# 1997–98 Oldham Athletic A.F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Oldham Athletic A.F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

## Season summary

In the 1997–98 season, Warnock was unable to achieve promotion with Oldham during the Division Two campaign and left after one disappointing year in charge, despite Oldham being in the play-off places until early March.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 11 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 64 | 66 | −2 | 62 |
| 12 | Blackpool | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 59 | 67 | −8 | 62 |
| 13 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 62 | 54 | +8 | 61 |
| 14 | Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 51 | 53 | −2 | 60 |
| 15 | Preston North End | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 56 | 56 | 0 | 59 |

## Results

Oldham Athletic's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 9 August 1997 | York City | H | 3–1 | 6,474 | Garnett, Barlow, Reid |
| 16 August 1997 | Wrexham | A | 1–3 | 4,429 | McCarthy |
| 23 August 1997 | Bournemouth | H | 2–1 | 4,986 | McCarthy (2) |
| 30 August 1997 | Luton Town | A | 1–1 | 5,404 | Barlow |
| 2 September 1997 | Burnley | A | 0–0 | 11,189 | |
| 9 September 1997 | Preston North End | H | 1–0 | 8,732 | Wright |
| 13 September 1997 | Northampton Town | H | 2–2 | 5,588 | Graham, S McNiven |
| 20 September 1997 | Blackpool | A | 2–2 | 7,174 | Barlow (2) |
| 27 September 1997 | Bristol Rovers | H | 4–4 | 5,990 | Barlow (2), McCarthy, Garnett |
| 4 October 1997 | Fulham | A | 1–3 | 8,805 | Hodgson |
| 11 October 1997 | Millwall | A | 1–2 | 7,906 | Hodgson |
| 18 October 1997 | Chesterfield | H | 2–0 | 5,777 | Ritchie, Barlow |
| 21 October 1997 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–0 | 4,520 | Wright, Duxbury |
| 25 October 1997 | Southend United | A | 1–1 | 3,595 | Barlow |
| 1 November 1997 | Bristol City | A | 0–1 | 10,221 | |
| 4 November 1997 | Wigan Athletic | H | 3–1 | 5,446 | McCarthy (2), Graham |
| 7 November 1997 | Gillingham | H | 3–1 | 5,338 | Reid (2, 1 pen), Barlow |
| 18 November 1997 | Watford | A | 1–2 | 8,397 | Duxbury |
| 22 November 1997 | Brentford | H | 1–1 | 5,012 | McCarthy |
| 29 November 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 2–0 | 5,452 | Mauge (own goal), Rickers |
| 2 December 1997 | Carlisle United | H | 3–1 | 4,449 | Rickers, Barlow, Duxbury |
| 13 December 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 1–2 | 5,327 | Barlow |
| 19 December 1997 | Walsall | H | 0–0 | 4,677 | |
| 26 December 1997 | Preston North End | A | 1–1 | 13,441 | Hodgson |
| 10 January 1998 | York City | A | 0–0 | 4,454 | |
| 17 January 1998 | Luton Town | H | 2–1 | 6,057 | Graham (2) |
| 24 January 1998 | Bournemouth | A | 0–0 | 4,079 | |
| 27 January 1998 | Wrexham | H | 3–0 | 4,680 | Rickers, Duxbury, Ritchie |
| 31 January 1998 | Northampton Town | A | 0–0 | 6,559 | |
| 7 February 1998 | Blackpool | H | 0–1 | 6,576 | |
| 14 February 1998 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | 6,063 | Duxbury |
| 21 February 1998 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–3 | 5,789 | Starbuck (pen) |
| 24 February 1998 | Chesterfield | A | 1–2 | 4,077 | Garnett |
| 28 February 1998 | Millwall | H | 1–1 | 4,805 | Barlow |
| 3 March 1998 | Gillingham | A | 1–2 | 5,254 | Holt |
| 14 March 1998 | Wigan Athletic | A | 0–1 | 4,277 | |
| 21 March 1998 | Watford | H | 2–2 | 5,744 | Littlejohn, Allott |
| 28 March 1998 | Brentford | A | 1–2 | 4,547 | Reid (pen) |
| 31 March 1998 | Bristol City | H | 1–2 | 4,543 | Rush |
| 4 April 1998 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–0 | 4,244 | Littlejohn (2) |
| 11 April 1998 | Carlisle United | A | 1–3 | 4,594 | Hodgson |
| 13 April 1998 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 0–1 | 4,305 | |
| 18 April 1998 | Walsall | A | 0–0 | 3,562 | |
| 25 April 1998 | Southend United | H | 2–0 | 4,485 | Jepson, D McNiven |
| 28 April 1998 | Burnley | H | 3–3 | 9,781 | Jepson, Rickers, Allott |
| 2 May 1998 | Grimsby Town | A | 2–0 | 8,054 | Jepson (2) |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 15 November 1997 | Mansfield Town | H | 1–1 | 5,253 | McCarthy |
| R1R | 25 November 1997 | Mansfield Town | A | 1–0 | 4,097 | Serrant |
| R2 | 6 December 1997 | Blackpool | H | 2–1 | 6,590 | Graham, Barlow |
| R3 | 3 January 1998 | Cardiff City | A | 0–1 | 6,635 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 12 August 1997 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–0 | 5,656 | Ritchie |
| R1 2nd Leg | 26 August 1997 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–5 (lost 1–5 on agg) | 5,078 | |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| NR1 | 9 December 1997 | Carlisle United | A | 0–1 (a.e.t.) | 1,518 | |

