At the time of the creation of the FA Premier League in 1992, Barnsley had been Football League members for 94 years but had still not reached the top flight. They were, at least, in a decent position to make that breakthrough, as members of the new Division One (as the old Second Division was now called). In December 1989, they turned to Mel Machin, manager of Manchester City's promotion-winning side the previous campaign, to guide them into the top flight, but he left nearly four years later with promotion still to be achieved. Machin's successor Viv Anderson spent just one season in charge before quitting to become Bryan Robson's assistant at Middlesbrough, and for the 1994–95 season Barnsley turned to veteran midfielder Danny Wilson to manage the club.