1996–97 Hibernian F.C. season

Season 1996–97 was difficult for Hibs, as the club finished ninth in the Premier Division and only avoided relegation to the First Division by winning a playoff against Airdrie. There was also disappointment in the cup competitions, as the club were beaten by Celtic in the Scottish Cup, and Rangers in the League Cup. Manager Alex Miller was sacked in late September and replaced temporarily by Jocky Scott, before Jim Duffy took charge.

Hibernian
1996–97 season
ManagerAlex Miller (until 30 September)[1]
Jocky Scott (30 September – 30 December)[1]
Jim Duffy (from 30 December)[1]
Premier Division9th
Scottish CupR4
League CupQF
Highest home attendance15749[2]
Lowest home attendance7332[2]
Average home league attendance10561[2] (up 667)

League season

Results
10 August 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian1 – 2KilmarnockEaster Road, Edinburgh
Weir  28' Mitchell  20'
Henry  26'
17 August 1996 Premier DivisionDundee United0 – 1HibernianTannadice Park, Dundee
McAllister  30' Attendance: 8,589
24 August 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian0 – 0Dunfermline AthleticEaster Road, Edinburgh
7 September 1996 Premier DivisionCeltic5 – 0HibernianCeltic Park, Glasgow
McGinlay  4' (o.g.)
Cadete  14', 45'
O'Neil  51'
van Hooijdonk  72'		 Attendance: 47,042
14 September 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian1 – 0Raith RoversEaster Road, Edinburgh
Kirk  54' (o.g.) Attendance: 8,671
Referee: D. W. Smith
21 September 1996 Premier DivisionAberdeen0 – 2HibernianPittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Jackson  44'
Wright  68'		 Attendance: 12,500
28 September 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian1 – 3Heart of MidlothianEaster Road, Edinburgh
Jackson  57' (pen.) Cameron  19', 30'
Robertson  40'		 Attendance: 14,746
12 October 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian2 – 1RangersEaster Road, Edinburgh
Jackson  58'
Donald  62'		 Albertz  9' Attendance: 12,864
19 October 1996 Premier DivisionMotherwell1 – 1HibernianFir Park, Motherwell
McSkimming  73' Harper  7' Attendance: 6,784
26 October 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian0 – 4CelticEaster Road, Edinburgh
Thom  31', 74'
van Hooijdonk  61'
Donnelly  77'		 Attendance: 14,135
1 November 1996 Premier DivisionKilmarnock4 – 2HibernianRugby Park, Kilmarnock
Henry  17'
McIntyre  24'
Wright  52'
McGinlay  56' (o.g.)		 Harper  21'
Dow  31'		 Attendance: 10,872
16 November 1996 Premier DivisionHeart of Midlothian0 – 0HibernianTynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 15,129
23 November 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian0 – 1AberdeenEaster Road, Edinburgh
Windass  44' Attendance: 11,522
30 November 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian2 – 0MotherwellEaster Road, Edinburgh
Jackson  35', 90' (pen.) Attendance: 7,332
7 December 1996 Premier DivisionRangers4 – 3HibernianIbrox Park, Glasgow
Ferguson  34'
McCoist  71', 74'
Laudrup  83'		 Wright  21'
Jackson  41'
McGinlay  86'		 Attendance: 48,053
11 December 1996 Premier DivisionDunfermline Athletic2 – 1HibernianEast End Park, Dunfermline
Millar  63'
Ireland  82'		 Jackson  74' Attendance: 5,295
14 December 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian1 – 1Dundee UnitedEaster Road, Edinburgh
Harper  20' McLaren  44' (pen.) Attendance: 8,250
21 December 1996 Premier DivisionRaith Rovers0 – 3HibernianStark's Park, Kirkcaldy
Jackson  61', 79'
McGinlay  67'		 Attendance: 4,224
26 December 1996 Premier DivisionHibernian0 – 1KilmarnockEaster Road, Edinburgh
McIntyre  42' Attendance: 8,957
28 December 1996 Premier DivisionAberdeen1 – 1HibernianPittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Shearer  90' Jackson  14' Attendance: 10,000
1 January 1997 Premier DivisionHibernian0 – 4Heart of MidlothianEaster Road, Edinburgh
Robertson  33'
Hamilton  62', 87'
Cameron  65'		 Attendance: 15,826
4 January 1997 Premier DivisionHibernian1 – 2RangersEaster Road, Edinburgh
Harper  7' Andersen  11'
Albertz  72' (pen.)		 Attendance: 12,650
11 January 1997 Premier DivisionMotherwell2 – 1HibernianFir Park, Motherwell
McSkimming  20'
Hunter  24' (o.g.)		 Dow  49' Attendance: 5,855
18 January 1997 Premier DivisionCeltic4 – 1HibernianCeltic Park, Glasgow
van Hooijdonk  21', 48'
McLaughlin  42'
Cadete  68'		 Harper  63' Attendance: 49,092
1 February 1997 Premier DivisionHibernian1 – 1Raith RoversEaster Road, Edinburgh
Kirkwood  13' (o.g.) Lennon  69' Attendance: 9,424
8 February 1997 Premier DivisionDundee United0 – 0HibernianTannadice Park, Dundee
Attendance: 9,219
23 February 1997 Premier DivisionRangers3 – 1HibernianIbrox Park, Glasgow
Gough  3'
Albertz  49' (pen.)
Laudrup  68'		 Dennis  54' Attendance: 48,070
1 March 1997 Premier DivisionHibernian1 – 1MotherwellEaster Road, Edinburgh
Wright  51' Coyne  64' Attendance: 8,328
8 March 1997 Premier DivisionHibernian1 – 0Dunfermline AthleticEaster Road, Edinburgh
Wright  11'
15 March 1997 Premier DivisionHeart of Midlothian1 – 0HibernianTynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh
McCann  82' Attendance: 15,136
22 March 1997 Premier DivisionHibernian3 – 1AberdeenEaster Road, Edinburgh
McGinlay  6', 57'
Tosh  72'		 Craig  53' Attendance: 9,669
5 April 1997 Premier DivisionHibernian2 – 0Dundee UnitedEaster Road, Edinburgh
Charnley  73' (pen.)
McGinlay  78'		 Attendance: 11,010
12 April 1997 Premier DivisionDunfermline Athletic1 – 1HibernianEast End Park, Dunfermline
Britton  11' Jackson  31' Attendance: 8,752
Referee: McCluskey
19 April 1997 Premier DivisionKilmarnock1 – 1HibernianRugby Park, Kilmarnock
Wright  14' Montgomerie  45' (o.g.) Attendance: 10,886
4 May 1997 Premier DivisionHibernian1 – 3CelticEaster Road, Edinburgh
Power  35' Cadete  12', 65'
di Canio  43'		 Attendance: 10,603
10 May 1997 Premier DivisionRaith Rovers1 – 1HibernianStark's Park, Kirkcaldy
Duffield  7' McGinlay  26' Attendance: 6,275

