1994-1995, Manchester United season

1994-1995 nearly brought a second successive Premiership and FA Cup double. An extra few goals in the final week of the season would have done it. But the lack of goals, plus the absence of a key player, meant a trophy-less season.

Winning the Premiership the previous two years had taken the club back into Europe. In 1993-1994 they were knocked-out of the European Cup in the second round and in 1994-1995 they did little better in the newly-formed Champions League. One of the problems was the UEFA rule that limited the number of foreign players. In November the club suffered a 4-0 defeat in Barcelona with Peter Schmeichel sat in the stand. It was therefore an English striker that Alex Ferguson was looking for when he felt he needed cover for Mark Hughes, now past thirty. In January he signed 23 year-old Andy Cole from Newcastle for a then record-breaking £7m. As things turned out, the rest of the season saw Cole joining Hughes rather than replacing him. Later in January, Eric Cantona attacked a supporter after being sent-off in a game against Crystal Palace. The club suspended him for the rest of the season, with the FA subsequently extending the ban to eight months. Inevitably, Cantona was greatly missed.

In the league, Blackburn Rovers was the team to catch. Manchester United kept up the chase to the final day, but ended one point short. The team’s defence was secure, particularly at Old Trafford, and the attack could be explosive. (Manchester City were beaten 5-0 in November and Ipswich 9-0 in March.) Unfortunately, in the spring, three games at Old Trafford ended 0-0. Supporters felt sure that, had Cantona been available, at least one of these games would have been won. On the season’s final day, Manchester United could only draw at West Ham and the Premiership title went to Blackburn.

In the FA Cup, Manchester United again reached the final. There they were beaten 1-0 by Everton, who had finished thirteen places below them in the league. Within six days they had lost the season’s two major domestic competitions. It was a disappointing end.

In the League Cup, a victory over Port Vale was followed by defeat at Newcastle. Not much to report, except that the games featured Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and other talented young players. Unbeknown to them, or anyone else, these ‘kids’ were about to appear centre stage.