Aston Villa
1997–98 season
ChairmanDoug Ellis
ManagerBrian Little (until 24 February)
John Gregory (from 25 February)
StadiumVilla Park
Premiership7th
FA CupFifth round
League CupThird round
UEFA CupQuarter-finals
Top goalscorerLeague: Dwight Yorke (12)
All: Dwight Yorke (14)
Average home league attendance36,137

In the 1997–98 English football season, Aston Villa competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

When Brian Little resigned as Aston Villa manager in February, Villa were 15th in the Premiership and were starting to look like outside bets for relegation.[1] Ruud Gullit, recently sacked by Chelsea, was linked with the vacancy, but the surprise choice for the job was Wycombe manager John Gregory, a former Villa coach.[2] He influenced a late run of form which saw Villa climb to seventh place, and for the second season running Villa qualified for the UEFA Cup via the UEFA Respect Fair Play ranking.[3]

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Transfers

Transferred in

Date Pos Player From Fee
13 May 1997CFStan CollymoreLiverpool£7,000,000
26 June 1997RBSimon GraysonLeicester City£1,300,000
27 November 1997CMSweden David CurtoloSweden Västerås£30,000
£8,330,000

  Record

Loaned in

Date Pos Player From Loan End
7 August 1997GKPaul CrichtonWest Bromwich Albion13 August 1997

Transferred out

Date Pos Player To Fee
1 July 1997LMRepublic of Ireland Gareth FarrellyEverton£750,000
29 August 1997CMRepublic of Ireland Andy TownsendMiddlesbrough£500,000
1 September 1997GKStuart BrockKidderminsterFree transfer
9 December 1997RMScotland Scott MurrayBristol City£150,000
26 March 1998DMSerbia and Montenegro Saša ĆurčićCrystal Palace£1,000,000
£2,400,000

Loaned out

Date Pos Player To Loan End
1 August 1997CFNeil DavisTranmere Rovers23 August 1997
26 March 1998LBWales David HughesCarlisle United26 April 1998

Overall transfer activity

Squad

First Team

# Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth (Age) Signed from Date signed Fee Apps Gls
Goalkeepers
1Mark BosnichGKAustraliaLiverpool13 January 1972 (aged 25)Australia Sydney Croatia28 February 1992Free transfer1690
13Michael OakesGKEnglandNorthwich30 October 1973 (aged 23)Academy1 July 1991—240
29Paul CrichtonGKEnglandPontefract3 October 1968 (aged 28)West Bromwich Albion7 August 1997Loan--
29*Matthew GhentGKEnglandBurton upon Trent5 September 1980 (aged 16)Academy1 July 1997—--
30Adam RachelGKEnglandBirmingham30 December 1976 (aged 20)Academy1 July 1995—00
31Stuart BrockGKEnglandWest Bromwich26 September 1976 (aged 20)Academy1 July 1996—00
Defenders
2Gary CharlesRBEnglandNewham13 April 1970 (aged 27)Derby County6 January 1995£1,450,000631
3Steve StauntonLBRepublic of IrelandDundalk19 January 1969 (aged 28)Liverpool7 August 1991£1,100,00022515
4Gareth Southgate (c)CBEnglandWatford3 September 1970 (aged 26)Crystal Palace1 July 1995£3,500,000773
5Ugo EhioguCBEnglandHackney3 November 1972 (aged 24)West Bromwich Albion12 July 1991£40,00017610
14Alan WrightLBEnglandAshton-under-Lyne28 September 1971 (aged 25)Blackburn Rovers10 March 1995£1,000,0001043
15Fernando NélsonRBPortugalPorto5 November 1971 (aged 25)Portugal Sporting2 August 1996£1,700,000390
16Simon GraysonRBEnglandRipon16 December 1969 (aged 27)Leicester City26 June 1997£1,300,000--
19David HughesLBWalesWrexham1 February 1978 (aged 19)Academy1 July 1996—70
20Riccardo ScimecaCBEnglandLeamington Spa13 June 1975 (aged 22)Academy1 July 1995—220
21Lee CollinsLBEnglandBirmingham10 September 1977 (aged 19)Academy1 July 1997—--
24*Gareth BarryLBEnglandHastings23 February 1981 (aged 16)Academy1 January 1998—--
Midfielders
6Andy TownsendCMRepublic of IrelandEngland Maidstone26 July 1963 (aged 33)Chelsea26 July 1993£2,100,00017211
7Ian TaylorCMEnglandBirmingham4 June 1968 (aged 29)Sheffield Wednesday21 December 1994£1,000,000969
8Mark DraperCMEnglandLong Eaton11 November 1970 (aged 26)Leicester City5 July 1995£3,250,000825
17Lee HendrieRMEnglandSolihull18 May 1977 (aged 20)Academy1 July 1995—100
18Saša ĆurčićDMSerbia and MontenegroBelgrade14 February 1972 (aged 25)Bolton Wanderers1 July 1995£4.000.000255
24Scott MurrayRMScotlandFraserburgh26 May 1974 (aged 23)Academy1 July 1995—40
Forwards
9Savo MiloševićCFSerbia and MontenegroBijeljina2 September 1973 (aged 23)Serbia and Montenegro Partizan26 June 1995£3,500,0008524
10Dwight YorkeCFTrinidad and TobagoCanaan3 November 1971 (aged 25)Trinidad and Tobago Signal Hill19 July 1991£120,00023782
11Stan CollymoreCFEnglandTittensor22 January 1971 (aged 26)Liverpool13 May 1997£7,000,000--
12Julian JoachimCFEnglandPeterborough20 September 1974 (aged 22)Leicester City24 February 1996£1,890,000284
22Darius VassellCFEnglandBirmingham13 June 1980 (aged 17)Academy1 January 1998—--
23Neil DavisCFEnglandBloxwich15 August 1973 (aged 23)Academy1 July 1995—30
25Darren ByfieldCFJamaicaEngland Sutton Coldfield29 September 1976 (aged 20)Academy1 July 1997—--
27Richard WalkerCFEnglandBloxwich8 November 1977 (aged 19)Academy1 July 1997—--

