1988–89 WFA Cup, Final
The match was televised the next day on Channel Four, the first of five successive WFA Cup finals shown by the station. Julie Welch presented a one-hour program at 5:30pm on Sunday 23 April. Although the BBC had shown the WFA Cup before, this game was reportedly "the first to be televised specifically for highlights the following day".


1988–89 WFA Cup, Later developments
The winning goalscorer in the 1989 Final, Joy McQuiggan, went on to play in the 1994 FA Women's Cup Final for Knowsley United (now Liverpool) and played in the 1997 FA Women's Premier League Cup Final for Leasowe's inheritor club, Everton L.F.C.


1988–89 WFA Cup, Later developments
Hope Powell has had a highly decorated career in football, and later won two Women's FA Cups. Leasowe player Mo Marley, later a FA WPL champion and England player and coach, managed Everton to victory in the 2009–10 FA Women's Cup.


1988–89 WFA Cup, Later developments
FA historian David Barber said the 1989 match was the only women's football game at Old Trafford until 2012, although England drew 0–0 with Norway in UEFA Women's Euro 1991 qualifying before 435 fans on 2 September 1990.


1988–89 WHL season
The 1988–89 WHL season was the 23rd season for the Western Hockey League. Fourteen teams completed a 72-game season. The Swift Current Broncos won the President's Cup before going on to win the Memorial Cup.


1988–89 WHL season, Regular season, Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes


1988–89 WHL season, All-Star game
On January 24, the West Division defeated the East Division 5–1 at Brandon, Manitoba before a crowd of 2,933.


1988–89 Washington Bullets season
The 1988–89 NBA season was the Bullets' 28th season in the NBA.


1988–89 Washington Capitals season
The 1988–89 Washington Capitals season saw the team became the first team other than the Philadelphia Flyers or the New York Islanders to finish in first place in the Patrick Division with a 41–29–10 record for 92 points. However, they lost their first-round playoff match-up to the Philadelphia Flyers, four games to two. This was the first time the Capitals won their division in the regular season and did not do so again until 2000.


1988–89 Washington Capitals season, Regular season
The Capitals tied the St. Louis Blues for most shutouts in the league, with 6.


1988–89 Washington Capitals season, Regular season, Final standings
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals againstNote: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.


1988–89 Washington Capitals season, Player statistics, Playoffs
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes; PPG=Power-play goals; SHG=Short-handed goals; GWG=Game-winning goals      MIN=Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; SO = Shutouts; SA=Shots Against; SV=Shots saved; SV% = Save Percentage;


1988–89 Washington Capitals season, Draft picks
Washington's draft picks at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.


1988–89 Washington Huskies men's basketball team
The 1988–89 Washington Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Washington for the 1988–89 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by fourth-year head coach Andy Russo, the Huskies were members of the Pacific-10 Conference and played their home games on campus at Hec Edmundson Pavilion in Seattle, Washington.


1988–89 Washington Huskies men's basketball team
The Huskies were 12–15 overall in the regular season and 8–10 in conference play, sixth in the standings. In the Pac-10 Tournament in southern California at The Forum, Washington lost to third seed UCLA by ten points in the quarterfinal.


1988–89 Washington Huskies men's basketball team
Russo resigned less than two weeks later, and was succeeded by alumnus Lynn Nance, the head coach at Saint Mary's. The Gaels were WCAC champions, received an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, and finished at 25–4 in 1989.


1988–89 Washington Huskies men's basketball team
This season's Final Four was held in Seattle at the Kingdome.


1988–89 Washington State Cougars men's basketball team
The 1988–89 Washington State Cougars men's basketball team represented Washington State University for the 1988–89 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by second-year head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars were members of the Pacific-10 Conference and played their home games on campus at Beasley Coliseum in Pullman, Washington.


1988–89 Washington State Cougars men's basketball team
The Cougars were 9–18 overall in the regular season and 4–14 in conference play, eighth in the standings.


1988–89 Washington State Cougars men's basketball team
At the conference tournament, the Cougars defeated ninth seed Oregon by 22 points in the first round. In the quarterfinal against top-ranked Arizona, the Cougars fell by eight points.


1988–89 Welsh Alliance League
The 1988–89 Welsh Alliance League is the 5th season of the Welsh Alliance League, which is in the third level of the Welsh football pyramid.


1988–89 Welsh Cup
The 1988-89 Welsh Cup winners were Swansea City. The final was played at the Vetch Field in Swansea in front of an attendance of 5,100.


1988–89 Wessex Football League
The 1988–89 Wessex Football League was the third season of the Wessex Football League. The league champions for the third consecutive season were Bashley, who were subsequently promoted to the Southern League.


1988–89 Wessex Football League
For sponsorship reasons, the league was known as the Medisport Wessex League.


1988–89 Wessex Football League, League table
The league consisted of one division of 17 clubs, reduced from 19 the previous season after the merger between Wellworthy Athletic and Lymington to form AFC Lymington, and Steyning Town joined the Combined Counties League. One new club joined, being the newly formed merged club:


1988–89 West Ham United F.C. season
For the 1988–89 West Ham United F.C. season in English football, West Ham United finished 19th in the league.


1988–89 West Ham United F.C. season, Season summary
The 1988–89 season saw new signings Allen McKnight and David Kelly both begin their West Ham United careers, but neither supplied the club with the kind of form necessary to stay in the top flight.


1988–89 West Ham United F.C. season, Season summary
On 22 March 1989, it looked as though Lyall had come up with the goods to save West Ham's top flight status when he recaptured Frank McAvennie from Glasgow Celtic for a club record fee of £1.1 million – just after the player had turned down the chance to sign for Arsenal, who went on to win the league. However, McAvennie failed to repeat the goalscoring heroics of his first spell at Upton Park as he didn't score a single goal in nine league appearances and the Hammers were relegated despite winning five of their final seven games.


1988–89 West Ham United F.C. season, Season summary
The club finished in 19th place in the First Division and were relegated to the second tier of the Football League.


1988–89 West Ham United F.C. season, Season summary
John Lyall was sacked as manager after 15 years on 5 June 1989, by which time he was the longest serving manager at any League club. It also ended his 34-year service with the club, which had started in 1955 when he signed for them as an apprentice player from school.


1988–89 West Midlands (Regional) League
The 1988–89 West Midlands (Regional) League season was the 89th in the history of the West Midlands (Regional) League, an English association football competition for semi-professional and amateur teams based in the West Midlands county, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and southern Staffordshire.


1988–89 West Midlands (Regional) League, Premier Division
The Premier Division featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with six new clubs.


1988–89 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team
The 1988–89 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represented West Virginia University as a member of the Atlantic-10 Conference during the 1988-89 season. The team played their home games at WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia. Led by 11th-year head coach Gale Catlett,  the Mountaineers won 22 consecutive games, took home the conference regular season title, and received an at-large bid to the 1989 NCAA Tournament as #7 seed in the East region.


1988–89 Western Football League
The 1988–89 season was the 87th in the history of the Western Football League.


1988–89 Western Football League
The league champions for the third time in their history were Saltash United. The champions of Division One were Larkhall Athletic.


1988–89 Western Football League, Final tables, Premier Division
The Premier Division was reduced from 22 to 21 clubs after Melksham Town and Clandown were relegated to the First Division, and Bristol City Reserves also left. Two clubs joined:


1988–89 Western Football League, Final tables, First Division
The First Division was increased from 19 to 20 clubs, after Chard Town and Welton Rovers were promoted to the Premier Division. Three new clubs joined:


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season
The 1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season saw the Jets finish in fifth place in the Smythe Division with a record of 26 wins, 42 losses, and 12 ties for 64 points.


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Off-season
After two seasons of leading the Jets into the playoffs, the club re-signed head coach Don Maloney to a contract extension through the 1990–91 season on May 16, 1988. At the 1988 NHL Entry Draft held on June 11, 1988, the Jets selected forward Teemu Selanne with their first round draft pick, tenth overall. Selanne spent the 1987–88 playing with Jokerit's junior hockey team, where in 33 games, he recorded 43 goals and 66 points.


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Off-season
On June 13, 1988, the Jets acquired Brent Ashton from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Paul MacLean. Ashton had 26 goals and 53 points in 73 games with the Red Wings in 1987–88. MacLean, who had been with Winnipeg since the 1981–82 season, had 40 goals and 79 points in 77 games. In total, MacLean broke the 40-goal plateau three times as a member with the Jets.


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Off-season
On July 19, 1988, Winnipeg made a trade with the New Jersey Devils, acquiring goaltender Alain Chevrier and the Devils' seventh-round pick in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft for Steve Rooney and the Jets' third-round pick in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. Chevrier had a record of 18–19–3 with a 3.77 goals against average (GAA) in 45 games with the Devils in 1987–88, while Steve Rooney had 7 goals and 13 points, along with 217 penalty minutes, in 56 games with the Jets in 1987–88.


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Off-season
Late in training camp, on September 29, 1988, the Jets acquired Kent Carlson and the St. Louis Blues' tenth-round pick in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft and fourth-round pick in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft for Peter Douris. Carlson would then be traded one week into the 1988–89 season to the Washington Capitals. On October 3, 1988, the Jets picked Dave Hunter from the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL Waiver Draft. Hunter split the 1987–88 season between the Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 14 goals and 35 points in 80 games.


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Regular season
Despite finishing last in goals allowed (355) in the NHL, the Jets had the NHL's fifth-best power-play percentage (22.13%).


