1995–96 Sunderland A.F.C. season

Sunderland
1995–96 season
ChairmanBob Murray
ManagerPeter Reid
StadiumRoker Park
First Division1st
FA CupThird round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Craig Russell (13)
All: Craig Russell (14)
Highest home attendance22,027 vs. West Bromwich Albion (27 April 1996)
Lowest home attendance12,282 vs. Portsmouth (12 September 1995)
Average home league attendance17,482

During the 1995–96 English football season, Sunderland A.F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary

After saving Sunderland from relegation the season before, Peter Reid was appointed manager on a permanent basis. His first full season as Sunderland manager, 1995–96, was successful as the club won the First Division title and gained promotion to the Premier League for the first time since the League restructuring which had taken effect in 1992–93.[1]

Final league table

Main article: 1995–96 Football League § First Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Sunderland (C, P) 46 22 17 7 59 33 +26 83 Promotion to the Premier League
2 Derby County (P) 46 21 16 9 71 51 +20 79
3 Crystal Palace 46 20 15 11 67 48 +19 75 Qualification for the First Division play-offs
4 Stoke City 46 20 13 13 60 49 +11 73
5 Leicester City (O, P) 46 19 14 13 66 60 +6 71
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Results

Sunderland's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
12 August 1995 Leicester City H 1–2 18,593 Agnew
19 August 1995 Norwich City A 0–0 16,739
26 August 1995 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2–0 16,816 Melville, P Gray
30 August 1995 Port Vale A 1–1 7,693 P Gray
2 September 1995 Ipswich Town A 0–3 12,390
9 September 1995 Southend United H 1–0 13,805 Russell
12 September 1995 Portsmouth H 1–1 12,282 Melville
16 September 1995 Luton Town A 2–0 6,955 Mullin, P Gray
23 September 1995 Millwall A 2–1 8,691 Scott (pen), Smith
30 September 1995 Reading H 2–2 17,503 Kelly, Melville
7 October 1995 Crystal Palace A 1–0 13,754 Kelly
14 October 1995 Watford H 1–1 17,790 Scott
21 October 1995 Huddersfield Town A 1–1 16,054 P Gray
28 October 1995 Barnsley H 2–1 17,024 Russell, Howey
5 November 1995 Charlton Athletic A 1–1 11,626 M Gray
18 November 1995 Sheffield United H 2–0 16,640 P Gray (2)
22 November 1995 Stoke City A 0–1 11,754
25 November 1995 West Bromwich Albion A 1–0 15,931 Howey
3 December 1995 Crystal Palace H 1–0 12,777 Scott (pen)
9 December 1995 Millwall H 6–0 18,951 Russell (4), Scott (pen), P Gray
16 December 1995 Reading A 1–1 9,431 Smith
23 December 1995 Derby County A 1–3 16,882 M Gray
14 January 1996 Norwich City H 0–1 14,983
21 January 1996 Leicester City A 0–0 16,130
24 January 1996 Grimsby Town H 1–0 14,656 Ord
30 January 1996 Tranmere Rovers H 0–0 17,616
3 February 1996 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–3 26,537
10 February 1996 Port Vale H 0–0 15,934
17 February 1996 Portsmouth A 2–2 12,241 Howey, Agnew
20 February 1996 Ipswich Town H 1–0 14,052 Russell
24 February 1996 Luton Town H 1–0 16,693 James (own goal)
27 February 1996 Southend United A 2–0 5,786 Scott (pen), Bridges
3 March 1996 Grimsby Town A 4–0 5,318 Ball, P Gray, Bridges, Russell
9 March 1996 Derby County H 3–0 21,644 Russell (2), Agnew
12 March 1996 Oldham Athletic A 2–1 7,149 Ball, M Gray
17 March 1996 Birmingham City A 2–0 23,251 Agnew, Melville
23 March 1996 Oldham Athletic H 1–0 20,631 Scott
30 March 1996 Huddersfield Town H 3–2 20,131 Bridges (2), Ball
2 April 1996 Watford A 3–3 11,195 Russell, Agnew, Ball
6 April 1996 Barnsley A 1–0 13,189 Russell
8 April 1996 Charlton Athletic H 0–0 20,914
13 April 1996 Sheffield United A 0–0 20,050
16 April 1996 Birmingham City H 3–0 19,831 M Gray, Stewart, Russell
21 April 1996 Stoke City H 0–0 21,276
27 April 1996 West Bromwich Albion H 0–0 22,027
5 May 1996 Tranmere Rovers A 0–2 16,193

FA Cup

Main article: 1995–96 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 6 January 1996 Manchester United A 2–2 41,563 Russell, Agnew
R3R 16 January 1996 Manchester United H 1–2 21,378 P Gray

League Cup

Main article: 1995–96 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 First Leg 15 August 1995 Preston North End A 1–1 6,323 Angell
R1 Second Leg 22 August 1995 Preston North End H 3–2 7,407 Howey (2), Ryan Kidd (own goal)
R2 First Leg 20 September 1995 Liverpool A 0–2 25,579
R2 Second Leg 4 October 1995 Liverpool H 0–1 20,560

Players

First-team squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK England ENG Alec Chamberlain
— GK England ENG David Preece
— GK Republic of Ireland IRL Shay Given (on loan from Blackburn Rovers)
— DF England ENG Gary Bennett
— DF England ENG Michael Gray
— DF England ENG Paul Heckingbottom
— DF England ENG Darren Holloway
— DF England ENG Lee Howey
— DF England ENG Richard Ord
— DF England ENG Martin Scott
— DF Wales WAL Gareth Hall[notes 1]
— DF Wales WAL Andy Melville
— DF Poland POL Dariusz Kubicki
— MF England ENG Steve Agnew
— MF England ENG Sam Aiston
— MF England ENG Gordon Armstrong
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Brian Atkinson
— MF England ENG Kevin Ball
— MF England ENG Paul Bracewell
— MF England ENG Terry Cooke (on loan from Manchester United)
— MF England ENG Martin Gray
— MF England ENG John Mullin
— FW England ENG Brett Angell
— FW England ENG Michael Bridges
— FW England ENG Steve Brodie
— FW England ENG Craig Russell
— FW England ENG Martin Smith
— FW England ENG Paul Stewart
— FW Northern Ireland NIR Phil Gray
— FW Republic of Ireland IRL Stephen Grant
— FW Republic of Ireland IRL David Kelly[notes 2]

References

  1. ^ Dougray, John (17 April 1996). "Promotion in Sunderland sights". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2011.

Notes

  1. ^ Hall was born in Croydon, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in March 1988.
  2. ^ Kelly was born in Birmingham, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his father and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in November 1987.