1997–98 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season

Wolverhampton Wanderers
1997–98 season
Chairman Jonathan Hayward,
then Sir Jack Hayward (from 7 September)
Manager Mark McGhee
Football League First Division 9th
FA Cup Semi-finals
League Cup 3rd round
Top goalscorer League: Robbie Keane (11)
All: Dougie Freedman (13)
Highest home attendance 28,244 (vs West Brom, 31 January 1998)
Lowest home attendance 17,862 (vs Fulham,
24 September 1997)
Average home league attendance 23,277 (league only)

The 1997–98 season was the 99th season of competitive league football in the history of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. They played the season in the second tier of the English football system, the Football League First Division.

The team finished in ninth position in the league, failing to mount a serious promotion challenge after having finished third in the previous campaign. They did, however, reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in nineteen years, where they lost to eventual double winners Arsenal.

Results

Football League First Division

A total of 24 teams competed in the Football League First Division in the 1997–98 season. Each team played every other team twice: once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Three points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. Teams finishing level on points were firstly divided by the number of goals scored rather than goal difference.

The provisional fixture list was released on 16 June 1997, but was subject to change in the event of matches being selected for television coverage or police concerns.[1]

Final table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
6 Sheffield United 46 19 17 10 69 54 +15 74
7 Birmingham City 46 19 17 10 60 35 +25 74
8 Stockport County 46 19 8 19 71 69 +2 65
9 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 18 11 17 57 53 +4 65
10 West Bromwich Albion 46 16 13 17 50 56 6 61

Source: Statto.com

Results summary

OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
46 18 11 17 57 53  +4 65 13 6 4 42 25  +17 5 5 13 15 28  −13

Source: Statto.com

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
Result W D L W D L W D D L L W W L W W L D W W L W D W W W L W L L W L L D W D L W D L D L W L D L
Position 1 5 11 8 7 9 6 9 11 13 15 12 8 11 9 6 8 9 9 9 9 9 8 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 9 9 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9

Source: Statto.com

FA Cup

League Cup

Players

Key

  ‡ On loan from another club   * First appearance(s) for the club

# = Squad number

Pos = Playing position

P = Number of games played

G = Number of goals scored

GK = Goalkeeper

DF = Defender

MF = Midfielder

FW = Forward

A yellow card = Yellow cards

A red card = Red cards

† Permanent player left club during the season

¤ Loaned to another club for part or all of season

Correct as of end of season. Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances in parentheses where applicable.

Pos Name P G P G P G P G A yellow card A red card Notes
League FA Cup League Cup Total Discipline
GKEngland Bray, JustinJustin Bray 0000000000
GKEngland Murray, MattMatt Murray 0000000000
GKNetherlands Segers, HansHans Segers 110200013000
GKEngland Stowell, MikeMike Stowell 350505045000
DFEngland Coleman, SimonSimon Coleman 3(1)000003(1)000
DFEngland Curle, KeithKeith Curle (c) 401710047200
DFWales Green, RyanRyan Green 0000000000
DFPoland Kubicki, DariuszDariusz Kubicki ¤ 120004016020
DFAustralia Muscat, KevinKevin Muscat 22(2)3500027(2)390
DFEngland Naylor, LeeLee Naylor 14(2)0411019(2)110
DFEngland Richards, DeanDean Richards 130710020110
DFEngland Smith, JamieJamie Smith 110005016000
DFEngland Westwood, ChrisChris Westwood 3(1)1001(1)04(2)110
DFWales Williams, AdrianAdrian Williams 2002(2)02024(2)030
DFScotland Wright, StephenStephen Wright 3000003000
MFEngland Atkins, MarkMark Atkins 30(4)24(1)05039(5)230
MFAustralia Corica, SteveSteve Corica 0(1)000000(1)000
MFEngland Daley, TonyTony Daley 0(2)00(1)0000(3)000
MFSpain Díaz, IsidroIsidro Díaz 1000001000
MFEngland Emblen, NeilNeil Emblen 6(1)000006(1)010
MFScotland Ferguson, DarrenDarren Ferguson 22(4)0215129(4)280
MFEngland Froggatt, SteveSteve Froggatt 31(2)2303137(2)340
MFBarbados Gilkes, MichaelMichael Gilkes 3000003010
MFEngland Osborn, SimonSimon Osborn 23(1)2300026(1)231
MFWales Robinson, CarlCarl Robinson 27(5)3714038(5)470
MFEngland Sedgley, SteveSteve Sedgley 18(1)0602026(1)042
MFSpain Sanjuán, Jesús GarcíaJesús García Sanjuán 40002(1)16(1)110
MFEngland Simpson, PaulPaul Simpson 23(5)42(2)00025(7)401
MFAustralia Slater, RobbieRobbie Slater 4(2)00(1)0004(3)000
MFEngland Wright, JermaineJermaine Wright 0(4)000000(4)000
FWEngland Bull, SteveSteve Bull 24(7)71(2)05230(9)921
FWEngland Claridge, SteveSteve Claridge 4(1)010005(1)000
FWRepublic of Ireland Crowe, GlenGlen Crowe ¤ 0(2)000000(2)000
FWRepublic of Ireland Foley, DominicDominic Foley ¤ 1(4)0000(2)01(6)000
FWScotland Freedman, DougieDougie Freedman 25(4)105(1)20030(5)1280
FWEngland Goodman, DonDon Goodman 29(1)8612(1)137(2)1040
FWEngland Jones, MarkMark Jones 0000000000
FWRepublic of Ireland Keane, RobbieRobbie Keane 34(4)111(2)03(1)038(7)1120
FWEngland Leadbeater, RichardRichard Leadbeater 0000000000
FWFinland Paatelainen, MixuMixu Paatelainen 10(13)04(1)44(1)118(15)560
FWGrenada Roberts, JasonJason Roberts ¤ 0000000000

