The 1996–97 Football League Cup (known as the Coca-Cola Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 37th Football League Cup, a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs.
The tournament was won by Leicester City, who beat Middlesbrough 1–0 in the final replay at Hillsborough after finishing 1–1 at Wembley Stadium.
First round 66 of the First, Second and Third Division clubs competed from the first round. Each section was divided equally into a pot of seeded clubs and a pot of unseeded clubs. Clubs' rankings depended upon their finishing position in the 1995–96 season.
First leg Home teamResultAway teamDate Brentford 1–0 Plymouth Argyle 20 August 1996 Brighton & Hove Albion 0–1 Birmingham City21 August 1996 Cardiff City 1–0 Northampton Town 20 August 1996 Carlisle United 1–0 Chester City 20 August 1996 Colchester United 2–3 West Bromwich Albion20 August 1996 Darlington 1–0 Rotherham United 20 August 1996 Doncaster Rovers 1–1 York City 20 August 1996 Exeter City 0–4 Barnet 20 August 1996 Hartlepool United 2–2 Lincoln City 20 August 1996 Hereford United 3–0 Cambridge United 20 August 1996 Huddersfield Town 3–0 Wrexham 20 August 1996 Hull City 2–2 Scarborough 20 August 1996 Ipswich Town 2–1 Bournemouth 20 August 1996 Luton Town 3–0 Bristol Rovers 20 August 1996 Mansfield Town 0–3 Burnley 20 August 1996 Millwall 1–0 Peterborough United 21 August 1996 Notts County 1–1 Bury 20 August 1996 Oldham Athletic 0–1 Grimsby Town 20 August 1996 Oxford United 1–1 Norwich City 20 August 1996 Port Vale 1–0 Crewe Alexandra 20 August 1996 Portsmouth 2–0 Leyton Orient 20 August 1996 Reading 1–1 Wycombe Wanderers 20 August 1996 Rochdale 2–1 Barnsley 20 August 1996 Scunthorpe United 2–1 Blackpool 20 August 1996 Sheffield United 3–0 Bradford City 20 August 1996 Shrewsbury Town 0–2 Tranmere Rovers 21 August 1996 Southend United 0–2 Fulham 20 August 1996 Stockport County 2–1 Chesterfield 20 August 1996 Swansea City 0–1 Gillingham 20 August 1996 Swindon Town 2–0Wolverhampton Wanderers 20 August 1996 Torquay United 3–3 Bristol City 20 August 1996 Walsall 1–0 Watford 20 August 1996 Wigan Athletic 2–3 Preston North End 20 August 1996
Second leg Home teamResultAway teamDateAgg. Barnet 2–0 Exeter City 3 September 1996 6–0 Barnsley 2–0 Rochdale 3 September 1996 3–2 Birmingham City 2–0 Brighton & Hove Albion 4 September 1996 3–0 Blackpool 2–0 Scunthorpe United 3 September 1996 3–2 Bournemouth 0–3 Ipswich Town 3 September 1996 1–5 Bradford City 1–2 Sheffield United 3 September 1996 1–5 Bristol City 1–0 Torquay United 3 September 1996 4–3 Bristol Rovers 2–1 Luton Town 4 September 1996 2–4 Burnley 2–0 Mansfield Town 3 September 1996 5–0 Bury 1–0 Notts County 3 September 1996 2–1 Cambridge United 1–1 Hereford United 3 September 1996 1–4 Chester City 1–3 Carlisle United 3 September 1996 1–4 Chesterfield 1–2 Stockport County 3 September 1996 2–4 Crewe Alexandra 1–5 Port Vale 3 September 1996 1–6 Fulham 1–2 Southend United 3 September 1996 3–2 Gillingham 2–0 Swansea City 3 September 1996 3–0 Grimsby Town 0–1After Extra TimeOldham Athletic F.C. won 5–4 on penalties Oldham Athletic 3 September 1996 1–1 Leyton Orient 1–0 Portsmouth 4 September 1996 1–2 Lincoln City 3–2 Hartlepool United 3 September 1996 5–4 Northampton Town 2–0 Cardiff City 3 September 1996 2–1 Norwich City 2–3After Extra Time Oxford United 4 