1997–98 Fulham F.C. season

Fulham F.C.
1997–98 season
ChairmanMohammed Al Fayed
ManagerMicky Adams (until 25 September)
Ray Wilkins (from 25 September to 3 May)
Kevin Keegan (from 3 May)
Second Division6th
Play-offsSemi-finals
FA CupThird round
League CupSecond round
Auto Windscreens ShieldQuarter finals
Top goalscorerMoody (15)
Average home league attendance9,018

The 1997–98 season was Fulham's 100th season in professional football. They played in the Second Division (previously known as the Third Division).

Season summary

Manager Micky Adams was sacked in September, soon after Mohammed Al Fayed's take-over. Ray Wilkins and Kevin Keegan were appointed as head coach and director of football respectively. The club managed to make the play-offs despite losing their last three games, but this wasn't good enough for Al Fayed, who sacked Wilkins and promoted Keegan to his position. Keegan was unable to navigate Fulham through the play-offs as they were defeated by Grimsby Town 2–1 on aggregate (1–1 and 1–0 over two legs) in the semi-finals.

Final league table

Main article: 1997–98 Football League

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
4 Northampton Town 46 18 17 11 52 37 +15 71 Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
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
8 Gillingham 46 19 13 14 52 47 +5 70
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

Fulham's score comes first[2]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
9 August 1997 Wrexham H 1–0 8,789 Conroy
16 August 1997 Walsall A 1–1 4,418 Keister (own goal)
23 August 1997 Luton Town H 0–0 8,142
30 August 1997 Wycombe Wanderers A 0–2 6,278
2 September 1997 Bristol City A 2–0 10,293 Newhouse, Carpenter
9 September 1997 Plymouth Argyle H 2–0 8,961 Moody (2)
13 September 1997 Grimsby Town H 0–2 6,874
20 September 1997 Southend United A 0–1 5,026
27 September 1997 Wigan Athletic A 1–2 4,951 Hayward
4 October 1997 Oldham Athletic H 3–1 8,805 Moody (2), Sinnott (own goal)
11 October 1997 Blackpool H 1–0 7,760 Conroy
18 October 1997 Bournemouth A 1–2 7,484 Vincent (own goal)
21 October 1997 Watford A 0–2 11,486
25 October 1997 Northampton Town H 1–1 9,848 Peschisolido
1 November 1997 Chesterfield H 1–1 7,998 Blake
4 November 1997 Millwall A 1–1 10,291 Peschisolido
8 November 1997 Bristol Rovers A 3–2 6,166 Carpenter, Scott (2)
18 November 1997 York City H 1–1 5,521 Peschisolido
21 November 1997 Gillingham H 3–0 8,274 Peschisolido (2), Watson
29 November 1997 Preston North End A 1–3 9,723 Scott
2 December 1997 Brentford H 1–1 10,767 Peschisolido
13 December 1997 Carlisle United A 0–2 4,574
19 December 1997 Burnley H 1–0 5,096 Cullip
26 December 1997 Plymouth Argyle A 4–1 9,469 Moody (2), Hayward, Trollope
28 December 1997 Bristol City H 1–0 13,273 Moody
10 January 1998 Wrexham A 3–0 5,338 Moody, Peschisolido, Trollope
17 January 1998 Wycombe Wanderers H 0–0 10,468
24 January 1998 Luton Town A 4–1 8,366 Moody (3, 1 pen), Hayward
31 January 1998 Grimsby Town A 1–1 6,785 Lightbourne
7 February 1998 Southend United H 2–0 9,122 Peschisolido, Lightbourne
14 February 1998 Oldham Athletic A 0–1 6,063
21 February 1998 Wigan Athletic H 2–0 7,791 Hayward, Peschisolido
24 February 1998 Bournemouth H 0–1 7,708
28 February 1998 Blackpool A 1–2 5,183 Coleman
3 March 1998 Bristol Rovers H 1–0 6,843 Thorpe
7 March 1998 Chesterfield A 2–0 5,129 Morgan, Blake
14 March 1998 Millwall H 1–2 12,318 Thorpe
21 March 1998 York City A 1–0 4,871 Peschisolido
28 March 1998 Gillingham A 0–2 10,507
4 April 1998 Preston North End H 2–1 8,814 Brazier, Collins
7 April 1998 Walsall H 1–1 6,733 Trollope
11 April 1998 Brentford A 2–0 10,510 Moody (2)
13 April 1998 Carlisle United H 5–0 9,243 Peschisolido (3), Moody (pen), Thorpe
18 April 1998 Burnley A 1–2 9,745 Moody
25 April 1998 Northampton Town A 0–1 7,443
2 May 1998 Watford H 1–2 17,114 Beardsley

Second Division play-offs

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
SF 1st Leg 9 May 1998 Grimsby Town H 1–1 13,954 Beardsley (pen)
SF 2nd Leg 13 May 1998 Grimsby Town A 0–1 (lost 1–2 on agg) 8,689

FA Cup

Main article: 1997–98 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 16 November 1997 Margate A 2–1 5,100 Carpenter, Scott
R2 6 December 1997 Southend United H 1–0 8,537 Blake (pen)
R3 5 January 1998 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–3 27,909 Smith