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Regular season, Final standings
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Regular season, Final standings
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Playoffs
The Jets missed the playoffs, the first time since the 1980–81 season.


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Draft picks
The Jets selected the following players at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, which was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, on June 11, 1988.


1988–89 Winnipeg Jets season, Draft picks, NHL Supplemental Draft
Winnipeg selected one player at the 1988 NHL Supplemental Draft.


1988–89 Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team
The 1988–89 Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team represented the University of Wisconsin as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1988–89 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.


1988–89 Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team, Roster
*ineligible first semester due to transfer from Marquette   ^academically ineligible second semester


1988–89 Xavier Musketeers men's basketball team
The 1988–89 Xavier Musketeers men's basketball team represented Xavier University from Cincinnati, Ohio in the 1988–89 season. Led by head coach Pete Gillen, the Musketeers finished with a 21–12 record (7–5 MCC), and won the MCC Tournament to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In the NCAA tournament, the Musketeers lost to the eventual National champion, Michigan, in the opening round.


1988–89 Yorkshire Cup
The 1988–89 Yorkshire Cup was the eighty-first occasion on which this rugby league Yorkshire Cup competition was held.


1988–89 Yorkshire Cup
Leeds won the trophy by beating the previous season's runner-up, Castleford, with a score of 33-12. The match was played at Elland Road,  Leeds, now in West Yorkshire. The attendance was 22,968 and receipts were £83,591. This was the sixth time in an incredible eleven-year period in which Castleford, previously only winners once, in 1977, made eight appearances in the Yorkshire Cup final, winning four and finishing runners-up on the other four occasions. It was also the second season in succession that Castleford appeared, and lost, in the final within that eleven-year period.


1988–89 Yorkshire Cup, Background
In the 1988–89 season there were no junior/amateur clubs taking part, no new entrants and no "leavers" and so the total of entries remained the same at eighteen. As a result, a preliminary round was required to reduce the number of clubs entering the first round to sixteen.


1988–89 Yorkshire Cup, Competition and Results, Final, Teams and Scorers
Scoring - Try = four (4) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = one (1) point


1988–89 Yorkshire Cup, Notes and comments
1 * The first Yorkshire Cup match played by the newly renamed Huddersfield who dropped the "Barracudas"'s suffix2 * The record score (and highest winning margin) at the time for a Yorkshire Cup match, beating the previous record win of 79-5 (1948) 3 * The receipts are given as £76,658 by the Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook of 1991-92 and 1990-91 but the details given in a section of the Huddersfield v Ryedale-York match programme for the Preliminary Round on Sunday 23 August 1992 (and all verified by The Rugby League Record Keepers Club), show the receipts as £83,591


1988–89 Yorkshire Cup, Notes and comments, General information about the Rugby League Yorkshire Cup competition
The Rugby League Yorkshire Cup competition was a knock-out competition between (mainly professional) rugby league clubs from Yorkshire. However teams were sometimes included from outside the county such as Newcastle, Mansfield, Coventry, and even London (in the form of Acton & Willesden). The Rugby League season always (until the onset of "Summer Rugby" in 1996) ran from around August to May. This competition always took place early in the season, in Autumn, with the final taking place in (or just before) December (The only exception was when disruption of the fixture list was caused during, and immediately after, the two World Wars).


1988–89 Yugoslav Cup
The 1988–89 Yugoslav Cup was the 41st season of the top football knockout competition in SFR Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav Cup (Serbo-Croatian: Kup Jugoslavije), also known as the "Marshal Tito Cup" (Kup Maršala Tita), since its establishment in 1946.


1988–89 Yugoslav Cup, First round
In the following tables winning teams are marked in bold; teams from outside top level are marked in italic script.


1988–89 Yugoslav First Basketball League
The 1988–89 Yugoslav First Basketball League season was the 45th season of the Yugoslav First Basketball League, the highest professional basketball league in SFR Yugoslavia.


1988–89 Yugoslav First League
The 1988–89 Yugoslav First League season was the 43rd season of the First Federal League (Serbo-Croatian: Prva savezna liga), the top level association football competition of SFR Yugoslavia, since its establishment in 1946.


1988–89 Yugoslav First League
The season began on 6 August 1988 with its fall part completing on 18 December 1988. Following a two-month winter break, the season resumed on 26 February 1989 and ran until 4 June 1989.


1988–89 Yugoslav First League, New rule: "Šajber's penalties"
The season saw the introduction of a new way of awarding points when a league match ends in a draw. Two points were still being awarded for a win, while in case of a draw at the end of the ninety minutes — penalty kicks were taken and the shootout winner was awarded one point while the loser got nothing. The 1988-89 season was the very first to feature this tie-break method, and the Yugoslav FA's decision to implement it caused a lot of criticism and controversy. The biggest proponent of the new rule was the Yugoslav FA (FSJ) president Slavko Šajber and it was often derisively referred to in the media as 'Šajber's penalties'.


1988–89 Yugoslav Ice Hockey League season
The 1988–89 Yugoslav Ice Hockey League season was the 47th season of the Yugoslav Ice Hockey League, the top level of ice hockey in Yugoslavia. Six teams participated in the league, and Medveščak have won the championship.


1988–89 Yugoslav Second League
The 1988–89 Yugoslav Second League season was the 43rd season of the Second Federal League (Serbo-Croatian: Druga savezna liga), the second level association football competition of SFR Yugoslavia, since its establishment in 1946.


1988–89 Yugoslav Second League, Teams
A total of twenty teams contested the league, including eight sides from the West and eight sides East Division from the 1987–88 season, two clubs relegated from the 1987–88 Yugoslav First League and two sides promoted from the Inter-Republic Leagues played in the 1987–88 season. The league was contested in a double round robin format, with each club playing every other club twice, for a total of 38 rounds.


1988–89 Yugoslav Second League, Teams
Two points were awarded for a win, while in case of a draw - penalty kicks were taken and the winner of the shootout was awarded one point while the loser got nothing. The 1988-89 season was the first to feature this tie-break system, and the Yugoslav FA's decision to implement this caused a lot of criticism and controversy. Apparently, the biggest proponent of the new system was FA president Slavko Šajber and the system was often derisively referred to in the media as 'Šajber's penalties'.


1988–89 Yugoslav Second League, Teams
Prishtina and Sutjeska were relegated from the 1987–88 Yugoslav First League after finishing in the bottom two places of the league table. The two clubs promoted to the second level were Belasica and Bačka.


1988–89 ice hockey Bundesliga season
The 1988–89 Ice hockey Bundesliga season was the 31st season of the Ice hockey Bundesliga, the top level of ice hockey in West Germany. Ten teams participated in the league, and SB Rosenheim won the championship.


1988–89 in Argentine football
1988–1989 in Argentine football saw Independiente win the Argentine championship. In the international competitions there were two editions of the Copa Libertadores, the best performance came from Newell's Old Boys who were runners up in the Copa Libertadores 1988. Racing Club were the inaugural champions of the Supercopa Sudamericana, their first championship of any description since 1967.


1988–89 in Argentine football, League championship
The Argentine league championship featured an unusual points system. After each drawn match there was a penalty shootout to determine which team got the bonus point.


1988–89 in Argentine football, League championship
The tournament also featured an unofficial Apertura tournament to determine the two teams to qualify for the Copa Libertadores 1989. Racing Club and Boca Juniors were in the top two positions at the halfway stage of the season (after 19 games), and qualified.


1988–89 in English football
The 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.


1988–89 in English football
The season saw Arsenal win their first league title for 18 years, in dramatic fashion, as they beat defending champions Liverpool 2–0 at Anfield to clinch the title on number of goals scored. Liverpool had won the FA Cup six days earlier and for the second season running missed out on a unique second double. Third placed Nottingham Forest lifted both the Football League Cup and Full Members' Cup. The ban on English clubs was now in its fourth season and UEFA then voted for it to continue for a fifth season.


1988–89 in English football
The season was overshadowed by the Hillsborough disaster on 15 April 1989, which resulted in the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans in a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final.


1988–89 in English football, Overview, Hillsborough disaster
On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital shortly after. The final death toll became 96 in March 1993, when Tony Bland died after being in a coma for nearly four years. A subsequent inquiry into the tragedy led to the Taylor Report, in which Lord Justice Taylor of Gosforth ordered that all top division clubs should have all-seater stadiums from the 1994–95 season onwards.


1988–89 in English football, Overview, Changes to football on television
One of the biggest changes in the history of football on television began in this season, as ITV gained exclusive rights to show Football League matches, both in live and highlights form. The rights cost £11m, up from £5.2m in 1983. Most of their coverage was of live matches on Sunday afternoons of top-flight games. They would hold the exclusive rights until 1992, when they lost coverage of the newly formed Premier League to Sky Television.


1988–89 in English football, Overview, Changes to football on television
It ended a long-term partnership with the BBC, who in turn struck up a partnership with the FA for exclusive coverage of the FA Cup. The BBC did not show another live English football league match until 2009 and would not show another live top flight football league match until 2020.


1988–89 in English football, Overview, Scunthorpe's new stadium
Scunthorpe United relocated from the Old Showground to Glanford Park in the first relocation of a Football League team since Southend United moved to Roots Hall in 1955.


1988–89 in English football, Overview, Change in playoff format
The play-off system was slightly altered, they were now contested by the four sides just missing out on promotion, with one fewer team automatically promoted. The system has stayed in place since then (although it was not until the following season that Wembley Stadium began hosting finals).


