The Story of a Premiership Season

August 1999

The new season begins with a staggering statistic. The number of foreign players has risen from nine, on the opening say of the first Premiership season, to 65, just seven years later.
Chelsea stun new-boys Sunderland, with all the goals coming from overseas players. In fact, of the 21 goals on the first day of this campaign, 12 were scored by foreign players.

Champions Manchester United are held at Everton while Arsenal only claim a draw with Leicester thanks to the only own goal of the opening day, from Frank Sinclair, in the 90th minute.

Bradford open their Premiership account with a Dean Saunders winner at Middlesbrough in The Bantams’ first top flight fixture for 77 years and the third promoted club, Watford, lose to Wimbledon. There’s a first career red card for Alan Shearer, not the best way to mark his 100th start for Newcastle, as Villa win.

Manchester United are held at Goodison, where a Jaap Stam own goal, four minutes from time robs the champions of victory.

A Dennis Bergkamp winner makes to two wins out of two for The Gunners, at Derby.
Manchester United win their first game and Dwight Yorke scores for the second game running as Sheffield Wednesday are trounced.

Manchester United join Arsenal, who can only draw at Sunderland, as leaders when Dwight Yorke’s brace beats Leeds.

Only days after receiving the dreaded ‘vote of confidence’ Ruud Gullit’s tenure looks increasingly fragile as Newcastle are ripped apart by Southampton and drop to the bottom of the table while The Saints go sixth.

Derby fall to 17th after losing to Middlesbrough and Everton are one place below when they lose at Spurs, despite being 2–1 ahead until the 82nd minute.

Aston Villa are just seconds away from going top of the table but Trevor Sinclair thwarts them with a 90th minute equaliser for West Ham.

19-year-old Robbie Keane leaves Wolves for Coventry and becomes the most expensive teenager as a consequence of the £6 million fee and makes a two-goal debut as The Sky Blues beat Derby County.
Chelsea benefit from an own goal for the second match running as a Ugo Ehiogu own goal takes them fourth. Derby slip to 19th after losing to Coventry and Everton leap from 18th to 14th after thrashing Southampton for a first win of the campaign. Only one place better off are Merseyside neighbours Liverpool who are 17th after defeat by Middlesbrough, a result that takes ’Boro third. Newcastle replace Everton in the bottom three when they surrender a 3–1 lead and concede a 90th minute goal to draw with Wimbledon. Sheffield Wednesday prop up the table after losing to Spurs.
Arsenal plummet to 8th after losing to Manchester United, who reinforce top spot with a rare brace from Roy Keane, that means a first Highbury defeat for The Gunners since December 1997.

Chelsea benefit from an own goal for the second match running as a Ugo Ehiogu own goal takes them to fourth.

The Alan Shearer-Ruud Gullit ‘power struggle’ comes to a head as the Newcastle striker is ‘benched’ for the Tyne-Tees derby which Sunderland win. Three days later the Dutchman quits as manager at St James’ Park after losing more games, 21, than he won, 18. Steve Clarke takes temporary control and in his first game Newcastle are thrashed by Manchester United and ex-Magpie Andy Cole nets four, the last three coming after Nicos Dabizas is sent off. Even the Magpies’ consolation goal comes from United’s Henning Berg.

Derby record a first win, when they take the points in the battle of the bottom with Sheffield Wednesday but the teams stay 19th and 20th respectively.

SIDERBAR
Bradford’s ‘Dads Army’ side contains 30 – somethings.

Story of a Premiership Season - August 1999

Story of a Premiership Season -
August 1999