1996–97 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season

Crewe Alexandra

1996–97 season
Chairman	John Bowler
Manager	Dario Gradi
Stadium	Gresty Road
Second Division	6th (promoted via play-offs)
Play-offs	Winners
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	First round
Football League Trophy	Northern semi finals
Top goalscorer	League: Adebola (16) All: Adebola (18)
Average home league attendance	3,978

During the 1996–97 English football season, Crewe Alexandra F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division, in their 74th season in the English Football League.

Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, Crewe had a great season by reaching the play-offs by finishing in the final play-off position, which was achieved on the final day by earning a 1–1 draw at York that was required as Blackpool had scored more goals which meant knowing a defeat and a Blackpool win at Wrexham would see Crewe slip out of the top six and Blackpool would have still had a chance of promotion. Blackpool though lost 2–1 so it didn't matter in the end with Crewe's result. In the play-offs, they beat Luton, who just missed out on automatic promotion, 4–3 on aggregate to get to Wembley and achieved promotion with a 1–0 win against Brentford.^[1]

Final league table

Main article: 1996–97 Football League § Second Division

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
4	Brentford	46	20	14	12	56	43	+13	74	Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
5	Bristol City	46	21	10	15	69	51	+18	73
6	Crewe Alexandra (O, P)	46	22	7	17	56	47	+9	73
7	Blackpool	46	18	15	13	60	47	+13	69
8	Wrexham	46	17	18	11	55	50	+5	69

Source: ^[2]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
(O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Results

Crewe Alexandra's score comes first^[3]

Legend

Win

Draw

Loss

Football League Second Division

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
17 August 1996	Stockport County	H	1–0	4,310	Tierney
24 August 1996	Peterborough United	A	2–2	6,357	Ellison (2)
27 August 1996	Preston North End	A	1–2	9,498	Murphy
31 August 1996	Watford	H	0–2	3,655
7 September 1996	Bournemouth	A	1–0	3,218	Savage
10 September 1996	Bury	H	2–0	3,627	Tierney, Barr
14 September 1996	Wrexham	H	3–1	4,469	Adebola (2), Tierney
21 September 1996	Millwall	A	0–2	9,320
28 September 1996	Plymouth Argyle	H	3–0	3,797	Barr, Adebola, Murphy
1 October 1996	Blackpool	H	3–2	4,314	Rivers, Adebola, Macauley
4 October 1996	Bristol Rovers	A	0–2	6,211
12 October 1996	Brentford	H	2–0	4,313	Rivers, S Smith (pen)
15 October 1996	York City	H	0–1	3,463
19 October 1996	Chesterfield	A	0–1	4,030
26 October 1996	Shrewsbury Town	A	1–0	3,878	Murphy
29 October 1996	Rotherham United	H	1–0	3,162	Barr
2 November 1996	Wycombe Wanderers	H	3–0	3,636	Adebola, Whalley, Murphy
9 November 1996	Burnley	A	0–2	9,459
23 November 1996	Walsall	A	0–1	3,653
30 November 1996	Shrewsbury Town	H	5–1	4,035	Murphy, S Smith, Rivers (2), Whalley
3 December 1996	Gillingham	A	1–2	3,575	Rivers
14 December 1996	Luton Town	A	0–6	5,455
20 December 1996	Notts County	H	3–0	3,125	Adebola (2), Charnock
28 December 1996	Bournemouth	H	2–0	3,687	Adebola (2)
11 January 1997	Plymouth Argyle	A	0–1	5,036
18 January 1997	Blackpool	A	2–1	4,760	Murphy, Adebola
25 January 1997	Rotherham United	A	4–1	2,832	Adebola (2), Murphy, S Smith
1 February 1997	Burnley	H	1–1	4,734	Macauley
8 February 1997	Wycombe Wanderers	A	0–2	4,902
15 February 1997	Walsall	H	1–0	4,648	Murphy
22 February 1997	Bristol City	A	0–3	11,306
1 March 1997	Gillingham	H	3–2	3,555	Barr (2), Murphy
8 March 1997	Notts County	A	1–0	4,047	Rivers
15 March 1997	Luton Town	H	0–0	4,475
18 March 1997	Millwall	H	0–0	3,695
22 March 1997	Peterborough United	H	1–1	3,565	Murphy
25 March 1997	Bristol City	H	1–2	3,687	Westwood
29 March 1997	Stockport County	A	0–1	7,411
31 March 1997	Preston North End	H	1–0	4,407	Adebola
5 April 1997	Watford	A	1–0	12,441	Whalley
12 April 1997	Bristol Rovers	H	1–0	4,281	Adebola
15 April 1997	Bury	A	0–1	4,725
19 April 1997	Brentford	A	2–0	6,183	Adebola, S Smith
22 April 1997	Wrexham	A	1–1	4,643	Johnson
26 April 1997	Chesterfield	H	1–2	4,858	Adebola
3 May 1997	York City	A	1–1	4,366	Westwood

