# 1990–91 Crystal Palace F.C. season

During the 1990–91 English football season, Crystal Palace F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

In their second consecutive season in the First Division, Crystal Palace finished an astonishing third, their highest ever league placing, although, due to Liverpool's ban from European competition being lifted, Palace did not qualify for the UEFA Cup. Palace also won their first ever cup during the season, albeit the less significant Full Members' Cup.
In the League Cup, Palace broke their record for a cup victory with an 8–0 over Southend United, in the second round first leg, with strikers Mark Bright and Ian Wright both scoring hat-tricks. The two claimed the match ball; it was given away at a charity auction.
At the end of the season, captain Geoff Thomas was named the Supporters' Player of the Year. Thomas was rewarded for his good form with a call-up to the England squad for a European Championship qualifying game against Turkey in May.
Bukta remained Palace's kit manufacturers, and introduced a new home kit for the season. English airline Virgin Atlantic remained the kit sponsors.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Arsenal (C) | 38 | 24 | 13 | 1 | 74 | 18 | +56 | 83 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
| 2 | Liverpool | 38 | 23 | 7 | 8 | 77 | 40 | +37 | 76 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 3 | Crystal Palace | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 50 | 41 | +9 | 69 | |
| 4 | Leeds United | 38 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 65 | 47 | +18 | 64 | |
| 5 | Manchester City | 38 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 64 | 53 | +11 | 62 | |
* ↑ Arsenal deducted two points; Manchester United deducted one point due to a brawl in a game between both teams.

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: Statto

### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | H | H | A | A | H |
| Result | D | W | W | W | D | D | W | D | D | W | L | D | W | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | L | W | L | W | D | L | L | W | W | W | L | L | D | W | D | L | W | W |
| Position | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |

## Results

Crystal Palace's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 25 August 1990 | Luton Town | A | 1–1 | 9,583 | Young |
| 28 August 1990 | Chelsea | H | 2–1 | 27,101 | Gray, Wright |
| 1 September 1990 | Sheffield United | H | 1–0 | 16,831 | Thompson |
| 8 September 1990 | Norwich City | A | 3–0 | 15,306 | Barber, Wright, Salako |
| 15 September 1990 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–2 | 20,545 | Shaw, Thomas |
| 22 September 1990 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–1 | 34,859 | Thomas |
| 29 September 1990 | Derby County | A | 2–0 | 15,202 | Wright, Bright |
| 6 October 1990 | Leeds United | H | 1–1 | 21,676 | Thomas |
| 20 October 1990 | Everton | A | 0–0 | 24,504 | |
| 27 October 1990 | Wimbledon | H | 4–3 | 17,220 | Bright, Gray, Humphrey, Thomas |
| 3 November 1990 | Manchester United | A | 0–2 | 45,724 | |
| 10 November 1990 | Arsenal | H | 0–0 | 28,181 | |
| 17 November 1990 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–1 | 14,360 | Wright (2) |
| 24 November 1990 | Southampton | A | 3–2 | 15,851 | Wright (2), Bright |
| 1 December 1990 | Coventry City | H | 2–1 | 17,052 | Bright, Gray |
| 8 December 1990 | Chelsea | A | 1–2 | 21,558 | Thorn |
| 16 December 1990 | Luton Town | H | 1–0 | 15,579 | Bright |
| 22 December 1990 | Manchester City | A | 2–0 | 25,321 | Pointon (own goal), Wright |
| 16 December 1990 | Sunderland | H | 2–1 | 15,560 | Salako, Bright |
| 30 December 1990 | Liverpool | H | 1–0 | 26,280 | Bright |
| 1 January 1991 | Aston Villa | A | 0–2 | 25,523 | |
| 12 January 1991 | Sheffield United | A | 1–0 | 17,139 | Bright |
| 19 January 1991 | Norwich City | H | 1–3 | 17,201 | Bright |
| 2 February 1991 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–0 | 17,045 | Young |
| 16 February 1991 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–0 | 16,006 | |
| 23 February 1991 | Arsenal | A | 0–4 | 42,512 | |
| 2 March 1991 | Coventry City | A | 1–3 | 10,891 | Wright |
| 9 March 1991 | Southampton | H | 2–1 | 14,439 | Thomas (2) |
| 16 March 1991 | Derby County | H | 2–1 | 14,752 | Gray, Wright |
| 23 March 1991 | Leeds United | A | 2–1 | 28,556 | Wright, Salako |
| 30 March 1991 | Sunderland | A | 1–2 | 19,704 | Pardew |
| 1 April 1991 | Manchester City | H | 1–3 | 18,001 | Salako |
| 13 April 1991 | Aston Villa | H | 0–0 | 18,331 | |
| 17 April 1991 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–0 | 26,285 | Young |
| 20 April 1991 | Everton | H | 0–0 | 16,439 | |
| 23 April 1991 | Liverpool | A | 0–3 | 36,767 | |
| 4 May 1991 | Wimbledon | A | 3–0 | 10,002 | Wright (3) |
| 11 May 1991 | Manchester United | H | 3–0 | 25,301 | Wright, Salako (2) |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 6 January 1991 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–0 | 15,396 | |
| R3R | 21 January 1991 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | 23,301 | Wright, Salako |
| R3R2 | 28 January 1991 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–3 | 22,164 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 25 September 1990 | Southend United | H | 8–0 | 5,666 | Bright (3), Wright (3), Thompson, Hodges |
| R2 2nd Leg | 9 October 1990 | Southend United | A | 2–1 (won 10–1 on agg) | 5,199 | Young, Salako |
| R3 | 30 October 1990 | Leyton Orient | H | 0–0 | 12,958 | |
| R3R | 7 November 1990 | Leyton Orient | A | 1–0 | 10,158 | Bright |
| R4 | 27 November 1990 | Southampton | A | 0–2 | 13,765 | |

