1997–98 Football League

The 1997–98 Football League (known as the Nationwide Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 99th completed season of The Football League.

The Football League
Season1997–98
ChampionsNottingham Forest
PromotedNottingham Forest
Middlesbrough
Charlton Athletic
RelegatedDoncaster Rovers
New Team in LeagueMacclesfield Town

Champions Nottingham Forest and runners-up Middlesbrough won promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking. Charlton Athletic won the play-offs to end an eight-year absence from the top flight.

Reading were relegated in bottom place. They were joined on the last day of the season by Manchester City and Stoke City. The blue half of Manchester endured relegation to the third tier of the English league for the first time in its history, despite beating also doomed Stoke 5–2 away on the last day of the season, but neither fans took lightly to relegation, as mass football violence outside outshone the match. Bury, Portsmouth and Port Vale all won their games to avoid the drop.

Graham Taylor's second spell as manager brought instant success as Watford won the Division Two championship. They were joined by runners-up Bristol City and playoff winners Grimsby Town.

Going down to Division Three were Brentford, Plymouth Argyle, Carlisle United and Southend United. Brentford had been losing playoff finalists just 12 months earlier, Plymouth had been promoted to Division Two just two seasons earlier, Carlisle were newly promoted and Southend had endured their second successive relegation.

Macclesfield Town finished runners-up in Division Three to gain their second successive promotion, a year after winning the Conference. They were joined by champions Notts County, who won the title by 17 points and became the first team since World War II to secure promotion in March, third-placed Lincoln City and playoff winners Colchester United.

Doncaster Rovers suffered an English league record of 34 defeats and won just four games to lose their league status. They were replaced by Conference champions Halifax Town, who regained their league status five years after losing it.

First Division
Main article: 1997–98 Football League First Division
Football League, First Division
Season1997–98
ChampionsNottingham Forest (3rd second tier title)
Direct promotion to FA Premier LeagueNottingham Forest,
Middlesbrough
Promoted through play-offsCharlton Athletic
RelegatedManchester City,
Reading,
Stoke City
Matches played552
Goals scored1,410 (2.55 per match)
Top goalscorerPierre van Hooijdonk (Nottingham Forest), 29
Kevin Phillips (Sunderland), 29 [1]

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Nottingham Forest (C) 46 28 10 8 82 42 +40 94 Promotion to 1998–99 FA Premier League
2 Middlesbrough (P) 46 27 10 9 77 41 +36 91
3 Sunderland 46 26 12 8 86 50 +36 90 Qualification for First Division play-offs
4 Charlton Athletic (P) 46 26 10 10 80 49 +31 88
5 Ipswich Town 46 23 14 9 77 43 +34 83
6 Sheffield United 46 19 17 10 69 54 +15 74
7 Birmingham City 46 19 17 10 60 35 +25 74
8 Stockport County 46 19 8 19 71 69 +2 65
9 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 18 11 17 57 53 +4 65
10 West Bromwich Albion 46 16 13 17 50 56 −6 61
11 Crewe Alexandra 46 18 5 23 58 65 −7 59
12 Oxford United 46 16 10 20 60 64 −4 58
13 Bradford City 46 14 15 17 46 59 −13 57
14 Tranmere Rovers 46 14 14 18 54 57 −3 56
15 Norwich City 46 14 13 19 52 69 −17 55
16 Huddersfield Town 46 14 11 21 50 72 −22 53
17 Bury 46 11 19 16 42 58 −16 52
18 Swindon Town 46 14 10 22 42 73 −31 52
19 Port Vale 46 13 10 23 56 66 −10 49
20 Portsmouth 46 13 10 23 51 63 −12 49
21 Queens Park Rangers 46 10 19 17 51 63 −12 49
22 Manchester City (R) 46 12 12 22 56 57 −1 48 Relegation to 1998–99 Second Division
23 Stoke City (R) 46 11 13 22 44 74 −30 46
24 Reading (R) 46 11 9 26 39 78 −39 42
Updated to match(es) played on 3 May 1998. Source: Statto.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of goal scored; 3) goal difference.
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.

Play-offs
Main article: Football League Championship play-offs § 1998
  Semifinals
1st leg – 10 May; 2nd leg – 13 May 1998		 Final at Wembley
25 May 1998
                     
3rd Sunderland 1 2 3  
6th Sheffield United 2 0 2  
    3rd Sunderland 4 (6)
  4th Charlton Athletic (pen.) 4 (7)
4th Charlton Athletic 1 1 2
5th Ipswich Town 0 0 0  

[2]

Results
Home \ Away BIR BRA Bury CHA CRE HUD IPS MCI MID NWC NOT OXF PTV POR QPR REA SHU STP STK SUN SWI TRA WBA WOL
Birmingham City 0–0 1–3 0–0 0–1 0–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–2 1–2 0–0 1–1 2–1 1–0 3–0 2–0 4–1 2–0 0–1 3–0 0–0 1–0 1–0
Bradford City 0–0 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 2–1 2–1 2–2 2–1 0–3 0–0 2–1 1–3 1–1 4–1 1–1 2–1 0–0 0–4 1–1 0–1 0–0 2–0
BRY 2–1 2–0 0–0 1–1 2–2 0–1 1–1 0–1 1–0 2–0 1–0 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–1 0–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–3 1–3
Charlton Athletic 1–1 4–1 0–0 3–2 1–0 3–0 2–1 3–0 2–1 4–2 3–2 1–0 1–0 1–1 3–0 2–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 3–0 2–0 5–0 1–0
Crewe Alexandra 0–2 5–0 1–2 0–3 2–5 0–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–4 2–1 0–1 3–1 2–3 1–0 2–1 0–1 2–0 0–3 2–0 2–1 2–3 0–2
Huddersfield Town 0–1 1–2 2–0 0–3 2–0 2–2 1–3 0–1 1–3 0–2 5–1 0–4 1–1 1–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 3–1 2–3 0–0 3–0 1–0 1–0
Ipswich Town 0–1 2–1 2–0 3–1 3–2 5–1 1–0 1–1 5–0 0–1 5–2 5–1 2–0 0–0 1–0 2–2 0–2 2–3 2–0 2–1 0–0 1–1 3–0
Manchester City 0–1 1–0 0–1 2–2 1–0 0–1 1–2 2–0 1–2 2–3 0–2 2–3 2–2 2–2 0–0 0–0 4–1 0–1 0–1 6–0 1–1 1–0 0–1
Middlesbrough 3–1 1–0 4–0 2–1 1–0 3–0 1–1 1–0 3–0 0–0 4–1 2–1 1–1 3–0 4–0 1–2 3–1 0–1 3–1 6–0 3–0 1–0 1–1
Norwich City 3–3 2–3 2–2 0–4 0–2 5–0 2–1 0–0 1–3 1–0 2–1 1–0 2–0 0–0 0–0 2–1 1–1 0–0 2–1 5–0 0–2 1–1 0–2
Nottingham Forest 1–0 2–2 3–0 5–2 3–1 3–0 2–1 1–3 4–0 2–3 1–3 2–1 1–0 4–0 1–0 3–0 2–1 1–0 0–3 3–0 2–2 1–0 3–0
Oxford United 0–2 0–0 1–1 1–2 0–0 2–0 1–0 0–0 1–4 2–0 0–1 2–0 1–0 3–1 3–0 2–4 3–0 5–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 3–0
Port Vale 0–1 0–0 1–1 0–1 2–3 4–1 1–3 2–1 0–1 2–2 0–1 3–0 2–1 2–0 0–0 0–0 2–1 0–0 3–1 0–1 0–1 1–2 0–2
Portsmouth 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–3 3–0 0–1 0–3 0–0 1–1 0–1 2–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 1–0 2–0 1–4 0–1 1–0 2–3 3–2
Queens Park Rangers 1–1 1–0 0–1 2–4 3–2 2–1 0–0 2–0 5–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 0–1 1–0 1–1 2–2 2–1 1–1 0–1 1–2 0–0 2–0 0–0
Reading 2–0 0–3 1–1 2–0 3–3 0–2 0–4 3–0 0–1 0–1 3–3 2–1 0–3 0–1 1–2 0–1 1–0 2–0 4–0 0–1 1–3 2–1 0–0
Sheffield United 0–0 2–1 3–0 4–1 1–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 1–0 2–2 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 2–2 4–0 5–1 3–2 2–0 2–1 2–1 2–4 1–0
Stockport County 2–2 1–2 0–0 3–0 0–1 3–0 0–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 3–2 3–0 3–1 2–0 5–1 1–0 1–0 1–1 4–2 3–1 2–1 1–0
Stoke City 0–7 2–1 3–2 1–2 0–2 1–2 1–1 2–5 1–2 2–0 1–1 0–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 1–2 2–2 2–1 1–2 1–2 0–3 0–0 3–0
Sunderland 1–1 2–0 2–1 0–0 2–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–2 0–1 1–1 3–1 4–2 2–1 2–2 4–1 4–2 4–1 3–0 0–0 3–0 2–0 1–1
Swindon Town 1–1 1–0 3–1 0–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 1–0 0–0 4–1 4–2 0–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–2 2–1 0–2 0–0
Tranmere Rovers 0–3 3–1 0–0 2–2 0–3 1–0 1–1 0–0 0–2 2–0 0–0 0–2 1–2 2–2 2–1 6–0 3–3 3–0 3–1 0–2 3–0 0–0 2–1
West Bromwich Albion 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–0 0–1 0–2 2–3 0–1 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–2 2–2 0–3 1–1 1–0 2–0 3–2 1–1 3–3 0–0 2–1 1–0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–3 2–1 4–2 3–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–0 5–0 2–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 3–2 3–1 0–0 3–4 1–1 0–1 3–1 2–1 0–1
Source:
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Kevin Phillips Sunderland 29
= Pierre Van Hooijdonk Nottingham Forest 29
3 Kevin CampbellNottingham Forest23
= Clive MendoncaCharlton Athletic23
5 David JohnsonIpswich Town20
6 Brett AngellStockport County18
7 Paul FurlongBirmingham City15
= Marcus StewartHuddersfield Town15

