During the 1996–97 English football season, Grimsby Town competed in the Football League First Division.
Transfers
Transfers in DatePosPlayerTransferred fromFeeRef 11 July 1996 MF Tommy Widdrington Southampton £300,000 16 July 1996 MF Kingsley Black Nottingham Forest £25,000 19 July 1996 MF Darren Wrack Derby County £100,000 16 August 1996 DF Neil Webb Nottingham Forest Free Transfer 31 August 1996 GK Andy Quy Derby County Free Transfer
Loans in DatePosPlayerTransferred fromDate UntilRef 30 August 1996 DF Paul Trollope Derby County 1 October 1996 17 January 1997 MF Michael Appleton Manchester United 18 March 1997 28 January 1997 GK Alan Miller Middlesbrough 8 February 1997 21 March 1997 FW Jason Lee Nottingham Forest 31 May 1997
Transfers out DatePosPlayerTransferred ToFeeRef 31 May 1996 MF Tommy Watson Retired Released 31 May 1996 DF Enzo Gambaro Sturm Graz Released 8 July 1996 MF Paul Groves West Bromwich Albion £600,000 1 August 1996 MF Steve Fraser Lincoln City Free Transfer 2 August 1996 MF Jim Dobbin Rotherham United Free Transfer 9 August 1996 FW Ivano Bonetti Tranmere Rovers Free Transfer 2 October 1996 GK Paul Crichton West Bromwich Albion £250,000 1 November 1996 DF Brian Laws Darlington Released 8 November 1996 MF Johnny Walker Mansfield Town £50,000 21 March 1997 FW Jamie Forrester Scunthorpe United Free Transfer
Loans out DatePosPlayerTransferred ToDate UntilRef 4 October 1996 MF Jimmy Neil Grantham 4 November 1996 17 February 1997 MF Darren Wrack Shrewsbury Town 15 March 1997
Season summary The Mariners were relegated from Division One. Despite flowing goals from Clive Mendonca and good performances from John Oster and newcomer Kingsley Black, Grimsby failed to save themselves. The club had suffered from the losses of ever-present goalkeeper Paul Crichton and Gary Croft, who made a £1.5 million move to Blackburn Rovers. Manager Brian Laws had been sacked late in 1996; John Cockerill and Kenny Swain both had stints as caretaker during the season. At the end of the season, former manager Alan Buckley, who had taken Grimsby from the Fourth to the old Second Division in his first stint in charge, rejoined the club in an attempt to take Grimsby back to the second tier.
Kit Italian company Lotto became Grimsby's new kit manufacturers, and introduced a new kit for the season. Europe's Food Town remained kit sponsors.
Results
First Division
FA Cup
League Cup
League table
Squad overview
References