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:
Matthew Le Tissier (19)

All:
Matthew 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

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 1Southampton1–1Blackburn RoversSouthampton
Banger  15' Shearer  60' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,209
Referee: Keith Cooper
24 August 1994 2Aston Villa1–1SouthamptonBirmingham
Saunders  32' Le Tissier  89' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 24,179
Referee: Philip Don
27 August 1994 3Newcastle United5–1SouthamptonNewcastle 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 4Southampton0–2LiverpoolSouthampton
Fowler  21'
Barnes  77'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,190
Referee: Martin Bodenham
12 September 1994 5Tottenham Hotspur1–2SouthamptonLondon
Klinsmann  6' Le Tissier  75' (pen.), 89' Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 22,387
Referee: Alan Wilkie
17 September 1994 6Southampton1–1Nottingham ForestSouthampton
Le Tissier  54' (pen.) Collymore  43' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,185
Referee: Mike Reed
24 September 1994 7Coventry City1–3SouthamptonCoventry
Dublin  2' Dowie  34', 55'
Ekelund  81'
Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 11,798
Referee: Kelvin Morton
1 October 1994 8Southampton3–1Ipswich TownSouthampton
Maddison  53'
Ekelund  65'
Dowie  90'
Marshall  77' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 13,266
Referee: Gerald Ashby
8 October 1994 9Southampton2–0EvertonSouthampton
Ekelund  19'
Le Tissier  72'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,163
Referee: Brian Hill
15 October 1994 10Leicester City4–3SouthamptonLeicester
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 11West Ham United2–0SouthamptonLondon
Allen  49'
Rush  62'
Stadium: Boleyn Ground
Attendance: 18,853
Referee: Joe Worrall
29 October 1994 12Southampton1–3Leeds UnitedSouthampton
Maddison  44' Maddison  54' (o.g.)
Wallace  83', 89'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,202
Referee: Rodger Gifford
2 November 1994 13Southampton1–1Norwich CitySouthampton
Le Tissier  89' (pen.) Robins  49' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 12,876
Referee: Paul Durkin
5 November 1994 14Manchester City3–3SouthamptonManchester
Walsh  50', 61'
Beagrie  79'
Hall  26'
Ekelund  62', 66'
Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 21,589
Referee: Mike Reed
19 November 1994 15Southampton1–0ArsenalSouthampton
Magilton  60' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,201
Referee: Roger Dilkes
26 November 1994 16Crystal Palace0–0SouthamptonLondon
Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 14,186
Referee: Paul Danson
3 December 1994 17Southampton0–1ChelseaSouthampton
Furlong  89' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,404
Referee: Rodger Gifford
10 December 1994 18Blackburn Rovers3–2SouthamptonBlackburn
Atkins  6'
Shearer  13', 74'
Le Tissier  65', 78' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 23,372
Referee: Alan Wilkie
19 December 1994 19Southampton2–1Aston VillaSouthampton
Hall  8'
Le Tissier  90'
Houghton  79' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 13,874
Referee: Stephen Lodge
26 December 1994 20Southampton2–3WimbledonSouthampton
Dodd  11'
Le Tissier  43'
Holdsworth  20', 72' (pen.)
Harford  38'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,603
Referee: Graham Poll
28 December 1994 21Queens Park Rangers2–2SouthamptonLondon
Barker  7'
Gallen  49'
Dodd  14'
Hughes  71'
Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 16,078
Referee: Keith Cooper
31 December 1994 22Southampton2–2Manchester UnitedSouthampton
Magilton  44'
Hughes  74'
Butt  51'
Pallister  78'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,204
Referee: Martin Bodenham
2 January 1995 23Sheffield Wednesday1–1SouthamptonSheffield
Hyde  19' Le Tissier  70' (pen.) Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium
Attendance: 28,424
Referee: Roger Dilkes
14 January 1995 24Leeds United0–0SouthamptonLeeds
Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 28,869
Referee: Steve Dunn
24 January 1995 25Arsenal1–1SouthamptonLondon
Hartson  21' Magilton  74' Stadium: Arsenal Stadium
Attendance: 27,213
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
4 February 1995 26Southampton2–2Manchester CitySouthampton
Coton  24' (o.g.)
Le Tissier  60'
Kernaghan  29'
Flitcroft  88'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,902
Referee: Paul Durkin
11 February 1995 27Norwich City2–2SouthamptonNorwich
Newsome  37'
Ward  90'
Hall  33'
Magilton  36'
Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 18,361
Referee: Robbie Hart
25 February 1995 28Ipswich Town2–1SouthamptonIpswich
Mathie  70'
Chapman  77'
Maddison  38' Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 15,788
Referee: Peter Jones
4 March 1995 29Southampton0–0Coventry CitySouthampton
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,505
Referee: Kelvin Morton
15 March 1995 30Southampton1–1West Ham UnitedSouthampton
Shipperley  48' Hutchison  38' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,178
Referee: Keith Burge
18 March 1995 31Nottingham Forest3–0SouthamptonNottingham
Roy  38', 81'
Collymore  64'
Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 24,146
Referee: Keith Cooper
22 March 1995 32Southampton3–1Newcastle UnitedSouthampton
Heaney  86'
Watson  89'
Shipperley  90'
Kitson  18' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,666
Referee: Joe Worrall
2 April 1995 33Southampton4–3Tottenham HotspurSouthampton
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 34Liverpool3–1SouthamptonLiverpool
Rush  28', 50'
Fowler  71' (pen.)
Hall  13' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 29,881
Referee: Stephen Lodge
12 April 1995 35Chelsea0–2SouthamptonLondon
Shipperley  10'
Le Tissier  32'
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 16,739
Referee: Alan Wilkie
15 April 1995 36Southampton2–1Queens Park RangersSouthampton
Shipperley  50'
Watson  67'
Ferdinand  63' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,210
Referee: Peter Jones
17 April 1995 37Wimbledon0–2SouthamptonLondon
Le Tissier  9'
Magilton  30'
Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 10,521
Referee: Gerald Ashby
29 April 1995 38Southampton0–0Sheffield WednesdaySouthampton
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,189
Referee: Joe Worrall
3 May 1995 39Southampton3–1Crystal PalaceSouthampton
Wilmot  1' (o.g.)
Watson  9'
Le Tissier  86'
Southgate  26' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,151
Referee: Graham Poll
6 May 1995 40Everton0–0SouthamptonLiverpool
Stadium: Goodison Park
Attendance: 36,851
Referee: Terry Holbrook
10 May 1995 41Manchester United2–1SouthamptonManchester
Cole  21'
Irwin  80' (pen.)
Charlton  5' Stadium: Old Trafford
Attendance: 43,479
Referee: Paul Danson
14 May 1995 42Southampton2–2Leicester CitySouthampton
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

