Review of the Season 1997-98
by Paul Carter

August 1997

Pre-season started in earnest with a 1-0 win over a Leicester City side lacking first team faces. A 4-2 reverse at home to Stevenage Borough followed, Harrow having had a two-goal lead at the break. Meanwhile, Boro' had made it to the Harrow Senior Cup Final where they faced Northwood in the final.

A comfortable 4-0 win on the night ensured Boro' started the season on a positive note and with some silverware. The goals came from Glynn Hooper (2), new signing Pat Gavin, and John Hurlock. The league programme opened at Aylesbury where Nko Ekoku was sent off in an ill-tempered affair, and Boro' returned home empty handed. The first points of the season were gained in the first home game, at the expense of Walton and Hersham, with goals from Pat Gavin and a penalty for Kenny Webster. Manager Bob Dowie professed himself to be very pleased to be on the way to his aim of a top ten place.

An emphatic 4-2 win at Oxford City was followed by one of the displays of the season at Dagenham and Redbridge. 1-0 behind at half time, Boro' were level within seconds of the restart when Pat Gavin headed in a Mark Xavier cross. The winner came from the penalty spot on 75 minutes, converted by Kenny Webster and despite some intensive pressure, Boro' held on for a fine away win, and a fifth place spot in the table.

September 1997

The month opened with a 2-0 defeat at home to fancied Sutton United under the new floodlights. Harrow's Guardian League Insurance Cup run lasted 90 minutes, being beaten by lowly Canvey Island of the Isthmian Second Division and losing red-carded Jason Court in the process.

The FA Cup opened with a 1st Qualifying Round tie at Burgess Hill Town. After surviving the early scare of going a goal behind, two goals in two minutes from Mark Xavier and one from Pat Gavin ensured progress in the competition, although the score was recorded as 2-1, as apparently Burgess Hill disagreed with one of the goals! Back to the league, and a 2-1 defeat at Bromley, including the sight of Bob Dowie being banished to the terrace by the referee. Back at Earlsmead, Harrow took on third placed Chesham United, where a 79th minute goal from Glynn Hooper gave Boro' all three points.

One of the toughest away matches of the season, at Kingstonian finished with Harrow being on the end of a 5-2 defeat, after having come back level from 2-0 down. The FA Cup Road to Wembley continued and ended at Margate of the Dr Martens Southern League. Boro' tried to play their passing game on a very uneven pitch and were convincingly squashed 4-0 by a direct Margate side who went on to the 1st Round Proper and that great day against Fulham.

Once again, Harrow's disciplinary problems surfaced with the sending off of Ian Rutherford. Boro' recovered on the following Tuesday, with a 1-0 home win over Borehamwood, the decisive goal coming three minutes from time, scored by Mark Xavier. Harrow drew 3-3 against a Fulham side containing seven first team players in a friendly with goals from Kenny Webster, Dave Clarke and Glynn Hooper. League Sponsors ICIS withdraw, and the league reverts to it's original name of the Isthmian.

October 1997

Another 1-0 win at home to St Albans City moved Harrow up to sixth place. Two late goals from Pat Gavin at Bishops Stortford gave Harrow another win, and moved them up to the heady heights of 3rd place. The FA Trophy programme opened at home to another Dr Martens Southern league side, Weston Super Mare and Harrow determined not to suffer the same fate as they did at Margate. Even so, Boro' went behind before Steve Butler brought them level, and the prospect of a West Country replay. This nearly didn't happen, as first of all Harrow's coach was stolen before arriving at Earlsmead, and when the game finally did get underway, two weeks later, the floodlights temporarily failed after 30 minutes. Despite these distractions, Harrow eventually won 2-1. Meanwhile, a stunning first half performance gave Harrow a 2-0 lead at Hitchin, but this was undone in the second half and the game finished 2-2.

November 1997

Harrow dropped down to 6th place thanks to a 2-0 defeat at home to Heybridge with Alan Paris being sent off, before taking on Molesey in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy. Five different goalscorers gave Harrow a 5-0 win, including an unstoppable strike from Nko Ekoku. Former Dr Martens side Gravesend and Northfleet were the next visitors in the league and they left Earlsmead empty handed, as goals from Sean James and Mark Xavier gave Boro' a 2-1 win.

