1996–97 Sheffield Wednesday F.C. season

The 1996–97 season was Sheffield Wednesday F.C.'s 130th season in existence. They competed in the twenty-team Premiership, the top tier of English football, finishing seventh.

Sheffield Wednesday
1996–97 season
ChairmanDave Richards
ManagerDavid Pleat
Premier League7th
FA CupQuarter-finals
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Booth (10)
All: Booth (13)
Highest home attendance38,943 (vs. Liverpool, Premiership)
Lowest home attendance7,499 (vs. Oxford United, League Cup)
Average home league attendance25,714 (league)

Season summary

A four-match winning start to the season saw Sheffield Wednesday top the Premiership and manager David Pleat receive Manager of the Month award for August, but they soon fell out of the title frame and in the end, despite losing just nine games in the league, they finished seventh in the final table - not even enough for UEFA Cup qualification; they could easily have finished higher had they not drawn as many as 15 games (making it 30 points they dropped).[1] In the close season, Pleat paid a club record £5.7 million for Celtic's Italian forward Paolo Di Canio,[2] giving his squad a much-needed boost to their hopes of challenging for honours.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
5 Aston Villa 38 17 10 11 47 34 +13 61 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[lower-alpha 1]
6 Chelsea 38 16 11 11 58 55 +3 59 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[lower-alpha 2]
7 Sheffield Wednesday 38 14 15 9 50 51 1 57
8 Wimbledon 38 15 11 12 49 46 +3 56
9 Leicester City 38 12 11 15 46 54 8 47 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[lower-alpha 3]
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. Aston Villa was rewarded entry to the UEFA Cup through UEFA Fair Play ranking.
  2. Chelsea qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as FA Cup winners.
  3. Leicester City qualified for the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners.
Results summary
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
38 14 15 9 50 51  −1 57 8 10 1 25 16  +9 6 5 8 25 35  −10

Source: Statto

Results by round
Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
ResultWWWWLLDLLDDDWDDWDDDDWLWDDWWWWLDWDWLLLD
Position61111557798991010999109888888865576666777
Source: Statto.com
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Results

Sheffield Wednesday's score comes first[3]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996Aston VillaH2-126,861Humphreys, Whittingham
20 August 1996Leeds UnitedA2-031,011Humphreys, Booth
24 August 1996Newcastle UnitedA2-136,452Atherton, Whittingham
2 September 1996Leicester CityH2-117,657Booth, Humphreys
7 September 1996ChelseaH0-230,983
16 September 1996ArsenalA1-433,461Booth
21 September 1996Derby CountyH0-023,934
28 September 1996EvertonA0-234,160
12 October 1996WimbledonA2-410,512Booth, Hyde
19 October 1996Blackburn RoversH1-122,191Booth
26 October 1996Coventry CityA0-017,267
2 November 1996SouthamptonH1-120,106Newsome
18 November 1996Nottingham ForestH2-016,390Trustfull, Carbone
23 November 1996SunderlandA1-120,644Oakes
30 November 1996West Ham UnitedH0-022,321
7 December 1996LiverpoolA1-039,507Whittingham
18 December 1996Manchester UnitedH1-137,671Carbone
21 December 1996Tottenham HotspurA1-130,996Nolan
26 December 1996ArsenalH0-023,245
28 December 1996ChelseaA2-227,467Pembridge, Stefanović
11 January 1997EvertonH2-124,175Pembridge, Hirst
18 January 1997MiddlesbroughA2-429,485Pembridge (2)
29 January 1997Aston VillaA1-026,726Booth
1 February 1997Coventry CityH0-021,793
19 February 1997Derby CountyA2-218,060Collins, Hirst
22 February 1997SouthamptonA3-215,062Hirst (2), Booth
1 March 1997MiddlesbroughH3-128,206Booth, Hyde, Pembridge (pen)
5 March 1997Nottingham ForestA3-021,485Carbone (2), Blinker
12 March 1997SunderlandH2-120,294Hirst, Stefanović
15 March 1997Manchester UnitedA0-255,267
22 March 1997Leeds UnitedH2-230,373Hirst, Booth
9 April 1997Tottenham HotspurH2-122,667Atherton, Booth
13 April 1997Newcastle UnitedH1-133,798Pembridge
19 April 1997WimbledonH3-126,957Donaldson, Trustfull (2)
22 April 1997Blackburn RoversA1-420,845Carbone (pen)
3 May 1997West Ham UnitedA1-524,960Carbone
7 May 1997Leicester CityA0-120,793
11 May 1997LiverpoolH1-138,943Donaldson

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R34 January 1997Grimsby TownH7-120,590Humphreys (2), Booth (2), Fickling (own goal), Hyde, Pembridge
R425 January 1997Carlisle UnitedA2-016,104Whittingham, Booth
R516 February 1997Bradford CityA1-017,830Humphreys
QF9 March 1997WimbledonH0-225,032

