1998–99 Football League

The 1998–99 Football League (known as the Nationwide Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 100th completed season of The Football League.

The Football League
Season1998–99
ChampionsSunderland
PromotedBradford City
Watford
RelegatedScarborough
New Club in LeagueHalifax Town

Sunderland were crowned First Division champions with 105 points, then a record, having lost just three games all season, to prove right the many pundits who tipped them for promotion. The two other promotion places were secured by two of the division’s least fancied sides — runners-up Bradford City (back in the top division for the first time in 77 years) and playoff winners Watford (who had won their second successive promotion during Graham Taylor’s second spell as manager).

Bury, Oxford United and Bristol City occupied the three relegation places in the First Division. Oxford’s dismal season was mainly down to £10 million debts which were putting the club in real danger of closure, and had also resulted in the suspension of construction of their new stadium near the Blackbird Leys estate.

Kevin Keegan completed his spell as Fulham manager before taking the England job by guiding the Cottagers to the Second Division championship with a staggering 101 points. Following them up were runners-up Walsall and playoff winners Manchester City.

Going down were York City, Northampton Town, Lincoln City and Macclesfield Town. Narrowly avoiding the drop to the Third Division were Oldham Athletic, who just five years earlier had been a Premiership side who came within a whisker of reaching the FA Cup final.

Brentford, Cambridge United, Cardiff City and Scunthorpe United occupied the four promotion places in the Third Division.

Carlisle United kept their league status in remarkable fashion. They entered the final game of the season in bottom place, and with 90 minutes on the clock in their home game against Plymouth Argyle they were drawing 1–1 and needed a win to stay up. The referee then allowed 4 minutes of stoppage time and with just seconds to go, goalkeeper Jimmy Glass came upfield and scored from a rebounded corner to preserve his club’s place in the league which had been held since 1928. Scarborough, who had only joined the league in 1987, were relegated instead. Glass, 25, had been signed on loan from Swindon Town after the transfer line because an injury crisis had left Carlisle without a goalkeeper for the final few games of the season.

First Division
Football League, First Division
Season1998–99
ChampionsSunderland (3rd second tier title)
Direct promotion to FA Premier LeagueSunderland,
Bradford City
Promoted to FA Premier League through play-offsWatford
RelegatedBristol City,
Bury,
Oxford United
Matches played552
Goals scored1,455 (2.64 per match)
Top goalscorerLee Hughes (West Bromwich Albion), 31 [1]
Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GS Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Sunderland 46 19 3 1 50 10 12 9 2 41 18 91 105 Football League Champions, promoted to FA Premier League
2 Bradford City 46 15 4 4 48 20 11 5 7 34 27 82 87 Promoted to FA Premier League
3 Ipswich Town 46 16 1 6 37 15 10 7 6 32 17 69 86 Participated in play-offs
4 Birmingham City 46 12 7 4 32 15 11 5 7 34 22 66 81
5 Watford 46 12 8 3 30 19 9 6 8 35 37 65 77 Promoted to Premier League through play-offs
6 Bolton Wanderers 46 13 6 4 44 25 7 10 6 34 34 78 76 Participated in play-offs
7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 11 10 2 37 19 8 6 9 27 24 64 73
8 Sheffield United 46 12 6 5 42 29 6 7 10 29 37 71 67
9 Norwich City 46 7 12 4 34 28 8 5 10 28 33 62 62
10 Huddersfield Town 46 11 9 3 38 23 4 7 12 24 48 62 61
11 Grimsby Town 46 11 6 6 25 18 6 4 13 15 34 40 61
12 West Bromwich Albion 46 12 4 7 43 33 4 7 12 26 43 69 59
13 Barnsley 46 7 9 7 35 30 7 8 8 24 26 59 59
14 Crystal Palace 46 11 10 2 43 26 3 6 14 15 45 58 58
15 Tranmere Rovers 46 8 7 8 37 30 4 13 6 26 31 63 56
16 Stockport County 46 7 9 7 24 21 5 8 10 25 39 49 53
17 Swindon Town 46 7 8 8 40 44 6 3 14 19 37 59 50
18 Crewe Alexandra 46 7 6 10 27 35 5 6 12 27 43 54 48
19 Portsmouth 46 10 5 8 34 26 1 9 13 23 47 57 47
20 Queens Park Rangers 46 9 7 7 34 22 3 4 16 18 39 52 47
21 Port Vale 46 10 3 10 22 28 3 5 15 23 47 45 47
22 Bury 46 9 7 7 24 27 1 10 12 11 33 35 47 Relegated
23 Oxford United 46 7 8 8 31 30 3 6 14 17 41 48 44
24 Bristol City 46 7 8 8 35 36 2 7 14 22 44 57 42
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Play-offs
  Semifinals
1st leg – May 16th; 2nd leg – May 19th/20th, 1999		 Final at Wembley
May 31st, 1999
                     
