1992–93 Football League

The Football League
Season 1992–93
Champions Newcastle United
Promoted Newcastle United
West Ham United
Swindon Town
Relegated Halifax Town

The 19921993 season was the 94th completed season of the Football League.

This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions.

In 1992 all of the First Division Clubs resigned from the Football League and, on 27 May 1992, the FA Premier League was formed as a limited company, which worked out of an office at the Football Association’s then headquarters, Lancaster Gate.

The three divisions which remained in the Football League were renamed. The old Division Two was now called Division One. The old Division Three was now called Division Two, and the old Division Four was now Division Three. The league was sponsored this season by Barclays.

Football League Division One

Newcastle United’s first full season under the management of Kevin Keegan ended in Division One championship glory and promotion to the Premier League, where they remained for 16 seasons until relegation at the end of the 2008–09 season. Following the Geordies into football’s big-money league were West Ham United and Swindon Town. West Ham had suffered relegation just one season earlier, and had been many people’s favourites for an automatic return to the elite. Swindon, meanwhile, had finally reached the top flight after 73 years of trying — they had actually won promotion via the play-offs three years earlier, but promotion had been denied a few weeks later due to financial irregularities.

Going down were Cambridge United (who had just missed out on promotion a year earlier and are now in League Two), Brentford and Bristol Rovers. Brentford, newly promoted a season earlier, had stood in 10th place at the turn of 1993, but a sharp decline in form during the final few months of the season saw them relegated on the final day of the season.

Third-placed Portsmouth had opened up a 9-point gap over fourth-placed Tranmere Rovers, but lost to Leicester City in the playoff semi-finals and this ended any promotion hopes for a club who had begun the season as favourites for promotion, and ended it with 88 points.

Football League Division Two

Lou Macari guided Stoke City to their first successful season in years as they were crowned Division Two champions. Bruce Rioch brought some long-awaited success to Bolton Wanderers as they occupied the division’s second promotion place. Osvaldo Ardiles guided West Bromwich Albion to promotion via the play-offs, bringing some long-awaited success to another club who had once enjoyed better times.

Preston North End, Wigan Athletic, Mansfield Town and Chester City occupied Division Two’s four relegation places. Mansfield were newly promoted, while the other three teams had been established at this level for no less than six years.

Football League Division Three

Cardiff City and Wrexham continued their good progress by occupying Division Three’s top two places. They were joined in third place by Barnet, who had spent most of the season on the brink of expulsion from the league due to financial problems. The final promotion place went to York City, who won the play-offs just weeks after Alan Little was appointed manager.

Halifax Town, after 72 years of league membership, finished bottom of the league and were replaced by Conference champions Wycombe Wanderers. Maidstone United went out of business on 17 August after their first game was postponed, and were not replaced.

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

Football League, First Division
Season 1992–93
Champions Newcastle United (2nd second tier title)
Direct promotion to FA Premier League Newcastle United,
West Ham United
Promoted to FA Premier League through play-offs Swindon Town
Relegated Brentford,
Bristol Rovers,
Cambridge United
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1,449 (2.63 per match)
Top goalscorer Guy Whittingham (Portsmouth), 42 [2]

Newcastle United, who won their first 10 league games, clinched the Division One title with an impressive 96 points to end a four-year exile from the top flight of English football. West Ham United sealed an instant return to the top flight a year after relegation, edging ahead of Portsmouth to finished second. Portsmouth's promotion bid ended in the playoff semi-finals when they were beaten by Leicester City, who went on to lose the final 4-3 to Swindon Town. The other losing semi-finalists in the playoffs were Tranmere Rovers, playing only their second season at this level in the postwar era.

Millwall finished one place outside the playoff zone in the first season in management for Mick McCarthy, while pre-season promotion favourites Derby County could only manage an eighth-place finish despite having the most expensively-assembled squad in the division. Grimsby Town and Peterborough United finished in the top half of the table, comfortably above bigger clubs like Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City.

Luton Town and Notts County, newly relegated from the top flight, spent the season battling at the wrong end of the division but managed to avoid a second successive relegation, as did a Sunderland side who had been FA Cup finalists one season earlier and members of the top flight two seasons earlier.