Transfers

In

Date Player From Fee
11 July 1997England Steve SedgleyIpswich Town£350,000[2]
6 August 1997Poland Dariusz KubickiSunderlandFree[3]
6 August 1997Finland Mixu Paatelainen Bolton Wanderers£250,000[3]
1 September 1997Spain Isidro Díaz UnattachedFree
5 September 1997Netherlands Hans SegersUnattachedFree[4]
12 September 1997Grenada Jason RobertsHayes£250,000[5]
21 October 1997Scotland Dougie FreedmanCrystal Palace£800,000[6]
21 October 1997Australia Kevin MuscatCrystal Palace£200,000[6]
11 November 1997England Paul SimpsonDerby County£75,000[7]
25 March 1998England Neil EmblenCrystal PalaceUndisclosed[8]
25 March 1998Australia Robbie SlaterSouthampton£50,000[8]
26 March 1998England Steve ClaridgeLeicester City£350,000[9]

Out

Date Player To Fee
June 1997Northern Ireland Robbie DennisonReleasedFree[10]
June 1997Wales Brian LawReleasedFree[10]
June 1997England Dennis PearceReleasedFree[10]
June 1997France Serge RomanoReleasedFree[10]
June 1997England Geoff ThomasReleasedFree[10]
June 1997England Andy ThompsonReleasedFree[10]
June 1997Wales Eric YoungReleasedFree[10]
7 July 1997Wales Iwan RobertsNorwich City£850,000[11]
11 July 1997England Mark VenusIpswich Town£150,000[2]
13 August 1997England Neil EmblenCrystal Palace£1.8 million[12]
30 September 1997Spain Isidro Díaz ReleasedFree
21 October 1997England Jamie SmithCrystal Palace£1 million[6]
19 February 1998England Jermaine WrightCrewe Alexandra£25,000[13]

Loans in

Start date Player From End date
2 September 1997England Simon ColemanBolton Wanderers2 October 1997[14]
15 September 1997Spain Jesús García SanjuánReal Zaragoza15 December 1997[15]
10 October 1997England Paul SimpsonDerby County10 November 1997[16]
17 October 1997Scotland Dougie FreedmanCrystal Palace20 October 1997[17]
19 March 1998Scotland Stephen WrightRangersEnd of season[18]

Loans out

Start date Player To End date
24 October 1997Republic of Ireland Glen CroweCardiff City9 December 1997
December 1997Grenada Jason RobertsTorquay United5 March 1998
24 February 1998Republic of Ireland Dominic FoleyWatfordEnd of season[19]
4 March 1998Poland Dariusz KubickiTranmere RoversEnd of season[20]
25 March 1998Grenada Jason RobertsBristol CityEnd of season[8]

Kit

The season retained the home kit of the previous year: a "wolf head" design created using their traditional gold and black colours. A new away kit comprising a white away shirt with a dark green collar and dark green shorts was introduced. Both were manufactured by Puma and sponsored by Goodyear.

References

  1. "Complete FA Carling Premiership and Nationwide League fixtures 1997–98". The Independent. 17 June 1997.
  2. 1 2 "Sedge swoop". The Mirror. 12 July 1997.
  3. 1 2 "Bargain hunter McGhee". The Mirror. 7 August 1997.
  4. "Magilton makes the switch to Wednesday". The Independent. 6 September 1997.
  5. "Celtic capture £1.5m Rieper". The Independent. 13 September 1997.
  6. 1 2 3 "Sporting Digest". The Independent. 22 October 1997.
  7. "Kirk out for month". The News Letter. 6 November 1997.
  8. 1 2 3 "McGhee is halfway to clinching four-timer". Birmingham Post. 26 March 1998.
  9. "Claridge signs for Wolves". Birmingham Evening Mail. 26 March 1998.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Cooper's blunder". The Independent. 18 May 1997.
  11. "Football". The Independent. 8 July 1997.
  12. "Coppell chases Pearce". The Mirror. 14 August 1997.
  13. "Ablett gets thumbs up for clash with Blades". Birmingham Post. 20 February 1998.
  14. "McGhee still fears for job". Daily Mail. 3 September 1997.
  15. "Barnet secure sponsorship deal with Loaded magazine". The Independent. 16 September 1997.
  16. "No punishment for O'Neill". The Independent. 11 October 1997.
  17. "McGhee surviving on borrowed time and players". The Independent. 18 October 1997.
  18. "McGhee to cast net in last throw of the dice". Birmingham Post. 20 March 1998.
  19. "Candid Curle leaves Wolves no room for manoeuvre". Birmingham Post. 25 February 1998.
  20. "Equation is simple one as Wolves lick wounds". Birmingham Post. 4 March 1998.
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