1996–97 Coventry City F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Coventry City F.C. competed in the FA Premier League.

Coventry City
1996–97 season
ChairmanBryan Richardson
ManagerRon Atkinson (until 5 November)
Gordon Strachan (from 5 November)
StadiumHighfield Road
Premiership17th
FA CupFifth round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerDublin (14)
Highest home attendance23,085 vs Manchester United
(18 Jan 1997, Premier League)
Lowest home attendance11,828 vs Birmingham City
(18 Sep 1996, League Cup)
Average home league attendance19,625

Season summary

Manager Ron Atkinson stepped up to the role of Director of Football at struggling Coventry City in early November, with assistant Gordon Strachan stepping up to the manager's seat. A good run of form saw Coventry climb to 11th place in January, but then a decline set in and defeat in the penultimate game of the season made Coventry's 30-year stay in the top flight appear to be over. However, with a win over Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the season and losses for Sunderland and Middlesbrough, the Sky Blues pulled off a miraculous survival act to book themselves a 31st successive top flight campaign.[1] The key player in the great escape act was striker Dion Dublin, who scored 14 Premier League goals to attract attention from several larger clubs and encourage calls for an international call-up from many observers.

However, Coventry only ultimately avoided relegation due to the three-point deduction imposed upon Middlesbrough, who had been penalised in mid-season for cancelling a fixture at short notice.

Final league table
Main article: 1996–97 FA Premier League
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
15 Everton 38 10 12 16 44 57 −13 42
16 Southampton 38 10 11 17 50 56 −6 41
17 Coventry City 38 9 14 15 38 54 −16 41
18 Sunderland (R) 38 10 10 18 35 53 −18 40 Relegation to the Football League First Division
19 Middlesbrough (R) 38 10 12 16 51 60 −9 39[lower-alpha 1]
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Middlesbrough were docked three points for failing to fulfil a fixture.

Results

Coventry City's score comes first[2]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996Nottingham ForestH0-319,468
21 August 1996West Ham UnitedA1-121,580McAllister
24 August 1996ChelseaA0-225,024
4 September 1996LiverpoolH0-123,021
7 September 1996MiddlesbroughA0-429,811
14 September 1996Leeds UnitedH2-117,297Salako, Whelan
21 September 1996SunderlandA0-119,459
28 September 1996Blackburn RoversH0-017,032
13 October 1996SouthamptonH1-115,485Dublin
19 October 1996ArsenalA0-038,140
26 October 1996Sheffield WednesdayH0-017,267
4 November 1996EvertonA1-131,477McAllister
16 November 1996WimbledonA2-210,307Whelan, Dublin
23 November 1996Aston VillaH1-221,340Dublin
30 November 1996Derby CountyA1-218,042Dublin
7 December 1996Tottenham HotspurH1-219,675Whelan
17 December 1996Newcastle UnitedH2-121,538Huckerby, McAllister
21 December 1996Leicester CityA2-020,038Dublin (2)
26 December 1996Leeds UnitedA3-136,465Huckerby, Dublin, McAllister (pen)
28 December 1996MiddlesbroughH3-020,617Huckerby, McAllister (pen), Liddle (own goal)
1 January 1997SunderlandH2-217,700Dublin, Daish
11 January 1997Blackburn RoversA0-424,055
18 January 1997Manchester UnitedH0-223,085
29 January 1997Nottingham ForestA1-022,619Huckerby
1 February 1997Sheffield WednesdayA0-021,793
19 February 1997Aston VillaA1-230,409Staunton (own goal)
22 February 1997EvertonH0-019,497
1 March 1997Manchester UnitedA1-355,230Huckerby
3 March 1997WimbledonH1-115,273Dublin
8 March 1997Leicester CityH0-019,220
15 March 1997Newcastle UnitedA0-436,571
22 March 1997West Ham UnitedH1-322,291Dublin
6 April 1997LiverpoolA2-140,079Whelan, Dublin
9 April 1997ChelseaH3-119,917Dublin, Williams, Whelan
19 April 1997SouthamptonA2-215,251Ndlovu, Whelan
21 April 1997ArsenalH1-119,998Dublin
3 May 1997Derby CountyH1-222,839McAllister (pen)
11 May 1997Tottenham HotspurA2-133,029Dublin, Williams

