1996-97 in English football
Encyclopedia
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.
Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.
and Liverpool
fell away in the closing weeks. Nevertheless, their tally of 75 points is the lowest ever recorded by a Premier League winner.
Newcastle United finished second again and qualified for the Champions League
preliminary stages, while Arsenal
, Liverpool
and Leicester City
(League Cup winners) qualified for the UEFA Cup
.
Going down were Sunderland
, Middlesbrough
(after a three-point deduction) and Nottingham Forest
.
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 Division Two.
won their second consecutive promotion, taking the Division Two 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.
. Carlisle United and play-off winners Northampton Town also won promotion to Division Two.
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 Division Three).
Peter Shilton
who joined Leyton Orient F.C.
at the beginning of the season became the first footballer make 1000 League Appearances in English football on 22nd December 1996.
had resigned as manager. His reason for quitting was that he felt he had taken the club as far as he could. And during his five years at St James's Park, Keegan had overseen a revolution in Newcastle's fortunes. On his appointment in February 1992, Newcastle had been second from bottom in the old Second Division and looked favourites for relegation. But he kept them in the Second Division and they were founder members of the new Division One in 1992–93. A superb run of form kept them at the top of the division all season and they went up to the Premiership as Division One champions. Third and sixth place finishes followed before Newcastle led the Premiership for most of 1995–96, only to be overhauled by Manchester United in the final weeks of the season. He had walked out on Newcastle as they looked well place to challenge for a league title.
Kenny Dalglish
was appointed manager of Newcastle in Keegan's place – coincidentally Dalglish had replaced Keegan as Liverpool's main striker 20 years earlier.
, and concede 13 goals in 3 Premiership games during late October. Alex Ferguson
had built on the success of the previous season's double winning team thanks largely to two new signings – Norwegians Ronny Johnsen
(central defender) and Ole Gunnar Solskjær
(striker). The two Norwegians were little known outside their homeland when they arrived at Old Trafford. Johnsen proved himself as one of the Premiership's best defenders, while Solskjær made the headlines as he topped the club's goalscoring charts with 18 Premiership goals.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old midfielder David Beckham
progressed further by collecting the PFA Young Player of the Year
award as credit for his brilliant performances.
dropped a bombshell on Manchester United by announcing his retirement from playing. The news hit football like a tidal wave. Cantona was one of the most idolised footballers of his day, despite his fiery temper which saw him sidelined for eight months in 1995 after he kicked a spectator. Cantona wowed the footballing world with his talents and the way he bounced back from his long suspension won him even more admirers. In five seasons at Old Trafford, he had won four Premiership titles and two F.A Cups as well being voted PFA Player of the Year in 1994 and FWA Player of the Year in 1996. He had ironically been part of the Leeds United
team which pipped Alex Ferguson
's men to the league title in 1992, and proved himself to be one of the biggest bargains in Premiership football when he moved to Old Trafford the following November for little over £1million.
were relegated from the Premiership after experiencing a unique season. They were on the losing side in both domestic cup finals and were relegated from the Premiership in 19th place, and had managed to finish in the last two of all three major English tournaments. But they would have avoided relegation had it not been for a 3-point deduction imposed in January as punishment for postponing a fixture against Blackburn Rovers within 24 hours of the scheduled kick-off. Chairman Steve Gibson had appealed against the ruling, protesting that too many players were ill or injured for the club to field a full team. But their appeal was rejected.
The 3-point deduction on Middlesbrough
also preserved Coventry City's top flight status for the 31st season running.
. Yet on the penultimate day of the season they moved above Hereford United, another club with major financial problems, and the final day of the season saw the two clubs battle it out in a relegation-decider at Edgar Street. Hereford needed to win while Brighton only needed a draw to survive. At half time the score was 1–0 to Hereford but Brighton equalised in the second half against the run of play. The match finished 1–1 and, with the teams level on points, the Seagulls stayed up on goals scored while the Bulls were relegated to the Conference.
, playing in the third tier of English football, reached the FA Cup semi-final. On the way to the semi-final they beat Nottingham Forest
1–0 and Bolton Wanderers
3–2, with a hat trick from a young Kevin Davies
. In the semis they met Middlesbrough
at Old Trafford
. After going 2–0 up Boro bought it back to 2–2, but not after controversy when Jonathan Howard
's shot hit the underside of the crossbar and clearly crossed the line, but was waved off by the referee despite the linesman calling it in, as the referee had blown several seconds earlier for a deliberate foul. The match finished 3–3 AET and Chesterfield went on to lose the replay 3–0. Boro's win however led to a defeat in the FA Cup Final, in which a season later they became the first team to lose three domestic finals in a row.
midfielder David Beckham
received the PFA Young Player of the Year
award as well as collecting a Premiership title medal.
Chelsea
's talismanic Italian striker Gianfranco Zola
was voted FWA Player of the Year as well as collecting an FA Cup winner's medal.
Alan Shearer
finished as the Premiership's top scorer with 25 goals in 31 games.
Dion Dublin
's 18 Premiership goals almost single-handedly saved Coventry City
from relegation.
19-year-old striker Emile Heskey
was recognised as one of the Premiership's hottest young talents after helping Leicester City
win the League Cup
and finish in the top half of the league.
Note: Middlesbrough
deducted 3 points for failing to fulfil a fixture.
NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference
NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference
Note: Cardiff City
left administration and made arrangements before competing in the playoff.
NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference
from Blackburn Rovers
to Newcastle United
, £15m
For subsequent transfer deals see 1997-98 in English football
.
pay a club record £4.9million for Lazio
and Italy
midfielder Roberto Di Matteo
.
4 July 1996 – Middlesbrough
pay a club record £7million for Juventus and Italy
striker Fabrizio Ravanelli
.
9 July 1996 – Manchester United make a £12million offer to Blackburn Rovers for Alan Shearer, with Andy Cole in exchange – an offer which would set a national transfer record. However, the offer is rejected, with Rovers managing director Robert Coar insisting that Shearer is not for sale.
10 July 1996 – Manchester United
sign Norway
defender Ronny Johnsen
from Turkish
side Besiktas
.
11 July 1996 – Keith Wiseman succeeds Sir Bert Millichip
as chairman of the Football Association.
20 July 1996 – Manchester United
pay Slavia Prague £3.5million for winger Karel Poborsky
, who helped Czech Republic
reach the final of Euro 96.
23 July 1996 – Manchester United sign Norway striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from Molde FK for £1.5million.
26 July 1996 – Jordi Cruyff
, son of the legendary Johann, signs for Manchester United from FC Barcelona
for £1.3million. Coventry City
pay a club record £3million for Leeds United
captain Gary McAllister
, whose manager Howard Wilkinson
uses £2.25million of the windfall to buy Crystal Palace
goalkeeper Nigel Martyn
.
30 July 1996 – Newcastle United
break the world transfer record by paying Blackburn Rovers
£15million for Alan Shearer
.
1 August 1996 – Bolton Wanderers
sell defender Alan Stubbs
to Celtic
for £3million.
2 August 1996 – Aston Villa
sign Portugal
defender Fernando Nelson
from Sporting Lisbon for £1.7million.
10 August 1996 – Lee Sharpe
leaves Manchester United
after eight years and joins Leeds United
. Bruce Rioch
is sacked after one year as Arsenal
manager following a dispute with the club's board, with his assistant Stewart Houston
being installed as caretaker manager.
12 August 1996 – Arsenal
sack manager Bruce Rioch
after a dispute with the club's directors. Johann Cruyff, recently sacked by FC Barcelona
of Spain
, is reported to be a target in their hunt for a successor, but coach Stewart Houston
will remain in charge of the first team until a permanent successor is found.
14 August 1996 – Managerless Arsenal sign French
midfielder Patrick Vieira
from AC Milan for £3.5million. Frenchman
Arsène Wenger
, currently in charge of Nagoya Grampus Eight
in Japan
, is the last name to be linked with the manager's job.
11 August 1996 – Manchester United
beat Newcastle United
4–0 to win the Charity Shield.
17 August 1996 –
18 August 1996 – Speculation mounts that Frenchman
Arsène Wenger
will take over as manager at Arsenal
, who sacked Bruce Rioch
earlier this month.
21 August 1996 – Alan Shearer scores his first goal for Newcastle United in their 2–0 home league win over Wimbledon. Local rivals Sunderland beat Nottingham Forest 4–1 at the City Ground
.
23 August 1996 – Under pressure Manchester City manager Alan Ball signs Arsenal striker Paul Dickov
for £1million to prepare for a Division One promotion challenge.
24 August 1996 – Lincoln City
manager John Beck
is arrested by police in an investigation concerning Customs and Excise
.
27 August 1996 – Alan Ball resigns as manager of Manchester City.
28 August 1996 – With his one-year ban from football now over, George Graham
is reportedly due to be offered the Manchester City manager's job, 18 months after he was sacked by Arsenal for accepting illegal payments.
29 August 1996 – Dave Bassett
, the Crystal Palace manager, is the latest name to be linked with the Manchester City job.
31 August 1996 – The first month of the league season ends with Sheffield Wednesday
as Premier League leaders after winning their first three games of the season. Chelsea
, Arsenal
, Aston Villa
and Manchester United complete the top five, following by newly-promoted Sunderland
in sixth place. Wimbledon
prop up the top flight, with Blackburn Rovers
and Coventry City
completing the bottom three. In Division One, Stoke City
lead the way, a point ahead of Barnsley
in the early stages of the race for Premier League football. Norwich City
, Tranmere Rovers
, Bolton Wanderers
and QPR complete the top six.
4 September 1996 –
7 September 1996 –
9 September 1996 – Leeds United
sack Howard Wilkinson
, their manager since 1988, the day after they lost 4–0 at home to Manchester United in a Premier League game.
13 September 1996 – Caretaker manager Stewart Houston quits Arsenal, who are targeting Arsène Wenger as their new manager but are waiting to agree a compensation deal with Nagoya Grampus Eight for his services.
14 September 1996 – Alan Shearer faces his old club Blackburn Rovers for the first time since his transfer to Newcastle United, and scores a penalty in a 2–1 home win.
16 September 1996 – Stewart Houston is appointed manager of Queen's Park Rangers.
19 September 1996 – Dave Bassett rejects an offer to manage Manchester City.
20 September 1996 – In a reversal of roles, Bruce Rioch becomes Stewart Houston's assistant at Loftus Road
.
21 September 1996 – Czech
midfielder Patrik Berger
scores twice as Liverpool demolish Chelsea 5–1 in the league at Anfield
; he also scored twice in the previous weekend's 3–0 win at Leicester City.
28 September 1996 –
29 September – Norwegian
striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scores both of Manchester United's goals at they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 in the league at Old Trafford
.
30 September 1996 –
6 October 1996 – Steve Coppell
is appointed manager of Manchester City following the resignation of Alan Ball.
12 October 1996 – David Beckham
scores the only goal of the game as Manchester United beat Liverpool 1–0 in the league at Old Trafford.
14 October 1996 – Sheffield Wednesday
sign Italian
midfielder Benito Carbone
from Inter Milan for a club record £3million.
15 October 1996 – Southampton
sign Dutch defender Ulrich van Gobbel
from Galatasaray
of Turkey
for £1.3million.
17 October 1996 – West Ham United
goalscoring legend Tony Cottee
, who has lost his place in the first team this season, signs for Selangor
of Malaysia for £750,000.
19 October 1996 – Wimbledon's recent run of fine form continues as they beat Chelsea 4–2 in the league at Stamford Bridge
.
20 October 1996 – Newcastle United
beat Manchester United
5–0 in a FA Premier League
fixture, which end's the division's longest unbeaten start to the season.
22 October 1996 – Chelsea
director Matthew Harding
, 42, is killed with four other people in a helicopter
crash in Cheshire
on his journey home from the club's League Cup
defeat against Bolton Wanderers
.
25 October 1996 – Ray Harford
resigns as manager of Blackburn Rovers
, bottom of the FA Premier League
just 18 months after being champions, and coach Tony Parkes
takes over until the end of the season.
26 October 1996 – Manchester United
endure another heavy defeat, this time a 6–3 crushing at Southampton
in which Norwegian
striker Egil Østenstad
scores a hat-trick.
29 October 1996 – Everton
pay a club record £5.75million to Middlesbrough
for Nick Barmby
.
30 October 1996 – Manchester United, unbeaten since they first played in Europe 40 years ago, finally suffer a home defeat in a European fixture when they lost 1–0 at home to Fenerbahce of Turkey
in their fourth group game of the Champions League
.
31 October 1996 – Arsenal end their first month under Arsène Wenger's management as Premier League leaders on goal difference ahead of Newcastle United, while Wimbledon are close behind in third, Liverpool are fourth (with two games in hand over the top three) and Manchester United are now fifth after two successive hefty league defeats. Sheffield Wednesday's excellent start has ebbed away and they now occupy eighth place just two months after leading the league. Blackburn Rovers are still bottom of the table and winless after 11 games, while they and Coventry City are now joined by Nottingham Forest in the relegation zone after Southampton climbed to a secure 14th place with the 6–3 win over Manchester United playing a big part in their recent improvement. In Division One, Bolton Wanderers remain top of Division One, with the other automatic promotion place now occupied by Norwich City. The playoff places are occupied by Crystal Palace, Barnsley, Tranmere Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
2 November 1996 – Manchester United
's two-year unbeaten FA Premier League
home run is ended by a 2–1 defeat against Chelsea
.
