1995–96_Arsenal_F.C._season

1995–96 Arsenal F.C. season

1995–96 Arsenal F.C. season

110th season in existence of Arsenal F.C.

The 1995–96 season was Arsenal Football Club's 70th consecutive season in the top flight of English football. Arsenal finished fifth in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons). Bruce Rioch served as Arsenal manager, succeeding George Graham. Arsenal lost to Sheffield United in the third round of the FA Cup and were knocked out of the semifinals of the League Cup by Aston Villa.

Quick Facts season, Chairman ...

Season summary

Bruce Rioch was appointed Arsenal boss on 8 June 1995, and took over an Arsenal side that had finished 12th in the Premier League the previous season. Rioch was hired from Bolton Wanderers, after an impressive run culminating in promotion to the Premier League. This also included an FA Cup win against Arsenal in 1994, when they were the holders.

Pre-season signings David Platt and Dennis Bergkamp signaled Rioch's intent to play a more attacking, possession based style. Bergkamp was a club-record signing for Arsenal, costing £7.5 million from Inter Milan.[1] Kevin Campbell and Stefan Schwarz were sold, Paul Davis was freed to join Brentford while Alan Smith confirmed he could no longer play because of his knee injury.

Arsenal made a strong start to the campaign, not losing until matchday 8 at Stamford Bridge. A loss in the North London Derby at White Hart Lane in November was the start of a tough spell however as Arsenal won just three of the next twelve in the Premier League and went out of the FA Cup in the third round to Sheffield United. Arsenal blew their best chance of silverware in February after they went out of the League Cup to eventual winners Aston Villa in the semi-finals.

Rioch did manage to right the ship and lead Arsenal to 5th, on the last day of the season, and a place in the UEFA Cup after losing just two of their final thirteen league matches.

In Rioch's only season, Arsenal saw an improvement from 12th to 5th, improved their goal difference by 14 goals and conceded only 32 goals, a league best. Despite this progress, Rioch had a fallout with Ian Wright, in which Wright ended up turning in a transfer request. Rioch did not get the best out of Bergkamp, nor indeed Wright, but 5th was a creditable finish after the turmoil of George Graham's exit. Still, attendance figures at Highbury were up and the future looked promising for Arsenal.

In the summer of 1996 Rioch clashed with vice-chairman David Dein about transfers. Following Graham's fiasco with an agent that ultimately led to his firing, Arsenal decided that transfers would be dealt with by the board rather than the manager going forward. Rioch and Dein however, failed to see eye to eye about how Arsenal should act in the transfer market. Just days before the start of the next season, by mid-August Bruce Rioch had been sacked.

Rioch's 431 days in charge is the shortest spell of any Arsenal manager since William Elcoat's spell between 1898 and 1899 (when the club was still known as Woolwich Arsenal).[2][3][4][5]

Players

Squad information

More information N, Pos. ...
  • Last updated: 20 January 2012
  • Source: Arseweb (for EU passport, country as international player, contract ending and transfer fee)
  • Ordered by squad number.

Reserve squad

As of 21 January 2012.[17]
Players listed are those that made an appearance for Arsenal's reserve team during the season.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...

In

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Total spending: Decrease £12,250,000

Out

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Total income: Increase £2,300,000

Club

Coaching staff

More information Position, Staff ...

Last updated: 21 January 2012
Source: [citation needed]

Competitions

Main article: 1995–96 FA Premier League

Standings

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. Liverpool qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as FA Cup runners-up, as winners Manchester United already qualified for the Champions League. They defaulted their UEFA Cup spot from league position to Arsenal.
  2. The Football Association was initially awarded a UEFA Fair Play berth to the Premier League's highest-placed team not qualified for Europe, but was revoked by UEFA for its clubs fielding under-strength sides in the 1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup.[19]

Results summary

More information Overall, Home ...

Last updated: 20 January 2012.
Source: Premier League

Results by round

More information Round, Ground ...
Source: Competitive matches
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Pre-season

Arsenal spent their initial pre-season in Sweden playing Swedish sides Kristianstads,[20] Gallstads[21][22] and GAIS.[23] Returning to England, they then played games against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Inter Milan (at home), and St Albans.

29 July 1995 Friendly Gallstads 1–6 Arsenal Gallstads
Unknown Merson
Jensen
Wright
Dennis Bergkamp 		Stadium: Avallagarden
Attendance: 1,834
1 August 1995 Friendly GAIS Gothenburg 0–2 Arsenal Gothenburg, Sweden
Report Wright
Bergkamp 		Stadium: Gamla Ullevi (1916)
Attendance: 3,500
4 August 1995 (1995-08-04) Friendly Southend United 1–3 Arsenal Southend-on-Sea
Iorfa 77' Report Platt 7'
Parlour 34'
Helder 72'		 Stadium: Roots Hall
Attendance: 8,923
7 August 1995 (1995-08-07) Friendly Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–2 Arsenal Wolverhampton
Platt
Wright 		Stadium: Molineux Stadium
Attendance: 22,500
10 August 1995 (1995-08-10) Friendly Arsenal England 0–0 Italy Internazionale London
19:45 Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,000
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
15 August 1995 (1995-08-15) Friendly St Albans City 0–5 Arsenal St Albans
Bergkamp , ,
Wright
Helder 		Stadium: Clarence Park

