1996–97 Leicester City F.C. season

Leicester City
1996–97 season
Chairman Tom Smeaton
Manager Martin O'Neill
Stadium Filbert Street
FA Carling Premiership 9th
FA Cup Fifth round proper
Football League Cup Winners
Top goalscorer League: Claridge (12)
All: Claridge (14)
Highest home attendance 21,134 vs. Newcastle United (26 October 1996)
Lowest home attendance 17,883 vs. Sunderland (29 January 1997)
Average home attendance 20,182
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

During the 1996–97 English football season, Leicester City F.C. competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

Contents

Season summary

Most observers had tipped Leicester for an immediate return to Division One, so Martin O'Neill's ultimate task for this season was to achieve survival for Leicester. However, he defied many of the pre-season predictions by finishing 9th in the table. The season was capped by a victory over Middlesbrough in the Football League Cup: Leicester's first major trophy for 33 years and their passport to the following season's UEFA Cup.[1]

Final league table

Main article: 1996-97 FA Premier League
Pos Team Pl W D L F A Pts
1. Manchester United 38 21 12 5 76 44 75
2. Newcastle United 38 19 11 8 73 40 68
3. Arsenal 38 19 11 8 62 32 68
4. Liverpool 38 19 11 8 62 37 68
5. Aston Villa 38 17 10 11 47 34 61
6. Chelsea 38 16 11 11 58 55 59
7. Sheffield Wednesday 38 14 15 9 50 51 57
8. Wimbledon 38 15 11 12 49 46 56
9. Leicester City 38 12 11 15 46 54 47
10. Tottenham Hotspur 38 13 7 18 44 51 46
11. Leeds United 38 11 13 14 28 38 46
12. Derby County 38 11 13 14 45 58 46
13. Blackburn Rovers 38 9 15 14 42 43 42
14. West Ham United 38 10 12 16 39 48 42
15. Everton 38 10 12 16 44 57 42
16. Southampton 38 10 11 17 50 56 41
17. Coventry City 38 9 14 15 38 54 41
18. Sunderland 38 10 10 18 35 53 40
19. Middlesbrough *** 38 10 12 16 51 60 39
20. Nottingham Forest 38 6 16 16 31 59 34

Note: Middlesbrough 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

Results

Leicester City's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
17 August 1996 Sunderland A 0-0 19,262
21 August 1996 Southampton H 2–1 17,562 Heskey (2)
24 August 1996 Arsenal H 0-2 20,429
2 September 1996 Sheffield Wednesday A 1-2 17,657 Claridge
7 September 1996 Nottingham Forest A 0-0 24,105
15 September 1996 Liverpool H 0-3 20,987
22 September 1996 Tottenham Hotspur A 2-1 24,159 Claridge, Marshall
28 September 1996 Leeds United H 1-0 20,359 Heskey
12 October 1996 Chelsea H 1-3 20,766 Watts
19 October 1996 West Ham United A 0-1 22,285
26 October 1996 Newcastle United H 2-0 21,134 Claridge, Heskey
2 November 1996 Derby County A 0-2 18,010
16 November 1996 Aston Villa A 3-1 36,193 Claridge, Parker (pen), Izzet
23 November 1996 Everton H 1-2 20,975 Walsh
30 November 1996 Manchester United A 1-3 55,196 Lennon
3 December 1996 Middlesbrough A 2–0 29,709 Claridge, Izzet
7 December 1996 Blackburn Rovers H 1-1 19,306 Marshall
21 December 1996 Coventry City H 0-2 20,038
26 December 1996 Liverpool A 1-1 40,786 Claridge
28 December 1996 Nottingham Forest H 2-2 20,838 Heskey, Izzet
11 January 1997 Leeds United A 0–3 29,486
18 January 1997 Wimbledon H 1–0 18,927 Heskey
29 January 1997 Sunderland H 1-1 17,883
2 February 1997 Newcastle United A 3-4 36,396 Elliott, Claridge, Heskey
22 February 1997 Derby County H 4-2 20,323 Marshall (3), Claridge
1 March 1997 Wimbledon A 3-1 11,487 Elliott (2), Robins
5 March 1997 Aston Villa H 1-0 20,626 Claridge
8 March 1997 Coventry City A 0-0 19,220
15 March 1997 Middlesbrough H 1-3 20,561 Marshall
19 March 1997 Tottenham Hotspur H 1-1 20,563 Claridge
22 March 1997 Southampton A 2-2 15,044 Heskey, Dryden (own goal)
9 April 1997 Everton A 1-1 30,368 Marshall
12 April 1997 Arsenal A 0-2 38,044
19 April 1997 Chelsea A 1-2 27,723 Sinclair (own goal)
23 April 1997 West Ham United H 0-1 20,327
3 May 1997 Manchester United H 2-2 21,068 Walsh, Marshall
7 May 1997 Sheffield Wednesday H 1-0 20,793 Elliott
11 May 1997 Blackburn Rovers A 4-2 25,881 Heskey (2), Claridge, Wilson

FA Cup

Main article: 1996–97 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 15 January 1997 Southend United H 2–0 13,982 Claridge, Marshall
R4 25 January 1997 Norwich City H 2-1 16,703 Marshall, Parker (pen)
R5 16 February 1997 Chelsea H 2-2 19,125 Walsh, Newton (own goal)
R5R 26 February 1997 Chelsea A 0-1 26,053

League Cup

Main article: 1996–97 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 First Leg 17 September 1996 Scarborough A 2-0 4,168 Izzet, Lawrence
R2 Second Leg 25 September 1996 Scarborough H 2-1 10,793 Lawrence, Parker (pen)
R3 22 October 1996 York City A 2-0 8,406 Lennon, Grayson
R4 27 November 1996 Manchester United H 2-0 20,428 Claridge, Heskey
QF 21 January 1997 Ipswich Town A 1-0 20,793 Robins
SF First Leg 18 February 1997 Wimbledon H 0-0 16,021
SF Second Leg 11 March 1997 Wimbledon A 1-1 (a.e.t.) on away goals 17,810 Grayson
F 6 April 1997 Middlesbrough N 1-1 (a.e.t.) 76,757 Heskey
FR 16 April 1997 Middlesbrough N 1-0 (a.e.t.) 39,500 Claridge

Squad

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

No. Position Player
1 GK Kevin Poole
2 DF Simon Grayson
3 DF Mike Whitlow
4 DF Julian Watts
5 DF Steve Walsh (captain)
6 MF Muzzy Izzet
7 MF Neil Lennon
8 MF Scott Taylor
9 FW Steve Claridge
10 MF Garry Parker
11 FW Emile Heskey
12 FW Mark Robins
13 GK Kasey Keller
14 DF Colin Hill
15 DF Pontus Kåmark
16 DF Franck Rolling
No. Position Player
17 DF Spencer Prior
18 DF Matt Elliott (vice-captain)
19 DF Rob Ullathorne
20 FW Ian Marshall
21 DF Jamie Lawrence
22 DF Neil Lewis
23 MF Sam McMahon
24 DF Steve Guppy
25 MF Stuart Wilson
26 MF Stuart Campbell
27 FW Justin Harrington
28 MF Sascha Lenhart
29 GK Paul Hyde
30 GK Ian Andrews
33 DF Martin Fox

Left club during season

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

No. Position Player
24 DF Jimmy Willis (retired)
No. Position Player
24 MF Stuart Slater (to Watford)

References

  1. ^ Moore, Glenn (17 April 1997). "Claridge's five-star silver service". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/claridges-fivestar-silver-service-1267700.html. Retrieved 16 September 2011. 
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