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1996–97 Football League

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The 1996–97 Football League (known as the Nationwide Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 98th completed season of The Football League.

The Football League
Season1996–97
ChampionsBolton Wanderers
PromotedBolton Wanderers
Barnsley
Crystal Palace
RelegatedHereford United

Bolton Wanderers returned to the Premiership in superb fashion, hitting 100 goals and taking 98 points. Barnsley were promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history, while Crystal Palace returned after a two-year absence by winning the play-offs.

The decline of Oldham Athletic continued, falling into the third tier for the first time in 23 years, and just three years after being in the Premiership. Grimsby Town and Southend United joined them in relegation to the Second Division.

Bury won their second consecutive promotion, taking the Second Division title, Stockport County joined them in automatic promotion, and play-off winners Crewe Alexandra completed the trio moving up.

Going down were Peterborough United, Shrewsbury Town, Rotherham United and Notts County. County had been in the top division just five years earlier.

Wigan Athletic won the Third Division title on goals scored from Fulham. Carlisle United and play-off winners Northampton Town also won promotion to the Second Division.

Hereford United were the first club for four years to be relegated to the Conference after finishing bottom. Conference champions Macclesfield Town replaced Hereford (two years after Town had been denied entry to the Third Division). In December, Brighton & Hove Albion were 11 points adrift at the bottom of the Third Division, having had 2 points deducted for a pitch invasion. However a draw in their final game at Hereford kept Brighton in the league, and sent United down.

Final league tables and results

The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website,[1] with home and away statistics separated. Play-off results are from the same website.

First Division

First Division
Season1996–97
ChampionsBolton Wanderers
PromotedBolton Wanderers
Barnsley
Crystal Palace
RelegatedGrimsby Town
Oldham Athletic
Southend United
Matches played552
Goals scored1,474 (2.67 per match)
Top goalscorerJohn McGinlay
(24 goals)[2]

One season after being relegated from the Premier League, Bolton Wanderers finished champions of Division One after leading the table virtually all season, finishing with 100 goals and 98 points in their final season at Burnden Park before relocating to the new all-seater Reebok Stadium. Barnsley finished runners-up and reached the top flight for the first time in their 101-year history. Wolves, who were beaten to automatic promotion by Barnsley, lost to Crystal Palace in the semi-finals of the playoffs, their second playoff defeat in three seasons, while Sheffield United overcame Ipswich Town in the other semi-final. Palace sealed promotion after two years away from the Premier League when midfielder David Hopkin scored with almost the last kick of the game.

A year after almost being relegated to Division Two, Portsmouth made strong progress in their second full season under the management of Terry Fenwick and just missed out on the playoffs. Port Vale, who finished eighth, enjoyed one of the highest final positions in their history, although eighth place was not high enough for playoff qualification and the chance of top flight football for the first time in the club's history. Vale's local rivals Stoke City finished 12th in their final season at the 119-year-old Victoria Ground before moving to the new Britannia Stadium. Manchester City spent the first half of the season battling at the wrong end of the table before the mid-season appointment of Frank Clark sparked a turnaround in fortunes and lifted them to 14th in the final table.

Southend United's six-year spell in the league's second tier came to an end as they finished bottom of Division One, with relegation quickly being followed by the dismissal of manager Ronnie Whelan. Oldham Athletic were next to go, their second relegation in four seasons being confirmed soon after the departure of manager Graeme Sharp. Alan Buckley, sacked mid-season by West Bromwich Albion, returned to Grimsby Town for his second spell as manager but was unable to keep the Mariners up, the battle against relegation being lost on the final day of the season.

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1Bolton Wanderers (C, P)462814410053+4798Promotion to the Premier League
2Barnsley (P)462214107655+2180
3Wolverhampton Wanderers462210146851+1776Qualification for the First Division play-offs
4Ipswich Town462014126850+1874
5Sheffield United462013137552+2373
6Crystal Palace (O, P)461914137848+3071
7Portsmouth46208185953+668
8Port Vale461716135855+367
9Queens Park Rangers461812166460+466
10Birmingham City461715145248+466
11Tranmere Rovers461714156356+765
12Stoke City461810185157−664
13Norwich City461712176368−563
14Manchester City461710195960−161
15Charlton Athletic461611195266−1459
16West Bromwich Albion461415176872−457
17Oxford United46169216468−457
18Reading461512195867−957
19Swindon Town46159225271−1954
20Huddersfield Town461315184861−1354
21Bradford City461212224772−2548
22Grimsby Town (R)461113225981−2246Relegation to the Second Division
23Oldham Athletic (R)461013235166−1543
24Southend United (R)46815234285−4339
Source: [3]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Play-offs

