1997–98 Walsall F.C. season

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

Walsall
1997–98 season
ChairmanJeff Bonser
ManagerJan Sørensen
StadiumBescot Stadium
Second Division19th
FA CupFourth round
League CupFourth round
Auto Windscreens ShieldSouthern Area final
Top goalscorerLeague: Boli (12)
All: Boli (24)
Average home league attendance4,062

Season summary

In the 1997–98 season, Ex-Ajax and Danish international Jan Sorensen took the helm after Nicholl`s departure. Whilst Walsall finished a lowly 19th in Division Two that season, the club reached the fourth round of the League Cup, as well as rampaging through the early rounds of the FA Cup. Lincoln United were dispatched in the first round, before league newcomers Macclesfield Town were beaten 7–0 away and a victory over Peterborough United in the third round was rewarded with a glamour tie away at Manchester United, which Walsall lost 5–1. However, despite the club's cup exploits, a poor finish in the league signalled the end of Sorensen's time at Walsall after just one season.

Final league table
Main article: 1997–98 Football League
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
17 Luton Town 46 14 15 17 60 64 −4 57
18 Millwall 46 14 13 19 43 54 −11 55
19 Walsall 46 14 12 20 43 52 −9 54
20 Burnley 46 13 13 20 55 65 −10 52
21 Brentford 46 11 17 18 50 71 −21 50 Relegated
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

Walsall's score comes first[1]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1997ChesterfieldA1–35,193Platt
16 August 1997FulhamH1–14,418Mountfield
23 August 1997GillinghamA1–25,083Boli
30 August 1997Southend UnitedH3–13,304Boli (3)
2 September 1997Northampton TownH0–25,550
9 September 1997Bristol RoversA0–26,225
13 September 1997Preston North EndA0–09,092
20 September 1997York CityH2–02,972Boli, Hodge
27 September 1997Plymouth ArgyleA1–26,207Boli
4 October 1997Carlisle UnitedH3–13,957Boli (2), Watson
11 October 1997WrexhamH3–04,042Boli, Hodge (pen), Watson
18 October 1997BrentfordA0–34,874
21 October 1997Wycombe WanderersA2–43,884Viveash, Watson
25 October 1997Bristol CityH0–04,618
1 November 1997BurnleyA1–29,293Viveash
4 November 1997Grimsby TownH0–02,599
8 November 1997WatfordH0–05,077
22 November 1997Luton TownA1–04,726Hodge
29 November 1997BlackpoolH2–13,933Watson, Boli
3 December 1997MillwallA1–04,647Keates
13 December 1997BournemouthH2–13,548Boli, Hodge
19 December 1997Oldham AthleticA0–04,677
26 December 1997Bristol RoversH0–16,634
28 December 1997Northampton TownA2–37,094Porter, Hodge
10 January 1998ChesterfieldH3–24,042Reeves (own goal), Watson (2)
17 January 1998Southend UnitedA1–03,310Watson
31 January 1998Preston North EndH1–15,377Hodge (pen)
7 February 1998York CityA0–12,959
14 February 1998Carlisle UnitedA1–14,530Hodge
21 February 1998Plymouth ArgyleH0–14,612
24 February 1998BrentfordH0–03,166
28 February 1998WrexhamA1–23,622Ricketts
3 March 1998WatfordA2–18,096Tholot, Blake
7 March 1998BurnleyH0–05,212
14 March 1998Grimsby TownA0–34,916
21 March 1998Wigan AthleticH1–03,169Péron
28 March 1998Luton TownH2–33,922Viveash, Tholot
31 March 1998GillinghamH1–03,117Evans
4 April 1998BlackpoolA0–14,451
7 April 1998FulhamA1–16,733Boli
11 April 1998MillwallH2–03,307Tholot, Hodge (pen)
14 April 1998BournemouthA0–13,404
18 April 1998Oldham AthleticH0–03,562
21 April 1998Wigan AthleticA0–22,725
25 April 1998Bristol CityA1–215,059Tholot
2 May 1998Wycombe WanderersH0–14,412

FA Cup
Main article: 1997–98 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R115 November 1997Lincoln UnitedH2–03,279Watson, Boli
R26 December 1997Macclesfield TownA7–03,566Boli (2, 1 pen), Hodge (2, 1 pen), Viveash, Porter (2)
R313 January 1998Peterborough UnitedA2–012,809Watson (2)
R424 January 1998Manchester UnitedA1–554,669Boli

League Cup
Main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg12 August 1997Exeter CityH2–02,321Platt, Boli
R1 2nd Leg26 August 1997Exeter CityA1–0 (won 3-0 on agg)2,467Boli
R2 1st Leg17 September 1997Nottingham ForestA1–07,841Skinner
R2 2nd Leg24 September 1997Nottingham ForestH2–2 (won 3-2 on agg)6,037Watson (2)
R314 October 1997Sheffield UnitedH2–18,239Watson, Tiler (own goal)
R419 November 1997West Ham UnitedA1–417,463Watson

Football League Trophy
Main article: 1997–98 Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SR19 December 1997BarnetA2–1754Blake, Boli
SR26 January 1998Brighton & Hove AlbionH5–02,562Watson, Boli (2), Keates, Allan (own goal)
SQF28 January 1998Bristol RoversA1–0 (a.e.t.)4,165Boli
SSF17 February 1998Peterborough UnitedA2–14,199Boli, Ricketts
Southern F 1st Leg10 March 1998BournemouthH0–26,017
Southern F 2nd Leg17 March 1998BournemouthA3–2 (lost 3-4 on agg)8,972Thomas, Boli, Tholot

Squad

[2] 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 Jimmy Walker
- DF  WAL Wayne Evans
- DF  ENG Adrian Viveash
- DF  ENG Chris Marsh
- DF  ENG Derek Mountfield
- MF  FRA Jean-François Péron
- MF  ENG Dean Keates
- MF  ENG Gary Porter
- FW  FRA Roger Boli
- FW  ENG John Hodge
- FW  ENG Andy Watson
- DF  ENG Ian Roper
- MF  ENG Mark Blake
- FW  FRA Didier Tholot
No. Pos. Nation Player
- FW  ENG Clive Platt
- MF  ENG John Keister
- DF  ENG Stuart Ryder
- MF  FRA Jean-Jacques Eydelie
- FW  ENG Michael Ricketts
- MF  ENG Louie Donowa (on loan from Birmingham City)
- MF  ENG Wayne Thomas
- MF  ENG Justin Skinner (on loan from Bristol Rovers)
- FW  ENG John Williams
- DF  ENG Matt Gadsby
- FW  ENG Darren Beckford
- FW  NED Gijsbert Bos (on loan from Rotherham United)
- GK  ENG Danny Naisbitt
- DF  ENG Darren Rogers

References
  1. http://www.statto.com/football/teams/walsall/1997-1998/results
  2. http://www.11v11.com/teams/walsall/tab/players/season/1998
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