Second Division play-offs

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
SF 1st Leg	11 May 1997	Luton Town	H	2–1	5,467	Rivers, Little
SF 2nd Leg	14 May 1997	Luton Town	A	2–2 (won 4–3 on agg)	8,168	Little, S Smith
F	25 May 1997	Brentford	N	1–0	34,149	S Smith

FA Cup

Main article: 1996-97 FA Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1	16 November 1996	Kidderminster Harriers	H	4–1	4,651	Macauley, Murphy (2), Lightfoot
R2	7 December 1996	Hull City	A	5–1	3,756	Garvey, Murphy, Adebola, S Smith, Brien (own goal)
R3	14 January 1997	Wimbledon	H	1–1	5,011	Westwood
R3R	21 January 1997	Wimbledon	A	0–2	4,951

League Cup

Main article: 1996-97 Football League Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg	20 August 1996	Port Vale	A	0–1	5,236
R1 2nd Leg	3 September 1996	Port Vale	H	1–5 (lost 1–6 on agg)	4,471	Adebola

Football League Trophy

Main article: 1996-97 Football League Trophy

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
NR2	28 January 1997	Plymouth Argyle	A	1–0	2,216
NQF	4 February 1997	Blackpool	H	1–0	3,033
NSF	28 January 1997	Stockport County	H	1–1 (lost 3–5 on pens)	3,529

Squad

^[4] 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  NGA Ademola Bankole — GK  ENG Neil Cutler — GK  ENG Mark Gayle — GK  AUS Jason Kearton — GK  AUS Steve Mautone (on loan from West Ham United) — GK  ENG Martin Taylor (on loan from Derby County) — DF  ENG Billy Barr — DF  ENG Peter Billing — DF  ENG Ryan Kirby — DF  ENG Chris Lightfoot — DF  ENG Steve Macauley — DF  ENG Steve Pope — DF  ENG Shaun Smith — DF  ENG Lee Unsworth — DF  ENG Ashley Westwood — MF  ENG Phil Charnock

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ENG Jamie Collins — MF  ENG Steve Garvey — MF  ENG Seth Johnson — MF  ENG Brian Launders — MF  ENG Danny Murphy — MF  WAL Robbie Savage — MF  ENG Kevin Street — MF  ENG Francis Tierney — MF  ENG Gareth Whalley — FW  NGA Dele Adebola — FW  ENG Steve Anthrobus — FW  ENG Lee Ellison — FW  ENG Colin Little — FW  ENG Jamie Moralee — FW  ENG Mark Rivers — FW  WAL Peter Smith

References

1. Rowbottom, Mike (26 May 1997). "Gradi dreams on no more". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
2. "England 1996–97". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
3. "Crewe Alexandra results for the 1996-1997 season - Statto.com". Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
4. "All Crewe Alexandra players: 1997".