# 1997–98 Charlton Athletic F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Charlton Athletic F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

The 1997–98 season was Charlton's best campaign for years. They reached the division One play-off final and battled against Sunderland in a thrilling game which ended with a 4–4 draw after extra time. Charlton won 7–6 on penalties, with the match described as "arguably the most dramatic game of football in Wembley's history". With five minutes of normal time remaining, Charlton were losing 3-2 before Richard Rufus scored his first ever senior goal from a corner, forcing the game into extra-time. After the resulting 4–4 draw, the Addicks went on to win the game 7–6 on penalties, thus gaining promotion into the Premier League.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 2 | Middlesbrough (P) | 46 | 27 | 10 | 9 | 77 | 41 | +36 | 91 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 3 | Sunderland | 46 | 26 | 12 | 8 | 86 | 50 | +36 | 90 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 4 | Charlton Athletic (O, P) | 46 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 80 | 49 | +31 | 88 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 5 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 77 | 43 | +34 | 83 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 6 | Sheffield United | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 69 | 54 | +15 | 74 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |

## Results

Charlton Athletic's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 9 August 1997 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–2 | 29,414 | S Jones |
| 16 August 1997 | Oxford United | H | 3–2 | 10,230 | S Jones, Mendonca, Lisbie |
| 23 August 1997 | Bury | A | 0–0 | 4,657 | |
| 30 August 1997 | Manchester City | H | 2–1 | 14,009 | van Blerk (own goal), K Jones |
| 13 September 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–3 | 22,683 | Chapple |
| 17 September 1997 | Norwich City | A | 4–0 | 10,157 | Mendonca (3), Chapple |
| 21 September 1997 | Bradford City | H | 4–1 | 11,583 | Mendonca (2), Mortimer, Brown |
| 27 September 1997 | Stockport County | H | 1–3 | 12,083 | Mortimer |
| 4 October 1997 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 4–2 | 14,825 | Robinson (2), S Jones, Chapple |
| 14 October 1997 | Huddersfield Town | A | 3–0 | 9,596 | Mendonca, Brown, Robinson |
| 19 October 1997 | Stoke City | H | 1–1 | 12,345 | Kinsella |
| 22 October 1997 | Birmingham City | H | 1–1 | 10,072 | Mendonca |
| 25 October 1997 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 2–2 | 5,911 | Kinsella, Leaburn |
| 1 November 1997 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–0 | 12,627 | Mendonca, Chapple, Leaburn |
| 4 November 1997 | Sunderland | A | 0–0 | 25,455 | |
| 8 November 1997 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–1 | 16,124 | |
| 15 November 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3–2 | 14,091 | K Jones, Allen, Holmes |
| 22 November 1997 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–5 | 18,532 | Allen, Woan (own goal) |
| 28 November 1997 | Swindon Town | H | 3–0 | 13,769 | K Jones, Mendonca (2, 1 pen) |
| 6 December 1997 | Reading | A | 0–2 | 8,076 | |
| 9 December 1997 | Sheffield United | H | 2–1 | 9,868 | Mendonca (2, 1 pen) |
| 13 December 1997 | Port Vale | H | 1–0 | 11,077 | Newton |
| 20 December 1997 | Portsmouth | A | 2–0 | 8,581 | Robinson, Leaburn |
| 26 December 1997 | Norwich City | H | 2–1 | 14,472 | Kinsella, Robinson |
| 28 December 1997 | Sheffield United | A | 1–4 | 18,677 | Bright |
| 10 January 1998 | Middlesbrough | H | 3–0 | 15,742 | Newton (2), Bright |
| 17 January 1998 | Oxford United | A | 2–1 | 7,234 | Mendonca, Robinson |
| 28 January 1998 | Manchester City | A | 2–2 | 24,058 | S Jones (2) |
| 31 January 1998 | Bury | H | 0–0 | 15,312 | |
| 7 February 1998 | Bradford City | A | 0–1 | 14,851 | |
| 17 February 1998 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 1–1 | 15,555 | Robinson |
| 21 February 1998 | Stockport County | A | 0–3 | 7,705 | |
| 25 February 1998 | Stoke City | A | 2–1 | 10,027 | Robinson, Barness |
| 28 February 1998 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–0 | 12,908 | Bright |
| 3 March 1998 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 5–0 | 10,893 | Bright, Newton, Mendonca (2, 1 pen), Kinsella |
| 7 March 1998 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–3 | 19,831 | Mendonca |
| 15 March 1998 | Sunderland | H | 1–1 | 15,355 | Bright |
| 21 March 1998 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3–0 | 5,252 | Mills, Newton, Kinsella |
| 28 March 1998 | Nottingham Forest | H | 4–2 | 15,815 | Bright, Mortimer, Mendonca (pen), Kinsella |
| 4 April 1998 | Swindon Town | A | 1–0 | 7,845 | S Jones |
| 7 April 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | 13,743 | Mendonca |
| 10 April 1998 | Reading | H | 3–0 | 14,220 | Mendonca, Mortimer, Bright |
| 13 April 1998 | Port Vale | A | 1–0 | 9,973 | Mendonca (pen) |
| 18 April 1998 | Portsmouth | H | 1–0 | 14,082 | S Jones |
| 25 April 1998 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2–0 | 15,393 | Mendonca (2 pens) |
| 3 May 1998 | Birmingham City | A | 0–0 | 25,877 | |

### First Division play-offs

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SF 1st Leg | 10 May 1998 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–0 | 21,681 | Clapham (own goal) |
| SF 2nd Leg | 13 May 1998 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–0 (won 2–0 on agg) | 15,585 | Newton |
| F | 25 May 1998 | Sunderland | N | 4–4 (won 7–6 on pens) | 77,739 | Mendonca (3), Rufus |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 3 January 1998 | Nottingham Forest | H | 4–1 | 13,827 | Robinson, Brown, Leaburn, Mendonca |
| R4 | 24 January 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 15,540 | K Jones |
| R4R | 3 February 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–3 | 20,429 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 First Leg | 13 August 1997 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–1 | 6,598 | |
| R1 Second Leg | 26 August 1997 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–3 (lost 1–4 on agg) | 10,989 | Mendonca |

## 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 | AUS | Andy Petterson |
| — | GK | SCG | Saša Ilić |
| — | GK | ENG | Mike Salmon |
| — | DF | ENG | Richard Rufus |
| — | DF | WAL | Mark Bowen |
| — | DF | ENG | Phil Chapple |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Brown |
| — | DF | ENG | Anthony Barness |
| — | DF | SCO | Stuart Balmer |
| — | DF | ENG | Danny Mills |
| — | DF | ENG | Eddie Youds |
| — | DF | ENG | Paul Konchesky |
| — | DF | ENG | Jamie Stuart |
| — | DF | ENG | David Kerslake (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) |
| — | DF | ENG | Jason Tindall |
| — | DF | ENG | Anthony Allman |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | IRL | Mark Kinsella |
| — | MF | ENG | Keith Jones |
| — | MF | WAL | John Robinson |
| — | MF | ENG | Shaun Newton |
| — | MF | ENG | Matty Holmes |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Mortimer |
| — | MF | ENG | Kevin Nicholls |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Emblen |
| — | MF | ENG | Scott Parker |
| — | FW | ENG | Clive Mendonca |
| — | FW | ENG | Steve Jones |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Bright |
| — | FW | ENG | Carl Leaburn |
| — | FW | ENG | Bradley Allen |
| — | FW | ENG | Neil Heaney (on loan from Manchester City) |
| — | FW | ENG | Kevin Lisbie |