|
Season: 1997-98
Manager: Chris Waddle
Pos: 20th in Division 2
A season of great disappointment, and near-relegation. Chris
Waddle had come in as manager after Adrian Heath had been poached
to become assistant to Howard Kendall at Everton, posts which
neither managed to keep for too long. In both a bid to sign a big
name for prestige, and a desire to keep the fans happy, the
board plumped for Waddle despite a lack of any managerial
experience.
Waddle surrounded himself with the then aide to England manager,
Glen Roeder, and the ex-Aston Villa favourite, Gordon Cowans. He
also spent around ú500K on Lee Howey, Mark Ford and Steve
Blatherwick before the start of the season.
And so, despite the euphoria that began with a 1-0 away defeat at
Watford, Burnley slumped immediately, failing to even score in
their first 6 league games. The first win came in October against
Carlisle, and by then Burnley were in a season-long relegation
fight.
There were several memorable incidents from that season; the
signing of Andy Payton in a swap for the struggling Paul Barnes;
Waddle's extraordinary outburst on local radio after a home win
against Northampton; the introduction of Glen Little and the
team's subsequent transformation. The team's attack improved
dramatically with new service from the wings, but the defence
still haemorrhaged goals.
It seemed that the Clarets had blown it as the last few games
left, with their nearest challengers Brentford and Plymouth with
games in hand. However, they both failed to take their chances
and Burnley's final game saw them needing to defeat Argyle and
hope that Brentford failed to win.
Despite some inept defending, the Clarets triumphed 2-1,
Brentford slipped up, and Burnley achieved the great escape. It
had to be said that they didn't really deserve to stay up that
season, and Waddle left the club "by mutual consent" to be
replaced by Stan Ternent. We are greatful for small mercies.
|
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
| HOME |
14 |
9 |
7 |
43 |
34 |
| AWAY |
4 |
6 |
17 |
28 |
50 |
| Neutral |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| TOTAL |
18 |
15 |
24 |
71 |
84 |
|
League |
| 09.08.1997 |
Watford |
(A) |
0 |
1 |
L |
|
|
|
| 16.08.1997 |
Gillingham |
(H) |
0 |
0 |
D |
|
|
|
| 23.08.1997 |
Southend United |
(A) |
0 |
1 |
L |
|
|
|
| 30.08.1997 |
Bristol Rovers |
(H) |
0 |
0 |
D |
|
|
|
| 02.09.1997 |
Oldham Athletic |
(H) |
0 |
0 |
D |
|
|
|
| 07.09.1997 |
Chesterfield |
(A) |
0 |
1 |
L |
|
|
|
| 13.09.1997 |
York City |
(A) |
1 |
3 |
L |
Barnes |
|
|
| 20.09.1997 |
Preston North End |
(H) |
1 |
1 |
D |
Cooke |
|
|
| 27.09.1997 |
Brentford |
(A) |
1 |
2 |
L |
Ford |
|
|
| 04.10.1997 |
Wycombe Wanderers |
(H) |
2 |
2 |
D |
Creaney (2) |
|
|
| 11.10.1997 |
Carlisle United |
(H) |
3 |
1 |
W |
Creaney (2), Barnes |
|
|
| 18.10.1997 |
Wrexham |
(A) |
0 |
0 |
D |
|
|
|
| 21.10.1997 |
Plymouth Argyle |
(A) |
2 |
2 |
D |
Creaney, Eyres |
|
|
| 25.10.1997 |
AFC Bournemouth |
(H) |
2 |
2 |
D |
Waddle, Creaney |
|
|
| 01.11.1997 |
Walsall |
(H) |
2 |
1 |
W |
Barnes, Cooke |
|
|
| 04.11.1997 |
Luton Town |
(A) |
3 |
2 |
W |
Williams, Creaney, Barnes |
|
|
| 08.11.1997 |
Blackpool |
(A) |
1 |
2 |
L |
Creaney |
|
|
| 18.11.1997 |
Millwall |
(H) |
1 |
2 |
L |
Cooke |
|
|
| 22.11.1997 |
Grimsby Town |
(A) |
1 |
4 |
L |
Weller |
|
|
| 29.11.1997 |
Northampton Town |
(H) |
2 |
1 |
W |
Moore, Barnes |
|
|
| 02.12.1997 |
Bristol City |
(A) |
1 |
3 |
L |
Barnes |
|
|
| 13.12.1997 |
Wigan Athletic |
(H) |
0 |
2 |
L |
|
|
|
| 19.12.1997 |
Fulham |
(A) |
0 |
1 |
L |
|
|
|
| 26.12.1997 |
Chesterfield |
(H) |
0 |
0 |
D |
|
|
|
| 03.01.1998 |
Gillingham |
(A) |
0 |
2 |
L |
|
|
|
| 10.01.1998 |
Watford |
(H) |
2 |
0 |
W |
Cooke (2) |
|
|
| 17.01.1998 |
Bristol Rovers |
(A) |
0 |
1 |
L |
|
|
|
| 24.01.1998 |
Southend United |
(H) |
1 |
0 |
W |
Payton |
|
|
| 31.01.1998 |
York City |
(H) |
7 |
2 |
W |
Brass, Moore, Cooke (3), Payton |
|
|
| 07.02.1998 |
Preston North End |
(A) |
3 |
2 |
W |
Payton, Cooke, Moore |
|
|
| 14.02.1998 |
Wycombe Wanderers |
(A) |
1 |
2 |
L |
Cooke |
|
|
| 21.02.1998 |
Brentford |
(H) |
1 |
1 |
D |
Little |
|
|
| 24.02.1998 |
Wrexham |
(H) |
1 |
2 |
L |
Cooke |
|
|
| 28.02.1998 |
Carlisle United |
(A) |
1 |
2 |
L |
|
|
|
| 07.03.1998 |
Walsall |
(A) |
0 |
0 |
D |
|
|
|
| 14.03.1998 |
Luton Town |
(H) |
1 |
1 |
D |
Payton |
|
|
| 21.03.1998 |
Millwall |
(A) |
0 |
1 |
L |
|
|
|
| 28.03.1998 |
Grimsby Town |
(H) |
2 |
1 |
W |
Little, Payton |
|
|
| 04.04.1998 |
Northampton Town |
(A) |
2 |
1 |
W |
Payton |
|
|
| 07.04.1998 |
Blackpool |
(H) |
1 |
2 |
L |
Payton |
|
|
| 11.04.1998 |
Bristol City |
(H) |
1 |
0 |
W |
Payton |
|
|
| 13.04.1998 |
Wigan Athletic |
(A) |
1 |
5 |
L |
Little |
|
|
| 18.04.1998 |
Fulham |
(H) |
2 |
1 |
W |
Cooke, Payton |
|
|
| 25.04.1998 |
AFC Bournemouth |
(A) |
1 |
2 |
L |
Matthew |
|
|
| 28.04.1998 |
Oldham Athletic |
(A) |
3 |
3 |
D |
Cooke, Weller, Little |
|
|
| 02.05.1998 |
Plymouth Argyle |
(H) |
2 |
1 |
W |
Cooke (2) |
Safety reached |
|
|
FA Cup |
| 15.11.1997 |
Rotherham United |
(A) |
3 |
3 |
D |
Moore, Weller, Cooke |
r1 |
|
| 25.11.1997 |
Rotherham United |
(H) |
0 |
3 |
L |
|
r1 replay |
|
|
AWS |
| 27.01.1998 |
Notts County |
(H) |
2 |
0 |
W |
Little, Cooke |
|
|
| 03.02.1998 |
Carlisle United |
(H) |
4 |
1 |
W |
Vinnicombe, Cooke, Payton, Henderson |
|
|
| 17.02.1998 |
Preston North End |
(H) |
1 |
0 |
W |
Payton |
|
|
| 10.03.1998 |
Grimsby Town |
(A) |
1 |
1 |
D |
Payton |
|
|
| 17.03.1998 |
Grimsby Town |
(H) |
0 |
2 |
L |
|
|
|
|
Coca Cola |
| 12.08.1997 |
Lincoln City |
(A) |
2 |
1 |
W |
Howey |
|
|
| 26.08.1997 |
Lincoln City |
(H) |
2 |
1 |
W |
Cooke, Eyres |
r1 |
|
| 16.09.1997 |
Stoke City |
(H) |
0 |
4 |
L |
|
r2 |
|
| 24.09.1997 |
Stoke City |
(A) |
0 |
2 |
L |
|
r2 |
|
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