1994–95 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season

The 1994–95 season was the 96th season of competitive league football in the history of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. They played the season in the second tier of the English football system, the Football League First Division.

Wolverhampton Wanderers
1994–95 season
ChairmanJonathan Hayward
ManagerGraham Taylor
First Division4th
(lost in play-offs)
FA CupQuarter-finals
League Cup3rd Round
Anglo-Italian CupGroup stage
Top goalscorerLeague: Steve Bull (16)
All: David Kelly (22)
Highest home attendance28,544 (vs Leicester, 18 February 1995)
Lowest home attendance7,285 (vs Atalanta,
15 November 1994)
Average home league attendance24,792 (league only)

This was the first full season since the completion of the redevelopment of their Molineux Stadium had been completed, and funding from owner Sir Jack Hayward were now fully focused on improving the team. Manager Graham Taylor spent close to £5 million during the season in an attempt to return the club to the top flight.

Despite suffering extensive injuries to many players, the team finished the season in fourth place – their highest position in the football pyramid since 1983–84 – and so qualified for the play-offs. In the play-off semi-finals they were defeated by the eventual promoted side Bolton Wanderers 2–3 on aggregate.

Results

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Pre-season

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Wolves' pre season saw them travel to Denmark and Sweden for several weeks of training and friendly matches. They then returned home to play two home games against Premiership opposition.

19 July 1994 Hvidovre 1–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Copenhagen, Denmark
Bull    Stadium: Hvidovre Stadion
20 July 1994 Sölvesborg 1–6 Wolverhampton Wanderers Sölvesborg, Sweden
Dennison   
Daley   
Mills  
Froggatt  
Stadium: Sölvesborg
Attendance: 400
23 July 1994 Smedby 0–9 Wolverhampton Wanderers Norrköping, Sweden
Bull      
Mills    
Thompson  
Stadium: Smedby Idottspark
Attendance: 500
27 July 1994 Asarums 1–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Asarum, Sweden
Mills     Stadium: Buckley Park
Attendance: 1,200

Football League First Division

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A total of 24 teams competed in the Football League First Division in the 1994–95 season. Each team played every other team twice: once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Three points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. Teams finishing level on points were firstly divided by the number of goals scored rather than goal difference. Only one team was automatically promoted due to the reduction in the number of Premiership teams from 22 to 20.

The provisional fixture list was released on 23 June 1994, but was subject to change in the event of matches being selected for television coverage or police concerns.

13 August 1994 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Reading Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Froggatt   11' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,012
21 August 1994 2 Notts County 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nottingham
14:55 BST Simpson   35' Thompson   70' (pen.) Stadium: Meadow Lane
Attendance: 8,569
30 August 1994 4 Watford 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Watford
19:45 BST Foster   15'
Johnson   87'
Emblen   85' Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 10,108
3 September 1994 5 Sunderland 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Sunderland
15:00 BST Gray   21' Venus   42' Stadium: Roker Park
Attendance: 15,111
10 September 1994 6 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Tranmere Rovers Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Stewart   37'
Emblen   52'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,030
13 September 1994 7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 5–0 Southend United Wolverhampton
19:45 BST Emblen   7'
Kelly   10'
Froggatt   38'
Walters   63'
Bull   67'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 23,608
17 September 1994 8 Burnley 0–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Burnley
15:00 BST Bull   59' Stadium: Turf Moor
Attendance: 17,766
24 September 1994 9 Portsmouth 1–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Portsmouth
15:00 BST Creaney   11' (pen.) Walters   34'
Kelly   87'
Stadium: Fratton Park
Attendance: 13,466
1 October 1994 10 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Port Vale Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Thompson   51' (pen.), 79' (pen.) Allon   82' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,469
8 October 1994 11 Swindon Town 3–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Swindon
15:00 BST Bodin   15'
Scott   28'
Beauchamp   60'
Kelly   13', 41' Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 14,036
15 October 1994 12 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Grimsby Town Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Thompson   12' (pen.)
Venus   66'
Groves   43' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 24,447
22 October 1994 13 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–3 Millwall Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Bull   27', 52'
Venus   79'
Goodman   39', 86'
Cadette   84'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,059
30 October 1994 14 Stoke City 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Stoke-on-Trent
14:55 GMT Keen   17' Bull   41' Stadium: Victoria Ground
Attendance: 15,928
1 November 1994 15 Bristol City 1–5 Wolverhampton Wanderers Bristol
19:45 GMT Baird   31' Walters   12'
Thompson   36' (pen.)
Kelly   63', 65', 88'
Stadium: Ashton Gate
Attendance: 10,401
5 November 1994 16 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–3 Luton Town Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Stewart   81'
Johnson   84' (o.g.)
Preece   37'
Marshall   47'
Dixon   54'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,749
20 November 1994 17 Middlesbrough 1–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Middlesbrough
14:55 GMT Hendrie   67' Stadium: Ayresome Park
Attendance: 19,953
23 November 1994 18 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–1 Bolton Wanderers Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Thompson   53' (pen.)
Coleman   68' (o.g.)
Birch   75'
Paatelainen   15' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,903
27 November 1994 19 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–2 Derby County Wolverhampton
14:55 GMT Johnson   14'
Stallard   62'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 22,768
4 December 1994 20 Millwall 1–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
14:55 GMT Mitchell   67' Stadium: The New Den
Attendance: 8,025
10 December 1994 21 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Notts County Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Bull   46' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,786
18 December 1994 22 Reading 4–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Reading
14:55 GMT Osborn   23'
Quinn   38'
Gilkes   62', 88'
Bull   9'
Quinn   58' (o.g.)
Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 10,136
26 December 1994 23 Oldham Athletic 4–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Oldham
15:00 GMT Ritchie   3', 58', 68'
McCarthy   81'
Dennison   59' Stadium: Boundary Park
Attendance: 11,962
28 December 1994 24 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Charlton Athletic Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Bull   38'
Chapple   42' (o.g.)
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,738
31 December 1994 25 Barnsley 1–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Barnsley
15:00 GMT Redfearn   21' (pen.) Dennison   1'
Mills   4'
Emblen   75'
Stadium: Oakwell
Attendance: 9,207
2 January 1995 26 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–2 Sheffield United Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT de Wolf   89' (pen.)
Emblen   90'
Blake   59', 69' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,809
14 January 1995 27 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Stoke City Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Kelly   16'
Dennison   86'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 28,298
4 February 1995 28 Bolton Wanderers 5–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Bolton
15:00 GMT Sneekes   9'
Coleman   37'
Phillips   60'
Coyle   78'
Thompson   83'
Goodman   26' Stadium: Burnden Park
Attendance: 16,964
11 February 1995 29 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Bristol City Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Dennison   25'
Kelly   61'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,451
21 February 1995 30 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–2 Middlesbrough Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Vickers   55'
Fuchs   81'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,611
25 February 1995 31 Port Vale 2–4 Wolverhampton Wanderers Burslem
15:00 GMT Naylor   18'
Kent   56'
de Wolf   2', 42' (pen.), 68'
Bull   45'
Stadium: Vale Park
Attendance: 13,676
5 March 1995 32 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Portsmouth Wolverhampton
14:55 GMT Bull   73' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 23,284
8 March 1995 33 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Sunderland Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Thompson   47' (pen.) Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,926
18 March 1995 35 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Watford Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT Thomas   23' Phillips   90' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 24,380
24 March 1995 36 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Burnley Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Bull   9'
Emblen   59'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,703
4 April 1995 38 Luton Town 3–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Luton
19:45 BST Telfer   6', 11'
Taylor   51'
Kelly   48', 59'
Emblen   90'
Stadium: Kenilworth Road
Attendance: 9,651
8 April 1995 39 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–0 Barnsley Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,385
12 April 1995 40 Derby County 3–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Derby
19:45 BST Simpson   35' (pen.), 64'
Gabbiadini   52'
Goodman   11'
Richards   75', 90'
Stadium: Baseball Ground
Attendance: 16,040
15 April 1995 41 Charlton Athletic 3–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
15:00 BST Whyte   12'
Walsh   55'
Mortimer   61'
Bull   43', 67' Stadium: The Valley
Attendance: 10,922
17 April 1995 42 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Oldham Athletic Wolverhampton
15:00 BST Kelly   33', 82' Bernard   37' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 25,840
22 April 1996 43 Sheffield United 3–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Sheffield
15:00 BST Whitehouse   16' (pen.)
Foran   73'
Flo   90'
Goodman   58'
Bull   65'
Kelly   83'
Stadium: Bramall Lane
Attendance: 16,714
3 May 1995 45 Tranmere Rovers 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Birkenhead
19:45 BST Aldridge   34' Bull   73' Stadium: Prenton Park
Attendance: 12,306
7 May 1995 46 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Swindon Town Wolverhampton
13:30 BST Thompson   36' (pen.) Thorne   39' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,245