Semi-finals
1st leg – 10 May; 2nd leg – 14 May 1997		Final at Wembley
26 May 1997
        
3rdWolverhampton Wanderers123
6thCrystal Palace314
5thSheffield United0
6thCrystal Palace1
4thIpswich Town123
5thSheffield United (away goals)123

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 John McGinlayBolton Wanderers24
2 Steve BullWolverhampton Wanderers23
3 Trevor MorleyReading22
4 Nathan BlakeBolton Wanderers20
5 John AldridgeTranmere Rovers18
= Nigel JemsonOxford United18
= Mike SheronStoke City18

Results

Home \ AwayBARBIRBOLBRACHACRYGRIHUDIPSMCINWCOLDOXFPTVPORQPRREASHUSTDSTKSWITRAWBAWOL
Barnsley0–12–22–04–00–01–33–11–22–03–12–00–01–03–21–33–02–03–03–01–13–02–01–3
Birmingham City0–03–13–00–01–00–01–01–02–02–30–02–01–20–30–04–11–12–13–11–00–02–31–2
Bolton Wanderers2–22–12–14–12–26–12–01–21–03–13–14–04–22–02–12–12–23–11–17–01–01–03–0
Bradford City2–20–22–41–00–43–41–12–11–30–20–32–01–03–13–00–01–20–01–02–11–01–12–1
Charlton Athletic2–22–13–30–22–11–32–11–11–14–41–02–01–32–12–11–00–02–01–22–03–11–10–0
Crystal Palace1–10–11–13–11–03–01–10–03–12–03–12–21–11–23–03–20–16–12–01–20–10–02–3
Grimsby Town2–31–21–21–12–02–12–22–11–11–40–30–21–10–12–02–02–44–01–12–10–01–11–3
Huddersfield Town0–03–01–23–32–01–12–02–01–12–03–21–00–11–31–21–02–10–02–10–00–10–00–2
Ipswich Town1–11–10–13–22–13–11–11–31–02–04–02–12–11–12–05–23–11–11–13–20–25–00–0
Manchester City1–21–01–23–22–11–13–10–01–02–11–02–30–11–10–33–20–03–02–03–01–23–20–1
Norwich City1–10–10–12–01–21–12–12–03–10–02–01–11–11–01–11–11–10–02–02–01–12–41–0
Oldham Athletic0–12–20–01–21–10–10–31–23–32–13–02–13–00–00–21–10–20–01–25–11–21–13–2
Oxford United5–10–00–02–00–21–43–21–03–11–40–13–10–22–02–32–14–15–04–12–02–11–01–1
Port Vale1–33–01–11–12–00–21–10–02–20–26–13–22–00–24–41–00–02–11–11–02–12–21–2
Portsmouth4–21–10–33–12–02–21–03–10–12–10–11–02–11–11–21–01–11–01–00–11–34–00–2
Queens Park Rangers3–11–11–21–01–20–13–02–00–12–23–20–12–11–22–10–21–04–01–11–12–00–22–2
Reading1–20–03–20–02–21–61–14–11–02–02–12–02–00–10–02–11–03–22–22–02–02–22–1
Sheffield United0–14–41–13–03–03–03–13–11–32–02–32–23–13–01–01–12–03–01–02–00–01–22–3
Southend United1–21–15–21–10–22–11–01–20–02–31–11–12–20–02–10–12–13–22–11–31–12–31–1
Stoke City1–01–01–21–01–02–23–13–20–12–11–22–12–12–03–10–01–10–41–22–02–02–11–0
Swindon Town3–03–12–21–11–00–23–36–00–42–00–31–01–01–10–11–13–12–10–01–02–12–31–2
Tranmere Rovers1–11–02–23–04–01–33–21–13–01–13–11–10–02–04–32–32–21–13–00–02–12–30–2
West Bromwich Albion1–22–02–20–01–21–02–01–10–01–35–11–13–31–10–24–13–21–24–00–21–21–22–4
Wolverhampton Wanderers3–31–21–21–01–00–31–10–00–03–03–20–13–10–10–11–10–11–24–12–01–03–22–0
Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Locations

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the First Division teams

Second Division

Bury's upturn in fortunes continued as they followed their promotion from Division Three with promotion from Division Two, finishing champions of the division to clinch a place in Division One. Stockport County, another club more familiar with the lower two divisions of the league, sealed promotion as runners-up at the end of an exciting season which also saw them reach the semi-finals of the League Cup.

