1995–96 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season

The 1995–96 season was the 97th season of competitive league football in the history of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. They played the season in the second tier of the English football system, the Football League First Division.

Wolverhampton Wanderers
1995–96 season
ChairmanJonathan Hayward
ManagerGraham Taylor
(until 13 November)
Mark McGhee
(from 13 December)
First Division20th
FA Cup4th round
League CupQuarter-finals
Top goalscorerLeague: Don Goodman (16)
All: Don Goodman (20)
Highest home attendance28,088 (vs Birmingham, 17 January 1996)
Lowest home attendance20,381 (vs Fulham,
20 September 1995)
Average home league attendance22,658 (league only)

Although the season began with Graham Taylor as manager, he resigned sixteen games into their league campaign under fan pressure due to the team's poor results.[1] Despite being tipped by many to be one of the promotion favourites[2] - following on from having reached the play-offs in the previous season - the side sat in 18th place at the time of Taylor's exit.[3]

After a period under caretaker manager Bobby Downes, Mark McGhee resigned from Leicester City to become Wolves' new manager in December.[4] Despite a slow upturn in results under McGhee that put the team within three points of a play-off place at the start of April, their form again collapsed and they took just four points from the final 24 available.[5]

The club eventually finished the season in 20th place, only confirming their safety from relegation in their final home game. This represented their lowest finish in the football pyramid since returning to the second level in 1989–90.[6]

Results

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Football League First Division

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A total of 24 teams competed in the Football League First Division in the 1995–96 season. Each team played every other team twice: once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Three points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. Teams finishing level on points were firstly divided by the number of goals scored rather than goal difference.

The provisional fixture list was released on 20 June 1995, but was subject to change in the event of matches being selected for television coverage or police concerns.

