1993–94 Southampton F.C. season
The 1993–94 Southampton F.C. season was the club's second in the Premier League, and their 24th season in the top division of English football. Having narrowly avoided relegation from the newly formed league the previous season, the club were looking to improve their performances in order to remain in the top flight for another year. For the second year in a row, Southampton finished 18th in the league, again just one point above the relegation zone. They also reached the third round of the FA Cup, and the second round of the League Cup.
1993–94 season | ||
---|---|---|
Chairman | Guy Askham | |
Manager | Ian Branfoot (until January 1994) Alan Ball (from January 1994) | |
Stadium | The Dell | |
FA Premier League | 18th | |
FA Cup | Third Round | |
League Cup | Second Round | |
Top goalscorer | League: Matthew Le Tissier (25) All: Matthew Le Tissier (25) | |
Highest home attendance | 19,105 vs Blackburn Rovers (16 April 1994) | |
Lowest home attendance | League: 9,028 vs Ipswich Town (8 December 1993) Overall: 5,038 vs Shrewsbury Town (22 September 1993) | |
Average home league attendance | League: 14,751 Overall: 14,169 | |
| ||
The club brought in a number of players throughout the season to try and bolster the squad – defenders Simon Charlton and Paul McDonald were transferred during the 1993 summer transfer window, followed by midfielders Paul Allen and Peter Reid, and goalkeeper Dave Beasant, later in the year. After Christmas Southampton also enlisted the services of striker Craig Maskell, midfielder Jim Magilton, and winger Neil Heaney. Tim Flowers was sold to Blackburn Rovers in November 1993 for £2 million, while Glenn Cockerill, Paul Moody and Micky Adams all departed too.
Halfway through the season, on 10 January 1994, Southampton manager Ian Branfoot was dismissed from his position at the club. At the time, the club were placed second from bottom in the Premier League table, with just five wins from a total of 24 matches. Former Saints midfielder Alan Ball was appointed as Branfoot's replacement, and made an instant impact by leading the team to three wins out of the next four matches, and eventually to safety in the Premier League. He would remain with Southampton for the following season, and left in 1995.
At the end of the season Southampton finished 18th in the Premier League table with 12 wins, 7 draws and 23 losses, just two positions and one point above the relegation zone. Matthew Le Tissier was the club's top scorer with 25 goals in the league, making him the third best goalscorer in the league that season. Le Tissier also won the Southampton Player of the Season award, joining Peter Shilton and Tim Flowers as a second winner of the accolade. At the end of the season, striker Lee Powell was released from the club.
FA Premier League
Southampton's start to the second Premier League season was one of the worst in the league, with the club losing eight out of their first nine games. In the other match the Saints picked up their best win of the season, overcoming Swindon Town 5–1, with Matthew Le Tissier scoring two goals. The team improved throughout October and November, picking up 11 points from a total of 21 in a seven-match period, including tight home wins over Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, and a 2–0 win at Aston Villa. During this period, Le Tissier continued to increase his scoring record by netting six more times for Southampton.
Following this positive run of results, Southampton had dropped back into the relegation zone by Christmas when they lost five games in a row, scoring just one goal overall. In the three matches immediately after Christmas, the club beat Chelsea 3–1, drew 1–1 with Manchester City, and lost 0–1 to Norwich City, after which chairman Guy Askham dismissed manager Ian Branfoot and replaced him with former Saints midfielder Alan Ball.
With Ball in charge fortunes appeared to change, as Southampton won four of their next five games, the only loss coming against Oldham Athletic. During this period, Matthew Le Tissier scored at least once in every match, including a hat-trick against Liverpool. Thanks to those wins, by the end of February the Saints were up to 17th in the table, their highest position that season. The run didn't last long however, as the side went seven matches without a win between 5 March and 9 April 1994, including a 0–4 loss against Arsenal at The Dell.
Southampton saved their Premier League place in the final month of the season, winning three and drawing one to pull themselves up to 18th in the table, the same position as the season before. The first win was a dramatic 5–4 victory over Norwich City, in which Le Tissier scored his second hat-trick of the season. The second win came against Blackburn Rovers, to whom the Saints had in recent times sold both star striker Alan Shearer and mainstay goalkeeper Tim Flowers, and the third win was the second of the season over Aston Villa, which Southampton won 4–1. The final match of the season saw the Hampshire side sharing the spoils with West Ham United in a dramatic 3–3 draw at the Boleyn Ground, which meant they dropped down from 17th to 18th in the final Premier League standings.
