The 1997–98 season was Fulham's 100th season in professional football. They played in the Second Division (previously known as the Third Division).

Season summary Manager Micky Adams was sacked in September, soon after Mohammed Al Fayed's take-over. Ray Wilkins and Kevin Keegan were appointed as head coach and director of football respectively. The club managed to make the play-offs despite losing their last three games, but this wasn't good enough for Al Fayed, who sacked Wilkins and promoted Keegan to his position. Keegan was unable to navigate Fulham through the play-offs as they were defeated by Grimsby Town 2–1 on aggregate (1–1 and 1–0 over two legs) in the semi-finals.

Final league table

Results Fulham's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Second Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 9 August 1997 WrexhamH1–08,789Conroy 16 August 1997 WalsallA1–14,418Keister (own goal) 23 August 1997 Luton TownH0–08,142 30 August 1997 Wycombe WanderersA0–26,278 2 September 1997 Bristol CityA2–010,293Newhouse, Carpenter 9 September 1997 Plymouth ArgyleH2–08,961Moody (2) 13 September 1997 Grimsby TownH0–26,874 20 September 1997 Southend UnitedA0–15,026 27 September 1997 Wigan AthleticA1–24,951Hayward 4 October 1997 Oldham AthleticH3–18,805Moody (2), Sinnott (own goal) 11 October 1997 BlackpoolH1–07,760Conroy 18 October 1997 BournemouthA1–27,484Vincent (own goal) 21 October 1997 WatfordA0–211,486 25 October 1997 Northampton TownH1–19,848Peschisolido 1 November 1997 ChesterfieldH1–17,998Blake 4 November 1997 MillwallA1–110,291Peschisolido 8 November 1997 Bristol RoversA3–26,166Carpenter, Scott (2) 18 November 1997 York CityH1–15,521Peschisolido 21 November 1997 GillinghamH3–08,274Peschisolido (2), Watson 29 November 1997 Preston North EndA1–39,723Scott 2 December 1997 BrentfordH1–110,767Peschisolido 13 December 1997 Carlisle UnitedA0–24,574 19 December 1997 BurnleyH1–05,096Cullip 26 December 1997 Plymouth ArgyleA4–19,469Moody (2), Hayward, Trollope 28 December 1997 Bristol CityH1–013,273Moody 10 January 1998 WrexhamA3–05,338Moody, Peschisolido, Trollope 17 January 1998 Wycombe WanderersH0–010,468 24 January 1998 Luton TownA4–18,366Moody (3, 1 pen), Hayward 31 January 1998 Grimsby TownA1–16,785Lightbourne 7 February 1998 Southend UnitedH2–09,122Peschisolido, Lightbourne 14 February 1998 Oldham AthleticA0–16,063 21 February 1998 Wigan AthleticH2–07,791Hayward, Peschisolido 24 February 1998 BournemouthH0–17,708 28 February 1998 BlackpoolA1–25,183Coleman 3 March 1998 Bristol RoversH1–06,843Thorpe 7 March 1998 ChesterfieldA2–05,129Morgan, Blake 14 March 1998 MillwallH1–212,318Thorpe 21 March 1998 York CityA1–04,871Peschisolido 28 March 1998 GillinghamA0–210,507 4 April 1998 Preston North EndH2–18,814Brazier, Collins 7 April 1998 WalsallH1–16,733Trollope 11 April 1998 BrentfordA2–010,510Moody (2) 13 April 1998 Carlisle UnitedH5–09,243Peschisolido (3), Moody (pen), Thorpe 18 April 1998 BurnleyA1–29,745Moody 25 April 1998 Northampton TownA0–17,443 2 May 1998 WatfordH1–217,114Beardsley

Second Division play-offs

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersSF 1st Leg 9 May 1998 Grimsby TownH1–113,954Beardsley (pen)SF 2nd Leg 13 May 1998 Grimsby TownA0–1 (lost 1–2 on agg)8,689

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR116 November 1997 MargateA2–15,100Carpenter, ScottR26 December 1997 Southend UnitedH1–08,537Blake (pen)R35 January 1998 Tottenham HotspurA1–327,909Smith

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1 1st Leg 12 August 1997 Wycombe WanderersA2–14,360Newhouse, ConroyR1 2nd Leg 26 August 1997 Wycombe WanderersH4–4 (won 6–5 on agg)5,055Newhouse (2), Carpenter, ConroyR2 1st Leg 16 September 1997 Wolverhampton WanderersH0–15,933R2 2nd Leg 24 September 1997 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–1 (lost 0–2 on agg)17,862

Football League Trophy

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersSR19 December 1997 WatfordH1–03,364MoodySR213 January 1998 Wycombe WanderersH3–14,319Thomas (2), FreemanSQF27 January 1998 Luton TownH1–25,103Lightbourne

Players First-team squad

Transfers

In Date Pos. Name From Fee1 August 1997DF Jimmy Aggrey ChelseaFree transfer1 August 1997FW Andy Arnott Leyton Orient£23,0001 August 1997MF Neil Smith GillinghamTransfer1 August 1997GK Andre Arendse Cape Town Spurs£200,0001 August 1997FW Paul Moody Oxford United£200,0001 August 1997DF Ian McGuckin Hartlepool United£75,0001 August 1997MF Steve Hayward Carlisle United£175,00010 October 1997MF Paul Bracewell Sunderland£75,00017 October 1997MF Ian Selley Arsenal£500,00024 October 1997FW Paul Peschisolido West Bromwich Albion£1,100,00014 November 1997GK Maik Taylor Southampton£700,00026 November 1997DF Alan Neilson Southampton£250,00027 November 1997MF Steve McAnespie Bolton Wanderers£100,00027 November 1997MF Paul Trollope Derby County£600,0001 December 1997DF Chris Coleman Blackburn Rovers£2,000,0001 December 1997MF Shaun Maher Bohemians£35,00022 January 1998MF Wayne Collins Sheffield Wednesday£400,00030 January 1998DF Rufus Brevett Queens Park Rangers£375,00026 February 1998FW Tony Thorpe Luton Town£800,00020 March 1998MF Matt Brazier Queens Park Rangers£65,000

Out Date Pos. Name To Fee1 August 1997DF Terry Angus Slough TownFree transfer1 August 1997DF John Hamsher Rushden & DiamondsFree transfer1 August 1997MF Michael Mison Rushden & DiamondsFree transfer31 October 1997FW Aidan Newhouse Swansea City£30,00031 October 1997MF Nick Cusack Swansea City£50,0007 November 1997MF Glenn Cockerill BrentfordFree transfer19 December 1997DF Paul Watson Brentford£50,0006 February 1998GK Mark Walton Gillingham£40,00018 February 1998DF Danny Cullip Brentford£75,00026 March 1998FW Mike Conroy Blackpool£50,000

Transfers in: £7,473,000 Transfers out: £295,000 Total spending: £7,178,000

References

Notes

External links Fulham website Soccerbase - Results archive