| 1991β92 season | |
|---|---|
| Manager |
John Beck |
| Stadium | Abbey Stadium |
| Second Division | 5th (qualified for play-offs) |
| Play-offs | Semi-finals |
| FA Cup | Fourth round |
| League Cup | Second round |
| Top goalscorer | League:
Dion Dublin (15) All: Dion Dublin (19) |
During the 1991β92 English football season, Cambridge United competed in the Football League Second Division.
Season summary
Cambridge had returned to English football's second tier after an absence of seven seasons, following two successive promotions. Few expected Cambridge to succeed at a high level after their rapid rise, five years after having to reapply for Football League status, but Cambridge managed to make the play-offs for promotion to the inaugural Premier League season with a fifth-place finish - their highest-ever placing in the Football League. Cambridge lost in the semi-finals to Leicester City - following a 1β1 draw at home in the first leg, they were hammered 5β0 at Filbert Street for a 6β1 aggregate loss - but even this cruel end to their promotion hopes did little to detract from what Cambridge had achieved in such a short period of time.
Crucial to Cambridge's success was free-scoring striker Dion Dublin; but in the off-season he left to join First Division runners-up Manchester United in a Β£1 million transfer, spreading doubt that Cambridge would be capable of improving and clinching promotion the next season.
Kit
Influence became Cambridge's new kit manufacturers, and introduced a new home kit for the season. The kit saw a return to tradition for Cambridge, with the club returning to its tradition dark orange shirts and black shorts, with black socks also worn. Fujitsu retained their sponsorship for away kits and, following the end of Cambridge's sponsorship deal with Howlett, became the home sponsors too. [1]
First-team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Starting 11
Transfers
In
-
Devon White -
Bristol Rovers, exchange, March 1992
Out
-
John Taylor -
Bristol Rovers, Β£90,000, March 1992
Results
Second Division
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | HW | HD | HL | HGF | HGA | AW | AD | AL | AGF | AGA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 42 | 22 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 28 | 28 | +20 | 84 | Division Champions, promoted |
| 2 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 37 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 21 | 28 | +17 | 80 | Promoted |
| 3 | Derby County | 46 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 35 | 24 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 34 | 27 | +18 | 78 | Participated in play-offs |
| 4 | Leicester City | 46 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 41 | 24 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 21 | 31 | +7 | 77 | |
| 5 | Cambridge United | 46 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 34 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 31 | 28 | +18 | 74 | |
| 6 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 41 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 29 | 32 | +17 | 74 | Promoted through play-offs [a] |
| 7 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 25 | 23 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 29 | 25 | +6 | 71 | |
| 8 | Swindon Town | 46 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 38 | 22 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 31 | 33 | +14 | 69 | |
| 9 | Portsmouth | 46 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 41 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 24 | 39 | +14 | 69 | |
| 10 | Watford | 46 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 25 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 26 | 25 | +3 | 65 | |
| 11 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 36 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 25 | 30 | +7 | 64 | |
| 12 | Southend United | 46 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 37 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 26 | 37 | 0 | 62 | |
| 13 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 43 | 29 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 34 | −3 | 62 | |
| 14 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 37 | 32 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 19 | 24 | 0 | 61 | |
| 15 | Millwall | 46 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 32 | 32 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 32 | 39 | −7 | 61 | |
| 16 | Barnsley | 46 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 27 | 25 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 19 | 32 | −11 | 59 | |
| 17 | Bristol City | 46 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 30 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 25 | 47 | −16 | 54 | |
| 18 | Sunderland | 46 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 36 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 25 | 42 | −4 | 53 | |
| 19 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 25 | 28 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 22 | 34 | −15 | 53 | |
| 20 | Newcastle United | 46 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 38 | 30 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 28 | 54 | −18 | 52 | |
| 21 | Oxford United | 46 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 39 | 30 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 27 | 43 | −7 | 50 | |
| 22 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 26 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 16 | 38 | −22 | 48 | Relegated |
| 23 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 36 | 37 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 20 | 40 | −21 | 47 | |
| 24 | Port Vale | 46 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 23 | 25 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 34 | −17 | 45 |
Notes:
- ^ Blackburn Rovers won the play-offs and were promoted.