Final table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Middlesbrough 46 23 13 10 67 40 +27 82
2 Reading 46 23 10 13 58 44 +14 79
3 Bolton Wanderers 46 21 14 11 67 45 +22 77
4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 21 13 12 77 61 +16 76
5 Tranmere Rovers 46 22 10 14 67 58 0+9 76
6 Barnsley 46 20 12 14 63 52 +11 72

Source: Statto.com

Results summary

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
46 21 13 12 77 61  +16 76 15 5 3 39 18  +21 6 8 9 38 43  −5

Source: Statto.com

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
ResultWDWLDWWWWWLWDDWLLWLLWLLWWDWLWLWWWLDWWDDDLWDDDD
Position7536731111111111212322422224265434443344444444
Source: Statto.com
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Play-offs

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14 May 1995 SF 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Bolton Wanderers Wolverhampton
14:55 BST Bull   44'
Venus   51'
McAteer   46' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 26,153
Referee: Clive Wilkes
17 May 1995 SF 2 Bolton Wanderers 2–0 (a.e.t.)
(3–2 agg.)
Wolverhampton Wanderers Bolton
19:30 BST McGinlay   44', 109' Stadium: Burnden Park
Attendance: 20,041
Referee: Steve Dunn

FA Cup

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7 January 1995 R3 Mansfield Town 2–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Mansfield
15:00 GMT Donaldson   8'
Ireland   10'
D. Kelly   52'
Dennison   60'
Mills   71'
Stadium: Field Mill
Attendance: 6,701
Referee: Eddie Wolstenholme
18 February 1995 R5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Leicester City Wolverhampton
15:00 GMT D. Kelly   34' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 28,544
Referee: Robbie Hart
11 March 1995 QF Crystal Palace 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
15:00 GMT Dowie   53' Cowans   66' Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 14,604
Referee: Gary Willard
22 March 1995 QF rep. Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–4 Crystal Palace Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT D. Kelly   35' Armstrong   33', 68'
Dowie   38'
Pitcher   45'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,548
Referee: Gary Willard

League Cup

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20 September 1994 R2.1 Chesterfield 1–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Chesterfield
19:30 BST Moss   11' Bull   63', 86'
Kelly   77'
Stadium: Saltergate
Attendance: 5,895
27 September 1994 R2.2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1
(4–2 agg.)
Chesterfield Wolverhampton
19:45 BST Froggatt   3' Jules   52' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 14,815
26 October 1994 R3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–3 Nottingham Forest Wolverhampton
19:45 GMT Birch   41'
Kelly   60'
Pearce   5'
Roy   21', 87'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 28,369

Anglo-Italian Cup

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Wolves played in Group A of the competition, in which the best English club in the group would advance to the semi-finals. However, they finished fourth in the group overall, and were only the second-best English side and so eliminated.

24 August 1994 Lecce 0–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Lecce, Italy
19:30 BST Kelly   81' Stadium: Stadio Via del Mare
Attendance: 1,795
6 September 1994 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–1 Ascoli Wolverhampton
19:45 BST Marcato   57' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 9,599
5 October 1994 Venezia 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Venice, Italy
20:30 BST Bottazzi   37'
Vieri   59' (pen.)
Venus   28' Stadium: Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo
Attendance: 750
15 November 1994 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Atalanta Wolverhampton
19:45 BST Mills   39' Bonacina   7' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 7,285

Players

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Key:
  ‡ On loan from another club   * First appearance(s) for the club

Correct as of end of season. Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances in parentheses where applicable.

