1997–98 Bolton Wanderers F.C. season

Bolton Wanderers F.C.
1997–98 season
ChairmanGordon Hargreaves
ManagerColin Todd
StadiumReebok Stadium
FA Premier League18th (relegated)
FA CupThird Round
League CupFourth Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Nathan Blake (12)
All: Nathan Blake (14)
Highest home attendance25,000, multiple occasions
Lowest home attendance6,444 v Leyton Orient, 30 September 1997
Average home league attendance24,352

The 1997–98 season was the 119th season in Bolton Wanderers F.C.'s existence, and their first season back in the FA Premier League after winning the Football League First Division the previous season. It covers the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. After 102 years playing at Burnden Park, the club had moved to the new Reebok Stadium.[1]

Season summary

In their new 27,000-seat stadium, Bolton Wanderers began the season as the strongest-looking of the newly promoted side, particularly after paying a club record fee of £3.5 million for Wimbledon striker Dean Holdsworth and holding Manchester United to a 0–0 draw. But it was a season-long struggle for Colin Todd and his men, who lost their battle on the final day of the season and occupied the final relegation place – on goal difference – to complete a hat-trick of newly promoted clubs suffering relegation. Controversially Bolton had a goal against Everton disallowed in the belief that the ball had not crossed the line after crashing down off the Everton crossbar. Television replays showed the ball had indeed crossed the line. The game finished goal-less and the two sides finished level on points with Everton surviving on their superior goal difference. Bolton fans complained bitterly that the goal and resulting 1–0 win would have kept them in the FA Premier League at Everton's expense. Everton fans countered by pointing to Bolton's inability to hold onto a lead during the season while Everton had a good record of coming from behind to draw or even win against their fellow strugglers. With an hour to play it is impossible to say with any degree of confidence that Bolton would indeed have been able to hold on to their goal lead.

Final league table

Main article: 1997–98 FA Premier League
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
16 Sheffield Wednesday 38 12 8 18 52 67 −15 44
17 Everton 38 9 13 16 41 56 −15 40
18 Bolton Wanderers (R) 38 9 13 16 41 61 −20 40 Relegation to the Football League First Division
19 Barnsley (R) 38 10 5 23 37 82 −45 35
20 Crystal Palace[a] (R) 38 8 9 21 37 71 −34 33 Intertoto Cup third round and relegation to the First Division
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Crystal Palace qualified for the 1998 Intertoto Cup as they were the only English team who applied.
Results summary
Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
38 9 13 16 41 61  −20 40 7 8 4 25 22  +3 2 5 12 16 39  −23
Results by round
Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAAAHAHHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHHAHAHAHA
ResultWDLDLDDDLLWDLDWWLDLDLDLLDDLLWWLDWLLWWL
Position58131216161617171817171818181314161716171819191918191919191918181819181718
Source: 11v11.com: 1997-98 Bolton Wanderers results
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Results

