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1998–99 Oxford United F.C. season

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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

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

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 England ENG Paul Gerrard (on loan from Everton)
- DF England ENG Les Robinson
- DF England ENG Phil Gilchrist
- DF Canada CAN Mark Watson
- MF England ENG Paul Powell
- MF England ENG Martin Gray
- MF England ENG Joey Beauchamp
- FW England ENG Matt Murphy
- FW Scotland SCO Andy Thomson
- FW England ENG Nicky Banger
- MF England ENG Paul Tait
- GK Sweden SWE Pål Lundin
- DF England ENG Phil Whelan
No. Pos. Nation Player
- FW Saint Kitts and Nevis SKN Kevin Francis
- DF Netherlands NED Brian Wilsterman
- FW Wales WAL Rob Folland
- DF France FRA Christophe Rémy
- FW England ENG Jamie Cook
- MF England ENG Simon Weatherstone
- MF England ENG Tony Wright
- DF England ENG Mark Warren (on loan from Leyton Orient)
- MF England ENG Mickey Lewis
- DF England ENG Steve Davis
- DF England ENG Andrew Rose
- FW England ENG Mike Williams
- GK England 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 England ENG Danny Hill (to Cardiff City)
- GK England ENG Phil Whitehead (to West Bromwich Albion)
- DF England ENG Simon Marsh (to Birmingham City)
No. Pos. Nation Player
- GK England ENG Mike Salmon (on loan from Charlton Athletic)
- MF England ENG David Smith (to Stockport County)
- FW England 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".