1999–2000 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season
# 1999–2000 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season

The 1999–2000 season was the 101st season of competitive league football in the history of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. They played the season in the second tier of the English football system, the Football League First Division.

For a second consecutive season the team finished in seventh position, missing out on the play-offs by one place. Defeat in their penultimate match to play-off rivals Bolton Wanderers ultimately doomed them to miss out.

## Results

### Pre-season

Wolves spent several weeks of pre-season training in Sölvesborg, Sweden. They played against four local sides during this tour, their first visit to the country since 1994, before returning home to face further opposition.

"Wolves XI" pre season results (all away): 0–1 vs Hereford United (21 July), 3–1 vs Tiverton (28 July), A–A vs Telford United (2 August, abandoned at half time due to lightning)

### Football League First Division

A total of 24 teams competed in the Football League First Division in the 1999–2000 season. Each team played every other team twice: once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Three points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats.

The provisional fixture list was released on 24 June 1999, but was subject to change in the event of matches being selected for television coverage or police concerns.

Final table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | Birmingham City | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 65 | 44 | +21 | 77 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 6 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 69 | 50 | +19 | 76 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 64 | 48 | +16 | 74 | |
| 8 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 62 | 49 | +13 | 74 | |
| 9 | Fulham | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 49 | 41 | +8 | 67 | |

Source: Statto.com Results summary

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

Source: Statto.com

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 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Result | W | D | D | L | L | D | L | D | D | W | W | W | D | W | D | W | D | L | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | L | W | W | D | W | L | W | W | L | L | W | W | W | D | L | W | L | W | W | L | W |
| Position | 5 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 |

## Players

### Statistics

Key: ‡ On loan from another club * First appearance(s) for the club

* # = Squad number
* Pos = Playing position
* P = Number of games played
* G = Number of goals scored
* GK = Goalkeeper
* DF = Defender
* MF = Midfielder
* FW = Forward
* = Yellow cards
* = Red cards
* † Permanent player left club during the season
* ¤ Loaned to another club for part or all of season

Correct as of the season's end. Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances in parentheses where applicable.

| No. | Pos | Name | P | G | P | G | P | G | P | G | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. | Pos | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline | Notes |
| 1 | GK | Mike Stowell | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Kevin Muscat | 45 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| 3 | DF | Darren Bazeley | 46 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 51 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Carl Robinson | 21(12) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 26(12) | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Keith Curle (c) | 44(1) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 48(1) | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Neil Emblen | 45(1) | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 50(1) | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Paul Simpson | 1(12) | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 1(15) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Simon Osborn | 22(3) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22(4) | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | Håvard Flo | 9(10) | 4 | 0(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11(12) | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Robbie Keane † | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 2(1) | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Ade Akinbiyi | 36(1) | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39(1) | 16 | 4 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | Andy Sinton | 31(4) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36(4) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | Lee Naylor | 24(6) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29(6) | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | Matt Murray | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Steve Corica † | 10(5) | 1 | 1(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13(6) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Allan Nielsen ‡ | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Steve Sedgley | 32(6) | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34(6) | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Robert Niestroj ¤ | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | Mark Jones ¤ | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | Ryan Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Ady Williams ¤ | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | GK | Steve Mautone † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Michael Branch ‡ | 25(2) | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27(2) | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Keith Andrews | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | FW | Colin Larkin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 1 | 1(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Ludovic Pollet ‡ | 38(1) | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41(1) | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 24 | MF | Scott Taylor | 18(10) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18(10) | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | Gordon Simms | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | FW | George Ndah | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | GK | Michael Oakes | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Shane Tudor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | Joleon Lescott | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | GK | Andy Petterson ‡ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | FW | Adam Proudlock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Awards

| Award | Winner |
| - | - |
| Fans' Player of the Season | Ludovic Pollet |
| Young Player of the Season | Joleon Lescott |

## Transfers

### In

| Date | Player | From | Fee |
| - | - | - | - |
| 6 July 1999 | Darren Bazeley | Unattached | Free |
| 6 July 1999 | Andy Sinton | Unattached | Free |
| 5 August 1999 | Steve Mautone | Unattached | Free |
| 7 September 1999 | Ade Akinbiyi | Bristol City | £3.5 million |
| 9 October 1999 | Scott Taylor | Unattached | Free |
| 21 October 1999 | George Ndah | Swindon Town | £1 million |
| 22 October 1999 | Ludovic Pollet | Lens | £350,000 |
| 29 October 1999 | Michael Oakes | Aston Villa | £500,000 |
| 20 January 2000 | Michael Branch | Everton | £500,000 |

### Out

| Date | Player | To | Fee |
| - | - | - | - |
| June 1999 | Mark Atkins | Released | Free |
| June 1999 | Justin Bray | Released | Free |
| June 1999 | Darren Ferguson | Released | Free |
| June 1999 | Dominic Foley | Released | Free |
| June 1999 | Michael Gilkes | Released | Free |
| June 1999 | Fernando Gómez | Released | Free |
| June 1999 | Darren Middleton | Released | Free |
| June 1999 | Dean Richards | Released | Free |
| June 1999 | Andy Turner | Released | Free |
| 13 July 1999 | Steve Bull | Retired | – |
| 18 August 1999 | Robbie Keane | Coventry City | £6 million |
| 5 November 1999 | Steve Mautone | Released | Free |
| 14 March 2000 | Steve Corica | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | £150,000 |

### Loans in

| Start date | Player | From | End date |
| - | - | - | - |
| 15 September 1999 | Ludovic Pollet | Lens | 22 October 1999 |
| 25 November 1999 | Michael Branch | Everton | 20 January 2000 |
| 14 February 2000 | Andy Petterson | Portsmouth | End of season |
| 23 March 2000 | Allan Nielsen | Tottenham Hotspur | End of season |

### Loans out

| Start date | Player | To | End date |
| - | - | - | - |
| 4 October 1999 | Mark Jones | Cheltenham Town | 4 November 1999 |
| 6 December 1999 | Robert Niestroj | 1. FC Nürnberg | End of season |
| 16 February 2000 | Ady Williams | Reading | 16 March 2000 |
| 22 March 2000 | Ady Williams | Reading | End of season |

## Kit

The season retained the club's home kit from the previous season, but brought a new away kit that was again a white shirt but with a change to a black collar. Both were manufactured by Puma and sponsored by Goodyear.