September 1996 3–4 Peterborough United 2–0After Extra Time Millwall 3 September 1996 2–1 Plymouth Argyle 0–0 Brentford 3 September 1996 0–1 Preston North End 4–4After Extra Time Wigan Athletic 3 September 1996 7–6 Rotherham United 0–1 Darlington 3 September 1996 0–2 Scarborough 3–2 Hull City 3 September 1996 5–4 Tranmere Rovers 1–1 Shrewsbury Town 3 September 1996 3–1 Watford 2–0 Walsall 3 September 1996 2–1 West Bromwich Albion 1–3 Colchester United 3 September 1996 4–5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Swindon Town 4 September 1996 1–2 Wrexham 1–2 Huddersfield Town 3 September 1996 1–5 Wycombe Wanderers 2–0 Reading 3 September 1996 3–1 York City 2–0 Doncaster Rovers 3 September 1996 3–1
Second round The 33 winners from the first round joined the 15 Premier League clubs not participating in European competition plus the 3 non-promoted play-off teams from the First Division and the 3 relegated clubs from the Premier League in the 1995–96 season in round two. First leg matches were played on the 17 and 18 September, second leg matches were played on 24 and 25 September.
First leg Home team Score Away team Date Barnet 1–1 West Ham United 18 September 1996 Barnsley 1–1 Gillingham 17 September 1996 Blackpool 1–4 Chelsea 18 September 1996 Brentford 1–2 Blackburn Rovers 17 September 1996 Bristol City 0–0 Bolton Wanderers 18 September 1996 Bury 1–3 Crystal Palace 17 September 1996 Charlton Athletic 4–1 Burnley 17 September 1996 Coventry City 1–1 Birmingham City 18 September 1996 Everton 1–1 York City 18 September 1996 Fulham 1–1 Ipswich Town 17 September 1996 Huddersfield Town 1–1 Colchester United 17 September 1996 Leeds United 2–2 Darlington 18 September 1996 Lincoln City 4–1 Manchester City 17 September 1996 Luton Town 1–0 Derby County 17 September 1996 Middlesbrough 7–0 Hereford United 18 September 1996 Nottingham Forest 1–0 Wycombe Wanderers 18 September 1996 Oldham Athletic 2–2 Tranmere Rovers 17 September 1996 Port Vale 1–0 Carlisle United 17 September 1996 Preston North End 1–1 Tottenham Hotspur 17 September 1996 Scarborough 0–2 Leicester City 17 September 1996 Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Oxford United 18 September 1996 Southampton 2–0 Peterborough United 18 September 1996 Stockport County 2–1 Sheffield United 17 September 1996 Stoke City 1–0 Northampton Town 18 September 1996 Swindon Town 1–2 Queens Park Rangers 18 September 1996 Watford 0–2 Sunderland 17 September 1996 Wimbledon 1–0 Portsmouth 18 September 1996
Second leg Home team Score Away team Date Agg Birmingham City 0–1 Coventry City 24 September 1996 1–2 Blackburn Rovers 2–0 Brentford 24 September 1996 4–1 Bolton Wanderers 3–1After Extra Time Bristol City 24 September 1996 3–1 Burnley 1–2 Charlton Athletic 24 September 1996 2–6 Carlisle United 2–2 Port Vale 24 September 1996 2–3 Chelsea 1–3 Blackpool 25 September 1996 5–4 Colchester United 0–2After Extra Time Huddersfield Town 24 September 1996 1–3 Crystal Palace 4–0 Bury 24 September 1996 7–1 Darlington 0–2 Leeds United 24 September 1996 2–4 Derby County 2–2 Luton Town 25 September 1996 2–3 Gillingham 1–0 Barnsley 24 September 1996 2–1 Hereford United 0–3 Middlesbrough 24 September 1996 0–10 Ipswich Town 4–2 Fulham 24 September 1996 5–3 Leicester City 2–1 Scarborough 25 September 1996 4–1 Manchester City 0–1 Lincoln City 24 September 1996 