1989–90 Arsenal F.C. season

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.

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)

Season summary

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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

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FA Charity Shield

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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.

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

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Pos Team 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
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
22 August 1989 2 Arsenal 2–0 Coventry City London
Marwood   50'
Thomas   84'
Stadium: Highbury
26 August 1989 3 Arsenal 0–0 Wimbledon London
Stadium: Highbury
23 September 1989 6 Arsenal 1–0 Charlton Athletic London
Marwood (pen) Stadium: Highbury
30 September 1989 7 Chelsea 0–0 Arsenal London
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
21 October 1989 10 Everton 3–0 Arsenal Liverpool
Nevin   39', 82'
McDonald   78'
Stadium: Goodison Park
28 October 1989 11 Arsenal 1–1 Derby County London
Smith Goddard Stadium: Highbury
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
11 November 1989 13 Millwall 1–2 Arsenal London
Sheringham Thomas
Quinn
Stadium: The Den
26 November 1989 15 Liverpool 2–1 Arsenal Liverpool
McMahon   30'
Barnes   65'
Smith   79' Stadium: Anfield
3 December 1989 16 Arsenal 1–0 Manchester United London
Groves   15' Stadium: Highbury
16 December 1989 18 Arsenal 3–2 Luton Town London
Smith
Merson
Marwood
Elstrup (2,1 pen) Stadium: Highbury
13 January 1990 22 Wimbledon 1–0 Arsenal London
Bennett Stadium: Plough Lane
20 January 1990 23 Arsenal 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur London
Adams   64' Stadium: Highbury
17 March 1990 29 Arsenal 0–1 Chelsea London
Bumstead   63' Stadium: Highbury
31 March 1990 31 Arsenal 1–0 Everton London
Smith   21' Stadium: Highbury
11 April 1990 32 Arsenal 0–1 Aston Villa London
Price   85' Stadium: Highbury
18 April 1990 34 Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool London
Merson   40' Barnes   86' Stadium: Highbury
28 April 1990 36 Arsenal 2–0 Millwall London
Davis
Merson
Stadium: Highbury
2 May 1990 37 Arsenal 2–1 Southampton London
Dixon (pen)
Rocastle
Horne Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 26,685
5 May 1990 38 Norwich City 2–2 Arsenal Norwich
Bowen   13'
Fox   45'
Smith   44', 77' Stadium: Carrow Road

Football League Cup

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

FA Cup

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

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

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

Top scorers

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First Division

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See also

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References

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  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.