Matches

20 August 1995 (1995-08-20) 1 Arsenal 1–1 Middlesbrough London
16:00 Wright 36' Barmby 31' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,308
Referee: Gerald Ashby
23 August 1995 (1995-08-23) 2 Everton 0–2 Arsenal Liverpool
19:45 Report Platt 70'
Wright 87'		 Stadium: Goodison Park
Attendance: 35,775
Referee: Keith Burge
26 August 1995 (1995-08-26) 3 Coventry City 0–0 Arsenal Coventry
15:00 Report Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 20,600
Referee: Steve Dunn
29 August 1995 (1995-08-29) 4 Arsenal 1–1 Nottingham Forest London
19:45 Platt 41' Campbell 63' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,248
Referee: Roger Dilkes
10 September 1995 (1995-09-10) 5 Manchester City 0–1 Arsenal Manchester
16:00 Wright 90' Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 23,994
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
16 September 1995 (1995-09-16) 6 Arsenal 1–0 West Ham United London
15:00 Wright 75' (pen.) Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,065
Referee: Alan Wilkie
23 September 1995 (1995-09-23) 7 Arsenal 4–2 Southampton London
15:00 Bergkamp 17', 68'
Adams 23'
Wright 73'		 Report Watson 24'
Monkou 45'		 Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,136
Referee: Robbie Hart
30 September 1995 (1995-09-30) 8 Chelsea 1–0 Arsenal London
15:00 Hughes 52' Report Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 31,048
Referee: Martin Bodenham
14 October 1995 (1995-10-14) 9 Leeds United 0–3 Arsenal Leeds
15:00 Report Merson 43'
Bergkamp 56'
Wright 86'		 Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 38,552
Referee: Peter Jones
21 October 1995 (1995-10-21) 10 Arsenal 2–0 Aston Villa London
15:00 Merson 47'
Wright 78'		 Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,271
Referee: Robbie Hart
30 October 1995 (1995-10-30) 11 Bolton Wanderers 1–0 Arsenal Bolton
20:00 McGinlay 35' Report Stadium: Burnden Park
Attendance: 18,862
Referee: Keith Cooper
4 November 1995 (1995-11-04) 12 Arsenal 1–0 Manchester United London
15:00 Bergkamp 14' Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,317
Referee: Paul Durkin
18 November 1995 (1995-11-18) 13 Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Arsenal Tottenham
15:00 Sheringham 30'
Armstrong 55'		 Report Bergkamp 14' Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 32,894
Referee: Alan Wilkie
21 November 1995 (1995-11-21) 14 Arsenal 4–2 Sheffield Wednesday London
19:45 Bergkamp 3'
Winterburn 53'
Dickov 64'
Hartson 86'		 Report Hirst 9'
Waddle 20'		 Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 34,556
Referee: Roger Dilkes
26 November 1995 (1995-11-26) 15 Arsenal 0–0 Blackburn Rovers London
16:00 Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,695
Referee: Graham Poll
2 December 1995 (1995-12-02) 16 Aston Villa 1–1 Arsenal Birmingham
16:00 Yorke 65' Report Platt 60' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 37,770
Referee: Jeff Winter
9 December 1995 (1995-12-09) 17 Southampton 0–0 Arsenal Southampton
15:00 Report Adams Red card Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,238
Referee: Paul Danson
16 December 1995 (1995-12-16) 18 Arsenal 1–1 Chelsea London
15:00 Bould Yellow card Red card
Dixon 88'		 Report Spencer 25' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,295
Referee: Gerald Ashby
23 December 1995 (1995-12-23) 19 Liverpool 3–1 Arsenal Liverpool
15:00 Fowler 40', 59', 78' Report Wright 7' (pen.) Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 39,806
Referee: Keith Cooper
26 December 1995 (1995-12-26) 20 Arsenal 3–0 Queens Park Rangers London
12:00 Wright 45'
Merson 61', 84'		 Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,259
Referee: Mike Reed
30 December 1995 (1995-12-30) 21 Arsenal 1–3 Wimbledon London
15:00 Wright 27' Report Earle 38', 67'
Holdworth 50'		 Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,640
Referee: Steven Lodge
2 January 1996 (1996-01-02) 22 Newcastle United 2–0 Arsenal Newcastle upon Tyne
19:45 Ginola 1'
Ferdinand 47'		 Report Stadium: St James' Park
Attendance: 36,530
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
13 January 1996 (1996-01-13) 23 Middlesbrough 2–3 Arsenal Middlesbrough
15:00 Juninho 38'
Stamp 56'		 Report Merson 7'
Platt 59'
Helder 62'		 Stadium: Riverside Stadium
Attendance: 29,359
Referee: Graham Poll
20 January 1996 (1996-01-20) 24 Arsenal 1–2 Everton London
15:00 Wright 38' Report Stuart 50'
Kanchelskis 84'		 Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,275
Referee: Martin Bodenham
3 February 1996 (1996-02-03) 25 Arsenal 1–1 Coventry City London
15:00 Bergkamp 24' Report Whelan 23' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 35,623
Referee: Steve Dunn
10 February 1996 (1996-02-10) 26 Nottingham Forest 0–1 Arsenal Nottingham
15:00 Report Bergkamp 60' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 27,222
Referee: Robbie Hart
24 February 1996 (1996-02-24) 27 West Ham United 0–1 Arsenal London
15:00 Report Hartson 2' Stadium: Boleyn Ground
Attendance: 24,217
Referee: David Elleray
2 March 1996 (1996-03-02) 28 Queens Park Rangers 1–1 Arsenal London
15:00 Gallen 20' Report Bergkamp 49' Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 17,970
Referee: Paul Alcock
5 March 1996 (1996-03-05) 29 Arsenal 3–1 Manchester City London
19:45 Hartson 29', 55'
Dixon 41'		 Report Creaney 54' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 34,519
Referee: Peter Jones
16 March 1996 (1996-03-16) 30 Wimbledon 0–3 Arsenal Wimbledon
15:00 Report Winterburn 61'
Platt 65'
Bergkamp 83'		 Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 18,335
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
20 March 1996 (1996-03-20) 31 Manchester United 1–0 Arsenal Manchester
15:00 Cantona 65' Report Stadium: Old Trafford
Attendance: 50,028
Referee: Gary Willard
23 March 1996 (1996-03-23) 32 Arsenal 2–0 Newcastle United London
15:00 Marshall 3'
Wright 17'		 Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,271
Referee: Paul Durkin
6 April 1996 (1996-04-06) 33 Arsenal 2–1 Leeds United London
15:00 Wright 44', 90' Report Deane 53' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,619
Referee: Jeff Winter
8 April 1996 (1996-04-08) 34 Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 Arsenal Sheffield
15:00 Degryse 61' Report Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium
Attendance: 24,349
Referee: Steve Dunn
15 April 1996 (1996-04-15) 35 Arsenal 0–0 Tottenham Hotspur London
20:00 Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,273
Referee: Mike Reed
27 April 1996 (1996-04-27) 36 Blackburn Rovers 1–1 Arsenal Blackburn
15:00 Gallacher 13' Report Wright 75' (pen.) Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 29,834
Referee: Keith Cooper
1 May 1996 (1996-05-01) 37 Arsenal 0–0 Liverpool London
19:45 Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,323
Referee: Gerald Ashby
5 May 1996 (1996-05-05) 38 Arsenal 2–1 Bolton Wanderers London
16:00 Platt 82'
Bergkamp 84'		 Report Todd 76' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,104
Referee: Gary Willard