Another memorable away win was to follow at Enfield, where Harrow finished 5-3 winners, despite finishing with ten men thanks to a red card for Dave Clarke. Once again, five different scorers were on the sheet, with an Enfield own goal followed by Pat Gavin, a Kenny Webster penalty, Mark Xavier and John Hurlock. Boro's odds of winning the league were slashed at William Hill from 50/1 to 16/1 after another win at home to Yeading, as they moved again up to 4th place.

November ended with arguably Harrow's biggest game of the season, at home to Bath City in the FA Trophy First Round. Despite taking an early lead, thanks to Steve Butler, Bath went through 3-1. Stationers Ryman signed a sponsorship deal worth £200 000 over three years and the league is renamed the Ryman Football League.

December 1997

Harrow started the month win a Full Members Cup win at a frozen Barton Rovers. Fourth placed Boro' then travelled to second placed Sutton, where in the fifth minute of injury time, the hosts secured a winning goal. Little were Harrow to know that this marked the turning point in their season and they were now to go nine league games and two months without a win. Boro's defensive muscle was depleted with suspensions for Jason Court and Dave Clarke, and a flu bug for John Hurlock.

Defeat by a single goal at Heybridge was followed by a 2-2 draw at Purfleet in appalling conditions. Despite another defeat at Dulwich, Harrow remained in 5th place at Christmas. Better news for Dave Clarke and Chris Metcalfe who were named in the Ryman League representative side for whom Metcalfe played in the 2-0 defeat by the FA XI comprised of Conference players. Still weakened by suspension and injury, Harrow finished the year with a 2-1 defeat at Hendon. Physio Andy McDade leaves to concentrate on his private practice.

January 1998

The New Year started poorly with a 3-0 defeat at home to eventual bottom placed side Oxford City. Boro' were now down to 9th place. Some respite from the dwindling league form in the shape of an eventual 2-1 replay win over Staines Town, following a 2-2 away draw in the Middlesex Senior Cup. Back to the league, Harrow conceded three second half goals at Carshalton to go down 3-0. At least Boro' gained a point in the next game, at home to Aylesbury, thanks to a Kenny Webster penalty. Another visit to Dagenham in the Full Members Cup marked Harrow's exit from the competition 3-1, and Bob Dowie's last match in charge at Earlsmead.

Dowie and the board decided on a parting of ways, and Alan Paris placed in charge on a caretaker basis. The team meanwhile suffers a body blow as influential players leave - Chris Metcalfe (Hayes), Dave Clarke (Dover) and John Hurlock (Chesham). Alan Paris's first game in charge at Walton at least produced a point in a 0-0 draw. A promising end to a traumatic month. New physio Eddie Cole joins the club.

February 1998

Harrow's progress in the Middlesex Senior Cup was temporarily halted as their Quarter Final tie at home to Brimsdown Rovers was postponed due to the dropping temperature at half time. However, the rearranged tie proved to be momentous a week later as Mark Xavier scored the first five of eight goals in Harrow's 8-1 win. This was the first time a player had achieved such a feat since Steve Conroy in 1991, and indeed was the club's largest cup win in fourteen years.

Robyn Jones meanwhile joins as Alan Paris's assistant. An expert on University level football, Robyn was to demonstrate this as Harrow's squad continues to undergo a major upheaval over the remainder of the season. Another momentous result was Harrow's long awaited league win, and it came as an emphatic 5-1 win at Chesham, their first there for 31 years! New signings Jeremy Lord and Martin Beard made their first appearances for the club.

An interruption in the return to league form came with the visit of eventual champions Kingstonian, who ended up 2-0 winners, and Carshalton who won 3-1. A point in a 0-0 draw at St Albans meant Harrow finished the month in 13th place. Jason Court and Steve Butler sign for Aylesbury. Alan Paris accepts the board's offer to remain as manager until at least the end of the season.

March 1998

Boro's most disrupted line-up of the season took to the field at home to Uxbridge in the Middlesex Senior Cup Semi Final. There were only 11 fit and eligible players, so defender Martin Beard played in goal and Pat Gavin in the centre of defence. Despite an early penalty from Kenny Webster, Uxbridge ended up 2-1 winners. Player availability was still a problem at home to Bromley.