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 3Southampton2–0Southend UnitedSouthampton
Le Tissier
Heaney
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 13,003
28 January 1995 Round 4Luton Town1–1SouthamptonLuton
Shipperley  53' Stadium: Kenilworth Road
Attendance: 9,938
8 February 1995 Round 4 ReplaySouthampton6–0Luton TownSouthampton
Le Tissier
Monkou
Heaney
Magilton
Hughes
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,075
18 February 1995 Round 5Tottenham Hotspur1–1SouthamptonLondon
Klinsmann  20' Le Tissier  21' (pen.) Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 28,091
1 March 1995 Round 5 ReplaySouthampton2–6
a.e.t.
Tottenham HotspurSouthampton
Shipperley  5'
Le Tissier  40' (pen.)
Rosenthal  57', 59', 102'
Sheringham  113'
Barmby  115'
Anderton  120'
Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,172

League Cup

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 1Huddersfield Town0–1SouthamptonHuddersfield
Le Tissier Stadium: McAlpine Stadium
Attendance: 13,814
5 October 1994 Round 2 Leg 2Southampton4–0Huddersfield TownSouthampton
Le Tissier  (pen.) Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 12,032

Squad statistics

No. Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total Discipline
Apps. Goals Apps. Goals Apps. Goals Apps. Goals
1 GK Bruce Grobbelaar 300 50 30 380 10
2 DF Matthew Robinson 0(1)0 00 00 0(1)0 00
3 DF Francis Benali 32(3)0 40 30 39(3)0 110
4 MF Jim Magilton 426 51 30 507 30
5 DF Richard Hall 36(1)3 40 20 42(1)3 60
6 DF Ken Monkou 311 41 20 372 120
7 MF Matthew Le Tissier 4119 55 35 4929 60
8 FW Craig Maskell 2(4)0 10 00 3(4)0 10
9 FW Neil Shipperley 194 42 00 236 30
10 MF Neil Maddison 353 40 20 413 20
11 MF Paul Allen 110 00 20 130 20
12 MF Neil Heaney 21(13)2 52 2(1)0 28(14)4 30
13 GK Dave Beasant 12(1)0 00 00 12(1)0 00
14 DF Simon Charlton 251 10 2(1)0 28(1)1 10
15 DF Jason Dodd 24(2)2 30 10 28(2)2 50
16 FW Gordon Watson 123 00 00 123 10
17 DF Derek Allan 00 00 00 00 00
18 MF David Hughes 2(10)2 0(4)1 00 2(14)3 10
19 DF Paul McDonald 0(2)0 00 00 0(2)0 00
21 MF Tommy Widdrington 23(5)0 50 10 29(5)0 40
23 GK Neil Hopper 00 00 00 00 00
24 FW Frankie Bennett 00 00 0(1)0 0(1)0 00
27 DF Peter Whiston 0(1)0 00 00 0(1)0 00
28 MF Paul Tisdale 0(7)0 0(1)0 0(1)0 0(9)0 00
33 MF Matt Oakley 0(1)0 00 00 0(1)0 00
Players with appearances who left before the end of the season
2 DF Jeff Kenna 280 50 20 350 10
9 FW Iain Dowie 175 00 30 205 20
16 FW Nicky Banger 42 00 00 42 00
24 MF Ronnie Ekelund 15(2)5 00 2(1)0 17(3)5 10

Most appearances

Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Starts Subs Starts Subs Starts Subs Starts Subs Total
1 MF Jim Magilton 420 50 30 50050
2 FW Matthew Le Tissier 410 50 30 49049
3 DF Richard Hall 361 40 20 42143
4 DF Francis Benali 323 40 30 39342
MF Neil Heaney 2113 50 21 281442
6 MF Neil Maddison 350 40 20 41041
7 GK Bruce Grobbelaar 300 50 30 38038
8 DF Ken Monkou 310 40 20 37037
9 DF Jeff Kenna 280 50 20 35035
10 MF Tommy Widdrington 235 50 10 29534

Top goalscorers

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

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

  • "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.
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