1997–98 Sheffield Wednesday F.C. season

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Sheffield Wednesday
1997–98 season
ChairmanDave Richards
ManagerDavid Pleat (until 3 November)
Peter Shreeves (caretaker from 3 to 14 November)
Ron Atkinson (from 14 November)
Premiership16th
FA CupFourth round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Di Canio (12)
All: Di Canio (14)
Highest home attendance39,427 (vs. Manchester United, Premiership)
Lowest home attendance11,120 (vs. Grimsby Town, League Cup)
Average home league attendance28,706 (league)

The 1997–98 season was Sheffield Wednesday F.C.'s 131st season. They competed in the twenty-team Premiership, the top tier of English football, finishing sixteenth.

Season summary[]

Having narrowly missed out on a UEFA Cup place in 1996–97, the club record £5.7 million signing of Italian striker Paolo Di Canio from Celtic gave Owls fans hopes of another challenge for Europe. But it was not to be, and by the time they lost 6–1 to Manchester United in November, relegation was looking a real possibility. Manager David Pleat was swiftly sacked, and Ron Atkinson – manager of the 1991 promotion and League Cup winning side – returned to the manager's seat on a short-term contract. He achieved safety by a margin of four points, in 16th place on 44 points by virtue of goal difference (three other sides had finished on 44 points), and was disappointed on being told that his contract would not be renewed. He was succeeded by Danny Wilson, a former Owls player who played for them in the early, more successful part of the decade.

Final league table[]

Main article: 1997–98 FA Premier League
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
14 Tottenham Hotspur 38 11 11 16 44 56 −12 44
15 Wimbledon 38 10 14 14 34 46 −12 44
16 Sheffield Wednesday 38 12 8 18 52 67 −15 44
17 Everton 38 9 13 16 41 56 −15 40
18 Bolton Wanderers (R) 38 9 13 16 41 61 −20 40 Relegation to the Football League First Division
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated
Results summary
Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
38 12 8 18 52 67  −15 44 9 5 5 30 26  +4 3 3 13 22 41  −19
Results by round
Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAHAAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAAHA
ResultLLDLWLDLDWLLLWWWWLLDDWWDLDWLWLLWLDLWLL
Position1718161815191919181617182019161413131414151211101412121312131313141414131416
Source: 11v11.com: 1997-98 Sheffield Wednesday results
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Results[]

Sheffield Wednesday's score comes first[1]

Legend[]

Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League[]

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
9 August 1997 Newcastle United A 1–2 36,711 Carbone
13 August 1997 Leeds United H 1–3 31,520 Hyde
23 August 1997 Wimbledon A 1–1 11,503 Di Canio
27 August 1997 Blackburn Rovers A 2–7 19,618 Carbone (2)
30 August 1997 Leicester City H 1–0 24,851 Carbone (pen)
13 September 1997 Liverpool A 1–2 34,705 Collins
20 September 1997 Coventry City H 0–0 21,087
24 September 1997 Derby County H 2–5 22,391 Di Canio, Carbone (pen)
27 September 1997 Aston Villa A 2–2 32,044 Collins, Whittingham
4 October 1997 Everton H 3–1 24,486 Carbone (2, 1 pen), Di Canio
19 October 1997 Tottenham Hotspur A 2–3 25,097 Collins, Di Canio
25 October 1997 Crystal Palace H 1–3 22,072 Collins
1 November 1997 Manchester United A 1–6 55,259 Whittingham
8 November 1997 Bolton Wanderers H 5–0 25,027 Di Canio, Whittingham, Booth (3)
22 November 1997 Arsenal H 2–0 34,373 Booth, Whittingham
29 November 1997 Southampton A 3–2 15,244 Atherton, Collins, Di Canio
8 December 1997 Barnsley H 2–1 29,086 Stefanović, Di Canio
13 December 1997 West Ham United A 0–1 24,344
20 December 1997 Chelsea H 1–4 28,334 Pembridge
26 December 1997 Blackburn Rovers H 0–0 33,502
28 December 1997 Leicester City A 1–1 20,800 Booth
10 January 1998 Newcastle United H 2–1 29,446 Di Canio, Newsome
17 January 1998 Leeds United A 2–1 33,166 Newsome, Booth
31 January 1998 Wimbledon H 1–1 22,655 Mark Pembridge
7 February 1998 Coventry City A 0–1 18,375
14 February 1998 Liverpool H 3–3 35,405 Carbone, Di Canio, Hinchcliffe
21 February 1998 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–0 29,871 Di Canio
28 February 1998 Derby County A 0–3 30,203
7 March 1998 Manchester United H 2–0 39,427 Atherton, Di Canio
14 March 1998 Bolton Wanderers A 2–3 24,847 Booth, Atherton
28 March 1998 Arsenal A 0–1 38,087
4 April 1998 Southampton H 1–0 29,677 Carbone
11 April 1998 Barnsley A 1–2 18,692 Stefanović
13 April 1998 West Ham United H 1–1 28,036 Magilton
19 April 1998 Chelsea A 0–1 29,075
25 April 1998 Everton A 3–1 35,497 Pembridge (2), Di Canio
2 May 1998 Aston Villa H 1–3 34,177 Sanetti
10 May 1998 Crystal Palace A 0–1 16,876

FA Cup[]

Main article: 1997–98 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 3 January 1998 Watford A 1–1 18,306 Alexandersson
R3R 14 January 1998 Watford H 0–0 (won 5–3 on pens) 18,707
R4 26 January 1998 Blackburn Rovers H 0–3 15,940

League Cup[]

Main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 1st Leg 17 September 1997 Grimsby Town A 0–2 6,429
R2 2nd Leg 1 October 1997 Grimsby Town H 3–2 (lost 3–4 on agg) 11,120 Davison (own goal), Di Canio (2)

