1997–98 Tranmere Rovers F.C. season
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox football club season
|club = Tranmere Rovers
|season = 1997–98
|manager = John Aldridge (player-manager)
|chairman = Frank Corfe
|stadium = Prenton Park
|league = First Division
|league result = 14th
|cup2 = FA Cup
|cup2 result = Fifth round
|cup3 = League Cup
|cup3 result = Third round
|league topscorer = Kelly (11)
|season topscorer = Kelly (14)
|highest attendance =
|lowest attendance =
|average attendance = 7,999
|prevseason = 1996–97
|nextseason = 1998–99
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|pattern_ra1 =
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}}
During the 1997–98 English football season, Tranmere Rovers F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.
Season summary
In the 1997–98 season, Tranmere had a poor start to the campaign with just three wins from their opening 14 league games which increased the pressure on player-manager Aldridge and by February were in the relegation zone, two points adrift from safety but then a brilliant run of 6 wins from 10 league games helped Tranmere on their way to escaping the drop.
Final league table
{{main|1997–98 Football League First Division}}
{{:1997–98 Football League First Division|showteam=TRA}}
Results
=Legend=
class="wikitable"
|style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"|Win |style="background-color: #ffffdd;"|Draw |style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"|Loss |
=Football League First Division=
class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"
!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers | |||||
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 9 August 1997 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–2 | 16,727 | Kelly |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 15 August 1997 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–1 | 7,467 | Kelly, L. Jones |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 22 August 1997 | Manchester City | A | 1–1 | 26,336 | L. Jones |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 30 August 1997 | Middlesbrough | H | 0–2 | 12,095 | |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 2 September 1997 | Birmingham City | H | 0–3 | 6,620 | |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 7 September 1997 | Bury | A | 0–1 | 5,073 | |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 13 September 1997 | Swindon Town | A | 1–2 | 6,811 | L. Jones |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 20 September 1997 | Reading | H | 6–0 | 5,565 | Morrissey, Kelly (2), L. Jones, G. Jones, Thompson |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 27 September 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1–2 | 4,845 | Stevens |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 4 October 1997 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 | 6,674 | Kelly, L. Jones |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 18 October 1997 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–2 | 17,009 | L. Jones, Thompson |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 22 October 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–2 | 20,841 | G. Jones |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 25 October 1997 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–2 | 5,911 | Branch, L. Jones |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 1 November 1997 | Sheffield United | A | 1–2 | 16,578 | Kelly |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 4 November 1997 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–0 | 5,127 | Irons |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 8 November 1997 | Port Vale | H | 1–2 | 7,063 | Irons |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 15 November 1997 | Bradford City | A | 1–0 | 16,494 | Aldridge |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 22 November 1997 | Stoke City | H | 3–1 | 8,009 | L. Jones, Aldridge, O'Brien |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 29 November 1997 | Sunderland | A | 0–3 | 26,674 | |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 6 December 1997 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–1 | 5,720 | L. Jones |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 13 December 1997 | Stockport County | A | 1–3 | 7,903 | Aldridge |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 20 December 1997 | Oxford United | H | 0–2 | 5,181 | |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 26 December 1997 | Bury | H | 0–0 | 9,146 | |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 28 December 1997 | Birmingham City | A | 0–0 | 19,533 | |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 9 January 1998 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 0–0 | 8,058 | |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 17 January 1998 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–0 | 12,033 | |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 31 January 1998 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | 12,830 | |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 4 February 1998 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–3 | 29,540 | |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 7 February 1998 | Reading | A | 3–1 | 7,069 | Irons, Kelly, Branch |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 10 February 1998 | Swindon Town | H | 3–0 | 5,288 | Thompson, Branch, Morrissey |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 18 February 1998 | Norwich City | A | 2–0 | 12,105 | O'Brien, Kelly |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 21 February 1998 