1997–98 Hibernian F.C. season
Encyclopedia
Season 1997–98 was an unqualified disaster for Hibs
, as the club was relegated to the First Division
by finishing bottom of the Premier Division
. There was also disappointment in the cup competitions, as the club were beaten by First Division club Raith Rovers
in the Scottish Cup
, and Dundee United
in the League Cup
. Manager
Jim Duffy was sacked and replaced by Alex McLeish
midway through the season.
on the opening day, with Chic Charnley
scoring a memorable winning goal. The season "rapidly turned into a nightmare", however. With the club four points adrift at the bottom of the league, manager
Jim Duffy was sacked after a 6–2 defeat by Motherwell
. Alex McLeish
, who had been the Motherwell manager, was hired as Duffy's replacement, but he was unable to save the club from relegation to the First Division
, despite improved levels of performance and determination.
|}
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, as the club was relegated to the First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
by finishing bottom of the Premier Division
Scottish Football League Premier Division
The Scottish Football League Premier Division was, from 1975 until 1998, the top division of the Scottish Football League and the entire Scottish football league system...
. There was also disappointment in the cup competitions, as the club were beaten by First Division club Raith Rovers
Raith Rovers F.C.
Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the...
in the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
, and Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
in the League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
. Manager
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Jim Duffy was sacked and replaced by Alex McLeish
Alex McLeish
Alexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...
midway through the season.
League season
Hibs got off to a good start to the season, winning 2–1 against CelticCeltic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
on the opening day, with Chic Charnley
Chic Charnley
James Callaghan Charnley, more commonly known as Chic Charnley, is a former Scottish football player. He was sent off 17 times in a senior career which lasted for nearly 20 years.-Club career:...
scoring a memorable winning goal. The season "rapidly turned into a nightmare", however. With the club four points adrift at the bottom of the league, manager
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Jim Duffy was sacked after a 6–2 defeat by Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
. Alex McLeish
Alex McLeish
Alexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...
, who had been the Motherwell manager, was hired as Duffy's replacement, but he was unable to save the club from relegation to the First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
, despite improved levels of performance and determination.
Results
Final table
Results
Results
Players In
| Player | From | Fee |
|---|---|---|
 Tony RougierTony Rougier Anthony "Tony" Rougier is a Trinidadian footballer who is a player-coach with Trinidadian football side FC South End. In the late 1990s and early 2000s he played for numerous clubs, most notably Raith Rovers, Hibernian, Port Vale, Reading and Brentford... |
Raith Rovers Raith Rovers F.C. Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the... |
£250,000 |
 Jean-Marc Adjovi-BoccoJean-Marc Adjovi-Bocco Jean-Marc Adjovi-Bocco is a former Beninese football player. Bocco captained the Benin national football team, until he retired from international football in the summer of 1997... |
RC Lens RC Lens Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du... |
Free |
 Olafur GottskalkssonÓlafur Gottskálksson Ólafur "Ole" Gottskálksson is a retired Icelandic professional football goalkeeper. He played nine times for Iceland national side and also represented his country at basketball.-Club career:... |
Keflavik Keflavík Football Club Keflavík Football Club is an Icelandic football team, commonly known as Keflavík. It is a subdivision of Keflavík ÍF , based in the town of Reykjanesbær in Iceland. They play at Nettó-völlur in Keflavík.-Competition history:Keflavík have played in the Icelandic football league since 1956... |
£200,000 |
 Stephen CrawfordStephen Crawford Stephen "Stevie" Crawford is a Scottish professional football player and manager. He is currently the assistant manager of Falkirk.... |
Millwall Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the... |
£360,000 |
 Justin SkinnerJustin Skinner (footballer born 1969) Justin Skinner is a former English footballer who played for Fulham, Bristol Rovers, Walsall, Hibernian, Dunfermline Athletic and Brechin City.... |
Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Free |
Players Out
| Player | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Joe McLaughlin Joe McLaughlin (footballer) Joe McLaughlin is a retired professional footballer who played for Chelsea for six seasons in the 1980s.- Playing career :... |
Clydebank Clydebank F.C. Clydebank Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, near Yoker. The present club, formed in 2003, is a member of the Scottish Junior Football Association, and currently plays in West Super League Premier Division... |
Free |
| Graeme Love |
Ayr United Ayr United F.C. Ayr United Football Club are a Scottish association football team based in Ayr, South Ayrshire, that plays in the First Division of the Scottish Football League. Formed in 1910 after the merger of former clubs Ayr Parkhouse F.C. and Ayr F.C... |
Free |