14 August 1993 1 | Southampton | 0–2 | Everton | Southampton |
Beagrie Ebbrell |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 14,051 Referee: Keith Cooper |
17 August 1993 2 | Ipswich Town | 1–0 | Southampton | Ipswich |
Marshall |
Stadium: Portman Road Attendance: 14,958 Referee: Alan Wilkie |
21 August 1993 3 | Queens Park Rangers | 2–1 | Southampton | London |
Penrice Wilson |
Dowie |
Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 10,613 Referee: Roger Dilkes |
25 August 1993 4 | Southampton | 5–1 | Swindon Town | Southampton |
Le Tissier Kenna Dowie Maddison |
Maskell |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 12,505 Referee: Paul Durkin |
28 August 1993 5 | Southampton | 1–3 | Manchester United | Southampton |
Maddison |
Sharpe Cantona Irwin |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 16,189 Referee: Alan Gunn |
31 August 1993 6 | Wimbledon | 1–0 | Southampton | London |
Barton |
Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 6,036 Referee: Keith Hackett |
11 September 1993 7 | Southampton | 0–2 | Leeds United | Southampton |
Deane Speed |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 13,511 Referee: Keith Burge |
18 September 1993 8 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–0 | Southampton | Sheffield |
Sheridan Hirst |
Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium Attendance: 22,503 Referee: Rodger Gifford |
25 September 1993 9 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Southampton | London |
Merson |
Stadium: Arsenal Stadium Attendance: 26,902 Referee: Kelvin Morton |
2 October 1993 10 | Southampton | 3–3 | Sheffield United | Southampton |
Monkou Maddison Kenna |
Falconer Flo |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 11,619 Referee: Graham Poll |
16 October 1993 11 | Coventry City | 1–1 | Southampton | Coventry |
Babb |
Charlton |
Stadium: Highfield Road Attendance: 9,837 Referee: Joe Worrall |
24 October 1993 12 | Southampton | 2–1 | Newcastle United | Southampton |
Le Tissier |
Cole |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 13,804 Referee: Philip Don |
30 October 1993 13 | Liverpool | 4–2 | Southampton | Liverpool |
Fowler Rush |
Le Tissier |
Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 32,818 Referee: Dermot Gallagher |
6 November 1993 14 | Southampton | 1–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | Southampton |
Maddison |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 16,017 Referee: David Allison |
20 November 1993 15 | Blackburn Rovers | 2–0 | Southampton | Blackburn |
Shearer |
Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 17,434 Referee: Keith Cooper |
24 November 1993 16 | Aston Villa | 0–2 | Southampton | Birmingham |
Le Tissier |
Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 16,180 Referee: Kelvin Morton |
29 November 1993 17 | Southampton | 0–2 | West Ham United | Southampton |
Morley Chapman |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 13,258 Referee: Martin Bodenham |
4 December 1993 18 | Everton | 1–0 | Southampton | Liverpool |
Cottee |
Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 13,265 Referee: Keith Burge |
8 December 1993 19 | Southampton | 0–1 | Ipswich Town | Southampton |
Kiwomya |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 9,028 Referee: Gerald Ashby |
11 December 1993 20 | Southampton | 0–1 | Queens Park Rangers | Southampton |
Ferdinand |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 11,946 Referee: Keren Barratt |
18 December 1993 21 | Swindon Town | 2–1 | Southampton | Swindon |
Bodin Scott |
Le Tissier |
Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 13,565 Referee: David Elleray |
27 December 1993 22 | Southampton | 3–1 | Chelsea | Southampton |
Widdrington Dowie Bennett |
Stein |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 14,221 Referee: Paul Durkin |
28 December 1993 23 | Manchester City | 1–1 | Southampton | Manchester |
Phelan |
Dowie |
Stadium: Maine Road Attendance: 24,712 Referee: Alan Wilkie |
1 January 1994 24 | Southampton | 0–1 | Norwich City | Southampton |
Sutton |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 16,556 Referee: Graham Poll |
15 January 1994 25 | Southampton | 1–0 | Coventry City | Southampton |
Le Tissier |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 12,397 Referee: Philip Don |
