# 1997–98 Walsall F.C. season

The 1997–98 season was the 99th completed season in the history of Walsall Football Club, the clubs 78th season in the Football League and third consecutive season in the Football League Second Division. In addition to the league, Walsall also participated in the FA Cup, League Cup and Football League Trophy.

## Season summary

The Saddlers finished in the top half of the Second Division in the previous two seasons under Chris Nicholl's management, however, he quit in May 1997 citing family reasons. After Nicholl's departure, Walsall turned to former Denmark international Jan Sørensen who became Walsall's first, and to date only, ever manager from continental Europe.
Sørensen attracted some exciting foreign talent to Walsall, bringing in former Ligue 1 top goalscorer Roger Boli and his compatriot Jean-François Péron, who quickly became fans' favourites.
Whilst Walsall finished a lowly 19th in the Second Division, the club reached the fourth round of the League Cup, fourth round of the FA Cup and the Southern Area Final of the Football League Trophy, being just ten minutes away from a first ever appearance at Wembley Stadium.
However, despite the club's cup exploits, a poor finish in the league signalled the end of Sørensen's time at Walsall after just one season.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 17 | Luton Town | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 60 | 64 | −4 | 57 | |
| 18 | Millwall | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 43 | 54 | −11 | 55 | |
| 19 | Walsall | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 43 | 52 | −9 | 54 | |
| 20 | Burnley | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 55 | 65 | −10 | 52 | |
| 21 | Brentford | 46 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 50 | 71 | −21 | 50 | Relegated |