FA Cup

Main article: 1995–96 FA Cup
6 January 1996 (1996-01-06) R3 Arsenal 1–1 Sheffield United London
15:00 Wright 70' Report Whitehouse 78' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 33,453
Referee: Paul Durkin
17 January 1996 (1996-01-17) R3 Replay Sheffield United 1–0 Arsenal Sheffield
19:45 Veart 68' Report Stadium: Bramall Lane
Attendance: 22,225
Referee: Paul Durkin

League Cup

Main article: 1995–96 Football League Cup
19 September 1995 (1995-09-19) R2, 1st Leg Hartlepool United 0–3 Arsenal Hartlepool
Report Adams 5', 11'
Wright 16'		 Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 4,945
Referee: Eddie Wolstenholme
3 October 1995 (1995-10-03) R2, 2nd Leg Arsenal 5–0 Hartlepool United London
19:45 Bergkamp 29', 49'
Wright 33', 58', 87'		 Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 27,194
Referee: Steve Dunn
24 October 1995 (1995-10-24) R3 Barnsley 0–3 Arsenal Barnsley
19:45 Report Bould
Bergkamp
Keown 		Stadium: Oakwell
Attendance: 18,429
Referee: Jeff Winter
29 November 1995 (1995-11-29) 4 Arsenal 2–1 Sheffield Wednesday London
19:45 Wright 39' (pen.)
Hartson 64'		 Report Degryse 16' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 35,561
Referee: Keith Burge
10 January 1996 (1996-01-10) Quarter-finals Arsenal 2–0 Newcastle United London
20:00 Wright 44', 90' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,857
Referee: Gerald Ashby
14 February 1996 (1996-02-14) Semi-final, 1st leg Arsenal 2–2 Aston Villa London
20:00 Bergkamp 26', 37' Report Yorke 38', 72' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,562
Referee: Paul Durkin
21 February 1996 (1996-02-21) Semi-final, 2nd leg Aston Villa 0–0 Arsenal Birmingham
20:00 Report Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 39,334
Referee: Keith Burge

Topscorers

See also

References

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  2. [2]
    The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal. Hamlyn. 2003.
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    N. Boehm, Arsenal Insider. 2017
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    Marshall, Alan (24 October 1997). "I'm Wright off England blasts Ian; FANS TO BLAME". Daily Record. The Free Library. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
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    Winter, Henry (23 July 1992). "Rocastle's move to Leeds leaves room for Thomas". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
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