1997–98 Southampton F.C. season
# 1997–98 Southampton F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, Southampton Football Club competed in the FA Premier League.

## Season summary

Under the management of Dave Jones, with no managerial experience beyond Division Two, Southampton were most people's favourites for relegation to Division One. After all, they had endured close brushes with relegation on no less than five occasions in the previous seven seasons, and most of the club's new signings were drafted in from the lower leagues.

But the Saints were more convincing than they had been in a long time, and most bookmakers had stopped placing bets on them being relegated before Christmas. In the end, a 12th-place finish gave the players and fans alike something to be proud of.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 10 | Leicester City | 38 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 51 | 41 | +10 | 53 | |
| 11 | Coventry City | 38 | 12 | 16 | 10 | 46 | 44 | +2 | 52 | |
| 12 | Southampton | 38 | 14 | 6 | 18 | 50 | 55 | −5 | 48 | |
| 13 | Newcastle United | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 35 | 44 | −9 | 44 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 14 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 44 | 56 | −12 | 44 | |

* ↑ As Arsenal qualified for the Champions League, their Cup Winners' Cup place as FA Cup winners defaulted to Newcastle United, the runners-up.

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |

Source: 1997-98 FA Premier League table

### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ground | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | L | L | L | W | L | L | D | L | L | W | L | W | W | W | L | L | L | W | D | D | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | W | W | L | W | L | L | D | L | W | L | D |
| Position | 18 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 |

## Results

Southampton's score comes first

### Legend

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

### FA Premier League

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 9 August 1997 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 0–1 | 15,206 | |
| 13 August 1997 | Manchester United | A | 0–1 | 55,008 | |
| 23 August 1997 | Arsenal | H | 1–3 | 15,246 | Maddison |
| 27 August 1997 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–0 | 15,032 | Davies |
| 30 August 1997 | Chelsea | A | 2–4 | 30,008 | Davies, Monkou |
| 13 September 1997 | Coventry City | A | 0–1 | 18,659 | |
| 20 September 1997 | Liverpool | H | 1–1 | 15,252 | Davies |
| 24 September 1997 | Leeds United | H | 0–2 | 15,102 | |
| 27 September 1997 | Derby County | A | 0–4 | 25,625 | |
| 4 October 1997 | West Ham United | H | 3–0 | 15,212 | Østenstad, Davies, Dodd |
| 18 October 1997 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 0–1 | 24,130 | |
| 25 October 1997 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 3–2 | 15,255 | Vega (own goal), Hirst |
| 2 November 1997 | Everton | A | 2–0 | 29,565 | Le Tissier, Davies |
| 8 November 1997 | Barnsley | H | 4–1 | 15,018 | Le Tissier (pen), Palmer, Davies, Hirst |
| 22 November 1997 | Newcastle United | A | 1–2 | 36,759 | Davies |
| 29 November 1997 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–3 | 15,244 | Hirst, Palmer |
| 7 December 1997 | Wimbledon | A | 0–1 | 12,009 | |
| 13 December 1997 | Leicester City | H | 2–1 | 15,121 | Le Tissier, Benali |
| 20 December 1997 | Aston Villa | A | 1–1 | 29,343 | Østenstad |
| 26 December 1997 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–1 | 22,853 | Oakley |
| 29 December 1997 | Chelsea | H | 1–0 | 15,231 | Davies |
| 10 January 1998 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–0 | 23,333 | |
| 19 January 1998 | Manchester United | H | 1–0 | 15,241 | Davies |
| 31 January 1998 | Arsenal | A | 0–3 | 38,056 | |
| 7 February 1998 | Liverpool | A | 3–2 | 43,550 | Hirst, Østenstad |
| 18 February 1998 | Coventry City | H | 1–2 | 15,091 | Le Tissier (pen) |
| 21 February 1998 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 3–0 | 15,162 | Østenstad (2), Hirst |
| 28 February 1998 | Leeds United | A | 1–0 | 28,791 | Hirst |
| 7 March 1998 | Everton | H | 2–1 | 15,102 | Le Tissier (pen), Østenstad |
| 14 March 1998 | Barnsley | A | 3–4 | 18,368 | Østenstad, Le Tissier (2) |
| 28 March 1998 | Newcastle United | H | 2–1 | 15,251 | Pearce (own goal), Le Tissier (pen) |
| 4 April 1998 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–1 | 29,677 | |
| 11 April 1998 | Wimbledon | H | 0–1 | 14,815 | |
| 14 April 1998 | Leicester City | A | 3–3 | 20,708 | Østenstad (2), Hirst |
| 18 April 1998 | Aston Villa | H | 1–2 | 15,238 | Le Tissier |
| 25 April 1998 | West Ham United | A | 4–2 | 25,878 | Le Tissier, Østenstad (2), Palmer |
| 2 May 1998 | Derby County | H | 0–2 | 15,202 | |
| 10 May 1998 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–1 | 35,995 | Le Tissier |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R3 | 3 January 1998 | Derby County | A | 0–2 | 27,992 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R2 1st Leg | 17 September 1997 | Brentford | H | 3–1 | 8,004 | Monkou, Davies, Evans |
| R2 2nd Leg | 30 September 1997 | Brentford | A | 2–0 (won 5–1 on agg) | 3,957 | Le Tissier (2) |
| R3 | 15 October 1997 | Barnsley | A | 2–1 | 9,019 | Le Tissier, Davies |
| R4 | 19 November 1997 | Chelsea | A | 1–2 | 20,968 | Davies |

