1996–97 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, West Bromwich Albion F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

West Bromwich Albion
1996–97 season
ChairmanTony Hale
ManagerAlan Buckley (until January)
Ray Harford (from February)
StadiumThe Hawthorns
First Division16th
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Andy Hunt and Paul Peschisolido (15)
All: Andy Hunt (16)
Highest home attendance20,711 (vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 15 September)
Lowest home attendance11,792 (vs. Southend United, 5 March)
Average home league attendance15,064

Season summary

In February 1997, Ray Harford was named as West Bromwich's new manager in place of Alan Buckley, who was sacked with the Baggies hovering just above the relegation zone in Division One (which had been a familiar pattern since their promotion in 1993) and Harford did much to keep the club clear of relegation.

Final league table
Main article: 1996–97 Football League § First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
14 Manchester City 46 17 10 19 59 59 0 61
15 Charlton Athletic 46 16 11 19 52 66 −14 59
16 West Bromwich Albion 46 14 15 17 68 72 −4 57
17 Oxford United 46 16 9 21 64 68 −4 57
18 Reading 46 15 12 19 58 67 −9 57
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

West Bromwich Albion's score comes first[1]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996BarnsleyH1–218,561Hunt (pen)
24 August 1996Charlton AthleticA1–19,642Taylor
27 August 1996Crystal PalaceA0–013,849
7 September 1996Queens Park RangersA2–012,886Peschisolido, Taylor
10 September 1996ReadingH3–213,096Hunt (3)
15 September 1996Wolverhampton WanderersH2–420,711Hamilton, Taylor
21 September 1996Tranmere RoversA3–27,848Gilbert, Peschisolido, Groves
28 September 1996Ipswich TownH0–015,606
1 October 1996Oldham AthleticA1–15,817Groves
12 October 1996Huddersfield TownH1–114,960Hunt
16 October 1996Stoke CityH0–216,501
19 October 1996Grimsby TownA1–17,187Sneekes
26 October 1996Bradford CityH0–014,249
30 October 1996Swindon TownA3–28,909Holmes, Peschisolido, Sneekes
2 November 1996PortsmouthA0–47,354
9 November 1996Port ValeH1–113,975Taylor
13 November 1996Sheffield UnitedH1–212,167Coldicott
16 November 1996Southend UnitedA3–25,120Peschisolido, Smith, Hunt
27 November 1996Manchester CityA2–324,200Peschisolido, Hamilton
30 November 1996Bradford CityA1–112,003Groves
8 December 1996Bolton WanderersH2–213,082Peschisolido, Taylor
18 December 1996Norwich CityH5–112,620Hamilton (2), Hunt (2), Peschisolido
21 December 1996Oxford UnitedH3–313,782Sneekes, Hunt (pen), Taylor
26 December 1996ReadingA2–210,583Peschisolido, Groves
28 December 1996Queens Park RangersH4–119,061Sneekes, Smith, Hunt, Peschisolido
1 January 1997Tranmere RoversH1–214,770Burgess
12 January 1997Wolverhampton WanderersA0–227,336
18 January 1997Oldham AthleticH1–112,103Taylor
25 January 1997Ipswich TownA0–59,381
1 February 1997Port ValeA2–28,093Peschisolido (2)
4 February 1997Birmingham CityA3–221,600Taylor (2), Sneekes
8 February 1997Swindon TownH1–216,219Hunt (pen)
15 February 1997Norwich CityA4–214,845Peschisolido (3), Sneekes
22 February 1997PortsmouthH0–215,800
2 March 1997Bolton WanderersA0–113,258
5 March 1997Southend UnitedH4–011,792Sneekes, Murphy, Hunt, Raven
8 March 1997Oxford UnitedA0–18,502
16 March 1997Birmingham CityH2–016,125Sneekes, Hamilton
22 March 1997Charlton AthleticH1–214,312Hunt
28 March 1997BarnsleyA0–212,087
5 April 1997Sheffield UnitedA2–115,004Coldicott, Taylor
9 April 1997Crystal PalaceH1–012,866Peschisolido
12 April 1997Manchester CityH1–320,087Murphy
19 April 1997Huddersfield TownA0–012,748
26 April 1997Grimsby TownH2–015,574Hunt, Coldicott
4 May 1997Stoke CityA1–222,500Hunt (pen)

FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R34 January 1997ChelseaA0–327,446

League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 First Leg20 August 1996Colchester UnitedA3–23,521Hunt, Hamilton, Donovan
R1 Second Leg3 September 1996Colchester UnitedH1–3 (lost 4-5 on agg)9,809Groves

First-team squad
Squad at end of season[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 Paul Crichton
GK Alan Miller
GK Nigel Spink
GK Gary Germaine[notes 1]
DF Paul Agnew
DF Daryl Burgess
DF Craig Herbert
DF Paul Holmes
DF Roger Joseph
DF Shane Nicholson
DF Graham Potter
DF Paul Raven
DF Paul Mardon[notes 2]
DF Andy McDermott
DF Shaun Murphy
MF Dean Bennett
No. Position Player
MF Peter Butler
MF Stacy Coldicott
MF Shaun Cunnington
MF Julian Darby
MF Kevin Donovan
MF Dave Gilbert
MF Paul Groves
MF Ian Hamilton
MF David Smith
MF Richard Sneekes
FW Lee Ashcroft
FW Andy Hunt
FW Michael Rodosthenous
FW Bob Taylor
FW Paul Peschisolido

Reserve 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 Chris Adamson
No. Position Player
DF Gareth Hanmer

Notes
  1. Germaine was born in Birmingham, England, but also qualified to represent Scotland internationally and represented them at U-21 level.
  2. Mardon was born in Bristol, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in October 1995.

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. http://www.11v11.com/teams/west-bromwich-albion/tab/players/season/1997

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