1987–88 in English football for £2million. 11 May 1988 – Aberdeen goalkeeper Jim Leighton links up with his former manager Alex Ferguson by signing for Manchester United in a £500,000 deal. 14 May 1988 – Wimbledon pull off a major upset by beating Liverpool 1–0 in the FA Cup final. They have been First Division members for just two seasons and have only been a Football League side for the last eleven years. Lawrie Sanchez is Wimbledon's goalscoring hero, while Liverpool have a goal from Peter Beardsley disallowed and a penalty from John Aldridge saved by Wimbledon goalkeeper and captain Dave Beasant. 20 May
Dave Beasant of 1995, new manager Dave Merrington preferred Beasant in goal. The team struggled throughout the season, and were never far from the relegation zone, but finished level on points but with a better goal difference than Ball's Manchester City who were relegated. Beasant himself finished the season by being voted the club's Player of the Season. For the 1996–97 season, Graeme Souness was appointed manager; initially, Souness kept faith with Beasant but after a series of injuries (during which Saints took Chris Woods on loan), Souness signed Maik Taylor from Barnet in January. Beasant's final first-team game for Southampton was