1993–94 Aston Villa F.C. season

Aston Villa
1993–94 season
Chairman England Doug Ellis
Manager England Ron Atkinson
Premier League 10th
FA Cup Fifth round
Coca-Cola Cup Winners
UEFA Cup Second round
Top goalscorer League:
Dean Saunders (9)
All:
Dean Saunders/Dalian Atkinson (15)
Average home league attendance 29,015
1994–95 →

The 1993–94 season was Aston Villa's 119th professional season; their 83rd season in the top-flight and their 6th consecutive Premier League season in the top flight of English football, the Premier League.

Season summary

Aston Villa were never anywhere near the title race that they had looked likely to win for much of the previous season, as they finished 10th in the table a year after coming second. But their compensation for this shortcoming was victory in the League Cup final against Manchester United - a 3-1 scoreline ending the opposition's hope of becoming the first English team to win all three major domestic trophies in the same season. The likes of Dean Saunders and Paul McGrath were as consistent and reliable as ever, though a few older players such as Garry Parker, Kevin Richardson and Shaun Teale were starting to look past their best.

The pre-season signing of 30-year-old midfielder Andy Townsend from Chelsea was one of the best pieces of business done so far by manager Ron Atkinson, whereas the capture of Guy Whittingham from Portsmouth proved to be a disappointment - the striker never came anywhere near matching the tally of 47 goals he had scored done for the south coast club a season earlier, and he was loaned out to Wolverhampton to gain more first-team chances. Gordon Cowans rejoined the club for his third spell but left the club again mid season.

Villa fans were given something to look forward to with the emergence of promising young players like Ugo Ehiogu, Graham Fenton and Mark Bosnich.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Notes
1Manchester United (C) 42271148038+4292UEFA Champions League 1994–95 Group stage
2Blackburn Rovers 4225986336+2784UEFA Cup 1994–95 First round
3Newcastle United 42238118241+4177
4Arsenal 42181775328+2571UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1994–95 First round1
5Leeds United 42181686539+2670
6Wimbledon 421811135653+365
7Sheffield Wednesday 421616107654+2264
8Liverpool 42179165955+460
9Queens Park Rangers 421612146261+160
10Aston Villa 421512154650−457UEFA Cup 1994–95 First round2
11Coventry City 421414144345−256
12Norwich City 421217136561+453
13West Ham United 421313164758−1152
14Chelsea 421312174953−451UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1994–95 First round3
15Tottenham Hotspur 421112195459−545
16Manchester City 42918153849−1145
17Everton 42128224263−2144
18Southampton 42127234966−1743
19Ipswich Town 42916173558−2343
20Sheffield United (R) 42818164260−1842Relegated to Football League First Division 1994–95
21Oldham Athletic (R) 42913204268−2640
22Swindon Town (R) 425152247100−5330

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

1 Arsenal qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as defending champions

2 Aston Villa qualified for the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners

3 Chelsea qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as FA Cup runners-up

P = Games Played; W = Games Won; D = Games Drawn; L = Games Lost; F = Goals For; A = Goals Against; Pts = Points

