1995–96 Southampton F.C. season

Southampton F.C.
1995–96 season
Chairman Guy Askham
Manager David Merrington
Stadium The Dell
Premiership 17th
FA Cup Quarter-finals
League Cup Fourth round
Top goalscorer League: Le Tissier/Shipperley (7)
All: Shipperley (12)
Highest home attendance 15,262 vs Manchester United
(13 Apr 1996, Premier League)
Lowest home attendance 11,059 vs West Ham United
(25 Oct 1995, League Cup)
Average home league attendance 14,820
Home colours
Away colours

During the 1995–96 English football season, Southampton Football Club competed in the FA Premier League.

Season summary

Amidst rumours of lack of support from the board, Alan Ball was lured to Manchester City in the summer of 1995 and Southampton turned to long-serving coach David Merrington to take charge of the team in 1995–96. Southampton finished 17th with 38 league points, avoiding relegation on goal difference. Two important wins during the final weeks of the season did much to ensure that Saints achieved Premiership survival and relegating Manchester City. First came a 3–1 home win over eventual double winners Manchester United, then came a 1–0 away win over relegated Bolton Wanderers. Despite achieving survival, Merrington was then sacked as manager after just one season and replaced by Graeme Souness, who had won silverware earlier in his managerial career with Rangers and Liverpool.

Final league table

Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Manchester United (C) 38 25 7 6 73 35 +38 82 1996–97 UEFA Champions League Group stage
2 Newcastle United 38 24 6 8 66 37 +29 78 1996–97 UEFA Cup First round
3 Liverpool 38 20 11 7 70 34 +36 71 1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup First round 1
4 Aston Villa 38 18 9 11 52 35 +17 63 1996–97 UEFA Cup First round
5 Arsenal 38 17 12 9 49 32 +17 63
6 Everton 38 17 10 11 64 44 +20 61
7 Blackburn Rovers 38 18 7 13 61 47 +14 61
8 Tottenham Hotspur 38 16 13 9 50 38 +12 61
9 Nottingham Forest 38 15 13 10 50 54 4 58
10 West Ham United 38 14 9 15 43 52 9 51
11 Chelsea 38 12 14 12 46 44 +2 50
12 Middlesbrough 38 11 10 17 35 50 15 43
13 Leeds United 38 12 7 19 40 57 17 43
14 Wimbledon 38 10 11 17 55 70 15 41
15 Sheffield Wednesday 38 10 10 18 48 61 13 40
16 Coventry City 38 8 14 16 42 60 18 38
17 Southampton 38 9 11 18 34 52 18 38
18 Manchester City (R) 38 9 11 18 33 58 25 38 Relegation to 1996–97 Football League First Division
19 Queens Park Rangers (R) 38 9 6 23 38 57 19 33
20 Bolton Wanderers (R) 38 8 5 25 39 71 32 29

Updated to games played on 5 May 1996.
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
1 Liverpool qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as FA Cup runners-up, as winners Manchester United already qualified for the Champions League.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Results