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
15 June 1988 – Everton pay £850,000 for Bradford City and Scotland midfielder Stuart McCall.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
17 June 1988 – Newcastle United buy Scottish striker John Hendrie from Bradford City for £500,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
21 June 1988 – Tottenham Hotspur pay a club record £1.7 million for Manchester City striker Paul Stewart.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
4 July 1988 – Uruguayan Danny Bergara, 46, becomes the first foreign manager in English football when he takes over at Fourth Division club Rochdale.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
5 July 1988 – After three years in Italy with Bari, former Aston Villa striker Paul Rideout returns to England in a £430,000 move to Southampton.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
7 July 1988 – Tottenham Hotspur complete a British transfer record £2 million deal for 21-year-old Newcastle United midfielder Paul Gascoigne. Gascoigne signs a contract at White Hart Lane until the end of the 1992–93 season.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
12 July 1988 – The long hunt for a new Wales national football team manager ends when Swansea City manager Terry Yorath is appointed on a part-time basis.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
13 July 1988 – Gordon Cowans ends his three-year spell at Bari to rejoin Aston Villa in a £250,000 deal, while Everton strengthen their midfield in a £925,000 move for Chelsea and Scotland midfielder Pat Nevin.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
19 July 1988 – England defender Gary Stevens moves to Scotland in a £1 million move from Everton to Rangers in the costliest transfer involving a British defender. He is replaced at Goodison Park by Newcastle United's Neil McDonald.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
20 July 1988 – After two seasons at Barcelona, Mark Hughes returns to Manchester United for a club record £1.8 million, breaking the previous record of £1.75 million that the club paid for Bryan Robson seven years ago.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
25 July 1988 – Less than three weeks after Tottenham broke the national transfer record, a new record is set when Everton complete the signing of West Ham United's 23-year-old striker Tony Cottee for £2.2 million.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
28 July 1988 – Billy Bonds, the oldest player in the Football League at 41, announces his retirement as a player but will remain with West Ham United as youth team coach.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
1 August 1988 – West Ham United sign striker David Kelly from Walsall for £600,000. Newcastle United sign defender Andy Thorn from FA Cup winners Wimbledon for a club record £850,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
8 August 1988 – Graham Roberts returns to England in a £470,000 move to Chelsea from Rangers.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
13 August 1988 – The first North London derby to be held at Wembley Stadium ends in a 4–0 victory for Arsenal in the friendly Wembley International Tournament; Gunners' goalscorers are Paul Merson, Alan Smith, and Brian Marwood (2).


