# 1997–98 Leicester City F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Leicester City competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

## Season summary

Leicester City's return to European competition for the first time since the 1960s was short-lived, and they suffered a first-hurdle defeat at the hands of Spanish team Atlético Madrid. Their challenges in the domestic cups fared little better, and a 10th-place finish in the final table was not enough for another UEFA Cup adventure. But they managed to hold on to star players like Neil Lennon and Emile Heskey, and, most importantly, highly rated manager Martin O'Neill, giving fans hope of another challenge for honours in 1998–99.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 8 | West Ham United | 38 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 56 | 57 | −1 | 56 |
| 9 | Derby County | 38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 52 | 49 | +3 | 55 |
| 10 | Leicester City | 38 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 51 | 41 | +10 | 53 |
| 11 | Coventry City | 38 | 12 | 16 | 10 | 46 | 44 | +2 | 52 |
| 12 | Southampton | 38 | 14 | 6 | 18 | 50 | 55 | −5 | 48 |

### 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 | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A |
| Result | W | W | D | D | L | W | W | D | W | L | L | W | D | L | D | W | D | L | L | L | D | D | D | W | W | D | W | L | L | L | D | W | D | D | W | D | W | L |
| Position | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 |

## Results

Win  Draw  Loss

### UEFA Cup
## 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 |
| 1 | GK | USA | Kasey Keller |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Julian Watts |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Steve Walsh (captain) |
| 6 | MF | TUR | Muzzy Izzet |
| 7 | MF | NIR | Neil Lennon |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Scott Taylor |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Steve Claridge |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Garry Parker |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Emile Heskey |
| 14 | MF | WAL | Robbie Savage |
| 15 | DF | SWE | Pontus Kåmark |
| 16 | MF | SCO | Stuart Campbell |
| 17 | DF | ENG | Spencer Prior |
| 18 | DF | SCO | Matt Elliott (vice-captain) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | DF | ENG | Robert Ullathorne |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Ian Marshall |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Graham Fenton |
| 22 | GK | FRA | Pegguy Arphexad |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Sam McMahon |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Steve Guppy |
| 25 | MF | ENG | Stuart Wilson |
| 26 | FW | SWE | Lars-Gunnar Carlstrand |
| 27 | FW | ENG | Tony Cottee |
| 29 | MF | ENG | Stefan Oakes |
| 30 | GK | ENG | Ian Andrews |
| 33 | DF | ENG | Martin Fox |
| 37 | MF | GRE | Theodoros Zagorakis |
* ↑ Issued number 8 in the UEFA Cup.
* ↑ Issued number 13 in the UEFA Cup.

### Left club during 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 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Mike Whitlow (to Bolton Wanderers) |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Steve Claridge (to Wolves) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 12 | FW | ENG | Mark Robins (to CD Ourense) |

### Reserve 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 |
| - | DF | ENG | Guy Branston |
| - | FW | ENG | Lawrie Dudfield |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | DF | SCO | Gary Neil |

## Club staff

Directors & Senior Management :
| Role | Person |
| President | Ken Brigstock |
| Chairman | Tom Smeaton |
| Vice Chairman | John Elsom |
| Directors | Roy Parker |
| Directors | Martin George |
| Directors | Terry Shipman |
| Directors | John Sharp |
| Chief Executive | Barrie Pierpoint |
| Deputy Chief Executive | Charles Rayner |
First Team Management & Youth Team Management :
| Role | Person |
| First Team Manager | Martin O'Neill |
| First Team Assistant Manager | John Robertson |
| First Team Coach | Steve Walford |
| Goalkeeping Team Coach | Jim McDonagh |
| Reserve Team Coach | Paul Franklin |
| Physiotherapist | Mick Yeoman |
| Physiotherapist | Alan Smith |
| Youth Academy Manager | David Nish |
| Head Coach of Youth Development | Neville Hamilton |
| Youth Development Officer | Steve Sims |
| Chief Scout | Jim Melrose |
| Kit Manager | Paul McAndrew |
Source: Leicester City F.C.

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 23 July 1997 | MF | Robbie Savage | Crewe Alexandra | £400,000 |
| 8 August 1997 | MF | Graham Fenton | Blackburn Rovers | £1,100,000 |
| 14 August 1997 | FW | Tony Cottee | Selangor | £500,000 |
| 20 August 1997 | GK | Pegguy Arphexad | Lens | Free transfer |
| 5 February 1998 | MF | Theodoros Zagorakis | PAOK | £750,000 |

### Out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 17 June 1997 | MF | Jamie Lawrence | Bradford City | £50,000 |
| 22 June 1997 | DF | Neil Lewis | Peterborough United | £75,000 |
| 23 July 1997 | DF | Simon Grayson | Aston Villa | £1,350,000 |
| 2 August 1997 | GK | Kevin Poole | Birmingham City | Free transfer |
| 19 September 1997 | DF | Mike Whitlow | Bolton Wanderers | £500,000 |
| 16 January 1998 | FW | Mark Robins | Ourense | Signed |
| 26 March 1998 | FW | Steve Claridge | Wolverhampton Wanderers | £350,000 |
    Transfers in: £2,750,000
    Transfers out: £2,325,000
    Total spending: £525,000

## Statistics
### Appearances, goals and cards

    (Starting appearances + substitute appearances)
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | UEFA Cup | UEFA Cup | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | Kasey Keller | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Julian Watts | 0+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Steve Walsh | 23+3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26+3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Muzzy Izzet | 36 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Neil Lennon | 37 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Steve Claridge | 10+7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 10+8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Garry Parker | 15+7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19+7 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | Emile Heskey | 35 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 10 | 4 | 1 |
| 14 | MF | Robbie Savage | 28+7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 31+8 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | Pontus Kåmark | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Stuart Campbell | 6+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7+5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Spencer Prior | 28+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | Matt Elliott | 37 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Robert Ullathorne | 3+3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3+3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | FW | Ian Marshall | 22+2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 27+2 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | Graham Fenton | 9+13 | 3 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 10+17 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | GK | Pegguy Arphexad | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | Sam McMahon | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Steve Guppy | 37 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | Stuart Wilson | 0+11 | 2 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+14 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | Tony Cottee | 7+12 | 4 | 0+2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 8+15 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | Theodoros Zagorakis | 12+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12+2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |