The 1994/95 Season

[ceredigion]

Amidst all the euphoria of the last 48 hours, I haven't been able to avoid remembering the first time we were promoted to the Premier League in 1994.

 

This was on the back of our famous Play Off victory over Derby at Wembley and the PL was a quite recent creation back in 1994. Team spirit was rarely a problem under Brian Little and hopes were high that we would acquit ourselves well in our 1st season back in the top flight for 7 years.

 

Brian Little kept the promotion-winning squad largely intact and only signed a couple of new players, but the season turned out a complete disaster.

 

Little resigned in November when we were bottom. He was succeded by Mark (this club isn't big enough for me) McGhee and we ended up going straight back down, finishing bottom.

 

Only 2 highlights remain to me. A 3-1 victory over Spurs which was MOTD's main match when Julian Joachim made Sol Campbell look like a pub player and a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in Alan Evan's 1st and last match as caretaker manager. After the game I think he got straight into his car and drove to Villa Park to rejoin Little and John Gregory.

 

I've often wondered since what might have happened if Evans had stayed on. We might have stayed up but there might never have been an O'Neill era either.

 

Let's just hope that next season is nothing like that horrible 1994/95 debacle.

[Webbo]

Little resigned to take over at Villa, we'll never know what might have happened if he'd have stayed.

[Bert]

I remember a 4-3 victory against Southampton. Franz Carr doing the business.

[morris1234]

I think if anything we need to take note of other sides that have been promoted in recent years.

Seeing one or two comments floating around along the lines of 'see where we are at Christmas'. I don't think as fans, like nige won't want the players too, we shouldn't look that far ahead. Game by game, enjoy the ride and hopefully we won't become a merry-go round and even have various reasons for other teams to look at us, as we do with Everton, Southampton etc and acknowledge a well built, solid squad with the right management TEAM!

The last thing I would want is to chop and change and have that uncertainty like the 94/95 season!

[ceredigion]

Little resigned to take over at Villa, we'll never know what might have happened if he'd have stayed.

My point was, what if Alan Evans had stayed as manager. He was Brian Little's No. 2 and at the time I wanted him to get the job. I thought he was good guy and I never understood why he didn't take the job, because I bet it was offered to him.

[Tuna]

I remember Mark Draper, class player.

[bovril]

Little resigned to take over at Villa, we'll never know what might have happened if he'd have stayed.

 

We'd probably be in the same position we are now, but without having gone through the great highs of the O'Neill years.

[Webbo]

My point was, what if Alan Evans had stayed as manager. He was Brian Little's No. 2 and at the time I wanted him to get the job. I thought he was good guy and I never understood why he didn't take the job, because I bet it was offered to him.

IIrc he won his 1 game in charge, when asked if he wanted the job his reply was "I didn't say that". I think he always wanted to go to Villa with Little and Gregory.

 

EDIT just read you put all that in your first post.

[Guest Col city fan]

I remember that squad and that season very well. I think we have a better squad now, relatively speaking, than we had back then. A more settled set of players, many of whom will improve with age and experience.

For me, like under Little, the key will be keeping Pearson. I think we will though because he seems to be settled.

The slight concern I have is Newcastle. They are in free-fall, but are a big club with a huge fanbase. Pardew has fooked things up for himself at present and it could be that they look to change things up in the summer. If I were Ashleigh (Ashley?), I would be head-hunting Pearson and his team.

So I'm optimistic of our chances vis a vis the 94 squad. But keeping Pearson is now imperative.

[Webbo]

We'd probably be in the same position we are now, but without having gone through the great highs of the O'Neill years.

Tbf we played much better football under McGhee. That's just fate I suppose.

[bovril]

Tbf we played much better football under McGhee. That's just fate I suppose.

 

One thing that O'Neill did that was truly genius was to re-shape that team mid-season from one that was almost certain to get promoted into one that he knew would survive in the top flight. We dropped from 2nd to 6th playing some truly dog shite football at times but were better for it in the long run.

[rico]

Didnt we draw 4-4 with Villa after being 4-1 down in this season?

David Lowe impressed me in this season,seemed to be a better Premier League player than a Football League one

[ceredigion]

The turning point of the whole season I think was Steve Thompson missing a penalty against Liverpool on Boxing Day at Filbert St. If I recall it was 1-1 at the time late in the 2nd half, and then Liverpool went and snatched the winner. In many ways that was almost as crucial as the late Wycome goal in the cup a few years later.

 

Another good memory is the 1-1 draw away at Man Utd when Colin Hill scored. The first time we'd got anything out of a game at Old Trafford for about 20 years.

[bluesbrothers]

I remember that squad and that season very well. I think we have a better squad now, relatively speaking, than we had back then. A more settled set of players, many of whom will improve with age and experience.

For me, like under Little, the key will be keeping Pearson. I think we will though because he seems to be settled.

The slight concern I have is Newcastle. They are in free-fall, but are a big club with a huge fanbase. Pardew has fooked things up for himself at present and it could be that they look to change things up in the summer. If I were Ashleigh (Ashley?), I would be head-hunting Pearson and his team.

So I'm optimistic of our chances vis a vis the 94 squad. But keeping Pearson is now imperative.

 

The only reason Newky would bend over backwards to bring our crew in would be to try to improve the shower of French rubbish destroying their club's backbone, on the vague basis that the two we have are good players - Ashley would probably jizz in his pants if he could sign Knocky and Mahrez. They field a side with no home nations players far too often for my liking, and I doubt Pearson would want to work with a dressing room full of egos, none of whom have English as a first language. Frankly, I find it amazing that Pardew copes with it.

[Webbo]

One thing that O'Neill did that was truly genius was to re-shape that team mid-season from one that was almost certain to get promoted into one that he knew would survive in the top flight. We dropped from 2nd to 6th playing some truly dog shite football at times but were better for it in the long run.

I meant compared to Little not O' Neill. O'Neill had more effective football than McGhee for sure.

[Hungry Hungry Fox]

This current team is on a different level to that team and, IMO the MON team that sneaked into the playoffs

[ceredigion]

I remember that squad and that season very well. I think we have a better squad now, relatively speaking, than we had back then. A more settled set of players, many of whom will improve with age and experience.

For me, like under Little, the key will be keeping Pearson. I think we will though because he seems to be settled.

The slight concern I have is Newcastle. They are in free-fall, but are a big club with a huge fanbase. Pardew has fooked things up for himself at present and it could be that they look to change things up in the summer. If I were Ashleigh (Ashley?), I would be head-hunting Pearson and his team.

So I'm optimistic of our chances vis a vis the 94 squad. But keeping Pearson is now imperative.

There's material there for a ''Which clubs might want to nick Pearson off us?'' thread.

 

Newcastle is a good shout, but I can see Aston Villa, West Brom and West Ham being interested in him too. Spurs and Arsenal might also be looking for a new manager in the summer too.

[dayday]

Amidst all the euphoria of the last 48 hours, I haven't been able to avoid remembering the first time we were promoted to the Premier League in 1994.

This was on the back of our famous Play Off victory over Derby at Wembley and the PL was a quite recent creation back in 1994. Team spirit was rarely a problem under Brian Little and hopes were high that we would acquit ourselves well in our 1st season back in the top flight for 7 years.

Brian Little kept the promotion-winning squad largely intact and only signed a couple of new players, but the season turned out a complete disaster.

Little resigned in November when we were bottom. He was succeded by Mark (this club isn't big enough for me) McGhee and we ended up going straight back down, finishing bottom.

Only 2 highlights remain to me. A 3-1 victory over Spurs which was MOTD's main match when Julian Joachim made Sol Campbell look like a pub player and a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in Alan Evan's 1st and last match as caretaker manager. After the game I think he got straight into his car and drove to Villa Park to rejoin Little and John Gregory.

I've often wondered since what might have happened if Evans had stayed on. We might have stayed up but there might never have been an O'Neill era either.

Let's just hope that next season is nothing like that horrible 1994/95 debacle.

Spot on ,loyalty got us know where that season,if I can recall we signed Mark Draper who was absolutely class and Nicky Mohan who was next to useless,the team was no were near good enough and no surprise we got relegated.

This time though things are different,there is no doubt we have a nucleus of a good side,and with at least 4 quality additions, we will be fine.

[Guest Electric Yetis]

As long as we don't sign another Nicky Mohan to be the main man in defence we'll be fine.

[kyleolly]

I was only 8 years old and draws at villa park and old Trafford in midweek night games were about the only highlights in a poor season!

[Guest Mickyblueeyes]

I remember that season.

I have to say this time around it feels different. Even though we finished top 6 the season before we were always the underdog against the teams around us. Derby, forest, palace and even tranmere had strong playing squads. While forest had Collymore, Tranmere john Aldridge, palace Chris Armstrong and Derby Johnson and Gabbiadini. We were lagging behind. Sure Joachim on his day was as special as any of them but we lacked that certain level of class. We had Colin Hill, Brian Carey and Jimmy Willis as our centre backs! Little side oozed team spirit. His side knew how to get a result in the old division one. I remember when O'neil took over and was interviewed by EMT he turned to the reporter and said maybe just maybe we could find one or two players who know how to defend which shows you what he thought.

This time around its different we have a up and coming young talent all over the park. We play a better brand of football. The best I've ever seen City play. Plus, we have cash to spend. I'm filled with optimism for these reasons.

[Kitchandro]

There's material there for a ''Which clubs might want to nick Pearson off us?'' thread.

 

Newcastle is a good shout, but I can see Aston Villa, West Brom and West Ham being interested in him too. Spurs and Arsenal might also be looking for a new manager in the summer too.

 

Spurs and Arsenal is just ridiculous, there's no reason he'd go to West Brom now, I'd be surprised if he went to West Ham. Villa and Newcastle maybe.

[Voll Blau]

First season I can remember. First game was 0-0 against Blackburn, second a 2-2 against Everton. Remember being impressed at 5 years old at just how lairy the Everton fans were. Also think I cheered all four goals to my dad and grandad's shame. 

[ceredigion]

Spurs and Arsenal is just ridiculous, there's no reason he'd go to West Brom now, I'd be surprised if he went to West Ham. Villa and Newcastle maybe.

I wasn't saying he'd necessarily go to any of those teams, just that they might be interested in him. I agree that Arsenal is a stretching things, but Tottenham's manager at the moment is Tim Sherwood. If you were a Spurs fan, or even a Spurs board member, who would you rather have, Sherwood or Pearson?

[ceredigion]

I remember a 4-3 victory against Southampton. Franz Carr doing the business.

I remember that game too. We were cruising at 4-1 going into injury time but Southampton scored 2 late goals to leave us clinging on for a rare win. Another 2 minutes and Southampton would have drawn, Another 5 and they would have won. It was Brian Little's last ever victory in charge.