| Season: | 1991–92 |
| Manager: | Frank Casper (until October 1991) Jimmy Mullen (from October 1991) |
| Mgrtitle: | Manager |
| Chairman: | Frank Teasdale |
| Chrtitle: | Chairman |
| League Result: | 1st (champions) |
| Cup1 Result: | 1st Round |
| Cup2 Result: | 3rd Round |
| Cup3 Result: | Northern Final |
| League Topscorer: | Mike Conroy (24) |
| Season Topscorer: | Mike Conroy (29) |
| Highest Attendance: | 21,216 v Wrexham (2 MAY 1992) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 2,590 v Doncaster Rovers (19 November 1991) |
| Average Attendance: | 10,160[1] |
| Nextseason: | 1992–93 |
| Pattern B1: | _lightblueshoulders |
| Leftarm1: | 3BB9FF |
| Body1: | 990033 |
| Rightarm1: | 3BB9FF |
| Shorts1: | FFFFFF |
| Socks1: | FFFFFF |
The 1991–92 season was Burnley's 104th season of League football and their seventh consecutive campaign in the fourth tier of English football. Frank Casper started the season as manager, having been appointed to the post two years previously, before he was replaced by Jimmy Mullen in October 1991.
Frank Casper started the season as manager of Burnley, having originally held the post in a caretaker capacity during the 1982–83 campaign and then returning as the permanent appointment in January 1989.[2] The chairman of the club was Frank Teasdale, who had taken control of Burnley in May 1985. The team had steadily improved since their narrow avoidance of relegation on the last day of the 1986–87 season, and having reached the play-offs at the end of the previous campaign, the Burnley side was confident of achieving promotion back to the Football League Third Division for the first time in seven years.[3]
Burnley began their pre-season with a short tour of Russia in July 1991. A Mike Conroy goal helped the team to a 1–1 draw with FC Dynamo Stavropol in the first game of the tour, followed by a match at Asmaral which ended in the same scoreline four days later.[4] Upon their return to England, Burnley competed in the Lancashire Manx Cup but were knocked out in the group stage following defeats to Bury and Preston North End and a draw with rivals Blackburn Rovers. On 8 August, Burnley played a testimonial match against Oldham Athletic at Turf Moor in honour of former physiotherapist Jimmy Holland, who had assisted the club between 1965 and 1991.[4] [5]
The majority of the team from the previous campaign remained at Burnley, with only three new players signing permanent contracts during the close season. Mark Yates was signed from Birmingham City on a free transfer, while fellow midfielder Steve Harper joined from Lancashire rivals Preston North End. Fees were paid for two players; striker Mike Conroy arrived from Reading for a transfer fee of £35,000, and central defender Steve Davis, who had spent a spell on loan at Burnley in the 1989–90 campaign, was bought for £60,000 from Southampton.[3] Goalkeeper Andy Marriott also joined the club on loan from Nottingham Forest in August 1991. Several players also departed Burnley during the summer of 1991. Neil Grewcock and Ray Deakin, the last two to remain from the side that achieved a 2–1 win against Orient in May 1987 to avoid relegation to the Football Conference, both left the club; Deakin retired from football at the age of 32, while Grewcock moved into the amateur game with local club Burnley Bank Hall. The contract of Ron Futcher, Burnley's top scorer in the previous season with 19 goals, was terminated by mutual consent and he subsequently joined Crewe Alexandra.[3]