Bristol Rovers went down in bottom place after a dismal season. Cambridge United, playoff semi-finalists the previous season, struggled after the sale of Dion Dublin and went down on the last day of the season, as did a Brentford side who had been on the fringe of the playoff places at Christmas.

Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Newcastle United 4616615815133734239238+5496
2 West Ham United 4616525017105831248141+4088
3 Portsmouth 46192248978832378046+3488
4 Tranmere Rovers 461544482486924327256+1679
5 Swindon Town 461553412368933367459+1576
6 Leicester City 4614544324851028407164+776
7 Millwall 4614634621410919326553+1270
8 Derby County 4611210403387828246857+1166
9 Grimsby Town 4612653325711525325857+164
10 Peterborough United 4671153026931125375563−862
11 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4611663726571120305756+161
12 Charlton Athletic 4610852819651221274946+361
13 Barnsley 4612472919551327415660−460
14 Oxford United 468782921671024355356−356
15 Bristol City 4610762925471220424967−1856
16 Watford 468782730661130415771−1455
17 Notts County 4610763321291222495570−1552
18 Southend United 469863322451421425464−1052
19 Birmingham City 4610493032381220405072−2251
20 Luton Town 4661342626481122364862−1451
21 Sunderland 469683428451416365064−1450
22 Brentford 4676102830641324415271−1949
23 Cambridge United 4686929323101019374869−2149
24 Bristol Rovers 4666113042451425455587−3241
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

[1]

First Division results

Home ╲ Away BAR BIR BREBRIBROCAMCHADERGRILEILUTMILNEWNTCOXFPETPORSTDSUNSWITRAWATWHUWOL
Barnsley 10 32 21 21 20 10 11 02 23 30 00 10 00 01 12 11 31 20 10 31 01 01 01
Birmingham City 30 13 01 21 02 10 11 21 02 21 00 23 21 10 20 23 20 10 46 00 22 12 04
Brentford 31 02 51 03 01 20 21 13 13 12 11 12 22 10 01 41 21 11 00 01 11 00 02
Bristol City 21 30 41 21 00 21 00 10 21 00 01 12 10 11 01 33 01 00 22 13 21 15 10
Bristol Rovers 15 33 21 40 11 02 12 03 00 20 10 12 33 01 31 12 02 22 34 10 03 04 11
Cambridge United 12 03 10 21 01 01 13 20 13 33 11 03 30 22 22 01 31 21 10 01 11 21 11
Charlton Athletic 00 00 10 21 41 00 21 31 20 00 02 13 21 11 01 10 11 01 20 22 31 11 01
Derby County 30 31 32 34 31 00 43 21 20 11 12 12 20 01 23 24 20 01 21 12 12 02 20
Grimsby Town 42 11 01 21 20 11 10 02 13 31 10 02 33 11 13 30 10 10 21 00 32 11 10
Leicester City 21 21 00 00 01 22 31 32 30 21 30 21 11 21 02 10 41 32 42 01 52 12 00
Luton Town 22 11 00 03 11 20 10 13 14 20 11 00 00 31 00 14 22 00 00 33 20 20 11
Millwall 04 00 61 41 03 22 10 10 21 20 10 12 60 31 40 11 11 00 21 00 52 21 20
Newcastle United 60 22 51 50 00 41 22 11 01 71 20 11 40 21 30 31 32 10 00 10 20 20 21
Notts County 13 31 11 00 30 10 20 02 10 11 00 12 02 11 10 01 40 31 11 51 12 10 22
Oxford United 00 00 02 20 21 30 01 01 01 00 40 30 42 11 21 55 01 01 01 12 11 10 00
Peterborough United 11 21 00 11 11 10 11 10 10 30 23 00 01 13 11 11 10 52 33 11 00 13 23
Portsmouth 10 40 10 23 41 30 10 30 21 11 21 10 20 00 30 40 20 20 31 40 10 01 20
Southend United 30 40 30 11 30 11 02 00 10 31 21 33 11 31 03 01 00 01 11 12 12 10 11
Sunderland 21 12 13 00 11 33 02 10 20 12 22 20 12 22 20 30 41 24 01 10 12 00 20
Swindon Town 10 00 02 21 22 41 22 24 10 11 10 30 21 51 22 10 10 32 10 20 31 13 10
Tranmere Rovers 21 40 32 30 21 20 00 21 11 23 02 11 03 31 40 11 02 30 21 31 21 52 30
Watford 12 10 10 00 42 22 11 00 23 03 00 31 10 13 01 12 00 00 21 04 32 12 31
West Ham United 11 31 40 20 21 20 01 11 21 30 22 22 00 20 53 21 20 20 60 01 20 21 31
Wolverhampton Wanderers 10 21 12 00 51 12 21 02 21 30 12 31 10 30 01 43 11 11 21 22 02 22 00

