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1996–97 Chelsea F.C. season

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Chelsea
1996–97 season
ChairmanKen Bates
ManagerRuud Gullit
Premier League6th
FA CupWinners
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: Vialli (9)
All: Hughes (14)
Highest home attendance28,418 vs Everton
(7 Dec 1996, Premier League)
Lowest home attendance11,732 vs Blackpool
(25 Sep 1996, League Cup)
Average home league attendance27,001

During the 1996–97 English football season, Chelsea competed in the Premier League.

Season summary

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With Glenn Hoddle leaving to become England manager, Chelsea gave the managerial role to midfielder Ruud Gullit, who used his continental connections to bring in world-class international players such as France center-back Frank Leboeuf, and Italian superstars such as midfielder Roberto Di Matteo, Parma's playmaker Gianfranco Zola and the Champions League winning striker and Juventus captain Gianluca Vialli. Gullit had a dream start to his managerial career as Chelsea won the FA Cup with a 2–0 win over Middlesbrough, ending Chelsea's 26-year trophy drought and making him the first foreign manager to win a major trophy with an English club. Zola was voted FWA Footballer of the Year after a brilliant first season at Stamford Bridge in which he scored 12 goals and contributed many assists, while fellow countryman and record £4.5 million signing Roberto Di Matteo scored one of Chelsea's goals in the triumphant Wembley final.

The club suffered a tragedy in late October when director Matthew Harding was killed in a helicopter crash in Cheshire when returning home from the club's League Cup exit at Bolton.[1]

Final league table

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
4 Liverpool 38 19 11 8 62 37 +25 68 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[a]
5 Aston Villa 38 17 10 11 47 34 +13 61
6 Chelsea 38 16 11 11 58 55 +3 59 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[b]
7 Sheffield Wednesday 38 14 15 9 50 51 −1 57
8 Wimbledon 38 15 11 12 49 46 +3 56
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ Aston Villa was rewarded entry to the UEFA Cup through UEFA Fair Play ranking.
  2. ^ Chelsea qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as FA Cup winners.
Results summary
Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
38 16 11 11 58 55  +3 59 9 8 2 33 22  +11 7 3 9 25 33  −8

Source: Statto

Results by round
Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAHHAAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHA
ResultDWWDWDLDWLWWDDLDLWWDWLWWDLDLWWLLLLWWDW
Position118232376666555777877776567887566787766
Source: Statto.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Results