Southampton's score comes first[1]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
19 August 1995 Nottingham ForestH3–415,164Le Tissier (3, 2 pens)
26 August 1995 EvertonA0–233,668
30 August 1995 Leeds UnitedH1–115,212Widdrington
9 September 1995 Newcastle UnitedH1–015,237Magilton
12 September 1995 MiddlesbroughA0–029,181
16 September 1995 ChelseaA0–326,237
23 September 1995 ArsenalA2–438,136Watson, Monkou
2 October 1995 West Ham UnitedH0–013,568
14 October 1995 Blackburn RoversA1–226,780Maddison
22 October 1995 LiverpoolH1–315,245Watson
28 October 1995 WimbledonA2–17,982Shipperley (2)
4 November 1995 Queens Park RangersH2–015,137Dodd, Le Tissier
18 November 1995 Manchester UnitedA1–439,301Shipperley
20 November 1995 Aston VillaH0–113,582
25 November 1995 Bolton WanderersH1–014,404Hughes
2 December 1995 LiverpoolA1–138,007Shipperley
9 December 1995 ArsenalH0–015,238
16 December 1995 West Ham UnitedA1–218,501Bishop (own goal)
23 December 1995 Sheffield WednesdayA2–225,115Heaney, Magilton (pen)
26 December 1995 Tottenham HotspurH0–015,238
1 January 1996 Coventry CityA1–116,818Heaney
13 January 1996 Nottingham ForestA0–123,321
20 January 1996 MiddlesbroughH2–115,151Shipperley, Hall
31 January 1996 Manchester CityH1–115,172Shipperley
3 February 1996 EvertonH2–215,136Watson, Magilton
24 February 1996 ChelseaH2–315,226Widdrington, Clarke (own goal)
2 March 1996 Tottenham HotspurA0–126,320
16 March 1996 Manchester CityA1–229,550Tisdale
20 March 1996 Sheffield WednesdayH0–113,216
25 March 1996 Coventry CityH1–014,461Dodd
30 March 1996 Queens Park RangersA0–317,615
3 April 1996 Leeds UnitedA0–126,077
6 April 1996 Blackburn RoversH1–014,793Le Tissier (pen)
8 April 1996 Aston VillaA0–334,059
13 April 1996 Manchester UnitedH3–115,262Monkou, Shipperley, Le Tissier
17 April 1996 Newcastle UnitedA0–136,554
27 April 1996 Bolton WanderersA1–018,795Le Tissier
5 May 1996 WimbledonH0–015,172

FA Cup

Main article: 1995–96 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R37 January 1996 PortsmouthH3–015,236Magilton (2), Shipperley
R47 February 1996 Crewe AlexandraH1–113,736Le Tissier
R4R13 February 1996 Crewe AlexandraA3–25,579Shipperley, Hall, Dodd
R517 February 1996 Swindon TownA1–115,035Watson
R5R28 February 1996 Swindon TownH2–013,962Oakley, Shipperley
QF11 March 1996 Manchester UnitedA0–245,446

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st Leg 19 September 1995 Cardiff CityA3–09,041Le Tissier (2), Shipperley
R2 2nd Leg 4 October 1995 Cardiff CityH2–1 (won 5–1 on agg)12,709Watson, Hall
R325 October 1995 West Ham UnitedH2–111,059Watson, Shipperley
R428 November 1995 ReadingA1–213,742Monkou

Squad

[2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Zimbabwe GK Bruce Grobbelaar
2 England DF Jason Dodd
3 England DF Francis Benali
4 Northern Ireland MF Jim Magilton
5 England DF Richard Hall
6 Suriname DF Ken Monkou
7 England MF Matt Le Tissier (captain)
8 England FW Gordon Watson
8 England FW Neil Shipperley
10 England MF Neil Maddison
11 England MF Neil Heaney
12 England MF Tommy Widdrington
13 England GK Dave Beasant
No. Position Player
14 England DF Simon Charlton
15 Wales DF Alan Neilson
16 Wales MF David Hughes
17 England MF Paul Tisdale
19 England MF Mark Walters
21 England FW Frankie Bennett
22 England DF Barry Venison
23 England GK Darryl Flahavan
24 England MF Christer Warren
25 Scotland MF Paul Sheerin
26 England DF Matthew Robinson
27 England MF Matt Oakley

Left club during the season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
19 England MF Paul Allen (to Swindon Town)
22 England DF Peter Whiston (to Shrewsbury Town)
No. Position Player
20 Scotland DF Paul McDonald (to Brighton & Hove Albion)
18 England FW Craig Maskell (to Brighton & Hove Albion)

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
England GK Neil Moss

Transfers

In

Date Pos Name From Fee
1 June 1995 DF Alan Neilson Newcastle United £750,000
20 December 1995 GK Neil Moss Bournemouth £250,000
18 January 1996 MF Mark Walters Liverpool Free transfer

Out

Date Pos Name To Fee
11 October 1995 MF Paul Allen Swindon Town Free transfer
24 October 1995 DF Peter Whiston Shrewsbury Town £50,000
16 February 1996 DF Paul McDonald Brighton & Hove Albion £25,000
1 March 1996 FW Craig Maskell Brighton & Hove Albion £40,000
Transfers in: Decrease £1,000,000
Transfers out: Increase £115,000
Total spending: Decrease £885,000

References

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