1897 Wellington City mayoral election
The 1897 Wellington City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.


1897 Wellington City mayoral election, Background
In 1897 incumbent Mayor Francis Bell retired leading to the chairman of the Wellington Education Board John Rutherford Blair being elected to office as the new Mayor of Wellington, beating challenges from MP George Fisher (a former mayor).


1897 Wellington Suburbs by-election
The Wellington Suburbs by-election of 1897 was a by-election held on 23 April 1897 during the 13th New Zealand Parliament in the urban lower North Island electorate of Wellington Suburbs.


1897 Wellington Suburbs by-election, Background
Thomas Wilford won the Wellington Suburbs seat in the 1896 election for the Liberal Party. However, he was subsequently declared guilty of corrupt electoral practices after an electoral petition was lodged after it was revealed he exceeded the £200 campaign spending limit which had been introduced for the election. As a result, the election was declared void.


1897 Wellington Suburbs by-election, Background
The subsequent by-election for Wilford's seat was a two-way contest. Academic Charles Wilson contested the seat in the interests of the Liberal Government and Arthur Atkinson stood on behalf of the opposition. Wilson was successful in retaining the electorate for the Liberals, with a slightly reduced majority.


1897 Wellington Suburbs by-election, Results
Wilson retired in 1899 when the next general election was held, and Wilford won the seat back on behalf of the Liberal Party. Two years later, Wilson was appointed as the first chief librarian of the Parliamentary library. Some saw this as controversial and merely a reward by the Liberal Government for his prior services to the Liberal Party.


1897 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 1897 West Virginia Mountaineers football team was an American football team that represented West Virginia University as an independent during the 1897 college football season. In its first and only season under head coach George Krebs, the team compiled a 5–4–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 92 to 45. Henry M. White was the team captain.


1897 Western Australian colonial election
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia between 27 April and 26 May 1897 to elect 44 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The Ministerialist group led by John Forrest won a third term in office as a result of the elections. The poll took place based on boundaries established in the Constitution Act Amendment Act 1896, which increased the number of members from 33 mainly by adding new seats in the Goldfields region, and had been called a year earlier than was necessary. In 18 of the 44 seats, only one candidate nominated and polls were not held.


1897 Western Australian colonial election
As payment of members was not introduced until 1900, the Political Labour Party, formed in 1896, had found it difficult to attract candidates who could afford to enter Parliament, but three of its candidates ran for election, and Charles Oldham, a former president of the Trades and Labor Council, became the first Labour member of Parliament in Western Australia.


1897 Western Conference football season
The 1897 Western Conference football season was the second season of college football played by the member schools of the Western Conference (later known as the Big Ten Conference) and was a part of the 1897 college football season.


1897 Western Conference football season
Wisconsin, coached by Philip King, won its second consecutive conference championship with a record of 9–1 (3–0 against conference opponents). The Badgers' sole loss was against a team of Wisconsin alumni. The Badgers shut out eight opponents and outscored all opponents, 210 to 14. On defense, the team led the conference, allowing an average of 1.4 points per game. Pat O'Dea, an Australian who played fullback and excelled as a kicker, starred for the Badgers.


1897 Western Conference football season
Chicago, coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg, finished in second place with an 11–1 record. On offense, Chicago led the conference with an average of 26.9 points per game. The most important game of the Western Conference season was played between Chicago and Wisconsin on November 13, 1897, at Marshall Field in Chicago. Wisconsin won the game, 23-8.


1897 Western Conference football season
Three Western Conference players from the 1897 season were later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame: O'Dea of Wisconsin; fullback Clarence Herschberger of Chicago; and end Neil Snow of Michigan.


1897 Western Conference football season, Season overview, Results and team statistics
PPG = Average of points scored per gamePAG = Average of points allowed per game


1897 Western Conference football season, Season overview, Regular season
Only 10 conference games were played during the 1897 season as follows:


1897 Western Conference football season, Season overview, Regular season
Notable non-conference games during the 1897 season included the following:


1897 Western Conference football season, Awards and honors, All-Western players
An All-Western team was selected by The Northwestern, consisting of the following players:


1897 Western Conference football season, Awards and honors, All-Americans
No Western Conference players were selected for the 1897 College Football All-America Team.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team
The 1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team was an American football team that represented the Western University of Pennsylvania (now known as the University of Pittsburgh) as an independent during the 1897 college football season.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Season recap
On December 8, 1896, Thomas "Doggie" Trenchard was engaged to train the Western University of Pennsylvania (WUP) athletes commencing on January 1. His appointment rekindled hope that WUP would regain some measure of respect in athletic competitions. Trenchard was an 1895 graduate of Princeton University, where he played baseball and football all four years and captained the undefeated 1893 Princeton Tigers football team that won the national championship. Upon graduation, he coached at the University of North Carolina for the 1895 season and then at West Virginia University for the 1896 season prior to taking the position with WUP.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Season recap
According to the Western University Courant, the reason for the ineptitude of the athletic programs was twofold. First, the transfer students who were athletes preferred to play for the local club teams. Second, the remaining student body was too apathetic to be bothered with the rigors of training for a spot on the team. The Pittsburg Press analyzed the season best -


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Season recap
"This institution (W.U.P.) had the advantage of a first class coach. There are few better players than Coach Trenchard, but somehow W.U.P. could not get together a team worthy to play under the colors. There was a lack of interest among the men and the faculty. Trenchard worked hard. There were players in the college, but sometimes they would put in an appearance for practice and sometimes they would not. The latter was most frequently the case, and so the hands of the coach were practically tied. It is understood that the university will make greater efforts to get together a winning team next year. Already preparations are under way and if present plans pan out well W.U.P. will be in a position to cope with any eleven this end of the state."


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Season recap
In its first and only season under head coach Thomas Trenchard, the team compiled a 1–3 record and was outscored by a total of 91 to 9.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, Pittsburgh High School
On October 8, 1897, the WUP eleven played a practice game against the Pittsburgh High School team. The game consisted of 15-minute halves. The WUP eleven played a sloppy game and were unable to score until coach Trenchard inserted himself into the lineup and carried the ball over the goal line in the final two minutes. The final score was 4–0 in favor of WUP. Coach Trenchard's early season frustrations were summarized best in the October 22nd issue of The Pittsburg Press:


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, Pittsburgh High School
"W.U.P. is making great efforts to get together a football team. At least Coach Trenchard is trying to. If Trenchard had more hearty co-operation of the students and faculty the prospects for a champion team would certainly be brighter."


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, Pittsburgh High School
The starting lineup for the game with Pittsburgh High was Al Marshall (left end), Mitchell (left tackle), McDonald (left guard), Reidle (center), Watt (right guard), Kauffman (right tackle), Riley (right end), Kintner (quarterback), Morrow (left halfback), Sample (right halfback) and Kier (fullback). Coach Trenchard replaced Kier at fullback.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, at Latrobe Athletic Association
The Latrobe Athletic Association was their next opponent. In 1897, the Latrobe eleven was made up of all professional players. The game at Latrobe, Pa. started on a positive note for The Western U., as the offense with coach Trenchard at halfback, moved the ball to the 10-yard line. The Latrobe defense stiffened and the WUP offense did not come close to scoring again, even though Coach Trenchard had Robinson and Sterrett of the Greensburg A. A. and Rosenbloomm of the P. A. C. in the lineup. Latrobe Halfback Saxman scored two touchdowns in the first half.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, at Latrobe Athletic Association
Ed Abbaticchio kicked the goals after to make the halftime score 12–0 in favor of Latrobe. The second half featured multiple touchdowns by Latrobe. Walter Howard, Campbell and Ed Abbaticchio each crossed the goal for Latrobe and Abbaticchio converted the kicks after making the final score 30–0. Coach Trenchard signed a contract with the Latrobe team after the game.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, at Latrobe Athletic Association
The WUP lineup for the game with Latrobe was Al Marshall (left end), B. L. Rosenbloom (left tackle), McConkey (left guard), John Blackadore (center), Herman Watt (right guard), Donaldson (right tackle), Albert Riley (right end), S. M. Kier (quarterback), Thomas Trenchard (right halfback), Fred Robinson (left halfback) and William Sterrett (fullback). Victor King replaced Al Marshall at end.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, at Greensburg Athletic Association
With Coach Trenchard out of the lineup due to injuries sustained while playing for Latrobe, the WUP eleven traveled to Greensburg, Pa. to take on the other local "professional" Club team, the Greensburg Athletic Association. Coach Trenchard refereed the game consisting of two twenty minute halves. The men of Greensburg were much too strong for the University eleven and won the game handily by a score of 47–0. The Greensburg team of 1897 had 27 players and was able to use many scrubs in this game. The Greensburg Athletic Association and Washington & Jefferson Presidents ended the season with the best football records in Pennsylvania.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, at Greensburg Athletic Association
The WUP lineup for the Greensburg game was Collins (left end), B. L. Rosenbloom (left tackle), Kauffman (left guard), Graw (center), Herman Watt (right guard), Harry Donaldson (right tackle), Albert Riley (right end), William Shaler (quarterback), John Morrow (left halfback), Rex (right halfback) and S. M. Kier (fullback). Sterrett and Robinson, who played for WUP versus Latrobe, were in the starting lineup for Greensburg.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, at Waynesburg
Coach Trenchard returned to his fullback position for the Western University's final game of 1897 with Waynesburg College at Waynesburg, Pa..  Waynesburg scored on their opening drive and Ullom kicked the goal after to make the score 6–0. Later in the first half, halfback Sadler of Waynesburg scored a touchdown to make the score 10–0 at the break. Early in the second stanza, Waynesburg scored another touchdown but failed on the kick to bring the score to 14–0. Late in the game the WUP offense advanced the ball down the field to the five-yard line and Trenchard kicked a field goal. WUP avoided another shutout but lost 14–5.


