1995–96 Crystal Palace F.C. season

During the 1995–96 English football season, Crystal Palace F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Crystal Palace
1995–96 season
ChairmanRon Noades
ManagerSteve Coppell (until February)
Dave Bassett (from February)
StadiumSelhurst Park
First Division3rd
FA CupThird round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerDougie Freedman (20)
Highest home attendance19,354 (vs. Norwich City, 5 May 1996)
Lowest home attendance11,548 vs. Grimsby Town, 5 March 1996)
Average home league attendance15,248

Season summary

Alan Smith was sacked within days of relegation from the Premiership, and Steve Coppell returned to the manager's seat. Relegation also resulted in an exodus of players. The likes of Chris Coleman, Eric Young, Richard Shaw, Gareth Southgate, Iain Dowie, John Salako and Chris Armstrong were all sold to other clubs and Palace's line-up in the first game of the 1995–96 Division One campaign was barely recognisable. The campaign went poorly, and Coppell's second spell was brought to an end after only seven months, with relegation looking increasingly possible. Dave Bassett then joined the club for a second spell,[1] which proved to be far more productive than his first as the club embarked on a stunning run of form which took them to the play-offs. The Eagles beat Charlton Athletic in the semi-finals to take them to the final against Leicester City at Wembley Stadium, in which they narrowly lost to the Foxes by a long range Steve Claridge goal in the final minute of extra time.

Final league table
Main article: 1995–96 Football League
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Sunderland 46 22 17 7 59 33 +26 83 Football League Champions, promoted to FA Premier League
2 Derby County 46 21 16 9 71 51 +20 79 Promoted to FA Premier League
3 Crystal Palace 46 20 15 11 67 48 +19 75 Participated in play-offs
4 Stoke City 46 20 13 13 60 49 +11 73
5 Leicester City 46 19 14 13 66 60 +6 71 Promoted to Premier League through play-offs
Source:

Results

Crystal Palace's score comes first

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
12 August 1995BarnsleyH4–312,067Houghton, Dowie (2), Gordon (pen)
19 August 1995Ipswich TownA0–112,681
26 August 1995Charlton AthleticH1–114,124Dyer
29 August 1995Sheffield UnitedA3–215,170Dyer (2), Gordon
9 September 1995Birmingham CityA0–019,403
12 September 1995WatfordA0–08,780
16 September 1995Huddersfield TownH0–015,645
23 September 1995Oldham AthleticA1–314,434Hopkin
30 September 1995Stoke CityH1–114,613Freedman
7 October 1995SunderlandH0–113,754
15 October 1995Port ValeA2–16,935Freedman, Gordon
22 October 1995MillwallH1–214,338Gordon
28 October 1995Leicester CityA3–218,376Dyer (2), Hopkin
4 November 1995ReadingH0–216,058
11 November 1995Norwich CityA0–114,156
19 November 1995Southend UnitedA1–15,089Lapper (own goal)
22 November 1995Wolverhampton WanderersH3–212,571Freedman (3)
25 November 1995Derby CountyH0–013,506
3 December 1995SunderlandA0–112,777
9 December 1995Oldham AthleticH2–212,709Davies, Freedman
16 December 1995Stoke CityA2–112,090Freedman, Taylor
23 December 1995West Bromwich AlbionA3–27,694Gordon (3, 2 pens)
1 January 1996PortsmouthA3–212,296Hopkin (2), Freedman
13 January 1996Ipswich TownH1–114,097Davies
20 January 1996BarnsleyA1–16,620Gordon
4 February 1996Charlton AthleticA0–013,560
10 February 1996Sheffield UnitedH0–015,883
17 February 1996WatfordH4–013,325Freedman (2), Dyer (2)
20 February 1996Tranmere RoversA3–25,253Freedman, Boere, Houghton
24 February 1996Huddersfield TownA0–313,041
27 February 1996Birmingham CityH3–212,965Dyer (3)
2 March 1996Luton TownA0–09,478
5 March 1996Grimsby TownH5–011,548Freedman (3), Hopkin, Houghton
9 March 1996West Bromwich AlbionH1–018,336Freedman
12 March 1996Tranmere RoversH2–113,183Ndah, Hopkin
16 March 1996Grimsby TownA2–05,059Ndah, Gordon
19 March 1996Luton TownH2–013,609Dyer (2)
23 March 1996PortsmouthH0–017,039
30 March 1996MillwallA4–113,214Hopkin, Brown, Ndah (2)
2 April 1996Port ValeH2–214,180Freedman (2)
6 April 1996Leicester CityH0–117,331
8 April 1996ReadingA2–012,579Freedman, Houghton
14 April 1996Southend UnitedH2–015,672Freedman (2)
20 April 1996Wolverhampton WanderersA2–024,350Hopkin, Dyer
28 April 1996Derby CountyA1–217,041Brown
5 May 1996Norwich CityH0–119,354

