# 1990–91 Leeds United A.F.C. season

The 1990–91 season saw Leeds United return to the Football League First Division after winning the Football League Second Division the previous season.

## First-team 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 | Mervyn Day |
| — | GK | ENG | John Lukic |
| — | DF | IRL | Jim Beglin |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris Fairclough |
| — | DF | ENG | Peter Haddock |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris Kamara |
| — | DF | MLT | Dylan Kerr |
| — | DF | NIR | John McClelland |
| — | DF | ENG | Glynn Snodin |
| — | DF | ENG | Mel Sterland |
| — | DF | ENG | Mike Whitlow |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris Whyte |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | David Batty |
| — | MF | ENG | Simon Grayson |
| — | MF | WAL | Vinnie Jones |
| — | MF | SCO | Gary McAllister |
| — | MF | WAL | Gary Speed |
| — | MF | SCO | Gordon Strachan (captain) |
| — | MF | ENG | Andy Williams |
| — | FW | ENG | Bobby Davison |
| — | FW | ENG | Lee Chapman |
| — | FW | ENG | John Pearson |
| — | FW | ENG | Carl Shutt |
| — | FW | ENG | Imre Varadi |

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 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 | |
| 6 | Manchester United | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 58 | 45 | +13 | 59 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
* ↑ Arsenal deducted two points; Manchester United deducted one point due to a brawl in a game between both teams.

## Results

Leeds United's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| 25 August 1990 | Everton | Away | 3–2 | Fairclough, Speed, Varadi | 34,412 |
| 28 August 1990 | Manchester United | Home | 0–0 | — | 29,172 |
| 1 September 1990 | Norwich City | Home | 3–0 | Chapman (2), Varadi | 25,684 |
| 8 September 1990 | Luton Town | Away | 0–1 | — | 10,185 |
| 15 September 1990 | Tottenham Hotspur | Home | 0–2 | — | 31,342 |
| 23 September 1990 | Sheffield United | Away | 2–0 | Pearson, Strachan | 26,078 |
| 29 September 1990 | Arsenal | Home | 2–2 | Chapman, Strachan (pen.) | 30,085 |
| 6 October 1990 | Crystal Palace | Away | 1–1 | Speed | 21,676 |
| 20 October 1990 | Queens Park Rangers | Home | 2–3 | Whyte, Chapman | 27,443 |
| 27 October 1990 | Aston Villa | Away | 0–0 | — | 24,219 |
| 3 November 1990 | Nottingham Forest | Home | 3–1 | Chapman, Strachan (pen.), McAllister | 30,409 |
| 11 November 1990 | Manchester City | Away | 3–2 | Chapman, Shutt, Strachan | 27,782 |
| 17 November 1990 | Derby County | Home | 3–0 | Chapman, Strachan, Speed | 27,868 |
| 24 November 1990 | Coventry City | Away | 1–1 | Chapman | 16,183 |
| 1 December 1990 | Southampton | Home | 2–1 | Fairclough, Shutt | 29,341 |
| 8 December 1990 | Manchester United | Away | 1–1 | Sterland | 40,927 |
| 16 December 1990 | Everton | Home | 2–0 | Strachan (pen.), Shutt | 27,775 |
| 23 December 1990 | Sunderland | Away | 1–0 | Sterland | 23,773 |
| 26 December 1990 | Chelsea | Home | 4–1 | Sterland, Chapman (2), Whitlow | 30,893 |
| 29 December 1990 | Wimbledon | Home | 3–0 | Chapman, Speed, Sterland | 29,292 |
| 1 January 1991 | Liverpool | Away | 0–3 | — | 36,975 |
| 12 January 1991 | Norwich City | Away | 0–2 | — | 17,786 |
| 19 January 1991 | Luton Town | Home | 2–1 | Strachan (pen.), Fairclough | 27,010 |
| 2 February 1991 | Tottenham Hotspur | Away | 0–0 | — | 32,253 |
| 2 March 1991 | Southampton | Away | 0–2 | — | 16,585 |
| 9 March 1991 | Coventry City | Home | 2–0 | Davison, Whyte | 28,880 |
| 17 March 1991 | Arsenal | Away | 0–2 | — | 26,218 |
| 23 March 1991 | Crystal Palace | Home | 1–2 | Speed | 28,556 |
| 30 March 1991 | Chelsea | Away | 2–1 | Shutt, Fairclough | 17,585 |
| 2 April 1991 | Sunderland | Home | 5–0 | Chapman (2), Shutt, Speed (2) | 28,132 |
| 6 April 1991 | Wimbledon | Away | 1–0 | Chapman | 6,800 |
| 10 April 1991 | Manchester City | Home | 1–2 | McAllister | 28,757 |
| 13 April 1991 | Liverpool | Home | 4–5 | Chapman (3), Shutt | 31,460 |
| 17 April 1991 | Queens Park Rangers | Away | 0–2 | — | 10,998 |
| 23 April 1991 | Derby County | Away | 1–0 | Shutt | 12,666 |
| 4 May 1991 | Aston Villa | Home | 5–2 | Price (o.g.), Chapman (2), Whyte, Shutt | 29,188 |
| 8 May 1991 | Sheffield United | Home | 2–1 | Sterland, Shutt | 28,978 |
| 11 May 1991 | Nottingham Forest | Away | 3–4 | Chapman (2), Shutt | 25,067 |
Source:

