| Club: | Bristol Rovers |
| Season: | 1997–98 |
| Manager: | Ian Holloway (player-manager) |
| Chairman: | Denis Dunford |
| Stadium: | Memorial Stadium |
| League: | Second Division |
| League Result: | 5th |
| Cup2: | FA Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Third round |
| Cup3: | League Cup |
| Cup3 Result: | First round |
| Cup4: | Auto Windscreens Shield |
| Cup4 Result: | Quarter finals |
| League Topscorer: | Hayles (23) |
| Season Topscorer: | Hayles (26) |
| Average Attendance: | 6,413 |
| Prevseason: | 1996–97 |
| Nextseason: | 1998–99 |
During the 1997–98 English football season, Bristol Rovers F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.
The 1997–98 season saw Bristol Rovers reach the playoff places, finishing in 5th place and despite taking a first-leg advantage of 3–1 against Northampton Town, Rovers subsequently lost 3–0 in the second leg and went out 4–3 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
See main article: 1997–98 Football League.
Bristol Rovers' score comes first[1]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 August 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 1–1 | 7,386 | Hayles | |
| 16 August 1997 | York City | A | 1–0 | 3,307 | Hayles | |
| 23 August 1997 | Carlisle United | H | 3–1 | 6,044 | Bennett, Hayles, Penrice | |
| 30 August 1997 | Burnley | A | 0–0 | 9,887 | ||
| 2 September 1997 | Bournemouth | A | 1–1 | 5,550 | Cureton (pen) | |
| 9 September 1997 | Walsall | H | 2–0 | 6,225 | Ramasut, Hayles | |
| 13 September 1997 | Gillingham | H | 1–2 | 6,572 | Hayles | |
| 20 September 1997 | Chesterfield | A | 0–0 | 5,309 | ||
| 27 September 1997 | Oldham Athletic | A | 4–4 | 5,990 | Beadle (2), Hayles, Cureton (pen) | |
| 4 October 1997 | Wrexham | H | 1–0 | 6,829 | Ramasut | |
| 14 October 1997 | Watford | H | 1–2 | 8,110 | Penrice | |
| 18 October 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 5,836 | ||
| 21 October 1997 | Brentford | A | 3–2 | 3,967 | Hayles (2), Beadle | |
| 25 October 1997 | Blackpool | H | 0–3 | 6,183 | ||
| 1 November 1997 | Northampton Town | A | 1–1 | 7,264 | Cureton | |
| 4 November 1997 | Bristol City | H | 1–2 | 7,552 | Tillson | |
| 8 November 1997 | Fulham | H | 2–3 | 6,166 | Penrice (2) | |
| 18 November 1997 | Preston North End | A | 2–1 | 7,798 | Penrice, Alsop | |
| 22 November 1997 | Southend United | A | 1–1 | 3,653 | Beadle (pen) | |
| 29 November 1997 | Millwall | H | 2–1 | 5,542 | Beadle, Hayles | |
| 2 December 1997 | Wigan Athletic | A | 0–3 | 2,738 | ||
| 12 December 1997 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–4 | 4,801 | ||
| 20 December 1997 | Luton Town | A | 4–2 | 5,266 | Cureton, Hayles (2), Beadle | |
| 26 December 1997 | Walsall | A | 1–0 | 6,634 | Beadle | |
| 28 December 1997 | Bournemouth | H | 5–3 | 7,256 | Beadle (3), Hayles (2) | |
| 10 January 1998 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 2–1 | 6,850 | Cureton, Hayles | |
| 17 January 1998 | Burnley | H | 1–0 | 7,208 | Cureton | |
| 24 January 1998 | Carlisle United | A | 1–3 | 5,725 | Cureton | |
| 31 January 1998 | Gillingham | A | 1–1 | 5,593 | Cureton (pen) | |
| 7 February 1998 | Chesterfield | H | 3–1 | 5,481 | Bennett, Cureton (2) | |
