1996–97 Wimbledon F.C. season

Wimbledon
1996–97 season
Chairman Sam Hammam
Manager Joe Kinnear
Stadium Selhurst Park
Premier League 8th
FA Cup Semi-finals
League Cup Semi-finals
Top goalscorer League: Ekoku (11)
All: Gayle (13)
Highest home attendance 25,786 vs Manchester United
(17 Aug 1996, Premier League)
Lowest home attendance 3,811 vs Portsmouth
(18 Sep 1996, League Cup)
Average home league attendance 14,416
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

During the 1996–97 English football season, Wimbledon competed in the Premier League. The season marked 20 years since Wimbledon's election to the Football League and was their eleventh successive season of top division football. It was one of the most successful of the club's history as they finished eighth in the Premier League and reached the semi-finals of both domestic cups.

Season summary

The opening day of the season saw Wimbledon lose 3-0 at home to Manchester United in a game mostly remembered for David Beckham's late goal from inside his own half, but Wimbledon got their own back on United later on in the season by eliminating them from the FA Cup.

Wimbledon reached the semi-finals of both domestic cups, but lost both and were left with nothing but the memories after a final eighth place finish saw them blow their final chance of European qualification. The sale of Øyvind Leonhardsen to Liverpool at the end of the season left manager Joe Kinnear with a big hole to fill in a squad which had, so far, achieved so much on a shoestring budget.

Final league table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Manchester United (C) 38 21 12 5 76 44 +32 75 1997–98 UEFA Champions League group stage
2 Newcastle United 38 19 11 8 73 40 +33 68 1997–98 UEFA Champions League Second qualifying round
3 Arsenal 38 19 11 8 62 32 +30 68 1997–98 UEFA Cup First round
4 Liverpool 38 19 11 8 62 37 +25 68
5 Aston Villa 38 17 10 11 47 34 +13 61
6 Chelsea 38 16 11 11 58 55 +3 59 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup First round 1
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 1997–98 UEFA Cup First round 2
10 Tottenham Hotspur 38 13 7 18 44 51 −7 46
11 Leeds United 38 11 13 14 28 38 −10 46
12 Derby County 38 11 13 14 45 58 −13 46
13 Blackburn Rovers 38 9 15 14 42 43 −1 42
14 West Ham United 38 10 12 16 39 48 −9 42
15 Everton 38 10 12 16 44 57 −13 42
16 Southampton 38 10 11 17 50 56 −6 41
17 Coventry City 38 9 14 15 38 54 −16 41
18 Sunderland (R) 38 10 10 18 35 53 −18 40 Relegation to 1997–98 Football League First Division
19 Middlesbrough (R) 38 10 12 16 51 60 −9 0393
20 Nottingham Forest (R) 38 6 16 16 31 59 −28 34

Updated to games played on 11 May 1997.
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
1 Chelsea qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as FA Cup winners.
2 Leicester City qualified for the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners.
3 Middlesbrough were docked three points for failing to fulfil a fixture.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
 Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Results Summary
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
38 15 11 12 49 46 +3 56 9 6 4 28 21 +7 6 5 8 21 25 −4

Source: Statto

Results by round
Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundHAAHHAHAHAAHHAHAHAAHAAHAAHAAHHAHHAHAHH
Result L L L W W W W W W W D D D D W W W L W D L L D W D L D L D D L L W L L D W W
Position 19 20 20 17 11 8 6 3 5 2 3 4 4 4 4 2 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 5 6 6 7 8 8 8 8 7 8 8 8 8 8

Source: Statto.com
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: D = Draw; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.

Results

Wimbledon's score comes first[1]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996 Manchester UnitedH0-325,786
21 August 1996 Newcastle UnitedA0-236,385
26 August 1996 Leeds UnitedA0-125,860
4 September 1996 Tottenham HotspurH1-017,506Earle
7 September 1996 EvertonH4-013,684Ardley, Gayle, Earle, Ekoku
14 September 1996 West Ham UnitedA2-021,294Clarke, Ekoku
23 September 1996 SouthamptonH3-18,572Gayle, Ekoku (2)
28 September 1996 Derby CountyA2-017,022Earle, Gayle
12 October 1996 Sheffield WednesdayH4-210,512Ekoku, Earle, Leonhardsen, Jones
19 October 1996 ChelseaA4-228,020Earle, Ardley, Gayle, Ekoku
26 October 1996 MiddlesbroughA0-029,758
2 November 1996 ArsenalH2-225,521Jones, Gayle
16 November 1996 Coventry CityH2-210,307Earle, Gayle
23 November 1996 LiverpoolA1-139,027Leonhardsen
30 November 1996 Nottingham ForestH1-012,608Earle
7 December 1996 SunderlandA3-119,672Ekoku (2), Holdsworth
14 December 1996 Blackburn RoversH1-013,246Holdsworth
22 December 1996 Aston VillaA0-528,875
28 December 1996 EvertonA3-136,733Ekoku, Leonhardsen, Gayle
11 January 1997 Derby CountyH1-111,467Gayle
18 January 1997 Leicester CityA0-118,927
29 January 1997 Manchester UnitedA1-255,314Perry
1 February 1997 MiddlesbroughH1-115,046Cox (own goal)
23 February 1997 ArsenalA1-037,854Jones
26 February 1997 SouthamptonA0-014,418
1 March 1997 Leicester CityH1-311,487Holdsworth
3 March 1997 Coventry CityA1-115,273Ekoku
15 March 1997 Blackburn RoversA1-323,333Ekoku
18 March 1997 West Ham UnitedH1-115,771Harford
23 March 1997 Newcastle UnitedH1-123,175Leonhardsen
5 April 1997 Tottenham HotspurA0-132,654
9 April 1997 Aston VillaH0-29,015
16 April 1997 Leeds UnitedH2-07,979Holdsworth, Castledine
19 April 1997 Sheffield WednesdayA1-326,957Goodman
22 April 1997 ChelseaH0-114,601
3 May 1997 Nottingham ForestA1-119,865Leonhardsen
6 May 1997 LiverpoolH2-120,016Euell, Holdsworth
11 May 1997 SunderlandH1-021,338Euell

