1998–99 Luton Town F.C. season

The 1998–99 season was the 113th season in the history of Luton Town F.C. It was Luton Town's 78th consecutive season in the Football League, and their 81st overall. It was their third consecutive season in the Football League Third Division.

Luton Town
1998–99 season
ChairmanDavid Kohler
ManagerLennie Lawrence
StadiumKenilworth Road
Second Division12th
FA CupSecond round
League CupQuarter-finals
Football League TrophySouthern Second Round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Stuart Douglas (9)

All:
Phil Gray (13)
Highest home attendance9,070 (vs. Manchester City, Second Division, 28 November 1998)
Lowest home attendance1,870 (vs. Walsall, Football League Trophy, 05 January 1999)
Average home league attendance5,527

Season summary

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During the 1998–99 English football season, Luton Town F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division. Having finished strongly to narrowly avoid relegation in the previous season Luton Town carried their good form into the start of the 1999 season. Their bright start to the season saw them competing for a playoff spot as well as progressing to the quarter-final of the League Cup. However their defeat to Sunderland in the League Cup coincided with a run of only 1 win in 12 league games which saw Luton Town drop out of playoff contention.

Luton Town's season took a turn for the worse in February. Even though they suffered 7 defeats in 8 league games, the club's situation off the pitch was even more dire. Luton's long-running plan for a multi-purpose 'Kohlerdome' stadium, to be named after chairman David Kohler, was finally rejected by the Department of the Environment. As a result, David Kohler announced on 19 February that he would be resigning as chairman of the club. Kohler spent the next month trying to sell the club. But having failed to agree a price with fellow directors, including Cliff Bassett, for his share of the club, Kohler and the board decided there was no option but to appoint receivers. Buchler Phillips were appointed and Luton Town went into receivership on 20 March.

A strong finish to the season on the back of a loan striker's goals, this time Tony Thorpe, had shades of the 1998 season and Rory Allen's legendary contribution. Thorpe's 4 goals in the final 4 games saw Luton pick up 9 points and ensure their safety for another season.

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
10 Millwall 46 17 11 18 52 59 −7 62
11 Reading 46 16 13 17 54 63 −9 61
12 Luton Town 46 16 10 20 51 60 −9 58
13 Bristol Rovers 46 13 17 16 65 56 +9 56
14 Blackpool 46 14 14 18 44 54 −10 56
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference

Results

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Luton Town's score comes first[1]

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
08 August 1998 Wycombe Wanderers Away 1–0 5,252 Steve Davis
15 August 1998 Preston North End Home 1–1 5,392 Dwight Marshall
22 August 1998 Reading Away 0–3 18,108
29 August 1998 Colchester United Home 2–0 5,005 Stuart Douglas, Steve Davis
31 August 1998 Wigan Athletic Away 3–1 3,778 Steve Davis, Sean Evers, Phil Gray
05 September 1998 Burnley Home 1–0 5,554 Stuart Douglas
08 September 1998 Wrexham Away 1–1 2,951 Ray McKinnon
12 September 1998 Bristol Rovers Home 2–0 5,558 Steve Davis, Graham Alexander
19 September 1998 Blackpool Away 0–1 5,695
26 September 1998 Walsall Home 0–1 5,530
03 October 1998 Fulham Away 3–1 11,856 Phil Gray, Stuart Douglas, Steve Davis
10 October 1998 York City Away 3–3 3,780 Stuart Douglas, Sean Evers, Phil Gray
17 October 1998 Oldham Athletic Home 2–0 5,447 Phil Gray, Andre Scarlett
20 October 1998 Northampton Town Home 1–0 6,087 Graham Alexander
24 October 1998 Gillingham Away 0–1 5,602
07 November 1998 Stoke City Away 1–3 12,964 Stuart Douglas
21 November 1998 Lincoln City Away 2–2 4,893 Phil Gray, Gary Doherty
28 November 1998 Manchester City Home 1–1 9,070 Gary Doherty
12 December 1998 Macclesfield Town Away 2–2 2,905 Stuart Douglas, Phil Gray
19 December 1998 Millwall Home 1–2 5,939 Steve Davis
28 December 1998 AFC Bournemouth Away 0–1 8,863
02 January 1999 Colchester United Away 2–2 4,694 Graham Alexander, Alan White
09 January 1999 Wycombe Wanderers Home 3–1 5,063 Matthew Spring, Sean Evers, Stuart Douglas
16 January 1999 Preston North End Away 1–2 11,034 Andrew Fotiadis
23 January 1999 Wigan Athletic Home 0–4 4,934
30 January 1999 AFC Bournemouth Home 2–2 5,426 Ray McKinnon, Gary Doherty
06 February 1999 Burnley Away 2–1 10,285 Andrew Fotiadis, Gary Doherty
13 February 1999 Wrexham Home 1–2 4,759 Gary Doherty
20 February 1999 Bristol Rovers Away 0–1 6,361
23 February 1999 Notts County Home 0–1 4,021
27 February 1999 Blackpool Home 1–0 4,646 Stuart Douglas
06 March 1999 Walsall Away 0–1 4,508
09 March 1999 Fulham Home 0–4 7,424
13 March 1999 Stoke City Home 1–2 5,221 Graham Alexander(pen)
20 March 1999 Chesterfield Away 1–3 3,921 Phil Gray
23 March 1999 Reading Home 1–1 5,527 Matthew Spring
27 March 1999 Gillingham Home 1–0 6,705 Sean Dyche
02 April 1998 Oldham Athletic Away 1–1 4,948 Phil Gray
06 April 1999 York City Home 2–1 4,667 Matthew Spring, Stuart Douglas
10 April 1999 Northampton Town Away 0–1 6,856
14 April 1999 Manchester City Away 0–2 26,130
17 April 1999 Lincoln City Home 0–1 5,122
24 April 1999 Notts County Away 2–1 5,583 Tony Thorpe (2)
27 April 1999 Chesterfield Home 1–0 4,287 Tony Thorpe
01 May 1999 Macclesfield Town Home 1–2 5,738 Gary Doherty
09 May 1999 Millwall Away 1–0 8,494 Tony Thorpe

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 15 November 1998 Boreham Wood Away 3–2 1,772 Phil Gray (2), Steve Davis
R2 05 December 1998 Hull City Home 1–2 5,021 Steve Davis

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st leg 11 August 1998 Oxford United Home 2–3 3,165 Graham Alexander (penx2)
R1 2nd leg 18 August 1998 Oxford United Away 3–1 5,099 Phil Gray, Sean Evers, Paul McLaren
R2 1st leg 15 September 1998 Ipswich Town Away 1–2 9,032 Stuart Douglas
R2 2nd leg 22 September 1998 Ipswich Town Home 4–2 5,655 Andrew Fotiadis, Stuart Douglas, Steve Davis, Marvin Johnson
R3 27 October 1998 Coventry City Home 2–0 9,051 Phil Gray, Steve Davis
R4 10 October 1998 Barnsley Home 1–0 8,435 Phil Gray
QF 01 December 1998 Sunderland Away 0–3 35,742

Football League Trophy

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
SR2 05 January 1999 Walsall Home 0–3 1,870

Squad

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[2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK   ENG Nathan Abbey
GK   ENG Kelvin Davis
GK   ENG Scott Ward
DF   SCO Graham Alexander
DF   ENG Steve Davis
DF   ENG Sean Dyche
DF   BRB Emmerson Boyce
DF   ENG Marvin Johnson
DF   ENG Gavin McGowan
DF   ENG James Ayres
DF   ENG Mitchell Thomas
DF   ENG Alan White
DF   ENG Matthew Taylor
DF   IRL Gary Doherty
DF   SCO Stuart Fraser
DF   ENG Chris Willmott
MF   ENG Sean Evers
MF   ENG Paul McLaren
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF   SCO Ray McKinnon
MF   ENG Paul Showler
MF   ENG Andre Scarlett
MF   SCO Michael McIndoe
MF   ENG Matthew Spring
MF   ENG Gerry Harrison
MF   WAL Simon Davies
MF   ENG Jimmy Cox
MF   ENG Kofi Nyamah
FW   ENG Stuart Douglas
FW   ENG Andrew Fotiadis
FW   IRL Liam George
FW   JAM Dwight Marshall
FW   ENG Tony Thorpe
FW   NIR Phil Gray
FW   FRA Hervé Bacqué
FW   COD Trésor Kandol
FW   CIV Landry Zahana-Oni

Player statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup FL Trophy Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
MF   Matthew Spring 45 3 1 (1) 0 7 0 0 0 53 (1) 3
GK   Kelvin Davis 44 0 2 0 7 0 0 0 53 0
DF   Marvin Johnson 42 0 1 0 7 1 0 0 50 1
FW   Stuart Douglas 42 9 1 (1) 0 6 2 0 0 49 (1) 11
FW   Phil Gray 32 (3) 8 2 2 6 3 0 0 40 (3) 13
DF   Gavin McGowan 27 (4) 0 2 0 7 0 0 0 36 (4) 0
DF   Alan White 18 (15) 1 1 0 0 (3) 0 1 0 20 (18) 1
MF   Graham Alexander 28 4 2 0 7 2 0 0 37 6
MF   Sean Evers 27 3 2 0 7 1 1 0 37 4
MF   Ray McKinnon 27 3 2 0 7 1 1 0 35 (2) 2
DF   Mitchell Thomas 26 (6) 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 29 (6) 0
MF   Paul McLaren 14 (9) 0 2 0 1 (3) 1 1 0 18 (12) 1
DF   Steve Davis 20 6 2 2 7 2 0 0 29 10
MF   Michael McIndoe 17 (5) 0 0 (2) 0 2 (1) 0 1 0 20 (8) 0
FW   Andrew Fotiadis 8 (13) 2 0 0 1 (2) 1 1 0 10 (15) 3
FW   Gary Doherty 5 (15) 6 1 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 6 (18) 6
MF   Gerry Harrison 14 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 15 0
DF   Sean Dyche 14 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 15 1
DF   Chris Willmott 13 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 (1) 0
FW   Liam George 6 (6) 0 0 0 0 (2) 0 0 0 6 (8) 0
FW   Hervé Bacqué 2 (5) 0 0 0 1 (2) 0 1 0 4 (7) 0
MF   Jimmy Cox 3 (5) 0 0 0 1 (1) 0 0 0 4 (6) 0
DF   Stuart Fraser 5 (3) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 (3) 0
FW   Tony Thorpe 7 (1) 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 (1) 4
FW   Landry Zahana-Oni 4 (4) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 (4) 0
MF   Andre Scarlett 2 (4) 1 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 2 (6) 1
FW   Dwight Marshall 3 (1) 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 6 (1) 1
FW   Trésor Kandol 2 (2) 0 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 2 (3) 0
GK   Nathan Abbey 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0
MF   Paul Showler 2 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 (1) 0
MF   Simon Davies 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
DF   Emmerson Boyce 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
MF   Kofi Nyamah 0 0 1 0 0 (1) 0 0 0 1 (1) 0

References

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  1. ^ "Luton Town matches for the season 1998/99 – HattersHeritage". Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  2. ^ "All Luton Town players: 1998".