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st Leg18 September 1996Oxford UnitedH1-17,499Whittingham
R2 2nd Leg24 September 1996Oxford UnitedA0-1 (lost 1–2 on agg)6,863

Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[4][5]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ENG Kevin Pressman
2 DF  ENG Peter Atherton
3 DF  NIR Ian Nolan[notes 1]
4 MF  WAL Mark Pembridge
5 DF  ENG Jon Newsome
6 DF  ENG Des Walker
7 FW  ENG Guy Whittingham
8 FW  ITA Benito Carbone
9 FW  ENG David Hirst
10 FW  ENG Andy Booth
11 MF  NED Regi Blinker[notes 2]
12 MF  ENG Graham Hyde
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 GK  ENG Matt Clarke
14 DF  SCO Steve Nicol
17 MF  ENG Lee Briscoe
18 DF  YUG Dejan Stefanović
19 MF  ENG Scott Oakes
20 MF  ENG Wayne Collins
21 MF  WAL Ryan Jones[notes 3]
22 FW  ENG O'Neill Donaldson
23 FW  ENG Mike Williams
24 DF  ENG Brian Linighan
25 FW  ENG Ritchie Humphreys
26 MF  NED Orlando Trustfull

Left club during season

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
8 FW  ENG Mark Bright (to FC Sion)
15 MF  ENG Chris Waddle (to Falkirk)
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 MF  IRL John Sheridan[notes 4] (to Bolton Wanderers)

Reserve squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF  ENG Matthew Daly
DF  ENG David Billington
DF  ENG Steve Haslam
DF  ENG Simon Weaver
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF  IRL Mark McKeever[notes 5]
MF  AUS Adem Poric[notes 6]
FW  ENG Mark Platts
FW  GHA Junior Agogo

Transfers

In

Date Pos. Name From Fee
8 July 1996 FW Andy Booth Huddersfield Town £2,700,000
11 July 1996 GK Matt Clarke Rotherham United £325,000
7 August 1996 MF Scott Oakes Luton Town £425,000
9 August 1996 MF Wayne Collins Crewe Alexandra £600,000
20 August 1996 MF Orlando Trustfull Feyenoord £750,000
1 September 1996 DF Dave Hercock Cambridge City Free transfer
14 October 1996 FW Benito Carbone Inter Milan £3,000,000
3 April 1997 DF David Billington Peterborough United £500,000
15 April 1997 MF Mark McKeever Peterborough United £500,000

Out

Date Pos. Name To Fee
1 June 1996 GK Chris Woods Colorado Rapids Free transfer
17 June 1996 DF Simon Stewart Fulham Free transfer
1 July 1996 FW Darko Kovačević Real Sociedad Signed
26 July 1996 GK Lance Key Dundee United Free transfer
1 August 1996 FW Marc Degryse PSV Eindhoven Signed
15 August 1996 DF David Faulkner Darlington Free transfer
12 September 1996 MF Chris Waddle Falkirk Free transfer
19 December 1996 MF John Sheridan Bolton Wanderers £180,000
1 January 1997 FW Mark Bright FC Sion £70,000
11 March 1997 DF Sam Sharman Hull City Free transfer
30 August 1997 DF Matthew Daly Sligo Rovers Free
Transfers in: £8,800,000
Transfers out: £250,000
Total spending: £8,550,000

Notes

  1. Nolan was born in Liverpool, England, but also qualified to represent Northern Ireland internationally and made his international debut for Northern Ireland in 1996.
  2. Blinker was born in Paramaribo, Suriname, but also qualified to represent the Netherlands internationally and made his international debut for the Netherlands in March 1993.
  3. Jones was born in Sheffield, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in May 1994.
  4. Sheridan was born in Stretford, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and represented them at U-21 level before making his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in 1988.
  5. McKeever was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and represented them at U-19 and U-21 level.
  6. Poric was born in London, England, but also qualified to represent Australia internationally and represented them at U-20 level.

References

  1. "Golden Goal: Ritchie Humphreys for Sheffield Wednesday v Leicester (1996)". The Guardian. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  2. Alan, Nixon (7 August 1997). "Wednesday sign pounds 4.5m Di Canio". The Independent. FA Carling Premiership. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  3. "Sheffield Wednesday 1996-1997 : Results". Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  4. http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1996-1997/faprem/sheffwed.htm
  5. http://www.11v11.com/teams/sheffield-wednesday/tab/players/season/1997
  • Dickinson, Jason (1999). One Hundred Years at Hillsborough. Sheffield: The Hallamshire Press/Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. pp. 242–243, 385. ISBN 1-874718-29-6.
  • Dickinson, Jason; Brodie, John (2005). The Wednesday Boys: A Definitive Who's Who of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club 1880–2005. Sheffield: Pickard Communication. pp. 346–347, 350. ISBN 0-9547264-9-9.
  • Drake, A. "1996–97 Players". The Owl Football Historian. Archived from the original on 4 September 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
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