1997–98 Ipswich Town F.C. season

For the second season running, Ipswich reached the playoffs, having won 16 of their last 20 games, but lost to Charlton Athletic who went on to be promoted.

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 Richard Wright — GK  ENG Lee Bracey — DF  ENG Tony Mowbray — DF  ENG Jamie Clapham — DF  ENG Mark Venus — DF  ENG Jason Cundy — DF  NED Gus Uhlenbeek — DF  ARG Mauricio Taricco — MF  IRL Matt Holland — MF  ENG Kieron Dyer — MF  NIR Danny Sonner

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ENG Paul Mason — MF  ENG Simon Milton — MF  ENG Mick Stockwell — MF  ENG Adam Tanner — MF  WAL Geraint Williams — MF  NED Bobby Petta — FW  ENG Richard Naylor — FW  ENG James Scowcroft — FW  SCO Alex Mathie — FW  ENG David Johnson

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 — DF  ENG Chris Swailes (to Bury) — DF  WAL Andy Legg (on loan from Birmingham City) — FW  ENG David Whyte (released) — MF  ENG Jason Dozzell (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  ENG Mark Stein (on loan from Chelsea) — DF  ENG David Kerslake (to Swindon Town) — FW  ZAM Neil Gregory (to Colchester United)

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 — DF  ENG Wayne Brown — DF  ENG David Theobald — MF  ENG Chris Keeble

