1997-98 in English football
Encyclopedia
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football
in England
.
overhauled Manchester United
's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title. They added the FA Cup
two weeks later to become only the second English club to repeat the double.
All three newly promoted teams - Bolton Wanderers
, Barnsley
and Crystal Palace
- were relegated after just one season in the Premiership.
Everton endured their most difficult season for some 50 years. They finished 17th in the Premiership and only avoided relegation because they had a stronger goal difference than 18th-placed Bolton. Manager Howard Kendall
's third reign at the helm came to an end soon afterwards and he was replaced by Walter Smith.
Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers
made good progress in the Premiership and achieved UEFA Cup
qualification.
and runners-up Middlesbrough
won promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking. Charlton Athletic
won the playoffs to end an eight-year absence from the top flight.
Reading
were relegated in bottom place. They were joined on the last day of the season by Manchester City
and Stoke City
. The blue half of Manchester endured relegation to the third tier of the English league for the first time in its history, despite beating also doomed Stoke 5-2 away on the last day of the season, but neither fans took lightly to relegation, as mass football violence outside outshone the match. Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth
and Port Vale
all won their games to avoid the drop.
won the Division Two championship. They were joined by runners-up Bristol City
and playoff winners Grimsby Town
.
Going down to Division Three were Brentford
, Plymouth Argyle
, Carlisle United
and Southend United
. Brentford had been losing playoff finalists just 12 months earlier, Plymouth had been promoted to Division Two just two seasons earlier, Carlisle were newly-promoted and Southend had endured their second successive relegation.
finished runners-up in Division Three to gain their second successive promotion, a year after winning the Conference. They were joined by champions Notts County
, who won the title by 17 points and became the first team since World War II
to secure promotion in March, third-placed Lincoln City
and playoff winners Colchester United
.
Doncaster Rovers
suffered an English league record of 34 defeats and won just four games to lose their league status. They were replaced by Conference champions Halifax Town
, who regained their league status five years after losing it.
became only the second club to have won two doubles after they beat Newcastle United
2-0 and added the FA Cup
to their Premiership title triumph.
beat Middlesbrough
2-0 to give new manager Gianluca Vialli
his first major trophy just weeks after being appointed.
was the key player in Arsenal
's double triumph and was voted both PFA Player of the Year and FWA Player of the Year.
Liverpool
's 18-year-old striker Michael Owen
scored 18 Premiership goals and became the youngest England player of the 20th century, for which he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year
.
Owen's Liverpool team mate Steve McManaman
came in with 21 assists in the league, placing him behind David Beckham
of Manchester United
who capped another phenomenal season as the top goal assists maker in the league.
Coventry City
striker Dion Dublin
became the target of the country's biggest clubs after his 18 Premiership goals kept the Sky Blues well clear of relegation.
Blackburn Rovers
striker Chris Sutton
regained his full form and helped his side qualify for the UEFA Cup
by scoring 18 Premiership goals.
Italian midfielder Attilio Lombardo
established himself as one of the Premiership's most competent midfielders but couldn't do enough to save his club Crystal Palace
from relegation, though he did stay at the south-London side until January 1999, when financial trouble meant his wages couldn't be paid.
won his first major trophies as Arsenal
manager by guiding them to Premiership and FA Cup glory.
Gianluca Vialli
, 33, kicked off his management career by winning the League Cup
and Cup Winners' Cup with Chelsea
.
Alan Curbishley
finally succeeded in getting Charlton
promoted to the Premiership after seven seasons of trying on limited resources.
Bryan Robson
returned Middlesbrough
to the Premiership as Division One runners-up, as well as taking them to runners-up spot in the League Cup
.
Graham Taylor began his second spell as Watford
manager by winning the Division Two championship and giving his club their first successful season since they were league runners-up back in 1983.
Sammy McIlroy
achieved a second successive promotion for Macclesfield Town
in their first season of league football.
Alan Buckley
achieved promotion for Grimsby Town
after their relegation from division one. Also took the team to Wembley for the first time in its history to win the Auto Windscreens Shield against Bournemouth
.
Sam Allardyce
took Notts County to the Division Three title with 99 points - the highest tally in any division this season.
Shane Westley
won promotion to Division Two just weeks after taking over as manager of Lincoln City
.
George Mulhall
, 62, returned Halifax Town
to the Football League as Conference champions five years after they had been demoted.
equalled Manchester United's record of two league championship and F.A Cup doubles when they overhauled Alex Ferguson
's men in the Premiership title race and beat Kenny Dalglish
's Newcastle United in the F.A Cup final in Arsène Wenger
's second season at Highbury.
Chelsea
completed the other half of the London double by beating Middlesbrough
in the League Cup final and VFB Stuttgart
in the Cup Winners Cup final, within three months of 33-year-old striker Gianluca Vialli
taking over as player-manager after Ruud Gullit
was sacked for arguing about transfer funds with chairman Ken Bates
.
, the first (and so far only) English footballer to disclose his homosexuality, was found dead on the morning of 3 May in a lock-up garage in East London. He was 37. Fashanu, who is believed to have committed suicide, had fled the USA after being arrested in Maryland on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy.
Fashanu, older brother of former Wimbledon striker John, began his career as an exciting young striker with Norwich City
and in 1981 became Britain's first £1million black footballer when he joined Nottingham Forest. But he was not successful at the City Ground and later turned out for clubs including Edmonton (a Canadian team), Manchester City, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Torquay United, Airdrieonians, and Hearts. In 1992 he applied for the Torquay United manager's job but his application was rejected and he briefly stayed on an assistant manager before quitting the club completely.
, the controversial but brilliant midfielder who starred for Leeds United
in the Don Revie
glory era, died on 6 December after suffering a heart attack at the age of 54. He collected three championship medals as well as League Cup, F.A Cup, Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup winner's medals before finishing his career with Hull City
. Bremner returned to Leeds
as manager in 1985 and came within a whisker of reaching the F.A Cup final and winning promotion to the First Division in his second season as manager. He was sacked in 1988 and finished his time in football as manager of Doncaster Rovers
, where he was in charge from August 1989 until November 1991.
, the blue half of Manchester had to come to terms with the agony of relegation to Division Two for the first time in their history. City had started the Division One campaign badly and manager Frank Clark (footballer) was fired in March, with former Everton
manager Joe Royle
being appointed as his successor.
City went into their final game of the season at Stoke
, with both sides knowing that they had to win to stand any chance of avoiding relegation. In the end City won 5-2, but both teams were relegated because the three teams above the drop zone all won their games.
To the dismay of the Stoke
fans, Stoke were relegated in the first season of their new stadium. Many fans did not take to moving to the Britannia Stadium
from their sacred old Victoria Ground
. Stoke City were in the top flight in 1984/85 season
.
giving them an early lead. The score was 2-2 with 45 minutes played, and early in the second half Diego Simeone fouled David Beckham
and sent the 23-year-old midfielder falling to the ground. Beckham, still lying on the ground, reacted by kicking Simeone in the shins and was sent off. The game finished 2-2, and England lost the resultant penalty shoot-out after David Batty
and Paul Ince
's shots were saved. The trophy was finally won by hosts France.
, 17-year-old striker, scores on his debut for Wolverhampton Wanderers
against Norwich City
in Division One
. On the same day, defender Paul Konchesky
makes his debut for Charlton Athletic
and becomes their youngest ever player in a competitive match, just 93 days after his 16th birthday.
10 January 1998: Aaron Hughes
, 17-year-old defender, makes his debut for Newcastle United
their 2-1 away defeat to Sheffield Wednesday
in the Premier League.
2 May 1998: Wes Brown
, 18-year-old central defender, made his debut for Manchester United
as a substitute against Leeds United
in the penultimate game of the Premier League season.
Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour (First Division & Premier League). Number after slash is Premier League only. * indicates new record for competition
Reading and Stoke City made up the bottom two; both clubs been in mid-table for most of the campaign, but they totally fell apart later in season and were relegated in bottom place. By far the biggest shock was Manchester City's relegation to Division Two; they had improved in the final weeks of the season, but in a cruel twist all of the clubs above them went on similarly good runs as the season drew to a close, consigning City to the third tier for the first time ever.
NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference
Southend suffered their second successive relegation, while Carlisle suffered an immediate relegation back to Division Three after the previous year's promotion. Plymouth Argyle were unable to pull off the survival act they had achieved the year before, and went down. Brentford were the final relegated club, as an awful start to the season counted against them in the end.
Doncaster Rovers fell into the Football Conference after a truly dreadful season, and were replaced by a returning Halifax Town.
pay £4.5million (a record for a club outside the top flight) for Arsenal
midfielder Paul Merson
.
10 July 1997 - After two years with Inter Milan, Paul Ince
returns to England in a £4.2million move to Liverpool
.
15 July 1997 - Liverpool sign Crewe Alexandra
midfielder Danny Murphy for £3million and Tottenham Hotspur
sign Newcastle United winger David Ginola
for £2million.
21 July 1997 - David Hopkin
, the player who scored the goal that got Crystal Palace
promoted to the Premier League in this year's Division One playoff final, joins Leeds United
for £3.25million.
29 July 1997 - Newcastle United sell striker Les Ferdinand
to Tottenham Hotspur for £6million.
1 August 1997 - Crystal Palace
sign Italy
midfielder Attilio Lombardo
from Juventus for £1.6million.
7 August 1997 - Footballers Bruce Grobbelaar
, Hans Segers
and John Fashanu
, along with a Thai
businessman, are cleared of match-fixing at Winchester
Crown Court
.
8 August 1997 - Graeme Le Saux
returns to Chelsea
after more than four years at Blackburn Rovers
in a £5million deal - a national record for a defender.