FA Premier League

Date Opponents H / A Result

F – A

Scorers Attendance
9 August 1997 Southampton A 1 – 0 Blake 43' 15,206
23 August 1997 Coventry City A 2 – 2 Blake (2) 69', 76' 16,633
27 August 1997 Barnsley A 1 – 2 Beardsley 31' 18,661
1 September 1997 Everton H 0 – 0 23,131
13 September 1997 Arsenal A 1 – 4 Thompson 13' 38,138
20 September 1997 Manchester United H 0 – 0 25,000
23 September 1997 Tottenham Hotspur H 1 – 1 Thompson 20' (pen) 23,433
27 September 1997 Crystal Palace A 2 – 2 Beardsley 36', Johansen 66' 17,134
4 October 1997 Aston Villa H 0 – 1 24,186
18 October 1997 West Ham United A 0 – 3 24,864
26 October 1997 Chelsea H 1 – 0 Holdsworth 72' 24,080
1 November 1997 Liverpool H 1 – 1 Blake 84' 25,000
8 November 1997 Sheffield Wednesday A 0 – 5 25,027
22 November 1997 Leicester City A 0 – 0 20,464
29 November 1997 Wimbledon H 1 – 0 Blake 89' 22,703
1 December 1997 Newcastle United H 1 – 0 Blake 22' 24,494
6 December 1997 Blackburn Rovers A 1 – 3 Frandsen 84' 25,503
14 December 1997 Derby County H 3 – 3 Thompson 50' (pen), Blake 73', Pollock 77' 23, 037
20 December 1997 Leeds United A 0 – 2 31,163
26 December 1997 Barnsley H 1 – 1 Bergsson 38' 25,000
28 December 1997 Everton A 2 – 3 Bergsson 42', Sellars 43' 37,149
10 January 1998 Southampton H 0 – 0 23,333
17 January 1998 Newcastle United A 1 – 2 Blake 72' 36,767
31 January 1998 Coventry City H 1 – 5 Sellars 21' 25,000
7 February 1998 Manchester United A 1 – 1 B.Taylor 60' 55,156
21 February 1998 West Ham United H 1 – 1 Blake 86' 25,000
1 March 1998 Tottenham Hotspur A 0 – 1 29,032
8 March 1998 Liverpool A 1 – 2 Thompson 7' 44,532
14 March 1998 Sheffield Wednesday H 3 – 2 Frandsen 31', Blake 53', Thompson 69' (pen) 24,847
28 March 1998 Leicester City H 2 – 0 Thompson (2) 52', 89' 25,000
31 March 1998 Arsenal H 0 – 1 25,000
4 April 1998 Wimbledon A 0 – 0 11,356
11 April 1998 Blackburn Rovers H 2 – 1 Holdsworth 20', B. Taylor 67' 25,000
13 April 1998 Derby County A 0 – 4 29,126
18 April 1998 Leeds United H 2 – 3 Thompson 56', Fish 89' 25,000
25 April 1998 Aston Villa A 3 – 1 Cox 18', B.Taylor 41', Blake 84' 38,392
2 May 1998 Crystal Palace H 5 – 2 Blake 7', Fish 20', Phillips 30', Thompson 70', Holdsworth 79' 24,449
10 May 1998 Chelsea A 0 – 2 34,845

FA Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result

F – A

Scorers Attendance
3 January 1998 Round 3 Barnsley A 0 – 1 15,042

Coca-Cola Cup

Date Round Opponents H / A Result

F – A

Scorers Attendance
16 September 1997 Round 2 First Leg Leyton Orient A 3 – 1 Todd 13', Frandsen 20', McGinlay 79' 4,128
30 September 1997 Round 2 Second Leg Leyton Orient H 4 – 4 (aet)
7 – 5 (agg) 		Blake (2) 8' 35', McGinlay 65' (pen), Gunnlaugsson 66' 6,444
14 October 1997 Round 3 Wimbledon H 2 – 0 (aet) Pollock 91', McAllister 94' (og) 9,875
18 November 1997 Round 4 Middlesbrough A 1 – 2 (aet) Thompson 33' 22,801

Transfers

Transfers in

Player From Date Fee
Robbie Elliott Newcastle United 1 July 1997 £2,500,000
Arnar Gunnlaugsson IA Akranes 10 July 1997 £100,000
Peter Beardsley Newcastle United 18 August 1997 £450,000
Mark Fish Lazio 19 September 1997 £2,000,000
Mike Whitlow Leicester City 19 September 1997 £500,000
Dean Holdsworth Wimbledon 2 October 1997 £3,500,000
Jussi Jääskeläinen VPS Vaasa 11 November 1997 £100,000

Transfers out

Player To Date Fee
Scott Green Wigan Athletic 1 July 1997 £300,000
David Lee Wigan Athletic 14 July 1997 £250,000
Mixu Paatelainen Wolverhampton Wanderers 8 August 1997 £200,000
John McGinlay Bradford City 6 November 1997 £625,000
Steve McAnespie Fulham 27 November 1997 £100,000
Simon Coleman Southend 20 February 1998 Free
Jamie Pollock Manchester City 20 March 1998 £1,000,000
Alan Thompson Aston Villa 5 June 1998 £4,500,000

