1990–91 Sheffield United F.C. season

Sheffield United
1990–91 season
Chairman	Reg Brealey
Manager	Dave Bassett
Stadium	Bramall Lane
First Division	13th
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	Fourth round
Full Members Cup	Quarter finals ; (Northern Area)
Top goalscorer	Deane (13)
Average home league attendance	21,451
	← 1989–90 1991–92 →

During the 1990–91 English football season, Sheffield United F.C. competed in the Football League First Division, after being promoted from the Second Division the previous season.

Season summary

Sheffield United had returned to the top flight after two successive promotions, and it soon appeared that perhaps First Division survival was a bridge too far, with the club going 16 matches without a win at the start of the season, leaving the club bottom of the division on Christmas Day with only 4 points. However, a run of seven straight victories at the turn of the year lifted United from 20th to 12th, and, although the winning streak eventually came to a halt, it was more than enough to ensure United's survival in 13th, twelve points clear of relegation.

Final league table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
11	Chelsea	38	13	10	15	58	69	−11	49
12	Queens Park Rangers	38	12	10	16	44	53	−9	46
13	Sheffield United	38	13	7	18	36	55	−19	46
14	Southampton	38	12	9	17	58	69	−11	45
15	Norwich City	38	13	6	19	41	64	−23	45

Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored

Results

^[1]

First Division

25 August 1990 1	Sheffield United	1–3	Liverpool	Sheffield
	Deane 60'	^[2]	Barnes 59' Houghton 65' Rush 88'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 27,009

29 August 1990 2	Derby County	1–1	Sheffield United	Derby
	Saunders 66'	^[3]	Deane 89'	Stadium: Baseball Ground Attendance: 18,011

1 September 1990 3	Crystal Palace	1–0	Sheffield United	London
	Thompson 39'	^[4]		Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 16,839

8 September 1990 4	Sheffield United	1–1	Manchester City	Sheffield
	Deane 62'	^[5]	White 53'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 21,895

15 September 1990 5	Southampton	2–0	Sheffield United	Southampton
	Le Tissier 5' Wallace 28'	^[6]		Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 15,883

23 September 1990 6	Sheffield United	0–2	Leeds United	Sheffield
		^[7]	Pearson 73' Strachan 90'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 26,078

29 September 1990 7	Chelsea	2–2	Sheffield United	London
	Wilson 25', 29'	^[8]	Jones 45' Deane 90'	Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 19,873

6 October 1990 8	Sheffield United	1–2	Wimbledon	Sheffield
	Barnes 11'	^[9]	Fairweather 26' Fashanu 71'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 17,650

20 October 1990 9	Tottenham Hotspur	4–0	Sheffield United	London
	Walsh 50', 78', 89' Nayim 65'	^[10]		Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 34,612

27 October 1990 10	Sheffield United	0–1	Coventry City	Sheffield
		^[11]	Borrows 80' (pen.)	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 17,978

3 November 1990 11	Norwich City	3–0	Sheffield United	Norwich
	Sherwood 30' Jones 51' (o.g.) Phillips 75'	^[12]		Stadium: Carrow Road Attendance: 14,806

10 November 1990 12	Sheffield United	0–0	Everton	Sheffield
		^[13]		Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 21,447

17 November 1990 13	Manchester United	2–0	Sheffield United	Manchester
	Bruce 65' Hughes 85'	^[14]		Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 45,903

24 November 1990 14	Sheffield United	0–2	Sunderland	Sheffield
		^[15]	Gabbiadini 70', 90'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 19,179

1 December 1990 15	Aston Villa	2–1	Sheffield United	Birmingham
	Platt 9' Price 81'	^[16]	Jones 50'	Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 21,713

15 December 1990 16	Liverpool	2–0	Sheffield United	Liverpool
	Barnes 61' Rush 75'	^[17]		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 33,516

22 December 1990 17	Sheffield United	3–2	Nottingham Forest	Sheffield
	Bryson 49', 58' Deane 65'	^[18]	Keane 49' Pearce 57'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 20,394

26 December 1990 18	Luton Town	0–1	Sheffield United	Luton
		^[19]	Deane 71'	Stadium: Kenilworth Road Attendance: 10,004

29 December 1990 19	Arsenal	4–1	Sheffield United	London
	Dixon 50' (pen.) Smith 66', 85' Thomas 71'	^[20]	Bryson 25'	Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 37,866

1 January 1991 20	Sheffield United	1–0	Queens Park Rangers	Sheffield
	Deane 6'	^[21]		Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 21,158

12 January 1991 21	Sheffield United	0–1	Crystal Palace	Sheffield
		^[22]	Bright 75'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 17,139

19 January 1991 22	Manchester City	2–0	Sheffield United	Manchester
	Ward 19', 88' Redmond 64'	^[23]	Jones 54'	Stadium: Maine Road Attendance: 25,741