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Premier League

[edit]
18 August 1996 1 Southampton 0–0 Chelsea The Dell
Attendance: 15,186
21 August 1996 2 Chelsea 1–0 Middlesbrough
Di Matteo 86' Attendance: 28,272
24 August 1996 3 Chelsea 2–0 Coventry City
Leboeuf 29'
Vialli 74'
Attendance: 25,024
3 September 1996 4 Arsenal 3–3 Chelsea
Merson 44'
Keown 64'
Wright 77'
Leboeuf 6' (pen.)
Vialli 30'
Wise 90'
Attendance: 38,132
7 September 1996 5 Sheffield Wednesday 0–2 Chelsea
Burley 28'
Myers 83'
Attendance: 30,983
15 September 1996 6 Chelsea 1–1 Aston Villa
Leboeuf 45' Townsend 18' Attendance: 27,729
21 September 1996 7 Liverpool 5–1 Chelsea
Fowler 15'
Berger 42', 49'
Myers 45' (o.g.)
Barnes 57'
Leboeuf 85' (pen.) Attendance: 40,739
28 September 1996 8 Chelsea 1–1 Nottingham Forest
Vialli 51' Lee 90' Attendance: 27,673
12 October 1996 9 Leicester City 1–3 Chelsea
Watts 44' Vialli 48'
Di Matteo 64'
Hughes 80'
Attendance: 20,766
19 October 1996 10 Chelsea 2–4 Wimbledon
Minto 9'
Vialli 84' (pen.)
Earle 3'
Ardley 16'
Gayle 64'
Ekoku 78'
Attendance: 28,020
26 October 1996 11 Chelsea 3–1 Tottenham Hotspur
Gullit 27'
D. Lee 52' (pen.)
Di Matteo 80'
Armstrong 42' Attendance: 28,373
2 November 1996 12 Manchester United 1–2 Chelsea
Poborský 81' Duberry 31'
Vialli 61'
Attendance: 55,198
16 November 1996 13 Blackburn Rovers 1–1 Chelsea
Gallacher 56' Petrescu 82' Attendance: 27,229
23 November 1996 14 Chelsea 1–1 Newcastle United
Vialli 24' Shearer 41' Attendance: 28,401
1 December 1996 15 Leeds United 2–0 Chelsea
Deane 8'
Rush 10'
Attendance: 32,671
7 December 1996 16 Chelsea 2–2 Everton
Zola 12'
Vialli 55'
Branch 17'
Kanchelskis 28'
Attendance: 28,418
15 December 1996 17 Sunderland 3–0 Chelsea
Duberry 30' (o.g.)
Ball 47'
Russell 67'
Attendance: 19,683
21 December 1996 18 Chelsea 3–1 West Ham United
Hughes 6', 35'
Zola 10'
Porfirio 11' Attendance: 28,315
26 December 1996 19 Aston Villa 0–2 Chelsea
Zola 66', 70' Attendance: 39,339
28 December 1996 20 Chelsea 2–2 Sheffield Wednesday
Zola 9'
Hughes 23'
Pembridge 23'
Stefanović 90'
Attendance: 27,467
1 January 1997 21 Chelsea 1–0 Liverpool
Di Matteo 43' Attendance: 28,329
11 January 1997 22 Nottingham Forest 2–0 Chelsea
Pearce 40'
Bart-Williams 53'
Attendance: 28,358
18 January 1997 23 Chelsea 3–1 Derby County
Wise 36'
Leboeuf 44' (pen.)
Hughes 85'
Asanović 25' Attendance: 28,293
1 February 1997 24 Tottenham Hotspur 1–2 Chelsea
Howells 82' Campbell 1' (o.g.)
Di Matteo 81'
Attendance: 33,027
22 February 1997 25 Chelsea 1–1 Manchester United
Zola 2' Beckham 68' Attendance: 28,336
1 March 1997 26 Derby County 3–2 Chelsea
Minto 51' (o.g.)
Asanović 62' (pen.)
Ward 90'
Minto 16'
Leboeuf 54'
Attendance: 18,039
5 March 1997 27 Chelsea 1–1 Blackburn Rovers
Minto 63' Pedersen 62' Attendance: 25,784
12 March 1997 28 West Ham United 3–2 Chelsea
Dicks 55' (pen.)
Kitson 68', 90'
Vialli 26'
Hughes 87'
Attendance: 24,502
16 March 1997 29 Chelsea 6–2 Sunderland
Zola 38'
Sinclair 43'
Petrescu 51'
Hughes 78', 90'
Di Matteo 90'
Stewart 58'
Rae 60'
Attendance: 24,027
19 March 1997 30 Chelsea 1–0 Southampton
Zola 22' Attendance: 28,079
22 March 1997 31 Middlesbrough 1–0 Chelsea
Juninho 53' Attendance: 29,811
5 April 1997 32 Chelsea 0–3 Arsenal
Wright 22'
Platt 53'
Bergkamp 80'
Attendance: 28,182
9 April 1997 33 Coventry City 3–1 Chelsea
Dublin 49'
Williams 51'
Whelan 58'
P. Hughes 43' Attendance: 19,917
16 April 1997 34 Newcastle United 3–1 Chelsea
Shearer 12', 35'
Asprilla 30'
Burley 62' Attendance: 36,320
19 April 1997 35 Chelsea 2–1 Leicester City
Minto 13'
Hughes 73'
F. Sinclair 47' (o.g.) Attendance: 27,723
22 April 1997 36 Wimbledon 0–1 Chelsea
Petrescu 14' Attendance: 14,601
3 May 1997 37 Chelsea 0–0 Leeds United
Attendance: 26,277
11 May 1997 38 Everton 1–2 Chelsea
Barmby 77' Wise 14'
Di Matteo 36'
Attendance: 38,321

