The 1997–98 English football season was Derby County's second consecutive season in the FA Premier League.
Season summary Derby County began life at their new stadium by progressing further on the previous season's solid 12th-place finish. Jim Smith's team emerged as surprise contenders for a UEFA Cup place, and European qualification (for the first time in over 20 years) was still a possibility on the final day of the season. But results didn't go Derby's way, and that final European place went to Aston Villa.
The end-of-season arrival of Argentine defender Horacio Carbonari gave Derby fans fresh hope of challenging for a place in Europe.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results Derby County's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLossAbandoned
FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 9 August 1997 Blackburn RoversA0–123,557 13 August 1997 WimbledonHAbd(2–1)24,571(Ward, Eranio) 23 August 1997 Tottenham HotspurA0–125,886 30 August 1997 BarnsleyH1–027,232Eranio (pen) 13 September 1997 EvertonH3–127,828Hunt, C Powell, Sturridge 20 September 1997 Aston VillaA1–235,444Baiano 24 September 1997 Sheffield WednesdayA5–222,391Baiano (2), Laursen, Wanchope, Burton 27 September 1997 SouthamptonH4–025,625Eranio, Wanchope, Baiano, Sturridge 6 October 1997 Leicester CityA2–119,585Baiano (2) 18 October 1997 Manchester UnitedH2–230,014Baiano, Wanchope 22 October 1997 WimbledonH1–128,595Baiano 25 October 1997 LiverpoolA0–438,017 1 November 1997 ArsenalH3–030,004Wanchope (2), Sturridge 8 November 1997 Leeds UnitedA3–433,572Sturridge (2), Asanović 22 November 1997 Coventry CityH3–129,351Baiano, Eranio (pen), Wanchope 29 November 1997 ChelseaA0–434,544 6 December 1997 West Ham UnitedH2–029,300Mikloško (own goal), Sturridge 14 December 1997 Bolton WanderersA3–323,037Eranio, Baiano (2) 17 December 1997 Newcastle UnitedA0–036,289 20 December 1997 Crystal PalaceH0–026,590 26 December 1997 Newcastle UnitedH1–030,232Eranio (pen) 28 December 1997 BarnsleyA0–118,686 11 January 1998 Blackburn RoversH3–127,823Sturridge (2), Wanchope 17 January 1998 WimbledonA0–013,031 31 January 1998 Tottenham HotspurH2–130,187Sturridge, Wanchope 7 February 1998 Aston VillaH0–130,251 14 February 1998 EvertonA2–134,876Štimac, Wanchope 21 February 1998 Manchester UnitedA0–255,170 28 February 1998 Sheffield WednesdayH3–030,203Wanchope (2), Rowett 15 March 1998 Leeds UnitedH0–530,217 28 March 1998 Coventry CityA0–118,705 5 April 1998 ChelseaH0–130,062 11 April 1998 West Ham UnitedA0–025,155 13 April 1998 Bolton WanderersH4–029,126Wanchope, Burton (2), Baiano 18 April 1998 Crystal PalaceA1–318,101Bohinen 26 April 1998 Leicester CityH0–429,855 29 April 1998 ArsenalA0–138,121 2 May 1998 SouthamptonA2–015,202Dailly, Sturridge 10 May 1998 LiverpoolH1–030,492Wanchope
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR33 January 1998 SouthamptonH2–027,992Baiano, C PowellR424 January 1998 Coventry CityA0–222,824
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg 16 September 1997 Southend UnitedA1–04,011WanchopeR2 2nd Leg 1 October 1997 Southend UnitedH5–018,490Rowett (2), Wanchope, Sturridge, TrollopeR315 October 1997 Tottenham HotspurA2–120,390Wanchope (2)R418 November 1997 Newcastle UnitedH0–127,364
First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Transfers In DatePosNameFromFee20 May 1997MFStefano EranioMilanFree transfer1 August 1997FWFrancesco BaianoFiorentina£650,0006 August 1997FWDeon BurtonPortsmouth£1,000,0006 February 1998MFRory DelapCarlisle United£200,00025 March 1998MFLars BohinenBlackburn Rovers£1,450,00023 May 1998DFHoracio CarbonariRosario Central£2,700,000
Out DatePosNameToFee12 June 1997GKMartin TaylorWycombe WanderersFree transfer6 August 1997MFSean FlynnWest Bromwich Albion£260,0007 August 1997MFKevin CooperStockport County£150,0004 September 1997FWAshley WardBarnsley£1,300,0001 November 1997DFAndrew TrettonChesterfieldNon-contract11 November 1997MFPaul SimpsonWolverhampton Wanderers£75,00027 November 1997MFPaul TrollopeFulham£600,00029 December 1997MFAljoša AsanovićNapoli£350,00026 January 1998DFMatt CarbonWest Bromwich Albion£800,00012 February 1998FWNick WrightCarlisle UnitedTransfer
Transfers in: £6,000,000 Transfers out: £3,535,000 Total spending: £2,465,000
Notes
References