*squad number was re-used following a players departure.
Note: Stats and ages are correct as of July 1, 1997.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
5 Leeds United 38 17 8 13 57 46 +11 59 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[lower-alpha 1]
6 Blackburn Rovers 38 16 10 12 57 52 +5 58
7 Aston Villa 38 17 6 15 49 48 +1 57
8 West Ham United 38 16 8 14 56 57 −1 56
9 Derby County 38 16 7 15 52 49 +3 55
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ↑ Aston Villa was rewarded entry to the UEFA Cup through UEFA Fair Play ranking.

Results

Aston Villa's score comes first[4]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1997Leicester CityA0–120,304
13 August 1997Blackburn RoversH0–437,112
23 August 1997Newcastle UnitedA0–136,783
27 August 1997Tottenham HotspurA2–326,317Yorke 27', Collymore 58'
30 August 1997Leeds UnitedH1–039,027Yorke 67'
13 September 1997BarnsleyA3–018,649Ehiogu 25', Draper 50', Taylor 72'
20 September 1997Derby CountyH2–135,444Yorke 72', Joachim 75'
22 September 1997LiverpoolA0–334,843
27 September 1997Sheffield WednesdayH2–232,044Staunton 32', Taylor 49'
4 October 1997Bolton WanderersA1–024,186Milošević 12'
18 October 1997WimbledonH1–232,087Taylor 45'
26 October 1997ArsenalA0–038,061
1 November 1997ChelseaH0–239,372
8 November 1997Crystal PalaceA1–121,097Joachim 86'
22 November 1997EvertonH2–136,389Milošević 37', Ehiogu 56'
29 November 1997West Ham UnitedA1–224,976Yorke 47'
6 December 1997Coventry CityH3–033,250Collymore 21', Hendrie 71', Joachim 85'
15 December 1997Manchester UnitedA0–155,151
20 December 1997SouthamptonH1–129,343Taylor 64'
26 December 1997Tottenham HotspurH4–138,644Draper 38', 68', Collymore 81', 89'
28 December 1997Leeds UnitedA1–136,287Milošević 85'
10 January 1998Leicester CityH1–136,429Joachim 87'
17 January 1998Blackburn RoversA0–524,834
1 February 1998Newcastle UnitedH0–138,266
7 February 1998Derby CountyA1–030,251Yorke 90'
18 February 1998Manchester UnitedH0–239,372
21 February 1998WimbledonA1–213,131Milošević 41'
28 February 1998LiverpoolH2–139,372Collymore 10', 65'
8 March 1998ChelseaA1–033,018Joachim 51'
11 March 1998BarnsleyH0–129,519
14 March 1998Crystal PalaceH3–133,781Taylor 1', Milošević pen 14', 35'
28 March 1998EvertonA4–136,471Joachim 12', Charles 62', Yorke pen 72', 81'
4 April 1998West Ham UnitedH2–039,372Joachim 76', Milošević 82'
11 April 1998Coventry CityA2–122,792Yorke 5', 48'
18 April 1998SouthamptonA2–115,238Hendrie 6', Yorke 60'
25 April 1998Bolton WanderersH1–338,392Taylor 57'
2 May 1998Sheffield WednesdayA3–134,177Yorke 21', Hendrie 25', Joachim 50'
10 May 1998ArsenalH1–039,372Yorke 37' (pen)

