1996–97 Grimsby Town F.C. season

Grimsby Town
1996–97 season
Chairman	Bill Carr
Manager	Brian Laws (until 1 November 1996); John Cockerill (caretaker); Kenny Swain (caretaker)
Stadium	Blundell Park
Division One	22nd (Relegated)
FA Cup	Third Round
League Cup	First Round
Lincolnshire Senior Cup	Runners Up
Top goalscorer	League: ; All: Clive Mendonca (19)

During the 1996–97 English football season, Grimsby Town competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary

The Mariners were relegated from Division One. Despite flowing goals from Clive Mendonca and good performances from John Oster and newcomer Kingsley Black, Grimsby failed to save themselves. The club had suffered from the losses of ever-present goalkeeper Paul Crichton and Gary Croft, who made a £1.5 million move to Blackburn Rovers. Manager Brian Laws had been sacked late in 1996; John Cockerill and Kenny Swain both had stints as caretaker during the season. At the end of the season, former manager Alan Buckley, who had taken Grimsby from the Fourth to the old Second Division in his first stint in charge, rejoined the club in an attempt to take Grimsby back to the second tier.

Kit

Italian company Lotto became Grimsby's new kit manufacturers, and introduced a new kit for the season.[1] Europe's Food Town remained kit sponsors.

Results

First Division

FA Cup

League Cup

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion
20	Huddersfield Town	46	13	15	18	48	61	−13	54
21	Bradford City	46	12	12	22	47	72	−25	48
22	Grimsby Town	46	11	13	22	59	81	−22	46	Relegated
23	Oldham Athletic	46	10	13	23	51	66	−15	43
24	Southend United	46	8	15	23	42	85	−43	39

Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Squad overview

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

No.		Position	Player
		GK	Paul Crichton (Departed in October 1996)
		GK	Jason Pearcey
		GK	Andy Love
		GK	Alan Miller (on loan from Middlesbrough)
		GK	Andy Quy
		DF	Danny Butterfield
		DF	Ashley Fickling
		DF	Tony Gallimore
		DF	Joby Gowshall
		DF	Peter Handyside
		DF	Kevin Jobling
		DF	Brian Laws (Departed in November 1996)
		DF	Mark Lever (captain)
		DF	John McDermott
		DF	Jimmy Neil
		DF	Graham Rodger
		DF	Richard Smith
		DF	Neil Webb

No.		Position	Player
		MF	Michael Appleton (on loan from Manchester United)
		MF	Kingsley Black
		MF	Gary Childs
		MF	Paul Harsley
		MF	John Oster
		MF	Craig Shakespeare
		MF	Nicky Southall
		MF	Paul Trollope (on loan from Derby County)
		MF	Johnny Walker (Departed in November 1996)
		MF	Tommy Widdrington
		MF	Darren Wrack
		FW	Daryl Clare
		FW	Jamie Forrester (Departed in March 1997)
		FW	Jason Lee (on loan from Nottingham Forest)
		FW	Jack Lester
		FW	Steve Livingstone
		FW	Clive Mendonca
		FW	Neil Woods

Transfers & loans

In

Transfers

Date	Pos.	Player	From club	Transfer fee
11 July 1996	MF	Tommy Widdrington	Southampton	£300,000
16 July 1996	MF	Kingsley Black	Nottingham Forest	£25,000
19 July 1996	MF	Darren Wrack	Derby County	£100,000
16 August 1996	DF	Neil Webb	Nottingham Forest	Free
31 August 1996	GK	Andy Quy	Derby County	Free

Loans

Start date	End date	Pos.	Player	From club
30 August 1996	1 October 1996	DF	Paul Trollope	Derby County
17 January 1997	18 March 1997	MF	Michael Appleton	Manchester United
28 January 1997	8 February 1997	GK	Alan Miller	Middlesbrough

Out

Transfers

Exit Date	Pos.	Player	To club	Transfer fee
31 May 1996	MF	Tommy Watson	Retired	Released
31 May 1996	DF	Enzo Gambaro	Sturm Graz	Released
8 July 1996	MF	Paul Groves	West Bromwich Albion	£600,000
1 August 1996	MF	Steve Fraser	Lincoln City	Free
2 August 1996	MF	Jim Dobbin	Rotherham United	Free
9 August 1996	FW	Ivano Bonetti	Tranmere Rovers	Free
2 October 1996	GK	Paul Crichton	West Bromwich Albion	£250,000
1 November 1996	DF	Brian Laws	Darlington	Sacked
8 November 1996	MF	Johnny Walker	Mansfield Town	£50,000
21 March 1997	FW	Jamie Forrester	Scunthorpe United	Free

Loans

Start date	End date	Pos.	Player	To club
4 October 1996	4 November 1996	MF	Jimmy Neil	Grantham

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.