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
14 August 1988 – Arsenal beat FC Bayern Munich 3–0 to win the Wembley International Tournament on goal difference.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
17 August 1988 – Nottingham Forest sign England midfielder Steve Hodge from Tottenham Hotspur for £550,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
18 August 1988 – After an unhappy season at Juventus, Ian Rush returns to Liverpool for £2.8 million. It is the third time in two months that the national transfer fee record has been broken.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
20 August 1988 – Liverpool gain revenge for their FA Cup final defeat by Wimbledon in May by beating them 2–1 in the Charity Shield. John Aldridge, who missed a penalty in the FA Cup final, scores both goals for Liverpool, and John Fashanu scores for Wimbledon.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
23 August 1988 – Kevin Moran leaves Manchester United on a free transfer after 10 years and joins Spanish side Sporting Gijón on a free transfer.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
26 August 1988 – Alan Ball prepares Portsmouth's challenge for an immediate return to the First Division by paying Aston Villa £315,000 for striker Warren Aspinall.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
27 August 1988 – Millwall begin their life as a First Division side by drawing 2–2 at Aston Villa. Forwards John Aldridge, Alan Smith, and Tony Cottee score opening day hat-tricks as Liverpool beat Charlton Athletic 3–0, Arsenal move to top position by thrashing FA Cup holders Wimbledon 5–1, while Everton thump Newcastle United 4–0. Tottenham Hotspur's opening fixture at home to Coventry City was postponed following the Londoners' failure to obtain a safety certificate for White Hart Lane.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
31 August 1988 – Norwich City sign Irish midfielder Andy Townsend from Southampton for £300,000. Chelsea defender Steve Wicks retires from playing due to a back injury.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
1 September 1988 – Brighton & Hove Albion, newly promoted back to the Second Division, sign Barnet defender Nicky Bissett for £115,000, a record fee for a non-league player. Richard Thompson, 24, becomes the youngest chairman in the Football League when he takes over at Queens Park Rangers in place of David Bulstrode.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
10 September 1988 – In the North London derby at White Hart Lane, Arsenal beat Tottenham 3–2.Southampton go top of the First Division after three games with a 2–1 home win over Luton. Norwich hold the First Division other remaining 100% record by beating QPR 1–0 at Carrow Road. Bryan Robson helps Manchester United achieve their first goal and win of the season with a 1–0 home win over Middlesbrough.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
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. Nearly a decade after leaving them for Sunderland, goalkeeper Chris Turner returns to Sheffield Wednesday in a £175,000 move from Manchester United.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
16 September 1988 – Andy Gray returns to his native Scotland after 13 years to sign for Rangers.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
17 September – Southampton drop points for the first time this season with a 2–2 draw against Arsenal at Highbury, enabling Norwich to go top with a 2–0 win at Newcastle, who go bottom of the table. Southampton midfielder Glenn Cockerill suffers a broken jaw in a clash with Arsenal midfielder Paul Davis in a First Division match at Highbury which ends in a 2–2 draw. Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar is hospitalised with meningitis and is expected to be out of action until the new year.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
24 September – Norwich drop points for the first time this season but remaining top of the First Division with a 2–2 draw at home to third placed Millwall.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
28 September 1988 – Wimbledon sign Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Hans Segers for £180,000. Leeds United, fourth from bottom in the Second Division, sack manager Billy Bremner after three years at the helm.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
29 September 1988 – Paul Davis is fined a record £3,000 and banned for nine matches.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
30 September 1988 – The month ends with Norwich City as surprise leaders of the First Division, two points ahead of Liverpool and newly promoted Millwall. FA Cup holders Wimbledon occupy bottom place. The Second Division promotion race is headed by Blackburn Rovers and Watford. Ipswich Town, Portsmouth, Bradford City and Oldham Athletic occupy the promotion play-off places, while pre-season promotion favourites Leeds United occupy a lowly 18th place.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
1 October 1988 – Millwall go top of the league in their first season in the First Division 3–2 win over Queens Park Rangers. Norwich's 3–1 home defeat to Charlton pushes them down to second place. West Ham go bottom of the division with a 4–1 home defeat to Arsenal. Ipswich go top of the Second Division with a 2–1 away win over West Bromwich Albion. Bottom-of-the-table Birmingham lose a thrilling game at home to Barnsley 5–3.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
2 October 1988 – Aston Villa sell defender Neale Cooper to Rangers for £300,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
7 October 1988 – Derby County manager Arthur Cox dismisses speculation that he will take over at Leeds United.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
8 October 1988 – Norwich return to the top of the First Division with a 1–0 win over Derby at the Baseball Ground. Second Division promotion challengers Blackburn beat Crystal Palace 5–4 in a nine-goal thriller at Ewood Park.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
9 October 1988 – Jackie Milburn, Newcastle's record goal scorer who helped them win three FA Cups during the 1950s, dies of cancer aged 64.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
10 October 1988 – Howard Wilkinson ends six years as Sheffield Wednesday manager by agreeing to drop down a division to join Leeds United, while Willie McFaul ends his 22-year association with Newcastle United when he is sacked as manager. Reserve team coach Colin Suggett is put in charge, with the club's board saying that he will stay in the role until the end of the season.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
13 October 1988 – Ron Atkinson steps down as West Bromwich Albion manager for the second time, taking over at Atlético Madrid in Spain, in a contract worth £250,000 per year.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
15 October 1988 – Millwall miss the chance to go back to the top of the First Division when Coventry hold them to a goalless draw at Highfield Road. A West Midlands derby at St Andrew's sees West Bromwich Albion beat their local rivals Birmingham City 4–1. Chelsea boost their hopes of an immediate return to the First Division by beating Oldham 4–1 at Boundary Park.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
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.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
19 October 1988 – England begin their World Cup qualifying campaign with a goalless draw in Group 2 against Sweden at Wembley.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
20 October 1988 – Liverpool sign 20-year-old defender David Burrows from West Bromwich Albion for £550,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
21 October 1988 – Wimbledon pay a club record £500,000 for Reading defender Keith Curle.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
22 October 1988 – Southampton make history by fielding three brothers in the same team in their 2–1 league defeat to Sheffield Wednesday: 24-year-old Danny Wallace lines up alongside twin brothers Rod and Ray. Norwich maintain their lead of the First Division with a 3–1 home win over Tottenham, which sends the visitors into the bottom three. West Ham remain in the bottom three despite a 2–0 win over Newcastle, which sends the Tynesiders back to the bottom of the table. Chelsea's Second Division surge continues with a 5–0 home win over Plymouth.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
25 October 1988 – Tottenham remain in the bottom three after losing 2–1 at home to Southampton, who climb from tenth place to fifth. Arsenal's title hopes are dented when they are held to a 1–1 draw by Luton at Kenilworth Road. Watford go top of the Second Division with a 4–0 home win over Barnsley.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
26 October 1988 – Norwich strengthen their lead of the First Division with a 2–1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Newcastle climb off the bottom of the division with a 3–0 home win over local rivals Middlesbrough. Liverpool are seventh after a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
27 October 1988 – Manchester United pay Luton Town £650,000 for 31-year-old full-back Mal Donaghy.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
28 October 1988 – Derby County pay a club-record £1million for Oxford United and Wales striker Dean Saunders.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
29 October 1988 – Mark Lawrenson is sacked as Oxford United manager after a dispute with the club's board over the sale of Dean Saunders. His assistant Brian Horton, the former Hull City manager, is appointed as his successor. First Division leaders Norwich draw 1–1 at home to Southampton, while Arsenal climb into second place with a 2–0 home win over Coventry. Liverpool get back on track with a 2–0 win at West Ham. The biggest action in the Second Division comes in the shape of a seven-goal thriller at the Manor Ground, where Bradford beat Oxford 4–3.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
30 October 1988 – Everton and Manchester United draw 1–1 in a First Division encounter at Goodison Park. Both teams were among the pre-season title favourites but have so far been disappointing in the league, with Everton 14th and United 10th. Tottenham, another team widely expected to challenge for the title this season, are currently second from bottom. In contrast, a Norwich side which battled against relegation last season are top of the league and Millwall are third in their first season as a First Division club.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
31 October 1988 – Norwich City are back at the top of the First Division table at the end of the month, now with a six-point lead over nearest rivals Arsenal, who have a game in hand, while Millwall are still third. The bottom three places are occupied by Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. 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. Watford lead the Second Division by five points over Blackburn Rovers. The playoff zone is occupied by West Bromwich Albion, Portsmouth, Chelsea and Manchester City. Leeds United continue to struggle, only being out of the relegation zone on goal difference.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
1 November 1988 – Out-of-favour Manchester United striker Peter Davenport becomes Middlesbrough's record signing in a £750,000 deal. Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Keith Burkinshaw takes over as manager of Third Division strugglers Gillingham.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
5 November 1988 – In the Second Division, Chelsea win at league-leaders Watford through goals from Gordon Durie and Kerry Dixon, Tommy Tynan fires four for Plymouth Argyle against Blackburn Rovers, and John Sheridan scores the only goal as Leeds United pick up an away win at Ipswich Town. Norwich continue to head the First Division title race with a 2–0 win over Wimbledon at Plough Lane. Millwall go second with a 3–1 home win over Luton. Tottenham are bottom after a 3–1 home defeat to Derby, which sees the East Midlanders bounce from 13th to sixth in the table. Manchester United's frustrating form continues when they are held to a 1–1 draw at home to Aston Villa, meaning that they have now drawn five out of 10 First Division games this season.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
6 November 1988 – Arsenal go second in the First Division with a 4–1 away over Nottingham Forest. They are now Norwich's nearest challengers, six points behind with a game in hand.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
11 November 1988 – Ralph Milne, the 27-year-old winger with Bristol City in the Third Division, makes a surprise £170,000 move to Manchester United.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
12 November 1988 – Norwich are still top of the First Division but draw 1–1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday, with Arsenal winning 1–0 at Newcastle to cut Norwich's lead to four points. Southampton go third win a 3–1 home win over Aston Villa. Manchester United make it six draws from their first 11 games with a 2–2 stalemate away to Derby.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
15 November 1988 – Everton striker Adrian Heath is sold to Espanyol of Spain for £600,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
16 November 1988 – England draw 1–1 with Saudi Arabia in a friendly in Riyadh, with goalkeeper David Seaman making his international debut. Manchester United sell winger Jesper Olsen to Bordeaux of France for £400,000, where he links up with former Tottenham Hotspur striker Clive Allen.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
18 November 1988 – Oxford United captain Tommy Caton returns to the First Division in a £100,000 move to Charlton Athletic. Manchester United sell Danish winger Jesper Olsen to Bordeaux for £400,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
19 November 1988 – The FA Cup first round kicks off with non-league Altrincham and Bognor Regis Town both seeing off Football League opposition. Norwich drop points again when they are held to a 1–1 draw at Everton, with Arsenal cutting the gap between first and second to two points with a 3–0 home win over Middlesbrough. A relegation crunch game at Kenilworth Road sees Luton beat West Ham 4–1. Bottom club Newcastle crash to a 4–0 defeat at Millwall. Portsmouth go top of the Second Division, level on points with Watford and Blackburn, with a 3–0 home win over Barnsley.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
23 November 1988 – Manchester United are held to a 1–1 draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday in the First Division, and have now drawn eight of their opening 13 league games. Tottenham and Coventry draw 1–1 in a stalemate at White Hart Lane. Liverpool beat Arsenal 2–1 in a League Cup third round replay at Anfield.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
25 November 1988 – Wimbledon defender Terry Phelan is omitted from tomorrow's squad for the First Division fixture against Liverpool due to a court appearance he faces on a charge of cannabis possession.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
26 November 1988 – Norwich are held to another draw, this time 2–2 at home to Luton, but retain their lead of the First Division. Arsenal lose 2–1 to Derby at the Baseball Ground in a match where victory would have taken them to the top of the league on goal difference. Coventry go fifth with a 2–1 home win over local rivals Aston Villa. 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.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
27 November 1988 – The only professional action of the day sees Manchester United and Newcastle United grind out a goalless draw on Tyneside. Newcastle are still bottom of the First Division, having won just two of their first 14 games. Manchester United have so far lost just twice in the league, but nine draws and a mere three victories have left them rooted in mid table.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
30 November 1988 – The month ends with Norwich City still top of the First Division, with Arsenal, Millwall, Liverpool, Coventry City and Southampton all in close contention. Newcastle United and West Ham United are level on points at the bottom. Watford and Blackburn Rovers lead the way in the Second Division, level on 33 points. Manchester City, Chelsea, Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion occupy the play-off zone.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
1 December 1988 – Jan Molby is released from prison after serving 45 days of his three-month prison sentence for motoring offences.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
3 December 1988 – Manchester United end their long run without win in the First Division by beating Charlton Athletic 3–0 at Old Trafford. Norwich are still top of the First Division despite a 3–1 defeat at Aston Villa, but Arsenal are three points behind them with two games in hand. Chelsea go second in the Second Division with a 3–0 win over Stoke at the Victoria Ground.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
4 December 1988 – Newcastle United's search for a manager ends when they recruit Jim Smith from Queens Park Rangers, who put coach Peter Shreeves in temporary charge of the first team. Arsenal miss the chance to go top of the First Division when they are held to a 1–1 draw at home to Liverpool.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
7 December 1988 – Striker John Robertson returns to his native Scotland to rejoin Hearts in a £750,000 deal after just seven months at Newcastle United.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
10 December 1988 – Norwich remain top of the First Division after drawing 0–0 at home with their nearest rivals Arsenal. Coventry close in on the leading pair by beating Manchester United 1–0 at Highfield Road. Manchester City go top of the Second Division with a 4–0 home win over Bradford City.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
11 December 1988 – The Merseyside derby ends in a 1–1 draw at Anfield.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
14 December 1988 – Luton Town sign 23-year-old Northern Irish striker Iain Dowie from Isthmian League side Hendon for £30,000. Queens Park Rangers appoint their 34-year-old former England striker Trevor Francis as player-manager.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
17 December 1988 – Liverpool are now sixth in the First Division and eight points off the top of the table after losing 1–0 at home to Norwich, who stay top despite Arsenal's 2–1 home win over Manchester United. Derby go fourth win a 2–0 away win over Coventry. Newcastle claim a point in their battle for survival with a 3–3 draw at home to Southampton. Millwall remain third in the league with a 1–0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
18 December 1988 – Wimbledon climb out of the bottom three with a 1–0 away win over Nottingham Forest. Sunderland remain within touching distance of the Second Division playoffs – and the chance of a second successive promotion – by beating Plymouth 4–1 at Home Park. West Bromwich Albion keep up their push for automatic promotion with a 6–0 home win over Stoke.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
22 December 1988 – Kenny Sansom ends eight years at Arsenal by making a £300,000 move to Newcastle United.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
24 December 1988 – Aston Villa sell striker Garry Thompson to Watford for £325,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
