1988–89 Cardiff City F.C. season

Sherpa Van Trophy
	1st round
Top goalscorer	League: Jimmy Gilligan (14); All: Jimmy Gilligan (23)
Highest home attendance	10,675 (v Swansea, 26 December 1988)
Lowest home attendance	2,411 (v Bury, 1 November 1988)
Average home league attendance	4,782
	← 1987–88 1989–90 →

The 1988–89 season was

Football League. They competed in the 24-team Division Three, then the third tier of English football

, finishing sixteenth.

Players

First team squad. [1] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
--	GK	WAL	Jon Roberts
--	GK	SCO	George Wood
--	DF	WAL	Gareth Abraham
--	DF	WAL	Phil Bater
--	DF	WAL	Terry Boyle
--	DF	WAL	Allan Lewis
--	DF	WAL	Jason Perry
--	DF	ENG	Nick Platnauer
--	DF	ENG	Ian Rodgerson
--	DF	WAL	Nigel Stevenson
--	MF	WAL	Chris Fry
--	MF	ENG	Roger Gibbins
--	MF	WAL	Jason Gummer
--	MF	ENG	Matty Holmes


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
--	MF	ENG	Mark Kelly
--	MF	ENG	Steve Ketteridge
--	MF	ENG	Steve Lynex
--	MF	ENG	Brian McDermott
--	MF	WAL	Jon Morgan
--	MF	ENG	Steve Tupling
--	MF	ENG	Paul Wheeler
--	MF	ENG	Paul Wimbleton
--	FW	ENG	Kevin Bartlett
--	FW	WAL	Alan Curtis
--	FW	ENG	Jimmy Gilligan
--	FW	WAL	Richard Haig
--	FW	WAL	Ian Walsh

League standings

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
14	Huddersfield Town	46	17	9	20	63	73	−10	60
15	Mansfield Town	46	14	17	15	48	52	−4	59
16	Cardiff City	46	14	15	17	44	56	−12	57
17	Wigan Athletic	46	14	14	18	55	53	+2	56
18	Reading	46	15	11	20	68	72	−4	56

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Results by round

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46
Ground	H	A	H	A	A	H	H	A	A	A	H	H	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	A	A	H	A	H	H	A	A	A	H	H	A	H	H	H	A	H
Result	L	L	W	L	D	D	L	D	D	L	W	W	W	W	D	L	D	D	W	L	W	L	W	W	D	L	L	D	W	L	L	W	D	D	D	L	W	L	L	W	L	L	D	W	D	D
Position		24	17	20	22	22	23	22	22	21	21	20	17	17	17	18	18	19	16	17	16	17	17	13	14	16	18	18	16	18	18	17	18	18	18	18	17	17	17	17	18	18	18	16	16	15

Source: ^[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Fixtures and results

Third Division

27 August 1988 (1988-08-27) 1	Cardiff City	1–2	Fulham	Cardiff
15:00	Ian Walsh		Andy Sayer Gary Elkins	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 6,024 Referee: Martin Bodenham (East Looe)

3 September 1988 (1988-09-03) 2	Bolton Wanderers	4–0	Cardiff City	Bolton
15:00	John Thomas Gary Henshaw Julian Darby Julian Darby			Stadium: Burnden Park Attendance: 4,831 Referee: Paul Danson (Leicester)

10 September 1988 (1988-09-10) 3	Cardiff City	3–0	Huddersfield Town	Cardiff
15:00	Nigel Stevenson Ian Walsh Ian Walsh			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,891 Referee: Mike Reed (Birmingham)

17 September 1988 (1988-09-17) 4	Stoke on Trent
	Ron Futcher Ron Futcher Darren Beckford David Riley Robbie Earle Ray Walker		Jimmy Gilligan	Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 4,280

23 September 1988 (1988-09-23) 5	Southend
				Stadium: Roots Hall Attendance: 3,199

1 October 1988 (1988-10-01) 6	Cardiff City	2–2	Bristol Rovers	Cardiff
15:00	Kevin Bartlett 85'		5' Gary Penrice 38' Ian Holloway	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 5,038

