# 1989–90 Leeds United A.F.C. season

The 1989–90 season, saw Leeds United competing in the Football League Second Division.

## Season summary

In the 1989–90 season, Leeds were promoted to the First Division, having finished as champions of the Second Division on 85 points.

## 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 | WAL | Neil Edwards |
| — | GK | ENG | Chris Turner |
| — | DF | ENG | Simon Grayson |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris Fairclough |
| — | DF | NIR | John McClelland |
| — | DF | ENG | Peter Haddock |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris O'Donnell |
| — | DF | ENG | Mel Sterland |
| — | DF | ENG | Mike Whitlow |
| — | DF | JAM | Noel Blake |
| — | DF | IRL | Jim Beglin |
| — | DF | ENG | Dylan Kerr |
| — | DF | ENG | Glynn Snodin |
| — | MF | ENG | Vince Hilaire |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | WAL | Gary Speed |
| — | MF | ENG | David Batty |
| — | MF | WAL | Vinnie Jones |
| — | MF | ENG | Chris Kamara |
| — | MF | SCO | Gordon Strachan |
| — | MF | WAL | Mickey Thomas |
| — | MF | ENG | Andy Williams |
| — | FW | ENG | John Pearson |
| — | FW | ENG | Carl Shutt |
| — | FW | ENG | Bobby Davison |
| — | FW | ENG | Lee Chapman |
| — | FW | ENG | Ian Baird |
| — | FW | ENG | Imre Varadi |
| — | FW | SCO | John Hendrie |

## Competitions
### Football League Second Division
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Leeds United (C, P) | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 79 | 52 | +27 | 85 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 2 | Sheffield United (P) | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 78 | 58 | +20 | 85 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 80 | 55 | +25 | 80 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 4 | Swindon Town (O) | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 79 | 59 | +20 | 74 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 5 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 74 | 59 | +15 | 74 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
* ↑ Swindon Town were disqualified from promotion after being found guilty of making illegal payments, and the play-off runners-up Sunderland were promoted in their place.

