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Wycombe Wanderers
1996–97 season
Chairman	Ivor Beeks
Manager	Alan Smith (until 30 September) ; Neil Smillie (caretaker 30 September - 22 October) ; John Gregory (from 22 October)
Stadium	Adams Park
Second Division	18th
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	Second round
Football League Trophy	First round
Top goalscorer	League: Carroll/McGavin (9); All: Carroll/McGavin (10)
Average home league attendance	5,232
	← 1995–96 1997–98 →

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

Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, a poor start to the season for Wycombe saw Smith sacked after alienating himself from the Chairboys' fanbase in the process with what were perceived to be negative long-ball tactics. In September, with the club bottom of the league, John Gregory took over as Wycombe manager and turned their fortunes around and saved them from relegation.

Final league table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
16	Bournemouth	46	15	15	16	43	45	−2	60
17	Bristol Rovers	46	15	11	20	47	50	−3	56
18	Wycombe Wanderers	46	15	10	21	51	57	−6	55
19	Plymouth Argyle	46	12	18	16	47	58	−11	54
20	York City	46	13	13	20	47	68	−21	52

Source: ^[1]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

Wycombe Wanderers' score comes first^[2]

Legend

Win	Draw	Loss

Football League Second Division

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
18 August 1996	Shrewsbury Town	A	1–1	3,440	Brown
24 August 1996	Gillingham	H	1–1	4,582	Carroll
27 August 1996	Bury	H	0–1	3,563
31 August 1996	Blackpool	A	0–0	4,856
7 September 1996	Luton Town	H	0–1	6,471
10 September 1996	Walsall	A	2–2	2,659	Evans, de Souza
14 September 1996	Burnley	A	1–2	9,379	de Souza
21 September 1996	Brentford	H	0–1	5,330
28 September 1996	Peterborough United	A	3–6	5,580	Mahoney-Johnson (2), Carroll
1 October 1996	Rotherham United	H	4–2	3,438	Lawrence, McGavin (2), Williams
5 October 1996	Notts County	H	1–0	4,506	McGavin
12 October 1996	Bournemouth	A	1–2	3,984	Farrell
15 October 1996	Bristol City	A	0–3	7,325
19 October 1996	Stockport County	H	0–2	4,017
26 October 1996	Wrexham	H	0–0	5,548
29 October 1996	York City	A	0–2	2,254
2 November 1996	Crewe Alexandra	A	0–3	3,636
9 November 1996	Plymouth Argyle	H	2–1	5,456	Brown, McGavin
19 November 1996	Watford	A	0–1	7,657
23 November 1996	Preston North End	H	0–1	4,920
30 November 1996	Wrexham	A	0–1	3,280
3 December 1996	Millwall	H	1–0	4,550	Bell
14 December 1996	Chesterfield	H	1–0	4,610	de Souza
21 December 1996	Bristol Rovers	A	4–3	4,465	Carroll, Bell, Simpson, Evans
26 December 1996	Walsall	H	0–2	5,073
18 January 1997	Rotherham United	A	1–2	2,692	Carroll (pen)
25 January 1997	York City	H	3–1	4,193	Read (2), Forsyth
1 February 1997	Plymouth Argyle	A	0–0	5,024
8 February 1997	Crewe Alexandra	H	2–0	4,902	Read, de Souza
15 February 1997	Preston North End	A	1–2	7,923	McGavin
22 February 1997	Watford	H	0–0	8,438
25 February 1997	Peterborough United	H	2–0	4,001	McGavin, de Souza
1 March 1997	Millwall	A	1–2	7,539	Forsyth
4 March 1997	Brentford	A	0–0	5,375
8 March 1997	Bristol Rovers	H	2–0	5,386	Stallard, Brown
15 March 1997	Chesterfield	A	2–4	4,354	Stallard, Brown
22 March 1997	Gillingham	A	0–1	5,932
29 March 1997	Shrewsbury Town	H	3–0	6,562	Scott, Stallard, Carroll
31 March 1997	Bury	A	0–2	5,714
5 April 1997	Blackpool	H	1–0	5,619	Scott
8 April 1997	Luton Town	A	0–0	7,626
12 April 1997	Notts County	A	2–1	4,290	Brown, McGavin
15 April 1997	Burnley	H	5–0	5,786	Carroll (2 pens), McGavin, Stallard, Read
19 April 1997	Bournemouth	H	1–1	6,043	Scott
26 April 1997	Stockport County	A	1–2	9,463	Carroll (pen)
3 May 1997	Bristol City	H	2–0	7,240	Carroll, McGavin

FA Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1	16 November 1996	Colchester United	A	2–1	4,378	de Souza, Williams
R2	7 December 1996	Barnet	A	3–3	3,176	McGavin, Williams (2)
R2R	17 December 1996	Barnet	H	3–2	3,851	Williams, Carroll, de Souza
R3	5 January 1997	Bradford City	H	0–2	5,173

League Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg	20 August 1996	Reading	A	1–1	6,210	Williams
R1 2nd Leg	3 September 1996	Reading	H	2–0 (won 3–1 on agg)	5,069	Evans, Williams
R2 1st Leg	18 September 1996	Nottingham Forest	A	0–1	6,482
R2 2nd Leg	24 September 1996	Nottingham Forest	H	1–1 (lost 1–2 on agg)	6,310	McCarthy

Football League Trophy


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
SR1	8 January 1997	Swansea City	A	1–1 (lost 5–6 on pens)	1,638	McGorry

Squad

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	GK	ENG	John Cheesewright
—	GK	ENG	Brian Parkin
—	GK	ENG	Martin Taylor (on loan from Derby County)
—	DF	ENG	Micky Bell
—	DF	ENG	Jason Cousins
—	DF	ENG	Matt Crossley
—	DF	ENG	Terry Evans
—	DF	ENG	Michael Forsyth
—	DF	ENG	Jason Kavanagh
—	DF	ENG	Matthew Lawrence
—	DF	ENG	Michael Love
—	DF	IRL	Paul McCarthy
—	DF	WAL	Jason Rowbotham
—	DF	ENG	Terry Skiverton
—	MF	ENG	Steve Brown
—	MF	ENG	Paul Buckle
—	MF	SCO	Dave Carroll


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	ENG	John Cornforth
—	MF	ENG	David Farrell
—	MF	NIR	Mo Harkin
—	MF	ENG	Brian McGorry
—	MF	ENG	Gary Patterson
—	MF	ENG	Michael Simpson
—	MF	ENG	Ray Wilkins
—	FW	ENG	Tony Clark
—	FW	ENG	Neil Davis (on loan from Aston Villa)
—	FW	ENG	Miguel de Souza
—	FW	ENG	Michael Mahoney-Johnson (on loan from QPR)
—	FW	ENG	Damien Markman
—	FW	ENG	Steve McGavin
—	FW	ENG	Paul Read
—	FW	ENG	Keith Scott (on loan from Norwich City)
—	FW	ENG	Mark Stallard
—	FW	ENG	John Williams