- 1989–90 Manchester United F.C. season
-
Manchester United 1989–90 season Chairman 
Martin EdwardsManager 
Alex FergusonFirst Division 13th FA Cup Winners League Cup Third Round Top goalscorer League:
Mark Hughes (13)
All:
Mark Hughes (15)Highest home attendance 47,245 vs Arsenal (19 August 1989) Lowest home attendance 26,698 vs Portsmouth (3 October 1989) Average home attendance 38,806 
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours← 1988–89 1990–91 → The 1989–90 season was Manchester United's 87th season in the Football League, and their 15th consecutive season in the top division of English football.[1]
The season brought their lowest league finish since their relegation from the First Division 15 years earlier, as they finished 13th in the league, and by Christmas there were continued calls from fans for Alex Ferguson to be sacked as manager. However, the season ended on a high as United won the FA Cup by beating Crystal Palace 1–0 in a replay after drawing the first game 3–3. It was their first major trophy for five years, and their first since the appointment of Alex Ferguson as manager. It also saw them enter European competition as England's representatives in the 1990–91 Cup Winners' Cup following the end of the ban on English clubs in European competition arising from the Heysel disaster of 1985.
1989–90 saw Mark Hughes top the club's goalscoring charts for the second year running, while the club welcomed four new major signings in the early part of the season – Danny Wallace, Neil Webb, Paul Ince and Gary Pallister.
This season also saw the attempted purchase of the club by businessman Michael Knighton after chairman Martin Edwards considered selling the club for a reported £10 million. The sale fell through after Knighton was found to not have the money required to maintain the club. This period is best remembered for Knighton – wearing a United kit and tracksuit top – performing a Keepie uppie routine before a United game with Arsenal. According to Alex Ferguson in his autobiography; Managing My Life, this display of showboating annoyed Ferguson as he felt it was detrimental to his teams' preparation for the forthcoming match – although United did go on to win the game.
Contents
Pre-season and friendlies
Date Opponents H / A Result
F – AScorers Attendance 30 July 1989 Thailand National XI A 1 – 1
(4 – 2p)Robson 12,000 2 August 1989 Everton N 1 – 3 Webb 8,000 7 August 1989 Japan National XI A 1 – 0 Robins 40,000 11 August 1989 Bristol City A 3 – 2 Webb, McClair, Beardsmore 9,799 13 August 1989 Manchester City H 0 – 2 19,958 First Division
Date Opponents H / A Result
F – AScorers Attendance 19 August 1989 Arsenal H 4 – 1 Bruce, Hughes, McClair, Webb 47,245 22 August 1989 Crystal Palace A 1 – 1 Robson 22,423 26 August 1989 Derby County A 0 – 2 22,175 30 August 1989 Norwich City H 0 – 2 41,610 9 September 1989 Everton A 2 – 3 Beardsmore, McClair 37,916 16 September 1989 Millwall H 5 – 1 Hughes (3), Robson, Sharpe 42,746 23 September 1989 Manchester City A 1 – 5 Hughes 43,246 14 October 1989 Sheffield Wednesday H 0 – 0 41,492 21 October 1989 Coventry City A 4 – 1 Hughes (2), Bruce, Phelan 19,625 28 October 1989 Southampton H 2 – 1 McClair (2) 37,122 4 November 1989 Charlton Athletic A 0 – 2 16,065 12 November 1989 Nottingham Forest H 1 – 0 Pallister 34,182 18 November 1989 Luton Town A 3 – 1 Blackmore, Hughes, Wallace 11,141 25 November 1989 Chelsea H 0 – 0 46,975 3 December 1989 Arsenal A 0 – 1 34,484 9 December 1989 Crystal Palace H 1 – 2 Beardsmore 33,514 16 December 1989 Tottenham Hotspur H 0 – 1 36,230 