Players[]

First-team squad[]

Squad at end of season[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
1 GK England ENG Kevin Pressman
2 DF England ENG Peter Atherton (captain)
3 DF Northern Ireland NIR Ian Nolan[notes 1]
4 MF Wales WAL Mark Pembridge
5 DF England ENG Jon Newsome
6 DF England ENG Des Walker
7 FW England ENG Guy Whittingham
8 FW Italy ITA Benito Carbone
10 FW England ENG Andy Booth
11 FW Italy ITA Paolo Di Canio
12 MF England ENG Graham Hyde
13 GK England ENG Matt Clarke
14 DF Scotland SCO Steve Nicol
15 FW Austria AUT Christian Mayrleb
16 FW England ENG Ritchie Humphreys
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF England ENG Lee Briscoe
18 DF Federal Republic of Yugoslavia YUG Dejan Stefanović
19 MF England ENG Scott Oakes
20 DF England ENG Andy Hinchcliffe
21 DF North Macedonia MKD Goce Sedloski
22 DF Brazil BRA Emerson Thome
23 FW Ghana GHA Junior Agogo
24 MF Northern Ireland NIR Jim Magilton
25 MF Norway NOR Petter Rudi
26 MF Sweden SWE Niclas Alexandersson
27 DF England ENG Earl Barrett
28 MF Republic of Ireland IRL Alan Quinn
29 MF England ENG Krystof Kotylo
30 FW Italy ITA Francesco Sanetti

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
9 FW England ENG David Hirst (to Southampton)
15 DF France FRA Patrick Blondeau (to Bordeaux)
20 MF England ENG Wayne Collins (to Fulham)
21 MF Australia AUS Adem Poric[notes 2] (to Notts County)
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 FW England ENG O'Neill Donaldson (to Stoke City)
26 GK Zimbabwe ZIM Bruce Grobbelaar[notes 3] (to Oldham Athletic)
27 FW England ENG Nigel Clough (on loan from Manchester City)

Reserve 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 England ENG Stuart Jones
— DF Republic of Ireland IRL Derek Geary
— DF England ENG Steve Haslam
— DF England ENG Kevin Nicholson
— DF England ENG Michael Simpkins
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF England ENG Simon Weaver
— MF England ENG Peter Holmes
— MF Wales WAL Ryan Jones[notes 4]
— MF Republic of Ireland IRL Mark McKeever[notes 5]
— MF England ENG Mark Platts

Transfers[]

In[]

Date Pos Name From Fee
24 June 1997 DF Patrick Blondeau AS Monaco £1,800,000
6 August 1997 FW Paolo Di Canio Celtic £3,000,000
9 September 1997 MF Jim Magilton Southampton £1,600,000
22 September 1997 GK Bruce Grobbelaar Oxford United Nominal
2 October 1997 MF Petter Rudi Molde £800,000
17 November 1997 DF Derek Geary Rivermount Boys Signed
5 December 1997 MF Niclas Alexandersson IFK Göteborg £750,000
6 December 1997 MF Alan Quinn Cherry Orchard Nominal
30 January 1998 DF Andy Hinchcliffe Everton £3,000,000
19 February 1998 DF Goce Sedloski Hajduk Split £750,000
24 February 1998 DF Earl Barrett Everton Free transfer
26 March 1998 GK Stuart Jones Weston-super-Mare £20,000
26 March 1998 DF Emerson Thome Benfica Signed
30 April 1998 FW Francesco Sanetti Genoa Free transfer

Out[]

Date Pos Name To Fee
1 August 1997 DF Dave Hercock Kettering Town Undisclosed
5 August 1997 MF Orlando Trustfull Vitesse Arnhem £800,000
6 August 1997 MF Regi Blinker Celtic £1,500,000
17 October 1997 FW David Hirst Southampton £2,000,000
1 November 1997 DF Chesterfield Monthly
1 January 1998 MF James Simpkins Chesterfield Non-contract
14 January 1998 DF Patrick Blondeau Bordeaux £1,200,000
22 January 1998 MF Wayne Collins Fulham £400,000
13 March 1998 FW O'Neill Donaldson Stoke City Free transfer
27 March 1998 MF Adem Poric Notts County Free transfer
Transfers in: Decrease £11,720,000
Transfers out: Increase £5,900,000
Total spending: Decrease £5,820,000

Statistics[]

Starting 11[]

Considering starts in all competitions[3]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Nolan was born in Liverpool, England, but also qualified to represent Northern Ireland internationally and made his international debut for Northern Ireland in 1996.
  2. ^ Poric was born in London, England, but also qualified to represent Australia internationally and represented them at U-20 level.
  3. ^ Grobbelaar was born in Durban, South Africa, but was raised in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) from the age of two months and made his international debut for Rhodesia in 1977 and for Zimbabwe in 1980.
  4. ^ Jones was born in Sheffield, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in May 1994.
  5. ^ McKeever was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and represented them at U-19 and U-21 level.

References[]

  1. ^ "Sheffield Wednesday 1997-1998 Results". statto.com. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013.
  2. ^ "FootballSquads - Sheffield Wednesday - 1997/98". footballsquads.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010.
  3. ^ "All Sheffield Wednesday players: 1998". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  • Dickinson, Jason (1999). One Hundred Years at Hillsborough. Sheffield: The Hallamshire Press/Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. pp. 244–245, 386. ISBN 978-1-874718-29-1.
  • Dickinson, Jason; Brodie, John (2005). The Wednesday Boys: A Definitive Who's Who of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club 1880–2005. Sheffield: Pickard Communication. pp. 346–347, 350. ISBN 978-0-9547264-9-2.
  • Drake, A. "1997–98 Players". BT Internet. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
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