Wrexham 1996–97 football season
During the 1996–97 English football season, Wrexham F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division .
In the 1996–97 season, Wrexham set off on another amazing run in the FA Cup and beating more top flight opposition. Following wins at Colwyn Bay and Scunthorpe United, they were drawn to play West Ham United at home, the game ending in a 1–1 draw on a snow-covered pitch after a well earned draw. The replay at Upton Park ended in a shock 1–0 win to Wrexham as Kevin Russell scored in the dying minutes to send Wrexham into the fourth round.[ 1] After also beating Peterborough United and Birmingham City in the following rounds, they played Chesterfield in an all-Division-2 FA Cup quarter final, Wrexham narrowly losing to the Spireites 1–0.
The league campaign began very brightly for Wrexham as they lost only one from their first 17 league matches and were in the play-off places heading to Christmas but then a little decline in form with only seven wins in the second half of the campaign wasn't enough for a play-off position and finished 4 points off the top six.
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation 6 Crewe Alexandra 46 22 7 17 56 47 +9 73 Promoted through play-offs 7 Blackpool 46 18 15 13 60 47 +13 69 8 Wrexham 46 17 18 11 55 50 +5 69 9 Burnley 46 19 11 16 71 55 +16 68 10 Chesterfield 46 18 14 14 42 39 +3 68
Source:
[ 2] Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Wrexham's score comes first [ 3]
Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers 17 August 1996 Millwall A 1–1 9,371 Watkin 24 August 1996 Plymouth Argyle H 4–4 3,920 Phillips (2), Connolly (2) 7 September 1996 Peterborough United H 1–1 3,222 Connolly 10 September 1996 Stockport County A 2–0 4,244 Watkin , Skinner 14 September 1996 Crewe Alexandra A 1–3 4,469 Ward 17 September 1996 Bristol Rovers H 1–0 2,401 Cross 21 September 1996 Preston North End H 1–0 5,299 Phillips 24 September 1996 Walsall A 1–0 2,832 Cross 28 September 1996 Notts County A 0–0 4,216 8 October 1996 Shrewsbury Town H 2–1 5,031 Watkin , Brace 12 October 1996 Watford A 1–1 8,441 Humes 15 October 1996 Blackpool A 3–3 4,014 Brammer , Phillips , Chalk (pen) 19 October 1996 Bournemouth H 2–0 3,945 Skinner , Connolly 26 October 1996 Wycombe Wanderers A 0–0 5,548 29 October 1996 Bury H 1–1 3,895 Hughes 2 November 1996 Chesterfield H 3–2 4,160 Connolly , Morris, Owen 9 November 1996 Gillingham A 2–1 5,094 Morris, Connolly 23 November 1996 Brentford A 0–2 4,885 30 November 1996 Wycombe Wanderers H 1–0 3,280 Skinner 3 December 1996 Burnley A 0–2 8,587 14 December 1996 York City A 0–1 2,600 21 December 1996 Bristol City H 2–1 4,488 Watkin (pen), Hughes 26 December 1996 Stockport County H 2–3 6,736 Watkin , Morris 11 January 1997 Notts County H 3–3 3,267 Connolly (2), Watkin 18 January 1997 Luton Town A 0–0 5,734 1 February 1997 Gillingham H 1–1 3,193 Connolly 8 February 1997 Chesterfield A 0–0 6,738 11 February 1997 Peterborough United A 1–0 2,975 Hughes 22 February 1997 Rotherham United A 0–0 2,539 25 February 1997 Bury A 0–0 3,419 1 March 1997 Burnley H 0–0 6,947 12 March 1997 Luton Town H 2–1 3,342 Bennett (2, 1 pen) 15 March 1997 York City H 0–0 3,874 18 March 1997 Preston North End A 1–2 8,271 Bennett 22 March 1997 Plymouth Argyle A 1–0 5,468 Humes 25 March 1997 Brentford H 0–2 4,053 28 March 1997 Millwall H 3–3 4,684 Humes , Phillips , Bennett 31 March 1997 Bristol Rovers A 0–2 6,225 5 April 1997 Walsall H 1–2 3,266 Connolly (pen) 8 April 1997 Rotherham United H 1–0 2,002 Connolly 12 April 1997 Shrewsbury Town A 1–0 4,553 Bennett 15 April 1997 Bristol City A 1–2 9,817 Morris 19 April 1997 York City H 2–1 6,654 Bennett , Angell 22 April 1997 Crewe Alexandra H 1–1 4,643 McGregor 26 April 1997 Bournemouth A 1–2 4,805 Connolly 3 May 1997 Blackpool H 2–1 5,664 Watkin , Humes
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers R1 16 November 1996 Colwyn Bay A 1–1 4,679 Hughes R1R 26 November 1996 Colwyn Bay H 2–0 4,106 Hughes (2) R2 7 December 1996 Scunthorpe United H 2–2 3,780 Morris, Watkin R2R 17 December 1996 Scunthorpe United A 3–2 (a.e.t. ) 3,976 Hughes , Morris, Watkin (pen) R3 15 January 1997 West Ham United H 1–1 9,747 Hughes R3R 25 January 1997 West Ham United A 1–0 16,763 Russell R4 4 February 1997 Peterborough United A 4–2 8,734 Ward , Watkin , Russell (2) R5 15 February 1997 Birmingham City A 3–1 21,511 Hughes , Humes , Connolly QF 9 March 1997 Chesterfield A 0–1 8,735
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers NR2 28 January 1997 Crewe Alexandra H 0–1 2,216
[ 4] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
National teams
League competitions
Level 1 Levels 2–4 Level 5 Levels 6–7 Levels 8–9 Isthmian League (Two , Three ) Combined Counties League (level 8 only ) Eastern Counties League (Premier , One ) Essex Senior League (level 8 only ) Hellenic League (Premier , One ) Kent League (level 8 only ) Midland Alliance (level 8 only ) Midland Football Combination (level 9 only ) North West Counties League (One , Two ) Northern Counties East League (Premier , One ) Northern League (One , Two ) South Midlands League (Premier , Senior ) Spartan League (Premier , One ) Sussex County League (One , Two ) United Counties League (Premier , One ) Wessex League (level 8 only ) West Midlands (Regional) League (level 9 only ) Western League (Premier , One )
Cup competitions
FA cups Football League cups
European competitions