1997–98 Fulham F.C. season explained

Club:Fulham F.C.
Season:1997–98
Manager:Micky Adams (until 25 September)
Ray Wilkins (from 25 September to 3 May)
Kevin Keegan (from 3 May)
Chairman:Mohammed Al Fayed
League:Second Division
League Result:6th
Cup1:Play-offs
Cup1 Result:Semi-finals
Cup2:FA Cup
Cup2 Result:Third round
Cup3:League Cup
Cup3 Result:Second round
Cup4:Auto Windscreens Shield
Cup4 Result:Quarter finals
League Topscorer:Moody (15)
Average Attendance:9,018
Prevseason:1996–97
Nextseason:1998–99

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

Season summary

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

Final league table

See main article: 1997–98 Football League.

Results

Fulham's score comes first[1]

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Football League Second Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1997 WrexhamH1–08,789Conroy
16 August 1997 WalsallA1–14,418Keister (own goal)
23 August 1997 Luton TownH0–08,142
30 August 1997 Wycombe WanderersA0–26,278
2 September 1997 Bristol CityA2–010,293Newhouse, Carpenter
9 September 1997 Plymouth ArgyleH2–08,961Moody (2)
13 September 1997 Grimsby TownH0–26,874
20 September 1997 Southend UnitedA0–15,026
27 September 1997 Wigan AthleticA1–24,951Hayward
4 October 1997 Oldham AthleticH3–18,805Moody (2), Sinnott (own goal)
11 October 1997 BlackpoolH1–07,760Conroy
18 October 1997 BournemouthA1–27,484Vincent (own goal)
21 October 1997 WatfordA0–211,486
25 October 1997 Northampton TownH1–19,848Peschisolido
1 November 1997 ChesterfieldH1–17,998Blake
4 November 1997 MillwallA1–110,291Peschisolido
8 November 1997 Bristol RoversA3–26,166Carpenter, Scott (2)
18 November 1997 York CityH1–15,521Peschisolido
21 November 1997 GillinghamH3–08,274Peschisolido (2), Watson
29 November 1997 Preston North EndA1–39,723Scott
2 December 1997 BrentfordH1–110,767Peschisolido
13 December 1997 Carlisle UnitedA0–24,574
19 December 1997 BurnleyH1–05,096Cullip
26 December 1997 Plymouth ArgyleA4–19,469Moody (2), Hayward, Trollope
28 December 1997 Bristol CityH1–013,273Moody
10 January 1998 WrexhamA3–05,338Moody, Peschisolido, Trollope
17 January 1998 Wycombe WanderersH0–010,468
24 January 1998 Luton TownA4–18,366Moody (3, 1 pen), Hayward
31 January 1998 Grimsby TownA1–16,785Lightbourne
7 February 1998 Southend UnitedH2–09,122Peschisolido, Lightbourne
14 February 1998 Oldham AthleticA0–16,063
21 February 1998 Wigan AthleticH2–07,791Hayward, Peschisolido
24 February 1998 BournemouthH0–17,708
28 February 1998 BlackpoolA1–25,183Coleman
3 March 1998 Bristol RoversH1–06,843Thorpe
7 March 1998 ChesterfieldA2–05,129Morgan, Blake
14 March 1998 MillwallH1–212,318Thorpe
21 March 1998 York CityA1–04,871Peschisolido
28 March 1998 GillinghamA0–210,507
4 April 1998 Preston North EndH2–18,814Brazier, Collins
7 April 1998 WalsallH1–16,733Trollope
11 April 1998 BrentfordA2–010,510Moody (2)
13 April 1998 Carlisle UnitedH5–09,243Peschisolido (3), Moody (pen), Thorpe
18 April 1998 BurnleyA1–29,745Moody
25 April 1998 Northampton TownA0–17,443
2 May 1998 WatfordH1–217,114Beardsley

Second Division play-offs

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
SF 1st Leg 9 May 1998 Grimsby TownH1–113,954Beardsley (pen)
SF 2nd Leg 13 May 1998 Grimsby TownA0–1 (lost 1–2 on agg)8,689

FA Cup

See main article: 1997–98 FA Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
R116 November 1997 MargateA2–15,100Carpenter, Scott
R26 December 1997 Southend UnitedH1–08,537Blake (pen)
R35 January 1998 Tottenham HotspurA1–327,909Smith

League Cup

See main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 12 August 1997 Wycombe WanderersA2–14,360Newhouse, Conroy
R1 2nd Leg 26 August 1997 Wycombe WanderersH4–4 (won 6–5 on agg)5,055Newhouse (2), Carpenter, Conroy
R2 1st Leg 16 September 1997 Wolverhampton WanderersH0–15,933
R2 2nd Leg 24 September 1997 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–1 (lost 0–2 on agg)17,862

Football League Trophy

See main article: 1997–98 Football League Trophy.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
SR19 December 1997 WatfordH1–03,364Moody
SR213 January 1998 Wycombe WanderersH3–14,319Thomas (2), Freeman
SQF27 January 1998 Luton TownH1–25,103Lightbourne

Players

First-team squad

[2]

Transfers

In

DatePos.NameFromFee
1 August 1997DF Jimmy Aggrey ChelseaFree transfer
1 August 1997FW Andy Arnott Leyton Orient£23,000
1 August 1997MF Neil Smith GillinghamTransfer
1 August 1997GK Andre Arendse Cape Town Spurs£200,000[3]
1 August 1997FW Paul Moody Oxford United£200,000
1 August 1997DF Ian McGuckin Hartlepool United£75,000
1 August 1997MF Steve Hayward Carlisle United£175,000
10 October 1997MF Paul Bracewell Sunderland£75,000
17 October 1997MF Ian Selley Arsenal£500,000
24 October 1997FW Paul Peschisolido West Bromwich Albion£1,100,000
14 November 1997GK Maik Taylor Southampton£700,000
26 November 1997DF Alan Neilson Southampton£250,000
27 November 1997MF Steve McAnespie Bolton Wanderers£100,000
27 November 1997MF Paul Trollope Derby County£600,000
1 December 1997DF Chris Coleman Blackburn Rovers£2,000,000
1 December 1997MF Shaun Maher Bohemians£35,000
22 January 1998MF Wayne Collins Sheffield Wednesday£400,000
30 January 1998DF Rufus Brevett Queens Park Rangers£375,000
26 February 1998FW Tony Thorpe Luton Town£800,000
20 March 1998MF Matt Brazier Queens Park Rangers£65,000

Out

DatePos.NameToFee
1 August 1997DF Terry Angus Slough TownFree transfer
1 August 1997DF John Hamsher Rushden & DiamondsFree transfer
1 August 1997MF Michael Mison Rushden & DiamondsFree transfer
31 October 1997FW Aidan Newhouse Swansea City£30,000
31 October 1997MF Nick Cusack Swansea City£50,000
7 November 1997MF Glenn Cockerill BrentfordFree transfer
19 December 1997DF Paul Watson Brentford£50,000
6 February 1998GK Mark Walton Gillingham£40,000
18 February 1998DF Danny Cullip Brentford£75,000
26 March 1998FW Mike Conroy Blackpool£50,000

Transfers in: £7,473,000

Transfers out: £295,000

Total spending: £7,178,000

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fulham 1997-1998 Results - statto.com . 25 August 2014 . 26 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140826120219/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/fulham/1997-1998/results . dead .
  2. Web site: All Fulham players: 1998. 11v11.com. 2014-08-25.
  3. Web site: Andre Arendse.