Results

Aston Villa's score comes first[1]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
14 August 1993 Queens Park RangersH4–132,994Atkinson (2), Saunders, Staunton
18 August 1993 Sheffield WednesdayA0–028,450
21 August 1993 WimbledonA2–27,533Richardson, Staunton
23 August 1993 Manchester UnitedH1–239,624Atkinson
28 August 1993 Tottenham HotspurH1–032,498Staunton (pen)
31 August 1993 EvertonA1–024,022Whittingham
11 September 1993 Coventry CityH0–031,181
18 September 1993 Ipswich TownA2–116,617Saunders, Townsend
25 September 1993 Oldham AthleticA1–112,836Saunders
2 October 1993 Newcastle UnitedH0–237,336
16 October 1993 West Ham UnitedA0–020,425
23 October 1993 ChelseaH1–029,706Atkinson
30 October 1993 Swindon TownA2–116,530Atkinson, Teale
6 November 1993 ArsenalA2–131,773Whittingham, Townsend
20 November 1993 Sheffield UnitedH1–024,686Whittingham
24 November 1993 SouthamptonH0–216,180
28 November 1993 LiverpoolA1–238,484Atkinson
4 December 1993 Queens Park RangersA2–214,915Richardson, Parker
8 December 1993 Sheffield WednesdayH2–220,304Cox, Saunders (pen)
11 December 1993 WimbledonH0–117,940
19 December 1993 Manchester UnitedA1–344,499Cox
29 December 1993 Norwich CityA2–120,650Houghton, Saunders
1 January 1994 Blackburn RoversH0–140,903
15 January 1994 West Ham UnitedH3–128,869Richardson, Atkinson (2)
22 January 1994 ChelseaA1–118,341Saunders
6 February 1994 Leeds UnitedH1–026,919Townsend
12 February 1994 Swindon TownH5–026,637Saunders (3, 2 pens), Froggatt, Richardson
22 February 1994 Manchester CityH0–019,254
2 March 1994 Tottenham HotspurA1–117,452Parker
6 March 1994 Coventry CityA1–014,325Daley
12 March 1994 Ipswich TownH0–123,732
16 March 1994 Leeds UnitedA0–220,003
19 March 1994 Oldham AthleticH1–221,214Redmond (own goal)
30 March 1994 EvertonH0–036,044
2 April 1994 Manchester CityA0–326,075
4 April 1994 Norwich CityH0–025,416
11 April 1994 Blackburn RoversA0–119,287
16 April 1994 Sheffield UnitedA2–118,402Richardson, Fenton
23 April 1994 ArsenalH1–231,580Houghton
27 April 1994 Newcastle UnitedA1–532,216Beinlich
30 April 1994 SouthamptonA1–419,003Charlton (own goal)
7 May 1994 LiverpoolH2–145,347Yorke (2)

FA Cup

Main article: 1993–94 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R38 January 1994 Exeter CityA1–010,570Saunders (pen)
R429 January 1994 Grimsby TownA2–115,771Houghton, Yorke
R520 February 1994 Bolton WanderersA0–118,817

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st leg21 September 1993 Birmingham CityA1–027,815Richardson
R2 2nd leg6 October 1993 Birmingham CityH1–0 (won 2-0 on agg)35,856Saunders
R326 October 1993 SunderlandA4–123,692Atkinson (2), Houghton, Richardson
R430 November 1993 ArsenalA1–026,453Atkinson
R512 January 1994 Tottenham HotspurA2–131,408Houghton, Barrett
SF 1st leg16 February 1994 Tranmere RoversA1–317,140Atkinson
SF 2nd leg27 February 1994 Tranmere RoversH3–1 (won 5-4 on pens)40,593Saunders, Teale, Atkinson
F27 March 1994 Manchester UnitedN3–177,231Atkinson, Saunders (2, 1 pen)

UEFA Cup

Main article: 1993–94 UEFA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st leg15 September 1993 ŠK Slovan BratislavaA0–010,886
R1 2nd leg29 September 1993 ŠK Slovan BratislavaH2–1 (won 2-1 on agg)24,461Atkinson, Townsend
R2 1st leg19 October 1993 Deportivo de La CoruñaA1–126,800Saunders
R2 2nd leg3 November 1993 Deportivo de La CoruñaH0–1 (lost 1-2 on agg)26,737

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[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 England GK Nigel Spink
2 England DF Earl Barrett
3 Republic of Ireland DF Steve Staunton
4 England DF Shaun Teale
5 Republic of Ireland DF Paul McGrath[3]
6 England MF Kevin Richardson
7 Republic of Ireland MF Ray Houghton[4]
8 England MF Garry Parker
9 Wales FW Dean Saunders
10 England FW Dalian Atkinson
11 England FW Tony Daley
12 England MF Steve Froggatt
13 Australia GK Mark Bosnich
No. Position Player
14 Republic of Ireland MF Andy Townsend[5]
16 England DF Ugo Ehiogu
17 England DF Neil Cox
18 Trinidad and Tobago FW Dwight Yorke
19 Germany MF Stefan Beinlich
20 Germany MF Matthias Breitkreutz
21 England MF David Farrell
22 England MF Guy Whittingham
23 England DF Bryan Small
24 Poland DF Dariusz Kubicki
25 England MF Graham Fenton
30 England GK Michael Oakes

Left club during season

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

No. Position Player
15 England MF Gordon Cowans (to Derby County)

References

  1. ↑ http://www.statto.com/football/teams/aston-villa/1993-1994
  2. ↑ http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1993-1994/faprem/avilla.htm
  3. ↑ McGrath was born in Ealing, England, but was raised in Dublin, the Republic of Ireland and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in 1985.
  4. ↑ Houghton was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his father and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in March 1986.
  5. ↑ Townsend was born in Maidstone, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his grandmother and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in February 1989.