1997–98 West Ham United F.C. season

During the 1997–98 English football season, West Ham United F.C. competed in the FA Premier League.

Season summary West Ham United finished eighth in the Premier League in 1997–98. John Hartson was the club’s leading scorer, scoring 15 league goals and 24 in all competitions, while Paul Kitson also featured regularly in attack. Rio Ferdinand established himself in the first team during the season.

West Ham finished eighth with 56 points. They reached the sixth round of the FA Cup and the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

Final league table

Results summary

Results by matchday

Results West Ham United's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 9 August 1997 BarnsleyA2–118,667Hartson, Lampard 13 August 1997 Tottenham HotspurH2–125,354Hartson, Berkovic 23 August 1997 EvertonA1–234,356Watson (own goal) 27 August 1997 Coventry CityA1–118,289Kitson 30 August 1997 WimbledonH3–124,516Hartson, Rieper, Berkovic 13 September 1997 Manchester UnitedA1–255,068Hartson 20 September 1997 Newcastle UnitedH0–125,884 24 September 1997 ArsenalA0–438,012 27 September 1997 LiverpoolH2–125,908Hartson, Berkovic 4 October 1997 SouthamptonA0–315,212 18 October 1997 Bolton WanderersH3–024,864Berkovic, Hartson (2) 27 October 1997 Leicester CityA1–220,201Berkovic 9 November 1997 ChelseaA1–234,382Hartson (pen) 23 November 1997 Leeds UnitedA1–330,031Lampard 29 November 1997 Aston VillaH2–124,976Hartson (2) 3 December 1997 Crystal PalaceH4–123,335Hartson, Berkovic, Unsworth, Lomas 6 December 1997 Derby CountyA0–229,300 13 December 1997 Sheffield WednesdayH1–024,344Kitson 20 December 1997 Blackburn RoversA0–321,653 26 December 1997 Coventry CityH1–024,532Kitson 28 December 1997 WimbledonA2–122,087Kimble (own goal), Kitson 10 January 1998 BarnsleyH6–023,714Lampard, Abou (2), Moncur, Hartson, Lazaridis 17 January 1998 Tottenham HotspurA0–130,284 31 January 1998 EvertonH2–225,909Sinclair (2) 7 February 1998 Newcastle UnitedA1–036,736Lazaridis 21 February 1998 Bolton WanderersA1–125,000Sinclair 2 March 1998 ArsenalH0–025,717 11 March 1998 Manchester UnitedH1–125,892Sinclair 14 March 1998 ChelseaH2–125,829Sinclair, Unsworth 30 March 1998 Leeds UnitedH3–024,107Hartson, Abou, Pearce 4 April 1998 Aston VillaA0–239,372 11 April 1998 Derby CountyH0–025,155 13 April 1998 Sheffield WednesdayA1–128,036Berkovic 18 April 1998 Blackburn RoversH2–124,733Hartson (2) 25 April 1998 SouthamptonH2–425,878Sinclair, Lomas 2 May 1998 LiverpoolA0–544,414 5 May 1998 Crystal PalaceA3–319,129Lampard, Omoyinmi (2) 10 May 1998 Leicester CityH4–325,781Lampard, Abou (2), Sinclair

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR33 January 1998 EmleyH2–118,629Lampard, HartsonR424 January 1998 Manchester CityA2–126,495Berkovic, LomasR514 February 1998 Blackburn RoversH2–225,729Kitson, BerkovicR5R25 February 1998 Blackburn RoversA1–1 (5–4 on pens)21,972HartsonQF8 March 1998 ArsenalA1–138,077PearceQFR17 March 1998 ArsenalH1–1 (3–4 on pens)25,859Hartson

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg 16 September 1997 Huddersfield TownA0–18,525R2 2nd Leg 29 September 1997 Huddersfield TownH3–0 (won 3–1 on agg)16,137Hartson (3)R315 October 1997 Aston VillaH3–020,360Hartson (2), LampardR419 November 1997 WalsallH4–117,463Lampard (3), HartsonQF6 January 1998 ArsenalH1–224,770Abou

Squad

(captain)

Left club during season

Reserve squad

Transfers

In DatePosNameFromFee2 June 1997MFEyal BerkovicMaccabi Haifa£1,750,0009 July 1997DFDavid TerrierMetzFree transfer21 July 1997GKCraig ForrestIpswich Town£500,00015 August 1997DFDavid UnsworthEvertonSwap18 September 1997DFIan PearceBlackburn Rovers£2,300,00026 September 1997DFAndrew ImpeyQPR£1,200,00028 October 1997FWSamassi AbouCannes£250,00029 January 1998MFTrevor SinclairQPR£2,300,00020 February 1998GKStephen BywaterRochdale£300,000

Out DatePosNameToFee14 May 1997DFSlaven BilićEverton£4,500,00015 August 1997MFDanny WilliamsonEvertonSwap12 September 1997DFMarc RieperCeltic£1,400,00025 September 1997MFMichael HughesWimbledon£1,600,00029 January 1998DFKeith RowlandQPRSwap29 January 1998FWIain DowieQPR£1,600,00026 March 1998MFIan BishopManchester CityFree transfer

Transfers in: £8,600,000 Transfers out: £7,500,000 Total spending: £1,100,000

Statistics Appearances and goals

! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Goalkeepers

! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Defenders

! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Midfielders

! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Forwards

! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players who left the club permanently or on loan during the season

References