9 August 1997 - Barnsley's first top flight game ends in a 2-1 home defeat by West Ham United. Coventry City, who survived by the skin of their teeth last season, pull off a major surprise by defeating FA Cup holders Chelsea 3-2 at Highfield Road
. Despite Alan Shearer's absence, Newcastle United beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at home as Kenny Dalglish
continues his quest to try to become the first manager to win the English top division title at three different clubs.
11 August 1997 - Manchester United
match the new national record for a defender when they sign Henning Berg
from Blackburn Rovers for £5million.
13 August 1997 - Leicester City shock Liverpool with a 2-1 league win at Anfield
.
16 August 1997 - Arsenal
announce plans to relocate from Highbury
due to its sub-40,000 capacity and difficulties for expansion.
18 August 1997 - 36-year-old Peter Beardsley
leaves Newcastle United in a £450,000 move to Bolton Wanderers
.
24 August 1997 - Chelsea record one of the biggest ever away league wins in the Premier League with a 6-0 victory over Barnsley at Oakwell.
25 August 1997 - Blackburn Rovers beat Sheffield Wednesday 7-2 in the league at Ewood Park
.
31 August 1997 - The Liverpool
-Newcastle United
FA Premier League
fixture is cancelled as a mark of respect for Princess Diana, who died earlier in the day
in a Paris
car crash. The month-end Premier League table shows Blackburn Rovers on a hot run of form under their new manager Roy Hodgson
, topping the league on goal difference ahead of defending champions Manchester United, while West Ham United, Chelsea and Arsenal provide the nearest competition. Wimbledon, Aston Villa and Southampton occupy the relegation zone, while newly-promoted Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley (playing top division football for the first time) at Crystal Palace have all had a decent first month of the season. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=30&Month=Aug&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest
head the race for a Premier League place as Division One leaders, while Bradford City occupy second place in a division they had been expected to struggle in. West Bromwich Albion
, Swindon Town
, Sheffield United
and Portsmouth
complete the top six.
1 September 1997 - Bolton Wanderers
move into their new 27,500-seat Reebok Stadium
after 102 years at Burnden Park
, and draw 0-0 with Everton in the league in their first game there.
6 September 1997 - There are no major football matches as the entire Football League programme is moved to the previous Friday or the following Sunday on the day of Princess Diana's funeral (there were no Premier League matches scheduled because of international fixtures).
13 September 1997 - Wimbledon continue their tradition of surprise wins over big clubs by defeating Newcastle United 3-1 on Tyneside
.
14 September 1997 - Two resurgent sides, Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United, battle it out in a thrilling Premier League at Ewood Park in which the visitors triumph 4-3.
25 September 1997 - Kevin Keegan
returns to football as Fulham's
"Chief Operating Officer", working in conjunction with new Head Coach Ray Wilkins
.
27 September 1997 - Manchester United
captain Roy Keane
suffers knee ligament damage against Leeds United
in a FA Premier League
1-0 defeat at Elland Road
and is ruled out for the rest of the season.
30 September 1997 - September ends with Arsenal as Premier League leaders, with Manchester United second. The previous month-end leaders Blackburn Rovers have slipped into fifth place, while Leicester City (without a top division league title to their name) currently occupy third place and are just a single point off the top spot, and Chelsea occupy fourth place. A terrible run of form has pushed Southampton into bottom place, while Barnsley's reasonable start to their first top division season has given way to a series of heavy defeats and they now occupy the next lowest position in the league. The final place in the relegation zone is occupied by Sheffield Wednesday. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=27&Month=Sep&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest continue to lead the way in Division One, with surprise promotion contenders West Bromwich Albion now second. QPR have crept into the playoff zone at the expense of Portsmouth (who have slumped to 19th). Bradford City, Sheffield United and Swindon Town complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Sep&ssnno=127&teamno=367
2 October 1997 - Bolton Wanderers pay a club record £3.5million for Wimbledon
striker Dean Holdsworth
.
4 October 1997 - Barnsley's leaky defence continues to show its frailty as they lose 5-0 to league leaders Arsenal at Highbury.
11 October 1997 - England
achieve automatic qualification for the 1998 World Cup
after drawing 0-0 in Rome
with Italy
, who must navigate a two-leg playoff.
24 October 1997 - Paul Peschisolido
becomes the first player to join a third-tier club for a seven-figure sum when he joins Fulham
for £1.1million from West Bromwich Albion
.
25 October 1997 - Barnsley are on the receiving end of yet another heavy defeat, this time a 7-0 hammering by Manchester United at Old Trafford which sends the hosts to the top of the table.
31 October 1997 - Manchester United finish October as Premier League leaders, leapfrogging Arsenal into second place, while Blackburn Rovers have got their title challenge back on track by climbing into third place. Chelsea and Liverpool complete the top five, with the unfashionable Leicester City, Derby County and Wimbledon putting immense pressure on them. A dismal run of form has pushed Bolton Wanderers into bottom place, while Barnsley occupying the next lowest position and Sheffield Wednesday completing the bottom three. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=25&Month=Oct&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest remain top of Division One, while Swindon Town's surprise challenge for a second promotion in three seasons continues as they now occupy second place. Middlesbrough
, West Bromwich Albion, Bradford City and Charlton Athletic
complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Oct&ssnno=127&teamno=367
1 November 1997 - Manchester United boost their own lead of the Premier League with a 6-1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, which pushes the visitors further into relegation trouble just one season after they narrowly missed out on a UEFA Cup place.
9 November 1997 - Arsenal cut Manchester United's advantage in the Premier League title race by beating them 3-2 at Highbury.
12 November 1997 - Michele Padovano
, Juventus striker, joins Crystal Palace for £1.7million.
18 November 1997 - Premier League officials express their desire for a two-up, two-down system to operate between the top two divisions in English football, which would spell at end to the traditional three-up and three-down system which has been in use since 1974 (with an exception to four seasons between 1986 and 1995 when the league was being restructured). It also wants to give member clubs the option to withdraw from the Football League Cup
.
22 November 1997 - Manchester United bounce back from their Arsenal defeat by returning to London
and achieving a 5-2 away win over Wimbledon. Arsenal, meanwhile, suffer a shock 2-0 defeat at struggling Sheffield Wednesday.
29 November 1997 - Iran
qualify for the 1998 World Cup
at the expense of Australia, whose national coach Terry Venables
steps down after one year in charge.
30 November 1997 - November draws to a close with Manchester United still top of the Premier League, with Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United putting up a strong challenge, while Arsenal's title bid appears to be fading away as they now occupy fifth place and are seven points off the top. Everton are now bottom of the top division where they have so far played for 44 seasons in succession, with Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers completing the bottom three. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=30&Month=Nov&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest are still top of Division One and Middlesbrough are second. The playoff zone is occupied by West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United, Swindon Town and Charlton Athletic, while Stockport County
are on the edge of the playoff zone as surprise contenders for a second successive promotion. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=29&Month=Nov&ssnno=127&teamno=367
1 December 1997 - Fulham break the Division Two transfer record once again when they pay Blackburn Rovers £2million for defender Chris Coleman
.
6 December 1997 -
19 December 1997 - Liverpool sign USA
goalkeeper Brad Friedel
from Columbus Crew
for £1million.
27 December 1997 - Manchester United
agree to sell Czech
winger Karel Poborský
to Benfica after an unsuccessful 18 months at Old Trafford
.
29 December 1997 - The English FA continue investigations into an Asian Betting Syndicate's links with English hooligans and mobsters
to continuously shut off floodlights
in Premiership stadia to get matches with "unfavourable" results postponed and cancelled. Affected clubs like West Ham, Derby County
, Arsenal
and Bolton Wanderers all filed official inquiries.
31 December 1997 - 1997 draws to a close with Manchester United now leading by a five-point margin over their nearest contenders Blackburn Rovers. Chelsea, Liverpool and Leeds United complete the top five, but Arsenal are now sixth and now need something little short of a miracle to bring the Premier League trophy to Highbury
. Meanwhile, Barnsley prop up the top flight, while Everton and Tottenham Hotspur complete the bottom three. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Dec&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest are level on points at the top of Division One, with the playoff zone being occupied by Sheffield United, Charlton Athletic, Sunderland
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Dec&ssnno=127&teamno=367
3 January 1998 - Holders Chelsea
suffer a first hurdle defeat in the FA Cup when they lost 5-3 to Manchester United
, while Conference
club Stevenage Borough achieve a shock 2-1 away win over Division One Swindon Town
.
10 January 1998 - Barnsley's defensive frailties show no sign of easing as they lose 6-0 to West Ham United at Upton Park.
17 January 1998 - Barnsley boost their survival hopes with a 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace, whose own recent downturn in form is threatening to cost them their Premier League status.
24 January 1998 - Walsall's
hopes of pulling off a giant-killing feat in the FA Cup fourth round are ended when Manchester United crush them 5-1 at Old Trafford.
25 January 1998 - Stevenage Borough's FA Cup adventure continues when they hold Premier League club Newcastle United to a 1-1 draw at Broadhall Way
, though a controversial refereeing decision saw them denied a goal which clearly went over the line and would have made them the first non-league time since Sutton United in 1989 to beat a top division club in the FA Cup.
27 January 1998 - Newcastle United sign Swedish
striker Andreas Andersson
from AC Milan
31 January 1998 - Manchester United remain top of the Premier League as January draws to a close, despite losing 1-0 at home to Leicester City. They now lead their nearest rivals Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool by a four-point margin. Arsenal are beginning to rescue their season as they are now fifth in the league and just eight points off the top, with a game in hand. Barnsley remain bottom and Tottenham Hotspur have yet to climb clear of the bottom three, but Everton have jumped clear of the drop zone at the expense of Bolton Wanderers. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=31&Month=Jan&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough continue to lead the way in Division One. Charlton Athletic, Sunderland, Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=17&Month=Jan&ssnno=127&teamno=367
4 February 1998 - Stevenage Borough's FA Cup dream ends in the fourth round replay when Newcastle United beat them 2-1 at St James's Park.