3rd Ipswich Town 0 4 4  
6th Bolton Wanderers[notes 1] 1 3 4  
    5th Watford 2
  6th Bolton Wanderers 0
4th Birmingham City 0 1 1 (6)
5th Watford (pen.) 1 0 1 (7)  

[2]

  1. Bolton Wanderers the first round of the play-offs against Ipswich Town on away goals after extra time.

First Division results
Home \ Away BAR BIR BOL BRA BRI BRY CRE CRY GRI HUD IPS NWC OXF PTV POR QPR SHU STP SUN SWI TRA WAT WBA WOL
Barnsley 0–0 2–2 0–1 2–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 0–0 7–1 0–1 1–3 1–0 0–2 2–1 1–0 2–1 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–2 2–3
Birmingham City 0–0 0–0 2–1 4–2 1–0 3–1 3–1 0–1 1–1 1–0 0–0 0–1 1–0 4–1 1–0 1–0 2–0 0–0 1–1 2–2 1–2 4–0 0–1
Bolton Wanderers 3–3 3–1 0–0 1–0 4–0 1–3 3–0 2–0 3–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 3–1 3–1 2–1 2–2 1–2 0–3 2–1 2–2 1–2 2–1 1–1
Bradford City 2–1 2–1 2–2 5–0 3–0 4–1 2–1 3–0 2–3 0–0 4–1 0–0 4–0 2–1 0–3 2–2 1–2 0–1 3–0 2–0 2–0 1–0 2–1
Bristol City 1–1 1–2 2–1 2–3 1–1 5–2 1–1 4–1 1–2 0–1 1–0 2–2 2–0 2–2 0–0 2–0 1–1 0–1 3–1 1–1 1–4 1–3 1–6
Bury 0–0 2–4 2–1 0–2 0–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 1–0 0–3 0–2 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–1 3–3 1–1 2–5 3–0 0–0 1–3 2–0 0–0
Crewe Alexandra 3–1 0–0 4–4 2–1 1–0 3–1 0–1 0–0 1–2 0–3 3–2 3–1 0–0 3–1 0–2 1–2 0–2 1–4 0–2 1–4 0–1 1–1 0–0
Crystal Palace 1–0 1–1 2–2 1–0 2–1 4–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 3–2 5–1 2–0 0–1 4–1 1–1 1–0 2–2 1–1 0–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 3–2
Grimsby Town 1–2 0–3 0–1 2–0 2–1 0–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 0–0 0–1 1–0 2–2 1–1 1–0 1–2 1–0 0–2 1–0 1–0 2–1 5–1 0–0
Huddersfield Town 0–1 1–1 3–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 0–0 4–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–1 3–3 2–0 1–0 3–0 1–1 1–2 0–0 2–0 0–3 2–1
Ipswich Town 0–2 1–0 0–1 3–0 3–1 0–0 1–2 3–0 0–1 3–0 0–1 2–1 1–0 3–0 3–1 4–1 1–0 0–2 1–0 1–0 3–2 2–0 2–0
Norwich City 0–0 2–0 2–2 2–2 2–1 0–0 2–1 0–1 3–1 4–1 0–0 1–3 3–4 0–0 4–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 0–0
Oxford United 1–0 1–7 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–1 1–1 1–3 0–0 2–2 3–3 2–4 2–1 3–0 4–1 0–2 5–0 0–0 2–0 1–2 0–0 3–0 0–2
Port Vale 1–0 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–2 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–1 2–0 0–3 1–0 1–0 0–2 2–0 2–3 1–1 0–2 0–1 2–2 1–2 0–3 2–1
Portsmouth 1–3 0–1 0–2 2–4 0–1 2–1 2–0 1–1 0–1 1–0 0–0 1–2 2–2 4–0 3–0 1–0 3–1 1–1 5–2 1–1 1–2 2–1 1–0
Queens Park Rangers 2–1 0–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–0 0–1 6–0 1–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 3–2 1–1 1–2 2–0 2–2 4–0 0–0 1–2 2–1 0–1
Sheffield United 1–1 0–2 1–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 3–2 2–1 1–2 2–1 1–2 3–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–1 2–2 3–0 3–0 1–1
Stockport County 0–1 1–0 0–1 1–2 2–2 0–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–1 0–2 2–0 4–2 2–0 0–0 1–0 0–1 2–1 0–0 1–1 2–2 1–2
Sunderland 2–3 2–1 3–1 0–0 1–1 1–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 2–1 1–0 7–0 2–0 2–0 1–0 0–0 1–0 2–0 5–0 4–1 3–0 2–1
Swindon Town 1–3 0–1 3–3 1–4 3–2 1–1 1–2 2–0 2–0 3–0 0–6 1–1 4–1 1–1 3–3 3–1 2–2 2–3 1–1 2–3 1–4 2–2 1–0
Tranmere Rovers 3–0 0–1 1–1 0–1 1–1 4–0 3–0 3–1 1–2 2–3 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–2 2–3 1–1 1–0 0–0 3–2 3–1 1–2
Watford 0–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 0–0 4–2 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–0 2–1 1–1 4–2 2–1 0–1 2–1 0–2 0–2
West Bromwich Albion 2–0 1–3 2–3 0–2 2–2 1–0 1–5 3–2 1–1 3–1 0–1 2–0 2–0 3–2 2–2 2–0 4–1 3–1 2–3 1–1 0–2 4–1 2–0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–3 3–0 1–0 3–0 0–0 2–0 2–2 1–0 2–2 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–2 2–1 2–2 1–1 1–0 2–0 0–0 1–1
Source:
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

