1989–90 Arsenal F.C. season

104th season in existence of Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal 1989–90 football season
Arsenal
1989–90 season
ChairmanPeter Hill-Wood
ManagerGeorge Graham
StadiumHighbury
First Division4th
FA CupFourth round
League CupFourth round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Alan Smith (10)

All:
Alan Smith (13)
Highest home attendance43,483 vs. Queens Park Rangers
(27 January 1990)
Lowest home attendance26,865 vs. Southampton
(2 May 1990)
Home colours
Away colours

The 1989–90 season was Arsenal Football Club's 64th consecutive season in the top flight of English football.[1][2] After winning the title the previous season, Arsenal finished fourth in 1989–90, behind champions Liverpool, runners-up Aston Villa and third-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the title challenge.

Season summary

Arsenal's campaign to retain the Championship in 1989–90 began well once they recovered from a 4–1 drubbing by Manchester United on the opening day, and in November they were on top. But the signs were not good; few of their victories were comfortable. The 4–3 home victory over Norwich on the first Saturday of November was particularly uncomfortable. The game marked David O'Learys 622nd major match for Arsenal, a club record, and it was an eventful occasion. O'Leary scored an equaliser as Arsenal recovered from 3–1 down and was also shown the yellow card. Then a last-minute penalty which gave Arsenal victory sparked a fracas involving 19 players. Three weeks later the FA Disciplinary Committee fined Norwich £50.000 and Arsenal £20.000. It was the first time clubs had been responsible for their players in such an incident.[3] Arsenal's wheels wobbled in the fourth round of the Littlewoods Cup in November. After a two-leg, 8–1 victory over Plymouth and a 1–0 victory over Liverpool at Highbury, a visit to Second Division Oldham did not seem so awesome. Yet they were beaten 3–1 and, from Christmas onwards, their season fell apart. Five out of six successive away games were lost, with only one goal scored. Niall Quinn scored the winning goal against Stoke City in the FA-cup third round on 6 January 1990, which was to be his last game for Arsenal. After only 6 appearances in the League, Quinn left to join Manchester City for £700,000 in March 1990.[4]

FA-cup defeat at Queens Park Rangers followed, David Rocastle and Michael Thomas suffered dramatic losses in form and the goals dried up for Alan Smith, only 10 compared to 23 the previous season. On the other hand, the introduction of Kevin Campbell was an exiting indication of the future.[5]

As Arsenal had seen before, winning the championship and retaining it were different propositions. A final position of fourth was no disgrace, but it was 17 points behind Liverpool F.C.[6]

Adams, Rocastle and Smith were all in Bobby Robsons preliminary squad to World Cup 1990. Adams was axed in preference to Mark Wright, Rocastle was excluded although he had played in five of England's six World Cup qualifying matches. Smith was omitted in favour of Steve Bull. The only Arsenal player to make an appearance in the World Cup 1990 was David O'Leary who scored the last decesive penalty that took Ireland to the quarter finals. [7][8][9]

Results

FA Charity Shield

As league champions, Arsenal contested the 1989 FA Charity Shield against Liverpool, who beat their local rivals Everton to win the 1989 FA Cup Final. Liverpool won the match on 12 August 1989 by 1–0 with a goal from Peter Beardsley.

Liverpool v Arsenal
12 August 1989 FA Charity Shield Liverpool 1–0 Arsenal London
Beardsley 32' Stadium: Wembley Stadium
Attendance: 63,149
Referee: Allan Gunn (Sussex)