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 play-offs

  Semifinals
1st leg – 16 May; 2nd leg – 19 May 1993
Final at Wembley
31 May 1993
                     
3rd Portsmouth 0 2 2  
6th Leicester City 1 2 3  
    5th Swindon Town 4
  6th Leicester City 3
4th Tranmere Rovers 1 3 4
5th Swindon Town 3 2 5  

[1]

First Division maps

Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1992–1993

Second Division

Football League, Second Division
Season 1992–93
Champions Stoke City (3rd third tier title)
Direct promotion Stoke City,
Bolton Wanderers
Promoted through play-offs West Bromwich Albion
Relegated Chester,
Mansfield Town,
Preston North End,
Wigan Athletic
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1,479 (2.68 per match)
Top goalscorer Bob Taylor (West Bromwich Albion), 30 [2]

Stoke City sealed promotion as Division Two champions in Lou Macari's second season as manager, as did Bolton Wanderers under their new manager Bruce Rioch. The third promotion place went to playoff winners West Bromwich Albion, who beat Port Vale 3-0 in the Wembley promotion decider. Swansea City and Stockport County were the losing semi-finalists.

Leyton Orient missed out on the playoff places as they had scored fewer goals than Stockport.

Chester City, Wigan Athletic, Mansfield Town and Preston North End went down to Division Three.

Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Stoke City 4617424113108532217334+3993
2 Bolton Wanderers 461823481497732278041+3990
3 Port Vale 4614724417124735277944+3589
4 West Bromwich Albion 461733562287832328854+3485
5 Swansea City 461274381786927306547+1873
6 Stockport County 46111114718841134398157+2472
7 Leyton Orient 4616434920551320336953+1672
8 Reading 4614454420411822316651+1469
9 Brighton & Hove Albion 4613463624751127356359+469
10 Bradford City 461256362469833436967+268
11 Rotherham United 46977302787830336060±065
12 Fulham 46995282278829335755+265
13 Burnley 4611843821481119385759−261
14 Plymouth Argyle 4611663828561221365964−560
15 Huddersfield Town 4610673022731324395461−760
16 Hartlepool United 468691923661123374260−1854
17 Bournemouth 4671062824571117284553−853
18 Blackpool 469954030361423456375−1251
19 Exeter City 465810263069828395469−1550
20 Hull City 469592826461318434669−2350
21 Preston North End 4685104147531524476594−2947
22 Mansfield Town 467883434431618465280−2844
23 Wigan Athletic 4666112634451417384372−2941
24 Chester 46621530472318195549102−5329
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
Relegated

[1]

