▁different ▁man agers ▁( three ▁full - time ▁appoint ments ▁and ▁two ▁care t akers ). ▁A ▁regular ▁st arter ▁under ▁As a ▁Hart ford , ▁Steve ▁Co pp ell ▁and ▁Phil ▁Ne al , ▁he ▁played ▁less ▁frequently ▁under ▁Frank ▁Clark , ▁and ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁five ▁goals ▁from ▁ 2 5 ▁League ▁starts . ▁At ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 – 9 8 ▁season , ▁Dick ov ▁did ▁not ▁feature ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁team , ▁but ▁was ▁restored ▁to ▁the ▁starting ▁line - up ▁following ▁inj uries ▁to ▁U we ▁R ös ler ▁and ▁Lee ▁Brad bury . ▁Dick ov ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁as ▁the ▁City ' s ▁top ▁sc orer ▁with ▁nine ▁goals , ▁but ▁the ▁club ▁were ▁re leg ated ▁to ▁the ▁third ▁tier ▁of ▁English ▁football ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁their ▁history ▁after ▁finishing ▁in ▁ 2 2 nd ▁place . ▁ ▁Dick ov , ▁we aring ▁the ▁number ▁ 9 ▁sh irt , ▁played ▁a ▁supporting ▁role ▁in ▁a ▁striking ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Sh a un ▁Go ater ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 – 9 9 ▁season , ▁scoring ▁ 1 6 ▁goals ▁in ▁all ▁compet itions , ▁including ▁a ▁hat - tr ick ▁against ▁Lincoln ▁City . ▁After ▁a ▁slow ▁start , ▁his ▁form ▁improved ▁in ▁the ▁later ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁leading ▁to ▁City ▁manager ▁Joe ▁Ro yle ▁nick nam ing ▁him ▁" the ▁cro cus " ▁due ▁to ▁him ▁coming ▁to ▁life ▁in ▁the ▁spring