1994–95 Football League

The Football League
Season 1994–95
Champions Middlesbrough
Promoted Middlesbrough
Bolton Wanderers

The 19941995 season was the 96th completed season of The Football League. It was the third season of The Football League since the formation of the Premier League. The league was known as the Endsleigh League, since from 1993 to 1996 the league was sponsored by Endsleigh.

Overview

Football League First Division

The streamlining of the Premier League meant that just two clubs would be promoted from the First Division in 1995. Middlesbrough won the First Division title in their first season under Bryan Robson, while Reading were the club that were to fail to win promotion despite finishing second in the table. Instead, they competed in the playoffs, losing to Bolton Wanderers in the final, who achieved their second promotion in three years under Bruce Rioch — as well as being League Cup runners-up.

1995 saw four clubs relegated from the First Division — Swindon Town (relegated for the second straight season), Burnley, Bristol City and Notts County. Sunderland narrowly avoided the drop following the arrival of enthusiastic new manager Peter Reid, who over the next few years would bring dramatic improvements to the Wearsiders.

A dream start in management saw Bryan Robson guide Middlesbrough to the First Division title and regain the Premiership place that was lost two years ago. Reading finished second — the highest in their history — but the streamlining of the Premiership prevented them from winning promotion and they lost 4–3 to Bolton Wanderers after extra time in the playoff final, having led 2–0 at half time. Losing semi-finalists were Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tranmere Rovers.

Barnsley and Watford were the unlucky sides to narrowly miss out on the play-offs, while an expensively-assembled Derby County side finished a disappointing ninth at the end of what many fans had hoped would be a promotion winning season.

Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland — three famous clubs which had seen better days — narrowly avoided relegation to the Second Division, but managerial changes at each of these clubs gave fans hope that a return to the elite might not be far away.

Swindon Town suffered a second successive relegation, joining Bristol City, Burnley and Notts County in Division Two.

Football League Second Division

There would only be two promotion places in the Second Division for 1994–95. They were occupied by champions Birmingham City and playoff winners Huddersfield Town, both enjoying success after seasons of disappointment.

Going down were Cambridge United, Plymouth Argyle, Cardiff City, Chester City and Leyton Orient. This was the first time that five clubs had been relegated from any of the league’s four divisions.

Birmingham sealed an immediate return to the First Division by lifting the Second Division championship trophy, along with the winning the Football League Trophy and completing the "lower-league Double". They were joined in the First Division by playoff winners Huddersfield Town. The unlucky sides in the play-offs were Brentford, Crewe Alexandra and Bristol Rovers.

Unfavoured Leyton Orient, Chester City and Cardiff City were (perhaps inevitably) relegated to the Third Division. But the other two relegated teams were surprise candidates for the drop. Plymouth Argyle had almost won promotion to the First Division a year earlier. Cambridge United had narrowly missed out on a place in the then-new Premier League three years earlier and poor form in the run in sealed their fate after Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic avoided the drop in the final two games of the season after spending most of it in the bottom five.

Football League Third Division

This season saw three clubs go up from the Third Division instead of four clubs. They were champions Carlisle United, runners-up Walsall and playoff winners Chesterfield.

Exeter City, who almost went out of business in mid-season, finished bottom of the Third Division but kept their league status because Conference champions Macclesfield Town were unable to meet the league’s stadium capacity requirements.

Ambitious Carlisle United sealed the Third Division title to end eight years of basement division football, joined by runners-up Walsall and playoff winners Chesterfield.

Debt-ridden Exeter City finished joint bottom of the league with Scarborough, but retained their league status due to Conference champions Macclesfield Town lacking a stadium adequate for Football League capacity standards.

Final league tables and results

The tables and results below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website,[1] with home and away statistics separated. Play-off results are from the same website.

