FA Premier League 1997-98
Encyclopedia
The FA Premier League 1997-98 season saw Arsenal
lift their first league title since 1991, and also become only the second team to win the 'double' of the FA Cup
and league title twice. It was their first full season under French manager Arsène Wenger
, who became the third non-English manager to win the Premiership after Alex Ferguson
and Kenny Dalglish
, and the first manager from outside the British Isles ever to win the league title in England.
(Division One
champions with 98 points), Barnsley
(runners-up and promoted to the top division for the first time ever) and 1996-97 playoff
winners Crystal Palace
.
Premiership champions Arsenal and runners-up Manchester United qualified for the Champions League
, while UEFA Cup
places went to Liverpool
, Leeds United, Aston Villa
and Blackburn Rovers
. Qualifying for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
were Chelsea
(as defending champions) and FA Cup runners-up Newcastle United
. Crystal Palace
, while finishing bottom, qualified for the Intertoto Cup
was highlighted at the end of 1997-98 when all three newly promoted teams were relegated. Crystal Palace
were confined to bottom place in the final table having won just two home games all season. Barnsley
's first season in the top division ended in relegation, although they did reach the FA Cup
quarter finals and knock out Manchester United in the Fifth Round. Bolton Wanderers
went down on goal difference, with 17th place being occupied by Everton. Despite preserving top flight football at Everton for the 45th season running, Howard Kendall
quit as manager at Goodison Park
after his third spell in charge.
Bolton's relegation was made all the more controversial on the basis of their goalless draw with Everton during the season when a Bolton shot hit the Everton bar and bounced a foot over the line. The referee, however, judged that the ball had not crossed the line and refused to allow the goal.
Another mark of this gap was that the 3 relegated teams in the previous season were at the Top-3 standings after the 46 First Division rounds. Had Sunderland not lost the play-off Final to Charlton
in a thrilling 4-4 after extra time and 7-6 on penalty shootout, the 20 teams from 1998-99 Premier League would be exactly the same from 1996-97 Premier League.
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
1 Chelsea qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as defending champions and were the League Cup winners.
2 As Arsenal qualified for the Champions League, their Cup Winners' Cup place as FA Cup winners defaulted to Newcastle United, the losing finalists
3 Despite being relegated, Crystal Palace qualified for the 1998 Intertoto Cup
first full season as manager, Arsenal
went on a storming run during the final three months of the season to take advantage of having three games in hand over leaders Manchester United
and clinch the Premiership title after overhauling United's 11-point lead. Two weeks after being crowned champions, Arsenal went to Wembley and beat Newcastle United
2-0 to clinch the FA Cup
. In doing so, they became the only team to match Manchester United's record of two "doubles", though it was achieved with an entirely different squad to the Arsenal side that had been double winners in 1971. Throughout the season, the team played a new form of a combination of continental football flair with traditional English defensiveness, epitomised best by the standout success of Patrick Vieira
and Dennis Bergkamp
in attack, and the solid back-five of David Seaman
, Tony Adams
, Steve Bould
, Lee Dixon
and Nigel Winterburn
in defence.
resigned as Aston Villa
manager in February, Villa were 15th in the Premiership and were starting to look like outside bets for relegation. Ruud Gullit
, recently sacked by Chelsea
, was linked with the vacancy, but the surprise choice for the job was Wycombe manager John Gregory, a former Villa coach. He influenced a late run of form which saw Villa climb to seventh place and become the lowest-placed English team to achieve automatic UEFA Cup
qualification.
was the first top flight season in Barnsley's
102-year history, and despite some courageous performances their stay among the elite lasted just one season. They were in the bottom three virtually all season long, though they did enjoy some success in the FA Cup, knocking out Manchester United in the Fifth Round before bowing out to eventual runners-up Newcastle United
in the quarter final. Their relegation was confirmed a few weeks later, and manager Danny Wilson then moved to Sheffield Wednesday
. 35-year-old striker John Hendrie
was appointed player-manager following Wilson's departure.
slip-up, Blackburn Rovers
emerged as title contenders under new manager Roy Hodgson
, and even sixth place in the final table was enough for a UEFA Cup
place. Chris Sutton's
continued return to form saw him come joint top of the Premiership goalscoring charts with 18 goals, and led to him earning a long-awaited international
call-up, though he did not make the final squad for the World Cup
after refusing to play for the England B team.
, Bolton Wanderers
began the season as the strongest-looking of the newly-promoted side, particularly after paying a club record fee of £3.5 million for Wimbledon
striker Dean Holdsworth
and holding Manchester United to a 0-0 draw. But it was a season-long struggle for Colin Todd
and his men, who lost their battle on the final day of the season and occupied the final relegation place - on goal difference - to complete a hat-trick of newly-promoted clubs suffering relegation. Controversially Bolton had a goal against Everton disallowed in the belief that the ball had not crossed the line after crashing down off the Everton crossbar. Television replays showed the ball had indeed crossed the line. The game finished goal-less and the two sides finished level on points with Everton surviving on their superior goal difference. Bolton fans complained bitterly that the goal and resulting 1-0 win would have kept them in the Premier League at Everton's expense. Everton fans countered by pointing to Bolton's inability to hold onto a lead during the season while Everton had a good record of coming from behind to draw or even win against their fellow strugglers. With an hour to play it is impossible to say with any degree of confidence that Bolton would indeed have been able to hold on to their goal lead.
signed Dutch
International goalkeeper Ed de Goey to solve the problem, and proved to be a relative success, Chelsea's only other major signings were young Norway
striker Tore Andre Flo
and Uruguay
an International Midfielder Gus Poyet
from Real Zaragoza
, who added more goals from an otherwise very defensive midfield. Chelsea were well on course for a top-five finish and success in the European Cup Winners' Cup and the Coca-Cola Cup
when manager Ruud Gullit
was sacked on 12 February following a dispute with chairman Ken Bates
. His job went to 33-year-old striker Gianluca Vialli
, who took on the role of player-manager and achieved instant success - within three months of his appointment, Vialli had guided the Blues to glory on the continent and at Wembley. This success gave Chelsea fans hope that the following season
could spell the end of their title wait which began in 1955.
having 3 points deducted kept Coventry
up in 1996-97
, manager Gordon Strachan
was determined to avoid another season of struggle. He achieved it, and an 11th place finish was Coventry's highest in four seasons. Their secure finish was helped no end by the loyalty of striker Dion Dublin
, who pledged his future to the club after snubbing an offer from Blackburn. Right up to the final day of the season, the Sky Blues were within a shout of a UEFA Cup
place, but they were beaten to it by local rivals Aston Villa. The two places above them were occupied by two other local rivals - Derby County
and Leicester City
.
midfielder Atilio Lombardo was one of the most famous names to wear a Palace
shirt when he arrived at Selhurst Park
early in the season, and his influential form looked to have secured Palace's top flight status as they stood 10th as late as November. Fellow countryman Michele Padovano
was also signed, but proved to be a complete flop, as did Swedish
forward Tomas Brolin
, and Palace were soon deep in relegation trouble.
With a takeover by computer
tycoon Mark Goldberg
on the horizon, Steve Coppell
relinquished his managerial duties to become Director of Football. Lombardo and Brolin became joint player-managers on a short-term contract, but were unable to stave off relegation and were soon on their way out of the club.