9 February 1998 - Michael Owen
becomes the youngest-ever England
international when he plays in the nation's 2-0 defeat against Chile
.
12 February 1998 - The football world is stunned by the dismissal of Chelsea
manager Ruud Gullit
, who was sacked after a dispute with chairman Ken Bates
. 33-year-old striker Gianluca Vialli
is installed as player-manager.
23 February 1998 - Tottenham Hotspur sign Algeria
n midfielder Moussa Saib
from Valencia CF
of Spain
for £2.3million.
25 February 1998 - Manchester United's FA Cup quest ends with a shock 3-2 defeat by Barnsley in the fifth round replay at Oakwell.
28 February 1998 - February draws to a close with Manchester United still top of the Premier League. They are 11 points ahead of second placed Blackburn Rovers, but third placed Arsenal have played three games less than Manchester United who they trail by 12 points. Liverpool, Chelsea and Derby County are the clubs giving the top three a run for their money. Crystal Palace, yet to win at home this season, are now bottom of the Premier League in a drop zone with includes the other two newly promoted clubs Bolton Wanderers and Barnsley. Everton and Tottenham Hotspur remain under the most direct threat from the bottom three. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Feb&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Middlesbrough are top of Division One with Nottingham Forest in second place. Sunderland, Charlton Athletic, Sheffield United and Stockport County complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=25&Month=Feb&ssnno=127&teamno=367
1 March 1998 - Manchester United
enter March 11 points ahead at the top of the FA Premier League
, with their nearest contenders Arsenal
having 3 games in hand.
8 March 1998 - Barnsley's dreams of marking their first top division season with FA Cup glory are ended when they lost 3-1 at Newcastle United in the quarter-final.
10 March 1998 - Newcastle United sign Greek
defender Nikos Dabizas
from Olympiakos for £2million.
14 March 1998 - Arsenal
beat Manchester United
1-0 at Old Trafford
to decrease United's lead to 6 points, plus they have the advantage of 3 games in hand.
28 March 1998 - Notts County
, Division Three
leaders, become the first English team to win promotion in March. In the Premier League, Manchester United bounce back from their Arsenal disappointment with a 2-0 home win over Wimbledon, while Arsenal keep the pressure intense with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday. Liverpool keep their slim title hopes alive with a 3-2 win over a Barnsley side battling against relegation.
31 March 1998 - Manchester United remain top of the league by a six-point margin as March ends, but their nearest contenders Arsenal have three games in hand. Liverpool in third place are nine points off the top with a game in hand, and meet United at Old Trafford
in 10 days for what could be a decisive game in the title race. Chelsea occupy fourth place and if they finish in the top five then a sixth placed team will automatically qualify for the UEFA Cup
for the first time as Chelsea have won the League Cup and new rules regarding European competitions mean that lower-placed teams can qualify for Europe. An unlikely bid for a UEFA Cup place is coming from West Ham United and Coventry City, two means who narrowly avoided relegation last season. Meanwhile, Barnsley, Bolton Wanderers and Crystal Palace continue to occupy the relegation zone. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Mar&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest remain top of Division One, two points ahead of second placed Middlesbrough and four points ahead of third placed Sunderland. Charlton Athletic, Sheffield United and a resurgent Ipswich Town complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=22&Month=Mar&ssnno=127&teamno=367
5 April 1998 - Arsenal move closer to their second double by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park
.
6 April 1998 - Newcastle United, who have had a dismal season in the Premier League, are given the hope of FA Cup glory after a semi-final win over Sheffield United at Old Trafford sends them into the FA Cup final for the first time since 1974.
30 April 1998 - April draws to a close with Arsenal now leading by a point ahead of Manchester United and having two games in hand, as United manager concedes the title despite his team's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, whose relegation is confirmed. Meanwhile, Aston Villa have emerged as surprise contenders for a UEFA Cup place after spending most of the season battling relegation, and there will also be a UEFA Cup place for the seventh-placed club if Arsenal beat Newcastle United in the FA Cup final next month. At the other end of the table, Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers remain in the bottom three, but there is still a threat of relegation for Tottenham Hotspur and Everton as well as a Newcastle United side who came close to winning the title last season and the season before. Wimbledon, who only need two points from their final three games to achieved safety, are the only other team under threat of relegation. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=27&Month=Apr&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest have sealed an immediate return to the top flight as Division One champions, while Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Charlton Athletic are still fighting it out for second place. Sheffield United and Birmingham City
are challenging each other for the final playoff place. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=29&Month=Apr&ssnno=127&teamno=367
3 May 1998 - Arsenal
clinch the FA Premier League
title with a 4-0 home win over Everton
. http://www.arsenal.com/ggm-13-emphatic-win-seals-wenger-s-first-title Manchester City
are relegated to Division Two, despite winning 5-2 at also-doomed Stoke City
. It is the first time in their history that they will be playing in the third tier of the English league. They are also the first former winners of a European trophy to be relegated to the third tier of their domestic league. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-citys-maine-road-to-nowhere-1187062.html
6 May 1998 - In their first game at the title triumph, Arsenal hit relegation form when Liverpool beat them 4-0 at Anfield.
10 May 1998 - The FA Premier League
season ends with Arsenal
as champions and Manchester United
as runners-up one point behind them, with both teams qualifying for the European Cup
. The UEFA Cup
places go to Liverpool
, Chelsea
, Leeds United
, Blackburn Rovers
and Aston Villa
. Bolton Wanderers
, Barnsley
and Crystal Palace
are relegated. Bolton were the last team to go down - their 2-0 defeat at Chelsea meaning that a 1-1 draw with Coventry City at Goodison Park
was enough to achieve survival on goal difference for Everton.
16 May 1998 - Arsenal
become the second English team (though with an entirely different set of players) to complete the 'double' when they beat Newcastle United
2-0 in the FA Cup final. Marc Overmars
opens the scoring after 23 minutes, followed by 19-year-old Nicolas Anelka's
goal in the 69th minute.
23 May 1998 - Derby County
pay a club record £2.7million for Argentine
defender Horacio Carbonari
from Rosario
.
25 May 1998 - Charlton Athletic
win promotion to the FA Premier League
after beating Sunderland
7-6 on penalties following a 4-4 draw in the Division One
playoff final.
1 June 1998 - Blackburn Rovers pay a club record £7.5million for Southampton
striker Kevin Davies
, 21.
5 June 1998 - Aston Villa sign winger Alan Thompson from Bolton Wanderers for £4.5million.
30 June 1998 - David Beckham
is sent off for kicking Diego Simeone after he was fouled by him in England's World Cup second round clash with Argentina, and England lose on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
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Premier League
ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
overhauled Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title. They added the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
two weeks later to become only the second English club to repeat the double.
All three newly promoted teams - Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
and Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
- were relegated after just one season in the Premiership.
Everton endured their most difficult season for some 50 years. They finished 17th in the Premiership and only avoided relegation because they had a stronger goal difference than 18th-placed Bolton. Manager Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
's third reign at the helm came to an end soon afterwards and he was replaced by Walter Smith.
Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
made good progress in the Premiership and achieved UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
qualification.
Division One
Champions Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
and runners-up Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
won promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking. Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
won the playoffs to end an eight-year absence from the top flight.
Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
were relegated in bottom place. They were joined on the last day of the season by Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. The blue half of Manchester endured relegation to the third tier of the English league for the first time in its history, despite beating also doomed Stoke 5-2 away on the last day of the season, but neither fans took lightly to relegation, as mass football violence outside outshone the match. Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
and Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
all won their games to avoid the drop.
Division Two
Graham Taylor's second spell as manager brought instant success as WatfordWatford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
won the Division Two championship. They were joined by runners-up Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
and playoff winners Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
.
Going down to Division Three were Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
, Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
and Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
. Brentford had been losing playoff finalists just 12 months earlier, Plymouth had been promoted to Division Two just two seasons earlier, Carlisle were newly-promoted and Southend had endured their second successive relegation.
Division Three
Macclesfield TownMacclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
finished runners-up in Division Three to gain their second successive promotion, a year after winning the Conference. They were joined by champions Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, who won the title by 17 points and became the first team since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to secure promotion in March, third-placed Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
and playoff winners Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
.
Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
suffered an English league record of 34 defeats and won just four games to lose their league status. They were replaced by Conference champions Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
, who regained their league status five years after losing it.
FA Cup
ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
became only the second club to have won two doubles after they beat Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
2-0 and added the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
to their Premiership title triumph.
League Cup
ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
beat Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
2-0 to give new manager Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
his first major trophy just weeks after being appointed.
Successful players
Dennis BergkampDennis Bergkamp
Dennis Nicolaas Bergkamp , is a former Dutch professional footballer who is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. At club level he played for Ajax, Internazionale, and Arsenal, and also represented the Netherlands at international level...
was the key player in Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
's double triumph and was voted both PFA Player of the Year and FWA Player of the Year.
Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
's 18-year-old striker Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
scored 18 Premiership goals and became the youngest England player of the 20th century, for which he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year
PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
.
Owen's Liverpool team mate Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
came in with 21 assists in the league, placing him behind David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
of Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
who capped another phenomenal season as the top goal assists maker in the league.
Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
striker Dion Dublin
Dion Dublin
Dion Dublin , is a retired English footballer. He was capped four times for England. Dublin started his career as a centre back with Norwich City, but made his name at Cambridge United as a goal-scoring centre forward. However, in his later years he showed his versatility by becoming an...
became the target of the country's biggest clubs after his 18 Premiership goals kept the Sky Blues well clear of relegation.
