1991–92 Blackpool F.C. season

The 1991–92 season was Blackpool F.C.'s 84th season (81st consecutive) in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division Four, then the fourth tier of English football. They finished fourth, missing out on automatic promotion by one point for the second consecutive season after a final-day defeat at Lincoln City, and were promoted via the play-offs to the new Division Two.[1] It was Billy Ayre's first full season as manager.

Blackpool F.C.
1991–92 season
Owner and chairmanOwen Oyston
ManagerBilly Ayre
Division Four4th (promoted via play-offs to Division Two)
FA CupSecond round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Dave Bamber (28)

All:
Dave Bamber (36)
Highest home attendance8,007 (v. Burnley)
Lowest home attendance2,155 (v. Mansfield Town)

The first two home League fixtures saw Blackpool extend their win streak at Bloomfield Road to fifteen League games. Their 24-game unbeaten run at home ended, after just over a year, with a defeat by Crewe Alexandra on 23 November.

Dave Bamber was the club's top scorer for the second consecutive season, with 36 goals (28 in the league, one in the play-offs, one in the FA Cup and six in the League Cup).

The six goals Blackpool scored against Aldershot were expunged from the record books when the latter went out of business in March 1992, hence only 71 of Blackpool's actual 77 league goals scored in the 1991–92 season are accounted for in the table below.

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
2 Rotherham United 42 22 11 9 70 37 +33 77 Promoted
3 Mansfield Town 42 23 8 11 75 53 +22 77
4 Blackpool 42 22 10 10 71 45 +26 76 Promoted through play-offs[lower-alpha 1]
5 Scunthorpe United 42 21 9 12 64 59 +5 72 Participated in play-offs
6 Crewe Alexandra 42 20 10 12 66 51 +15 70
Source:
Notes:
  1. Blackpool won the play-offs and were promoted.

Play-offs

Semi-finals

Blackpool and Barnet met in the two-legged semi-finals of the play-offs. Barnet won the first leg by a single goal, at Underhill on 10 May. Blackpool, however, managed to turn the tie around in the return leg at Bloomfield Road three days later. Paul Groves (40') and an Andy Garner penalty in front of the South Stand, ten minutes into the second half, gave the Seasiders a 2–0 victory on the night and 2–1 on aggregate. A pitch invasion ensued at the final whistle.

Final

On 23 May, Blackpool met Scunthorpe United in the final at Wembley. Blackpool manager Billy Ayre was accompanied by the club mascot — his son, David — during the pre-match walk out to the centre circle.

The game finished 1–1 after normal time and extra time, a Tony Daws strike equalising Dave Bamber's close-range header. It went to a penalty-shootout, which Blackpool won 4–3. Mitch Cook, Paul Groves, Andy Garner and David Eyres were the successful takers for Blackpool, but it was Steve McIlhargey's save from substitute Graham Alexander that set up the victory. After Eyres' effort, Scunthorpe's other substitute, Jason White, stepped up, put the ball over the bar, and Blackpool were promoted.

Blackpool1-1
(4-3 on penalties)
Scunthorpe United
Bamber (Report) Daws
Attendance: 22,741

Player statistics

Appearances

NameLeaguePlay-offsFA CupLeague CupTotal
Dave Bamber4432453[2]
Paul Groves4432453[2]
David Eyres4331451
Ian Gore4331451
Tony Rodwell4232451
Steve McIlhargey2932438
Mike Davies3031438
Andy Garner3121337
Phil Horner2931235
Trevor Sinclair2922235
Gary Briggs2601229
Andy Gouck2510228
Paul Stoneman2002325
Dave Burgess1731021
Alan Wright1200416
Jason Kearton1500015
Dylan Kerr1300013
Mitch Cook830011
Mark Taylor901010
Grant Leitch70007
Mark Bonner40105
Chris Hedworth40105
Carl Richards30014
Mark Murray21003
Andy Howard10102
Jamie Murphy01102
Gary Brook10001
Neil Mitchell10001

Players used: 28

Goals

NameLeaguePlay-offsFA CupLeague CupTotal
Dave Bamber2811636
Paul Groves1011113
Tony Rodwell1100011
David Eyres1000010
Andy Garner41005
Phil Horner40004
Trevor Sinclair30003
Andy Gouck20002
Mark Taylor20002
Mike Davies10001
Dylan Kerr10001

Total goals scored: 88

Transfers

In

Date Player From Fee
1991Mark BonnerTrainee
1991Andy HowardUnknownUnknown
1991Dylan KerrLeeds UnitedLoan
1991Grant LeitchTrainee
1991Neil MitchellTrainee
1991Mark MurrayUnknownUnknown
1991Paul StonemanUnknownUnknown
9 January 1992Jason KeartonEvertonTwo-month loan
26 March 1992Mitch CookDarlingtonUnknown

Out

Date Player To Fee
1991Dave LancasterUnknownUnknown
1991Alan WrightBlackburn Rovers£400,000

Notes

  1. After formation of the Premier League, the Football League restructured and Division Three became Division Two
  2. Ever-present

References

  • Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
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