1998–99 West Ham United F.C. season

During the 1998–99 English football season, West Ham United F.C. competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

West Ham United
1998–99 season
ChairmanTerry Brown
ManagerHarry Redknapp
StadiumUpton Park
Premiership5th
FA CupThird round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerIan Wright (9)
Highest home attendance26,044 (vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 28 November)
Lowest home attendance23,153 (vs. Southampton, 28 September)
Average home league attendance25,639

Season summary

In the 1998–99 season, the Hammers finished fifth in the Premier League, their second-best placing ever in the top-flight, securing UEFA Cup qualification to mark a return to European competitions after 19 years away.

New additions to the side for the season were goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, defender Neil Ruddock, Marc Keller and Arsenal goalscoring legend Ian Wright, while mid-season arrivals came in the shape of midfielder Marc-Vivien Foé, defender Scott Minto and striker Paolo Di Canio. During the course of the season, several key players left the club, including veteran defender Tim Breacker, unsettled striker John Hartson and winger Andy Impey. April saw the retirement of defender Richard Hall, who had struggled with injuries since his arrival from Southampton in July 1996.

The season also saw the emergence of highly promising midfielder Joe Cole, who played his first eight league games and made a further appearance in the FA Cup.

Final league table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
3Chelsea38201535730+2775Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round
4Leeds United38181376234+2867Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
5West Ham United38169134653−757Qualification for the Intertoto Cup third round
6Aston Villa381510135146+555
7Liverpool38159146849+1954
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Results summary
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
38169134653 −75711353226 +65681427 −13

Results

West Ham United's score comes first[1]

Legend

WinDrawLoss

FA Premier League

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
15 August 1998Sheffield WednesdayA1–030,236Wright
22 August 1998Manchester UnitedH0–026,039
29 August 1998Coventry CityA0–020,818
9 September 1998WimbledonH3–425,311Hartson, Wright (2)
12 September 1998LiverpoolH2–126,029Hartson, Berkovic
19 September 1998Nottingham ForestA0–026,463
28 September 1998SouthamptonH1–023,153Wright
3 October 1998Blackburn RoversA0–325,213
17 October 1998Aston VillaH0–026,002
24 October 1998Charlton AthleticA2–420,043Rufus (own goal), Berkovic
31 October 1998Newcastle UnitedA3–036,744Wright (2), Sinclair
8 November 1998ChelseaH1–126,023Ruddock
14 November 1998Leicester CityH3–225,642Kitson, Lomas, Lampard
22 November 1998Derby CountyA2–031,366Hartson, Keller
28 November 1998Tottenham HotspurH2–126,044Sinclair (2)
5 December 1998Leeds UnitedA0–436,320
12 December 1998MiddlesbroughA0–134,623
19 December 1998EvertonH2–125,998Keller, Sinclair
26 December 1998ArsenalA0–138,098
28 December 1998Coventry CityH2–025,662Wright, Hartson
10 January 1999Manchester UnitedA1–455,180Lampard
16 January 1999Sheffield WednesdayH0–425,642
30 January 1999WimbledonA0–023,035
6 February 1999ArsenalH0–426,042
13 February 1999Nottingham ForestH2–125,458Pearce, Lampard
20 February 1999LiverpoolA2–244,511Lampard (pen), Keller
27 February 1999Blackburn RoversH2–025,529Pearce, Di Canio
6 March 1999SouthamptonA0–115,240
13 March 1999ChelseaA1–034,765Kitson
20 March 1999Newcastle UnitedH2–025,997Di Canio, Kitson
2 April 1999Aston VillaA0–036,813
5 April 1999Charlton AthleticH0–126,041
10 April 1999Leicester CityA0–020,402
17 April 1999Derby CountyH5–125,485Di Canio, Berkovic, Wright, Ruddock, Sinclair
24 April 1999Tottenham HotspurA2–136,089Wright, Keller
1 May 1999Leeds UnitedH1–525,997Di Canio
8 May 1999EvertonA0–640,049
16 May 1999MiddlesbroughH4–025,902Lampard, Keller, Sinclair, Di Canio

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R32 January 1999Swansea CityH1–126,039Dicks
R3R13 January 1999Swansea CityA0–110,116

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st Leg15 September 1998Northampton TownA0–27,254
R2 2nd Leg22 September 1998Northampton TownH1–0 (1–2 on agg)25,435Lampard

Squad

[2]

No.PlayerPositionLge appsLge GlsFAC appsFAC GlsLC appsLC GlsDate signedPrevious club
West Ham United XI 1998–1999
12 Shaka Hislop (Hammer of the Year)GK3702020July 1998Newcastle United
15 Rio FerdinandCB3101010November 1995Academy
19 Ian PearceCB3301020September 1997Blackburn Rovers
6 Neil RuddockCB2702010July 1998Liverpool
8 Trevor SinclairRM36722January 1998Queens Park Rangers
11 Steve Lomas (captain)CM302March 1997Manchester City
18 Frank LampardCM385112July 1995Academy
7 Marc KellerLM17+450010July 1998Karlsruher SC
29 Eyal BerkovicAM28+231+11June 1997Southampton
10 John HartsonCF16+1421February 1997Arsenal
14 Ian WrightCF20+2912August 1998Arsenal
Important players
10 Paolo Di CanioCF12+14January 1999Sheffield Wednesday
20 Scott MintoLWB14+1January 1999Benfica
9 Paul KitsonCF13+43February 1997Newcastle United
13 Marc-Vivien FoéCM13January 1999Lens
4 Steve PottsCB11+812May 1984Academy
17 Stan LazaridisLWB11+421September 1995West Adelaide
3 Julian DicksD9211October 1994Liverpool
16 John MoncurCM6+81June 1994Swindon Town
Other players
20 Andy ImpeyRWB6+21September 1997Queens Park Rangers
30 Javier MargasCB3July 1998Universidad Católica
26 Joe ColeM2+60+1July 1997Academy
2 Tim BreackerRB2+110+1October 1990Luton Town
24 Samassi AbouCF2+10+11October 1997Cannes
22 Craig ForrestGK1+1July 1995Ipswich Town
27 Emmanuel OmoyinmiF0+31+10+1May 1995Academy
28 Chris CoyneCB0+1January 1996Perth SC
25 Lee HodgesM0+1March 1995Academy
40 Gavin HolliganF0+1January 1999Kingstonian
5 Richard HallCB0+1July 1996Southampton

Transfers

In

DatePos.NameFromFee
13 July 1998FW Ian Wright Arsenal£500,000
30 July 1998DF Neil Ruddock Liverpool£100,000
30 July 1998DF Javier Margas Universidad Católica£1,800,000
25 November 1998FW Gavin Holligan Kingstonian£100,000
14 January 1999DF Scott Minto Benfica£1,000,000
27 January 1999FW Paolo Di Canio Sheffield Wednesday£1,750,000
27 January 1999MF Marc-Vivien Foé Lens£4,000,000
9 February 1999MF Jimmy Bullard Ebbsfleet United£30,000

Out

DatePos.NameToFee
1 August 1998DF Lee Goodwin Dagenham & RedbridgeFree transfer
24 November 1998MF Andy Impey Leicester City£1,600,000
25 December 1998GK Luděk Mikloško Queens Park RangersNominal
14 January 1999FW John Hartson Wimbledon£7,500,000
10 February 1999DF Tim Breacker Queens Park RangersFree transfer
12 March 1999DF David Partridge Dundee United£40,000
24 May 1999MF Joe Keith Colchester UnitedFree transfer
Transfers in: £9,280,000
Transfers out: £9,140,000
Total spending: £140,000

References