# 1997–98 Arsenal L.F.C. season

The 1997–98 season was Arsenal Ladies Football Club's 11th season since forming in 1987. The club participated in the National Division of the FA Women's Premier League, finishing in second place, behind Everton, who lifted the League title after Arsenal could only draw 3–3 with Croydon. They won the Premier League Cup and the FA Cup by defeating Croydon in both finals, but lost to Millwall in the London County Cup Final.
Terry Howard took over as manager of the team at the start of the season after Vic Akers took up the job of kit manager with the Arsenal Men's Team.

## Squad Statistics
### First team squad

| Name | Date of Birth (Age) | Since | Signed From |
| Goalkeepers ||||
| Lesley Higgs | (1965-10-25) 25 October 1965 (age 59) | 1997 | Wembley |
| Sarah Reed | (1980-05-12) 12 May 1980 (age 44) | 1996 | Wembley |
| Sara King | | | |
| Defenders ||||
| Kirsty Pealling | (1975-04-14) 14 April 1975 (age 49) | 1987 | Homegrown |
| Faye White | (1978-02-02) 2 February 1978 (age 47) | 1996 | Horsham Ladies |
| Clare Wheatley | (1971-02-04) 4 February 1971 (age 54) | 1995 | Chelsea |
| Carol Harwood | (1965-12-01) 1 December 1965 (age 59) | 1997 | Wembley |
| Kelley Few | | 1991 | Watford |
| Kim Jerry-Silver | (1977-10-06) 6 October 1977 (age 47) | 1996 | Wembley |
| Jenny Canty | (1976-03-22) 22 March 1976 (age 48) | 1997 | |
| Tammy Scrivens | | 1997 | |
| Vicki Slee | (1973-03-09) 9 March 1973 (age 52) | 1991 | |
| Michelle Curley | (1972-04-30) 30 April 1972 (age 52) | 1987 | |
| Midfielders ||||
| Sian Williams (captain) | (1968-02-02) 2 February 1968 (age 57) | 1990 | Juve Siderno |
| Tina Mapes | (1971-01-21) 21 January 1971 (age 54) | 1997 | Croydon |
| Emma Coss | (1979-05-09) 9 May 1979 (age 45) | 1992 | Homegrown |
| Tina Mapes | (1971-01-21) 21 January 1971 (age 54) | 1997 | Croydon |
| Linda Watt | | 1995 | |
| Sharon Barber | | | |
| Forwards ||||
| Marieanne Spacey | (1966-02-13) 13 February 1966 (age 59) | 1993 | Friends of Fulham |
| Rachel Yankey | (1979-12-01) 1 December 1979 (age 45) | 1996 | Homegrown |
| Natasha Daly | (1979-11-29) 29 November 1979 (age 45) | 1996 | |
| Nina Downham | (1980-12-31) 31 December 1980 (age 44) | 1998 | Millwall Lionesses |
| Sheuneen Ta | (1985-07-21) 21 July 1985 (age 39) | 1997 | Homegrown |
| Emma Hastings | | 1995 | |
| Kara Lee Reynolds | | 1996 | |
| Unknown ||||
| Lizzy Benham | | 1995 | |
| Shaznay Lewis | (1975-10-14) 14 October 1975 (age 49) | | |

## Transfers, loans and other signings
### Transfers in

| Announcement date | Position | Player | From club |
| 1997 | DF | Carol Harwood | Wembley |
| 1997 | MF | Tina Mapes | Croydon |
| 1997 | GK | Lesley Higgs | Wembley |
| 1997 | DF | Jenny Canty | |
| 1997 | DF | Tammy Scrivens | |
| 1998 | FW | Nina Downham | Millwall Lionesses |

### Transfers out

| Announcement date | Position | Player | To club |
| 1997 | MF | Joanne Broadhurst | Croydon |
| 1997 | FW | Kelly Smith | Seton Hall Pirates |
| 1997 | DF | Gill Wylie | Croydon |
| 1997 | DF | Lisa Spry | |
| 1997 | | Pat Pile | |
| 1997 | | Laura Ray | |
| 1997 | | Yvette Reen | |

## Club
### Kit

Supplier: Nike / Sponsor: JVC
| Home | Away |

## Competitions
### FA Women's Premier League
#### Partial league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Everton (C) | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 54 | 14 | +40 | 43 | Champions |
| 2 | Arsenal | 18 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 55 | 22 | +33 | 40 | |
| 3 | Doncaster Belles | 18 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 54 | 18 | +36 | 38 | |
| 4 | Croydon | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 47 | 14 | +33 | 35 | |
| 5 | Millwall Lionesses | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 37 | 15 | +22 | 29 | |

#### Results Summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | A | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | H | H | H |
| Result | D | W | W | W | W | L | L | W | W | W | W | D | W | D | W | D | W | W |