FA Cup

Main article: 1996–97 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R314 January 1997 Crewe AlexandraA1-15,011Perry
R3R21 January 1997 Crewe AlexandraH2-04,951Earle, Holdsworth
R425 January 1997 Manchester UnitedA1-153,342Earle
R4R4 February 1997 Manchester UnitedH1-025,601Gayle
R515 February 1997 Queens Park RangersH2-122,395Gayle, Earle
QF9 March 1997 Sheffield WednesdayA2-025,032Earle, Holdsworth
SF13 April 1997 ChelseaN0-332,674

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st Leg18 September 1996 PortsmouthH1-03,811Holdsworth
R2 2nd Leg25 September 1996 PortsmouthA1-1 (won 2-1 on agg)4,006Gayle
R322 October 1996 Luton TownH1-15,043Holdsworth
R3R12 November 1996 Luton TownA2-18,076Castledine, Fear
R426 November 1996 Aston VillaH1-07,573Gayle
QF8 January 1997 Bolton WanderersA2-016,968Ekoku, Leonhardsen
SF 1st Leg18 February 1997 Leicester CityA0-016,021
SF 2nd Leg11 March 1997 Leicester CityH1-1 (a.e.t.) (lost on away goals)17,810Gayle

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[2]

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

No. Position Player
1 Scotland GK Neil Sullivan[3]
2 Republic of Ireland DF Kenny Cunningham
3 England DF Alan Kimble
4 Wales MF Vinnie Jones[4]
5 England DF Dean Blackwell
6 England DF Ben Thatcher[5]
7 Norway MF Øyvind Leonhardsen
8 Jamaica MF Robbie Earle[6]
9 Nigeria FW Efan Ekoku[7]
10 England FW Dean Holdsworth
11 England FW Marcus Gayle[8]
12 England DF Chris Perry
13 England GK Paul Heald
No. Position Player
14 Republic of Ireland FW Jon Goodman[9]
15 England DF Alan Reeves
17 Scotland DF Brian McAllister
18 England DF Neal Ardley
19 England MF Stewart Castledine
20 England FW Mick Harford
21 England DF Duncan Jupp
22 England FW Andy Clarke
23 England FW Jason Euell[10]
24 England MF Peter Fear
25 England DF Andy Pearce
26 England FW Carl Cort[11]
33 Republic of Ireland GK Brendan Murphy

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. Position Player
16 England DF Andy Thorn (to Hearts)

Reserve squad

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

No. Position Player
- England FW Gary Blissett

Transfers

In

Date Pos. Name From Fee
1 July 1996 DF Duncan Jupp Fulham £200,000
5 July 1996 DF Ben Thatcher Millwall £1,700,000

Out

Date Pos. Name To Fee
22 July 1996 MF Lenny Piper Gillingham £40,000
25 July 1996 MF Steve Talboys Watford Free transfer
16 September 1996 DF Andy Thorn Hearts Non-contract
18 September 1996 DF Gary Elkins Swindon Town £100,000
Transfers in: Decrease £1,900,000
Transfers out: Increase £140,000
Total spending: Decrease £1,760,000

References

  1. ↑ "Wimbledon 1996-1997 Home - statto.com". Archived from the original on 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
  2. ↑ http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1996-1997/faprem/wimbled.htm
  3. ↑ Sullivan was born in Sutton, England, but qualified to represent Scotland internationally and would make his debut for Scotland during the season.
  4. ↑ Jones was born in Watford, England, but qualified to represent Wales through his maternal grandfather; he made his international debut for Wales in 1994.
  5. ↑ Thatcher was born in Swindon, England, and played for the England U21 side during the season, but also qualified to represent Wales through his grandmother and would make his international debut for Wales in March 2004.
  6. ↑ Earle was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, England, but qualified to represent Jamaica internationally. He made his international debut for Jamaica during the season, having previously being called up for England once without playing.
  7. ↑ Ekoku was born in Manchester, England, but qualified to represent Nigeria internationally and made his international debut for Nigeria in 1994.
  8. ↑ Gayle was born in Hammersmith, London, but qualified to represent Jamaica internationally; he made his international debut for Jamaica in 1998.
  9. ↑ Goodman was born in Walthamstow, England, but qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and would make his debut for Ireland in 1997.
  10. ↑ Euell was born in Lambeth, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and would make his international debut for Jamaica in July 2004.
  11. ↑ Cort was born in Southwark, England, but qualified to represent Guyana and would make his international debut for Guyana in 2011.
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