Second Division results

Home ╲ Away BLP BOL BOUBRABHABURCHREXEFULHARHUDHULLEYMANPLYPTVPNEREAROTSTPSTKSWAWBAWIG
Blackpool 11 20 33 22 13 20 20 11 11 22 51 31 11 11 24 23 01 20 20 13 00 21 21
Bolton Wanderers 30 11 50 01 40 50 41 10 12 20 20 10 21 31 11 10 21 20 21 10 31 02 21
Bournemouth 51 12 11 11 11 00 13 21 02 11 00 30 41 13 21 21 11 00 10 11 02 01 00
Bradford City 20 21 01 11 10 31 31 32 02 01 12 10 00 00 32 40 30 03 23 31 00 22 21
Brighton & Hove Albion 11 21 10 11 30 32 30 02 11 21 20 13 31 21 02 20 01 12 20 22 02 31 10
Burnley 22 01 11 22 13 50 31 52 30 21 20 20 10 00 11 20 11 11 11 02 10 21 01
Chester 12 22 10 25 21 30 03 23 10 02 30 13 12 12 12 24 03 12 03 11 32 13 12
Exeter City 01 13 11 01 23 22 20 12 31 12 11 10 20 20 11 01 00 02 22 22 02 23 00
Fulham 10 14 11 11 20 40 10 11 13 01 33 10 00 31 12 21 00 01 21 00 11 11 10
Hartlepool United 10 02 01 20 20 00 20 13 03 10 10 02 01 10 11 00 11 02 32 12 01 22 00
Huddersfield Town 52 11 01 12 12 11 02 00 10 30 30 11 21 21 12 10 00 11 21 10 12 01 21
Hull City 32 12 30 02 10 02 11 40 11 32 23 00 10 20 01 24 11 01 02 10 10 12 00
Leyton Orient 10 10 10 42 32 32 43 50 00 00 41 00 51 20 01 31 12 11 30 10 42 20 12
Mansfield Town 22 11 02 52 13 11 20 00 23 20 12 31 30 00 01 22 11 13 20 04 33 03 20
Plymouth Argyle 21 21 21 30 32 12 20 03 11 22 13 00 20 32 01 40 22 21 34 11 01 00 20
Port Vale 21 00 30 12 31 30 20 22 00 20 10 11 20 30 40 22 31 42 00 02 20 21 22
Preston North End 33 22 11 32 10 20 43 22 12 02 21 12 14 15 12 25 20 52 23 12 13 11 20
Reading 00 12 32 11 30 10 10 23 30 20 21 12 11 31 30 10 40 31 24 01 20 11 40
Rotherham United 32 21 12 20 10 01 33 11 11 00 10 01 11 20 22 41 10 32 02 02 00 02 23
Stockport County 00 20 00 22 00 21 20 22 00 41 50 53 11 01 30 20 30 22 22 11 11 51 30
Stoke City 01 00 20 10 11 11 40 11 10 01 30 30 21 40 10 21 10 20 20 21 21 43 21
Swansea City 30 12 21 11 01 11 42 00 22 30 30 10 01 40 00 20 20 21 20 22 12 00 21
West Bromwich Albion 31 31 21 11 31 20 20 20 40 31 22 31 20 20 25 01 32 30 22 30 12 30 51
Wigan Athletic 21 02 00 12 12 11 12 01 13 22 10 20 31 20 02 04 23 11 11 12 11 23 10

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 play-offs

  Semifinals
1st leg – 16 May; 2nd leg – 19 May 1993
Final at Wembley Stadium
30 May 1993
                     
3rd Port Vale 1 1 2  
6th Stockport County 1 0 1  
    3rd Port Vale 0
  4th West Bromwich Albion 3
4th West Bromwich Albion 1 2 3
5th Swansea City 2 0 2  

[1]

Second Division maps

Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams 1992–1993

Third Division

Football League, Third Division
Season 1992–93
Champions Cardiff City (1st fourth tier title)
Direct promotion Barnet,
Cardiff City,
Wrexham
Promoted through play-offs York City
Relegated Halifax Town
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1,311 (2.84 per match)
Top goalscorer Darren Foreman (Scarborough),27;
Carl Griffiths (Shrewsbury Town), 27[2]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Cardiff City 4213714220121835277747+3083 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1992–93
First round
2 Wrexham 421434482698427267552+2380
3 Barnet 421641451976821296648+1879
4 York City 421362411586731307245+2775
5 Walsall 4211644231111934307661+1573
6 Crewe Alexandra 421335472384928337556+1970
7 Bury 4210743619821127366355+863
8 Lincoln City 4210653120831026335753+463
9 Shrewsbury Town 421137363068721225752+562
10 Colchester United 4213353826521429506776−959
11 Rochdale 421038382967832417070±058
12 Chesterfield 421137322848927355963−456
13 Scarborough 427773230821134416671−554
14 Scunthorpe United 428763825651019295754+354
15 Darlington 425610233178625224853−550
16 Doncaster Rovers 426510222859720294257−1547
17 Hereford United 427953127361216334760−1345
18 Carlisle United 427592927461122385165−1444
19 Torquay United 4264111826631227414560−1543
20 Northampton Town 4265101928531329464874−2641
21 Gillingham 429483228091216364864−1640
22 Halifax Town 4235132035641125334568−2336
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
New club in the league
Welsh Cup winners, qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup, see Cardiff City
Relegated to Conference

