# 1997–98 Plymouth Argyle F.C. season

The 1997–98 season was the 103rd season in the history of Plymouth Argyle Football Club, their 73rd in the Football League,

## 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 | Jon Sheffield |
| — | DF | ENG | Simon Collins |
| — | DF | ENG | Paul Williams |
| — | MF | ENG | Ronnie Mauge |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Saunders |
| — | DF | ENG | Mick Heathcote (captain) |
| — | DF | WAL | Jason Rowbotham |
| — | DF | ENG | Paul Wotton |
| — | MF | ENG | Martin Barlow |
| — | MF | ENG | Darren Currie |
| — | FW | LCA | Earl Jean |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Richard Logan |
| — | MF | ENG | Lee Phillips |
| — | FW | ENG | Phil Starbuck |
| — | FW | IRL | Barry Conlon (on loan from Manchester City) |
| — | FW | ENG | Adrian Littlejohn |
| — | FW | ENG | Danny O'Hagan |
| — | FW | CAN | Carlo Corazzin |
| — | MF | ENG | Graham Anthony |
| — | MF | ENG | Chris Billy |
| — | MF | ENG | Neil Illman |
| — | FW | ENG | Padi Wilson |
| — | DF | ENG | Jon Ashton |
| — | DF | ENG | Jon Beswetherick |

### 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 |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Woods (on loan from Stoke City) |
| — | MF | ENG | Gary Clayton (to Torquay United) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Lee Hodges (on loan from West Ham United) |

## Second Division
### Final standings

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 20 | Burnley | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 55 | 65 | −10 | 52 | |
| 21 | Brentford | 46 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 50 | 71 | −21 | 50 | Relegated |
| 22 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 55 | 70 | −15 | 49 | Relegated |
| 23 | Carlisle United | 46 | 12 | 8 | 26 | 57 | 73 | −16 | 44 | Relegated |
| 24 | Southend United | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 47 | 79 | −32 | 43 | Relegated |

### 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 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | D | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A |
| Result | D | D | D | D | L | L | D | D | W | L | L | L | D | L | W | W | W | L | D | L | D | W | L | L | D | L | L | W | L | W | D | W | L | L | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | L | L | L |
| Position | 19 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 |

### Matches

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 9 August 1997 | Bristol Rovers | Away | 1–1 | Heathcote | 7,386 |
| 16 August 1997 | Grimsby Town | Home | 2–2 | Logan, Littlejohn | 6,002 |
| 23 August 1997 | Wigan Athletic | Away | 1–1 | Logan | 3,761 |
| 30 August 1997 | Chesterfield | Away | 1–1 | Jean | 5,284 |
| 2 September 1997 | Watford | Home | 0–1 | | 5,141 |
| 9 September 1997 | Fulham | Away | 2–0 | | 5,141 |
| 13 September 1997 | Brentford | Home | 0–0 | | 4,394 |
| 20 September 1997 | Carlisle United | Away | 2–2 | Littlejohn, Wilson | 5,667 |
| 27 September 1997 | Walsall | Home | 2–1 | Barlow (2) | 6,207 |
| 4 October 1997 | York City | Away | 1–0 | | 2,894 |
| 11 October 1997 | Luton Town | Away | 3–0 | | 4,931 |
| 18 October 1997 | Southend United | Home | 2–3 | Littlejohn, Corazzin | 3,430 |
| 21 October 1997 | Burnley | Home | 2–2 | Jean, Heathcote | 3,006 |
| 25 October 1997 | Gillingham | Away | 2–1 | Jean | 6,679 |
| 1 November 1997 | Preston North End | Away | 0–1 | Corazzin | 8,405 |
| 4 November 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | Home | 4–2 | Corazzin (2), Littlejohn, Mauge | 2,993 |
| 8 November 1997 | Bournemouth | Home | 3–0 | Jean, Littlejohn (2) | 5,067 |
| 18 November 1997 | Bristol City | Away | 2–1 | Corazzin | 10,867 |
| 22 November 1997 | Wrexham | Away | 1–1 | Corazzin | 3,641 |
| 29 November 1997 | Oldham Athletic | Home | 0–2 | | 5,452 |
| 2 December 1997 | Blackpool | Away | 0–0 | | 3,281 |
| 13 December 1997 | Millwall | Home | 3–0 | Collins, Billy, Corazzin | 4,460 |
| 20 December 1997 | Northampton Town | Away | 2–1 | Corazzin | 5,546 |
| 26 December 1997 | Fulham | Home | 1–4 | Barlow | 9,469 |
| 28 December 1997 | Watford | Away | 1–1 | Saunders | 11,594 |
| 10 January 1998 | Bristol Rovers | Home | 1–2 | Corazzin | 6,850 |
| 17 January 1998 | Chesterfield | Away | 2–1 | Corazzin | 3,879 |
| 24 January 1998 | Wigan Athletic | Home | 3–1 | Saunders, Barlow, Collins | 4,345 |
| 31 January 1998 | Brentford | Away | 3–1 | Corazzin | 4,783 |
| 7 February 1998 | Carlisle United | Home | 2–1 | Heathcote, Corazzin | 4,540 |
| 14 February 1998 | York City | Home | 0–0 | | 4,382 |
| 21 February 1998 | Walsall | Away | 0–1 | Heathcote | 4,612 |
| 24 February 1998 | Southend United | Away | 3–0 | | 4,363 |
| 28 February 1998 | Luton Town | Home | 0–2 | | 4,846 |
| 3 March 1998 | Bournemouth | Away | 3–3 | Saunders, Logan, Corazzin | 3,545 |
| 7 March 1998 | Preston North End | Home | 2–0 | Wotton, Conlon | 4,201 |
| 14 March 1998 | Wycombe Wanderers | Away | 5–1 | Corazzin | 5,508 |
| 21 March 1998 | Bristol City | Home | 2–0 | Saunders, Conlon | 7,622 |
| 24 March 1998 | Grimsby Town | Away | 1–0 | | 4,661 |
| 28 March 1998 | Wrexham | Home | 2–0 | Corazzin, Saunders | 4,749 |
| 4 April 1998 | Oldham Athletic | Away | 2–0 | | 4,244 |
| 11 April 1998 | Blackpool | Home | 3–1 | own-goal, Logan, Corazzin | 5,655 |
| 13 April 1998 | Millwall | Away | 1–1 | Corazzin | 5,496 |
| 18 April 1998 | Northampton Town | Home | 1–3 | Saunders | 6,389 |
| 25 April 1998 | Gillingham | Home | 0-1 | | 7,941 |
| 2 May 1998 | Burnley | Away | 2–1 | Saunders | 18,811 |

## FA Cup

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 15 November 1997 | First round | Cambridge United | Home | 0–0 | | 4,793 |
| 24 November 1997 | First round replay | Cambridge United | Away | 2–3 | | |

## Football League Cup

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 12 August 1998 | First round, first leg | Oxford United | Away | 0–2 | | 5,083 |
| 26 August 1998 | First round, second leg | Oxford United | Home | 3–5 | | 3,037 |

## Football League Trophy

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 9 December 1997 | First round | Northampton Town | Away | 1–1 (3–5 p) | | 2,631 |