# 1992–93 Crystal Palace F.C. season

During the 1992–93 English football season, Crystal Palace F.C. competed in the inaugural season of the FA Premier League.

## Season summary

A breakaway by the top 22 clubs saw Palace become founder members of the new FA Premier League for the 1992–93 season. However, they would be without the services of another key player – Mark Bright – who was sold to Sheffield Wednesday and the Eagles struggled to score goals without him. They were demoted on goal difference, after Oldham Athletic's 4–3 victory over Southampton. Palace's 49 points from 42 games that season became the joint-highest total of any club ever to have been relegated from the top flight of English football, and remains a Premier League record. Palace's drop prompted the resignation of manager Steve Coppell after nine years at the helm, and he was succeeded by his assistant Alan Smith.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 18 | Southampton | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 54 | 61 | −7 | 50 | |
| 19 | Oldham Athletic | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 63 | 74 | −11 | 49 | |
| 20 | Crystal Palace (R) | 42 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 48 | 61 | −13 | 49 | Relegation to Football League First Division |
| 21 | Middlesbrough (R) | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 54 | 75 | −21 | 44 | Relegation to Football League First Division |
| 22 | Nottingham Forest (R) | 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 41 | 62 | −21 | 40 | Relegation to Football League First Division |

## Results

Crystal Palace's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### FA Premier League

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 15 August 1992 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 3–3 | 17,086 | Bright, Southgate, Osborn |
| 19 August 1992 | Oldham Athletic | A | 1–1 | 11,063 | McGoldrick |
| 22 August 1992 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 2–2 | 25,237 | McGoldrick, Young |
| 25 August 1992 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–1 | 14,005 | Young |
| 29 August 1992 | Norwich City | H | 1–2 | 12,033 | McGoldrick |
| 2 September 1992 | Manchester United | A | 0–1 | 29,736 | |
| 5 September 1992 | Aston Villa | A | 0–3 | 17,120 | |
| 12 September 1992 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–2 | 11,224 | Armstrong (2) |
| 19 September 1992 | Everton | A | 2–0 | 18,080 | Armstrong (2) |
| 26 September 1992 | Southampton | H | 1–2 | 13,829 | Young |
| 3 October 1992 | Coventry City | A | 2–2 | 11,808 | Coleman, McGoldrick |
| 17 October 1992 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | 14,005 | |
| 24 October 1992 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–2 | 17,861 | Armstrong, Coleman |
| 2 November 1992 | Arsenal | H | 1–2 | 20,287 | McGoldrick |
| 7 November 1992 | Chelsea | A | 1–3 | 17,141 | Young |
| 21 November 1992 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | 15,330 | Armstrong |
| 28 November 1992 | Liverpool | A | 0–5 | 36,380 | |
| 5 December 1992 | Sheffield United | H | 2–0 | 12,361 | Armstrong, Southgate |
| 12 December 1992 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 3–1 | 14,571 | McGoldrick (2), Armstrong |
| 20 December 1992 | Leeds United | H | 1–0 | 14,462 | Thorn |
| 26 December 1992 | Wimbledon | H | 2–0 | 16,825 | Coleman, Thomas |
| 28 December 1992 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–0 | 21,123 | Osborn |
| 9 January 1993 | Everton | H | 0–2 | 13,227 | |
| 16 January 1993 | Southampton | A | 0–1 | 13,397 | |
| 27 January 1993 | Norwich City | A | 2–4 | 13,543 | Armstrong, Thomas |
| 30 January 1993 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–3 | 20,937 | Ruddock (own goal) |
| 2 February 1993 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–1 | 14,163 | Armstrong, Rodger |
| 10 February 1993 | Aston Villa | H | 1–0 | 12,270 | Bowry |
| 20 February 1993 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–2 | 26,459 | Armstrong |
| 27 February 1993 | Coventry City | H | 0–0 | 12,248 | |
| 3 March 1993 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | 20,603 | Southgate |
| 15 March 1993 | Chelsea | H | 1–1 | 12,610 | Armstrong |
| 20 March 1993 | Sheffield United | A | 1–0 | 18,857 | Coleman |
| 23 March 1993 | Liverpool | H | 1–1 | 18,688 | Armstrong |
| 3 April 1993 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 1–1 | 14,705 | Bardsley (own goal) |
| 9 April 1993 | Wimbledon | A | 0–4 | 12,275 | |
| 12 April 1993 | Middlesbrough | H | 4–1 | 15,123 | Rodger, Young, Armstrong, Coleman |
| 17 April 1993 | Leeds United | A | 0–0 | 27,545 | |
| 21 April 1993 | Manchester United | H | 0–2 | 30,115 | |
| 1 May 1993 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–1 | 18,881 | Young, Armstrong, McGoldrick |
| 5 May 1993 | Manchester City | A | 0–0 | 21,167 | |
| 8 May 1993 | Arsenal | A | 0–3 | 25,225 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 2 January 1993 | Hartlepool United | A | 0–1 | 6,721 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 First Leg | 22 September 1992 | Lincoln City | H | 3–1 | 6,947 | Southgate, Salako, McGoldrick |
| R2 Second Leg | 6 October 1992 | Lincoln City | A | 1–1 (won 4–2 on agg) | 6,255 | Southgate |
| R3 | 28 October 1992 | Southampton | A | 2–0 | 9,060 | McGoldrick, Salako |
| R4 | 1 December 1992 | Liverpool | A | 1–1 | 18,525 | Coleman 56' |
| R4R | 16 December 1992 | Liverpool | H | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | 19,662 | Watts 14', Thorn 101' |
| QF | 6 January 1993 | Chelsea | H | 3–1 | 28,510 | Coleman 4', Ndah 34', Watts 47' |
| SF First Leg | 7 February 1993 | Arsenal | H | 1–3 | 26,508 | Osborn (pen) 54' |
| SF Second Leg | 10 March 1993 | Arsenal | A | 0–2 (lost 1–5 on agg) | 28,584 | |

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of 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 |
| — | GK | ENG | Nigel Martyn |
| — | GK | ENG | Andy Woodman |
| — | DF | ENG | Dean Gordon |
| — | DF | ENG | John Humphrey |
| — | DF | ENG | Richard Shaw |
| — | DF | ENG | Lee Sinnott |
| — | DF | ENG | Gareth Southgate (captain) |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Thorn |
| — | DF | WAL | Chris Coleman |
| — | DF | WAL | Eric Young |
| — | MF | ENG | Bobby Bowry |
| — | MF | SCO | Mark Hawthorne |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Stuart Massey |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Mortimer |
| — | MF | ENG | Ricky Newman |
| — | MF | ENG | Simon Osborn |
| — | MF | ENG | Simon Rodger |
| — | MF | ENG | John Salako |
| — | MF | ENG | Geoff Thomas (captain) |
| — | MF | IRL | Eddie McGoldrick |
| — | FW | ENG | Chris Armstrong |
| — | FW | ENG | George Ndah |
| — | FW | ENG | Grant Watts |
| — | FW | ENG | Paul Williams |

### 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 |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Bright (to Sheffield Wednesday) |
| — | FW | ENG | Stan Collymore (to Southend United) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | ENG | David Whyte (on loan to Charlton Athletic) |

### Reserve squad

    The following players did not appear for the first team this 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 |
| — | GK | ENG | Jimmy Glass |
| — | DF | NIR | Darren Patterson |
| — | MF | ENG | Martin O'Connor |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | CAN | Niall Thompson |
| — | FW | ENG | David Whyte |