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Game summaries, at Waynesburg
The WUP lineup for the Waynesburg game was Collins (left end), Blackadore (left tackle), Kauffman (left guard), Graw (center), King (right end), B. L. Rosenbloom (right tackle), Herman Watt (right guard), Shaler (quarterback), Robert Sample (left halfback), Albert Riley (right halfback) and Thomas Trenchard (fullback).


1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team, Roster
The roster of the 1897 Western University of Pennsylvania football team:


1897 William & Mary Orange and White football team
The 1897 William & Mary Orange and White football team represented the College of William & Mary during the 1897 college football season.


1897 Wimbledon Championships
The 1897 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on the outdoor grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. The tournament ran from 21 June until 1 July. It was the 21st staging of the Wimbledon Championships, and the first Grand Slam tennis event of 1897. No matches were played on the first Tuesday to mark Queen Victoria's jubilee. Reginald Doherty defeated Harold Mahony in the Challenge Round, and successfully defended his title for the next three years.


1897 Wimbledon Championships, Champions, Gentlemen's Doubles
Laurence Doherty /  Reginald Doherty defeated  Herbert Baddeley /  Wilfred Baddeley, 6–4, 4–6, 8–6, 6–4


1897 Wimbledon Championships – Gentlemen's Doubles
Laurence Doherty and Reginald Doherty defeated Clement Cazalet and Sydney Smith 6–2 7–5 2–6 6–2 in the All Comers' Final, and then defeated the reigning champions Herbert Baddeley and Wilfred Baddeley 6–4, 4–6, 8–6, 6–4 in the Challenge Round to win the Gentlemen' Doubles tennis title at the 1897 Wimbledon Championships.


1897 Wimbledon Championships – Gentlemen's Singles
Reginald Doherty defeated Wilberforce Eaves 6–3, 7–5, 2–0 (retired) in the All Comers' Final, and then defeated the reigning champion Harold Mahony 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 in the Challenge Round to win the Gentlemen's Singles tennis title at the 1897 Wimbledon Championships.


1897 Wimbledon Championships – Ladies' Singles
Blanche Hillyard defeated Alice Pickering 6–2, 7–5 in the All Comers' Final, and then defeated the reigning champion Charlotte Cooper 5–7, 7–5, 6–2 in the Challenge Round to win the Ladies' Singles tennis title at the 1897 Wimbledon Championships.


1897 Wisconsin Badgers football team
The 1897 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin in the 1897 Western Conference football season.


1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships
The 1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships took place on 5, 6 and 9 February 1897 at the ice rink Crystal Stadium in Montréal, Canada. It was the first World championship outside of Europe. Canada had the honour of organizing this World championship because it was the first non-European member of the International Skating Union.


1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships
Jaap Eden was the defending champion, but he stopped with ice skating after the 1896 season and did not defend his title. He started a career as cyclist.


1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships
The Norwegian Alfred Næss won the first distance (500 meters) and the Canadian Jack McCulloch the second distance (5000 meters). At the third distance (1500 meters), Næss and McCulloch dead-heated for the fastest time, meaning a skate-off was needed to decide who was the winner and still able to win three distances.


1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships
After McCulloch won the skate-off, he won the 10000 meters, with only three others starting, and became World Champion.


1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships
Two days later, officials discovered an error in measuring the 5000 meter course, meaning the competitors had skated 4200 meters: two laps too few.


1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships
The results were annulled, and the next morning (9 February), the 5000 meters was re-skated, though some skaters had already left Canada, meaning only four skaters took part. McCulloch won again, and was confirmed as World Champion.


1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships, Rules
One could only win the World Championships by winning at least three of the four distances, so there would be no World Champion if no skater won at least three distances.


1897 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion.


1897 World Figure Skating Championships
The competition took place from February 13th to 14th in Stockholm, Sweden. All judges came from the same country – Sweden.


1897 World Figure Skating Championships
Gustav Hügel won the competition despite a tendon strain. He got this injury when he was training in Hamburg, Germany.


1897 Wyoming Cowboys football team
The 1897 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming during the 1897 college football season. In its fourth season under head coach Justus F. Soule, a professor of Latin and Greek, the team compiled a perfect 2–0 record, consisting of victories over a team made up of the school's alumni and the Cheyenne High School team. Harry Houston was the team captain. In the program's first four years under coach Soule (1894-1897), the football team compiled an 8-0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 148 to 26.


1897 Yale Bulldogs football team
The 1897 Yale Bulldogs football team represented Yale University in the 1897 college football season. The team finished with a 9–0–2 record and was retroactively named as a co-national champion by one selector, Parke H. Davis.


1897 Yellow River flood
The 1897 Yellow River flood was a major natural disaster during the late Qing dynasty in China.


1897 Yellow River flood
After millennia of meandering north and south of the Shandong peninsula, the 1897 flood resulted in the course of the Yellow River generally followed to this day.


1897 college baseball season
The 1897 college baseball season, play of college baseball in the United States began in the spring of 1897. Play largely consisted of regional matchups, some organized by conferences, and ended in June. No national championship event was held until 1947.


1897 college baseball season, Conference winners
This is a partial list of conference champions from the 1897 season.


1897 college football season
The 1897 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing Penn and Yale as having been selected national champions.


1897 in Afghanistan
The following lists events that happened during 1897 in Afghanistan.


1897 in Afghanistan
The amir's realm is quiet during the year. Suspicions that Abdur Rahman Khan is acting unfaithfully towards the British are dispelled by his loyal attitude in refusing to aid the rebel tribesmen engaged in the frontier war, or even to sympathize with them. Across the Indian border the First Mohmand Campaign in the North-West Frontier Province starts in August 1897.


1897 in Afghanistan, January 1897
The Kamdesh Kafirs are being rapidly disarmed. The headmen of the villages in the Bashgal Valley send a deputation to the sipah salar (commander-in-chief) requesting him to keep back the force that is to be sent to collect arms in every village, promising themselves to collect the knives, guns, and other weapons, and to hand them over to the Afghans.


1897 in Afghanistan, May 1897
The amir withdraws the officials and irregular soldiers who occupied for a year the Mittai Valley in contravention of the Durand Line Agreement.


1897 in Afghanistan, September 6 and 7, 1897
Nearly 150 shops in the Kabul city bazaar are destroyed by fire, and several lives are lost.


1897 in Argentine football
1897 in Argentine football saw Lomas win its 4th Primera División championship within 5 seasons played. Lomas won the title after winning the 2nd replay of the playoff against Lanús Athletic. The players of Lomas Academy (dissolved last year) returned to the main team.


1897 in Argentine football
Lanús A.C., Banfield and Palermo A.C. debuted while Belgrano A.C. registered a "B" team.


1897 in Australia
The following lists events that happened during 1897 in Australia.


1897 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1897.


1897 in Australian literature, Births
A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1897 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.


1897 in Australian literature, Deaths
A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1897 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.


1897 in Australian soccer
The 1897 season was the 14th season of competitive association football in Australia.


1897 in Australian soccer, Cup competitions
(Note: figures in parentheses display the club's competition record as winners/runners-up.)


1897 in Canada, Historical Documents
Cree leader Almighty Voice pursued and killed by North-West Mounted Police in Saskatchewan


1897 in Canada, Historical Documents
Annual report of Indian agent for Kootenay Agency in British Columbia


1897 in Canada, Historical Documents
Anglican missionary conducts church services on his dogsled trip around northwest Alberta


1897 in Canada, Historical Documents
Kipling's poem "Our Lady of the Snows" acknowledges Canada's solidarity but independence in its relations with Britain (Note: "white man" used)


1897 in Canada, Historical Documents
Lack of food and other boomtown problems discourage some Dawson City residents


1897 in Canada, Historical Documents
British railway labourers in western Canada treated as slaves before escaping


1897 in Canadian football, Canadian Football News in 1897
The Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union was formed after the conclusion of the 1897 season.


1897 in Canadian football, Canadian Football News in 1897
In the Manitoba Rugby Football Union, the Royal Canadian Dragoons dropped out of competition in the spring of 1898. The three remaining teams finished the schedule in a three-way tie for first place. Tie-breaker games could not be scheduled as the college teams were involved in final exams.


1897 in Canadian football, Canadian Football News in 1897, Final regular season standings
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points


1897 in Canadian football, Dominion Championship
1897 Dominion Championship Game: Montreal AAA Grounds - Montreal, Quebec


1897 in Chile
The following lists events that happened during 1897 in Chile.


1897 in India
Events in the year 1897 in India.many great leaders were killed and the revolt of 1897 was suppressed. This was called the biggest the revolt of Indian independence.


1897 in Italy, Events
In 1897 the wheat harvest in Italy was substantially lower than the years before; it fell from on average 3.5 million tons in 1891–95 to 2.4 million tons that year. Increasing wheat prices caused social unrest.


1897 in New Zealand
The following lists events that happened during 1897 in New Zealand.