PosNamePGPGPGPGPGPG     Notes
League FA CupLeague CupPlayoffsOtherTotalDiscipline
GK   Andy De Bont 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GK   Paul Jones 9 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 16 0 0 0
GK   Mike Stowell 37 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 45 0 0 0
DF   Paul Blades 30(2) 0 3 0 2(1) 0 0 0 4 0 39(3) 0 0 0
DF   John de Wolf 13 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 4 0 0
DF   Brian Law 17 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 0 0 1
DF   Neil Masters 3(2) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3(2) 0 0 0
DF   Dean Richards 10 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 12 2 0 0
DF   Peter Shirtliff (c) 26(2) 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 34(2) 0 0 0
DF   Darren Simkin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF   Jamie Smith 24(1) 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 30(1) 0 0 1
DF   Andy Thompson 30(1) 9 5 0 3 0 2 0 4 0 44(1) 9 0 0
DF   Mark Venus 35(4) 3 3(1) 0 3 0 2 1 4 1 47(5) 5 0 0
MF   Tom Bennett 4(4) 0 2(1) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 7(5) 0 0 0
MF   Paul Birch 8(2) 1 1 0 3 1 0 0 3(1) 0 15(3) 2 0 0
MF   Mark Burke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   Paul Cook 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   Gordon Cowans 21 0 5 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 28 1 0 0
MF   Tony Daley 0(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0 0
MF   Robbie Dennison 21(1) 4 6 1 0 0 2 0 0(1) 0 29(2) 5 0 0
MF   Neil Emblen 23(4) 7 3(2) 0 1(1) 0 0 0 2(1) 0 29(8) 7 0 0
MF   Darren Ferguson 22(2) 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 0 29(2) 0 0 0
MF   Steve Froggatt 20 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 25 3 0 0
MF   Kevin Keen 1 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0 0 2 0 3(1) 0 0 0
MF   Jimmy Kelly 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   Chris Marsden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   Mark Rankine 24(3) 0 4(1) 0 0(1) 0 2 0 2(2) 0 32(7) 0 0 0
MF   Geoff Thomas 13(1) 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 16(1) 1 0 0
MF   Mark Walters 11 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 3 0 0
MF   Jermaine Wright 0(6) 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0 0 0(7) 0 0 0
FW   Steve Bull 31 16 2 0 3 2 2 1 1 0 39 19 0 0
FW   Don Goodman 24 3 5(1) 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 31(1) 3 0 0
FW   David Kelly 38(4) 15 6 4 3 2 2 0 1 1 50(4) 22 0 1
FW   Lee Mills 6(5) 1 2(1) 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 10(6) 3 0 0
FW   Paul Stewart 5(3) 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 7(3) 2 0 0

Source: Wolverhampton Wanderers: The Complete Record[1]

Transfers

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Date Player From Fee
6 June 1994   Tony Daley Aston Villa £1.25 million
11 July 1994   Steve Froggatt Aston Villa £1 million
14 July 1994   Neil Emblen Millwall £600,000
5 December 1994   John de Wolf Feyenoord £600,000
5 December 1994   Don Goodman Sunderland £1.1 million
19 December 1994   Gordon Cowans Derby County £20,000
23 December 1994   Brian Law Queens Park Rangers £134,000
29 December 1994   Jermaine Wright Millwall £60,000
Date Player To Fee
1 July 1994   Mark Turner Northampton Town Free
6 July 1994   Darren Roberts Doncaster Rovers Free
August 1994   Shaun Bradbury Hereford United Free
3 August 1994   Derek Mountfield Carlisle United Free
10 August 1994   Kevin Ashley Peterborough United Free
12 August 1994   Cyrille Regis Wycombe Wanderers Free
15 August 1994   Mark Burke Port Vale £75,000
18 August 1994   Paul Cook Coventry City £600,000
19 October 1994   Kevin Keen Stoke City £300,000
15 November 1994   Chris Marsden Notts County £250,000
December 1994   Darren Simkin Shrewsbury Town £36,000
2 March 1995   Lee Mills Derby County £400,000

Loans in

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Start date Player From End date
2 September 1994   Paul Stewart Liverpool November 1994
9 September 1994   Mark Walters Liverpool October 1994
25 March 1995   Dean Richards Bradford City End of season

Management and coaching staff

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Position Name
Manager Graham Taylor
Assistant manager Bobby Downes
First Team coach Steve Harrison
Youth Development Officer Rob Kelly
Youth Team coach Chris Evans
Club doctors Dr Peter Ackroyd and Dr Peter Bekenn
Club Physio Barry Holmes

References

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  1. ^ Matthews, Tony (2008). Wolverhampton Wanderers: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-632-3.