# 1995–96 Manchester City F.C. season

During the 1995–96 English football season, Manchester City competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

## Team kit

The team kit was produced by Umbro and the shirt sponsor was Brother.
The home kit, while on the face of it a classic plain blue shirt with white shorts, in fact had a pattern inlaid that was only visible when caught by the light, which contained an outer circle similar to the club badge at the time, with the word "City" in giant capital letters over the top. The away kit was intended as a tribute to the classic red and black stripes which City had worn as an away kit on a number of occasions previously, but for no apparent reason had two-tone grey shoulder stripes as well as an embossed shield which was more suited to the shape of the club's badge after its redesign in 1997 (by which point the shirt was no longer being worn) than the circular badge of the time.

## Season summary

When Alan Ball was named as Manchester City manager at the start of the new season, he said that his job was "the envy of millions". But it quickly appeared to be a poisoned chalice, as a City side in the middle of a major transition (with many older players being transferred to make way for the club's promising set of youngsters) failed to win any of their first 11 Premiership games. This was followed by four wins from their next five games, which lifted City out of the relegation zone.
A 2–2 home draw with third-placed Liverpool on the final day of the season looked to have secured City's survival, but positive results and a greater goal difference for the two sides directly above them - Coventry City and Southampton - condemned the club to relegation after seven years in the top flight.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 16 | Coventry City | 38 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 42 | 60 | −18 | 38 | |
| 17 | Southampton | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 34 | 52 | −18 | 38 | |
| 18 | Manchester City (R) | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 33 | 58 | −25 | 38 | Relegation to Football League First Division |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers (R) | 38 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 38 | 57 | −19 | 33 | Relegation to Football League First Division |
| 20 | Bolton Wanderers (R) | 38 | 8 | 5 | 25 | 39 | 71 | −32 | 29 | Relegation to Football League First Division |

### Results summary

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

## Results

Manchester City's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### FA Premier League

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 19 August 1995 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | 30,827 | Rösler |
| 23 August 1995 | Coventry City | A | 1–2 | 15,957 | Rösler |
| 26 August 1995 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–1 | 14,212 | |
| 30 August 1995 | Everton | H | 0–2 | 28,432 | |
| 10 September 1995 | Arsenal | H | 0–1 | 23,994 | |
| 16 September 1995 | Newcastle United | A | 1–3 | 36,501 | Creaney |
| 23 September 1995 | Middlesbrough | H | 0–1 | 25,865 | |
| 30 September 1995 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–3 | 25,620 | |
| 14 October 1995 | Manchester United | A | 0–1 | 35,707 | |
| 21 October 1995 | Leeds United | H | 0–0 | 26,390 | |
| 28 October 1995 | Liverpool | A | 0–6 | 39,267 | |
| 4 November 1995 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | 28,397 | Summerbee |
| 18 November 1995 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–1 | 24,422 | Lomas |
| 22 November 1995 | Wimbledon | H | 1–0 | 23,617 | Quinn |
| 25 November 1995 | Aston Villa | H | 1–0 | 28,027 | Kinkladze |
| 2 December 1995 | Leeds United | A | 1–0 | 33,249 | Creaney |
| 9 December 1995 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–4 | 29,469 | Kinkladze |
| 18 December 1995 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | 25,660 | Rösler |
| 23 December 1995 | Chelsea | H | 0–1 | 28,668 | |
| 26 December 1995 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 0–2 | 28,915 | |
| 1 January 1996 | West Ham United | H | 2–1 | 26,024 | Quinn (2) |
| 13 January 1996 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–1 | 31,438 | |
| 20 January 1996 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 | 25,710 | Rösler |
| 31 January 1996 | Southampton | A | 1–1 | 15,172 | Rösler |
| 3 February 1996 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–0 | 27,509 | Clough, Symons |
| 10 February 1996 | Everton | A | 0–2 | 37,354 | |
| 24 February 1996 | Newcastle United | H | 3–3 | 31,115 | Quinn (2), Rösler |
| 2 March 1996 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–1 | 29,078 | Lomas |
| 5 March 1996 | Arsenal | A | 1–3 | 34,519 | Creaney |
| 12 March 1996 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | 17,078 | Clough |
| 16 March 1996 | Southampton | H | 2–1 | 29,550 | Kinkladze (2) |
| 23 March 1996 | West Ham United | A | 2–4 | 24,017 | Quinn (2) |
| 30 March 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | 21,050 | Quinn |
| 6 April 1996 | Manchester United | H | 2–3 | 29,688 | Kavelashvili, Rösler |
| 8 April 1996 | Wimbledon | A | 0–3 | 11,844 | |
| 13 April 1996 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–0 | 30,898 | Rösler |
| 27 April 1996 | Aston Villa | A | 1–0 | 39,336 | Lomas |
| 5 May 1996 | Liverpool | H | 2–2 | 31,436 | Rösler (pen), Symons |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 6 January 1996 | Leicester City | A | 0–0 | 20,640 | |
| R3R | 17 January 1996 | Leicester City | H | 5–0 | 19,980 | Rösler, Kinkladze, Quinn, Lomas, Creaney |
| R4 | 7 February 1996 | Coventry City | A | 2–2 | 18,709 | Busst (own goal), Flitcroft |
| R4R | 14 February 1996 | Coventry City | H | 2–1 | 22,419 | Clough, Symons |
| R5 | 18 February 1996 | Manchester United | A | 1–2 | 42,692 | Rösler |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 First Leg | 19 September 1995 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 0–0 | 7,443 | |
| R2 Second Leg | 4 October 1995 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 4–0 | 11,474 | Rösler (2), Quinn, Curle (pen) |
| R3 | 25 October 1995 | Liverpool | A | 0–4 | 29,394 | |