1897 in New Zealand, Incumbents, Government and law
The 13th New Zealand Parliament continues with the Liberal Party in power.


1897 in New Zealand, Sport, Athletics
Arthur Holder is the first athlete to win four titles at a single championships (he is also second in the 100 yards).


1897 in Norwegian music
The following is a list of notable events and releases of the year 1897 in Norwegian music.


1897 in South Africa
The following lists events that happened during 1897 in South Africa.


1897 in South Africa, Railways, Locomotives
Two new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the Cape Government Railways (CGR):


1897 in Swedish football
The 1897 season in Swedish football, starting January 1897 and ending December 1897:


1897 in Uruguay, Deaths
This article article about the history of Uruguay is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .


1897 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1897 to Wales and its people.


1897 in association football
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by BHGbot (talk | contribs) at 22:12, 18 June 2020 (WP:BHGbot 6 (List 5): eponymous category first, per MOS:CATORDER; WP:GENFIXES). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


1897 in association football
The following are the association football events of the year 1897 throughout the world.


1897 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the year 1897  throughout the world.


1897 in basketball
The following are the basketball events of the year 1897  throughout the world.


1897 in film
The following is an overview of the events of 1897 in film, including a list of films released and notable births.


1897 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1897.


1897 in paleontology
Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1897.


1897 in paleontology, Dinosaurs
If properly described, it would have become a junior objective synonym of Polacanthus.


1897 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1897 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1897 in rail transport
This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1897.


1897 in rail transport, Events, June events
June 11 – The Welshampton rail crash in England kills 12.


1897 in science
The year 1897 in science and technology involved some significant events, listed below.


1897 in sports
1897 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.


1897 in the Congo Free State
The following lists events that happened during 1897 in the Congo Free State.


1897 in the Philippines
This is a list of notable events that happened in the Philippines in the year 1897.


1897 in the United Kingdom
Events from the year 1897 in the United Kingdom. This year was the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.


1897 École des Beaux-Arts vs. Académie Julian football game
The 1897 École des Beaux-Arts vs. Académie Julian football game was a college football game between American students of the École des Beaux-Arts and the Académie Julian, played on Thanksgiving Day November 25, 1897 at 2:30 pm in Levallois near Paris, France. Considered the first American football game ever played in Europe. The game was promoted by Robert D. Farquhar and was played on the grounds owned by the Racing Club de France.


1897 École des Beaux-Arts vs. Académie Julian football game, The Teams
The teams were to consist of American students, mostly architects, lived in Paris.


1897–1898 Costa Rican general election
The 1897–1898 Costa Rican general election was held on 12 December of that year under very questionable conditions. Consecutive re-election was forbidden by the Constitution however incumbent president Rafael Yglesias Castro forced a constitutional amendment allowing it to let himself became candidate. He was also the only candidate on that election. Yglesia's main opposition the Republican Party called for abstention.


1897–98 Aston Villa F.C. season
The 1897–98 Football League season was Aston Villa's 10th season in the Football League First Division, the top flight of English football. George Ramsay would continue in charge of Aston Villa while the  Management Committee continued to pick the team. The season fell in what was to be called Villa's golden era.


1897–98 Aston Villa F.C. season
First-class cricketer and England football international, Jack Devey  was  Captain. Jimmy Crabtree also captained the team. "Diamond" Freddie Wheldon was League top scorer with 21.


1897–98 Aston Villa F.C. season
Billy Garraty great-great grandfather of Jack Grealish, made his league debut for Aston Villa during the season but made just one other appearance that year.


1897–98 Belgian First Division
The 1897–98 Belgian First Division was a season of the Belgian First Division, the top-level association football league in Belgium. In its third year of operation, the league was contested by five teams. F.C. Liégeois won the championship.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season
The 1897–98 season was Blackpool F.C. 's second consecutive season in the Football League. They competed in the sixteen-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing eleventh.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season
New signings for the season included Jack Cox from South Shore, Jack Leadbetter, Frank Wilson, and McHardie. Out had gone Fred Thompson (after making only six appearances the previous season), Tom Bradshaw, and John Clarke.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season
Cox was the club's top scorer, with twelve goals in seventeen appearances. Goalkeeper William Douglas was ever-present throughout the club's 30 league games for the second consecutive season.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
The season commenced with a trip to local rivals Burnley. The hosts won 5–1, and even Blackpool's goal was scored by a Clarets player.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Seven days later, the fixture was reversed. Jimmy Martin, Blackpool's second-top scorer the previous season, scored the home side's goal in a 1–1 draw.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Three consecutive defeats followed: 2–0 at home to Manchester City, 1–0 at Newton Heath, and 4–1 at Gainsborough Trinity. Laurence Halsall scored Blackpool's goal in the latter game.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
On 9 October, Blackpool recorded their first win of the season, 2–1 at home to Burton Swifts. Jack Cox, in only his second start for the club since his arrival from South Shore, scored both Blackpool goals.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Cox scored another brace in the following game, a 4–1 victory over Small Heath at Stanley Park's Athletic Grounds. John Clarkin and Bob Birkett netted the other goals for the home side.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
On 23 October, Blackpool travelled to Newcastle United and returned empty-handed after a 2–0 defeat.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
November proved to be a fruitless month, with defeats at Leicester Fosse (4–1), Darwen (3–1), Woolwich Arsenal (2–1) and Luton Town (3–1). Martin scored Blackpool's goals in the first three losses, and Clarkin in the final one.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
After a three-week break, Blackpool beat Gainsborough Trinity 5–0 at the Athletic Grounds. Cox, Harry Stirzaker and Jack Parkinson scored, alongside two own-goals by the visitors.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Cox scored two more in the following game a week later, a 3–2 home defeat by Newcastle.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
1897 was closed out with a 6–0 defeat at Walsall.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Blackpool began the New Year with a 3–3 draw at home to Woolwich Arsenal. Cox netted twice, with Birkett also scoring.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
On 8 January, Parkinson and Martin combined to lift Blackpool to a 2–1 victory over Leicester Fosse.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Continuing their inconsistent season, the Seasiders lost the following game, their third consecutive home match, 4–0 to Newton Heath.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
At the end of the month, Blackpool travelled to Small Heath and recorded a 3–2 victory. Parkinson, Martin and Cox were the scorers.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
February began with a defeat, 3–2 at Lincoln City; however, Blackpool exacted revenge six days later in the return match: two goals apiece from Birkett and Cox, plus one more from Parkinson, gave them a 5–0 victory. This was Cox's final appearance for Blackpool before he was sold to Liverpool, but his twelve goals remained unbeaten in the remaining nine games.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Birkett scored in the following game, at Burton Swifts on 26 February, but he could not carry them to victory, Swifts winning 2–1.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Blackpool didn't play again until 19 March, when they travelled to Grimsby Town. The home side won 3–0.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Seven days later, Blackpool hosted Loughborough. Goals from Birkett and Jack Leadbetter, his first of the season, gave Blackpool a 2–0 victory.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
March ended with a 3–3 draw at Manchester City, featuring two goals from Parkinson and one from Clarkin.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Another draw followed, this time 1–1 with Walsall, in the first of five consecutive home games for Blackpool. Martin scored his seventh of the season.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
On 8 April, Clarkin scored the only goal of the game as Blackpool beat Darwen.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Eight days later, Leadbetter scored his second goal of the season in a 1–1 draw with Grimsby.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
Leadbetter was also one of the scorers as Blackpool completed a double over Loughborough. Parkinson (two) and Birkett scored the other goals of the 4–0 victory. Blackpool started the match a man short.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Season review
The season ended with a single-goal victory over Luton, Clarkin scoring his fifth of the campaign.


1897–98 Blackpool F.C. season, Transfers, Out
The following players left after the final game of the previous season:


1897–98 Brentford F.C. season
During the 1897–98 English football season, Brentford competed in the London League First Division. A hugely successful season saw the Bees win the London Senior Cup, the Middlesex Senior Cup and finish as runners-up in the league.


1897–98 Brentford F.C. season, Season summary
After winning promotion from the London League Second Division at the first attempt, the Brentford committee bolstered the team's firepower for its first season in the First Division by signing forwards Thomas Knapman, John Richardson and Ernest Booth. Goalkeeper Jack Foster, then one of the club's highest appearance-makers, elected to retire from football and Arthur Charlton, one of the club's first great players, moved to Nottingham and was succeeded as captain by Herbert Edney – though Charlton would return to play for Brentford sporadically through the season.


1897–98 Brentford F.C. season, Season summary
Brentford obliterated all opposition throughout the season, with the goals of forward Oakey Field providing the firepower to help the club win the London Senior Cup and the Middlesex Senior Cup. The pileup of London League fixtures meant that the Bees had to close the season with seven matches in just over three weeks, which included two matches in one day on 16 April. Brentford went into the final day of the season knowing that a victory over strugglers Barking Woodville would seal the league title, but the best the jaded team could manage was a 0–0 draw, which allowed Thames Ironworks, who won their final match, to finish the season as champions.


1897–98 Brentford F.C. season, Playing squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1897–98 British Home Championship
The 1897–98 British Home Championship was the fifteenth edition of the annual football tournament played between the British Home Nations. England won the title after whitewashing all three opponents and taking the maximum six points. Scotland came second after winning two of their games whilst Ireland came third following a close victory over Wales in Llandudno.


