1997–98 Grimsby Town F.C. season

Grimsby Town
1997–98 season
Chairman Peter Furneaux
Manager Alan Buckley
Stadium Blundell Park
Second Division 3rd (promoted via playoffs)
FA Cup Fourth round
League Cup Fourth round
Auto Windscreens Shield Winners
Top goalscorer League: Donovan (16)
All: Donovan (21)
Average home league attendance 5,601

During the 1997–98 English football season, Grimsby Town F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

Season summary

The 1997–98 season saw the return of Alan Buckley as manager, after an unsuccessful period at West Bromwich Albion, for Grimsby's most successful post-war season. In the summer of 1997, Buckley succeeded in bringing in players to the club who were to be instrumental in the club's upcoming season. Former skipper Paul Groves was re-signed from West Bromwich Albion, and Kevin Donovan and David Smith also joined the club from Albion. The mid-season capture of Huddersfield Town midfielder Wayne Burnett proved to be a great bit of business for Buckley. After a seemingly poor start to the League campaign, performances improved, which propelled the club into a promotion battle with Watford, Bristol City and an expensively assembled Fulham (at the time the only club at this level to have spent seven-figure sums on players). A good run in the League Cup saw The Mariners knock holders Leicester City and fellow Premier League side Sheffield Wednesday out of the competition before finally losing out to Liverpool. A decent run of form had ignited the careers of such younger players as Daryl Clare, Danny Butterfield and Jack Lester who were becoming an integral part of the Blundell Park set-up. The Mariners went on to dump Burnley out of the Football League Trophy Northern section area final, which would see the club book its first trip to Wembley Stadium.[1] The club were drawn against Southern section champions AFC Bournemouth and in a tight game, an equaliser from substitute Kingsley Black took the game into extra time, and in the 112th minute Grimsby secured the game courtesy of a golden goal from Wayne Burnett.[1] This was the first major trophy awarded to the club following its first appearance at Wembley. It took only four weeks for Grimsby to return to the stadium though, this time to face Northampton Town in the Division Two Play Off Final.[1] Town won the game 1–0 thanks to a first half Kevin Donovan goal which gave the club a historic Wembley double and The Mariners promotion back to Division One.[1]

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts
1Watford4613733622119331196741+2688
2Bristol City461652411795928226939+3085
3Grimsby Town461175301488725235537+1872
4Northampton Town4614543317412719205237+1571
5Bristol Rovers461328433378827317064+670
6Fulham4612743114831229296043+1770
7Wrexham4610103312386924285551+470
8Gillingham4613733018661122295247+570
9Bournemouth4611842815741229375752+566
10Chesterfield46137331193101015254644+265
11Wigan Athletic4612564131561223356466–262
12Blackpool4613643524451424435967–862
13Oldham Athletic4613734323291219316254+861
14Wycombe Wanderers46101033220481119335153–260
15Preston North End4610672926581027305656±059
16York City469772621510826375258–659
17Luton Town46779353878825266064–457
18Millwall467882323751120314354–1155
19Walsall4610852616441517364352–954
20Burnley4610943423341621425565–1052
21Brentford4697733292101117425071–2150
22Plymouth Argyle4610583630281319405570–1549
23Carlisle United4685102728431630455773–1644
24Southend United468782930331718494779–3243
  • Pld = Matches ; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  • NB: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
Relegated

Results

Grimsby Town's score comes first[2]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1997Bristol CityH1–16,220Widdrington
16 August 1997Plymouth ArgyleA2–26,002Donovan (pen), Nogan
23 August 1997WrexhamH0–04,404
30 August 1997BrentfordA1–33,875Nogan
2 September 1997Preston North EndA0–29,489
9 September 1997York CityH0–05,308
13 September 1997FulhamA2–06,874Livingstone (2)
20 September 1997MillwallH0–14,267
27 September 1997BournemouthA1–03,712Groves
4 October 1997Wigan AthleticH2–14,623Donovan (2 pens)
11 October 1997Northampton TownH1–04,778Donovan
18 October 1997BlackpoolA2–25,234Nogan, Donovan (pen)
21 October 1997Oldham AthleticA0–24,520
25 October 1997WatfordH0–15,699
1 November 1997Southend UnitedH5–14,501Nogan (2), Lester, Groves, Widdrington
4 November 1997WalsallA0–02,599
8 November 1997ChesterfieldA0–15,004
22 November 1997BurnleyH4–14,829Groves, Widdrington, Lester, Nogan
29 November 1997GillinghamA2–04,855Jobling, Black
2 December 1997Wycombe WanderersH0–04,160
12 December 1997Bristol RoversA4–04,801Gallimore, Livingstone (2), Donovan
20 December 1997Carlisle UnitedH1–06,222McDermott
26 December 1997York CityA0–07,093
28 December 1997Preston North EndH3–16,725Donovan (2), Black
10 January 1998Bristol CityA1–412,567Groves
17 January 1998BrentfordH4–04,624Groves, Smith, Donovan, Clare
31 January 1998FulhamH1–16,785Burnett
7 February 1998MillwallA1–06,020Livingstone
14 February 1998Wigan AthleticA2–03,548Nogan, Donovan
21 February 1998BournemouthH2–15,456O'Neil (own goal), Groves
24 February 1998BlackpoolH1–04,924Clare
28 February 1998Northampton TownA1–26,932Donovan
3 March 1998ChesterfieldH0–04,940
7 March 1998Southend UnitedA1–04,829Clare
14 March 1998WalsallH3–04,916Nogan, Donovan (2)
21 March 1998Luton TownA2–25,700Gallimore, Donovan
24 March 1998Plymouth ArgyleH1–04,661Groves
28 March 1998BurnleyA1–28,256Lester
31 March 1998WrexhamA0–05,421
4 April 1998GillinghamH0–05,190
7 April 1998Luton TownH0–14,455
10 April 1998Wycombe WanderersA1–15,846Lester
13 April 1998Bristol RoversH1–25,484Donovan (pen)
21 April 1998Carlisle UnitedA1–03,956Donovan (pen)
25 April 1998WatfordA0–014,002
2 May 1998Oldham AthleticH0–28,054

