 Despite a strong start, which saw the side top of the table after four games, City struggled to score goals and finished twelfth in the table.They suffered another embarrassing FA Cup defeat, this time to Third Division Northampton, but fared better in the League Cup, reaching the semi-final with a 5–0 win over Sunderland before losing to eventual winners Nottingham Forest in the semi-final.Despite the poor finish to the previous season, Sillett believed the club could challenge for the league title in 1990–91, despite not making any major signings.