1997–98 Leicester City F.C. season

Leicester City

1997–98 season
Chairman	Tom Smeaton
Manager	Martin O'Neill
Stadium	Filbert Street
Premiership	10th
FA Cup	Fourth round
League Cup	Third round
UEFA Cup	First round
Player of the Year	Matt Elliott
Top goalscorer	League: Heskey (10) All: Heskey/Marshall (10)
Highest home attendance	21,699 vs Newcastle United (29 Apr 1998, Premier League)
Lowest home attendance	18,553 vs Wimbledon (10 Nov 1997, Premier League)
Average home league attendance	20,615
Home colours Away colours Third colours
← 1996–97 1998–99 →

During the 1997–98 English football season, Leicester City competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

Leicester City's return to European competition for the first time since the 1960s was short-lived, and they suffered a first-hurdle defeat at the hands of Spanish team Atlético Madrid. Their challenges in the domestic cups fared little better, and a 10th-place finish in the final table was not enough for another UEFA Cup adventure. But they managed to hold on to star players like Neil Lennon and Emile Heskey, and, most importantly, highly rated manager Martin O'Neill, giving fans hope of another challenge for honours in 1998–99.

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
8	West Ham United	38	16	8	14	56	57	−1	56
9	Derby County	38	16	7	15	52	49	+3	55
10	Leicester City	38	13	14	11	51	41	+10	53
11	Coventry City	38	12	16	10	46	44	+2	52
12	Southampton	38	14	6	18	50	55	−5	48

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	13	14	11	51	41	+10	53	6	10	3	21	15	+6	7	4	8	30	26	+4

Results by round

  Win   Draw   Loss

^[1] 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  USA Kasey Keller 4 DF  ENG Julian Watts 5 DF  ENG Steve Walsh (captain) 6 MF  TUR Muzzy Izzet 7 MF  NIR Neil Lennon 8 MF  ENG Scott Taylor 9 FW  ENG Steve Claridge 10 MF  ENG Garry Parker 11 FW  ENG Emile Heskey 14 MF  WAL Robbie Savage 15 DF  SWE Pontus Kåmark 16 MF  SCO Stuart Campbell 17 DF  ENG Spencer Prior 18 DF  SCO Matt Elliott (vice-captain)

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 DF  ENG Robert Ullathorne 20 FW  ENG Ian Marshall 21 MF  ENG Graham Fenton 22 GK  FRA Pegguy Arphexad 23 MF  ENG Sam McMahon 24 MF  ENG Steve Guppy 25 MF  ENG Stuart Wilson 26 FW  SWE Lars-Gunnar Carlstrand 27 FW  ENG Tony Cottee [nb 1] 29 MF  ENG Stefan Oakes 30 GK  ENG Ian Andrews [nb 2] 33 DF  ENG Martin Fox 37 MF  GRE Theodoros Zagorakis

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 3 DF  ENG Mike Whitlow (to Bolton Wanderers) 9 FW  ENG Steve Claridge (to Wolves)

No. Pos. Nation Player 12 FW  ENG Mark Robins (to CD Ourense)

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 - DF  ENG Guy Branston - FW  ENG Lawrie Dudfield

No. Pos. Nation Player - DF  SCO Gary Neil

Directors & Senior Management
Role	Person
President	Ken Brigstock
Chairman	Tom Smeaton
Vice Chairman	John Elsom
Directors	Roy Parker
	Martin George
	Terry Shipman
	John Sharp
Chief Executive	Barrie Pierpoint
Deputy Chief Executive	Charles Rayner

First Team Management & Youth Team Management
Role	Person
First Team Manager	Martin O'Neill
First Team Assistant Manager	John Robertson
First Team Coach	Steve Walford
Goalkeeping Team Coach	Jim McDonagh
Reserve Team Coach	Paul Franklin
Physiotherapist	Mick Yeoman
Physiotherapist	Alan Smith
Youth Academy Manager	David Nish
Head Coach of Youth Development	Neville Hamilton
Youth Development Officer	Steve Sims
Chief Scout	Jim Melrose
Kit Manager	Paul McAndrew

Source: Leicester City F.C.

Date	Pos.	Name	From	Fee
23 July 1997	MF	Robbie Savage	Crewe Alexandra	£400,000
8 August 1997	MF	Graham Fenton	Blackburn Rovers	£1,100,000
14 August 1997	FW	Tony Cottee	Selangor	£500,000
20 August 1997	GK	Pegguy Arphexad	Lens	Free transfer
5 February 1998	MF	Theodoros Zagorakis	PAOK	£750,000

Date	Pos.	Name	To	Fee
17 June 1997	MF	Jamie Lawrence	Bradford City	£50,000
22 June 1997	DF	Neil Lewis	Peterborough United	£75,000
23 July 1997	DF	Simon Grayson	Aston Villa	£1,350,000
2 August 1997	GK	Kevin Poole	Birmingham City	Free transfer
19 September 1997	DF	Mike Whitlow	Bolton Wanderers	£500,000
16 January 1998	FW	Mark Robins	Ourense	Signed
26 March 1998	FW	Steve Claridge	Wolverhampton Wanderers	£350,000

Transfers in: £2,750,000

Transfers out: £2,325,000

Total spending: £525,000

(Starting appearances + substitute appearances)

No.	Pos.	Name	League		FA Cup		League Cup		UEFA Cup		Total		Discipline
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	Kasey Keller	32	0	2	0	1	0	2	0	37	0	2	0
4	DF	Julian Watts	0+3	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	2+3	0	0	0
5	DF	Steve Walsh	23+3	3	1	0	1	0	1	0	26+3	3	3	0
6	MF	Muzzy Izzet	36	4	2	0	0	0	2	0	40	4	6	0
7	MF	Neil Lennon	37	2	2	0	1	0	2	0	42	2	8	0
9	FW	Steve Claridge	10+7	0	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	10+8	0	0	0
10	MF	Garry Parker	15+7	3	2	1	0	0	2	0	19+7	4	1	0
11	FW	Emile Heskey	35	10	2	0	0	0	2	0	39	10	4	1
14	MF	Robbie Savage	28+7	2	2	1	1	0	0+1	0	31+8	3	4	0
15	DF	Pontus Kåmark	35	0	2	0	0	0	2	0	39	0	2	0
16	MF	Stuart Campbell	6+5	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	7+5	0	1	0
17	DF	Spencer Prior	28+2	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	31+2	0	2	0
18	DF	Matt Elliott	37	7	2	0	1	0	2	0	42	7	7	0
19	DF	Robert Ullathorne	3+3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3+3	1	0	1
20	FW	Ian Marshall	22+2	7	2	1	1	1	2	1	27+2	10	2	0
21	FW	Graham Fenton	9+13	3	0+1	0	1	0	0+2	0	10+17	3	1	0
22	GK	Pegguy Arphexad	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	0	0
23	MF	Sam McMahon	0+1	0	0	0	0+1	0	0	0	0+2	0	0	0
24	MF	Steve Guppy	37	2	2	0	1	0	2	0	42	2	4	0
25	MF	Stuart Wilson	0+11	2	0+2	0	0+1	0	0	0	0+14	2	0	0
27	FW	Tony Cottee	7+12	4	0+2	1	1	0	0+1	0	8+15	5	0	0
37	MF	Theodoros Zagorakis	12+2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	12+2	1	1	0