| 1991-92 In English Football |
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OVERVIEW First Division The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United , who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of players like Gordon Strachan , Lee Chapman , David Batty and Gary McAllister . After runners-up United came newly promoted Sheffield Wednesday , who were quickly emerging as one of the most feared sides in England. Defending champions Arsenal slipped to fourth place in the 1991-92 season and never made a serious threat to retain their title. The previous season's runners-up Liverpool slipped to sixth in their first full season under the management of Graeme Souness. Newly promoted West Ham United were relegated in bottom place, with another newly promoted side - Notts County - following days later. The last day of the season saw Luton Town lose their top flight status after 10 seasons. Second Division John Lyall took Ipswich Town back to the First Division after a six-year absence for the Suffolk club. The Tractor Boys were followed up by runners-up Middlesbrough , but it was playoff winners Blackburn Rovers whose promotion made the biggest headlines. Bankrolled by millionaire chairman Jack Walker and managed by former Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish , Rovers beat Leicester 1-0 in the playoff final to end a 26-year exile from the top flight. The Second Division relegation places were occupied by Port Vale , Plymouth Argyle and Brighton & Hove Albion - the latter team had been playoff losing finalists just 12 months before going down, but their fortunes had been ruined by financial problems. Third Division New manager Phil Holder guided Brentford to a surprise Third Division championship success, while Terry Cooper 's Birmingham occupied runners-up spot and the playoffs were won by Chris Turner 's Peterborough United . The Third Division drop zone was occupied by Shrewsbury Town , Bury , Torquay United and Darlington . Fourth Division Burnley won the Fourth Division title to join Wolverhampton Wanderers as champions of all four divisions of the Football League. Also going up were Rotherham United , Mansfield Town and Blackpool . On 25 March 1992 , Aldershot were declared bankrupt and obliged to resign from the Football League - their record was expunged and there was no Relegation from the Football League in 1991-92. Aldershot's place in the league went to Conference champions Colchester United . FA Cup Liverpool's Graeme Souness compensated for a disappointing first season as manager in the league by steering the Reds to a 2-0 F.A Cup victory over Second Division underdogs Sunderland . League Cup Manchester United missed out on the league title but achieved success in the League Cup with a 1-0 triumph against Nottingham Forest in the final. EVENTS
SUCCESSFUL PLAYERS In his last season at Tottenham Hotspur before joining Grampus Eight of Japan, Gary Lineker was voted WFA Player of the Year after scoring 28 league goals in the 1991-92 season. PFA Player of the Year award went to Manchester United's rock solid and ultra reliable central defender Gary Pallister . The PFA voted Manchester United's exciting 18-year-old winger Ryan Giggs as Young Player of the Year. Veteran Scottish midfielder Gordon Strachan , now in his 35th year, had another brilliant season as he proved the driving force in Leeds United 's championship glory. Little known Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel quickly established himself as one of the most feared shot-stoppers in Europe in his first season with Manchester United, helping them win the League Cup and come within a shout of championship glory. SUCCESSFUL MANAGERS Leeds United manager Howard Wilkinson brought the league championship trophy to Elland Road just two seasons after they gained promotion to the First Division. Manchester United's Alex Ferguson added another trophy to the Old Trafford boardroom, this time the club's first-ever League Cup. Graeme Souness marked his first full season as Liverpool manager with an FA Cup triumph. John Lyall brought First Division football back to Ipswich Town for the first time since 1985-86 . Kenny Dalglish put together an impressive squad to win promotion to the new FA Premier League for fallen giant Blackburn Rovers . EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS Leeds United were rewarded for their championship success with a place in the European Cup for the 1992-93 season. Runners-up Manchester United and third-placed Sheffield Wednesday were England's entrants for the UEFA Cup . England's place in the Cup Winners Cup went to Liverpool. BIGGEST RISE Blackburn Rovers won promotion to the new Premier League to end their 26-year spell outside the top flight. BIGGEST FALL Brighton & Hove Albion were relegated to the league's third tier (Division Two next season) just one year after narrowly missing out on promotion to the top flight and eight years after being F.A Cup finalists. DEATHS
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