The Story of a Premiership Season

February 1999

John Hartson has to fork out £20,000 as the FA equal their highest-ever fine in punishing the new Wimbledon striker for his training-ground kick in the head on Eyal Berkovic, while he was at West Ham. Hartson is also hit with a three-match ban. At the other end of the financial scale Manchester United are acclaimed as the world’s richest club with a turnover of £90 million. Alex Ferguson and Dwight Yorke are named as Manager and Player, respectively, of the month for January. And the month just gets better for United as substitute Ole Gunar Solskjaer nets four quick goals to sink Nottingham Forest. Southampton lose to Chelsea and Arsenal move into third with victory over West Ham.

Mark Hughes, who has the worst disciplinary record in the Premiership, is hit with a £2,000 fine, a two-match ban and a warning as to future conduct, for amassing 14 yellow cards.

Added winter gloom is prevented, at The Valley, where three Malaysians and a member of staff are arrested after a break-in at the club’s power room is linked to an attempted Far-Eastern betting syndicate on Premier League games. Floodlight ‘failures’ at previous fixtures caused delays at Old Trafford, last month, and, in 1997, at Pride Park, Upton Park and Selhurst Park.

A bad tempered ‘top v bottom’ clash sees Blackburn draw at Chelsea. There are seven yellow cards and Gianluca Villa sees red, along with Marlon Broome. Nicolas Anelka hits his first Premiership ‘hat-trick’ as Arsenal sweep aside Leicester City and Coventry sink into the bottom three with defeat to Manchester United. Southampton net a precious win after beating Newcastle and Charlton gain hope with a victory at Derby.

Chelsea christen their newly laid pitch with a win over Liverpool but the game is marred by a Graham La Saux elbow on Robbie Fowler that is missed by referee Paul Durkin but NOT by millions of television viewers. Manchester United rest a number of players but still beat Southampton. Former pacesetters Aston Villa continue their fall from grace with a ‘derby’ hammering at home to Coventry.

A first goal for new-signing Tim Sherwood earns Spurs a home draw with Derby and extends their unbeaten run to eight although the last six have all been draws. A ‘phoenix-like’ return to action for Mark Crossley as he gets his first outing for 22 months and the top flight’s best penalty stopper promptly saves a spot-kick to earn Forest a draw at Charlton. Only Southampton Matt Le Tissier has scored a penalty against Crossley.

Story of a Premiership Season - February 1999

Story of a Premiership Season -
February 1999