# 1998–99 Hull City A.F.C. season

During the 1998–99 English football season, Hull City A.F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division.

## Season summary

In November 1998 after a poor start to the season, Mark Hateley departed the club and Warren Joyce was asked to stand in as caretaker manager.
Hull soon made the appointment permanent with Joyce taking on the dual role of player-manager. At the time of his appointment, the Tigers were rooted to the foot of the Third Division table and looked to be heading out of the Football League – and into bankruptcy. However, under Joyce's stewardship, Hull staged a remarkable turnaround and achieved survival with games to spare; Hull City fans christened this season "the Great Escape".

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 19 | Rochdale | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 42 | 55 | −13 | 54 |
| 20 | Torquay United | 46 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 47 | 58 | −11 | 53 |
| 21 | Hull City | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 44 | 62 | −18 | 53 |
| 22 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 52 | 65 | −13 | 51 |
| 23 | Carlisle United | 46 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 43 | 53 | −10 | 49 |

## Results

Hull City's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Third Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 8 August 1998 | Rotherham United | A | 1–3 | 5,447 | D'Auria |
| 15 August 1998 | Darlington | H | 1–2 | 5,217 | Whitworth |
| 23 August 1998 | Chester City | A | 2–2 | 2,577 | Brown, Hateley (pen) |
| 29 August 1998 | Peterborough United | H | 1–0 | 4,636 | Hateley (pen) |
| 31 August 1998 | Hartlepool United | A | 0–1 | 3,277 | |
| 5 September 1998 | Brentford | H | 2–3 | 4,058 | Hocking, Whitworth |
| 8 September 1998 | Rochdale | H | 2–1 | 3,433 | Peacock, Brown |
| 12 September 1998 | Barnet | A | 1–4 | 2,025 | Peacock |
| 19 September 1998 | Halifax Town | H | 1–2 | 4,719 | McGinty |
| 26 September 1998 | Mansfield Town | A | 0–2 | 2,603 | |
| 3 October 1998 | Cambridge United | H | 0–3 | 3,882 | |
| 9 October 1998 | Cardiff City | H | 1–2 | 8,594 | Brown |
| 17 October 1998 | Scarborough | A | 2–1 | 2,760 | Mann, Hateley |
| 20 October 1998 | Exeter City | A | 0–3 | 2,101 | |
| 24 October 1998 | Southend United | H | 1–1 | 3,551 | McGinty |
| 31 October 1998 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–0 | 4,285 | |
| 7 November 1998 | Leyton Orient | H | 0–1 | 5,288 | |
| 10 November 1998 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 0–2 | 4,433 | |
| 21 November 1998 | Scunthorpe United | A | 2–3 | 5,633 | Dudley, Brown |
| 28 November 1998 | Carlisle United | H | 1–0 | 4,452 | Dudley |
| 12 December 1998 | Torquay United | A | 0–2 | 2,033 | |
| 19 December 1998 | Swansea City | H | 0–2 | 4,280 | |
| 26 December 1998 | Chester City | H | 1–2 | 6,695 | D'Auria |
| 28 December 1998 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 2–3 | 2,879 | D'Auria (pen), Joyce |
| 9 January 1999 | Rotherham United | H | 1–0 | 5,575 | Bonner |
| 23 January 1999 | Hartlepool United | H | 4–0 | 5,808 | Brown (2), McGinty (2) |
| 26 January 1999 | Peterborough United | A | 1–1 | 4,405 | Whitney |
| 30 January 1999 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 1–1 | 7,331 | Gayle (own goal) |
| 6 February 1999 | Brentford | A | 2–0 | 5,086 | Alcide, Brown |
| 12 February 1999 | Rochdale | A | 0–3 | 5,374 | |
| 16 February 1999 | Darlington | A | 1–0 | 3,107 | Brabin |
| 20 February 1999 | Barnet | H | 1–1 | 6,823 | Whittle |
| 27 February 1999 | Halifax Town | A | 1–0 | 4,455 | Brown |
| 6 March 1999 | Mansfield Town | H | 0–0 | 6,692 | |
| 9 March 1999 | Cambridge United | A | 0–2 | 4,948 | |
| 13 March 1999 | Leyton Orient | A | 2–1 | 5,481 | Brabin, Brown |
| 20 March 1999 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 1–0 | 6,294 | Brabin |
| 26 March 1999 | Southend United | A | 1–0 | 4,149 | D'Auria |
| 3 April 1999 | Scarborough | H | 1–1 | 13,949 | Brabin |
| 5 April 1999 | Cardiff City | A | 1–1 | 8,252 | Alcide |
| 10 April 1999 | Exeter City | H | 2–1 | 5,836 | Williams, Alcide |
| 13 April 1999 | Carlisle United | A | 0–0 | 3,743 | |
| 17 April 1999 | Scunthorpe United | H | 2–3 | 9,835 | Warren Joyce, Brown |
| 24 April 1999 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 0–0 | 3,481 | |
| 1 May 1999 | Torquay United | H | 1–0 | 7,789 | Brown |
| 8 May 1999 | Swansea City | A | 0–2 | 9,226 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 14 November 1998 | Salisbury City | A | 2–0 | 2,570 | Rioch, McGinty |
| R2 | 5 December 1998 | Luton Town | A | 2–1 | 5,021 | Morley, Dewhurst |
| R3 | 2 January 1999 | Aston Villa | A | 0–3 | 39,217 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 11 August 1998 | Stockport County | A | 2–2 | 3,134 | Brown, McGinty |
| R1 2nd Leg | 18 August 1998 | Stockport County | H | 0–0 (won on away goals) | 3,480 | |
| R2 1st Leg | 15 September 1998 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–3 | 7,544 | Brown |
| R2 2nd Leg | 22 September 1998 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2–3 (lost 3–6 on agg) | 4,226 | Brown, Rioch (pen) |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1N | 22 December 1998 | Notts County | A | 1–0 | 1,109 | D'Auria |
| R2N | 5 January 1999 | Wrexham | H | 1–2 | 2,331 | Williams |