[1]

Third Division results

Home ╲ Away BAR BRY CARCRLCHFCOLCREDARDONGILHALHERLINNORROCSCASCUSHRTORWALWREYOR
Barnet 10 21 20 21 31 32 00 20 20 00 20 11 30 20 31 30 22 54 30 31 15
Bury 00 10 60 30 32 12 11 30 10 12 20 12 33 22 02 00 00 20 21 31 11
Cardiff City 11 30 22 21 31 11 00 11 31 21 21 31 21 11 10 30 21 40 21 12 33
Carlisle United 01 51 12 31 02 13 22 11 10 11 00 20 20 30 22 02 10 01 34 02 12
Chesterfield 12 21 21 10 40 21 20 00 11 21 10 21 13 23 03 12 24 10 21 23 11
Colchester United 12 00 24 21 30 32 03 20 30 21 31 21 20 44 10 10 02 20 31 24 00
Crewe Alexandra 41 21 20 40 02 71 10 40 31 21 11 12 32 11 23 10 22 42 01 01 31
Darlington 10 00 02 11 11 10 30 12 11 03 01 13 31 04 23 22 02 41 12 11 01
Doncaster Rovers 21 23 01 12 21 10 11 01 10 01 21 00 22 11 43 01 01 23 03 11 01
Gillingham 11 14 01 10 00 01 12 31 11 20 31 31 23 42 31 11 10 02 01 41 14
Halifax Town 12 01 01 02 11 24 12 10 22 20 01 21 22 23 34 00 11 02 04 01 01
Hereford United 11 31 11 10 13 31 01 11 02 31 30 02 32 11 11 22 11 31 13 11 11
Lincoln City 41 12 32 21 11 11 11 20 21 11 21 20 20 12 30 10 01 22 02 00 01
Northampton Town 11 10 12 20 01 10 02 12 01 22 25 11 02 10 13 10 00 01 00 02 43
Rochdale 01 12 12 22 21 52 01 31 11 11 23 13 51 03 30 20 20 10 43 12 10
Scarborough 22 13 13 22 22 01 10 03 11 11 20 20 01 42 11 12 12 10 41 11 42
Scunthorpe United 20 20 03 00 01 31 33 13 01 22 41 31 11 50 51 12 11 22 20 00 12
Shrewsbury Town 10 20 32 23 22 43 41 12 21 21 10 11 32 23 12 20 21 01 03 01 11
Torquay United 01 01 21 02 22 22 12 02 12 21 20 00 12 10 02 13 01 10 01 11 10
Walsall 20 43 23 21 32 13 10 22 31 11 12 11 12 20 31 32 32 11 22 11 31
Wrexham 23 42 02 31 54 43 20 11 11 20 11 20 20 01 31 41 02 20 42 31 30
York City 20 12 31 22 00 20 31 00 11 11 11 42 20 21 30 10 51 20 21 01 40

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 play-offs

  Semifinals
1st leg – 16 May; 2nd leg – 19 May 1993
Final at Wembley Stadium
29 May 1993
                     
4th York City 0 1 1  
7th Bury 0 0 0  
    4th York City (pens.) 1 (5)
  6th Crewe Alexandra 1 (3)
5th Walsall 1 2 3
6th Crewe Alexandra 5 3 9  

[1]

Third Division maps

Locations of the Football League Third Division London teams 1992–1993

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "England 1992–93". 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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