1998–99 Oxford United F.C. season

During the 1998–99 English football season, Oxford United F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Oxford United
1998–99 season
ManagerMalcolm Shotton
StadiumManor Ground
First Division23rd (relegated)
FA CupFourth round
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Windass (15)
All: Windass (18)
Average home league attendance7,040

Season summary

During October 1998, the backroom staff at Oxford United were unpaid due to the club's financial situation with the new stadium; the threat of administration caused a group of fans to set up a pressure group called Fighting for Oxford United's Life (FOUL).[1] The group began to publicise the club's plight through a series of meetings and events, including a 'Scarf of Unity', which was a collection of scarfs from various clubs which was long enough to stretch around the perimeter of the pitch.[1] Chairman Robin Herd stepped down to concentrate on his engineering projects, and in April 1999 Firoz Kassam bought Herd's 89.9% controlling interest in Oxford United for £1, with which he also inherited the club's estimated £15 million debt.[2] Kassam reduced the £9 million of the debt to just £900,000, by virtue of a Company Voluntary Arrangement, by which unsecured creditors who were owed over £1,000 were reimbursed with 10p for every pound they were owed.[3] Secured creditors were paid off when Kassam sold the Manor to another of his companies, for £6 million. Kassam set about completing the unfinished stadium, gaining planning permission for a bowling alley, a multiplex cinema, and a hotel to sit next to the stadium, following a series of legal battles which were eventually all settled.[4] The season ended with relegation back to the Second Division.

Final league table
Main article: 1998–99 Football League § First Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
20 Queens Park Rangers 46 12 11 23 52 61 −9 47
21 Port Vale 46 13 8 25 45 75 −30 47
22 Bury (R) 46 10 17 19 35 60 −25 47 Relegation to the Second Division
23 Oxford United (R) 46 10 14 22 48 71 −23 44
24 Bristol City (R) 46 9 15 22 57 80 −23 42
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference
(R) Relegated

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Fulham (C, P) 46 31 8 7 79 32 +47 101 Promotion to the First Division
2 Walsall (P) 46 26 9 11 63 47 +16 87
3 Manchester City (O, P) 46 22 16 8 69 33 +36 82 Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
4 Gillingham 46 22 14 10 75 44 +31 80
5 Preston North End 46 22 13 11 78 50 +28 79
6 Wigan Athletic 46 22 10 14 75 48 +27 76
7 Bournemouth 46 21 13 12 63 41 +22 76
8 Stoke City 46 21 6 19 59 63 −4 69
9 Chesterfield 46 17 13 16 46 44 +2 64
10 Millwall 46 17 11 18 52 59 −7 62
11 Reading 46 16 13 17 54 63 −9 61
12 Luton Town 46 16 10 20 51 60 −9 58
13 Bristol Rovers 46 13 17 16 65 56 +9 56
14 Blackpool 46 14 14 18 44 54 −10 56
15 Burnley 46 13 16 17 54 73 −19 55
16 Notts County 46 14 12 20 52 61 −9 54
17 Wrexham 46 13 14 19 43 62 −19 53
18 Colchester United 46 12 16 18 52 70 −18 52
19 Wycombe Wanderers 46 13 12 21 52 58 −6 51
20 Oldham Athletic 46 14 9 23 48 66 −18 51
21 York City (R) 46 13 11 22 56 80 −24 50 Relegation to the Third Division
22 Northampton Town (R) 46 10 18 18 43 57 −14 48
23 Lincoln City (R) 46 13 7 26 42 74 −32 46
24 Macclesfield Town (R) 46 11 10 25 43 63 −20 43
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Results

