1997–98 season | |||
Chairman | Peter Hill-Wood | ||
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Manager | Arsène Wenger | ||
Stadium | Highbury | ||
FA Premier League | 1st | ||
FA Cup | Winners | ||
Football League Cup | Semi-finals | ||
UEFA Cup | First round | ||
Top goalscorer |
League: Dennis Bergkamp (16) All: Dennis Bergkamp (22) |
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Highest home attendance | 38,269 vs Everton (3 May 1998) |
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Lowest home attendance | 37,164 vs Crystal Palace (15 February 1998) | ||
Average home league attendance | 37,277 | ||
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The 1997–98 season was the 100th season of competitive football played by Arsenal. Managed by Arsène Wenger in his first full season, the club ended the campaign winning the league championship for the first time in seven years. At Wembley Stadium, Arsenal beat Newcastle United 2–0 in the 1998 FA Cup Final to win the competition and complete a domestic double – the second in the club's history and the first since 1970–71. Arsenal exited the League Cup in the semi-finals to Chelsea and lost on aggregate score to PAOK in the UEFA Cup first round.
In the transfer window, Arsenal purchased several players, including midfielders Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit and goalkeeper Alex Manninger; English midfielder Paul Merson departed to join Middlesbrough. Arsenal began the league season relatively well, but a run of three defeats in four matches between November and December 1997 left the team in sixth position before Christmas, and seemingly out of championship contention. Although they were 12 points behind reigning champions Manchester United at the end of February, a winning streak of nine matches ensured Arsenal won the championship with a 4–0 win over Everton on 3 May 1998.
In recognition of the team's achievement, Wenger was awarded the Carling Manager of the Year award and striker Dennis Bergkamp was given the accolade of PFA Players' Player of the Year by his fellow peers and FWA Footballer of the Year by football writers.