During the 1996–97 English football season, Hartlepool United F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division.

Season summary In the 1996–97 season, Hartlepool started the campaign with wins over Colchester United and Fulham, but Houchen's playing career came to an end after the fifth game of the season, against Wigan Athletic, when he retired due to a persistent knee injury. Houchen continued to bemoan referring decisions which seemed to consistently go against Hartlepool. This in turn led to continued punishments from the FA over his use of foul language towards officials. With Hartlepool on a poor run of results at the foot of the table, he left the club by mutual consent on 4 November 1996. His assistant Mick Tait led the club to a 20th-place finish, and organised a benefit match for Houchen against Middlesbrough, which raised £23,000.

There was also a change of ownership in 1997, when Harold Hornsey sold the club to an oil company called IOR.

Final league table

Results Hartlepool United's score comes first

Results summary

Results by matchday

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Third Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 17 August 1996 Colchester UnitedA2–02,942Allon, McAuley 24 August 1996 FulhamH2–12,457Cooper, Davies 27 August 1996 Mansfield TownH2–22,750Cooper, Ingram 31 August 1996 Leyton OrientA0–24,342 7 September 1996 Hereford UnitedA1–02,729Halliday 10 September 1996 Carlisle UnitedH1–23,077Cooper 14 September 1996 Wigan AthleticH1–12,433Cooper 21 September 1996 Hull CityA0–13,886 28 September 1996 Chester CityH2–02,042Allon, Cooper (pen) 1 October 1996 Doncaster RoversA1–21,471Beech 5 October 1996 Cambridge UnitedA0–13,406 12 October 1996 DarlingtonH1–23,799Halliday 15 October 1996 Swansea CityH1–11,310Halliday 19 October 1996 BarnetA0–12,265 26 October 1996 Exeter CityA0–23,043 29 October 1996 Northampton TownH0–21,254 2 November 1996 Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–31,683Mike, Cooper 9 November 1996 ScarboroughA4–23,157Howard, Clegg, Halliday (2) 23 November 1996 Torquay UnitedA1–01,856Allon 30 November 1996 Exeter CityH1–11,419Irvine 3 December 1996 Scunthorpe UnitedA1–21,778Clegg 14 December 1996 RochdaleA3–11,618Beech, Howard, Allon 21 December 1996 Lincoln CityH2–11,344Cooper (pen), Sunderland 26 December 1996 Carlisle UnitedA0–16,947 28 December 1996 Hereford UnitedH2–11,923Allon, Howard 1 January 1997 Hull CityH1–11,944Beech 11 January 1997 Chester CityA0–01,885 18 January 1997 Doncaster RoversH2–41,708Howard, Cooper (pen) 25 January 1997 Northampton TownA0–35,039 1 February 1997 ScarboroughH1–01,843Cooper 8 February 1997 Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–58,412 11 February 1997 Cardiff CityH2–31,120Beech (2) 15 February 1997 Torquay UnitedH1–11,548Beech 22 February 1997 Cardiff CityA0–22,971 1 March 1997 Scunthorpe UnitedH0–11,300 4 March 1997 Wigan AthleticA2–23,229Halliday, Howard 8 March 1997 Lincoln CityA1–22,915Allon 15 March 1997 RochdaleH1–21,448Beech 22 March 1997 FulhamA0–17,222 29 March 1997 Colchester UnitedH1–02,725Beech 31 March 1997 Mansfield TownA0–12,229 5 April 1997 Leyton OrientH3–12,576Bradley, Baker, Halliday 12 April 1997 Cambridge UnitedH0–23,186 19 April 1997 DarlingtonA2–14,662Brown, Allon 26 April 1997 BarnetH4–03,070Allon (2), Baker, Halliday 3 May 1997 Swansea CityA2–25,423Howard (2)

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR116 November 1996 York CityH0–03,011R1R26 November 1996 York CityA0–33,257

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1 1st Leg 20 August 1996 Lincoln CityH2–22,073Davies, AllonR1 2nd Leg 3 September 1996 Lincoln CityA2–3 (lost 5–6 on agg)2,389Allon, Beech

Football League Trophy

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersNR110 December 1996 BurnleyH0–2921

Squad

References

Sources )