# 1996–97 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Queens Park Rangers competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

In August 1996, media tycoon Chris Wright, a QPR fan for 20 years, bought the club and also stated his plans for London Wasps to distribute the stadium.
Wright later suggested forming a new Loftus Road plc, including both QPR and London Wasps, on the Alternative Investment Market. A month later, Ray Wilkins left the club by mutual consent after a board meeting when he wanted money in an attempt to sign 34-year-old Ghana skipper Abedi Pele as well as being pushed to retire from his playing career. Ex-Arsenal caretaker manager Stewart Houston took over the reins with former Arsenal manager Bruce Rioch as his assistant.
Houston's first signing for QPR broke the club's previous transfer record when Scottish international striker John Spencer was signed from Chelsea for £2.35 million in November 1996. A month later, his ex-Chelsea teammate and former QPR player Gavin Peacock rejoined the club for a second spell. Northern Ireland international Steve Morrow also joined from Arsenal.
Ultimately, QPR's poor home form during the season cost them a chance of a play-off place and they finished 9th, five points outside the play-off places.

## Kit

View From remained as QPR's kit manufacturers. Telecommunications giant Ericsson replaced Compaq as kit sponsors.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 7 | Portsmouth | 46 | 20 | 8 | 18 | 59 | 53 | +6 | 68 |
| 8 | Port Vale | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 58 | 55 | +3 | 67 |
| 9 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 64 | 60 | +4 | 66 |
| 10 | Birmingham City | 46 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 52 | 48 | +4 | 66 |
| 11 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 63 | 56 | +7 | 65 |

## Results

Queens Park Rangers' score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 17 August 1996 | Oxford United | H | 2–1 | Gallen, Dichio | 14,703 | 9 |
| 23 August 1996 | Portsmouth | A | 2–1 | Gallen (2) | 7,501 | 1 |
| 28 August 1996 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | Dichio | 25,767 | 6 |
| 1 September 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–2 | McDonald | 11,225 | 7 |
| 7 September 1996 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 0–2 | | 12,886 | 10 |
| 11 September 1996 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | Impey | 14,000 | 10 |
| 14 September 1996 | Barnsley | A | 3–1 | Barker, Perry, Dichio | 13,003 | 6 |
| 21 September 1996 | Swindon Town | H | 1–1 | Murray | 13,662 | 9 |
| 28 September 1996 | Birmingham City | A | 0–0 | | 17,430 | 12 |
| 2 October 1996 | Port Vale | H | 1–2 | Barker | 8,727 | 13 |
| 5 October 1996 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–2 | | 5,472 | 13 |
| 12 October 1996 | Manchester City | H | 2–2 | Sinclair, Murray | 16,265 | 14 |
| 16 October 1996 | Bradford City | H | 1–0 | Brazier | 7,776 | 11 |
| 20 October 1996 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 3–2 | Slade, McDonald, Charles | 7,025 | 8 |
| 26 October 1996 | Sheffield United | A | 1–1 | Slade | 17,096 | 9 |
| 30 October 1996 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–1 | | 10,562 | 9 |
| 2 November 1996 | Stoke City | H | 1–1 | Sinclair | 7,354 | 11 |
| 10 November 1996 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–3 | | 15,324 | 12 |
| 16 November 1996 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–2 | Sinclair | 12,360 | 14 |
| 23 November 1996 | Reading | A | 1–2 | Spencer | 12,847 | 20 |
| 30 November 1996 | Sheffield United | H | 1–0 | Barker (pen) | 11,891 | 14 |
| 7 December 1996 | Oldham Athletic | A | 2–0 | Peacock, Spencer | 5,590 | 14 |
| 14 December 1996 | Southend United | H | 4–0 | Barker (pen), Harris (own goal), Spencer, Peacock | 11,117 | 11 |
| 21 December 1996 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2–1 | Dichio, Brazier | 10,718 | 8 |
| 26 December 1996 | Norwich City | H | 3–2 | Peacock, Dichio, McDermott | 15,699 | 7 |
| 28 December 1996 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–4 | Spencer | 19,061 | 9 |
| 11 January 1997 | Barnsley | H | 3–1 | Spencer (3) | 12,058 | 6 |
| 19 January 1997 | Port Vale | A | 4–4 | Holwyn (own goal), Impey, Murray, Spencer | 5,736 | 7 |
| 29 January 1997 | Birmingham City | H | 1–1 | Spencer | 12,138 | 9 |
| 1 February 1997 | Crystal Palace | H | 0–1 | | 16,467 | 10 |
| 5 February 1997 | Swindon Town | A | 1–1 | Hateley | 10,830 | 9 |
| 8 February 1997 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–2 | | 12,983 | 12 |
| 22 February 1997 | Stoke City | A | 0–0 | | 13,121 | 12 |
| 1 March 1997 | Oldham Athletic | H | 0–1 | | 10,180 | 13 |
| 4 March 1997 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–2 | Dichio | 10,610 | 13 |
| 8 March 1997 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–0 | McDermott, Spencer | 9,789 | 13 |
| 12 March 1997 | Reading | H | 0–2 | | 10,316 | 13 |
| 15 March 1997 | Southend United | A | 1–0 | Roget (own goal) | 6,747 | 13 |
| 22 March 1997 | Portsmouth | H | 2–1 | Murray, Spencer | 15,746 | 12 |
| 29 March 1997 | Oxford United | A | 3–2 | Yates, Spencer, Peacock | 8,365 | 12 |
| 31 March 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–2 | Spencer, Peacock | 17,376 | 10 |
| 5 April 1997 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–2 | Morrow | 19,198 | 12 |
| 12 April 1997 | Grimsby Town | H | 3–0 | Spencer, Murray, Slade | 10,765 | 11 |
| 19 April 1997 | Manchester City | A | 3–0 | Spencer (2), Slade | 27,580 | 9 |
| 26 April 1997 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2–0 | Dichio, Spencer | 14,859 | 7 |
| 4 May 1997 | Bradford City | A | 0–3 | | 14,723 | 9 |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 4 January 1997 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–1 | 11,776 | Hateley |
| R3R | 14 January 1997 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2–1 | 11,814 | Peacock, McDonald |
| R4 | 25 January 1997 | Barnsley | H | 3–2 | 14,317 | Peacock, Spencer, Sinclair |
| R5 | 15 February 1997 | Wimbledon | A | 1–2 | 22,395 | Hateley |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 First Leg | 18 September 1996 | Swindon Town | A | 2–1 | 7,843 | Dichio, Impey |
| R2 Second Leg | 25 September 1996 | Swindon Town | H | 1–3 (lost 3–4 on agg) | 6,976 | Brazier |

