NOVPUB
Chapter 146: 1994/1995 Season Wrap-Up
The forty-six rounds of the Second Division have come to an end, and only four teams remain to battle it out in the playoffs, with the winner earning automatic promotion to the First Division.
Second Division Table:
1. Manchester City – 86 Points
2. Brentford – 85 Points
3. Bristol Rovers – 82 Points
4. Wycombe Wanderers – 79 Points
5. Blackpool – 78 Points
6. Birmingham City – 77 Points
7. Bradford City – 74 Points
Automatic promotion: Manchester City.
Playoffs: Brentford, Bristol Rovers, Wycombe Wanderers, and Blackpool.
No one expected it—Birmingham, who had held the top spot since October, shockingly lost their final three matches and crashed out of both the automatic promotion race and the playoffs. Manchester City trashed them 5-0 in March, truly breaking them beyond repair.
As the City vs. Rotherham United match came to an end, so did the Premier League season, and Blackburn made history by clinching the title.
Their legendary manager, Kenny Dalglish, decided to retire gracefully after this triumph. Blackburn’s owner, Jack Walker, famously remarked, "This championship has put Blackburn on the map of England."
Blackburn’s attacking duo of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton, known as "SAS," had an outstanding season. Shearer scored 34 goals to become the league’s top scorer, while Sutton contributed 15 goals, solidifying his worth.
In contrast, Manchester United fell short in a key battle, missing out on the league title. After the match, Manchester media lamented how the result could have been different if they had had Cantona. How could a small club like West Ham deny the Red Devils a last-minute title win?
In the FA Cup final, Manchester United also lost to Everton, marking a disappointing season where the once-mighty Red Devils ended up with nothing after dominating the Premier League for two consecutive years.
With the Premier League concluded, the curtains also fell on competitions across European football.
Arsenal, having changed managers midway through the season, floundered in the league but soared in Europe. Unfortunately, they fell short in the final of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, losing in extra time to La Liga’s Zaragoza.
Italian teams continued their powerful performances, with Parma winning the UEFA Cup, while AC Milan reached the Champions League final, only to lose to another young team: Ajax!
Thanks to a goal by Patrick Kluivert, Ajax ascended to the throne of European football, and the world gasped at the dawn of the Ajax dynasty.
Just look at their squad:
22-year-old Davids.
22-year-old Overmars.
24-year-old Litmanen.
18-year-old Patrick Kluivert.
25-year-old Van der Sar.
22-year-old Reiziger.
25-year-old De Boer brothers.
19-year-old Seedorf.
Everyone wondered how long this talented Ajax team would dominate European football, and it seemed inevitable that, for the next transfer season, Dutch players would be seen as valuable assets in the transfer market. The era of the Ajax dynasty was on the horizon.
Serie A (1994–95): Juventus triumphed in Serie A, claiming their 24th Italian championship. They finished just ahead of AC Milan.
La Liga (1994–95): Real Madrid won La Liga, finishing ahead of Deportivo La Coruña. It was their 26th league title.
Bundesliga (1994–95): Borussia Dortmund won the German Bundesliga title, finishing two points ahead of Bayern Munich.
Ligue 1 (1994–95): AS Nantes won Ligue 1, with AS Monaco finishing as runners-up.
With everyone bracing for the incoming news about transfers for the next season, no one expected that, instead of rumors flying around, First Division Manchester City would suddenly clash once again with the FA.
Headline:
[...Manchester City Chaos: FA Bans Martin O’Neill from Touchline Access Amid Referee Controversy...]
"The Football Association (FA) has banned O’Neill, 42, from having access to the touchline and the officials’ changing rooms before, during, and after matches until an indefinite time. He will also not be permitted to have access to the players’ changing rooms, the pitch, and the tunnel before, during, and after fixtures. The sanction applies to England competitions and is in effect immediately."