23 December 1989 Liverpool A 0 – 0 37,426 26 December 1989 Aston Villa A 0 – 3 41,247 30 December 1989 Wimbledon A 2 – 2 Hughes, Robins 9,622 1 January 1990 Queens Park Rangers H 0 – 0 34,824 13 January 1990 Derby County H 1 – 2 Pallister 38,985 21 January 1990 Norwich City A 0 – 2 17,370 3 February 1990 Manchester City H 1 – 1 Blackmore 40,274 10 February 1990 Millwall A 2 – 1 Hughes, Wallace 15,491 24 February 1990 Chelsea A 0 – 1 29,979 4 March 1990 Luton Town H 4 – 1 Hughes, McClair, Robins, Wallace 35,327 14 March 1990 Everton H 0 – 0 37,398 18 March 1990 Liverpool H 1 – 2 Own goal 46,629 21 March 1990 Sheffield Wednesday A 0 – 1 33,260 24 March 1990 Southampton A 2 – 0 Gibson, Robins 20,510 31 March 1990 Coventry City H 3 – 0 Hughes (2), Robins 39,172 14 April 1990 Queens Park Rangers A 2 – 1 Robins, Webb 18,997 17 April 1990 Aston Villa H 2 – 0 Robins (2) 44,080 21 April 1990 Tottenham Hotspur A 1 – 2 Bruce (pen.) 33,317 30 April 1990 Wimbledon H 0 – 0 29,281 2 May 1990 Nottingham Forest A 0 – 4 21,186 5 May 1990 Charlton Athletic H 1 – 0 Pallister 35,389 Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 12 Coventry City 38 14 7 17 39 59 −20 49 13 Manchester United 38 13 9 16 46 47 −1 48 14 Manchester City 38 12 12 14 43 52 −9 48 Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
FA Cup
Date Round Opponents H / A Result F – A
Scorers Attendance 7 January 1990 Round 3 Nottingham Forest A 1 – 0 Robins 23,072 28 January 1990 Round 4 Hereford United A 1 – 0 Blackmore 13,777 18 February 1990 Round 5 Newcastle United A 3 – 2 Robins, McClair, Wallace 31,748 11 March 1990 Round 6 Sheffield United A 1 – 0 McClair 34,344 8 April 1990 Semi-final Oldham Athletic N 3 – 3 Robson, Wallace, Webb 44,026 11 April 1990 Semi-final
ReplayOldham Athletic N 2 – 1 McClair, Robins 35,005 12 May 1990 Final Crystal Palace N 3 – 3 Hughes (2), Robson 80,000 17 May 1990 Final
ReplayCrystal Palace N 1 – 0 Martin 80,000 Littlewoods Cup
Date Round Opponents H / A Result F – A
Scorers Attendance 20 September 1989 Round 2
First legPortsmouth A 3 – 2 Ince (2), Wallace 18,072 3 October 1989 Round 2
Second legPortsmouth H 0 – 0 26,698 25 October 1989 Round 3 Tottenham Hotspur H 0 – 3 45,759 Events of the season
Alex Ferguson began his fourth season as Manchester United manager desperate to bring a major trophy - and ultimately the league title - to Old Trafford for the first time in his reign. During the close season, he brought in Mike Phelan signs from Norwich City for £750,000 and Neil Webb from Nottingham Forest for £1.5million, rebuilding his midfield following the sale of Gordon Strachan to Leeds United for £300,000 and midfielder Norman Whiteside to Everton for £750,000. Paul McGrath was sold to Aston Villa for £400,000, with Ferguson making an approach for Swedish defender Glenn Hysen, but lost out to Liverpool. By the end of the first month of the season, he had brought in Middlesbrough defender Gary Pallister for a club record fee of £2.3million - also a national record for a defender and the second highest fee to be paid by an English club. Ferguson then signed Paul Ince, the 21-year-old West Ham United midfielder, for £1.7million after a long wait that resulted from a failed medical.
Just 48 hours before the First Division campaign kicked off, Martin Edwards was reportedly on the verge of selling control of Manchester United for a deal in the region of £20million, nine years after he inherited control of the club from his late father Louis. The next day, Michael Knighton, a 37-year-old property developer, agreed a takeover deal for the club.
