Looking Back at…..Season 1990/91

Another season to savour.

The 1990/9 season was reckoned to be, at the time, the closest championship race in the history of the Southern League.

The destination of the league`s huge championship shield was not decided until the 87th minute of a final game on the final day of the season!

In a season that frequently saw the top ten clubs covered by just 8 points, the field had narrowed by May 4th to just two contenders, Farnborough Town and Gloucester City.

Both entered their last game knowing that anything less than a win would hand the title to their challenger.

Top of the table Farnborough were a goal down at Atherstone United when an 85th-minute equaliser by Paul Coombs gave them a glimmer of hope.

Gloucester were still being held 0-0 at Bromsgrove Rovers but with 3 minutes remaining at the Victoria Ground, John Freegard broke the deadlock for the Tigers.

News had already filtered through to Bromsgrove that Boro were only level. A draw was not enough for the Hampshire side if Gloucester held on.

Tigers` fans began to celebrate. The title appeared theirs. But they were unaware that in the very same minute as Freegard`s goal, Farnborough`s skipper Colin Fielder was firing in a 30-yard title-winning effort.

In the days before Twitter, texting or any form of instant messaging, it took a while for Farnborough and Gloucester supporters to realise what had happened, but it was the long-serving Ted Pearce`s (pictured) side who were eventually able to celebrate.

Despite twelve consecutive weeks of Worcester City domination, as many as six different clubs led the race at various times.

To illustrate the thin line between success and failure, Poole Town, league leaders in September, avoided a relegation spot by just one point – and even that point came in the last game of the season – a victory over Crawley Town, who needed the three points themselves to avoid finishing in the bottom three.

Farnborough stuck by Pearce, who took charge at Cherrywood Road back in 1970, despite suffering relegation from the Conference the season before.

And that paid dividends, although questions were asked as to the quality of the league if a relegated club can make it back immediately afterwards.

But Pearce kept the nucleus of the side that were relegated, including captain Colin Fielder and striker Simon Read, and that proved vital in being able to bounce back.

Gloucester, under former Wales international Brian Godfrey, came up in 1989 and had finished ninth in 1989/90.

But some shrewd signings, such as Steve Fergusson, who was signed from Worcester City for a record fee of £25,000, meant they were able to be challengers.

Sadly, it all went a bit pear-shaped for the Tigers after that for a while, with Godfrey sacked and crippling debts which almost caused the club to fold before Keith Gardner stepped in.

In contrast, Weymouth were on a real downward spiral.

One of the founder members of the Alliance Premier League in 1979/80, the Terras suffered relegation back to the Southern League at the end of the 1988/89 campaign when they finished rock bottom of the now-named Football Conference.

They ended up 17th out of 22 teams in 1989/90 and then finished bottom in 1990/91, winning only four games and ending up 10 points adrift of second-bottom Gravesend & Northfleet, who were reprieved due to Rushden Town, who ended in 14th spot, being demoted due to the poor condition of their Hayden Road ground.

A year later, of course, they merged with neighbours Irthlingborough Diamonds to form Rushden & Diamonds.

Like Farnborough, Stourbridge turned disappointment into championship-winning form.

Only three years before, the Glassboys finished second-from-bottom of the Midland Division but avoided relegation because there were insufficient clubs qualifying for promotion.

Steady progress was made under manager John Chambers, culminating in winning the Midland Division title, suffering only one defeat at home all season and dropping just five points, whilst conceding less than a goal a game.

Corby Town finished second under Elwyn Roberts, five points adrift of Stourbridge, and ended up scoring 99 league goals with a goal difference of plus 51!

Helping the Steelmen in 1990/91, largely in midfield, was former Liverpool star Mark Lawrenson.

Losing their Southern League place were Willenhall Town, who finished second-from-bottom by a point and returned to the West Midlands (Regional) League, not returning until 2005, and Spalding United, who went back into the United Counties League before coming back in 1999.

In the Southern Division, the two teams with the busiest end of season programme clinched the honours.

With just over a month of the season remaining, Buckingham Town and Trowbridge Town still had twelve league games to play.

In addition, Trowbridge had reached the semi-finals of the League Cup which meant a home and away tie with Hythe Town (which they lost 2-1 on aggregate).

It was Buckingham who maintained their form amidst the backlog of fixtures, collecting 24 points from those twelve games to take the title by five points.

At the other end of the table, Corinthian finished second-from-bottom and were relegated back to the Kent League after six seasons – never to return.

Only one club went down as, sadly, Folkestone folded midway through the campaign after playing 17 games.

They had been re-formed as Folkestone Town (1990) FC, but it also folded without even completing a full season.