Second Division play-offs

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SF 1st Leg9 May 1998FulhamA1–113,954Smith
SF 2nd Leg13 May 1998FulhamH1–0 (won 2-1 on agg)8,689Donovan
F24 May 1998Northampton TownN1–062,988Donovan

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R115 November 1997Shrewsbury TownA1–13,193Southall
R1R25 November 1997Shrewsbury TownH4–03,242Nogan, Herbert (own goal), Lester, Jobling
R26 December 1997ChesterfieldH2–24,762Rodger, Nogan
R2R16 December 1997ChesterfieldA2–04,553Lester, Groves
R33 January 1998Norwich CityH3–08,161McDermott, Woods, Donovan
R414 January 1998Leeds UnitedA0–229,598

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg12 August 1997Oldham AthleticA0–15,656
R1 2nd Leg26 August 1997Oldham AthleticH5–0 (won 5-1 on agg)5,078Lester (3), Livingstone, Donovan
R2 1st Leg17 September 1997Sheffield WednesdayH2–06,429Groves, Livingstone
R2 2nd Leg1 October 1997Sheffield WednesdayA2–3 (won 4-3 on agg)11,120Nogan, Groves
R314 October 1997Leicester CityH3–17,738Jobling, Livingstone (2)
R418 November 1997LiverpoolA0–328,515

Football League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
NR19 December 1997ChesterfieldA1–01,128Nogan
NR26 January 1998Hull CityH1–04,778Butterfield
NQF27 January 1998Scunthorpe UnitedA2–04,596Groves, Burnett
NSF17 February 1998BlackpoolH1–08,027Burnett
NF 1st Leg10 March 1998BurnleyH1–16,064Groves
NF 2nd Leg17 March 1998BurnleyA2–0 (won 3-1 on agg)10,257Nogan, Donovan
F19 April 1998BournemouthN2–162,432Glass (own goal), Burnett

Squad

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

No. Position Player
- Northern Ireland GK Aidan Davison
- England GK Jason Pearcey
- Scotland DF Peter Handyside
- England DF John McDermott
- England DF Mark Lever
- England DF Tony Gallimore
- England DF Graham Rodger
- England DF Danny Butterfield
- England DF Matthew Bloomer
- England DF Ben Chapman
- England DF Ashley Fickling
- England MF Paul Groves
- England MF Kevin Donovan
- Northern Ireland MF Kingsley Black
- England MF Wayne Burnett
No. Position Player
- England MF Kevin Jobling
- England MF David Smith
- England MF Tommy Widdrington
- England MF Dave Gilbert (on loan from West Bromwich Albion)
- England MF Nicky Southall
- England MF Paul Holsgrove (on loan from Reading)
- Scotland MF Jim Dobbin
- England MF Darren Wrack
- England MF Gary Childs
- Wales FW Lee Nogan
- England FW Steve Livingstone
- England FW Jack Lester
- Republic of Ireland FW Daryl Clare
- England FW Neil Woods

Transfers

In

Date Pos. Name From Fee
1 August 1997 MF England Kevin Donovan England West Bromwich Albion £300,000
1 August 1997 MF England Paul Groves England West Bromwich Albion £250,000
1 August 1997 FW Wales Lee Nogan England Reading £170,000
16 January 1998 MF England David Smith England West Bromwich Albion £200,000
12 February 1998 MF England Wayne Burnett England Huddersfield Town £100,000
26 March 1998 MF Scotland Jim Dobbin England Scarborough Free transfer

Out

Date Pos. Name To Fee
1 August 1997 MF Wales John Oster England Everton £1,500,000
7 August 1997 MF England Jimmy Neil England Scunthorpe United Free transfer
1 September 1997 MF England Gary Childs England Wisbech Town Free transfer
6 December 1997 MF England Nicky Southall England Gillingham Free transfer
Transfers in: Decrease £1,020,000
Transfers out: Increase £1,500,000
Total spending: Increase £480,000

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Buckley savours Wembley hat-trick". BBC Sport. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  2. ↑ http://www.statto.com/football/teams/grimsby-town/1997-1998/results
  3. ↑ http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=1148&teamTabs=stats&season_id=127
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.