1997–98 Luton Town F.C. season

The 1997–98 season was the 112th season in the history of Luton Town F.C. It was Luton Town's 77th consecutive season in the Football League, and their 80th overall. It was their second season back in the Football League Third Division following relegation in the 1995–96 season.

Luton Town
1997–98 season
ChairmanDavid Kohler
ManagerLennie Lawrence
StadiumKenilworth Road
Second Division17th
FA CupFirst round
League CupSecond round
Football League TrophySouthern Semi-final
Top goalscorerLeague:
Tony Thorpe (14)
All:
Tony Thorpe (19)
Highest home attendance9,041 (vs. Watford, Second Division, 4 October 1997)
Lowest home attendance2,816 (vs. Colchester United, League Cup, 26 August 1997)
Average home league attendance5,879

This article covers the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998.

Season summary

During the 1997–98 English football season, Luton Town F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division. It was the second full season of Lennie Lawrences's spell as Luton Town manager. Hopes were high for promotion following Luton's 3rd place finish the previous season, however injuries to key players in September and October saw Luton Town fall into the relegation zone.[1] They subsequently spent the season battling at the wrong end of the division. Luton were in the relegation zone as late as April and only secured their safety following a 2–2 draw with Brentford in the second last game of the season.[2] Luton's survival was due in no small part to the arrival of Rory Allen on loan from Tottenham Hotspur F.C.. Allen arrived at the end of March with Luton Town sitting 23rd in the table with only 8 games remaining. Allen scored 6 goals in that time which resulted in 5 wins and 1 draw for Luton Town[3]

Final league table
Main article: 1997–98 Football League § Second Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
15 Preston North End 46 15 14 17 56 56 0 59
16 York City 46 14 17 15 52 58 −6 59
17 Luton Town 46 14 15 17 60 64 −4 57
18 Millwall 46 14 13 19 43 54 −11 55
19 Walsall 46 14 12 20 43 52 −9 54
Source: [4]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

Luton Town's score comes first[5]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
09 August 1997BlackpoolAway0–16,547
18 August 1997Southend UnitedHome1–05,140Stuart Douglas
23 August 1997FulhamAway0–08,142
30 August 1997Oldham AthleticHome1–15,404Tony Thorpe
02 September 1997MillwallHome0–25,781
09 September 1997Northampton TownAway0–17,246
13 September 1997AFC BournemouthAway1–14,561Dwight Marshall
20 September 1997WrexhamHome2–55,241Steve Davis, Phil Gray
27 September 1997Bristol CityAway0–38,509
04 October 1997WatfordHome0–49,041
11 October 1997Plymouth ArgyleHome3–04,931Tony Thorpe (2), Simon Davies
18 October 1997Wigan AthleticAway1–14,466David Oldfield
21 October 1997Carlisle UnitedAway1–04,341Alan White
25 October 1997BrentfordHome2–05,972Graham Alexander, Tony Thorpe
01 November 1997Wycombe WanderersAway2–26,219David Oldfield, Tony Thorpe
04 November 1997BurnleyHome2–35,315Graham Alexander (2)
08 November 1997Preston North EndHome1–35,767Tony Thorpe
22 November 1997WalsallHome0–14,726
29 November 1997York CityAway2–13,636Graham Alexander, Tony Thorpe
02 December 1997GillinghamHome2–24,408Steve Davis, Tony Thorpe
13 December 1997ChesterfieldAway0–04,358
20 December 1997Bristol RoversHome2–45,266Chris Allen, David Oldfield
26 December 1997NorthamptonHome2–28,035David Oldfield, Tony Thorpe
28 December 1997MillwallAway2–07,461Steve Davis, Tony Thorpe
03 January 1998Southend UnitedAway2–15,056Graham Alexander (2)
10 January 1998BlackpoolHome3–05,574Tony Thorpe (3)
17 January 1998Oldham AthleticAway1–26,057Graham Alexander
24 January 1998FulhamHome1–48,366Tony Thorpe
31 January 1998AFC BournemouthHome1–25,466Marvin Johnson
07 February 1998WrexhamAway1–23,527Steve Davis
14 February 1998WatfordAway1–115,182Marvin Johnson
21 February 1998Bristol CityHome0–06,405
24 February 1998Wigan AthleticHome1–14,403David Oldfield
28 February 1998Plymouth ArgyleAway2–04,846Andrew Fotiadis, Sean Evers
03 March 1998Preston North EndAway0–16,992
07 March 1998Wycombe WanderersHome0–06,114
14 March 1998BurnleyAway1–19,656Mitchell Thomas
21 March 1998Grimsby TownHome2–25,722Sean Evers, Steve Davis
28 March 1998WalsallAway3–23,922David Oldfield, Rory Allen, Dwight Marshall
04 April 1998York CityHome3–05,541Graham Alexander(pen), David Oldfield, Phil Gray
07 April 1998Grimsby TownAway1–04,455Rory Allen
11 April 1998GillinghamAway1–26,846Rory Allen
14 April 1998ChesterfieldHome3–05,884Dwight Marshall, Rory Allen, David Oldfield
18 April 1998Bristol RoversAway1–28,038David Oldfield
25 April 1998BrentfordAway2–26,596Dwight Marshall, Rory Allen
02 May 1998Carlisle UnitedHome3–26,729Sean Evers, (og), Rory Allen