| 14 February 1998 | Wrexham | A | 0–1 | 3,716 | ||
| 21 February 1998 | Oldham Athletic | H | 3–1 | 5,789 | Hayles (2), Ramasut | |
| 24 February 1998 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 3–1 | 5,805 | Hayles, Beadle, Ramasut | |
| 28 February 1998 | Watford | A | 2–3 | 12,186 | White, Cureton | |
| 3 March 1998 | Fulham | A | 0–1 | 6,843 | ||
| 7 March 1998 | Northampton Town | H | 0–2 | 6,535 | ||
| 10 March 1998 | York City | H | 1–2 | 4,289 | Ramasut | |
| 14 March 1998 | Bristol City | A | 0–2 | 17,086 | ||
| 21 March 1998 | Preston North End | H | 2–2 | 5,278 | Cureton (pen), Hayles | |
| 27 March 1998 | Southend United | H | 2–0 | 5,323 | Tillson, Hayles | |
| 4 April 1998 | Millwall | A | 1–1 | 5,635 | Zabek | |
| 10 April 1998 | Wigan Athletic | H | 5–0 | 6,038 | Hayles, Ramasut, Beadle (3) | |
| 13 April 1998 | Grimsby Town | A | 2–1 | 5,484 | Hayles (2) | |
| 18 April 1998 | Luton Town | H | 2–1 | 8,038 | Beadle, Tillson | |
| 25 April 1998 | Blackpool | A | 0–1 | 7,057 | ||
| 2 May 1998 | Brentford | H | 2–1 | 9,043 | Cureton, Hayles |
| SF 1st Leg | 10 May 1998 | Northampton Town | H | 3–1 | 9,173 | Beadle (pen), Bennett, Hayles | |
| SF 2nd Leg | 13 May 1998 | Northampton Town | A | 0–3 (lost 3–4 on agg) | 7,501 |
See main article: 1997–98 FA Cup.
| R1 | 14 November 1997 | Gillingham | H | 2–2 | 4,825 | Alsop, Holloway | |
| R1R | 25 November 1997 | Gillingham | A | 2–0 | 4,459 | Hayles, Penrice | |
| R2 | 6 December 1997 | Wisbech Town | A | 2–0 | 3,593 | Beadle, Hayles | |
| R3 | 3 January 1998 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–1 | 8,610 | Beadle | |
| R3R | 13 January 1998 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–1 | 11,362 |
See main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup.
| R1 1st Leg | 12 August 1997 | Bristol City | A | 0–0 | 9,341 | ||
| R1 2nd Leg | 26 August 1997 | Bristol City | H | 1–2 (lost 1–2 on agg) | 5,872 | Alsop |
See main article: 1997–98 Football League Trophy.
| SR1 | 8 December 1997 | Cambridge United | H | 1–0 | 2,386 | Cureton | |
| SR2 | 6 January 1998 | Exeter City | A | 2–1 | 1,851 | Bennett, Tillson | |
| SQF | 28 January 1998 | Walsall | H | 0–1 (a.e.t.) | 4,165 |
| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 August 1997 | DF | Jason Perry | Cardiff City | Free transfer | |
| 1 August 1997 | DF | Steve Foster | Woking | £150,000 | |
| 1 August 1997 | MF | Gary Penrice | Watford | Free transfer | |
| 1 August 1997 | FW |  Barry Hayles | Stevenage | £250,000 |
| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 August 1997 | MF | Paul Miller | Lincoln City | Free transfer | |
| 1 August 1997 | DF | Andy Gurney | Torquay United | Free transfer | |
| 31 October 1997 | DF | Billy Clark | Exeter City | Free transfer | |
| 1 December 1997 | MF | Ryan Morgan | Clevedon Town | Free transfer | |
| 8 December 1997 | MF | Brian Gayle | Shrewsbury Town | Monthly | |
| 13 March 1998 | FW | Julian Alsop | Swansea City | £30,000 | |
| 13 March 1998 | FW | Steve Parmenter | Yeovil Town | Free transfer | |
| 14 March 1998 | FW | David Whyte | Southend United | Signed |
Transfers in: £400,000
Transfers out: £30,000
Total spending: £370,000