The 1998–99 season was Blackburn Rovers' seventh season in the FA Premier League, and their seventh consecutive season in the top division of English football.
Season summary Four years earlier, Blackburn Rovers were FA Premier League champions. Just one year earlier, they had qualified for the UEFA Cup. They were among some people's outsiders for a title challenge.
But it all went wrong for Rovers, who were soon in the depth of a relegation battle. Manager Roy Hodgson paid with his job in November. Manchester United assistant Brian Kidd was named as his replacement, but he was unable to steer Rovers to safety and their relegation was confirmed in the penultimate game of the season. They were condemned to a place in Division One, but managed to hold on to many key players and approached the new season as most people's favourites for an immediate return to the elite.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results Blackburn Rovers' score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 15 August 1998 Derby CountyH0–024,007 24 August 1998 Leeds UnitedA0–130,652 29 August 1998 Leicester CityH1–022,544Gallacher 9 September 1998 Tottenham HotspurA1–228,338Gallacher 12 September 1998 Sheffield WednesdayA0–320,846 21 September 1998 ChelseaH3–423,113Sutton (2, 1 pen), Pérez 26 September 1998 EvertonA0–036,404 3 October 1998 West Ham UnitedH3–025,213Flitcroft (2), Davidson 17 October 1998 MiddlesbroughA1–234,413Sherwood 25 October 1998 ArsenalH1–227,012Johnson 31 October 1998 WimbledonA1–112,526Sutton (pen) 7 November 1998 Coventry CityH1–223,779Sherwood 14 November 1998 Manchester UnitedA2–355,198Marcolin, Blake 21 November 1998 SouthamptonH0–222,812 29 November 1998 LiverpoolA0–241,753 5 December 1998 Charlton AthleticH1–022,568Davies 12 December 1998 Newcastle UnitedH0–027,569 19 December 1998 Nottingham ForestA2–222,013Blake (2) 26 December 1998 Aston VillaH2–127,536Gallacher, Sherwood 28 December 1998 Leicester CityA1–121,083Gallacher 9 January 1999 Leeds UnitedH1–027,620Gillespie 16 January 1999 Derby CountyA0–127,386 30 January 1999 Tottenham HotspurH1–129,643Jansen 6 February 1999 Aston VillaA3–137,404Southgate (own goal), Ward, Dunn 17 February 1999 ChelseaA1–134,382Ward 20 February 1999 Sheffield WednesdayH1–424,643McAteer 27 February 1999 West Ham UnitedA0–225,529 10 March 1999 EvertonH1–227,219Ward 13 March 1999 Coventry CityA1–119,701Wilcox 20 March 1999 WimbledonH3–121,754Ward, Jansen (2) 3 April 1999 MiddlesbroughH0–027,482 6 April 1999 ArsenalA0–137,762 17 April 1999 SouthamptonA3–315,209Ward, Peacock, Wilcox 24 April 1999 LiverpoolH1–329,944Duff 1 May 1999 Charlton AthleticA0–020,041 8 May 1999 Nottingham ForestH1–224,565Gallacher 12 May 1999 Manchester UnitedH0–030,436 16 May 1999 Newcastle UnitedA1–136,623Wilcox
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR32 January 1999 Charlton AthleticH2–016,631Davies, WilcoxR423 January 1999 SunderlandH1–030,125GillespieR514 February 1999 Newcastle UnitedA0–036,295R5R24 February 1999 Newcastle UnitedH0–127,483
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR328 October 1998 Crewe AlexandraA1–05,403SuttonR411 November 1998 Newcastle UnitedA1–1 (won 4–2 on pens)34,702SherwoodQF2 December 1998 Leicester CityA0–119,442
UEFA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersRefereeR1 1st leg15 September 1998 LyonH0–113,646 (1,300 away) Knud Erik Fisker (Denmark)R1 2nd leg29 September 1998 LyonA2–2 (lost 2–3 on agg)24,558 (1,001 away)Pérez, Flitcroft René Temmink (Netherlands)
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: #13, John Filan, 32 RB: #2, Jeff Kenna, 29 CB: #5, Darren Peacock, 34 CB: #6, Stéphane Henchoz, 41 LB: #3, Callum Davidson, 39 RM: #19, Damien Johnson, 17 (#23, Christian Dailly, has 18 starts) CM: #4, Tim Sherwood, 23 CM: #11, Jason Wilcox, 33 LM: #12, Damien Duff, 25 CF: #9, Chris Sutton, 20 CF: #32, Ashley Ward, 19
Top scorers Ashley Ward 5 Kevin Gallacher 5 Chris Sutton 4 Jason Wilcox 4 Tim Sherwood 4 Nathan Blake 3
Transfers
In Date Pos Name From Fee 1 July 1998 DF Darren Peacock Newcastle United Free 6 July 1998 FW Jimmy Corbett Gillingham £535,009 July 1998FW Kevin Davies Southampton£7,250,00021 July 1998DF Sébastien Pérez SC Bastia£3,000,00021 August 1998DF Christian Dailly Derby County£5,300,00026 October 1998MF Oumar Kondé FC Basel£500,00030 October 1998FW Nathan Blake Bolton Wanderers£4,250,00016 December 1998MF Keith Gillespie Newcastle United£2,350,00029 December 1998FW Ashley Ward Barnsley£4,500,00018 January 1999FW Matt Jansen Crystal Palace£4,100,00027 January 1999MF Jason McAteer Liverpool£4,000,00012 February 1999DF David McNamee St Mirren£300,00012 February 1999MF Burton O'Brien St Mirren£300,00022 March 1999MF Lee Carsley Derby County£3,400,000
Out Date Pos. Name To Fee1 August 1998MF Michael Lomax Macclesfield TownFree1 August 1998FW Per Pedersen Strasbourg£900,0004 August 1998DF Colin Hendry Rangers£4,000,00026 October 1998DF Tore Pedersen Eintracht Frankfurt£225,0005 January 1999MF Luke Staton Bolton WanderersFree4 February 1999MF Tim Sherwood Tottenham Hotspur£4,000,00030 March 1999DF David Worrell Dundee United£50,00031 May 1999DF Graham Coughlan LivingstonFree1 June 1999DF Sébastien Pérez Marseille£2,500,000
Transfers in: £39,250,000 Transfers out: £11,675,000 Total spending: £27,750,000
References