Following the appointment of Jimmy Mullen as manager in October 1991, Burnley resumed their activity in the transfer market. Two more goalkeepers, Mark Kendall and Nicky Walker, were brought in on loan. Adrian Randall arrived from Aldershot in December 1991, while Paul McKenzie joined from Scottish side Peterhead a month later. Burnley's last signing of the season was midfielder Robbie Painter, who was bought for £25,000 from fellow Fourth Division club Maidstone United on transfer deadline day in March 1992.[6] In April 1992, Ian Bray was forced to retire from professional football due to an injury, and Jason Hardy departed for Halifax Town the same month.[7]
| In | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | From | Date | |
| Mike Conroy | Reading | July 1991 | |
| Steve Harper | Preston North End | July 1991 | |
| Steve Davis | Southampton | August 1991 | |
| Andy Marriott | Nottingham Forest (on loan) | August 1991 | |
| Mark Yates | Birmingham City | August 1991 | |
| Mark Kendall | Swansea City (on loan) | December 1991 | |
| Adrian Randall | Aldershot | December 1991 | |
| Paul McKenzie | Peterhead | January 1992 | |
| Nicky Walker | Heart of Midlothian (on loan) | February 1992 | |
| Robbie Painter | Maidstone United | March 1992 | |
| Out | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | To | Date | |
| Ray Deakin | Retired | May 1991 | |
| Neil Grewcock | Burnley Bank Hall | May 1991 | |
| Steve Davis | Barnsley | July 1991 | |
| Ron Futcher | Crewe Alexandra | July 1991 | |
| Andy Marriott | Nottingham Forest (loan return) | November 1991 | |
| Mark Kendall | Swansea City (loan return) | January 1992 | |
| Nicky Walker | Heart of Midlothian (loan return) | March 1992 | |
| Ian Bray | Retired | April 1992 | |
| Jason Hardy | Halifax Town | April 1992 | |
|}
| Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 August 1991 | Rotherham United (A) | 1–2 | Conroy 39' | 6,042 | |
| 31 August 1991 | Doncaster Rovers (A) | 4–1 | Conroy (2) 1' (pen.), 85', Harper 73', Yates 77' | 2,940 | |
| 3 September 1991 | Chesterfield (H) | 3–0 | Eli (3) 26', 54', 74' | 6,647 | |
| 7 September 1991 | Crewe Alexandra (H) | 1–1 | Francis 52' | 9,657 | |
| 14 September 1991 | Hereford United (A) | 0–2 | 4,400 | ||
| 21 September 1991 | Rochdale (H) | 0–1 | 8,663 | ||
| 28 September 1991 | Scarborough (A) | 1–3 | Lancashire 17' | 2,596 | |
| 5 October 1991 | Carlisle United (H) | 2–0 | Pender 23', Lancashire 57' | 6,157 | |
| 12 October 1991 | Wrexham (A) | 6–2 | Lancashire (3) 3', 27', 29', Harper 4', Davis 57', Eli 89' | 3,181 | |
| 19 October 1991 | Walsall (H) | 2–0 | Davis 20' (pen.), Lancashire 23' | 7,289 | |
| 26 October 1991 | Lincoln City (A) | 3–0 | Francis 39', Conroy 75' (pen.), Lancashire 83' | 3,235 | |
| 2 November 1991 | Halifax Town (A) | 2–0 | Deary 55', Farrell 87' | 4,491 | |
| 5 November 1991 | York City (H) | 3–1 | Conroy 10', Deary 16', Lancashire 82' | 7,389 | |
| 9 November 1991 | Mansfield Town (H) | 3–2 | Conroy 7' (pen.), Davis 55', Pender 83' | 11,848 | |
| 23 November 1991 | Maidstone United (A) | 1–0 | Conroy 28' (pen.) | 2,375 | |
| 30 November 1991 | Northampton Town (A) | 2–1 | Conroy (2) 20', 86' | 4,020 | |
| 14 December 1991 | Scunthorpe United (H) | 1–1 | Farrell 34' | 8,419 | |
| 26 December 1991 | Rotherham United (H) | 1–2 | Francis 70' | 13,812 | |
| 28 December 1991 | Doncaster Rovers (H) | 2–1 | Conroy 6', Eli 25' | 9,605 | |
| 1 January 1992 | Chesterfield (A) | 2–0 | Deary 2', Francis 25' | 7,789 | |
| 11 January 1992 | Blackpool (A) | 2–5 | Conroy 63', Francis 70' | 8,007 | |