On loan Noel Imber played in goal and Gavin Maguire returned in defence. New signings Stefan McGarrell and Johnny Kumah made their debuts. Maguire unfortunately cut his return short, getting sent off after 41 minutes for headbutting an opponent. Boro' did come back from 3-0 down to finish 3-2 losers. Another new signing, Darren Gorman made his debut at home to cup specialists Basingstoke, and Harrow got back to winning ways 2-0 with goals from Mark Xavier and Pat Gavin. Chris Green made his debut in the following game at home to Bishops Stortford, and two more goals from Pat Gavin gave Harrow a 2-1 win and a rise up to 10th place.

Injuries again caused problems as Harrow went into their home tie with Dagenham with just twelve fit players. Dagenham won 5-0, providing Harrow with their heaviest defeat of the season. Alan Paris reorganised for the visit of Hitchin the following Saturday, introducing another new face in the shape of Paul Adolphe, signed from Dagenham. Harrow were unlucky not to finish with all three points, following a Mark Xavier goal, but Hitchin equalised in the third minute of injury time.

A battling performance at Borehamwood where Harrow lead twice, thanks to goals from new signing Micky Tomlinson, and Jon-Barrie Bates ended 2-2 and contributed to ensuring the hosts remained in the Ryman League for another season. Danny Nwaokolo was named on the bench and gave the hosts' announcer severe difficulties each time he listed the team!

David Hook returned from his long-term back injury as Harrow gained another 2-2 draw at Basingstoke with goals again from Mark Xavier and Pat Gavin. Martin Beard asks to be allowed to return to Carshalton, following the management change there. Ricky Denny is also released, as is Ian Rutherford and Gary Issott.

April 1998

Another new signing made his debut at home to Purfleet, and ensured his name would not be forgotten by Boro's supporters. He was Steve Brown, a student signed hours before the transfer deadline. Coming on as a 26th minute substitute for the injured Mark Xavier, Brown scored a second half hat trick as Harrow finished 3-0. Danny Nwaokolo made his debut.

Harrow continued their trend of a new face each game, as John Mutch, signed from Uxbridge replaced the injured Darren Coleman for the home game with Hendon. An impressive defensive display ensured a 0-0 result. Next, Boro' visited Gravesend and Northfleet, who had convinced themselves they needed to win to ensure their Premier League future. This obviously communicated itself to their players, who secured a 3-0 win.

Harrow's final home match of the season saw the visit of Enfield and for the second time this season, Harrow scored five against them. Five separate scorers - Pat Gavin, Kenny Webster, Mark Xavier and Micky Tomlinson plus an Enfield own goal gave Harrow a 5-2 victory.

An early end of season break meant Harrow travelled to Jersey for a friendly against the Channel Islanders. Boro' finished 3-1 winners, with goals from Paul Adolphe, Alan Paris and Steve Brown. Kit man Mick Martin developed a relationship with a fire extinguisher!

Perhaps still suffering from the after effects of this break, Harrow lost at Dulwich 1-0 two days later, another new signing Francis McCormack making his league debut. Goalkeeper Lee Pearce is signed on loan as cover for David Hook. On the administration side, Club Secretary Ray Snookes steps down, to be replaced by Yvonne Wilkinson.

May 1998

Kingstonian completed what had looked inevitable for some time, and secured their Conference position for next season as Champions of the Ryman League. Alan Paris agrees to continue as manager next season. Harrow went into their last game of the season in a secure mid-table position, against a Yeading side needing a win to have any chance of remaining in the Premier Division.

Francis McCormack scored his first for the club, with another from Micky Tomlinson. However, Harrow ended the season seven minutes early and allowed Yeading to draw level, although this was still not enough for the hosts who were relegated. Hitchin Town and Oxford City join them in Division One, replaced by Aldershot Town, Billericay Town and Hampton.

As all three teams relegated from the Conference are northern, speculation surrounds the replacements for Kingstonian. Sutton beat Oxford City at Earlsmead 6-1 to win the Guardian Insurance League Cup. The End of Season Awards Dinner saw the Boro' squad turning up in seventies clothes. Kenny Webster won the Player of the Year, with Jon-Barrie Bates Players' Player, and Mark Xavier VPs' Player of the Year.

So ends a season of considerable upheaval at Earlsmead. What started brightly as a season promising much under Bob Dowie, ended as much the same under Alan Paris, but with a considerable number of new faces at the club.

The beginning of the end of the Champions League?