"He had an even more intense attitude, attempting to deliver a blow, in fact—a headbutt. I didn’t even have time to announce the final decision," said the referee in the interview. "We cannot tolerate behavior like this."
The suspension is a result of O’Neill’s behavior in stoppage time during City’s 1-0 Second Division win over Rotherham United on Sunday.
City has since responded with a strongly worded statement.
"The club deplores that its coach was not judged solely on his actions, but rather on an emotional reaction, without any clear intention of physically attacking the referee," the statement read.
"In light of a sanction that seems to be dictated by a detrimental context affecting English refereeing, City announces that it is now studying all possible solutions for appeal. More than ever, the club is united and focused on its sporting objectives."
Richard sat in his office, newspapers spread out across his desk. Every headline, every column, seemed to deepen the shadow on his face. n𝚘𝚟𝚙𝚞𝚋.𝚌o𝚖
In front of him stood O’Neill, his coaching staff, the City legal team, and Adam Lewis—an external advisor Richard had specifically brought in from Blackstone Chambers to handle the situation.
"The real problem," Lewis said, his tone sharp, "is the FA’s wording: ’until an indefinite time.’"
He pointed to the printed statement with a measured tap. "That phrase is dangerously vague. It gives them unchecked power—to suspend him indefinitely, with no timeline, no conditions. It’s not a punishment; it’s a sentence without end."
Richard leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. Then, quietly but resolutely, he said, "We challenge this. The FA wants to set an example? Fine. But they’ve picked the wrong club."
He pulled every string he could. He reached out to old allies—Lennart Johansson from UEFA’s Legal & Disciplinary Committee, Dr. Mark Waller, Dean of Central Manchester University Hospitals, and even made a rare personal appearance in the media, speaking out on Bluemoon-MCFC.
"This is corruption. I’ve never seen anything like it," Richard told reporters. "You can quote me on this: ’Richard Maddox says it’s corruption.’ Everything has been orchestrated—planned, rigged. This is a disgrace of a championship."
The next day, the Football Association’s Head of Public Affairs issued a statement in response: "I want to make it absolutely clear: there is no corruption in English football."
But the response FA received was far from what they expected. A highlight reel was released—or to be exact, aired on BBC and ITV, and even reached Eurosport. The footage came from the highly controversial City vs. Rotherham match, and pundits across networks analyzed it from their own distinct perspectives.
15th Minute: Solskjær was tackled just as he was about to shoot.
28th Minute: Another questionable challenge on Roberto Carlos.
34th Minute: Cafu slipped past two defenders and was brought down from behind.
43rd Minute: Solskjær’s goal was disallowed.
47th Minute: A highly questionable offside call ruled out City’s goal.
95th Minute: The other questionable penalty decision.
"Even if nothing justifies, you have to understand what led to that level of anger," Richard told BBC.
He continued, "My first responsibility is to defend my club. There have been many refereeing decisions this season where I believe City have been clearly disadvantaged. After noting "the extreme severity of the unprecedented sanction, and the unusual speed" of the disciplinary committee’s response, City is now considering all possible options for appeal."
The incident comes against the backdrop of increasing criticisms of refereeing in England. City Chairman Richard Maddox was then handed a 15-game ban by the FA after alleging that his side had been the victims of corruption following their 1-0 win against Rotherham.
But Richard didn’t care.
"We’ll take this to an independent regulatory commission," Richard said firmly. "Frank, liaise with Gordon on this and let me know the results."
He turned to O’Neill. "For now, focus on the squad. Let’s prepare for next season."
With these remarks, the meeting quickly came to an end. The legal team gathered their papers, and O’Neill nodded, knowing Richard had already given his word to support him until the end. His mind finally eased, as he began shifting his focus toward the upcoming season.
Three days later, O’Neill knocked on Richard’s office door and entered after Richard motioned for him to come in.
"How was the dinner? Was it good?" Richard asked, the first words he spoke upon seeing O’Neill, who had just returned from London after attending the England Football Coaches Association dinner.