26 December 1988 – Arsenal go top of the First Division after beating Charlton 3–2 at Selhurst Park. Everton go fifth win a 2–1 home win over Middlesbrough. Manchester United climb two places to ninth with a 2–0 home win over Nottingham Forest. Newcastle pick up three vital points in their fight to avoid relegation by winning 2–1 at Sheffield Wednesday. Liverpool pick up three points in their bid to remain on track for the league title, beating Derby 1–0 at the Baseball Ground. Chelsea go top of the Second Division with a 3–0 home win over Ipswich.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
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. Norwich return to the top of the First Division with a 2–1 home win over West Ham, who are now bottom of the First Division and six points adrift of safety just three seasons after coming close to winning the league title.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
31 December 1988 – Arsenal move to the top the First Division on goal difference from Norwich City after beating Aston Villa 3–0. Norwich could only manage a goalless draw at home to Middlesbrough. Wimbledon climb into 14th place with a 4–0 home win over Luton, Everton go fourth win a 3–1 home win over Coventry, and Tottenham reach ninth place with a 2–0 win over Newcastle less than two months after being bottom of the table. The Second Division leading pair of Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion remain level on goal difference after a 1–1 draw at Stamford Bridge.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
Watford draw level on points with them after beating AFC Bournemouth 1–0. Manchester City maintain their promotion push with a 2–1 win over Swindon at the County Ground. Leicester are just four points short of the playoffs after a 4–0 home win over Blackburn. Sunderland are just two points off the playoffs after beating Portsmouth 4–0 at Roker Park. Barnsley climb into the playoff zone and are in strong contention for a place in the top flight of English football for the first time, beating struggling Shrewsbury 3–2 at Gay Meadow.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
1 January 1989 – Manchester United beat Liverpool 3–1 at Old Trafford to leave the Merseysiders nine points behind leaders Arsenal. 20-year-old midfielder Russell Beardsmore, starting for only the second time in the league, scored a second half equaliser for United before setting up a goal each for Brian McClair and Mark Hughes to wipe out Liverpool's lead.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
2 January 1989 – Luton Town thrash Southampton 6–1 in the biggest win of the First Division season.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
5 January 1989 – Neil Warnock leaves Scarborough to become manager of Notts County, to replace John Barnwell, sacked a month ago.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
6 January 1989 – Manchester City boost their Second Division promotion push with a £250,000 move for Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Gary Megson.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
7 January 1989 – Sutton United, of the Conference, knock Coventry City out of the FA Cup with a shock 2–1 win in the third round. Middlesbrough lose 2–1 at home to Fourth Division Grimsby Town.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
11 January 1989 – Struggling West Ham United surprisingly beat Arsenal 1–0 in an FA Cup third round replay at Highbury.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
12 January 1989 – After just seven months at Newcastle United, goalkeeper Dave Beasant signs for Second Division leaders Chelsea in a £725,000 deal which contracts him to the Stamford Bridge club until 1994.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
28 January 1989 – Sutton United's FA Cup adventure ends in the Fourth Round when they are hammered 8–0 by Norwich City. Brentford beat Manchester City 3–1.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
31 January 1989 – Arsenal remain top of the First Division, three points ahead of Norwich City. Coventry City are third, but Millwall have slipped to seventh. Newcastle United are back in bottom place after failing to gain a single league point this month, and are level on points with West Ham United. Chelsea continue to lead the way in the Second Division, while Watford now stand second, level on points with third placed Manchester City. West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland complete the top six.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
2 February 1989 – Liverpool sell midfielder Nigel Spackman to Queens Park Rangers for £500,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
8 February 1989 – Midfielder Peter Reid moves from Everton to Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer. Watford boost their Second Division promotion challenge with a £175,000 move for Halifax Town's 19-year-old winger Lee Richardson.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
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.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
14 February 1989 – Just three months after quitting West Bromwich Albion to take over at Spanish side Atlético Madrid, Ron Atkinson returns to England to succeed Peter Eustace as manager of First Division strugglers Sheffield Wednesday. Arsenal win a friendly against the France national football team 2–0.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
18 February 1989 – Liverpool come from behind to beat Hull City 3–2 in the FA Cup fifth round. Everton win 1–0 at Barnsley, and Third Division Brentford continue their good run by beating Blackburn Rovers.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
23 February 1989 – Midfielder Carlton Palmer follows Ron Atkinson to Sheffield Wednesday from West Bromwich Albion for a club record fee of £750,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
24 February 1989 – Roy Hattersley, deputy Labour Party leader, warns that the Conservative government's proposed ID card scheme will increase violence outside football grounds.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
27 February 1989 – Newport County, relegated from the Football League last season, are wound up in the High Court with huge debts.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
28 February 1989 – Arsenal remain top of the First Division as February ends, with Norwich City still second, and Millwall back up to third. Liverpool are eighth, 19 points behind Arsenal, but with four games in hand. West Ham United are now bottom of the division, and Newcastle United and Sheffield Wednesday complete the relegation zone. Manchester City have overtaken Chelsea as Second Division leaders. The play-off zone is occupied by Blackburn Rovers, Watford, West Bromwich Albion and AFC Bournemouth.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
2 March 1989 – Chelsea sign Dutch defender Ken Monkou from Feyenoord for £100,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
3 March 1989 – Rangers sign defender Mel Sterland from Sheffield Wednesday on a free.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
8 March 1989 – England achieve their first win of the World Cup qualifying series with a 2–0 win over Albania in Tirana.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
9 March 1989 – Queens Park Rangers set a club record transfer by paying Southampton £800,000 for striker Colin Clarke.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
14 March 1989 – Manchester City, pushing for promotion from the Second Division, pay £600,000 for Luton Town midfielder David Oldfield.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
15 March 1989 – Southampton sign 18-year-old defender Jason Dodd from Conference side Bath City for £50,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
18 March 1989 – Brentford's FA Cup dream ends in the quarter-finals when they lose 4–0 to Liverpool at Anfield. Nottingham Forest defeat Manchester United 1–0 at Old Trafford. West Ham United and Norwich City draw 0–0 at Upton Park.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
19 March 1989 – Wimbledon's defence of the FA Cup ends in a 1–0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
21 March 1989 – Fourth Division strugglers Stockport County sack player-manager Asa Hartford and replace him with Rochdale manager Danny Bergera.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
22 March 1989 – Norwich City move closer to their first-ever FA Cup final by defeating West Ham United 3–1 in the quarter-final replay at Carrow Road. while Southampton pay a club record £700,000 for Portsmouth midfielder Barry Horne. West Ham United also break their transfer fee record by paying £1.1million to bring striker Frank McAvennie back to the club after 18 months at Celtic.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
23 March 1989 – Gordon Strachan leaves Manchester United after nearly five years to join Leeds United for £300,000. Trevor Francis bolsters the Queens Park Rangers midfield with a £350,000 move for Brentford's Andy Sinton.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
27 March 1989 – Referee Kelvin Morton awards five penalties in just 27 minutes during the Crystal Palace versus Brighton & Hove Albion match. Crystal Palace miss three of their four penalties, while Brighton score from their only penalty. Palace eventually win the match 2–1.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
31 March 1989 – Arsenal remain top of the league, three points ahead of Norwich City, while Liverpool, who won six League games this month, have moved into third place with a game in hand and a five-point deficit behind the leaders. West Ham United occupy bottom place with 22 points from 27 games, but Newcastle United are now just one point adrift of safety. Southampton have slipped into the bottom three. Chelsea have returned to the top of the Second Division, exchanging places with Manchester City, while the play-off zone is occupied by West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers, Ipswich Town and AFC Bournemouth.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
4 April 1989 – Liverpool play Scottish champions Celtic in the last ever Dubai Champions Cup, an unofficial 'British Championship'. John Aldridge scores for Liverpool to equalise a Mark McGhee goal for Celtic, and the game finishes 1–1. Liverpool lose 4–2 on penalty kicks.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
5 April 1989 – Newport County lose a final appeal against their closure in the High Court more than a month ago; they are expelled from the GM Vauxhall Conference and their record for the season is expunged.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
9 April 1989 – Nottingham Forest win the League Cup with a 3–1 win over holders Luton Town in the final at Wembley.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
10 April 1989 – Walsall announce the sale of Fellows Park, their home since 1903, and will relocate to a new stadium at Bescot from the start of the 1990–91 season.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
15 April 1989 – English football endures its greatest ever tragedy with the death of 94 Liverpool supporters, and injury of some 300 others, at the FA Cup semi-final clash with Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough. Some of the injured are in a serious condition and there are fears that the death toll could rise even higher. The match is abandoned, while the other semi-final sees Everton beat Norwich City 1–0 at Villa Park.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
17 April 1989 – Within 48 hours of the tragedy at Hillsborough, Home Secretary Douglas Hurd promises to pass new legislation which will force all Football League teams to remove standing accommodation from their stadiums. The Football Association gives the go-ahead for the FA Cup to continue, with the re-staged match to take place at Old Trafford on 7 May, despite calls for the final not to be played.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
18 April 1989 – The Hillsborough disaster death toll reaches 95 when 14-year-old Lee Nichol dies in hospital from his injuries. Many more of the injured are still in hospital, and there are fears that six spectators who had to be resuscitated have suffered brain damage.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
19 April 1989 – The Sun newspaper posts a front-page article about the Hillsborough disaster, headlined "The Truth", with lurid and untrue allegations about Liverpool fans' conduct, from sources including South Yorkshire Police and Conservative MP Irvine Patnick. The claims were later disproved by the Hillsborough inquest, and caused an ongoing boycott of The Sun in Liverpool.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
26 April 1989 – England beat Albania 5–0 at Wembley in their third World Cup qualifying game. Substitute Paul Gascoigne scores his first international goal.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
28 April 1989 – Of the 25 Liverpool fans who were extradited in connection with the Heysel disaster of May 1985, in which 39 spectators died at the European Cup final, 14 are found guilty of voluntary manslaughter; they went on to serve one year in prison.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
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. Norwich City are now eight points behind the leaders. At the other end of the table West Ham United are ten points from safety, and occupy the relegation zone with Newcastle United and Luton Town.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
Chelsea have sealed an immediate return to the First Division as Second Division champions, while Manchester City are just five points away from returning as runners-up after a two-year exile. Watford and Crystal Palace are now the only other teams who can go up automatically, while Blackburn Rovers and Swindon Town complete the top six. Nottingham Forest beat Everton 4–3 in the Full Members Cup final at Wembley to become the first club in English football to win two domestic cups in the same season. Liverpool travelled to Glasgow to play their first game since the Hillsborough disaster. 60,000 attend at Parkhead to watch them beat Celtic 4–0 in a match arranged to raise money for the disaster fund. An estimated £500,000 is raised.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
1 May 1989 – Arsenal thrash Norwich City 5–0 at Highbury to effectively end the Canaries' title challenge. Maidstone United clinch the Conference title and are promoted to the Football League, giving them a clash next season with fellow Kent club Gillingham, who are relegated to the Fourth Division on the same day.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
2 May 1989 – Manchester United beat Wimbledon 1–0 in a league game at Old Trafford which is watched by 23,2368, the club's lowest home crowd in the league since August 1971.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
3 May 1989 – Liverpool play their first match since the Hillsborough tragedy, a 0–0 draw with Everton. Newcastle United are relegated from the First Division after losing 2–1 to West Ham United, whose victory keeps their own slim survival hopes alive.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
6 May 1989 – Darlington are relegated from the Football League after 68 years when they lose 5–1 to Scunthorpe United at Glanford Park.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
7 May 1989 – Three weeks after the Hillsborough disaster, Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final clash with Nottingham Forest is replayed at Old Trafford. Liverpool win 3–1 to keep their dream of a second double alive.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
10 May 1989 – England striker Gary Lineker collects a European Cup Winners' Cup medal as Barcelona beat Sampdoria 2–0 in the final.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
13 May 1989 – Middlesbrough join Newcastle United in being relegated from the First Division after they lose a relegation showdown 1–0 away to Sheffield Wednesday and Luton Town beat Norwich City 1–0. The result ensures Wednesday's survival, and West Ham United must now win their last two games to stay up at the expense of Aston Villa. At the top, Arsenal suffer a 2–1 defeat at home to Derby County, while Liverpool beat Wimbledon 2–1 to move within two points of the Gunners with a game in hand.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
16 May 1989 – Liverpool move to the top of the First Division for the first time this season after beating Queens Park Rangers 2–0.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
17 May 1989 – Arsenal draw 2–2 with Wimbledon in their last home League game of the season. They are level on points with Liverpool having played one game more.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
20 May 1989 – Liverpool lift the FA Cup with a 3–2 win over Everton after extra time. Ian Rush scores twice for Liverpool while John Aldridge scores the other goal, and Stuart McCall scores twice for Everton.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
23 May 1989 – West Ham United are relegated after eight successive seasons of First Division football as they lose 5–1 to Liverpool at Anfield. The result moves Liverpool three points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table with one game remaining.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
26 May 1989 – Arsenal win the league title in the final moments of the season thanks to a late goal from Michael Thomas against Liverpool which gives them a 2–0 away win. First Division top scorer Alan Smith had put Arsenal ahead earlier in the second half. Their triumph gives them their first league championship trophy for 18 years, having scored more goals than their rivals, their points tallies and goal differences being identical. Former Leeds United and England manager Don Revie dies of motor neuron disease at the age of 61.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
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. England win 2–0 to take the Rous Cup.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
28 May 1989 – Bolton Wanderers claim their first major trophy since the 1958 FA Cup by beating Torquay United 4–1 in the Associate Members' Cup final.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
1 June 1989 – Trevor Steven, the Everton winger, becomes the latest Englishman to sign for Rangers when he agrees terms for a £1.5 million transfer. Kenny Sansom leaves Newcastle United to return to London in an exchange deal to Queens Park Rangers, with Wayne Fereday moving in the opposite direction.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
3 June 1989 – England make it three wins from their opening four World Cup qualifying games with a 3–0 win over Poland at Wembley. The domestic season draws to a close when Crystal Palace overhaul a 3–1 deficit to defeat Blackburn Rovers 4–3 on aggregate to win promotion to the First Division after an eight-year exile.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
5 June 1989 – John Lyall, the longest-serving manager currently employed in the Football League, is sacked after 15 years in charge of relegated West Ham United. He had been with the club for 34 years, since joining them as an apprentice on leaving school in 1955 at the age of 15.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
7 June 1989 – Sheffield Wednesday sign 20-year-old striker Dalian Atkinson from Ipswich Town for £450,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
20 June 1989 – Leeds United sign midfielder Vinnie Jones from Wimbledon for £650,000.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
21 June 1989 – Gary Lineker ends three years in Spain with Barcelona to return to England in a £2 million move to Tottenham Hotspur.


