1997–98 Charlton Athletic F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Charlton Athletic F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Charlton Athletic
1997–98 season
ChairmanRichard Murray
ManagerAlan Curbishley
StadiumThe Valley
First Division4th (promoted)
FA CupFourth round
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Mendonca (23)
All: Mendonca (28)
Average home league attendance13,275

Season summary

The 1997–98 season was Charlton's best campaign for years. They reached the division One play-off final and battled against Sunderland in a thrilling game which ended with a 4–4 draw after extra time. Charlton won 7–6 on penalties,[1] with the match described as "arguably the most dramatic game of football in Wembley's history".[2] With five minutes of normal time remaining, Charlton were losing 3-2 before Richard Rufus scored his first ever senior goal from a corner, forcing the game into extra-time. After the resulting 4–4 draw, the Addicks went on to win the game 7–6 on penalties, thus gaining promotion into the Premier League.[3]

Final league table
Main article: 1997–98 Football League First Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
2 Middlesbrough (P) 46 27 10 9 77 41 +36 91 Promotion to the Premier League
3 Sunderland 46 26 12 8 86 50 +36 90 Qualification for the First Division play-offs
4 Charlton Athletic (O, P) 46 26 10 10 80 49 +31 88
5 Ipswich Town 46 23 14 9 77 43 +34 83
6 Sheffield United 46 19 17 10 69 54 +15 74
Source: Statto.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference
(O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Results

Charlton Athletic's score comes first[4]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1997MiddlesbroughA1–229,414S Jones
16 August 1997Oxford UnitedH3–210,230S Jones, Mendonca, Lisbie
23 August 1997BuryA0–04,657
30 August 1997Manchester CityH2–114,009van Blerk (own goal), K Jones
13 September 1997Wolverhampton WanderersA1–322,683Chapple
17 September 1997Norwich CityA4–010,157Mendonca (3), Chapple
21 September 1997Bradford CityH4–111,583Mendonca (2), Mortimer, Brown
27 September 1997Stockport CountyH1–312,083Mortimer
4 October 1997Queens Park RangersA4–214,825Robinson (2), S Jones, Chapple
14 October 1997Huddersfield TownA3–09,596Mendonca, Brown, Robinson
19 October 1997Stoke CityH1–112,345Kinsella
22 October 1997Birmingham CityH1–110,072Mendonca
25 October 1997Tranmere RoversA2–25,911Kinsella, Leaburn
1 November 1997Ipswich TownH3–012,627Mendonca, Chapple, Leaburn
4 November 1997SunderlandA0–025,455
8 November 1997West Bromwich AlbionA0–116,124
15 November 1997Crewe AlexandraH3–214,091K Jones, Allen, Holmes
22 November 1997Nottingham ForestA2–518,532Allen, Woan (own goal)
28 November 1997Swindon TownH3–013,769K Jones, Mendonca (2, 1 pen)
6 December 1997ReadingA0–28,076
9 December 1997Sheffield UnitedH2–19,868Mendonca (2, 1 pen)
13 December 1997Port ValeH1–011,077Newton
20 December 1997PortsmouthA2–08,581Robinson, Leaburn
26 December 1997Norwich CityH2–114,472Kinsella, Robinson
28 December 1997Sheffield UnitedA1–418,677Bright
10 January 1998MiddlesbroughH3–015,742Newton (2), Bright
17 January 1998Oxford UnitedA2–17,234Mendonca, Robinson
28 January 1998Manchester CityA2–224,058S Jones (2)
31 January 1998BuryH0–015,312
7 February 1998Bradford CityA0–114,851
17 February 1998Queens Park RangersH1–115,555Robinson
21 February 1998Stockport CountyA0–37,705
25 February 1998Stoke CityA2–110,027Robinson, Barness
28 February 1998Huddersfield TownH1–012,908Bright
3 March 1998West Bromwich AlbionH5–010,893Bright, Newton, Mendonca (2, 1 pen), Kinsella
7 March 1998Ipswich TownA1–319,831Mendonca
15 March 1998SunderlandH1–115,355Bright
21 March 1998Crewe AlexandraA3–05,252Mills, Newton, Kinsella
28 March 1998Nottingham ForestH4–215,815Bright, Mortimer, Mendonca (pen), Kinsella
4 April 1998Swindon TownA1–07,845S Jones
7 April 1998Wolverhampton WanderersH1–013,743Mendonca
10 April 1998ReadingH3–014,220Mendonca, Mortimer, Bright
13 April 1998Port ValeA1–09,973Mendonca (pen)
18 April 1998PortsmouthH1–014,082S Jones
25 April 1998Tranmere RoversH2–015,393Mendonca (2 pens)
3 May 1998Birmingham CityA0–025,877

