1996–97 Wrexham F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Wrexham F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

Wrexham
1996–97 season
ChairmanPryce Griffiths
ManagerBrian Flynn
StadiumRacecourse Ground
Second Division8th
FA CupQuarter finals
League CupFirst round
Football League TrophySecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Connolly (14)
All: Connolly (15)
Average home league attendance4,112

Season summary

In the 1996-97 season, Wrexham set off on another amazing run in the FA Cup and beating more top flight opposition. Following wins at Colwyn Bay and Scunthorpe United, they were drawn to play West Ham United at home, the game ending in a 1–1 draw on a snow-covered pitch after a well earned draw. The replay at Upton Park ended in a shock 1–0 win to Wrexham as Kevin Russell scored in the dying minutes to send Wrexham into the fourth round.[1] After also beating Peterborough United and Birmingham City in the following rounds, they played Chesterfield in an all-Division-2 FA Cup quarter final, Wrexham narrowly losing to the Spireites 1–0.

The league campaign began very brightly for Wrexham as they lost only one from their first 17 league matches and were in the play-off places heading to Christmas but then a little decline in form with only seven wins in the second half of the campaign wasn't enough for a play-off position and finished 4 points off the top six.

Final league table
Main article: 1996–97 Football League
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts
1Bury461850397671023316238+2484
2Stockport County461553311488728275941+1882
3Luton Town461373381488733317145+2678
4Brentford4681142622123830215643+1374
5Bristol City4614454318761026336951+1873
6Crewe Alexandra4615443815731318325647+973
7Blackpool4613734121581019266047+1369
8Wrexham461193382869817225450+469
9Burnley4614364827581023287155+1668
10Chesterfield4610942518851017214239+368
11Gillingham4613373725671023346059+167
12Walsall4612833521721419325453+167
13Watford4610852414611621244538+767
14Millwall4612472722491023335055–561
15Preston North End4614543319421716364955–661
16Bournemouth468962420761019254345–260
17Bristol Rovers4613463422271413284750–356
18Wycombe Wanderers4613463114261520435156–555
19Plymouth Argyle4671151918571128404758–1154
20York City468692731571120374768–2152
21Peterborough United467793834471217395573–1847
22Shrewsbury Town468692732371322424974–2546
23Rotherham United4647121729371322413970–3135
24Notts County4649102025351513343359–2635
  • Pld = Matches ; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  • NB: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
Relegated

Results

Wrexham's score comes first[2]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996MillwallA1–19,371Watkin
24 August 1996Plymouth ArgyleH4–43,920Phillips (2), Connolly (2)
7 September 1996Peterborough UnitedH1–13,222Connolly
10 September 1996Stockport CountyA2–04,244Watkin, Skinner
14 September 1996Crewe AlexandraA1–34,469Ward
17 September 1996Bristol RoversH1–02,401Cross
21 September 1996Preston North EndH1–05,299Phillips
24 September 1996WalsallA1–02,832Cross
28 September 1996Notts CountyA0–04,216
8 October 1996Shrewsbury TownH2–15,031Watkin, Brace
12 October 1996WatfordA1–18,441Humes
15 October 1996BlackpoolA3–34,014Brammer, Phillips, Chalk (pen)
19 October 1996BournemouthH2–03,945Skinner, Connolly
26 October 1996Wycombe WanderersA0–05,548
29 October 1996BuryH1–13,895Hughes
2 November 1996ChesterfieldH3–24,160Connolly, Morris, Owen
9 November 1996GillinghamA2–15,094Morris, Connolly
23 November 1996BrentfordA0–24,885
30 November 1996Wycombe WanderersH1–03,280Skinner
3 December 1996BurnleyA0–28,587
14 December 1996York CityA0–12,600
21 December 1996Bristol CityH2–14,488Watkin (pen), Hughes
26 December 1996Stockport CountyH2–36,736Watkin, Morris
11 January 1997Notts CountyH3–33,267Connolly (2), Watkin
18 January 1997Luton TownA0–05,734
1 February 1997GillinghamH1–13,193Connolly
8 February 1997ChesterfieldA0–06,738
11 February 1997Peterborough UnitedA1–02,975Hughes
22 February 1997Rotherham UnitedA0–02,539
25 February 1997BuryA0–03,419
1 March 1997BurnleyH0–06,947
12 March 1997Luton TownH2–13,342Bennett (2, 1 pen)
15 March 1997York CityH0–03,874
18 March 1997Preston North EndA1–28,271Bennett
22 March 1997Plymouth ArgyleA1–05,468Humes
25 March 1997BrentfordH0–24,053
28 March 1997MillwallH3–34,684Humes, Phillips, Bennett
31 March 1997Bristol RoversA0–26,225
5 April 1997WalsallH1–23,266Connolly (pen)
8 April 1997Rotherham UnitedH1–02,002Connolly
12 April 1997Shrewsbury TownA1–04,553Bennett
15 April 1997Bristol CityA1–29,817Morris
19 April 1997York CityH2–16,654Bennett, Angell
22 April 1997Crewe AlexandraH1–14,643McGregor
26 April 1997BournemouthA1–24,805Connolly
3 May 1997BlackpoolH2–15,664Watkin, Humes

FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 November 1996Colwyn BayA1–14,679Hughes
R1R26 November 1996Colwyn BayH2–04,106Hughes (2)
R27 December 1996Scunthorpe UnitedH2–23,780Morris, Watkin
R2R17 December 1996Scunthorpe UnitedA3–2 (a.e.t.)3,976Hughes, Morris, Watkin (pen)
R315 January 1997West Ham UnitedH1–19,747Hughes
R3R25 January 1997West Ham UnitedA1–016,763Russell
R44 February 1997Peterborough UnitedA4–28,734Ward, Watkin, Russell (2)
R515 February 1997Birmingham CityA3–121,511Hughes, Humes, Connolly
QF9 March 1997ChesterfieldA0–18,735

League Cup
Main article: 1996-97 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg20 August 1996Huddersfield TownA0–35,178
R1 2nd Leg3 September 1996Huddersfield TownH1–2 (lost 1-5 on agg)1,776Skinner

Football League Trophy
Main article: 1996-97 Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
NR228 January 1997Crewe AlexandraH0–12,216

Squad

[3] 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 Mark Cartwright
— GK  WAL Andy Marriott
— DF  WAL Deryn Brace
— DF  IRL Brian Carey
— DF  ENG Jonathan Cross
— DF  IRL Phil Hardy
— DF  ENG Tony Humes
— DF  ENG Barry Jones
— DF  ENG Paul Jones
— DF  ENG Mark McGregor
— DF  ENG David Ridler
— DF  ENG Jason Soloman
— DF  ENG Andy Thomas
— DF  WAL Scott Williams
— MF  ENG Dave Brammer
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  ENG Martyn Chalk
— MF  ENG Bryan Hughes
— MF  WAL Gareth Owen
— MF  WAL Wayne Phillips
— MF  ENG Craig Skinner
— MF  ENG Neil Wainwright
— MF  ENG Peter Ward
— FW  ENG Gary Bennett
— FW  ENG Karl Connolly
— FW  WAL Lee Jones
— FW  ENG Steve Morris
— FW  WAL Paul Roberts
— FW  ENG Kevin Russell
— FW  WAL Steve Watkin

References
  1. Pierson, Mark (27 January 1997). "West Ham fear FA censure over pitch invasion". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-06-28. Retrieved 2015-06-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?season_id=126&team_id=2859&teamTabs=stats&season_id=126
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