1998–99 in English football

The 1998-1999 season was the 119th season of competitive football in England.

Overview

Premier League

Manchester United overcame close competition from Arsenal and Chelsea to win their fifth Premiership title in seven seasons thanks to the comeback of Roy Keane after his long-term injury and a transfer raid totalling nearly £30million which netted Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke, Parma winger Jesper Blomqvist and PSV defender Jaap Stam. They went on to win a unique treble of the Premiership title, FA Cup and European Cup, which gained manager Alex Ferguson a knighthood.

Nottingham Forest went down to Division One just one season after winning promotion. They had started the season terribly after manager Dave Bassett was sacked and Dutch striker Pierre van Hooijdonk went AWOL. Experienced Ron Atkinson was brought in on a temporary contract but could not stave off relegation. Joining Forest in the Premiership drop zone were Blackburn Rovers (Premiership champions just four years earlier) and Charlton Athletic. Southampton were the lucky team to avoid relegation on the last day of the season, and their remarkable survival also signalled the go-ahead for a new stadium which would be in use for the 2001-02 season.

Division One

Sunderland were crowned Division One champions with 105 points, then a record, having lost just three games all season, to prove right the many pundits who tipped them for promotion. The two other promotion places were secured by two of the division's least fancied sides - runners-up Bradford City (back in the top division for the first time in 77 years) and playoff winners Watford (who had won their second successive promotion during Graham Taylor's second spell as manager).

Bury, Oxford United and Bristol City occupied the three relegation places in Division One. Oxford's dismal season was mainly down to £10 million debts which were putting the club in real danger of closure, and had also resulted in the suspension of construction of their new stadium near the Blackbird Leys estate.

Division Two

Kevin Keegan completed his spell as Fulham manager before taking the England job by guiding the Cottagers to the Division Two championship with a staggering 101 points. Following them up were runners-up Walsall and playoff winners Manchester City.

Going down were York City, Northampton Town, Lincoln City and Macclesfield Town. Narrowly avoiding the drop to Division Three were Oldham Athletic, who just five years earlier had been a Premiership side who came within a whisker of reaching the FA Cup final.

Division Three

Brentford, Cambridge United, Cardiff City and Scunthorpe United occupied the four promotion places in Division Three.

Carlisle United kept their league status in remarkable fashion. They entered the final game of the season in bottom place, and with 90 minutes on the clock in their home game against Plymouth Argyle they were drawing 1-1 and needed a win to stay up. The referee then allowed 4 minutes of stoppage time and with just seconds to go, goalkeeper Jimmy Glass came upfield and scored from a rebounded corner to preserve his club's place in the league which had been held since 1928. Scarborough, who had only joined the league in 1987, were relegated instead. Glass, 25, had been signed on loan from Swindon Town after the transfer line because an injury crisis had left Carlisle without a goalkeeper for the final few games of the season.

FA Cup

Manchester United beat Newcastle United 2-0 to secure their third double triumph in six seasons and completed the second part of their treble glory.

League Cup

Tottenham Hotspur finally had something to shout about as their new manager George Graham guided them to League Cup glory at the expense of Leicester City.

uccessful players

Tottenham's classy French midfielder David Ginola was voted PFA Player of the Year and FWA Player of the Year after helping his employers win the League Cup.

19-year-old Arsenal and France striker Nicolas Anelka was voted PFA Young Player of the Year after his exciting form almost saw his employers repeat their double triumph of the previous season.

Despite having his first-team opportunities limited by the arrival of Dwight Yorke, 33-year-old Teddy Sheringham was able to get into the Manchester United line-up for the FA Cup final to score one of his side's two goals. Four days later he scored an injury time equaliser in the European Cup final followed two minutes later by a last-gasp winner scored by Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who had maintained his reputation as a top class goalscorer despite being included as a substitute for most of United's games during the season.

David Seaman proved himself as (statistically) the most successful goalkeeper in English league history after conceding just 17 league goals in a season with Arsenal.