First Division

First Division Table

Football League, First Division
Season 1994–95
Champions Middlesbrough (4th second tier title)
Direct promotion to FA Premier League Middlesbrough
Promoted to FA Premier League through play-offs Bolton Wanderers
Relegated Bristol City,
Burnley,
Notts County,
Swindon Town
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1389 (2.52 per match)
Top goalscorer John Aldridge (Tranmere Rovers), 24 [2]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Middlesbrough 461544411989626216740+2782
2 Reading 4612743421113924235844+1479
3 Bolton Wanderers 4616614313581024326745+2277
4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 461553391868938437761+1676
5 Tranmere Rovers 4617425123561216356758+976
6 Barnsley 4615624219561221336352+1172
7 Watford 4614633317571119295246+670
8 Sheffield United 4612924121581033347455+1968
9 Derby County 4612654423661122286651+1566
10 Grimsby Town 4612743619571126376256+665
11 Stoke City 461076312168919324956–763
12 Millwall 4611843622561224386060±062
13 Southend United 4613283325561221485473–1962
14 Oldham Athletic 4612743421461326396060±061
15 Charlton Athletic 4611663325551325415866–859
16 Luton Town 46869353077926346164–358
17 Port Vale 4611573024481128405864–658
18 Portsmouth 469863128651222355363–1058
19 West Bromwich Albion 4613373324371318335157–658
20 Sunderland 4651262222761019234148–754
21 Swindon Town 469682827361426466072–1248
22 Burnley 468783633361413414974–2546
23 Bristol City 468872628341616354263–2145
24 Notts County 467882628251619384566–2140
Key
Football League Champions, promoted to FA Premier League
Promoted to FA Premier League
Participated in play-offs
Promoted to Premier League through play-offs
Relegated

First Division play-offs

  Semifinals
1st leg –14 May; 2nd leg –17 May 1995
Final at Wembley
29 May 1995
                     
2nd  Reading 3 0 3  
5th  Tranmere Rovers 1 0 1  
    2nd  Reading 3
  3rd  Bolton Wanderers (a.e.t.) 4
3rd  Bolton Wanderers 1 2 3
4th  Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 0 2  

First Division results

Home ╲ Away BAR BOL BRIBURCHADERGRILUTMIDMILNTCOLDPORPTVREASHUSTDSTKSUNSWITRAWATWBAWOL
Barnsley 30 21 20 21 21 41 31 11 41 11 11 10 31 02 21 00 20 20 21 22 00 20 13
Bolton Wanderers 21 02 11 51 10 33 00 10 10 20 22 11 10 10 11 30 40 10 30 10 30 10 51
Bristol City 32 01 11 21 02 12 22 01 10 21 22 11 00 12 21 00 31 00 32 01 00 10 15
Burnley 01 22 11 20 31 02 21 03 12 21 21 12 43 12 42 51 11 11 12 11 11 11 01
Charlton Athletic 22 12 32 12 34 21 10 02 11 10 20 10 11 12 11 31 00 10 10 01 30 11 32
Derby County 10 21 31 40 22 21 00 01 32 00 21 30 20 12 23 12 30 01 31 50 11 11 33
Grimsby Town 10 33 10 22 01 01 50 21 10 21 13 20 41 10 00 41 00 31 11 31 00 02 00
Luton Town 01 03 01 01 01 00 12 51 11 20 21 20 21 01 36 22 23 30 30 20 11 11 33
Middlesbrough 11 10 30 20 10 24 11 21 30 21 21 40 30 01 11 12 21 22 31 01 20 21 10
Millwall 01 01 11 23 31 41 20 00 00 00 11 22 13 20 21 31 11 20 31 21 21 22 10
Notts County 13 11 11 30 33 00 02 01 11 01 13 01 22 10 21 22 02 32 01 10 10 20 11
Oldham Athletic 10 31 20 30 52 10 10 00 10 01 11 32 32 13 33 02 00 00 11 00 02 10 41
Portsmouth 30 11 00 20 11 01 21 32 00 32 21 11 02 11 10 11 01 14 43 11 21 12 12
Port Vale 21 11 21 10 02 10 12 01 21 21 11 31 10 02 02 50 11 00 22 20 01 10 24
Reading 03 21 10 00 21 10 11 00 11 00 20 21 00 33 10 20 40 02 30 13 41 02 42
Sheffield United 00 31 30 20 21 21 31 13 11 11 13 20 31 11 11 20 11 00 22 20 30 20 33
Southend United 31 21 21 31 21 10 00 30 02 01 10 10 12 12 41 13 42 01 20 00 04 21 01
Stoke City 00 11 21 20 32 00 30 12 11 43 21 01 02 01 01 11 41 01 00 10 10 41 11
Sunderland 20 11 20 00 11 11 22 11 01 11 12 00 22 11 01 10 01 10 10 01 13 22 11
Swindon Town 00 01 03 11 01 11 32 12 21 12 30 31 02 20 10 13 22 30 40 22 10 00 32
Tranmere Rovers 61 10 20 41 11 31 20 42 11 31 32 31 42 11 10 21 02 01 10 32 21 31 11
Watford 32 00 10 20 20 21 00 24 11 10 31 12 20 32 22 00 10 00 01 20 20 10 21
West Bromwich Albion 21 10 10 10 01 00 11 10 13 30 32 31 02 00 20 10 20 13 13 25 51 01 20
Wolverhampton Wanderers 00 31 20 20 20 02 21 23 02 33 10 21 10 21 10 22 50 20 10 11 20 11 20