The First Division season began with an excellent 4-1 home win over defending champions Arsenal. The goals come from Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Brian McClair and the debutant Neil Webb, raising hopes that 1989-90 could finally be the season where the league title returns to United.
However, by 9 September, United had lost three league games in a row and unrest was growing among the fans, prompting rumours that Ferguson could be on the verge of dismissal. Some reports even suggested that the former Everton manager Howard Kendall was about to be appointed as manager of Manchester United, but the board denied that Ferguson's position was at risk. By Christmas, Kendall was indeed in Manchester, but as manager of City rather than United.
On 16 September, Danny Wallace moved to Manchester United for £1.2million, giving United a much needed boost on the left wing following the dismal form of Ralph Milne, who was signed last year, and a more experienced alternative to the 18-year-old Lee Sharpe.
Five days after Wallace's arrival, Martin Edwards agreed to sell his controlling interest in Manchester United to Michael Knighton for £20million.
23 September saw the first Manchester derby for three seasons, and it was a catastrophic one for United as they were defeated 5-1 at Maine Road by City. leaving them 14th in the First Division with seven points from their first seven games. [1]
Despite Manchester United's erratic start to the season, the board offered Alex Ferguson a new contract with the club to take him up to the end of the 1992-93 season, and he accepted it.
By mid October, Michael Knighton had pulled out of his takeover bid, and accepted a non-executive role on the board of directors.
Later that month, Manchester United's hopes of winning the Football League Cup for the first time were ended with a 3-0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur in the third round.
On 30 December 1989, Manchester United played their final game of the 1980s, a 2-2 draw at Wimbledon [2], meaning that they had gone without a win since 18 November and were 15th in the First Division, just two points above the relegation zone. What had been anticipated as a title challenge appeared to have dissolved into a relegation battle, but the board continued to stand by Alex Ferguson and insisted that he will not be sacked; though naturally disappointed by the lack of success in the league, they understood the reasons; not least the injury crisis which had plagued the club constantly since the previous autumn. [3]
On 7 January 1990, a goal by 20-year-old striker Mark Robins gave Manchester United a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round. When the FA Cup third round draw was made a month earlier, many journalists anticipated the tie as the game that would end in defeat for United and drive Ferguson out of his job.
Later that month, a 2-0 defeat at Norwich City pushed Manchester United just one place and one point short of the relegation zone, but they continued to progress in the FA Cup as Clayton Blackmore scored the only goal of the game for a United side who eliminated Hereford United from the FA Cup in the fourth round tie at Edgar Street.
A month later, they progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals for the second year running by defeating Newcastle United 3-2 at St James' Park, and three weeks after that they booked their place in the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since they won the trophy in 1985, thanks to a 1-0 win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
The FA Cup semi-final at Maine Road on 8 April ended in a 3-3 draw with Oldham Athletic. They got through to the final with a 2-1 win in the replay, where they would be paired with a Crystal Palace side managed by former United player Steve Coppell.
United's league season ended with a 13th place finish - their lowest since relegation 16 years earlier.
On 12 May, Manchester United took to the field at Wembley against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium. 18 minutes into the game, Palace (who had never played in the final before) took the lead through Gary O'Reilly, only for Bryan Robson to equalise in the 35th minute. Mark Hughes put United ahead in the 62nd minute, but Palace equalised in the 72nd minute through Ian Wright. The scores were still level at full time, and the match went into extra time. Just two minutes into extra time, Wright put Palace ahead and it looked as though the FA Cup would be heading to Selhurst Park for the first time ever. Then, with seven minutes of extra time remaining, Mark Hughes equalised to force a replay.
Goalkeeper Jim Leighton had been performing erratically for much of the 1989-90 season, and his form in the FA Cup final was no different. Alex Ferguson then decided to drop Leighton for the replay and draft in Les Sealey, who had joined on loan from Luton Town the previous December and only played for the club twice before.
