# 1998–99 Wimbledon F.C. season

During the 1998–99 English football season, Wimbledon F.C. competed in the FA Premier League.

## Season summary

Wimbledon started the season well, reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup for the second time in their history, and as March arrived Wimbledon was sixth in the table with 11 matches to go. The signing of striker John Hartson from top-five rivals West Ham United for a club record £7.5 million in January looked to be crucial signing the South London club needed for European qualification, but after his arrival the club suffered a slump in form, winning only one more game all season and taking only 2 points from their last 11 games to fall to 16th in the final table, their lowest finish in 13 seasons of top flight football.
Manager Joe Kinnear resigned at the end of the season on health grounds after seven years in charge, having suffered heart problems before a match at Sheffield Wednesday in March. He was succeeded by former Norwegian national coach Egil Olsen, who had frequently spoken of his admiration of Wimbledon and had transformed Norway into a leading international side with long-ball tactics similar to those employed by Kinnear.

## Final League Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 14 | Everton | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 42 | 47 | −5 | 43 | |
| 15 | Coventry City | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 42 | |
| 16 | Wimbledon | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 40 | 63 | −23 | 42 | |
| 17 | Southampton | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 37 | 64 | −27 | 41 | |
| 18 | Charlton Athletic (R) | 38 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 41 | 56 | −15 | 36 | Relegation to Football League First Division |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: 1998-99 FA Premier League table

### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | D | D | W | L | W | D | L | L | D | D | W | L | W | L | W | W | L | W | D | W | D | D | L | D | D | W | L | L | L | D | L | L | L | D | L | L | L |
| Position | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 |

## Results

Wimbledon's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### FA Premier League

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 15 August 1998 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 3–1 | 23,031 | Earle, Ekoku (2) |
| 22 August 1998 | Derby County | A | 0–0 | 25,747 | |
| 29 August 1998 | Leeds United | H | 1–1 | 16,437 | Hughes |
| 9 September 1998 | West Ham United | A | 4–3 | 25,311 | Gayle (2), Euell, Ekoku |
| 12 September 1998 | Aston Villa | A | 0–2 | 32,959 | |
| 19 September 1998 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–1 | 13,163 | Euell (2) |
| 27 September 1998 | Leicester City | A | 1–1 | 17,725 | Earle |
| 3 October 1998 | Everton | H | 1–2 | 16,054 | Roberts |
| 17 October 1998 | Manchester United | A | 1–5 | 55,265 | Euell |
| 24 October 1998 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–2 | 14,114 | Gayle (2) |
| 31 October 1998 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–1 | 12,526 | Earle |
| 7 November 1998 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–0 | 21,362 | Gayle |
| 14 November 1998 | Chelsea | A | 0–3 | 34,757 | |
| 21 November 1998 | Arsenal | H | 1–0 | 26,003 | Ekoku |
| 28 November 1998 | Newcastle United | A | 1–3 | 36,623 | Gayle |
| 5 December 1998 | Coventry City | H | 2–1 | 11,717 | Euell (2) |
| 13 December 1998 | Liverpool | H | 1–0 | 26,080 | Earle |
| 19 December 1998 | Southampton | A | 1–3 | 14,354 | Gayle |
| 26 December 1998 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–1 | 19,106 | Euell, Hughes |
| 29 December 1998 | Leeds United | A | 2–2 | 39,816 | Earle, Cort |
| 9 January 1999 | Derby County | H | 2–1 | 12,732 | Euell, Roberts |
| 16 January 1999 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–0 | 32,422 | |
| 30 January 1999 | West Ham United | H | 0–0 | 23,035 | |
| 8 February 1999 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–2 | 20,002 | |
| 21 February 1999 | Aston Villa | H | 0–0 | 15,582 | |
| 27 February 1999 | Everton | A | 1–1 | 32,574 | Ekoku |
| 3 March 1999 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–1 | 24,116 | Ekoku, Gayle |
| 6 March 1999 | Leicester City | H | 0–1 | 11,801 | |
| 13 March 1999 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–3 | 12,149 | Gayle |
| 20 March 1999 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–3 | 21,754 | Euell |
| 3 April 1999 | Manchester United | H | 1–1 | 26,121 | Euell |
| 5 April 1999 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–3 | 33,999 | Cort |
| 11 April 1999 | Chelsea | H | 1–2 | 21,577 | Gayle |
| 19 April 1999 | Arsenal | A | 1–5 | 37,982 | Cort |
| 24 April 1999 | Newcastle United | H | 1–1 | 21,172 | Hartson |
| 1 May 1999 | Coventry City | A | 1–2 | 21,200 | Hartson |
| 8 May 1999 | Southampton | H | 0–2 | 24,068 | |
| 16 May 1999 | Liverpool | A | 0–3 | 41,902 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 2 January 1999 | Manchester City | H | 1–0 | 11,226 | Cort |
| R4 | 23 January 1999 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | 22,229 | Earle |
| R4R | 2 February 1999 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–3 | 24,049 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 15 September 1998 | Portsmouth | A | 1–2 | 7,010 | Ekoku |
| R2 2nd Leg | 22 September 1998 | Portsmouth | H | 4–1 (won 5–3 on agg) | 3,756 | Ardley, Ekoku (2), Leaburn |
| R3 | 28 October 1998 | Birmingham City | A | 2–1 | 11,845 | Ardley (2) |
| R4 | 10 November 1998 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 2–1 | 7,868 | Gayle, Kennedy |
| QF | 1 December 1998 | Chelsea | H | 2–1 | 19,286 | Earle, Hughes (pen) |
| SF 1st Leg | 27 January 1999 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–0 | 35,997 | |
| SF 2nd Leg | 16 February 1999 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 0–1 (lost 0–1 on agg) | 25,204 | |