8 October 1988 (1988-10-08) 7	Cardiff City	1–2	Reading	Cardiff
15:00	Alan Curtis 43'		Mike Conroy Michael Gilkes	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 4,057

15 October 1988 (1988-10-15) 8	Chester City	0–0	Cardiff City	Chester
15:00				Stadium: Sealand Road Attendance: 2,796

22 October 1988 (1988-10-22) 9	Mansfield Town	2–2	Cardiff City	Mansfield
15:00	Keith Cassells Keith Cassells		Steve Ketteridge 48' Brian McDermott	Stadium: Field Mill Attendance: 3,566 Referee: PK Pawley (Cambridge)

29 October 1988 (1988-10-29) 10	Blackpool	1–0	Cardiff City	Blackpool
15:00	Andy Garner			Stadium: Bloomfield Road Attendance: 3,843

1 November 1988 (1988-11-01) 11	Cardiff City	3–0	Bury	Cardiff
19:45	Kevin Bartlett Steve Ketteridge			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 2,411

5 November 1988 (1988-11-05) 12	Cardiff City	1–0	Gillingham	Cardiff
15:00	Kevin Bartlett 56'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,658

12 November 1988 (1988-11-12) 13	Cardiff City	1–0	Northampton Town	Cardiff
15:00	Kevin Bartlett 9'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,280

25 November 1988 (1988-11-25) 14	Cardiff City	1–0	Brentford	Cardiff
19:45	Jimmy Gilligan 27'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,405

3 December 1988 (1988-12-03) 15	Preston North End	3–3	Cardiff City	Preston
15:00	Gary Brazil 3' Tony Ellis 39' Tony Ellis 63'		51' Kevin Bartlett	Stadium: Deepdale Attendance: 4,926

17 December 1988 (1988-12-17) 16	Bristol City	2–0	Cardiff City	Bristol
15:00	Rob Newman 4' Nigel Hawkins			Stadium: Ashton Gate Attendance: 7,493

26 December 1988 (1988-12-26) 17	Cardiff City	2–2	Swansea City	Cardiff
12:00	Jimmy Gilligan 5' Jimmy Gilligan 12'		David Puckett Alan Davies	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 10,675 Referee: Brian Stevens (Stonehouse)

30 December 1988 (1988-12-30) 18	Cardiff City	2–2	Wigan Athletic	Cardiff
19:45	Kevin Bartlett 79' Alan Curtis 75'		Wayne Entwistle Bryan Griffiths	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 4,621 Referee: Ron Bridges (Deeside)

2 January 1989 (1989-01-02) 19	Aldershot	0–1	Cardiff City	Aldershot
15:00			81' Alan Curtis	Stadium: Recreation Ground Attendance: 2,768 Referee: Allan Gunn (Burgess Hill)

10 January 1989 (1989-01-10) 20	Wolverhampton Wanderers	2–0	Cardiff City	Wolverhampton
19:30	Andy Mutch 10' Steve Bull 34'			Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 14,870

14 January 1989 (1989-01-14) 21	Cardiff City	1–0	Bolton Wanderers	Cardiff
15:00	Kevin Bartlett 58'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 4,212

21 January 1989 (1989-01-21) 22	Huddersfield Town	1–0	Cardiff City	Huddersfield
15:00	Junior Bent			Stadium: Leeds Road Attendance: 4,869

28 January 1989 (1989-01-28) 23	Cardiff City	3–0	Port Vale	Cardiff
15:00	Kevin Bartlett 47'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 4,507 Referee: R Wiseman

4 February 1989 (1989-02-04) 24	Bristol Rovers	0–1	Cardiff City	Bath, Somerset
15:00			69' Jimmy Gilligan	Stadium: Twerton Park Attendance: 5,813

11 February 1989 (1989-02-11) 25	Cardiff City	0–0	Sheffield United	Cardiff
15:00				Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 5,772 Referee: Paul Danson (Leicester)

18 February 1989 (1989-02-18) 26	Reading	3–1	Cardiff City	Reading
15:00	Michael Gilkes 26' Steve Moran 40' Trevor Senior 86'		77' Ian Walsh	Stadium: Elm Park Attendance: 4,359

