1999–2000 Wimbledon F.C. season

Wimbledon
1999–2000 season
ChairmanSam Hammam
Bjørn Rune Gjelsten
ManagerEgil Olsen (until 1 May)[1]
Terry Burton (caretaker)
StadiumSelhurst Park
Premier League18th (relegated)
FA CupFourth round
League CupQuarter-finals
Top goalscorerLeague:
Carl Cort and John Hartson (9)
All:
Carl Cort (15)
Highest home attendance26,129 (vs. Manchester United, 26 February)
Lowest home attendance2,772 (vs. Cardiff City, 21 September)
Average home league attendance17,156

During the 1999–2000 English football season, Wimbledon competed in the Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

The season began with a new manager, Norway's Egil Olsen, after the close season resignation of long-serving Joe Kinnear, but Olsen was ousted with two weeks of the season remaining and replaced by coach Terry Burton, who was unable to save Wimbledon from relegation after 14 successive seasons of top division football.

Season summary

Wimbledon's new season began with a 3–2 win against newly promoted Watford at Vicarage Road; this would turn out to be the Dons' only ever away league win throughout the season. The close-season resignation of former Joe Kinnear because of health problems (he would suffer from them again as manager of Newcastle United) after seven years as manager led to the appointment of former Norwegian national coach Egil Olsen as Wimbledon's new manager, giving Dons fans hope of beating the drop once again. The mid-season collapse of star striker John Hartson's move to Tottenham Hotspur was further good news to the cause, but a run of eight straight defeats during the final weeks of the season dragged Wimbledon into the depth of the relegation mire. Olsen was sacked after a 3–0 defeat away to Bradford City, to be replaced by former coach and assistant manager Terry Burton for the final two games of the season. A 2–2 draw at home to Aston Villa gave them hope going into their last game, away to Southampton. They were one place above the relegation zone on goal difference, but a 2–0 defeat at the Dell – combined with Bradford's 1–0 win over Liverpool – condemned Wimbledon to relegation and ended their 14-year stay in the top flight.[2] The transition coincided with the end of one of the most remarkable rags-to-riches stories in football,[according to whom?] which had started with Wimbledon's election to the Football League in 1977 and seen them reach the top flight nine years later, before peaking as 1988 FA Cup Final winners. Their relegation was confirmed 12 years to the day that Wimbledon achieved their famous victory over Liverpool at Wembley.

Final league table

Main article: 1999–2000 FA Premier League
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
16 Derby County 38 9 11 18 44 57 −13 38
17 Bradford City 38 9 9 20 38 68 −30 36 Qualification for the Intertoto Cup second round
18 Wimbledon (R) 38 7 12 19 46 74 −28 33 Relegation to the Football League First Division
19 Sheffield Wednesday (R) 38 8 7 23 38 70 −32 31
20 Watford (R) 38 6 6 26 35 77 −42 24
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated
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
38 7 12 19 46 74  −28 33 6 7 6 30 28  +2 1 5 13 16 46  −30
Results by round
Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAHHAAHHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHHAAHA
ResultWLDDLLDDDLWDDWLDWDDLWLWLLDLWLLLLLLLLDL
Position81091115161616171815151515151413141415131413141615161516161617171717181718
Source: Soccerbase: 1999-2000 Wimbledon results
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Results

Wimbledon's score comes first[3]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
7 August 1999 Watford A 3–2 15,511 Cort, Gayle, Johnson (own goal)
10 August 1999 Middlesbrough H 2–3 11,036 Cort, Hartson
14 August 1999 Coventry City H 1–1 10,635 Cort
21 August 1999 Newcastle United A 3–3 35,809 Hughes, Ainsworth (2)
25 August 1999 Everton A 0–4 32,818
28 August 1999 Chelsea H 0–1 22,167
11 September 1999 Derby County H 2–2 12,282 Hartson, Euell
18 September 1999 Manchester United A 1–1 55,189 Badir
26 September 1999 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–1 17,368 Hartson
2 October 1999 Sheffield Wednesday A 1–5 18,077 Hartson
16 October 1999 Bradford City H 3–2 10,029 Hartson (2), Cort
23 October 1999 Aston Villa A 1–1 27,160 Earle
30 October 1999 Southampton H 1–1 15,754 Gayle
7 November 1999 Leeds United H 2–0 18,747 Hartson, Gayle
20 November 1999 Leicester City A 1–2 18,255 Gayle
27 November 1999 Middlesbrough A 0–0 31,400
4 December 1999 Watford H 5–0 14,021 Cort, Earle, Hartson, Euell, Gayle
18 December 1999 Arsenal A 1–1 38,052 Cort
26 December 1999 West Ham United H 2–2 21,180 Hreidarsson, Ardley
28 December 1999 Liverpool A 1–3 44,107 Gayle
3 January 2000 Sunderland H 1–0 17,621 Cort
15 January 2000 Coventry City A 0–2 19,012
22 January 2000 Newcastle United H 2–0 22,118 Earle, Gayle
6 February 2000 Everton H 0–3 13,172
12 February 2000 Chelsea A 1–3 34,826 Lund
26 February 2000 Manchester United H 2–2 26,129 Euell, Cort
4 March 2000 Derby County A 0–4 28,384
11 March 2000 Leicester City H 2–1 14,319 Ardley (pen), Euell
19 March 2000 Leeds United A 1–4 39,256 Euell
26 March 2000 West Ham United A 1–2 22,438 Hughes
1 April 2000 Arsenal H 1–3 25,858 Lund
8 April 2000 Sunderland A 1–2 41,592 Roy (own goal)
12 April 2000 Sheffield Wednesday H 0–2 8,248
16 April 2000 Liverpool H 1–2 26,102 Andresen
22 April 2000 Tottenham Hotspur A 0–2 33,086
30 April 2000 Bradford City A 0–3 18,276
6 May 2000 Aston Villa H 2–2 19,188 Ehiogu (own goal), Hartson
14 May 2000 Southampton A 0–2 15,249