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of 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 |
| 1 | GK | SCO | Neil Sullivan |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Kenny Cunningham |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Alan Kimble |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Chris Perry |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Dean Blackwell |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ben Thatcher |
| 7 | MF | WAL | Ceri Hughes |
| 8 | MF | JAM | Robbie Earle |
| 9 | FW | NGA | Efan Ekoku |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Andy Roberts |
| 11 | FW | JAM | Marcus Gayle |
| 12 | MF | ENG | Neal Ardley |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Paul Heald |
| 14 | FW | IRL | Jon Goodman |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Carl Leaburn |
| 16 | MF | NIR | Michael Hughes |
| 17 | DF | SCO | Brian McAllister |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | IRL | Mark Kennedy |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Stewart Castledine |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Jason Euell |
| 21 | DF | SCO | Duncan Jupp |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Andy Clarke |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Carl Cort |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Peter Fear |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Andy Pearce |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Gareth Ainsworth |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Damien Francis |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Richard O'Connor |
| 29 | FW | WAL | John Hartson |
| 30 | DF | ENG | Peter Hawkins |
| 31 | DF | ENG | Danny Hodges |
| 33 | GK | IRL | Brendan Murphy |
| 35 | FW | ENG | Patrick Agyemang |

### 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 |
| 32 | GK | NOR | Morten Bakke (on loan from Molde) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 34 | GK | ENG | Brian Parkin (to Brighton & Hove Albion) |

### 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 |
| — | GK | ENG | Shane Gore |
| — | GK | ENG | Bryn Halliwell |
| — | DF | ENG | Rob Gier |
| — | DF | ENG | Samuel Okikiolu |
| — | MF | ENG | Mikele Leigertwood |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Ansah Owusu |
| — | FW | ENG | Wayne Gray |
| — | FW | ENG | Leigh Hinds |
| — | FW | IRL | Stephen O'Flynn |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 29 October 1998 | MF | Gareth Ainsworth | Port Vale | £2,000,000 |
| 14 January 1999 | FW | John Hartson | West Ham United | £7,500,000 |

### Out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 15 June 1998 | DF | Alan Reeves | Swindon Town | Free transfer |
| 1 August 1998 | MF | Ståle Solbakken | Aalborg BK | Undisclosed |
    Transfers in: £9,500,000
    Transfers out: £0
    Total spending: £9,500,000

## Appearances and goals

    Source:
    Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
    Players with names struck through and marked † left the club during the playing season.
    Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Burnley.
    Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.
    Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
Players contracted for the 1998–99 season :
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | SCO | Neil Sullivan | 38 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 46 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Kenny Cunningham | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 (1) | 0 | 43 (1) | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Alan Kimble | 22 (4) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 (2) | 0 | 25 (6) | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Chris Perry | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Dean Blackwell | 27 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 33 (1) | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ben Thatcher | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | WAL | Ceri Hughes | 8 (6) | 0 | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 8 (10) | 0 |
| 8 | MF | JAM | Robbie Earle | 35 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 43 | 7 |
| 9 | FW | NGA | Efan Ekoku | 11 (11) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 (1) | 3 | 15 (12) | 9 |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Andy Roberts | 23 (5) | 2 | 2 (1) | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 | 28 (7) | 2 |
| 11 | FW | JAM | Marcus Gayle | 31 (4) | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 36 (4) | 11 |
| 12 | MF | ENG | Neal Ardley | 16 (7) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 24 (7) | 3 |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Paul Heald | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | IRL | Jon Goodman | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Carl Leaburn | 14 (8) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 (4) | 1 | 20 (12) | 1 |
| 16 | MF | NIR | Michael Hughes | 28 (2) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 34 (2) | 1 |
| 17 | DF | SCO | Brian McAllister | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | IRL | Mark Kennedy | 7 (10) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 (1) | 1 | 13 (11) | 1 |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Stewart Castledine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Jason Euell | 31 (2) | 10 | 3 | 0 | 5 (2) | 0 | 39 (4) | 10 |
| 21 | DF | SCO | Duncan Jupp | 3 (3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 (3) | 0 |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Andy Clarke | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Carl Cort | 6 (10) | 3 | 0 (3) | 1 | 2 (1) | 0 | 8 (14) | 4 |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Peter Fear | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 (2) | 0 |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Andy Pearce | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Gareth Ainsworth | 5 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 (3) | 0 |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Damien Francis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Richard O'Connor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | WAL | John Hartson | 12 (2) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 (2) | 2 |
| 30 | DF | ENG | Peter Hawkins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | ENG | Danny Hodges | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | GK | NOR | Morten Bakke * † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | GK | IRL | Brendan Murphy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | GK | ENG | Brian Parkin † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | FW | ENG | Patrick Agyemang | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |