1999–2000 Wimbledon F.C. season
# 1999–2000 Wimbledon F.C. season

During the 1999–2000 English football season, Wimbledon competed in the Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

The season began with a new manager, Norway's Egil Olsen, after the close season resignation of long-serving Joe Kinnear, but Olsen was ousted with two weeks of the season remaining and replaced by coach Terry Burton, who was unable to save Wimbledon from relegation after 14 successive seasons of top division football.

## Season summary

Wimbledon's new season began with a 3–2 win against newly promoted Watford at Vicarage Road; this would turn out to be the Dons' only ever away league win throughout the season. The close-season resignation of former Joe Kinnear because of health problems (he would suffer from them again as manager of Newcastle United) after seven years as manager led to the appointment of former Norwegian national coach Egil Olsen as Wimbledon's new manager, giving Dons fans hope of beating the drop once again. The mid-season collapse of star striker John Hartson's move to Tottenham Hotspur was further good news to the cause, but a run of eight straight defeats during the final weeks of the season dragged Wimbledon into the depth of the relegation mire. Olsen was sacked after a 3–0 defeat away to Bradford City, to be replaced by former coach and assistant manager Terry Burton for the final two games of the season. A 2–2 draw at home to Aston Villa gave them hope going into their last game, away to Southampton. They were one place above the relegation zone on goal difference, but a 2–0 defeat at the Dell – combined with Bradford's 1–0 win over Liverpool – condemned Wimbledon to relegation and ended their 14-year stay in the top flight. The transition coincided with the end of one of the most remarkable rags-to-riches stories in football, which had started with Wimbledon's election to the Football League in 1977 and seen them reach the top flight nine years later, before peaking as 1988 FA Cup Final winners. Their relegation was confirmed 12 years to the day that Wimbledon achieved their famous victory over Liverpool at Wembley.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 16 | Derby County | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 44 | 57 | −13 | 38 | |
| 17 | Bradford City | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 38 | 68 | −30 | 36 | Qualification for the Intertoto Cup second round |
| 18 | Wimbledon (R) | 38 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 46 | 74 | −28 | 33 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |
| 19 | Sheffield Wednesday (R) | 38 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 38 | 70 | −32 | 31 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |
| 20 | Watford (R) | 38 | 6 | 6 | 26 | 35 | 77 | −42 | 24 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |

### Results summary

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

Source: 1999-2000 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 | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A |
| Result | W | L | D | D | L | L | D | D | D | L | W | D | D | W | L | D | W | D | D | L | W | L | W | L | L | D | L | W | L | L | L | L | L | L | L | L | D | L |
| Position | 8 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 |

