# 1991–92 Sheffield Wednesday F.C. season

During the 1991–92 English football season, Sheffield Wednesday F.C. competed in the Football League First Division, following promotion from the Second Division the previous season.

## Season summary

Having guided Sheffield Wednesday to promotion to the First Division and League Cup glory the previous season, Ron Atkinson left Wednesday for Aston Villa (in somewhat controversial circumstances, having claimed that he was staying on at Wednesday before departing a week later). He was replaced by striker Trevor Francis, who juggled his playing responsibilities with his management role. Under Francis, Wednesday enjoyed a fabulous season, finishing third, behind Leeds United and Manchester United and ahead of bigger clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal; this gave Wednesday qualification to the UEFA Cup.
Despite their overall good form, Wednesday still found themselves on the receiving ends of the season's heaviest home (6–1 to Leeds) and away (7–1 to Arsenal) defeats. Wednesday also lost both of that season's derbies against arch-rivals Sheffield United, losing 1–3 at home and 2–0 at Bramall Lane.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Leeds United (C) | 42 | 22 | 16 | 4 | 74 | 37 | +37 | 82 | Qualification for the UEFA Champions League first round |
| 2 | Manchester United | 42 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 63 | 33 | +30 | 78 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 3 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 62 | 49 | +13 | 75 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Arsenal | 42 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 81 | 46 | +35 | 72 | |
| 5 | Manchester City | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 61 | 48 | +13 | 70 | |
* ↑ Manchester United also won the League Cup – that UEFA Cup qualifying place was passed down to the third-placed League team.

## Results

Sheffield Wednesday's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1991 | Aston Villa | H | 2–3 | 36,749 | Hirst, Wilson |
| 24 August 1991 | Leeds United | A | 1–1 | 30,260 | Hirst |
| 28 August 1991 | Everton | H | 2–1 | 28,690 | Anderson, Wilson |
| 31 August 1991 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 4–1 | 25,022 | Palmer (3), Sheridan |
| 3 September 1991 | Notts County | A | 1–2 | 12,297 | Pearson |
| 7 September 1991 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–1 | 31,289 | Francis, P Williams |
| 14 September 1991 | Manchester City | A | 1–0 | 29,453 | P Williams |
| 18 September 1991 | Norwich City | A | 0–1 | 12,503 | |
| 21 September 1991 | Southampton | H | 2–0 | 27,291 | P Williams, Worthington |
| 28 September 1991 | Liverpool | A | 1–1 | 37,071 | Harkes |
| 2 October 1991 | Wimbledon | A | 1–2 | 3,121 | Pearson |
| 5 October 1991 | Crystal Palace | H | 4–1 | 26,230 | Hirst (2), Palmer, Worthington |
| 19 October 1991 | Luton Town | A | 2–2 | 9,401 | Hirst, Sheridan |
| 26 October 1991 | Manchester United | H | 3–2 | 38,260 | Jemson (2), Hirst |
| 2 November 1991 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 0–0 | 31,573 | |
| 17 November 1991 | Sheffield United | A | 0–2 | 31,832 | |
| 23 November 1991 | Arsenal | H | 1–1 | 32,174 | Hirst |
| 30 November 1991 | West Ham United | A | 2–1 | 24,116 | Harkes, Jemson |
| 7 December 1991 | Chelsea | H | 3–0 | 27,383 | Hirst (2), P Williams |
| 21 December 1991 | Wimbledon | H | 2–0 | 20,574 | Sheridan (2) |
| 26 December 1991 | Everton | A | 1–0 | 30,788 | Hirst |
| 28 December 1991 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–1 | 12,990 | Hirst |
| 1 January 1992 | Oldham Athletic | H | 1–1 | 32,679 | Sharp (own goal) |
| 12 January 1992 | Leeds United | H | 1–6 | 32,228 | Sheridan |
| 18 January 1992 | Aston Villa | A | 1–0 | 28,036 | Jemson |
| 1 February 1992 | Luton Town | H | 3–2 | 22,291 | Harkes, Hirst, P Williams |
| 8 February 1992 | Manchester United | A | 1–1 | 47,074 | Hirst |
| 15 February 1992 | Arsenal | A | 1–7 | 26,805 | Worthington |
| 22 February 1992 | West Ham United | H | 2–1 | 26,150 | Anderson, Palmer |
| 29 February 1992 | Chelsea | A | 3–0 | 17,538 | P Williams, Wilson, Worthington |
| 7 March 1992 | Coventry City | H | 1–0 | 23,959 | Anderson |
| 11 March 1992 | Sheffield United | H | 1–3 | 40,327 | King |
| 14 March 1992 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 2–0 | 23,027 | Hirst, P Williams |
| 21 March 1992 | Notts County | H | 1–0 | 23,910 | Hirst |
| 28 March 1992 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–3 | 15,897 | |
| 4 April 1992 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–0 | 26,105 | Hirst, P Williams |
| 8 April 1992 | Coventry City | A | 0–0 | 13,293 | |
| 11 April 1992 | Manchester City | H | 2–0 | 32,138 | Hirst, Worthington |
| 18 April 1992 | Southampton | A | 1–0 | 17,715 | Hirst |
| 20 April 1992 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 | 27,362 | Nilsson, Sheridan |
| 25 April 1992 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–1 | 21,573 | P Williams |
| 2 May 1992 | Liverpool | H | 0–0 | 34,861 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 4 January 1992 | Preston North End | A | 2–0 | 14,337 | Bart-Williams, Sheridan |
| R4 | 4 February 1992 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–2 | 29,772 | Hirst |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 1st leg | 24 September 1991 | Leyton Orient | A | 0–0 | 6,231 | |
| R2 2nd leg | 9 October 1991 | Leyton Orient | H | 4–1 (won 4–1 on agg) | 14,938 | Francis (2), Anderson, P Williams |
| R3 | 30 October 1991 | Southampton | H | 1–1 | 17,627 | Hirst |
| R3R | 20 November 1991 | Southampton | A | 0–1 | 10,801 | |