First Division play-offs
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SF 1st Leg10 May 1998Ipswich TownA1–021,681Clapham (own goal)
SF 2nd Leg13 May 1998Ipswich TownH1–0 (won 2–0 on agg)15,585Newton
F25 May 1998SunderlandN4–4 (won 7–6 on pens)77,739Mendonca (3), Rufus

FA Cup
Main article: 1997–98 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R33 January 1998Nottingham ForestH4–113,827Robinson, Brown, Leaburn, Mendonca
R424 January 1998Wolverhampton WanderersH1–115,540K Jones
R4R3 February 1998Wolverhampton WanderersA0–320,429

League Cup
Main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 First Leg13 August 1997Ipswich TownH0–16,598
R1 Second Leg26 August 1997Ipswich TownA1–3 (lost 1–4 on agg)10,989Mendonca

First-team squad
Squad at end of season[5]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Australia AUS Andy Petterson
— GK Serbia and Montenegro SCG Saša Ilić[notes 1]
— GK England ENG Mike Salmon
— DF England ENG Richard Rufus
— DF Wales WAL Mark Bowen
— DF England ENG Phil Chapple
— DF England ENG Steve Brown
— DF England ENG Anthony Barness
— DF Scotland SCO Stuart Balmer
— DF England ENG Danny Mills
— DF England ENG Eddie Youds
— DF England ENG Paul Konchesky
— DF England ENG Jamie Stuart
— DF England ENG David Kerslake (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
— DF England ENG Jason Tindall
— DF England ENG Anthony Allman
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Republic of Ireland IRL Mark Kinsella
— MF England ENG Keith Jones
— MF Wales WAL John Robinson[notes 2]
— MF England ENG Shaun Newton
— MF England ENG Matty Holmes
— MF England ENG Paul Mortimer
— MF England ENG Kevin Nicholls
— MF England ENG Paul Emblen
— MF England ENG Scott Parker
— FW England ENG Clive Mendonca
— FW England ENG Steve Jones
— FW England ENG Mark Bright
— FW England ENG Carl Leaburn
— FW England ENG Bradley Allen
— FW England ENG Neil Heaney (on loan from Manchester City)
— FW England ENG Kevin Lisbie[notes 3]

References
  1. "Charlton 4 – 4 Sunderland". Charlton Athletic FC. Archived from the original on 1 December 2005. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  2. Wembley's Greatest Events (1923–2010) Archived 8 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine Wembley Stadium
  3. Stevens, Rob (24 May 2019). "Charlton v Sunderland 1998: The greatest play-off final ever?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  4. "Charlton Athletic results for the 1997-1998 season - Statto.com". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  5. "All Charlton Athletic players: 1998".

Notes
  1. Ilić was born in Melbourne, Australia, but also qualified to represent Serbia and Montenegro internationally and would make his international debut for Serbia and Montenegro in December 1998.
  2. Robinson was born in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and represented them at U-21 level before making his international debut for Wales in 1995.
  3. Lisbie was born in Hackney, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and would make his international debut for Jamaica in 2002.
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