# 1997–98 Oxford United F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Oxford United F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

In the 1997–98 season, Denis Smith resigned in December with the club £10 million in debt. He was replaced in January by Malcolm Shotton. His appointment was popular and initially successful, as he led the team out of relegation danger to a creditable 12th-place finish in Division One.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 10 | West Bromwich Albion | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 56 | −6 | 61 |
| 11 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 58 | 65 | −7 | 59 |
| 12 | Oxford United | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 60 | 64 | −4 | 58 |
| 13 | Bradford City | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 46 | 59 | −13 | 57 |
| 14 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 54 | 57 | −3 | 56 |

## Results

Oxford United's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 9 August 1997 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–0 | 7,085 | Jemson (pen), Aldridge |
| 16 August 1997 | Charlton Athletic | A | 2–3 | 10,230 | Purse, Jemson (pen) |
| 23 August 1997 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–1 | 9,486 | |
| 30 August 1997 | Portsmouth | A | 1–2 | 10,209 | B Ford |
| 2 September 1997 | Sunderland | A | 1–3 | 27,643 | Angel |
| 7 September 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 3–0 | 6,921 | Beauchamp (2), B Ford |
| 13 September 1997 | Reading | A | 1–2 | 9,003 | Jemson |
| 20 September 1997 | Sheffield United | H | 2–4 | 7,514 | Jemson (2) |
| 27 September 1997 | Bradford City | H | 0–0 | 6,468 | |
| 4 October 1997 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 2–1 | 15,819 | Banger, Purse |
| 11 October 1997 | Stockport County | A | 2–3 | 7,333 | Purse, Aldridge |
| 18 October 1997 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–0 | 7,594 | Smith |
| 21 October 1997 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–4 | 8,306 | Purse |
| 25 October 1997 | Birmingham City | A | 0–0 | 16,352 | |
| 1 November 1997 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | 8,592 | |
| 4 November 1997 | Stoke City | A | 0–0 | 10,132 | |
| 8 November 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1–2 | 4,524 | M Ford |
| 15 November 1997 | Bury | H | 1–1 | 5,811 | Banger |
| 22 November 1997 | Norwich City | A | 1–2 | 11,241 | Powell |
| 29 November 1997 | Port Vale | H | 2–0 | 5,762 | Beauchamp, Jemson |
| 6 December 1997 | Swindon Town | A | 1–4 | 10,902 | M Ford |
| 12 December 1997 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 3–1 | 6,664 | Jemson, Beauchamp (2) |
| 20 December 1997 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 2–0 | 5,181 | Massey, Robinson |
| 26 December 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 26,238 | |
| 28 December 1997 | Sunderland | H | 1–1 | 8,659 | Jemson (pen) |
| 10 January 1998 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–5 | 10,378 | Gray |
| 17 January 1998 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–2 | 7,234 | Jemson |
| 24 January 1998 | Portsmouth | H | 1–0 | 7,402 | Beauchamp |
| 31 January 1998 | Nottingham Forest | A | 3–1 | 18,392 | Beauchamp (2), Weatherstone |
| 7 February 1998 | Sheffield United | A | 0–1 | 16,881 | |
| 17 February 1998 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–1 | 9,412 | Gilchrist, Francis |
| 21 February 1998 | Bradford City | A | 0–0 | 14,190 | |
| 24 February 1998 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–5 | 11,824 | Francis, Donaldson (pen) |
| 28 February 1998 | Stockport County | H | 3–0 | 6,650 | Davis, Donaldson, Francis |
| 3 March 1998 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 0–0 | 6,069 | |
| 7 March 1998 | Manchester City | A | 2–0 | 28,720 | Beauchamp, Cook |
| 14 March 1998 | Stoke City | H | 5–1 | 7,300 | Murphy (2), Francis (2), Beauchamp |
| 17 March 1998 | Reading | H | 3–0 | 8,103 | Beauchamp (2), Gray |
| 21 March 1998 | Bury | A | 0–1 | 5,159 | |
| 28 March 1998 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 | 7,869 | Francis, Beauchamp (pen) |
| 4 April 1998 | Port Vale | A | 0–3 | 6,524 | |
| 11 April 1998 | Swindon Town | H | 2–1 | 8,005 | Francis, Gilchrist |
| 14 April 1998 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–1 | 12,859 | Davis |
| 18 April 1998 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–1 | 6,489 | Cook |
| 25 April 1998 | Birmingham City | H | 0–2 | 8,818 | |
| 3 May 1998 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–4 | 30,228 | Banger |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 3 January 1998 | Leeds United | A | 0–4 | 20,568 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 First Leg | 12 August 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–0 | 5,083 | Purse, Logan (own goal) |
| R1 Second Leg | 26 August 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 5–3 (won 7–3 on agg) | 3,037 | Beauchamp (2), Jemson, Purse, Murphy |
| R2 First Leg | 16 September 1997 | York City | H | 4–1 | 2,923 | Robinson, Aldridge, Beauchamp (2) |
| R2 Second Leg | 23 September 1997 | York City | A | 2–1 (won 6–2 on agg) | 1,555 | Aldridge, Banger |
| R3 | 14 October 1997 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–1 (won 6–5 on pens) | 3,878 | Beauchamp |
| R4 | 18 November 1997 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | 5,723 | Beauchamp |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Phil Whitehead |
| — | DF | ENG | Les Robinson |
| — | DF | ENG | Phil Gilchrist |
| — | DF | ENG | Darren Purse |
| — | DF | ENG | Mike Ford |
| — | MF | ENG | Joey Beauchamp |
| — | MF | ENG | David Smith |
| — | MF | ENG | Martin Gray |
| — | FW | ENG | Nigel Jemson |
| — | FW | ENG | Nicky Banger |
| — | FW | ENG | Matt Murphy |
| — | MF | ENG | Bobby Ford |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Davis |
| — | FW | SKN | Kevin Francis |
| — | DF | NED | Brian Wilsterman |
| — | GK | NED | Arjan van Heusden |
| — | MF | ENG | Stuart Massey |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | ENG | Martin Aldridge |
| — | DF | FRA | Christophe Rémy |
| — | DF | ENG | Simon Marsh |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Powell |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Angel |
| — | FW | ENG | Jamie Cook |
| — | DF | ENG | Phil Whelan |
| — | FW | ENG | O'Neill Donaldson |
| — | GK | ENG | Elliot Jackson |
| — | MF | ENG | Simon Weatherstone |
| — | FW | WAL | Rob Folland |
| — | DF | ENG | Andrew Rose |
| — | DF | ENG | Mark Stevens |
| — | MF | WAL | Tony Wright |
| — | MF | MSR | Wayne Dyer |
| — | MF | ENG | Mickey Lewis |