Manchester United climb two places to ninth with a 2–0 home win over Nottingham Forest.

[31], 29 September 1988 – Paul Davis is fined a record £3,000 and banned for nine matches.

Liverpool are seventh after a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.[46]. [61] Manchester United sell winger Jesper Olsen to Bordeaux of France for £400,000,[62] where he links up with former Tottenham Hotspur striker Clive Allen. 18 November 1988 – Oxford United captain Tommy Caton returns to the First Division in a £100,000 move to Charlton Athletic.

18 April 1989 – Lee Nicol, 14, the 95th victim of the Hillsborough disaster, died in hospital from his injuries having never regained consciousness. [92], 9 February 1989 – Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough is fined £5,000 and banned from the touchline for the rest of the season for punching supporters who invaded the pitch in the recent Football League Cup quarter-final victory over Queens Park Rangers. Stars of the season included goalkeeper Bryan Gunn, defender Andy Linighan, midfielder Mike Phelan, winger Dale Gordon and striker Robert Fleck.

This was Millwall's 62nd season in the Football League, and first ever season in the top tier of English football, after achieving promotion from the Second Division as Champions in 1987–88. Tottenham and Coventry draw 1–1 in a stalemate at White Hart Lane. Also, Third Division Brentford went on an impressive run to the quarter-finals before losing to Liverpool at Anfield. West Ham United are now bottom of the division, and Newcastle United and Sheffield Wednesday complete the relegation zone. [84][85], 6 January 1989 – Manchester City boost their Second Division promotion push with a £250,000 move for Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Gary Megson. This is arguably one of the best goals scored in a Wembley final. [citation needed], 3 December 1988 – Manchester United end their long run without win in the First Division by beating Charlton Athletic 3–0 at Old Trafford.

The 1988/89 Season: First Division Football Forevermore Millwall Squad 1988/89: (Left to Right) Back Row: George Lawrence, Keith Stevens, Teddy Sheringham, Steve Anthrobus, Tony Cascarino, David Thompson, Neil Ruddock, Dean Horrix, Steve Wood. Norwich were tipped by many to struggle during the season, but shocked the rest of the First Division by going top in September; by the end of October, they held a six-point lead over Arsenal, having played a game more. Everton win 1–0 at Barnsley, and Third Division Brentford continue their good run by beating Blackburn Rovers. 13 May 1989: Steve Howey, 17-year-old defender, makes his debut as a substitute for relegated Newcastle United on the final day of the First Division season, when they lose 2–0 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. There are thrilling victories for two promotion-chasing trams in the Second Division, with Barnsley beating AFC Bournemouth 5–2 at Oakwell and West Bromwich Albion beating Crystal Palace 5–3 at the Hawthorns. 7 May 1989 – Three weeks after the Hillsborough disaster, Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final clash with Nottingham Forest is replayed at Old Trafford.

The 1988–89 season was the 90th completed season of the Football League. Liverpool pick up three points in their bid to remain on track for the league title, beating Derby 1–0 at the Baseball Ground. [41], 17 October 1988 – Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby is found guilty of reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol, and is sentenced to three months in prison. [79], 26 December 1988 – Arsenal go top of the First Division after beating Charlton 3–2 at Selhurst Park. First Division top scorer Alan Smith had put Arsenal ahead earlier in the second half. [27] Nearly a decade after leaving them for Sunderland, goalkeeper Chris Turner returns to Sheffield Wednesday in a £175,000 move from Manchester United.

Darlington themselves had enjoyed a late improvement in form after Brian Little's appointment as manager, but were unable to recover from an abysmal run that saw them win just two league games prior to Little's appointment in mid-February.

12 September 1988 – David Rocastle, Paul Gascoigne and Tony Cottee win their first international caps for England in a 1–0 friendly win over Denmark at Wembley. 0:43. Brentford beat Manchester City 3–1. Millwall's high placing owed much to the strike partnership of Teddy Sheringham and Tony Cascarino. Newcastle are still bottom of the First Division, having won just two of their first 14 games. The final promotion place went to Crystal Palace, whose manager Steve Coppell had gradually rebuilt the club since taking over as manager five years earlier. Nottingham Forest's title challenge was over by the end of April, by which time it was a two-horse race between Arsenal and Liverpool, but compensated for this by winning the Football League Cup and Full Members Cup to end nine years without a major trophy. Middlesbrough, who two seasons ago were in the Third Division and threatened with closure due to financial problems, finish the month in a creditable seventh place. The playoff zone is occupied by West Bromwich Albion, Portsmouth, Chelsea and Manchester City. West Ham United and Norwich City draw 0–0 at Upton Park. Arsenal miss the chance to go top of the First Division when they are held to a 1–1 draw at home to Liverpool. 30 April 1989 – Arsenal remain top of the league as April draws to a close, but are now just three points ahead of a Liverpool side who have superior goal difference and a game in hand.

MillwallMillwall AthleticMillwall Football Club During the 1988–89 English football season, Millwall F.C.

[110], 27 March 1989 – Referee Kelvin Morton awards five penalties in just 27 minutes during the Crystal Palace versus Brighton & Hove Albion match. ", Barclays Second Division 1988/1989: League table 29 April 1989, Crystal Palace's results from season 1988/1989, English League Leading Goalscorers: Football League Div 3 & 4 Leading Goalscorers 1947–92, Hillsborough Disaster: I went to four funerals in one day, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1988–89_in_English_football&oldid=977835204, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2012, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from September 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 15 April 1989 – The 94 Liverpool supporters who died in. [19], 18 August 1988 – After an unhappy season at Juventus, Ian Rush returns to Liverpool for £2.8 million.

Gary Lineker ended his three-year spell at FC Barcelona to join Tottenham. 27 May 1989 – Steve Bull, who scored 52 goals in all competitions for Third Division Wolverhampton Wanderers this season, scores on his debut for England against Scotland at Hampden Park. Liverpool travelled to Glasgow to play their first game since the Hillsborough disaster. [80], 27 December 1988 – Walsall, bottom of the Second Division, sack manager Tommy Coakley, their manager for two-and-a-half years, after an 11th successive league defeat.