During the 1998–99 English football season, Crewe Alexandra F.C. competed in the Football League First Division, their 76th in the English Football League.

Season summary In the 1998–99 season, Crewe had a disastrous first half of the campaign which saw them almost midway point at the bottom of the table with just 2 wins from 22 league games and 11 points from safety. Even though they managed to get another couple of wins together; by 20 February, Crewe were still bottom and 11 points from safety with 14 league matches remaining and their First Division status was in severe danger of being lost. From then on against the odds, Crewe went on a superb run of just 3 defeats from their remaining 14 league games, winning 7 of them on their way to completing the great escape, the key result being a 3–1 win against Portsmouth which saved them from the drop.

Final league table

Results Crewe Alexandra's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 8 August 1998 Norwich CityA1–215,016Rivers 15 August 1998 BarnsleyH3–15,289Smith (pen), Lightfoot (2) 22 August 1998 BuryA0–15,073 28 August 1998 Bradford CityH2–15,759Lunt, Collins 31 August 1998 Sheffield UnitedA1–315,922Jack 8 September 1998 Crystal PalaceH0–14,977 12 September 1998 Stockport CountyA1–17,302J Wright 19 September 1998 Bolton WanderersH4–45,744Little, Charnock, Rivers, Smith 26 September 1998 Bristol CityA2–59,810Anthrobus (2) 29 September 1998 Grimsby TownA1–15,024Rivers 3 October 1998 Wolverhampton WanderersH0–05,759 17 October 1998 Birmingham CityA1–320,087Johnson 20 October 1998 Port ValeA0–18,205 24 October 1998 Tranmere RoversH1–45,080Little 31 October 1998 Oxford UnitedA1–15,607Little 3 November 1998 SunderlandH1–45,361Little 7 November 1998 Swindon TownH0–24,489 14 November 1998 Queens Park RangersH0–25,001 21 November 1998 WatfordA2–49,405Jack, Little 28 November 1998 Ipswich TownH0–35,165 5 December 1998 PortsmouthA0–29,800 8 December 1998 West Bromwich AlbionH1–15,007Anthrobus 12 December 1998 Queens Park RangersA1–011,296J Wright 19 December 1998 Huddersfield TownH1–25,102Jack 26 December 1998 BuryH3–15,333Little, Rivers, J Wright 28 December 1998 SunderlandA0–241,433 9 January 1999 Norwich CityH3–24,782Street (2), Rivers 16 January 1999 Bradford CityA1–412,595Little 30 January 1999 Sheffield UnitedH1–25,243Jack 6 February 1999 BarnsleyA2–215,377Jack (2) 13 February 1999 Crystal PalaceA1–114,823Walton 20 February 1999 Stockport CountyH0–25,473 27 February 1999 Bolton WanderersA3–119,437Johnson, Jack (2) 13 March 1999 Swindon TownA2–17,434Jack, Charnock 16 March 1999 Grimsby TownH0–04,855 20 March 1999 Oxford UnitedH3–14,791Murphy, Little, Smith (pen) 26 March 1999 Tranmere RoversA0–39,359 30 March 1999 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–324,197 2 April 1999 Birmingham CityH0–05,582 5 April 1999 West Bromwich AlbionA5–112,308D Wright, J Wright (2), Johnson, Rivers 10 April 1999 Port ValeH0–05,606 17 April 1999 WatfordH0–15,461 24 April 1999 Ipswich TownA2–120,845Rivers, Macauley 27 April 1999 Bristol CityH1–05,579Johnson 1 May 1999 PortsmouthH3–15,759Little (2), Smith 9 May 1999 Huddersfield TownA0–015,105

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR32 January 1999 Oxford UnitedH1–34,207Johnson

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1 1st Leg11 August 1998 Oldham AthleticA2–33,766Little (2)R1 2nd Leg18 August 1998 Oldham AthleticH2–0 (won 4–3 on agg)3,428Jack (2)R2 1st Leg16 September 1998 Bristol CityA1–13,082RiversR2 2nd Leg22 September 1998 Bristol CityH2–0 (won 3–1 on agg)3,089Rivers (2)R328 October 1998 Blackburn RoversH0–15,403

Squad

Left club during the season

References