1897–98 British Home Championship
Ireland's win over Wales was the first match of the tournament and gave Ireland a short lived advantage in the competition. England ended this advantage in the second game with a close 3–2 win over the Irish in Belfast and Scotland joined the other two on two points with a 5–2 thrashing of the Welsh. Scotland then briefly took the lead with a win over Ireland in Belfast before England joined them by beating Wales by the same scoreline in Wrexham. In the final and deciding match, played at Celtic Park in Glasgow, the Scots were defeated by a fast and powerful England side who ran out 3–1 winners and took the championship.


1897–98 Brown men's ice hockey season
The 1897–98 Brown men's ice hockey season was the inaugural season of play for the program.


1897–98 Brown men's ice hockey season, Season
For Brown's first ice hockey season all games were played on the road. The travel schedule was rather light, however, as the furthest they has to travel was New York City. The Bears finished with a very good record of 4–1–1 and, with their only loss coming against a non-collegiate opponent, the Bears could lay claim to the Intercollegiate championship (though there were few active college programs).


1897–98 Brown men's ice hockey season, Season, First game
Often cited as the "first game of intercollegiate ice hockey played in the United States" is the contest against Harvard on January 19, 1898 at Franklin Park, Boston. Students from Brown took the train to Boston, where they met with some students from Harvard. They commandeered a patch of a frozen pond in Franklin Park, asked pleasure skaters to move aside, set up some poles to mark the goals, and played the game of ice hockey they had learned in Canada. The details and outcome of the game were recorded in the following day's Boston Herald: Brown 6, Harvard 0.


1897–98 Brown men's ice hockey season, Season, Mascot
Note: Brown University did not formally adopt the Bear as its mascot until the fall of 1905.


1897–98 Bucknell Bison men's basketball team
The 1897–98 Bucknell Bison men's basketball team represented Bucknell University during the 1897–98 college men's basketball season. The team had finished with an overall record of 4–4.


1897–98 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season
The 1897–98 season was Burslem Port Vale's second season of football (fourth overall) in the Midland League. Their league form proved streaky, as they lost seven of their opening nine fixtures but recovered to post nine wins in 12 games from November to March, ending the campaign in fifth-place. However they proved their worth in the cup competitions, particularly so in the FA Cup, beating Small Heath and eventual Football League First Division champions Sheffield United en route to the second round. In the Birmingham Senior Cup they took First Division side West Bromwich Albion to a second replay, whilst they beat Stoke in the semi-finals of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, losing out to West Bromwich Albion in the final. Their success earned them re-election back into the Football League.


1897–98 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season, Overview, Midland League
Burslem Port Vale retained the entire first team of the 1896–97 campaign and strengthened the squad by signing four Stoke players: former England international right-back Tommy Clare, right-half Lucien Boullemier, left-winger Billy Heames and left-half Ted McDonald. They unveiled a new kit of red and white striped tops with blue kickers. The season opened with an "exciting" 2–2 draw with Burton Wanderers; the attendance at the Athletic Ground was a healthy 2,000, though Clare had trouble with his boots and played most of the match wearing just one of them.


1897–98 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season, Overview, Midland League
Two away defeats followed, and young reserve Frank Mitchell was then installed at centre-forward and proved an instant success, scoring a hat-trick in a 4–0 home win over Kettering. However four league defeats later the players and directors met to discuss what was going wrong; the 1–0 defeat by Barnsley St Peter's was a particular calamity as goalkeeper Tom Poole  punched the ball into his own net from an indirect free-kick.


1897–98 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season, Overview, Midland League
Four league defeats were followed by four straight league wins, including a double over third-placed Rushden. They then slipped to a 4–1 boxing day defeat at Kettering, but recovered to beat Doncaster Rovers 4–0 to head into second-place on 3 January. This started a run of five wins and two draws from seven games, with Clare being credited for inspiring the players "with a confidence never before approached". However they finished the campaign with two away defeats, ending up in fifth-place with 23 points from 22 games. Danny Simpson finished with a tally of nine league goals, indicating that the club could benefit from a consistent goalscorer at centre-forward. Nevertheless, the club's exploits in the FA Cup saw them achieve 18 votes in their successful application to rejoin the Football League.


1897–98 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season, Overview, Cup competitions
Vale found great success in the FA Cup, beating Football League Second Division side Small Heath 2–1 in the third qualification round thanks to a brace from Clare; Small Heath had originally proposed to switch the venue to Muntz Street for a £100 payment, but were refused. After a walkover victory against Kidderminster, they were fired by a "special inducement" and played "with dash and skill" to eliminate Burton Wanderers 2–1 to reach the first round proper.


1897–98 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season, Overview, Cup competitions
Eventual Football League First Division champions Sheffield United were expecting to romp to victory at Bramall Lane, but the Vale team were in confident mood and held out for a 1–1 draw, the home side only staying in the tie due to a dubious penalty. Vale rejected an offer of £250 to play the replay at Bramall Lane, and went on to win the tie 2–1; Dick Evans gave Vale a two minute lead before United equalised with a rush goal eight minutes from time.


1897–98 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season, Overview, Cup competitions
In extra-time, United goalkeeper William Foulke "acted in an idiotic manner" and was caught out of position as Vale's Billy Heames broke away, running half the length of the pitch before pulling the ball back for Lucien Boullemier to score the winning goal. Vale claimed earnings of £350 for the fixture as a crowd of 15,000 witnessed the giantkilling; the Burslem school board gave schoolchildren a special holiday so they could attend the game. Second Division leaders Burnley awaited in the second round, but Vale were below par as they slipped to a 3–0 defeat at Turf Moor.


1897–98 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season, Overview, Cup competitions
Vale were pitted against high-flying First Division club West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup and after two 0–0 draws were finally beaten 2–1 in the second replay. Vale confidently dispatched Burton Wanderers 5–0 in the first round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup. A 3–1 win over Potteries derby rivals Stoke in front of a home crowd of 7,000 took them into the final for the first time, where they again faced West Bromwich Albion, this time at the neutral venue of the Victoria Ground. A 8,500 crowd turned up, but West Brom denied Vale any silverware as they claimed a 2–1 victory.


1897–98 Butler Christians men's basketball team
The 1897–98 Butler Christians men's basketball team represented Butler University during the 1897–98 college men's basketball season. The head coach was James Zink, coaching in his first season with the Bulldogs.


1897–98 Celtic F.C. season
During the 1897–98 Scottish football season, Celtic competed in Scottish Division One.


1897–98 Columbia men's ice hockey season
The 1897–98 Columbia men's ice hockey season was the 2nd season of play for the program.


1897–98 Columbia men's ice hockey season, Season
Note: Columbia University adopted the Lion as its mascot in 1910.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season
The 1897–98 season was the 25th Scottish football season in which Dumbarton competed at national level entering the Scottish Cup. In addition Dumbarton played in the Dumbartonshire Cup.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season, Scottish Cup
Dumbarton were knocked out in the first round by St Bernards, after a 1-1 draw.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season, Dumbartonshire Cup
Dumbarton won the Dumbartonshire Cup for the ninth time, beating Vale of Leven in the final.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season, Friendlies
In the absence of any league commitments, the Dumbarton committee had to work hard to bring together a fixture list which would meet the club's financial needs.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season, Friendlies
During the season, 23 'friendly' matches were arranged, where there was much to be pleased about. There was an impressive unbeaten run of 9 games at the beginning of the season, several wins against league opposition and a successful 'mini' tour of the highlands during the New Year holidays. In all 13 were won, 4 drawn and 6 lost, scoring 69 goals and conceding 49.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season, Player statistics
Amongst those players leaving the club was internationalist Leitch Keir. A servant to the club since its cup winning season of 1882-83, Keir decided to move on to Motherwell.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season, Player statistics
Only includes appearances and goals in competitive Scottish Cup matches.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season, Player statistics, International caps
William Thomson earned his third and fourth caps against Wales and Ireland respectively in the 1898 British Home Championship.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season, Player statistics, Representative match
A Dumbartonshire XI played against a Lanarkshire XI on 29 January 1898 in which Docherty, Daniel Thomson, William Thomson, Lewis Mackie and Speedie were all selected to play - Willie Speedie scored the Dumbarton county goal in the 1-1 draw.


1897–98 Dumbarton F.C. season, Reserve team
Dumbarton lost in the first round of the Scottish Second XI Cup to Queen's Park.


1897–98 Dundee F.C. season
The 1897–98 season was the fifth season in which Dundee competed at a Scottish national level, playing in Division One and finishing in 7th place. Dundee would also compete in the Scottish Cup, where they would reach the semi-finals.


1897–98 Dundee F.C. season, Scottish Division One
Having finished level on points with Partick Thistle, Dundee played them in a play-off match to determine ranking positions.


1897–98 FA Cup
The 1897–1898 FA Cup was the 27th season of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (more usually known as the FA Cup). The cup was won by Nottingham Forest, who defeated Derby County 3–1 in the final of the competition, played at Crystal Palace in London.


1897–98 FA Cup
Matches were scheduled to be played at the stadium of the team named first on the date specified for each round, which was always a Saturday. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played, a replay would take place at the stadium of the second-named team later the same week. If the replayed match was drawn further replays would be held at neutral venues until a winner was determined. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played in a replay, a 30-minute period of extra time would be played.


1897–98 FA Cup, Calendar
The format of the FA Cup for the season had a preliminary round, five qualifying rounds, three proper rounds, and the semi finals and final.


1897–98 FA Cup, First round proper
The First Round Proper contained sixteen ties between 32 teams. The 16 First Division sides were given a bye to this round, as were Newton Heath, Burnley, Leicester Fosse, Grimsby Town, Walsall and Manchester City from the Second Division. The other Second Division sides were entered into the Third Qualifying Round. Of those sides, only Newcastle United, Woolwich Arsenal, Luton Town and Gainsborough Trinity qualified to the FA Cup Proper. Six non-league sides also qualified.


1897–98 FA Cup, First round proper
The matches were played on Saturday, 29 January 1898. One match was drawn, with the replay taking place in the following midweek fixture.


1897–98 FA Cup, Second Round Proper
The eight Second Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 12 February 1898. There were two replays, played in the following midweek fixture.


1897–98 FA Cup, Third round proper
The four Third Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 26 February 1898. There were two replays, played in the following midweek fixture.


1897–98 FA Cup, Semi-Finals
The semi-final matches were both played on Saturday, 19 March 1898. The Nottingham Forest–Southampton match went to a replay, played the following Wednesday, when Nottingham Forest managed a 2–0 win. They went on to meet Derby County in the final at Crystal Palace.


1897–98 FA Cup, Final
The final took place on Saturday, 16 April 1898 at Crystal Palace. Just over 62,000 supporters attended the match. Arthur Capes opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest after 19 minutes. Forest's lead was maintained for only twelve minutes before Derby County equalised, through a goal from Steve Bloomer. Capes hit his second just before half-time, and Forest preserved the lead until the 86th minute, when McPherson scored a third Forest goal, to hand them their first ever FA Cup Victory.


1897–98 FC Basel season
The FC Basel 1897–98 season was their fifth season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. The club's chairman was Charlie Volderauer and he was chairman between 1896 and 1900. He was the third chairman in the club's history, following Roland Geldner (1893–1896) and Emanuel Schiess (1896). FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof, in the Wettstein neighborhood of Kleinbasel (lesser Basel). The official Swiss championship had not yet been called to into life. Although this season a first, unofficial, competition was played, Basel did not compete.


1897–98 FC Basel season, Overview
Although the first national championship in Switzerland took place in 1897–98 it is considered as unofficial because it was not organized by the Swiss Football Association (SFA; founded in 1895). FC Basel did not participate in this first championship, neither did local rivals Old Boys.


1897–98 FC Basel season, Overview
From a local point of view, there were also following clubs from Basel who played football. FC Play Fellows were founded in 1895, FC Excelsior founded 1896 and FC Kleinbasel founded at the beginning of 1898. The football team Buckjumpers-Club, founded 1894, dispanded themselves during 1897 and most players moved to FC Basel who then fielded a reserve team. FC Gymnasia, who were founded 1884 by Gymniasasten and real high school students was also dissolved. The RTV/Realschüler-Turnverein (real school student gymnastics club) had a football team from 1893 to 1898 from which the FC Old Boys emerged in 1894.


1897–98 FC Basel season, Overview
For this season FC Basel organised 10 friendly matches for their first team. Five were played at home in the Landhof and all five were won. Two friendlies were played in Zürich and both ended in high scoring defeats, 3–7 against Zürich and 0–7 against Grasshopper Club. The return game against local club Old Boys was drawn and the return game against Biel-Bienne was won 5–2. The friendly match against FC Bern was played on neutral ground in Aarau and Basel won this game 4–1. Of their 10 games Basel won seven, drew once and were defeated twice. The team scored 29 and conceded 20 goals. Much documentation for this season's matches are incomplete, therefore most goal scorers remain unknown.


1897–98 FC Basel season, Players
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1897–98 FC Basel season, Sources
(NB: Despite all efforts, the editors of these books and the authors in "Basler Fussballarchiv" have failed to be able to identify all the players, their date and place of birth or date and place of death, who played in the games during the early years of FC Basel.)


1897–98 Football League
The 1897–98 season was the tenth season of The Football League.


1897–98 Football League, Final league tables
The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at the  website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.


1897–98 Football League, Final league tables
Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.


1897–98 Football League, Final league tables
During the first five seasons of the league, that is until the season, 1893–94, re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.


1897–98 Football League, Test matches
The Football League test matches were a set of play-offs, in which the bottom First Division teams faced the top Second Division teams. Each First Division team plays both Second Division teams in a mini league format, the top two finishers would then be considered for election for First Division membership whilst the bottom two finishers would be invited to play in the Second Division.


1897–98 Football League, Test matches
The First Division teams, if finishing in the top two, would retain their places in the division. If a Second Division team does so, it would be considered for First Division membership through an election process. Bottom-two Second Division teams would stay in the Second Division.


1897–98 Football League, Test matches, Summary
Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football, and Association Football present the following table with the heading given above.


1897–98 Football League, Test matches, Consequences
Burnley and Stoke City entered the last match needing a draw for promotion (or in Stoke's case to retain their First Division place). A 0–0 draw ensued, reportedly 'The Match without a shot at goal' and the League immediately withdrew the Test Match system in favour of automatic promotion and relegation. Ironically, the League also decided to expand the top division to 18 teams after the Test Match series of 1897–98 and the other two teams, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United also went into the top division for the following season, negating the effect of Burnley and Stoke's reputed collusion. In the end, the test matches and their results seem to have served no particular purpose. After this season the test matches were scrapped in favour of direct promotion and relegation.


1897–98 Football Tournament, Overview
It was contested by 6 teams, and Kjøbenhavns Boldklub won the championship.


1897–98 French Rugby Union Championship
The 1897–98 French Rugby Union Championship was won by Stade Français.


1897–98 French Rugby Union Championship
As in the previous season, the title is assigned with a round robin tournament.


1897–98 Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey season
The 1897–98 Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey season was the inaugural season of play for the program.


1897–98 Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey season, Season
Over the previous few years Harvard had played 'ice polo' with Frederick Goodridge captaining the team. For the 1897-98 season the players switched to ice hockey and the team played its first game January 19, losing 0–6 against Brown.


1897–98 Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey season, Season
Note: Harvard University did not formally adopt Crimson as its moniker until 1910 but the student body had uniformly been associated with the color since 1875.


1897–98 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season
During the 1897–98 season Hearts competed in the Scottish First Division, the Scottish Cup and the East of Scotland Shield.


1897–98 Hibernian F.C. season
During the 1897–98 season Hibernian, a football club based in Edinburgh, finished third out of 10 clubs in the Scottish First Division.


1897–98 Irish League
The Irish League in season 1897–98 comprised 6 teams, and Linfield won the championship.


1897–98 Johns Hopkins men's ice hockey season
The 1897–98 Johns Hopkins men's ice hockey season was the 4th season of play for the program.


1897–98 Johns Hopkins men's ice hockey season, Season
Johns Hopkins played a rather large number of games, especially for their time. All 17 games were played at the North Avenue Ice Palace, however, because most of their opponents also called the building home, JHU only played two home games. The team played in the Baltimore Hockey League and played an unbalanced schedule against their four league opponents.


1897–98 Johns Hopkins men's ice hockey season, Season
The following November machinery that was used for the ice surface was removed from the arena. This left JHU without a home and with interest in the team having dropped precipitously over the previous few years the program was shuttered. Johns Hopkins would not play another organized game of ice hockey for about 90 years and, as of 2020, it has yet to field another varsity team.


1897–98 Johns Hopkins men's ice hockey season, Season
Johns Hopkins athletic teams did not receive a moniker until 1920.


1897–98 Liverpool F.C. season
The 1896–97 season was the sixth season of competitive football played by Liverpool and was their fifth year in The Football League, in which they competed in the first division. The season covers the period from 1 July 1897 to 30 June 1898. After finishing in fifth place the previous season, Liverpool fell four spots to finish in ninth place at the end of the season with 28 points, 14 points behind the champions in Sheffield United.


1897–98 Manchester City F.C. season
The 1897–98 season was Manchester City F.C. 's seventh season of league football and sixth season in the Football League.


1897–98 Michigan State Normal Normalites men's basketball team
In 1897 men's basketball is introduced at Michigan State Normal School. The inaugural team went 1–1 in games against Detroit. Both games ended in shutouts. 1897–98 was the first season of basketball at the school, which would become Eastern Michigan University Eagles men's basketball team.


1897–98 National Association Foot Ball League season
The fourth season of the National Association Foot Ball League began on Saturday, October 30, 1897 after eight major teams New York City and in New Jersey had "sunk all their differences" and agreed to put the NAFBL on a firm financial basis. Among the new features was that the matches would be scheduled "so that teams which cannot play on Saturdays will be allowed to play on Sundays, and vice-versa."


1897–98 National Association Foot Ball League season
The original lineup featured the New Jersey teams of Americus A.A. (West Hoboken); Centreville A.C. (Bayonne); the Scottish-Americans of Newark; the Kearny Scots of the Newark suburb of Kearny, New Jersey; the True Blues and the Crescents (both of Paterson); and Arlington A.A., with the Brooklyn Wanderers as the New York team.


1897–98 National Association Foot Ball League season
A schedule was released on October 23, with the first weeks games featuring the Paterson Crescents visiting the Kearny Scots and Arlington at the Paterson True Blues on Saturday. Americus visited Centreville at Bayonne and Brooklyn visited the Scottish Americans at Newark on Sunday.


1897–98 Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball team
The 1897–98 Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball team represented the University of Nebraska during the 1897–98 collegiate men's basketball season. The head coach was Frank Lehmer, coaching the huskers in his second season. The team played their home games at Grant Memorial Hall in Lincoln, Nebraska.


