This article delves into the captivating narrative of the 1992-93 Premier League season, a pivotal time in English football history. Experience the nostalgia with mock Ceefax/Teletext graphics as we explore a campaign featuring Alan Shearer, Eric Cantona, Teddy Sheringham, Vinnie Jones, and some surprise title challengers!
You can also watch a video version of the article below.
New era begins
English football’s top tier became the FA Premier League after First Division clubs broke away from the English Football League to form a new competition. Sixty matches aired live on Sky Sports as part of a £304 million deal, but the TV station’s “Whole New Ball Game” launch did not please everyone. “It’s the most ludicrous and backward decision football has taken,” said Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, furious about Sky Sports’ influence on the fixture schedule.
Premier League firsts
Arsenal, Liverpool and the final First Division winners, Leeds United, were among the title favourites. Manchester United were also tipped to challenge, 25 years on from their last top-flight title win. In a history-making opening weekend, Sheffield United striker Brian Deane scored the first Premier League goal in a 2-1 win over Manchester United. A day later, Teddy Sheringham netted the first televised Premier League goal in Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 victory against Liverpool. Sheringham departed Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest at the end of August to join Tottenham Hotspur in a £2.1 million deal.
Title contenders emerge
In another early-season transfer, Liverpool manager Graeme Souness allowed Dean Saunders to join Aston Villa for £2.5 million. “He gets goals,” Aston Villa manager Ron Atkinson said. “That’s his lifeblood. That’s what he does well.” Saunders quickly formed a lethal strike partnership with Dalian Atkinson, and both men were on target in Villa’s 4-2 win over Saunders’ former club Liverpool.
Surprise league leaders
Ten games into the season, Mike Walker’s Norwich City surprisingly led the way thanks to the goalscoring feats of summer signing Mark Robins. Kenny Dalglish’s newly promoted Blackburn Rovers also mounted a serious title challenge, with Alan Shearer quickly repaying his £3.5 million transfer fee. At the other end of the table, Liverpool’s title hopes already looked over, while Nottingham Forest were deep in relegation trouble after a run of six consecutive defeats.
Blackburn 7-1 Norwich
In October, second-placed Blackburn hammered top-of-the-table Norwich 7-1 to establish themselves as genuine title contenders. Blackburn’s success proved controversial due to the financial backing of their owner, Jack Walker. Dubbed “the most unpopular man in English football” by The Independent, many accused Walker of trying to buy his way to the title.
Cantona joins Manchester United
Manchester United, meanwhile, endured a seven-game winless streak and struggled for goals after new signing Dion Dublin suffered a broken leg. A bid for Sheffield Wednesday striker David Hirst was rejected, so Alex Ferguson swooped for Leeds United’s polarising French forward Eric Cantona. “The French and the Scots have a great old alliance,” Ferguson told Sky Sports. “I’m hoping this is part of a new alliance!”
Blackburn blow
With Cantona on board, Manchester United’s results improved, and Ferguson’s side soon climbed back up the table. The same could not be said for Blackburn, as they were dealt a crushing blow when main man Alan Shearer snapped his right anterior cruciate ligament in a 3-1 win against Leeds on Boxing Day. Shearer’s season was over, and so were Blackburn’s title hopes.
Vinnie Jones controversy
Off the pitch, Wimbledon midfielder Vinnie Jones received a record £20,000 fine due to his involvement in a video entitled “Soccer’s Hard Men”. The VHS showcased the nasty side of the game, with Jones sharing tips on how to “rough up” opposition players. “Would you want Gary Lineker in the trenches with you?” Jones asked in one clip. “Or would you want Vinnie Jones in the trenches with you? Because, at the end of the day, you know Vinnie Jones will get out the trench and run towards the enemy, whereas I think Gary Lineker would sit in the trench and say ‘after you’.” Wimbledon chairman Sam Hammam banned the video from the club shop and branded Jones a “mosquito brain” for participating in the project.
League table update
At the end of December, Manchester United and Aston Villa sat three points behind Norwich at the top of the table. Arsenal and Liverpool were having less-than-impressive seasons, while new signing Micky Quinn scored 10 goals in six games for Coventry City. Nottingham Forest continued to prop up the table, and Howard Wilkinson’s Leeds were only four points above the relegation zone.
