1996–97 Fulham F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Fulham F.C. competed in the Division Three. It was their third season in the league's fourth tier, and they finished the season with their first promotion in 15 years.

Fulham
1996–97 season
ChairmanJimmy Hill
ManagerMicky Adams (player-manager)
StadiumCraven Cottage
Third Division2nd (promoted)
FA CupFirst round
League CupSecond round
Football League TrophyFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Conroy (21)
All: Conroy (23)
Average home league attendance6,644

Season summary

In his first full season as manager, Micky Adams guided them to automatic promotion and as a result won the Division Three Manager of the Season award. They finished level on points at the top of the division with Wigan Athletic.

Fulham's previous promotion had been in 1982, when they were promoted from the old Third Division.

It was the first of three promotions in five seasons for the club, which saw them reach the FA Premier League in 2001 and end a 34-year exile from the top division of English football.

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
1Wigan Athletic461733532196831308451+3387
2Fulham4613554120127431187238+3487
3Carlisle United461634412189626236744+2384
4Northampton Town461445431768924276744+2372
5Swansea City4613553720831225386258+471
6Chester City461184301678825275543+1270
7Cardiff City461148312495926315654+269
8Colchester United461193362368926286251+1168
9Lincoln City4610853525841135447069+166
10Cambridge United4611573027761023325359–665
11Mansfield Town46986211778826284745+264
12Scarborough469953631761030386568–363
13Scunthorpe United4611393633761023295962–363
14Rochdale4610673424410924345858±058
15Barnet469953223571114284651–558
16Leyton Orient4611662820461322385058–857
17Hull City469862926410915244450–657
18Darlington4611573728351527506478–1452
19Doncaster Rovers469772923531523435266–1452
20Hartlepool United468693332631420345366–1351
21Torquay United4694102424471222384662–1650
22Exeter City466982530631423434873–2548
23Brighton & Hove Albion4612654127141812435370–1747[notes 1]
24Hereford United466892625561224405065–1547
  • 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).
  1. Brighton & Hove Albion had two points deducted for failure to control spectators.
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
New club in the league (none)
Relegated to Conference

Results

Fulham's score comes first[1]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League Third Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996Hereford UnitedH1–05,277Conroy
24 August 1996Hartlepool UnitedA1–22,457Scott
27 August 1996RochdaleA2–11,689Cusack, Conroy
31 August 1996Carlisle UnitedH1–05,860Conroy
7 September 1996Colchester UnitedH3–15,189Conroy (2), Morgan
10 September 1996Exeter CityA1–02,388Freeman
14 September 1996Swansea CityA2–13,791Conroy, Morgan
21 September 1996Mansfield TownH1–25,740Morgan
28 September 1996DarlingtonA2–03,269Watson, Carpenter
1 October 1996Torquay UnitedH1–24,459Scott
5 October 1996Northampton TownA1–06,171Conroy
12 October 1996Doncaster RoversH3–15,516Conroy, Herrera, Carpenter
15 October 1996Cambridge UnitedH3–05,791Conroy (2), Blake (pen)
19 October 1996Hull CityA3–03,986Freeman, Watson, Conroy
26 October 1996Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–08,387
29 October 1996Scunthorpe UnitedH2–14,566Conroy, Freeman
2 November 1996Lincoln CityH1–26,945Carpenter
9 November 1996Cardiff CityA2–16,144Conroy, Blake
19 November 1996BarnetH2–04,423Conroy, Morgan
23 November 1996Wigan AthleticA1–15,039Scott
30 November 1996Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–08,279Conroy, Blake (pen)
3 December 1996Chester CityA1–11,762Freeman
14 December 1996Leyton OrientH1–17,355Watson
21 December 1996ScarboroughA2–02,015Conroy, Scott
26 December 1996Exeter CityH1–17,892Angus
11 January 1997DarlingtonH6–05,735Scott, Carpenter, Cullip, Freeman, Brooker, Conroy
14 January 1997Colchester UnitedA1–23,820Morgan
18 January 1997Torquay UnitedA1–33,386Scott
25 January 1997Scunthorpe UnitedA4–13,259Cusack, Conroy, Blake (pen), Scott
31 January 1997Cardiff CityH1–46,459Eckhardt (own goal)
8 February 1997Lincoln CityA0–23,948
11 February 1997Swansea CityH2–14,836Freeman, Brooker
15 February 1997Wigan AthleticH1–19,448Blake
22 February 1997BarnetA2–23,316Conroy, Scott
1 March 1997Chester CityH1–15,780Morgan
8 March 1997ScarboroughH4–06,080Cockerill, Freeman, Blake (pen), Warren
16 March 1997Leyton OrientA2–07,125Blake (pen), Carpenter
22 March 1997Hartlepool UnitedH1–07,222Freeman
29 March 1997Hereford UnitedA0–04,279
31 March 1997RochdaleH1–17,866Conroy
5 April 1997Carlisle UnitedA2–19,171Conroy, McAree
8 April 1997Mansfield TownA0–03,912
12 April 1997Northampton TownH0–111,479
19 April 1997Doncaster RoversA0–02,920
26 April 1997Hull CityH2–010,588Morgan (2)
3 May 1997Cambridge UnitedA1–07,218Freeman

FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 November 1996Plymouth ArgyleA0–57,104

League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg20 August 1996Southend UnitedA2–03,084Conroy, Watson
R1 2nd Leg3 September 1996Southend UnitedH1–2 (won 3-2 on agg)4,297Conroy
R2 1st Leg17 September 1996Ipswich TownH1–16,947Morgan
R2 2nd Leg24 September 1996Ipswich TownA2–4 (lost 3-5 on agg)6,825Sedgley (own goal), Brooker

Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SR117 December 1996Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–3 (a.e.t.)1,310

Squad

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

No. Position Player
GK Tony Lange
GK Mark Walton
DF Micky Adams (player-manager)
DF Terry Angus
DF Mark Blake
DF Danny Cullip
DF Robbie Herrera
DF Matthew Lawrence
DF Simon Morgan
DF Paul Parker
DF Rob Scott
DF Jason Soloman
DF Simon Stewart
DF Paul Watson
MF Paul Brooker
No. Position Player
MF Richard Carpenter
MF Glenn Cockerill
MF Nick Cusack
MF Sean Davis
MF Charlie Hartfield (on loan from Sheffield United)
MF John Marshall
MF Rod McAree
MF Michael Mison
MF Martin Thomas
MF Christer Warren (on loan from Southampton)
FW Lea Barkus
FW Darren Beckford
FW Mike Conroy
FW Darren Freeman
FW Rory Hamill

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2015-07-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. http://www.11v11.com/teams/fulham/tab/players/season/1997
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