When the Goldberg takeover was completed, Terry Venables
returned to the manager's seat after an eventful 18 years away, with the new chairman boasting that Palace would be a European force by 2003.
by progressing further on the previous season's solid 12th place finish. Jim Smith's
team emerged as surprise contenders for a UEFA Cup place, and European qualification (for the first time in over 20 years) was still a possibility on the final day of the season. But results did not go Derby's way, and that final European place went to Aston Villa.
The end-of-season arrival of Argentine
defender Horacio Carbonari
gave Derby fans fresh hope of challenging for a place in Europe.
began the season with three significant new signings - Slaven Bilic
, John Oster
and Gareth Farrelly
- but the big news at Goodison Park
was the return of Howard Kendall
for his third spell as manager.
With financial problems growing and fans growing ever more hostile towards chairman Peter Johnson, Kendall was soon facing the biggest struggle of his managerial career. Everton - top division members continuously since 1954 - were battling against relegation and looked anything but a trophy-winning team that they so often had been during Kendall's earlier spells. They ended up surviving, but only avoided relegation to the Nationwide League Division One
because they had a greater goal difference than 18th-placed Bolton. That kept Everton up, but Kendall resigned just weeks later and was replaced by the former Rangers
manager Walter Smith
.
striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
bolstered their attack substantially and they were soon back to their winning ways after two seasons of struggle. George Graham's
hard work in his second season as manager soon paid off with a fifth-place finish - the club's highest for three years - and UEFA Cup qualification.
return to European competition for the first time since the 1960s was short-lived, and they suffered a first-hurdle defeat at the hands of Spaniards
Atletico Madrid. Their challenges in the domestic cups fared little better, and a 10th place finish in the final table was not enough for another UEFA Cup adventure. But they managed to hold on to star assets like Neil Lennon
and Emile Heskey
, and most importantly they hung on to highly-rated manager Martin O'Neill
, giving fans hope of another challenge for honours in 1998-99.
season saw them feature regularly in the title race, though in the end they just couldn't get the better of champions Arsenal and runners-up Manchester United. But the real success of the season was the emergence of 18-year-old striker Michael Owen
. The Chester-born
youngester had impressed in a handful of appearances during 1996-97, but his impact during 1997-98 was outstanding - 18 goals from 36 Premiership games, especially after Robbie Fowler
was ruled out for much of the campaign with a broken leg. In midfield, the arrival of Paul Ince
sought to add steel to a side creatively centred on playmaker Steve McManaman
, but the team were at the peak of their Spice Boys
era, and underachieved in the end, eventually finishing in third place- meaning that Liverpool would be challenging in the UEFA Cup for 1998-99. In the summer it was widely speculated that manager Roy Evans
would be sacked and replaced by either Ruud Gullit
or Gérard Houllier
, but in an unusual move the board instead opted to appoint Houllier as joint-manager with Evans. Many felt that the appointment meant Evans was effectively on borrowed time at the club.
suffered a serious ankle injury in a pre-season game and did not return to action until February. Two other key players, David Ginola
and Les Ferdinand
, were sold to Tottenham
before the season started. Replacements like Jon Dahl Tomasson
, John Barnes
and Ian Rush
failed to deliver where their predecessors had so memorably succeeded, and even Shearer's return to fitness could not bring Kenny Dalglish
anything more than a 13th place finish in his first full season as Newcastle manager. This showing gave particular cause for concern, as Newcastle had finished runners-up in the last two seasons and had never finished below sixth since returning to the top flight in 1993.
In spite of their dismal Premiership form, Newcastle enjoyed a good run in the FA Cup
and reached the final for the first time in 24 years. They never looked like winners, and the final whistle blew with a 2-0 scoreline giving the trophy to opponents Arsenal. But as Arsenal had completed the double, Newcastle entered the Cup Winners' Cup.
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 in 16th place, and was disappointed on being told that his contract would not be renewed. Atkinson had been hoping to guide Wednesday to European qualification in 1998-99. He was succeeded by Danny Wilson, a former Owls player who played for them in the early, more successful part of the decade
.
, Southampton
were most people's favourites for relegation to Division One. After all, they had endured close brushes with relegation on no fewer than five occasions in the previous seven seasons. And most of the club's new signings were drafted in from the lower leagues.
But the Saints were more convincing than they had been in a long time, and most bookmakers had stopped placing bets on them being relegated before Christmas
. In the end, a 12th place finish gave the players and fans alike something to be proud of.
and Les Ferdinand
, Tottenham
began the season badly and looked nothing like a side who were hoping to challenge for a European place. By the time Gerry Francis
resigned in November, Spurs were in the relegation zone and chairman Alan Sugar
was the target of more hostility than ever before. Swiss
coach Christian Gross
was named as Francis's successor, and soon after arriving he brought in former Spurs star Jürgen Klinsmann
- who had been so successful and popular during his first spell three seasons earlier.
In the end, Tottenham beat the drop and finished 14th in the final table. Klinsmann retired from playing, to draw the curtain on a brilliant career.
looked more convincing than they had done for years during 1997-98. John Hartson
matured into one of the best strikers in the Premiership, with his partner Paul Kitson
also providing a steady supply of goals. Young centre-back Rio Ferdinand
remained loyal to his employers despite endless speculation of a move to a bigger club. Things at Upton Park
were looking better than they had done in a long time.
West Ham finished 8th in the final table - just one place short of UEFA Cup qualification. Holding on to Hartson and Ferdinand gave Harry Redknapp's
men an even more enhanced chance of achieving that goal next time round.
to Bolton, Wimbledon
showed the "Crazy Gang" spirit once more as they were still standing fourth at the beginning of December. Manager Joe Kinnear
was hopeful that this could finally be the season when Wimbledon achieved a UEFA Cup place. However, the team's form steadily deteriorated during the second half of the season, and their 15th place finish was their worst since reaching the top flight in 1986, though they had never looked to be in any real danger of relegation.
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
lift their first league title since 1991, and also become only the second team to win the 'double' of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and league title twice. It was their first full season under French manager Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
, who became the third non-English manager to win the Premiership after Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
and Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
, and the first manager from outside the British Isles ever to win the league title in England.
Promoted teams
Promoted to the Premiership for the 1997-98 season were Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
(Division One
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
champions with 98 points), Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
(runners-up and promoted to the top division for the first time ever) and 1996-97 playoff
Football League Play-Offs
The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...
winners Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
.
European qualification
At the end of the 1997–98 FA Premier League season, a record total of eight English teams qualified for European competition.| Team | League Position | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 1 | UEFA Champions League |
| Manchester United | 2 | UEFA Champions League |
| Liverpool | 3 | UEFA Cup |
| Chelsea | 4 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup |
| Leeds United | 5 | UEFA Cup |
| Blackburn Rovers | 6 | UEFA Cup |
| Aston Villa | 7 | UEFA Cup |
| Newcastle United | 13 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup |
| Crystal Palace | 20 | UEFA Intertoto Cup |
Premiership champions Arsenal and runners-up Manchester United qualified for the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, while UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
places went to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Leeds United, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. Qualifying for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
were Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
(as defending champions) and FA Cup runners-up Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, while finishing bottom, qualified for the Intertoto Cup
Relegated teams
The gap between the Premier League and Division One of the Football LeagueThe Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
was highlighted at the end of 1997-98 when all three newly promoted teams were relegated. Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
were confined to bottom place in the final table having won just two home games all season. Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
's first season in the top division ended in relegation, although they did reach the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
quarter finals and knock out Manchester United in the Fifth Round. Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
went down on goal difference, with 17th place being occupied by Everton. Despite preserving top flight football at Everton for the 45th season running, Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
quit as manager at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
after his third spell in charge.
