall 4 0 0 4
MF   Neil Heaney 2 2 0 4
8 MF   Neil Maddison 3 0 0 3
FW   Gordon Watson 3 0 0 3
MF   David Hughes 2 1 0 3

Transfers edit

Players transferred in
Date Pos. Name Club Fee
10 August 1994 DF   Peter Whiston   Exeter City £30,000
11 August 1994 GK   Bruce Grobbelaar   Liverpool Free
15 September 1994 MF   Ronnie Ekelund   Barcelona Loan
6 January 1995 FW   Neil Shipperley   Chelsea £1,250,000
17 March 1995 FW   Gordon Watson   Sheffield Wednesday £1,200,000
31 March 1995 MF   Christer Warren   Cheltenham Town £40,000
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Club Fee
30 August 1995 FW   Colin Cramb   Falkirk Undisclosed
5 September 1994 GK   Ian Andrews   Bournemouth £20,000
27 October 1994 DF   Matthew Bound   Stockport County £100,000
4 November 1994 FW   Nicky Banger   Oldham Athletic £250,000
18 November 1994 FW   Rory Hamill   Fulham Free
2 December 1994 MF   Neal Bartlett   Fareham Town Free
13 January 1995 FW   Iain Dowie   Crystal Palace £400,000
15 March 1995 DF   Jeff Kenna   Blackburn Rovers £1,500,000
Players loaned out
Start date Pos. Name Club End date
9 December 1994 MF   Paul Allen   Luton Town 19 January 1995
20 January 1995 MF   Paul Allen   Stoke City End of season
Players released
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Join date
31 May 1995 MF   Craig Davidson Unknown 23 December 1995

References edit

  • "Southampton results: 1994/95". Soccerbase. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  • "Southampton squad details: 1994/95". Soccerbase. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  • "Southampton transfers: 1994/95". Soccerbase. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  • "Southampton 1994-1995: Home". statto.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  • "Southampton 1994-1995: Results". statto.com. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  • "Southampton football club match record: 1995". 11v11.com. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  • "All Southampton football club players: 1995". 11v11.com. Retrieved 25 November 2012.