Loans in

Player From Date From Date To
Franz Carr Reggiana 24 October 1997 28 January 1998
Bob Taylor West Bromwich Albion 9 January 1998 9 February 1998
Gaetano Giallanza Nantes 26 March 1998 31 May 1998
John Salako Coventry City 26 March 1998 31 May 1998
Bob Taylor West Bromwich Albion 26 March 1998 31 May 1998

Loans out

Player To Date From Date To
Simon Coleman Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 September 1997 2 October 1997
Bryan Small Luton Town 8 September 1997 12 December 1997
Greg Strong Blackpool 21 November 1997 10 February 1998
Scott Taylor Rotherham United 12 December 1997 7 February 1998
Bryan Small Bradford City 19 December 1997 17 January 1998
Bryan Small Bury 30 January 1998 31 May 1998
Peter Beardsley Manchester City 17 February 1998 11 March 1998
Peter Beardsley Fulham 26 March 1998 31 May 1998
Scott Taylor Blackpool 26 March 1998 26 April 1998

Appearances

Bolton used a total of 29 players during the season.

P Player Position PL FAC LC Total
1 Per Frandsen Midfielder 38 (0) 1 (0) 4 (0) 43 (0)
2 Nathan Blake Striker 35 (0) 1 (0) 3 (0) 39 (0)
3 Guðni Bergsson (captain) Defender 34 (1) 1 (0) 3 (0) 38 (1)
4 Alan Thompson Midfielder 33 (0) 1 (0) 4 (0) 38 (0)
5 Keith Branagan Goalkeeper 34 (0) 0 (0) 3 (0) 37 (0)
6 Jamie Pollock Midfielder 25 (1) 1 (0) 4 (0) 30 (1)
7 Andy Todd Defender 23 (2) 1 (0) 4 (0) 28 (2)
8 Scott Sellars Midfielder 22 (0) 1 (0) 3 (0) 26 (0)
9 Mark Fish Defender 22 (0) 1 (0) 1 (0) 24 (0)
10 Jimmy Phillips Defender 21 (1) 0 (0) 1 (1) 22 (2)
11 Neil Cox Defender 20 (1) 0 (1) 0 (0) 20(2)
12 Peter Beardsley Striker 14 (3) 0 (1) 3 (0) 17 (4)
13 Dean Holdsworth Striker 17 (3) 0 (0) 0 (0) 17 (3)
14 Mike Whitlow Defender 13 (0) 1 (0) 3 (0) 16 (0)
15 Gerry Taggart Defender 14 (1) 0 (0) 1 (0) 15 (1)
16 John Sheridan Midfielder 12 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 12 (0)
17 Bob Taylor Striker 10 (2) 0 (0) 0 (0) 10 (2)
18 Chris Fairclough Striker 10 (1) 0 (0) 0 (0) 10 (1)
19 John McGinlay Striker 4 (3) 0 (0) 2 (1) 6 (4)
20 Gavin Ward Goalkeeper 4 (2) 1 (0) 1 (0) 6 (2)
21 Michael Johansen Midfielder 4 (12) 0 (0) 1 (2) 5 (14)
22 Robbie Elliott Defender 4 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 4 (0)
23 Arnar Gunnlaugsson Striker 2 (13) 1 (0) 0 (3) 3 (16)
24 Steve McAnespie Defender 1 (1) 0 (0) 2 (0) 3 (1)
25 Hasney Aljofree Defender 2 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 2 (0)
26 Greg Strong Defender 0 (0) 0 (0) 1 (1) 1 (1)
27 John Salako Midfielder 0 (7) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (7)
28 Franz Carr Midfielder 0 (5) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (5)
29 Gaetano Giallanza Striker 0 (3) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (3)

Top scorers

P Player Position PL FAC LC Total
1 Nathan Blake Striker 12 0 2 14
2 Alan Thompson Midfielder 9 0 1 10
3= Per Frandsen Midfielder 2 0 1 3
3= Dean Holdsworth Striker 3 0 0 3
3= Bob Taylor Striker 3 0 0 3

References

  1. ^ "Bolton Wanderers 1997-98". bwfcstats.com. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
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