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

First Division maps

Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1994–1995

Second Division

Second Division Table

Football League, Second Division
Season 1994–95
Champions Birmingham City (1st third tier title)
Direct promotion Birmingham City
Promoted through play-offs Huddersfield Town
Relegated Cambridge United,
Cardiff City,
Chester,
Leyton Orient,
Plymouth Argyle
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1441 (2.61 per match)
Top goalscorer Gary Bennett (Wrexham), 29 [2]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Birmingham City 4615625318108531198437+4789
2 Brentford 4614454415116637248139+4285
3 Crewe Alexandra 4614364633115734358068+1283
4 Bristol Rovers 461571482079722207040+3082
5 Huddersfield Town 4614544521810534287949+3081
6 Wycombe Wanderers 461373361988724276046+1478
7 Oxford United 461364301886936346652+1475
8 Hull City 4613644018851030397057+1374
9 York City 4613463721851030306751+1672
10 Swansea City 461085231396834325745+1271
11 Stockport County 4612384029751123316360+365
12 Blackpool 4611484036761024346470–664
13 Wrexham 461076382768927376564+163 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1995–96 Qualifying round
14 Bradford City 46869293286928325764–760
15 Peterborough United 467115262977928405469–1560
16 Brighton & Hove Albion 4691042515571129385453+159
17 Rotherham United 4612653626281321355761–456
18 Shrewsbury Town 469953427451420355462–853
19 Bournemouth 4694103034471219354969–2050
20 Cambridge United 468963328361419415269–1748
21 Plymouth Argyle 4676102236541423474583–3846
22 Cardiff City 4656122531451421434674–2838
23 Chester 4656122342151714423784–4729
24 Leyton Orient 466611212902219463075–4526
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
Welsh Cup winners, qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup
Relegated

Second Division play-offs

  Semifinals
1st leg –14 May; 2nd leg –17 May 1995
Final at Wembley
28 May 1995
                     
2nd  Brentford 1 1 2 (3)  
5th  Huddersfield Town (pen.) 1 1 2 (4)  
    4th  Bristol Rovers 1
  5th  Huddersfield Town 2
3rd  Crewe Alexandra 0 1 1
4th  Bristol Rovers (away goals) 0 1 1  

[1]