FA Cup
Main article: 1996–97 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R325 January 1997WokingH1-116,040Jess
R3R4 February 1997WokingA2-16,000Whelan, Foster (own goal)
R415 February 1997Blackburn RoversA2-121,123Jess, Huckerby
R526 February 1997Derby CountyA2-318,003Huckerby, Whelan

League Cup
Main article: 1996–97 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st Leg18 September 1996Birmingham CityH1-111,828Daish
R2 2nd Leg24 September 1996Birmingham CityA1-015,281McAllister
R322 October 1996GillinghamA2-210,603Telfer (2)
R3R13 November 1996GillinghamH0-112,639

First-team squad
Squad at end of season[3]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ENG Steve Ogrizovic
2 DF  ENG Richard Shaw
3 DF  ENG David Burrows
4 DF  ENG Paul Williams
5 DF  IRL Liam Daish
6 MF  ENG Kevin Richardson
7 MF  SCO Eoin Jess
8 MF  ENG Noel Whelan
9 FW  ENG Dion Dublin
10 MF  SCO Gary McAllister (captain)
11 MF  ENG John Salako
12 MF  ENG Paul Telfer
13 GK  AUS John Filan
14 FW  ZIM Peter Ndlovu
15 FW  BRA Isaías
16 DF  ENG Brian Borrows
17 MF  IRL Willie Boland
18 DF  ENG Marcus Hall
19 FW  ENG Iyseden Christie
20 MF  NIR Michael O'Neill
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 FW  ENG Andy Ducros
22 MF  IRL Gavin O'Toole
23 DF  UKR Oleksandr Yevtushok
24 GK  ENG Neil Wypior
25 DF  IRL Gary Breen
26 MF  SCO Gordon Strachan (player-manager)
27 MF  NIR Chris McMenamin
28 FW  ENG Darren Huckerby
29 DF  ENG Scott Goodwin
30 DF  IRL Lorcan Costello
31 DF  ENG Adam Willis
32 DF  IRL Barry Prenderville
33 MF  ENG Brett Healy
34 DF  IRL Colin Hawkins
35 FW  ENG Craig Faulconbridge
36 DF  ENG Carl Nolan
37 MF  ENG Sam Shilton
38 MF  ENG Tim Blake
39 MF  ENG Paul Bailey
40 DF  ENG Jamie Williams

Left club during season

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
24 DF  BEL Régis Genaux (to Udinese)

Reserve squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
- DF  IRL Barry Quinn
- MF  ENG John Eustace
No. Pos. Nation Player
- MF  SCO Gavin Strachan

Transfers

In
Date Pos. Name From Fee
26 July 1996 MF Gary McAllister Leeds United £3,000,000
10 August 1996 DF Régis Genaux Standard Liège £750,000
23 November 1996 FW Darren Huckerby Newcastle United £1,000,000
30 January 1997 DF Gary Breen Birmingham City £2,500,000
30 January 1997 DF Oleksandr Yevtushok Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk £800,000
21 May 1997 FW Simon Haworth Cardiff City £500,000
19 June 1997 MF Trond Egil Soltvedt Rosenborg £500,000
4 July 1997 FW Kyle Lightbourne Walsall £500,000
7 July 1997 GK Magnus Hedman AIK Free
9 July 1997 MF Martin Johansen Copenhagen Free

Out
Date Pos. Name To Fee
5 August 1996 DF David Rennie Northampton Town Free
15 August 1996 DF Ally Pickering Stoke City £280,000
28 January 1997 DF Régis Genaux Udinese £800,000
1 July 1997 MF Chris McMenamin Peterborough United Free
4 July 1997 MF Eoin Jess Aberdeen £700,000
14 July 1997 FW Peter Ndlovu Birmingham City £1,600,000
14 July 1997 GK Neil Wypior West Bromwich Albion Undisclosed
Transfers in: £6,550,000
Transfers out: £3,380,000
Total spending: £3,170,000

References
  1. Moore, Glenn (12 May 1997). "Football: Coventry perform escape act once again". The Independent. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1996-1997/faprem/coventry.htm
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