# 1997–98 Wimbledon F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Wimbledon F.C. competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons). They finished 15th in the final table to secure a 13th successive top flight campaign, although their final position was disappointing given their performance earlier in the season.

## Season summary

Despite the early season sale of Dean Holdsworth to Bolton Wanderers, Wimbledon showed the "Crazy Gang" spirit once more as they were still standing fourth at the beginning of December. Manager Joe Kinnear was hopeful that this could finally be the season when Wimbledon achieved a UEFA Cup place, but the team's form steadily deteriorated during the second half of the season. Their 15th-place finish was their worst since reaching the top flight in 1986, though they had never looked to be in any real danger of relegation.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 13 | Newcastle United | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 35 | 44 | −9 | 44 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 14 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 44 | 56 | −12 | 44 | |
| 15 | Wimbledon | 38 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 34 | 46 | −12 | 44 | |
| 16 | Sheffield Wednesday | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 52 | 67 | −15 | 44 | |
| 17 | Everton | 38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 41 | 56 | −15 | 40 | |
* ↑ As Arsenal qualified for the Champions League, their Cup Winners' Cup place as FA Cup winners defaulted to Newcastle United, the runners-up.

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: 1997-98 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 | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | A |
| Result | D | D | L | L | W | L | W | D | L | W | D | W | L | W | L | L | W | D | D | L | L | D | D | W | W | L | L | W | L | D | D | W | D | L | D | D | L | D |
| Position | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 |

## Results

Wimbledon's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### FA Premier League

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 9 August 1997 | Liverpool | H | 1–1 | 26,106 | Gayle |
| 23 August 1997 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–1 | 11,503 | Euell |
| 27 August 1997 | Chelsea | H | 0–2 | 22,237 | |
| 30 August 1997 | West Ham United | A | 1–3 | 24,516 | Ekoku |
| 13 September 1997 | Newcastle United | A | 3–1 | 36,526 | Cort, Perry, Ekoku |
| 20 September 1997 | Crystal Palace | H | 0–1 | 16,747 | |
| 23 September 1997 | Barnsley | H | 4–1 | 7,668 | Cort, Earle, C Hughes, Ekoku |
| 27 September 1997 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–0 | 26,261 | |
| 4 October 1997 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 0–1 | 15,600 | |
| 18 October 1997 | Aston Villa | A | 2–1 | 32,087 | Earle, Cort |
| 22 October 1997 | Derby County | A | 1–1 | 28,595 | Rowett (own goal) |
| 25 October 1997 | Leeds United | H | 1–0 | 15,718 | Ardley (pen) |
| 1 November 1997 | Coventry City | H | 1–2 | 11,201 | Cort |
| 10 November 1997 | Leicester City | A | 1–0 | 18,553 | Gayle |
| 22 November 1997 | Manchester United | H | 2–5 | 26,309 | Ardley, M Hughes |
| 29 November 1997 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 22,703 | |
| 7 December 1997 | Southampton | H | 1–0 | 12,009 | Earle |
| 13 December 1997 | Everton | A | 0–0 | 28,533 | |
| 26 December 1997 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | 34,100 | M Hughes |
| 28 December 1997 | West Ham United | H | 1–2 | 22,087 | Solbakken |
| 10 January 1998 | Liverpool | A | 0–2 | 38,011 | |
| 17 January 1998 | Derby County | H | 0–0 | 13,031 | |
| 31 January 1998 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–1 | 22,655 | M Hughes |
| 9 February 1998 | Crystal Palace | A | 3–0 | 14,410 | Leaburn (2), Euell |
| 21 February 1998 | Aston Villa | H | 2–1 | 13,131 | Euell, Leaburn |
| 28 February 1998 | Barnsley | A | 1–2 | 17,102 | Euell |
| 11 March 1998 | Arsenal | H | 0–1 | 22,291 | |
| 14 March 1998 | Leicester City | H | 2–1 | 13,229 | Roberts, M Hughes |
| 28 March 1998 | Manchester United | A | 0–2 | 55,306 | |
| 31 March 1998 | Newcastle United | H | 0–0 | 15,478 | |
| 4 April 1998 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 0–0 | 11,356 | |
| 11 April 1998 | Southampton | A | 1–0 | 14,815 | Leaburn |
| 13 April 1998 | Everton | H | 0–0 | 15,131 | |
| 18 April 1998 | Arsenal | A | 0–5 | 38,024 | |
| 25 April 1998 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 0–0 | 24,848 | |
| 29 April 1998 | Coventry City | A | 0–0 | 17,968 | |
| 2 May 1998 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–6 | 25,820 | Fear (2) |
| 10 May 1998 | Leeds United | A | 1–1 | 38,172 | Ekoku |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 4 January 1998 | Wrexham | H | 0–0 | 6,349 | |
| R3R | 13 January 1998 | Wrexham | A | 3–2 | 9,539 | Hughes (2), Gayle |
| R4 | 24 January 1998 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–0 | 14,533 | Ardley |
| R5 | 14 February 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 15,322 | Euell |
| R5R | 25 February 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–2 | 25,112 | Jones |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 16 September 1997 | Millwall | H | 5–1 | 6,949 | Cort (2, 1 pen), Clarke, Euell, Castledine |
| R2 2nd Leg | 1 October 1997 | Millwall | A | 4–1 (won 9–2 on agg) | 3,591 | Euell (2), Castledine, Gayle |
| R3 | 14 October 1997 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–2 | 9,875 | |

