1996–97 Swansea City A.F.C. season

Swansea City

1996–97 season
Chairman	Doug Sharpe
Manager	Jan Mølby (player-manager)
Stadium	Vetch Field
Third Division	5th
Play-offs	Runners-up
FA Cup	First round
League Cup	First round
Football League Trophy	Second round
Top goalscorer	Penney (13)
Average home league attendance	3,850

During the 1996–97 English football season, Swansea City competed in the Football League Third Division, following relegation from the Second Division.

Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, Swansea reached the final of the 1997 Third Division play-offs for promotion, but lost to 1-0 to Northampton Town, whose goal came from a re-taken free kick by John Frain in the final minute.

Final league table

Main article: 1996–97 Football League

Pos	Team	Pld		W	D	L	F	A		W	D	L	F	A		F	A	GD		Pts
1	Wigan Athletic	46		17	3	3	53	21		9	6	8	31	30		84	51	+33		87
2	Fulham	46		13	5	5	41	20		12	7	4	31	18		72	38	+34		87
3	Carlisle United	46		16	3	4	41	21		8	9	6	26	23		67	44	+23		84
4	Northampton Town	46		14	4	5	43	17		6	8	9	24	27		67	44	+23		72
5	Swansea City	46		13	5	5	37	20		8	3	12	25	38		62	58	+4		71
6	Chester City	46		11	8	4	30	16		7	8	8	25	27		55	43	+12		70
7	Cardiff City	46		11	4	8	31	24		9	5	9	26	31		56	54	+2		69
8	Colchester United	46		11	9	3	36	23		6	8	9	26	28		62	51	+11		68
9	Lincoln City	46		10	8	5	35	25		8	4	11	35	44		70	69	+1		66
10	Cambridge United	46		11	5	7	30	27		7	6	10	23	32		53	59	–6		65
11	Mansfield Town	46		9	8	6	21	17		7	8	8	26	28		47	45	+2		64
12	Scarborough	46		9	9	5	36	31		7	6	10	30	38		65	68	–3		63
13	Scunthorpe United	46		11	3	9	36	33		7	6	10	23	29		59	62	–3		63
14	Rochdale	46		10	6	7	34	24		4	10	9	24	34		58	58	±0		58
15	Barnet	46		9	9	5	32	23		5	7	11	14	28		46	51	–5		58
16	Leyton Orient	46		11	6	6	28	20		4	6	13	22	38		50	58	–8		57
17	Hull City	46		9	8	6	29	26		4	10	9	15	24		44	50	–6		57
18	Darlington	46		11	5	7	37	28		3	5	15	27	50		64	78	–14		52
19	Doncaster Rovers	46		9	7	7	29	23		5	3	15	23	43		52	66	–14		52
20	Hartlepool United	46		8	6	9	33	32		6	3	14	20	34		53	66	–13		51
21	Torquay United	46		9	4	10	24	24		4	7	12	22	38		46	62	–16		50
22	Exeter City	46		6	9	8	25	30		6	3	14	23	43		48	73	–25		48
23	Brighton & Hove Albion	46		12	6	5	41	27		1	4	18	12	43		53	70	–17		47
24	Hereford United	46		6	8	9	26	25		5	6	12	24	40		50	65	–15		47

• 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
	New club in the league (none)
	Relegated to Conference

Squad

Squad at end of season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	GK	WAL	Roger Freestone
—	GK	WAL	Lee Jones
—	DF	ENG	Mark Clode
—	DF	WAL	Christian Edwards
—	DF	WAL	Robert King
—	DF	IRL	Ryan Casey
—	DF	SCO	Keith Walker
—	DF	DEN	Thomas Willer-Jensen
—	DF	ANG	Joao Moreira
—	MF	ENG	Richard Appleby
—	MF	ENG	Steve Jones
—	MF	ENG	Dave Penney
—	MF	WAL	Shaun Chapple

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	WAL	Jonathan Coates
—	MF	WAL	Lee Jenkins
—	MF	WAL	Damian Lacey
—	MF	WAL	Kristian O'Leary
—	MF	IRL	Kwame Ampadu
—	MF	DEN	Jan Mølby
—	FW	ENG	Linton Brown
—	FW	ENG	Carl Heggs
—	FW	ENG	Steve Torpey
—	FW	WAL	Jason Price
—	FW	WAL	Dai Thomas
—	FW	SCO	Colin McDonald

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	DF	ENG	Andy Cook (to Portsmouth)
—	DF	ENG	Shaun Garnett (to Oldham Athletic)
—	DF	ENG	John Hills (on loan from Everton)

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	DF	NIR	Pat McGibbon (on loan from Manchester United)
—	MF	ENG	John Hodge (to Walsall)
—	FW	ENG	Paul Brayson (on loan from Newcastle United)