Kevin Phillips had another prolific season with Sunderland, who won promotion to the Premiership as Division One champions.

uccessful managers

Alex Ferguson was knighted after guiding Manchester United to a unique treble of the Premiership title, FA Cup and European Cup.

George Graham gave Tottenham their first good season for almost a decade by guiding them to League Cup glory.

Peter Reid took Sunderland into the Premiership as Division One champions on 105 points.

Harry Redknapp guided West Ham United to fifth place in the Premiership to secure their first European qualification for nearly 20 years.

Paul Jewell ended Bradford City's 77-year wait for a return to the top division.

Graham Taylor took Watford into the Premiership as they won the Division One playoffs and secured their second successive promotion.

Kevin Keegan finished his spell as Fulham manager by guiding them to the Division Two title with 101 points, before quitting to concentrate on his role as England manager.

Ray Graydon pulled of a major surprise in his first season as Walsall manager by gaining promotion to Division One.

Steve Cotterill, 35, guided Cheltenham Town into the Football League as Conference champions.

Brian Laws took Scunthorpe United out of the league's basement division for the first time in more than a decade after they won the Division Three playoffs.

Biggest rise

Bradford City finished as Division One runners-up and reached the Premiership to end a 77-year absence from the top flight.

Biggest fall

Blackburn Rovers were relegated to Division One just four years after being Premiership champions. They crossed paths with Bradford City, who had narrowly avoided the Division Two drop zone during Blackburn's championship season.

Events

Ferguson knighted after United's treble glory

Manchester United completed a unique treble of the Premiership title, F.A Cup and European Cup.

Part one of United's treble was completed when they beat Tottenham 2-1 on the last day of the season to ensure that Arsenal did not retain the Premiership title. A week later they completed the second part of the treble with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in the F.A Cup final.

United's treble dream looked dead on 26 May as the clock ticked towards 90 minutes in the European Cup final at Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium, with Bayern Munich leading 1-0. Referee Periluigi Collina allowed 3 minutes of stoppage time and within the first minute substitute Teddy Sheringham forced an equaliser and an enormous wave of relief flooded among the United fans. Sheringham's goal looked to have forced extra time, but with the last kick of the game Ole-Gunnar Solskjær scored a winner and United fans and players went wild. Alex Ferguson later questioned whether the spirit of Sir Matt Busby, who would have turned 90 on the day of the triumph, had influenced the outcome of the game.

On 12 June, Alex Ferguson received a knighthood in recognition for his services to football - making him the seventh knight of English football and the third knight to be associated with Manchester United, the others being Matt Busby and Bobby Charlton.

Manchester City mirror United's comeback

Manchester City, who had been favourites to win Division Two, had to settle for a Play-Off Final appearance against Gillingham at Wembley on May 31, 1999. With 80 minutes played Carl Asaba scored for Gillingham, and when Bob Taylor scored a second in the 87th minute it looked like they would be promoted. However in the 90th minute Kevin Horlock scored, and referee Mark Halsey signalled for 5 minutes of stoppage time. In the last of these minutes Paul Dickov scored an equaliser. Ironically, the Gillingham goalkeeper Vince Bartram and Dickov were great friends, both having been the other's Best Man at his wedding. No more goals were scored in extra-time, so the match went to penalties. Manchester City won 3-1. City 'keeper Nicky Weaver saved two of Gillingham's penalties and famously ran around Wembley Stadium in celebration. Paul Dickov, having scored in normal time, watched his penalty hit both posts and rebound out to him. He and Bartram swapped shirts at the end of the match.

Hoddle ousted

On 2 February, the F.A terminated Glenn Hoddle's contract as England manager after he appeared in The Times newspaper and suggested that disabled people were being punished for sins in previous lives. His comments had sparked outrage amongst the disabled community to such an extent that the F.A felt they had no option but to sack him.

The hunt began for his successor. A month later, former Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan agreed to take charge of the England team but stayed on as Fulham manager until the end of the season in order to oversee their Division Two title glory.

New arrivals in Premiership

A year after their dramatic playoff final defeat to Charlton Athletic in a penalty shoot-out, Peter Reid's Sunderland returned to the Premiership after winning the Division One championship with a record 105 points. Sunderland, who had moved into their classy new home - the Stadium of Light - two years earlier, were most people's favourites for promotion to the top flight. But the other two promoted teams were perhaps the most unlikely bet that anyone could have made.

Bradford City, managed by 34-year-old Paul Jewell, had been outside the top division since 1922. Their only claim to fame had been an F.A Cup triumph in 1911. But the inexperienced Jewell surprised all the observers by putting together a strong Bradford side who cruised to second place in Division One and booked their place in the Premiership.

The third and final place in the Premiership went to playoff winners Watford, managed by Graham Taylor for the second time (he had previously been in charge from 1976 until 1987). Taylor had finally achieved some success the previous year in form of the Division Two championship, having endured a torrid time with England and then Wolves. But the playoff triumph of 1999 was more than even Taylor could have expected just a few months earlier.

Glass's last gasp goal keeps Carlisle in league

Carlisle United went into the final game of the 1998-99 Division Three campaign knowing that they had to beat Plymouth Argyle to hang on to the Football League place they had held since 1928. In April, an injury crisis had forced Carlisle to bring in goalkeeper Jimmy Glass on loan from Swindon and the Football League gave permission for the transfer to go ahead despite the transfer deadline having already passed.

With 90 minutes on the clock for Carlisle's home fixture against Plymouth, the referee allowed 3 minutes of stoppage time which gave the Cumbrians hope of survival.

10 seconds before the end of stoppage time, Jimmy Glass ran upfield after a corner was given and slammed the ball into the back of the net to keep Carlisle in the league and send Scarborough down to the Conference.

Blackburn go down

Blackburn Rovers, Premiership champions in 1995, were relegated from the Premiership in 1999 with a side which had been rendered of almost all of its title winning players. Roy Hodgson had arrived as manager in 1997 and achieved UEFA Cup qualification in his first season as manager, only to be sacked the following November as Blackburn found themselves caught up in a relegation battle. Manchester United's successful assistant manager Bryan Kidd was brought in as his successor, and for a while things were looking up. But Blackburn's relegation fight was finally lost after they drew 0-0 at home to Manchester United in the penultimate game of the season.Chairman Jack Walker was now faced with finding the funds to build a side that could win promotion back to the Premiership, 12 months after he handed an open cheque book to Roy Hodgson in hope of winning the league.

League tables

FA Premier League

* For more detail on the Premiership this season see FA Premier League 1998-99

"See also: Play-off results"

NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference

Nationwide League Division Three

Diary of the season

19 July 1998 - Manchester United deny reports that they will be joining a proposed European Super League of up to 32 clubs.

9 August 1998 - Arsenal claim their third trophy of 1998 with a 3-0 win over Manchester United in the Charity Shield.

27 August 1998 - Kenny Dalglish is sacked after 19 months as manager of Newcastle United.

31 August 1998 - Newcastle appoint Ruud Gullit as their new manager, the day before his 36th birthday.

5 September 1998 - Christian Gross is sacked after nine months as manager of Tottenham Hotspur.

9 September 1998 - An inquest records a verdict of suicide on former Norwich City and Nottingham Forest striker Justin Fashanu, who was found hanged at a lock-up garage in London four months ago.

9 September 1998 - Manchester United accepts a £623.4million takeover bid from BSkyB.

1 October 1998 - George Graham quits Leeds United after two years as manager to take over at Tottenham Hotspur.

31 October 1998 - Ron Reeves, a 55-year-old steward, is killed outside Highfield Road stadium after being crushed by the Arsenal team coach just before a game with Coventry City.

12 November 1999 - Peter Schmeichel, goalkeeper of Manchester United since 1991, announces his intention to leave the club at the end of this season.

4 December 1998 - Brian Kidd steps down as Manchester United assistant manager to succeed Roy Hodgson as manager of Blackburn Rovers.

