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Wrexham 1996–97 football season
During the 1996–97 English football season, Wrexham F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division .
Season summary
In the 1996-97 season, Wrexham set off on another amazing run in the FA Cup and beating more top flight opposition. Following wins at Colwyn Bay and Scunthorpe United, they were drawn to play West Ham United at home, the game ending in a 1–1 draw on a snow-covered pitch after a well earned draw. The replay at Upton Park ended in a shock 1–0 win to Wrexham as Kevin Russell scored in the dying minutes to send Wrexham into the fourth round.[ 1] After also beating Peterborough United and Birmingham City in the following rounds, they played Chesterfield in an all-Division-2 FA Cup quarter final, Wrexham narrowly losing to the Spireites 1–0.
The league campaign began very brightly for Wrexham as they lost only one from their first 17 league matches and were in the play-off places heading to Christmas but then a little decline in form with only seven wins in the second half of the campaign wasn't enough for a play-off position and finished 4 points off the top six.
Final league table
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
Results
Wrexham's score comes first [ 2]
Legend
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Scorers
17 August 1996
Millwall
A
1–1
9,371
Watkin
24 August 1996
Plymouth Argyle
H
4–4
3,920
Phillips (2), Connolly (2)
7 September 1996
Peterborough United
H
1–1
3,222
Connolly
10 September 1996
Stockport County
A
2–0
4,244
Watkin , Skinner
14 September 1996
Crewe Alexandra
A
1–3
4,469
Ward
17 September 1996
Bristol Rovers
H
1–0
2,401
Cross
21 September 1996
Preston North End
H
1–0
5,299
Phillips
24 September 1996
Walsall
A
1–0
2,832
Cross
28 September 1996
Notts County
A
0–0
4,216
8 October 1996
Shrewsbury Town
H
2–1
5,031
Watkin , Brace
12 October 1996
Watford
A
1–1
8,441
Humes
15 October 1996
Blackpool
A
3–3
4,014
Brammer , Phillips , Chalk (pen)
19 October 1996
Bournemouth
H
2–0
3,945
Skinner , Connolly
26 October 1996
Wycombe Wanderers
A
0–0
5,548
29 October 1996
Bury
H
1–1
3,895
Hughes
2 November 1996
Chesterfield
H
3–2
4,160
Connolly , Morris, Owen
9 November 1996
Gillingham
A
2–1
5,094
Morris, Connolly
23 November 1996
Brentford
A
0–2
4,885
30 November 1996
Wycombe Wanderers
H
1–0
3,280
Skinner
3 December 1996
Burnley
A
0–2
8,587
14 December 1996
York City
A
0–1
2,600
21 December 1996
Bristol City
H
2–1
4,488
Watkin (pen), Hughes
26 December 1996
Stockport County
H
2–3
6,736
Watkin , Morris
11 January 1997
Notts County
H
3–3
3,267
Connolly (2), Watkin
18 January 1997
Luton Town
A
0–0
5,734
1 February 1997
Gillingham
H
1–1
3,193
Connolly
8 February 1997
Chesterfield
A
0–0
6,738
11 February 1997
Peterborough United
A
1–0
2,975
Hughes
22 February 1997
Rotherham United
A
0–0
2,539
25 February 1997
Bury
A
0–0
3,419
1 March 1997
Burnley
H
0–0
6,947
12 March 1997
Luton Town
H
2–1
3,342
Bennett (2, 1 pen)
15 March 1997
York City
H
0–0
3,874
18 March 1997
Preston North End
A
1–2
8,271
Bennett
22 March 1997
Plymouth Argyle
A
1–0
5,468
Humes
25 March 1997
Brentford
H
0–2
4,053
28 March 1997
Millwall
H
3–3
4,684
Humes , Phillips , Bennett
31 March 1997
Bristol Rovers
A
0–2
6,225
5 April 1997
Walsall
H
1–2
3,266
Connolly (pen)
8 April 1997
Rotherham United
H
1–0
2,002
Connolly
12 April 1997
Shrewsbury Town
A
1–0
4,553
Bennett
15 April 1997
Bristol City
A
1–2
9,817
Morris
19 April 1997
York City
H
2–1
6,654
Bennett , Angell
22 April 1997
Crewe Alexandra
H
1–1
4,643
McGregor
26 April 1997
Bournemouth
A
1–2
4,805
Connolly
3 May 1997
Blackpool
H
2–1
5,664
Watkin , Humes
FA Cup
Round
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Goalscorers
R1
16 November 1996
Colwyn Bay
A
1–1
4,679
Hughes
R1R
26 November 1996
Colwyn Bay
H
2–0
4,106
Hughes (2)
R2
7 December 1996
Scunthorpe United
H
2–2
3,780
Morris, Watkin
R2R
17 December 1996
Scunthorpe United
A
3–2 (a.e.t. )
3,976
Hughes , Morris, Watkin (pen)
R3
15 January 1997
West Ham United
H
1–1
9,747
Hughes
R3R
25 January 1997
West Ham United
A
1–0
16,763
Russell
R4
4 February 1997
Peterborough United
A
4–2
8,734
Ward , Watkin , Russell (2)
R5
15 February 1997
Birmingham City
A
3–1
21,511
Hughes , Humes , Connolly
QF
9 March 1997
Chesterfield
A
0–1
8,735
League Cup
Round
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Goalscorers
NR2
28 January 1997
Crewe Alexandra
H
0–1
2,216
Squad
[ 3]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
References
Overview Home stadiums Players Affiliates Rivalries
National teams
League competitions
Level 1 Levels 2–4 Level 5 Levels 6–7 Levels 8–9
Isthmian League (Two , Three )
Combined Counties League (level 8 only )
Eastern Counties League (Premier , One )
Essex Senior League (level 8 only )
Hellenic League (Premier , One )
Kent League (level 8 only )
Midland Alliance (level 8 only )
Midland Football Combination (level 9 only )
North West Counties League (One , Two )
Northern Counties East League (Premier , One )
Northern League (One , Two )
South Midlands League (Premier , Senior )
Spartan League (Premier , One )
Sussex County League (One , Two )
United Counties League (Premier , One )
Wessex League (level 8 only )
West Midlands (Regional) League (level 9 only )
Western League (Premier , One )
Cup competitions
FA cups Football League cups
European competitions