## Results

Wimbledon's score comes first

### Legend

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

### FA Premier League

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 7 August 1999 | Watford | A | 3–2 | 15,511 | Cort, Gayle, Johnson (own goal) |
| 10 August 1999 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–3 | 11,036 | Cort, Hartson |
| 14 August 1999 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 | 10,635 | Cort |
| 21 August 1999 | Newcastle United | A | 3–3 | 35,809 | Hughes, Ainsworth (2) |
| 25 August 1999 | Everton | A | 0–4 | 32,818 | |
| 28 August 1999 | Chelsea | H | 0–1 | 22,167 | |
| 11 September 1999 | Derby County | H | 2–2 | 12,282 | Hartson, Euell |
| 18 September 1999 | Manchester United | A | 1–1 | 55,189 | Badir |
| 26 September 1999 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | 17,368 | Hartson |
| 2 October 1999 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–5 | 18,077 | Hartson |
| 16 October 1999 | Bradford City | H | 3–2 | 10,029 | Hartson (2), Cort |
| 23 October 1999 | Aston Villa | A | 1–1 | 27,160 | Earle |
| 30 October 1999 | Southampton | H | 1–1 | 15,754 | Gayle |
| 7 November 1999 | Leeds United | H | 2–0 | 18,747 | Hartson, Gayle |
| 20 November 1999 | Leicester City | A | 1–2 | 18,255 | Gayle |
| 27 November 1999 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–0 | 31,400 | |
| 4 December 1999 | Watford | H | 5–0 | 14,021 | Cort, Earle, Hartson, Euell, Gayle |
| 18 December 1999 | Arsenal | A | 1–1 | 38,052 | Cort |
| 26 December 1999 | West Ham United | H | 2–2 | 21,180 | Hreidarsson, Ardley |
| 28 December 1999 | Liverpool | A | 1–3 | 44,107 | Gayle |
| 3 January 2000 | Sunderland | H | 1–0 | 17,621 | Cort |
| 15 January 2000 | Coventry City | A | 0–2 | 19,012 | |
| 22 January 2000 | Newcastle United | H | 2–0 | 22,118 | Earle, Gayle |
| 6 February 2000 | Everton | H | 0–3 | 13,172 | |
| 12 February 2000 | Chelsea | A | 1–3 | 34,826 | Lund |
| 26 February 2000 | Manchester United | H | 2–2 | 26,129 | Euell, Cort |
| 4 March 2000 | Derby County | A | 0–4 | 28,384 | |
| 11 March 2000 | Leicester City | H | 2–1 | 14,319 | Ardley (pen), Euell |
| 19 March 2000 | Leeds United | A | 1–4 | 39,256 | Euell |
| 26 March 2000 | West Ham United | A | 1–2 | 22,438 | Hughes |
| 1 April 2000 | Arsenal | H | 1–3 | 25,858 | Lund |
| 8 April 2000 | Sunderland | A | 1–2 | 41,592 | Roy (own goal) |
| 12 April 2000 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 0–2 | 8,248 | |
| 16 April 2000 | Liverpool | H | 1–2 | 26,102 | Andresen |
| 22 April 2000 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–2 | 33,086 | |
| 30 April 2000 | Bradford City | A | 0–3 | 18,276 | |
| 6 May 2000 | Aston Villa | H | 2–2 | 19,188 | Ehiogu (own goal), Hartson |
| 14 May 2000 | Southampton | A | 0–2 | 15,249 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R3 | 11 December 1999 | Barnsley | H | 1–0 | 4,505 | Cort |
| R4 | 8 January 2000 | Fulham | A | 0–3 | 16,877 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R2 1st Leg | 14 September 1999 | Cardiff City | A | 1–1 | 7,613 | Hughes |
| R2 2nd Leg | 21 September 1999 | Cardiff City | H | 3–1 (4–2 on agg) | 2,772 | Cort, Earle (2) |
| R3 | 12 October 1999 | Sunderland | H | 3–2 | 4,790 | Cort (3) |
| R4 | 30 November 1999 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2–1 | 13,312 | Kimble, Euell |
| QF | 14 December 1999 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–2 | 9,463 | Cort |

## Players

### First-team squad

    Squad at end of 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 |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | SCO | Neil Sullivan |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Kenny Cunningham |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Alan Kimble |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Andy Roberts |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Dean Blackwell |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ben Thatcher |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Carl Cort |
| 8 | MF | JAM | Robbie Earle |
| 9 | FW | WAL | John Hartson |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Jason Euell |
| 11 | FW | JAM | Marcus Gayle |
| 12 | MF | ENG | Neal Ardley |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Paul Heald |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 14 | DF | NOR | Tore Pedersen |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Carl Leaburn |
| 16 | MF | NIR | Michael Hughes |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Gareth Ainsworth |
| 19 | DF | ISR | Walid Badir |
| 20 | MF | NOR | Martin Andresen |
| 21 | DF | SCO | Duncan Jupp |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Chris Willmott |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Damien Francis |
| 29 | MF | NOR | Trond Andersen |
| 30 | DF | ISL | Hermann Hreiðarsson |
| 32 | FW | ENG | Wayne Gray |
| 34 | FW | NOR | Andreas Lund |

### 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 |
| - | - | - | - |
| 20 | FW | NGA | Efan Ekoku (to Grasshoppers) |
| 25 | FW | IRL | Jon Goodman (retired) |
| 26 | MF | WAL | Ceri Hughes (to Portsmouth) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 31 | DF | ENG | Danny Hodges (released) |
| 36 | FW | ENG | Patrick Agyemang (on loan to Brentford) |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Pearce (to Aldershot Town) |

### Reserve squad

    The following players did not make an appearance for the first team this 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 |
| - | - | - | - |
| 17 | DF | SCO | Brian McAllister |
| 23 | GK | ENG | Kelvin Davis |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Stewart Castledine |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 28 | DF | ENG | Peter Hawkins |
| 31 | MF | NOR | Kjetil Wæhler |
| 33 | GK | IRL | Brendan Murphy |

