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1997–98 Birmingham City F.C. season

{{Use British English|date=December 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}

{{Infobox football club season

| club = Birmingham City F.C.

| season = 1997–98

| manager = Trevor Francis

| chairman = David Gold

| stdtitle = Ground

| stadium = St Andrew's

| league = {{nowrap|Division One}}

| league result = 7th

| cup1 = FA Cup

| cup1 result = Fifth round
(eliminated by Leeds United)

| cup2 = League Cup

| cup2 result = Third round
(eliminated by Arsenal)

| league topscorer = Paul Furlong (15)

| season topscorer = Paul Furlong (19)

| highest attendance = 24,663 vs Nottingham Forest, 21 March 1998

| lowest attendance = 4,900 vs Stockport County, {{nowrap|League Cup 2nd round 1st leg,}} 17 September 1997

| average attendance = 18,751{{cite web |url=http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/birc.htm |title=English historical attendance and performance: Birmingham City |website=European Football Statistics |access-date=7 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921061216/http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/birc.htm |archive-date=21 September 2013}}

| pattern_b1=_whitevertical|leftarm1=0000ff|body1=0000ff|rightarm1=0000ff|shorts1=|socks1=0000ff|

| prevseason = 1996–97

| nextseason = 1998–99

}}

The 1997–98 season was Birmingham City Football Club's 95th in the Football League. They finished in seventh position in the 24-team Division One, the second tier of the English football league system, missing out on the playoff places on goals scored. Needing to win their last game, at home to Charlton Athletic, and hope that Sheffield United failed to win theirs, Birmingham "were repeatedly foiled in this emotionally-charged game by a brilliant display from Charlton's goalkeeper" Saša Ilić; the game finished goalless.{{cite news |url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/26332/7934253/birmingham-0-charlton-0 |title=Birmingham 0 Charlton 0 |website=sportinglife.com |publisher=British Sky Broadcasting |date=3 May 1998 |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306145114/http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/26332/7934253/birmingham-0-charlton-0 |archive-date=6 March 2016}} They entered the 1997–98 FA Cup at the third round, losing to Leeds United in the fifth, and entered the League Cup in the first round and lost to Arsenal in the third.

In August 1997, co-owner David Gold took up the post of chairman after Jack Wiseman's retirement.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/people--business-tennis-anyone-city-clears-out-for-the-summer-holidays-1243921.html |title=People & Business: Tennis anyone? City clears out for the summer holidays |first=John |last=Willcock |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=5 August 1997 |access-date=3 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009070525/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/people-business-tennis-anyone-city-clears-out-for-the-summer-holidays-1243921.html |archive-date=9 October 2016 |url-access=registration |url-status=live}}

Football League First Division

{{main|1997–98 Football League}}

=Match details=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"|Datescope="col"|League
position		scope="col"|Opponents

!scope="col"|Venue

scope="col"|Resultscope="col"|Score
F–A		scope="col"|Scorers

!scope="col"|Attendance

scope="col"|Report
scope="row"|9 August 1997

|1st||align="left"|Stoke City||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–0||align="left"|Devlin 33', Ndlovu 87'

|20,608

|{{cite news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522234850/http://www.sportinglife.com/football/cc_championship/birmingham/reports/birmingham_1997.html |url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/cc_championship/birmingham/reports/birmingham_1997.html |title=Birmingham City Reports – 1997–1998 |website=sportinglife.com |publisher=365 Media Group |archive-date=22 May 2012}} Individual match reports are linked from this page.

scope="row"|23 August 1997

|5th||align="left"|Reading||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–0||align="left"|Devlin 38', Bruce 81', Ndlovu 88'

|16,495

|

scope="row"|29 August 1997

|3rd||align="left"|Stockport County||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||2–2||align="left"|Devlin 68', Francis 72'

|6,260

|

scope="row"|2 September 1997

|3rd||align="left"|Tranmere Rovers||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–0||align="left"|Hughes 11', Ndlovu 44', Furlong 65'

|6,620

|

scope="row"|9 September 1997

|2nd||align="left"|Huddersfield Town||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||1–0||align="left"|Furlong 70'

|9,477

|

scope="row"|14 September 1997

|4th||align="left"|Sunderland||H

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–1||

|17,478

|

scope="row"|20 September 1997

|7th||align="left"|Middlesbrough||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||1–3||align="left"|Furlong 51'

|30,125

|

scope="row"|27 September 1997

|7th||align="left"|Sheffield United||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|20,553

|

scope="row"|4 October 1997

|9th||align="left"|Crewe Alexandra||H

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–1||

|16,548

|

scope="row"|12 October 1997

|6th||align="left"|Wolverhampton Wanderers||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||1–0||align="left"|Marsden 8'

|17,822

|

scope="row"|18 October 1997

|8th||align="left"|Bury||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||1–2||align="left"|Grainger 90'

|5,700

|

scope="row"|22 October 1997

|12th||align="left"|Charlton Athletic||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||1–1||align="left"|Devlin 83'

|10,070

|

scope="row"|25 October 1997

|12th||align="left"|Oxford United||H

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|16,352

|

scope="row"|28 October 1997

|11th||align="left"|Ipswich Town||H

|style="background:#ffc"|D||1–1||align="left"|Bruce 81'

|16,778

|

scope="row"|1 November 1997

|11th||align="left"|Queens Park Rangers||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||1–1||align="left"|Furlong 42'

|12,715

|

scope="row"|4 November 1997

|13th||align="left"|Bradford City||H

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|14,554

|

scope="row"|8 November 1997

|14th||align="left"|Norwich City||H

|style="background:#fcc"|L||1–2||align="left"|Devlin 27' pen.

|16,464

|

scope="row"|15 November 1997

|14th||align="left"|Nottingham Forest||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–1||

|19,610

|

scope="row"|23 November 1997

|14th||align="left"|West Bromwich Albion||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–1||

|18,444

|

scope="row"|29 November 1997

|14th||align="left"|Portsmouth||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–1||align="left"|Furlong (2) 36', 73'

|17,738

|

scope="row"|6 December 1997

|11th||align="left"|Port Vale||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||1–0||align="left"|Cottee 18'

|7,509

|

scope="row"|13 December 1997

|11th||align="left"|Manchester City||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–1||align="left"|Forster 90', O'Connor 90'

|21,014

|

scope="row"|20 December 1997

|11th||align="left"|Swindon Town||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||1–1||align="left"|Forster 22'

|10,900

|{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:DSM1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=138E51E96B3D0FB0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815 |title=Ref in red card fury |author=Steggles, Jack |newspaper=Sunday Mirror |date=21 December 1997 |access-date=13 June 2013}}

scope="row"|26 December 1997

|10th||align="left"|Ipswich Town||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||1–0||align="left"|McCarthy 83'

|17,459

|

scope="row"|28 December 1997

|10th||align="left"|Tranmere Rovers||H

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|19,533

|

scope="row"|10 January 1998

|8th||align="left"|Stoke City||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||7–0||align="left"|Hughes (2) 4', 9', Forster 26, Furlong (3) 50', 69', 87', McCarthy 56'

|14,940

|

scope="row"|17 January 1998

|8th||align="left"|Huddersfield Town||H

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|17,850

|

scope="row"|27 January 1998

|7th||align="left"|Stockport County||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||4–1||align="left"|Furlong (3) 7', 31', 90', McCarthy 16'

|17,118

|

scope="row"|31 January 1998

|9th||align="left"|Reading||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–2||

|10,315

|

scope="row"|7 February 1998

|9th||align="left"|Middlesbrough||H

|style="background:#ffc"|D||1–1||align="left"|McCarthy 3'

|20,639

|

scope="row"|17 February 1998

|9th||align="left"|Crewe Alexandra||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–0||align="left"|Adebola 42', Hughes 45'

|5,559

|

scope="row"|22 February 1998

|8th||align="left"|Sheffield United||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–0||align="left"|Grainger 31', Johnson 66'

|17,965

|

scope="row"|25 February 1998

|9th||align="left"|Bury||H

|style="background:#fcc"|L||1–3||align="left"|Johnson 90'

|20,021

|

scope="row"|28 February 1998

|6th||align="left"|Wolverhampton Wanderers||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–1||align="left"|Ndlovu (2) 35', 77' pen., Adebola 71'

|25,591

|

scope="row"|4 March 1998

|8th||align="left"|Norwich City||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||3–3||align="left"|Ndlovu (2) 13', 88', Adebola 44'

|9,819

|

scope="row"|7 March 1998

|7th||align="left"|Queens Park Rangers||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||1–0||align="left"|Adebola 68'

|18,298

|

scope="row"|10 March 1998

|6th||align="left"|Sunderland||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||1–1||align="left"|Adebola 50'

|37,602

|

scope="row"|14 March 1998

|7th||align="left"|Bradford City||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|16,392

|

scope="row"|21 March 1998

|7th||align="left"|Nottingham Forest||H

|style="background:#fcc"|L||1–2||align="left"|Ndlovu 61' pen.

|24,663

|

scope="row"|28 March 1998

|7th||align="left"|West Bromwich Albion||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||1–0||align="left"|Johnson 90'

|23,260

|

scope="row"|4 April 1998

|7th||align="left"|Portsmouth||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||1–1||align="left"|Adebola 84'

|14,591

|{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:LSTB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F92A523FA0DDA1D&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815 |title=Thomson's touch livens up party |author=Steen, Rob |newspaper=Sunday Times |date=5 April 1998 |access-date=13 June 2013}}

scope="row"|11 April 1998

|7th||align="left"|Port Vale||H

|style="background:#ffc"|D||1–1||align="left"|Ndlovu 87'

|17,193

|

scope="row"|13 April 1998

|7th||align="left"|Manchester City||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||1–0||align="left"|Adebola 90'

|29,569

|

scope="row"|18 April 1998

|7th||align="left"|Swindon Town||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–0||align="left"|Furlong (2) 9', 34' pen., Hughes 82'

|17,016

|

scope="row"|25 April 1998

|7th||align="left"|Oxford United||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–0||align="left"|Ford 73' o.g., Furlong 85'

|8,818

|

scope="row"|3 May 1998

|7th||align="left"|Charlton Athletic||H

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|25,877

|

=League table (part)=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Final Division One table (part)

!scope="col"|Pos

!scope="col"|Club

!scope="col"|Pld

!scope="col"|W

!scope="col"|D

!scope="col"|L

!scope="col"|F

!scope="col"|A

!scope="col"|GD

!scope="col"|Pts

scope="row"|5th

|align="left"|Ipswich Town||46||23||14||9||77||43||+32||83

scope="row"|6th

|align="left"|Sheffield United||46||19||17||10||69||54||+15||74

style="font-weight:bold"

!scope="row"|7th

|align="left"|Birmingham City

461917106035+2574
scope="row"|8th

|align="left"|Stockport County||46||19||8||19||71||69||+2||65

scope="row"|9th

|align="left"|Wolverhampton Wanderers||46||18||11||17||57||53||+4||65

scope="row"|Key

|colspan="9"|Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played;
W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost;
F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

scope="row"|Source

|colspan="9"|{{cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1997-1998/table |title=Birmingham City 1997–1998 : English Division One Table |publisher=Statto Organisation |access-date=6 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151026175402/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1997-1998/table |archive-date=26 October 2015}}

Note that goals scored took precedence over goal difference as a tiebreaker in the Football League.

=Results summary=

{{Fb_rs |hw=10 |hd=8 |hl=5 |hgf=27 |hga=15 |aw=9 |ad=9 |al=5 |agf=33 |aga=20 }}

{{Fb rs footer|s=|date=March 2012}}

FA Cup

{{Main|1997–98 FA Cup}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"|Round

!scope="col"|Date

scope="col"|Opponentsscope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Result

scope="col"|Score
F–A		scope="col"|Scorers

!scope="col"|Attendance

scope="col"|Report
scope="row"|Third round

|align="left"|4 January 1998||align="left"|Crewe Alexandra||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–1||align="left"|Furlong 22' pen., 55'

|4,607

|

scope="row"|Fourth round

|align="left"|24 January 1998||align="left"|Stockport County||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–1||align="left"|Hughes 32', 84'

|15,882

|

scope="row"|Fifth round

|align="left"|14 February 1998||align="left"|Leeds United||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||2–3||align="left"|Ablett 63', Ndlovu 81'

|35,463

|

League Cup

{{Main|1997–98 Football League Cup}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"|Round

!scope="col"|Date

scope="col"|Opponentsscope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Result

scope="col"|Score
F–A		scope="col"|Scorers

!scope="col"|Attendance

scope="col"|Report
scope="row"|First round 1st leg

|align="left"|12 August 1997||align="left"|Gillingham||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||1–0||align="left"|Francis 85'

|5,246

|{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:DSM1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=13979EFF98E11C30&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815 |title=Thank Kevin! |newspaper=Daily Mirror |date=13 August 1997 |access-date=13 June 2013}}

scope="row"|First round 2nd leg

|align="left"|26 August 1997||align="left"|Gillingham||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–0
4–0 agg.||align="left"|Devlin 68', Ndlovu 75', Furlong 78'

|7,921

|

scope="row"|Second round 1st leg

|align="left"|17 September 1997||align="left"|Stockport County||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||4–1||align="left"|Hughes 41', Robinson 51', Devlin 77' pen., 87'

|4,900

|

scope="row"|Second round 2nd leg

|align="left"|23 September 1997||align="left"|Stockport County||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||1–2
5–3 agg.||align="left"|Furlong 70' pen.

|2,074

|

scope="row"|Third round

|align="left"|14 October 1997||align="left"|Arsenal||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||1–4||align="left"|Hey 20'

|27,097

|

Transfers

=In=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: left"
Date

!Player

!Club{{dagger}}

!Fee

!Ref

July 1997Peter NdlovuCoventry City£1.6m

| style="text-align: center"|{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/medical-concerns-delay-benitezs-9m-97270 |title=Medical concerns delay Benitez's £9m move to Blues |first=Colin |last=Tattum |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=6 July 2009 |access-date=3 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102031352/http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/medical-concerns-delay-benitezs-9m-97270 |archive-date=2 November 2013 |url-status=live}}

August 1997Jerry GillYeovil Town£30,000

| style="text-align: center"|{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:WDPB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F72137A51638060&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0d0cb57ab53df815 |title=Yeovil's £10,000 windfall |newspaper=Western Daily Press |date=20 August 1999 |access-date=7 October 2011}}

August 1997Howard ForintonYeovil Town£70,000

| style="text-align: center"|

August 1997Tony HeySC Fortuna Köln£300,000

| style="text-align: center"|{{cite news |url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/26332/7934311/birmingham-city-1-derby-0 |title=Birmingham City 1 Derby 0 |first=John |last=Curtis |agency=PA Sport |website=sportinglife.com |publisher=British Sky Broadcasting |date=26 July 1997 |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306205838/http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/26332/7934311/birmingham-city-1-derby-0 |archive-date=6 March 2016}}

September 1997Jon McCarthyPort Vale£1.5m

|

October 1997Chris MarsdenStockport County£500,000

|

January 1998Simon CharltonSouthampton£200,000

|

February 1998Dele AdebolaCrewe Alexandra£1m

|

February 1998Darren PurseOxford United£700,000a

| style="text-align: center"|{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/sporting-digest-football-1145374.html |title=Sporting Digest: Football |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=17 February 1998 |access-date=3 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617170627/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/sporting-digest-football-1145374.html |archive-date=17 June 2018 |url-access=registration |url-status=live}}

:a. Purse joined from Oxford United in exchange for £600,000 and Kevin Francis, with Francis valued at £100,000.

=Out=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: left"
Date

!Player

!Fee

!Joined{{dagger}}

!Ref

July 1997Dave BarnettFree(Dunfermline Athletic)

| style="text-align:center"|{{cite news |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12315820.rougier-heads-for-hibs-in-swop-deal/ |title=Rougier heads for Hibs in swop deal |newspaper=The Herald |location=Scotland |date=10 July 1997 |access-date=3 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313013052/http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12315820.Rougier_heads_for_Hibs_in_swop_deal/ |archive-date=13 March 2016 |url-status=live}}

July 1997Mike Newell£160,000Aberdeen

| style="text-align:center"|{{cite web |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A60999518/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=4958a4e9 |title=We can't talk our way out of this slump |first=Derek |last=McGregor |newspaper=Daily Record |location=Glasgow |date=15 October 1997 |page=49 |access-date=3 May 2022 |via=Gale OneFile: News |url-access=subscription}}

August 1997Kenny Brown£40,000Millwall

|

October 1997Barry HorneFreeHuddersfield Town

|

December 1997Jason Bowen£200,000Reading

|

February 1998Kevin Francis£100,000aOxford United

| style="text-align:center"|

February 1998Andy Legg£75,000Reading

|

March 1998Paul Devlin£200,000Sheffield United

| style="text-align:center"|{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/dec/27/match.sport3 |title=Devlin in full support of a happy return |first=Adrian |last=Murray |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=27 December 1999 |access-date=3 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313055940/http://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/dec/27/match.sport3 |archive-date=13 March 2016 |url-status=live}}

:{{dagger}} Brackets round a club denote the player joined that club after his Birmingham City contract expired.

:a. Valued at £100,000 in the deal in which Darren Purse joined Birmingham from Oxford United in exchange for £600,000 plus Francis.

=Loan in=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: left"
Date

!Player

!Club

!Return

!Ref

November 1997

| Tony Cottee

Leicester CityOne month

| style="text-align: center"|{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=1679 |title=Tony Cottee |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=6 September 2011}}

December 1997

| Simon Charlton

SouthamptonOne month

| style="text-align: center"|{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=1424 |title=Simon Charlton |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=13 June 2013}}

=Loan out=

class="wikitable"
Date

!Player

!Club

!Return

!Ref

September 1997

| Ricky Otto

Notts CountyOne month

| style="text-align: center"|{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=6039 |title=Ricky Otto: Career |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=7 October 2011}}

December 1997

| Paul Tait

Northampton TownOne month

| style="text-align: center"|{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=7784 |title=Paul Tait: Career |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=7 October 2011}}

Appearances and goals

:Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute.

:Players with name in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Birmingham.

:Players marked {{dagger}} left the club during the playing season.

:Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.

:Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Players' appearances and goals by competition

rowspan="2" scope="col"|{{abbr|Pos.|Playing position}}

!rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:5em;"|{{abbr|Nat.|Nationality}}

!rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:15em;"|Name

!colspan="2"|League

!colspan="2"|FA Cup

!colspan="2"|League Cup

!colspan="2"|Total

!colspan="2"|Discipline

scope="col" style="width:4em;"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}scope="col"|Goals

!scope="col" style="width:4em;"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col"|Goals

!scope="col" style="width:4em;"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col"|Goals

!scope="col" style="width:4em;"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col"|Goals

!scope="col"|File:Yellow card.svg

!scope="col"|File:Red card.svg

GKalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Ian Bennett

|45

0305053000
GKalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Kevin Poole

|1

000001000
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Gary Ablett

|34 (2)

0315042 (2)140
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Jon Bass

|30

0303 (1)036 (1)010
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Steve Bruce

|40

2302045280
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Simon Charlton

|23 (1)

0100024 (1)040
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Jerry Gill

|3

000003000
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Martin Grainger

|27 (6)

2304 (1)034 (7)270
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|JAM}}

!scope="row"| Michael Johnson

|22 (16)

30 (2)01 (4)023 (22)331
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Darren Purse

|2 (6)

000002 (6)010
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Simon Rea

|0

000000000
DFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Darren Wassall

|14

0005019042
MFalign="left"|{{Flag|SCO}}

!scope="row"| Paul Devlin {{dagger}}

|13 (9)

50 (1)05318 (10)820
MFalign="left"|{{Flag|GER}}

!scope="row"| Tony Hey

|8 (1)

0002110 (1)100
MFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Chris Holland

|2 (8)

000305 (8)010
MFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Bryan Hughes

|34 (6)

5324141 (6)810
MFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Chris Marsden

|31 (1)

1200033 (1)161
MFalign="left"|{{Flag|NIR}}

!scope="row"| Jon McCarthy

|41

4300044440
MFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Martyn O'Connor

|32 (1)

1303038 (1)130
MFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Steve Robinson

|17 (8)

00 (1)04121 (9)120
FWalign="left"|{{Flag|NGA}}

!scope="row"| Dele Adebola

|16 (1)

7000016 (1)710
FWalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Tony Cottee *

|4 (1)

100004 (1)100
FWalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Howard Forinton

|0 (1)

000000 (1)000
FWalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Nicky Forster

|12 (16)

3300015 (16)310
FWalign="left"|{{Flag|SKN}}

!scope="row"| Kevin Francis {{dagger}}

|2 (18)

10 (2)00 (5)12 (25)230
FWalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Paul Furlong

|24 (1)

15224230 (1)1981
FWalign="left"|{{Flag|ZIM}}

!scope="row"| Peter Ndlovu

|29 (10)

91 (1)15135 (11)1150

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Players not included in matchday squads

scope="col"|{{abbr|Pos.|Playing position}}

!scope="col" style="width:5em;"|{{abbr|Nat.|Nationality}}

!scope="col" style="width:15em;"|Name

MFalign="left"|{{Flag|WAL}}

!scope="row"| Jason Bowen {{dagger}}

MFalign="left"|{{Flag|WAL}}

!scope="row"| Barry Horne {{dagger}}

MFalign="left"|{{Flag|WAL}}

!scope="row"| Andy Legg {{dagger}}

MFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|Ricky Otto

MFalign="left"|{{Flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|Paul Tait

See also

Sources

  • {{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |date=1995 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}}
  • {{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: The Complete Record |date=2010 |publisher=DB Publishing |location=Derby |isbn=978-1-85983-853-2}}
  • For match dates, league positions and results: {{cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1997-1998/results |title=Birmingham City 1997–1998: Results |publisher=Statto Organisation |access-date=12 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130627080957/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1997-1998/results |archive-date=27 June 2013}}
  • For lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 430–431.
  • For goal times: {{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=291&teamTabs=results&season_id=127 |title=Birmingham Results 1997/98 |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=12 June 2013}}
  • For transfers: {{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=291&comp_id=1&teamTabs=transfers&season_id=127 |title=Birmingham Transfers 1997/98 |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=12 June 2013}}
  • For discipline: individual player pages linked from {{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=291&teamTabs=stats&season_id=127 |title=Birmingham Squad details 1997/98 |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=12 June 2013}} Soccerbase omits details of the visit to Nottingham Forest, so cards received in that game are sourced from {{cite news |url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/26332/7934275/nottingham-forest-1-birmingham-0 |title=Nottingham Forest 1 Birmingham 0 |first=Ian |last=Rodgers |agency=PA Sport |website=sportinglife.com |publisher=British Sky Broadcasting |date=15 November 1997 |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306031717/http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/26332/7934275/nottingham-forest-1-birmingham-0 |archive-date=6 March 2016}}

References

{{reflist}}

{{Birmingham City F.C.}}

{{Birmingham City F.C. seasons}}

{{1997–98 in English football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1997-98 Birmingham City F.C. season}}

Category:Birmingham City F.C. seasons

Birmingham City