### Full Members' Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SR2 | 18 December 1990 | Bristol Rovers | H | 2–1 | 5,209 | Salako, Gray |
| SQF | 18 February 1991 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–0 (a.e.t.) | 9,633 | Bright, Wright |
| SSF | 26 February 1991 | Luton Town | H | 3–1 | 7,170 | McGoldrick, Wright (2) |
| SF 1st Leg | 5 March 1991 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 7,554 | Thomas |
| SF 2nd Leg | 19 March 1991 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 (won 3–1 on agg) | 13,857 | Bright, Wright |
| F | 7 April 1991 | Everton | N | 4–1 (a.e.t.) | 52,460 | Thomas 67', Wright 101', 115', Salako 113' |

## 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 | Nigel Martyn |
| — | GK | ENG | Perry Suckling |
| — | GK | ENG | Andy Woodman |
| — | DF | ENG | Alex Dyer |
| — | DF | ENG | Rudi Hedman |
| — | DF | ENG | John Humphrey |
| — | DF | ENG | Gary O'Reilly |
| — | DF | ENG | Richard Shaw |
| — | DF | ENG | Gareth Southgate |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Thorn |
| — | DF | ENG | Tony Witter |
| — | DF | WAL | Paul Bodin |
| — | DF | WAL | Jeff Hopkins |
| — | DF | WAL | Eric Young |
| — | MF | ENG | Phil Barber |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Andy Gray |
| — | MF | ENG | Ricky Newman |
| — | MF | ENG | Simon Osborn |
| — | MF | ENG | Alan Pardew |
| — | MF | ENG | Simon Rodger |
| — | MF | ENG | John Salako |
| — | MF | ENG | Geoff Thomas (captain) |
| — | MF | WAL | Glyn Hodges |
| — | MF | IRL | Eddie McGoldrick |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Bright |
| — | FW | ENG | Stan Collymore |
| — | FW | ENG | Jamie Moralee |
| — | FW | ENG | Garry Thompson |
| — | FW | ENG | Ian Wright |
| — | FW | ENG | David Whyte |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | ENG | Mark Dennis (retired) |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 2 July 1990 | MF | Simon Rodger | Bognor Regis Town | £1,000 |
| 16 July 1990 | MF | Glyn Hodges | Watford | £410,000 |
| 15 August 1990 | DF | Eric Young | Wimbledon | £850,000 |
| 16 August 1990 | DF | John Humphrey | Charlton Athletic | £400,000 |
| 24 October 1990 | DF | Tony Witter | Grays Athletic | £10,000 |
| 4 January 1991 | FW | Stan Collymore | Stafford Rangers | £100,000 |
| 20 March 1991 | DF | Paul Bodin | Swindon Town | £550,000 |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 27 July 1990 | DF | John Pemberton | Sheffield United | £300,000 |
| 6 August 1990 | DF | Adam Locke | Southend United | Free transfer |
| 30 August 1990 | DF | Chris Powell | Southend United | Free transfer |
| 30 November 1990 | DF | Alex Dyer | Charlton Athletic | £100,000 |
| 17 January 1991 | MF | Glyn Hodges | Sheffield United | £450,000 |
    Transfers in: £2,321,000
    Transfers out: £850,000
    Total spending: £1,471,000