# 1995–96 Portsmouth F.C. season

During the 1995–96 English football season, Portsmouth F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

In Terry Fenwick's first full season in charge of Portsmouth, relegation to Division Two was avoided on the last day of the 1995–96 season (on goal difference) when Pompey won away at Huddersfield Town while other results went the club's way.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 19 | Reading | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 54 | 63 | −9 | 56 | |
| 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 56 | 62 | −6 | 55 | |
| 21 | Portsmouth | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 61 | 69 | −8 | 52 | |
| 22 | Millwall (R) | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 43 | 63 | −20 | 52 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 23 | Watford (R) | 46 | 10 | 18 | 18 | 62 | 70 | −8 | 48 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## Results

Portsmouth's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 12 August 1995 | Southend United | H | 4–2 | 10,630 | Creaney (2), Rees, Tilson (own goal) |
| 19 August 1995 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–2 | 4,515 | McLoughlin (pen) |
| 26 August 1995 | Reading | H | 0–0 | 9,917 | |
| 30 August 1995 | Leicester City | A | 2–4 | 15,170 | Hall, Creaney (pen) |
| 2 September 1995 | Millwall | H | 0–1 | 8,023 | |
| 9 September 1995 | Port Vale | A | 2–0 | 7,374 | Burton, Griffiths (pen) |
| 12 September 1995 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | 12,282 | McLoughlin (pen) |
| 16 September 1995 | Derby County | H | 2–2 | 14,434 | Gittens, McLoughlin |
| 23 September 1995 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0–2 | 11,127 | |
| 30 September 1995 | Luton Town | A | 1–3 | 7,795 | Walsh |
| 7 October 1995 | Oldham Athletic | A | 1–1 | 5,937 | Simpson |
| 14 October 1995 | Birmingham City | H | 0–1 | 10,006 | |
| 21 October 1995 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–2 | 16,257 | McLoughlin (pen) |
| 28 October 1995 | Watford | H | 4–2 | 7,025 | Simpson, Stimson, Allen, Carter |
| 4 November 1995 | Sheffield United | A | 1–4 | 11,281 | Simpson |
| 11 November 1995 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–1 | 6,876 | Simpson |
| 18 November 1995 | Stoke City | H | 3–3 | 8,030 | McLoughlin (2), Walsh |
| 21 November 1995 | Barnsley | A | 0–0 | 6,187 | |
| 25 November 1995 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–3 | 10,286 | Allen, Walsh |
| 2 December 1995 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–1 | 6,002 | Allen, McLoughlin (pen) |
| 9 December 1995 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 2–1 | 6,678 | Durnin, Hall |
| 16 December 1995 | Luton Town | H | 4–0 | 7,012 | Hall (2), Carter, Walsh |
| 23 December 1995 | Norwich City | H | 1–0 | 9,960 | Durnin |
| 26 December 1995 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–2 | 11,686 | Hall |
| 30 December 1995 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 2–2 | 25,294 | Burton, Carter |
| 1 January 1996 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–3 | 12,926 | Simpson, Butters |
| 13 January 1996 | Grimsby Town | H | 3–1 | 6,958 | Walsh, Wood, Carter |
| 20 January 1996 | Southend United | A | 1–2 | 5,560 | Hall |
| 27 January 1996 | Millwall | A | 1–1 | 7,710 | Burton |
| 4 February 1996 | Reading | A | 1–0 | 7,924 | McLoughlin |
| 10 February 1996 | Leicester City | H | 2–1 | 9,003 | Burton, Hall |
| 17 February 1996 | Sunderland | H | 2–2 | 12,241 | Hall, Griffiths |
| 24 February 1996 | Derby County | A | 2–3 | 16,120 | McLoughlin (pen), Hall |
| 2 March 1996 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–1 | 9,323 | Burton (2) |
| 9 March 1996 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 13,004 | Hall |
| 16 March 1996 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–2 | 11,732 | |
| 23 March 1996 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–0 | 17,039 | |
| 27 March 1996 | Port Vale | H | 1–2 | 6,335 | Allen |
| 30 March 1996 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 0–2 | 8,126 | |
| 2 April 1996 | Birmingham City | A | 0–2 | 14,886 | |
| 6 April 1996 | Watford | A | 2–1 | 23,789 | Awford, McLoughlin |
| 8 April 1996 | Sheffield United | H | 1–2 | 8,978 | Durnin |
| 13 April 1996 | Stoke City | A | 1–2 | 11,471 | Butters |
| 20 April 1996 | Barnsley | H | 0–0 | 8,744 | |
| 27 April 1996 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–1 | 12,954 | |
| 5 May 1996 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–0 | 14,091 | Burton |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 7 January 1996 | Southampton | A | 0–3 | 15,236 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 First Leg | 16 August 1995 | Cardiff City | H | 0–2 | 4,203 | |
| R1 Second Leg | 22 August 1995 | Cardiff City | A | 0–1 | 4,347 | |

## 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 | ENG | Alan Knight |
| - | DF | ENG | Robbie Pethick |
| - | DF | ENG | Lee Russell |
| - | DF | ENG | Guy Butters |
| - | DF | ENG | Mark Stimson |
| - | MF | ENG | Jimmy Carter |
| - | FW | ENG | John Durnin |
| - | MF | IRL | Alan McLoughlin |
| - | FW | JAM | Paul Hall |
| - | DF | ENG | Andy Awford |
| - | FW | WAL | Carl Griffiths |
| - | GK | EST | Mart Poom |
| - | MF | JAM | Fitzroy Simpson |
| - | FW | ENG | Lee Bradbury |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | MF | ENG | Martin Allen |
| - | DF | ENG | Andy Thomson |
| - | DF | WAL | Kit Symons |
| - | MF | ENG | Paul Wood |
| - | DF | ENG | Tony Dobson |
| - | FW | JAM | Deon Burton |
| - | DF | ENG | Jon Gittens |
| - | MF | WAL | Jason Rees |
| - | DF | ENG | Adrian Whitbread (on loan from West Ham United) |
| - | FW | SCO | Gerry Creaney |
| - | MF | ENG | Sammy Igoe |
| - | DF | ENG | Russell Perrett |
| - | FW | ENG | Paul Walsh |
| - | DF | ENG | Danny Hinshelwood |