# 1998–99 Newcastle United F.C. season

In the 1998–99 season, Newcastle United competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons). Newcastle's season was an almost carbon copy of the one before. They finished 13th in the Premiership and lost in the FA Cup final to enter Europe because the winning side had already qualified for the Champions League.
Just after the season started, Kenny Dalglish paid for Newcastle's sub-standard league performances with his job. The task was given to Ruud Gullit to turn things round, but he could not improve on the club's previous league finish of 13th. A dismal league position put them below local rivals Middlesbrough as well as other unfancied sides including Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday.

## Season summary

A poor start to the 1998–99 season led to Kenny Dalglish being sacked. Ruud Gullit, a trophy winning manager with Chelsea a few years previously, was put in charge. The team again started promisingly, but was knocked out of the Cup Winners' Cup in the first round.
Gullit made some high-profile mistakes in the transfer market (notably, Spanish defender Marcelino and forward Silvio Maric bore the brunt of supporters frustrations). Less forgivably, he also fell out with several senior players, including the club captain Rob Lee, who had been the heartbeat of the team for the previous half decade, and was initially not given a squad number.
Newcastle made it to the 1998–99 FA Cup final, their second final in successive seasons. This time around they were to lose to Manchester United 2–0.
Because the FA Cup winners had already won European qualification, this meant Newcastle reached Europe for the fourth season running: this time the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup, due to the discontinuation of the Cup Winners' Cup.
Gullit resigned shortly after the start of the 1999–2000 season.
Off the pitch, controversy was caused when former chairman Freddy Shepherd, who had been forced to resign due to controversy over remarks made in the press the previous season, successfully manoeuvred to reinstate himself to the position within less than a year.

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| June 1998 | MF | Georgios Georgiadis | Panathinaikos | £500,000 |
| June 1998 | GK | Lionel Pérez | Sunderland | Free |
| June 1998 | FW | Stéphane Guivarc'h | Auxerre | £3,500,000 |
| July 1998 | DF | Carl Serrant | Oldham Athletic | £500,000 |
| July 1998 | MF | Garry Brady | Tottenham Hotspur | £650,000 |
| July 1998 | DF | Laurent Charvet | Cannes | £750,000 |
| August 1998 | MF | Dietmar Hamann | Bayern Munich | £4,500,000 |
| August 1998 | MF | Nolberto Solano | Boca Juniors | £2,500,000 |
| November 1998 | FW | Duncan Ferguson | Everton | £8,000,000 |
| January 1999 | FW | Louis Saha | Metz | Loan |
| January 1999 | DF | Didier Domi | PSG | £4,000,000 |
| March 1999 | MF | Silvio Marić | Croatia Zagreb | £3,650,000 |
* Total spending: £28.55m

### Out

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| June 1998 | FW | Jon Dahl Tomasson | Feyenoord | £2,500,000 |
| June 1998 | DF | Darren Peacock | Blackburn Rovers | £100,000 |
| July 1998 | GK | Shaka Hislop | West Ham United | Free |
| July 1998 | GK | Pavel Srníček | Banik Ostrava | Free |
* Total spending: £2.6m

## Players
### First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | IRL | Shay Given |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Warren Barton |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Stuart Pearce |
| 4 | DF | FRA | Didier Domi |
| 5 | DF | ITA | Alessandro Pistone |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Steve Howey |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Rob Lee |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Alan Shearer (captain) |
| 10 | MF | CRO | Silvio Marić |
| 11 | MF | WAL | Gary Speed |
| 12 | MF | GER | Dietmar Hamann |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Steve Harper |
| 14 | MF | GEO | Temuri Ketsbaia |
| 15 | MF | GRE | Georgios Georgiadis |
| 16 | DF | FRA | Laurent Charvet |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | MF | SCO | Stephen Glass |
| 18 | FW | FRA | Louis Saha |
| 20 | FW | SCO | Duncan Ferguson |
| 21 | DF | ENG | Carl Serrant |
| 24 | MF | PER | Nolberto Solano |
| 25 | FW | SCO | Paul Dalglish |
| 27 | DF | BEL | Philippe Albert |
| 28 | DF | NIR | Aaron Hughes |
| 29 | MF | SCO | Garry Brady |
| 33 | DF | ENG | David Beharall |
| 34 | DF | GRE | Nikos Dabizas |
| 36 | MF | ENG | Jamie McClen |
| 38 | DF | ENG | Andy Griffin |
| 40 | FW | SWE | Andreas Andersson |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 4 | MF | ENG | David Batty (to Leeds United) |
| 8 | FW | FRA | Stéphane Guivarc'h (to Rangers) |
| 10 | MF | ENG | John Barnes (to Charlton Athletic) |
| 18 | MF | NIR | Keith Gillespie (to Blackburn Rovers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | DF | ENG | Steve Watson (to Aston Villa) |
| 20 | MF | ISL | Bjarni Guðjónsson (released) |
| 33 | DF | FRA | David Terrier (to Nice) |

### Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Des Hamilton |
| 23 | GK | FRA | Lionel Pérez |
| 26 | MF | ENG | David Burt |
| 30 | DF | SCO | Paddy Kelly |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Stuart Elliott |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 32 | MF | GER | Ralf Keidel |
| 35 | FW | ENG | Paul Robinson |
| 37 | DF | SCO | Steven Caldwell |
| 39 | GK | ENG | Peter Keen |

### Trialists

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | GER | Marc Ziegler (on trial from VfB Stuttgart) |
| — | GK | | Juan Carlos Martin (on trial from San Pedro) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | | Miguel Aguilar (on trial from San Pedro) |

## Statistics
### Appearances, goals and cards

    (Starts + substitute appearances)
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | Shay Given | 31 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | DF | Warren Barton | 18+6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24+6 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Stuart Pearce | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | MF | David Batty | 6+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9+2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Didier Domi | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Alessandro Pistone | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Steve Howey | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Rob Lee | 20+6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24+6 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | Stéphane Guivarc'h | 2+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Alan Shearer | 29+1 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 39+1 | 21 | 7 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | John Barnes | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Silvio Marić | 9+1 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10+3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Gary Speed | 34+3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43+4 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | Dietmar Hamann | 22+1 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30+1 | 5 | 7 | 1 |
| 13 | GK | Steve Harper | 7+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Temuri Ketsbaia | 14+12 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22+12 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Georgios Georgiadis | 7+3 | 0 | 0+2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8+5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | Laurent Charvet | 30+1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38+1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Stephen Glass | 18+4 | 3 | 2+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24+6 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Keith Gillespie | 5+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | Louis Saha | 5+6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6+6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Steve Watson | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Duncan Ferguson | 7 | 2 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7+2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | Carl Serrant | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Nolberto Solano | 24+4 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 33+5 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | Paul Dalglish | 6+5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8+5 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Philippe Albert | 3+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 3+4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | Aaron Hughes | 12+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14+3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | Garry Brady | 3+6 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5+7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | David Beharall | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | DF | Nikos Dabizas | 25+5 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 35+5 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| 36 | MF | Jamie McClen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | DF | Andy Griffin | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 40 | FW | Andreas Andersson | 10+4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12+4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |

### Starting 11

* GK: #1, Shay Given, 41
* RB: #2, Warren Barton, 24
* CB: #6, Steve Howey, 18 (#38, Andy Griffin, has 18 starts as a RB)
* CB: #34, Nikos Dabizas, 35
* LB: #16, Laurent Charvet, 38
* RM: #24, Nolberto Solano, 33
* CM: #7, Rob Lee, 24 (#17, Stephen Glass, has 24 starts as a LM)
* CM: #12, Dietmar Hamann, 30
* LM: #11, Gary Speed, 43
* CF: #9, Alan Shearer, 39
* CF: #14, Temuri Ketsbaia, 22

## Coaching staff

| Position | Staff |
| Manager | Ruud Gullit |
| Assistant manager | Steve Clarke |
| Goalkeeping coach | Andy Woodman |
| Reserve team coach | Terry McDermott |
Last updated: 3 May 2011 Source:

## Results
### Premier League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 11 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 47 | 50 | −3 | 47 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 12 | Sheffield Wednesday | 38 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 41 | 42 | −1 | 46 | |
| 13 | Newcastle United | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 48 | 54 | −6 | 46 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 14 | Everton | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 42 | 47 | −5 | 43 | |
| 15 | Coventry City | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 42 | |
* ↑ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners.
* ↑ As Manchester United qualified for the Champions League, their UEFA Cup place as FA Cup winners defaulted to Newcastle United, the runners-up.