During the 1997–98 English football season, Crystal Palace competed in the FA Premier League.
Season summary Experienced Italian midfielder Attilio Lombardo joined Crystal Palace early in the season, and the team stood 10th in the table by November. Within the first 14 games of the season, Palace recorded five wins, five losses, and four draws, with all of their victories occurring away from home. Following a 1–0 win at Tottenham Hotspur, the team's form declined. Although the club also signed Italian forward Michele Padovano and Swedish forward Tomas Brolin, both players struggled to make an impact, and Palace subsequently fell into 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, which was confirmed on 27 April after a 3–0 defeat to Manchester United and they were soon on their way out of the club and Ray Lewington was appointed for the final three league games of the season. It was a season to forget for the club which saw them win just two home league games all season and it took them eight months to record their first home league win: against Derby County in April.
When the Goldberg takeover was completed, Terry Venables returned to the manager's seat after 18 years away, with the new chairman stating that Palace would be a European force by 2003.
Kit Palace retained the previous season's home kit, manufactured by German company Adidas and sponsored by TDK.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results Crystal Palace's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 9 August 1997 EvertonA2–135,716Lombardo, Dyer (pen) 12 August 1997 BarnsleyH0–121,547 23 August 1997 Leeds UnitedA2–029,076Warhurst, Lombardo 27 August 1997 SouthamptonA0–115,032 30 August 1997 Blackburn RoversH1–220,849Dyer 13 September 1997 ChelseaH0–326,186 20 September 1997 WimbledonA1–016,747Lombardo 24 September 1997 Coventry CityA1–115,900Fullarton 27 September 1997 Bolton WanderersH2–217,134Warhurst, Gordon 4 October 1997 Manchester UnitedA0–255,143 18 October 1997 ArsenalH0–026,180 25 October 1997 Sheffield WednesdayA3–122,072Hreidarsson, Rodger, Shipperley 8 November 1997 Aston VillaH1–121,097Shipperley 24 November 1997 Tottenham HotspurA1–025,634Shipperley 29 November 1997 Newcastle UnitedH1–226,085Shipperley 3 December 1997 West Ham UnitedA1–423,335Shipperley 6 December 1997 Leicester CityA1–119,191Padovano 13 December 1997 LiverpoolH0–325,790 20 December 1997 Derby CountyA0–026,590 26 December 1997 SouthamptonH1–122,853Shipperley 28 December 1997 Blackburn RoversA2–223,872Dyer, Warhurst 10 January 1998 EvertonH1–323,311Dyer (pen) 17 January 1998 BarnsleyA0–117,819 31 January 1998 Leeds UnitedH0–225,248 9 February 1998 WimbledonH0–314,410 21 February 1998 ArsenalA0–138,094 28 February 1998 Coventry CityH0–321,810 11 March 1998 ChelseaA2–631,917Hreidarsson, Bent 14 March 1998 Aston VillaA1–333,781Jansen 18 March 1998 Newcastle UnitedA2–136,565Lombardo, Jansen 28 March 1998 Tottenham HotspurH1–326,116Shipperley 11 April 1998 Leicester CityH0–318,771 13 April 1998 LiverpoolA1–243,007Bent 18 April 1998 Derby CountyH3–118,101Jansen, Ćurčić, Bent 27 April 1998 Manchester UnitedH0–326,180 2 May 1998 Bolton WanderersA2–524,449Gordon, Bent 5 May 1998 West Ham UnitedH3–319,129Bent, Rodger, Lombardo 10 May 1998 Sheffield WednesdayH1–016,876Morrison
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR33 January 1998 Scunthorpe UnitedH2–011,624Emblen (2)R424 January 1998 Leicester CityH3–015,489Dyer (3)R515 February 1998 ArsenalA0–037,164R5R25 February 1998 ArsenalH1–215,674Dyer
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg 16 September 1997 Hull CityA0–19,323R2 2nd Leg 30 September 1997 Hull CityH2–1 (lost on away goals)6,407Veart, Ndah
First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Transfers In DatePosNameFromFee12 June 1997GKKevin MillerWatford£1,550,0001 August 1997MFAttilio LombardoJuventus£1,600,0001 August 1997GKGareth OrmshawRamblersFree transfer1 August 1997DFPaul WarhurstBlackburn RoversSigned1 August 1997DFHermann HreiðarssonÍBVUnknown1 August 1997MFJamie FullartonSC BastiaFree transfer12 August 1997MFNeil EmblenWolverhampton Wanderers£2,000,00019 August 1997MFItzik ZoharBeitar Jerusalem£1,200,00021 October 1997DFJamie SmithWolverhampton Wanderers£1,000,00012 November 1997FWMichele PadovanoJuventus£1,700,0008 January 1998FWMarcus BentBrentford£300,00015 January 1998DFValérien IsmaëlStrasbourg£2,750,00010 February 1998FWMatt JansenCarlisle United£1,000,00026 March 1998MFSaša ĆurčićAston Villa£1,000,000
Out DatePosNameToFee15 July 1997MFRay HoughtonReadingFree transfer21 July 1997MFDavid HopkinLeeds United£3,250,0001 August 1997DFAndy CyrusExeter CityFree transfer1 August 1997GKChris DayWatfordSwap10 August 1997MFTony ScullyManchester City£200,00026 September 1997FWJason HarrisLeyton Orient£25,0002 October 1997DFDean WordsworthBromleyFree transfer21 October 1997DFKevin MuscatWolverhampton Wanderers£200,00021 October 1997FWDougie FreedmanWolverhampton Wanderers£800,00030 October 1997MFIvano BonettiGenoaFree transfer21 November 1997FWGeorge NdahSwindon Town£500,00011 December 1997FWCarl VeartMillwall£100,0009 March 1998MFAndy RobertsWimbledon£2,000,00026 March 1998MFNeil EmblenWolverhampton WanderersSigned
Transfers in: £14,100,000 Transfers out: £7,075,000 Total spending: £7,025,000
Statistics Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred out during the season
Notes
References