1998–99 Oxford United F.C. season

During the 1998–99 English football season, Oxford United F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Oxford United
1998–99 season
ManagerMalcolm Shotton
StadiumManor Ground
First Division23rd (relegated)
FA CupFourth round
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Windass (15)
All: Windass (18)
Average home league attendance7,040

Season summary

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During October 1998, the backroom staff at Oxford United were unpaid due to the club's financial situation with the new stadium; the threat of administration caused a group of fans to set up a pressure group called Fighting for Oxford United's Life (FOUL).[1] The group began to publicise the club's plight through a series of meetings and events, including a 'Scarf of Unity', which was a collection of scarfs from various clubs which was long enough to stretch around the perimeter of the pitch.[1] Chairman Robin Herd stepped down to concentrate on his engineering projects, and in April 1999 Firoz Kassam bought Herd's 89.9% controlling interest in Oxford United for £1, with which he also inherited the club's estimated £15 million debt.[2] Kassam reduced the £9 million of the debt to just £900,000, by virtue of a Company Voluntary Arrangement, by which unsecured creditors who were owed over £1,000 were reimbursed with 10p for every pound they were owed.[3] Secured creditors were paid off when Kassam sold the Manor to another of his companies, for £6 million. Kassam set about completing the unfinished stadium, gaining planning permission for a bowling alley, a multiplex cinema, and a hotel to sit next to the stadium, following a series of legal battles which were eventually all settled.[4] The season ended with relegation back to the Second Division.

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
20 Queens Park Rangers 46 12 11 23 52 61 −9 47
21 Port Vale 46 13 8 25 45 75 −30 47
22 Bury (R) 46 10 17 19 35 60 −25 47 Relegation to the Second Division
23 Oxford United (R) 46 10 14 22 48 71 −23 44
24 Bristol City (R) 46 9 15 22 57 80 −23 42
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference
(R) Relegated

Results

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Oxford United's score comes first[5]

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
8 August 1998 Bristol City A 2–2 13,729 Murphy, Windass
15 August 1998 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–2 7,521
22 August 1998 Crystal Palace A 0–2 14,827
29 August 1998 Grimsby Town H 0–0 5,587
31 August 1998 Barnsley A 0–1 15,328
6 September 1998 Portsmouth H 3–0 6,626 Marsh, Windass (2, 1 pen)
9 September 1998 Swindon Town A 1–4 8,305 Banger
12 September 1998 Ipswich Town H 3–3 6,632 Banger, Windass, Thomson
19 September 1998 Sunderland A 0–7 34,567
26 September 1998 Queens Park Rangers H 4–1 7,489 Beauchamp, Murphy, Thomson, Windass
29 September 1998 West Bromwich Albion H 3–0 7,437 Beauchamp, Powell, Marsh
3 October 1998 Huddersfield Town A 0–2 10,968
10 October 1998 Tranmere Rovers H 1–2 5,862 Windass
17 October 1998 Bolton Wanderers A 1–1 17,064 Thomson
20 October 1998 Bury A 0–1 3,436
24 October 1998 Sheffield United H 0–2 6,586
31 October 1998 Crewe Alexandra H 1–1 5,607 Windass
7 November 1998 Watford A 0–2 10,137
14 November 1998 Birmingham City A 1–0 18,216 Murphy
21 November 1998 Port Vale H 2–1 5,964 Windass (pen), Powell
29 November 1998 Norwich City A 3–1 17,851 Wilsterman, Windass, Thomson
5 December 1998 Bradford City H 0–1 5,969
12 December 1998 Birmingham City H 1–7 7,189 Windass
19 December 1998 Stockport County A 0–2 6,500
26 December 1998 Crystal Palace H 1–3 8,375 Windass
28 December 1998 Portsmouth A 2–2 12,604 Banger (2)
9 January 1999 Bristol City H 0–0 9,434
16 January 1999 Grimsby Town A 0–1 6,626
30 January 1999 Barnsley H 1–0 6,174 Windass
6 February 1999 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–1 20,811 Windass
13 February 1999 Swindon Town H 2–0 8,179 Windass (2, 1 pen)
20 February 1999 Ipswich Town A 1–2 16,920 Rémy
27 February 1999 Sunderland H 0–0 9,044
3 March 1999 Queens Park Rangers A 0–1 9,040
6 March 1999 West Bromwich Albion A 0–2 13,875
9 March 1999 Huddersfield Town H 2–2 6,034 Cook, Beauchamp
13 March 1999 Watford H 0–0 8,137
20 March 1999 Crewe Alexandra A 1–3 4,791 Thomson
26 March 1999 Sheffield United A 2–1 14,115 Thomson, Banger
3 April 1999 Bolton Wanderers H 0–0 7,547
5 April 1999 Tranmere Rovers A 2–2 7,837 Weatherstone, Gilchrist
10 April 1999 Bury H 0–1 6,358
17 April 1999 Port Vale A 0–1 7,393
24 April 1999 Norwich City H 2–4 7,345 Wilsterman, Francis
1 May 1999 Bradford City A 0–0 15,064
9 May 1999 Stockport County H 5–0 6,830 Gilchrist, Powell, Beauchamp, Murphy, Thomson

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 2 January 1999 Crewe Alexandra A 3–1 4,207 Windass, Murphy (2)
R4 25 January 1999 Chelsea H 1–1 9,059 Windass
R4R 3 February 1999 Chelsea A 2–4 32,106 Gilchrist, Windass (pen)

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 11 August 1998 Luton Town A 3–2 3,165 Murphy (2), Weatherstone
R1 2nd Leg 18 August 1998 Luton Town H 1–3 (lost 4–5 on agg) 5,099 Whelan

Squad

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[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 Paul Gerrard (on loan from Everton)
- DF   ENG Les Robinson
- DF   ENG Phil Gilchrist
- DF   CAN Mark Watson
- MF   ENG Paul Powell
- MF   ENG Martin Gray
- MF   ENG Joey Beauchamp
- FW   ENG Matt Murphy
- FW   SCO Andy Thomson
- FW   ENG Nicky Banger
- MF   ENG Paul Tait
- GK   SWE Pål Lundin
- DF   ENG Phil Whelan
No. Pos. Nation Player
- FW   SKN Kevin Francis
- DF   NED Brian Wilsterman
- FW   WAL Rob Folland
- DF   FRA Christophe Rémy
- FW   ENG Jamie Cook
- MF   ENG Simon Weatherstone
- MF   ENG Tony Wright
- DF   ENG Mark Warren (on loan from Leyton Orient)
- MF   ENG Mickey Lewis
- DF   ENG Steve Davis
- DF   ENG Andrew Rose
- FW   ENG Mike Williams
- GK   ENG Elliot Jackson

Left club during the season

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
- MF   ENG Danny Hill (to Cardiff City)
- GK   ENG Phil Whitehead (to West Bromwich Albion)
- DF   ENG Simon Marsh (to Birmingham City)
No. Pos. Nation Player
- GK   ENG Mike Salmon (on loan from Charlton Athletic)
- MF   ENG David Smith (to Stockport County)
- FW   ENG Dean Windass (to Bradford City)

References

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  1. ^ a b Brodetsky p.93.
  2. ^ Brodetsky p.94.
  3. ^ Conn, David (29 March 2006). "History repeats itself at Oxford United". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  4. ^ Brodetsky p.97.
  5. ^ "Oxford United 1998-1999 Results - statto.com". Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  6. ^ "All Oxford United players: 1999".