The 1996–97 season was the 59th season of competitive association football in the Football League played by Chester City, an English club based in Chester, Cheshire.

Also, it was the second season spent in the Third Division, after the relegation from the Second Division in 1995. Alongside competing in the Football League the club also participated in the FA Cup, the Football League Cup and the Football League Trophy.

Football League

Results summary

Results by matchday

Matches DateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendance17 AugustBrighton & Hove AlbionAL1–2Murphy5,26324 AugustCambridge UnitedHD1–1Rimmer1,92327 AugustSwansea CityHW2–0Shelton, Milner1,94631 AugustWigan AthleticAL2–4Milner, Noteman3,8547 SeptemberLincoln CityHW4–1Rimmer (2), Davidson, Noteman (pen)1,80210 SeptemberRochdaleAW1–0Shelton1,77414 SeptemberTorquay UnitedAD0–02,34121 SeptemberScunthorpe UnitedHW1–0Fisher28 SeptemberHartlepool UnitedAL0–21,9011 OctoberNorthampton TownHW2–1Flitcroft, Noteman2,04212 OctoberScarboroughAD0–01,79115 OctoberLeyton OrientAD0–03,11519 OctoberExeter CityHW2–1Helliwell, Milner1,94126 OctoberHereford UnitedHL1–3Noteman2,30129 OctoberCarlisle UnitedAL1–3Noteman4,1872 NovemberDoncaster RoversAW1–0Jackson1,5349 NovemberHull CityHD0–02,08522 NovemberColchester UnitedHL1–2Whelan2,02826 NovemberCardiff CityHL0–11,54030 NovemberHereford UnitedAW2–1Norton (o.g.), Flitcroft2,2103 DecemberFulhamHD1–1Reid (pen)1,76214 DecemberDarlingtonHW2–1McDonald (2)2,07321 DecemberBarnetAW2–1Noteman (pen), McDonald1,58111 JanuaryHartlepool UnitedHD0–01,88514 JanuaryRochdaleHD0–01,67918 JanuaryNorthampton TownAL1–5Noteman4,43428 JanuaryLincoln CityAD0–02,3301 FebruaryHull CityAL0–12,5134 FebruaryMansfield TownAW2–0Flitcroft, McDonald1,6888 FebruaryDoncaster RoversHW6–0Milner (4), Alsford, Jones2,34714 FebruaryColchester UnitedAD0–03,85518 FebruaryScunthorpe UnitedAW2–0Flitcroft, Priest1,52422 FebruaryMansfield TownHW1–0Noteman2,38525 FebruaryCarlisle UnitedHD1–1Noteman2,7501 MarchFulhamAD1–1Priest5,7808 MarchBarnetHW1–0Campbell (o.g.)2,29111 MarchTorquay UnitedHD0–02,06415 MarchDarlingtonAD1–1Milner2,34822 MarchCambridge UnitedAD2–2Rimmer, Milner3,04429 MarchBrighton & Hove AlbionHW2–1Woods, Milner3,61331 MarchSwansea CityAL1–2Alsford6,2845 AprilWigan AthleticHD1–1Flitcroft4,00512 AprilCardiff CityAL0–14,07919 AprilScarboroughHW1–0Milner2,31126 AprilExeter CityAW5–1Davidson, McDonald (2), Milner, Flitcroft4,3003 MayLeyton OrientHL0–13,622

Play-off DateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendance11 MaySwansea CityHD0–05,10414 MayAL0–310,027

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceFirst round16 NovemberStalybridge Celtic (5)HW3–0Rimmer (2), Milner3,151Second round7 DecemberBoston United (6)HW1–0Milner3,344Third round4 JanuaryMiddlesbrough (1)AL0–618,684

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceFirst round first leg20 AugustCarlisle United (4)AL0–14,042First round second leg3 SeptemberHL1–3Noteman1,947

Football League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceFirst round10 DecemberHull City (4)AL1–3McDonald553

Season statistics Player Total League FACup LeagueCup FLTrophy Goalkeepers Wayne Brown 2 – 2 – – – – – – – Neil Cutler 5 – 5 – – – – – – – Chris Knowles 3 – 2 – – – 1 – – – Ronnie Sinclair 44 – 39 – 3 – 1 – 1 – Field players Sam Aiston 16 – 16 – – – – – – – Julian Alsford 51 2 45 2 3 – 2 – 1 – Greg Brown 0+2 – 0+1 – 0+1 – – – – – Ross Davidson 46 2 42 2 2 – 1 – 1 – Neil Fisher 25+10 1 19+10 1 3 – 2 – 1 – David Flitcroft 35+3 6 32+2 6 2 – 0+1 – 1 – Martin Giles 0+1 – – – 0+1 – – – – – Ian Helliwell 8+1 1 8+1 1 – – – – – – Peter Jackson 37 1 32 1 2 – 2 – 1 – Iain Jenkins 46 – 41 – 3 – 1 – 1 – Jonathan Jones 3+15 1 3+15 1 – – – – – – Rod McDonald 25 7 24 6 – – – – 1 1 Andy Milner 45+9 14 40+8 12 3 2 2 – 0+1 – John Murphy 6+7 1 4+7 1 – – 2 – – – Kevin Noteman 32+8 10 30+5 9 2+1 – 0+1 1 0+1 – Chris Priest 35+2 2 32+2 2 2 – – – 1 – Shaun Reid 29 1 29 1 – – – – – – Nick Richardson 11 – 9 – – – 2 – – – Dave Rogers 6+2 – 4+1 – 0+1 – 2 – – – Stuart Rimmer 28+4 6 22+4 4 3 2 2 – 1 – Gary Shelton 21+4 2 18+4 2 1 – 2 – – – Gary Tallon 1 – 1 – – – – – – – Spencer Whelan 20+10 1 19+7 1 1+2 – – – 0+1 – Matt Woods 14+14 1 10+13 1 3 – 0+1 – 1 – Own goals – 2 – 2 – – – – – – Total 54 61 48 55 3 4 2 1 1 1

References