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
striker Chris Sutton
Chris Sutton
Christopher Roy "Chris" Sutton is an English football manager and former player.In his career, Sutton played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English...
regained his full form and helped his side qualify for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
by scoring 18 Premiership goals.
Italian midfielder Attilio Lombardo
Attilio Lombardo
Attilio Lombardo is a retired football player turned manager.-Playing:...
established himself as one of the Premiership's most competent midfielders but couldn't do enough to save his club Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
from relegation, though he did stay at the south-London side until January 1999, when financial trouble meant his wages couldn't be paid.
Successful managers
Arsène WengerArsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
won his first major trophies as Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
manager by guiding them to Premiership and FA Cup glory.
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
, 33, kicked off his management career by winning the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
and Cup Winners' Cup with Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
.
Alan Curbishley
Alan Curbishley
Llewellyn Charles "Alan" Curbishley is an English football manager and former professional player....
finally succeeded in getting Charlton
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
promoted to the Premiership after seven seasons of trying on limited resources.
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
returned Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
to the Premiership as Division One runners-up, as well as taking them to runners-up spot in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
.
Graham Taylor began his second spell as Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
manager by winning the Division Two championship and giving his club their first successful season since they were league runners-up back in 1983.
Sammy McIlroy
Sammy McIlroy
Samuel Baxter "Sammy" McIlroy is a former Northern Ireland international footballer whose clubs included Manchester United....
achieved a second successive promotion for Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
in their first season of league football.
Alan Buckley
Alan Buckley
Alan Peter Buckley is an English football manager. He was manager of League Two side Grimsby Town until his dismissal in September 2008...
achieved promotion for Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
after their relegation from division one. Also took the team to Wembley for the first time in its history to win the Auto Windscreens Shield against Bournemouth
Bournemouth F.C.
Bournemouth Football Club is an English football team currently playing in the Wessex League Premier Division. Their nickname is "The Poppies", and they are often known as Bournemouth Poppies to avoid confusion with the Football League club A.F.C. Bournemouth...
.
Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce
Samuel "Sam" Allardyce , nicknamed "Big Sam", is an English football manager and former professional player. In June 2011 he was appointed as manager of West Ham United....
took Notts County to the Division Three title with 99 points - the highest tally in any division this season.
Shane Westley
Shane Westley
Shane Lee Mark Westley is an English former professional footballer and coach.A defender, Westley began his career at Charlton Athletic in 1983 but he made his big breakthrough with Southend United, for whom he made 142 appearances, twice winning promotion out of the Division Four...
won promotion to Division Two just weeks after taking over as manager of Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
.
George Mulhall
George Mulhall
George Mulhall is a Scottish former footballer and manager.Born in Falkirk, Scotland, Mulhall played as outside left who played at Aberdeen and Sunderland and was capped three times for Scotland before he became a manager for Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers and Halifax Town.-Playing career:Two of...
, 62, returned Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
to the Football League as Conference champions five years after they had been demoted.
Biggest rise
Macclesfield Town marked their first season as a Football League club by finishing runners-up in Division Three and winning promotion to Division Two.Double glory for Arsenal and Chelsea
ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
equalled Manchester United's record of two league championship and F.A Cup doubles when they overhauled Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
's men in the Premiership title race and beat Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
's Newcastle United in the F.A Cup final in Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
's second season at Highbury.
Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
completed the other half of the London double by beating Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in the League Cup final and VFB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
in the Cup Winners Cup final, within three months of 33-year-old striker Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
taking over as player-manager after Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
was sacked for arguing about transfer funds with chairman Ken Bates
Ken Bates
Kenneth William Bates is a British businessman and football executive. The current chairman and now owner of Leeds United AFC, Bates was previously chairman and majority shareholder of Chelsea FC from 1982 until 2003....
.
Justin Fashanu found dead in suspected suicide
Justin FashanuJustin Fashanu
Justinus Soni "Justin" Fashanu was an English footballer who played for a variety of clubs between 1978 and 1997. He was known by his early clubs to be homosexual, and came out to the press later in his career, to become the first professional footballer to be openly gay...
, the first (and so far only) English footballer to disclose his homosexuality, was found dead on the morning of 3 May in a lock-up garage in East London. He was 37. Fashanu, who is believed to have committed suicide, had fled the USA after being arrested in Maryland on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy.
Fashanu, older brother of former Wimbledon striker John, began his career as an exciting young striker with Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
and in 1981 became Britain's first £1million black footballer when he joined Nottingham Forest. But he was not successful at the City Ground and later turned out for clubs including Edmonton (a Canadian team), Manchester City, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Torquay United, Airdrieonians, and Hearts. In 1992 he applied for the Torquay United manager's job but his application was rejected and he briefly stayed on an assistant manager before quitting the club completely.
Billy Bremner dies at 54
Billy BremnerBilly Bremner
William John "Billy" Bremner was a Scottish professional footballer, most noted for his captaincy of the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s. He has since been voted Leeds United's greatest player of all time and has a statue outside the South East corner of Elland Road...
, the controversial but brilliant midfielder who starred for Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
in the Don Revie
Don Revie
Donald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
glory era, died on 6 December after suffering a heart attack at the age of 54. He collected three championship medals as well as League Cup, F.A Cup, Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup winner's medals before finishing his career with Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
. Bremner returned to Leeds
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
as manager in 1985 and came within a whisker of reaching the F.A Cup final and winning promotion to the First Division in his second season as manager. He was sacked in 1988 and finished his time in football as manager of Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
, where he was in charge from August 1989 until November 1991.
Grief for the red and white part of Stoke, and the blue half of Manchester
While the red half of Manchester reeled in disappointment at being beaten to the Premiership title by ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, the blue half of Manchester had to come to terms with the agony of relegation to Division Two for the first time in their history. City had started the Division One campaign badly and manager Frank Clark (footballer) was fired in March, with former Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
manager Joe Royle
Joe Royle
Joseph "Joe" Royle is an English football manager. In his club career, he played for Everton , Manchester City, Bristol City, Norwich City, and the England national team...
being appointed as his successor.
City went into their final game of the season at Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, with both sides knowing that they had to win to stand any chance of avoiding relegation. In the end City won 5-2, but both teams were relegated because the three teams above the drop zone all won their games.
To the dismay of the Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
fans, Stoke were relegated in the first season of their new stadium. Many fans did not take to moving to the Britannia Stadium
Britannia Stadium
The Britannia Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England and the home of Premier League club Stoke City Football Club. With space for 27,598 spectators . The name is taken from the sponsors of the Stadium the Britannia Co-operative Bank...
from their sacred old Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground may refer to:*Victoria Ground, the former name of Hartlepool United’s ground Victoria Park.*Victoria Ground, Stoke City’s ground from 1878 to 1997.*Victoria Ground, current home of Bromsgrove Rovers...
. Stoke City were in the top flight in 1984/85 season
1984-85 in English football
The 1984–85 season was the 105th season of competitive football in England.-Bradford City disaster:56 spectators died and more than 200 were injured when a fire ripped through the Main Stand at Valley Parade during Bradford City's Third Division fixture with Lincoln City on 11 May...
.
Argentina end England's World Cup hopes
England took on Argentina in the Second Round of the World Cup in France, with a classic goal by 18-year-old striker Michael OwenMichael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
giving them an early lead. The score was 2-2 with 45 minutes played, and early in the second half Diego Simeone fouled David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
and sent the 23-year-old midfielder falling to the ground. Beckham, still lying on the ground, reacted by kicking Simeone in the shins and was sent off. The game finished 2-2, and England lost the resultant penalty shoot-out after David Batty
David Batty
David Batty is an English retired professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder....
and Paul Ince
Paul Ince
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...
's shots were saved. The trophy was finally won by hosts France.
Famous debutants
8 August 1997: Robbie KeaneRobbie Keane
Robert David "Robbie" Keane is an Irish association football player who plays as a striker for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer and captains the Irish national football team....
, 17-year-old striker, scores on his debut for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
against Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in Division One
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. On the same day, defender Paul Konchesky
Paul Konchesky
Paul Martyn Konchesky is an English footballer who plays as a left back. Currently signed to Leicester City, he has previously played for Charlton, Tottenham, West Ham, Fulham, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, joining his present club in July 2011...
makes his debut for Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
and becomes their youngest ever player in a competitive match, just 93 days after his 16th birthday.
10 January 1998: Aaron Hughes
Aaron Hughes
Aaron William Hughes is a Northern Irish footballer who plays for Fulham. Hughes is able to play centre back, right back or left back, as well as anywhere in midfield. He is usually deployed in a centre half position for his club and country, and is the current Northern Ireland captain...
, 17-year-old defender, makes his debut for Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
their 2-1 away defeat to Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in the Premier League.
2 May 1998: Wes Brown
Wes Brown
Wesley Michael "Wes" Brown is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Sunderland. Before joining Sunderland, Brown had spent his entire career at Old Trafford, having joined the Manchester United youth team in 1996...
, 18-year-old central defender, made his debut for Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
as a substitute against Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
in the penultimate game of the Premier League season.
Honours
| Competition | Winner |
|---|---|
| FA Premier League FA Premier League The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier... |
Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... (11/1) |
| FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... (7) |
| Football League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... (2) |
| Football League First Division Football League First Division The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship.... |
Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest F.C. Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship... |
| Football League Second Division Football League Second Division From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams... |
Watford Watford F.C. Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade... |
| Football League Third Division Football League Third Division The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two... |
Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
| FA Community Shield FA Community Shield The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition... |
Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour (First Division & Premier League). Number after slash is Premier League only. * indicates new record for competition
FA Premier League
- For more detail on the Premiership this season see FA Premier League 1997-98FA Premier League 1997-98The FA Premier League 1997-98 season saw Arsenal lift their first league title since 1991, and also become only the second team to win the 'double' of the FA Cup and league title twice...