League Cup

Main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 12 August 1997 Wycombe Wanderers A 2–1 4,360 Newhouse, Conroy
R1 2nd Leg 26 August 1997 Wycombe Wanderers H 4–4 (won 6–5 on agg) 5,055 Newhouse (2), Carpenter, Conroy
R2 1st Leg 16 September 1997 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–1 5,933
R2 2nd Leg 24 September 1997 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–1 (lost 0–2 on agg) 17,862

Football League Trophy

Main article: 1997–98 Football League Trophy
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
SR1 9 December 1997 Watford H 1–0 3,364 Moody
SR2 13 January 1998 Wycombe Wanderers H 3–1 4,319 Thomas (2), Freeman
SQF 27 January 1998 Luton Town H 1–2 5,103 Lightbourne

Players

First-team 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  NIR Maik Taylor[notes 1]
— GK  RSA Andre Arendse
— GK  WAL Mark Walton
— DF  ENG Jimmy Aggrey
— DF  ENG Mark Blake
— DF  ENG Rufus Brevett
— DF  ENG Danny Cullip
— DF  WAL Chris Coleman
— DF  ENG Robbie Herrera
— DF  ENG Matt Lawrence
— DF  IRL Shaun Maher
— DF  SCO Steve McAnespie
— DF  ENG Simon Morgan
— DF  GER Alan Neilson[notes 2]
— DF  ENG Rob Scott
— DF  ENG Simon Stewart
— DF  ENG Martin Thomas
— DF  ENG Paul Watson
— MF  ENG Paul Bracewell
— MF  ENG Matt Brazier
— MF  ENG Paul Brooker
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  ENG Richard Carpenter
— MF  ENG Glenn Cockerill
— MF  ENG Wayne Collins
— MF  ENG Nick Cusack
— MF  ENG Sean Davis
— MF  ENG Steve Hayward
— MF  NIR Rod McAree
— MF  ENG Ian Selley
— MF  ENG Neil Smith
— MF  WAL Paul Trollope[notes 3]
— FW  ENG Andy Arnott
— FW  ENG Peter Beardsley (on loan from Bolton Wanderers)
— FW  ENG Luke Cornwall
— FW  SCO Mike Conroy
— FW  ENG Darren Freeman
— FW  BER Kyle Lightbourne (on loan from Coventry City)
— FW  ENG Leon McKenzie (on loan from Crystal Palace)
— FW  ENG Paul Moody
— FW  ENG Aidan Newhouse
— FW  CAN Paul Peschisolido
— FW  ENG Tony Thorpe

Transfers

In

Date Pos. Name From Fee
1 August 1997 DF Jimmy Aggrey Chelsea Free transfer
1 August 1997 FW Andy Arnott Leyton Orient £23,000
1 August 1997 MF Neil Smith Gillingham Transfer
1 August 1997 GK Andre Arendse Cape Town Spurs £200,000[4]
1 August 1997 FW Paul Moody Oxford United £200,000
1 August 1997 DF Ian McGuckin Hartlepool United £75,000
1 August 1997 MF Steve Hayward Carlisle United £175,000
10 October 1997 MF Paul Bracewell Sunderland £75,000
17 October 1997 MF Ian Selley Arsenal £500,000
24 October 1997 FW Paul Peschisolido West Bromwich Albion £1,100,000
14 November 1997 GK Maik Taylor Southampton £700,000
26 November 1997 DF Alan Neilson Southampton £250,000
27 November 1997 MF Steve McAnespie Bolton Wanderers £100,000
27 November 1997 MF Paul Trollope Derby County £600,000
1 December 1997 DF Chris Coleman Blackburn Rovers £2,000,000
1 December 1997 MF Shaun Maher Bohemians £35,000
22 January 1998 MF Wayne Collins Sheffield Wednesday £400,000
30 January 1998 DF Rufus Brevett Queens Park Rangers £375,000
26 February 1998 FW Tony Thorpe Luton Town £800,000
20 March 1998 MF Matt Brazier Queens Park Rangers £65,000

Out

Date Pos. Name To Fee
1 August 1997 DF Terry Angus Slough Town Free transfer
1 August 1997 DF John Hamsher Rushden & Diamonds Free transfer
1 August 1997 MF Michael Mison Rushden & Diamonds Free transfer
31 October 1997 FW Aidan Newhouse Swansea City £30,000
31 October 1997 MF Nick Cusack Swansea City £50,000
7 November 1997 MF Glenn Cockerill Brentford Free transfer
19 December 1997 DF Paul Watson Brentford £50,000
6 February 1998 GK Mark Walton Gillingham £40,000
18 February 1998 DF Danny Cullip Brentford £75,000
26 March 1998 FW Mike Conroy Blackpool £50,000
Transfers in: £7,473,000
Transfers out: £295,000
Total spending: £7,178,000

References

  1. ^ "England 1997–98". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Fulham 1997-1998 Results - statto.com". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  3. ^ "All Fulham players: 1998". 11v11.com. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Andre Arendse".

Notes

  1. ^ Taylor was born in Hildesheim, West Germany, but qualified to represent any of the home nations internationally as he holds a British passport, and represented Northern Ireland at U-21 level before making his international debut for Northern Ireland in March 1999.
  2. ^ Neilson was born in Wegberg, West Germany, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in February 1992.
  3. ^ Trollope was born in Swindon, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in May 1997.
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