FA Cup
Main article: 1997–98 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R115 November 1997Torquay UnitedHome0–13,446

League Cup
Main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st leg12 August 1997Colchester UnitedAway1–02,840Tony Thorpe
R1 2nd leg26 August 1997Colchester UnitedHome1–12,816Tony Thorpe
R2 1st leg16 September 1997West Bromwich AlbionHome1–13,437Stuart Douglas
R2 2nd leg23 September 1997West Bromwich AlbionAway2–47,227Steve Davis, Tony Thorpe

Football League Trophy
Main article: 1997–98 Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SR206 January 1998BrentfordHome2–13,106Tony Thorpe, David Oldfield
SQF27 January 1998FulhamAway2–15,103Dwight Marshall, Tony Thorpe
SSF17 February 1998AFC BournemouthAway0–15,367

Squad

[6] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  ENG Nathan Abbey
— GK  ENG Kelvin Davis
— GK  USA Ian Feuer
— GK  WAL Andy Dibble
— DF  SCO Graham Alexander
— DF  ENG Steve Davis
— DF  ENG Richard Harvey
— DF  ENG Julian James
— DF  ENG Marvin Johnson
— DF  ENG Gavin McGowan
— DF  NIR Darren Patterson
— DF  ENG Trevor Peake
— DF  ENG Mitchell Thomas
— DF  ENG Alan White
— DF  ENG Bryan Small
— DF  IRL Gary Doherty
— DF  SCO Stuart Fraser
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  ENG Chris Willmott
— MF  ENG Sean Evers
— MF  ENG Paul McLaren
— MF  ENG David Oldfield
— MF  ENG Paul Showler
— MF  IRL Gary Waddock
— MF  ENG Chris Allen
— MF  ENG Matthew Spring
— MF  ENG Robert Kean
— MF  WAL Simon Davies
— FW  ENG Stuart Douglas
— FW  ENG Andrew Fotiadis
— FW  IRL Liam George
— FW  JAM Dwight Marshall
— FW  ENG Tony Thorpe
— FW  NIR Phil Gray
— FW  ENG Rory Allen

Player statistics
Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup FL Trophy Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
MF David Oldfield 4591041305310
MF Paul McLaren 41 (2)010402048 (2)0
DF Steve Davis 395004020455
DF Graham Alexander 398102020448
MF Gary Waddock 34 (2)010400 (2)039 (4)0
DF Mitchell Thomas 28 (2)100202032 (2)1
FW Tony Thorpe 27 (1)14102 (1)21 (1)031 (3)16
GK Kelvin Davis 320000010330
DF Alan White 26 (2)110103031 (2)1
FW Dwight Marshall 19 (10)400212023 (10)5
DF Darren Patterson 2300 (1)0003026 (1)0
MF Sean Evers 14 (8)300203019 (8)3
MF Simon Davies 8 (11)10 (1)03 (1)03014 (13)1
DF Julian James 23 (1)010100025 (1)0
FW Stuart Douglas 5 (11)1003 (1)0008 (12)1
FW Phil Gray 14 (3)200100 (1)015 (4)2
MF Chris Allen 141000030171
GK Ian Feuer 130101020170
FW Andrew Fotiadis 5 (11)11000006 (11)1
DF Bryan Small 160000000160
DF Marvin Johnson 12 (1)200300015 (1)2
MF Matthew Spring 6 (6)01000007 (6)0
DF Richard Harvey 6 (1)0102 (1)01010 (2)0
DF Gary Doherty 1 (8)00 (1)000001 (9)0
FW Rory Allen 8600000086
DF Gavin McGowan 6 (2)00000006 (2)0
FW Liam George 10000 (2)00 (1)01 (3)0
GK Andy Dibble 1000200030
DF Stuart Fraser 1000000010
GK Nathan Abbey 0000100010
MF Robert Kean 0 (1)00000000 (1)0
MF Paul Showler 0 (1)00000000 (1)0
DF Trevor Peake 0 (1)00000000 (1)0
—own goal—1—0—0—0—1

References
  1. "Luton Town match report 27 September 1997 – HattersHeritage" (PDF). Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  2. "Luton Town match report 25 April 1998 – HattersHeritage" (PDF). Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  3. "Luton Town match report 02 May 1998 – HattersHeritage" (PDF). Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  4. "England 1997–98". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  5. "Luton Town matches for the season 1997/98 – HattersHeritage". Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  6. "All Luton Town players: 1998".
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