The 1997–98 season was Chelsea F.C.'s 84th competitive season, their 9th consecutive season in the English top flight and 92nd year as a club.
Season summary With conceding goals being a major issue last season, Chelsea signed Dutch international goalkeeper Ed de Goey, who proved to be a relative success. Chelsea's only other major signings were young Norwegian striker Tore Andre Flo and Uruguayan international midfielder Gustavo Poyet from Real Zaragoza, who added more goals from an otherwise very defensive midfield. Chelsea were well on course for a top-five finish and success in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the League Cup when manager Ruud Gullit was sacked on 12 February following a dispute with chairman Ken Bates. His job went to 33-year-old striker Gianluca Vialli, who took on the role of player-manager and achieved instant success - within three months of his appointment, Vialli had guided the Blues to glory on the continent and at Wembley. This success gave Chelsea fans hope that the following season could spell the end of their title wait which began in 1955.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results FA Premier League
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 4 January 1998 3 Manchester UnitedH3–534,792Le Saux, Vialli (2)
League Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 15 October 1997 3 Blackburn RoversH1–118,671 Di MatteoAfter extra time, Chelsea won on 4–1 on penalties 19 November 1997 4 SouthamptonH2–120,968Morris, Flo 7 January 1998 QF Ipswich TownA2–222,088Le Saux, FloAfter extra time, Chelsea won on 4–1 on penalties 28 January 1998 SF ArsenalA1–238,144Hughes 18 February 1998 SF ArsenalH3–134,330Petrescu, Di Matteo, Hughes 29 March 1998 F MiddlesbroughN2–077,698Sinclair, Di Matteo
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 8 September 1997 1 Slovan BratislavaH2–023,067Danny Granville, Di Matteo 2 October 1997 1 Slovan BratislavaA2–013,850Di Matteo, Vialli 23 October 1997 2 TromsøA2–36,438Vialli (2) 6 November 1997 2 TromsøH7–129,363Leboeuf, Petrescu (2), Vialli (3), Zola 5 March 1998 QF Real BetisA2–131,000Flo (2) 19 March 1998 QF Real BetisH3–132,300Sinclair, Di Matteo, Zola 2 April 1998 SF VicenzaA0–119,319 16 April 1998 SF VicenzaH3–133,810Poyet, Zola, Hughes 13 May 1998 F VfB StuttgartN1–030,216Zola
First team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserve squad
Statistics
Statistics taken from . Squad details and shirt numbers from and .
Transfers
In Laurent Charvet - Cannes, loan Ed de Goey - Feyenoord, £2,250,000, June 1997 Gus Poyet - Real Zaragoza, free, June 1997 Tore André Flo - Brann, £300,000, 1997 Celestine Babayaro - Anderlecht, £2,250,000, 1997 Bernard Lambourde - Bordeaux, 1997 Graeme Le Saux - Blackburn Rovers, £5,000,000, August 1997
Out David Rocastle - Sabah, released, May 1998
Notes
References