# 1997–98 Bristol City F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Bristol City F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

## Season summary

In the 1997–98 season, Bristol City achieved promotion to Division One, which was confirmed on 10 April 1998 after Grimsby failed to win at Wycombe and can only manage a 1–1 draw. It was also thoroughly deserved as they were in the top two since the beginning of November and also going on a brilliant run of form midway through the season which saw them lose only one from 21 league games and winning eight consecutive games during that run.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Watford | 46 | 24 | 16 | 6 | 67 | 41 | +26 | 88 | Division Champions, promoted |
| 2 | Bristol City | 46 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 69 | 39 | +30 | 85 | Promoted |
| 3 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 55 | 37 | +18 | 72 | Promoted through play-offs |
| 4 | Northampton Town | 46 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 52 | 37 | +15 | 71 | Participated in play-offs |
| 5 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 70 | 64 | +6 | 70 | Participated in play-offs |

## Results

Bristol City's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 9 August 1997 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–1 | 6,220 | Torpey |
| 16 August 1997 | Blackpool | H | 2–0 | 9,043 | Cramb, Goater |
| 23 August 1997 | Northampton Town | A | 1–2 | 6,217 | Cramb |
| 30 August 1997 | Wigan Athletic | H | 3–0 | 9,255 | Goater (3, 1 pen) |
| 2 September 1997 | Fulham | H | 0–2 | 10,293 | |
| 13 September 1997 | Wrexham | A | 1–2 | 3,251 | Goater |
| 20 September 1997 | Bournemouth | H | 1–1 | 8,330 | Goater |
| 27 September 1997 | Luton Town | H | 3–0 | 8,509 | Bell (pen), Torpey (2) |
| 4 October 1997 | Gillingham | A | 0–2 | 6,277 | |
| 11 October 1997 | Southend United | A | 2–0 | 3,273 | Bell, Hails (own goal) |
| 17 October 1997 | York City | H | 2–1 | 9,568 | Cramb, Torpey |
| 21 October 1997 | Preston North End | H | 2–1 | 9,039 | Bell (pen), Goodridge |
| 25 October 1997 | Walsall | A | 0–0 | 4,618 | |
| 29 October 1997 | Millwall | A | 2–0 | 7,026 | Torpey, Locke |
| 1 November 1997 | Oldham Athletic | H | 1–0 | 10,221 | Bell (pen) |
| 4 November 1997 | Bristol Rovers | A | 2–1 | 7,552 | Goater (2) |
| 8 November 1997 | Brentford | A | 4–1 | 6,183 | Torpey, Doherty (2), Goater |
| 18 November 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–1 | 10,867 | Bell (2) |
| 22 November 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 3–1 | 11,129 | Hewlett (2), Torpey |
| 29 November 1997 | Carlisle United | A | 3–0 | 5,044 | Goater (2), Goodridge |
| 2 December 1997 | Burnley | H | 3–1 | 11,136 | Goodridge (2), Bell (pen) |
| 13 December 1997 | Watford | A | 1–1 | 16,072 | Goater |
| 20 December 1997 | Chesterfield | H | 1–0 | 11,792 | Bell (pen) |
| 26 December 1997 | Millwall | H | 4–1 | 16,128 | Cramb, Edwards, Tinnion, Taylor |
| 28 December 1997 | Fulham | A | 0–1 | 13,273 | |
| 10 January 1998 | Grimsby Town | H | 4–1 | 12,567 | Cramb (2), Taylor, Goater |
| 17 January 1998 | Wigan Athletic | A | 3–0 | 5,078 | Doherty, Tinnion, Goater |
| 24 January 1998 | Northampton Town | H | 0–0 | 14,753 | |
| 31 January 1998 | Wrexham | H | 1–1 | 11,741 | Goater |
| 3 February 1998 | Blackpool | A | 2–2 | 3,724 | Hewlett (2) |
| 7 February 1998 | Bournemouth | A | 0–1 | 6,623 | |
| 14 February 1998 | Gillingham | H | 0–2 | 11,781 | |
| 21 February 1998 | Luton Town | A | 0–0 | 6,405 | |
| 24 February 1998 | York City | A | 1–0 | 3,770 | Bell (pen) |
| 28 February 1998 | Southend United | H | 1–0 | 12,049 | Cramb |
| 3 March 1998 | Brentford | H | 2–2 | 10,398 | Torpey, Cockerill (own goal) |
| 14 March 1998 | Bristol Rovers | H | 2–0 | 17,086 | Bell (pen), Goater |
| 21 March 1998 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–2 | 7,622 | |
| 28 March 1998 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 2–1 | 6,326 | Cramb (2) |
| 31 March 1998 | Oldham Athletic | A | 2–1 | 4,543 | Goodridge, Roberts |
| 4 April 1998 | Carlisle United | H | 1–0 | 12,578 | Goodridge |
| 11 April 1998 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | 10,600 | |
| 13 April 1998 | Watford | H | 1–1 | 19,141 | Edwards |
| 18 April 1998 | Chesterfield | A | 0–1 | 5,085 | |
| 25 April 1998 | Walsall | H | 2–1 | 15,059 | Owers, Tinnion |
| 2 May 1998 | Preston North End | A | 1–2 | 12,067 | McCarthy |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 15 November 1997 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | 8,413 | Taylor |
| R2 | 7 December 1997 | Bournemouth | A | 1–3 | 5,687 | Cramb |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 12 August 1997 | Bristol Rovers | H | 0–0 | 9,341 | |
| R1 2nd Leg | 26 August 1997 | Bristol Rovers | A | 2–1 (won 2–1 on agg) | 5,872 | Taylor, Bent |
| R2 1st Leg | 17 September 1997 | Leeds United | A | 1–3 | 8,806 | Goater |
| R2 2nd Leg | 30 September 1997 | Leeds United | H | 2–1 (lost 3–4 on agg) | 10,857 | Goodridge, Taylor |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SR2 | 6 January 1998 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | 2,557 | Locke |
| SQF | 27 January 1998 | Bournemouth | A | 0–1 | 2,124 | |

## 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 | Keith Welch |
| - | GK | ENG | Stuart Naylor |
| - | GK | ENG | Steve Phillips |
| - | DF | ENG | Michael Bell |
| - | DF | ENG | Shaun Taylor |
| - | DF | ENG | Adam Locke |
| - | DF | SCO | Louis Carey |
| - | DF | WAL | Rob Edwards |
| - | DF | ENG | Sean Dyche |
| - | DF | SCO | Scott Paterson |
| - | DF | CAN | Jim Brennan |
| - | DF | SWE | Mark Shail |
| - | DF | ENG | Kevin Langan |
| - | DF | SCO | Andy Jordan |
| - | MF | ENG | Brian Tinnion |
| - | MF | ENG | Matthew Hewlett |
| - | MF | NIR | Tommy Doherty |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | MF | ENG | Gary Owers |
| - | MF | SCO | Scott Murray |
| - | MF | ENG | Paul Tisdale |
| - | MF | LBY | Jehad Muntasser |
| - | FW | SCO | Colin Cramb |
| - | FW | BER | Shaun Goater |
| - | FW | BRB | Gregory Goodridge |
| - | FW | ENG | Steve Torpey |
| - | FW | WAL | Sean McCarthy (on loan from Oldham Athletic) |
| - | FW | NOR | Stig Johansen (on loan from Southampton) |
| - | FW | GRN | Jason Roberts (on loan from Wolves) |
| - | FW | ENG | Dominic Barclay |
| - | FW | ENG | Junior Bent |
| - | FW | ENG | Dwayne Plummer |