The First Premier League Goal: Brian Deane, Sheffield United 2-1 Manchester United (1992)
Brian Deane scored the first Premier League goal for Sheffield United against Manchester United on 15 August 1992, heading in after just five minutes at Bramall Lane. Sheffield United won the match 2-1: Deane added a second from the penalty spot, and Mark Hughes pulled one back for Manchester United. It was the opening day of the inaugural Premier League season, and although Alex Ferguson’s side lost, they would go on to win that first title.
Deane’s early header launched what has since grown into, according to Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance, the richest league in world football. What follows is the goal itself, and the match around it.
Key Facts
- Played on Saturday 15 August 1992 at Bramall Lane, in front of 28,070. It was one of the fixtures on the inaugural Premier League matchday.
- Brian Deane scored the first goal in Premier League history on five minutes, a header from Carl Bradshaw’s long throw-in, past Manchester United’s Peter Schmeichel.
- Sheffield United won 2-1. Deane scored again from the penalty spot on 50 minutes, and Mark Hughes replied for Manchester United on 61 minutes.
- Sheffield United were managed by Dave Bassett, Manchester United by Alex Ferguson. The referee was Brian Hill.
- Manchester United lost on the opening day but went on to win the inaugural 1992-93 Premier League title, their first league championship in 26 years.
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The Goal That Started the Premier League
Five Minutes Into a New Era
The Premier League kicked off on 15 August 1992, a rebrand of English football’s top division built on a new television deal that would go on to reshape the sport. Nine of the eleven fixtures began at 3pm that Saturday, with the other two held over (Nottingham Forest against Liverpool on the Sunday, the first game shown live on Sky, and Manchester City against QPR on the Monday). The race to the first goal was settled quickly. At Bramall Lane, five minutes in, Carl Bradshaw launched a long throw into the Manchester United box, the ball was flicked on, and Brian Deane rose between Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister to head it past Peter Schmeichel. It was the first goal in Premier League history, and it went to a Sheffield United striker in a modest ground in South Yorkshire rather than to any of the fashionable names.
| Minute | Scorer | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Brian Deane (header) | Sheffield United | 1-0 |
| 50 | Brian Deane (penalty) | Sheffield United | 2-0 |
| 61 | Mark Hughes | Manchester United | 2-1 |
Deane’s Double and a United Reply
Deane was not finished. Five minutes into the second half he scored again, this time from the penalty spot after Gary Pallister was penalised for a foul on Alan Cork, to put Sheffield United 2-0 up. Manchester United, for all their ambition that season, were made to work, and pulled a goal back on 61 minutes when Mark Hughes latched onto a long Schmeichel clearance. It finished 2-1 to Sheffield United, an opening-day defeat for the club that would end the campaign as the inaugural Premier League champions.
How the afternoon unfolded:
- 5′ Brian Deane heads in the first Premier League goal, 1-0.
- 50′ Deane converts a penalty for 2-0.
- 61′ Mark Hughes pulls one back for Manchester United, 2-1.
- FT Sheffield United 2-1 Manchester United.
Why the Goal Endures
The Premier League has since grown into a competition followed all over the world, and the identity of its first scorer remains a famous quiz answer. The competition that would come to be defined by superstars and vast wealth opened with a Brian Deane header at Bramall Lane, and with Manchester United, the club that would dominate its first two decades, on the losing side. Ferguson’s team had the last word that season, but the first word belonged to Sheffield United.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the First Premier League Goal
Who scored the first Premier League goal?
Brian Deane scored the first goal in Premier League history, for Sheffield United against Manchester United on 15 August 1992. He headed it in after five minutes at Bramall Lane, from a Carl Bradshaw long throw, past Peter Schmeichel. According to the Premier League, this was the competition’s first-ever goal.
What was the score in Sheffield United v Manchester United in 1992?
Sheffield United beat Manchester United 2-1 on 15 August 1992. Brian Deane scored both Sheffield United goals, a header on five minutes and a penalty on 50 minutes, and Mark Hughes replied for Manchester United on 61 minutes. It was the opening day of the first Premier League season.
How was the first Premier League goal scored?
The first Premier League goal was a header. Carl Bradshaw took a long throw-in into the Manchester United penalty area, the ball was flicked on, and Brian Deane rose to head it past Peter Schmeichel after five minutes. It was a typically direct Sheffield United goal under manager Dave Bassett.
Did Manchester United win the first Premier League title despite losing this game?
Yes. Manchester United lost 2-1 on the opening day of 1992-93 but recovered to win the inaugural Premier League title, their first league championship for 26 years. The opening-day defeat at Bramall Lane became a footnote to a title-winning season for Alex Ferguson’s side.
Where and when was the first Premier League goal scored?
It was scored at Bramall Lane, Sheffield United’s ground, on Saturday 15 August 1992, five minutes into their match against Manchester United. The attendance was 28,070 and the referee was Brian Hill. It was one of nine fixtures that kicked off the Premier League era.
Who was Brian Deane?
Brian Deane was a striker for Sheffield United, known for his aerial ability and physical, direct style. His header against Manchester United on the opening day of 1992-93 made him the man forever remembered as the scorer of the first Premier League goal.
Why is the first Premier League goal still talked about?
Because the Premier League grew into one of the most-watched football leagues in the world, the identity of its first goalscorer became a famous piece of trivia. That the goal was a Brian Deane header for Sheffield United, in a 2-1 win over the eventual champions Manchester United, gives it an underdog charm that has kept it memorable for more than three decades.
Which goalkeeper did Brian Deane score the first Premier League goal past?
Brian Deane scored the first Premier League goal past Peter Schmeichel, the Manchester United and Denmark goalkeeper. Deane rose to head Carl Bradshaw’s long throw-in past Schmeichel after five minutes at Bramall Lane, giving Sheffield United the lead in the competition’s opening game.
How many matches launched the first Premier League season?
The inaugural Premier League featured 22 clubs, and nine fixtures kicked off at 3pm on Saturday 15 August 1992. Sheffield United against Manchester United was one of them, and Brian Deane’s early goal made it the game that produced the competition’s first-ever goal.
Who managed Sheffield United and Manchester United?
Sheffield United were managed by Dave Bassett, whose sides were known for a direct, physical style, and Manchester United by Alex Ferguson. Despite losing this opening game, Ferguson’s team would go on to win the inaugural Premier League title.
The First Word Belonged to Sheffield United
The Premier League began with a Brian Deane header at Bramall Lane, and with the eventual champions Manchester United beaten: the perfect underdog opening to an era of giants. For more football firsts and famous opening days, including reigning champions Chelsea’s nine-man collapse against Burnley in 2017, keep exploring our On This Day series and the channel.
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