Crewe Alexandra finally reached the league's second tier for the first time in their history, triumphing over Brentford in the Division Two playoff final after falling at the semi-final stages during the previous two seasons. Bristol City and Luton Town were the beaten semi-finalists. Notts County finished bottom of the table to make it three relegations in six seasons, condemning them to fourth tier football only a few years after they had been in the top flight. Rotherham United went down in second from bottom place, followed shortly afterwards by Shrewsbury Town and Peterborough United. York City enjoyed a repeat of the 1995-96 season, beginning the campaign by eliminating Premier League opposition from the League Cup (this time Everton rather than Manchester United) and finished one place above the relegation zone, although this time safety was achieved before the final day of the season.

Football League, Second Division
Season1996–97
ChampionsBury (2nd third tier title)
Direct promotionBury,
Stockport County
Promoted through play-offsCrewe Alexandra
RelegatedNotts County,
Peterborough United,
Rotherham United,
Shrewsbury Town
Matches played552
Goals scored1,270 (2.3 per match)
Top goalscorerTony Thorpe (Luton Town), 28[2]

PosTeamPldHWHDHLHGFHGAAWADALAGFAGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Bury46185039767102331+2484Division Champions, promoted
2Stockport County46155331148872827+1882Promoted
3Luton Town46137338148873331+2678Participated in play-offs
4Brentford468114262212383021+1374
5Bristol City461445431876102633+1873
6Crewe Alexandra461544381573131832+973Promoted through play-offs
7Blackpool461373412158101926+1369
8Wrexham46119338286981722+569
9Burnley461436482758102328+1668
10Chesterfield461094251885101721+368
11Gillingham461337372567102334+167
12Walsall461283352172141932+167
13Watford461085241461162124+767
14Millwall461247272249102333−561
15Preston North End461454331942171636−661
16Bournemouth46896242076101925−260
17Bristol Rovers461346342227141328−356
18Wycombe Wanderers461346311426152043−655
19Plymouth Argyle467115191857112840−1154
20York City46869273157112037−2152
21Peterborough United46779383447121739−1847Relegated
22Shrewsbury Town46869273237132242−2546
23Rotherham United464712172937132241−3135
24Notts County464910202535151334−2635
Source: [4]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Play-offs

Semi-finals
1st leg – 11 May; 2nd leg – 14 May 1997		Final at Wembley
25 May 1997
        
3rdLuton Town123
6thCrewe Alexandra224
4thBrentford0
6thCrewe Alexandra1
4thBrentford224
5thBristol City112

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Tony ThorpeLuton Town28
2 Paul BarnesBurnley24
3 Carl AsabaBrentford23
= Shaun GoaterBristol City23
5 Iffy OnuoraGillingham21
6 Kyle LightbourneWalsall20

Results

Home \ AwayBLPBOUBREBRIBRRBURBRYCHFCREGILLUTMILNTCPETPLYPNEROTSHRSTPWALWATWREWYCYOR
Blackpool1–11–01–03–21–32–00–11–22–00–03–01–05–12–22–14–11–12–12–11–13–30–03–0
Bournemouth0–02–10–21–00–01–13–00–12–23–21–10–11–21–02–01–10–00–00–11–22–12–11–1
Brentford1–11–00–00–00–30–21–00–22–03–20–02–00–13–20–04–20–02–21–11–12–00–03–3
Bristol City0–10–11–21–12–11–02–03–00–15–01–14–02–03–12–10–23–21–14–11–12–13–02–0
Bristol Rovers0–03–22–11–21–24–32–02–00–03–21–01–01–02–01–01–22–01–10–10–12–03–41–1
Burnley2–01–01–22–32–23–10–02–05–10–21–01–05–02–11–23–31–35–22–14–12–02–11–2
Bury1–02–11–14–02–11–01–01–03–00–02–02–01–01–03–03–12–00–02–11–10–02–04–1
Chesterfield0–01–10–21–11–00–01–21–02–21–11–01–02–11–22–11–12–10–11–00–00–04–22–0
Crewe Alexandra3–22–02–01–21–01–12–01–23–20–00–03–01–13–01–01–05–11–01–00–23–13–00–1
Gillingham2–31–11–23–21–01–02–20–12–11–22–31–02–14–11–13–12–01–02–03–11–21–00–1
Luton Town1–02–01–02–22–11–20–00–16–02–10–22–03–02–25–11–02–01–13–10–00–00–02–0
Millwall2–10–10–00–22–02–11–02–12–00–20–11–00–20–03–22–02–13–41–00–11–12–11–1
Notts County1–10–21–12–01–11–10–10–00–11–11–21–20–02–12–10–01–21–22–02–30–01–20–1
Peterborough United0–03–10–13–11–23–21–21–12–20–10–13–31–30–02–06–22–20–20–12–10–16–32–2
Plymouth Argyle0–10–01–40–00–10–02–00–31–02–03–30–00–01–12–11–02–20–02–00–00–10–02–1
Preston North End3–00–11–00–20–01–13–10–12–11–03–22–12–03–41–10–02–11–02–01–12–12–11–0
Rotherham United1–21–00–12–20–01–01–10–11–41–20–30–02–22–01–20–11–20–11–20–00–02–10–2
Shrewsbury Town1–31–10–31–02–02–11–12–00–11–20–31–12–12–22–30–20–23–22–21–00–11–12–0
Stockport County1–00–11–21–11–01–02–11–01–02–11–15–10–00–03–11–00–03–12–01–00–22–12–1
Walsall1–12–11–02–01–01–33–11–11–01–03–22–13–14–00–11–01–12–21–11–10–12–21–1
Watford2–20–12–03–01–02–20–00–20–10–01–10–20–00–00–21–02–02–01–01–01–11–04–0
Wrexham2–12–00–22–11–00–01–13–21–11–12–13–33–31–14–41–01–02–12–31–23–11–00–0
Wycombe Wanderers1–01–10–12–02–05–00–11–02–01–10–11–01–02–02–10–14–23–00–20–20–00–03–1
York City1–01–22–40–32–21–00–20–01–12–31–13–21–21–01–13–12–10–01–20–21–21–02–0
Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Locations

