1997–98 Middlesbrough F.C. season

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

Middlesbrough
1997–98 season
ChairmanSteve Gibson
ManagerBryan Robson
StadiumRiverside Stadium
First Division2nd (promoted)
FA CupFourth round
League CupRunners-up
Top goalscorerLeague: Beck (15)
All: Merson (16)
Average home league attendance29,994

Season summary

Middlesbrough were promoted to the Premier League, also reaching the League Cup final, where the club lost its third domestic cup final in a year. Just reaching the final was a huge success, though, with the club not playing in the top flight and having lost international star players Fabrizio Ravanelli and Juninho following relegation.

The season also saw the arrivals of well-known players such as Paul Gascoigne from Rangers, Marco Branca from Inter Milan and Paul Merson from Arsenal, with Boro bucking the trend of players only being attracted by top-flight clubs.

Final league 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
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.

Results

Middlesbrough's score comes first[1]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1997Charlton AthleticH2–129,414Festa, Ravanelli
23 August 1997Stoke CityH0–130,122
30 August 1997Tranmere RoversA2–012,095Mustoe, Beck
2 September 1997Stockport CountyA1–18,257Merson
13 September 1997Bradford CityA2–217,767Kinder, Ormerod
20 September 1997Birmingham CityH3–130,125Kinder, Beck, Emerson
28 September 1997SunderlandA2–135,384Emerson, Mustoe
5 October 1997Sheffield UnitedH1–230,000Beck
18 October 1997Crewe AlexandraA1–15,759Townsend
21 October 1997Oxford UnitedA4–18,306Emerson, Mustoe, Fleming, Merson
25 October 1997Port ValeH2–130,096Merson (2 pens)
28 October 1997Huddersfield TownH3–029,965Merson, Beck (2)
1 November 1997Wolverhampton WanderersA0–126,896
5 November 1997PortsmouthH1–129,724Townsend
8 November 1997Queens Park RangersH3–030,067Beck, Merson, Ormerod
15 November 1997Norwich CityA3–116,011Beck, Merson, Ormerod
22 November 1997Swindon TownA2–115,228Merson, Emerson
26 November 1997Nottingham ForestH0–030,143
29 November 1997West Bromwich AlbionH1–030,164Beck
2 December 1997Ipswich TownA1–113,619Merson
6 December 1997BuryA1–08,016Beck
13 December 1997ReadingH4–029,876Hignett (2), Beck (2)
20 December 1997Manchester CityA0–228,097
26 December 1997Huddersfield TownA1–018,820Gray (own goal)
28 December 1997Stockport CountyH3–130,166Hignett, Beck (2)
10 January 1998Charlton AthleticA0–315,742
17 January 1998Ipswich TownH1–130,081Pearson
1 February 1998Stoke CityA2–113,242Pearson, Moreno
4 February 1998Tranmere RoversH3–029,540Hignett, Merson (2)
7 February 1998Birmingham CityA1–120,639Festa
14 February 1998Bradford CityH1–030,165Hignett
21 February 1998SunderlandH3–130,227Branca (2), Armstrong
25 February 1998Crewe AlexandraH1–029,936Maddison
1 March 1998Nottingham ForestA0–425,286
4 March 1998Queens Park RangersA0–511,580
11 March 1998Swindon TownH6–029,581Branca (2), Maddison (2), Armstrong (2)
14 March 1998PortsmouthA0–017,003
22 March 1998Norwich CityH3–030,040Maddison, Armstrong, Beck
4 April 1998West Bromwich AlbionA1–220,620Branca
7 April 1998Sheffield UnitedA0–118,421
11 April 1998BuryH4–030,218Ricard, Branca (3)
13 April 1998ReadingA1–014,501Branca
17 April 1998Manchester CityH1–030,182Armstrong
24 April 1998Port ValeA1–025,781Merson
29 April 1998Wolverhampton WanderersH1–129,878Ricard
3 May 1998Oxford UnitedH4–130,228Armstrong (2), Hignett (2)

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R33 January 1998Queens Park RangersA2–213,379Hignett, Mustoe
R3R13 January 1998Queens Park RangersH2–021,817Campbell, Mustoe
R424 January 1998ArsenalH1–228,264Merson

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 First Leg16 September 1997BarnetH1–09,611Freestone
R2 Second Leg23 September 1997BarnetA2–0 (won 3-0 on agg)3,968Beck, Merson (pen)
R315 October 1997SunderlandH2–026,451Campbell, Hignett
R418 November 1997Bolton WanderersH2–1 (a.e.t.)22,801Summerbell, Hignett
R56 January 1998ReadingA1–013,072Hignett
SF 1st Leg27 January 1998LiverpoolA1–233,438Merson
SF 2nd Leg18 February 1998LiverpoolH2–0 (won 3-2 on agg)29,828Merson (pen), Branca
F29 March 1998ChelseaN0–277,698

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  AUS Mark Schwarzer
- GK  ENG Ben Roberts
- GK  ENG Marlon Beresford
- GK  WAL Andy Dibble
- DF  ITA Gianluca Festa
- DF  ENG Steve Vickers
- DF  ENG Curtis Fleming
- DF  ENG Nigel Pearson
- DF  SVK Vladimír Kinder
- DF  ENG Craig Harrison
- DF  SCO Derek Whyte
- DF  ENG Steve Baker
- DF  ENG Craig Liddle
- DF  SCO Robbie Stockdale
- DF  IRL Jason Gavin
- DF  ENG Alan White
- MF  ENG Paul Merson
- MF  IRL Andy Townsend
- MF  ENG Robbie Mustoe
- MF  BRA Emerson
- MF  ENG Neil Maddison
- MF  ENG Michael Thomas
No. Pos. Nation Player
- MF  ENG Anthony Ormerod
- MF  ENG Phil Stamp
- MF  ENG Paul Gascoigne
- MF  ENG Mark Summerbell
- MF  IRL Alan Moore
- MF  WAL Clayton Blackmore
- MF  POR Fabio Moreira
- MF  IRL Ronnie O'Brien
- MF  IRL Micky Cummins
- MF  ENG Paul Connor
- MF  ENG Andrew Swalwell
- MF  IRL John O'Loughlin
- FW  DEN Mikkel Beck
- FW  ENG Craig Hignett
- FW  ITA Marco Branca
- FW  ENG Alun Armstrong
- FW  ENG Andy Campbell
- FW  COL Hamilton Ricard
- FW  ITA Fabrizio Ravanelli
- FW  BOL Jaime Moreno
- FW  ENG Chris Freestone
- FW  ENG Kris Trevor

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.