22 January 1994 26 | Newcastle United | 1–2 | Southampton | Newcastle |
Cole |
Maddison Le Tissier |
Stadium: St James' Park Attendance: 32,067 Referee: Alan Gunn |
5 February 1994 27 | Oldham Athletic | 2–1 | Southampton | Oldham |
McCarthy Bernard |
Le Tissier |
Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 9,982 Referee: Kelvin Morton |
14 February 1994 28 | Southampton | 4–2 | Liverpool | Southampton |
Le Tissier Maskell |
Dicks Rush |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 18,306 Referee: Peter Foakes |
26 February 1994 29 | Southampton | 1–0 | Wimbledon | Southampton |
Le Tissier |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 14,790 Referee: Dermot Gallagher |
5 March 1994 30 | Leeds United | 0–0 | Southampton | Leeds |
Stadium: Elland Road Attendance: 30,829 Referee: Robbie Hart |
12 March 1994 31 | Southampton | 1–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | Southampton |
Monkou |
Bart-Williams |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 16,391 Referee: David Crick |
19 March 1994 32 | Southampton | 0–4 | Arsenal | Southampton |
Wright Campbell |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 16,790 Referee: David Frampton |
26 March 1994 33 | Sheffield United | 0–0 | Southampton | Sheffield |
Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 19,522 Referee: David Elleray |
30 March 1994 34 | Southampton | 1–3 | Oldham Athletic | Southampton |
Le Tissier |
Sharp Benali Holden |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 14,101 Referee: Vic Callow |
2 April 1994 35 | Chelsea | 2–0 | Southampton | London |
Spencer Johnsen |
Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 19,801 Referee: Mike Reed |
4 April 1994 36 | Southampton | 0–1 | Manchester City | Southampton |
Karl |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 16,377 Referee: Brian Hill |
9 April 1994 37 | Norwich City | 4–5 | Southampton | Norwich |
Robins Goss Sutton |
Ullathorne Le Tissier Monkou |
Stadium: Carrow Road Attendance: 17,150 Referee: Keith Cooper |
16 April 1994 38 | Southampton | 3–1 | Blackburn Rovers | Southampton |
Dowie Allen Le Tissier |
Ripley |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 19,105 Referee: Joe Worrall |
23 April 1994 39 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3–0 | Southampton | London |
Sedgley Samways Anderton |
Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 25,959 Referee: Paul Durkin |
30 April 1994 40 | Southampton | 4–1 | Aston Villa | Southampton |
Le Tissier Monkou Maddison |
Saunders |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 18,803 Referee: Steve Lodge |
4 May 1994 41 | Manchester United | 2–0 | Southampton | Manchester |
Kanchelskis Hughes |
Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 44,705 Referee: Terry Holbrook |
7 May 1994 42 | West Ham United | 3–3 | Southampton | London |
Williamson Allen Chapman |
Le Tissier Maddison |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 26,952 Referee: Gerald Ashby |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 | Manchester City | 42 | 9 | 18 | 15 | 38 | 49 | −11 | 45 | |
17 | Everton | 42 | 12 | 8 | 22 | 42 | 63 | −21 | 44 | |
18 | Southampton | 42 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 49 | 66 | −17 | 43 | |
19 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 9 | 16 | 17 | 35 | 58 | −23 | 43 | |
20 | Sheffield United (R) | 42 | 8 | 18 | 16 | 42 | 60 | −18 | 42 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated.
FA Cup
As a Premier League club, Southampton entered the 1993–94 FA Cup in the Third Round. They were drawn against Second Division side Port Vale, who defeated the Saints 1–0 in the replay following a 1–1 draw in which Iain Dowie scored.
8 January 1994 Round 3 | Southampton | 1–1 | Port Vale | Southampton |
Dowie |
Porter |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 11,086 |
18 January 1994 Round 3 Replay | Port Vale | 1–0 | Southampton | Stoke-on-Trent |
Unknown |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 12,042 |
League Cup
As a Premier League club, Southampton entered the 1993–94 Football League Cup in the Second Round. They were drawn against Third Division side Shrewsbury Town, who defeated the Saints 2–0 in the second leg after Southampton's 1–0 first leg victory.
