The 1996–97 FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was the fifth season of the FA Premier League since its formation in 1992. The majority of the season was contested by the reigning champions, Manchester United, along with Newcastle United, Arsenal and Liverpool. The title was eventually won by Manchester United, after Liverpool's and Newcastle's failure to win in their penultimate games of the season; at 75 points it is the lowest points total for a Premier League champion club and lowest since the 3-1-0 points system was introduced in the 1981–82 season.
Middlesbrough, who had high-profile foreign players like Juninho, Emerson, Fabrizio Ravanelli (who scored 31 goals in all competitions), Branco and Gianluca Festa, were relegated on the final day of the season and were on the losing side in both the FA Cup final and the League Cup final. Middlesbrough finished in 19th place, but would have been placed 14th without a three-point deduction imposed for unilaterally postponing a 21 December 1996 fixture at Blackburn Rovers, with the Middlesbrough board making the decision due to the absence of 23 players ill or injured."Football's biggest punishments". Retrieved 20 September 2006."Funny Old Game|Happened on this day – 20 December". Retrieved 20 September 2006. The club consulted the Premier League prior to calling off the fixture and was told to do 'what they thought best'. To protect the integrity of the game, and avoid fielding a team of untried teenagers including three goalkeepers, Middlesbrough called off the match. The Premier League subsequently absolved itself of all responsibility and deducted the three points. This sanction meant Coventry City, who had been in the top division since 1967, finished in 17th place and avoided relegation. The decision was controversial, and later resurfaced in 2006–07 when West Ham escaped a points deduction and subsequently avoided relegation.
Another relegation place went to Nottingham Forest, who sacked manager Frank Clark in December. Stuart Pearce took over as temporary player-manager, spending three months in charge and winning the January 1997 Manager of the Month award. In March, Pearce quit as manager to be replaced by Dave Bassett, formerly of Crystal Palace. Also relegated, due to a 1–0 defeat to Wimbledon in their last game of the season, was Sunderland, who were leaving Roker Park after 99 years and relocating to the 42,000-seat Stadium of Light on the banks of the River Wear for the start of the 1997–98 season in Division One.
Teams Twenty teams competed in the league – the top seventeen teams from the previous season and the three teams promoted from the First Division. The promoted teams were Sunderland, Derby County (both teams returning to the top flight after a five-year absence) and Leicester City (immediately returning to the top flight after a season's absence). This was also both Sunderland and Derby County's first season in the Premier League. They replaced Manchester City, Queens Park Rangers and Bolton Wanderers, who were relegated to the First Division after a top flight presence of seven, thirteen and one year respectively.
Stadiums and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity Arsenal London Arsenal Stadium Aston Villa Birmingham Villa Park Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Ewood Park Chelsea London Stamford Bridge Coventry City Coventry Highfield Road Derby County Derby Baseball Ground Everton Liverpool Goodison Park Leeds United Leeds Elland Road Leicester City Leicester Filbert Street Liverpool Liverpool Anfield Manchester United Manchester Old Trafford Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium Newcastle United Newcastle upon Tyne St James' Park Nottingham Forest West Bridgford City Ground Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Hillsborough Stadium Southampton Southampton The Dell Sunderland Sunderland Roker Park Tottenham Hotspur London White Hart Lane West Ham United London Boleyn Ground Wimbledon London Selhurst Park
Personnel and kits
(as of 11 May 1997)
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorArsenal Arsène Wenger Tony AdamsNikeJVCAston Villa Brian Little Andy TownsendReebokAST ResearchBlackburn Rovers Tony Parkes Tim SherwoodAsicsCISChelsea Ruud Gullit Dennis WiseUmbroCoorsCoventry City Gordon Strachan Gary McAllisterLe Coq SportifPeugeotDerby County Jim Smith Igor ŠtimacPumaPumaEverton Dave Watson (caretaker) Dave WatsonUmbroDankaLeeds United George Graham Lucas RadebePumaPackard BellLeicester City Martin O'Neill Steve WalshFox LeisureWalkersLiverpool Roy Evans John BarnesReebokCarlsbergManchester United Alex Ferguson Eric CantonaUmbroSharpMiddlesbrough Bryan Robson Nigel PearsonErreàCellnetNewcastle United Kenny Dalglish Peter BeardsleyAdidasNewcastle Brown AleNottingham Forest Dave Bassett Stuart PearceUmbroLabatt'sSheffield Wednesday David Pleat Peter AthertonPumaSandersonSouthampton Graeme Souness Matt Le TissierPonySandersonSunderland Peter Reid Kevin BallAvecVaux BreweriesTottenham Hotspur Gerry Francis Gary MabbuttPonyHewlett-PackardWest Ham United Harry Redknapp Julian DicksPonyDagenham MotorsWimbledon Joe Kinnear Vinnie JonesLottoElonex