3 November 1996 – Blackburn Rovers achieve their first league win over the season in style by beating Liverpool 3–0 at Ewood Park
, with two goals from a resurgent Chris Sutton
. On the same day, Peter Beardsley
also appears on the scoresheet twice – as Newcastle United beat local rivals Middlesbrough 3–1 to boost their own title challenge and push their opponents further towards the relegation zone.
5 November 1996 – Dutch striker Bryan Roy
is put on the transfer list at £2million by Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest.
7 November 1996 – Tommy Lawton
, the former Everton
and England
forward, dies of pneumonia
at the age of 77.
8 November 1996 – Steve Coppell
resigns after 33 days as manager of Manchester City. Chelsea
sign Italy
striker Gianfranco Zola
from Parma
for £4.5million.
14 November 1996 – Robbie Fowler
scores four times as Liverpool
crush Middlesbrough
5–1 at Anfield
.
16 November 1996 – Leicester City's sound return to the Premier League continues as they beat midlands rivals Aston Villa 3–1 in the league at Villa Park
. Everton's flagging start to the season is given a much-needed boost as they thrash Southampton 7–1 at Goodison Park. Gary Speed
scores a hat-trick, while Andrei Kanchelskis
scores twice. Graham Stuart
and Nick Barmby
score the other goals. Manchester United's three-match losing streak in the league ends when a Nigel Winterburn
own goal gives them a 1–0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford.
20 November 1996 – Terry Venables
, who quit as England manager last summer, accepts an offer to take charge of the Australia national football team, but insists that he will continue in his role as Portsmouth
chairman.
21 November 1996 – Queen's Park Rangers pay £2.5million (a record for a club outside the top flight) for Chelsea
striker John Spencer
.
22 November 1996 – Conference side Woking
shock Division Two Millwall
in the FA Cup third round replay at The Den
which followed a 2–2 draw in the first game.
23 November 1996 – Coventry City
pay Newcastle United
£1million for 20-year-old striker Darren Huckerby
.
26 November 1996 – Another FA Cup first round replay upset sees Brighton & Hove Albion (currently bottom of Division Three only six seasons after they almost won promotion to the top flight) lose at home on penalties to non-league Sudbury Town
after a 1–1 draw at the Goldstone Ground
. However, Whitby Town are not so lucky as they crash to a Duane Darby
double hat-trick in the 8–4 defeat to Hull City
that followed a goalless draw in the original game.
30 November 1996 – Arsenal remain top of the league as November draws to a close, with Newcastle United, Liverpool, Wimbledon and Manchester United not far behind. Nottingham Forest are now bottom with still only one win from their opening 15 games, while Coventry City join them in the bottom three along with a Blackburn Rovers side who this month finally recorded their first two wins of the league campaign. A Middlesbrough side featuring some of the country's most expensively signed players are just above the relegation zone as midway point approaches during a season where they had been expected to challenge much higher in the table. Bolton Wanderers are still top of Division One, now accompanied in the automatic promotion places by Crystal Palace. Occupying the playoff zone are Barnsley, Norwich City, Sheffield United and Tranmere Rovers.
1 December 1996 – Ian Rush
scores his first goal for Leeds United as they beat Chelsea 2–0 in the league at Elland Road
.
2 December 1996 – Tottenham Hotspur
buy Norway striker Steffen Iversen
from Rosenborg for £2.5million.
3 December 1996 – Middlesbrough's slump continues as they lose 2–0 at home to Leicester City.
7 December 1996 – Woking's FA Cup adventure continues with another giant-killing feat, this time a 2–0 win against Cambridge United
at the Abbey Stadium
. On the same day, Hednesford Town eliminate Leyton Orient from the competition with a 2–1 win at Brisbane Road.
11 December 1996 – John Scales
turns his back on Leeds United
after looking set to return to the club where he began his career over a decade ago, and leaves Liverpool
for Tottenham Hotspur in a £2.6million deal.
14 December 1996 – Robbie Fowler
scores four goals for Liverpool as they beat Middlesbrough 5–1 in the league at Anfield
.
19 December 1996 – Frank Clark steps down after three-and-a-half years as manager of Nottingham Forest
, with 34-year-old defender Stuart Pearce
being appointed player-manager on a temporary basis.
20 December 1996 – Middlesbrough's
cancel their Premier League fixture at Blackburn Rovers
tomorrow, after manager Bryan Robson
insisted that he could not field a team as 23 of his playing staff have been hit by a virus.
22 December 1996 – Stuart Pearce brings former Nottingham Forest striker Nigel Clough
back to the City Ground
on loan from Manchester City, more than three years after he left the club for Liverpool.
23 December 1996 – Division Two strugglers Notts County sack joint managers Steve Thompson and Colin Murphy.
24 December 1996 – Middlesbrough are charged with bringing the game into disrepute over their cancelled fixture.
26 December 1996 – The key Boxing Day
drama sees Gianfranco Zola
score both of Chelsea's goals in a 2–0 away win over Aston Villa, Gordon Strachan
lead Coventry City to a 3–1 away win over his old club Leeds United, and Manchester United boost their title hopes and deepen their opposition's relegation worries with a 4–0 win at Nottingham Forest.
28 December 1996 – Wimbledon continue to defy the odds and challenge for a place in Europe with a 3–1 away win over Everton. Newcastle United continue to push for the title with a 7–1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur.
29 December 1996 –
31 December 1996 – 1996 draws to a close with Liverpool now leading the Premier League, while a mere five points separate the next six highest clubs – Manchester United, Arsenal, Wimbledon, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Chelsea. Nottingham Forest are still bottom with a mere two wins so far this season, while Blackburn Rovers remain in the drop zone along with Southampton who have slipped into the bottom three that has been vacated by an improving Coventry City side. Bolton Wanderers are still top of Division One, but Barnsley have cut their lead to just two points. Sheffield United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace and an Oxford United
side searching for a second successive promotion complete the top six. Manchester City, who had been expected to feature highly in this season's promotion race, are now one point and one place above the relegation zone.
1 January 1997 – Middlesbrough sign Slovakia
n midfielder Vladimir Kinder
from Slovan Bratislava
for £1million.
5 January 1997 – Newcastle United
are rocked by the resignation of manager Kevin Keegan
, who explains "I feel I have taken this club as far as I can".
11 January 1997 – Blackburn Rovers continue their revival with a 4–0 home win over Coventry City. Middlesbrough's relegation worries are deepened with a 1–0 home defeat to Southampton, and later this week their survival battle could be toughened by a points deduction.
13 January 1997 – York City
, who knocked Everton out of the League Cup this season and Manchester United last season, find themselves on the receiving end of a giant-killing feat when Hednesford Town knock them out of the FA Cup with a 1–0 win at Keys Park
.
14 January 1997 – Middlesbrough, bottom of the Premier League, are deducted three points for cancelling their fixture at Blackburn Rovers last month. They are also fined £50,000. Striker Fabrizio Ravanelli
claims that his club will now "almost certainly" be relegated. Ravanelli's fellow countryman Gianluca Festa
joins Middlesbrough from Inter Milan on the same day for £2.7million.
15 January 1997 – Kenny Dalglish
is named as Newcastle United
's new manager.
16 January 1997 – Leicester City
pay £1.6million for Oxford United's
28-year-old defender Matt Elliott.
18 January 1997 – Kenny Dalglish begins his reign as Newcastle United manager with a 2–2 draw at Southampton, costing his own side two valuable points as he looks to become the first manager to win the English league title with three different clubs, while a point for Southampton gives their survival battle a boost.
25 January 1997 – A major upset in the FA Cup third round replay sees Wrexham win 1–0 against West Ham United
at Upton Park
after drawing the first game 1–1 at the Racecourse Ground
. However, Hednesford Town's luck finally runs out when they lose 3–2 to Middlesbrough
in the fourth round clash at the Riverside Stadium
, while a late equaliser for Wimbledon
forces a replay for Manchester United
.
26 January 1997 – Liverpool's bid for a second double is ended as they are defeated 4–2 by Chelsea in the fourth round replay at Stamford Bridge
.
29 January 1997 –
30 January 1997 – Coventry City
boost their defence with the acquisition of Gary Breen
from Birmingham City
for £2.5million.
31 January 1997 – January ends with Manchester United now top of the Premier League and unbeaten in it since early November. Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United are their nearest contenders, while Wimbledon have endured a slight setback but have two games in hand to muscle in on the top four. Middlesbrough's three-point deduction for cancelling a league fixture in December leaves them bottom of the table, while caretaker-manager Stuart Pearce
has guided Nottingham Forest out of the drop zone with three wins this month, Southampton remain in the bottom three, and Blackburn Rovers have finally climbed clear of the drop zone at the expense of West Ham United. Bolton Wanderers have extended their lead at the top of Division One to 11 points, their nearest challengers being Sheffield United and Barnsley. The top six is completed by Wolverhampton Wanderers, Norwich City and Stoke City.
2 February 1997 – Alan Shearer scores a hat-trick as Newcastle United beat Leicester City 4–3 at home in the league.
4 February 1997 – Manchester United lose their defence of the FA Cup with a 1–0 fourth round replay defeat to Wimbledon at Selhurst Park
. Marcus Gayle
gave Wimbledon the lead, and Peter Schmeichel
looked to have saved United with a last-minute goal, but it was ruled offside. This means that United will not be playing in the FA Cup final for the first time since 1993.
6 February 1997 – West Ham United
pay a club record £2.3million for Newcastle United
striker Paul Kitson
.
10 February 1997 – Leicester City defender Neil Lewis
is sentenced to six months in prison for affray after being found guilty of attacking a man with a bottle in a nightclub brawl.
12 February 1997 – Blackburn Rovers
sign OB Odense and Denmark
striker Per Pedersen
for £2.5million.
15 February 1997 – The latest FA Cup upset sees Premier League Nottingham Forest eliminated 1–0 by Division Two Chesterfield at Saltergate, while on the same day fellow Premier League club Leeds United suffer a 3–2 embarrassment at home to Division One Portsmouth, and Division One Birmingham City's FA Cup hopes are ended with a 3–1 home defeat by Division Two surprise package Wrexham.
22 February 1997 –
23 February 1997 – Wimbledon pull of their second surprise win of the month when a Vinnie Jones
goal gives them a 1–0 league win over Arsenal at Highbury.
27 February 1997 – Dave Bassett
leaves Crystal Palace
to take over as manager at Nottingham Forest.
28 February 1997 – Steve Coppell
is appointed as Crystal Palace
manager for the third time since 1984. February ends with Manchester United still top of the Premier League and Liverpool now their nearest contenders, while Newcastle United, Arsenal and Aston Villa complete the top five. The bottom three main unchanged from the last month-end. Bolton Wanderers remain top of Division One, their nearest rivals now being Wolverhampton Wanderers who are 10 points behind them in second place. The top six is completed by Barnsley, Sheffield United, Norwich City and Crystal Palace.
1 March 1997 – Newcastle United's title hopes are hit by an unexpected blow when they lose 1–0 at home to Southampton.
4 March 1997 – Norwegian striker Steffen Iversen scores a hat-trick as Tottenham Hotspur beat relegation-threatened Sunderland 4–0 at Roker Park
.
5 March 1997 – Middlesbrough's survival hopes are given a major boost when they beat Derby County 6–1 at the Riverside Stadium, with Fabrizio Ravanelli scoring a hat-trick. Nottingham Forest's survival hopes are dented when they lose 3–0 at home Sheffield Wednesday, whose hopes of a UEFA Cup place are kept very much alive by the result.
8 March 1997 – Middlesbrough move closer to a first-ever FA Cup final by winning 2–0 at Derby County in the quarter-final. Manchester United's four-month unbeaten run in the lead ends in a surprise 2–1 defeat against Sunderland at Roker Park.
9 March 1997 – In a rare occurrence of an FA Cup quarter-final being contested between two third-tier clubs, Chesterfield run out 1–0 winners over Wrexham at Saltergate. On the same day, Wimbledon move closer to FA Cup glory by winning 2–0 at Sheffield Wednesday, while the end is in sight for Chelsea's 26-year trophy drought as they crush Portsmouth 4–1 at Fratton Park
.
10 March 1997 – Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest sign Dutch striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk
from Celtic for a club record £4.5million. In the title race, Liverpool beat Newcastle United 4–3 at Anfield.
12 March 1997 – Recently signed striker Paul Kitson
scores twice as West Ham United boost their survival bid with a 3–2 home win over Chelsea.
15 March 1997 – Kevin Gallacher
scores a hat-trick in Blackburn's 3–1 home league win over Wimbledon. Middlesbrough continue to push for survival with a 3–1 away win over Leicester City.