22 September 1993 Round 2 Leg 1 | Southampton | 1–0 | Shrewsbury Town | Southampton |
Moore |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 5,038 |
6 October 1993 Round 2 Leg 2 | Shrewsbury Town | 2–0 | Southampton | Shrewsbury |
Unknown |
Stadium: Gay Meadow Attendance: 5,247 |
Squad statistics
No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | Discipline | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | ||||||
1 | GK | Dave Beasant | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
2 | DF | Jeff Kenna | 40(1) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42(1) | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
4 | MF | Jim Magilton | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
5 | DF | Richard Hall | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
6 | DF | Ken Monkou | 35 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 4 | 5 | 0 | |
7 | MF | Matthew Le Tissier | 38 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 25 | 5 | 0 | |
8 | FW | Craig Maskell | 6(4) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6(4) | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
9 | FW | Iain Dowie | 39 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 6 | 8 | 0 | |
10 | MF | Neil Maddison | 41 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 7 | 2 | 0 | |
11 | DF | Francis Benali | 34(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37(3) | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
12 | MF | Neil Heaney | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
13 | GK | Ian Andrews | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
14 | DF | Simon Charlton | 29(4) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31(4) | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
15 | DF | Jason Dodd | 5(5) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7(5) | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
16 | FW | Nicky Banger | 4(10) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 4(12) | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
17 | DF | Kevin Moore | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
18 | DF | Steve Wood | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 29(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
19 | DF | Paul McDonald | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
21 | MF | Tommy Widdrington | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
22 | DF | Matthew Bound | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
23 | GK | Neil Hopper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
24 | FW | Frankie Bennett | 0(8) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(9) | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
25 | MF | Neal Bartlett | 4(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 4(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
26 | FW | Lee Powell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
27 | MF | Paul Allen | 29(3) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33(3) | 1 | 5 | 0 | |
29 | MF | David Hughes | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
30 | FW | Colin Cramb | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Players with appearances who left before the end of the season | |||||||||||||
1 | GK | Tim Flowers | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
3 | DF | Micky Adams | 17(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
4 | MF | Terry Hurlock | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
8 | MF | Glenn Cockerill | 12(2) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
20 | FW | Paul Moody | 3(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
28 | MF | Peter Reid | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Most appearances
Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Total | ||||
1 | MF | Neil Maddison | 41 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 45 | |
2 | FW | Iain Dowie | 39 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 43 | |
DF | Jeff Kenna | 40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 43 | ||
4 | FW | Matthew Le Tissier | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 40 | |
DF | Francis Benali | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 3 | 40 | ||
6 | DF | Ken Monkou | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 38 | |
7 | MF | Paul Allen | 29 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 3 | 36 | |
8 | DF | Simon Charlton | 29 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 35 | |
9 | DF | Steve Wood | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 1 | 30 | |
10 | GK | Dave Beasant | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 27 |
Top goalscorers
Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | FW | Matthew Le Tissier | 25 | 0 | 0 | 25 | |
2 | MF | Neil Maddison | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
3 | FW | Iain Dowie | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | |
4 | DF | Ken Monkou | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
5 | DF | Jeff Kenna | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
6 | FW | Craig Maskell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
DF | Simon Charlton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
MF | Tommy Widdrington | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
FW | Frankie Bennett | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
MF | Paul Allen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
DF | Kevin Moore | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Transfers
Players transferred in | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Pos. | Name | Club | Fee |
8 June 1993 | DF | £250,000 | ||
8 June 1993 | DF | £75,000 | ||
8 June 1993 | FW | £60,000 | ||
16 September 1993 | MF | £500,000 | ||
1 October 1993 | MF | Free | ||
4 November 1993 | GK | £300,000 | ||
7 February 1994 | FW | £250,000 | ||
11 February 1994 | MF | £600,000 | ||
22 March 1994 | MF | £300,000 | ||
Players transferred out | ||||
Date | Pos. | Name | Club | Fee |
4 November 1993 | GK | £2,400,000 | ||
10 December 1993 | MF | Free | ||
2 February 1994 | MF | Free | ||
19 February 1994 | FW | £60,000 | ||
24 March 1994 | MF | Free | ||
24 March 1994 | DF | Free | ||
Players released | ||||
Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Join date |
31 May 1993 | MF | None (retirement) | ||
31 May 1993 | FW | 1 August 1993 | ||
1 March 1994 | MF | 2 March 1994 |
References
- "Southampton results: 1993/94". Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- "Southampton squad details: 1993/94". Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- "Southampton transfers: 1993/94". Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- "Southampton 1993-1994: Home". statto.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- "Southampton 1993-1994: Results". statto.com. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- "Southampton football club match record: 1994". 11v11.com. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- "All Southampton football club players: 1994". 11v11.com. Retrieved 30 October 2012.