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
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 |
| 1 | GK | SCO | Neil Sullivan |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Kenny Cunningham |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Alan Kimble |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Dean Blackwell |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ben Thatcher |
| 7 | MF | WAL | Ceri Hughes |
| 8 | MF | JAM | Robbie Earle (captain) |
| 9 | FW | NGA | Efan Ekoku |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Andy Roberts |
| 11 | FW | JAM | Marcus Gayle |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Chris Perry |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Paul Heald |
| 14 | FW | IRL | Jon Goodman |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Alan Reeves |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | MF | NIR | Michael Hughes |
| 17 | DF | SCO | Brian McAllister |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Neal Ardley |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Stewart Castledine |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Mick Harford |
| 21 | DF | SCO | Duncan Jupp |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Andy Clarke |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Jason Euell |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Peter Fear |
| 26 | FW | ENG | Carl Cort |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Damien Francis |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Carl Leaburn |
| 30 | DF | ENG | Peter Hawkins |
| 32 | DF | IRL | Mark Kennedy |

### Left club during season

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 |
| 4 | MF | WAL | Vinnie Jones (to Queens Park Rangers) |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Dean Holdsworth (to Bolton Wanderers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 10 | MF | NOR | Ståle Solbakken (to Aalborg) |

### Reserve 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 |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Andy Pearce |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Richard O'Connor |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 31 | DF | ENG | Danny Hodges |
| 33 | GK | IRL | Brendan Murphy |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 2 July 1997 | MF | Ceri Hughes | Luton Town | £400,000 |
| 25 September 1997 | MF | Michael Hughes | West Ham United | £1,600,000 |
| 13 October 1997 | MF | Ståle Solbakken | Lillestrøm | £250,000 |
| 8 January 1998 | FW | Carl Leaburn | Charlton Athletic | £300,000 |
| 9 March 1998 | MF | Andy Roberts | Crystal Palace | £2,000,000 |
| 26 March 1998 | MF | Mark Kennedy | Liverpool | £1,750,000 |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 2 June 1997 | MF | Øyvind Leonhardsen | Liverpool | £3,500,000 |
| 1 August 1997 | DF | Scott Fitzgerald | Millwall | £50,000 |
| 2 October 1997 | FW | Dean Holdsworth | Bolton Wanderers | £3,500,000 |
| 26 March 1998 | MF | Vinnie Jones | Queens Park Rangers | £750,000 |
    Transfers in: £6,300,000
    Transfers out: £7,800,000
    Total spending: £1,500,000

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | SCO | Neil Sullivan | 44 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Paul Heald | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | IRL | Kenny Cunningham | 39 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Alan Kimble | 30 | 0 | 24+2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Dean Blackwell | 40 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ben Thatcher | 32 | 0 | 23+3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Chris Perry | 44 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Alan Reeves | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | SCO | Brian McAllister | 10 | 0 | 4+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | SCO | Duncan Jupp | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||
| 7 | MF | WAL | Ceri Hughes | 22 | 1 | 14+4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | JAM | Robbie Earle | 26 | 3 | 21+1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Andy Roberts | 12 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | NIR | Michael Hughes | 33 | 6 | 29 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Neal Ardley | 39 | 3 | 32+2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Stewart Castledine | 12 | 2 | 3+3 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Peter Fear | 11 | 2 | 5+3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Damien Francis | 5 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | IRL | Mark Kennedy | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||
| 9 | FW | NGA | Efan Ekoku | 20 | 4 | 12+5 | 4 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Marcus Gayle | 38 | 4 | 22+9 | 2 | 3+1 | 1 | 2+1 | 1 |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Andy Clarke | 20 | 1 | 1+12 | 0 | 0+4 | 0 | 2+1 | 1 |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Jason Euell | 23 | 8 | 14+4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 26 | FW | ENG | Carl Cort | 29 | 6 | 16+6 | 4 | 4+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 2 |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Carl Leaburn | 16 | 4 | 15+1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players who left the club during the season ||||||||||||
| 4 | MF | WAL | Vinnie Jones | 31 | 1 | 23+2 | 0 | 3+1 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Dean Holdsworth | 6 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | NOR | Ståle Solbakken | 8 | 1 | 4+2 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |