# 1997–98 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Queens Park Rangers F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

In the 1997–98 season, QPR did start the campaign brightly but in November, Houston was sacked as manager with the club in 13th place and only four points adrift from the playoff places. Ray Harford was appointed as Houston's replacement and QPR went on to struggle with only three wins at the end of the season since his appointment and only managed to avoid relegation by one point at the expense of Manchester City, Stoke City and Reading.

## Kit

Le Coq Sportif became QPR's new kit manufacturers. Telecommunications giant Ericsson continued as kit sponsors.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 19 | Port Vale | 46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 56 | 66 | −10 | 49 | |
| 20 | Portsmouth | 46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 51 | 63 | −12 | 49 | |
| 21 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 10 | 19 | 17 | 51 | 63 | −12 | 49 | |
| 22 | Manchester City (R) | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 56 | 57 | −1 | 48 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 23 | Stoke City (R) | 46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 44 | 74 | −30 | 46 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## Results

Queens Park Rangers' score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 9 August 1997 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–0 | | 17,614 | 12 |
| 15 August 1997 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1–2 | Peacock | 7,467 | 16 |
| 23 August 1997 | Stockport County | H | 2–1 | Sinclair (2) | 11,108 | 10 |
| 30 August 1997 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–4 | | 18,804 | 13 |
| 2 September 1997 | Reading | A | 2–1 | Spencer, Swales (own goal) | 10,203 | 11 |
| 13 September 1997 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–0 | Sheron, Peacock | 14,399 | 9 |
| 20 September 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3–2 | Spencer, Maddix, Sinclair | 5,348 | 8 |
| 24 September 1997 | Portsmouth | H | 1–0 | Spencer | 12,620 | 2 |
| 27 September 1997 | Port Vale | A | 0–2 | | 7,197 | 3 |
| 4 October 1997 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–4 | Sheron (2) | 14,825 | 6 |
| 18 October 1997 | Sheffield United | A | 2–2 | Murray, Morrow | 18,006 | 9 |
| 21 October 1997 | Bury | A | 1–1 | Spencer | 4,602 | 10 |
| 26 October 1997 | Manchester City | H | 2–0 | Ready, Peacock (pen) | 14,451 | 9 |
| 1 November 1997 | Birmingham City | H | 1–1 | Barker | 12,715 | 9 |
| 5 November 1997 | Swindon Town | A | 1–3 | Peacock | 10,132 | 14 |
| 8 November 1997 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–3 | | 30,067 | 14 |
| 15 November 1997 | Stoke City | H | 1–1 | Barker (pen) | 11,923 | 13 |
| 22 November 1997 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–1 | Quashie (2) | 16,066 | 13 |
| 29 November 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 2–3 | Sheron, Peacock | 23,645 | 13 |
| 3 December 1997 | Norwich City | H | 1–1 | Peacock | 10,141 | 11 |
| 6 December 1997 | Sunderland | H | 0–1 | | 15,266 | 12 |
| 12 December 1997 | Oxford United | A | 1–3 | Peacock | 6,664 | 12 |
| 21 December 1997 | Bradford City | H | 1–0 | Peacock (pen) | 8,853 | 12 |
| 26 December 1997 | Portsmouth | A | 1–3 | Sheron | 12,314 | 13 |
| 28 December 1997 | Reading | H | 1–1 | Spencer | 13,015 | 12 |
| 10 January 1998 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–0 | | 12,672 | 13 |
| 17 January 1998 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0–0 | | 12,033 | 13 |
| 24 January 1998 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–1 | | 13,220 | 14 |
| 31 January 1998 | Stockport County | A | 0–2 | | 7,958 | 17 |
| 7 February 1998 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3–2 | Kennedy (2), Ready | 13,429 | 15 |
| 14 February 1998 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–1 | Dowie | 19,143 | 15 |
| 17 February 1998 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–1 | Peacock (pen) | 15,555 | 15 |
| 21 February 1998 | Port Vale | H | 0–1 | | 14,198 | 15 |
| 25 February 1998 | Sheffield United | H | 2–2 | Sheron, Ready | 9,560 | 15 |
| 28 February 1998 | Norwich City | A | 0–0 | | 12,730 | 16 |
| 4 March 1998 | Middlesbrough | H | 5–0 | Vickers (own goal), Bruce, Gallen, Sheron (2) | 11,580 | 15 |
| 7 March 1998 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 | | 18,298 | 16 |
| 14 March 1998 | Swindon Town | H | 1–2 | Quashie | 13,486 | 16 |
| 21 March 1998 | Stoke City | A | 1–2 | Barker (pen) | 11,051 | 19 |
| 28 March 1998 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–1 | Jones | 13,681 | 19 |
| 1 April 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–0 | | 12,337 | 17 |
| 10 April 1998 | Sunderland | A | 2–2 | Sheron (2) | 40,014 | 17 |
| 14 April 1998 | Oxford United | H | 1–1 | Gallen | 12,859 | 19 |
| 19 April 1998 | Bradford City | A | 1–1 | Gallen | 14,871 | 19 |
| 25 April 1998 | Manchester City | A | 2–2 | Sheron, Pollock (own goal) | 32,040 | 18 |
| 3 May 1998 | Bury | H | 0–1 | | 15,210 | 21 |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 3 January 1998 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–2 | 13,379 | Spencer, Gallen |
| R3R | 13 January 1998 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–2 | 21,817 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 First Leg | 12 August 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–2 | 8,355 | |
| R1 Second Leg | 27 August 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 2–1 (lost 2–3 on agg) | 18,398 | Peacock, Murray |

## Squad

| Position | Nationality | Name | League Appearances | League Goals | Cup Appearances | League.Cup Goals | F.A.Cup Goals | Total Appearances | Total Goals |
| GK | ENG | Lee Harper | 36 | | 3 | | | 39 | |
| GK | WAL | Tony Roberts | 10 | | 1 | | | 11 | |
| DF | ENG | Danny Maddix | 23 | 1 | 2 | | | 27 | 1 |
| DF | WAL | Karl Ready | 38 | 3 | 2 | | | 41 | 3 |
| DF | ENG | Neil Ruddock | 7 | | | | | 7 | |
| DF | ENG | Rufus Brevett | 20 | | 4 | | | 27 | |
| DF | ENG | Matt Brazier | 8 | | 4 | | | 12 | |
| DF | FIN | Antti Heinola | | | | | | 10 | |
| DF | ENG | Matthew Rose | 13 | | 2 | | | 18 | |
| DF | NIR | Steve Morrow | 31 | 1 | 3 | | | 34 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Steve Yates | 21 | | 2 | | | 32 | |
| DF | ENG | David Bardsley | 12 | | | | | 12 | |
| DF | AUS | George Kulcsar | 11 | | | | | 12 | |
| DF | ENG | Ian Baraclough | 8 | | | | | 8 | |
| MF | IRE | Mark Kennedy | 8 | 2 | | | | 8 | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Paul Murray | 31 | 1 | 4 | 1 | | 36 | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Keith Rowland | 7 | | | | | 7 | |
| MF | ENG | Simon Barker | 20 | 3 | 2 | | | 25 | 3 |
| MF | ENG | Mark Perry | 6 | | 2 | | | 10 | |
| MF | ENG | Gavin Peacock | 38 | 9 | 4 | 1 | | 43 | 10 |
| MF | ENG | Trevor Sinclair | 24 | 3 | 4 | | | 30 | 3 |
| MF | ENG | Mark Graham | | | | | | 1 | |
| MF | ENG | Paul Bruce | 1 | 1 | | | | 6 | 1 |
| MF | WAL | Vinnie Jones | 7 | 1 | | | | 7 | 1 |
| FW | IRE | Tony Scully | 7 | | | | | 7 | |
| FW | ENG | Kevin Gallen | 19 | 3 | | | 1 | 31 | 4 |
| FW | ENG | Nigel Quashie | 30 | 3 | 2 | | | 35 | 3 |
| FW | ENG | Michael Mahoney-Johnson | | | | | | 1 | |
| FW | NIR | Ian Dowie | 9 | 1 | | | | 11 | |
| FW | SCO | John Spencer | 22 | 5 | 3 | | 1 | 26 | 6 |
| FW | ENG | Steve Slade | 3 | | 1 | | | 26 | |
| FW | ENG | Mike Sheron | 36 | 11 | 2 | | | 42 | 11 |

## Transfers Out

| Name | from | Date | Fee | Date | Club | Fee |
| Andy Impey | Yeading | June 1990 | | September 1997 | West Ham United | £1,200,000 |
| Juergen Sommer | Luton Town | 29 August 1995 | £600,000 | 1998 | Columbus Crew | |
| Trevor Sinclair | Blackpool | August 1993 | £600,000 | January 1998 | West Ham United | Iain Dowie, Keith Rowland and £2,300,000 |
| Rufus Brevett | Doncaster Rovers | February 1991 | £150,000 | January 1998 | Fulham | £375,000 |
| Lee Charles | Chertsey Town | 4 August 1995 | £67,500 | February 1998 | Cambridge United | Loan |
| Michael Mahoney-Johnson | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | April 1995 | | February 1998 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Loan |
| Matt Brazier | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | July 1994 | | March 1998 | Fulham | |
| John Spencer | Chelsea | November 1996 | £2,500,000 | March 1998 | Everton | £1,500,000 |
| Trevor Challis | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | July 1994 | | July 1998 | Bristol Rovers | |
| David Bardsley | Oxford United | September 1989 | Mark Stein plus £175,000 | July 1998 | Blackpool | |

## Transfers In

| Name | from | Date | Fee |
| George Kulcsar | Bradford City | December 1997 | £250,000 |
| Leon Jeanne | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | November 1997 | |
| Iain Dowie | West Ham United | January 1998 | With Keith Rowland and £2,300,000 For Trevor Sinclair |
| Keith Rowland | West Ham United | January 1998 | With Iain Dowie and £2,300,000 For Trevor Sinclair |
| Mark Kennedy | Liverpool | January 1998 | Loan |
| Antti Heinola | Heracles | January 1998 | £100,000 |
| Neil Ruddock | Liverpool | March 1998 | Loan |
| Vinnie Jones | Wimbledon | March 1998 | £750,000 |
| Tony Scully | Manchester City | March 1998 | £155,000 |
| Ian Baraclough | Notts County | March 1998 | £75,000 |
| Terry McFlynn | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | May 1998 | |
| Ademola Bankole | Crewe Alexandra | July 1998 | |