In the 1997–98 football season, Newcastle United played in the FA Premier League. They finished 13th and reached the FA Cup final, losing to Arsenal.
Season summary During the summer, David Ginola and Les Ferdinand were sold to Tottenham Hotspur, while in a pre-season friendly match, Alan Shearer sustained a horrific ankle injury which would keep him out for half the season. Manager Kenny Dalglish signed goalkeeper Shay Given, midfielder Temur Ketsbaia, striker John Barnes and veteran striker Ian Rush, the club's eldest player signing at age 36.
The highlight of the 1997–98 season was to be the club's run in the UEFA Champions League, seeing them defeat Barcelona 3–2 after a hat-trick from striker Faustino Asprilla.Toonpedia: Newcastle United 3–2 Barcelona 17 September 1997. Black and White Toon. Retrieved 14 August 2013. The club's Premier League form, however, began to suffer following Asprilla's departure from the club in January, and despite the return of Shearer to the starting line-up, he was unable to recapture the form he had found under Kevin Keegan. The club reached the FA Cup final only to fall to a 2–0 defeat by Arsenal.
Controversy surrounded the club in March 1998 when chairman Freddie Shepherd, and deputy chairman Douglas Hall (son of previous chairman Sir John Hall, who had retired during the summer), were filmed in a Spanish brothel making a series of remarks to an undercover tabloid journalist. They ridiculed Shearer, boasted of "ripping off" supporters with the club shirts they sold, and called the women of Newcastle "dogs". Both subsequently resigned, and Sir John Hall returned as acting chairman for the remainder of the season.
Newcastle enjoyed a good run in the 1997–98 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 1998–99 Cup Winners' Cup.
Dalglish's cautious brand of football proved unpopular with supporters used to Newcastle's previous swashbuckling style; more importantly this cautious style was not producing results. Many players signed by Dalglish were not considered to match the quality of those who had left the club this season. The team's 13th-place finish 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. To add insult to injury, only 35 league goals were scored by the club all season.
Despite signing Dietmar Hamann, Nolberto Solano and Gary Speed, several unsuccessful transfer deals along with a poor start to the 1998–99 season led to Dalglish being sacked.Dalglish Sacked by Newcastle . On This Football Day. Retrieved 14 August 2013
Transfers
In Date Pos Name From Fee June 1997 MF Paddy Kelly Celtic Free June 1997 GK Shay Given Blackburn Rovers £1,500,000 June 1997 MF Temuri Ketsbaia AEK Athens Free July 1997 FW Jon Dahl Tomasson Heerenveen £2,200,000 July 1997 DF Stuart Pearce Nottingham Forest Free July 1997 DF Alessandro Pistone Inter Milan £4,300,000 July 1997 DF Brian Pinas Feyenoord Free August 1997 MF John Barnes Liverpool Free August 1997 FW Ian Rush Leeds United Free October 1997 FW Carlos Gonzalez Sydney Olympic Free November 1997 MF Ralf Keidel Schweinfurt 05 Free November 1997 FW Paul Dalglish Liverpool Free November 1997 DF David Terrier West Ham United Free January 1998 FW Andreas Andersson Milan £3,600,000 January 1998 DF Andy Griffin Stoke City £1,500,000 February 1998 MF Gary Speed Everton £5,500,000 March 1998 MF James Coppinger Darlington £250,000 March 1998 MF Paul Robinson Darlington £250,000 March 1998 MF Stephen Glass Aberdeen £650,000 March 1998 DF Nikos Dabizas Olympiacos £1,400,000 Total spending: £17,450,000
Out Date Pos. Name To Fee June 1997 MF Lee Clark Sunderland £2,500,000 July 1997 DF Robbie Elliott Bolton Wanderers £2,250,000 July 1997 MF David Ginola Tottenham Hotspur £2,000,000 July 1997 FW Les Ferdinand Tottenham Hotspur £6,000,000 August 1997 MF Peter Beardsley Bolton Wanderers £450,000 January 1998 FW Faustino Asprilla Parma £6,200,000 February 1998 DF John Beresford Southampton £1,500,000 March 1998 MF Jim Crawford Reading £100,000 March 1998 FW Paul Brayson Reading Free May 1998 FW Brian Pinas Feyenoord £150,000 May 1998 FW Ian Rush Wrexham Free May 1998 FW Carlos Gonzalez Released Free
Total income: £21,150,000
Coaching staff
Players First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserve squad The following players did not appear for the first-team this season.
Statistics
Appearances, goals and cards (Substitute appearances in brackets) No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupEuropeTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Shay Given240400060340102DF Warren Barton17+634+10205028+731103DF John Beresford17+122+10307329+25604MF David Batty3216120704721435DF Darren Peacock19+10102+104+1026+30606DF Steve Howey11+3050101+2018+50207MF Robert Lee26+2460206040+24508FW Ian Rush6+400+1121109+52009FW Alan Shearer15+2265000021+275010MF John Barnes22+463+20305133+670011FW Faustino Asprilla8+2210005414+261011MF Gary Speed1314100001721012DF Stuart Pearce25070003+1135+115014MF Temuri Ketsbaia16+1532+411+103+5122+2553015GK Shaka Hislop1303030202100016FW Jon Dahl Tomasson17+63202+116+1027+842018MF Keith Gillespie25+4450205+2037+646019DF Steve Watson27+213+102+108040+415021GK Pavel Srníček10000000100022DF Des Hamilton7+50101+112011+610023DF Alessandro Pistone2805010503909025FW Paul Brayson00000+10000+100027DF Philippe Albert21+202+10307+1034+4010028FW Aaron Hughes400+10100+205+300034DF Nikos Dabizas10+1120000012+113038DF Andy Griffin40000000400040FW Andreas Andersson10+222+10000012+3200
Matches
Pre-season
Premier League
Champions League
FA Cup
League Cup
Notes
References
External links
FootballSquads – Newcastle United – 1997–98 Newcastle United Football Club – Fixtures 1997–98 Soccerbase – Newcastle United player appearances 1997–98 Season Details – 1997–98 – toon1892