1997–98 Sheffield Wednesday F.C. season

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.

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)

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

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
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
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

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1997Newcastle UnitedA1–236,711Carbone
13 August 1997Leeds UnitedH1–331,520Hyde
23 August 1997WimbledonA1–111,503Di Canio
27 August 1997Blackburn RoversA2–719,618Carbone (2)
30 August 1997Leicester CityH1–024,851Carbone (pen)
13 September 1997LiverpoolA1–234,705Collins
20 September 1997Coventry CityH0–021,087
24 September 1997Derby CountyH2–522,391Di Canio, Carbone (pen)
27 September 1997Aston VillaA2–232,044Collins, Whittingham
4 October 1997EvertonH3–124,486Carbone (2, 1 pen), Di Canio
19 October 1997Tottenham HotspurA2–325,097Collins, Di Canio
25 October 1997Crystal PalaceH1–322,072Collins
1 November 1997Manchester UnitedA1–655,259Whittingham
8 November 1997Bolton WanderersH5–025,027Di Canio, Whittingham, Booth (3)
22 November 1997ArsenalH2–034,373Booth, Whittingham
29 November 1997SouthamptonA3–215,244Atherton, Collins, Di Canio
8 December 1997BarnsleyH2–129,086Stefanović, Di Canio
13 December 1997West Ham UnitedA0–124,344
20 December 1997ChelseaH1–428,334Pembridge
26 December 1997Blackburn RoversH0–033,502
28 December 1997Leicester CityA1–120,800Booth
10 January 1998Newcastle UnitedH2–129,446Di Canio, Newsome
17 January 1998Leeds UnitedA2–133,166Newsome, Booth
31 January 1998WimbledonH1–122,655Mark Pembridge
7 February 1998Coventry CityA0–118,375
14 February 1998LiverpoolH3–335,405Carbone, Di Canio, Hinchcliffe
21 February 1998Tottenham HotspurH1–029,871Di Canio
28 February 1998Derby CountyA0–330,203
7 March 1998Manchester UnitedH2–039,427Atherton, Di Canio
14 March 1998Bolton WanderersA2–324,847Booth, Atherton
28 March 1998ArsenalA0–138,087
4 April 1998SouthamptonH1–029,677Carbone
11 April 1998BarnsleyA1–218,692Stefanović
13 April 1998West Ham UnitedH1–128,036Magilton
19 April 1998ChelseaA0–129,075
25 April 1998EvertonA3–135,497Pembridge (2), Di Canio
2 May 1998Aston VillaH1–334,177Sanetti
10 May 1998Crystal PalaceA0–116,876

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R33 January 1998WatfordA1–118,306Alexandersson
R3R14 January 1998WatfordH0–0 (won 5–3 on pens)18,707
R426 January 1998Blackburn RoversH0–315,940

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st Leg17 September 1997Grimsby TownA0–26,429
R2 2nd Leg1 October 1997Grimsby TownH3–2 (lost 3–4 on agg)11,120Davison (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  ENG Kevin Pressman
2 DF  ENG Peter Atherton (captain)
3 DF  NIR Ian Nolan[notes 1]
4 MF  WAL Mark Pembridge
5 DF  ENG Jon Newsome
6 DF  ENG Des Walker
7 FW  ENG Guy Whittingham
8 FW  ITA Benito Carbone
10 FW  ENG Andy Booth
11 FW  ITA Paolo Di Canio
12 MF  ENG Graham Hyde
13 GK  ENG Matt Clarke
14 DF  SCO Steve Nicol
15 FW  AUT Christian Mayrleb
16 FW  ENG Ritchie Humphreys
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF  ENG Lee Briscoe
18 DF  YUG Dejan Stefanović
19 MF  ENG Scott Oakes
20 DF  ENG Andy Hinchcliffe
21 DF  MKD Goce Sedloski
22 DF  BRA Emerson Thome
23 FW  GHA Junior Agogo
24 MF  NIR Jim Magilton
25 MF  NOR Petter Rudi
26 MF  SWE Niclas Alexandersson
27 DF  ENG Earl Barrett
28 MF  IRL Alan Quinn
29 MF  ENG Krystof Kotylo
30 FW  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  ENG David Hirst (to Southampton)
15 DF  FRA Patrick Blondeau (to Bordeaux)
20 MF  ENG Wayne Collins (to Fulham)
21 MF  AUS Adem Poric[notes 2] (to Notts County)
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 FW  ENG O'Neill Donaldson (to Stoke City)
26 GK  ZIM Bruce Grobbelaar[notes 3] (to Oldham Athletic)
27 FW  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  ENG Stuart Jones
DF  IRL Derek Geary
DF  ENG Steve Haslam
DF  ENG Kevin Nicholson
DF  ENG Michael Simpkins
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF  ENG Simon Weaver
MF  ENG Peter Holmes
MF  WAL Ryan Jones[notes 4]
MF  IRL Mark McKeever[notes 5]
MF  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 Steve Lenagh 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: £11,720,000
Transfers out: £5,900,000
Total spending: £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

  • 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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