1997–98 Chester City F.C. season

Chester City
1997–98 season
ManagerKevin Ratcliffe
StadiumDeva Stadium
Football League
Third Division		14th
FA CupRound 2
Football League CupRound 1
Football League TrophyRound 1
Top goalscorerLeague:
Gary Bennett (11)
All:
Gary Bennett (11)
Highest home attendance3,245 vs Macclesfield Town (25 October)
Lowest home attendance1,510 vs Swansea City (26 November)
Average home league attendance2,255
21st in division[1]

The 1997–98 season was the 60th season of competitive association football in the Football League played by Chester City, an English club based in Chester, Cheshire.

Also, it was the third season spent in the Third Division, after the relegation from the Second Division in 1995. Alongside competing in the Football League the club also participated in the FA Cup, the Football League Cup and the Football League Trophy.

Football League

Main article: 1997–98 Football League Third Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
12 Mansfield Town 46 16 17 13 64 55 +9 65
13 Shrewsbury Town 46 16 13 17 61 62 −1 61
14 Chester City 46 17 10 19 60 61 −1 61
15 Exeter City 46 15 15 16 68 63 +5 60
16 Cambridge United 46 14 18 14 63 57 +6 60
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results summary

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
46 17 10 19 60 61  −1 61 12 7 4 34 15  +19 5 3 15 26 46  −20

Source: rsssf.com

Results by matchday

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
ResultWDLLWWWLLWWLLDWWLDWDLWLWWWLWDDLDWLLDDLLLLWLWLD
Position111161912135913745111185787896887376769978101010111114141415131614
Source: 11v11.com
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

Date Opponents Venue Result Score Scorers Attendance
9 August Lincoln City H W 2–0 Flitcroft, Bennett 2,478
23 August Cambridge United H D 1–1 Bennett 2,167
30 August Barnet A L 1–2 Simpson (o.g.) 1,790
2 September Scunthorpe United A L 1–2 Bennett 2,633
5 September Hull City H W 1–0 Bennett 2,271
13 September Shrewsbury Town H W 2–0 Bennett (2) 2,853
16 September Cardiff City A W 2–0 Alsford, Davidson (pen) 3,949
20 September Mansfield Town A L 1–4 Davidson (pen) 2,183
27 September Rotherham United A L 2–4 Alsford, Priest 3,061
4 October Hartlepool United H W 3–1 Whelan, Bennett, Murphy 2,163
11 October Brighton & Hove Albion H W 2–0 Bennett (2) 2,402
18 October Torquay United A L 1–3 Richardson 2,047
21 October Scarborough A L 1–4 Thomas 1,451
25 October Macclesfield Town H D 1–1 Priest 3,245
1 November Rochdale H W 4–0 McDonald, Bennett, Rimmer (2) 2,431
4 November Notts County A W 2–1 McDonald, Bennett 3,104
8 November Leyton Orient A L 0–1 3,894
18 November Peterborough United H D 0–0 2,612
26 November Swansea City H W 2–0 Flitcroft (pen), Thomas 1,510
29 November Exeter City H D 1–1 Rimmer 2,288
2 December Doncaster Rovers A L 1–2 Jones 864
13 December Darlington H W 2–1 McDonald, Alsford 1,812
19 December Colchester United A L 0–2 1,867
26 December Hull City A W 2–1 Whelan, Thomas 6,807
28 December Scunthorpe United H W 1–0 Priest 2,263
10 January Lincoln City A W 3–1 Priest, Jenkins, Rimmer 2,913
17 January Barnet H L 0–1 2,479
24 January Cambridge United A W 2–1 Rimmer, McDonald 2,473
27 January Cardiff City H D 0–0 1,757
31 January Shrewsbury Town A D 1–1 Woods 3,002
7 February Mansfield Town H L 0–1 2,055
14 February Hartlepool United A D 0–0 2,186
21 February Rotherham United H W 4–0 Murphy, Alsford, Priest (2) 2,432
24 February Torquay United H L 1–3 Woods 2,163
28 February Brighton & Hove Albion A L 2–3 Flitcroft, Murphy 2,510
3 March Leyton Orient H D 1–1 Richardson 1,650
7 March Rochdale A D 1–1 Murphy 1,955
14 March Notts County H L 0–1 2,753
21 March Peterborough United A L 1–2 McDonald 4,817
28 March Swansea City A L 0–2 2,500
4 April Exeter City A L 0–5 2,965
11 April Doncaster Rovers H W 2–1 Flitcroft (pen), Rimmer 1,593
13 April Darlington A L 0–1 1,901
18 April Colchester United H W 3–1 Whelan, Fisher, Rimmer 1,780
25 April Macclesfield Town A L 2–3 Whelan, Thomas 5,982
2 May Scarborough H D 1–1 Rimmer 2,719

FA Cup

Main article: 1997–98 FA Cup
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score Scorers Attendance
First round 15 November Winsford United (6) H W 2–1 Richardson, Priest 3,885
Second round 5 December Wrexham (3) H L 0–2 5,224

League Cup

Main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score Scorers Attendance
First round first leg 11 August Carlisle United (3) H L 1–2 Woods 2,367
First round second leg 18 August A L 0–3 4,208

Football League Trophy

Main article: 1997–98 Football League Trophy
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score Scorers Attendance
First round 9 December Scunthorpe United (4) A L 1–2 Flitcroft 813

Season statistics

Nat Player Total League FA
Cup 		League
Cup 		FL
Trophy
A G A G A G A G A G
Goalkeepers
England Wayne Brown 16 – 13 – 2 – – – 1 –
Scotland Ronnie Sinclair 35 – 33 – – – 2 – – –
Field players
England Julian Alsford 44 4 39 4 2 – 2 – 1 –
England Gary Bennett 41+4 11 37+4 11 2 – 2 – – –
England Ross Davidson 27+1 2 24 2 0+1 – 2 – 1 –
England Ryan Dobson 6 – 6 – – – – – – –
England Neil Fisher 34+6 1 29+6 1 2 – 2 – 1 –
England David Flitcroft 48+1 5 43+1 4 2 – 2 – 1 1
England Martin Giles 8+2 – 8+2 – – – – – – –
Northern Ireland Iain Jenkins 39 1 34 1 2 – 2 – 1 –
Wales Jonathan Jones 3+6 1 2+5 1 0+1 – – – 1 –
England Rod McDonald 23+10 5 21+10 5 1 – 1 – – –
England Matt McKay 3+2 – 3+2 – – – – – – –
England Andy Milner 1+2 – 1 – 0+2 – – – – –
England John Murphy 19+10 4 19+8 4 0+1 – 0+1 – – –
England Chris Priest 40 7 37 6 2 1 – – 1 –
England Nick Richardson 46+3 3 41+3 2 2 1 2 – 1 –
England Stuart Rimmer 29+9 8 26+8 8 1+1 – 1 – 1 –
England Andy Shelton 0+2 – 0+2 – – – – – – –
England Gary Shelton 3 – 3 – – – – – – –
England Rod Thomas 29+13 4 25+13 4 2 – 2 – – –
England Spencer Whelan 40 4 35 4 2 – 2 – 1 –
England Matt Woods 24+7 3 24+5 2 – – 0+2 1 – –
England Darren Wright 3+3 – 3+2 – – – – – 0+1 –
Own goals – 1 – 1 – – – – – –
Total 51 64 46 60 2 2 2 1 1 1

References

  1. ^ "English attendances archive". EFS. Retrieved 21 June 2016.

Sumner, Chas (1 November 2011). 125 Years on the Borderline: The Complete History of Chester City F.C. 1885-2010. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0956984821.