12 August 1995 1 Tranmere Rovers 2–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Birkenhead
15:00 BST O'Brien   51'
Aldridge   81'
Bull   40'
Goodman   53'
Stadium: Prenton Park
Attendance: 11,880 (2,986 away)
20 August 1995 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 West Bromwich Albion Wolverhampton
14:55 BST Mardon   66' (o.g.) Taylor   46' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,329 (2,832 away)
26 August 1995 3 Sunderland 2–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Sunderland
15:00 BST Melville   8'
Gray   28'
Stadium: Roker Park
Attendance: 16,816 (1,894 away)
30 August 1995 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 Derby County Wolverhampton
19:45 BST Daley   12'
Goodman   16'
de Wolf   32'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,053 (1,500 away)
2 September 1995 5 Leicester City 1–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Leicester
15:00 BST Whitlow   27' Stadium: Filbert Street
Attendance: 18,441 (1,700 away)
9 September 1995 6 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–1 Grimsby Town Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Bull   42', 69'
Goodman   51', 76'
Groves   39' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 23,656 (603 away)
13 September 1995 7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–2 Norwich City Wolverhampton
19:45 BST Johnson   60'
Ward   70'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,064 (1,236 away)
16 September 1995 8 Southend United 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Southend-on-Sea
15:00 BST Gridelet   45'
Jones   73'
Goodman   29' Stadium: Roots Hall
Attendance: 6,322 (1,986 away)
23 September 1995 9 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–0 Luton Town Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 23,659 (822 away)
30 September 1995 10 Port Vale 2–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Burslem
15:00 BST Richards   37' (o.g.)
Porter   61' (pen.)
Goodman   16'
Daley   31'
Stadium: Vale Park
Attendance: 11,550 (3,824 away)
7 October 1995 11 Ipswich Town 1–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Ipswich
15:00 BST Sedgley   28' (pen.) Goodman   38'
Atkins   42'
Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 15,335 (1,465 away)
14 October 1995 12 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–4 Stoke City Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Thompson   71' (pen.) Gleghorn   39'
Potter   41'
Wallace   85'
Carruthers   89'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,483 (2,927 away)
21 October 1995 13 Watford 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Watford
15:00 BST Holdsworth   57' Daley   45' Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 11,319 (1,269 away)
28 October 1995 14 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Sheffield United Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Bull   37' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 23,881 (865 away)
4 November 1995 15 Barnsley 1–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Barnsley
15:00 GMT Redfearn   77' Stadium: Oakwell
Attendance: 9,668 (478 away)
12 November 1995 16 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–0 Charlton Athletic Wolverhampton
14:55 GMT Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 20,450 (473 away)
18 November 1995 17 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–3 Oldham Athletic Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Emblen   27' Makin   62'
McCarthy   64'
Beresford   78'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 23,128 (513 away)
22 November 1995 18 Crystal Palace 3–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
19:45 GMT Freedman   10', 29', 49' Thompson   64' (pen.)
Young   83'
Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 12,571 (663 away)
25 November 1995 19 Huddersfield Town 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Huddersfield
15:00 GMT Booth   20'
Dalton   38'
Bull   79' Stadium: McAlpine Stadium
Attendance: 16,423 (1,127 away)
3 December 1995 20 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–2 Ipswich Town Wolverhampton
14:55 GMT Goodman   60', 70' Marshall   30'
Mowbray   90'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 20,867 (788 away)
10 December 1995 21 Luton Town 2–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Luton
14:55 GMT Oakes   31'
Marshall   50'
Richards   7'
Goodman   18'
Bull   41'
Stadium: Kenilworth Road
Attendance: 6,997 (1,421 away)
16 December 1995 22 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–1 Port Vale Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Porter   6' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 23,329 (2,424 away)
26 December 1995 23 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Millwall Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Bull   10' Malkin   77' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,591 (887 away)
30 December 1995 24 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–2 Portsmouth Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Bull   5'
Goodman   35'
Carter   58'
Burton   65'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,294 (1,412 away)
13 January 1996 25 West Bromwich Albion 0–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers West Bromwich
15:00 GMT Stadium: The Hawthorns
Attendance: 21,624 (5,000 away)
20 January 1996 26 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Tranmere Rovers Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Bull   35'
Goodman   67'
Aldridge   55' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 24,173 (984 away)
3 February 1996 27 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 Sunderland Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Thompson   15' (pen.)
Goodman   18'
Atkins   61'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,537 (2,777 away)
10 February 1996 28 Derby County 0–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Derby
15:00 GMT Stadium: Baseball Ground
Attendance: 17,460 (1,450 away)
17 February 1996 29 Norwich City 2–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Norwich
15:00 GMT Crook   24'
Eadie   25'
Bull   12', 37'
Goodman   74'
Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 14,691 (1,587 away)
21 February 1996 30 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–3 Leicester City Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Bull   26'
Law   42'
Roberts   38'
Heskey   60', 80'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,381 (3,116 away)
24 February 1996 31 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Southend United Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Young   28'
Thompson   50'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 24,677 (404 away)
2 March 1996 32 Millwall 0–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
15:00 GMT Bull   69' Stadium: The New Den
Attendance: 9,131 (1,045 away)
5 March 1996 33 Birmingham City 2–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Birmingham
19:45 GMT Devlin   28' (pen.), 39' Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 22,051 (2,124 away)
9 March 1996 34 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Reading Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Atkins   42' Gooding   17' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,954 (1,498 away)
12 March 1996 35 Grimsby Town 3–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Cleethorpes
19:45 GMT Shakespeare   51'
Livingstone   66'
Forrester   78'
Stadium: Blundell Park
Attendance: 5,013 (578 away)
16 March 1996 36 Portsmouth 0–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Portsmouth
15:00 GMT Emblen   39'
Goodman   41'
Stadium: Fratton Park
Attendance: 11,732 (986 away)
23 March 1996 37 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–2 Birmingham City Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Goodman   37'
Thompson   88' (pen.)
Bull   89'
Devlin   6', 84' (pen.) Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,256 (2,655 away)
30 March 1996 38 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 Watford Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Froggatt   33'
Osborn   41', 54'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,885 (812 away)
3 April 1996 39 Stoke City 2–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Stoke-on-Trent
19:45 BST Sheron   3'
Sturridge   59'
Stadium: Victoria Ground
Attendance: 26,483 (2,175 away)
6 April 1996 40 Sheffield United 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Sheffield
19:45 BST Taylor   21'
White   31'
Thompson   45' (pen.) Stadium: Bramall Lane
Attendance: 16,658 (1,484 away)
8 April 1996 41 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–2 Barnsley Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Bull   16'
Ferguson   51' (pen.)
Moses   13'
Payton   85'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 23,789 (706 away)
13 April 1996 42 Oldham Athletic 0–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Oldham
15:00 BST Stadium: Boundary Park
Attendance: 7,592 (1,390 away)
20 April 1996 43 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–2 Crystal Palace Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Hopkin   31'
Dyer   55'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 24,350 (1,500 away)
27 April 1996 44 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–0 Huddersfield Town Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,290 (2,589 away)
30 April 1996 45 Reading 3–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Reading
19:45 BST Williams   22'
Quinn   40', 86'
Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 12,828 (2,409 away)
5 May 1996 46 Charlton Athletic 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
15:00 BST Leaburn   38' Crowe   52' Stadium: The Valley
Attendance: 10,909 (1,723 away)