## 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 | Steve Wilson |
| - | DF | ENG | Mike Edwards |
| - | DF | ENG | Matt Hocking |
| - | DF | ENG | Justin Whittle |
| - | DF | ENG | Jon Whitney |
| - | MF | WAL | David D'Auria |
| - | MF | ENG | Warren Joyce (player-manager from 21 November) |
| - | MF | ENG | Gareth Williams |
| - | MF | ENG | Gary Brabin |
| - | FW | ENG | David Brown |
| - | FW | SCO | Brian McGinty |
| - | FW | ENG | Colin Alcide |
| - | DF | ENG | Steve Swales |
| - | DF | ENG | Mark Greaves |
| - | MF | ENG | Steve Hawes |
| - | GK | ENG | Andy Oakes |
| - | DF | ENG | Neil Whitworth |
| - | DF | ENG | Neil Mann |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | DF | ENG | Gregor Rioch |
| - | FW | ENG | Jon French |
| - | FW | ENG | Mark Hateley (player-manager until 11 November) |
| - | MF | ENG | Gerry Harrison (on loan from Sunderland) |
| - | DF | WAL | Jason Perry |
| - | FW | ENG | Craig Faulconbridge (on loan from Coventry City) |
| - | DF | ENG | Rob Dewhurst |
| - | FW | ENG | Duane Darby (on loan from Notts County) |
| - | GK | ENG | Paul Gibson |
| - | DF | ENG | Lee Ellington |
| - | MF | ENG | Kevin Gage |
| - | DF | ENG | Ben Morley |
| - | MF | ENG | Adam Bolder |
| - | GK | ENG | Matt Baker |
| - | DF | ENG | Sam Sharman |
| - | MF | ENG | Steven Underwood |
| - | GK | ENG | Phil Poole |

### Left club during the 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 |
| - | FW | ENG | Andy Saville (on loan from Cardiff City) |
| - | FW | ENG | Craig Dudley (on loan from Notts County) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | MF | ENG | Richard Peacock (to Lincoln City) |
| - | MF | ENG | Mark Bonner (on loan from Cardiff City) |