FA Cup

Main article: 1999–2000 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 11 December 1999 Barnsley H 1–0 4,505 Cort
R4 8 January 2000 Fulham A 0–3 16,877

League Cup

Main article: 1999–2000 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 1st Leg 14 September 1999 Cardiff City A 1–1 7,613 Hughes
R2 2nd Leg 21 September 1999 Cardiff City H 3–1 (4–2 on agg) 2,772 Cort, Earle (2)
R3 12 October 1999 Sunderland H 3–2 4,790 Cort (3)
R4 30 November 1999 Huddersfield Town A 2–1 13,312 Kimble, Euell
QF 14 December 1999 Bolton Wanderers A 1–2 9,463 Cort

Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Scotland SCO Neil Sullivan[notes 1]
2 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Kenny Cunningham
3 DF England ENG Alan Kimble
4 MF England ENG Andy Roberts
5 DF England ENG Dean Blackwell
6 DF England ENG Ben Thatcher[notes 2]
7 FW England ENG Carl Cort[notes 3]
8 MF Jamaica JAM Robbie Earle[notes 4]
9 FW Wales WAL John Hartson
10 MF England ENG Jason Euell[notes 5]
11 FW Jamaica JAM Marcus Gayle[notes 6]
12 MF England ENG Neal Ardley
13 GK England ENG Paul Heald
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 DF Norway NOR Tore Pedersen
15 FW England ENG Carl Leaburn
16 MF Northern Ireland NIR Michael Hughes
18 MF England ENG Gareth Ainsworth
19 DF Israel ISR Walid Badir
20 MF Norway NOR Martin Andresen
21 DF Scotland SCO Duncan Jupp[notes 7]
22 DF England ENG Chris Willmott
24 MF England ENG Damien Francis[notes 8]
29 MF Norway NOR Trond Andersen
30 DF Iceland ISL Hermann Hreiðarsson
32 FW England ENG Wayne Gray
34 FW Norway NOR Andreas Lund

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
20 FW Nigeria NGA Efan Ekoku[notes 9] (to Grasshoppers)
25 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Jon Goodman[notes 10] (retired)
26 MF Wales WAL Ceri Hughes (to Portsmouth)
No. Pos. Nation Player
31 DF England ENG Danny Hodges (released)
36 FW England ENG Patrick Agyemang[notes 11] (on loan to Brentford)
— DF England ENG Andy Pearce (to Aldershot Town)

Reserve squad

The following players did not make an appearance for the first team this season.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
17 DF Scotland SCO Brian McAllister
23 GK England ENG Kelvin Davis
27 MF England ENG Stewart Castledine
No. Pos. Nation Player
28 DF England ENG Peter Hawkins
31 MF Norway NOR Kjetil Wæhler
33 GK Republic of Ireland IRL Brendan Murphy

Transfers

In

Out

Loaned out

Statistics

Starting 11

Only considering Premiership starts
Considering a 4–3–3 formation[6]