16 March 1997 – Sunderland's survival hopes are knocked by a 6–2 defeat at Chelsea.
19 March 1997 – Middlesbrough continue their fightback with a 2–1 home win over Blackburn.
22 March 1997 – John Hartson
is on the scoresheet twice for West Ham United in a relegation crunch win at Coventry City. Middlesbrough make it four league wins in a row as a Juninho goal gives them a 1–0 home win over Chelsea. Another relegation crunch game sees Sunderland and Nottingham Forest battle out a 1–1 draw at Roker Park.
26 March 1997 – Middlesbrough
fail in an appeal to restore 3 points that were docked in early January as penalty for failing to fulfill a fixture against Blackburn Rovers.
27 March 1997 – West Ham United buy Northern Ireland midfielder Steve Lomas
from Manchester City for £1.6million.
31 March 1997 – Manchester United continue to lead the Premier League for third month-end running, with Liverpool still their nearest challengers. Southampton are now bottom of the Premier League, while Nottingham Forest have slipped back into the drop zone along with Coventry City. Blackburn Rovers continue to move closer to what once seemed like an almost impossible survival as they stand 12th with a six-point advantage over the bottom three and a game in hand. Bolton Wanderers are now just one point away from promotion at the top of Division One, with Barnsley now in second place and well on course for top division football for the first time in their 101-year history. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and surprise promotion contenders Port Vale
occupy the playoff zone.
5 April 1997 – Leaders Manchester United suffer a surprise 3–2 home defeat by Derby County.
6 April 1997 – Liverpool's title bid takes a surprise setback when they lose 2–1 at home to relegation battlers Coventry City.
9 April 1997 – Coventry City's survival battle continues with another win over a much stronger opposition – this time Chelsea, who find themselves on the receiving end of a 3–1 defeat at Highfield Road
.
13 April 1997 –
16 April 1997 – Leicester City
beat Middlesbrough
1–0 in the League Cup
final replay at Hillsborough thanks to a Steve Claridge
goal.
19 April 1997 – Manchester United take a huge step towards title glory with a 3–1 away win over their main rivals Liverpool, in which defender Gary Pallister
scores twice. Newcastle keep their title challenge alive with a 3–1 home win over Derby County, but Arsenal do themselves no favours as they can only manage a 1–1 draw at home to Blackburn. Southampton and Coventry City draw 2–2 in a relegation crunch game at The Dell.
21 April 1997 – Chelsea agree a £2.25million fee with Anderlecht
for 19-year-old Nigeria
n defender Celestine Babayaro
.
22 April 1997 – Middlesbrough
reach their first-ever FA Cup final thanks to a 2–0 win in the semi-final replay against Division Two
side Chesterfield
.
25 April 1997 – In the last ever game at Burnden Park
, Division One champions Bolton Wanderers
beat Charlton Athletic
4–1.
30 April 1997 – Manchester United look assured of their fourth league title in five seasons, as they finish April top of the league by a five-point margin over Arsenal and Liverpool – and with a game in hand. Newcastle United's challenge is all but over, while Aston Villa's hopes are now completely dead, and the midlanders are now facing a threat of being pipped to even a UEFA Cup
place – by Sheffield Wednesday. The relegation battle is still wide open, with West Ham United, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest occupying the bottom three, and several other teams also fighting to avoid the drop. In Division One, Bolton Wanderers are established as champions with 97 points and 98 goals – 17 points ahead of their nearest rivals Barnsley, who have sealed top flight football for the first time. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ipswich Town, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace will contest the playoffs.
3 May 1997 – Sunderland
play their last game at Roker Park
after 99 years and go out on a high by beating Everton
3–0, but are still in danger of Premier League relegation. Their local rivals Newcastle United remain in contention for the league title with a 1–0 win at Arsenal – a result which rules the North London
ers out of the title race. Liverpool remain in it with a 2–1 home win over Tottenham. Paul Kitson
ensures West Ham's survival with a hat-trick in their 5–1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, whose UEFA Cup hopes are ended by the result. Coventry City, meanwhile, are left needing a miracle to save their 30-year tenure in the top flight due to a 2–1 home defeat by Derby County.
4 May 1997 – Stoke City
beat West Bromwich Albion
2–1 in their last game at the Victoria Ground
, their home for a national record of 119 years.
5 May 1997 – Manchester United draw 3–3 at home to Middlesbrough in a thrilling game between the leaders (now on the brink of title glory) and a side fighting for every point in a quest for survival.
6 May 1997 – Newcastle's goalless draw at West Ham and Liverpool's 2–1 defeat at Wimbledon means that Manchester United are Premier League champions for the fourth time in five seasons. In Liverpool's defeat, Michael Owen
scores the consolation goal in only his second appearance for the club, making him the club's youngest ever league goalscorer at the age of 17 years and 144 days.
11 May 1997 – On a dramatic final day of the Premier League season, Coventry City pull off a miracle survival act by beating Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 at White Hart Lane
. Middlesbrough – who would have survived at the expense of Coventry had it not been for their points deduction – go down after being held to a 1–1 draw by Leeds United at Elland Road. Sunderland lose 1–0 to Wimbledon at Selhurst Park
, but their fans are left waiting after the final whistle to hear whether their team have survived; when the news comes through that Coventry have won, it is confirmed that Sunderland are relegated.
12 May 1997 – Aston Villa
pay a club record £7million for Liverpool
striker Stan Collymore
.
14 May 1997 – Everton sign Croatia
n defender Slaven Bilic
from West Ham United for £4.5million.
17 May 1997 – Chelsea
end their 26-year wait for a major trophy, and Ruud Gullit
becomes the first foreign manager to win one, with a 2–0 win over Middlesbrough
in the FA Cup final.
18 May 1997 – Manchester United are left shocked after their iconic striker Eric Cantona
announces his retirement from football six days before his 31st birthday. Cantona, who won four league titles and two FA Cups in five seasons at the club, explained that he had always intended to retire while still at the top.
11 June 1997 – Chelsea sign Dutch goalkeeper Ed de Goey from Feyenoord for £2.25million.
13 June 1997 – Barnsley, who have been promoted to the Premier League for the first time, pay a club record £1.5million for Macedonian striker Georgi Hristov from Partizan Belgrade
.
17 June 1997 – Arsenal pay a club record £7million for Ajax and Holland winger Marc Overmars
.
23 June 1997 – Former Everton
striker Andy Gray rejects an offer to return to the club as manager, preferring to stay in his current role as a football pundit with Sky Sports
.
24 June 1997 – The Premier League's media consultants recommend that the league creates its own television channel by 2001 if it wants to maximise television revenue, claiming that it could generate twice as much revenue this way than the current deal with Sky Sports is raising for them.
25 June 1997 – Howard Kendall
leaves Sheffield United
to take charge of Everton
for the third time since 1981.
27 June 1997 – Manchester United sign Teddy Sheringham
from Tottenham
for £3.5million.
against Manchester United
seven months ago, retires on medical advice after being told that he is unlikely ever to recover to full fitness despite having had 26 operations.
28 April 1997: Peter Shilton
, 47-year-old goalkeeper who four months ago became the first player to reach 1,000 league appearances in English football, ends his professional career after being given a free transfer by Leyton Orient.
11 May 1997: Gordon Strachan
, 40-year-old Coventry City
player-manager, retires as a player after becoming the oldest outfield player to appear in the Premier League.
18 May 1997: Eric Cantona
, iconic Manchester United
, shocks football by announcing his retirement as a player six days before his 31st birthday.
Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.
Premier League
Manchester United won their second consecutive title, despite a spell in the autumn where they lost three games and conceded 13 goals. They won the title by seven points, as Newcastle, ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
fell away in the closing weeks. Nevertheless, their tally of 75 points is the lowest ever recorded by a Premier League winner.
Newcastle United finished second again and qualified for the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
preliminary stages, while Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
(League Cup winners) qualified for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
.
Going down were Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
(after a three-point deduction) and Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
.
Division One
Bolton Wanderers returned to the Premiership in superb fashion, hitting 100 goals and taking 98 points. BarnsleyBarnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
were promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history, while Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
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 Division Two.
Division Two
BuryBury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
won their second consecutive promotion, taking the Division Two 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.
Division Three
Wigan Athletic won the Division Three title on goal difference from FulhamFulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
. Carlisle United and play-off winners Northampton Town also won promotion to Division Two.
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 Division Three).
Peter Shilton
Peter Shilton
Peter Leslie Shilton OBE is a former English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He currently holds the record for playing more games for England than anyone else, earning 125 caps....
who joined Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
at the beginning of the season became the first footballer make 1000 League Appearances in English football on 22nd December 1996.
Events
--This was the first time since 1972-3 that all four divisional champions came from the same county, Greater Manchester. In 1972-3 all four Liverpool, Burnley, Bolton and Southport were in Lancashire.Keegan quits Newcastle
On 5 January 1997, Newcastle United were hit with perhaps the biggest shock in their history: Kevin KeeganKevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
had resigned as manager. His reason for quitting was that he felt he had taken the club as far as he could. And during his five years at St James's Park, Keegan had overseen a revolution in Newcastle's fortunes. On his appointment in February 1992, Newcastle had been second from bottom in the old Second Division and looked favourites for relegation. But he kept them in the Second Division and they were founder members of the new Division One in 1992–93. A superb run of form kept them at the top of the division all season and they went up to the Premiership as Division One champions. Third and sixth place finishes followed before Newcastle led the Premiership for most of 1995–96, only to be overhauled by Manchester United in the final weeks of the season. He had walked out on Newcastle as they looked well place to challenge for a league title.
Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
was appointed manager of Newcastle in Keegan's place – coincidentally Dalglish had replaced Keegan as Liverpool's main striker 20 years earlier.
United wrap up Premiership title number 4
Manchester United collected their fourth Premiership title in five seasons despite a testing season which saw them lose their 40-year unbeaten home record in Europe against a Turkish Club Fenerbahçe, suffer elimination from the F.A Cup at the hands of WimbeldonWimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
, and concede 13 goals in 3 Premiership games during late October. Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
had built on the success of the previous season's double winning team thanks largely to two new signings – Norwegians Ronny Johnsen
Ronny Johnsen
Jean Ronny Johnsen is a former Norwegian football player. He played as a centre back or defensive midfielder, but was often sidelined because of his many injuries.-Career:...
(central defender) and Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Ole Gunnar Solskjær is the manager of Norwegian first division side Molde. He is better known as a former footballer who spent most of his career playing for Manchester United. Often dubbed "the baby-faced assassin," he played 366 times for the Red Devils and scored 126 goals during a very...
(striker). The two Norwegians were little known outside their homeland when they arrived at Old Trafford. Johnsen proved himself as one of the Premiership's best defenders, while Solskjær made the headlines as he topped the club's goalscoring charts with 18 Premiership goals.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old midfielder David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
progressed further by collecting the PFA Young Player of the Year
PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
award as credit for his brilliant performances.
Au revoir, Cantona
On 18 May, Eric CantonaEric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
dropped a bombshell on Manchester United by announcing his retirement from playing. The news hit football like a tidal wave. Cantona was one of the most idolised footballers of his day, despite his fiery temper which saw him sidelined for eight months in 1995 after he kicked a spectator. Cantona wowed the footballing world with his talents and the way he bounced back from his long suspension won him even more admirers. In five seasons at Old Trafford, he had won four Premiership titles and two F.A Cups as well being voted PFA Player of the Year in 1994 and FWA Player of the Year in 1996. He had ironically been part of the Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
team which pipped Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
's men to the league title in 1992, and proved himself to be one of the biggest bargains in Premiership football when he moved to Old Trafford the following November for little over £1million.
Boro go down in dramatic fashion
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
were relegated from the Premiership after experiencing a unique season. They were on the losing side in both domestic cup finals and were relegated from the Premiership in 19th place, and had managed to finish in the last two of all three major English tournaments. But they would have avoided relegation had it not been for a 3-point deduction imposed in January as punishment for postponing a fixture against Blackburn Rovers within 24 hours of the scheduled kick-off. Chairman Steve Gibson had appealed against the ruling, protesting that too many players were ill or injured for the club to field a full team. But their appeal was rejected.
The 3-point deduction on Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
also preserved Coventry City's top flight status for the 31st season running.
Brighton survive in relegation decider
Brighton & Hove Albion had a traumatic season, the debt-ridden club propping up the League for virtually the entire season. Their precarious financial position had forced the club's directors to sell the Goldstone GroundGoldstone Ground
The Goldstone Ground was a football stadium and home ground of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. between 1902 and 1997. The club currently plays at American Express Community Stadium, a stadium on the outskirts of the city, following the move from their temporary stadium in the Brighton suburb of...
. Yet on the penultimate day of the season they moved above Hereford United, another club with major financial problems, and the final day of the season saw the two clubs battle it out in a relegation-decider at Edgar Street. Hereford needed to win while Brighton only needed a draw to survive. At half time the score was 1–0 to Hereford but Brighton equalised in the second half against the run of play. The match finished 1–1 and, with the teams level on points, the Seagulls stayed up on goals scored while the Bulls were relegated to the Conference.
Chesterfield reach the FA Cup semi-final
ChesterfieldChesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
, playing in the third tier of English football, reached the FA Cup semi-final. On the way to the semi-final they beat Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
1–0 and Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
3–2, with a hat trick from a young Kevin Davies
Kevin Davies
Kevin Cyril Davies is an English footballer who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers and the England national football team as a striker. He was made Bolton team captain in January 2009....
