SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
                                November 03, 1998


                            AVONDALE FINANCIAL CORP.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)


   DELAWARE                        0-24566                      36-3895923     
(State or other               (Commission File No.)           (IRS Employer
 jurisdiction of                                              Identification
 incorporation)                                                  Number)


20 NORTH CLARK STREET, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS                               60602    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                             (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (312) 782-6200
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                       N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



<PAGE>



Item 5. Other Events

     Avondale Financial Corp. ("Avondale") is filing this Current Report on Form
8-K to  incorporate  by reference  herein the financial  results for the quarter
ended September 30, 1998 of Coal City  Corporation  ("Coal City").  This Current
Report  on Form 8-K will be  incorporated  by  reference  into the  Registration
Statement on Form S-4 to be filed by Avondale in connection  with the previously
announced merger of Coal City with and into Avondale.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (c)  Exhibits

     99   Press Release of Coal City dated October 31, 1998.






                                        2


<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  Report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                                 AVONDALE FINANCIAL CORP.

Date: November  2, 1998                          By: /s/ ROBERT S. ENGELMAN, JR.
               ---                                   ---------------------------
                                                     Robert S. Engelman, Jr.
                                                     President and Chief
                                                     Executive Officer






                                        3


<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



EXHIBIT
NUMBER                             DESCRIPTION
------                             -----------

99        Press Release of Coal City dated October 31, 1998.







                                        5
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3150}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AVONDALE FINANCIAL CORP", "cik": "0000908143", "assigned-sic": "6035", "irs-number": "363895923", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-24566", "film-number": "98736868"}, "business-address": {"street1": "20 N CLARK ST", "city": "CHICAGO", "state": "IL", "zip": "60602", "phone": "3127826200"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "20 NORTH CLARK STREET", "city": "CHICAGO", "state": "IL", "zip": "60602"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
                                November 03, 1998

                            AVONDALE FINANCIAL CORP.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)

   DELAWARE                        0-24566                      36-3895923     
(State or other               (Commission File No.)           (IRS Employer
 jurisdiction of                                              Identification
 incorporation)                                                  Number)

20 NORTH CLARK STREET, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS                               60602    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                             (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (312) 782-6200
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                       N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Item 5. Other Events

     Avondale Financial Corp. ("Avondale") is filing this Current Report on Form
8-K to  incorporate  by reference  herein the financial  results for the quarter
ended September 30, 1998 of Coal City  Corporation  ("Coal City").  This Current
Report  on Form 8-K will be  incorporated  by  reference  into the  Registration
Statement on Form S-4 to be filed by Avondale in connection  with the previously
announced merger of Coal City with and into Avondale.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (c)  Exhibits

     99   Press Release of Coal City dated October 31, 1998.

                                        2
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  Report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                                 AVONDALE FINANCIAL CORP.

Date: November  2, 1998                          By: /s/ ROBERT S. ENGELMAN, JR.
               ---                                   ---------------------------
                                                     Robert S. Engelman, Jr.
                                                     President and Chief
                                                     Executive Officer

                                        3
EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                             DESCRIPTION
------                             -----------

99        Press Release of Coal City dated October 31, 1998.

                                        5