Appearances and goals

Source:
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
Players with names struck through and marked † left the club during the playing season.
Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Burnley.
Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.
Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
Players contracted for the 1999–2000 season
No. Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK  SCO Neil Sullivan 37 0 2 0 5 0 44 0
2 DF  IRL Kenny Cunningham 37 0 2 0 4 0 43 0
3 DF  ENG Alan Kimble 24 (4) 0 1 0 5 1 30 (4) 1
4 MF  ENG Andy Roberts 14 (2) 0 1 0 5 0 20 (2) 0
5 DF  ENG Dean Blackwell 16 (1) 0 0 0 4 0 20 (1) 0
6 DF  ENG Ben Thatcher 19 (1) 0 0 0 2 0 21 (1) 0
7 FW  ENG Carl Cort 32 (2) 9 2 1 5 5 39 (2) 15
8 MF  JAM Robbie Earle 23 (2) 3 1 0 3 (1) 2 27 (3) 5
9 FW  WAL John Hartson 15 (1) 9 1 0 3 0 19 (1) 9
10 FW  ENG Jason Euell 32 (5) 4 2 0 5 1 39 (5) 5
11 FW  JAM Marcus Gayle 35 (1) 7 2 0 3 0 40 (1) 7
12 MF  ENG Neal Ardley 10 (7) 2 0 (1) 0 1 0 11 (8) 2
13 GK  ENG Paul Heald 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
14 DF  NOR Tore Pedersen 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
15 FW  ENG Carl Leaburn 5 (13) 0 1 0 2 (2) 0 8 (15) 0
16 MF  NIR Michael Hughes 13 (7) 2 0 (1) 0 1 (1) 1 14 (9) 3
17 DF  SCO Brian McAllister 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 MF  ENG Gareth Ainsworth 0 (2) 2 0 0 0 0 0 (2) 2
19 MF  ISR Walid Badir 12 (9) 1 0 (1) 0 3 0 15 (10) 1
20 FW  NGA Efan Ekoku † 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 MF  NOR Martin Andresen 4 (10) 1 1 0 0 (1) 0 5 (11) 1
21 DF  SCO Duncan Jupp 6 (3) 0 0 0 2 (1) 0 8 (4) 0
22 DF  ENG Chris Willmott 7 0 1 0 0 (1) 0 8 (1) 0
23 GK  ENG Kelvin Davis 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
24 MF  ENG Damien Francis 1 (8) 0 1 0 0 (3) 0 2 (11) 0
25 FW  IRL Jon Goodman † 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 0 (1) 0
26 MF  WAL Ceri Hughes † 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
27 MF  ENG Stewart Castledine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
28 DF  ENG Peter Hawkins 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
29 DF  NOR Trond Andersen 35 (1) 0 2 0 2 0 39 (1) 0
30 DF  ISL Hermann Hreiðarsson 24 1 2 0 0 0 26 1
31 DF  ENG Danny Hodges † 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 MF  NOR Kjetil Wæhler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
32 FW  ENG Wayne Gray 0 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 (2) 0
33 GK  IRL Brendan Murphy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
34 FW  NOR Andreas Lund 10 (2) 2 0 0 0 0 10 (2) 2

References

  1. ^ Olsen axed by Wimbledon, BBC News, 1 May 2000
  2. ^ "Dons sent down at the Dell". BBC News. 14 May 2000. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Wimbledon 1999-2000 Results - statto.com". Archived from the original on 27 March 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  4. ^ "FootballSquads - Wimbledon - 1999/00".
  5. ^ Wimbledon: Hammam's new man, BBC News
  6. ^ "Wimbledon FC in FA Premier League 1999/2000 fixture".

Notes

  1. ^ Sullivan was born in Sutton, England, but also qualified to represent Scotland internationally and made his international debut for Scotland in 1997.
  2. ^ Thatcher was born in Swindon, England, and represented England at U-21 level, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally through his grandmother and made his international debut for Wales in March 2004.
  3. ^ Cort was born in Southwark, England, but also qualified to represent Guyana internationally and made his international debut for Guyana in 2011.
  4. ^ Earle was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, England, and was called up for England without playing, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally through his parents and made his international debut for Jamaica in 1997.
  5. ^ Euell was born in Lambeth, England, and represented England at U-21 level, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally through his father and made his international debut for Jamaica in November 2004.
  6. ^ Gayle was born in Hammersmith, London, and represented England at U-18 level, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally through his father and made his international debut for Jamaica in 1998.
  7. ^ Jupp was born in Haslemere, England, but also qualified to represent Scotland internationally and represented Scotland at U-21 level.
  8. ^ Francis was born in Wandsworth, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for Jamaica in 2003.
  9. ^ Ekoku was born in Cheetham, England, but also qualified to represent Nigeria internationally and made his international debut for Nigeria in 1994.
  10. ^ Goodman was born in Waltham Forest, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and made his debut for the Republic of Ireland in 1997.
  11. ^ Agyemang was born in Waltham Forest, England, but also qualified to represent Ghana internationally and made his international debut for Ghana in May 2003.