. In the semis they met Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
. After going 2–0 up Boro bought it back to 2–2, but not after controversy when Jonathan Howard
Jonathan Howard
Jonathan Howard is a footballer who played in The Football League for Chesterfield and Rotherham United.-Career:...
's shot hit the underside of the crossbar and clearly crossed the line, but was waved off by the referee despite the linesman calling it in, as the referee had blown several seconds earlier for a deliberate foul. The match finished 3–3 AET and Chesterfield went on to lose the replay 3–0. Boro's win however led to a defeat in the FA Cup Final, in which a season later they became the first team to lose three domestic finals in a row.
Successful players
22-year-old Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
midfielder David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
received the PFA Young Player of the Year
PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
award as well as collecting a Premiership title medal.
Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
's talismanic Italian striker Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola, OBE, Ufficiale OMRI is a retired Italian footballer and manager, who most recently managed West Ham United from 2008 to 2010, after having been assistant manager of the Italy U-21 under Pierluigi Casiraghi...
was voted FWA Player of the Year as well as collecting an FA Cup winner's medal.
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
finished as the Premiership's top scorer with 25 goals in 31 games.
Dion Dublin
Dion Dublin
Dion Dublin , is a retired English footballer. He was capped four times for England. Dublin started his career as a centre back with Norwich City, but made his name at Cambridge United as a goal-scoring centre forward. However, in his later years he showed his versatility by becoming an...
's 18 Premiership goals almost single-handedly saved Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
from relegation.
19-year-old striker Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...
was recognised as one of the Premiership's hottest young talents after helping Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
win the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
and finish in the top half of the league.
Honours
| Competition | Winner |
|---|---|
| FA Premier League FA Premier League The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier... |
Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... (11/4*) |
| FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... (2) |
| Football League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Leicester City Leicester City F.C. Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester... (2) |
| Football League First Division Football League First Division The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship.... |
Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
| Football League Second Division Football League Second Division From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams... |
Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... |
| Football League Third Division Football League Third Division The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two... |
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW... |
| FA Community Shield FA Community Shield The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition... |
Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
English national team
England's score is written first.| Opponents | Venue | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republican Stadionul Republican Stadionul Republican was a multi-purpose stadium in Chişinău, Moldova. It was used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 8,084 people, was built in 1952 and demolished in 2007.... , Chişinău Chisinau Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc... |
1 September 1996 | 3–0 | |
| Wembley, London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
9 October 1996 | 2–1 | |
| Boris Paichadze Stadium Boris Paichadze Stadium The Boris Paichadze National Stadium , also known as the Dinamo Stadium, is a football stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia. It is the home stadium of FC Dinamo Tbilisi. The stadium was built in 1976 by Georgian architect Gia Kurdiani. Before then Dinamo's stadium was a smaller ground with a maximum... , Tbilisi Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
9 November 1996 | 2–0 | |
| Wembley, London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
12 February 1997 | 0–1 | |
| Wembley, London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
29 March 1997 | 2–0 | |
| Wembley, London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
30 April 1997 | 2–0 | |
| Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... , Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... |
24 May 1997 | 2–1 | |
| Slaski, Chorzow Chorzów Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million... |
31 May 1997 | 2–0 | |
| Stade de la Beaujoire Stade de la Beaujoire The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, or "Stade de la Beaujoire", is a stadium in Nantes, France. It is the home of the FC Nantes football club.... , Nantes Nantes Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants.... |
4 June 1997 | 2–0 | |
| Stade de la Mosson Stade de la Mosson Stade de la Mosson is a football stadium in Montpellier, France. It is the home of Montpellier HSC and has a capacity of 32,900. Formerly a 16,000-seater stadium, it was entirely rebuilt in 1998 to host 6 games of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. It was also used as a venue for group stage matches in the... , Montpellier Montpellier -Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council.... |
7 June 1997 | 1–0 | |
| Parc des Princes Parc des Princes The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed... , Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
10 June 1997 | 0–1 |
FA Premier League
- For more detail on the Premiership this season see FA Premier League 1996-97FA Premier League 1996-97The 1996–97 FA Premier League season was the fifth season of the competition, since its formation in 1992. The majority of the season was contested by the reigning champions, Manchester United, along with Newcastle United, Arsenal and Liverpool...
Pos Team Pl W D L F A Pts 1. Manchester United Manchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...38 21 12 5 76 44 75 2. Newcastle United Newcastle United F.C.Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...38 19 11 8 73 40 68 3. Arsenal Arsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...38 19 11 8 62 32 68 4. Liverpool Liverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...38 19 11 8 62 37 68 5. Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C.Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...38 17 10 11 47 34 61 6. Chelsea Chelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...38 16 11 11 58 55 59 7. Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday F.C.Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...38 14 15 9 50 51 57 8. Wimbledon Wimbledon F.C.Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...38 15 11 12 49 46 56 9. Leicester City Leicester City F.C.Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...38 12 11 15 46 54 47 10. Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C.Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....38 13 7 18 44 51 46 11. Leeds United Leeds United A.F.C.Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...38 11 13 14 28 38 46 12. Derby County Derby County F.C.Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...38 11 13 14 45 58 46 13. Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C.Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....38 9 15 14 42 43 42 14. West Ham United West Ham United F.C.West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...38 10 12 16 39 48 42 15. Everton Everton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...38 10 12 16 44 57 42 16. Southampton Southampton F.C.Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...38 10 11 17 50 56 41 17. Coventry City Coventry City F.C.Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...38 9 14 15 38 54 41 18. Sunderland 38 10 10 18 35 53 40 19. Middlesbrough Middlesbrough F.C.Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
***38 10 12 16 51 60 39 20. Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest F.C.Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...38 6 16 16 31 59 34
Note: Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
deducted 3 points for failing to fulfil a fixture.
| Key |
|---|
| Qualified for the Champions League |
| Qualified for the UEFA Cup |
| Qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup |
| Relegated to Division One |
Nationwide League Division One
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
46 | 28 | 14 | 4 | 100 | 53 | +47 | 98 |
| 2. | Barnsley Barnsley F.C. Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's... |
46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 76 | 55 | +21 | 80 |
| 3. | Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 68 | 51 | +17 | 76 |
| 4. | Ipswich Town Ipswich Town F.C. Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02.... |
46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 68 | 50 | +18 | 74 |
| 5. | Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
46 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 75 | 52 | +23 | 73 |
| 6. | Crystal Palace Crystal Palace F.C. Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in... |
46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 78 | 48 | +30 | 71 |
| 7. | Portsmouth Portsmouth F.C. Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from... |
46 | 20 | 8 | 18 | 59 | 53 | +6 | 68 |
| 8. | Port Vale Port Vale F.C. Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as... |
46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 58 | 55 | +3 | 67 |
| 9. | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 64 | 60 | +4 | 66 |
| 10. | Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the... |
46 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 52 | 48 | +4 | 66 |
| 11. | Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers F.C. Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system... |
46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 63 | 56 | +7 | 65 |
| 12. | Stoke City Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 51 | 57 | -6 | 64 |
| 13. | Norwich City Norwich City F.C. Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The... |
46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 63 | 68 | -5 | 63 |
| 14. | Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 59 | 60 | -1 | 61 |
| 15. | Charlton Athletic Charlton Athletic F.C. Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,... |
46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 52 | 66 | -14 | 59 |
| 16. | West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... |
46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 68 | 72 | -4 | 57 |
| 17. | Oxford United Oxford United F.C. Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The... |
46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 64 | 68 | -4 | 57 |
| 18. | Reading Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... |
46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 58 | 67 | -9 | 57 |
| 19. | Swindon Town Swindon Town F.C. Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011... |
46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 52 | 71 | -19 | 54 |
| 20. | Huddersfield Town Huddersfield Town F.C. Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One... |
46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 48 | 61 | -13 | 54 |
| 21. | Bradford City | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 47 | 72 | -25 | 48 |
| 22. | Grimsby Town Grimsby Town F.C. Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town... |
46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 60 | 81 | -21 | 46 |
| 23. | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 51 | 66 | -15 | 43 |
| 24. | Southend United Southend United F.C. Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had... |
46 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 42 | 86 | -44 | 39 |
| Key |
|---|
| Promoted to the Premier League |
| Qualified for the promotion playoff |
| Relegated to Division Two |
NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference
Nationwide League Division Two
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... |
46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 62 | 38 | +24 | 84 |
| 2. | Stockport County Stockport County F.C. Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport... |
46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 82 |
| 3. | Luton Town Luton Town F.C. Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was... |
46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 82 |
| 4. | Brentford Brentford F.C. Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One.... |
46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 74 |
| 5. | Bristol City Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... |
46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 73 |
| 6. | Crewe Alexandra Crewe Alexandra F.C. Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club... |
46 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 56 | 47 | +9 | 73 |
| 7. | Blackpool Blackpool F.C. Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the... |
46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 60 | 47 | +13 | 69 |
| 8. | Wrexham | 46 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 54 | 50 | +4 | 69 |
| 9. | Burnley Burnley F.C. Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888... |
46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 71 | 55 | +16 | 68 |
| 10. | Chesterfield Chesterfield F.C. Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower... |
46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 68 |
| 11. | Gillingham Gillingham F.C. Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium... |
46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 60 | 59 | +1 | 67 |
| 12. | Walsall Walsall F.C. Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second... |
46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 54 | 53 | +1 | 67 |
| 13. | Watford Watford F.C. Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade... |
46 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 45 | 38 | +7 | 67 |
| 14. | Millwall Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the... |
46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 55 | -5 | 61 |
| 15. | Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
46 | 18 | 7 | 21 | 49 | 55 | -6 | 61 |
| 16. | Bournemouth A.F.C. Bournemouth A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899.... |
46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 43 | 45 | -2 | 60 |
| 17. | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 47 | 50 | -3 | 56 |
| 18. | Wycombe Wanderers Wycombe Wanderers F.C. Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play... |
46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 51 | 56 | -5 | 55 |
| 19. | Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle F.C. Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the... |
46 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 47 | 58 | -11 | 54 |
| 20. | York City York City F.C. York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions... |
46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 47 | 68 | -21 | 52 |
| 21. | Peterborough United Peterborough United F.C. Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is... |
46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 55 | 73 | -22 | 47 |
| 22. | Shrewsbury Town Shrewsbury Town F.C. Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football... |
46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 49 | 74 | -25 | 46 |
| 23. | Rotherham United Rotherham United F.C. Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history... |
46 | 7 | 14 | 25 | 39 | 70 | -37 | 35 |
| 24. | Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
46 | 7 | 14 | 25 | 33 | 59 | -36 | 35 |
| Key |
|---|
| Promoted to Division One |
| Qualified for the promotion playoff |
| Relegated to Division Three |
NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference
Nationwide League Division Three
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW... |
46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 84 | 51 | +33 | 87 |
| 2. | Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season... |
46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 72 | 38 | +34 | 87 |
| 3. | Carlisle United Carlisle United F.C. Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system.... |
46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 67 | 44 | +23 | 84 |
| 4. | Northampton Town Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season... |
46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 67 | 44 | +23 | 72 |
| 5. | Swansea City | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 62 | 58 | +4 | 71 |
| 6. | Chester City Chester City F.C. Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the... |
46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 55 | 43 | +12 | 70 |
| 7. | Cardiff City Cardiff City F.C. Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for... |
46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 56 | 54 | +2 | 69 |
| 8. | Colchester United Colchester United F.C. Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910.... |
46 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 62 | 51 | +11 | 68 |
| 9. | Lincoln City Lincoln City F.C. Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League.... |
46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 70 | 69 | +1 | 66 |
| 10. | Cambridge United Cambridge United F.C. Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League... |
46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 53 | 59 | -6 | 65 |
| 11. | Mansfield Town Mansfield Town F.C. Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910... |
46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 47 | 45 | +2 | 64 |
| 12. | Scarborough Scarborough F.C. Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season... |
46 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 65 | 68 | -3 | 63 |
| 13. | Scunthorpe United Scunthorpe United F.C. Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One.... |
46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 59 | 62 | -3 | 63 |
| 14. | Rochdale | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 58 | 58 | 0 | 58 |
| 15. | Barnet Barnet F.C. Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet.... |
46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 46 | 51 | -5 | 58 |
| 16. | Leyton Orient Leyton Orient F.C. Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63... |
46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 50 | 58 | -8 | 57 |
| 17. | Hull City Hull City A.F.C. Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football... |
46 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 44 | 50 | -6 | 57 |
| 18. | Darlington Darlington F.C. Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003... |
46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 64 | 78 | -14 | 52 |
| 19. | Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Rovers F.C. Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in... |
46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 52 | 66 | -14 | 52 |
| 20. | Hartlepool United Hartlepool United F.C. Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season... |
46 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 53 | 66 | -13 | 51 |
| 21. | Torquay United Torquay United F.C. Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley... |
46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 46 | 62 | -16 | 50 |
| 22. | Exeter City Exeter City F.C. Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003... |
46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 48 | 73 | -25 | 48 |
| 23. | Brighton & Hove Albion Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.... |
46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 53 | 70 | -17 | 47 |
| 24. | Hereford United Hereford United F.C. Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',... |
46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 50 | 65 | -15 | 47 |
Note: Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
left administration and made arrangements before competing in the playoff.
| Key |
|---|
| Promoted to Division Two |
| Qualified for the promotion playoff |
| Relegated to the Conference |
NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference
Transfer deals
30 July 1996 – Alan ShearerAlan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
from Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
to Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, £15m
For subsequent transfer deals see 1997-98 in English football
1997-98 in English football
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
.