Second Division results

Home ╲ Away BIR BLP BOUBRABREBHABROCAMCARCHRCREHUDHULLEYOXFPETPLYROTSHRSTPSWAWREWYCYOR
Birmingham City 71 00 00 20 33 20 11 21 10 50 11 22 20 30 40 42 21 20 10 01 52 01 42
Blackpool 11 31 20 12 22 02 23 21 31 00 14 12 21 21 40 52 22 21 12 21 21 01 05
AFC Bournemouth 21 12 23 01 03 20 10 32 11 11 02 23 20 02 03 00 11 30 20 32 13 20 14
Bradford City 11 01 12 10 21 21 11 23 11 02 34 10 20 02 42 20 03 11 12 13 11 21 00
Brentford 12 32 12 43 21 30 60 20 11 20 00 01 30 20 01 70 20 10 10 00 02 00 30
Brighton & Hove Albion 01 22 00 10 11 12 20 00 10 01 00 10 10 11 12 11 11 21 20 11 40 11 10
Bristol Rovers 11 00 21 40 22 30 21 22 30 22 11 02 10 32 31 20 20 40 22 10 42 10 31
Cambridge United 10 00 22 41 00 02 11 20 21 12 11 22 00 12 20 11 21 31 34 13 12 22 10
Cardiff City 01 01 11 24 23 30 01 31 21 12 00 02 21 13 12 01 11 12 11 11 00 20 12
Chester 04 20 11 14 14 12 00 13 02 01 12 12 10 20 11 10 44 13 10 22 11 02 04
Crewe Alexandra 21 43 20 01 02 40 21 42 00 21 33 32 30 32 13 22 31 10 21 12 13 12 21
Huddersfield Town 12 11 31 00 10 30 11 31 51 51 12 11 21 33 12 20 10 21 21 20 21 01 30
Hull City 00 10 31 20 12 22 02 10 40 20 71 10 20 31 11 20 02 22 00 02 32 00 30
Leyton Orient 21 01 32 00 02 03 12 11 20 20 14 02 11 11 41 02 00 21 01 01 11 01 01
Oxford United 11 32 03 10 11 00 00 10 10 10 21 31 40 32 10 10 21 00 40 12 00 02 02
Peterborough United 11 10 00 00 22 21 00 22 21 20 15 22 21 00 14 12 22 11 01 10 10 13 11
Plymouth Argyle 13 02 01 15 15 03 11 00 00 10 32 03 21 10 11 01 00 10 02 21 41 22 12
Rotherham United 11 02 40 31 02 43 03 10 20 20 22 11 20 20 11 00 31 04 10 33 01 20 21
Shrewsbury Town 02 00 30 12 21 11 10 11 01 10 12 21 23 30 11 22 32 10 11 33 22 22 10
Stockport County 01 32 10 12 01 20 21 21 41 22 31 12 40 21 02 11 24 10 21 01 11 41 23
Swansea City 02 10 10 00 02 11 00 10 41 01 01 11 20 20 13 20 30 10 00 20 00 11 00
Wrexham 11 01 20 01 00 21 11 01 03 22 10 12 22 41 32 33 31 31 01 10 41 41 11
Wycombe Wanderers 03 11 11 31 43 00 00 30 31 31 00 21 12 21 10 31 12 20 10 11 10 30 00
York City 20 40 10 00 21 10 03 20 11 20 12 30 31 41 02 11 10 20 30 24 24 01 00

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second Division maps

Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams 1994–1995

Third Division

Third Division Table

Football League, Third Division
Season 1994–95
Champions Carlisle United (1st fourth tier title)
Direct promotion Carlisle United,
Walsall
Promoted through play-offs Chesterfield
Relegated to Conference None
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1229 (2.66 per match)
Top goalscorer Dougie Freedman (Barnet), 24 [2]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Carlisle United 4214523414135333176731+3691
2 Walsall 421533421898433227540+3583
3 Chesterfield 4211732610125436276237+2581
4 Bury 4213713913104734237336+3780
5 Preston North End 421335371767821245841+1767
6 Mansfield Town 421056452786739328459+2565
7 Scunthorpe United 421227403066928336863+562
8 Fulham 421155392259721326054+662
9 Doncaster Rovers 42957282085830235843+1561
10 Colchester United 42858293085827345664–858
11 Barnet 428763727741019365663–756
12 Lincoln City 4210743422541220335455–156
13 Torquay United 4210833525451219325457–355
14 Wigan Athletic 427682830741025305360–752
15 Rochdale 42867252348919444467–2350
16 Hereford United 429662219371123434562–1749
17 Northampton 428582529291020384567–2244
18 Hartlepools United 429573332251410374369–2643
19 Gillingham 428763125241515394664–1841
20 Darlington 427592524431418334357–1441
21 Scarborough 4247102631431423394970–2134
22 Exeter City 4255112536351311343670–3434[notes 1]
  1. Debt-ridden Exeter City retained their league status due to Conference champions Macclesfield Town lacking a stadium adequate for Football League capacity standards.
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
New club in the league (none)
Relegated to Conference (none)

[1]

Third Division play-offs

  Semifinals
1st leg –14 May; 2nd leg –17 May 1995
Final at Wembley Stadium
27 May 1995
                     
3rd  Chesterfield (a.e.t.) 1 5 6  
6th  Mansfield Town 1 2 3  
    3rd  Chesterfield 2
  4th  Bury 0
4th  Bury 1 1 2
5th  Preston North End 0 0 0  