First Division maps
Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1998–1999
Locations of the Football League First Division 1998–1999 teams

Second Division
Football League, Second Division
Season1998–99
ChampionsFulham (1st third tier title)
Direct promotionFulham,
Walsall
Promoted through play-offsManchester City
RelegatedLincoln City,
Macclesfield Town,
Northampton,
York City
Matches played552
Goals scored1,358 (2.46 per match)
Top goalscorerJamie Cureton (Bristol Rovers), 25 [1]
Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GS Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Fulham 46 19 3 1 50 12 12 5 6 29 20 79 101 Division Champions, promoted
2 Walsall 46 13 7 3 37 23 13 2 8 26 24 63 87 Promoted
3 Manchester City 46 13 6 4 38 14 9 10 4 31 19 69 82 Promoted through play-offs
4 Gillingham 46 15 5 3 45 17 7 9 7 30 27 75 80 Participated in play-offs
5 Preston North End 46 12 6 5 46 23 10 7 6 32 27 78 79
6 Wigan Athletic 46 14 5 4 44 17 8 5 10 31 31 75 76
7 Bournemouth 46 14 7 2 37 11 7 6 10 26 30 63 76
8 Stoke City 46 10 4 9 32 32 11 2 10 27 31 59 69
9 Chesterfield 46 14 5 4 34 16 3 8 12 12 28 46 64
10 Millwall 46 9 8 6 33 24 8 3 12 19 35 52 62
11 Reading 46 10 6 7 29 26 6 7 10 25 37 54 61
12 Luton Town 46 10 4 9 25 26 6 6 11 26 34 51 58
13 Bristol Rovers 46 8 9 6 35 28 5 8 10 30 28 65 56
14 Blackpool 46 7 8 8 24 24 7 6 10 20 30 44 56
15 Burnley 46 8 7 8 23 33 5 9 9 31 40 54 55
16 Notts County 46 8 6 9 29 27 6 6 11 23 34 52 54
17 Wrexham 46 8 6 9 21 28 5 8 10 22 34 43 53
18 Colchester United 46 9 7 7 25 30 3 9 11 27 40 52 52
19 Wycombe Wanderers 46 8 5 10 31 26 5 7 11 21 32 52 51
20 Oldham Athletic 46 8 4 11 26 31 6 5 12 22 35 48 51
21 York City 46 6 8 9 28 33 7 3 13 28 47 56 50 Relegated
22 Northampton 46 4 12 7 26 31 6 6 11 17 26 43 48
23 Lincoln City 46 9 4 10 27 27 4 3 16 15 47 42 46
24 Macclesfield Town 46 7 4 12 24 30 4 6 13 19 33 43 43
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Play-offs
  Semifinals
1st leg – May 15th/16th; 2nd leg – May 19th, 1999		 Final at Wembley Stadium
May 30th, 1999
                     
