1997–98 Bristol Rovers F.C. season

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

Bristol Rovers
1997–98 season
ChairmanDenis Dunford
ManagerIan Holloway (player-manager)
StadiumMemorial Stadium
Second Division5th
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Auto Windscreens ShieldQuarter finals
Top goalscorerLeague: Hayles (23)
All: Hayles (26)
Average home league attendance6,413

Season summary

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The 1997–98 season saw Bristol Rovers reach the playoff places, finishing in 5th place and despite taking a first-leg advantage of 3–1 against Northampton Town, Rovers subsequently lost 3–0 in the second leg and went out 4–3 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
3 Grimsby Town (O, P) 46 19 15 12 55 37 +18 72 Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
4 Northampton Town 46 18 17 11 52 37 +15 71
5 Bristol Rovers 46 20 10 16 70 64 +6 70
6 Fulham 46 20 10 16 60 43 +17 70
7 Wrexham 46 18 16 12 55 51 +4 70
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
(O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Results

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Bristol Rovers' score comes first[2]

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
9 August 1997 Plymouth Argyle H 1–1 7,386 Hayles
16 August 1997 York City A 1–0 3,307 Hayles
23 August 1997 Carlisle United H 3–1 6,044 Bennett, Hayles, Penrice
30 August 1997 Burnley A 0–0 9,887
2 September 1997 Bournemouth A 1–1 5,550 Cureton (pen)
9 September 1997 Walsall H 2–0 6,225 Ramasut, Hayles
13 September 1997 Gillingham H 1–2 6,572 Hayles
20 September 1997 Chesterfield A 0–0 5,309
27 September 1997 Oldham Athletic A 4–4 5,990 Beadle (2), Hayles, Cureton (pen)
4 October 1997 Wrexham H 1–0 6,829 Ramasut
14 October 1997 Watford H 1–2 8,110 Penrice
18 October 1997 Wycombe Wanderers A 0–1 5,836
21 October 1997 Brentford A 3–2 3,967 Hayles (2), Beadle
25 October 1997 Blackpool H 0–3 6,183
1 November 1997 Northampton Town A 1–1 7,264 Cureton
4 November 1997 Bristol City H 1–2 7,552 Tillson
8 November 1997 Fulham H 2–3 6,166 Penrice (2)
18 November 1997 Preston North End A 2–1 7,798 Penrice, Alsop
22 November 1997 Southend United A 1–1 3,653 Beadle (pen)
29 November 1997 Millwall H 2–1 5,542 Beadle, Hayles
2 December 1997 Wigan Athletic A 0–3 2,738
12 December 1997 Grimsby Town H 0–4 4,801
20 December 1997 Luton Town A 4–2 5,266 Cureton, Hayles (2), Beadle
26 December 1997 Walsall A 1–0 6,634 Beadle
28 December 1997 Bournemouth H 5–3 7,256 Beadle (3), Hayles (2)
10 January 1998 Plymouth Argyle A 2–1 6,850 Cureton, Hayles
17 January 1998 Burnley H 1–0 7,208 Cureton
24 January 1998 Carlisle United A 1–3 5,725 Cureton
31 January 1998 Gillingham A 1–1 5,593 Cureton (pen)
7 February 1998 Chesterfield H 3–1 5,481 Bennett, Cureton (2)
14 February 1998 Wrexham A 0–1 3,716
21 February 1998 Oldham Athletic H 3–1 5,789 Hayles (2), Ramasut
24 February 1998 Wycombe Wanderers H 3–1 5,805 Hayles, Beadle, Ramasut
28 February 1998 Watford A 2–3 12,186 White, Cureton
3 March 1998 Fulham A 0–1 6,843
7 March 1998 Northampton Town H 0–2 6,535
10 March 1998 York City H 1–2 4,289 Ramasut
14 March 1998 Bristol City A 0–2 17,086
21 March 1998 Preston North End H 2–2 5,278 Cureton (pen), Hayles
27 March 1998 Southend United H 2–0 5,323 Tillson, Hayles
4 April 1998 Millwall A 1–1 5,635 Zabek
10 April 1998 Wigan Athletic H 5–0 6,038 Hayles, Ramasut, Beadle (3)
13 April 1998 Grimsby Town A 2–1 5,484 Hayles (2)
18 April 1998 Luton Town H 2–1 8,038 Beadle, Tillson
25 April 1998 Blackpool A 0–1 7,057
2 May 1998 Brentford H 2–1 9,043 Cureton, Hayles

