1996–97 Plymouth Argyle F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Plymouth Argyle F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

Plymouth Argyle
1996–97 season
ChairmanDan McCauley
ManagerNeil Warnock (until 3 February)
Mick Jones (from 3 February)
StadiumHome Park
Second Division19th
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Auto Windscreens ShieldQuarter finals
Top goalscorerLeague: Evans (12)
All: Evans (15)
Average home league attendance6,494

Season summary

In the 1996-97 season, Plymouth manager Warnock was sacked within a year as the club narrowly avoided being relegated back to the basement division. Warnock's assistant Mick Jones became his successor and in February 1997, Plymouth participated in 'The Battle of Saltergate' – in a 2–1 win at Chesterfield, an 88th minute fight broke out, involving all 20 outfield players. Chesterfield's Darren Carr and Kevin Davies and Plymouth's Tony James and Richard Logan were all sent-off. To make matters even worse, Argyle's Wembley hero Ronnie Mauge had already been sent-off in the 36th minute. It was the first time in Football League history that five players were sent-off in one game.[1]

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
1Bury461850397671023316238+2484
2Stockport County461553311488728275941+1882
3Luton Town461373381488733317145+2678
4Brentford4681142622123830215643+1374
5Bristol City4614454318761026336951+1873
6Crewe Alexandra4615443815731318325647+973
7Blackpool4613734121581019266047+1369
8Wrexham461193382869817225450+469
9Burnley4614364827581023287155+1668
10Chesterfield4610942518851017214239+368
11Gillingham4613373725671023346059+167
12Walsall4612833521721419325453+167
13Watford4610852414611621244538+767
14Millwall4612472722491023335055–561
15Preston North End4614543319421716364955–661
16Bournemouth468962420761019254345–260
17Bristol Rovers4613463422271413284750–356
18Wycombe Wanderers4613463114261520435156–555
19Plymouth Argyle4671151918571128404758–1154
20York City468692731571120374768–2152
21Peterborough United467793834471217395573–1847
22Shrewsbury Town468692732371322424974–2546
23Rotherham United4647121729371322413970–3135
24Notts County4649102025351513343359–2635
  • 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).
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
Relegated

Results

Plymouth Argyle's score comes first[2]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996York CityH2–19,035Corazzin, Heathcote
24 August 1996WrexhamA4–43,920Evans, Littlejohn (2), Logan
27 August 1996WatfordA2–07,349Billy, Littlejohn
30 August 1996Preston North EndH2–19,209Evans, Logan
7 September 1996Notts CountyH0–08,109
10 September 1996BrentfordA2–35,377Mauge, Corazzin
14 September 1996Stockport CountyA1–35,087Evans (pen)
21 September 1996Bristol RoversH0–18,879
28 September 1996Crewe AlexandraA0–33,797
1 October 1996Peterborough UnitedH1–14,929James
5 October 1996MillwallH0–07,507
12 October 1996WalsallA1–03,720Littlejohn
15 October 1996BournemouthA0–13,818
19 October 1996Bristol CityH0–09,645
26 October 1996BurnleyA1–29,602Evans
29 October 1996GillinghamH2–04,787Evans, Illman
2 November 1996Luton TownH3–37,134Mauge, Evans (2, 1 pen)
9 November 1996Wycombe WanderersA1–25,456Williams
19 November 1996ChesterfieldH0–34,237
23 November 1996BuryA0–13,582
30 November 1996BurnleyH0–06,289
3 December 1996BlackpoolA2–22,690Wotton, Littlejohn
14 December 1996Shrewsbury TownH2–25,075Mauge, Evans
21 December 1996Rotherham UnitedA2–12,269Illman, Evans
26 December 1996BrentfordH1–49,525Illman
11 January 1997Crewe AlexandraH1–04,767Logan
18 January 1997Peterborough UnitedA0–06,288
25 January 1997GillinghamA1–45,465Evans
1 February 1997Wycombe WanderersH0–05,024
8 February 1997Luton TownA2–26,439Littlejohn, Evans
15 February 1997BuryH2–05,486Logan, Corazzin
22 February 1997ChesterfieldA2–15,833Evans, Saunders
25 February 1997Bristol RoversA0–26,005
1 March 1997BlackpoolH0–15,585
8 March 1997Rotherham UnitedH1–04,717Corazzin (pen)
15 March 1997Shrewsbury TownA3–23,414Billy (2), Illman
22 March 1997WrexhamH0–15,468
29 March 1997York CityA1–13,917Corazzin
31 March 1997WatfordH0–06,836
5 April 1997Preston North EndA1–18,503Saunders
8 April 1997Stockport CountyH0–05,089
12 April 1997MillwallA0–05,702
15 April 1997Notts CountyA1–22,423Collins
19 April 1997WalsallH2–05,535Saunders, Barlow
26 April 1997Bristol CityA1–315,368Williams
3 May 1997BournemouthH0–06,507

FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 November 1996FulhamH5–07,104Mauge, Evans (2, 1 pen), Littlejohn, Corazzin
R26 December 1996Exeter CityH4–112,911Evans, Mauge, Billy, Littlejohn
R34 January 1997Peterborough UnitedH0–17,299

League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg20 August 1996BrentfordA0–13,034
R1 2nd Leg3 September 1996BrentfordH0–0 (lost 0-1 on agg)5,180

Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SR110 December 1996BournemouthH2–0944Illman, Wotton
SR214 January 1997Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–01,295Wotton
SQF11 February 1997Northampton TownH0–21,499

Squad

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

No. Position Player
GK Kevin Blackwell
GK James Dungey
GK Bruce Grobbelaar
DF Jon Beswetherick
DF Simon Collins
DF Chris Curran
DF Mick Heathcote
DF Tony James
DF Richard Logan
DF Mark Patterson
DF Jason Rowbotham
DF Paul Williams
MF Martin Barlow
MF Chris Billy
No. Position Player
MF Gary Clayton
MF Chris Leadbitter
MF Ronnie Mauge
MF Steve Perkins
MF Mark Saunders
MF Michael Simpson (on loan from Notts County)
MF Paul Wotton
FW Carlo Corazzin
FW Mickey Evans
FW Neil Illman
FW Adrian Littlejohn
FW Lee Phillips
FW Dominic Richardson

References
  1. Culley, Jon (24 February 1997). "THAT WAS THE WEEKEND THAT WAS : Battle of Saltergate: the aftermath". independent.co.uk. The Independent. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-06-27. Retrieved 2015-06-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. http://www.11v11.com/teams/plymouth-argyle/tab/players/season/1997
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