1996–97 Fulham F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Fulham F.C. competed in the Division Three. It was their third season in the league's fourth tier, and they finished the season with their first promotion in 15 years.

Fulham
1996–97 season
ChairmanJimmy Hill
ManagerMicky Adams (player-manager)
StadiumCraven Cottage
Third Division2nd (promoted)
FA CupFirst round
League CupSecond round
Football League TrophyFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Conroy (21)
All: Conroy (23)
Average home league attendance6,644

Season summary

In his first full season as manager, Micky Adams guided them to automatic promotion and as a result won the Division Three Manager of the Season award. They finished level on points at the top of the division with Wigan Athletic.

Fulham's previous promotion had been in 1982, when they were promoted from the old Third Division.

It was the first of three promotions in five seasons for the club, which saw them reach the FA Premier League in 2001 and end a 34-year exile from the top division of English football.

Final league table
Main article: 1996–97 Football League
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Wigan Athletic 46 26 9 11 84 51 +33 87 Division Champions, promoted
2 Fulham 46 25 12 9 72 38 +34 87 Promoted
3 Carlisle United 46 24 12 10 67 44 +23 84
4 Northampton Town 46 20 12 14 67 44 +23 72 Promoted through play-offs
5 Swansea City 46 21 8 17 62 58 +4 71 Participated in play-offs
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

Fulham's score comes first[1]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League Third Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996Hereford UnitedH1–05,277Conroy
24 August 1996Hartlepool UnitedA1–22,457Scott
27 August 1996RochdaleA2–11,689Cusack, Conroy
31 August 1996Carlisle UnitedH1–05,860Conroy
7 September 1996Colchester UnitedH3–15,189Conroy (2), Morgan
10 September 1996Exeter CityA1–02,388Freeman
14 September 1996Swansea CityA2–13,791Conroy, Morgan
21 September 1996Mansfield TownH1–25,740Morgan
28 September 1996DarlingtonA2–03,269Watson, Carpenter
1 October 1996Torquay UnitedH1–24,459Scott
5 October 1996Northampton TownA1–06,171Conroy
12 October 1996Doncaster RoversH3–15,516Conroy, Herrera, Carpenter
15 October 1996Cambridge UnitedH3–05,791Conroy (2), Blake (pen)
19 October 1996Hull CityA3–03,986Freeman, Watson, Conroy
26 October 1996Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–08,387
29 October 1996Scunthorpe UnitedH2–14,566Conroy, Freeman
2 November 1996Lincoln CityH1–26,945Carpenter
9 November 1996Cardiff CityA2–16,144Conroy, Blake
19 November 1996BarnetH2–04,423Conroy, Morgan
23 November 1996Wigan AthleticA1–15,039Scott
30 November 1996Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–08,279Conroy, Blake (pen)
3 December 1996Chester CityA1–11,762Freeman
14 December 1996Leyton OrientH1–17,355Watson
21 December 1996ScarboroughA2–02,015Conroy, Scott
26 December 1996Exeter CityH1–17,892Angus
11 January 1997DarlingtonH6–05,735Scott, Carpenter, Cullip, Freeman, Brooker, Conroy
14 January 1997Colchester UnitedA1–23,820Morgan
18 January 1997Torquay UnitedA1–33,386Scott
25 January 1997Scunthorpe UnitedA4–13,259Cusack, Conroy, Blake (pen), Scott
31 January 1997Cardiff CityH1–46,459Eckhardt (own goal)
8 February 1997Lincoln CityA0–23,948
11 February 1997Swansea CityH2–14,836Freeman, Brooker
15 February 1997Wigan AthleticH1–19,448Blake
22 February 1997BarnetA2–23,316Conroy, Scott
1 March 1997Chester CityH1–15,780Morgan
8 March 1997ScarboroughH4–06,080Cockerill, Freeman, Blake (pen), Warren
16 March 1997Leyton OrientA2–07,125Blake (pen), Carpenter
22 March 1997Hartlepool UnitedH1–07,222Freeman
29 March 1997Hereford UnitedA0–04,279
31 March 1997RochdaleH1–17,866Conroy
5 April 1997Carlisle UnitedA2–19,171Conroy, McAree
8 April 1997Mansfield TownA0–03,912
12 April 1997Northampton TownH0–111,479
19 April 1997Doncaster RoversA0–02,920
26 April 1997Hull CityH2–010,588Morgan (2)
3 May 1997Cambridge UnitedA1–07,218Freeman

FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 November 1996Plymouth ArgyleA0–57,104

League Cup
Main article: 1996-97 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg20 August 1996Southend UnitedA2–03,084Conroy, Watson
R1 2nd Leg3 September 1996Southend UnitedH1–2 (won 3-2 on agg)4,297Conroy
R2 1st Leg17 September 1996Ipswich TownH1–16,947Morgan
R2 2nd Leg24 September 1996Ipswich TownA2–4 (lost 3-5 on agg)6,825Sedgley (own goal), Brooker

Football League Trophy
Main article: 1996-97 Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SR117 December 1996Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–3 (a.e.t.)1,310

Squad

[2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  ENG Tony Lange
— GK  WAL Mark Walton
— DF  ENG Micky Adams (player-manager)
— DF  ENG Terry Angus
— DF  ENG Mark Blake
— DF  ENG Danny Cullip
— DF  ENG Robbie Herrera
— DF  ENG Matthew Lawrence
— DF  ENG Simon Morgan
— DF  ENG Paul Parker
— DF  ENG Rob Scott
— DF  ENG Jason Soloman
— DF  ENG Simon Stewart
— DF  ENG Paul Watson
— MF  ENG Paul Brooker
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  ENG Richard Carpenter
— MF  ENG Glenn Cockerill
— MF  ENG Nick Cusack
— MF  ENG Sean Davis
— MF  ENG Charlie Hartfield (on loan from Sheffield United)
— MF  ENG John Marshall
— MF  NIR Rod McAree
— MF  ENG Michael Mison
— MF  ENG Martin Thomas
— MF  ENG Christer Warren (on loan from Southampton)
— FW  ENG Lea Barkus
— FW  ENG Darren Beckford
— FW  SCO Mike Conroy
— FW  ENG Darren Freeman
— FW  NIR Rory Hamill

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2015-07-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. http://www.11v11.com/teams/fulham/tab/players/season/1997
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