26 January 1991 23	Sheffield United	1–0	Derby County	Sheffield
	Hodges 88'	^[24]		Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 18,390

2 February 1991 24	Sheffield United	4–1	Southampton	Sheffield
	Booker 17', 19' Deane 28' Hodges 29'	^[25]	Moore 54'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 16,887

23 February 1991 25	Everton	1–2	Sheffield United	Liverpool
	Cottee 2'	^[26]	Hodges 16' Marwood 88'	Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 28,148

26 February 1991 26	Sheffield United	2–1	Manchester United	Sheffield
	Deane 49' Bradshaw 71'	^[27]	Blackmore 52' (pen.)	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 27,570

2 March 1991 27	Sheffield United	2–1	Aston Villa	Sheffield
	Bryson 48' Deane 61'	^[28]	Mountfield 56'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 22,074

9 March 1991 28	Sunderland	0–1	Sheffield United	Sunderland
	Ball 83'	^[29]	Bryson 55'	Stadium: Roker Park Attendance: 23,238

16 March 1991 29	Sheffield United	1–0	Chelsea	Sheffield
	Bryson 85'	^[30]		Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 20,581

23 March 1991 30	Wimbledon	1–1	Sheffield United	London
	Cork 21'	^[31]	Deane 70'	Stadium: Plough Lane Attendance: 7,031

30 March 1991 31	Sheffield United	2–1	Luton Town	Sheffield
	Bryson 55' Hodges 58'	^[32]	Elstrup 10'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 18,487

1 April 1991 32	Nottingham Forest	2–0	Sheffield United	Nottingham
	Gaynor 39', 72'	^[33]		Stadium: City Ground Attendance: 25,308

6 April 1991 33	Sheffield United	0–2	Arsenal	Sheffield
		^[34]	Campbell 9' Smith 73'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 26,920

13 April 1991 34	Queens Park Rangers	1–2	Sheffield United	London
	Allen 39'	^[35]	Deane 18' Booker 85'	Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 13,801

20 April 1991 35	Sheffield United	2–2	Tottenham Hotspur	Sheffield
	Beesley 78' Deane 90'	^[36]	Edinburgh 67' Walsh 72'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 25,706

4 May 1991 36	Coventry City	0–0	Sheffield United	Coventry
		^[37]		Stadium: Highfield Road Attendance: 17,312

8 May 1991 37	Leeds United	2–1	Sheffield United	Leeds
	Sterland 11' Shutt 56'	^[38]	Marwood 53'	Stadium: Elland Road Attendance: 28,978

11 May 1991 38	Sheffield United	2–1	Norwich City	Sheffield
	Agana 12', 18'	^[39]	Polston 10'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 21,019

FA Cup

5 January 1991 Round 3	Sheffield United	1–3	Luton Town	Sheffield
		^[40]		Stadium: Bramall Lane

League Cup

25 September 1990 Round 2 Leg 1	Northampton Town	0–1	Sheffield United	Northampton
		^[41]		Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 6,714

10 October 1990 Round 2 Leg 2	Sheffield United	2–0 (3–0 agg.)	Northampton Town	Sheffield
		^[42]		Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 8,679

30 October 1990 Round 3	Sheffield United	2–1	Everton	Sheffield
		^[43]		Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 15,045

27 November 1990 Round 4	Sheffield United	0–2	Tottenham Hotspur	Sheffield
		^[44]	Stewart Gascoigne	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 25,862

Full Members' Cup

11 December 1990 Northern Section Round 2	Sheffield United	7–2	Oldham Athletic	Sheffield
		^[45]		Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 3,144

22 February 1991 Northern Section Quarter Final	Sheffield United	0–2	Manchester City	Sheffield
		^[46]		Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 5,920

Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season^[47]

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	Matt Dickins
—	GK	ENG	Phil Kite
—	GK	ENG	Simon Tracey
—	DF	ENG	David Barnes
—	DF	ENG	Paul Beesley
—	DF	ENG	Carl Bradshaw
—	DF	NIR	Colin Hill^{[notes 1]}
—	DF	ENG	Mark Morris
—	DF	ENG	John Pemberton
—	DF	ENG	Chris Wilder
—	MF	ENG	Bob Booker
—	MF	ENG	John Gannon
—	MF	WAL	Glyn Hodges^{[notes 2]}
—	MF	ENG	Jamie Hoyland


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	ENG	Vinnie Jones^{[notes 3]}
—	MF	ENG	Mike Lake
—	MF	ENG	Brian Marwood
—	MF	NIR	Mark Todd
—	MF	ENG	Mitch Ward
—	MF	ENG	Dane Whitehouse
—	MF	ENG	Paul Wood
—	MF	SCO	Ian Bryson
—	FW	ENG	Tony Agana
—	FW	ENG	Brian Deane
—	FW	ENG	Peter Duffield
—	FW	ENG	Andy Sayer (on loan from Leyton Orient)
—	FW	ENG	Billy Whitehurst