1897–98 Netherlands Football League Championship
The Netherlands Football League Championship 1897–1898 was contested by ten teams participating in two divisions. The national champion would be determined by a play-off match featuring the winners of the eastern and western football division of the Netherlands. RAP won this year's championship by beating Vitesse Arnhem 4–2.


1897–98 Newcastle United F.C. season
The 1897–98 season was Newcastle United's fifth season in the Football League Second Division. Newcastle finished the season in second place and were promoted to the First Division when the division was expanded from 16 to 18 teams.


1897–98 Newton Heath F.C. season
The 1897–98 season was Newton Heath's sixth season in the Football League and their fourth in the Second Division. They finished fourth in the league, which was not enough to earn them a chance for promotion back to the First Division. In the FA Cup, the Heathens were knocked out by Liverpool in the Second Round, after beating Walsall in the First Round.


1897–98 Newton Heath F.C. season
The club also entered teams in the Lancashire and Manchester Senior Cups in 1897–98. They reached the semi-finals of the Manchester Senior Cup before being beaten 2–1 by Manchester City in a replay, but they went two better in the Lancashire Senior Cup, beating Blackburn Rovers 2–1 in the final.


1897–98 Northern Football League
The 1897–98 Northern Football League season was the ninth in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in Northern England. This was the first season in which the Northern League was split into two divisions.


1897–98 Northern Football League, Division One
The division featured 9 clubs which competed in the last season, no new clubs joined the league this season.


1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season
The 1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season was the third season of rugby league football.


1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Summary
The leading try scorer this season was Hoskins of Salford, who crossed the line 30 times. The leading goal scorer was Albert Goldthorpe of Hunslet who was successful 66 times. The leading points scorer was also Goldthorpe who scored 135 points in the season.


1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Summary
Oldham won the Lancashire Senior Competition and Hunslet won in Yorkshire, but only after winning a play-off with Bradford.


1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham won the Lancashire competition outright. Although participating in the Lancashire Senior Competition, Runcorn and Stockport were from Cheshire. Warrington, and Widnes were in Lancashire until the 1974 boundary changes and now lie within the northern boundary of Cheshire.


1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Lancashire Senior Competition
Source: . League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0. Pld = Games played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; PF = Match points scored; PA = Match points conceded; PD = Points difference; Pts = League points.


1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Lancashire Senior Competition
^ a: Salford had 2 points deducted for fielding an ineligible player^ b: Leigh had 2 points deducted for fielding an ineligible player


1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Yorkshire Senior Competition
Hunslet and Bradford ended the league season with 48 points. In a championship play-off Hunslet beat Bradford 5–2.


1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Yorkshire Senior Competition
Source: . League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0. Pld = Games played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; PF = Match points scored; PA = Match points conceded; PD = Points difference; Pts = League points.


1897–98 Ottawa Hockey Club season
The 1897–98 Ottawa Hockey Club season was the club's 13th season of play. Ottawa placed fifth in the league.


1897–98 Ottawa Hockey Club season, Team business
After not coming to satisfactory terms with the Dey brothers over the Dey Rink, the Ottawas returned to their first home, the Rideau Skating Rink for the season.


1897–98 Ottawa Hockey Club season, Season
Ottawa lost several players from the previous season to the rival intermediate Ottawa Capitals, including Alf Smith. The Capitals would win the AHAC championship with the Ottawa players and apply to join AHAC seniors in 1898.


1897–98 Ottawa Hockey Club season, Season, Highlights
The game of February 12, 1898, between Ottawa and the Victorias was notable because Fred Chittick, the regular goalkeeper of Ottawa staged a one-man strike because he had not received his share of complimentary tickets. Ottawa played A. Cope instead and lost 9–5. The fans in attendance heckled the defence pair of Harvey Pulford and Weldy Young, and in response Mr. Young went into the crowd to attack a spectator.


1897–98 Penn Quakers men's ice hockey season
The 1897–98 Penn Quakers men's ice hockey season was the 2nd season of play for the program.


1897–98 Penn Quakers men's ice hockey season, Season
With the West Park Ice Palace being built, the Quakers had a facility with stable ice to rely upon for the season. They were able to play an expanded schedule against mostly local teams and even compete in a local hockey league. The team ended up in a tie for second place with the since-closed Pennsylvania Dental College at a 3–2 record. Penn tied PDC twice during the season but as many leagues didn't count ties so those games were left off of the final standings. Because Wayne Country Club was part of the league it cannot be counted as a college conference.


1897–98 Penn Quakers men's ice hockey season, Season
Standings for the Philadelphia Hockey Clubs are included for reference.


1897–98 Penn Quakers men's ice hockey season, Season
The team did not have a head coach but Arthur Stackhouse served as team manager.


1897–98 Penn Quakers men's ice hockey season, Schedule and Results
† The Maryland Athletic Club refused to play in the 10-minute overtime session and were charged with a forfeit by the referee.


1897–98 Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team
The 1897–1898 Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team represented Penn State University during the 1897–98 college men's basketball season. The team finished with a final record of 2–1.


1897–98 Rangers F.C. season
The 1897–98 season is the 24th season of competitive football by Rangers.


1897–98 Rangers F.C. season, Overview
Rangers played a total of 25 competitive matches during the 1897–98 season. They finished third in the Scottish League Division One with a record of 13 wins from 18 matches.


1897–98 Rangers F.C. season, Overview
The club won the Scottish Cup that season. A 2–0 victory of Kilmarnock on 26 March 1898 saw them win the trophy for the second time in two seasons.


1897–98 Rugby Union County Championship
The 1897–98 Rugby Union County Championship was the tenth edition of England's premier rugby union club competition at the time.


1897–98 Rugby Union County Championship
Northumberland won the competition for the first time defeating Midland Counties in the final. The Midlands team was weakened by the refusal of Leicester to release their players for the county team.


1897–98 Scottish Cup
The 1897–98 Scottish Cup was the 25th season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Rangers when they beat Kilmarnock 2–0 in the final.


1897–98 Scottish Districts season
The 1897–98 Scottish Districts season is a record of all the rugby union matches for Scotland's district teams.


1897–98 Scottish Districts season, History
South of Scotland District beat North of Scotland District by 8 goals and 2 tries to nil.


1897–98 Scottish Districts season, History
An Anglo-Scots versus South of Scotland District match was supposed to be played on 25 December 1897. The teams were announced but the match was called off.


1897–98 Scottish Division One
The 1897–98 Scottish Division One season was won by Celtic by four points over nearest rival Rangers.


1897–98 Scottish Division Two
The 1897–98 Scottish Second Division was won by Kilmarnock with Motherwell finishing bottom.


1897–98 Scottish Football League, Overview
Kilmarnock won the Scottish Division Two but were not promoted.


1897–98 Sheffield Shield season
The 1897–98 Sheffield Shield season was the sixth season of the Sheffield Shield, the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. Victoria won the championship.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season
The 1897–98 Football League season was the 17th season of competitive association football and 6th season in the Football League played by Small Heath Football Club, an English football club based in Birmingham. They finished in sixth place in the 16-team division. Having failed to gain exemption from the qualifying rounds of the 1897–98 FA Cup, they entered the competition in the third qualifying round and lost that opening match to Burslem Port Vale. In local cup competitions, they lost to Walsall in the second round of the Birmingham Cup, were eliminated by West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup, and reached the semi-final of the Staffordshire Senior Cup where they again lost to West Bromwich Albion.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season
Nineteen different players represented the club in nationally organised competitive matches during the season and there were thirteen different goalscorers. Walter Abbott was the top scorer with 19 goals, and he and wing half Thomas Dunlop played in every match. The match against Burnley attracted a crowd of 12,000, an improvement on the highest attendance in the previous two seasons.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
Looking back at the 1896–97 season, the Sports Argus' editorial expressed disappointment with the team's performance and dissatisfaction with the running of the club. At the start of the season, they had "confidently looked forward" to Small Heath reaching the test match positions, even if they proved unsuccessful therein. But the team's fine finish to the season on top of such a poor start made it "terribly aggravating to think that the least bit of extra effort earlier on in the season would in all probability have seen them a good second to [Notts] County."