Pos Team Pl W D L F A Pts 1. Arsenal Arsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...38 23 9 6 68 33 78 2. Manchester United 38 23 8 7 73 26 77 3. Liverpool Liverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...38 18 11 9 68 42 65 4. Chelsea Chelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...38 20 3 15 71 43 63 5. Leeds United Leeds United A.F.C.Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...38 17 8 13 57 46 59 6. Blackburn Rovers 38 16 10 12 57 52 58 7. Aston Villa 38 17 6 15 49 48 57 8. West Ham United 38 16 8 14 56 57 56 9. Derby County Derby County F.C.Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...38 16 7 15 52 49 55 10. Leicester City 38 13 14 11 51 41 53 11. Coventry City 38 12 16 10 46 44 52 12. Southampton Southampton F.C.Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...38 14 6 18 50 55 48 13. Newcastle United 38 11 11 16 35 44 44 14. Tottenham Hotspur 38 11 11 16 44 56 44 15. Wimbledon Wimbledon F.C.Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...38 10 14 14 34 46 44 16. Sheffield Wednesday 38 12 8 18 52 67 44 17. Everton Everton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...38 9 13 16 41 56 40 18. Bolton Wanderers 38 9 13 16 41 61 40 19. Barnsley Barnsley F.C.Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...38 10 5 23 37 82 35 20. Crystal Palace Crystal Palace F.C.Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...38 8 9 21 37 71 32
| Key |
|---|
| Qualified for the Champions League |
| Qualified for the UEFA Cup |
| Qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup |
| Relegated to Division 1 |
Nationwide League Division One
The three sides that had been relegated from the Premier League the previous year would (in reverse order) make up the top three teams in Division One this season, resulting in Nottingham Forest being promoted as champions and Middlesbrough as runners-up. The play-offs were won by Charlton Athletic, who beat Sunderland (the third side that were relegated from the previous season's Premier League) in one of the most exciting play-off finals to date.Reading and Stoke City made up the bottom two; both clubs been in mid-table for most of the campaign, but they totally fell apart later in season and were relegated in bottom place. By far the biggest shock was Manchester City's relegation to Division Two; they had improved in the final weeks of the season, but in a cruel twist all of the clubs above them went on similarly good runs as the season drew to a close, consigning City to the third tier for the first time ever.
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest F.C. Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship... |
46 | 28 | 10 | 8 | 82 | 42 | 94 |
| 2. | Middlesbrough Middlesbrough F.C. Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889... |
46 | 27 | 10 | 9 | 77 | 41 | 91 |
| 3. | Sunderland Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League... |
46 | 26 | 12 | 8 | 86 | 50 | 90 |
| 4. | Charlton Athletic Charlton Athletic F.C. Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,... |
46 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 80 | 49 | 88 |
| 5. | Ipswich Town Ipswich Town F.C. Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02.... |
46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 77 | 43 | 83 |
| 6. | Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 69 | 54 | 74 |
| 7. | Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the... |
46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 60 | 35 | 74 |
| 8. | Stockport County Stockport County F.C. Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport... |
46 | 19 | 8 | 19 | 71 | 69 | 65 |
| 9. | Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 57 | 53 | 65 |
| 10. | West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... |
46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 56 | 61 |
| 11. | Crewe Alexandra Crewe Alexandra F.C. Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club... |
46 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 58 | 65 | 59 |
| 12. | Oxford United Oxford United F.C. Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The... |
46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 60 | 64 | 58 |
| 13. | Bradford City | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 46 | 59 | 57 |
| 14. | Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers F.C. Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system... |
46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 54 | 57 | 56 |
| 15. | Norwich City Norwich City F.C. Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The... |
46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 52 | 69 | 55 |
| 16. | Huddersfield Town Huddersfield Town F.C. Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One... |
46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 50 | 72 | 53 |
| 17. | Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... |
46 | 11 | 19 | 16 | 42 | 58 | 52 |
| 18. | Swindon Town Swindon Town F.C. Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011... |
46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 42 | 73 | 52 |
| 19. | Port Vale Port Vale F.C. Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as... |
46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 56 | 66 | 49 |
| 20. | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 10 | 19 | 17 | 51 | 63 | 49 |
| 21. | Portsmouth Portsmouth F.C. Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from... |
46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 51 | 63 | 49 |
| 22. | Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 56 | 57 | 48 |
| 23. | Stoke City Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 44 | 74 | 46 |
| 24. | Reading Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... |
46 | 11 | 9 | 26 | 39 | 78 | 42 |
| Key |
|---|
| Promoted to the Premier League |
| Qualified for the promotion playoff |
| Relegated to Division 2 |
NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference
Nationwide League Division Two
Watford were promoted as champions under returning manager Graham Taylor, who reversed a decline that the club had been in ever since he previously left the club in 1987. Bristol City were promoted in the runners-up spot, while Grimsby won the play-offs, making an immediate return to Division One after being relegated the previous year.Southend suffered their second successive relegation, while Carlisle suffered an immediate relegation back to Division Three after the previous year's promotion. Plymouth Argyle were unable to pull off the survival act they had achieved the year before, and went down. Brentford were the final relegated club, as an awful start to the season counted against them in the end.
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Watford Watford F.C. Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade... |
46 | 24 | 16 | 6 | 67 | 41 | 88 |
| 2. | Bristol City | 46 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 69 | 39 | 85 |
| 3. | Grimsby Town | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 55 | 37 | 72 |
| 4. | Northampton Town | 46 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 52 | 37 | 71 |
| 5. | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 70 | 64 | 70 |
| 6. | Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season... |
46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 60 | 43 | 70 |
| 7. | Wrexham | 46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 55 | 51 | 70 |
| 8. | Gillingham Gillingham F.C. Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium... |
46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 52 | 47 | 70 |
| 9. | Bournemouth | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 57 | 52 | 66 |
| 10. | Chesterfield Chesterfield F.C. Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower... |
46 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 46 | 44 | 65 |
| 11. | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 64 | 66 | 62 |
| 12. | Blackpool Blackpool F.C. Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the... |
46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 59 | 67 | 62 |
| 13. | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 62 | 54 | 61 |
| 14. | Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 51 | 53 | 60 |
| 15. | Preston North End | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 56 | 56 | 59 |
| 16. | York City | 46 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 52 | 58 | 59 |
| 17. | Luton Town | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 60 | 64 | 57 |
| 18. | Millwall Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the... |
46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 43 | 54 | 55 |
| 19. | Walsall Walsall F.C. Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second... |
46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 43 | 52 | 54 |
| 20. | Burnley Burnley F.C. Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888... |
46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 55 | 65 | 52 |
| 21. | Brentford Brentford F.C. Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One.... |
46 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 50 | 71 | 50 |
| 22. | Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle F.C. Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the... |
46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 55 | 70 | 49 |
| 23. | Carlisle United | 46 | 12 | 8 | 26 | 57 | 73 | 44 |
| 24. | Southend United | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 47 | 79 | 43 |
| Key |
|---|
| Promoted to Division 1 |
| Qualified for the promotion playoff |
| Relegated to Division 3 |
Nationwide League Division Three
Notts County earned a record-breaking promotion, setting a new record for the earliest in the season that any club had earned promotion. Macclesfield Town's first season in the Football League was a huge success, and they were promoted as runners-up. The third and final automatic promotion spot was taken by Lincoln City, who managed promotion despite management and financial problems during the season. Colchester United narrowly missed out on an automatic promotion spot, but made up for this by winning the play-offs.Doncaster Rovers fell into the Football Conference after a truly dreadful season, and were replaced by a returning Halifax Town.
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Notts County | 46 | 29 | 12 | 5 | 82 | 43 | 99 |
| 2. | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 63 | 44 | 82 |
| 3. | Lincoln City Lincoln City F.C. Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League.... |
46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 60 | 51 | 75 |
| 4. | Colchester United | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 72 | 60 | 74 |
| 5. | Torquay United | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 68 | 59 | 74 |
| 6. | Scarborough Scarborough F.C. Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season... |
46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 67 | 58 | 72 |
| 7. | Barnet Barnet F.C. Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet.... |
46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 61 | 51 | 70 |
| 8. | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 56 | 52 | 69 |
| 9. | Rotherham United | 46 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 67 | 61 | 67 |
| 10. | Peterborough United | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 63 | 51 | 67 |
| 11. | Leyton Orient | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 62 | 47 | 66 |
| 12. | Mansfield Town | 46 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 64 | 55 | 65 |
| 13. | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 61 | 62 | 61 |
| 14. | Chester City Chester City F.C. Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the... |
46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 60 | 61 | 61 |
| 15. | Exeter City | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 68 | 63 | 60 |
| 16. | Cambridge United | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 63 | 57 | 60 |
| 17. | Hartlepool United | 46 | 12 | 23 | 11 | 61 | 53 | 59 |
| 18. | Rochdale | 46 | 17 | 7 | 22 | 56 | 55 | 58 |
| 19. | Darlington Darlington F.C. Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003... |
46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 56 | 72 | 54 |
| 20. | Swansea City | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 49 | 62 | 50 |
| 21. | Cardiff City Cardiff city Cardiff City may refer to:* Cardiff city centre* Cardiff City Council* Cardiff City F.C.* Cardiff City L.F.C.* Cardiff City Stadium... |
46 | 9 | 23 | 14 | 48 | 52 | 50 |
| 22. | Hull City Hull City A.F.C. Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football... |
46 | 11 | 8 | 27 | 56 | 83 | 41 |
| 23. | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 38 | 66 | 35 |
| 24. | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 4 | 8 | 34 | 30 | 113 | 20 |
| Key |
|---|
| Promoted to Division 2 |
| Qualified for the promotion playoff |
| Relegated to Conference |
Diary of the season
7 July 1997 - MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
pay £4.5million (a record for a club outside the top flight) for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
midfielder Paul Merson
Paul Merson
Paul Charles Merson is a retired English football player, and former player-manager of Walsall. His playing career has included spells at Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and finishing his playing career at Tamworth. He also played for England 21 times...
