1996–97 Coventry City F.C. season

Coventry City
1996–97 season
Chairman	Bryan Richardson
Manager	Ron Atkinson (until 5 November) ; Gordon Strachan (from 5 November)
Stadium	Highfield Road
Premiership	17th
FA Cup	Fifth round
League Cup	Third round
Top goalscorer	Dublin (13)
Highest home attendance	23,085 vs Manchester United ; (18 Jan 1997, Premier League)
Lowest home attendance	11,828 vs Birmingham City ; (18 Sep 1996, League Cup)
Average home league attendance	19,625
	← 1995–96 1997–98 →

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

Season summary edit

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 edit

Pos	Team v t e	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^[a]	Relegation to the Football League First Division

Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated
Notes:

^ Middlesbrough were docked three points for failing to fulfill their original fixture at Blackburn Rovers on 21 December 1996.

Results edit

Coventry City's score comes first^[2]

Legend edit

Win	Draw	Loss

FA Premier League edit

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
17 August 1996	Nottingham Forest	H	0–3	19,468
21 August 1996	West Ham United	A	1–1	21,580	McAllister
24 August 1996	Chelsea	A	0–2	25,024
4 September 1996	Liverpool	H	0–1	23,021
7 September 1996	Middlesbrough	A	0–4	29,811
14 September 1996	Leeds United	H	2–1	17,297	Salako, Whelan
21 September 1996	Sunderland	A	0–1	19,459
28 September 1996	Blackburn Rovers	H	0–0	17,032
13 October 1996	Southampton	H	1–1	15,485	Dublin
19 October 1996	Arsenal	A	0–0	38,140
26 October 1996	Sheffield Wednesday	H	0–0	17,267
4 November 1996	Everton	A	1–1	31,477	McAllister
16 November 1996	Wimbledon	A	2–2	10,307	Whelan, Dublin
23 November 1996	Aston Villa	H	1–2	21,340	Dublin
30 November 1996	Derby County	A	1–2	18,042	Dublin
7 December 1996	Tottenham Hotspur	H	1–2	19,675	Whelan
17 December 1996	Newcastle United	H	2–1	21,538	Huckerby, McAllister
21 December 1996	Leicester City	A	2–0	20,038	Dublin (2)
26 December 1996	Leeds United	A	3–1	36,465	Huckerby, Dublin, McAllister (pen)
28 December 1996	Middlesbrough	H	3–0	20,617	Huckerby, McAllister (pen), Liddle (own goal)
1 January 1997	Sunderland	H	2–2	17,700	Dublin, Daish
11 January 1997	Blackburn Rovers	A	0–4	24,055
18 January 1997	Manchester United	H	0–2	23,085
29 January 1997	Nottingham Forest	A	1–0	22,619	Huckerby
1 February 1997	Sheffield Wednesday	A	0–0	21,793
19 February 1997	Aston Villa	A	1–2	30,409	Staunton (own goal)
22 February 1997	Everton	H	0–0	19,497
1 March 1997	Manchester United	A	1–3	55,230	Huckerby
3 March 1997	Wimbledon	H	1–1	15,273	Dublin
8 March 1997	Leicester City	H	0–0	19,220
15 March 1997	Newcastle United	A	0–4	36,571
22 March 1997	West Ham United	H	1–3	22,291	Rieper (own goal)
6 April 1997	Liverpool	A	2–1	40,079	Whelan, Dublin
9 April 1997	Chelsea	H	3–1	19,917	Dublin, Williams, Whelan
19 April 1997	Southampton	A	2–2	15,251	Ndlovu, Whelan
21 April 1997	Arsenal	H	1–1	19,998	Dublin
3 May 1997	Derby County	H	1–2	22,839	McAllister (pen)
11 May 1997	Tottenham Hotspur	A	2–1	33,029	Dublin, Williams

FA Cup edit


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R3	25 January 1997	Woking	H	1–1	16,040	Jess
R3R	4 February 1997	Woking	A	2–1	6,000	Whelan, Foster (own goal)
R4	15 February 1997	Blackburn Rovers	A	2–1	21,123	Jess, Huckerby
R5	26 February 1997	Derby County	A	2–3	18,003	Huckerby, Whelan

League Cup edit


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R2 1st Leg	18 September 1996	Birmingham City	H	1–1	11,828	Daish
R2 2nd Leg	24 September 1996	Birmingham City	A	1–0	15,281	McAllister
R3	22 October 1996	Gillingham	A	2–2	10,603	Telfer (2)
R3R	13 November 1996	Gillingham	H	0–1	12,639

First-team squad edit

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
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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

In edit

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 edit

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

Statistics edit

Appearances and goals edit

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Premier League		FA Cup		League Cup
No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Goalkeepers
1	GK	ENG	Steve Ogrizovic	46	0	38	0	4	0	4	0
13	GK	AUS	John Filan	1	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0
Defenders
2	DF	IRL	Richard Shaw	42	0	35	0	4	0	3	0
3	DF	ENG	David Burrows	21	0	18+1	0	0	0	2	0
4	DF	ENG	Paul Williams	38	2	29+3	2	4	0	2	0
5	DF	IRL	Liam Daish	20	0	20	0	0	0	0	0
12	DF	SCO	Paul Telfer	42	2	31+3	0	4	0	4	2
16	DF	ENG	Brian Burrows	29	0	15+7	0	3	0	4	0
18	DF	ENG	Marcus Hall	18	0	10+3	0	3	0	2	0
23	DF	UKR	Oleksandr Yevtushok	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	0
25	DF	IRL	Gary Breen	9	0	8+1	0	0	0	0	0
Midfielders
6	MF	ENG	Kevin Richardson	36	0	25+3	0	4	0	4	0
7	MF	SCO	Eoin Jess	32	2	19+8	0	4	2	1	0
10	MF	SCO	Gary McAllister	46	7	38	6	4	0	4	1
11	MF	ENG	John Salako	29	1	23+1	1	1	0	4	0
17	MF	IRL	Willie Boland	1	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0
20	MF	NIR	Michael O'Neill	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
26	MF	SCO	Gordon Strachan	11	0	3+6	0	0+1	0	0+1	0
Forwards
8	FW	ENG	Noel Whelan	43	8	34+1	6	4	2	4	0
9	FW	ENG	Dion Dublin	39	14	33+1	14	1	0	3+1	0
14	FW	ZIM	Peter Ndlovu	22	1	10+9	1	0+3	0	0	0
15	FW	BRA	Isaías	1	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0
21	FW	ENG	Andy Ducros	5	0	1+4	0	0	0	0	0
28	FW	ENG	Darren Huckerby	29	7	21+4	5	4	2	0	0
Players who left the club during the season
24	DF	IRL	Régis Genaux	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	0

References edit

^ Moore, Glenn (12 May 1997). "Football: Coventry perform escape act once again". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
^ "Coventry City 1996-1997 Results - statto.com". Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
^ "FootballSquads - Coventry City - 1996/97".

[table_hth_MID0.85600906417519-2] Middlesbrough were docked three points for failing to fulfill their original fixture at Blackburn Rovers on 21 December 1996.

[1] Moore, Glenn (12 May 1997). "Football: Coventry perform escape act once again". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2015.

[3] "Coventry City 1996-1997 Results - statto.com". Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2012.

[4] "FootballSquads - Coventry City - 1996/97".

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