During the 1997–98 English football season, Everton competed in the FA Premier League.
Season summary Everton began the season with three new signings – Slaven Bilić, John Oster and Gareth Farrelly – but the big news at Goodison Park was the return of Howard Kendall for his third spell as manager.
With financial problems growing and fans growing ever more hostile towards chairman Peter Johnson and with legendary goalkeeper Neville Southall leaving the club in March 1998 after 17 years, Kendall was soon facing the biggest struggle of his managerial career. Everton – top division members continuously since 1954 – were battling against relegation and looked anything but a trophy-winning team that they so often had been during Kendall's earlier spells. They ended up surviving, but only avoided relegation to Division One because they had a greater goal difference than 18th-placed Bolton Wanderers. That kept Everton up, but Kendall resigned just weeks later and was replaced by former Rangers manager Walter Smith.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results Everton's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 9 August 1997 Crystal PalaceH1–235,716Ferguson 23 August 1997 West Ham UnitedH2–134,356Speed, Stuart 27 August 1997 Manchester UnitedH0–240,079 1 September 1997 Bolton WanderersA0–023,131 13 September 1997 Derby CountyA1–327,828Stuart 20 September 1997 BarnsleyH4–232,659Speed (2, 1 pen), Cadamarteri, Oster 24 September 1997 Newcastle UnitedA0–136,705 27 September 1997 ArsenalH2–235,457Ball, Cadamarteri 4 October 1997 Sheffield WednesdayA1–324,486Cadamarteri 18 October 1997 LiverpoolH2–040,112Ruddock (own goal), Cadamarteri 25 October 1997 Coventry CityA0–018,760 2 November 1997 SouthamptonH0–229,565 8 November 1997 Blackburn RoversA2–325,397Speed, Ferguson 22 November 1997 Aston VillaA1–236,389Speed (pen) 26 November 1997 ChelseaA0–234,148 29 November 1997 Tottenham HotspurH0–236,670 6 December 1997 Leeds UnitedA0–034,869 13 December 1997 WimbledonH0–028,533 20 December 1997 Leicester CityA1–020,628Speed (pen) 26 December 1997 Manchester UnitedA0–255,167 28 December 1997 Bolton WanderersH3–237,149Ferguson (3) 10 January 1998 Crystal PalaceA3–123,311Barmby, Ferguson, Madar 18 January 1998 ChelseaH3–132,355Speed, Ferguson, Duberry (own goal) 31 January 1998 West Ham UnitedA2–225,909Barmby, Madar 7 February 1998 BarnsleyA2–218,672Ferguson, Grant 14 February 1998 Derby CountyH1–234,876Thomsen 23 February 1998 LiverpoolA1–144,501Ferguson 28 February 1998 Newcastle UnitedH0–037,972 7 March 1998 SouthamptonA1–215,102Tiler 14 March 1998 Blackburn RoversH1–033,423Madar 28 March 1998 Aston VillaH1–436,471Madar 4 April 1998 Tottenham HotspurA1–135,624Madar 11 April 1998 Leeds UnitedH2–037,099Hutchison, Ferguson 13 April 1998 WimbledonA0–015,131 18 April 1998 Leicester CityH1–133,642Madar 25 April 1998 Sheffield WednesdayH1–335,497Ferguson 3 May 1998 ArsenalA0–438,269 10 May 1998 Coventry CityH1–140,109Farrelly
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR34 January 1998 Newcastle UnitedH0–120,885
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st leg16 September 1997 Scunthorpe UnitedA1–07,145FarrellyR2 2nd leg1 October 1997 Scunthorpe UnitedH5–0 (won 6–0 on agg)11,562Stuart, Oster, Barmby (2), CadamarteriR315 October 1997 Coventry CityA1–410,087Barmby
Squad (at end of season)
(captain)
Left club during season
Reserve squad
Transfers
In DatePosNameFromFee1 July 1997MFGareth FarrellyAston VillaTransfer1 August 1997MFJohn OsterGrimsby Town£1,500,0006 August 1997DFTony ThomasTranmere Rovers£400,00015 August 1997MFDanny WilliamsonWest Ham UnitedSwap27 November 1997GKThomas MyhreViking£800,00028 November 1997MFMitch WardSheffield United£750,00028 November 1997DFCarl TilerSheffield United£750,00030 December 1997FWMickaël MadarDeportivo La CoruñaFree transfer28 January 1998DFJohn O'KaneManchester United£400,00026 February 1998MFDon HutchisonSheffield United£1,000,00026 March 1998MFMatt McKayChester CitySigned
Out DatePosNameToFee15 August 1997DFDavid UnsworthWest Ham UnitedSwap28 November 1997MFGraham StuartSheffield United£500,00030 January 1998MFAndy HinchcliffeSheffield Wednesday£3,000,0006 February 1998MFGary SpeedNewcastle United£5,500,00013 February 1998DFJohn HillsBlackpoolSigned24 February 1998DFEarl BarrettSheffield WednesdayFree transfer26 February 1998DFJon O'ConnorSheffield UnitedTransfer3 March 1998DFClaus ThomsenAB£500,00012 March 1998GKNeville SouthallStoke CityFree transfer
Transfers in: £5,600,000 Transfers out: £9,500,000 Total spending: £3,900,000
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 who left the club during the season
Starting 11 Considering starts in all competitions GK: #31, Thomas Myhre, 23 RB: #12, Craig Short, 29 CB: #28, Slaven Bilić, 25 CB: #5, Dave Watson, 28 LB: #25, Michael Ball, 23 RM: #19, John Oster, 19 CM: #7, Graham Stuart, 17 CM: #17, Gareth Farrelly, 20 LM: #10, Gary Speed, 24 AM: #8, Nick Barmby, 28 CF: #9, Duncan Ferguson, 31
References