.
10 July 1997 - After two years with Inter Milan, Paul Ince
Paul Ince
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...
returns to England in a £4.2million move to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
.
15 July 1997 - Liverpool sign Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
midfielder Danny Murphy for £3million and Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
sign Newcastle United winger David Ginola
David Ginola
David Karl Ginola is a French former international football player who has also worked as an actor and model.Ginola was born in Gassin, Var...
for £2million.
21 July 1997 - David Hopkin
David Hopkin
David Hopkin is a Scottish former professional football player who is assistant manager at .-Club career:Hopkin started his career at Morton before earning a move to Premier League side Chelsea in 1992...
, the player who scored the goal that got Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
promoted to the Premier League in this year's Division One playoff final, joins Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
for £3.25million.
29 July 1997 - Newcastle United sell striker Les Ferdinand
Les Ferdinand
Leslie "Les" Ferdinand MBE is a former English footballer. His playing career included spells at Queens Park Rangers, Besiktas J.K., Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers F.C., during which period he earned a number of appearances for England...
to Tottenham Hotspur for £6million.
1 August 1997 - Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
sign Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
midfielder Attilio Lombardo
Attilio Lombardo
Attilio Lombardo is a retired football player turned manager.-Playing:...
from Juventus for £1.6million.
7 August 1997 - Footballers Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce David Grobbelaar is a former football goalkeeper and manager.He played for a number of clubs in a career which spanned for more than 20 years at professional level, most notably Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s and early 1990s.-Early years:In his teenage years, Grobbelaar...
, Hans Segers
Hans Segers
Johannes Segers is a Dutch goalkeeper, who spent most of his playing career in England.-Career:Segers was born in Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant. His early career was with home-town club PSV Eindhoven, before being signed for Nottingham Forest by Brian Clough during the 1983-84 season...
and John Fashanu
John Fashanu
John "Fash" Fashanu is a British television presenter and ex-footballer of Nigerian and Guyanese descent. In his former career, he was a centre-forward, who scored 134 league goals in a career lasting 17 years...
, along with a Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
businessman, are cleared of match-fixing at Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
.
8 August 1997 - Graeme Le Saux
Graeme Le Saux
Graeme Pierre Le Saux is a retired English footballer of French ancestry who played for the Premier League clubs Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Southampton, and for the England national football team. Primarily a left back, he was sometimes also played in midfield or on the left wing.After...
returns to Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
after more than four years at Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
in a £5million deal - a national record for a defender.
9 August 1997 - Barnsley's first top flight game ends in a 2-1 home defeat by West Ham United. Coventry City, who survived by the skin of their teeth last season, pull off a major surprise by defeating FA Cup holders Chelsea 3-2 at Highfield Road
Highfield Road
The Highfield Road Stadium was a football stadium in the city of Coventry, England. It was the home ground for Coventry City F.C. until the club moved to the new Ricoh Arena after the 2005-06 season...
. Despite Alan Shearer's absence, Newcastle United beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at home as Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
continues his quest to try to become the first manager to win the English top division title at three different clubs.
11 August 1997 - Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
match the new national record for a defender when they sign Henning Berg
Henning Berg
Henning Stille Berg is a Norwegian former football player. He played as a central defender or right-back.He is one of only three players to have won the Premier League with two different clubs, the others being Ashley Cole and Nicolas Anelka .-Club career:Born in Eidsvoll, Berg played for...
from Blackburn Rovers for £5million.
13 August 1997 - Leicester City shock Liverpool with a 2-1 league win at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
.
16 August 1997 - Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
announce plans to relocate from Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
due to its sub-40,000 capacity and difficulties for expansion.
18 August 1997 - 36-year-old Peter Beardsley
Peter Beardsley
Peter Andrew Beardsley MBE is an English former footballer who played between 1979 and 1999. He once set a record transfer fee in the game and represented his country 59 times between 1986 and 1996, once as captain...
leaves Newcastle United in a £450,000 move to Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
.
24 August 1997 - Chelsea record one of the biggest ever away league wins in the Premier League with a 6-0 victory over Barnsley at Oakwell.
25 August 1997 - Blackburn Rovers beat Sheffield Wednesday 7-2 in the league at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
.
31 August 1997 - The Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
-Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
fixture is cancelled as a mark of respect for Princess Diana, who died earlier in the day
Death of Diana, Princess of Wales
On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris, France. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz W140, Henri Paul, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Fayed's...
in a Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
car crash. The month-end Premier League table shows Blackburn Rovers on a hot run of form under their new manager Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified...
, topping the league on goal difference ahead of defending champions Manchester United, while West Ham United, Chelsea and Arsenal provide the nearest competition. Wimbledon, Aston Villa and Southampton occupy the relegation zone, while newly-promoted Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley (playing top division football for the first time) at Crystal Palace have all had a decent first month of the season. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=30&Month=Aug&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
head the race for a Premier League place as Division One leaders, while Bradford City occupy second place in a division they had been expected to struggle in. West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
and Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
complete the top six.
1 September 1997 - Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
move into their new 27,500-seat Reebok Stadium
Reebok Stadium
The Reebok Stadium is the home stadium of English Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers, and is located on the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. It is commonly known as 'The Reebok'...
after 102 years at Burnden Park
Burnden Park
Burnden Park was the home of English FA Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers who played home games here between 1895 and 1997. As well as hosting an FA Cup Final replay it was the scene of one of the greatest disasters in English football and the subject of an L. S...
, and draw 0-0 with Everton in the league in their first game there.
6 September 1997 - There are no major football matches as the entire Football League programme is moved to the previous Friday or the following Sunday on the day of Princess Diana's funeral (there were no Premier League matches scheduled because of international fixtures).
13 September 1997 - Wimbledon continue their tradition of surprise wins over big clubs by defeating Newcastle United 3-1 on Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
.
14 September 1997 - Two resurgent sides, Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United, battle it out in a thrilling Premier League at Ewood Park in which the visitors triumph 4-3.
25 September 1997 - Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
returns to football as Fulham's
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
"Chief Operating Officer", working in conjunction with new Head Coach Ray Wilkins
Ray Wilkins
Raymond Colin Wilkins MBE , often known as "Butch" Wilkins, is an English former footballer and at present a television pundit...
.
27 September 1997 - Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
captain Roy Keane
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland....
suffers knee ligament damage against Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
in a FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
1-0 defeat at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
and is ruled out for the rest of the season.
30 September 1997 - September ends with Arsenal as Premier League leaders, with Manchester United second. The previous month-end leaders Blackburn Rovers have slipped into fifth place, while Leicester City (without a top division league title to their name) currently occupy third place and are just a single point off the top spot, and Chelsea occupy fourth place. A terrible run of form has pushed Southampton into bottom place, while Barnsley's reasonable start to their first top division season has given way to a series of heavy defeats and they now occupy the next lowest position in the league. The final place in the relegation zone is occupied by Sheffield Wednesday. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=27&Month=Sep&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest continue to lead the way in Division One, with surprise promotion contenders West Bromwich Albion now second. QPR have crept into the playoff zone at the expense of Portsmouth (who have slumped to 19th). Bradford City, Sheffield United and Swindon Town complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Sep&ssnno=127&teamno=367
2 October 1997 - Bolton Wanderers pay a club record £3.5million for Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
striker Dean Holdsworth
Dean Holdsworth
Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton...
.
4 October 1997 - Barnsley's leaky defence continues to show its frailty as they lose 5-0 to league leaders Arsenal at Highbury.
11 October 1997 - England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
achieve automatic qualification for the 1998 World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
after drawing 0-0 in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
with Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, who must navigate a two-leg playoff.
24 October 1997 - Paul Peschisolido
Paul Peschisolido
Paolo Pasquale Peschisolido , commonly known as Paul Peschisolido, is a Canadian association football manager and former player...
becomes the first player to join a third-tier club for a seven-figure sum when he joins Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
for £1.1million from West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
.
25 October 1997 - Barnsley are on the receiving end of yet another heavy defeat, this time a 7-0 hammering by Manchester United at Old Trafford which sends the hosts to the top of the table.
31 October 1997 - Manchester United finish October as Premier League leaders, leapfrogging Arsenal into second place, while Blackburn Rovers have got their title challenge back on track by climbing into third place. Chelsea and Liverpool complete the top five, with the unfashionable Leicester City, Derby County and Wimbledon putting immense pressure on them. A dismal run of form has pushed Bolton Wanderers into bottom place, while Barnsley occupying the next lowest position and Sheffield Wednesday completing the bottom three. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=25&Month=Oct&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest remain top of Division One, while Swindon Town's surprise challenge for a second promotion in three seasons continues as they now occupy second place. Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, West Bromwich Albion, Bradford City and Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Oct&ssnno=127&teamno=367
1 November 1997 - Manchester United boost their own lead of the Premier League with a 6-1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, which pushes the visitors further into relegation trouble just one season after they narrowly missed out on a UEFA Cup place.
9 November 1997 - Arsenal cut Manchester United's advantage in the Premier League title race by beating them 3-2 at Highbury.
12 November 1997 - Michele Padovano
Michele Padovano
Michele Padovano is an Italian retired football player.Padovano began his professional career at Asti T.S.C. in Serie C2, before short spells at Pisa, Napoli and Genoa, he signed for Reggiana where he impressed...
, Juventus striker, joins Crystal Palace for £1.7million.