Bolton's relegation was made all the more controversial on the basis of their goalless draw with Everton during the season when a Bolton shot hit the Everton bar and bounced a foot over the line. The referee, however, judged that the ball had not crossed the line and refused to allow the goal.
Another mark of this gap was that the 3 relegated teams in the previous season were at the Top-3 standings after the 46 First Division rounds. Had Sunderland not lost the play-off Final to Charlton
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
in a thrilling 4-4 after extra time and 7-6 on penalty shootout, the 20 teams from 1998-99 Premier League would be exactly the same from 1996-97 Premier League.
Player and managerial awards
- PFA Players' Player of the YearPFA Players' Player of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Players' Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in English football...
and Football Writers' Association Footballer of the YearFootball Writers' Association Footballer of the YearThe Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
was Dennis BergkampDennis BergkampDennis Nicolaas Bergkamp , is a former Dutch professional footballer who is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. At club level he played for Ajax, Internazionale, and Arsenal, and also represented the Netherlands at international level...
of Arsenal. - PFA Young Player of the YearPFA Young Player of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
was Michael OwenMichael OwenMichael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
of Liverpool. - FA Premier League Manager of the YearFA Premier League Manager of the YearIn the Premier League, the FA Premier League Manager of the Year Award is an annual award given to a manager who is recognised for their overall...
was Arsène Wenger of Arsenal. - Carling Premiership Player of the Year was Michael Owen of Liverpool.
Personnel and kits
(as of 10 May 1998)| Team | Manager1 | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal |  Arsène WengerArsène Wenger Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996... |
 Tony AdamsTony Adams (footballer) Tony Alexander Adams, MBE is an English football manager and former player.Adams spent his entire playing career of 22 years as a defender at Arsenal. He is considered one of the greatest Arsenal players of all time by the club's own fans and was included in the Football League 100 Legends... |
Nike Nike, Inc. Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area... |
JVC JVC , usually referred to as JVC, is a Japanese international consumer and professional electronics corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded in 1927... |
| Aston Villa | John Gregory |
Gareth Southgate Gareth Southgate Gareth Southgate in Crawley, West Sussex is a retired English footballer and ex-manager. He is known as the "Penalty Misser of '96." He served as manager of Middlesbrough from June 2006, until he was dismissed in October 2009... |
Reebok Reebok Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle... |
AST AST Research AST Research, Inc. was a personal computer manufacturer, founded in Irvine, California in 1980 by Albert Wong, Safi Qureshey and Thomas Yuen. AST's original business was the manufacture and marketing of a broad range of microcomputer expansion cards, later focusing on higher-density replacements... |
| Barnsley |  Danny Wilson |
Neil Redfearn Neil Redfearn Neil David Redfearn is an English former footballer and manager who is currently under-18s coach and reserve team manager at Leeds United.... |
Admiral | Ora |
| Blackburn Rovers | Roy Hodgson Roy Hodgson Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified... |
Tim Sherwood Tim Sherwood Timothy "Tim" Sherwood is an English former professional footballer who was captain of Blackburn Rovers' Premiership title-winning side... |
Asics ASICS ASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company. ASICS produces professional footwear and sports equipment designed for football, running, netball, tennis, badminton, squash, martial arts, cricket, golf, wrestling, track & field, cross-training, volleyball, cheerleading, lacrosse, and for many other... |
CIS The Co-operative Insurance The Co-operative Insurance, formally Co-operative Insurance Society Ltd, is a large insurance company based in Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two main constituents of Co-operative Financial Services, which is in turn owned by Co-operative Group Ltd, formerly the Co-operative... |
| Bolton Wanderers | Colin Todd Colin Todd Colin Todd is an English football manager and former player. As a player, he made more than 600 appearances in the Football League, playing for Sunderland, Derby County, Everton, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Oxford United and Luton Town, and also played in the North American Soccer League... |
 Guðni BergssonGuðni Bergsson Guðni Bergsson , is a former Icelandic football player who is best known for his time spent with Bolton Wanderers.-Club career:... |
Reebok Reebok Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle... |
Reebok |
| Chelsea |  Gianluca VialliGianluca Vialli Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia.... |
Dennis Wise Dennis Wise Dennis Frank Wise is an English former football manager and player, and former Executive Director at Newcastle United.... |
Umbro Umbro Umbro is an English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. The company is now part of Nike. Umbro designs, sources, and markets sport-related apparel, footwear, and equipment... |
Autoglass Autoglass Autoglass is a car-windscreen repair company based in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.-History:In 1971, Windshields was formed in Bedford, and operated across southern England doing mobile repairs. In 1973 the Doulton Group launched Autoglass, which operated across northern England... |
| Coventry City |  Gordon StrachanGordon Strachan Gordon David Strachan OBE is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is currently without a club, having last managed Middlesbrough. Strachan played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds United and Coventry City, as well as the Scotland national team. Prior to Middlesbrough,... |
Gary McAllister Gary McAllister Gary McAllister MBE is a Scottish former professional footballer.McAllister played primarily as a midfielder, in a successful career spanning over nineteen years. He started his career at local side Motherwell before moving south of the border to Leicester City at the age of 20... |
Le Coq Sportif Le Coq Sportif Le Coq Sportif is a French company producing sports equipment such as shoes, shorts, and T-shirts. It was founded in 1882 by Émile Camuset, but the first clothing items branded with the rooster appeared in 1948... |
Subaru Subaru ; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as... |
| Crystal Palace | Ray Lewington (caretaker) |
Andy Linighan Andy Linighan Andrew "Andy" Linighan is a former English football player.Linighan was born in Hartlepool into a footballing family – his brothers David and Brian were also professional footballers. He first played for his local side, Hartlepool United, before spells at Leeds United , Oldham Athletic and... |
adidas Adidas Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport... |
TDK |
| Derby County | Jim Smith Jim Smith (footballer) James Michael "Jim" Smith is a retired English footballer and manager. As a player, he made 249 appearances in the Fourth Division of The Football League, representing Aldershot, Halifax Town, Lincoln City and Colchester United, and played for three-and-a-half years for Boston United of the... |
 Igor ŠtimacIgor Štimac Igor Štimac is a retired Croatian football player. He is now a football agent and a manager... |
Puma PUMA AG Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two... |
Puma |
| Everton | Howard Kendall Howard Kendall Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s.... |
Dave Watson Dave Watson David "Dave" Watson is an English former professional footballer who made 12 appearances for the English national team. He is now the youth team coach at Newcastle United.-Playing career:... |