## Results

Walsall's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 9 August 1997 | Chesterfield | A | 1–3 | 5,193 | Platt |
| 16 August 1997 | Fulham | H | 1–1 | 4,418 | Mountfield |
| 23 August 1997 | Gillingham | A | 1–2 | 5,083 | Boli |
| 30 August 1997 | Southend United | H | 3–1 | 3,304 | Boli (3) |
| 2 September 1997 | Northampton Town | H | 0–2 | 5,550 | |
| 9 September 1997 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–2 | 6,225 | |
| 13 September 1997 | Preston North End | A | 0–0 | 9,092 | |
| 20 September 1997 | York City | H | 2–0 | 2,972 | Boli, Hodge |
| 27 September 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–2 | 6,207 | Boli |
| 4 October 1997 | Carlisle United | H | 3–1 | 3,957 | Boli (2), Watson |
| 11 October 1997 | Wrexham | H | 3–0 | 4,042 | Boli, Hodge (pen), Watson |
| 18 October 1997 | Brentford | A | 0–3 | 4,874 | |
| 21 October 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 2–4 | 3,884 | Viveash, Watson |
| 25 October 1997 | Bristol City | H | 0–0 | 4,618 | |
| 1 November 1997 | Burnley | A | 1–2 | 9,293 | Viveash |
| 4 November 1997 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–0 | 2,599 | |
| 8 November 1997 | Watford | H | 0–0 | 5,077 | |
| 22 November 1997 | Luton Town | A | 1–0 | 4,726 | Hodge |
| 29 November 1997 | Blackpool | H | 2–1 | 3,933 | Watson, Boli |
| 3 December 1997 | Millwall | A | 1–0 | 4,647 | Keates |
| 13 December 1997 | Bournemouth | H | 2–1 | 3,548 | Boli, Hodge |
| 19 December 1997 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–0 | 4,677 | |
| 26 December 1997 | Bristol Rovers | H | 0–1 | 6,634 | |
| 28 December 1997 | Northampton Town | A | 2–3 | 7,094 | Porter, Hodge |
| 10 January 1998 | Chesterfield | H | 3–2 | 4,042 | Reeves (own goal), Watson (2) |
| 17 January 1998 | Southend United | A | 1–0 | 3,310 | Watson |
| 31 January 1998 | Preston North End | H | 1–1 | 5,377 | Hodge (pen) |
| 7 February 1998 | York City | A | 0–1 | 2,959 | |
| 14 February 1998 | Carlisle United | A | 1–1 | 4,530 | Hodge |
| 21 February 1998 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 0–1 | 4,612 | |
| 24 February 1998 | Brentford | H | 0–0 | 3,166 | |
| 28 February 1998 | Wrexham | A | 1–2 | 3,622 | Ricketts |
| 3 March 1998 | Watford | A | 2–1 | 8,096 | Tholot, Blake |
| 7 March 1998 | Burnley | H | 0–0 | 5,212 | |
| 14 March 1998 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–3 | 4,916 | |
| 21 March 1998 | Wigan Athletic | H | 1–0 | 3,169 | Péron |
| 28 March 1998 | Luton Town | H | 2–3 | 3,922 | Viveash, Tholot |
| 31 March 1998 | Gillingham | H | 1–0 | 3,117 | Evans |
| 4 April 1998 | Blackpool | A | 0–1 | 4,451 | |
| 7 April 1998 | Fulham | A | 1–1 | 6,733 | Boli |
| 11 April 1998 | Millwall | H | 2–0 | 3,307 | Tholot, Hodge (pen) |
| 14 April 1998 | Bournemouth | A | 0–1 | 3,404 | |
| 18 April 1998 | Oldham Athletic | H | 0–0 | 3,562 | |
| 21 April 1998 | Wigan Athletic | A | 0–2 | 2,725 | |
| 25 April 1998 | Bristol City | A | 1–2 | 15,059 | Tholot |
| 2 May 1998 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 0–1 | 4,412 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 15 November 1997 | Lincoln United | H | 2–0 | 3,279 | Watson, Boli |
| R2 | 6 December 1997 | Macclesfield Town | A | 7–0 | 3,566 | Boli (2, 1 pen), Hodge (2, 1 pen), Viveash, Porter (2) |
| R3 | 13 January 1998 | Peterborough United | A | 2–0 | 12,809 | Watson (2) |
| R4 | 24 January 1998 | Manchester United | A | 1–5 | 54,669 | Boli |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 12 August 1997 | Exeter City | H | 2–0 | 2,321 | Platt, Boli |
| R1 2nd Leg | 26 August 1997 | Exeter City | A | 1–0 (won 3–0 on agg) | 2,467 | Boli |
| R2 1st Leg | 17 September 1997 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–0 | 7,841 | Skinner |
| R2 2nd Leg | 24 September 1997 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–2 (won 3–2 on agg) | 6,037 | Watson (2) |
| R3 | 14 October 1997 | Sheffield United | H | 2–1 | 8,239 | Watson, Tiler (own goal) |
| R4 | 19 November 1997 | West Ham United | A | 1–4 | 17,463 | Watson |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SR1 | 9 December 1997 | Barnet | A | 2–1 | 754 | Blake, Boli |
| SR2 | 6 January 1998 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 5–0 | 2,562 | Watson, Boli (2), Keates, Allan (own goal) |
| SQF | 28 January 1998 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | 4,165 | Boli |
| SSF | 17 February 1998 | Peterborough United | A | 2–1 | 4,199 | Boli, Ricketts |
| Southern F 1st Leg | 10 March 1998 | Bournemouth | H | 0–2 | 6,017 | |
| Southern F 2nd Leg | 17 March 1998 | Bournemouth | A | 3–2 (lost 3–4 on agg) | 8,972 | Thomas, Boli, Tholot |

## 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 | Jimmy Walker |
| - | DF | WAL | Wayne Evans |
| - | DF | ENG | Adi Viveash |
| - | DF | ENG | Chris Marsh |
| - | DF | ENG | Derek Mountfield |
| - | MF | FRA | Jean-François Péron |
| - | MF | ENG | Dean Keates |
| - | MF | ENG | Gary Porter |
| - | FW | FRA | Roger Boli |
| - | FW | ENG | John Hodge |
| - | FW | ENG | Andy Watson |
| - | DF | ENG | Ian Roper |
| - | MF | ENG | Mark Blake |
| - | FW | FRA | Didier Tholot |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | FW | ENG | Clive Platt |
| - | MF | ENG | John Keister |
| - | DF | ENG | Stuart Ryder |
| - | MF | FRA | Jean-Jacques Eydelie |
| - | FW | ENG | Michael Ricketts |
| - | MF | ENG | Louie Donowa (on loan from Birmingham City) |
| - | MF | ENG | Wayne Thomas |
| - | MF | ENG | Justin Skinner (on loan from Bristol Rovers) |
| - | FW | ENG | John Williams |
| - | DF | ENG | Matt Gadsby |
| - | FW | ENG | Darren Beckford |
| - | FW | NED | Gijsbert Bos (on loan from Rotherham United) |
| - | GK | ENG | Danny Naisbitt |
| - | DF | ENG | Darren Rogers |