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
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 | Mike Pollitt (on loan from Notts County) |
| — | GK | ENG | Ian Ironside |
| — | GK | NIR | David Miskelly |
| — | GK | IRL | Gary Kelly |
| — | GK | ZIM | Bruce Grobbelaar |
| — | DF | ENG | Richard Graham |
| — | DF | ENG | Shaun Garnett |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Redmond |
| — | DF | ENG | Phil Salt |
| — | DF | ENG | Carl Serrant |
| — | DF | ENG | Lee Sinnott |
| — | DF | ENG | Neil Thompson (on loan from Barnsley) |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Holt |
| — | DF | SCO | Scott McNiven |
| — | DF | SCO | Mark Innes |
| — | DF | IRL | Danny Boxall (on loan from Crystal Palace) |
| — | DF | AUS | Doug Hodgson |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Reid |
| — | MF | ENG | Lee Duxbury |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Rickers |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Allott |
| — | MF | ENG | Andrew Hughes |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Hotte |
| — | MF | ENG | Lee Richardson |
| — | MF | ISL | Þorvaldur Örlygsson |
| — | FW | ENG | Stuart Barlow |
| — | FW | ENG | Matthew Rush |
| — | FW | ENG | Andy Ritchie |
| — | FW | ENG | Ronnie Jepson |
| — | FW | ENG | Phil Starbuck |
| — | FW | ENG | Adrian Littlejohn |
| — | FW | ENG | David McNiven |
| — | FW | ENG | Lee Clitheroe |
| — | FW | ENG | Ian Ormondroyd |
| — | FW | WAL | Matthew Tipton |
| — | FW | WAL | Sean McCarthy |
| — | FW | SCO | Tommy Wright |
| — | FW | AUS | Alex Kyratzoglou |