Final table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
6 Aberdeen 36 10 14 12 45 54 −9 44
7 Kilmarnock 36 11 6 19 41 61 −20 39 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
8 Motherwell 36 9 11 16 44 55 −11 38
9 Hibernian (O) 36 9 11 16 38 55 −17 38 Qualification for the Play-off
10 Raith Rovers (R) 36 6 7 23 29 73 −44 25 Relegation to the First Division
Source: Soccerbase
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(O) Play-off winner; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Kilmarnock qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as the winners of the Scottish Cup.

Play-offs

Having finished ninth in the Scottish Premier Division, Hibs then had to contest a relegation / promotion play-off with Airdrie, who had finished second in the 1996–97 Scottish First Division. Hibs won 1–0 at Easter Road and 4–2 at Broadwood Stadium to retain their place in the Premier Division, with a 5–2 aggregate victory.[3]

Results
17 May 1997 Play-off first legHibernian1 – 0AirdrieoniansEaster Road, Edinburgh
Attendance: 15,308
Referee: McCluskey
22 May 1997 Play-off second legAirdrieonians2 – 4HibernianBroadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld
Attendance: 6,275

Scottish League Cup

Hibs reached the quarter finals thanks to two wins against lower division opposition, but then lost 4–0 to eventual winners Rangers.

Results
13 August 1996 Scottish League CupBrechin City0 – 2HibernianGlebe Park, Brechin
Lavety  39'
Dow  58'
3 September 1996 Scottish League CupAlbion Rovers0 – 2HibernianCliftonhill, Coatbridge
Wright  18'
McGinlay  72'
18 September 1996 Scottish League CupRangers4 – 0HibernianIbrox Park, Glasgow
Durie  29'
van Vossen  47', 80'
Albertz  89'		 Attendance: 45,104
Referee: McCluskey

Scottish Cup

Hibs defeated Aberdeen after a penalty shootout in third round, but then lost in a fourth round replay to Celtic.

Results
23 January 1997 Scottish CupHibernian2 – 2AberdeenEaster Road, Edinburgh
Miller  48'
McGinlay  78'		 Booth  70'
Dodds  75'		 Attendance: 9,588
28 January 1997 Scottish CupAberdeen0 – 0 AET
(3 – 5 PSO)		HibernianPittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Attendance: 15,500
17 February 1997 Scottish CupHibernian1 – 1CelticEaster Road, Edinburgh
Jackson  83' O'Donnell  16' Attendance: 16,000
26 February 1997 Scottish CupCeltic2 – 0HibernianCeltic Park, Glasgow
O'Donnell  35'
di Canio  54'		 Attendance: 46,424

See also

References
  1. "Manager History for Hibernian". Soccerbase. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  2. "Average Home League Game Attendances". www.fitbastats.com. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  3. "Airdrie captain sent off as Hibs secure premier division status". The Herald. 23 May 1997. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
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