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 (13)
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

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

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

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 fulfill their original fixture at Blackburn Rovers on 21st December 1996.

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 UnitedH1–322,291Rieper (own goal)
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

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

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

Transfers

In

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

Out

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

Statistics

Appearances and goals

No. Pos Nat Player TotalPremier LeagueFA CupLeague Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Goalkeepers
1 GK England ENG Steve Ogrizovic 4603804040
13 GK Australia AUS John Filan 100+100000
Defenders
2 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Richard Shaw 4203504030
3 DF England ENG David Burrows 21018+100020
4 DF England ENG Paul Williams 38229+324020
5 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Liam Daish 2002000000
12 DF Scotland SCO Paul Telfer 42231+304042
16 DF England ENG Brian Burrows 29015+703040
18 DF England ENG Marcus Hall 18010+303020
23 DF Ukraine UKR Oleksandr Yevtushok 30300000
25 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Gary Breen 908+100000
Midfielders
6 MF England ENG Kevin Richardson 36025+304040
7 MF Scotland SCO Eoin Jess 32219+804210
10 MF Scotland SCO Gary McAllister 4673864041
11 MF England ENG John Salako 29123+111040
17 MF Republic of Ireland IRL Willie Boland 100+100000
20 MF Northern Ireland NIR Michael O'Neill 10100000
26 MF Scotland SCO Gordon Strachan 1103+600+100+10
Forwards
8 FW England ENG Noel Whelan 43834+164240
9 FW England ENG Dion Dublin 391433+114103+10
14 FW Zimbabwe ZIM Peter Ndlovu 22110+910+3000
15 FW Brazil BRA Isaías 100+100000
21 FW England ENG Andy Ducros 501+400000
28 FW England ENG Darren Huckerby 29721+454200
Players who left the club during the season
24 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Régis Genaux 30300000

References

  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.
  2. ↑ "Coventry City 1996-1997 Results - statto.com". Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "FootballSquads - Coventry City - 1996/97".
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