Manchester United F.C. season 1997–98

Infobox Football club season
club = Manchester United
season = 1997-98
manager = flagicon|SCO Alex Ferguson
chairman = flagicon|ENG Martin Edwards
league = Premier League
league result = 2nd
cup1 = FA Cup
cup1 result = Fifth Round
cup2 = Coca-Cola Cup
cup2 result = Third Round
cup4 = UEFA Champions League
cup4 result = Quarter-final
league topscorer =
Andy Cole (15)
season topscorer =
Andy Cole (25)
highest attendance = 55,306 vs Wimbledon (28 March 1998)
lowest attendance = 41,027 vs Everton (26 December 1997)The 1997-98 season was Manchester United's sixth season in the Premier League, and their 23rd consecutive season in the top division of English football. [cite web |url=http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/seasons/season1998.html |title=Manchester United Season 1997/98 |accessdate=2007-10-08 |publisher=StretfordEnd.co.uk ] The campaign was only their second trophyless season of the decade, after 1994-95, as they were pipped to the Premier League title by Arsenal after entering March with an 11-point lead (although Arsenal had three games in hand), were eliminated from the European Cup by AS Monaco on away goals in the quarter-finals, suffered a shock FA Cup exit at Barnsley in a Fifth Round replay, and suffered a first hurdle exit from the Coca-Cola Cup at the hands of Ipswich Town. The only piece of silverware that the first team picked up all season was the Charity Shield, which was theirs thanks to a penalty shoot-out triumph over Chelsea after a 1-1 draw.

New to the United side for 1997-98 were striker Teddy Sheringham and Henning Berg. Sheringham managed 14 goals and was the club's second highest scorer, but many sources described him as a major disappointment, though perhaps expectations were built up too high as he was succeeding the iconic Eric Cantona. Topping the goalscoring charts for 1997-98 was Andy Cole, who regained his first team place after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer missed the early part of the season due to injury. Misfit Karel Poborsky ended his unhappy 18-month spell at Old Trafford with a mid-season move to Benfica of Portugal, while the end of the season saw the announcement that Brian McClair (the club's longest-serving player) would be leaving on a free transfer after 11 years. Then came the club record £10.75 million acquisition of Dutch international defender Jaap Stam from PSV Eindhoven, which prompted Gary Pallister's £2.5 million return to Middlesbrough after nine years at United. Speculation also mounted that United were about to swoop for Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke or West Ham United's John Hartson, possibly with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Teddy Sheringham going the opposite direction in part exchange.

Pre-season and Friendlies

United won the 1997 Charity Shield against Chelsea 4-2 on penalties, after a 1-1 draw.

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

FA Cup

United beat Chelsea and Walsall easily with 5 goals in each game, to get to the 5th round, and face a Barnsley side that they had beaten 7-0 in the league. Barnsley kept strong for a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, and when the replay was played at Barnsley's home, they managed to defeat United 3-2 to knock them out of the competition.

Transfers

In

ee also

*Manchester United F.C. seasons

References