Manchester United won the 1995/96 Premier League. They finished on 82 points, 4 points ahead of Newcastle United, after 25 wins, 7 draws and 6 losses.
Title winner and season context
The season ran from 19 August 1995 to 5 May 1996. It was the first Premier League campaign with 20 clubs, with each side playing 38 matches.
Across the season, there were 380 matches and 988 goals, an average of 2.60 per match. For Manchester United, it was a third Premier League title. The top 4 were Manchester United, Newcastle United, Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Final Premier League table in 1995/96
The official final standings are below.
| Pos | Club | Played | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United | 38 | +38 | 82 |
| 2 | Newcastle United | 38 | +29 | 78 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 38 | +36 | 71 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 38 | +17 | 63 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 38 | +17 | 63 |
| 6 | Everton | 38 | +20 | 61 |
| 7 | Blackburn Rovers | 38 | +14 | 61 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | +12 | 61 |
| 9 | Nottingham Forest | 38 | -4 | 58 |
| 10 | West Ham United | 38 | -9 | 51 |
| 11 | Chelsea | 38 | +2 | 50 |
| 12 | Middlesbrough | 38 | -15 | 43 |
| 13 | Leeds United | 38 | -17 | 43 |
| 14 | Wimbledon | 38 | -15 | 41 |
| 15 | Sheffield Wednesday | 38 | -13 | 40 |
| 16 | Coventry City | 38 | -18 | 38 |
| 17 | Southampton | 38 | -18 | 38 |
| 18 | Manchester City | 38 | -25 | 38 |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers | 38 | -19 | 33 |
| 20 | Bolton Wanderers | 38 | -32 | 29 |
Several clubs finished level on points. Aston Villa and Arsenal finished level on points, while Everton, Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur also ended in the same points band.
The relegation line was also close. Coventry City, Southampton and Manchester City all finished on 38 points, but Manchester City ended in 18th and went down with Queens Park Rangers and Bolton Wanderers.
Awards and statistical leaders
The main individual honours and statistical leaders for the season are listed here.
| Award | Winner | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Boot | Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers) | 31 goals |
| Most clean sheets | Peter Schmeichel | 18 clean sheets |
| Most assists | Steve McManaman | 15 assists |
| Player of the Season | Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United) | - |
| Manager of the Season | Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) | - |
These honours split across team success and individual output. Shearer was the league's top scorer for Blackburn Rovers, while Manchester United collected both the Player of the Season and Manager of the Season awards.
The later award names were not yet in place. The official Golden Glove award was first introduced in 2004/05, and the Playmaker award did not exist until 2017/18.
Promotion, relegation and what made this season distinct
Middlesbrough and Bolton Wanderers were the promoted clubs for 1995/96. Bolton went straight back down, while Middlesbrough stayed up.
This season stands out because it set the 20-club, 38-match format that became the standard Premier League structure.
FAQ
Which teams were relegated from the Premier League in 1995/96?
Manchester City, Queens Park Rangers and Bolton Wanderers were relegated. They finished in the bottom three places of the final table.
Who was the top scorer in the Premier League in 1995/96?
Alan Shearer of Blackburn Rovers won the Golden Boot with 31 goals. That made him the division's leading scorer for the season.
Who won the Premier League in 1996?
The Premier League title awarded at the end of the season in May 1996 went to Manchester United. That title is recorded as the 1995/96 Premier League championship.