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 0–3 | 7,534 | |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 24 February 1998 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–0 | 7,377 | |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 28 February 1998 | Portsmouth | A | 0–1 | 12,250 | |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 4 March 1998 | Port Vale | A | 1–0 | 5,465 | Kelly |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 14 March 1998 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–3 | 10,844 | |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 21 March 1998 | Bradford City | H | 3–1 | 9,463 | Irons, G. Jones, Kelly |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 28 March 1998 | Stoke City | A | 3–0 | 16,692 | G. Jones, Mellon, Kelly |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 3 April 1998 | Sunderland | H | 0–2 | 14,116 | |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 7 April 1998 | Portsmouth | H | 2–2 | 8,020 | G. Jones, Challinor |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 11 April 1998 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–0 | 18,039 | |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 13 April 1998 | Stockport County | H | 3–0 | 8,070 | G. Jones (2), Mellon |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 18 April 1998 | Oxford United | A | 1–1 | 6,489 | Mahon |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"
| 25 April 1998 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–2 | 15,393 | |
style="background-color: #ffffdd;"
| 28 April 1998 | Sheffield United | H | 3–3 | 7,526 | O'Brien, G. Jones, Parkinson |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"
| 3 May 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–1 | 11,144 | Aldridge (2, 1 pen) |
=FA Cup=
{{Main|1997–98 FA Cup}}
class="wikitable"
|+ !Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers | |||||||
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;" | R3 | 13 January 1998 | Hereford United | A | 3–0 | 7,473 | G. Jones (2), Hill |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;" | R4 | 24 January 1998 | Sunderland | H | 1–0 | 14,055 | Parkinson |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;" | R5 | 14 February 1998 | Newcastle United | A | 0–1 | 36,675 |
=League Cup=
{{Main|1997–98 Football League Cup}}
class="wikitable"
|+ !Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers | |||||||
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;" | R1 First Leg | 12 August 1997 | Hartlepool United | H | 3–1 | 3,878 | L. Jones, Morrissey, Kelly |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;" | R1 Second Leg | 26 August 1997 | Hartlepool United | A | 1–2 (won 4–3 on agg) | 1,626 | O'Brien |
style="background-color: #d0ffe3;" | R2 First Leg | 16 September 1997 | Notts County | A | 2–0 | 1,779 | G. Jones, Kelly |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;" | R2 Second Leg | 23 September 1997 | Notts County | H | 0–1 (won 2–1 on agg) | 3,287 | |
style="background-color: #ffd0e3;" | R3 | 14 October 1997 | Oxford United | H | 1–1 (lost 5–6 on pens) | 3,878 | Kelly |
Squad
{{fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=1|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Steve Simonsen}}
{{Fs player|no=2|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Andy Thompson}}
{{Fs player|no=3|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=John McGreal}}
{{Fs player|no=4|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Dave Challinor}}
{{Fs player|no=5|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Gary Stevens}}
{{Fs player|no=6|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Gary Jones}}
{{Fs player|no=7|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Liam O'Brien}}
{{Fs player|no=8|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Kenny Irons}}
{{Fs player|no=9|nat=SCO|pos=MF|name=Micky Mellon}}
{{Fs player|no=10|nat=WAL|pos=FW|name=Lee Jones}}
{{Fs player|no=11|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=David Kelly}}
{{Fs player|no=12|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=John Morrissey}}
{{Fs player|no=13|nat=WAL|pos=GK|name=Danny Coyne}}
{{Fs player|no=14|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Andy Thorn}}
{{Fs player|no=15|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Graham Branch}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=16|nat=WAL|pos=MF|name=Alan Morgan}}
{{Fs player|no=17|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Clint Hill}}
{{Fs player|no=18|nat=POL|pos=DF|name=Dariusz Kubicki}}
{{Fs player|no=19|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Paul Cook}}
{{Fs player|no=20|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Andy Parkinson}}
{{Fs player|no=21|nat=IRL|pos=FW|name=John Aldridge|other=player-manager}}
{{Fs player|no=22|nat=SCO|pos=DF|name=Stephen Frail}}
{{Fs player|no=23|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Alan Mahon}}
{{Fs player|no=24|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Kevin McIntyre}}
{{Fs player|no=25|nat=WAL|pos=MF|name=Jason Koumas}}
{{Fs player|no=26|nat=GER|pos=MF|name=Dirk Hebel}}
{{Fs player|no=27|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Ryan Williams}}
{{Fs player|no=28|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Michael Howard}}
{{Fs player|no=29|nat=WAL|pos=MF|name=Neil Gibson}}
{{Fs player|no=30|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Gareth Powell}}
{{Fs end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Tranmere Rovers F.C. seasons}}
{{1997–98 in English football}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1997-98 Tranmere Rovers F.C. season}}