Maps
Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1997–1998
Locations of the Football League First Division 1997–1998 teams

Second Division
Football League, Second Division
Season1997–98
ChampionsWatford (2nd third tier title)
Direct promotionWatford,
Bristol City
Promoted through play-offsGrimsby Town
RelegatedBrentford,
Carlisle United,
Plymouth Argyle,
Southend United
Matches played552
Goals scored1,337 (2.42 per match)
Top goalscorerBarry Hayles (Bristol Rovers), 23 [1]

Table
Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Watford 46 13 7 3 36 22 11 9 3 31 19 +26 88 Division Champions, promoted
2 Bristol City 46 16 5 2 41 17 9 5 9 28 22 +30 85 Promoted
3 Grimsby Town 46 11 7 5 30 14 8 8 7 25 23 +18 72 Promoted through play-offs
4 Northampton 46 14 5 4 33 17 4 12 7 19 20 +15 71 Participated in play-offs
5 Bristol Rovers 46 13 2 8 43 33 7 8 8 27 31 +6 70
6 Fulham 46 12 7 4 31 14 8 3 12 29 29 +17 70
7 Wrexham 46 10 10 3 31 23 8 6 9 24 28 +4 70
8 Gillingham 46 13 7 3 30 18 6 6 11 22 29 +5 70
9 Bournemouth 46 11 8 4 28 15 7 4 12 29 37 +5 66
10 Chesterfield 46 13 7 3 31 19 3 10 10 15 25 +2 65
11 Wigan Athletic 46 12 5 6 41 31 5 6 12 23 35 −2 62
12 Blackpool 46 13 6 4 35 24 4 5 14 24 43 −8 62
13 Oldham Athletic 46 13 7 3 43 23 2 9 12 19 31 +8 61
14 Wycombe Wanderers 46 10 10 3 32 20 4 8 11 19 33 −2 60
15 Preston North End 46 10 6 7 29 26 5 8 10 27 30 0 59
16 York City 46 9 7 7 26 21 5 10 8 26 37 −6 59
17 Luton Town 46 7 7 9 35 38 7 8 8 25 26 −4 57
18 Millwall 46 7 8 8 23 23 7 5 11 20 31 −11 55
19 Walsall 46 10 8 5 26 16 4 4 15 17 36 −9 54
20 Burnley 46 10 9 4 34 23 3 4 16 21 42 −10 52
21 Brentford 46 9 7 7 33 29 2 10 11 17 42 −21 50 Relegated
22 Plymouth Argyle 46 10 5 8 36 30 2 8 13 19 40 −15 49
23 Carlisle United 46 8 5 10 27 28 4 3 16 30 45 −16 44
24 Southend United 46 8 7 8 29 30 3 3 17 18 49 −32 43
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Play-offs
Main article: Football League One play-offs § 1998
  Semifinals
1st leg – 9/10 May; 2nd leg – 13 May 1998		 Final at Wembley Stadium
24 May 1998
                     
3rd Grimsby Town 1 1 2  
6th Fulham 1 0 1  
    3rd Grimsby Town 1
  4th Northampton 0
4th Northampton 1 3 4
5th Bristol Rovers 3 0 3  

[2]

Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Barry Hayles Bristol Rovers 23
2 Carlo CorazzinPlymouth Argyle17
= Kevin DonovanGrimsby Town17
= Mark StallardWycombe Wanderers17
= Ian StevensCarlisle United17
6 Andy CookeBurnley16
= David LoweWigan Athletic16
8 Peter BeadleBristol Rovers15
= Paul MoodyFulham15
10 Lee AshcroftPreston North End14
= Jeroen BoereSouthend United14

Maps
Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams 1997–1998
Locations of the Football League Second Division 1997–1998 teams

Results
Home \ Away BLP BOU BRE BRC BRR BUR CRL CHF FUL GIL GRI LUT MIL NOR OLD PLY PNE STD WAL WAT WIG WRE WYC YOR
Blackpool 1–0 1–2 2–2 1–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 2–2 1–0 3–0 1–1 2–2 0–0 2–1 3–0 1–0 1–1 0–2 1–2 2–4 1–0
Bournemouth 2–0 0–0 1–0 1–1 2–1 3–2 2–0 2–1 4–0 0–1 1–1 0–0 3–0 0–0 3–3 0–2 2–1 1–0 0–1 1–0 0–1 0–0 0–0
Brentford 3–1 3–2 1–4 2–3 2–1 0–1 0–0 0–2 2–0 3–1 2–2 2–1 0–0 2–1 3–1 0–0 1–1 3–0 1–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–2
Bristol City 2–0 1–1 2–2 2–0 3–1 1–0 1–0 0–2 0–2 4–1 3–0 4–1 0–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 2–1 1–1 3–0 1–1 3–1 2–1
Bristol Rovers 0–3 5–3 2–1 1–2 1–0 3–1 3–1 2–3 1–2 0–4 2–1 2–1 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–2 2–0 2–0 1–2 5–0 1–0 3–1 1–2
Burnley
Carlisle United
Chesterfield
Fulham
Gillingham
Grimsby Town
Luton Town
Millwall
Northampton Town
Oldham Athletic
Plymouth Argyle
Preston North End
Southend United
Walsall
Watford
Wigan Athletic
Wrexham
Wycombe Wanderers
York City
Updated to match(es) played on 20 November 2020. Source:
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Third Division
Football League, Third Division
Season1997–98
ChampionsNotts County (2nd fourth tier title)
Direct promotionNotts County,
Lincoln City,
Macclesfield Town
Promoted through play-offsColchester United
Relegated to ConferenceDoncaster Rovers
New team in LeagueMacclesfield Town
Matches played552
Goals scored1,431 (2.59 per match)
Top goalscorerGary Jones (Notts County), 28 [1]

Table
Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Notts County 46 14 7 2 41 20 15 5 3 41 23 +39 99 Division Champions, promoted
2 Macclesfield Town[lower-alpha 1] 46 19 4 0 40 11 4 9 10 23 33 +19 82 Promoted
3 Lincoln City 46 11 7 5 32 24 9 8 6 28 27 +9 75
4 Colchester United 46 14 5 4 41 24 7 6 10 31 36 +12 74 Promoted through play-offs
5 Torquay United 46 14 4 5 39 22 7 7 9 29 37 +9 74 Participated in play-offs
6 Scarborough 46 14 6 3 44 23 5 9 9 23 35 +9 72
7 Barnet 46 10 8 5 35 22 9 5 9 26 29 +10 70
8 Scunthorpe United 46 11 7 5 30 24 8 5 10 26 28 +4 69
9 Rotherham United 46 10 9 4 41 30 6 10 7 26 31 +6 67
10 Peterborough United 46 13 6 4 37 16 5 7 11 26 35 +12 67
11 Leyton Orient 46 14 5 4 40 20 5 7 11 22 27 +15 66[lower-alpha 2]
12 Mansfield Town 46 11 9 3 42 26 5 8 10 22 29 +9 65
13 Shrewsbury Town 46 12 3 8 35 28 4 10 9 26 34 −1 61
14 Chester 46 12 7 4 34 15 5 3 15 26 46 −1 61
15 Exeter City 46 10 8 5 39 25 5 7 11 29 38 +5 60
16 Cambridge United 46 11 8 4 39 27 3 10 10 24 30 +6 60
17 Hartlepool United 46 10 12 1 40 22 2 11 10 21 31 +8 59
18 Rochdale 46 15 3 5 43 15 2 4 17 13 40 +1 58
19 Darlington 46 13 6 4 43 28 1 6 16 13 44 −16 54
20 Swansea City 46 8 8 7 24 16 5 3 15 25 46 −13 50
21 Cardiff City 46 5 13 5 27 22 4 10 9 21 30 −4 50
22 Hull City 46 10 6 7 36 32 1 2 20 20 51 −27 41
23 Brighton & Hove Albion 46 3 10 10 21 34 3 7 13 17 32 −28 35
24 Doncaster Rovers 46 3 3 17 14 48 1 5 17 16 65 −83 20 Relegated to Conference
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Notes:
  1. New club in the league
  2. Leyton Orient had 3 points deducted.

Play-offs
Main article: Football League Two play-offs § 1998
  Semifinals
1st leg – 10 May; 2nd leg – 13 May 1998		 Final at Wembley Stadium
22 May 1998
                     
4th Colchester United 0 3 3  
7th Barnet 1 1 2  
    4th Colchester United 1
  5th Torquay United 0
5th Torquay United 3 4 7
6th Scarborough 1 1 2  

[2]

Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Gary Jones Notts County 28
2 Steve WhitehallMansfield Town24
3 Darran RowbothamExeter City21
4 Jimmy QuinnPeterborough United20
5 Carl GriffithsLeyton Orient18

Maps
Locations of the Football League Third Division London teams 1997–1998
Locations of the Football League Third Division teams 1997–1998

See also

References

The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website,[2] with home and away statistics separated. Play-off results are from the same website.

  1. "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  2. "England 1997–98". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
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