28 February 1989 (1989-02-28) 27	Notts County	2–0	Cardiff City	Nottingham
19:30	David Kevan Chris Withe			Stadium: Meadow Lane Attendance: 4,266

4 March 1989 (1989-03-04) 28	Cardiff City	0–0	Mansfield Town	Cardiff
15:00				Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,217

11 March 1989 (1989-03-11) 29	Gillingham	1–2	Cardiff City	Gillingham
15:00	Terry Boyle 90' (og)		17' Terry Boyle 34' Nick Platnauer	Stadium: Priestfield Stadium Attendance: 2,927

18 March 1989 (1989-03-18) 30	Fulham	2–0	Cardiff City	London
15:00	John Marshall Justin Skinner			Stadium: Craven Cottage Attendance: 4,261

21 March 1989 (1989-03-21) 31	Chesterfield	4–0	Cardiff City	Chesterfield
19:30	Andy Morris 3' Andy Morris 30' Andy Morris 68' Bob Bloomer 87' (pen)			Stadium: Saltergate Attendance: 2,888

25 March 1989 (1989-03-25) 32	Cardiff City	3–2	Aldershot	Cardiff
15:00	Jimmy Gilligan 11' (pen) Paul Wheeler 53' Alan Curtis 63'		24' (pen) David Puckett 71' Ian McDonald	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,251 Referee: John Key (Rotherham)

27 March 1989 (1989-03-27) 33	Swansea City	1–1	Cardiff City	Swansea
12:00	Paul Raynor 51'		6' Jimmy Gilligan	Stadium: Vetch Field Attendance: 9,201

1 April 1989 (1989-04-01) 34	Cardiff City	1–1	Bristol City	Cardiff
15:00	Nick Platnauer		79' Bob Taylor	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 6,152

4 April 1989 (1989-04-04) 35	Cardiff City	1–1	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Cardiff
19:45	Nick Platnauer		18' (pen) Andy Thompson	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 7,219 Referee: Keith Cooper (Swindon)

7 April 1989 (1989-04-07) 36	Wigan Athletic	1–0	Cardiff City	Wigan
19:30	Craig Ramage 57'			Stadium: Springfield Park (Wigan) Attendance: 2,083

11 April 1989 (1989-04-11) 37	Sheffield United	0–1	Cardiff City	Sheffield
19:30			Gareth Abraham	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 11,618 Referee: Robbie Hart (Darlington)

15 April 1989 (1989-04-15) 38	Bury	1–0	Cardiff City	Bury
15:00	Steve Elliott			Stadium: Gigg Lane Attendance: 2,124

18 April 1989 (1989-04-18) 39	Cardiff City	0–1	Notts County	Cardiff
19:45			6' Dean Yates	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,079

22 April 1989 (1989-04-22) 40	Cardiff City	2–0	Southend United	Cardiff
15:06	Gareth Abraham Jimmy Gilligan			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,268 Referee: Ian Hendrick (Preston)

29 April 1989 (1989-04-29) 41	Northampton Town	3–0	Cardiff City	Northampton
15:00	Dean Thomas Dean Thomas Steve Berry			Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 3,194 Referee: John Kirby

1 May 1989 (1989-05-01) 42	Cardiff City	0–1	Chesterfield	Cardiff
15:00			Dave Waller	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,244

5 May 1989 (1989-05-05) 43	Cardiff City	0–0	Preston North End	Cardiff
19:45				Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,196

9 May 1989 (1989-05-09) 44	Cardiff City	2–0	Chester City	Cardiff
19:45	Terry Boyle 59' Jimmy Gilligan 77'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,002 Referee: Lester Shapter (Paignton)

13 May 1989 (1989-05-13) 45	Brentford	1–1	Cardiff City	Brentford
15:00	Terry Evans 61'		Jason Gummer	Stadium: Griffin Park Attendance: 4,865 Referee: Paul Vanes (West Midlands)

16 May 1989 (1989-05-16) 46	Cardiff City	0–0	Blackpool	Cardiff
19:45				Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 3,246

Source ^[2] ^[3]

League Cup

30 August 1988 (1988-08-30) Round 1 (1st Leg)	Cardiff City	0–1	Swansea City	Cardiff
19:45			Steve Thornber	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 6,241 Referee: Keith Burge (Tonypandy)

20 September 1988 (1988-09-20) Round 1 (2nd Leg)	Swansea City	0–2 (1–2 agg.)	Cardiff City	Swansea
19:30			77' Paul Wheeler 80' Terry Boyle	Stadium: Vetch Field Attendance: 6,987

28 September 1988 (1988-09-28) Round 2 (1st leg)	Queens Park Rangers	3–0	Cardiff City	London
19:45	Trevor Francis 12' Wayne Fereday 26' Martin Allen 90'			Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 6,078

11 October 1988 (1988-10-11) Round 2 (2nd leg)	Cardiff City	1–4 (1–7 agg.)	Queens Park Rangers	Cardiff
19:45	Alan Curtis 7'		10' Mark Stein 56' Mark Falco 81' Mark Falco 59' Danny Maddix	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 2,629 Referee: Roger Milford (Bristol)

FA Cup

19 November 1988 (1988-11-19) Round 1	Cardiff City	3–0	Hereford United	Cardiff
15:00	Kevin Bartlett Steve Tupling 67' Jimmy Gilligan 73'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 4,341

11 December 1988 (1988-12-11) Round 2	Enfield	1–4	Cardiff City	Enfield, London
14:00	Bate 76'		44' (pen) Paul Wimbleton 49' Steve Lynex 54' Jimmy Gilligan 73' Jimmy Gilligan	Stadium: Southbury Road Attendance: 3,604 Referee: David Hutchinson (Cambridge)

7 January 1989 (1989-01-07) Round 3	Hull City	Cardiff
15:00	Jimmy Gilligan 3'		Keith Edwards	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 7,128 Referee: Paul Vanes (West Midlands)

Welsh Cup

15 November 1988 (1988-11-15) Round 3	Cardiff City	3–0	Bath City	Cardiff
19:45	Kevin Bartlett Paul Wimbleton			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 1,517

17 January 1989 (1989-01-17) Round 4	Cardiff City	1–0	Worcester City	Cardiff
19:45	Mark Kelly			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 1,522

8 February 1989 (1989-02-08) Round 5	Kidderminster Harriers	3–1	Cardiff City	Kidderminster
19:30			Kevin Bartlett	Stadium: Aggborough Stadium Attendance: 3,012 Referee: Howard King (Merthyr Tydfil)

Sherpa Van Trophy

6 December 1988 (1988-12-06) Preliminary round	Cardiff City	2–0	Swansea City	Cardiff
19:45	Alan Curtis 47' Jimmy Gilligan 71'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 2,986 Referee: Bob Hamer (Bristol)

20 December 1988 (1988-12-20) Preliminary round	Torquay United	3–1	Cardiff City	Torquay
	Roger Gibbins Roger Gibbins Jim Smith		8' (pen) Paul Wimbleton	Stadium: Plainmoor Attendance: 1,187

24 January 1989 (1989-01-24) Round 1	Bristol Rovers	2–1	Cardiff City	Bath, Somerset
20:00	Paul Smith 14' Andy Reece		55' Paul Wimbleton	Stadium: Twerton Park Attendance: 4,029

UEFA Cup Winners Cup

7 September 1988 (1988-09-07) Round 1 (1st Leg)	Derry City	0–0	Cardiff City	Derry
17:30				Stadium: Brandywell Stadium Attendance: 10,500 Referee: John Blankenstein (Netherlands)

5 October 1988 (1988-10-05) Round 1 (2nd Leg)	Cardiff City	4–0 (4–0 agg.)	Derry City	Cardiff
19:45	Brian McDermott 20' Jimmy Gilligan 47', 64', 76'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 6,993

26 October 1988 (1988-10-26) Round 2 (1st Leg)	AGF Aarhus	Cardiff
19:45	Jimmy Gilligan 43'		8', 73' Bjørn Kristensen	Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 6,156

9 November 1988 (1988-11-09) Round 2 (2nd Leg)	AGF Aarhus	4–0 (6–1 agg.)	Cardiff City	Aarhus
	Frank Pingel 15' Per Beck Andersen 25', 75' John Stampe 83' (pen)			Stadium: Aarhus Stadium Attendance: 3,700