FA Cup

3 January 1998 (1998-01-03) R3 Portsmouth 2-2 Aston Villa Portsmouth
15:00 Foster 6' 40' Steve Staunton 41'
Simon Grayson 88'		 Stadium: Fratton Park
Attendance: 16,013
Referee: Uriah Rennie
14 January 1998 (1998-01-14) R3R Aston Villa 1-0 Portsmouth Birmingham
19:45 Milošević 21' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 23,355
Referee: Uriah Rennie
24 January 1998 (1998-01-24) R4 Aston Villa 4-0 West Bromwich Albion Birmingham
15:00 Grayson 4'
Yorke 62' 64'
Collymore 72'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 39,372
Referee: Neale Barry
14 February 1998 (1998-02-14) R5 Aston Villa 0-1 Coventry City Birmingham
15:00 Viorel Moldovan 72' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 36,979
Referee: Gary Willard

League Cup

15 October 1997 (1997-10-15) R3 West Ham United 3-0 Aston Villa London
19:45 Hartson 9' 81'
Lampard 17'		 Stadium: Boleyn Ground
Attendance: 20,360
Referee: Stephen Lodge

UEFA Cup

16 September 1997 (1997-09-16) R1 L1 Bordeaux France 0-0 England Aston Villa Bordeaux
20:30 Stadium: Stade du Parc Lescure
Attendance: 16,800
Referee: Armand Ancion
30 September 1997 (1997-09-30) R1 L2 Aston Villa England 1-0 (a.e.t.)
(1-0 agg.)		 France Bordeaux Birmingham
19:45 Milošević 111'} Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 33,072
Referee: Knud Erik Fisker
21 October 1997 (1997-10-21) R2 L1 Athletic Bilbao Spain 0-0 England Aston Villa Bilbao
20:30 Stadium: San Mamés
Attendance: 39,000
Referee: Hartmut Strampe
4 November 1997 (1997-11-04) R2 L2 Aston Villa England 2-1
(2-1 agg.)		 Spain Athletic Bilbao Birmingham
19:30 Taylor 27'
Yorke 50'		 González 70' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 35,915
Referee: Sándor Piller
25 November 1997 (1997-11-25) R3 L1 Steaua Bucharest Romania 2-1 England Aston Villa Bucharest
19:45 Ciocoiu 30' 32' Yorke 54' Stadium: Stadionul Steaua
Attendance: 24,000
Referee: Ľuboš Micheľ
9 December 1997 (1997-12-09) R3 L2 Aston Villa England 2-0
(3-2 agg.)		 Romania Steaua Bucharest Birmingham
19:45 Milošević 71' Taylor 85' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 35,102
Referee: Bernd Heynemann
3 March 1998 (1998-03-03) QF L1 Atlético Madrid Spain 1-0 England Aston Villa Madrid
21:30 Vieri 42' (pen) Stadium: Estadio Vicente Calderón
Attendance: 51,000
Referee: Stefano Braschi
17 March 1998 (1998-03-17) QF L2 Aston Villa England 2-1
(2-2* agg.)		 Spain Atlético Madrid Birmingham
19:45 Taylor 72'
Collymore 74'		 Caminero 28' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 39,163
Referee: Mario van der Ende

References

  1. ↑ "Little resigns from Villa". BBC Sport. 24 February 1998. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  2. ↑ "Ex-backroom boy gets Villa job". BBC Sport. 25 February 1998. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  3. ↑ Aston Villa 1997/1998. WorldFootball.net. Accessed 2 March 2012.
  4. ↑ Soccerbase: 1997–98 Aston Villa results
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