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
The club's failure to gain exemption from the qualifying competition of the FA Cup strengthened the writer's belief that "the club wants a thorough wakening-up". The club made a loss of £369 on the year, which the Dart suggested was due less to the effects of bad weather, as claimed in the annual report, than to a "penny wise and pound foolish" approach to the signing of players which they hoped would not be repeated in the season to come.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
Few players left during the close season. The ambitious and well-funded Bristol City, newly elected to the Southern League, signed both Tom Farnall and the promising Jack Jones on attractive terms, reported as £5 to sign, then 50s. during the playing season and 30s. in the summer. Had swift action not been taken by club officials, Walter Abbott would have made the same move. Charlie Izon left for Walsall, and Denny Hodgetts, who had been reinstated as an amateur, offered his services, but "as he could not promise to play for them regularly", his offer was declined.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
The Dart's initial opinion was that the standard of replacement for Hodgetts, Jones and Farnall – "two or three players who have done well with local clubs have been signed up, and a smart left-wing forward in Kirton, of Lincoln City, has also been secured" – but as the directors preferred to spend their money on ground improvements, in the shape of the purchase of Aston Villa's old stands from the Perry Barr ground, rather than on "stars", these would be inadequate to return the club to the First Division. Having seen the new additions, they changed their mind.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
Although Hodgetts would be missed, Jack Kirton "appears to be a smart player, while the other new men secured are far from being 'duffers'", Billy Walton had recovered from the broken shoulderblade sustained the previous March, and apart from Jones and Farnall, "the whole of the other first team players from last season have signed again, and there is no reason why the Heathens should not render a good account of themselves" this season.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
Furthermore, "the Small Heath ground presents quite an imposing appearance now that it is adorned with the old Perry Barr grand stand, and as there is now plenty of covered accommodation for spectators the 'gates' should materially increase", and, as was pointed out later in the season, facilities for representatives of the press had also been improved.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
There were no changes to the team's kit of light blue shirts with navy collar trim, cuffs and pocket, white knickerbockers and navy socks.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
Small Heath prepared for the new season with a friendly match at Coventry Road against a Burton Wanderers team made up largely of local youngsters. In front of only a couple of hundred spectators in "pelting" rain, Walter Abbott, Charlie Hare, and Wilson Lewis scored in a 3–1 win. The first League game took place a few days later at Wanderers' neighbours Burton Swifts.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
Fielding three debutants, Small Heath took a one-goal lead in the first half, then took advantage of the wind at their backs after the interval to extend their lead to three goals before Swifts scored a late consolation. The Standard thought the team "unfortunate in scoring only two goals" in the first half, and two from Abbott in the second gave them a 4–0 victory in a friendly against Lincoln City At home to Leicester Fosse, in "delightful" weather in front of an 8,000 crowd, Hare scored the second-half winner after Fosse's Harry Smith had a goal disallowed for offside. The Leicester Chronicle felt that the Heathens' first goal "ought never to have been allowed in consequence of unfair charging", that there was nothing wrong with Smith's disallowed header, and that "Small Heath got the better of each decision".


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
The visit to West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup gave the 2,000 spectators more goals than they might have expected. Small Heath led 3–1 at the interval, but the home side brought the scores level after 90 minutes, and scored three times more during extra time to win the tie 7–4. Back in the League, Small Heath secured a "deserved" victory at Loughborough by two Billy Walton goals to nil.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
The highlight of the first ten minutes was the goalkeeping of Loughborough's Godfrey Beardsley, who "repulsed shot after shot", yet Walton's two scoring shots were "weak, and the second was disputed". The home side lost Arthur Shaw through injury after only a few minutes. The win completed a sequence of nine away wins in the league, begun in January, which (as of May 2015) remains a club record. Small Heath finished September with a fourth consecutive League win.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
Hare scored twice in the first half, either side of Tom Leigh's goal for Burton Swifts, but despite "press[ing] incessantly" in the second half, were unable to increase their lead. The Owl commented favourably on a positive start to the season, the form of Charlie Hare and the ability of full-back Arthur Archer, but warned they needed to beat the likes of Manchester City and Burnley before starting to think about promotion.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
Walton's second-half equaliser from a corner earned Small Heath a draw at Darwen, where the Owl suggested they needed "a little more dash and go in front of goal". At home to Gainsborough Trinity on the Tuesday, they led 4–3 at the interval, despite losing Jimmy Inglis to injury, and that was the final score. The Dart reported that "the attendances at Coventry Road this season have been most satisfactory, and the directors of the club are on the very best of terms with themselves as a consequence."


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
The visit to Blackpool, who before the game had won only once this season, produced a first defeat, and an unexpectedly heavy one, for Small Heath, who showed "neither dash nor combination" as Hare scored their only goal in reply to the home side's four. Without both Hare and Inglis for the opening round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, Small Heath nevertheless beat a full Wolverhampton Wanderers first team by three goals to two, Wilson Lewis scoring twice. The Owl's 'Captain Forward' reiterated his praise of Archer, as "one of the best defenders the Club has ever had, [who] on this occasion was on splendid form."


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
Despite still being unable to field a full-strength team, and with players in unaccustomed positions, Small Heath's winning ways continued at home to Newton Heath. A crowd of 6,000 saw Lewis open the scoring with a tap-in after an earlier goal had been disallowed for offside, then William Bryant tied the scores just before half-time. Soon after the interval, Lewis "whizzed" a second goal into the net, and Abbott hit the post, before Bob Donaldson's apparent equaliser was disallowed, again for offside.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
The Small Heath club had complained bitterly about their failure to be awarded exemption from the qualification process for the 1897–98 FA Cup, particularly as their less successful neighbours Walsall were exempted. Drawn to visit Burslem Port Vale in the third qualifying round, the club's directors made a "tempting" but unsuccessful offer to the host club to switch the venue to Coventry Road. In a result that "could scarcely be credited in Birmingham until the evening papers confirmed it", Port Vale won by two goals to one. Off the field, the club announced that the local schools league were to be allowed to play matches at the Coventry Road ground before their own fixtures.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
As expected, Small Heath beat Loughborough, but "a much more decisive defeat was anticipated" by the Leicester Chronicle than Abbott's single first-half goal. Loughborough's goalkeeper, Albert Mumford, produced a "grand exhibition", In the second half, Small Heath "did the bulk of the pressing", but their shooting was "of indifferent character". Away to Grimsby Town, Small Heath's passing style was hindered by the greasy surface, and the home team took a three-goal lead before losing a player to injury. Wallace scored a late consolation.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
On the day scheduled for the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup, Small Heath beat Notts County 3–2 in a friendly. They finished November with a visit to Newcastle United watched by around 14,000 spectators. After a fast-paced first half, Newcastle led 4–0. The pace slowed in the second half, but there was no more scoring.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
Home and away meetings with Walsall followed. On an unpleasantly cold dull day, the game at Coventry Road was one-sided. Despite the presence of former Small Heath captain Caesar Jenkyns in the visitors' defence, Walsall conceded three in each half. The reverse fixture was a much closer affair. Lewis scored twice for Small Heath in the first half, and Johnson replied with a header. After the interval, Walsall pressed persistently, but "the fine display of [Henry] Clutterbuck was the saving of the visitors".


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
A 6–1 friendly defeat of Wellingborough preceded a Christmas Day defeat of Darwen by five goals to one on an icy pitch, Walter Abbott contributing a hat-trick. The victory took Small Heath into fourth place in the table, just one point behind their opponents in the last match of the year, second-placed Manchester City. The Manchester Guardian suggested that in the second half of a game "brimful of excitement", Small Heath "played in a manner richly deserving success", but lost by a single goal. The Dart described the encounter as "one of the best seen on the ground for many seasons".