Norwich wobble
In January, Norwich slipped to third place after failing to score for the fifth league game in a row. “It’s not gonna get easier,” Norwich manager Mike Walker told Sky Sports. “So we’ve got to stand up and be counted. Again, it’s not a crisis as far as I’m concerned.” The Canaries scored six goals in their next three games to return to the top of the table.
Manchester United revival
Manchester United remained in the title fight alongside Norwich, with Peter Schmeichel, Gary Pallister, Steve Bruce, Paul Ince, Ryan Giggs, Mark Hughes and Eric Cantona all having stellar seasons. Alex Ferguson’s side only lost once in 16 games between November and March, a run that included a 5-0 win over Coventry and a 4-1 victory against Tottenham. Aston Villa kept up their good form, too, with Dwight Yorke providing added firepower alongside Dalian Atkinson and Dean Saunders to move Ron Atkinson’s side back to the top in March.
Chelsea sack Porterfield
Elsewhere, Ian Porterfield became the first Premier League manager to be sacked when Chelsea replaced him with David Webb after an 11-game winless run. On the goalscoring front, Teddy Sheringham scored 10 goals in eight games for Tottenham to become the clear favourite for the Golden Boot after Alan Shearer’s season-ending injury.
Close title race
By the end of March, a run of four wins in five matches moved Norwich to the top of the table. Aston Villa and Manchester United both had a game in hand over their title rivals, with crucial fixtures still left to play. Nottingham Forest looked on course to make a great escape after an upturn in fortunes, while Oldham Athletic and Middlesbrough were in serious danger of going down.
Two big losses
At the top, Norwich’s unlikely title challenge came to a halt following two defeats in April. After losing 3-1 at home to Manchester United, Mike Walker’s side were thrashed 5-1 by Tottenham four days later at White Hart Lane. The Premier League became a two-horse race from that moment on, with Aston Villa and Manchester United battling it out to make history.
Pivotal day
A pivotal day in the title race came on April 10th. Aston Villa faced Coventry, while Manchester United hosted Sheffield Wednesday. John Sheridan gave Wednesday the lead at Old Trafford before Steve Bruce equalised. The game at Villa Park had already finished goalless by the time Bruce popped up with a late winner deep into stoppage time to turn the title race on its head. Manchester United and Aston Villa won their next two games before Villa fell to a 3-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers. On the same day, Mark Hughes and Paul Ince scored as Manchester United cemented their place at the top with a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace.
Title race decided
With two games to go, Aston Villa needed to beat Oldham to keep the title race alive. Nick Henry scored the only goal of the game as Villa lost 1-0, a result that crowned Manchester United as the inaugural winners of the FA Premier League. “We should have taken them to the wire,” Aston Villa manager Ron Atkinson told Sky Sports. “I think we’ve handed it to them on a plate.”
Title celebration
As Manchester United celebrated their title win with a 3-1 victory over Blackburn, all eyes turned to the bottom of the table. Nottingham Forest’s relegation was confirmed after a 2-0 loss at home to Sheffield United. Brian Clough, the club’s legendary two-time European Cup-winning manager, retired at the end of the campaign. Middlesbrough were also relegated after Sheffield United beat Everton 2-0 to secure their own safety, and the final relegation spot went to Crystal Palace after Oldham remarkably won three games in six days to climb out of the bottom three.
End-of-season awards
Aston Villa defender Paul McGrath was voted the PFA Players’ Player of the Year by his fellow professionals, while Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs won the Young Player of the Year award. The Golden Boot went to Teddy Sheringham, who scored 21 goals for Tottenham and once for Nottingham Forest to top the scoring charts.
Final Premier League table
The final Premier League table confirmed Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest’s relegation to Division One. Leeds, fourth favourites for the title, finished just two points above the drop zone.
In the top half, 10th-placed Arsenal won two cups but struggled in the league, while Norwich pipped Blackburn to a UEFA Cup spot in third. Ultimately, the 1992-93 Premier League season was all about Manchester United. Alex Ferguson’s masterful leadership saw the club end a 26-year title wait, setting the stage for two decades of dominance over English football.
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