## Squad statistics

    As of match played 2 May 1998

### Appearances

Players with no appearances are not included on the list.
| Pos. | Nat. | Player | Second Division | Second Division | Second Division | FA Cup | FA Cup | FA Cup | Coca Cola Cup | Coca Cola Cup | Coca Cola Cup | Auto Windscreens Shield | Auto Windscreens Shield | Auto Windscreens Shield | Total | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Nat. | Player | Apps | Starts | Subs | Apps | Starts | Subs | Apps | Starts | Subs | Apps | Starts | Subs | Apps | Starts | Subs |
| MF | | Paul Reid | 44 | 44 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 50 | 0 |
| MF | | Paul Rickers | 41 | 35 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 40 | 6 |
| MF | | Lee Duxbury | 38 | 37 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 44 | 1 |
| DF | | Richard Graham | 34 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 39 | 0 |
| DF | | Shaun Garnett | 34 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 37 | 2 |
| DF | | Steve Redmond | 34 | 32 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 37 | 2 |
| DF | | Scott McNiven | 32 | 25 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 30 | 9 |
| FW | | Stuart Barlow | 32 | 31 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 36 | 2 |
| DF | | Carl Serrant | 30 | 30 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| GK | | Gary Kelly | 26 | 26 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| DF | | Doug Hodgson | 27 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 25 | 7 |
| FW | | Sean McCarthy | 25 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 21 | 9 |
| FW | | Mark Allott | 22 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 13 | 15 |
| FW | | Matthew Rush | 16 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 11 | 9 |
| DF | | Danny Boxall | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| FW | | Andy Ritchie | 15 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 12 | 6 |
| GK | | Mike Pollitt | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| DF | | Andy Holt | 14 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 7 |
| DF | | Lee Sinnott | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 12 | 2 |
| FW | | Tommy Wright | 12 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 11 | 2 |
| MF | | Andrew Hughes | 10 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 10 |
| MF | | Toddy Örlygsson | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| FW | | Ronnie Jepson | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| FW | | Phil Starbuck | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| DF | | Neil Thompson | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| FW | | David McNiven | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| FW | | Adrian Littlejohn | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| DF | | Mark Innes | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| GK | | Bruce Grobbelaar | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| FW | | Matthew Tipton | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| FW | | Lee Clitheroe | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| MF | | Phil Salt | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | | Mark Hotte | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| FW | | Ian Ormondroyd | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | 46 | | | 4 | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | 53 | | |

### Goals

| Pos. | Nat. | Player | League | FA Cup | Lge Cup | EFL Trophy | Total |
| FW | | Stuart Barlow | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| FW | | Sean McCarthy | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| MF | | Lee Duxbury | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| DF | | Richard Graham | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| DF | | Doug Hodgson | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| FW | | Ronnie Jepson | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| MF | | Paul Reid | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| DF | | Shaun Garnett | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| FW | | Adrian Littlejohn | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| MF | | Paul Rickers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| FW | | Andy Ritchie | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| FW | | Mark Allott | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| FW | | Tommy Wright | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| DF | | Andy Holt | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| FW | | David McNiven | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| DF | | Scott McNiven | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| FW | | Matthew Rush | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| FW | | Phil Starbuck | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| DF | | Carl Serrant | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | 60 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 65 |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 1 August 1997 | DF | Lee Sinnott | Huddersfield Town | £50,000 |
| 11 November 1997 | GK | Jonathan Scargill | Hyde United | Non-contract |
| 15 January 1998 | FW | Ronnie Jepson | Bury | £400,000 |
| 20 March 1998 | FW | Adrian Littlejohn | Plymouth Argyle | Signed |

### Out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 15 July 1997 | GK | Jon Hallworth | Cardiff City | Free transfer |
| 1 August 1997 | DF | Craig Fleming | Norwich City | £600,000 |
| 5 September 1997 | FW | Ian Ormondroyd | Scunthorpe United | £25,000 |
| 23 October 1997 | MF | Lee Richardson | Huddersfield Town | £65,000 |
| 20 March 1998 | FW | Phil Starbuck | Plymouth Argyle | Signed |
| 23 March 1998 | MF | Andrew Hughes | Notts County | Transfer |
| 26 March 1998 | FW | Stuart Barlow | Wigan Athletic | £45,000 |
    Transfers in: £450,000
    Transfers out: £735,000
    Total spending: £285,000