The 1998–99 season was Sheffield Wednesday F.C.'s 132nd season in existence. They competed in the twenty-team FA Premier League, the top tier of English football, finishing twelfth. It was the club's 100th season at their Hillsborough ground.
Season summary Danny Wilson's return to Hillsborough as manager saw them begin the season among the favourites for relegation of many pundits. But they performed reasonably well throughout the season, being one of just three sides to beat treble winners Manchester United in addition to being one of just four sides to beat second-placed Arsenal, who would finish just one point behind Manchester United. Up to 27 February 1999 – their 3–1 home win over Middlesbrough – they were boasting somewhat inconsistent yet very stable, promising mid-table form: 10th in the table, winning ten, drawing five and losing 11 of their first 26 games with an impressive goal difference of +9 and were looking like good bets for a UEFA Cup slot. However, they couldn't quite keep up the momentum and would lose their next five games which ultimately ended such hopes. However, winning three of their final seven matches ensured that they would finish 12th at the end of a campaign during which they had never faced any serious threat of relegation; a significant improvement to the previous season. The only major concern at the club was a growing mountain of debts which would have been even more of a worry had the Owls suffered relegation. An expensively assembled squad including Paolo Di Canio, Benito Carbone and Wim Jonk failed to live up to the massive wage bill the club was paying and things eventually came to a head when Di Canio was sent off in a match against Arsenal and pushed referee Paul Alcock to the ground on his way off, which resulted in an extended ban of 11 matches and him being fined £10,000.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results Sheffield Wednesday's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 15 August 1998 West Ham UnitedH0–130,236 22 August 1998 Tottenham HotspurA3–032,129Atherton, Di Canio, Hinchcliffe 29 August 1998 Aston VillaH0–125,989 9 September 1998 Derby CountyA0–126,209 12 September 1998 Blackburn RoversH3–020,846Atherton, Hinchcliffe, Di Canio 19 September 1998 WimbledonA1–213,163Di Canio 26 September 1998 ArsenalH1–027,949Briscoe 3 October 1998 MiddlesbroughA0–434,163 18 October 1998 Coventry CityA0–116,006 24 October 1998 EvertonH0–026,592 31 October 1998 SouthamptonH0–030,078 8 November 1998 Leeds UnitedA1–230,012Booth 14 November 1998 Newcastle UnitedA1–136,698Rudi 21 November 1998 Manchester UnitedH3–139,475Alexandersson (2), Jonk 28 November 1998 ChelseaA1–134,451Booth 7 December 1998 Nottingham ForestH3–219,321Alexandersson, Carbone (2) 12 December 1998 Charlton AthleticH3–026,010Booth, Carbone, Rudi 19 December 1998 LiverpoolA0–240,003 26 December 1998 Leicester CityH0–133,513 28 December 1998 Aston VillaA1–239,217Carbone 9 January 1999 Tottenham HotspurH0–028,204 16 January 1999 West Ham UnitedA4–025,642Hinchcliffe, Rudi, Humphreys, Carbone (pen) 30 January 1999 Derby CountyH0–124,440 6 February 1999 Leicester CityA2–020,113Jonk, Carbone 20 February 1999 Blackburn RoversA4–124,643Sonner, Rudi (2), Booth 27 February 1999 MiddlesbroughH3–124,534Booth (2), Sonner 3 March 1999 WimbledonH1–224,116Thome 9 March 1999 ArsenalA0–337,792 13 March 1999 Leeds UnitedH0–228,142 20 March 1999 SouthamptonA0–115,201 3 April 1999 Coventry CityH1–228,136Rudi 5 April 1999 EvertonA2–135,270Carbone (2) 17 April 1999 Manchester UnitedA0–355,270 21 April 1999 Newcastle UnitedH1–121,545Scott 25 April 1999 ChelseaH0–021,652 1 May 1999 Nottingham ForestA0–220,480 8 May 1999 LiverpoolH1–027,383Cresswell 16 May 1999 Charlton AthleticA1–020,043Sonner
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR33 January 1999 Norwich CityH4–118,737Humphreys (2), Rudi, StefanovićR423 January 1999 Stockport CountyH2–020,984Thome, CarboneR513 February 1999 ChelseaH0–129,410
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg16 September 1998 Cambridge UnitedH0–18,921R2 2nd Leg22 September 1998 Cambridge UnitedA1–1 (lost 1–2 on agg)8,502Campbell (own goal)
Players First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserve squad
Statistics Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred out during the season
Starting 11 Considering starts in all competitions GK: #33, Pavel Srnicek, 26 RB: #2, Peter Atherton, 43 CB: #22, Emerson Thome, 43 CB: #6, Des Walker, 42 LB: #20, Andy Hinchcliffe, 36 RM: #26, Niclas Alexandersson, 34 CM: #4, Wim Jonk, 43 CM: #25, Petter Rudi, 37 LM: #32, Danny Sonner, 26 CF: #10, Andy Booth, 25 CF: #8, Benito Carbone, 36
Transfers
In Date Pos. Name From Fee6 August 1998MFWim JonkPSV Eindhoven£2,500,00011 August 1998DFJuan CobiánBoca JuniorsUndisclosed14 October 1998MFDanny SonnerIpswich Town£75,00011 November 1998GKPavel SrníčekConsenzaFree25 March 1999FWRichard CresswellYork City£950,00025 March 1999MFPhilip ScottSt Johnstone£75,000
Out Date Pos. Name To Fee27 January 1999FWPaolo Di CanioWest Ham United£1,750,0005 February 1999MFGraham HydeBirmingham CityFree22 March 1999MFJim MagiltonIpswich Town£682,50025 March 1999MFMark PlattsTorquay UnitedFree
Transfers in: £3,600,000 Transfers out: £2,432,500 Total spending: £1,167,500
Notes
References