First Division play-offs
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SF 1st Leg12 May 1996Charlton AthleticA2–114,618Brown, Veart
SF 2nd Leg15 May 1996Charlton AthleticH1–022,880Houghton
F27 May 1996Leicester CityN1–273,573Roberts

FA Cup
Main article: 1995–96 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R36 January 1996Port ValeH0–010,456
R3R16 January 1996Port ValeA3–46,754Taylor, Cox, Dyer

League Cup
Main article: 1995–96 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 First Leg19 September 1995Southend UnitedA2–24,031Hopkin (2)
R2 Second Leg3 October 1995Southend UnitedH2–06,588Vincent, McKenzie
R325 October 1995MiddlesbroughH2–211,873Hopkin (2)
R3R8 November 1995MiddlesbroughA0–216,150

Players

First-team squad

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

No. Position Player
GK Nigel Martyn
GK Rhys Wilmot
DF Danny Boxall[notes 1]
DF Kenny Brown (on loan from West Ham United)
DF Sagi Burton[notes 2]
DF Ian Cox[notes 3]
DF Jason Cundy (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
DF Andy Cyrus
DF Marc Edworthy
DF Tony Gale
DF Dean Gordon
DF Paul Sparrow
DF Dave Tuttle
DF Jamie Vincent
DF Gareth Davies[notes 4]
MF Tony Folan[notes 5]
MF Damian Matthew
MF Darren Pitcher
No. Position Player
MF Rob Quinn[notes 6]
MF Andy Roberts
MF Simon Rodger
MF David Hopkin
MF Steven Thomson
MF Rory Ginty
MF Ray Houghton[notes 7]
MF Brian Launders
MF Tony Scully
MF Carl Veart
FW Bruce Dyer[notes 8]
FW Jason Harris
FW Leon McKenzie
FW George Ndah[notes 9]
FW Gareth Taylor[notes 10]
FW Dougie Freedman
FW Iain Dowie[notes 11]
FW Jeroen Boere

References
  1. "Bassett poised to take over at Palace". The Independent. 8 February 1996. Retrieved 18 September 2011.

Notes
  1. Boxall was born in Croydon, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and would later represent them at U-21 level.
  2. Burton was born in Birmingham, England, but also qualified to represent Saint Kitts and Nevis internationally and would make his international debut for Saint Kitts and Nevis in June 2004.
  3. Cox was born in Croydon, England, but also qualified to represent Trinidad and Tobago internationally and would make his international debut for Trinidad and Tobago in 2000.
  4. Davies was born in Hereford, England, but was raised in Wales and has represented them at U-21 level.
  5. Folan was born in Croydon, England, but was raised in the Republic of Ireland and represented them at U-19 and U-21 level.
  6. Quinn was born in Bexley, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and would represent them at U-21 and B level.
  7. Houghton was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his father and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in March 1986.
  8. Dyer was born in Redbridge, England, and represented them at U-21 level, but also qualified to represent Montserrat internationally and would make his international debut for Montserrat in September 2007.
  9. Ndah was born in Southwark, England, but also qualified to represent Nigeria internationally and was called up by Nigeria in 1999, but was prevented from playing due to injury.
  10. Taylor was born in Weston-super-Mare, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally through his father and made his international debut for Wales in 1995.
  11. Dowie was born in Hatfield, England, but also qualified to represent Northern Ireland internationally through his father and made his international debut for Northern Ireland in 1990.

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