Sighing, O’Neill replied, "I wish I hadn’t gone. The media there, all they wanted to do was talk about my case." He cursed under his breath, clearly frustrated by the relentless pursuit of those eager to uncover what happened during his headbutt incident.
He handed Richard a document outlining the plan to extend the loans of several players, including Shay Given, Emile Heskey, Ian Ferguson, Ian Taylor, and Tony Grant. However, Richard quickly rejected the proposal.
"None of these players are on my list for next season. It’s crucial for the team’s improvement. Even some of the first-team players will need to be moved on."
After a brief silence, O’Neill asked, "Do you have any targets in mind for the squad next season?"
Richard nodded. "We need to make sure every position has qualified, quality players—at least for the starting lineup. This season, we’ve been too reliant on one or two players. That can’t continue. We need balance for next season. Our goal is clear: we must target Premier League promotion."
O’Neill nodded in agreement, fully aligned with Richard’s vision for the upcoming season. But once again, talking was easier than facing reality, especially since, as the current manager, he had no power regarding transfer decisions.
A deep sigh escaped him as he recalled the headbutt he’d delivered to that referee. He regretted his impulsive actions. He had originally thought about leaving City, but he knew he had no choice but to follow Richard’s lead once again for the upcoming season. He had to rely on his to fight back against the FA’s tyranny.
"What about the list I gave you before? Which players do you intend to keep for next season? And what’s your strategy for the upcoming transfer window? I should at least know."
"Of course, some of them have already passed through my approval. Don’t worry. As for next season..."
Richard then stood up and walked over to the blackboard he usually used for planning. With a quick motion, he pulled it towards him, ready to lay out his thoughts for the upcoming season.
Pinned across the whiteboard were two lists.
1. One side—his current squad.Some names were circled—players who had proven themselves, the ones he wanted to keep and build around. Others were crossed out, marking those who would be moving on.
2. The other side—a list of transfer targets (priorities):
- A Goalkeeper
- A midfielder to handle the physical battles in next season’s First Division.
- A midfielder to dictate the tempo.
- A midfielder with creativity to feed the strikers.
- A commanding center-back to lead the defense.
- A backup striker and clinical finisher—a target man who stays in front, because in the First Division, chances would be fewer, and the margin for error thinner.
Richard picked up a marker, spinning it between his fingers. He explained everything running through his mind, detailing everything that needed to happen before the season started.
"So much?" O’Neill asked.
"Of course," Richard replied with a simple smile.
He then shared his thoughts on the current state of Manchester City, comparing it to Ajax, and briefly outlined his vision of adopting Ajax’s system—though in a more radical way.
"You want to focus on the youth?" O’Neill frowned.
Richard nodded in agreement.
"But we’re in the First Division now," O’Neill continued. "That means the competition gets tougher, the expectations get higher, and the work gets harder."
"What do you think about every player I’ve personally brought here to City? Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Shay Given, Gallas, Ferdinand, Campbell, and Ole. Has any of them flopped?"
"..."
O’Neill wanted to retort, but he knew Richard had a point. Considering his current predicament, he sighed and fell silent, accepting Richard’s arrangements without protest. Now, he was trapped, with no other choice but to let Richard lead him by the nose.
"See? You can’t deny that, can you?" Richard said, satisfied with making his point.
But O’Neill couldn’t help feeling a bit doubtful about Richard’s approach. Relying on youth?
At this rate, the club might crumble sooner or later.
"And here, by the way," Richard continued, handing O’Neill a folder detailing the opponents City would face in pre-season. "We’re planning a short tour in Scotland."
The next agenda item was to go over the pre-season schedule. The objectives were simple: fitness preparation, tactical development, and team bonding for the new players.
Scotland Short Tour:
July 10, 1995: Raith Rovers
July 14, 1995: Hearts
Back to England:
July 20, 1995: Stockport
July 25, 1995: Wolves
August 06, 1995: Burnley
