The 1997–98 season was Reading's 127th year in existence and fourth consecutive season in the First Division, and covered the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. Reading finished the season in 24th position, resulting in relegation back to the Second Division. In the Football League Cup, Reading were knocked out by Middlesbrough at the Fifth Round stage, whilst in the FA Cup, Sheffield United knocked Reading out at the Fifth Round stage.
Season events Reading started the season under new manager Terry Bullivant, with Bullivant resigning on 18 March 1998. Alan Pardew was appointed caretaker-manager for seven days before Tommy Burns was appointed as the club's new manager on 26 March 1998.
Squad
Name Nationality Position Date of birth (AgeAge as of the end of the season) Signed from Signed in Contract ends Apps. Goals Goalkeepers Steve Mautone GK West Ham United 1997 34 0 Jamie Ashdown GK Trainee 1998 0 0 Sal Bibbo GK Sheffield United 1996 9 0 Nick Hammond GK Plymouth Argyle 1996 31 0 Nick Colgan GK loan from Chelsea 1998 1998 5 0 Scott Howie GK Motherwell 1998 7 0 Defenders Andy Bernal DF Sydney Olympic 1994 174 2 Martyn Booty DF Crewe Alexandra 1996 70 2 Keith McPherson DF Northampton Town 1990 Linvoy Primus DF Barnet 1997 43 1 Steve Swales DF Scarborough 1995 56 1 Michael Thorp DF Trainee 1995 9 0 Barry Hunter DF Wrexham 1996 29 2 Dariusz Wdowczyk DF Celtic 1994 104 0 Stuart Gray DF Celtic 1998 7 0 Paddy Kelly DF loan from Newcastle United 1998 1998 3 0 Paul Bodin DF Swindon Town 1996 45 1 Gareth Davies DF Crystal Palace 1997 22 0 Andy Legg DF Birmingham City 1998 10 0 Midfielders Darren Caskey MF Tottenham Hotspur 1996 79 3 Andy Freeman MF Trainee 1995 1 0 Byron Glasgow MF Trainee 1996 8 0 Lee Hodges MF Barnet 1997 35 6 Jamie Lambert MF Trainee 1992 151 20 Phil Parkinson MF Bury 1992 255 11 Michael O'Neill MF loan from Coventry City 1998 9 1 Jim Crawford MF Newcastle United 1998 6 0 Ray Houghton MF Crystal Palace 1997 35 1 Michael Meaker MF Queens Park Rangers 1995 73 3 Forwards Stuart Lovell FW Trainee 1990 Carl Asaba FW Brentford 1997 42 12 Paul Brayson FW Newcastle United 1998 6 1 Trevor Morley FW West Ham United 1995 91 38 Martin Williams FW Luton Town 1995 86 12 Robert Fleck FW Norwich City 1998 5 0 Jim McIntyre FW Kilmarnock 1998 6 0 Jason Bowen FW Birmingham City 1997 20 1 Out on loan Neville Roach FW Trainee 1996 16 2 Left during the season Lee Sandford DF loan from Sheffield United 1997 1997 5 0 Paul Holsgrove MF Millwall 1994 86 7 Ben Smith MF Arsenal 1996 1 0 David Whyte FW Charlton Athletic 1997 0 0 Mark Robins FW loan from Leicester City 1997 1997 5 0
Out on loan
Left club during season
Transfers In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 15 July 1997 MF Ray Houghton Crystal Palace Free 1 August 1997 DF Linvoy Primus Barnet £250,000 1 August 1997 MF Lee Hodges Barnet £250,000 7 August 1997 FW Carl Asaba Brentford £800,000 23 September 1997 FW David Whyte Charlton Athletic Free 11 December 1997 DF Gareth Davies Crystal Palace £175,000 26 December 1997 FW Jason Bowen Birmingham City £200,000 20 February 1998 DF Andy Legg Birmingham City £75,000 26 March 1998 GK Scott Howie Motherwell £30,000 26 March 1998 DF Stuart Gray Celtic £100,000 26 March 1998 MF Jim Crawford Newcastle United £50,000 26 March 1998 FW Paul Brayson Newcastle United £100,000 26 March 1998 FW Robert Fleck Norwich City £50,000 26 March 1998 FW Jim McIntyre Kilmarnock £440,000
Loan in Date from Position Nationality Name From Date to Ref. 29 August 1997 FW Mark Robins Leicester City 26 September 1997 5 September 1997 DF Lee Sandford Sheffield United 4 October 1997 26 February 1998 GK Nick Colgan Chelsea End of Season 1 March 1998 MF Michael O'Neill Coventry City End of Season 26 March 1998 DF Paddy Kelly Newcastle United End of Season
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 1 August 1997 FW Lee Nogan Grimsby Town £100,000 31 October 1997 FW David Whyte Ipswich Town Undisclosed 21 November 1997 MF Paul Holsgrove Crewe Alexandra Undisclosed 1 March 1998 MF Ben Smith Yeovil Town Undisclosed
Loan out Date from Position Nationality Name To Date to Ref. January 1998 FW Neville Roach Kingstonian End of Season
Released Date Position Nationality Name Joined Date 30 June 1998 GK Sal Bibbo Havant & Waterlooville 30 June 1998 DF Michael Thorp 30 June 1998 DF Steve Swales Hull City 30 June 1998 DF Dariusz Wdowczyk Polonia Warsaw 30 June 1998 DF Paul Bodin Bath City 30 June 1998 MF Andy Freeman 30 June 1998 MF Alan Pardew Retired 30 June 1998 MF Michael Meaker Bristol Rovers 30 June 1998 FW Stuart Lovell Hibernian 30 June 1998 FW Trevor Morley Sogndal
Results First Division
Results
Table
FA Cup
League Cup
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan="14"|Players away on loan:
|colspan="14"|Players who appeared for Reading but left during the season:
Goal scorers PlacePositionNationNameFirst DivisionFA CupLeague CupTotal1 FWCarl Asaba813122 FWTrevor Morley53193 FWMartin Williams60284 MFLee Hodges60065 MFJamie Lambert3014 Own goal30147 MFMichael Meaker10128 MFJason Bowen1001FWPaul Brayson1001MFRay Houghton1001FWStuart Lovell1001MFMichael O'Neill1001DFLinvoy Primus1001DFSteve Swales1001DFMartyn Booty0101DFKeith McPherson0011MFPhil Parkinson0011FWNeville Roach0011 Total3951256
Clean sheets PlacePositionNationNameFirst DivisionFA CupLeague CupTotal1 GKNick Hammond70072 GKSteve Mautone40043 GKScott Howie1001TOTALS120012
Disciplinary record Position Nation Name First Division FA Cup League Cup TotalDFAndy Bernal62000062DFMartyn Booty40102070DFKeith McPherson20001030DFLinvoy Primus50000050DFSteve Swales40100050DFDariusz Wdowczyk20000020DFPaul Bodin01000001DFGareth Davies30000030DFAndy Legg41000041MFDarren Caskey40000040MFLee Hodges10000010MFJamie Lambert801010100MFPhil Parkinson80000080MFMichael O'Neill10000010MFRay Houghton10000010MFMichael Meaker30000030FWStuart Lovell20000020FWCarl Asaba31000031FWTrevor Morley40102070FWMartin Williams30001040FWRobert Fleck10000010FWJim McIntyre20000020FWJason Bowen20200040Players away on loan:Players who left Reading during the season: Total7356070865
Notes
References
Soccerbase.com