## Transfers

### In

* Tore Pedersen – Eintracht Frankfurt, 6 July 1999, free
* Walid Badir – Hapoel Petah Tikva, 1 July 1999, £1,000,000
* Martin Andresen – Stabæk Fotball, 4 October 1999, £1,800,000
* Chris Willmott – Luton Town, 9 July 1999, £650,000
* Kelvin Davis – Luton Town, 12 July 1999, £650,000
* Trond Andersen – Molde, 10 August 1999, £2,500,000
* Hermann Hreiðarsson – Brentford, 12 October 1999, £2,500,000
* Kjetil Wæhler – Lyn, 29 October 1999, free
* Andreas Lund – Molde, 11 February 2000, £2,800,000

### Out

* Andy Clarke – Peterborough United, 1 June 1999, free
* Chris Perry – Tottenham Hotspur, 3 July 1999, £4,000,000
* Mark Kennedy – Manchester City, 8 July 1999, £1,000,000
* Andy Futcher - Doncaster Rovers, 1 September 1999, free
* Peter Fear – Oxford United, 13 July 1999, free
* Andy Pearce – Aldershot Town, 22 October 1999, free
* Efan Ekoku – Grasshoppers, 26 August 1999, £500,000
* Jon Goodman – retired, 26 January 2000
* Ceri Hughes – Portsmouth, 21 January 2000, £150,000

### Loaned out

* Patrick Agyemang – Brentford, 4 months

## Statistics

### Starting 11

    Only considering Premiership starts
    Considering a 4–3–3 formation
* GK: #1, Neil Sullivan, 37
* RB: #6, Ben Thatcher, 19
* CB: #2, Kenny Cunningham, 37
* CB: #30, Hermann Hreiðarsson, 24
* LB: #3, Alan Kimble, 24
* RCM: #8, Robbie Earle, 23
* CM: #29, Trond Andersen, 35
* LCM: #10, Jason Euell, 32
* RW: #7, Carl Cort, 32
* CF: #11, Marcus Gayle, 35
* LW: #9, John Hartson, 15 (#5, Dean Blackwell, made 16 starts as a central defender)

## Appearances and goals

    Source:
    Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
    Players with names struck through and marked † left the club during the playing season.
    Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Burnley.
    Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.
    Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

Players contracted for the 1999–2000 season :

| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | SCO | Neil Sullivan | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Kenny Cunningham | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Alan Kimble | 24 (4) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 30 (4) | 1 |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Andy Roberts | 14 (2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 20 (2) | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Dean Blackwell | 16 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 20 (1) | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ben Thatcher | 19 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 (1) | 0 |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Carl Cort | 32 (2) | 9 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 39 (2) | 15 |
| 8 | MF | JAM | Robbie Earle | 23 (2) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 (1) | 2 | 27 (3) | 5 |
| 9 | FW | WAL | John Hartson | 15 (1) | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 (1) | 9 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Jason Euell | 32 (5) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 39 (5) | 5 |
| 11 | FW | JAM | Marcus Gayle | 35 (1) | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 40 (1) | 7 |
| 12 | MF | ENG | Neal Ardley | 10 (7) | 2 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 (8) | 2 |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Paul Heald | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | NOR | Tore Pedersen | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Carl Leaburn | 5 (13) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 (2) | 0 | 8 (15) | 0 |
| 16 | MF | NIR | Michael Hughes | 13 (7) | 2 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 (1) | 1 | 14 (9) | 3 |
| 17 | DF | SCO | Brian McAllister | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Gareth Ainsworth | 0 (2) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (2) | 2 |
| 19 | MF | ISR | Walid Badir | 12 (9) | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 (10) | 1 |
| 20 | FW | NGA | Efan Ekoku † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | NOR | Martin Andresen | 4 (10) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 5 (11) | 1 |
| 21 | DF | SCO | Duncan Jupp | 6 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 8 (4) | 0 |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Chris Willmott | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 8 (1) | 0 |
| 23 | GK | ENG | Kelvin Davis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Damien Francis | 1 (8) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 (3) | 0 | 2 (11) | 0 |
| 25 | FW | IRL | Jon Goodman † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| 26 | MF | WAL | Ceri Hughes † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Stewart Castledine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | ENG | Peter Hawkins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | NOR | Trond Andersen | 35 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 (1) | 0 |
| 30 | DF | ISL | Hermann Hreiðarsson | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| 31 | DF | ENG | Danny Hodges † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | NOR | Kjetil Wæhler | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | ENG | Wayne Gray | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 |
| 33 | GK | IRL | Brendan Murphy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW | NOR | Andreas Lund | 10 (2) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 (2) | 2 |