## 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 | WAL | Paul Jones |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Jason Dodd |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Lee Todd |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Carlton Palmer |
| 5 | DF | SUR | Ken Monkou |
| 6 | DF | NOR | Claus Lundekvam |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Matt Le Tissier (captain) |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Matt Oakley |
| 10 | FW | NOR | Egil Østenstad |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Richard Dryden |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Neil Moss |
| 14 | DF | ENG | John Beresford |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Francis Benali |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | FW | ENG | Kevin Davies |
| 17 | FW | ITA | Cosimo Sarli |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Kevin Richardson |
| 20 | GK | ENG | Darryl Flahavan |
| 21 | DF | WAL | Andy Williams |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Duncan Spedding |
| 24 | FW | ENG | Steve Basham |
| 25 | FW | NOR | Stig Johansen |
| 26 | MF | WAL | David Hughes |
| 27 | FW | ENG | David Hirst |
| 28 | MF | ENG | Kevin Gibbens |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Phil Warner |

### Left club during 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 |
| - | - | - | - |
| 4 | MF | NIR | Jim Magilton (to Sheffield Wednesday) |
| 9 | FW | IRL | Mickey Evans (to West Bromwich Albion) |
| 11 | MF | AUS | Robbie Slater (to Wolves) |
| 13 | GK | NIR | Maik Taylor (to Fulham) |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Neil Maddison (to Middlesbrough) |
| 17 | DF | ENG | Simon Charlton (to Birmingham City) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | DF | NED | Ulrich van Gobbel (to Feyenoord) |
| 19 | DF | WAL | Alan Neilson (to Fulham) |
| 20 | GK | ENG | Dave Beasant (to Nottingham Forest) |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Matthew Robinson (to Portsmouth) |
| 28 | FW | WAL | Jason Bowen (on loan from Birmingham City) |
| — | MF | ENG | Christer Warren (to Bournemouth) |

### Reserve 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 |
| - | - | - | - |
| - | GK | ENG | Scott Bevan |
| - | DF | ENG | Wayne Bridge |
| - | DF | ENG | Stephen Jenkins |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | DF | ENG | Garry Monk |
| - | MF | ENG | Russell Watkinson |
| - | FW | ENG | Shayne Bradley |

## Transfers

### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 July 1997 | GK | Paul Jones | Stockport County | £900,000 |
| 1 July 1997 | DF | Lee Todd | Stockport County | £850,000 |
| 6 August 1997 | FW | Stig Johansen | FK Bodø/Glimt | £600,000 |
| 9 September 1997 | MF | Kevin Richardson | Coventry City | Transfer |
| 23 September 1997 | MF | Carlton Palmer | Leeds United | £1,000,000 |
| 17 October 1997 | FW | David Hirst | Sheffield Wednesday | £2,000,000 |
| 6 February 1998 | DF | John Beresford | Newcastle United | £1,500,000 |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 August 1997 | MF | Andy Sullivan | Farnborough | Free transfer |
| 14 August 1997 | DF | Ulrich van Gobbel | Feyenoord | £800,000 |
| 9 September 1997 | DF | Jim Magilton | Sheffield Wednesday | £1,600,000 |
| 10 October 1997 | MF | Christer Warren | Bournemouth | £50,000 |
| 24 October 1997 | FW | Mickey Evans | West Bromwich Albion | £750,000 |
| 28 October 1997 | MF | Neil Maddison | Middlesbrough | £250,000 |
| 3 November 1997 | GK | Dave Beasant | Nottingham Forest | Free transfer |
| 14 November 1997 | GK | Maik Taylor | Fulham | £700,000 |
| 26 November 1997 | DF | Alan Neilson | Fulham | £250,000 |
| 8 January 1998 | DF | Simon Charlton | Birmingham City | £200,000 |
| 1 February 1998 | DF | David Piper | Yeovil Town | Signed |
| 20 February 1998 | DF | Matthew Robinson | Portsmouth | £50,000 |
| 26 March 1998 | MF | Robbie Slater | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Signed |

    Transfers in: £7,050,000
    Transfers out: £4,650,000
    Total spending: £2,400,000
