1997–98 Bristol Rovers F.C. season

Bristol Rovers
1997–98 season
ChairmanDenis Dunford
ManagerIan Holloway (player-manager)
StadiumMemorial Stadium
Second Division5th
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Auto Windscreens ShieldQuarter finals
Top goalscorerLeague: Hayles (23)
All: Hayles (26)
Average home league attendance6,413

During the 1997–98 English football season, Bristol Rovers F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

Season summary

The 1997–98 season saw Bristol Rovers reach the playoff places, finishing in 5th place and despite taking a first-leg advantage of 3–1 against Northampton Town, Rovers subsequently lost 3–0 in the second leg and went out 4–3 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
3 Grimsby Town (O, P) 46 19 15 12 55 37 +18 72 Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
4 Northampton Town 46 18 17 11 52 37 +15 71
5 Bristol Rovers 46 20 10 16 70 64 +6 70
6 Fulham 46 20 10 16 60 43 +17 70
7 Wrexham 46 18 16 12 55 51 +4 70
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
(O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Results

Bristol Rovers' score comes first[2]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
9 August 1997 Plymouth Argyle H 1–1 7,386 Hayles
16 August 1997 York City A 1–0 3,307 Hayles
23 August 1997 Carlisle United H 3–1 6,044 Bennett, Hayles, Penrice
30 August 1997 Burnley A 0–0 9,887
2 September 1997 Bournemouth A 1–1 5,550 Cureton (pen)
9 September 1997 Walsall H 2–0 6,225 Ramasut, Hayles
13 September 1997 Gillingham H 1–2 6,572 Hayles
20 September 1997 Chesterfield A 0–0 5,309
27 September 1997 Oldham Athletic A 4–4 5,990 Beadle (2), Hayles, Cureton (pen)
4 October 1997 Wrexham H 1–0 6,829 Ramasut
14 October 1997 Watford H 1–2 8,110 Penrice
18 October 1997 Wycombe Wanderers A 0–1 5,836
21 October 1997 Brentford A 3–2 3,967 Hayles (2), Beadle
25 October 1997 Blackpool H 0–3 6,183
1 November 1997 Northampton Town A 1–1 7,264 Cureton
4 November 1997 Bristol City H 1–2 7,552 Tillson
8 November 1997 Fulham H 2–3 6,166 Penrice (2)
18 November 1997 Preston North End A 2–1 7,798 Penrice, Alsop
22 November 1997 Southend United A 1–1 3,653 Beadle (pen)
29 November 1997 Millwall H 2–1 5,542 Beadle, Hayles
2 December 1997 Wigan Athletic A 0–3 2,738
12 December 1997 Grimsby Town H 0–4 4,801
20 December 1997 Luton Town A 4–2 5,266 Cureton, Hayles (2), Beadle
26 December 1997 Walsall A 1–0 6,634 Beadle
28 December 1997 Bournemouth H 5–3 7,256 Beadle (3), Hayles (2)
10 January 1998 Plymouth Argyle A 2–1 6,850 Cureton, Hayles
17 January 1998 Burnley H 1–0 7,208 Cureton
24 January 1998 Carlisle United A 1–3 5,725 Cureton
31 January 1998 Gillingham A 1–1 5,593 Cureton (pen)
7 February 1998 Chesterfield H 3–1 5,481 Bennett, Cureton (2)
14 February 1998 Wrexham A 0–1 3,716
21 February 1998 Oldham Athletic H 3–1 5,789 Hayles (2), Ramasut
24 February 1998 Wycombe Wanderers H 3–1 5,805 Hayles, Beadle, Ramasut
28 February 1998 Watford A 2–3 12,186 White, Cureton
3 March 1998 Fulham A 0–1 6,843
7 March 1998 Northampton Town H 0–2 6,535
10 March 1998 York City H 1–2 4,289 Ramasut
14 March 1998 Bristol City A 0–2 17,086
21 March 1998 Preston North End H 2–2 5,278 Cureton (pen), Hayles
27 March 1998 Southend United H 2–0 5,323 Tillson, Hayles
4 April 1998 Millwall A 1–1 5,635 Zabek
10 April 1998 Wigan Athletic H 5–0 6,038 Hayles, Ramasut, Beadle (3)
13 April 1998 Grimsby Town A 2–1 5,484 Hayles (2)
18 April 1998 Luton Town H 2–1 8,038 Beadle, Tillson
25 April 1998 Blackpool A 0–1 7,057
2 May 1998 Brentford H 2–1 9,043 Cureton, Hayles