1988–89 in English football, Diary of the season
30 June 1989 – Billy Bremner is appointed manager of Doncaster Rovers for the second time succeeding caretaker manager Joe Kinnear.


1988–89 in English football, FA Cup
Liverpool won the Cup by beating Everton 3–2 at Wembley. Ian Rush, who had returned to Anfield after a year at Juventus the previous summer, scored twice. This year's FA Cup featured a famous upset as First Division Coventry City, who had won the competition two years earlier, sunk to a 2–1 loss in the third round at lowly Sutton United. The joy of the non-leaguers was ended emphatically though in the next round as they were thumped 8–0 by Norwich City. Also, Third Division Brentford went on an impressive run to the quarter-finals before losing to Liverpool at Anfield.


1988–89 in English football, Football League silverware
Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest ended their nine-year trophy drought by beating holders Luton Town 3–1 in the final to win the League Cup. Nottingham Forest also won the Full Members' Cup, beating Everton 4–3 in the final after extra time, having come twice from behind. Garry Parker scored a brilliant goal for Nottingham Forest, running nearly the full length of the Wembley pitch, before beating Neville Southall in the Everton goal. This is arguably one of the best goals scored in a Wembley final.


1988–89 in English football, Football League silverware
Like Wolverhampton Wanderers the previous season, Bolton Wanderers announced their intentions to return to the big time by winning the Associate Members' Cup at Wembley against Torquay United 4–1.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, First Division
An exciting League season was eventually won by Arsenal, who clinched the title on number of goals scored with a late goal from midfielder Michael Thomas on the final day of the season at Liverpool, six weeks after the death of more than 90 fans at the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough, which delayed the end of the league season by two weeks and meant that the last games were played six days after the FA Cup Final, in which Liverpool beat Merseyside rivals Everton 3–2. It was Arsenal's first league title for 18 years.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, First Division
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. Fourth placed Norwich City mounted the first serious top flight title challenge of their history and although their challenge was over some weeks before the season's end, their final position was their best until they finished third in the inaugural Premier League season. They also reached the FA Cup semi-finals for only the second time. Derby County completed the top five to secure their best finish since winning the league title in 1975.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, First Division
Everton's eighth-place finish was their lowest since 1981, while newly promoted Millwall's 10th-place finish was the lowest standing they had occupied at any stage during their first season in the top flight. Another big club to endure a disappointing season was Manchester United, who finished 11th a year after being runners-up.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, First Division
A disastrous season for Newcastle United saw them relegated in bottom place after five years back in the First Division. They were relegated alongside local rivals Middlesbrough and a West Ham United side who had almost won the league title three years earlier, and who then sacked their manager John Lyall after 15 years in charge. Aston Villa, Luton Town, Sheffield Wednesday (who went through three managers in the season) and Charlton Athletic all had narrow escapes from relegation.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, Second Division
Chelsea sealed an instant return to the First Division by topping the Second Division with 99 points, giving them a 17-point lead over second-placed Manchester City. 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. They overcame Blackburn Rovers in the two-legged final by overhauling a two-goal deficit and prolonging the Lancashire club's absence from the First Division into its 24th season. West Bromwich had looked all set for promotion as late as February, only for a late season collapse to drag them down to ninth in the final table – not even enough for a playoff place.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, Second Division
Walsall suffered an instant return to the Third Division after winning just five league games all season, while Birmingham City's decline continued as they fell into the Third Division for the first time. The last club to go down were Shrewsbury Town, whose luck finally ran out after defying the odds at this level for a whole decade, while some of the game's most illustrious clubs had gone down before them.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, Third Division
Wolverhampton Wanderers continued to thrive after a traumatic few seasons which had almost put the club out of business, as they sealed a second successive promotion and a second successive title thanks largely to prolific striker Steve Bull, who became the first player in senior football to reach the 50-goal mark in consecutive seasons. They were joined in the Second Division by runners-up Sheffield United, whose manager Dave Bassett secured his fifth promotion in nine seasons as a manager. Port Vale compensated for missing out on automatic promotion on goal difference by winning the playoffs.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, Third Division
Northampton Town, promotion contenders the previous season, only survived on goal difference. Southend United were relegated instead, on 54 points – more than any other Football League team ever to have been relegated, until Peterborough United were relegated from the Championship in 2012–13 having also finished the season with 54 points. Gillingham, Chesterfield and Aldershot completed the bottom four.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, Fourth Division
Rotherham United secured an instant return to the Third Division as Fourth Division champions. Tranmere Rovers finished runners-up to end the decade on a high by winning promotion from a division where they had spent most of the decade. Crewe Alexandra finally made it out of the Fourth Division at the right end after being there continuously for over 20 years. Leyton Orient triumphed in the playoffs less than three months after they had been 15th in the league and seemingly out of the promotion race.


1988–89 in English football, Football League, Fourth Division
Darlington slipped out of the Football League after a late rally by Colchester United under Jock Wallace. 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.


1988–89 in English football, Non-league football
In their first season after relegation from the Football League, Newport County went out of business on 27 February. They were then expelled from the Conference for failing to fulfill their fixtures but reformed three months later.