Umbro | One2One |
| Leeds United | George Graham George Graham (footballer) George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:... |
David Hopkin David Hopkin David Hopkin is a Scottish former professional football player who is assistant manager at .-Club career:Hopkin started his career at Morton before earning a move to Premier League side Chelsea in 1992... |
Puma | Packard Bell Packard Bell Packard Bell is a Dutch computer manufacturer and a subsidiary of Acer. The name was previously used by Packard Bell, an American radio manufacturer founded in 1926. In 1986, Israeli investors bought the name for a newly formed personal computer manufacturer. Originally the company produced... |
| Leicester City | Martin O'Neill Martin O'Neill Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham... |
Steve Walsh Steve Walsh (footballer) Steven Walsh is a former professional footballer, who spent most of his career at Leicester City. He also played for Wigan, Norwich, Tamworth and Coventry City, over a career lasting 21 years. He was a defender and an occasional striker... |
Fox Leisure | Walkers Walkers (snack foods) Walkers is a British snack food manufacturer operating mainly in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland and to a lesser extent on the European continent. They are best known for manufacturing crisps. They hold 47 per cent of the British crisp market... |
| Liverpool | Roy Evans Roy Evans Roy Evans CBE was a Liverpool football player who eventually rose through the coaching ranks to become team manager.-Career:... |
Paul Ince Paul Ince Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town... |
Reebok | Carlsberg |
| Manchester United | Alex Ferguson Alex Ferguson Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986... |
Roy Keane Roy Keane Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland.... |
Umbro | Sharp Sharp Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first... |
| Newcastle United | Kenny Dalglish Kenny Dalglish Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and... |
Rob Lee Rob Lee Robert Martin "Rob" Lee is a retired English footballer who played the majority of his career for Charlton Athletic and Newcastle United.-Charlton Athletic:... |
adidas | Newcastle Brown Ale Newcastle Brown Ale Newcastle Brown Ale is a beer produced by Heineken International. It was introduced in 1927 by Newcastle Breweries. In 2005, brewing was moved out of Newcastle upon Tyne for the first time, to Dunston on the other side of the River Tyne, and in 2010 moved entirely to Tadcaster, North Yorkshire... |
| Sheffield Wednesday | Ron Atkinson Ron Atkinson Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits... (caretaker) |
Peter Atherton Peter Atherton Peter Atherton , is an English former professional English footballer who plays as both a defender and a midfielder... |
Puma | Sanderson |
| Southampton | Dave Jones |
Matt Le Tissier |
Pony Pony International Pony International, commonly referred to as simply Pony, is an American brand of footwear and other apparel. Founded in 1972 on Madison Avenue in New York, Pony was created by industry veteran Roberto Mueller, along with financing provided by adidas Chairman Horst Dassler . Pony became one of the... |
Sanderson |
| Tottenham Hotspur |  Christian GrossChristian Gross Christian Gross is a professional football coach and former player who currently manages Young Boys Bern. Before that he managed VfB Stuttgart until his dismissal in October 2010. He was manager of FC Basel from 1 July 1999 to 27 May 2009.-Playing career:Gross began his playing career at... |
Colin Calderwood Colin Calderwood Colin Calderwood is a Scottish football player and coach. In November 2011 he was appointed as Chris Hughton's assistant manager at Birmingham City.... |
Pony | Hewlett-Packard Hewlett-Packard Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including... |
| West Ham United | Harry Redknapp Harry Redknapp Henry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur.... |
Steve Lomas Steve Lomas Stephen "Steve" Lomas is the football manager of St Johnstone and a former Northern Ireland international player. He played for Manchester City, West Ham United, Queens Park Rangers and Gillingham, finishing his playing career at United Counties Football League Premier Division club St Neots Town... |
Pony | (no sponsor) |
| Wimbledon |  Joe KinnearJoe Kinnear Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kinnear is an Irish football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Newcastle United.... |
 Robbie EarleRobbie Earle Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals.... |
Lotto Lotto Sport Italia Lotto Sport Italia is an Italian sports apparel manufacturer. Its products are now distributed in more than 60 countries.-History:Lotto was established in 1973 by the Caberlotto family in Montebelluna, northern Italy, the world centre of footwear manufacturing. In June 1973, Lotto made its debut... |
Elonex Elonex Elonex is a computer hardware and related IT services company based in Birmingham, UK, that develops eBook Readers, Android eTouch Tablets, and other consumer electronics.The Elonex brand was founded in 1986, in London.... |
Managerial changes
- Aston Villa manager Brian LittleBrian Little (footballer)Brian Little is an English former football player and manager who is currently without a job after being relieved of his duties as manager of Gainsborough Trinity on 22 August 2011. Little has previously managed Darlington, Leicester City, Aston Villa, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Hull City,...
resigned in February 1998 and was replaced by John Gregory, previously of Wycombe WanderersWycombe Wanderers F.C.Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
. - Chelsea sacked Ruud GullitRuud GullitOON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
after a dispute with the board in February 1998 and appointed 33-year-old striker Gianluca VialliGianluca VialliGianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
as their new manager. - Crystal Palace manager Steve CoppellSteve CoppellStephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
was named as Director of footballDirector of football"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
in March 1998 and temporarily replaced by 31-year-old midfielder Attilio LombardoAttilio LombardoAttilio Lombardo is a retired football player turned manager.-Playing:...
. Lombardo himself resigned two weeks before the season ended, and Ray Lewington acted as caretaker for the remainder of the season. At the end of the season, Terry VenablesTerry VenablesTerence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
was given the manager's job. - Everton manager Howard Kendall resigned as Everton manager after one season of his third period as manager.
- Sheffield Wednesday sacked David PleatDavid PleatDavid John Pleat is an English football player turned manager and sports commentator.He is remembered by his contemporaries primarily for his career as manager of Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town football clubs, and for an oft-televised clip of him running onto the pitch in 1983 to celebrate after...
in October 1997 and named Ron AtkinsonRon AtkinsonRonald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
as caretaker managerCaretaker managerIn association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
until the end of the season, after which he was replaced by Danny Wilson of BarnsleyBarnsley F.C.Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
. - Tottenham Hotspur manager Gerry FrancisGerry FrancisGerald Charles James Francis is an English former footballer and manager, now working as First Team coach at Stoke City.-Playing career:Francis made his debut for Queens Park Rangers v Liverpool in March 1969...
resigned in November 1997 and was replaced by Christian GrossChristian GrossChristian Gross is a professional football coach and former player who currently manages Young Boys Bern. Before that he managed VfB Stuttgart until his dismissal in October 2010. He was manager of FC Basel from 1 July 1999 to 27 May 2009.-Playing career:Gross began his playing career at...
of Swiss side Grasshopper Zürich.
Final league table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... |
38 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 68 | 33 | 78 | UEFA Champions League 1998–99 Group stage |
| 2 | 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... |
38 | 23 | 8 | 7 | 73 | 26 | 77 | UEFA Champions League 1998–99 Second qualifying round |
| 3 | Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
38 | 18 | 11 | 9 | 68 | 42 | 65 | UEFA Cup 1998–99 First round |
| 4 | Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
38 | 20 | 3 | 15 | 71 | 43 | 63 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1998–99 First round1 |
| 5 | Leeds United Leeds United A.F.C. Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system... |
38 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 57 | 46 | 59 | UEFA Cup 1998–99 First round |
| 6 | Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 57 | 52 | 58 | |
| 7 | Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
38 | 17 | 6 | 15 | 49 | 48 | 57 | |
| 8 | West Ham United West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... |
38 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 56 | 57 | ||
| 56 | |||||||||
| 9 | Derby County Derby County F.C. Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English... |
38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 52 | 49 | 55 | |
| 10 | Leicester City Leicester City F.C. Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester... |
38 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 51 | 41 | 53 | |
| 11 | Coventry City Coventry City F.C. Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry... |
38 | 12 | 16 | 10 | 46 | 44 | 52 | |
| 12 | Southampton Southampton F.C. Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club... |
38 | 14 | 6 | 18 | 50 | 55 | ||
| 48 | |||||||||
| 13 | Newcastle United Newcastle United F.C. Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger... |
38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 35 | 44 | ||
| 44 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1998–99 First round2 | ||||||||
| 14 | Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 44 | 56 | ||
| 44 | |||||||||
| 15 | Wimbledon Wimbledon F.C. Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football... |
38 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 34 | 46 | ||
| 44 | |||||||||
| 16 | Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the... |
38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 52 | 67 | ||
| 44 | |||||||||
| 17 | Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... |
38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 41 | 56 | ||
| 40 | |||||||||
| 18 | Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 41 | 61 | ||
| 40 | Relegated to Football League First Division 1998–99 | ||||||||
| 19 | Barnsley Barnsley F.C. Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's... |
38 | 10 | 5 | 23 | 37 | 82 | ||
| 35 | Relegated to Football League First Division 1998–99 | ||||||||
| 20 | Crystal Palace Crystal Palace F.C. Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in... 3 |
38 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 37 | 71 | ||
| 33 | Relegated to Football League First Division 1998–99 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup 3rd round |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
1 Chelsea qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as defending champions and were the League Cup winners.
2 As Arsenal qualified for the Champions League, their Cup Winners' Cup place as FA Cup winners defaulted to Newcastle United, the losing finalists
3 Despite being relegated, Crystal Palace qualified for the 1998 Intertoto Cup
Results
Arsenal
In Arsène Wenger'sArsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
first full season as manager, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
went on a storming run during the final three months of the season to take advantage of having three games in hand over leaders 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...
and clinch the Premiership title after overhauling United's 11-point lead. Two weeks after being crowned champions, Arsenal went to Wembley and beat Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
2-0 to clinch the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. In doing so, they became the only team to match Manchester United's record of two "doubles", though it was achieved with an entirely different squad to the Arsenal side that had been double winners in 1971. Throughout the season, the team played a new form of a combination of continental football flair with traditional English defensiveness, epitomised best by the standout success of Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira is a retired French footballer of Senegalese descent who is the Football Development Executive at Manchester City....
and Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Nicolaas Bergkamp , is a former Dutch professional footballer who is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. At club level he played for Ajax, Internazionale, and Arsenal, and also represented the Netherlands at international level...
in attack, and the solid back-five of David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
, Tony Adams
Tony Adams (footballer)
Tony Alexander Adams, MBE is an English football manager and former player.Adams spent his entire playing career of 22 years as a defender at Arsenal. He is considered one of the greatest Arsenal players of all time by the club's own fans and was included in the Football League 100 Legends...
, Steve Bould
Steve Bould
Stephen Andrew Bould is an English former football player and current coach. He played professionally for Stoke City, Torquay United, Arsenal and Sunderland.-Stoke City:...
, Lee Dixon
Lee Dixon
Lee Michael Dixon is a former English professional footballer born in Manchester.He formed part of the Arsenal defence from the late 1980s, through till 2002. He was capped 22 times for England, scoring once....
and Nigel Winterburn
Nigel Winterburn
Nigel Winterburn is a retired English footballer who played at left-back for Arsenal. He is best known for his role alongside Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon, forming a celebrated defensive line in the Premier League and European football during the 1990s.-Early career:Winterburn was born...
in defence.
Aston Villa
When Brian LittleBrian Little (footballer)
Brian Little is an English former football player and manager who is currently without a job after being relieved of his duties as manager of Gainsborough Trinity on 22 August 2011. Little has previously managed Darlington, Leicester City, Aston Villa, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Hull City,...
resigned as Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
manager in February, Villa were 15th in the Premiership and were starting to look like outside bets for relegation. Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
, recently sacked by Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, was linked with the vacancy, but the surprise choice for the job was Wycombe manager John Gregory, a former Villa coach. He influenced a late run of form which saw Villa climb to seventh place and become the lowest-placed English team to achieve automatic UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
qualification.
Barnsley
1997-981997-98 in English football
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
was the first top flight season in Barnsley's
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
102-year history, and despite some courageous performances their stay among the elite lasted just one season. They were in the bottom three virtually all season long, though they did enjoy some success in the FA Cup, knocking out Manchester United in the Fifth Round before bowing out to eventual runners-up Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in the quarter final. Their relegation was confirmed a few weeks later, and manager Danny Wilson then moved to Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
. 35-year-old striker John Hendrie
John Hendrie
John Grattan Hendrie is a Scottish former professional association footballer who played on the right wing or in attack....
was appointed player-manager following Wilson's departure.
Blackburn Rovers
After last season's1996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
slip-up, Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
emerged as title contenders under new manager Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified...
, and even sixth place in the final table was enough for a UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
place. Chris Sutton's
Chris Sutton
Christopher Roy "Chris" Sutton is an English football manager and former player.In his career, Sutton played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English...
continued return to form saw him come joint top of the Premiership goalscoring charts with 18 goals, and led to him earning a long-awaited international
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
call-up, though he did not make the final squad for the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
after refusing to play for the England B team.
Bolton Wanderers
In their new 27,000-seat stadiumReebok Stadium
The Reebok Stadium is the home stadium of English Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers, and is located on the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. It is commonly known as 'The Reebok'...
, Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
began the season as the strongest-looking of the newly-promoted side, particularly after paying a club record fee of £3.5 million for Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
striker Dean Holdsworth
Dean Holdsworth
Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton...
and holding Manchester United to a 0-0 draw. But it was a season-long struggle for Colin Todd
Colin Todd
Colin Todd is an English football manager and former player. As a player, he made more than 600 appearances in the Football League, playing for Sunderland, Derby County, Everton, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Oxford United and Luton Town, and also played in the North American Soccer League...
and his men, who lost their battle on the final day of the season and occupied the final relegation place - on goal difference - to complete a hat-trick of newly-promoted clubs suffering relegation. Controversially Bolton had a goal against Everton disallowed in the belief that the ball had not crossed the line after crashing down off the Everton crossbar. Television replays showed the ball had indeed crossed the line. The game finished goal-less and the two sides finished level on points with Everton surviving on their superior goal difference. Bolton fans complained bitterly that the goal and resulting 1-0 win would have kept them in the Premier League at Everton's expense. Everton fans countered by pointing to Bolton's inability to hold onto a lead during the season while Everton had a good record of coming from behind to draw or even win against their fellow strugglers. With an hour to play it is impossible to say with any degree of confidence that Bolton would indeed have been able to hold on to their goal lead.
Chelsea
With conceding goals being a major issue last season, ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
signed Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
International goalkeeper Ed de Goey to solve the problem, and proved to be a relative success, Chelsea's only other major signings were young Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
striker Tore Andre Flo
Tore André Flo
Tore André Flo is a Norwegian football striker, who plays for the Norwegian club Sogndal. He initially retired after being released by the Milton Keynes Dons in 2009, but announced his comeback in March 2011. His brothers Jostein Flo and Jarle Flo, and cousin Håvard Flo are also professional...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an International Midfielder Gus Poyet
Gustavo Poyet
Gustavo Augusto Gus Poyet Domínguez is a former Uruguay international footballer and current manager of English side Brighton & Hove Albion.During his playing career, Poyet featured for teams including Real Zaragoza, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur....
from Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
, who added more goals from an otherwise very defensive midfield. Chelsea were well on course for a top-five finish and success in the European Cup Winners' Cup and the Coca-Cola Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
when manager Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
was sacked on 12 February following a dispute with chairman Ken Bates
Ken Bates
Kenneth William Bates is a British businessman and football executive. The current chairman and now owner of Leeds United AFC, Bates was previously chairman and majority shareholder of Chelsea FC from 1982 until 2003....
. His job went to 33-year-old striker Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
, who took on the role of player-manager and achieved instant success - within three months of his appointment, Vialli had guided the Blues to glory on the continent and at Wembley. This success gave Chelsea fans hope that the following season
1998-99 in English football
-Premier League:Manchester United overcame close competition from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea to win their fifth Premiership title in seven seasons thanks to the comeback of Roy Keane after his long-term injury and a transfer raid totalling nearly £30 million which netted Aston Villa striker...
could spell the end of their title wait which began in 1955.
Coventry City
After a last-day "houdini" act and the bonus of MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
having 3 points deducted kept Coventry
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
up in 1996-97
1996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
, manager Gordon Strachan
Gordon Strachan
Gordon David Strachan OBE is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is currently without a club, having last managed Middlesbrough. Strachan played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds United and Coventry City, as well as the Scotland national team. Prior to Middlesbrough,...
was determined to avoid another season of struggle. He achieved it, and an 11th place finish was Coventry's highest in four seasons. Their secure finish was helped no end by the loyalty of striker Dion Dublin
Dion Dublin
Dion Dublin , is a retired English footballer. He was capped four times for England. Dublin started his career as a centre back with Norwich City, but made his name at Cambridge United as a goal-scoring centre forward. However, in his later years he showed his versatility by becoming an...
, who pledged his future to the club after snubbing an offer from Blackburn. Right up to the final day of the season, the Sky Blues were within a shout of a UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
place, but they were beaten to it by local rivals Aston Villa. The two places above them were occupied by two other local rivals - Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
and Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
.
Crystal Palace
Experienced ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
midfielder Atilio Lombardo was one of the most famous names to wear a Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
shirt when he arrived at Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
early in the season, and his influential form looked to have secured Palace's top flight status as they stood 10th as late as November. Fellow countryman Michele Padovano
Michele Padovano
Michele Padovano is an Italian retired football player.Padovano began his professional career at Asti T.S.C. in Serie C2, before short spells at Pisa, Napoli and Genoa, he signed for Reggiana where he impressed...
was also signed, but proved to be a complete flop, as did Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
forward Tomas Brolin
Tomas Brolin
Per Tomas Brolin is a Swedish former professional football player who had a successful period with A.C. Parma during the early nineties winning the 1992 Coppa Italia, the 1993 Cup Winners' Cup, the 1993 UEFA Super Cup and the 1995 UEFA Cup.Brolin also played for the Swedish national team,...
, and Palace were soon deep in relegation trouble.
With a takeover by computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
tycoon Mark Goldberg
Mark Goldberg
Mark Goldberg is an English football club chairman and manager, who is currently in his third spell with Bromley F.C.-Business:Goldberg originally made his fortune in the IT recruitment industry, becoming a multi millionaire...
on the horizon, Steve Coppell
Steve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
relinquished his managerial duties to become Director of Football. Lombardo and Brolin became joint player-managers on a short-term contract, but were unable to stave off relegation and were soon on their way out of the club.
When the Goldberg takeover was completed, Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
returned to the manager's seat after an eventful 18 years away, with the new chairman boasting that Palace would be a European force by 2003.
Derby County
Derby County began life at their new stadiumPride Park Stadium
Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium located on the Pride Park business park on the outskirts of Derby, England. It is the current home of Football League Championship club Derby County, who moved to the stadium from the Baseball Ground upon its opening in 1997...
by progressing further on the previous season's solid 12th place finish. Jim Smith's
Jim Smith (footballer)
James Michael "Jim" Smith is a retired English footballer and manager. As a player, he made 249 appearances in the Fourth Division of The Football League, representing Aldershot, Halifax Town, Lincoln City and Colchester United, and played for three-and-a-half years for Boston United of the...
team emerged as surprise contenders for a UEFA Cup place, and European qualification (for the first time in over 20 years) was still a possibility on the final day of the season. But results did not go Derby's way, and that final European place went to Aston Villa.
The end-of-season arrival of Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
defender Horacio Carbonari
Horacio Carbonari
Horacio Carbonari is a former Argentine footballer who played as a defender.Born in Santa Teresa, a town in the southern end of Santa Fe Province, Carbonari began his career at Rosario Central. His debut at the first division was in 1993. In the Argentinian club, he won the Copa Conmebol in 1995...
gave Derby fans fresh hope of challenging for a place in Europe.
Everton
EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
began the season with three significant new signings - Slaven Bilic
Slaven Bilic
Slaven Bilić is a former Croatian footballer and current head coach of the Croatia national team. His playing tenure predominantly comprised extended vocations in his hometown with Hajduk Split and a combination of foreign spells in Germany and England...
, John Oster
John Oster
John Morgan Oster is an English born Welsh international footballer, who plays as a midfielder for Football League Championship club Doncaster Rovers. Oster progressed through the youth ranks at Grimsby Town before moving on to Premier League Everton...
and Gareth Farrelly
Gareth Farrelly
Gareth Farrelly is an Irish footballer. He currently plays for Warrington Town and Paul Hastings FC ....
- but the big news at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
was the return of Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
for his third spell as manager.
With financial problems growing and fans growing ever more hostile towards chairman Peter Johnson, Kendall was soon facing the biggest struggle of his managerial career. Everton - top division members continuously since 1954 - were battling against relegation and looked anything but a trophy-winning team that they so often had been during Kendall's earlier spells. They ended up surviving, but only avoided relegation to the Nationwide League Division One
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
because they had a greater goal difference than 18th-placed Bolton. That kept Everton up, but Kendall resigned just weeks later and was replaced by the former Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
manager Walter Smith
Walter Smith
Walter Smith, OBE is a Scottish football manager. His most recent job was at Scottish Premier League club Rangers.Smith had a relatively modest playing career, consisting of two spells with Dundee United which was split by a short time at Dumbarton.A pelvic injury meant he moved in to coaching at...
.
Leeds United
After a goal-shy Leeds United side managed only an 11th place finish in 1996-97, the acquisition of DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jerrel Hasselbaink usually known as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a Dutch former football striker who played for various clubs in the Netherlands, Portugal, England, and Spain, as well as the Dutch national team. He scored more than 200 career goals...
bolstered their attack substantially and they were soon back to their winning ways after two seasons of struggle. George Graham's
George Graham (footballer)
George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:...
hard work in his second season as manager soon paid off with a fifth-place finish - the club's highest for three years - and UEFA Cup qualification.
Leicester City
Leicester City'sLeicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
return to European competition for the first time since the 1960s was short-lived, and they suffered a first-hurdle defeat at the hands of Spaniards
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Atletico Madrid. Their challenges in the domestic cups fared little better, and a 10th place finish in the final table was not enough for another UEFA Cup adventure. But they managed to hold on to star assets like Neil Lennon
Neil Lennon
Neil Francis Lennon is a former footballer from Northern Ireland. He is the current manager and former captain of Celtic....
and Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...
, and most importantly they hung on to highly-rated manager Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
, giving fans hope of another challenge for honours in 1998-99.
Liverpool
Liverpool'sLiverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
season saw them feature regularly in the title race, though in the end they just couldn't get the better of champions Arsenal and runners-up Manchester United. But the real success of the season was the emergence of 18-year-old striker Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
. The Chester-born
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
youngester had impressed in a handful of appearances during 1996-97, but his impact during 1997-98 was outstanding - 18 goals from 36 Premiership games, especially after Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
was ruled out for much of the campaign with a broken leg. In midfield, the arrival of Paul Ince
Paul Ince
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...
sought to add steel to a side creatively centred on playmaker Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
, but the team were at the peak of their Spice Boys
Spice Boys (footballers)
The Spice Boys was a media term used to describe a group of Liverpool F.C. footballers in the mid-late 1990s, seen typically as being composed of Jamie Redknapp, David James, Phil Babb, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, Stan Collymore and Jason McAteer...
era, and underachieved in the end, eventually finishing in third place- meaning that Liverpool would be challenging in the UEFA Cup for 1998-99. In the summer it was widely speculated that manager Roy Evans
Roy Evans
Roy Evans CBE was a Liverpool football player who eventually rose through the coaching ranks to become team manager.-Career:...
would be sacked and replaced by either Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
or Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier, OBE , is a French football manager, who was last manager of Premier League club Aston Villa. He stepped down on 1 June 2011, following hospitalisation over heart problems towards the end of the 2010-2011 season....
, but in an unusual move the board instead opted to appoint Houllier as joint-manager with Evans. Many felt that the appointment meant Evans was effectively on borrowed time at the club.
Manchester United
On 1 March 1998, Manchester United were 11 points ahead at the top of the Premiership and looked all set for a fifth title success in six seasons. One bookmaker even paid out on the punters who had bet on United winning the league. But Arsenal had three games in hand, and Arsène Wenger's men won 1-0 at Old Trafford in mid-March to cut the gap to 3 points. The North Londoners went top in April, and any hope that United might have had of clinching the title ended on 3 May when Arsenal beat Everton 4-0 to confirm themselves as champions.Newcastle United
Just before the season started, star striker Alan ShearerAlan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
suffered a serious ankle injury in a pre-season game and did not return to action until February. Two other key players, David Ginola
David Ginola
David Karl Ginola is a French former international football player who has also worked as an actor and model.Ginola was born in Gassin, Var...
and Les Ferdinand
Les Ferdinand
Leslie "Les" Ferdinand MBE is a former English footballer. His playing career included spells at Queens Park Rangers, Besiktas J.K., Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers F.C., during which period he earned a number of appearances for England...
, were sold to Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
before the season started. Replacements like Jon Dahl Tomasson
Jon Dahl Tomasson
Jon Dahl Tomasson is a retired Danish footballer and assistant manager at the Dutch football club SBV Excelsior....
, John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
and Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
failed to deliver where their predecessors had so memorably succeeded, and even Shearer's return to fitness could not bring Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
anything more than a 13th place finish in his first full season as Newcastle manager. This showing gave particular cause for concern, as Newcastle had finished runners-up in the last two seasons and had never finished below sixth since returning to the top flight in 1993.
In spite of their dismal Premiership form, Newcastle enjoyed a good run in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and reached the final for the first time in 24 years. They never looked like winners, and the final whistle blew with a 2-0 scoreline giving the trophy to opponents Arsenal. But as Arsenal had completed the double, Newcastle entered the Cup Winners' Cup.
Sheffield Wednesday
Having narrowly missed out on a UEFA Cup place in 1996-97, the club record £5.7million signing of ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
striker Paolo Di Canio
Paolo Di Canio
Paolo Di Canio is a Italian former professional footballer and current manager of League Two side Swindon Town. Di Canio made over 500 league appearances and scored over 100 league goals as a player....
from Celtic gave Owls
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
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
David Pleat
David John Pleat is an English football player turned manager and sports commentator.He is remembered by his contemporaries primarily for his career as manager of Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town football clubs, and for an oft-televised clip of him running onto the pitch in 1983 to celebrate after...
was swiftly sacked, and Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
- manager of the 1991 promotion and League Cup winning side - returned to the manager's seat on a short-term contract. He achieved safety in 16th place, and was disappointed on being told that his contract would not be renewed. Atkinson had been hoping to guide Wednesday to European qualification in 1998-99. He was succeeded by Danny Wilson, a former Owls player who played for them in the early, more successful part of the decade
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
.
Southampton
Under the management of Dave Jones, with no managerial experience beyond Division TwoFootball League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
were most people's favourites for relegation to Division One. After all, they had endured close brushes with relegation on no fewer than five occasions in the previous seven seasons. And most of the club's new signings were drafted in from the lower leagues.
But the Saints were more convincing than they had been in a long time, and most bookmakers had stopped placing bets on them being relegated before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. In the end, a 12th place finish gave the players and fans alike something to be proud of.
Tottenham Hotspur
Despite the pre-season capture of Newcastle stars David GinolaDavid Ginola
David Karl Ginola is a French former international football player who has also worked as an actor and model.Ginola was born in Gassin, Var...
and Les Ferdinand
Les Ferdinand
Leslie "Les" Ferdinand MBE is a former English footballer. His playing career included spells at Queens Park Rangers, Besiktas J.K., Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers F.C., during which period he earned a number of appearances for England...
, Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
began the season badly and looked nothing like a side who were hoping to challenge for a European place. By the time Gerry Francis
Gerry Francis
Gerald Charles James Francis is an English former footballer and manager, now working as First Team coach at Stoke City.-Playing career:Francis made his debut for Queens Park Rangers v Liverpool in March 1969...
resigned in November, Spurs were in the relegation zone and chairman Alan Sugar
Alan Sugar
Alan Michael Sugar, Baron Sugar is a British entrepreneur, media personality and political advisor. From humble origins in the East End of London, Sugar now has an estimated fortune of £770m , and was ranked 89th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2011...
was the target of more hostility than ever before. Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
coach Christian Gross
Christian Gross
Christian Gross is a professional football coach and former player who currently manages Young Boys Bern. Before that he managed VfB Stuttgart until his dismissal in October 2010. He was manager of FC Basel from 1 July 1999 to 27 May 2009.-Playing career:Gross began his playing career at...
was named as Francis's successor, and soon after arriving he brought in former Spurs star Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
- who had been so successful and popular during his first spell three seasons earlier.
In the end, Tottenham beat the drop and finished 14th in the final table. Klinsmann retired from playing, to draw the curtain on a brilliant career.
