# 1991–92 Oldham Athletic A.F.C. season

During the 1991–92 English football season, Oldham Athletic A.F.C. competed in the Football League First Division, where they had last played in 1923. A 17th-place finish in the final table was enough for survival and a place in the new FA Premier League for the 1992–93 season.

## Season summary

Oldham enjoyed a comfortable return to the top flight after 68 years and finished in 17th, nine points clear of relegation. Although the club only won away three times during the season, strong home form – Oldham only lost five times at home and notably took the scalps of eventual champions Leeds United and eventual third-placed Sheffield Wednesday – proved pivotal in keeping Oldham up.
The season was the first at Boundary Park for striker Graeme Sharp, who joined the club after a long and successful spell at Everton and finished as one of the division's top scorers with 16 goals. Following Sharp to Oldham was midfielder Mike Milligan, who had transferred in the opposite direction a year earlier.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 15 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 58 | 63 | −5 | 52 |
| 16 | Southampton | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 39 | 55 | −16 | 52 |
| 17 | Oldham Athletic | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 63 | 67 | −4 | 51 |
| 18 | Norwich City | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 47 | 63 | −16 | 45 |
| 19 | Coventry City | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 35 | 44 | −9 | 44 |

## Results

Oldham Athletic's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1991 | Liverpool | A | 1–2 | 38,841 | Barrett |
| 21 August 1991 | Chelsea | H | 3–0 | 14,997 | Marshall, R. Holden, Currie |
| 24 August 1991 | Norwich City | H | 2–2 | 13,584 | Marshall, Barrett |
| 28 August 1991 | Manchester United | A | 0–1 | 42,078 | |
| 31 August 1991 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–3 | 23,244 | Marshall |
| 3 September 1991 | Coventry City | H | 2–1 | 12,996 | Adams, Henry |
| 7 September 1991 | Sheffield United | H | 2–1 | 15,064 | Snodin, Marshall |
| 14 September 1991 | Luton Town | A | 1–2 | 9,005 | Marshall |
| 21 September 1991 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–3 | 13,391 | Marshall, R. Holden |
| 28 September 1991 | Manchester City | A | 2–1 | 31,271 | Sharp (2) |
| 5 October 1991 | Southampton | H | 1–1 | 13,133 | Henry |
| 19 October 1991 | West Ham United | H | 2–2 | 14,365 | McDonald, Breacker (own goal) |
| 26 October 1991 | Leeds United | A | 0–1 | 28,199 | |
| 2 November 1991 | Notts County | A | 0–2 | 10,634 | |
| 16 November 1991 | Arsenal | H | 1–1 | 15,681 | Barlow |
| 23 November 1991 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 3–1 | 10,947 | Henry, Palmer, Sharp |
| 30 November 1991 | Aston Villa | H | 3–2 | 15,370 | Sharp (2, 1 pen), Palmer |
| 7 December 1991 | Wimbledon | A | 1–2 | 5,011 | Marshall (pen) |
| 14 December 1991 | Everton | H | 2–2 | 15,955 | Palmer, Milligan |
| 21 December 1991 | Chelsea | A | 2–4 | 15,136 | Marshall (2) |
| 26 December 1991 | Manchester United | H | 3–6 | 18,947 | Sharp, Milligan, Bernard |
| 28 December 1991 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–1 | 16,496 | Sharp, Bernard |
| 1 January 1992 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–1 | 32,679 | Adams |
| 11 January 1992 | Norwich City | A | 2–1 | 12,986 | R. Holden, Bernard |
| 18 January 1992 | Liverpool | H | 2–3 | 18,952 | Adams, Bernard |
| 25 January 1992 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–0 | 21,843 | |
| 1 February 1992 | West Ham United | A | 0–1 | 20,012 | |
| 8 February 1992 | Leeds United | H | 2–0 | 18,409 | Bernard, Barlow |
| 15 February 1992 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–1 | 13,092 | R. Holden, Jobson |
| 22 February 1992 | Aston Villa | A | 0–1 | 21,509 | |
| 29 February 1992 | Wimbledon | H | 0–1 | 12,166 | |
| 7 March 1992 | Everton | A | 1–2 | 25,014 | Fleming |
| 10 March 1992 | Arsenal | A | 1–2 | 23,096 | Ritchie |
| 14 March 1992 | Notts County | H | 4–3 | 12,125 | Ritchie (2), R. Holden, Marshall |
| 21 March 1992 | Coventry City | A | 1–1 | 13,840 | Henry |
| 28 March 1992 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 3–0 | 16,897 | Sharp, Jobson, Adams |
| 4 April 1992 | Sheffield United | A | 0–2 | 20,843 | |
| 11 April 1992 | Luton Town | H | 5–1 | 13,210 | Sharp (4), Milligan |
| 18 April 1992 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–0 | 13,267 | |
| 20 April 1992 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–0 | 15,443 | Henry |
| 25 April 1992 | Southampton | A | 0–1 | 16,857 | |
| 2 May 1992 | Manchester City | H | 2–5 | 18,558 | Henry, Moulden |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 4 January 1992 | Leyton Orient | H | 1–1 | 12,606 | Sharp |
| R3R | 15 January 1992 | Leyton Orient | A | 2–4 | 11,152 | Adams, Palmer |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 1st leg | 24 September 1991 | Torquay United | H | 7–1 | 7,250 | Ritchie (4), Sharp, Henry, Milligan |
| R2 2nd leg | 9 October 1991 | Torquay United | A | 2–0 (won 9–1 on agg) | 1,955 | R. Holden, Jobson |
| R3 | 29 October 1991 | Derby County | H | 2–1 | 11,219 | Palmer, Sharp |
| R4 | 4 December 1991 | Manchester United | A | 0–2 | 38,550 | |

