1997–98 Birmingham City F.C. season


The 1997–98 season was Birmingham City Football Club's 95th in the Football League. They finished in seventh position in the 24-team Division One, the second tier of the English football league system, missing out on the playoff places on goals scored. Needing to win their last game, at home to Charlton Athletic, and hope that Sheffield United failed to win theirs, Birmingham "were repeatedly foiled in this emotionally-charged game by a brilliant display from Charlton's goalkeeper" Saša Ilić; the game finished goalless. They entered the 1997–98 FA Cup at the third round, losing to Leeds United in the fifth, and entered the League Cup in the first round and lost to Arsenal in the third.
In August 1997, co-owner David Gold took up the post of chairman after Jack Wiseman's retirement.

Football League First Division

Match details

DateLeague
position		OpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceReport
9 August 19971stStoke CityHW2–0Devlin 33', Ndlovu 87'20,608
23 August 19975thReadingHW3–0Devlin 38', Bruce 81', Ndlovu 88'16,495
29 August 19973rdStockport CountyAD2–2Devlin 68', Francis 72'6,260
2 September 19973rdTranmere RoversAW3–0Hughes 11', Ndlovu 44', Furlong 65'6,620
9 September 19972ndHuddersfield TownAW1–0Furlong 70'9,477
14 September 19974thSunderlandHL0–117,478
20 September 19977thMiddlesbroughAL1–3Furlong 51'30,125
27 September 19977thSheffield UnitedAD0–020,553
4 October 19979thCrewe AlexandraHL0–116,548
12 October 19976thWolverhampton WanderersHW1–0Marsden 8'17,822
18 October 19978thBuryAL1–2Grainger 90'5,700
22 October 199712thCharlton AthleticAD1–1Devlin 83'10,070
25 October 199712thOxford UnitedHD0–016,352
28 October 199711thIpswich TownHD1–1Bruce 81'16,778
1 November 199711thQueens Park RangersAD1–1Furlong 42'12,715
4 November 199713thBradford CityHD0–014,554
8 November 199714thNorwich CityHL1–2Devlin 27' pen.16,464
15 November 199714thNottingham ForestAL0–119,610
23 November 199714thWest Bromwich AlbionAL0–118,444
29 November 199714thPortsmouthHW2–1Furlong 36', 73'17,738
13 December 199711thPort ValeAW1–0Cottee 18'7,509
6 December 199711thManchester CityHW2–1Forster 90', O'Connor 90'21,014
20 December 199711thSwindon TownAD1–1Forster 22'10,900
26 December 199710thIpswich TownAW1–0McCarthy 83'17,459
28 December 199710thTranmere RoversHD0–019,533
10 January 19988thStoke CityAW7–0Hughes 4', 9', Forster 26, Furlong 50', 69', 87', McCarthy 56'14,940
17 January 19988thHuddersfield TownHD0–017,850
27 January 19987thStockport CountyHW4–1Furlong 7', 31', 90', McCarthy 16'17,118
31 January 19989thReadingAL0–210,315
7 February 19989thMiddlesbroughHD1–1McCarthy 3'20,639
17 February 19989thCrewe AlexandraAW2–0Adebola 42', Hughes 45'5,559
22 February 19988thSheffield UnitedHW2–0Grainger 31', Johnson 66'17,965
25 February 19989thBuryHL1–3Johnson 90'20,021
28 February 19986thWolverhampton WanderersAW3–1Ndlovu 35', 77' pen., Adebola 71'25,591
4 March 19988thNorwich CityAD3–3Ndlovu 13', 88', Adebola 44'9,819
7 March 19987thQueens Park RangersHW1–0Adebola 68'18,298
10 March 19986thSunderlandAD1–1Adebola 50'37,602
14 March 19987thBradford CityAD0–016,392
21 March 19987thNottingham ForestHL1–2Ndlovu 61' pen.24,663
28 March 19987thWest Bromwich AlbionHW1–0Johnson 90'23,260
4 April 19987thPortsmouthAD1–1Adebola 84'14,591
11 April 19987thPort ValeHD1–1Ndlovu 87'17,193
13 April 19987thManchester CityAW1–0Adebola 90'29,569
18 April 19987thSwindon TownHW3–0Furlong 9', 34' pen., Hughes 82'17,016
25 April 19987thOxford UnitedAW2–0Ford 73' o.g., Furlong 85'8,818
3 May 19987thCharlton AthleticHD0–025,877

League table (part)

Note that goals scored took precedence over goal difference as a tiebreaker in the Football League.

Results summary

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceReport
Third round4 January 1998Crewe AlexandraAW2–1Furlong 22' pen., 55'4,607
Fourth round24 January 1998Stockport CountyHW2–1Hughes 32', 84'15,882
Fifth round14 February 1998Leeds UnitedAL2–3Ablett 63', Ndlovu 81'35,463

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceReport
First round 1st leg12 August 1997GillinghamAW1–0Francis 85'5,246
First round 2nd leg26 August 1997GillinghamHW3–0
4–0 agg.		Devlin 68', Ndlovu 75', Furlong 78'7,921
Second round 1st leg17 September 1997Stockport CountyHW4–1Hughes 41', Robinson 51', Devlin 77' pen., 87'4,900
Second round 2nd leg23 September 1997Stockport CountyAL1–2
5–3 agg.		Furlong 70' pen.2,074
Third round14 October 1997ArsenalAL1–4Hey 20'27,097

Transfers

In

Out

Loan in

Loan out

Appearances and goals

Pos.Nat.Name
MFJason Bowen
MFBarry Horne
MFAndy Legg
MFRicky Otto
MFPaul Tait