[1]

Third Division results

Home ╲ Away BAR BRY CRLCHFCOLDARDONEXEFULGILHARHERLINMANNORPNEROCSCASCUTORWALWIG
Barnet 11 02 41 01 23 00 11 00 10 40 22 21 22 23 21 62 31 12 20 13 11
Bury 30 20 21 41 21 20 00 00 32 20 11 20 22 50 00 01 10 20 31 00 33
Carlisle United 40 30 11 00 21 11 10 11 20 01 10 13 21 21 00 41 20 21 10 21 21
Chesterfield 20 00 12 22 00 20 20 11 20 20 10 10 01 30 10 22 01 31 10 00 00
Colchester United 11 10 01 03 10 03 31 52 22 10 22 12 11 01 31 00 02 42 13 32 01
Darlington 01 02 02 01 23 02 20 00 20 12 31 00 00 41 00 40 10 13 21 22 13
Doncaster Rovers 11 12 00 13 12 00 10 00 12 30 30 30 02 10 21 01 10 11 30 02 53
Exeter City 12 04 11 12 10 02 15 01 30 21 11 10 23 00 01 00 52 22 12 13 24
Fulham 40 10 13 11 12 31 02 40 10 10 11 11 42 44 01 50 12 10 21 11 20
Gillingham 21 11 01 11 13 21 42 30 41 00 00 00 02 31 23 11 31 22 10 13 01
Hartlepool United 01 31 15 02 31 10 21 22 12 20 40 03 32 11 31 10 33 14 11 11 01
Hereford United 32 10 01 02 30 00 01 30 11 21 10 03 00 21 02 00 21 21 11 00 12
Lincoln City 12 03 11 01 20 31 10 20 20 11 30 20 32 22 11 22 20 33 12 11 10
Mansfield Town 30 02 12 42 20 01 01 11 11 40 20 71 62 11 12 11 32 10 22 13 43
Northampton Town 11 05 21 23 11 21 00 21 01 20 11 13 31 01 21 12 03 01 20 22 10
Preston North End 10 50 10 00 21 13 22 01 32 11 20 42 40 21 20 30 10 10 01 12 10
Rochdale 22 03 11 41 00 20 20 01 12 21 10 13 10 33 00 01 11 12 20 02 10
Scarborough 01 12 12 01 01 31 22 02 31 00 22 31 11 25 00 11 24 30 11 12 01
Scunthorpe United 10 32 23 01 34 21 05 30 12 30 00 10 20 34 11 21 41 31 32 01 31
Torquay United 12 22 11 33 33 10 01 00 21 31 22 01 21 21 21 10 41 21 10 32 00
Walsall 40 01 12 13 20 20 10 10 51 21 41 43 21 10 11 22 00 41 21 10 20
Wigan Athletic 12 03 02 23 12 41 32 31 11 03 20 11 01 04 21 11 40 11 00 11 10

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Third Division maps

Locations of the Football League Third Division London teams 1994–1995

Top scorers

First Division

Rank Player Club Goals
1England John Aldridge Tranmere Rovers 24
2Scotland Gerry Creaney Portsmouth 18
=Wales Sean McCarthy Oldham Athletic 18
=England David Whyte Charlton Athletic 18
3Wales Nathan Blake Sheffield United 17
4England Martin Foyle Port Vale 16
=England Chris Malkin Tranmere Rovers 16
=Scotland John McGinlay Bolton Wanderers 16
5England Steve Bull Wolverhampton Wanderers 15
=Scotland John Hendrie Middlesbrough 15
=England David Kelly Wolverhampton Wanderers 15

Second Division

Rank Player Club Goals
1England Gary Bennett Wrexham 29
2England Andy Booth Huddersfield Town 28
3England Nicky Forster Brentford 25
4England Robert Taylor Brentford 23
5England Steve Claridge Birmingham City 20
=England Paul Moody Oxford United 20

Third Division

Rank Player Club Goals
1Scotland Dougie Freedman Barnet 24
2Bermuda Kyle Lightbourne Walsall 23
=England Steve Wilkinson Mansfield Town 23
3England Dave Reeves Carlisle United 20
4England David Pugh Bury 17
5England Kevin Wilson Walsall 16

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "England 1994–95". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. 1 2 3 "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
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