Final table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
17 Grimsby Town 46 14 14 18 55 69 –14 56
18 Oldham Athletic 46 14 14 18 54 50 +4 56
19 Reading 46 13 17 16 54 63 –11 56
20 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 13 16 17 56 62 –6 55
21 Portsmouth 46 13 13 20 61 69 –8 52
22 Millwall 46 13 13 20 43 63 –20 52

Source: Statto.com

Results summary

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
46 13 16 17 56 62  −6 55 8 9 6 34 28  +6 5 7 11 22 34  −12

Source: Statto.com

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
ResultDDLWLWLLDDWLDWLDLLLDWLDDDWWDWLWWLDLWWWLLDDLDLD
Position9192112151216181819151816161818181920212022222020201818171816141515151412111213151518181820
Source: Statto.com
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

FA Cup

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6 January 1996 R3 Birmingham City 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Birmingham
15:00 GMT Poole   72' Bull   25' Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 21,349
Referee: Robbie Hart
17 January 1996 R3 rep. Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Birmingham City Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Ferguson   17'
Bull   62'
Hunt   51' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 28,088
Referee: Robbie Hart
27 January 1996 R4 Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
15:00 GMT Wilson   13' Goodman   28' Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 32,812
Referee: David Allison
7 February 1996 R4 rep. Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–2 Tottenham Hotspur Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Rosenthal   7'
Sheringham   9'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,846
Referee: David Allison

League Cup

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20 September 1995 R2.1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Fulham Wolverhampton
19:45 BST Goodman   4'
Wright   50'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 20,381
3 October 1995 R2.2 Fulham 1–5
(1–7 agg.)
Wolverhampton Wanderers London
19:45 BST Cusack   82' Daley   28'
Williams   69'
Atkins   77'
Goodman   86', 88'
Stadium: Craven Cottage
Attendance: 6,625
8 November 1995 R3 rep. Charlton Athletic 1–2 (a.e.t.) Wolverhampton Wanderers London
19:45 GMT Robinson   54' Emblen   23'
Atkins   98'
Stadium: The Valley
Attendance: 10,909
29 November 1995 R4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Coventry City Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Venus   33'
Ferguson   34'
Williams   67' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 24,628
10 January 1996 QF Aston Villa 1–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Birmingham
19:45 GMT Johnson   66' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 39,277

Players

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Key:
  ‡ On loan from another club   * First appearance(s) for the club

Correct as of end of season. Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances in parentheses where applicable.