Left club 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
—	DF	ENG	Darren Carr (to Crewe Alexandra)
—	DF	ENG	Paul Stancliffe (to Wolves)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	ENG	Wilf Rostron (to Brentford)

Transfers

Out

Wilf Rostron - Brentford, January 1991

References

Notes

^ Hill was born in Hillingdon, England, but also qualified to represent Northern Ireland internationally and made his international debut for Northern Ireland in 1990.
^ Hodges was born in Streatham, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in 1984.
^ Jones was born in Watford, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally through his maternal grandfather and would make his international debut for Wales in December 1994.

[1] "Norwich City Fixtures & Results: 1990/1991".

[2] "Sheffield United - Liverpool FC 1:3 (Premier League 1990/1991, 1. Round)".

[3] "Derby County - Sheffield United 1:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 2. Round)".

[4] "Crystal Palace - Sheffield United 1:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 3. Round)".

[5] "Sheffield United - Manchester City 1:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 4. Round)".

[6] "Southampton FC - Sheffield United 2:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 5. Round)".

[7] "Sheffield United - Leeds United 0:2 (Premier League 1990/1991, 6. Round)".

[8] "Chelsea FC - Sheffield United 2:2 (Premier League 1990/1991, 7. Round)".

[9] "Sheffield United - Wimbledon FC 1:2 (Premier League 1990/1991, 8. Round)".

[10] "Tottenham Hotspur - Sheffield United 4:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 9. Round)".

[11] "Sheffield United - Coventry City 0:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 10. Round)".

[12] "Norwich City - Sheffield United 3:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 11. Round)".

[13] "Sheffield United - Everton FC 0:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 12. Round)".

[14] "Manchester United - Sheffield United 2:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 13. Round)".

[15] "Worldfootball.net".

[16] "Aston Villa - Sheffield United 2:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 15. Round)".

[17] "Liverpool FC - Sheffield United 2:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 17. Round)".

[18] "Sheffield United - Nottingham Forest 3:2 (Premier League 1990/1991, 18. Round)".

[19] "Luton Town - Sheffield United 0:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 19. Round)".

[20] "Arsenal FC - Sheffield United 4:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 20. Round)".

[21] "Sheffield United - Queens Park Rangers 1:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 21. Round)".

[22] "Sheffield United - Crystal Palace 0:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 22. Round)".

[23] "Manchester City - Sheffield United 2:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 23. Round)".

[24] "Sheffield United - Derby County 1:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 16. Round)".

[25] "Sheffield United - Southampton FC 4:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 24. Round)".

[26] "Everton FC - Sheffield United 1:2 (Premier League 1990/1991, 27. Round)".

[27] "Sheffield United - Manchester United 2:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 26. Round)".

[28] "Sheffield United - Aston Villa 2:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 28. Round)".

[29] "Sunderland AFC - Sheffield United 0:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 29. Round)".

[30] "Sheffield United - Chelsea FC 1:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 30. Round)".

[31] "Wimbledon FC - Sheffield United 1:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 31. Round)".

[32] "Sheffield United - Luton Town 2:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 32. Round)".

[33] "Nottingham Forest - Sheffield United 2:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 33. Round)".

[34] "Sheffield United - Arsenal FC 0:2 (Premier League 1990/1991, 34. Round)".

[35] "Queens Park Rangers - Sheffield United 1:2 (Premier League 1990/1991, 35. Round)".

[36] "Sheffield United - Tottenham Hotspur 2:2 (Premier League 1990/1991, 36. Round)".

[37] "Queens Park Rangers - Coventry City 1:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 30. Round)".

[38] "Leeds United - Coventry City 2:0 (Premier League 1990/1991, 29. Round)".

[39] "Sheffield United - Norwich City 2:1 (Premier League 1990/1991, 38. Round)".

[40] "Sheffield United v Luton Town, 05 January 1991".

[41] "Northampton Town v Sheffield United, 25 September 1990".

[42] "Sheffield United v Northampton Town, 10 October 1990".

[43] "Sheffield United v Everton, 30 October 1990".

[44] "Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur, 27 November 1990".

[45] "Sheffield United v Oldham Athletic, 11 December 1990".

[46] "Sheffield United v Manchester City, 22 January 1991".

[47] "All Sheffield United players: 1991". www.11v11.com.

[48] Hill was born in Hillingdon, England, but also qualified to represent Northern Ireland internationally and made his international debut for Northern Ireland in 1990.

[49] Hodges was born in Streatham, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in 1984.

[50] Jones was born in Watford, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally through his maternal grandfather and would make his international debut for Wales in December 1994.

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[notes 1]

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