Premier League, 1995 (1994-95)

Premier League – Season Review 1994-95

The 1994-95 FA Carling Premiership was the third season in the competition’s history and was the last season as a 22-team division, with a result as unexpected as betting on the Grand National can be.

With the financial backing of successful local businessman Jack Walker, Blackburn Rovers won their first league title for 81 years by a single point margin on the last day of the season. The celebrated SAS attacking due of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton contributed 49 goals as Kenny Dalglish became the fourth manager to guide two different clubs to English league titles.

With Rovers losing at Liverpool, a win on the final day of the season would have retained Manchester United’s 100% ownership of the Premiership crown but they could only draw at West Ham United. While Blackburn took the only slot in the Champions League, along with United, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Leeds United qualified for the UEFA Cup via their league position. Everton qualified for the European Cup Winners’ Cup as FA Cup winners.

Due to the increase to allow for the following season’s 20-team line-up, Crystal Palace could count themselves unfortunate to fill the fourth additional relegation. The Eagles were closely followed by Norwich City, but Leicester City and Ipswich Town were 19 and 21 points adrift of survival, respective. Ipswich’s leaky defence conceded a total of 93 goals, including nine in a new competition record defeat at Manchester United in March.

Kenny Dalglish was named Carling Manager of the Season. Alan Shearer was named Carling Player of the Year and the PFA Players' Player of the Year, as well as winning the Golden Boot with 34 goals. Jurgen Klinsmann of Tottenham Hotspur won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award.

The PFA Premier League Team of the Year was:

  • Tim Flowers (Blackburn Rovers)
  • Rob Jones (Liverpool), Gary Pallister (Manchester United), Colin Hendry (Blackburn Rovers), Graeme Le Saux (Blackburn Rovers)
  • Tim Sherwood (Blackburn Rovers), Paul Ince (Manchester United), Matthew Le Tissier (Southampton)
  • Chris Sutton (Blackburn Rovers), Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers), Jurgen Klinsmann (Tottenham Hotspur)

The average attendance was 24,271. The highest attendance was 43,868 for Sheffield Wednesday’s visit to Manchester United on 7 May 1995. The lowest attendance of the season was the 5,268 who witnessed the game between Wimbledon and Manchester City on 21 March 1995 at Selhurst Park.