1997-98 in English football

The 1997–98 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.

Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title. They added the FA Cup two weeks later to become only the second English club to repeat the double.

All three newly promoted teams - Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and Crystal Palace - were relegated after just one season in the Premiership.

Everton endured their most difficult season for some 50 years. They finished 17th in the Premiership and only avoided relegation because they had a stronger goal difference than 18th-placed Bolton, although Bolton had a goal wrongfully disallowed against Everton in the first ever match played at The Reebok Stadium. Replays show that Nathan Blake had his elbow in Neville Southalls face so justice was done. Manager Howard Kendall's third reign at the helm came to an end soon afterwards and he was replaced by Walter Smith.

Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers made good progress in the Premiership and achieved UEFA Cup qualification.

Champions Nottingham Forest and runners-up Middlesbrough won promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking. Charlton Athletic won the playoffs to end an eight-year absence from the top flight.

Reading were relegated in bottom place. They were joined on the last day of the season by Manchester City and Stoke City. The blue half of Manchester endured relegation to the third tier of the English league for the first time in its history, despite beating also doomed Stoke 5-2 away on the last day of the season, but neither fans took lightly to relegation, as mass football violence outside outshone the match. Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth and Port Vale all won their games to avoid the drop.

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