The 1997–98 Football League First Division (referred to as the Nationwide First Division for sponsorship reasons) was the sixth season of the league under its current league division format.
Changes from previous season
Team changes
From First Division Promoted to Premier League Barnsley Bolton Wanderers Crystal Palace
Relegated to Second Division Grimsby Town Oldham Athletic Southend United
To First Division Promoted from Second Division Bury Crewe Alexandra Stockport County
Relegated from Premier League Middlesbrough Nottingham Forest Sunderland
Teams
Stadium and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity Birmingham City Birmingham St Andrew's 25,877 Bradford City Bradford Valley Parade 17,848 Bury Bury Gigg Lane 11,840 Charlton Athletic Charlton The Valley 15,815 Crewe Alexandra Crewe Gresty Road 10,153 Huddersfield Town Huddersfield Alfred McAlpine Stadium 24,500 Ipswich Town Ipswich Portman Road 30,311 Manchester City Manchester Maine Road 35,150 Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium 30,000 Norwich City Norwich Carrow Road 24,663 Nottingham Forest West Bridgford City Ground 30,576 Oxford United Oxford Manor Ground 9,500 Port Vale Burslem Vale Park 19,052 Portsmouth Portsmouth Fratton Park 21,100 Queens Park Rangers White City Loftus Road 18,439 Reading Reading Elm Park 14,800 Sheffield United Sheffield Bramall Lane 29,034 Stockport County Stockport Edgeley Park 10,841 Stoke City Stoke-on-Trent Britannia Stadium 27,743 Sunderland Sunderland Stadium of Light 42,000 Swindon Town Swindon County Ground 15,728 Tranmere Rovers Birkenhead Prenton Park 16,567 West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich The Hawthorns 22,986 Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Molineux Stadium 28,525
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Birmingham City Trevor Francis Steve Bruce Pony Auto Windscreens Bradford City Paul Jewell Wayne Jacobs Beaver JCT600 Bury Stan Ternent Chris Lucketti Super League Birthdays Charlton Athletic Alan Curbishley Mark Kinsella Quaser Viglen Crewe Alexandra Dario Gradi Gareth Whalley Adidas Boldon James Huddersfield Town Peter Jackson Barry Horne Pony Panasonic Ipswich Town George Burley Jason Cundy Punch Greene King Manchester City Joe Royle Kit Symons Kappa Brother Middlesbrough Bryan Robson Nigel Pearson Erreà Cellnet Norwich City John Faulkner (caretaker) Matt Jackson Pony Colman's Nottingham Forest Dave Bassett Steve Chettle Umbro Pinnacle Oxford United Malcolm Shotton Phil Gilchrist Own Brand Unipart Port Vale John Rudge Allen Tankard Mizuno Tunstall Assurance Portsmouth Alan Ball Adrian Whitbread Admiral KJC Queens Park Rangers Ray Harford Steve Morrow Le Coq Sportif Ericsson Reading Tommy Burns Phil Parkinson Mizuno Auto Trader Sheffield United Steve Thompson (caretaker) David Holdsworth Le Coq Sportif Wards Stockport County Gary Megson Mike Flynn Adidas Robinsons Stoke City Alan Durban (caretaker) Lárus Sigurðsson Asics Britannia Sunderland Peter Reid Kevin Ball Asics Lambtons Swindon Town Steve McMahon Brian Borrows Mizuno Nationwide Tranmere Rovers John Aldridge Liam O'Brien Mizuno Wirral West Bromwich Albion Denis Smith Sean Flynn Patrick West Bromwich Building Society Wolverhampton Wanderers Mark McGhee Keith Curle Puma Goodyear
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Huddersfield Town Brian Horton Sacked 6 October 1997 24th Peter Jackson 7 October 1997 Queens Park Rangers Stewart Houston Sacked 10 November 1997 13th Ray Harford 5 December 1997 West Bromwich Albion Ray Harford Resigned 4 December 1997 4th Denis Smith 24 December 1997 Oxford United Denis Smith Signed by West Bromwich Albion 24 December 1997 16th Malcolm Shotton 24 January 1998 Bradford City Chris Kamara Sacked 6 January 1998 11th Paul Jewell 6 January 1998 Portsmouth Terry Fenwick Sacked 14 January 1998 24th Alan Ball 26 January 1998 Stoke City Chic Bates Mutual consent 22 January 1998 20th Chris Kamara 22 January 1998 Manchester City Frank Clark Sacked 17 February 1998 22nd Joe Royle 18 February 1998 Sheffield United Nigel Spackman Resigned 2 March 1998 5th Steve Bruce 2 July 1998 Reading Terry Bullivant Resigned 18 March 1998 23rd Tommy Burns 25 March 1998 Stoke City Chris Kamara Mutual consent 8 April 1998 24th Brian Little 13 May 1998 Norwich City Mike Walker Resigned 30 April 1998 16th Bruce Rioch 12 June 1998
League table
Play-offs
Results
Season statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Kevin PhillipsSunderland29 Pierre van HooijdonkNottingham Forest3 Kevin Campbell23 Clive MendoncaCharlton Athletic5 David JohnsonIpswich Town206 Brett AngellStockport County187 Paul FurlongBirmingham City15 Marcus StewartHuddersfield Town
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Nottingham Forest Queens Park Rangers 4–0 Charlton Athletic 5–2 Crewe Alexandra 4–1 Charlton Athletic Norwich City 4–0 Sheffield United Stockport County 5–1 Birmingham City Stoke City 7–0 Stockport County 4–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Norwich City 5–0 Ipswich Town Norwich City 5–0 Oxford United 5–2 Sunderland Stockport County 4–1 Middlesbrough Bury 4–0 Crewe Alexandra Bradford City 5–0
References