1996–97 Wigan Athletic F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Wigan Athletic F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division.

Wigan Athletic
1996–97 season
ChairmanDave Whelan
ManagerJohn Deehan
StadiumSpringfield Park
Third Division1st (champions)
FA CupFirst round
League CupFirst round
Football League TrophySecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Jones (31)
All: Jones (33)
Average home league attendance3,899

Season summary

In the 1996-97 season, Wigan Athletic became Third Division champions on the last day of the campaign, Graeme Jones scoring a club record 31 league goals in the process. In most seasons they would have been runners-up, but a temporary rule change which saw goals scored take precedence over goal difference allowed them to finish above runners-up Fulham, who had the same number of points and a better goal difference.

Final league table

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

Wigan Athletic's score comes first[1]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Third Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996Northampton TownH2–13,449Lancashire, Biggins
24 August 1996BarnetA1–11,905Jones
27 August 1996Cardiff CityA2–03,354Jones, Kilford
31 August 1996Chester CityH4–23,854Jones (3, 1 pen), Shelton (own goal)
7 September 1996Scunthorpe UnitedH3–03,321Jones, Lancashire (2)
10 September 1996DarlingtonA1–32,601Greenall
14 September 1996Hartlepool UnitedA1–12,433Jones
21 September 1996Lincoln CityH1–03,394Lancashire
28 September 1996ScarboroughA1–32,570Lancashire
1 October 1996Exeter CityH2–02,788Lancashire, Jones
5 October 1996Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–03,744Jones
12 October 1996Colchester UnitedA1–32,700Sharp
15 October 1996Mansfield TownA1–01,942Sharp
19 October 1996Torquay UnitedH3–23,374Jones (3)
26 October 1996Hull CityH1–23,887Morgan
29 October 1996Swansea CityA1–22,227Díaz
2 November 1996Carlisle UnitedA3–06,235Díaz (2), Saville
9 November 1996Hereford UnitedH4–13,414Martínez, Jones, Greenall, Saville
23 November 1996FulhamH1–15,039Martínez
30 November 1996Hull CityA1–13,537Jones
3 December 1996Doncaster RoversH4–12,606Biggins, Johnson, Saville, Jones
14 December 1996Cambridge UnitedA1–12,784Kilford
21 December 1996RochdaleH0–13,311
28 December 1996Scunthorpe UnitedA3–22,833Saville, Rogers, Kilford
18 January 1997Exeter CityA1–03,067Johnson
21 January 1997Leyton OrientA2–13,014Kilford, Jones
25 January 1997Swansea CityH3–24,058Jones (2), Kilford
1 February 1997Hereford UnitedA1–32,532Rogers
4 February 1997Lincoln CityA3–12,241Jones (2), Johnson
8 February 1997Carlisle UnitedH1–06,195Lowe
15 February 1997FulhamA1–19,448Lowe
22 February 1997Leyton OrientH5–13,783Jones (3), Lancashire, Rogers
25 February 1997DarlingtonH3–23,667Jones (3, 1 pen)
28 February 1997Doncaster RoversA0–22,948
4 March 1997Hartlepool UnitedH2–23,229Jones, Kilford
8 March 1997RochdaleA1–33,254Jones (pen)
11 March 1997ScarboroughH7–13,094Martínez, Lowe (2), Díaz (2), Lancashire, Biggins
15 March 1997Cambridge UnitedH1–13,867Jones
22 March 1997BarnetH2–03,286Kilford, Martínez
29 March 1997Northampton TownA1–05,914Lowe
31 March 1997Cardiff CityH0–14,634
5 April 1997Chester CityA1–14,005Kilford
8 April 1997Colchester UnitedH1–04,571McGibbon
12 April 1997Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–18,703
26 April 1997Torquay UnitedA3–02,481Jones (2), Díaz
3 May 1997Mansfield TownH2–07,106Lancashire, Lowe

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 November 1996BlackpoolA0–15,465 (1,832 away)

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg20 August 1996Preston North EndH2–33,713Lancashire, Jones
R1 2nd Leg3 September 1996Preston North EndA4–4 (lost 5-6 on agg)5,767 (1,158 away)Lancashire (3), Greenall

Football League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
NR214 January 1997Shrewsbury TownA2–3 (a.e.t.)1,639 (374 away)Martínez, Jones

Squad

Note: Numbers in brackets are appearances as a substitute.
Source:[2]

Nat.Pos.Player AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
League FA Cup Other[3] Total
FWWayne Biggins 20 (13)3101 (2)022 (15)3
DFCharlie Bishop 20 (1)0002022 (1)0
DFJohn Butler 20 (4)0101022 (4)0
GKLee Butler 4601030500
DFMatt Carragher 12 (6)00 (1)02012 (7)0
MFIsidro Díaz 26 (13)60 (1)00 (1)026 (15)6
DFColin Greenall 462102 (1)149 (1)3
DFGavin Johnson 3731030413
FWGraeme Jones 39 (1)31102 (1)242 (2)33
MFIan Kilford 24 (11)8002 (1)026 (12)8
DFRyan Kirby 05 (1)0000005 (1)0
FWGraham Lancashire 15 (9)9002417 (9)13
DFMichael Love 00 (3)0000000 (3)0
FWDavid Lowe 31 (11)6103035 (11)6
MFRoberto Martínez 38 (5)4102 (1)141 (6)5
DFPat McGibbon 1010000101
DFSteve Morgan 18 (5)1003021 (5)1
DFRoy O'Brien 0000000000
DFJohn Pender 27 (2)0103031 (2)0
MFPaul Rogers 18 (2)3000018 (2)3
FWAndy Saville 17 (3)4101019 (3)4
MFJesús Seba 00 (1)0000 (1)000 (2)0
DFKevin Sharp 30 (5)2101 (1)032 (6)2
MFMark Ward 0500000050
MFStuart Whittaker 02 (1)0000002 (1)0

References

  1. "Wigan Athletic 1996-1997". Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  2. 1996–97 Wigan Athletic F.C. season at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  3. Includes appearances and goals in the League Cup and Football League Trophy.
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