1–5 Northampton Town 1–2After Extra Time Stoke City 24 September 1996 1–3 Oxford United 1–0 Sheffield Wednesday 24 September 1996 2–1 Peterborough United 1–4 Southampton 25 September 1996 1–6 Portsmouth 1–1 Wimbledon 25 September 1996 1–2 Queens Park Rangers 1–3After Extra Time Swindon Town 25 September 1996 3–4 Sheffield United 2–5 Stockport County 24 September 1996 3–7 Sunderland 1–0 Watford 24 September 1996 3–0 Tottenham Hotspur 3–0 Preston North End 25 September 1996 4–1 Tranmere Rovers 0–1 Oldham Athletic 24 September 1996 2–3 West Ham United 1–0 Barnet 25 September 1996 2–1 Wycombe Wanderers 1–1After Extra Time Nottingham Forest 24 September 1996 1–2 York City 3–2 Everton 24 September 1996 4–3
Third round The 27 winners from the second round joined the five Premiership clubs participating in European competition in round three. Matches were played on 22 and 23 October.
Ties Home teamScoreAway teamDate Blackburn Rovers 0–1 Stockport County 22 October 1996 Bolton Wanderers 2–1 Chelsea 22 October 1996 Gillingham 2–2 Coventry City 22 October 1996 Ipswich Town 4–1 Crystal Palace 22 October 1996 Wimbledon 1–1 Luton Town 22 October 1996 Port Vale 0–0 Oxford United 22 October 1996 York City 0–2 Leicester City 22 October 1996 Charlton Athletic 1–1 Liverpool 23 October 1996 Leeds United 1–2 Aston Villa 23 October 1996 Manchester United 2–1 Swindon Town 23 October 1996 Middlesbrough 5–1 Huddersfield Town 23 October 1996 Newcastle United 1–0 Oldham Athletic 23 October 1996 Southampton 1–1 Lincoln City 23 October 1996 Stoke City 1–1 Arsenal 23 October 1996 Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Sunderland 23 October 1996 West Ham United 4–1 Nottingham Forest 23 October 1996
Replays Home teamScoreAway teamDate Coventry City 0–1 Gillingham 13 November 1996 Luton Town 1–2After Extra Time Wimbledon 12 November 1996 Oxford United 2–0 Port Vale 5 November 1996 Liverpool 4–1 Charlton Athletic 13 November 1996 Lincoln City 1–3 Southampton 12 November 1996 Arsenal 5–2 Stoke City 13 November 1996
Fourth round Most matches were played on 26 November 27 November with two replays being played on 18 December.
Replays
Quarter-finals The four matches were played between 8 and 29 January.
Replay
Semi-finals The semi-final draw was made in January 1997 after the conclusion of the quarter finals. Unlike the other rounds, the semi-final ties were played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The first leg matches were played on 18 and 26 February 1997, the second leg matches were played on 11 and 12 March 1997. Leicester City went through on away goals to reach their first cup final in 28 years at the expense of Wimbledon, while Division Two underdogs Stockport gave Middlesbrough a run for their money, going out by a single goal.
First leg
Second leg
Leicester City win on away goals
Middlesbrough win 2–1 on aggregate
Final
The 1997 Coca-Cola Cup Final was played on 6 April 1997 and was contested between Leicester City and Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium. Leicester won 1–0 in the replay at Hillsborough on 16 April 1997. This was the last year that the Football League Cup Final was decided by a replay.
Replay
References
External links Official Carling Cup website Carling Cup at bbc.co.uk League Cup news, match reports and pictures on Reuters.co.uk Results on Soccerbase