The 1996–97 season was Birmingham City Football Club's 94th in the Football League. They finished in tenth position in the 24-team Division One, the second tier of the English football league system. They entered the 1996–97 FA Cup at the third round, losing to Wrexham in the fifth, and entered the League Cup in the first round and lost to Coventry City in the second.
Season summary This was the first season under the managership of playing legend Trevor Francis, appointed in May 1996 after the dismissal of previous incumbent Barry Fry. Francis introduced players with top-level experience such as Manchester United captain Steve Bruce. There were a significant number of transfers and loans with Peterborough United, Fry's new team.
Football League First Division
Match details
DateLeaguepositionOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceReport18 August 19968thCrystal PalaceHW1–0Devlin 25'18,76524 August 19965thSheffield UnitedAD4–4Furlong 9', Newell 37', Devlin 75' pen., Hunt 83'16,3327 September 199620thTranmere RoversAL0–18,54810 September 199619thOldham AthleticHD0–017,22814 September 199614thStoke CityHW3–1Furlong (2) 2', 65', Legg 3218,61221 September 199617thManchester CityAL0–126,75728 September 199618thQueens Park RangersHD0–017,4308 October 199623rdHuddersfield TownAL0–310,90412 October 199618thBradford CityHW3–0Devlin (2) 1', 50', Hunt 88'25,15715 October 199611thIpswich TownHW1–0Bowen 50'15,66418 October 199613thOxford UnitedAD0–07,59426 October 199615thNorwich CityHL2–3Devlin (2) 40', 86'18,86929 October 199616thPortsmouthAD1–1Furlong 22'6,3342 November 199620thPort ValeAL0–38,38813 November 199616thBolton WanderersHW3–1Furlong 55', Bowen 56', Todd 81' o.g.17,03317 November 199614thWolverhampton WanderersAW2–1Breen 8', Legg 58'22,62720 November 199614thCharlton AthleticAL1–2Legg 13'8,57423 November 199610thSwindon TownHW1–0Furlong 29'16,55926 November 19969thReadingAD0–08,40730 November 19967thNorwich CityAW1–0O'Connor 62'12,7643 December 19968thBarnsleyHD0–024,0047 December 19968thGrimsby TownHD0–017,00120 December 19969thSouthend UnitedAD1–1Devlin 88'5,10010 January 199718thStoke CityAL0–110,04918 January 199715thReadingHW4–1Furlong 33', Devlin (2) 56' pen., 75, Gilkes 89' o.g.15,36329 January 199715thQueens Park RangersAD1–1Devlin 36'12,1381 February 199716thBolton WanderersAL1–2Devlin 56'16,7374 February 199717thWest Bromwich AlbionHL2–3O'Connor 14', Devlin 55' pen.21,6008 February 199719thPortsmouthHL0–315,89723 February 199720thPort ValeHL1–2Devlin 8' pen.13,19226 February 199720thSwindon TownAL1–3Ablett 22'7,4281 March 199720thGrimsby TownAW2–1O'Connor 60', Forster 61'17,6094 March 199720thWolverhampton WanderersHL1–2Forster 70'19,8388 March 199720thSouthend UnitedHW2–1Forster 6', O'Connor 37' pen.13,18913 March 199716thManchester CityHW2–0Furlong 51' pen., Francis 69'20,08416 March 199719thWest Bromwich AlbionAL0–216,12522 March 199719thSheffield UnitedHD1–1Legg 53'14,96929 March 199718thCrystal PalaceAW1–0Grainger 41'16,33131 March 199716thCharlton AthleticHD0–014,5255 April 199713thBarnsleyAW1–0Grainger 12'13,0928 April 199713thOldham AthleticAD2–2Furlong 17', Grainger 30'5,94212 April 199712thHuddersfield TownHW1–0Jenkins 90' o.g.14,39415 April 199712thTranmere RoversHD0–022,36419 April 199712thBradford CityAW2–0Devlin 22', Furlong 86'15,82426 April 199710thOxford UnitedHW2–0Devlin 54', Bowen 87'16,1094 May 199710thIpswich TownAD1–1Devlin 81'20,570
League table
Results summary
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceReportThird round4 January 1997Stevenage BoroughHaW2–0Francis 27', Devlin 64' pen.15,365Fourth round25 January 1997Stockport CountyHW3–1Furlong 29', Devlin 48', Francis 69'18,487Fifth round25 January 1997WrexhamHL1–3Bruce 37'21,511
a. The match was drawn to be played at Stevenage Borough's Broadhall Way ground, but the venue was switched on police advice.
League Cup
RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceReportFirst round 1st leg21 August 1996Brighton & Hove AlbionAW1–0Devlin 49' pen.5,132First round 2nd leg4 September 1996Brighton & Hove AlbionHW2–03–0 agg.Newell (2) 40', 86'20,050Second round 1st leg18 September 1996Coventry CityAD1–1Daish 88'11,828Second round 2nd leg24 September 1996Coventry CityHL0–11–2 agg.15,281
Transfers
In DatePlayerClubFeeRef August 1996 Steve Sutton Derby County Free 28 October 1996 Chris Holland Newcastle United £600,000 November 1996 Martyn O'Connor Peterborough United £500,000a 20 January 1997 Anders Limpar Everton £100,000 27 January 1997 Kenny Brown West Ham United £75,000 January 1997 Nicky Forster Brentford £700,000 March 1997 Bryan Hughes Wrexham £800,000 May 1997 Darren Wassall Derby County Undisclosedb
a. The deal also included Andy Edwards moving in the other direction. b. The move was part of the deal in which Jonathan Hunt moved in the other direction for a £500,000 fee.
Out DatePlayerFeeJoinedRef September 1996 Paul Barnes £350,000 Burnley October 1996 Bart Griemink £25,000 Peterborough United October 1996 Steve Finnan £300,000 Notts County October 1996 Gary Poole £250,000 Charlton Athletic November 1996 Jae Martin £25,000 Lincoln City November 1996 Andy Edwards Undiscloseda Peterborough United December 1996 John Cornforth £25,000 Wycombe Wanderers January 1997 Gary Breen £2.5m Coventry City 10 February 1997 Louie Donowa Free Peterborough United 27 March 1997 John Frain Free Northampton Town 15 April 1997 Anders Limpar Contract cancelled (AIK) May 1997 Jonathan Hunt £500,000b Derby County June 1997 Wayne Dyer Released June 1997 Steve Castle Released June 1997 Steve Sutton Released
Brackets round a club denote the player joined that club after his Birmingham City contract expired. a. The move was part of the deal in which Martyn O'Connor moved in the other direction for a £500,000 fee. b. The deal also included Darren Wassall moving in the other direction.
Loan in DatePlayerClubReturnRef 3 September 1996 Chris Holland Newcastle United 28 October 1996 October 1996 Marco Gabbiadini Derby County One month 31 October 1996 Matt Jackson Everton 20 December 1996 28 November 1996 Terry Cooke Manchester United One month 23 December 1996 Birkir Kristinsson SK Brann 1 February 1997 28 December 1996 Kenny Brown West Ham United One month 26 March 1997 Darren Wassall Derby County End of season
Loan out DatePlayerClubReturnRef 21 August 1996 Jae Martin Lincoln City Three months 9 September 1996 Bart Griemink Barnsley One months 19 September 1996 Ricky Otto Charlton Athletic Two months 1 October 1996 Jon Bass Carlisle United One month 19 December 1996 Mike Newell West Ham United February 1997 24 January 1997 John Frain Northampton Town 27 March 1997 3 February 1997 Steve Castle Leyton Orient One month 6 February 1997 Louie Donowa Walsall End of season 13 December 1996 Louie Donowa Peterborough United Two months 6 February 1997 Ricky Otto Peterborough United End of season 17 March 1997 Mike Newell Bradford City End of season
Appearances and goals
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute. Players with name in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Birmingham. Players marked left the club during the playing season. Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes. Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
+ Players' appearances and goals by competitionNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalDisciplineGoalsGoalsGoalsGoalsGK Ian Bennett400304047000GK Bart Griemink 0000000000GK Birkir Kristinsson * 0000000000GK Steve Sutton6000006000DF Gary Ablett39 (3)1304046 (3)160DF Dave Barnett6000006000DF Jon Bass11 (2)0100011 (2)010DF Gary Breen 20 (2)1104025 (2)100DF Kenny Brown110100012000DF Steve Bruce30 (2)0314037 (2)190DF Andy Edwards 1 (2)000102 (2)000DF Steve Finnan3000003000DF John Frain 1000001000DF Martin Grainger21 (2)3200023 (2)361DF Matt Jackson * 100000010010DF Michael Johnson28 (7)01 (2)00 (2)029 (11)050DF Gary Poole 9 (1)0003012 (1)041DF Darren Wassall *8000008030MFJason Bowen19 (6)31 (2)01 (1)021 (9)310MF Steve Castle4 (4)000408 (4)020MF Terry Cooke * 1 (3)000001 (3)000MF Paul Devlin32 (6)16323 (1)138 (7)1962MF Louie Donowa 0 (4)000101 (4)010MF Chris Holland28 (4)0300031 (4)010MF Barry Horne330304040040MF Bryan Hughes10 (1)0000010 (1)000MF Jonathan Hunt6 (6)2100 (2)07 (8)200MF Andy Legg22 (11)42 (1)03 (1)027 (13)460MF Anders Limpar 3 (1)010004 (1)010MF Martin O'Connor24 (4)4000024 (4)411MF Ricky Otto1 (3)000001 (3)000MF Steve Robinson6 (3)000006 (3)000MFPaul Tait17 (9)0100 (1)018 (10)040FW Nicky Forster4 (3)300004 (3)300FW Kevin Francis4 (15)11 (1)2005 (16)330FW Paul Furlong37 (6)10214143 (6)1251FW Marco Gabbiadini * 0 (2)000000 (2)000FW Mike Newell11 (4)10 (1)04215 (5)330
+ Players not included in matchday squadsNameFW Paul Barnes MF John Cornforth MFWayne DyerFW Jae Martin
See also List of Birmingham City F.C. seasons
Sources
For match dates, league positions and results: For lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 428–29. For goal times: For transfers: For discipline: individual player pages linked from Note that the Soccerbase figures omit appearances in the away game at Norwich City, so the figures above omit any disciplinary cards received in that game.
References