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the Second Division teams

Third Division

In their second season under the management of John Deehan and ownership of ambitious chairman Dave Whelan, Wigan finished champions of Division Three, with striker Graeme Jones being the league's top scorer with 31 goals. Fulham finished runners-up behind them on goals scored in their final season under the chairmanship of Jimmy Hill. The West London club was then taken over by Harrods owner Mohamed al-Fayed. Carlisle United clinched the final automatic promotion spot, one season after relegation. The final promotion place was won by Northampton Town, who ended their seven-year stay in the league's basement division by defeating Swansea City with John Frain goal in the last minute of extra time in the playoff final.

16th placed Leyton Orient made a move for 47-year-old former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton in December, with the veteran shot-stopper making nine league appearances and becoming the first player in English football to make a total of 1,000 league appearances before leaving the Brisbane Road side at the end of the season.

Brighton, deep in debt and faced with being left homeless through the sale of the Goldstone Ground, looked doomed by Christmas as they trailed the rest of the Division Three sides by a long distance. However, an incredible improvement in form during the second half of the season made survival appear like a realistic target by April, and they went into the final game of the season off the bottom of the table against a Hereford United side who were their hosts on the final day. Brighton need at least a draw to survive, while victory would keep Hereford in the league. A Kerry Mayo own goal put the Edgar Street side ahead and Brighton looked set to go down to the Conference a mere 14 years after being FA Cup finalists and side in the old First Division, before equalizing late on in the game through new signing Robbie Rienelt, securing their Division Three survival and ending Hereford's 25-year stay in the league. Brighton were then faced with several weeks of uncertainty about their future as the search for a new home continued, ending when a groundsharing deal was agreed with Gillingham in Kent.

Coming up from the Conference were Macclesfield Town, who had overturned a wide lead by Kidderminster Harriers during the second half of the season to clinch the Conference title on the final day of the season and claim the Football League status which they had been denied two years earlier when their Moss Rose stadium failed to meet the league's capacity requirements. The necessary work had since taken place, ensuring that the Cheshire side did not suffer the same disappointment again.

Football League, Third Division
Season1996–97
ChampionsWigan Athletic (1st fourth tier title)
Direct promotionWigan Athletic,
Carlisle United,
Fulham
Promoted through play-offsNorthampton
Relegated to ConferenceHereford United
Matches played552
Goals scored1,385 (2.51 per match)
Top goalscorerGraeme Jones (Wigan Athletic), 31[2]

PosTeamPldHWHDHLHGFHGAAWADALAGFAGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Wigan Athletic46173353219683130+3387Division Champions, promoted
2Fulham461355412012743118+3487Promoted
3Carlisle United46163441218962623+2384
4Northampton Town46144543176892427+2372Promoted through play-offs
5Swansea City461355372083122538+471Participated in play-offs
6Chester City46118430167882527+1270
7Cardiff City46114831249592631+269
8Colchester United46119336236892628+1168
9Lincoln City461085352584113544+166
10Cambridge United461157302776102332−665
11Mansfield Town4698621177882628+264
12Scarborough46995363176103038−363
13Scunthorpe United461139363376102329−363
14Rochdale461067342441092434058
15Barnet46995322357111428−558
16Leyton Orient461166282046132238−857
17Hull City46986292641091524−657
18Darlington461157372835152750−1452
19Doncaster Rovers46977292353152343−1452
20Hartlepool United46869333263142034−1351
21Torquay United469410242447122238−1650
22Exeter City46698253063142343−2548
23Brighton & Hove Albion461265412714181243−1747[a]
24Hereford United46689262556122440−1547Relegated to Conference
Source: [5]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Notes:

Play-offs

Semi-finals
1st leg – 11 May; 2nd leg – 14 May 1997		Final at Wembley
24 May 1997
        
4thNorthampton Town134
7thCardiff City022
4thNorthampton Town1
5thSwansea City0
5thSwansea City033
6thChester City000

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Graeme JonesWigan Athletic31
2 Gareth AinsworthLincoln City22
3 Mike ConroyFulham21
4 Colin CrambDoncaster Rovers18
5 Adrian FosterHereford United16
= Darren RobertsDarlington16

Locations

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the Third Division teams

Results

Home \ AwayBARBHACAMCARCRLCHECOLDARDONEXEFULHARHERHULLEYLINMANNORROCSCASCUSWATORWIG
Barnet3–02–13–10–01–22–40–03–03–02–21–02–31–00–01–01–11–13–21–31–10–10–01–1
Brighton & Hove Albion1–01–22–01–32–11–12–31–01–00–05–00–13–04–41–31–12–13–03–21–13–22–21–0
Cambridge United1–01–10–21–32–21–05–20–13–20–11–00–11–02–01–32–10–02–22–10–22–12–11–1
Cardiff City1–21–00–02–01–01–22–00–22–11–22–02–02–03–01–31–22–22–11–10–01–32–00–2
Carlisle United2–12–13–00–23–13–01–00–02–01–21–02–30–01–01–01–12–13–21–03–24–15–10–3
Chester1–02–11–10–11–11–22–16–02–11–10–01–30–00–14–11–02–10–01–01–02–00–01–1
Colchester United1–02–02–21–11–10–00–32–21–02–10–21–11–12–17–12–10–01–01–31–13–12–03–1
Darlington0–12–02–02–12–11–11–10–30–10–21–21–01–01–15–22–43–11–11–12–04–12–33–1
Doncaster Rovers1–13–02–13–30–10–10–03–21–20–02–11–00–02–11–30–01–23–01–21–10–12–12–0
Exeter City1–12–10–12–02–11–50–33–21–10–12–01–10–03–23–30–00–10–02–20–11–21–10–1
Fulham2–02–03–01–41–01–13–16–03–11–11–01–02–01–11–21–20–11–14–02–12–11–21–1
Hartlepool United4–02–30–22–31–22–01–01–22–41–12–12–11–13–12–12–20–21–21–00–11–11–11–1
Hereford United1–11–10–11–12–31–21–01–11–01–20–00–10–12–01–10–11–23–02–23–20–11–13–1
Hull City0–03–01–31–10–11–01–23–23–12–00–31–01–13–22–11–11–11–10–20–21–12–01–1
Leyton Orient0–12–01–13–02–10–01–10–02–11–10–22–02–11–12–32–12–12–10–10–11–01–01–2
Lincoln City1–02–11–12–01–10–03–22–03–22–32–02–13–20–11–10–01–10–21–12–04–01–21–3
Mansfield Town0–01–11–01–30–00–21–12–11–00–10–01–03–11–00–22–21–00–02–02–00–01–20–1
Northampton Town2–03–01–24–01–15–12–13–12–04–10–13–01–02–10–11–13–02–21–01–01–21–10–1
Rochdale1–13–03–01–02–20–10–02–02–12–01–21–30–01–21–02–00–11–13–31–22–32–13–1
Scarborough1–11–11–00–01–10–01–14–12–13–40–22–41–13–22–10–22–11–12–23–20–13–13–1
Scunthorpe United1–21–03–20–10–00–22–13–21–24–11–42–15–12–21–22–00–22–12–20–21–01–02–3
Swansea City3–01–03–10–10–12–11–11–12–03–11–22–24–00–01–01–23–21–02–11–21–12–02–1
Torquay United1–22–10–12–01–20–00–21–11–02–03–10–12–11–10–02–11–21–20–11–01–22–00–3
Wigan Athletic2–01–01–10–11–04–21–03–24–12–01–12–24–11–25–11–02–02–10–17–13–03–23–2
Updated to match(es) played on 5 November 2020. Source: [1]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

See also

References

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