Diary of the season
1 July 1996 – ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
pay a club record £4.9million for Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
midfielder Roberto Di Matteo
Roberto Di Matteo
Roberto Di Matteo is a Swiss-born Italian former professional footballer and the current assistant manager of Chelsea. As a midfielder, he enjoyed spells at Schaffhausen, Zürich Aarau, Lazio, and Chelsea. He was capped by Italy 34 times, scoring two goals for the Italian national team, and played...
.
4 July 1996 – Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
pay a club record £7million for Juventus and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
striker Fabrizio Ravanelli
Fabrizio Ravanelli
Fabrizio Ravanelli is a former international Italian football player, who won five titles with Juventus, including a Serie A championship in 1995 and a Champions League title in 1996....
.
9 July 1996 – Manchester United make a £12million offer to Blackburn Rovers for Alan Shearer, with Andy Cole in exchange – an offer which would set a national transfer record. However, the offer is rejected, with Rovers managing director Robert Coar insisting that Shearer is not for sale.
10 July 1996 – Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
sign Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
defender Ronny Johnsen
Ronny Johnsen
Jean Ronny Johnsen is a former Norwegian football player. He played as a centre back or defensive midfielder, but was often sidelined because of his many injuries.-Career:...
from Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
side Besiktas
Besiktas
Beşiktaş is a municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the European shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Sarıyer and Şişli, on the west by Kağıthane and Şişli, on the south by Beyoğlu, and on the east by the Bosphorus...
.
11 July 1996 – Keith Wiseman succeeds Sir Bert Millichip
Bert Millichip
Sir Frederick Albert Millichip was an English association footballer best known for his sometimes controversial contributions to the administration of the game....
as chairman of the Football Association.
20 July 1996 – Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
pay Slavia Prague £3.5million for winger Karel Poborsky
Karel Poborský
Karel Poborský is a former Czech footballer. A right winger, Poborský is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team, and was most noted for his technical ability.-Club career:...
, who helped Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
reach the final of Euro 96.
23 July 1996 – Manchester United sign Norway striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from Molde FK for £1.5million.
26 July 1996 – Jordi Cruyff
Jordi Cruyff
Johan Jordi Cruijff , anglicised as Jordi Cruyff is a Dutch former footballer and currently AEK Larnaca's Director of Football. He played from 1992 through to 2010, his clubs including Barcelona and Manchester United. He gained nine caps for the Netherlands national football team, playing in the...
, son of the legendary Johann, signs for Manchester United from FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
for £1.3million. Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
pay a club record £3million for Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
captain Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister MBE is a Scottish former professional footballer.McAllister played primarily as a midfielder, in a successful career spanning over nineteen years. He started his career at local side Motherwell before moving south of the border to Leicester City at the age of 20...
, whose manager Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson is a former English football player and manager, and has recently stepped down as a Non-Executive Director at Sheffield Wednesday after formerly relinquishing the chairman role to Milan Mandaric...
uses £2.25million of the windfall to buy Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
goalkeeper Nigel Martyn
Nigel Martyn
Antony Nigel Martyn , more commonly known as Nigel Martyn, is a retired English football goalkeeper. He played for Crystal Palace where he became the first £1million goalkeeper in British football and also won the Full Members Cup. Martyn then left to spend six seasons at Leeds United. He went on...
.
30 July 1996 – Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
break the world transfer record by paying Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
£15million for Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
.
1 August 1996 – Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
sell defender Alan Stubbs
Alan Stubbs
Alan Stubbs is a retired English footballer who played as a centre back. He was forced to retire from professional football due to a troublesome knee injury on the 20 August 2008. The final match of his career was against Doncaster Rovers on 9 August 2008...
to Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
for £3million.
2 August 1996 – Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
sign Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
defender Fernando Nelson
Fernando Nélson
Fernando Nélson Jesus Vieira Alves , known as Nélson, is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a right defender....
from Sporting Lisbon for £1.7million.
10 August 1996 – Lee Sharpe
Lee Sharpe
Lee Stuart Sharpe is an English former footballer. Predominantly a left winger, Sharpe joined Manchester United from Torquay United as a youngster in 1988, playing for the club up until 1996...
leaves Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
after eight years and joins Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. Bruce Rioch
Bruce Rioch
Bruce David Rioch is an English-born football manager and former player. He was manager of Aalborg BK in the Danish Superliga, until his sacking on 23 October 2008....
is sacked after one year as Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
manager following a dispute with the club's board, with his assistant Stewart Houston
Stewart Houston
Stewart Mackie Houston is a Scottish former football player and coach.A left back, Houston's first professional club were Chelsea, but he failed to break into the first team and only made 14 appearances in five years. He was sold to Brentford in 1972...
being installed as caretaker manager.
12 August 1996 – Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
sack manager Bruce Rioch
Bruce Rioch
Bruce David Rioch is an English-born football manager and former player. He was manager of Aalborg BK in the Danish Superliga, until his sacking on 23 October 2008....
after a dispute with the club's directors. Johann Cruyff, recently sacked by FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, is reported to be a target in their hunt for a successor, but coach Stewart Houston
Stewart Houston
Stewart Mackie Houston is a Scottish former football player and coach.A left back, Houston's first professional club were Chelsea, but he failed to break into the first team and only made 14 appearances in five years. He was sold to Brentford in 1972...
will remain in charge of the first team until a permanent successor is found.
14 August 1996 – Managerless Arsenal sign French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
midfielder Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira is a retired French footballer of Senegalese descent who is the Football Development Executive at Manchester City....
from AC Milan for £3.5million. Frenchman
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
, currently in charge of Nagoya Grampus Eight
Nagoya Grampus Eight
are a Japanese association football club that play in the J. League. Based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and originally founded as the company team of the Toyota Motor Corp...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, is the last name to be linked with the manager's job.
11 August 1996 – Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
beat Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
4–0 to win the Charity Shield.
17 August 1996 –
-
- – David BeckhamDavid BeckhamDavid Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
scores a late goal from the halfway line in Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
's 3–0 away win over WimbledonWimbledon F.C.Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
on the opening day of the season. Fabrizio RavanelliFabrizio RavanelliFabrizio Ravanelli is a former international Italian football player, who won five titles with Juventus, including a Serie A championship in 1995 and a Champions League title in 1996....
scores a hat-trick on his MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough F.C.Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
debut as they draw 3–3 at home to LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. Alan ShearerAlan ShearerAlan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
is on the losing side on his Newcastle league debut as they are beaten 2–0 by EvertonEverton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
at Goodison ParkGoodison ParkGoodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
.
- – David Beckham
18 August 1996 – Speculation mounts that Frenchman
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
will take over as manager at Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, who sacked Bruce Rioch
Bruce Rioch
Bruce David Rioch is an English-born football manager and former player. He was manager of Aalborg BK in the Danish Superliga, until his sacking on 23 October 2008....
earlier this month.
21 August 1996 – Alan Shearer scores his first goal for Newcastle United in their 2–0 home league win over Wimbledon. Local rivals Sunderland beat Nottingham Forest 4–1 at the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
.
23 August 1996 – Under pressure Manchester City manager Alan Ball signs Arsenal striker Paul Dickov
Paul Dickov
Paul Dickov is a retired Scottish footballer, turned manager who is currently in charge of League One side Oldham Athletic...
for £1million to prepare for a Division One promotion challenge.
24 August 1996 – Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
manager John Beck
John Beck (footballer)
John Alexander Beck is an English former footballer and manager. As a player he made nearly 500 league appearances between 1972 and 1988....
is arrested by police in an investigation concerning Customs and Excise
Her Majesty's Customs and Excise
HM Customs and Excise was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government in the UK. It was responsible for the collection of Value added tax , Customs Duties, Excise Duties, and other indirect taxes such as Air Passenger Duty, Climate Change Levy, Insurance Premium Tax, Landfill Tax and...
.
27 August 1996 – Alan Ball resigns as manager of Manchester City.
28 August 1996 – With his one-year ban from football now over, George Graham
George Graham (footballer)
George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:...
is reportedly due to be offered the Manchester City manager's job, 18 months after he was sacked by Arsenal for accepting illegal payments.
29 August 1996 – Dave Bassett
Dave Bassett
David Bassett , also frequently known by his nickname of Harry, is an English football manager and a former player....
, the Crystal Palace manager, is the latest name to be linked with the Manchester City job.
31 August 1996 – The first month of the league season ends with Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
as Premier League leaders after winning their first three games of the season. Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Manchester United complete the top five, following by newly-promoted Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in sixth place. Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
prop up the top flight, with Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
and Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
completing the bottom three. In Division One, Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
lead the way, a point ahead of Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
in the early stages of the race for Premier League football. Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
, Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
and QPR complete the top six.
4 September 1996 –
-
- – Ray WilkinsRay WilkinsRaymond Colin Wilkins MBE , often known as "Butch" Wilkins, is an English former footballer and at present a television pundit...
resigns after two years as player-manager of Queen's Park Rangers, who were relegated from the Premier League last season.- – Arsenal and Chelsea draw 3–3 in the league at HighburyArsenal StadiumArsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
. In another high scoring Premier League game, Middlesbrough beat West Ham United 4–1 at the Riverside Stadium.
- – Arsenal and Chelsea draw 3–3 in the league at Highbury
- – Ray Wilkins
7 September 1996 –
-
- – A SaudiSaudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
consortium is reported to be in the process of taking over Manchester CityManchester City F.C.Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in a £70million deal.- – Middlesbrough's high scoring start to the season continues as they beat Coventry City 4–0 at home, with Fabrizio Ravanelli and Juninho both scoring twice. Wimbledon inflict the same scoreline on Everton at Selhurst ParkSelhurst ParkSelhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
.
- – Middlesbrough's high scoring start to the season continues as they beat Coventry City 4–0 at home, with Fabrizio Ravanelli and Juninho both scoring twice. Wimbledon inflict the same scoreline on Everton at Selhurst Park
- – A Saudi
9 September 1996 – Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
sack Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson is a former English football player and manager, and has recently stepped down as a Non-Executive Director at Sheffield Wednesday after formerly relinquishing the chairman role to Milan Mandaric...
, their manager since 1988, the day after they lost 4–0 at home to Manchester United in a Premier League game.
13 September 1996 – Caretaker manager Stewart Houston quits Arsenal, who are targeting Arsène Wenger as their new manager but are waiting to agree a compensation deal with Nagoya Grampus Eight for his services.
14 September 1996 – Alan Shearer faces his old club Blackburn Rovers for the first time since his transfer to Newcastle United, and scores a penalty in a 2–1 home win.
16 September 1996 – Stewart Houston is appointed manager of Queen's Park Rangers.
19 September 1996 – Dave Bassett rejects an offer to manage Manchester City.
20 September 1996 – In a reversal of roles, Bruce Rioch becomes Stewart Houston's assistant at Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
.
21 September 1996 – Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
midfielder Patrik Berger
Patrik Berger
Patrik Berger is a retired Czech footballer. He has played in Czech Republic, Germany, and England. He is best remembered for his time at Liverpool....
scores twice as Liverpool demolish Chelsea 5–1 in the league at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
; he also scored twice in the previous weekend's 3–0 win at Leicester City.
28 September 1996 –
-
- – ArsenalArsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
appoint 46-year-old Frenchman Arsène WengerArsène WengerArsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
as their new manager.- – Middlesbrough's fine start to the season collapses as they are beaten 4–0 at Southampton, with Matt Le Tissier showing signs of a return to his old form by scoring twice.
- – Arsenal
29 September – Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scores both of Manchester United's goals at they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 in the league at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
.
30 September 1996 –
-
- – Manchester United reject a £5million offer from Everton for Andy Cole, whose place in the first team has been placed under threat from strong performances by new signing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
-
-
- – September ends with Liverpool as Premier League leaders, Arsenal second, Manchester United (defending champions) third, underdogs Wimbledon fourth, and last season's runners-up Newcastle United fifth. Blackburn Rovers, champions two seasons ago, are bottom of the Premier League having failed to win any of their opening eight games. Coventry City occupy second from bottom place, while Southampton occupy the final relegation place and Nottingham Forest and Leeds United occupy the two places directly above the drop zone. Bolton Wanderers are now top of Division One, one point ahead of Barnsley and two points ahead of Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers F.C.Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. Norwich CityNorwich City F.C.Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, Stoke City and Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace F.C.Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
complete the top six.
- – September ends with Liverpool as Premier League leaders, Arsenal second, Manchester United (defending champions) third, underdogs Wimbledon fourth, and last season's runners-up Newcastle United fifth. Blackburn Rovers, champions two seasons ago, are bottom of the Premier League having failed to win any of their opening eight games. Coventry City occupy second from bottom place, while Southampton occupy the final relegation place and Nottingham Forest and Leeds United occupy the two places directly above the drop zone. Bolton Wanderers are now top of Division One, one point ahead of Barnsley and two points ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers
-
6 October 1996 – Steve Coppell
Steve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
is appointed manager of Manchester City following the resignation of Alan Ball.