West Ham United
After last season's near miss with relegation, West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
looked more convincing than they had done for years during 1997-98. John Hartson
John Hartson
John Hartson is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a striker, best known for his spells with West Ham and Celtic. Hartson also featured prominently for Wales, earning 51 caps until his international retirement in 2006...
matured into one of the best strikers in the Premiership, with his partner Paul Kitson
Paul Kitson
For the English footballer who spent most of his career in the United States, see Paul Kitson .Paul Kitson is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker...
also providing a steady supply of goals. Young centre-back Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
remained loyal to his employers despite endless speculation of a move to a bigger club. Things at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
were looking better than they had done in a long time.
West Ham finished 8th in the final table - just one place short of UEFA Cup qualification. Holding on to Hartson and Ferdinand gave Harry Redknapp's
Harry Redknapp
Henry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
men an even more enhanced chance of achieving that goal next time round.
Wimbledon
Despite the early season sale of Dean HoldsworthDean Holdsworth
Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton...
to Bolton, Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
showed the "Crazy Gang" spirit once more as they were still standing fourth at the beginning of December. Manager Joe Kinnear
Joe Kinnear
Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kinnear is an Irish football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Newcastle United....
was hopeful that this could finally be the season when Wimbledon achieved a UEFA Cup place. However, the team's form steadily deteriorated during the second half of the season, and their 15th place finish was their worst since reaching the top flight in 1986, though they had never looked to be in any real danger of relegation.
Top goal scorers
| Rank | Scorer | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dion Dublin Dion Dublin Dion Dublin , is a retired English footballer. He was capped four times for England. Dublin started his career as a centre back with Norwich City, but made his name at Cambridge United as a goal-scoring centre forward. However, in his later years he showed his versatility by becoming an... |
Coventry City Coventry City F.C. Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry... |
18 |
| Michael Owen Michael Owen Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997... |
Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
18 | |
| Chris Sutton Chris Sutton Christopher Roy "Chris" Sutton is an English football manager and former player.In his career, Sutton played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English... |
Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
18 | |
| 4 |  Dennis BergkampDennis Bergkamp Dennis Nicolaas Bergkamp , is a former Dutch professional footballer who is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. At club level he played for Ajax, Internazionale, and Arsenal, and also represented the Netherlands at international level... |
Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... |
16 |
| Kevin Gallacher Kevin Gallacher Kevin William Gallacher is a Scottish former professional footballer and now a sports pundit.He is the grandson of the late Celtic forward Patsy Gallacher, who died before he was born.-Career:... |
Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
16 | |
| Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Jerrel Hasselbaink usually known as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a Dutch former football striker who played for various clubs in the Netherlands, Portugal, England, and Spain, as well as the Dutch national team. He scored more than 200 career goals... |
Leeds United Leeds United A.F.C. Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system... |
16 | |
| 7 | Andy Cole Andy Cole Andrew Alexander Cole is a retired English footballer. He is most well known by the name Andy Cole , but in 2000, he reputedly asked to be known as Andrew Cole... |
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... |
15 |
 John HartsonJohn Hartson John Hartson is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a striker, best known for his spells with West Ham and Celtic. Hartson also featured prominently for Wales, earning 51 caps until his international retirement in 2006... |
West Ham United | 15 | |
| 9 | Darren Huckerby Darren Huckerby Darren Huckerby is a former English footballer who played as a forward.-Early career:Huckerby was born in Nottingham, England. His mother is of partial Georgian descent. Huckerby started playing professionally for Lincoln City, before signing for Newcastle United in a £400,000 deal in 1995... |
Coventry City Coventry City F.C. Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry... |
14 |
| 10 |  Paulo WanchopePaulo Wanchope Pablo César Wanchope Watson , more commonly known as Paulo Wanchope, is a Costa Rican former professional footballer. As of February 2009, Wanchope is the second most prolific goalscorer in the history of the national football team, behind Rolando Fonseca, with 45 goals in 73 international... |
Derby County Derby County F.C. Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English... |
13 |
Monthly awards
| Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month Premier League Player of the Month The Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Premier League player each month of the season. The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by the League's sponsor, and announced alongside the Manager of the Month on the first or second Friday of the following month... |
|---|---|---|
| August | Roy Hodgson Roy Hodgson Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified... (Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... ) |
Dennis Bergkamp Dennis Bergkamp Dennis Nicolaas Bergkamp , is a former Dutch professional footballer who is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. At club level he played for Ajax, Internazionale, and Arsenal, and also represented the Netherlands at international level... (Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... ) |
| September | Martin O'Neill Martin O'Neill Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham... (Leicester City Leicester City F.C. Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester... ) |
Dennis Bergkamp Dennis Bergkamp Dennis Nicolaas Bergkamp , is a former Dutch professional footballer who is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. At club level he played for Ajax, Internazionale, and Arsenal, and also represented the Netherlands at international level... (Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... ) |
| October | Alex Ferguson Alex Ferguson Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986... (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... ) |
Paulo Wanchope Paulo Wanchope Pablo César Wanchope Watson , more commonly known as Paulo Wanchope, is a Costa Rican former professional footballer. As of February 2009, Wanchope is the second most prolific goalscorer in the history of the national football team, behind Rolando Fonseca, with 45 goals in 73 international... (Derby County Derby County F.C. Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English... ) |
| November | George Graham George Graham (footballer) George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:... (Leeds United) |
Andy Cole Andy Cole Andrew Alexander Cole is a retired English footballer. He is most well known by the name Andy Cole , but in 2000, he reputedly asked to be known as Andrew Cole... (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... ) & Kevin DaviesKevin Davies Kevin Cyril Davies is an English footballer who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers and the England national football team as a striker. He was made Bolton team captain in January 2009.... (Southampton Southampton F.C. Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club... ) |
| December | Roy Hodgson Roy Hodgson Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified... (Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... ) |
Steve McManaman Steve McManaman Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most... (Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... ) |
| January | Howard Kendall Howard Kendall Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s.... (Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... ) |
Dion Dublin Dion Dublin Dion Dublin , is a retired English footballer. He was capped four times for England. Dublin started his career as a centre back with Norwich City, but made his name at Cambridge United as a goal-scoring centre forward. However, in his later years he showed his versatility by becoming an... (Coventry City Coventry City F.C. Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry... ) |
| February | Gordon Strachan Gordon Strachan Gordon David Strachan OBE is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is currently without a club, having last managed Middlesbrough. Strachan played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds United and Coventry City, as well as the Scotland national team. Prior to Middlesbrough,... (Coventry City Coventry City F.C. Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry... ) |
Chris Sutton Chris Sutton Christopher Roy "Chris" Sutton is an English football manager and former player.In his career, Sutton played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English... (Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... ) |
| March | Arsène Wenger Arsène Wenger Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996... (Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... ) |
 Alex ManningerAlex Manninger Alexander "Alex" Manninger is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Juventus F.C. in the Italian Serie A. He has played for a variety of high-profile clubs, almost always as a substitute.... (Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... ) |
| April | Arsène Wenger Arsène Wenger Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996... (Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... ) |
Emmanuel Petit Emmanuel Petit Emmanuel "Manu" Laurent Petit is a retired French footballer, who played his club football for Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea... (Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... ) |