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ENG John Kennedy — MF  SCO Stuart Niven {{Fs player|no=|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name= Competitions Football League First Division Main article: 1997–98 Football League First Division League table Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation 3 Sunderland 46 26 12 8 86 50 +36 90 Qualification for First Division play-offs 4 Charlton Athletic (P) 46 26 10 10 80 49 +31 88 5 Ipswich Town 46 23 14 9 77 43 +34 83 6 Sheffield United 46 19 17 10 69 54 +15 74 7 Birmingham City 46 19 17 10 60 35 +25 74 Updated to match(es) played on 3 May 1998. Source: Statto.com Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of goal scored; 3) goal difference. (P) Promoted Results summary Overall Home Away Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD 46 26 14 6 81 39  +42 92 16 5 2 50 17  +33 10 9 4 31 22  +9 Source: Statto Legend Win Draw Loss Ipswich Town's score comes first Matches Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers 9 August 1997 Queens Park Rangers A 0–0 17,614 23 August 1997 Bradford City A 1–2 13,913 Dyer 30 August 1997 West Bromwich Albion H 1–1 13,512 Stein 2 September 1997 Swindon Town H 2–1 11,394 Venus, Sonner 13 September 1997 Huddersfield Town A 2–2 9,313 Edmondson (o.g), Dyer 20 September 1997 Stoke City H 2–3 11,219 Scowcroft, Holland 26 September 1997 Norwich City A 1–2 18,911 Stein 4 October 1997 Manchester City H 1–0 14,587 Mathie 18 October 1997 Oxford United A 0–1 7,594 21 October 1997 Crewe Alexandra A 0–0 4,730 25 October 1997 Bury H 2–0 10,452 Tanner (pen), Dozzell 28 October 1997 Birmingham City A 1–1 16,778 Holland 1 November 1997 Charlton Athletic A 0–3 12,606 4 November 1997 Stockport County H 0–2 8,828 9 November 1997 Sheffield United H 2–2 9,687 Legg, Gregory 15 November 1997 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–1 21,937 Johnson 22 November 1997 Reading A 4–0 9,400 Holland, Johnson, Scowcroft, Naylor 29 November 1997 Nottingham Forest H 0–1 17,725 2 December 1997 Middlesbrough H 1–1 13,865 Johnson 6 December 1997 Tranmere Rovers A 1–1 5,720 Johnson 13 December 1997 Portsmouth H 2–0 11,759 Cundy, Johnson 20 December 1997 Port Vale A 3–1 5,784 Mathie (2), Johnson 26 December 1997 Birmingham City H 0–1 17,510 28 December 1997 Swindon Town A 2–0 11,639 Johnson (pen), Petta 10 January 1998 Queens Park Rangers H 0–0 12,709 17 January 1998 Middlesbrough A 1–1 30,081 Johnson 27 January 1998 West Bromwich Albion A 3–2 12,402 Holland, Scowcroft, Cundy 31 January 1998 Bradford City H 2–1 11,855 Mathie (2) 7 February 1998 Stoke City A 1–1 11,416 Holland 14 February 1998 Huddersfield Town H 5–1 10,597 Holland, Johnson (2), Mathie, Naylor 18 February 1998 Manchester City A 2–1 27,156 Mathie, Dyer 21 February 1998 Norwich City H 5–0 21,858 Mathie (3), Petta (2) 24 February 1998 Oxford United H 5–2 11,927 Mathie, Johnson (3), Holland 28 February 1998 Sunderland A 2–2 34,501 Petta, Dyer 3 March 1998 Sheffield United A 1–0 14,120 Holland 7 March 1998 Charlton Athletic H 3–1 19,827 Stockwell, Cundy, Johnson 14 March 1998 Stockport County A 1–0 8,939 Johnson 21 March 1998 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 3–0 21,546 Johnson, Holland, Scowcroft 28 March 1998 Reading H 1–0 18,952 Scowcroft 5 April 1998 Nottingham Forest A 1–2 22,292 Scowcroft 11 April 1998 Tranmere Rovers H 0–0 18,032 13 April 1998 Portsmouth A 1–0 15,040 Johnson 18 April 1998 Port Vale H 5–1 16,212 Johnson (2), Petta (2), Mathie 25 April 1998 Bury A 1–0 7,830 Stockwell 28 April 1998 Sunderland H 2–0 21,249 Holland, Mathie 3 May 1998 Crewe Alexandra H 3–2 19,070 Johnson, Stockwell, Mathie First Division play-offs Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers SF First Leg 10 May 1998 Charlton Athletic H 0–1 21,681 SF Second Leg 13 May 1998 Charlton Athletic A 0–1 15,585 FA Cup Main article: 1997–98 FA Cup Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers R3 3 January 1998 Bristol Rovers A 1–1 Stockwell R3 Replay 13 January 1998 Bristol Rovers H 1–0 Johnson R4 24 January 1998 Sheffield United H 1–1 Johnson R4 Replay 3 February 1998 Sheffield United A 0–1 League Cup Main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers R1 First Leg 13 August 1997 Charlton Athletic A 1–0 6,598 Venus R1 Second Leg 26 August 1997 Charlton Athletic H 3–1 (won 4–1 on agg) 10,989 Stein, Brown (o.g), Scowcroft R2 First Leg 16 September 1997 Torquay United H 1–1 8,031 Stockwell R2 Second Leg 23 September 1997 Torquay United A 3–0 (won 4–1 on agg) 3,598 Holland (2), Dyer R3 14 October 1997 Manchester United H 2–0 22,173 Mathie, Taricco R4 18 November 1997 Oxford United A 2–1 5,723 Dozzell, Mowbray QF 7 January 1998 Chelsea H 2–2 (lost 4–1 on penalties) 22,088 Taricco, Mathie Transfers Transfers in Date Pos Name From Fee Ref 1 August 1997 MF Matt Holland Bournemouth £800,000 [1] 1 August 1997 DF Mark Venus Wolverhampton Wanderers £150,000 [2] 1 August 1997 GK Lee Bracey Bury £40,000 [3] 14 August 1997 DF David Kerslake Tottenham Hotspur Free transfer [4] 31 October 1997 FW David Whyte Reading Free transfer [5] 13 November 1997 FW David Johnson Bury £1,100,000 [6] 12 March 1998 DF Jamie Clapham Tottenham Hotspur £300,000 [7] Loans in Date from Pos Name From Date until Ref 22 August 1997 FW Mark Stein Chelsea 22 October 1997 [8] 2 October 1997 MF Jason Dozzell Tottenham Hotspur 20 November 1997 [9] 3 November 1997 DF Andy Legg Birmingham City 3 December 1997 [10] 9 January 1998 DF Jamie Clapham Tottenham Hotspur 12 March 1998 [7] Transfers out Date Pos Name To Fee Ref 31 May 1997 MF John Wark Retired [11] 1 July 1997 MF Lee Norfolk North Shore United Free transfer [12] 1 July 1997 DF Kevin Ellis King's Lynn Town Free transfer [13] 1 July 1997 MF Steve Sedgley Wolverhampton Wanderers £500,000 [14] 21 July 1997 GK Craig Forrest West Ham United £500,000 [15] 1 August 1997 DF Tony Vaughan Manchester City £1,350,000 [16] 13 November 1997 DF Chris Swailes Bury £200,000 [17] 30 November 1997 FW David Whyte Free agent Released [5] 9 March 1998 DF David Kerslake Swindon Town Free transfer [4] 26 March 1998 FW Neil Gregory Colchester United £50,000 [18] Loans out Date from Pos Name From Date until Ref 17 October 1997 DF Wayne Brown Colchester United 8 November 1997 [19] 26 November 1997 FW Neil Gregory Peterborough United 26 December 1997 [18] 11 December 1997 DF David Kerslake Wycombe Wanderers 9 March 1998 [4] 1 January 1998 FW Neil Gregory Colchester United 2 March 1998 [18] 6 March 1998 MF John Kennedy Morecambe 31 May 1998 [20] Awards Player awards Award Player Ref Player of the Year Matt Holland [21] PFA First Division Team of the Year Player Ref Kieron Dyer [22] Mauricio Taricco [22] References "Matt Holland at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 February 2020. "Mark Venus at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 February 2020. "Lee Bracey at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 19 April 2020. "David Kerslake at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 February 2020. "David Whyte at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 February 2020. "Forest chase Johnson". BBC Sport. BBC. 4 January 2001. Retrieved 4 January 2014. "Jamie Clapham at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 February 2020. "Mark Stein at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 February 2020. "Jason Dozzell at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 February 2020. "Andy Legg at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 February 2020. Wark, "Career statistics", pp. 171–176 "Lee Norfolk". Pride of Anglia. Retrieved 29 September 2008. "Kevin Ellis at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 April 2020. "Steve Sedgley at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 April 2020. "Craig Forrest" "Tony Vaughan at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 April 2020. Ipswich transfer info on Chris Swailes: from a list at The Daily Telegraph website. "Neil Gregory at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 April 2020. "Wayne Brown at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 April 2020. "John Kennedy at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 February 2020. "Matt Holland career statistics". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 26 October 2007. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1998). The 1998–99 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 352. ISBN 978-1-85291-588-9.