League Cup

[edit]
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
18 September 1996 R2 Blackpool A 4–1 9,666 Petrescu, Morris, Spencer, M. Hughes
25 September 1996 R2 Blackpool H 1–3 11,732 Spencer
22 October 1996 R3 Bolton Wanderers A 1–2 16,867 Minto

FA Cup

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Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
4 January 1997 R3 West Bromwich Albion H 3–0 27,446 Wise, Zola, Burley
26 January 1997 R4 Liverpool H 4–2 27,950 M. Hughes, Zola, Vialli (2)
16 February 1997 R5 Leicester City A 2–2 19,125 Di Matteo, M. Hughes
26 February 1997 R5 (R) Leicester City H 1–0
(a.e.t.)
26,053 Leboeuf (pen.)
9 March 1997 QF Portsmouth A 4–1 15,701 Wise (2), Zola, M. Hughes
13 April 1997 SF Wimbledon N 3–0 32,674 M. Hughes (2), Zola
17 May 1997 F Middlesbrough N 2–0 79,160 Di Matteo, Newton

First team squad

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Squad at end of season[2]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Russia RUS Dmitri Kharine
2 DF Romania ROU Dan Petrescu
4 DF Netherlands NED Ruud Gullit
5 DF France FRA Frank Leboeuf
6 DF Scotland SCO Steve Clarke
8 DF England ENG Andy Myers
9 FW Italy ITA Gianluca Vialli
10 FW Wales WAL Mark Hughes
11 MF England ENG Dennis Wise (captain)
12 DF England ENG Michael Duberry
13 GK England ENG Kevin Hitchcock
14 MF Scotland SCO Craig Burley
15 DF England ENG David Lee
16 MF Italy ITA Roberto Di Matteo
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 DF England ENG Scott Minto
18 DF Norway NOR Erland Johnsen
19 DF England ENG Paul Parker
20 DF Jamaica JAM Frank Sinclair
21 MF England ENG Jody Morris
22 FW England ENG Mark Nicholls
23 GK Republic of Ireland IRL Nick Colgan
24 MF England ENG Eddie Newton
25 FW Italy ITA Gianfranco Zola
26 DF England ENG Neil Clement
27 MF England ENG Paul Hughes
28 DF England ENG Danny Granville
29 FW England ENG Joe Sheerin
30 GK Norway NOR Frode Grodås

Left club during season

[edit]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
3 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Terry Phelan (to Everton)
7 FW Scotland SCO John Spencer (to Queen's Park Rangers)
MF England ENG David Rocastle (on loan to Norwich City)
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 MF England ENG Gavin Peacock (to Queen's Park Rangers)
31 GK Canada CAN Craig Forrest (on loan from Ipswich Town)

Reserve squad

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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 England ENG Jon Harley
DF New Zealand NZL Chris Zoricich
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF England ENG Nick Crittenden
MF England ENG David Rocastle

Statistics

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No. Pos Nat Player Total Premier League FA Cup Football League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
30 GK Norway NOR Frode Grodås 26 0 20+1 0 4 0 1 0
2 DF Romania ROU Dan Petrescu 41 4 34 3 5 0 2 1
5 DF France FRA Frank Leboeuf 34 7 26 6 6 1 2 0
6 DF Scotland SCO Steve Clarke 40 0 31 0 6 0 3 0
17 DF England ENG Scott Minto 32 5 24+1 4 5 0 2 1
16 MF Italy ITA Roberto Di Matteo 44 9 33+1 7 7 2 3 0
11 MF England ENG Dennis Wise 40 6 27+4 3 7 3 2 0
14 MF Scotland SCO Craig Burley 37 3 26+5 2 1+2 1 3 0
9 FW Italy ITA Gianluca Vialli 34 11 23+5 9 1+4 2 1 0
10 FW Wales WAL Mark Hughes 44 14 32+3 8 6+1 5 2 1
25 FW Italy ITA Gianfranco Zola 30 12 22+1 8 7 4 0 0
13 GK England ENG Kevin Hitchcock 16 0 10+2 0 2 0 2 0
20 DF England ENG Frank Sinclair[3] 25 1 17+2 1 6 0 0 0
8 DF England ENG Andy Myers 18 1 15+3 1 0 0 0 0
18 DF Norway NOR Erland Johnsen 22 0 14+4 0 1+2 0 1 0
12 DF England ENG Michael Duberry 17 1 13+2 1 0 0 2 0
24 MF England ENG Eddie Newton 20 1 13+2 0 5 1 0 0
27 MF England ENG Paul Hughes 13 2 8+4 2 1 0 0 0
4 MF Netherlands NED Ruud Gullit 14 1 6+6 1 0+1 0 1 0
21 MF England ENG Jody Morris 14 1 6+6 0 0 0 2 1
1 GK Russia RUS Dmitri Kharine 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0
22 FW England ENG Mark Nicholls 10 0 3+5 0 0 0 0+2 0
28 DF England ENG Danny Granville 5 0 3+2 0 0 0 0 0
3 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Terry Phelan[4] 4 0 1+2 0 0 0 0+1 0
19 DF England ENG Paul Parker 4 0 1+3 0 0 0 0 0
15 DF England ENG David Lee 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 0
26 DF England ENG Neil Clement 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
29 GK Republic of Ireland IRL Nick Colgan 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
7 FW Scotland SCO John Spencer 7 2 0+4 0 0 0 3 2

Statistics taken from [1] Archived 20 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Squad details and shirt numbers from [2] and [3].

Transfers

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In

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# Pos Player From Fee Date
9 FW Italy Gianluca Vialli Italy Juventus Free 24 May 1996
16 MF Italy Roberto Di Matteo Italy Lazio £4,900,000 1 July 1996
5 DF France Frank Leboeuf France Strasbourg £2,500,000 1 July 1996
30 GK Norway Frode Grodås Norway LSK Free 1 November 1996
25 FW Italy Gianfranco Zola Italy Parma £4,500,000 8 November 1996
28 DF England Danny Granville England Cambridge United £300,000 20 March 1997
DF Nigeria Celestine Babayaro Belgium Anderlecht £2,250,000 21 April 1997

Out

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# Pos Player To Fee Date
FW England Zeke Rowe England Peterborough United Free 4 July 1996
MF Turkey Muzzy Izzet England Leicester City £650,000 8 July 1996
MF England Ritchie Hanlon England Southend United Free 10 July 1996
FW England Paul Furlong England Birmingham City £1,500,000 17 July 1996
DF England Anthony Barness England Charlton Athletic £165,000 1 August 1996
MF Northern Ireland Russell Kelly England Darlington Free 16 August 1996
FW Scotland John Spencer England QPR £2,500,000 21 November 1996
MF England Gavin Peacock England QPR £800,000 23 December 1996
DF Republic of Ireland Terry Phelan England Everton £850,000 30 December 1996
Transfers in: Decrease £14,450,000
Transfers out: Increase £4,965,000
Total spending: Decrease £9,485,000

References

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  1. ^ Shaw, Phil (24 October 1996). "Football mourns a true fan". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  2. ^ "Chelsea - 1996/97". FootballSquads. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  3. ^ Sinclair was born in Lambeth, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally.
  4. ^ Phelan was born in Manchester, England.
  • Hockings, Ron. 100 Years of the Blues: A Statistical History of Chelsea Football Club. (2007)