12 October 1996 – David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
scores the only goal of the game as Manchester United beat Liverpool 1–0 in the league at Old Trafford.
14 October 1996 – Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
sign Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
midfielder Benito Carbone
Benito Carbone
Benito known as Benny Carbone is a retired Italian professional footballer and former manager of Serie B club Varese. He played as a forward, winger or midfielder...
from Inter Milan for a club record £3million.
15 October 1996 – Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
sign Dutch defender Ulrich van Gobbel
Ulrich van Gobbel
Ulrich van Gobbel is a former Dutch football player who played as a defender for Feyenoord Rotterdam , Galatasaray and Southampton. At Southampton he scored two goals, with one coming against Lincoln City in the League Cup and one in the league against Leicester City...
from Galatasaray
Galatasaray S.K. (football team)
Galatasaray Anonim Şirketi is a Turkish football club, part of the Galatasaray S.K. multi-sport club of Istanbul. Galatasaray is a major sports club in Turkey, holding 17 Turkish Super League titles and the highest number of Turkish Cups....
of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
for £1.3million.
17 October 1996 – West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
goalscoring legend Tony Cottee
Tony Cottee
Anthony Richard "Tony" Cottee is a former football player who now works as a television football commentator...
, who has lost his place in the first team this season, signs for Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
of Malaysia for £750,000.
19 October 1996 – Wimbledon's recent run of fine form continues as they beat Chelsea 4–2 in the league at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
.
20 October 1996 – Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
beat Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
5–0 in a FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
fixture, which end's the division's longest unbeaten start to the season.
22 October 1996 – Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
director Matthew Harding
Matthew Harding
Matthew Harding was a British businessman, vice-chairman of Chelsea football club and a major financial supporter of New Labour .-Early years:...
, 42, is killed with four other people in a helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
crash in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
on his journey home from the club's League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
defeat against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
.
25 October 1996 – Ray Harford
Ray Harford
Raymond Thomas Harford was an English footballer, better known for his successes as a coach and manager than as a player. He is considered to have been one of the top coaches of his generation.-Playing career:...
resigns as manager of Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, bottom of the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
just 18 months after being champions, and coach Tony Parkes
Tony Parkes
Anthony "Tony" Parkes is an English former professional footballer. After retiring, he became a coach. He was most recently caretaker manager at Blackpool. It was the seventh such role of his coaching career, having performed the role on six occasions for...
takes over until the end of the season.
26 October 1996 – Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
endure another heavy defeat, this time a 6–3 crushing at Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in which Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
striker Egil Østenstad
Egil Østenstad
Egil Johan Østenstad , nicknamed "Østen", is a Norwegian director of football at Viking, where he is also a former player. His playing career also included spells at Southampton and Blackburn, among others.-Norway:...
scores a hat-trick.
29 October 1996 – Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
pay a club record £5.75million to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
for Nick Barmby
Nick Barmby
Nicholas Jon "Nick" Barmby is an English footballer who plays for Hull City as a midfielder, where he is also caretaker manager. At his peak he earned a total of 23 caps for England between 1995 and 2001...
.
30 October 1996 – Manchester United, unbeaten since they first played in Europe 40 years ago, finally suffer a home defeat in a European fixture when they lost 1–0 at home to Fenerbahce of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in their fourth group game of the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
.
31 October 1996 – Arsenal end their first month under Arsène Wenger's management as Premier League leaders on goal difference ahead of Newcastle United, while Wimbledon are close behind in third, Liverpool are fourth (with two games in hand over the top three) and Manchester United are now fifth after two successive hefty league defeats. Sheffield Wednesday's excellent start has ebbed away and they now occupy eighth place just two months after leading the league. Blackburn Rovers are still bottom of the table and winless after 11 games, while they and Coventry City are now joined by Nottingham Forest in the relegation zone after Southampton climbed to a secure 14th place with the 6–3 win over Manchester United playing a big part in their recent improvement. In Division One, Bolton Wanderers remain top of Division One, with the other automatic promotion place now occupied by Norwich City. The playoff places are occupied by Crystal Palace, Barnsley, Tranmere Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
2 November 1996 – Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
's two-year unbeaten FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
home run is ended by a 2–1 defeat against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
.
3 November 1996 – Blackburn Rovers achieve their first league win over the season in style by beating Liverpool 3–0 at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
, with two goals from a resurgent Chris Sutton
Chris Sutton
Christopher Roy "Chris" Sutton is an English football manager and former player.In his career, Sutton played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English...
. On the same day, Peter Beardsley
Peter Beardsley
Peter Andrew Beardsley MBE is an English former footballer who played between 1979 and 1999. He once set a record transfer fee in the game and represented his country 59 times between 1986 and 1996, once as captain...
also appears on the scoresheet twice – as Newcastle United beat local rivals Middlesbrough 3–1 to boost their own title challenge and push their opponents further towards the relegation zone.
5 November 1996 – Dutch striker Bryan Roy
Bryan Roy
Bryan Edward Steven Roy is a Dutch football manager and a former professional player. He has managed various of Ajax' youth teams – formerly Ajax E1 and now Ajax B.-Career:...
is put on the transfer list at £2million by Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest.
7 November 1996 – Tommy Lawton
Tommy Lawton
Thomas "Tommy" Lawton was an English association footballer who rose to fame a short time before the outbreak of the Second World War and enjoyed a successful career which lasted until well into the 1950s....
, the former Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
forward, dies of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at the age of 77.
8 November 1996 – Steve Coppell
Steve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
resigns after 33 days as manager of Manchester City. Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
sign Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
striker Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola, OBE, Ufficiale OMRI is a retired Italian footballer and manager, who most recently managed West Ham United from 2008 to 2010, after having been assistant manager of the Italy U-21 under Pierluigi Casiraghi...
from Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
for £4.5million.
14 November 1996 – Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
scores four times as Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
crush Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
5–1 at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
.
16 November 1996 – Leicester City's sound return to the Premier League continues as they beat midlands rivals Aston Villa 3–1 in the league at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
. Everton's flagging start to the season is given a much-needed boost as they thrash Southampton 7–1 at Goodison Park. Gary Speed
Gary Speed
Gary Andrew Speed, MBE was a Welsh football player and manager. He was captain of the Wales national football team until he retired from international football in 2004 and he remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between...
scores a hat-trick, while Andrei Kanchelskis
Andrei Kanchelskis
Andrei Antanasovich Kanchelskis is a Ukrainian-born Russian football manager and former association footballer who played as a right winger. Kanchelskis is the only player in history to have scored in each of the Glasgow, Merseyside and Manchester local derbies.Currently, he is managing FC...
scores twice. Graham Stuart
Graham Stuart (footballer)
Graham Charles Stuart is a former English football player who played as an attacking midfielder. He retired after being released by Norwich City on 17 May 2005....
and Nick Barmby
Nick Barmby
Nicholas Jon "Nick" Barmby is an English footballer who plays for Hull City as a midfielder, where he is also caretaker manager. At his peak he earned a total of 23 caps for England between 1995 and 2001...
score the other goals. Manchester United's three-match losing streak in the league ends when a Nigel Winterburn
Nigel Winterburn
Nigel Winterburn is a retired English footballer who played at left-back for Arsenal. He is best known for his role alongside Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon, forming a celebrated defensive line in the Premier League and European football during the 1990s.-Early career:Winterburn was born...
own goal gives them a 1–0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford.
20 November 1996 – Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
, who quit as England manager last summer, accepts an offer to take charge of the Australia national football team, but insists that he will continue in his role as Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
chairman.
21 November 1996 – Queen's Park Rangers pay £2.5million (a record for a club outside the top flight) for Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
striker John Spencer
John Spencer (footballer)
John Spencer is the head coach for Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer. Spencer is a former professional football player, who represented Scotland at international level...
.
22 November 1996 – Conference side Woking
Woking F.C.
Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the...
shock Division Two Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in the FA Cup third round replay at The Den
The New Den
The Den , is a football stadium and the home of Millwall FC. It is situated in South Bermondsey, South East London, almost directly adjacent to the railway line between London Bridge and New Cross Gate, plus the SELCHP incinerator. It is under a quarter of a mile away from original Den...
which followed a 2–2 draw in the first game.
23 November 1996 – Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
pay Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
£1million for 20-year-old striker Darren Huckerby
Darren Huckerby
Darren Huckerby is a former English footballer who played as a forward.-Early career:Huckerby was born in Nottingham, England. His mother is of partial Georgian descent. Huckerby started playing professionally for Lincoln City, before signing for Newcastle United in a £400,000 deal in 1995...
.
26 November 1996 – Another FA Cup first round replay upset sees Brighton & Hove Albion (currently bottom of Division Three only six seasons after they almost won promotion to the top flight) lose at home on penalties to non-league Sudbury Town
Sudbury Town F.C.
Sudbury Town F.C. was an English football club based in Sudbury, Suffolk. Established in 1885, the club merged with Sudbury Wanderers in 1999 to form A.F.C. Sudbury.-History:...
after a 1–1 draw at the Goldstone Ground
Goldstone Ground
The Goldstone Ground was a football stadium and home ground of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. between 1902 and 1997. The club currently plays at American Express Community Stadium, a stadium on the outskirts of the city, following the move from their temporary stadium in the Brighton suburb of...
. However, Whitby Town are not so lucky as they crash to a Duane Darby
Duane Darby
Duane Darby is a professional footballer who has made over 400 senior appearances in English football, and scored over 100 goals. He played a significant number of games for Torquay United and Hull City, and also helped both Rushden & Diamonds and Shrewsbury Town gain promotion from the Conference...
double hat-trick in the 8–4 defeat to Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
that followed a goalless draw in the original game.
30 November 1996 – Arsenal remain top of the league as November draws to a close, with Newcastle United, Liverpool, Wimbledon and Manchester United not far behind. Nottingham Forest are now bottom with still only one win from their opening 15 games, while Coventry City join them in the bottom three along with a Blackburn Rovers side who this month finally recorded their first two wins of the league campaign. A Middlesbrough side featuring some of the country's most expensively signed players are just above the relegation zone as midway point approaches during a season where they had been expected to challenge much higher in the table. Bolton Wanderers are still top of Division One, now accompanied in the automatic promotion places by Crystal Palace. Occupying the playoff zone are Barnsley, Norwich City, Sheffield United and Tranmere Rovers.
1 December 1996 – Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
scores his first goal for Leeds United as they beat Chelsea 2–0 in the league at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
.
2 December 1996 – Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
buy Norway striker Steffen Iversen
Steffen Iversen
Steffen Iversen is a Norwegian football player who currently plays for Crystal Palace. He has earned four Norwegian league championships with Rosenborg and one with Vålerenga....
from Rosenborg for £2.5million.
3 December 1996 – Middlesbrough's slump continues as they lose 2–0 at home to Leicester City.
7 December 1996 – Woking's FA Cup adventure continues with another giant-killing feat, this time a 2–0 win against Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
at the Abbey Stadium
Abbey Stadium
The Abbey Stadium, known as R Costings Abbey Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Cambridge, England. It has been the home ground of Cambridge United F.C. since 1932, and currently has a maximum capacity of 9,617 spectators...
. On the same day, Hednesford Town eliminate Leyton Orient from the competition with a 2–1 win at Brisbane Road.
11 December 1996 – John Scales
John Scales
John Robert Scales is an English former professional football player who played as a central defender.-Bristol Rovers:...
turns his back on Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
after looking set to return to the club where he began his career over a decade ago, and leaves Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for Tottenham Hotspur in a £2.6million deal.
14 December 1996 – Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
scores four goals for Liverpool as they beat Middlesbrough 5–1 in the league at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
.
19 December 1996 – Frank Clark steps down after three-and-a-half years as manager of Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, with 34-year-old defender Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce OBE is an English football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of the England national under-21 team and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team...
being appointed player-manager on a temporary basis.
20 December 1996 – Middlesbrough's
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
cancel their Premier League fixture at Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
tomorrow, after manager Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
insisted that he could not field a team as 23 of his playing staff have been hit by a virus.
22 December 1996 – Stuart Pearce brings former Nottingham Forest striker Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough
Nigel Howard Clough is an English former footballer and the current manager of Derby County. Playing predominately as a striker, but later in his career was used as a midfielder, Clough was capped by England 14 times in the early 1990s....
back to the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
on loan from Manchester City, more than three years after he left the club for Liverpool.
23 December 1996 – Division Two strugglers Notts County sack joint managers Steve Thompson and Colin Murphy.
24 December 1996 – Middlesbrough are charged with bringing the game into disrepute over their cancelled fixture.
26 December 1996 – The key Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
drama sees Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola, OBE, Ufficiale OMRI is a retired Italian footballer and manager, who most recently managed West Ham United from 2008 to 2010, after having been assistant manager of the Italy U-21 under Pierluigi Casiraghi...
score both of Chelsea's goals in a 2–0 away win over Aston Villa, Gordon Strachan
Gordon Strachan
Gordon David Strachan OBE is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is currently without a club, having last managed Middlesbrough. Strachan played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds United and Coventry City, as well as the Scotland national team. Prior to Middlesbrough,...
lead Coventry City to a 3–1 away win over his old club Leeds United, and Manchester United boost their title hopes and deepen their opposition's relegation worries with a 4–0 win at Nottingham Forest.