Results
Source: [4]
- 17 August: Port Vale 2β1 Oxford United (Foyle x2; ?) attendance 6,984
| 7 September 1991 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3β1 | Oxford United | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 BST |
Dennison  3'Bull 8'Steele 43' |
Nogan 80' |
Stadium:
Molineux Attendance: 12,549 |
- 5 October: Ipswich Town 2β1 Oxford United (Milton, Whitton; ?) attendance 9,922
| 19 October 1991 13 | Newcastle United | 4 - 3 | Oxford United | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| 15:00 BST | [ Report] | Stadium:
St James' Park Attendance: 16,454 |
- 26 October: Oxford United 1β2 Leicester United (?; Wright, Thompson) attendance 5,206
- 9 November: Portsmouth 2β1 Oxford United
- 18 January: Oxford United 2β2 Port Vale (?; Houchen, Swan) attendance 4,199
- 8 February: Leicester City 2β1 Oxford United (Kitson, Wright; ?) attendance 12,128
- 21 March: Oxford United 2β1 Portsmouth
| 4 April 1992 39 | Oxford United | 1β0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Oxford |
| 15:00 BST |
Penney 87' |
Stadium:
Manor Ground Attendance: 7,165 |
- 25 April: Oxford United 1β1 Ipswich Town (?; Johnson) attendance 10,525
- Derby County 2β2 Oxford United
- Oxford United 2β0 Derby County
Play-Offs
| 10 May 1992 SF (1) | Cambridge United F.C. | 1β1 | Leicester City F.C. | Cambridge |
| 15:00 BST | Russell | Stadium:
Abbey Stadium Attendance: 9,225 |
| 13 May 1992 SF (2) | Leicester City F.C. | 5β0 (6-1 agg.) | Cambridge United F.C. | Leicester |
| 19:45 BST | Wright (2), Thompson, Russell, Ormondroyd | Stadium:
Filbert Street Attendance: 21,024 |
FA Cup
| 4 January 1992 Rd 3 | Coventry City F.C. | 1β1 | Cambridge United F.C. | Coventry |
| 15:00 BST | Borrows (Pen) | Stadium:
Highfield Road Attendance: 11,428 |
| 14 January 1992 Rd 3 (R) | Cambridge United F.C. | 1β0 | Coventry City F.C. | Cambridge |
| 19:45 BST | Stadium:
Abbey Stadium Attendance: 9,864 |
| 25 January 1992 Rd 4 | Cambridge United F.C. | 0β3 | Swindon Town F.C. | Cambridge |
| 15:00 BST | Shearer (2), Calderwood | Stadium:
Abbey Stadium Attendance: 7,428 |
League Cup
| 21 August 1991 Rd 1 (1) | Cambridge United F.C. | 1β0 | Reading F.C. | Cambridge |
| 19:45 BST | Stadium: Abbey Stadium |
| 28 August 1991 Rd 1 (2) | Reading F.C. | 0β3 (0-4 agg.) | Cambridge United F.C. | Reading |
| 19:45 BST | Stadium: Elm Park |
| 25 September 1991 Rd 2 (1) | Manchester United F.C. | 3β0 | Cambridge United F.C. | Manchester |
| 19:45 BST | Giggs 44', McClair 48', Bruce 66' | Stadium:
Old Trafford Attendance: 30,934 |
| 9 October 1991 Rd 2 (2) | Cambridge United F.C. | 1β1 (1-4 agg.) | Manchester United F.C. | Cambridge |
| 19:45 BST | McClair 2' | Stadium:
Abbey Stadium Attendance: 9,248 |
References
- ^ "Cambridge United - Historical Football Kits". www.historicalkits.co.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ Daish was born in Portsmouth, England.
- ^ Cheetham was born in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
- ^ "Official website". Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2011.