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment Chelsea Glenn Hoddle Signed by England 10 May 1996 Pre-season Ruud Gullit 10 May 1996 Southampton Dave Merrington Sacked 14 June 1996 Graeme Souness 3 July 1996 Arsenal Bruce Rioch 12 August 1996 Stewart Houston (caretaker) 12 August 1996 Leeds United Howard Wilkinson 10 September 1996 9th George Graham 10 September 1996 Arsenal Stewart Houston Signed by Queens Park Rangers 16 September 1996 7th Pat Rice (caretaker) 16 September 1996 Pat Rice End of caretaker spell 30 September 1996 3rd Arsène Wenger 30 September 1996 Blackburn Rovers Ray Harford Resigned 25 October 1996 20th Tony Parkes (caretaker) 25 October 1996 Coventry City Ron Atkinson Promoted to director of football 5 November 1996 18th Gordon Strachan 5 November 1996 Nottingham Forest Frank Clark Resigned 19 December 1996 20th Stuart Pearce (caretaker) 20 December 1996 Newcastle United Kevin Keegan 8 January 1997 4th Terry McDermott (caretaker) 8 January 1997 Terry McDermott End of caretaker spell 14 January 1997 Kenny Dalglish 14 January 1997 Everton Joe Royle Resigned 27 March 1997 13th Dave Watson (caretaker) 1 April 1997
League table
Results
Season statistics
Scoring
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Alan ShearerNewcastle United252 Ian WrightArsenal233 Robbie FowlerLiverpool18 Ole Gunnar SolskjærManchester United5 Dwight YorkeAston Villa176 Les FerdinandNewcastle United16 Fabrizio RavanelliMiddlesbrough8 Dion DublinCoventry City13 Matt Le TissierSouthampton10 Dennis BergkampArsenal12 Steve ClaridgeLeicester City Stan CollymoreLiverpool JuninhoMiddlesbrough
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ref Nottingham Forest Coventry City 3–0 (A) Middlesbrough Liverpool 3–3 (H) Arsenal Sheffield Wednesday 4–1 (H) L Aston Villa Newcastle United 3–4 (A) Everton Southampton 7–1 (H) 4 Liverpool Middlesbrough 5–1 (H) Newcastle United Leicester City 4–3 (H) Leicester City Derby County 4–2 (H) Tottenham Hotspur Sunderland 4–0 (A) Middlesbrough Derby County 6–1 (H) Blackburn Rovers Wimbledon 3–1 (H) West Ham United Sheffield Wednesday 5–1 (H) Note: 4 Player scored 4 goals; L Player finished on the losing side; (H) – Home; (A) – Away
Top assists
Rank Player Club Assists 1 Eric Cantona Manchester United 12 2 Neal Ardley Wimbledon 11 3 Dennis Bergkamp Arsenal 9 Andy Hinchcliffe Everton Gary McAllister Coventry City Gianfranco Zola Chelsea 7 Nick Barmby Everton 8 David Beckham Manchester United Stig Inge Bjørnebye Liverpool Les Ferdinand Newcastle United
Awards
Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthManagerClubPlayerClubAugust David PleatSheffield Wednesday David BeckhamManchester UnitedSeptember Joe KinnearWimbledon Patrik BergerLiverpoolOctober Graeme SounessSouthampton Matt Le TissierSouthamptonNovember Jim SmithDerby County Ian WrightArsenalDecember Gordon StrachanCoventry City Gianfranco ZolaChelseaJanuary Stuart PearceNottingham Forest Tim FlowersBlackburn RoversFebruary Alex FergusonManchester United Robbie EarleWimbledonMarch Bryan RobsonMiddlesbrough JuninhoMiddlesbroughApril Graeme SounessSouthampton Mickey EvansSouthampton
Annual awards
Award Winner Club Premier League Manager of the Season Alex Ferguson "Seasonal Awards 1996/97" . Retrieved 20 September 2006. Manchester United Premier League Player of the Season Juninho Middlesbrough PFA Players' Player of the Year Alan Shearer"England Player Honours – Professional Footballers' Association Players' Players of the Year". Retrieved 20 September 2006. Newcastle United PFA Young Player of the Year David Beckham"England Player Honours – Professional Footballers' Association Young Players of the Year". Retrieved 20 September 2006. Manchester United FWA Footballer of the Year Gianfranco Zola"England Player Honours – Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year". Retrieved 20 September 2006. Chelsea
PFA Team of the Year Goalkeeper David Seaman (Arsenal) Defence Gary Neville (Manchester United) Tony Adams (Arsenal) Mark Wright (Liverpool) Stig Inge Bjørnebye (Liverpool) Midfield David Beckham (Manchester United) Roy Keane (Manchester United) David Batty (Newcastle United) Steve McManaman (Liverpool) Attack Alan Shearer (Newcastle United) Ian Wright (Arsenal)
Attendances
Manchester United drew the highest average home attendance in the 1996-97 edition of the Premier League.
See also 1996–97 in English football
Notes
References
External links 1996–97 Premier League Season at RSSSF