 Thorsten SchmuggeThorsten Schmugge Thorsten Schmugge is a retired German football forward.Schmugge made one appearance for Scottish club Hibernian, in a 2–0 win against Aberdeen on 21 September 1996. Schmugge, who signed for Hibs on the same day as Ray Wilkins, represented the Germany national under-21 football team.-External... |
Free | |
| Jim Leighton Jim Leighton James "Jim" Leighton MBE is a Scottish former football goalkeeper. Among the clubs he played for are Aberdeen , Manchester United, Arsenal, Dundee and Hibernian.-Club:... |
Aberdeen Aberdeen F.C. Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen... |
Free |
| Keith Wright Keith Wright (footballer) Keith Wright is a Scottish former international footballer who played as a striker.-Career:Wright began his career in 1983 with Raith Rovers and achieved nearly a goal every two games during his time at Stark's Park. In December 1986, Wright moved north to Dundee, where he won the Challenge Cup in... |
Raith Rovers Raith Rovers F.C. Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the... |
Free |
| Ian Cameron Ian Cameron Ian Cameron is a Scottish former footballer. He is currently coaching Partick Thistle Under-19s, having previously coached their Under-17 team.-St. Mirren:Ian Cameron joined St. Mirren as an S-Form signing... |
Raith Rovers Raith Rovers F.C. Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the... |
Free |
| Darren Jackson Darren Jackson Darren Jackson is a Scottish former international footballer who played predominantly as a striker.- Career :... |
Celtic Celtic F.C. Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the... |
£1,250,000 |
| Chic Charnley Chic Charnley James Callaghan Charnley, more commonly known as Chic Charnley, is a former Scottish football player. He was sent off 17 times in a senior career which lasted for nearly 20 years.-Club career:... |
Partick Thistle Partick Thistle F.C. Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football club from Glasgow. Despite their name, the club are based in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908... |
Free |
| Greg Miller Greg Miller (footballer) Greg Miller is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.-Career:Miller began his career with Hutcheson Vale, before turning professional in 1995 with Hibernian. Over the next two seasons, Miller made 15 appearances in the Scottish Football League, scoring one goal... |
Livingston Livingston F.C. Livingston Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club currently plays in the Scottish Football League First Division.The club was founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a works team... |
Nominal fee De minimis De minimis is a Latin expression meaning about minimal things, normally in the locutions de minimis non curat praetor or de minimis non curat lex .In risk assessment it refers to a level of risk that is too small to be concerned with... |
 Lee PowerLee Power Lee Michael Power is a former professional footballer and a former chairman of Cambridge United. Despite being born in London, his Irish ancestry allowed him to be capped by Republic of Ireland at Youth, Under-21 and B level... |
Ayr United Ayr United F.C. Ayr United Football Club are a Scottish association football team based in Ayr, South Ayrshire, that plays in the First Division of the Scottish Football League. Formed in 1910 after the merger of former clubs Ayr Parkhouse F.C. and Ayr F.C... |
Free |
| Brian Grant Brian Grant (footballer) Brian Grant is a Scottish former footballer who played as a midfielder.-Career:Grant began his career in the early 1980s with Stirling Albion before joining Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen in 1984, going on to win the Scottish Premier Division in his first season at Pittodrie... |
Dundee Dundee F.C. Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from... |
Free |
Loans In
| Player | From |
|---|---|
| Andy Walker |
Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
| Bryan Gunn Bryan Gunn Bryan James Gunn is a Scottish former professional goalkeeper and football manager. After learning his trade with Aberdeen in the early 1980s, he spent most of his playing career at Norwich City, the club with which he came to be most closely associated... |
Norwich City Norwich City F.C. Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The... |
| Grant Brebner Grant Brebner Grant Ian Brebner is a Scottish association football player, who currently plays for Australian A-League side Melbourne Victory. Born in Edinburgh, Brebner joined Manchester United as a 16-year-old in 1994, and although he was a member of the club's successful youth side, he failed to break into... |
Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
Loans Out
| Player | To |
|---|---|
| John Martin |
Berwick Rangers Berwick Rangers F.C. Berwick Rangers Football Club are a football team based in the English Border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, although they play in the Scottish Football League Third Division... |
| Eric Paton Eric Paton Eric John Paton is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays for Stenhousemuir.Paton has developed into a right back, a position that ex-Queens manager John Connolly favoured the former right sided midfielder in... |
Stenhousemuir Stenhousemuir F.C. Stenhousemuir FC is a Scottish football club located in Stenhousemuir. The club is a member of the Scottish Football League and currently plays in the Scottish Second Division.... |
| Ian McDonald |
Stenhousemuir Stenhousemuir F.C. Stenhousemuir FC is a Scottish football club located in Stenhousemuir. The club is a member of the Scottish Football League and currently plays in the Scottish Second Division.... |
Player stats
During the 1997–98 season, Hibs used 32 different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.|}
External links
- Hibernian 1997/1998 results and fixtures, Soccerbase