Second Division play-offs

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
SF 1st Leg 10 May 1998 Northampton Town H 3–1 9,173 Beadle (pen), Bennett, Hayles
SF 2nd Leg 13 May 1998 Northampton Town A 0–3 (lost 3–4 on agg) 7,501

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 14 November 1997 Gillingham H 2–2 4,825 Alsop, Holloway
R1R 25 November 1997 Gillingham A 2–0 4,459 Hayles, Penrice
R2 6 December 1997 Wisbech Town A 2–0 3,593 Beadle, Hayles
R3 3 January 1998 Ipswich Town H 1–1 8,610 Beadle
R3R 13 January 1998 Ipswich Town A 0–1 11,362

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 12 August 1997 Bristol City A 0–0 9,341
R1 2nd Leg 26 August 1997 Bristol City H 1–2 (lost 1–2 on agg) 5,872 Alsop

Football League Trophy

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
SR1 8 December 1997 Cambridge United H 1–0 2,386 Cureton
SR2 6 January 1998 Exeter City A 2–1 1,851 Bennett, Tillson
SQF 28 January 1998 Walsall H 0–1 (a.e.t.) 4,165

Squad

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[3] 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   ENG Andy Collett
- GK   ENG Shane Higgs
- GK   WAL Lee Jones (on loan from Swansea City)
- DF   ENG Steve Foster
- DF   ENG David Pritchard
- DF   ENG Andy Tillson
- DF   WAL Jason Perry
- DF   ENG Matt Lockwood
- DF   ENG Tom White
- DF   ENG Brian Gayle
- DF   ENG Graeme Power
- DF   ENG Luke Basford
- DF   ENG Mark Smith
- DF   ENG Billy Clark
- DF   ENG Lee Martin
No. Pos. Nation Player
- MF   ENG Gary Penrice
- MF   ENG Ian Holloway (player-manager)
- MF   WAL Tom Ramasut
- MF   ENG Matt Hayfield
- MF   ENG Lee Zabek
- MF   ENG Josh Low
- MF   ENG Jon French
- MF   ENG Lee Archer
- FW   JAM Barry Hayles
- FW   ENG Jamie Cureton
- FW   ENG Peter Beadle
- FW   ENG Julian Alsop
- FW   ENG Frankie Bennett
- FW   ENG Steve Parmenter
- FW   ENG David Whyte

Transfers

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Date Pos. Name From Fee
1 August 1997 DF   Jason Perry   Cardiff City Free transfer
1 August 1997 DF   Steve Foster   Woking £150,000
1 August 1997 MF   Gary Penrice   Watford Free transfer
1 August 1997 FW   Barry Hayles   Stevenage £250,000
Date Pos. Name To Fee
1 August 1997 MF   Paul Miller   Lincoln City Free transfer
1 August 1997 DF   Andy Gurney   Torquay United Free transfer
31 October 1997 DF   Billy Clark   Exeter City Free transfer
1 December 1997 MF   Ryan Morgan   Clevedon Town Free transfer
8 December 1997 MF   Brian Gayle   Shrewsbury Town Monthly
13 March 1998 FW   Julian Alsop   Swansea City £30,000
13 March 1998 FW   Steve Parmenter   Yeovil Town Free transfer
14 March 1998 FW   David Whyte   Southend United Signed
Transfers in:   £400,000
Transfers out:   £30,000
Total spending:   £370,000

References

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  1. ^ "England 1997–98". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Bristol Rovers 1997-1998 Results - statto.com". Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  3. ^ "Bristol R FC Player Appearances | Past & Present | Soccer Base".