Second Division play-offs

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
SF 1st Leg 10 May 1998 Northampton Town H 3–1 9,173 Beadle (pen), Bennett, Hayles
SF 2nd Leg 13 May 1998 Northampton Town A 0–3 (lost 3–4 on agg) 7,501

FA Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 14 November 1997 Gillingham H 2–2 4,825 Alsop, Holloway
R1R 25 November 1997 Gillingham A 2–0 4,459 Hayles, Penrice
R2 6 December 1997 Wisbech Town A 2–0 3,593 Beadle, Hayles
R3 3 January 1998 Ipswich Town H 1–1 8,610 Beadle
R3R 13 January 1998 Ipswich Town A 0–1 11,362

League Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 12 August 1997 Bristol City A 0–0 9,341
R1 2nd Leg 26 August 1997 Bristol City H 1–2 (lost 1–2 on agg) 5,872 Alsop

Football League Trophy

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
SR1 8 December 1997 Cambridge United H 1–0 2,386 Cureton
SR2 6 January 1998 Exeter City A 2–1 1,851 Bennett, Tillson
SQF 28 January 1998 Walsall H 0–1 (a.e.t.) 4,165

Squad

[3] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
- GK  ENG Andy Collett
- GK  ENG Shane Higgs
- GK  WAL Lee Jones (on loan from Swansea City)
- DF  ENG Steve Foster
- DF  ENG David Pritchard
- DF  ENG Andy Tillson
- DF  WAL Jason Perry
- DF  ENG Matt Lockwood
- DF  ENG Tom White
- DF  ENG Brian Gayle
- DF  ENG Graeme Power
- DF  ENG Luke Basford
- DF  ENG Mark Smith
- DF  ENG Billy Clark
- DF  ENG Lee Martin
No. Pos. Nation Player
- MF  ENG Gary Penrice
- MF  ENG Ian Holloway (player-manager)
- MF  WAL Tom Ramasut
- MF  ENG Matt Hayfield
- MF  ENG Lee Zabek
- MF  ENG Josh Low
- MF  ENG Jon French
- MF  ENG Lee Archer
- FW  JAM Barry Hayles
- FW  ENG Jamie Cureton
- FW  ENG Peter Beadle
- FW  ENG Julian Alsop
- FW  ENG Frankie Bennett
- FW  ENG Steve Parmenter
- FW  ENG David Whyte

Transfers

In

Date Pos. Name From Fee
1 August 1997 DF Jason Perry Cardiff City Free transfer
1 August 1997 DF Steve Foster Woking £150,000
1 August 1997 MF Gary Penrice Watford Free transfer
1 August 1997 FW Barry Hayles Stevenage £250,000

Out

Date Pos. Name To Fee
1 August 1997 MF Paul Miller Lincoln City Free transfer
1 August 1997 DF Andy Gurney Torquay United Free transfer
31 October 1997 DF Billy Clark Exeter City Free transfer
1 December 1997 MF Ryan Morgan Clevedon Town Free transfer
8 December 1997 MF Brian Gayle Shrewsbury Town Monthly
13 March 1998 FW Julian Alsop Swansea City £30,000
13 March 1998 FW Steve Parmenter Yeovil Town Free transfer
14 March 1998 FW David Whyte Southend United Signed
Transfers in: £400,000
Transfers out: £30,000
Total spending: £370,000

References

  1. ^ "England 1997–98". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Bristol Rovers 1997-1998 Results - statto.com". Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  3. ^ "Bristol R FC Player Appearances | Past & Present | Soccer Base".