1991–92 Cambridge United F.C. season

During the 1991–92 English football season, Cambridge United competed in the Football League Second Division.

Cambridge United
1991–92 season
ManagerJohn Beck
StadiumAbbey Stadium
Second Division5th (qualified for play-offs)
Play-offsSemi-finals
FA CupFourth round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Dion Dublin (15)
All: Dion Dublin (19)

Season summary

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Cambridge had returned to English football's second tier after an absence of seven seasons, following two successive promotions. Few expected Cambridge to succeed at a high level after their rapid rise, five years after having to reapply for Football League status, but Cambridge managed to make the play-offs for promotion to the inaugural Premier League season with a fifth-place finish - their highest-ever placing in the Football League. Cambridge lost in the semi-finals to Leicester City - following a 1–1 draw at home in the first leg, they were hammered 5–0 at Filbert Street for a 6–1 aggregate loss - but even this cruel end to their promotion hopes did little to detract from what Cambridge had achieved in such a short period of time.

Crucial to Cambridge's success was free-scoring striker Dion Dublin; but in the off-season he left to join First Division runners-up Manchester United in a £1 million transfer, spreading doubt that Cambridge would be capable of improving and clinching promotion the next season.

Influence became Cambridge's new kit manufacturers, and introduced a new home kit for the season. The kit saw a return to tradition for Cambridge, with the club returning to its tradition dark orange shirts and black shorts, with black socks also worn. Fujitsu retained their sponsorship for away kits and, following the end of Cambridge's sponsorship deal with Howlett, became the home sponsors too.[1]

First-team squad

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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   ENG Jon Sheffield
GK   ENG John Vaughan
DF   ENG Phil Chapple
DF   ENG Andy Fensome
DF   ENG Mick Heathcote
DF   ENG Alan Kimble
DF   ENG Gary Rowett
DF   IRL Liam Daish[2]
MF   ENG Colin Bailie
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF   ENG Michael Cheetham[3]
MF   ENG Danny O'Shea
MF   ENG Dave Penney
MF   ENG Lee Philpott
MF   ENG Richard Wilkins
FW   ENG Steve Claridge
FW   ENG Dion Dublin
FW   ENG Devon White

Left club during season

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
FW   ENG John Taylor (to Bristol Rovers)
No. Pos. Nation Player
FW   WAL Lee Nogan (to Watford)

Starting 11

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Transfers

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Results

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Second Division

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League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
3 Derby County 46 23 9 14 69 51 +18 78 Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
4 Leicester City 46 23 8 15 62 55 +7 77
5 Cambridge United 46 19 17 10 65 47 +18 74
6 Blackburn Rovers (O, P) 46 21 11 14 70 53 +17 74
7 Charlton Athletic 46 20 11 15 54 48 +6 71
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Results

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Source:[4]

  • 17 August: Port Vale 2–1 Oxford United (Foyle x2; ?) attendance 6,984
7 September 1991 5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–1 Oxford United Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Dennison   3'
Bull   8'
Steele   43'
Nogan   80' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 12,549
  • 5 October: Ipswich Town 2–1 Oxford United (Milton, Whitton; ?) attendance 9,922
19 October 1991 13 Newcastle United 4 - 3 Oxford United Newcastle upon Tyne
15:00 BST [ Report] Stadium: St James' Park
Attendance: 16,454
  • 26 October: Oxford United 1–2 Leicester United (?; Wright, Thompson) attendance 5,206
  • 9 November: Portsmouth 2–1 Oxford United
  • 18 January: Oxford United 2–2 Port Vale (?; Houchen, Swan) attendance 4,199
  • 8 February: Leicester City 2–1 Oxford United (Kitson, Wright; ?) attendance 12,128
  • 21 March: Oxford United 2–1 Portsmouth
4 April 1992 39 Oxford United 1–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Oxford
15:00 BST Penney   87' Stadium: Manor Ground
Attendance: 7,165
  • 25 April: Oxford United 1–1 Ipswich Town (?; Johnson) attendance 10,525
  • Derby County 2–2 Oxford United
  • Oxford United 2–0 Derby County

Play-Offs

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10 May 1992 SF (1) Cambridge United F.C. 1–1 Leicester City F.C. Cambridge
15:00 BST Russell Stadium: Abbey Stadium
Attendance: 9,225
13 May 1992 SF (2) Leicester City F.C. 5–0
(6-1 agg.)
Cambridge United F.C. Leicester
19:45 BST Wright (2), Thompson, Russell, Ormondroyd Stadium: Filbert Street
Attendance: 21,024

FA Cup

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4 January 1992 Rd 3 Coventry City F.C. 1–1 Cambridge United F.C. Coventry
15:00 BST Borrows (Pen) Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 11,428
14 January 1992 Rd 3 (R) Cambridge United F.C. 1–0 Coventry City F.C. Cambridge
19:45 BST Stadium: Abbey Stadium
Attendance: 9,864
25 January 1992 Rd 4 Cambridge United F.C. 0–3 Swindon Town F.C. Cambridge
15:00 BST Shearer (2), Calderwood Stadium: Abbey Stadium
Attendance: 7,428

League Cup

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21 August 1991 Rd 1 (1) Cambridge United F.C. 1–0 Reading F.C. Cambridge
19:45 BST Stadium: Abbey Stadium
28 August 1991 Rd 1 (2) Reading F.C. 0–3
(0-4 agg.)
Cambridge United F.C. Reading
19:45 BST Stadium: Elm Park
25 September 1991 Rd 2 (1) Manchester United F.C. 3–0 Cambridge United F.C. Manchester
19:45 BST Giggs 44', McClair 48', Bruce 66' Stadium: Old Trafford
Attendance: 30,934
9 October 1991 Rd 2 (2) Cambridge United F.C. 1–1
(1-4 agg.)
Manchester United F.C. Cambridge
19:45 BST McClair 2' Stadium: Abbey Stadium
Attendance: 9,248

References

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  1. ^ "Cambridge United - Historical Football Kits". www.historicalkits.co.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  2. ^ Daish was born in Portsmouth, England.
  3. ^ Cheetham was born in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
  4. ^ "Official website". Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
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