28 January 1999 - Steve McManaman agrees to sign for Real Madrid from Liverpool at the end of the season.

17 March 1999 - The Monopolies and Mergers Commission vetoes BSkyB's takeover of Manchester United.

21 March 1999 - Tottenham Hotspur end their eight-year wait for a major trophy (and European qualification) thanks to a 1-0 win over Leicester City in the League Cup final.

6 May 1999 - Blackburn Rovers are relegated to Division One just four years after being Premier League champions.

16 May 1999 - Manchester United clinch their fifth Premier League title in seven seasons after beating Tottenham 2-1 at home on the final day of the season.

22 May 1999 - Manchester United complete a unique third 'double' of the league title and FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Newcastle at Wembley.

26 May 1999 - Two late goals save Manchester United from the jaws of defeat and they beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in the European Cup final at the Nou Camp to complete a unique treble.

31 May 1999 - Two late goals save Manchester City from the jaws of defeat as they pull Gillingham back to 2-2 in the Division Two Play-Off Final at Wembley. They go on to win 3-1 on penalties to attain their first promotion in 10 years.

12 June 1999 - Alex Ferguson receives a knighthood just over two weeks after guiding Manchester United to the treble.

Famous Debutants

The season saw several future England players make their first-team debuts.
*Steven Gerrard, 18, appears as a late substitute for Liverpool in their win over Blackburn Rovers in November 1998, starting a long career at the heart of the Reds first-team.
* Future England defender Wayne Bridge makes his first-team debut for Southampton in their 2-1 home loss to Liverpool in August 1998.
* 19-year old Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson enjoys several first-team appearances, the first being a goalless draw with Chelsea in October 1998.
* Robinson's Leeds team-mate Alan Smith, 18, made an immediate impact at Liverpool the following month, coming off the bench to score almost instantly.
*Jonathan Woodgate, 18, plays for Leeds in their 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest in October 1998 and ends the season as part of the England side.
* Defender John Terry, 17, plays for Chelsea for the first time in the final minutes of a Football League Cup win over Aston Villa in October 1998.
* Midfielder Joe Cole comes on for West Ham United as a much hyped 17-year old as they draw 1-1 with Swansea City in the FA Cup third round in January 1999, a week before his Premier League debut.

Deaths

*Jackie Blanchflower, 65, was a Manchester United and Northern Ireland centre-half during the 1950s. He suffered a fractured pelvis in the Munich air disaster of 1958 and retired from football following medical advice a year later. He was the younger brother of former Tottenham Hotspur captain Danny Blanchflower (1926-1993).
*Dennis Viollet, 65, was another former Manchester United player (centre-forward) and Munich air disaster survivor. He continued playing after the tragedy and remained on United's payroll until he joined Stoke City in 1962. At the time of his death from cancer, he was living in the United States of America.
*Sir Alf Ramsey, 79, managed England to their finest moment - World Cup glory in 1966. Had played for Tottenham and England during the postwar years and had proved himself as a club manager by winning the league title for Ipswich Town in 1962 - at the end of their first season as a top division club. Remained at the helm with England until 1974, and later had a brief spell as manager of Birmingham City.
*Jonathan Macari son of former Manchester United player Lou Macari, committed suicide after he was rejected by Nottingham Forest.
*Arthur Mann, 51, began his footballing career at Hearts before moving south of the border to play for Manchester City and later Notts County, Shrewsbury Town, Mansfield Town and finally non-league Kettering Town. Was later assistant manager to Alan Buckley at Grimsby Town (1989-1994) and later West Bromwich Albion (1994-1997). Died in an accident at a scrapyard in Birmingham.
*John McGrath, 60, was manager of Preston North End when they won promotion to the Third Division in 1987. As a player he was centre-half for clubs including Newcastle United and Southampton. He died of a heart attack on Christmas Day, six years after leaving his final managerial post at Halifax Town.
*John Osborne, 57, who died of cancer, kept goal for West Bromwich Albion in their 1968 F.A Cup triumph. He began his career with Chesterfield and after reaching the pinnacle of his career with Albion he wound up with Walsall.