28 December 1996 – Wimbledon continue to defy the odds and challenge for a place in Europe with a 3–1 away win over Everton. Newcastle United continue to push for the title with a 7–1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur.
29 December 1996 –
-
- – 11 days after leaving Nottingham Forest, Frank Clark is named as manager of Manchester City.
- – Liverpool remain top of the Premier League with a 1–0 win at Southampton, with a late goal from John BarnesJohn Barnes (footballer)John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
ensuring that they top a division which they were last champions of in 1990.
- – Liverpool remain top of the Premier League with a 1–0 win at Southampton, with a late goal from John Barnes
- – 11 days after leaving Nottingham Forest, Frank Clark is named as manager of Manchester City.
31 December 1996 – 1996 draws to a close with Liverpool now leading the Premier League, while a mere five points separate the next six highest clubs – Manchester United, Arsenal, Wimbledon, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Chelsea. Nottingham Forest are still bottom with a mere two wins so far this season, while Blackburn Rovers remain in the drop zone along with Southampton who have slipped into the bottom three that has been vacated by an improving Coventry City side. Bolton Wanderers are still top of Division One, but Barnsley have cut their lead to just two points. Sheffield United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace and an Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
side searching for a second successive promotion complete the top six. Manchester City, who had been expected to feature highly in this season's promotion race, are now one point and one place above the relegation zone.
1 January 1997 – Middlesbrough sign Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
n midfielder Vladimir Kinder
Vladimír Kinder
Vladimír Kinder is a retired Slovak footballer. He is most notable for his spell playing as a Left Back with Middlesbrough in England between 1997 and 1999. He helped them reach three domestic cup finals as well as win promotion to the Premier League.He earned 1 cap for Czechoslovakia and 39...
from Slovan Bratislava
ŠK Slovan Bratislava
ŠK Slovan Bratislava is a football club based in Bratislava, Slovakia, that plays in the Corgoň liga. Founded as 1. ČsŠK Bratislava in 1919, the club changed its name to Slovan Bratislava in 1953...
for £1million.
5 January 1997 – Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
are rocked by the resignation of manager Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
, who explains "I feel I have taken this club as far as I can".
11 January 1997 – Blackburn Rovers continue their revival with a 4–0 home win over Coventry City. Middlesbrough's relegation worries are deepened with a 1–0 home defeat to Southampton, and later this week their survival battle could be toughened by a points deduction.
13 January 1997 – York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
, who knocked Everton out of the League Cup this season and Manchester United last season, find themselves on the receiving end of a giant-killing feat when Hednesford Town knock them out of the FA Cup with a 1–0 win at Keys Park
Keys Park
Keys Park is home of Hednesford Town Football Club, and is situated on Keys Park Road in the town of Hednesford, Staffordshire. The club previously played at the Cross Keys, a ground situated behind the pub of the same name....
.
14 January 1997 – Middlesbrough, bottom of the Premier League, are deducted three points for cancelling their fixture at Blackburn Rovers last month. They are also fined £50,000. Striker Fabrizio Ravanelli
Fabrizio Ravanelli
Fabrizio Ravanelli is a former international Italian football player, who won five titles with Juventus, including a Serie A championship in 1995 and a Champions League title in 1996....
claims that his club will now "almost certainly" be relegated. Ravanelli's fellow countryman Gianluca Festa
Gianluca Festa
Gianluca Festa is an Italian footballer former defender turned coach-Playing career:Festa played with several notable teams, including Internazionale, AS Roma and Middlesbrough, being one of the first Italians to play in the Premier League. Festa arrived at Middlesbrough from Inter Milan in the...
joins Middlesbrough from Inter Milan on the same day for £2.7million.
15 January 1997 – Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
is named as Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
's new manager.
16 January 1997 – Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
pay £1.6million for Oxford United's
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
28-year-old defender Matt Elliott.
18 January 1997 – Kenny Dalglish begins his reign as Newcastle United manager with a 2–2 draw at Southampton, costing his own side two valuable points as he looks to become the first manager to win the English league title with three different clubs, while a point for Southampton gives their survival battle a boost.
25 January 1997 – A major upset in the FA Cup third round replay sees Wrexham win 1–0 against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
after drawing the first game 1–1 at the Racecourse Ground
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
. However, Hednesford Town's luck finally runs out when they lose 3–2 to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in the fourth round clash at the Riverside Stadium
Riverside Stadium
The Riverside Stadium is a football stadium in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, which has been the home of Middlesbrough F.C. since it opened in 1995...
, while a late equaliser for Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
forces a replay for Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
26 January 1997 – Liverpool's bid for a second double is ended as they are defeated 4–2 by Chelsea in the fourth round replay at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
.
29 January 1997 –
-
- – EvertonEverton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
sell winger Andrei KanchelskisAndrei KanchelskisAndrei Antanasovich Kanchelskis is a Ukrainian-born Russian football manager and former association footballer who played as a right winger. Kanchelskis is the only player in history to have scored in each of the Glasgow, Merseyside and Manchester local derbies.Currently, he is managing FC...
to Fiorentina of Italy for £8million – the most expensive player to be sold to a foreign club by any British club.- – After going a goal down, Manchester United beat Wimbledon 2–1 at Old Trafford to go top of the Premier League – they will stay there for the rest of the season. Newcastle United keep up their challenge with a 4–1 win over an underperforming Everton.
- – Everton
30 January 1997 – Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
boost their defence with the acquisition of Gary Breen
Gary Breen
Gary Patrick Breen is an Irish footballer who made more than 500 appearances in the Football League and Premier League. He played for numerous clubs over a 20-year career, including more than 100 appearances each for Coventry City and Sunderland...
from Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for £2.5million.
31 January 1997 – January ends with Manchester United now top of the Premier League and unbeaten in it since early November. Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United are their nearest contenders, while Wimbledon have endured a slight setback but have two games in hand to muscle in on the top four. Middlesbrough's three-point deduction for cancelling a league fixture in December leaves them bottom of the table, while caretaker-manager Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce OBE is an English football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of the England national under-21 team and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team...
has guided Nottingham Forest out of the drop zone with three wins this month, Southampton remain in the bottom three, and Blackburn Rovers have finally climbed clear of the drop zone at the expense of West Ham United. Bolton Wanderers have extended their lead at the top of Division One to 11 points, their nearest challengers being Sheffield United and Barnsley. The top six is completed by Wolverhampton Wanderers, Norwich City and Stoke City.
2 February 1997 – Alan Shearer scores a hat-trick as Newcastle United beat Leicester City 4–3 at home in the league.
4 February 1997 – Manchester United lose their defence of the FA Cup with a 1–0 fourth round replay defeat to Wimbledon at Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
. Marcus Gayle
Marcus Gayle
Marcus Anthony Gayle is an English born Jamaican former professional footballer who played as a striker or winger, though towards the end of his career he also played as a central defender...
gave Wimbledon the lead, and Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
looked to have saved United with a last-minute goal, but it was ruled offside. This means that United will not be playing in the FA Cup final for the first time since 1993.
6 February 1997 – West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
pay a club record £2.3million for Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
striker Paul Kitson
Paul Kitson
For the English footballer who spent most of his career in the United States, see Paul Kitson .Paul Kitson is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker...
.
10 February 1997 – Leicester City defender Neil Lewis
Neil Lewis (footballer)
Neil Lewis is an English football defender.-References:*...
is sentenced to six months in prison for affray after being found guilty of attacking a man with a bottle in a nightclub brawl.
12 February 1997 – Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
sign OB Odense and Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
striker Per Pedersen
Per Pedersen (footballer)
Per Werner Pedersen is a Danish former football player, who played the majority of his career for Danish clubs Odense BK and Lyngby BK. Pedersen scored two goals in six games for the Danish national team between 1991 and 1997...
for £2.5million.
15 February 1997 – The latest FA Cup upset sees Premier League Nottingham Forest eliminated 1–0 by Division Two Chesterfield at Saltergate, while on the same day fellow Premier League club Leeds United suffer a 3–2 embarrassment at home to Division One Portsmouth, and Division One Birmingham City's FA Cup hopes are ended with a 3–1 home defeat by Division Two surprise package Wrexham.
22 February 1997 –
-
- – Middlesbrough sign Bradford City and Australia goalkeeper Mark SchwarzerMark SchwarzerMark Schwarzer OAM is an Australian association football player who plays as a goalkeeper. He currently plays for Premier League club Fulham. He rose to prominence during his time at North-East England football club Middlesbrough...
for £1.5million.- – Ian MarshallIan MarshallIan Paul Marshall is a former professional footballer.-Career:Marshall made his name playing as a defender and striker for Oldham Athletic but started his career as an apprentice with hometown club Everton...
scores a hat-trick as Leicester City beat local rivals Derby County 4–2 in the league at Filbert StreetFilbert StreetFilbert Street, in Leicester, England, was a football stadium, and the home of Leicester City from 1891 to 2002. Although officially titled "The City Business Stadium" in the early 1990s, it remained known almost exclusively by its address, like many English football stadia.- Early years :The club,...
.
- – Ian Marshall
- – Middlesbrough sign Bradford City and Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer
23 February 1997 – Wimbledon pull of their second surprise win of the month when a Vinnie Jones
Vinnie Jones
Vincent Peter "Vinnie" Jones is an English film actor and retired Welsh footballer.Born in Hertfordshire, England, Jones represented and captained the Welsh national football team, having qualified via a Welsh grandparent. He also previously played for Chelsea and Leeds United. As a member of the...
goal gives them a 1–0 league win over Arsenal at Highbury.
27 February 1997 – Dave Bassett
Dave Bassett
David Bassett , also frequently known by his nickname of Harry, is an English football manager and a former player....
leaves Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
to take over as manager at Nottingham Forest.
28 February 1997 – Steve Coppell
Steve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
is appointed as Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
manager for the third time since 1984. February ends with Manchester United still top of the Premier League and Liverpool now their nearest contenders, while Newcastle United, Arsenal and Aston Villa complete the top five. The bottom three main unchanged from the last month-end. Bolton Wanderers remain top of Division One, their nearest rivals now being Wolverhampton Wanderers who are 10 points behind them in second place. The top six is completed by Barnsley, Sheffield United, Norwich City and Crystal Palace.
1 March 1997 – Newcastle United's title hopes are hit by an unexpected blow when they lose 1–0 at home to Southampton.
4 March 1997 – Norwegian striker Steffen Iversen scores a hat-trick as Tottenham Hotspur beat relegation-threatened Sunderland 4–0 at Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
.
5 March 1997 – Middlesbrough's survival hopes are given a major boost when they beat Derby County 6–1 at the Riverside Stadium, with Fabrizio Ravanelli scoring a hat-trick. Nottingham Forest's survival hopes are dented when they lose 3–0 at home Sheffield Wednesday, whose hopes of a UEFA Cup place are kept very much alive by the result.
8 March 1997 – Middlesbrough move closer to a first-ever FA Cup final by winning 2–0 at Derby County in the quarter-final. Manchester United's four-month unbeaten run in the lead ends in a surprise 2–1 defeat against Sunderland at Roker Park.
9 March 1997 – In a rare occurrence of an FA Cup quarter-final being contested between two third-tier clubs, Chesterfield run out 1–0 winners over Wrexham at Saltergate. On the same day, Wimbledon move closer to FA Cup glory by winning 2–0 at Sheffield Wednesday, while the end is in sight for Chelsea's 26-year trophy drought as they crush Portsmouth 4–1 at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
.
10 March 1997 – Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest sign Dutch striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk
Pierre van Hooijdonk
Petrus Ferdinandus Johannes "Pierre" van Hooijdonk is a retired Dutch football player who played as a striker. His last spell was at Feyenoord Rotterdam. Van Hooijdonk was capped 46 times for the Dutch national team, scoring 21 goals, and played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000 and Euro 2004...
from Celtic for a club record £4.5million. In the title race, Liverpool beat Newcastle United 4–3 at Anfield.
12 March 1997 – Recently signed striker Paul Kitson
Paul Kitson
For the English footballer who spent most of his career in the United States, see Paul Kitson .Paul Kitson is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker...
scores twice as West Ham United boost their survival bid with a 3–2 home win over Chelsea.
15 March 1997 – Kevin Gallacher
Kevin Gallacher
Kevin William Gallacher is a Scottish former professional footballer and now a sports pundit.He is the grandson of the late Celtic forward Patsy Gallacher, who died before he was born.-Career:...
scores a hat-trick in Blackburn's 3–1 home league win over Wimbledon. Middlesbrough continue to push for survival with a 3–1 away win over Leicester City.
16 March 1997 – Sunderland's survival hopes are knocked by a 6–2 defeat at Chelsea.
19 March 1997 – Middlesbrough continue their fightback with a 2–1 home win over Blackburn.
22 March 1997 – John Hartson
John Hartson
John Hartson is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a striker, best known for his spells with West Ham and Celtic. Hartson also featured prominently for Wales, earning 51 caps until his international retirement in 2006...
is on the scoresheet twice for West Ham United in a relegation crunch win at Coventry City. Middlesbrough make it four league wins in a row as a Juninho goal gives them a 1–0 home win over Chelsea. Another relegation crunch game sees Sunderland and Nottingham Forest battle out a 1–1 draw at Roker Park.
26 March 1997 – Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
fail in an appeal to restore 3 points that were docked in early January as penalty for failing to fulfill a fixture against Blackburn Rovers.
27 March 1997 – West Ham United buy Northern Ireland midfielder Steve Lomas
Steve Lomas
Stephen "Steve" Lomas is the football manager of St Johnstone and a former Northern Ireland international player. He played for Manchester City, West Ham United, Queens Park Rangers and Gillingham, finishing his playing career at United Counties Football League Premier Division club St Neots Town...
from Manchester City for £1.6million.
31 March 1997 – Manchester United continue to lead the Premier League for third month-end running, with Liverpool still their nearest challengers. Southampton are now bottom of the Premier League, while Nottingham Forest have slipped back into the drop zone along with Coventry City. Blackburn Rovers continue to move closer to what once seemed like an almost impossible survival as they stand 12th with a six-point advantage over the bottom three and a game in hand. Bolton Wanderers are now just one point away from promotion at the top of Division One, with Barnsley now in second place and well on course for top division football for the first time in their 101-year history. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and surprise promotion contenders Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
occupy the playoff zone.
5 April 1997 – Leaders Manchester United suffer a surprise 3–2 home defeat by Derby County.
6 April 1997 – Liverpool's title bid takes a surprise setback when they lose 2–1 at home to relegation battlers Coventry City.
9 April 1997 – Coventry City's survival battle continues with another win over a much stronger opposition – this time Chelsea, who find themselves on the receiving end of a 3–1 defeat at Highfield Road
Highfield Road
The Highfield Road Stadium was a football stadium in the city of Coventry, England. It was the home ground for Coventry City F.C. until the club moved to the new Ricoh Arena after the 2005-06 season...
.
13 April 1997 –
-
- – Chelsea beat Wimbledon 3–0 in the FA Cup semi-final at HighburyArsenal StadiumArsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
to reach their first FA Cup final in 26 years. However, the biggest hype is surrounding the other FA Cup final between Middlesbrough and Chesterfield. Two early Chesterfield goals look to have put them on course to become the first third-tier side to reach an FA Cup final, but Middlesbrough fight back to claim a 3–3 draw and force a replay.- – Liverpool keep their title hopes alive with a 2–1 win over Sunderland at Roker Park, a result which does the hosts no favours in their battle against relegation.
- – Chelsea beat Wimbledon 3–0 in the FA Cup semi-final at Highbury
16 April 1997 – Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
beat Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
1–0 in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
final replay at Hillsborough thanks to a Steve Claridge
Steve Claridge
Stephen Edward Claridge is an English football player, pundit and coach. He is currently a pundit for BBC Sport football shows including Football Focus and the The Football League Show, whilst also playing as a striker for semi-professional team Gosport Borough.Claridge's career is known for its...
goal.
19 April 1997 – Manchester United take a huge step towards title glory with a 3–1 away win over their main rivals Liverpool, in which defender Gary Pallister
Gary Pallister
Gary Andrew Pallister is an English former footballer, most noted for his nine-year spell at Manchester United from 1989 until 1998...
scores twice. Newcastle keep their title challenge alive with a 3–1 home win over Derby County, but Arsenal do themselves no favours as they can only manage a 1–1 draw at home to Blackburn. Southampton and Coventry City draw 2–2 in a relegation crunch game at The Dell.
21 April 1997 – Chelsea agree a £2.25million fee with Anderlecht
Anderlecht
Anderlecht is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region.There are several historically and architecturally distinct districts within the Anderlecht municipality.-Pronunciation:* Dutch: * French:...
for 19-year-old Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n defender Celestine Babayaro
Celestine Babayaro
Celestine Hycieth Babayaro is a former Nigerian footballer.-Club career:Babayaro began his playing career at Nigerian side Plateau United, before moving to Belgium club Anderlecht in 1994, and eventually would make a name for himself, quickly gaining first-choice status although still a...
.
22 April 1997 – Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
reach their first-ever FA Cup final thanks to a 2–0 win in the semi-final replay against Division Two
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
side Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
.
25 April 1997 – In the last ever game at Burnden Park
Burnden Park
Burnden Park was the home of English FA Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers who played home games here between 1895 and 1997. As well as hosting an FA Cup Final replay it was the scene of one of the greatest disasters in English football and the subject of an L. S...
, Division One champions Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
beat Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
4–1.
30 April 1997 – Manchester United look assured of their fourth league title in five seasons, as they finish April top of the league by a five-point margin over Arsenal and Liverpool – and with a game in hand. Newcastle United's challenge is all but over, while Aston Villa's hopes are now completely dead, and the midlanders are now facing a threat of being pipped to even a UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
place – by Sheffield Wednesday. The relegation battle is still wide open, with West Ham United, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest occupying the bottom three, and several other teams also fighting to avoid the drop. In Division One, Bolton Wanderers are established as champions with 97 points and 98 goals – 17 points ahead of their nearest rivals Barnsley, who have sealed top flight football for the first time. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ipswich Town, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace will contest the playoffs.
3 May 1997 – Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
play their last game at Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
after 99 years and go out on a high by beating Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
3–0, but are still in danger of Premier League relegation. Their local rivals Newcastle United remain in contention for the league title with a 1–0 win at Arsenal – a result which rules the North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
ers out of the title race. Liverpool remain in it with a 2–1 home win over Tottenham. Paul Kitson
Paul Kitson
For the English footballer who spent most of his career in the United States, see Paul Kitson .Paul Kitson is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker...
ensures West Ham's survival with a hat-trick in their 5–1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, whose UEFA Cup hopes are ended by the result. Coventry City, meanwhile, are left needing a miracle to save their 30-year tenure in the top flight due to a 2–1 home defeat by Derby County.
4 May 1997 – Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
beat West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
2–1 in their last game at the Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground may refer to:*Victoria Ground, the former name of Hartlepool United’s ground Victoria Park.*Victoria Ground, Stoke City’s ground from 1878 to 1997.*Victoria Ground, current home of Bromsgrove Rovers...
, their home for a national record of 119 years.
5 May 1997 – Manchester United draw 3–3 at home to Middlesbrough in a thrilling game between the leaders (now on the brink of title glory) and a side fighting for every point in a quest for survival.
6 May 1997 – Newcastle's goalless draw at West Ham and Liverpool's 2–1 defeat at Wimbledon means that Manchester United are Premier League champions for the fourth time in five seasons. In Liverpool's defeat, Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
scores the consolation goal in only his second appearance for the club, making him the club's youngest ever league goalscorer at the age of 17 years and 144 days.
11 May 1997 – On a dramatic final day of the Premier League season, Coventry City pull off a miracle survival act by beating Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
. Middlesbrough – who would have survived at the expense of Coventry had it not been for their points deduction – go down after being held to a 1–1 draw by Leeds United at Elland Road. Sunderland lose 1–0 to Wimbledon at Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
, but their fans are left waiting after the final whistle to hear whether their team have survived; when the news comes through that Coventry have won, it is confirmed that Sunderland are relegated.
12 May 1997 – Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
pay a club record £7million for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
striker Stan Collymore
Stan Collymore
Stanley Victor "Stan" Collymore is an English football pundit and former footballer, who played from 1990 until 2001. He held the British transfer record when he moved from Nottingham Forest to Liverpool for £8.5 million in 1995 and was capped three times at senior level by the England...
.
14 May 1997 – Everton sign Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n defender Slaven Bilic
Slaven Bilic
Slaven Bilić is a former Croatian footballer and current head coach of the Croatia national team. His playing tenure predominantly comprised extended vocations in his hometown with Hajduk Split and a combination of foreign spells in Germany and England...
from West Ham United for £4.5million.
17 May 1997 – Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
end their 26-year wait for a major trophy, and Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
becomes the first foreign manager to win one, with a 2–0 win over Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in the FA Cup final.
18 May 1997 – Manchester United are left shocked after their iconic striker Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
announces his retirement from football six days before his 31st birthday. Cantona, who won four league titles and two FA Cups in five seasons at the club, explained that he had always intended to retire while still at the top.
11 June 1997 – Chelsea sign Dutch goalkeeper Ed de Goey from Feyenoord for £2.25million.
13 June 1997 – Barnsley, who have been promoted to the Premier League for the first time, pay a club record £1.5million for Macedonian striker Georgi Hristov from Partizan Belgrade
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
.
17 June 1997 – Arsenal pay a club record £7million for Ajax and Holland winger Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars is a retired Dutch footballer. He is best known as a right-footed left winger, although he is able to use both his feet with equal precision and power...
.
23 June 1997 – Former Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
striker Andy Gray rejects an offer to return to the club as manager, preferring to stay in his current role as a football pundit with Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
.
24 June 1997 – The Premier League's media consultants recommend that the league creates its own television channel by 2001 if it wants to maximise television revenue, claiming that it could generate twice as much revenue this way than the current deal with Sky Sports is raising for them.
25 June 1997 – Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
leaves Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
to take charge of Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
for the third time since 1981.
27 June 1997 – Manchester United sign Teddy Sheringham
Teddy Sheringham
Edward Paul "Teddy" Sheringham MBE is a retired English footballer, and the father of footballer Charlie Sheringham. Sheringham played as a striker, and had a successful career at the club level, winning almost every domestic honour available with his clubs, most notably the Treble with Manchester...
from Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
for £3.5million.
Famous Debutants
- 11 January 1997: Jamie CarragherJamie CarragherJames Lee Duncan "Jamie" Carragher is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League side Liverpool...
, 18-year-old defender, makes his debut for Liverpool in their 0–0 home draw with West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
in the Premier League.
- 12 April 1997: Michael BallMichael Ball (footballer)Michael John Ball is an English professional footballer who plays for Leicester City, having previously played as a left-back for English Premier League team Manchester City....
, 17-year-old defender, makes his debut for EvertonEverton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in their 1–0 home win over Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur F.C.Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in the Premier League.
- 6 May 1997: Michael OwenMichael OwenMichael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
, 17-year-old striker, scores on his debut for LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in their 2–1 league defeat by WimbledonWimbledon F.C.Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
at Selhurst ParkSelhurst ParkSelhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
.
Retirements
7 November 1996: Dave Busst, 29-year-old central defender who suffered a compound leg fracture while playing for Coventry CityCoventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
seven months ago, retires on medical advice after being told that he is unlikely ever to recover to full fitness despite having had 26 operations.
28 April 1997: Peter Shilton
Peter Shilton
Peter Leslie Shilton OBE is a former English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He currently holds the record for playing more games for England than anyone else, earning 125 caps....
, 47-year-old goalkeeper who four months ago became the first player to reach 1,000 league appearances in English football, ends his professional career after being given a free transfer by Leyton Orient.
11 May 1997: Gordon Strachan
Gordon Strachan
Gordon David Strachan OBE is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is currently without a club, having last managed Middlesbrough. Strachan played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds United and Coventry City, as well as the Scotland national team. Prior to Middlesbrough,...
, 40-year-old Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
player-manager, retires as a player after becoming the oldest outfield player to appear in the Premier League.
18 May 1997: Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
, iconic Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, shocks football by announcing his retirement as a player six days before his 31st birthday.
Deaths
- 22 October 1996 – Matthew HardingMatthew HardingMatthew Harding was a British businessman, vice-chairman of Chelsea football club and a major financial supporter of New Labour .-Early years:...
, 42, vice chairman of ChelseaChelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, died in a helicopter crash with four other people in Cheshire as they flew home from a game at BoltonBoltonBolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
. - 6 November 1996 – Tommy LawtonTommy LawtonThomas "Tommy" Lawton was an English association footballer who rose to fame a short time before the outbreak of the Second World War and enjoyed a successful career which lasted until well into the 1950s....
, 77, who scored 22 times in 23 games for England between the late 1930s and early 1950s. At club level turned out for EvertonEverton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, ChelseaChelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and Notts CountyNotts County F.C.Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
. - 23 April 1997 – Denis ComptonDenis ComptonDenis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
, 78, footballer and cricketer, played as a winger for ArsenalArsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
when they won the league championship in 1948 and the F.A Cup in 1950. Was president of Middlesex CCC for the final six years of his life. - 24 January 1997 – Roy SprosonRoy SprosonRoy Sproson was an English footballer and football manager for Port Vale. A one-club man, he holds the all-time appearance record for Vale, making 837 starts for Vale between 1950 and 1972. This includes a run of 128 consecutive appearances between April 1954 and March 1957...
, 66, who died of cancer, spent his whole career as a centre-half with Port ValePort Vale F.C.Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
and played 837 times for them. After retiring as a player in 1972 he later served the club as coach and manager. - 20 February 1997 – Stan PearsonStan PearsonStanley Clare Pearson was an English football player. He was born in Salford.Pearson was signed by Manchester United as an amateur in December 1935 and turned professional in May 1937. His first senior game came against Chesterfield in 1937. When his career was interrupted by the war, he served...
, 78, who died in February 1997, made more than 300 league appearances for Manchester United either side of the second world war. The forward also represented EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, BuryBury F.C.Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
and ChesterChester City F.C.Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
, where he later became manager.