PosNamePGPGPGPG     Notes
League FA CupLeague CupTotalDiscipline
GK   Andy De Bont 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GK   Paul Jones 8 0 0 0 2 0 10 0 0 0
GK   Mike Stowell 38 0 4 0 4 0 46 0 0 0
DF   John de Wolf 14(1) 1 0 0 1 0 15(1) 1 0 0
DF   Brian Law 5(2) 1 1 0 1(1) 0 7(3) 1 0 1
DF   Neil Masters 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
DF   Dennis Pearce 3(2) 0 1 0 1 0 5(2) 0 0 0
DF   Dean Richards 36(1) 1 2 0 5 0 43(1) 1 0 0
DF   Peter Shirtliff 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
DF   Jamie Smith 10(3) 0 0 0 1 0 11(3) 0 0 0
DF   Andy Thompson 45 6 4 0 6 0 55 6 0 0
DF   Mark Venus 19(3) 0 2 0 3 1 24(3) 1 0 0
DF   Eric Young 30 2 4 0 5 0 39 2 0 0
MF   Mark Atkins 26(6) 3 4 0 5 2 35(6) 5 0 0
MF   Paul Birch ¤ 5(2) 0 0 0 2(1) 0 7(3) 0 0 0
MF   Steve Corica 17 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0
MF   Gordon Cowans 10(6) 0 0 0 2 0 12(6) 0 0 0
MF   Tony Daley 16(2) 3 0(1) 0 4 1 20(3) 4 0 0
MF   Robbie Dennison ¤ 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0(1) 0 0 0
MF   Neil Emblen 30(3) 2 3 0 1(1) 1 34(4) 3 0 0
MF   Darren Ferguson 26(7) 1 3(1) 1 4 1 33(8) 3 0 0
MF   Richard Flash 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   Steve Froggatt 13(5) 1 0 0 0 0 13(5) 1 0 0
MF   Simon Osborn 21 2 4 0 0 0 25 2 0 0
MF   Mark Rankine 27(5) 0 3(1) 0 6 0 36(6) 0 0 1
MF   Carl Robinson ¤ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   Vinny Samways 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
MF   Geoff Thomas 0(2) 0 0 0 0 0 0(2) 0 0 1
MF   Jermaine Wright 4(3) 0 0 0 1(1) 1 5(4) 1 0 0
FW   Steve Bull 42(2) 15 4 2 4(1) 0 50(3) 17 0 1
FW   Glen Crowe 1(1) 1 0 0 0 0 1(1) 1 0 0
FW   Dominic Foley 1(4) 0 0(1) 0 0(1) 0 1(6) 0 0 0
FW   Don Goodman 43(1) 16 4 1 6 3 53(1) 20 0 0
FW   David Kelly 3(2) 0 0 0 0 0 3(2) 0 0 0
FW   Mark Williams 5(7) 0 1 0 2(1) 1 8(8) 1 0 0

Source: Wolverhampton Wanderers: The Complete Record[7]

Transfers

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Date Player From Fee
30 May 1995   Dean Richards Bradford City £1.85 million
13 September 1995   Eric Young Crystal Palace Free
20 September 1995   Mark Williams   RWD Molenbeek £300,000
21 September 1995   Mark Atkins Blackburn Rovers £1 million
22 September 1995   Richard Flash Manchester United Free
22 December 1995   Simon Osborn Queens Park Rangers £1 million
16 February 1996   Steve Corica Leicester City £1.1 million
16 February 1996   Željko Kalac Leicester City £650,000
Date Player To Fee
23 June 1995   Tom Bennett Stockport County £75,000
18 July 1995   Paul Blades Rotherham United £110,000
25 August 1995   Peter Shirtliff Barnsley £125,000
18 September 1995   David Kelly Sunderland £1 million
29 December 1995   Gordon Cowans Sheffield United Free

Loans in

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Start date Player From End date
21 December 1995   Vinny Samways Everton 21 January 1996

Loans out

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Start date Player To End date
5 October 1995   Robbie Dennison   Swansea City End of season
7 March 1996   Paul Birch Preston North End End of season
28 March 1996   Carl Robinson Shrewsbury Town End of season

Management and coaching staff

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Position Name
Manager Graham Taylor (until 13 November), then Mark McGhee (from 13 December onward)
Assistant manager Bobby Downes, then Colin Lee (from 13 December onward)
First Team coach Mike Hickman
Youth Development Officer Chris Evans
Youth Team coach Chris Turner
Club doctors Dr Peter Ackroyd and Dr Peter Bekenn
Club Physio Barry Holmes

The season saw a new home shirt introduced featuring an embroidered crest and new collar design. The all-white away kit of the previous season was retained. Both were manufactured by Nutmeg Clothing and featured sponsor name of Goodyear.

References

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  1. ^ "Wolves seek successor as Taylor resigns". The Independent. London. 14 November 1995. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Midland move to join the moneyed classes". The Independent. London. 12 August 1995. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Taylor falls through credibility gap". The Independent. London. 14 November 1995. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
  4. ^ "McGhee the new man at Molineux". The Independent. London. 14 December 1995. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Wolverhampton Wanderers 1995-1996: Results". Statto. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  6. ^ "Wolverhampton Wanderers: History 1975 to date". Statto. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  7. ^ Matthews, Tony (2008). Wolverhampton Wanderers: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-632-3.