Season summary
edit
In the 1996–97 season, it was a disaster for Murphy and the club, with a series of heavy defeats that eventually led to his sacking on 23 December 1996. On 16 January 1997, Sam Allardyce made his return to football as manager but he arrived too late to save them from relegation.
Final league table
edit
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
F
A
W
D
L
F
A
F
A
GD
Pts
1
Bury 46
18
5
0
39
7
6
7
10
23
31
62
38
+24
84
2
Stockport County 46
15
5
3
31
14
8
8
7
28
27
59
41
+18
82
3
Luton Town 46
13
7
3
38
14
8
8
7
33
31
71
45
+26
78
4
Brentford 46
8
11
4
26
22
12
3
8
30
21
56
43
+13
74
5
Bristol City 46
14
4
5
43
18
7
6
10
26
33
69
51
+18
73
6
Crewe Alexandra 46
15
4
4
38
15
7
3
13
18
32
56
47
+9
73
7
Blackpool 46
13
7
3
41
21
5
8
10
19
26
60
47
+13
69
8
Wrexham 46
11
9
3
38
28
6
9
8
17
22
54
50
+4
69
9
Burnley 46
14
3
6
48
27
5
8
10
23
28
71
55
+16
68
10
Chesterfield 46
10
9
4
25
18
8
5
10
17
21
42
39
+3
68
11
Gillingham 46
13
3
7
37
25
6
7
10
23
34
60
59
+1
67
12
Walsall 46
12
8
3
35
21
7
2
14
19
32
54
53
+1
67
13
Watford 46
10
8
5
24
14
6
11
6
21
24
45
38
+7
67
14
Millwall 46
12
4
7
27
22
4
9
10
23
33
50
55
–5
61
15
Preston North End 46
14
5
4
33
19
4
2
17
16
36
49
55
–6
61
16
Bournemouth 46
8
9
6
24
20
7
6
10
19
25
43
45
–2
60
17
Bristol Rovers 46
13
4
6
34
22
2
7
14
13
28
47
50
–3
56
18
Wycombe Wanderers 46
13
4
6
31
14
2
6
15
20
43
51
56
–5
55
19
Plymouth Argyle 46
7
11
5
19
18
5
7
11
28
40
47
58
–11
54
20
York City 46
8
6
9
27
31
5
7
11
20
37
47
68
–21
52
21
Peterborough United 46
7
7
9
38
34
4
7
12
17
39
55
73
–18
47
22
Shrewsbury Town 46
8
6
9
27
32
3
7
13
22
42
49
74
–25
46
23
Rotherham United 46
4
7
12
17
29
3
7
13
22
41
39
70
–31
35
24 Notts County 46 4 9 10 20 25 3 5 15 13 34 33 59 –26 35
Pld = Matches ; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points NB: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
Relegated
Notts County's score comes first [1]
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Scorers
17 August 1996
Preston North End H
2–1
6,879
Jones , Martindale
24 August 1996
Stockport County A
0–0
5,271
31 August 1996
York City H
0–1
4,600
7 September 1996
Plymouth Argyle A
0–0
8,109
10 September 1996
Watford H
2–3
3,660
Martindale (pen), Robinson
14 September 1996
Millwall H
1–2
4,473
Baraclough
21 September 1996
Bournemouth A
1–0
3,402
Jones
28 September 1996
Wrexham H
0–0
4,216
1 October 1996
Gillingham A
0–1
5,482
5 October 1996
Wycombe Wanderers A
0–1
4,506
8 October 1996
Peterborough United A
3–1
5,456
Agana , Heald (own goal), Martindale
12 October 1996
Bristol Rovers H
1–1
4,558
Agana
15 October 1996
Chesterfield H
0–0
4,265
19 October 1996
Burnley A
0–1
9,372
26 October 1996
Bristol City A
0–4
9,540
29 October 1996
Walsall H
2–0
3,127
Strodder , Agana
2 November 1996
Shrewsbury Town H
1–2
4,363
Derry
9 November 1996
Luton Town A
0–2
5,664
23 November 1996
Blackpool A
0–1
3,598
30 November 1996
Bristol City H
2–0
4,693
Arkins , Robinson
3 December 1996
Brentford A
0–2
3,675
14 December 1996
Rotherham United H
0–0
3,954
20 December 1996
Crewe Alexandra A
0–3
3,125
26 December 1996
Watford A
0–0
9,065
11 January 1997
Wrexham A
3–3
3,267
Farrell , Martindale (2, 1 pen)
18 January 1997
Gillingham H
1–1
5,008
Martindale (pen)
25 January 1997
Walsall A
1–3
3,261
Battersby
1 February 1997
Luton Town H
1–2
5,025
Richardson
4 February 1997
Bournemouth H
0–2
2,757
8 February 1997
Shrewsbury Town A
1–2
2,692
Regis
15 February 1997
Blackpool H
1–1
5,281
Butler (own goal)
22 February 1997
Bury A
0–2
3,430
25 February 1997
Millwall A
0–1
5,202
1 March 1997
Brentford H
1–1
4,323
8 March 1997
Crewe Alexandra 0–1
4,047
15 March 1997
Rotherham United A
2–2
2,605
Regis , Redmile
22 March 1997
Stockport County H
1–2
4,238
Baraclough
25 March 1997
Bury H
0–1
3,306
29 March 1997
Preston North End A
0–2
9,472
31 March 1997
Peterborough United H
0–0
3,848
5 April 1997
York City A
2–1
3,115
Dudley , Redmile
12 April 1997
Wycombe Wanderers H
1–2
4,290
Derry
15 April 1997
Plymouth Argyle H
2–1
2,423
Heathcote (own goal), Jones
20 April 1997
Bristol Rovers A
0–1
6,309
26 April 1997
Burnley H
1–1
4,591
Dudley
3 May 1997
Chesterfield A
0–1
5,736
League Cup
edit
Round
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg
20 August 1996
Bury H
1–1
2,141
Jones
R1 2nd Leg
3 September 1996
Bury A
0–1 (lost 1–2 on agg)
2,571
[2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
References
edit
