1998–99 Tranmere Rovers F.C. season
# 1998–99 Tranmere Rovers F.C. season

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

## Season summary

In the 1998–99 season, Tranmere started the season poorly and were bottom of the league after failing to win their first 10 league games and by the middle of December, Tranmere were still near the relegation zone with only 4 league wins and the pressure on manager Aldridge increased but a good run of form into the new year with 6 wins from 10 league games eased all of the pressure and lifted them to 13th and saved Tranmere from any relegation worries and they finished a mixed season in 15th place.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 13 | Barnsley | 46 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 59 | 56 | +3 | 59 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 58 | 71 | −13 | 58 |
| 15 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 12 | 20 | 14 | 63 | 61 | +2 | 56 |
| 16 | Stockport County | 46 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 49 | 60 | −11 | 53 |
| 17 | Swindon Town | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 59 | 81 | −22 | 50 |
| Pos | Teamvte | 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 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 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 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 5 | Preston North End | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 78 | 50 | +28 | 79 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 6 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 75 | 48 | +27 | 76 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 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 | Relegation to the Third Division |
| 23 | Lincoln City (R) | 46 | 13 | 7 | 26 | 42 | 74 | −32 | 46 | Relegation to the Third Division |
| 24 | Macclesfield Town (R) | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 43 | 63 | −20 | 43 | Relegation to the Third Division |

## Results

Tranmere Rovers' score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| - | - | - |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 8 August 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–2 | 20,203 | |
| 15 August 1998 | Portsmouth | H | 1–1 | 6,714 | Mellon |
| 22 August 1998 | Sunderland | A | 0–5 | 34,155 | |
| 29 August 1998 | Bristol City | H | 1–1 | 5,960 | Parkinson |
| 8 September 1998 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–0 | 8,070 | |
| 11 September 1998 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–3 | 5,770 | Parkinson, Koumas |
| 19 September 1998 | Bury | A | 0–0 | 5,030 | |
| 25 September 1998 | Swindon Town | H | 0–0 | 5,501 | |
| 29 September 1998 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–2 | 5,072 | |
| 3 October 1998 | Birmingham City | A | 2–2 | 17,189 | Irons, G Jones |
| 10 October 1998 | Oxford United | A | 2–1 | 5,862 | Allen, G Jones |
| 17 October 1998 | Watford | H | 3–2 | 6,753 | Irons (2), Mahon |
| 20 October 1998 | Barnsley | H | 3–0 | 5,194 | Mahon, G Jones, Taylor |
| 24 October 1998 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 4–1 | 5,080 | Irons, G Jones, Taylor, Mahon |
| 31 October 1998 | Stockport County | H | 1–1 | 6,597 | Taylor |
| 7 November 1998 | Sheffield United | A | 2–2 | 15,844 | G Jones, Hill |
| 10 November 1998 | Bradford City | H | 0–1 | 6,002 | |
| 14 November 1998 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 2–2 | 16,564 | Irons (2 pens) |
| 21 November 1998 | Norwich City | H | 1–3 | 6,319 | Irons |
| 28 November 1998 | Port Vale | A | 2–2 | 5,216 | Allen, Irons |
| 5 December 1998 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–2 | 4,937 | Hill |
| 8 December 1998 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–1 | 12,919 | Thompson |
| 12 December 1998 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 6,959 | Irons |
| 19 December 1998 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 2–0 | 13,966 | Challinor, Irons (pen) |
| 26 December 1998 | Sunderland | H | 1–0 | 14,248 | Taylor |
| 28 December 1998 | Bradford City | A | 0–2 | 14,076 | |
| 8 January 1999 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–2 | 6,179 | Santos |
| 16 January 1999 | Bristol City | A | 1–1 | 13,217 | Mahon |
| 30 January 1999 | Crystal Palace | H | 3–1 | 6,017 | L Jones, Allen, Taylor |
| 6 February 1999 | Portsmouth | A | 1–1 | 10,597 | Taylor |
| 13 February 1999 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 3–2 | 5,896 | Challinor, L Jones, Allen |
| 20 February 1999 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–0 | 11,411 | |
| 27 February 1999 | Bury | H | 4–0 | 6,002 | Allen, O'Brien, Taylor, Koumas |
| 3 March 1999 | Swindon Town | A | 3–2 | 5,765 | Taylor, Kelly, Koumas |
| 6 March 1999 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–1 | 15,929 | |
| 9 March 1999 | Birmingham City | H | 0–1 | 7,184 | |
| 13 March 1999 | Sheffield United | H | 2–3 | 6,588 | Hill, Mahon |
| 20 March 1999 | Stockport County | A | 0–0 | 7,589 | |
| 26 March 1999 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3–0 | 9,359 | Taylor, O'Brien, Irons |
| 3 April 1999 | Watford | A | 1–2 | 8,682 | Kelly |
| 5 April 1999 | Oxford United | H | 2–2 | 7,837 | Irons (2 pens) |
| 10 April 1999 | Barnsley | A | 1–1 | 15,133 | Irons |
| 17 April 1999 | Norwich City | A | 2–2 | 14,735 | Kelly, Hill |
| 24 April 1999 | Port Vale | H | 1–1 | 7,770 | Mahon (pen) |
| 1 May 1999 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–1 | 5,916 | |
| 9 May 1999 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3–1 | 10,540 | van Blerk (own goal), Irons (pen), Kelly |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R3 | 2 January 1999 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–1 | 7,223 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R1 1st Leg | 11 August 1998 | Carlisle United | H | 3–0 | 5,116 | Irons, Kelly (2) |
| R1 2nd Leg | 18 August 1998 | Carlisle United | A | 1–0 (won 4–0 on agg) | 2,106 | Irons (pen) |
| R2 1st Leg | 15 September 1998 | Blackpool | A | 1–2 | 3,954 | Parkinson |
| R2 2nd Leg | 22 September 1998 | Blackpool | H | 3–1 (won 4–3 on agg) | 5,765 | Koumas, L Jones, Irons (pen) |
| R3 | 27 October 1998 | Newcastle United | H | 0–1 | 12,017 | |

## Squad

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

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | NED | John Achterberg |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Graham Allen |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Andy Thompson |
| 4 | DF | ENG | John McGreal |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Clint Hill |
| 6 | MF | ENG | Kenny Irons |
| 7 | MF | FRA | Georges Santos |
| 8 | MF | IRL | Alan Mahon |
| 9 | MF | SCO | Micky Mellon |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Scott Taylor |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Andy Parkinson |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Dave Challinor |
| 13 | GK | WAL | Danny Coyne |
| 14 | FW | WAL | Lee Jones |
| 15 | MF | IRL | Liam O'Brien |
| 16 | FW | ENG | David Kelly |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Gary Jones |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | WAL | Jason Koumas |
| 19 | FW | ENG | John Morrissey |
| 20 | DF | SCO | Stephen Frail |
| 21 | GK | ENG | Steve Simonsen |
| 22 | MF | WAL | Alan Morgan |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Craig Russell |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Ryan Williams |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Richard Hinds |
| 26 | MF | WAL | Neil Gibson |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Ian Sharps |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Paul Shepherd (on loan from Leeds United) |
| 29 | GK | IRL | Joe Murphy |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Kevin McIntyre |
| 31 | DF | USA | Ian Joy |
| 32 | FW | ENG | Perry Taylor |