### FA Cup

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| Third round | 6 January 1991 | Barnsley | Away | 1–1 | Sterland 81' | 22,424 |
| Third round replay | 9 January 1991 | Barnsley | Home | 4–0 | Smith (o.g.) 2', Chapman 6', McAllister 83', Strachan (pen.) 86' | 19,773 |
| Fourth round | 27 January 1991 | Arsenal | Away | 0–0 | — | 30,905 |
| Fourth round replay | 30 January 1991 | Arsenal | Home | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Chapman 59' | 27,753 |
| Fourth round second replay | 13 February 1991 | Arsenal | Away | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | — | 30,433 |
| Fourth round third replay | 16 February 1991 | Arsenal | Home | 1–2 | Chapman 69' | 27,190 |
Source:

### Football League Cup

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| Second round first leg | 26 September 1990 | Leicester City | Away | 0–1 | — | 13,744 |
| Second round second leg | 10 October 1990 | Leicester City | Home | 3–0 | Walsh (o.g.) 75', Speed 85', Strachan 87' | 19,090 |
| Third round | 31 October 1990 | Oldham Athletic | Home | 2–0 | Chapman 22', Speed 33' | 26,327 |
| Fourth round | 27 November 1990 | Queens Park Rangers | Away | 3–0 | McAllister 2', Fairclough 14', Chapman 19' | 15,832 |
| Fifth round | 16 January 1991 | Aston Villa | Home | 4–1 | Chapman 17', 80', McAllister 54', Speed 77' | 28,176 |
| Semi-final first leg | 10 February 1991 | Manchester United | Away | 1–2 | Whyte 70' | 34,050 |
| Semi-final second leg | 24 February 1991 | Manchester United | Home | 0–1 | — | 32,014 |
Source:

### Full Members' Cup

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| Second round | 19 December 1990 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Away | 2–1 | Varadi 20', McAllister 74' | 11,080 |
| Third round | 22 January 1991 | Derby County | Home | 2–1 | Shutt 25', Chapman 30' | 6,334 |
| Northern semi-final | 20 February 1991 | Manchester City | Home | 2–0 (a.e.t.) | Williams 117', Strachan 120' | 11,898 |
| Northern final first leg | 19 March 1991 | Everton | Home | 3–3 | Sterland 1', Chapman 37', 70' | 13,387 |
| Northern final second leg | 21 March 1991 | Everton | Away | 1–3 (a.e.t.) | Sterland 21' | 12,603 |
Source:

## Transfers

Total spending: £1,250,000
Loaned out
Start date
End date
P
Player
To club
1 Dec 1990
1 Jun 1991
DF
Jim Beglin
Blackburn Rovers
1 Mar 1991
1 Jul 1991
DF
John Pearson
Rotherham :