#### Results

| Win | Draw | Loss |
Second Division match results :
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 19 August 1989 | Newcastle United | Away | 2–5 | Davison, Baird | 24,482 |
| 23 August 1989 | Middlesbrough | Home | 2–1 | Davison, Parkinson (o.g.) | 25,004 |
| 26 August 1989 | Blackburn Rovers | Home | 1–1 | Fairclough | 25,045 |
| 2 September 1989 | Stoke City | Away | 1–1 | Strachan | 10,915 |
| 9 September 1989 | Ipswich Town | Home | 1–1 | Jones | 22,972 |
| 16 September 1989 | Hull City | Away | 1–0 | Baird | 11,620 |
| 23 September 1989 | Swindon Town | Home | 4–0 | Strachan (3, 1 pen.), Davison | 21,694 |
| 27 September 1989 | Oxford United | Home | 2–1 | Davison, Sterland | 24,097 |
| 30 September 1989 | Port Vale | Away | 0–0 | — | 11,156 |
| 7 October 1989 | West Ham United | Away | 1–0 | Jones | 23,539 |
| 14 October 1989 | Sunderland | Home | 2–0 | Davison, Fairclough | 27,815 |
| 17 October 1989 | Portsmouth | Away | 3–3 | Davison, Whitlow, Sterland | 10,260 |
| 21 October 1989 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Home | 1–0 | Davison | 28,024 |
| 28 October 1989 | Bradford City | Away | 1–0 | Davison | 12,527 |
| 1 November 1989 | Plymouth Argyle | Home | 2–1 | Strachan (pen.), Davison | 26,791 |
| 4 November 1989 | Bournemouth | Home | 3–0 | Baird, Strachan (pen.), Fairclough | 26,484 |
| 11 November 1989 | Leicester City | Away | 3–4 | Baird, Williams, Strachan (pen.) | 18,032 |
| 18 November 1989 | Watford | Home | 2–1 | Fairclough, Williams | 26,921 |
| 25 November 1989 | West Bromwich Albion | Away | 1–2 | Fairclough | 15,116 |
| 2 December 1989 | Newcastle United | Home | 1–0 | Baird | 31,715 |
| 9 December 1989 | Middlesbrough | Away | 2–0 | Shutt, Fairclough | 19,686 |
| 16 December 1989 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Home | 3–0 | Strachan, Hendrie, Jones | 24,070 |
| 26 December 1989 | Sheffield United | Away | 2–2 | Sterland, Shutt | 31,254 |
| 30 December 1989 | Barnsley | Away | 0–1 | — | 14,481 |
| 1 January 1990 | Oldham Athletic | Home | 1–1 | Hendrie | 30,217 |
| 13 January 1990 | Blackburn Rovers | Away | 2–1 | Chapman, Strachan | 14,485 |
| 20 January 1990 | Stoke City | Home | 2–0 | Strachan (pen.), Hendrie | 29,318 |
| 4 February 1990 | Swindon Town | Away | 2–3 | Strachan (pen.), Hendrie | 16,208 |
| 10 February 1990 | Hull City | Home | 4–3 | Hendrie, Jones, Varadi, Strachan | 29,977 |
| 17 February 1990 | Ipswich Town | Away | 2–2 | Chapman (2) | 17,102 |
| 24 February 1990 | West Bromwich Albion | Home | 2–2 | Kamara, Chapman | 30,004 |
| 3 March 1990 | Watford | Away | 0–1 | — | 13,468 |
| 7 March 1990 | Port Vale | Home | 0–0 | — | 28,756 |
| 10 March 1990 | Oxford United | Away | 4–2 | Chapman (2), Varadi, Fairclough | 8,397 |
| 17 March 1990 | West Ham United | Home | 3–2 | Chapman (2), Strachan | 32,536 |
| 20 March 1990 | Sunderland | Away | 1–0 | Sterland | 17,851 |
| 24 March 1990 | Portsmouth | Home | 2–0 | Jones, Chapman | 27,600 |
| 31 March 1990 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Away | 0–1 | — | 22,419 |
| 7 April 1990 | Bradford City | Home | 1–1 | Speed | 32,316 |
| 10 April 1990 | Plymouth Argyle | Away | 1–1 | Chapman | 11,382 |
| 13 April 1990 | Oldham Athletic | Away | 1–3 | Davison | 16,292 |
| 16 April 1990 | Sheffield United | Home | 4–0 | Strachan (2, 1 (pen.)), Chapman, Speed | 32,727 |
| 21 April 1990 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Away | 2–2 | Speed, Chapman (o.g.) | 11,359 |
| 25 April 1990 | Barnsley | Home | 1–2 | Fairclough | 31,700 |
| 28 April 1990 | Leicester City | Home | 2–1 | Sterland, Strachan | 32,597 |
| 5 May 1990 | Bournemouth | Away | 1–0 | Chapman | 9,918 |

### FA Cup

| Win | Draw | Loss |
FA Cup match results :
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Third round | 6 January 1990 | Ipswich Town | Home | 0–1 | — | 26,766 |

### League Cup

| Win | Draw | Loss |
League Cup match results :
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Second round first leg | 19 September 1989 | Oldham Athletic | Away | 1–2 | Strachan | 8,415 |
| Second round second leg | 3 October 1989 | Oldham Athletic | Home | 1–2 | Fairclough | 18,092 |

### Full Members' Cup

| Win | Draw | Loss |
Full Members' Cup match results :
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| First round | 7 November 1989 | Blackburn Rovers | Home | 1–0 | Davison | 5,070 |
| Second round | 28 November 1989 | Barnsley | Away | 2–1 | Strachan (pen.), Williams | 6,136 |
| Third round | 19 December 1989 | Stoke City | Away | 2–2 | Shutt (2) | 5,792 |
| Fourth round | 17 January 1990 | Aston Villa | Away | 0–2 | — | 17,543 |