1997–98 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Crewe Alexandra F.C. competed in the Football League First Division, in their 75th season in the English Football League.

Crewe Alexandra
1997–98 season
ChairmanJohn Bowler
ManagerDario Gradi
StadiumGresty Road
First Division11th
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLittle (13)
Average home league attendance5,243

Season summary

In the 1997–98 season, Crewe were favourites to go straight back down to the Second Division and before Christmas, they were in the relegation zone and looked as though it would be a possibility but a fantastic run of 7 wins from 10 league games from January to the end of February, dramatically rose Crewe from a possible relegation to 12th and 7 points from the play-offs but it proved too much to ask for and Crewe finished a satisfying season in 11th place.

Final league table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
9Wolverhampton Wanderers461811175753+465
10West Bromwich Albion461613175056−661
11Crewe Alexandra46185235865−759
12Oxford United461610206064−458
13Bradford City461415174659−1357
Source: Statto.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference

Results

Crewe Alexandra's score comes first[1]

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1997Swindon TownA0–28,334
16 August 1997West Bromwich AlbionH2–35,234Adebola, Rivers
23 August 1997Norwich CityA2–011,821Rivers, S Smith
2 September 1997BuryH1–24,447S Smith (pen)
13 September 1997PortsmouthA3–29,505Rivers, Anthrobus, Adebola
16 September 1997Port ValeH0–15,519
20 September 1997Queens Park RangersH2–35,348Lunt, Adebola
27 September 1997Tranmere RoversH2–14,845Anthrobus, Street
4 October 1997Birmingham CityA1–016,548Rivers
11 October 1997ReadingA3–36,685Westwood, Little, Adebola
18 October 1997MiddlesbroughH1–15,759Adebola
21 October 1997Ipswich TownH0–04,730
25 October 1997Bradford CityA0–115,333
29 October 1997Manchester CityA0–127,384
1 November 1997Nottingham ForestA1–318,268Little
4 November 1997Wolverhampton WanderersH0–25,743
8 November 1997Oxford UnitedH2–14,524Westwood, Anthrobus
15 November 1997Charlton AthleticA2–314,091Street, S Smith
22 November 1997Stockport CountyH0–15,231
29 November 1997Sheffield UnitedA0–116,973
6 December 1997Huddersfield TownH2–54,861Charnock, Adebola
13 December 1997Stoke CityA2–014,623S Smith, Little
20 December 1997SunderlandH0–35,404
26 December 1997Manchester CityH1–05,759Holsgrove
28 December 1997BuryA1–15,661Adebola
11 January 1998Swindon TownH2–04,176Little, Street
17 January 1998West Bromwich AlbionA1–015,257Little
24 January 1998Port ValeA3–210,571S Smith (pen), Whalley, Foran
31 January 1998Norwich CityH1–05,559Fuglestad (own goal)
7 February 1998Queens Park RangersA2–313,429Anthrobus, Johnson
14 February 1998PortsmouthH3–15,114Little, Garvey, Lunt
17 February 1998Birmingham CityH0–25,559
21 February 1998Tranmere RoversA3–07,534Rivers, Little (2)
25 February 1998MiddlesbroughA0–129,936
28 February 1998ReadingH1–05,202Rivers
3 March 1998Oxford UnitedA0–06,069
7 March 1998Nottingham ForestH1–45,759Little
14 March 1998Wolverhampton WanderersA0–124,272
21 March 1998Charlton AthleticH0–35,252
28 March 1998Stockport CountyA1–08,370S Smith
11 April 1998Huddersfield TownA0–211,263
13 April 1998Stoke CityH2–05,759Westwood, Lightfoot
18 April 1998SunderlandA1–240,441Charnock
25 April 1998Bradford CityH5–05,054Anthrobus, Street, Little (3)
30 April 1998Sheffield UnitedH2–15,759Anthrobus, Little
3 May 1998Ipswich TownA2–319,105Charnock, Garvey

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R33 January 1998Birmingham CityH1–24,607Rivers

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 First Leg12 August 1997BuryH2–32,618Lunt, S Smith
R1 Second Leg26 August 1997BuryA3–3 (lost 5–6 on agg)3,296Rivers, S Smith, Butler (own goal)

Squad

[2]Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos. NationPlayer
DF  ENGChris Lightfoot
MF  ENGPaul Holsgrove
DF  ENGJulian Watts
FW  ENGJamie Moralee
FW  ENGSteve Guinan (on loan from Nottingham Forest)
DF  ENGSteve Pope
MF  ENGJermaine Wright
FW  WALPeter Smith
MF  ENGFrancis Tierney
DF  ENGDavid Wright
DF  ENGJohn Pemberton
DF  ENGJamie Collins
DF  ENGStephen Foster
GK  ENGNeil Cutler
DF  ENGSteve Macauley
GK  ENGMark Gayle

References