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| December 1998 It doesn’t take Blackburn Rovers long as, four days into the month, Brian Kidd severs his 33-year association with Manchester United to become manager at Ewood Park. Dion Dublin’s seven goals in his first four Aston Villa games earn him the Player of the Month award for November. Leeds United’s young guns, six of their team is under 21, move into third place with a 4–0 win over West Ham while Blackburn give their new manager a welcoming present, a home victory over Charlton, a first win in eight games. Chelsea drop to sixth after a dull goalless draw at Everton is headlined by Dennis Wise’s third red card of the season. Four days later Chelsea beat Aston Villa with Tore Andre Flo netting the winner in the fourth minute of added-time. It’s his 35th appearance as substitute. At the other end of the table Everton’s victory at The Dell keeps Southampton rock bottom and while Blackburn manage a couple of draws they stay 18th. Nottingham Forest didn’t manage a single win in the five games they played in December and by the turn of the year they had replaced Southampton at the foot of the table. It’s a momentous month for Chelsea as the home win over Spurs takes them top for the first time in a decade, although the dismissal of Tottenham striker Chris Armstrong was a contributory factor. But Aston Villa regain top spot and go three points clear of Chelsea with a win at Charlton, courtesy of a Richard Rufus own goal. But five days later Chelsea return to the summit with a Boxing Day win at Southampton while Villa were losing at Blackburn, due, in the main, to the sending off of goalkeeper Michael Oakes. Nottingham Forest lose at Old Trafford, as United moved third. It was that defeat that sent Forest bottom and that was where they were to remain for the duration of the season. As the year draws to an end Villa, Chelsea and Manchester United occupy the leading positions that, historically, indicate from which the eventual champions emerge while the bottom three, Charlton Athletic, Southampton and Nottingham Forest nervously reflect that a place in the bottom three, prior to the ringing in of the New Year, usually means getting out route-maps to First Division grounds come August. |
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The
above article is an extract from The Breedon Book of Premiership Records by Brian Beard. For details of this essential addition to the bookshelves of any football fan click HERE. |
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