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
A friendly away at Aston Villa on New Year's Day was abandoned because of fog, with Villa 4–0 ahead. The Dart was unimpressed with the play, which "served to prove ... that Small Heath are a long way off First Division form". The first visitors of the new year were division leaders Burnley, who attracted an attendance of some 12,000, a figure reportedly boosted by the railway companies' failure to put on a special train for Aston Villa's top-of-the-table visit to Sheffield United in the First Division.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
Although Small Heath led twice, first through Alec Leake and early in the second half via a Walter Abbott goal, the Owl thought them fortunate to secure a draw against a "smart, but rather rough" Burnley side "altogether superior in both attack and defence" who "fairly revelled in the mud". Away to Lincoln City, Abbott gave Small Heath a two-goal lead in the first half. The home team pulled a goal back, but the Heathens held on for their expected victory.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
After only two appearances, Alec Wallace was transferred to Birmingham & District League club Hereford Town. The Dart thought Small Heath were unlucky to lose to West Bromwich Albion in the semi-final of the Staffordshire Cup, as "they had much more of the actual play than their opponents", and that if they played as well at home to Blackpool, they could expect to win.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
At half time, this expectation looked justified, as they led 2–1 with goals from Lewis and Bill Robertson, but in the second half Blackpool pulled themselves together and scored twice without reply (as well as having three more "goals" disallowed for offside) to secure their first away victory of the season. The game was attended by Jesse Collings, the local Member of Parliament.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
Abbott scored Small Heath's only goal as they were knocked out of the Birmingham Cup in the second round by cup-holders Walsall. At Burnley, the home team had much the better of the first half, taking a three-goal lead. The second half was even, and the game finished 4–1. At home to Luton Town, Small Heath took the lead three times in the first half, through Tom Oakes and two goals from Abbott, the second of which was a penalty kick; in the second half, James McEwen scored an own goal to make the final score 4–2. In "boisterous" weather at Gainsborough Trinity, Small Heath could only manage a goalless draw, and they finished the month with a 2–2 draw in a friendly at Southern League club West Herts.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
Charlie Hare opened the scoring after six minutes at Woolwich Arsenal, but the home side had the better of the first half, and changed ends 3–1 ahead. Jack Kirton pulled one back halfway through the second period, but Hare went off injured with ten minutes left, and the final score was 4–2. A large crowd "seemed well pleased with the display, which at times was spirited almost to roughness." For the home fixture with Grimsby Town, the directors' decision to replace Alec Leake with Billy Walton met with support from the Dart, but in a poor game, Grimsby won 2–0.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
"Not much interest was manifest" in a 3–0 friendly defeat at home to Aston Villa, and the Owl suggested that both clubs having nothing left to play for, their respective committees "would, doubtless, be glad to put the shutters up at once, for ... their supporters are more likely to seek excitement at a fishing match than on the football field." League competition continued with a poorly attended two-goal defeat in windy conditions away at Leicester Fosse.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
On a fine April day, Ike Webb made his debut in goal away to Luton Town, where Jimmy Inglis scored the decisive goal for Small Heath in the second half. Visiting Newton Heath, Small Heath won the toss, and elected to play with the benefit of the wind behind them. They soon opened the scoring, James Higgins reacting to a shot parried by the goalkeeper, but by half time the home team had regained the lead. On change of ends, Newton Heath had much of the play, and eventually increased their lead through a Matthew Gillespie tap-in.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
The Manchester club's goalkeeper had no shot to save in the second half. On a wet pitch at Manchester City's Hyde Road ground, the scoring alternated. Clutterbuck, back in goal after two games out, got a hand to Billy Meredith's shot but failed to stop it, Abbott equalised, then Stockport Smith converted a penalty awarded for handball. Leake scored from distance, then Clutterbuck parried a Meredith shot to Smith's feet. In the second half, the surface became increasingly slippery, the play correspondingly scrappy, and Michael Good tied the scores from a free kick.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
Higgins' goal settled the meeting at home to Newcastle United, who had already made sure of their position in the promotion test matches. In "weather of almost summer warmth and brightness" at home to Lincoln City, four different scorers gave the Heathens a 4–0 win. The competitive season ended with a home win, Abbott scoring twice to Woolwich Arsenal's single reply.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
Small Heath finished in sixth position in the 16-team league, nine points behind the promotion test match positions. Nineteen different players represented the club in nationally organised competitive matches during the season and there were thirteen different goalscorers. Walter Abbott was the top scorer with 19 goals, and he and wing half Thomas Dunlop played in every match. The match against Burnley attracted a crowd of 12,000, an improvement on the highest attendance in the previous two seasons. The win at Loughborough completed a sequence of nine away league wins which remains, as of May 2015, a club record.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
After the promotion test match series left two teams needing to play out a goalless draw in their final match for both to be promoted, which unsurprisingly is what happened, the Football League's Annual General Meeting agreed that the First Division be extended from 16 to 18 clubs and that the top two teams in the Second Division at the end of each season should automatically replace the bottom two teams in the First.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
A vote was taken on the teams to take the two additional places in the First Division; Small Heath came fourth in the vote, so remained in the Second Division for the 1898–99 season. They were again awarded exemption only for the first two rounds of the qualifying competition for the FA Cup.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
A Football League committee ruled on irregularities in the transfer of Jimmy Inglis to Southern League club Swindon Town. The transfer took place on a Sunday, contrary to league rules, and the forms were falsified. The player was suspended for the first month of the coming season, two Swindon Town directors were suspended for three months, each club was fined £10, and each secretary was warned as to his future conduct.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
Apart from Jack Kirton, who also joined Swindon, and Charlie Hare, who left the club for Watford of the Southern League, having "secured a business engagement" in that town, the remaining players signed on again for the new season. Great things were expected of Bob McRoberts, the pacy and skilful Gainsborough Trinity centre forward for whom Small Heath paid a £150 transfer fee.


1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season, Squad statistics
This table includes appearances and goals in nationally organised competitions – the Football League and FA Cup – only. For a description of the playing positions, see Formation (association football)#2–3–5 (Pyramid).


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season
The 1897–98 season was the 13th since the foundation of Southampton F.C. and their fourth in league football, as members of the Southern League.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season
The club improved on their performance in the previous successful season, retaining the Southern League title and reaching the Semi-final of the FA Cup for the first time, where they went out in controversial circumstances. They started the season as tenants of Hampshire County Cricket Club, but by the end of the season, the club had found a new permanent home, where they were to remain for over 100 years.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season
By the end of a "phenomenally successful", Southampton were lifted out of relative obscurity into national prominence. In their report to the shareholders for the Annual General Meeting held on 30 June 1898, the directors commented: "The team's performance in the English Cup and their retention of the Southern League Championship entitled the club to rank among the best in the country".


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, Pre-season
Following the incorporation of the limited company in July 1897, the club had dropped "St. Mary's" from their name and henceforth would be known simply as "Southampton Football Club". One local reporter lamented:


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, Pre-season
No longer will football enthusiasts be able to call out "Buck up Saints!" No longer will reporters with a flowery style be able to write of the "Saintly ones". For the Football Association has acceded to the request of the powers, and the club will in future be known as Southampton Football Club.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, Pre-season
Despite this, the press and club supporters continued to refer to the club as "the Saints", as they have done ever since.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, Pre-season
Once again, the board recruited several players from Football League clubs, most prominent of whom was Arthur Chadwick who was to remain with the club as a player for three years, returning in 1925 as manager.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, League season
The 1897–98 season was the Saints' fourth in the Southern League, having finished as champions in the previous  season.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, League season
The season started badly, with a defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, but Southampton won the next three matches, all away from home. The first home match of the season came on 23 October, when Southampton gained their revenge against the Spurs, with a 4–1 victory. The next five matches were also victories before a poor defeat at Bristol City on 22 January. After a draw at Chatham, a run of eight victories gave the Saints the title, despite a home defeat to Chatham Town on the last day of the season; this was Southampton's first home league defeat for three years.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, League season
In the draw at Chatham on 5 February, a small piece of history was made as the former Ireland and England international, Jack Reynolds made his first appearance for Southampton, thus becoming the first international player to appear for the side. He only made one further appearance before dropping down to lower league football.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, League season
Despite the success on the pitch, there was considerable disharmony in the dressing room, especially regarding the behaviour of Jack Farrell; he had been ordered out of a board meeting and suspended for two matches early in the season having used "abusive language" during a discussion of his grievances. Other players in trouble included new signings Tom Nicol, who was obliged to apologise to the board for his behaviour, and Bob Petrie, who was reprimanded over his drinking. In November, Watty Keay asked to be relieved of the captaincy, which was being rotated among the players on a monthly basis; he advised the board that he "was not comfortable in that position, there being so much dissension amongst the players."


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, FA Cup
Southampton entered the 1897–98 FA Cup tournament at the Third Qualifying Round, where they met their Southern League rivals, Bristol City. Robert Buchanan scored after only ten seconds from when the Saints were in complete control with Yates adding a second goal to complete a 2–0 victory. The next match, at Swindon, was won by half-time while Eastville Rovers were comprehensively defeated 8–1 in the final qualifying round, with Yates, Buchanan, Keay and Turner each scoring twice.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, FA Cup
In the First Round proper, Southampton entertained Leicester Fosse, then lying seventh in the Football League Second Division. In preparation for the match, the entire team were sent to Shawford for a week for additional training under the supervision of Bill Dawson. Saints achieved a "fine win" with Meston and Buchanan scoring in a 2–1 victory; this was the first time that a Southern League club had ever defeated opposition from the Football League.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, FA Cup
The reward was another home tie against another team from the Second Division, Newcastle United. As a result of a dispute with the landlady of the Shawford lodgings, the directors decided to take the players out each evening to sample the entertainments on offer in Southampton, which included an evening at the Philharmonic Hall and visits to the Empire Music Hall and the Prince of Wales theatre. These evenings helped maintain the team's morale resulting in a 1–0 victory over their league opponents.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, FA Cup
By this time, the local press were speculating that Southampton could reach at least the semi-final stage of the competition, with one commentator expressing the opinion: "if the present rate of progress is maintained we shall yet see our champions in the final at the Palace." The draw for Round Three was against Bolton Wanderers of the  Football League First Division, away. The national press predicted an easy home victory, with Bolton expected to put paid to "the parrot cries concerning the great improvement in the game south of the Thames." In preparation for the match, the board sent the players together with Dawson to Matlock Bath to stay at the Chesterfield House Hydro for a week of special training. Each player was on an £8 bonus for a win and £5 for a draw.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, FA Cup
At Burnden Park, they were greeted by at least 300 Southampton supporters who had arrived in a special train run by the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway Company. The journey took eight hours each way, with the round trip lasting 28 hours, at a cost of 10s. The supporters were rewarded with a goalless draw, described by The Daily Telegraph as "the biggest surprise of the day".


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, FA Cup
The replay took place at the County Ground on the following Wednesday afternoon in front of a crowd estimated at between 12,000 and 15,000, netting gate receipts of £532. To the surprise of the national press, Southampton put on "an outstanding display" to win 4–0. At one stage in the match, the hugely partisan crowd spilled onto the pitch, with the match having to be halted temporarily. The Daily Mail was duly impressed:


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, FA Cup
Southampton's success against Bolton Wanderers marks the dawning of a new era for professional football in the South, and it is now becoming more and more evident that absolutely first-class football is not to be for ever monopolised by the Northern organisations. While lamenting methods by which this condition of things has been brought about – that is to say, the hiring of aliens – one cannot escape a feeling of gratification that the South is at last holding its own once more.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, FA Cup
This victory set up a semi-final tie with another First Division club, Nottingham Forest, which would turn out to be one of the most controversial in the history of the FA Cup to date.


1897–98 Southampton F.C. season, FA Cup, The semi-final
When the draw for the semi-finals was made, The Football Association decided that the Derby County vs. Everton tie should be at Villa Park while Southampton and Forest would go to Sheffield United's Bramall Lane. This prompted the Southampton board to formally request that the FA switch the venues, to reduce the travelling for supporters of all four clubs. The FA's response was minuted in the Southampton board meeting held on 11 March: "Letter from F.J. Wall (secretary of the FA) saying Association could not see their way to change the grounds in the English Cup semi-finals".