The replay was played at Wembley on 17 May, and Sealey pulled off a series of spectacular saves in the first half to prevent Palace from taking the lead. In the 59th minute, Lee Martin fired in a pass from Neil Webb to score only the second goal of his career and give the trophy to United.
Three weeks after the final, Manchester United signed Republic of Ireland defender Denis Irwin, 24, from Oldham Athletic for £625,000, with Alex Ferguson intending to use him as a right-back with Mike Phelan being switched to midfield.
Squad statistics
Pos. Name League FA Cup Littlewoods Cup Total Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals GK 
Mark Bosnich1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 GK Jim Leighton35 0 7 0 3 0 45 0 GK Les Sealey2 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 DF Viv Anderson14(2) 0 4 0 1 0 19(2) 0 DF 
Clayton Blackmore19(9) 2 2(1) 1 0 0 21(10) 3 DF Steve Bruce34 3 7 0 2 0 43 3 DF 
Mal Donaghy13(1) 0 1 0 3 0 17(1) 0 DF Mike Duxbury12(7) 0 2(2) 0 1(1) 0 15(10) 0 DF Colin Gibson5(1) 1 1(1) 0 0 0 6(2) 1 DF Lee Martin28(4) 0 8 1 1 0 37(4) 1 DF Gary Pallister35 3 8 0 3 0 46 3 DF 
Derek Brazil0(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 MF Russell Beardsmore8(13) 2 1(2) 0 1 0 10(15) 2 MF Deiniol Graham0(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 MF Paul Ince25(1) 0 6(1) 0 3 2 34(2) 2 MF Ralph Milne0(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 MF Mike Phelan38 1 7 0 3 0 48 1 MF Bryan Robson20 2 4 2 3 0 27 4 MF Lee Sharpe13(5) 1 0 0 1(1) 0 14(6) 1 MF Neil Webb10(1) 2 4 1 0 0 14(1) 3 FW Mark Hughes36(1) 13 8 2 3 0 47(1) 15 FW Giuliano Maiorana0(1) 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0(2) 0 FW Brian McClair37 5 8 3 3 0 48 8 FW Mark Robins10(7) 7 3(3) 3 0 0 13(10) 10 FW Danny Wallace23(3) 3 6(1) 2 2 1 31(4) 6 Transfers
In
Date Pos. Name From Fee 1 July 1989 MF Mike PhelanNorwich City £750k 1 July 1989 MF Neil WebbNottingham Forest £1.5m 24 August 1989 DF Brian CareyCork City £100k 28 August 1989 DF Gary PallisterMiddlesbrough £2.3m 13 September 1989 MF Paul InceWest Ham United £2.4m 18 September 1989 FW Danny WallaceSouthampton £1.2m 21 September 1989 FW Andy RammellAtherstone United £40k 6 June 1990 GK Les SealeyLuton Town Free 8 June 1990 DF Denis IrwinOldham Athletic £625k 8 June 1990 DF Neil WhitworthWigan Athletic £45k Out
Date Pos. Name To Fee July 1989 DF Wayne HeseltineOldham Athletic £40k 12 July 1989 DF Nicky SpoonerBolton Wanderers Undisclosed 3 August 1989 DF Paul McGrathAston Villa £450k August 1989 FW Norman WhitesideEverton £750k 25 October 1989 FW 
Shaun GoaterRotherham United £40k Loan in
Date From Date To Position Name From December 1989 December 1989 GK Les SealeyLuton Town March 1990 April 1990 GK Les SealeyLuton Town May 1990 June 1990 DF Rob McKinnonHartlepool United May 1990 June 1990 DF Chris ShortScarborough Loan out
Date From Date To Position Name To December 1989 January 1990 DF Mal DonaghyLuton Town January 1990 February 1990 MF Ralph MilneWest Ham United See also
References
- ^ "Manchester United Season 1989/90". StretfordEnd.co.uk. http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/seasons/season1990.html. Retrieved 23 May 2008.
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- English football clubs 1989–90 season
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