3rd Manchester City 1 1 2  
6th Wigan Athletic 1 0 1  
    3rd Manchester City (pen.) 2 (3)
  4th Gillingham 2 (1)
4th Gillingham 1 1 2
5th Preston North End 1 0 1  

[2]

Second Division maps
Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams 1998–1999
Locations of the Football League Second Division 1998–1999 teams

Third Division
Football League, Third Division
Season1998–99
ChampionsBrentford (2nd fourth tier title)
Direct promotionBrentford,
Cambridge United,
Cardiff City
Promoted through play-offsScunthorpe United
Relegated to ConferenceScarborough
New club in the leagueNone
Matches played552
Goals scored1,395 (2.53 per match)
Top goalscorerMarco Gabbiadini (Darlington), 23 [1]
Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GS Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Brentford 46 16 5 2 45 18 10 2 11 34 38 79 85 Division Champions, promoted
2 Cambridge United 46 13 6 4 41 21 10 6 7 37 27 78 81 Promoted
3 Cardiff City 46 13 7 3 35 17 9 7 7 25 22 60 80
4 Scunthorpe United 46 14 3 6 42 28 8 5 10 27 30 69 74 Promoted through play-offs
5 Rotherham United 46 11 8 4 41 26 9 5 9 38 35 79 73 Participated in play-offs
6 Leyton Orient 46 12 6 5 40 30 7 9 7 28 29 68 72
7 Swansea City 46 11 9 3 33 19 8 5 10 23 29 56 71
8 Mansfield Town 46 15 2 6 38 18 4 8 11 22 40 60 67
9 Peterborough United 46 11 4 8 41 29 7 8 8 31 27 72 66
10 Halifax Town[lower-alpha 1] 46 10 8 5 33 25 7 7 9 25 31 58 66
11 Darlington 46 10 6 7 41 24 8 5 10 28 34 69 65
12 Exeter City 46 13 5 5 32 18 4 7 12 15 32 47 63
13 Plymouth Argyle 46 11 6 6 32 19 6 4 13 26 35 58 61
14 Chester City 46 6 12 5 28 30 7 6 10 29 36 57 57
15 Shrewsbury Town 46 11 6 6 36 29 3 8 12 16 34 52 56
16 Barnet 46 10 5 8 30 31 4 8 11 24 40 54 55
17 Brighton & Hove Albion 46 8 3 12 25 35 8 4 11 24 31 49 55
18 Southend United 46 8 6 9 24 21 6 6 11 28 37 52 54
19 Rochdale 46 9 8 6 22 21 4 7 12 20 34 42 54
20 Torquay United 46 9 9 5 29 20 3 8 12 18 38 47 53
21 Hull City 46 8 5 10 25 28 6 6 11 19 34 44 53
22 Hartlepool United 46 8 7 8 33 27 5 5 13 19 38 52 51
23 Carlisle United 46 8 8 7 25 21 3 8 12 18 32 43 49
24 Scarborough 46 8 3 12 30 39 6 3 14 20 38 50 48 Relegated to Conference
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Notes:
  1. New club in the league

Play-offs
  Semifinals
1st leg – May 16th; 2nd leg – May 19th, 1999		 Final at Wembley Stadium
May 29th, 1999
                     
4th Scunthorpe United 0 3 3  
7th Swansea City 1 1 2  
    4th Scunthorpe United 1
  6th Leyton Orient 0
5th Rotherham United 0 0 0 (2)
6th Leyton Orient (pen.) 0 0 0 (4)  

[2]

Third Division maps
Locations of the Football League Third Division London teams 1998–1999
Locations of the Football League Third Division teams 1998–1999

See also

References

The tables above are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website,[2] with home and away statistics separated. Play-off results are from the same website.

  1. "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  2. "England 1998–99". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
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