| 18 January 1992 | Gillingham (H) | 4–1 | Conroy (3) 8', 65', 83', Randall 66' | 8,908 | |
| 1 February 1992 | Walsall (A) | 2–2 | Eli 69', Conroy 83' | 5,287 | |
| 8 February 1992 | Lincoln City (H) | 1–0 | Conroy 45' | 9,748 | |
| 11 February 1992 | Northampton Town (H) | 5–0 | Deary 35', Eli 50', Conroy 56', Harper 68', Francis 78' | 8,825 | |
| 15 February 1992 | Scunthorpe United (A) | 2–2 | Conroy 46' (pen.), Davis 90' | 5,303 | |
| 22 February 1992 | Blackpool (H) | 1–1 | Eli 30' | 18,183 | |
| 29 February 1992 | Cardiff City (A) | 2–0 | Randall 85', Conroy 89' | 16,030 | |
| 3 March 1992 | Gillingham (A) | 0–3 | 3,729 | ||
| 7 March 1992 | Barnet (H) | 3–0 | Davis 10', Barnett 52' (o.g.), Deary 61' | 12,018 | |
| 14 March 1992 | Halifax Town (H) | 1–0 | Pender 70' | 10,903 | |
| 21 March 1992 | Mansfield Town (A) | 1–0 | Conroy 41' | 8,336 | |
| 24 March 1992 | Barnet (A) | 0–0 | 4,881 | ||
| 28 March 1992 | Maidstone United (H) | 2–1 | Davis 77', Eli 87' | 10,986 | |
| 31 March 1992 | Hereford United (H) | 2–0 | Monington 25', Conroy 30' | 10,578 | |
| 4 April 1992 | Crewe Alexandra (A) | 0–1 | 5,530 | ||
| 20 April 1992 | Scarborough (H) | 1–1 | Eli 9' | 12,312 | |
| 22 April 1992 | Cardiff City (H) | 3–1 | Painter 1', Farrell 60', Conroy 63' | 12,408 | |
| 25 April 1992 | Carlisle United (A) | 1–1 | Francis 43' | 10,000 (7,500 away) | |
| 28 April 1992 | York City (A) | 2–1 | Deary 60', Francis 90' | 7,620 (5,000 away) | |
| 2 May 1992 | Wrexham (H) | 1–2 | Conroy 33' | 21,216 | |
| 5 May 1992 | Rochdale (A) | 3–1 | Measham 30', Conroy 41', Painter 67' | 8,175 (5,100 away) |
Burnley played two matches against Aldershot during the 1991–92 campaign, winning both games. However, these results were expunged from official records after Aldershot resigned from the Football League mid-season.
| Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 August 1991 | Aldershot (H) | 2–0 | Conroy, Francis | 5,877 | |
| 21 December 1991 | Aldershot (A) | 2–1 | Harper, Lancashire | 2,574 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 November 1991 | Round 1 | Doncaster Rovers (H) | 1–1 | Davis 26' | 7,076 | |
| 27 November 1991 | Replay | Doncaster Rovers (A) | 3–1 | Harper (2) 38', 50', Eli 86' | 4,207 | |
| 15 December 1991 | Round 2 | Rotherham United (H) | 2–0 | Conroy 59', Lancashire 83' | 9,775 | |
| 4 January 1992 | Round 3 | Derby County (H) | 2–2 | Harper 6', Eli 84' | 18,772 | |
| 25 January 1992 | Replay | Derby County (A) | 0–2 | 18,274 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 August 1991 | Round 1 First leg | Wigan Athletic (A) | 1–3 | Conroy 8' | 2,286 | |
| 27 August 1991 | Round 1 Second leg | Wigan Athletic (H) | 2–3 | Patterson 47' (o.g.), Davis 79' | 3,876 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 October 1991 | Preliminary Round | Blackpool (A) | 3–1 | Francis 32', Eli (2) 36', 41' | 2,805 | |
| 19 November 1991 | Preliminary Round | Doncaster Rovers (H) | 2–0 | Francis 28', Eli 44' | 2,590 | |
| 4 February 1992 | Preliminary Round | Scarborough (H) | 3–1 | Conroy 56', Deary 63', Eli 87' | 2,956 | |
| 18 February 1992 | Northern Quarter Final | Rotherham United (A) | 1–1 (4 – 2p) | Francis 10' | 2,578 | |
| 17 March 1992 | Northern Semi Final | Huddersfield Town (H) | 2–0 | Conroy 9' (pen.), Eli 24' | 10,775 | |
| 7 April 1992 | Northern Final First Leg | Stockport County (H) | 0–1 | 13,259 | ||
| 18 February 1992 | Northern Final Second Leg | Stockport County (A) | 1–2 | Pender 22' | 8,260 (2,900 away) |