### Full Members Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| NR2 | 23 October 1991 | Manchester City | H | 3–2 | 7,951 | Hirst, Hyde, Jemson |
| NQF | 26 November 1991 | Notts County | A | 0–1 | 4,118 | |

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Marlon Beresford |
| — | GK | ENG | Lance Key |
| — | GK | ENG | Kevin Pressman |
| — | GK | ENG | Chris Woods |
| — | DF | ENG | Viv Anderson |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris Bart-Williams |
| — | DF | ENG | Phil King |
| — | DF | SWE | Roland Nilsson |
| — | DF | ENG | Nigel Pearson (captain) |
| — | DF | ENG | Peter Shirtliff |
| — | DF | ENG | Paul Warhurst |
| — | DF | ENG | Julian Watts |
| — | DF | NIR | Nigel Worthington |
| — | MF | USA | John Harkes |
| — | MF | ENG | Graham Hyde |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Ryan Jones |
| — | MF | ENG | Steve MacKenzie |
| — | MF | ENG | Steve McCall |
| — | MF | ENG | Carlton Palmer |
| — | MF | IRL | John Sheridan |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Taylor |
| — | MF | NIR | Danny Wilson |
| — | FW | ENG | Leroy Chambers |
| — | FW | ENG | Trevor Francis |
| — | FW | ENG | David Hirst |
| — | FW | ENG | Nigel Jemson |
| — | FW | ENG | David Johnson |
| — | FW | ENG | Gordon Watson |
| — | FW | ENG | Mike Williams |
| — | FW | ENG | Paul Williams |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 17 July 1991 | DF | Paul Warhurst | Oldham Athletic | £750,000 |
| 15 August 1991 | GK | Chris Woods | Rangers | £1,200,000 |
| 17 September 1991 | FW | Nigel Jemson | Nottingham Forest | £800,000 |
| 21 November 1991 | MF | Chris Bart-Williams | Leyton Orient | £275,000 |
| 13 March 1992 | DF | Julian Watts | Rotherham United | £80,000 |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 11 June 1991 | DF | Jon Newsome | Leeds United | £150,000 |
| 15 July 1991 | DF | David Wetherall | Leeds United | £125,000 |
| 15 August 1991 | DF | Lawrie Madden | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Free transfer |
| 13 September 1991 | MF | Mark Taylor | Shrewsbury Town | £70,000 |
| 26 March 1992 | MF | Steve McCall | Plymouth Argyle | £25,000 |
    Transfers in: £3,105,000
    Transfers out: £370,000
    Total spending: £2,735,000