### Full Members Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| NR2 | 1 October 1991 | Everton | A | 2–3 | 4,588 | R. Holden, Milligan |

## 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 | Paul Gerrard |
| — | GK | ENG | Jon Hallworth |
| — | GK | ENG | John Keeley |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Barlow |
| — | DF | ENG | Earl Barrett |
| — | DF | ENG | Craig Fleming |
| — | DF | NOR | Gunnar Halle |
| — | DF | WAL | Andy Holden |
| — | DF | ENG | Richard Jobson |
| — | DF | ENG | Brian Kilcline |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris Makin |
| — | DF | ENG | Neil McDonald |
| — | MF | ENG | Neil Adams |
| — | MF | SCO | Paul Bernard |
| — | MF | ENG | Nick Henry |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Rick Holden |
| — | MF | SCO | Paul Kane |
| — | MF | IRL | Mike Milligan (captain) |
| — | MF | ENG | Neil Redfearn |
| — | MF | ENG | Glynn Snodin (on loan from Leeds United) |
| — | MF | ENG | Ian Thompstone |
| — | FW | ENG | David Currie |
| — | FW | ENG | Ian Marshall |
| — | FW | ENG | Paul Moulden |
| — | FW | ENG | Roger Palmer |
| — | FW | ENG | Andy Ritchie |
| — | FW | SCO | Graeme Sharp |
| — | FW | ENG | Neil Tolson |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 17 July 1991 | MF | Mike Milligan | Everton | £600,000 |
| 1 August 1991 | DF | Brian Kilcline | Coventry City | £400,000 |
| 15 August 1991 | DF | Craig Fleming | Halifax Town | £80,000 |
| 1 October 1991 | DF | Neil McDonald | Everton | £500,000 |
| 24 March 1992 | FW | Neil Tolson | Walsall | £150,000 |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 5 September 1991 | MF | Neil Redfearn | Barnsley | £150,000 |
| 5 September 1991 | FW | David Currie | Barnsley | £250,000 |
| 22 November 1991 | MF | Paul Kane | Aberdeen | £350,000 |
| 23 January 1992 | MF | Ian Thompstone | Exeter City | Free transfer |
| 19 February 1992 | DF | Brian Kilcline | Newcastle United | £250,000 |
| 25 February 1992 | DF | Earl Barrett | Aston Villa | £1,700,000 |
    Transfers in: £1,730,000
    Transfers out: £2,700,000
    Total spending: £970,000