First Division

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
2 Aston Villa 38 21 7 10 57 38 +19 70 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
3 Tottenham Hotspur 38 19 6 13 59 47 +12 63
4 Arsenal 38 18 8 12 54 38 +16 62
5 Chelsea 38 16 12 10 58 50 +8 60
6 Everton 38 17 8 13 57 46 +11 59
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Manchester United v Arsenal
19 August 1989 1 Manchester United 4–1 Arsenal Manchester
Bruce 2'
Hughes 63'
Webb 79'
McClair 83'
Rocastle 22' Stadium: Old Trafford
Referee: David Hutchinson
Arsenal v Coventry City
22 August 1989 2 Arsenal 2–0 Coventry City London
Marwood 50'
Thomas 84'
Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Wimbledon
26 August 1989 3 Arsenal 0–0 Wimbledon London
Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Charlton Athletic
23 September 1989 6 Arsenal 1–0 Charlton Athletic London
Marwood (pen) Stadium: Highbury
Chelsea v Arsenal
30 September 1989 7 Chelsea 0–0 Arsenal London
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Arsenal v Manchester City
14 October 1989 8 Arsenal 4–0 Manchester City London
Groves (2)
Thomas
Merson
Stadium: Highbury
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
18 October 1989 9 Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Arsenal London
Samways
Walsh
Michael Thomas Stadium: White Hart Lane
Everton v Arsenal
21 October 1989 10 Everton 3–0 Arsenal Liverpool
Nevin 39', 82'
McDonald 78'
Stadium: Goodison Park
Arsenal v Derby County
28 October 1989 11 Arsenal 1–1 Derby County London
Smith Goddard Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Norwich City
4 November 1989 12 Arsenal 4–3 Norwich City London
Quinn 55'
Dixon 60' (pen.)
O'Leary 78'
Allen 19'
Phillips 30'
Sherwood 76'
Stadium: Highbury
Millwall v Arsenal
11 November 1989 13 Millwall 1–2 Arsenal London
Sheringham Thomas
Quinn
Stadium: The Den
Arsenal v Queen's Park Rangers
18 November 1989 14 Arsenal 3–0 Queen's Park Rangers London
Smith
Dixon (pen)
Jónsson
Stadium: Highbury
Liverpool v Arsenal
26 November 1989 15 Liverpool 2–1 Arsenal Liverpool
McMahon 30'
Barnes 65'
Smith 79' Stadium: Anfield
Arsenal v Manchester United
3 December 1989 16 Arsenal 1–0 Manchester United London
Groves 15' Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Luton Town
16 December 1989 18 Arsenal 3–2 Luton Town London
Smith
Merson
Marwood
Elstrup (2,1 pen) Stadium: Highbury
Aston Villa v Arsenal
30 December 1989 20 Aston Villa 2–1 Arsenal Birmingham
Platt
Mountfield
Adams Stadium: Villa Park
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
1 January 1990 21 Arsenal 4–1 Crystal Palace London
Smith (2)
Dixon
Adams
Pardew Stadium: Highbury
Wimbledon v Arsenal
13 January 1990 22 Wimbledon 1–0 Arsenal London
Bennett Stadium: Plough Lane
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
20 January 1990 23 Arsenal 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur London
Adams 64' Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Chelsea
17 March 1990 29 Arsenal 0–1 Chelsea London
Bumstead 63' Stadium: Highbury
Derby County v Arsenal
24 March 1990 30 Derby County 1–3 Arsenal Derby
Briscoe Hayes (2)
Campbell
Stadium: Baseball Ground
Arsenal v Everton
31 March 1990 31 Arsenal 1–0 Everton London
Smith 21' Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Aston Villa
11 April 1990 32 Arsenal 0–1 Aston Villa London
Price 85' Stadium: Highbury
Crystal Palace v Arsenal
14 April 1990 33 Crystal Palace 1–1 Arsenal London
Gray Hayes Stadium: Selhurst Park
Arsenal v Liverpool
18 April 1990 34 Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool London
Merson 40' Barnes 86' Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Millwall
28 April 1990 36 Arsenal 2–0 Millwall London
Davis
Merson
Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Southampton
2 May 1990 37 Arsenal 2–1 Southampton London
Dixon (pen)
Rocastle
Horne Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 26,685
Norwich City v Arsenal
5 May 1990 38 Norwich City 2–2 Arsenal Norwich
Bowen 13'
Fox 45'
Smith 44', 77' Stadium: Carrow Road

Football League Cup

Arsenal v Plymouth Argyle
19 September 1989 Second round
(1st Leg)
Arsenal 2–0 Plymouth Argyle London
Smith, o.g. Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 26,865
Plymouth Argyle v Arsenal
3 October 1989 Second round
(2nd Leg)
Plymouth Argyle 1–6
(1–8 agg.)
Arsenal Plymouth
Thomas (3), Groves, Smith, o.g. Stadium: Hope Park
Attendance: 17,360
Arsenal v Liverpool
25 October 1989 Third round Arsenal 1–0 Liverpool London
Smith 80' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 40,814
Oldham Athletic v Arsenal
22 November 1989 Fourth round Oldham Athletic 3–1 Arsenal Oldham
Ritchie (2)
Henry
Quinn 90' Stadium: Boundary Park
Attendance: 14,924

FA Cup

Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Stoke City.

Stoke City v Arsenal
6 January 1990 Third round Stoke City 0–1 Arsenal Stoke on Trent
Quinn Stadium: Victoria Ground
Attendance: 23,827
Arsenal v Queen's Park Rangers
27 January 1990 Fourth round Arsenal 0–0 Queen's Park Rangers London
Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 43,483
Queen's Park Rangers v Arsenal
31 January 1990 Fourth round
replay
Queen's Park Rangers 2–0 Arsenal London
Sansom, Sinton Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 21,547

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 John Lukic
DF England ENG Lee Dixon
DF England ENG Nigel Winterburn
MF England ENG Michael Thomas
DF England ENG Tony Adams (captain)
DF Republic of Ireland IRL David O'Leary
MF England ENG David Rocastle
MF England ENG Kevin Richardson
FW England ENG Paul Merson
FW England ENG Alan Smith
MF England ENG Brian Marwood
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF England ENG Perry Groves
DF England ENG Steve Bould
FW England ENG Kevin Campbell
MF England ENG Paul Davis
MF England ENG Martin Hayes
DF England ENG Gus Caesar
FW Republic of Ireland IRL Niall Quinn
MF Iceland ISL Sigurdur Jonsson
DF England ENG Colin Pates

Top scorers

First Division

See also

  • English football portal

References

  1. ^ James, Josh (18 June 2013). "All-time Arsenal". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  2. ^ Ross, James; Heneghan, Michael; Orford, Stuart; Culliton, Eoin (25 August 2016). "English Clubs Divisional Movements 1888–2016". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  3. ^ Pye, Steven (July 2020). "when-arsenal-and-norwich-shared-seven-goals-and-a-21-man-brawl". The Guardian.
  4. ^ "arsenal/historic/players/niall-quinn". 2 October 2023.
  5. ^ Emery, David (1994). Gunning for Glory. Simon & Schuster.
  6. ^ Soar & Tyler (2003). The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal. Hamlyn. p. 147.
  7. ^ Davies, Pete (1990). All Played Out: The World Cup Finals 1990. Arrow (A Division of Random House Group).
  8. ^ "ten-surprising-england-tournament-squad-selections". 13 May 2016.
  9. ^ "irelands-world-cup-joy-david-oleary-recalls-his-penalty-v-romania". 1 October 2023.
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