18 November 1997 - Premier League officials express their desire for a two-up, two-down system to operate between the top two divisions in English football, which would spell at end to the traditional three-up and three-down system which has been in use since 1974 (with an exception to four seasons between 1986 and 1995 when the league was being restructured). It also wants to give member clubs the option to withdraw from the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
.
22 November 1997 - Manchester United bounce back from their Arsenal defeat by returning to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and achieving a 5-2 away win over Wimbledon. Arsenal, meanwhile, suffer a shock 2-0 defeat at struggling Sheffield Wednesday.
29 November 1997 - Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
qualify for the 1998 World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
at the expense of Australia, whose national coach Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
steps down after one year in charge.
30 November 1997 - November draws to a close with Manchester United still top of the Premier League, with Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United putting up a strong challenge, while Arsenal's title bid appears to be fading away as they now occupy fifth place and are seven points off the top. Everton are now bottom of the top division where they have so far played for 44 seasons in succession, with Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers completing the bottom three. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=30&Month=Nov&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest are still top of Division One and Middlesbrough are second. The playoff zone is occupied by West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United, Swindon Town and Charlton Athletic, while Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
are on the edge of the playoff zone as surprise contenders for a second successive promotion. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=29&Month=Nov&ssnno=127&teamno=367
1 December 1997 - Fulham break the Division Two transfer record once again when they pay Blackburn Rovers £2million for defender Chris Coleman
Chris Coleman (footballer)
Christopher "Chris" Coleman is a Welsh football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Greek Side Larissa....
.
6 December 1997 -
-
- - Former Leeds UnitedLeeds United A.F.C.Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
and ScotlandScotland national football teamThe Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
midfielder Billy BremnerBilly BremnerWilliam John "Billy" Bremner was a Scottish professional footballer, most noted for his captaincy of the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s. He has since been voted Leeds United's greatest player of all time and has a statue outside the South East corner of Elland Road...
dies aged 54 after suffering a heart attack.- - Tottenham's relegation worries are deepened by a 6-1 home defeat at the hands of Chelsea, while Manchester United's title hopes are boosted by a 3-1 away win over Liverpool.
- - Former Leeds United
19 December 1997 - Liverpool sign USA
United States national american football team
The United States national American football team represents the United States in international American football competitions. It is the country's official senior national men's football team. It is controlled by USA Football and is recognized by the International Federation of American Football...
goalkeeper Brad Friedel
Brad Friedel
Bradley Howard Friedel is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League....
from Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
for £1million.
27 December 1997 - Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
agree to sell Czech
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
winger Karel Poborský
Karel Poborský
Karel Poborský is a former Czech footballer. A right winger, Poborský is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team, and was most noted for his technical ability.-Club career:...
to Benfica after an unsuccessful 18 months at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (football)
Old Trafford is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 75,811, Old Trafford is the second-largest football stadium in England after Wembley, the third-largest in the United Kingdom and the eleventh-largest in Europe...
.
29 December 1997 - The English FA continue investigations into an Asian Betting Syndicate's links with English hooligans and mobsters
Mobsters
Mobsters is a 1991 crime-drama film detailing the creation of the The Commission. Set in New York City, taking place from 1917 to 1931, it is a semi-fictitious account of the rise of Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.-Plot:This highly dramatized...
to continuously shut off floodlights
Floodlights (sport)
Floodlights are broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial lights often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions....
in Premiership stadia to get matches with "unfavourable" results postponed and cancelled. Affected clubs like West Ham, Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Bolton Wanderers all filed official inquiries.
31 December 1997 - 1997 draws to a close with Manchester United now leading by a five-point margin over their nearest contenders Blackburn Rovers. Chelsea, Liverpool and Leeds United complete the top five, but Arsenal are now sixth and now need something little short of a miracle to bring the Premier League trophy to Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
. Meanwhile, Barnsley prop up the top flight, while Everton and Tottenham Hotspur complete the bottom three. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Dec&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest are level on points at the top of Division One, with the playoff zone being occupied by Sheffield United, Charlton Athletic, Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Dec&ssnno=127&teamno=367
3 January 1998 - Holders Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
suffer a first hurdle defeat in the FA Cup when they lost 5-3 to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, while Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
club Stevenage Borough achieve a shock 2-1 away win over Division One Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
.
10 January 1998 - Barnsley's defensive frailties show no sign of easing as they lose 6-0 to West Ham United at Upton Park.
17 January 1998 - Barnsley boost their survival hopes with a 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace, whose own recent downturn in form is threatening to cost them their Premier League status.
24 January 1998 - Walsall's
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
hopes of pulling off a giant-killing feat in the FA Cup fourth round are ended when Manchester United crush them 5-1 at Old Trafford.
25 January 1998 - Stevenage Borough's FA Cup adventure continues when they hold Premier League club Newcastle United to a 1-1 draw at Broadhall Way
Broadhall Way
Broadhall Way, known as The Lamex Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is an association football stadium in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. It has been the home ground of Stevenage since 1980, and has a capacity of 7,100 people, including 3,142 seats.-History:The club plays at Broadhall Way, previously...
, though a controversial refereeing decision saw them denied a goal which clearly went over the line and would have made them the first non-league time since Sutton United in 1989 to beat a top division club in the FA Cup.
27 January 1998 - Newcastle United sign Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
striker Andreas Andersson
Andreas Andersson
Andreas Claes Andersson is a Swedish footballer. He retired in 2005, but has started playing for lower league side FC Andrea Doria in Sweden. He was capped 42 times and scored 8 goals for Sweden, and he played at the 2002 FIFA World Cup...
from AC Milan
31 January 1998 - Manchester United remain top of the Premier League as January draws to a close, despite losing 1-0 at home to Leicester City. They now lead their nearest rivals Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool by a four-point margin. Arsenal are beginning to rescue their season as they are now fifth in the league and just eight points off the top, with a game in hand. Barnsley remain bottom and Tottenham Hotspur have yet to climb clear of the bottom three, but Everton have jumped clear of the drop zone at the expense of Bolton Wanderers. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=31&Month=Jan&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough continue to lead the way in Division One. Charlton Athletic, Sunderland, Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=17&Month=Jan&ssnno=127&teamno=367
4 February 1998 - Stevenage Borough's FA Cup dream ends in the fourth round replay when Newcastle United beat them 2-1 at St James's Park.
9 February 1998 - Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
becomes the youngest-ever England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international when he plays in the nation's 2-0 defeat against Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
.
12 February 1998 - The football world is stunned by the dismissal of Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
manager Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
, who was sacked after a dispute with chairman Ken Bates
Ken Bates
Kenneth William Bates is a British businessman and football executive. The current chairman and now owner of Leeds United AFC, Bates was previously chairman and majority shareholder of Chelsea FC from 1982 until 2003....
. 33-year-old striker Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
is installed as player-manager.
23 February 1998 - Tottenham Hotspur sign Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n midfielder Moussa Saib
Moussa Saïb
Moussa Saïb is an Algerian Association football manager and former Algerian footballer. He is currently unattached, after last managing JS Kabylie in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1.-Career:...
from Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
for £2.3million.
25 February 1998 - Manchester United's FA Cup quest ends with a shock 3-2 defeat by Barnsley in the fifth round replay at Oakwell.
28 February 1998 - February draws to a close with Manchester United still top of the Premier League. They are 11 points ahead of second placed Blackburn Rovers, but third placed Arsenal have played three games less than Manchester United who they trail by 12 points. Liverpool, Chelsea and Derby County are the clubs giving the top three a run for their money. Crystal Palace, yet to win at home this season, are now bottom of the Premier League in a drop zone with includes the other two newly promoted clubs Bolton Wanderers and Barnsley. Everton and Tottenham Hotspur remain under the most direct threat from the bottom three. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Feb&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Middlesbrough are top of Division One with Nottingham Forest in second place. Sunderland, Charlton Athletic, Sheffield United and Stockport County complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=25&Month=Feb&ssnno=127&teamno=367
1 March 1998 - Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
enter March 11 points ahead at the top of the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
, with their nearest contenders Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
having 3 games in hand.
8 March 1998 - Barnsley's dreams of marking their first top division season with FA Cup glory are ended when they lost 3-1 at Newcastle United in the quarter-final.
10 March 1998 - Newcastle United sign Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
defender Nikos Dabizas
Nikos Dabizas
Nikolaos "Nikos" Dabizas is a retired Greek professional footballer and former Newcastle United, Leicester City, Olympiacos and Larissa defender . He was also in Greece's 2004 European Football Championship winning squad....
from Olympiakos for £2million.
14 March 1998 - Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
beat Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
1-0 at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (football)
Old Trafford is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 75,811, Old Trafford is the second-largest football stadium in England after Wembley, the third-largest in the United Kingdom and the eleventh-largest in Europe...
to decrease United's lead to 6 points, plus they have the advantage of 3 games in hand.
28 March 1998 - Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, Division Three
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
leaders, become the first English team to win promotion in March. In the Premier League, Manchester United bounce back from their Arsenal disappointment with a 2-0 home win over Wimbledon, while Arsenal keep the pressure intense with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday. Liverpool keep their slim title hopes alive with a 3-2 win over a Barnsley side battling against relegation.
31 March 1998 - Manchester United remain top of the league by a six-point margin as March ends, but their nearest contenders Arsenal have three games in hand. Liverpool in third place are nine points off the top with a game in hand, and meet United at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
in 10 days for what could be a decisive game in the title race. Chelsea occupy fourth place and if they finish in the top five then a sixth placed team will automatically qualify for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
for the first time as Chelsea have won the League Cup and new rules regarding European competitions mean that lower-placed teams can qualify for Europe. An unlikely bid for a UEFA Cup place is coming from West Ham United and Coventry City, two means who narrowly avoided relegation last season. Meanwhile, Barnsley, Bolton Wanderers and Crystal Palace continue to occupy the relegation zone. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=28&Month=Mar&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest remain top of Division One, two points ahead of second placed Middlesbrough and four points ahead of third placed Sunderland. Charlton Athletic, Sheffield United and a resurgent Ipswich Town complete the top six. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=22&Month=Mar&ssnno=127&teamno=367
5 April 1998 - Arsenal move closer to their second double by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
.
