During the 1996–97 English football season, Crystal Palace competed in the Football League First Division.
Season summary Crystal Palace finished 6th place in the First Division and gained promotion to the Premier League after a 1–0 win in the play-off finals over Sheffield United at Wembley, David Hopkin scoring the winner in the 89th minute.
Final league table
Results Crystal Palace's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
First Division + First Division match resultsDateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceBirmingham CityA0–118,765Oldham AthleticH3–1Hopkin 11', 23', Dyer 44'12,822West Bromwich AlbionH0–013,849Huddersfield TownA1–1Freedman 69'11,166Stoke CityA2–2Hopkin 13', Freedman 22'13,540Ipswich TownH0–012,520Manchester CityH3–1Hopkin 12', 49' Andersen 31'17,638ReadingA6–1Tuttle 27', Freedman 37', Muscat 50', Dyer 56' (pen.), Veart 58', Ndah 77'9,675Southend UnitedH6–1Muscat 2, Houghton 38', Hopkin 49', Veart 53', Dyer 72', Freedman 79'14,858PortsmouthA2–2Veart 28', Freedman 63'7,212BarnsleyA0–09,183Port ValeA2–0Dyer 2', Roberts 15'4,522Swindon TownH1–2Dyer 23' (pen.)15,088Grimsby TownH3–0Dyer 44', Veart 56', Freedman 29'13,665Bradford CityA4–0Shipperley 36', 38', Freedman 58', Hopkin 83'10,091Tranmere RoversA3–1Dyer 15', Freedman 48', Hopkin 858,613Queens Park RangersH3–0Dyer 40', Shipperley 71', Hopkin 9015,324Bolton WanderersA2–2Hopkin 39', Freedman 41'16,892Wolverhampton WanderersH2–3Veart 51', Dyer 55'20,655Grimsby TownA1–2Shipperley 5'5,115Oxford UnitedH2–2Dyer 16', 80'17,879Norwich CityA1–1Shipperley 3'16,395Sheffield UnitedH0–112,801Charlton AthleticH1–0Shipperley 87'16,279Ipswich TownA1–3Gordon 65' (pen.)16,020Manchester CityA1–1Ndah 83'27,395PortsmouthH1–2Quinn 30'15,498Southend UnitedA1–2Freedman 68'5,061Queens Park RangersA1–0Hopkin 22'16,467Bradford CityH3–1Shipperley 61', Ndah 65', Freedman 74'14,844Wolverhampton WanderersA3–0Tuttle 17', Veart 72', Dyer 73'25,919Tranmere RoversH0–115,396Oxford UnitedA4–1Gordon 37', Dyer 50', 82', Hopkin 63'8,572Bolton WanderersH1–1Linighan 50'16,035Charlton AthleticA1–2Dyer 60'15,000Norwich CityH2–0Gordon 30' (pen), McKenzie 35'17,378Oldham AthleticA1–0McKenzie 3'5,282Birmingham CityH0–116,331Huddersfield TownH1–1Shipperley 52'13,541West Bromwich AlbionA0–112,866Sheffield UnitedA0–320,051Stoke CityH2–0Dyer 6', 21'11,382BarnsleyH1–1Shipperley 30'20,006ReadingH3–2Linighan 13', Hopkin 49', Shipperley 69'12,552Swindon TownA2–0Shipperley 44', 89'10,447Port ValeH1–1Roberts 12'16,401
First Division play-offs
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersSF 1st leg10 May 1997 Wolverhampton WanderersH3–121,053Shipperly 68', Freedman 89', 90'SF 2nd leg14 May 1996 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–226,403Hopkin 66'Final26 May 1996 Sheffield United N1–064,383Hopkin 90'
FA Cup
League Cup
Players First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
References
Notes