## Squad

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 |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Richard Edghill |
| 3 | DF | GER | Michael Frontzeck |
| 4 | MF | NIR | Steve Lomas |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Keith Curle |
| 6 | DF | SUI | Giuseppe Mazzarelli (on loan from FC Zürich) |
| 7 | MF | GEO | Georgi Kinkladze |
| 8 | FW | SCO | Gerry Creaney |
| 9 | FW | IRL | Niall Quinn |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Peter Beagrie |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Ian Brightwell |
| 13 | GK | WAL | Martyn Margetson |
| 14 | DF | WAL | Kit Symons |
| 15 | DF | IRL | Alan Kernaghan |
| 16 | MF | ENG | Nicky Summerbee |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Michael Brown |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | FW | ENG | Nigel Clough |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Martin Phillips |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Lee Crooks |
| 21 | GK | GER | Eike Immel |
| 23 | MF | SCO | David Kerr |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Scott Hiley (on loan from Birmingham City) |
| 25 | GK | WAL | Andy Dibble |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Scott Thomas |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Rae Ingram |
| 28 | FW | GER | Uwe Rösler |
| 29 | DF | ENG | John Foster |
| 30 | DF | ENG | Chris Beech |
| 31 | MF | WAL | Aled Rowlands |
| 32 | FW | GEO | Mikheil Kavelashvili |

### Sold during 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 |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Tony Coton (to Manchester United) |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Andy Hill (to Port Vale) |
| 3 | DF | IRL | Terry Phelan (to Chelsea) |
| 3 | MF | DEN | Ronnie Ekelund (on loan from Barcelona) |
| 6 | DF | NED | Michel Vonk (to Sheffield United) |
| 8 | FW | ENG | Paul Walsh (to Portsmouth) |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Garry Flitcroft (to Blackburn Rovers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 14 | FW | WAL | Carl Griffiths (to Portsmouth) |
| 18 | DF | ENG | David Brightwell (to Bradford City) |
| 19 | FW | JAM | Fitzroy Simpson (to Portsmouth) |
| 24 | FW | ENG | Adie Mike (to Stockport County) |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Paul Lake (retired) |
| 32 | DF | ALB | Eduard Abazaj (on loan from Benfica) |

## Statistics
### Starting 11

    Considering starts in all competitions
| No. | Pos. | Name | MS | Notes |
| 21 | GK | Eike Immel | 41 | |
| 2 | RB | Richard Edghill | 16 | Michael Brown has 16 starts |
| 12 | CB | Ian Brightwell | 29 | |
| 5 | CB | Keith Curle | 35 | |
| 14 | LB | Kit Symons | 41 | |
| 16 | RM | Nicky Summerbee | 34 | |
| 10 | CM | Garry Flitcroft | 26 | |
| 4 | CM | Steve Lomas | 35 | |
| 7 | LM | Georgi Kinkladze | 40 | |
| 9 | CF | Niall Quinn | 27 | |
| 28 | CF | Uwe Rösler | 28 | |