6 April 1998 - Newcastle United, who have had a dismal season in the Premier League, are given the hope of FA Cup glory after a semi-final win over Sheffield United at Old Trafford sends them into the FA Cup final for the first time since 1974.
30 April 1998 - April draws to a close with Arsenal now leading by a point ahead of Manchester United and having two games in hand, as United manager concedes the title despite his team's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, whose relegation is confirmed. Meanwhile, Aston Villa have emerged as surprise contenders for a UEFA Cup place after spending most of the season battling relegation, and there will also be a UEFA Cup place for the seventh-placed club if Arsenal beat Newcastle United in the FA Cup final next month. At the other end of the table, Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers remain in the bottom three, but there is still a threat of relegation for Tottenham Hotspur and Everton as well as a Newcastle United side who came close to winning the title last season and the season before. Wimbledon, who only need two points from their final three games to achieved safety, are the only other team under threat of relegation. http://www.manchesterunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=27&Month=Apr&ssnno=127&teamno=356 Nottingham Forest have sealed an immediate return to the top flight as Division One champions, while Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Charlton Athletic are still fighting it out for second place. Sheffield United and Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
are challenging each other for the final playoff place. http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=29&Month=Apr&ssnno=127&teamno=367
3 May 1998 - Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
clinch the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
title with a 4-0 home win over Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. http://www.arsenal.com/ggm-13-emphatic-win-seals-wenger-s-first-title Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
are relegated to Division Two, despite winning 5-2 at also-doomed Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. It is the first time in their history that they will be playing in the third tier of the English league. They are also the first former winners of a European trophy to be relegated to the third tier of their domestic league. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-citys-maine-road-to-nowhere-1187062.html
6 May 1998 - In their first game at the title triumph, Arsenal hit relegation form when Liverpool beat them 4-0 at Anfield.
10 May 1998 - The FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
season ends with Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
as champions and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
as runners-up one point behind them, with both teams qualifying for the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. The UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
places go to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
, Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
and Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
and Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
are relegated. Bolton were the last team to go down - their 2-0 defeat at Chelsea meaning that a 1-1 draw with Coventry City at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
was enough to achieve survival on goal difference for Everton.
16 May 1998 - Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
become the second English team (though with an entirely different set of players) to complete the 'double' when they beat Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
2-0 in the FA Cup final. Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars is a retired Dutch footballer. He is best known as a right-footed left winger, although he is able to use both his feet with equal precision and power...
opens the scoring after 23 minutes, followed by 19-year-old Nicolas Anelka's
Nicolas Anelka
Abdul-Salam Bilal on 14 March 1979) is a French international footballer, who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. Anelka was also a regular starter for the French national team...
goal in the 69th minute.
23 May 1998 - Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
pay a club record £2.7million for Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
defender Horacio Carbonari
Horacio Carbonari
Horacio Carbonari is a former Argentine footballer who played as a defender.Born in Santa Teresa, a town in the southern end of Santa Fe Province, Carbonari began his career at Rosario Central. His debut at the first division was in 1993. In the Argentinian club, he won the Copa Conmebol in 1995...
from Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
.
25 May 1998 - Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
win promotion to the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
after beating Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
7-6 on penalties following a 4-4 draw in the Division One
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
playoff final.
1 June 1998 - Blackburn Rovers pay a club record £7.5million for Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
striker Kevin Davies
Kevin Davies
Kevin Cyril Davies is an English footballer who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers and the England national football team as a striker. He was made Bolton team captain in January 2009....
, 21.
5 June 1998 - Aston Villa sign winger Alan Thompson from Bolton Wanderers for £4.5million.
30 June 1998 - David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
is sent off for kicking Diego Simeone after he was fouled by him in England's World Cup second round clash with Argentina, and England lose on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
Deaths
- 7 December 1997: Billy BremnerBilly BremnerWilliam John "Billy" Bremner was a Scottish professional footballer, most noted for his captaincy of the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s. He has since been voted Leeds United's greatest player of all time and has a statue outside the South East corner of Elland Road...
, 54, one of the most influential players for Leeds United during the glorious Don RevieDon RevieDonald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
era, died after suffering a heart attack two days before his 55th birthday. He helped them win two league championships, one FA Cup, one League Cup and two UEFA Cups and Charity Shield, and managed the club from 1985 to 1988. He also had spells in charge of Doncaster RoversDoncaster Rovers F.C.Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
(twice) and Hull CityHull City A.F.C.Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
- 18 February 1998: Robbie JamesRobbie JamesRobert "Robbie" Mark James was a Welsh international footballer who played for many teams including Swansea City, Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers...
, 40, played nearly 800 English league games between 1973 and 1994 for clubs including QPR, Leicester CityLeicester City F.C.Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, Swansea CitySwansea City A.F.C.Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
and Cardiff CityCardiff City F.C.Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, and was a WelshWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international midfielder. He was with LlanelliLlanelli A.F.C.Llanelli Association Football Club is a Welsh semi-professional football club that plays in the Welsh Premier League for the 2010–11 season. The team has been based at Stebonheath Park since 1920, and as of 2009 is managed by Andy Legg....
as player-manager when he collapsed in a Welsh Football League game against PorthcawlPorthcawlPorthcawl is a town on the south coast of Wales in the county borough of Bridgend, 25 miles west of the capital city, Cardiff and 19 miles southeast of Swansea...
and was certified dead on his arrival at hospital.
- 26 February 1998: Jimmy HaganJimmy HaganJames Hagan was an English football player and manager born in Washington, County Durham, England. He played between 1938 and 1958 for Sheffield United and once for England. As manager he had his greatest successes with S.L...
, 80, who played 361 leagueEnglish football league systemThe English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
matches for Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
between 1938 and 1958, and once for EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. As a manager he led SL BenficaSL BenficaSport Lisboa e Benfica , commonly known as simply Benfica or occasionally as Benfica Lisbon, is a Portuguese multi-sports club based in Lisbon. Although they successfully compete in a number of different sports, Benfica is mostly known for its association football team...
to three successive PortuguesePortuguese LigaThe Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
championships between 1970 and 1973.
- 13 March 1998: Peter SillettPeter SillettPeter Richard Tudor Sillett was an England footballer. He played for Chelsea and Southampton as a right-back, and made three appearances for England....
, 65, was a right back for ChelseaChelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
when whey won the league championship in 1955. He was capped three times for England and was the older brother of John SillettJohn SillettJohn Charles Sillett is a former football player and manager.His father Charlie Sillett was a footballer with Southampton between 1931 and 1938. He is the younger brother of Peter Sillett, also a footballer.Sillett played for Chelsea, Coventry City and Plymouth Argyle...
, who managed Coventry CityCoventry City F.C.Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
to FA Cup glory in 1987. Sir Stanley MatthewsStanley MatthewsSir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
rated Sillett as the best defender he had ever played against.
- 2 May 1998: Justin FashanuJustin FashanuJustinus Soni "Justin" Fashanu was an English footballer who played for a variety of clubs between 1978 and 1997. He was known by his early clubs to be homosexual, and came out to the press later in his career, to become the first professional footballer to be openly gay...
, 37, was found dead in a lock-up garage in East LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was one of the most promising strikers in England when playing for Norwich CityNorwich City F.C.Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in the early 1980s and became England's first £1million black footballer when he was sold to Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest F.C.Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, but failed to succeed at the highest level and from the mid 1980s until the early 1990s had short-lived, uneventful spells at clubs including Manchester CityManchester City F.C.Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, Torquay UnitedTorquay United F.C.Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
and HeartsHeart of Midlothian F.C.Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
. He was the older brother of former WimbledonWimbledon F.C.Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
and Aston VillaAston Villa F.C.Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
striker John FashanuJohn FashanuJohn "Fash" Fashanu is a British television presenter and ex-footballer of Nigerian and Guyanese descent. In his former career, he was a centre-forward, who scored 134 league goals in a career lasting 17 years...
. Four months after his death, a coroner recorded a verdict of suicide on Justin Fashanu.
- 15 June 1998: Keith NewtonKeith NewtonKeith Robert Newton was an English international footballer who played as a defender in The Football League in the 1960s and 1970s.Newton was born 1941 in Manchester...
, 56, was a full-back for EvertonEverton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers F.C.Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
and BurnleyBurnley F.C.Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
. He was selected in EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
squad for the 1970 World Cup1970 FIFA World CupThe 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...
.
- 27 June 1998: Jack RowleyJack RowleyJohn Frederick "Jack" Rowley was an English football striker from the 1930s to the 1950s, mainly remembered for playing for Manchester United. He was nicknamed "The Gunner" because of his prolific and explosive goalscoring, achieving scoring statistics with United of 208 goals in 422 appearances...
, 78, was a high scoring centre forward for Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
who helped them win their first two trophies under Matt BusbyMatt BusbySir Alexander Matthew "Matt" Busby, CBE, KCSG was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Manchester United between 1945 and 1969 and again for the second half of the 1970–1971 season...
- the FA Cup in 1948 and league title in 1952. He was the older brother of another goalscoring legend, Arthur RowleyArthur RowleyGeorge Arthur Rowley, , nicknamed "The Gunner" because of his explosive left-foot shot, was an English football player and cricketer. He holds the record for the most goals in the history of English league football, scoring 434 from 619 league games. He was the younger brother of Manchester United...
, who played for Leicester CityLeicester City F.C.Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
and Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury Town F.C.Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
.