1988–89 in English football, Star players
Manchester United striker Mark Hughes, who had returned to the club after two unhappy seasons with Barcelona in Spain and Bayern Munich in Germany was voted PFA Players' Player of the Year. The PFA Young Player of the Year award went to Arsenal's winger Paul Merson, who helped his side win their first league title for 18 years.


1988–89 in English football, Star players
FWA Footballer of the Year was Liverpool captain Steve Nicol, while a special award was credited to the Liverpool players for their compassion shown to families bereaved by the Hillsborough disaster.


1988–89 in English football, Star players
In the Third Division, 24-year-old Wolves striker Steve Bull scored 53 goals in all competitions and made a scoring debut for the England national football team.


1988–89 in English football, Famous debutants
24 September 1988: Russell Beardsmore, 19-year-old midfielder, makes his debut for Manchester United in their First Division 2–0 home win over West Ham United.


1988–89 in English football, Famous debutants
15 October 1988: Ian Olney, 18-year-old winger, makes his debut for Aston Villa in their 2–2 draw with Charlton Athletic at Selhurst Park.


1988–89 in English football, Famous debutants
22 October 1988: Mark Robins, 18-year-old striker, makes his debut for Manchester United as a substitute in their First Division 1–1 draw with Wimbledon at Plough Lane.


1988–89 in English football, Famous debutants
26 October 1988: Mark Crossley, 19-year-old goalkeeper, makes his debut for Nottingham Forest in 2–1 home win over Liverpool in First Division at the City Ground.


1988–89 in English football, Famous debutants
6 November 1988: Gary Charles, 18-year-old defender, makes his debut for Nottingham Forest in their 4–1 home defeat by Arsenal in the First Division at the City Ground.


1988–89 in English football, Famous debutants
4 February 1989: John Ebbrell, 19-year-old midfielder, makes his debut for Everton in their First Division 1–1 draw with Wimbledon at Plough Lane.


1988–89 in English football, Famous debutants
1 April 1989: David May, 18-year-old defender, makes his debut for Blackburn Rovers in a 1–1 Second Division draw with fellow promotion rivals Swindon Town at the County Ground.


1988–89 in English football, Famous debutants
6 May 1989: Gary Speed, 19-year-old Welsh midfielder, makes his debut for Leeds United in 0–0 Second Division draw with Oldham Athletic at Elland Road.


1988–89 in English football, Famous debutants
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. Graeme Le Saux, 20-year-old Jersey born defender, makes his debut for Second Division champions Chelsea in 3–2 win against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.


1988–89 in English football, Transfers
Tottenham midfielder Chris Waddle was sold to Olympique Marseille of France in a £4.25 million deal, in the latest of big money deals which saw players desert English clubs for foreign clubs who were prepared to pay higher wages. Gary Lineker ended his three-year spell at FC Barcelona to join Tottenham. He had played under Tottenham manager Terry Venables during his first season at Barcelona.


1988–89 in English football, Transfers
Lineker's strike partner Mark Hughes also left Barcelona and returned to his old club Manchester United in a £1.8 million deal. Hughes had been a disappointment in his first season at Barcelona but had recaptured his form during a successful season-long loan deal at Bayern Munich.


1988–89 in Scottish football
The 1988–89 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in Scotland.


1988–89 in Scottish football, Notable events
Rangers regained their league title and retained the League Cup, but defeat by Celtic in the Scottish Cup final ended their hopes of a domestic treble.


1988–89 in Scottish football, Notable events
Graeme Souness's acquisition of English players continued with the signing of Norwich City striker Kevin Drinkell and Everton defender Gary Stevens. For the title run-in, he also signed defender Mel Sterland from Sheffield Wednesday, only to sell him to Leeds United in the close season.


1988–89 in Scottish football, Notable events
Hearts enjoyed the best European run out of all the Scottish clubs, reaching the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup, where they were narrowly beaten by the West German giants Bayern Munich.


1988–89 in Scottish football, Notable events
Alex Smith and Jocky Scott took joint charge of Aberdeen for the 1988–89 season following the departure of Ian Porterfield after less than two years in charge, but were still unable to return to the club to the glory days of Alex Ferguson, as Rangers and Celtic collected all the major prizes once again.


1988–89 in Scottish football, Scottish clubs in Europe
Results for Scotland's participants in European competition for the 1988–89 season


1988–89 snooker season
The 1988–89 snooker season was a series of snooker tournaments played between July 1988 and May 1989. The following table outlines the results for the ranking and invitational events.


1988–89 snooker season, Official rankings
The top 16 of the world rankings, these players automatically played in the final rounds of the world ranking events and were invited for the Masters.


1989
1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1989th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 989th  year of the 2nd millennium, the 89th  year of the 20th century, and the  10th  and last year of the 1980s decade.


1989
1989 was a turning point in political history because a wave of revolutions swept the Eastern Bloc in Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power sharing, coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin Wall in November, and the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, embracing the overthrow of the communist dictatorship in Romania in December, and ending in December 1991 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. These are collectively known as the Revolutions of 1989. While revolutions against communist governments in Eastern Europe mainly succeeded, 1989 also saw the suppression of protests in communist China, most famously the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing.


1989
It was the year of the first Brazilian presidential election in 29 years, since the end of the military government in 1985 that ruled the country for more than twenty years, and marked the redemocratization process's final point.


1989
F. W. de Klerk was elected as State President of South Africa, and his regime gradually dismantled the apartheid system over the next five years, culminating with the 1994 election that brought jailed African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela to power.


1989
The first commercial Internet service providers surfaced in this year, as well as the first written proposal for the World Wide Web and New Zealand, Japan and Australia's first Internet connections. The first babies born after preimplantation genetic diagnosis were conceived in late 1989.


1989 (Ryan Adams album)
1989 is the 15th studio album by American singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released digitally through his own PAX AM record label on September 21, 2015. The album is a track-by-track cover of American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's album of the same name. It debuted at number 7 on the US Billboard 200 chart, one position ahead of Swift's 1989, which was in its 48th week on the chart.


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Background
Adams first became interested in Taylor Swift's album while coping with the collapse of his marriage to Mandy Moore. On what attracted him about Swift's album, Adams stated "There's just a joy to 1989," describing the album as "its own alternate universe". Adams initially described the album as being in the style of the Smiths. When recording the album, Adams said he found a sound somewhere between Bruce Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town and The Smiths' Meat Is Murder.


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Background, Taylor Swift's response
On the day that Adams announced the project, Swift responded enthusiastically from her Twitter account, writing, "Cool I'm not gonna be able to sleep tonight or ever again and I'm going to celebrate today every year as a holiday."


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Background, Taylor Swift's response
Two weeks later, an official statement was released via Entertainment Weekly, whereupon Swift expressed further excitement and anticipation:


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Background, Taylor Swift's response
"Ryan Adams is one of the artists who shaped my songwriting. My favorite part of his style of creating music is his ability to bleed aching vulnerability into it, and that’s what he's done with his cover project of my album 1989. When I first heard that Ryan was going to be covering my entire album, I couldn't believe it. It's such an honor that he would want to take my stories and lyrics and give them a new life. He's gotten some of the best musicians together to record this album and if the clips he's released are any indication, this is going to be something really special."


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Background, Taylor Swift's response
On September 21, a day after the album's release, Adams was on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show when Swift made a surprise appearance. Swift praised Adams' work, and described the ways in which his interpretation of the songs differed from her own. She stated that they were "not cover songs" but rather "reimaginings of my songs, and you can tell that he was in a very different place emotionally when he put his spin on them than I was when I wrote them. There's this beautiful aching sadness and longing in this album that doesn’t exist in the original." In the same interview, Swift also admitted that, after spending time listening to an advance copy of Adams' album, she had picked up some of Adams' melodies when performing her songs on tour.


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Critical reception
Adams's interpretation of 1989 received mostly positive feedback from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 from selected independent ratings and reviews from mainstream critics, the album received a metascore of 69 out of 100, based on 25 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Critical reception
Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt praised the album, commenting "If turning the biggest, shiniest pop record of the past year into a survey course in classic rock economy sounds like a novelty, it is. But it's also the best kind – one that brings two divergent artists together in smart, unexpected ways, and somehow manages to reveal the best of both of them." Jim Beviglia of American Songwriter also complimented the album, stating "It is 1989 reimagined, with often startling results."


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Critical reception
On a similar note, The A.V. Club's Annie Zaleski said of the album in her review: "What his version of 1989 does best is illustrate the strength of the source material. With the radio-ready gloss stripped away, these songs compare to the best moments in Swift’s back catalog." Jon Caramanica of The New York Times, however, called the album, "a love letter from an indie idol to a pop queen," and considered Adams "not built for the songs." In a similarly negative review, Mark Richardson of Pitchfork declared, "Adams has transformed (1989) into ... a run-of-the-mill Ryan Adams album."


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Critical reception
Robert Christgau, writing for Vice, named "This Love" and "I Know Places" as highlights and summed up Adams' cover album with, "Chivalrous Nashville fellow traveler proves the superiority of younger fellow traveler by failing to top much less reinvent a single performance on her breakaway album, which he covers front-to-back like the gifted fanboy I guess he must be".


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 7 on the US Billboard 200, earning 56,000 equivalent album units sales in its first week.


1989 (Ryan Adams album), Track listing
All tracks are produced by Ryan Adams and Charlie Stavish.