Oxford United's score comes first[5]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
8 August 1998Bristol CityA2–213,729Murphy, Windass
15 August 1998Wolverhampton WanderersH0–27,521
22 August 1998Crystal PalaceA0–214,827
29 August 1998Grimsby TownH0–05,587
31 August 1998BarnsleyA0–115,328
6 September 1998PortsmouthH3–06,626Marsh, Windass (2, 1 pen)
9 September 1998Swindon TownA1–48,305Banger
12 September 1998Ipswich TownH3–36,632Banger, Windass, Thomson
19 September 1998SunderlandA0–734,567
26 September 1998Queens Park RangersH4–17,489Beauchamp, Murphy, Thomson, Windass
29 September 1998West Bromwich AlbionH3–07,437Beauchamp, Powell, Marsh
3 October 1998Huddersfield TownA0–210,968
10 October 1998Tranmere RoversH1–25,862Windass
17 October 1998Bolton WanderersA1–117,064Thomson
20 October 1998BuryA0–13,436
24 October 1998Sheffield UnitedH0–26,586
31 October 1998Crewe AlexandraH1–15,607Windass
7 November 1998WatfordA0–210,137
14 November 1998Birmingham CityA1–018,216Murphy
21 November 1998Port ValeH2–15,964Windass (pen), Powell
29 November 1998Norwich CityA3–117,851Wilsterman, Windass, Thomson
5 December 1998Bradford CityH0–15,969
12 December 1998Birmingham CityH1–77,189Windass
19 December 1998Stockport CountyA0–26,500
26 December 1998Crystal PalaceH1–38,375Windass
28 December 1998PortsmouthA2–212,604Banger (2)
9 January 1999Bristol CityH0–09,434
16 January 1999Grimsby TownA0–16,626
30 January 1999BarnsleyH1–06,174Windass
6 February 1999Wolverhampton WanderersA1–120,811Windass
13 February 1999Swindon TownH2–08,179Windass (2, 1 pen)
20 February 1999Ipswich TownA1–216,920Rémy
27 February 1999SunderlandH0–09,044
3 March 1999Queens Park RangersA0–19,040
6 March 1999West Bromwich AlbionA0–213,875
9 March 1999Huddersfield TownH2–26,034Cook, Beauchamp
13 March 1999WatfordH0–08,137
20 March 1999Crewe AlexandraA1–34,791Thomson
26 March 1999Sheffield UnitedA2–114,115Thomson, Banger
3 April 1999Bolton WanderersH0–07,547
5 April 1999Tranmere RoversA2–27,837Weatherstone, Gilchrist
10 April 1999BuryH0–16,358
17 April 1999Port ValeA0–17,393
24 April 1999Norwich CityH2–47,345Wilsterman, Francis
1 May 1999Bradford CityA0–015,064
9 May 1999Stockport CountyH5–06,830Gilchrist, Powell, Beauchamp, Murphy, Thomson

FA Cup
Main article: 1998–99 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R32 January 1999Crewe AlexandraA3–14,207Windass, Murphy (2)
R425 January 1999ChelseaH1–19,059Windass
R4R3 February 1999ChelseaA2–432,106Gilchrist, Windass (pen)

League Cup
Main article: 1998–99 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg11 August 1998Luton TownA3–23,165Murphy (2), Weatherstone
R1 2nd Leg18 August 1998Luton TownH1–3 (lost 4–5 on agg)5,099Whelan

Squad

[6] 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 England ENG Paul Gerrard (on loan from Everton)
- DF England ENG Les Robinson
- DF England ENG Phil Gilchrist
- DF Canada CAN Mark Watson
- MF England ENG Paul Powell
- MF England ENG Martin Gray
- MF England ENG Joey Beauchamp
- FW England ENG Matt Murphy
- FW Scotland SCO Andy Thomson
- FW England ENG Nicky Banger
- MF England ENG Paul Tait
- GK Sweden SWE Pål Lundin
- DF England ENG Phil Whelan
No. Pos. Nation Player
- FW Saint Kitts and Nevis SKN Kevin Francis
- DF Netherlands NED Brian Wilsterman
- FW Wales WAL Rob Folland
- DF France FRA Christophe Rémy
- FW England ENG Jamie Cook
- MF England ENG Simon Weatherstone
- MF England ENG Tony Wright
- DF England ENG Mark Warren (on loan from Leyton Orient)
- MF England ENG Mickey Lewis
- DF England ENG Steve Davis
- DF England ENG Andrew Rose
- FW England ENG Mike Williams
- GK England ENG Elliot Jackson

Left club during the season

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
- MF England ENG Danny Hill (to Cardiff City)
- GK England ENG Phil Whitehead (to West Bromwich Albion)
- DF England ENG Simon Marsh (to Birmingham City)
No. Pos. Nation Player
- GK England ENG Mike Salmon (on loan from Charlton Athletic)
- MF England ENG David Smith (to Stockport County)
- FW England ENG Dean Windass (to Bradford City)

References
  1. Brodetsky p.93.
  2. Brodetsky p.94.
  3. Conn, David (29 March 2006). "History repeats itself at Oxford United". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  4. Brodetsky p.97.
  5. "Oxford United 1998-1999 Results - statto.com". Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  6. "All Oxford United players: 1999".
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