1989 (Taylor Swift album)
1989 is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on October 27, 2014, by Big Machine Records. Following the release of her genre-spanning fourth studio album Red (2012), noted for pop hooks and electronic production, the media questioned the validity of Swift's status as a country artist. Inspired by 1980s synth-pop to create a record that shifted her sound and image from country to mainstream pop, Swift enlisted Max Martin as co-executive producer, and titled her fifth album after her birth year as a symbolic rebirth of her artistry.


1989 (Taylor Swift album)
The album's synth-pop sound is characterized by heavy synthesizers, programmed drums, and processed backing vocals. Swift wrote the songs inspired by her personal relationships, which had been a trademark of her songwriting. The songs on 1989 express lighthearted perspectives, departing from her previous hostile attitude towards failed romance. Swift and Big Machine promoted the album extensively through product endorsements, television, radio appearances and social media. They pulled 1989 from free streaming services such as Spotify, prompting an industry discourse on the impact of streaming on music sales.


1989 (Taylor Swift album)
After the album's release, Swift embarked on the 1989 World Tour, which was the highest-grossing tour of 2015. The album was supported by seven singles, including three US Billboard Hot 100 number ones: "Shake It Off", "Blank Space", and "Bad Blood". Critics praised Swift's songwriting in 1989 for offering emotional engagement that they found uncommon in the mainstream pop scene. Meanwhile, the synth-pop production raised questions regarding Swift's authenticity as a lyricist.


1989 (Taylor Swift album)
The album appeared on several publications' lists of the best albums of the 2010s and featured in Rolling Stone's 2020 revision of their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. At the 58th Grammy Awards in 2016, 1989 won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album, making Swift the first female solo artist to win Album of the Year twice.


1989 (Taylor Swift album)
1989 was a commercial success. In the US, Swift became the first artist to have three albums each sell over one million copies within their first week of release. The album spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard 200 and received a ninefold platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It also earned multi-platinum certifications in Australia, Canada, and the UK, and has sold over 10 million pure copies worldwide.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Background
Until the release of her fourth studio album Red in October 2012, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift had been known as a country artist. Red incorporates various pop and rock styles, transcending the country sound of her previous releases. The collaborations with renowned Swedish pop producers Max Martin and Shellback—including the top-five singles "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and "I Knew You Were Trouble"—introduced straightforward pop hooks and new genres including electronic and dubstep to Swift's repertoire.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Background
Swift and her label, Big Machine, promoted it as a country album; songs from Red impacted country radio and Swift made multiple appearances at country music awards shows. When it ended, the album's associated world tour, running from March 2013 to June 2014, was the all-time highest-grossing country tour. The diverse musical styles sparked a media debate over Swift's status as a country artist, to which she replied in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, "I leave the genre labeling to other people."


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Background
Having been known as "America's Sweetheart" due to her wholesome and down-to-earth image, Swift saw her reputation blemished by her history of romantic relationships with a series of high-profile celebrities. Her relationship with English singer Harry Styles during the promotion of Red was a particular subject for tabloid gossip. She disliked the media portraying her as a "serial-dater", feeling it undermined her professional work, and became more reticent to discuss her personal life in public.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Background
Most of the album's lyrics were derived from Swift's journal detailing her personal life; she had been known for autobiographical narratives in her songwriting since her debut. A new inspiration this time was her relocation to New York City in March 2014, which gave Swift a sense of freedom to embark on new ideas. Swift also took inspiration from the media scrutiny of her image to write satirical songs about her perceived image.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Recording and production
Swift began songwriting for her fifth studio album in mid-2013 while touring to support Red. For Red's follow-up, she sought to create a "blatant pop" record, departing from her country/pop experimentation. She believed that "if you chase two rabbits, you lose them both". Greatly inspired by 1980s synth-pop, she viewed the 1980s as an experimental period that embraced "endless possibilities" when artists abandoned the generic "drums-guitar-bass-whatever" song structure and experimented with stripped-down synthesizers, drum pads, and overlapped vocals. She took inspiration from the music of artists from the period, such as Peter Gabriel and Annie Lennox, to make a synth-pop record that would convey her thoughts unburdened by heavy instrumentation.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Recording and production
To ensure a smooth transition to pop, Swift recruited Max Martin and Shellback as major collaborators, in part because of their reputation as the biggest mainstream pop hitmakers at the time. Speaking to the Associated Press in October 2013, Swift described them as "absolute dream collaborators" because they took her ideas in a different direction, which challenged her as a songwriter. Scott Borchetta, president of Swift's then-label Big Machine, was initially skeptical of Swift's decision. He failed to persuade Swift to record "three country songs", and ultimately accepted that Big Machine would not promote the new songs to country radio. Martin and Shellback produced seven of the thirteen tracks on the album's standard edition. Swift credited Martin as co-executive producer because he also recorded and produced her vocals on tracks on which he was uncredited. This solidified Swift's vision of a coherent record rather than a mere "collection of songs".


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Recording and production
Another key figure on the album's production team was Jack Antonoff, with whom Swift had worked on the new wave-influenced song "Sweeter than Fiction" for the soundtrack of One Chance (2013). Antonoff co-wrote and co-produced two tracks on the standard edition. The first, "I Wish You Would", stemmed from his experimental sampling of snare drum instrumentation on Fine Young Cannibals' 1988 single "She Drives Me Crazy", one of their mutual favorite songs. Antonoff played his sample to Swift on an iPhone and sent it to her to re-record. The final track is a remix that retains the distinctive snare drums.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Recording and production
For "Out of the Woods", Antonoff sent his finished instrumental track to Swift while she was on a plane. She sent him a voice memo containing the lyrics roughly 30 minutes later. The song was the first time Swift composed lyrics for an existing instrumental. Antonoff produced one more track for the album's deluxe edition, "You Are in Love".


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Recording and production
Swift contacted Ryan Tedder, with whom she had always wanted to work, by a smartphone voice memo. He co-produced two songs—"Welcome to New York" and "I Know Places". For "I Know Places", Swift scheduled a meeting with him at the studio after forming a fully developed idea on her own; the recording process the following day finalized it. Tedder spoke of Swift's work ethic and perfectionism with Time: "Ninety-five times out of 100, if I get a track to where we're happy with it, the artist will say, 'That's amazing.' It's very rare to hear, 'Nope, that's not right.'


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Recording and production
But the artists I've worked with who are the most successful are the ones who'll tell me to my face, 'No, you're wrong,' two or three times in a row. And she [Swift] did." For "Clean", Swift approached English producer Imogen Heap in London after writing the song's lyrics and melody. Heap helped to complete the track by playing instruments on it; the two finished recording after two takes in one day at Heap's studio. Nathan Chapman, Swift's longtime collaborator, co-produced the track "This Love". The album was mastered by Tom Coyne in two days at Sterling Sound Studio in New York City. Swift finalized the record upon completing the Asian leg of the Red Tour in mid-2014.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Music and lyrics, Overview
The standard edition of 1989 includes 13 tracks; the deluxe edition includes six additional tracks—three original songs and three voice memos. The album makes heavy use of synthesizers, programmed drums, pulsating basslines, and processed backing vocals. Because Swift aimed to recreate authentic 1980s pop, the album is devoid of contemporary hip hop or R&B crossover elements popular in mainstream music at the time. Although Swift declared her move from country to pop on 1989, several reviewers, including The A.V. Club's Marah Eakin, argued that Swift had always been more pop-oriented even on her early country songs.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Music and lyrics, Overview
The three voice memos on the deluxe edition contain Swift's discussions of the songwriting process and unfinished demos for three songs—"I Know Places", "I Wish You Would", and "Blank Space". Myles McNutt, a professor in communications and arts, described the voice memos as Swift's effort to claim her authority over 1989, defying pop music's "gendered hierarchy" which had seen a dominance of male songwriters and producers.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Music and lyrics, Overview
Although 1989's production  was a dramatic change from that on Swift's country repertoire, her distinctive storytelling ability, nurtured by her country background, remained intact in her songwriting. The songs are primarily about Swift's recurring themes of the emotions and reflections resulting from past romantic relationships. However, 1989 showcased a maturity in Swift's perspectives: Rolling Stone observed that the album was her first not to villainize ex-lovers, but instead expressed "wistful and nostalgic" viewpoints on broken romance.


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Music and lyrics, Overview
Pitchfork's Vrinda Jagota summarized 1989 as a "fully-realized fantasy of self-reliance, confidence, and ensuing pleasure", where Swift had ceased to dramatize failed relationships and learned to celebrate the moment. The album's liner notes, which include a one-sentence hidden message for each of the 13 songs, collectively tell a story of a girl's tangled relationship. Ultimately, she finds that, "She lost him but she found herself and somehow that was everything." Swift explained her shift in attitude to NPR: "In the past, I've written mostly about heartbreak or pain that was caused by someone else and felt by me. On this album, I'm writing about more complex relationships, where the blame is kind of split 50–50 ... even if you find the right situation relationship-wise, it's always going to be a daily struggle to make it work."


1989 (Taylor Swift album), Music and lyrics, Songs
Swift's feelings when she first moved to New York City inspired the opening track, "Welcome to New York", a synthesizer-laden song finding Swift embracing her newfound freedom. "Blank Space", set over a minimal hip hop-influenced beat, satirizes the media's perception of Swift as a promiscuous woman who dates male celebrities only to gather songwriting material. The production of "Style", a funk-flavored track, was inspired by "funky electronic music" artists such as Daft Punk; its lyrics detail an unhealthy relationship and contain a reference to the American actor James Dean in the refrain.