## Squad

| Position | Nationality | Name | League Appearances | League Goals | Cup Appearances | League.Cup Goals | F.A.Cup Goals | Total Appearances | Total Goals |
| GK | USA | Juergen Sommer | 33 | | 3 | | | 36 | |
| GK | WAL | Tony Roberts | 13 | | 3 | | | 16 | |
| DF | ENG | Danny Maddix | 18 | | 2 | | | 27 | |
| DF | ENG | Trevor Challis | 2 | | | | | 2 | |
| DF | WAL | Karl Ready | 28 | | 4 | | | 33 | |
| DF | NIR | Alan McDonald | 38 | 2 | 5 | | 1 | 44 | 3 |
| DF | ENG | Rufus Brevett | 44 | | 6 | | | 50 | |
| DF | ENG | Matt Brazier | 22 | 2 | 3 | 1 | | 30 | 3 |
| DF | ENG | Matt Jackson | 7 | | | | | 7 | |
| DF | NIR | Steve Morrow | 5 | 1 | | | | 5 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Steve Yates | 16 | 1 | 1 | | | 17 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Chris Plummer | 4 | | 2 | | | 7 | |
| MF | ENG | Ray Wilkins | 4 | | | | | 4 | |
| MF | ENG | Paul Murray | 26 | 5 | 5 | | | 37 | 5 |
| MF | ENG | Andrew Impey | 26 | 2 | 3 | 1 | | 36 | 3 |
| MF | ENG | Simon Barker | 38 | 4 | 4 | | | 42 | 4 |
| MF | ENG | Mark Perry | 2 | 1 | | | | 2 | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Gavin Peacock | 27 | 5 | 4 | | 2 | 31 | 7 |
| MF | ENG | Trevor Sinclair | 39 | 3 | 7 | | 1 | 46 | 4 |
| MF | ENG | Mark Graham | 16 | | 4 | | | 22 | |
| FW | ENG | Mark Hateley | 8 | 1 | 2 | | 2 | 17 | 3 |
| FW | ENG | Kevin Gallen | 2 | 3 | | | | 2 | 3 |
| FW | ENG | Nigel Quashie | 9 | | | | | 14 | |
| FW | ENG | Michael Mahoney-Johnson | | | | | | 2 | |
| FW | AUS | Andy McDermott | 6 | 2 | | | | 6 | 2 |
| FW | SCO | John Spencer | 25 | 17 | 4 | | 1 | 29 | 18 |
| FW | ENG | Steve Slade | 11 | 3 | | | | 16 | |
| FW | ENG | Lee Charles | 6 | 1 | | | | 13 | 1 |
| FW | ENG | Danny Dichio | 31 | 7 | 4 | 1 | | 43 | 8 |

## Transfers Out

| Name | from | Date | Fee | Date | Club | Fee |
| Gregory Goodridge | Torquay United | 9 August 1995 | £100,000 | August 1996 | Bristol City | £50,000 |
| Mark Hateley | Rangers | 3 November 1995 | £1,500,000 | August 1996 | Leeds United | Loan |
| Michael Mahoney-Johnson | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | April 1995 | | August 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | Loan |
| Ray Wilkins | Crystal Palace | November 1994 | | September 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | Free |
| Andy McDermott | Australian Institute of Sport | 5 August 1995 | £20,000 | March 1997 | West Bromwich Albion | £400,000 |
| Mark Hateley | Rangers | 3 November 1995 | £1,500,000 | July 1997 | Rangers | £300,000 |
| Alan McDonald | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | August 1981 | | July 1997 | Swindon Town | Free |
| Danny Dichio | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | May 1993 | | July 1997 | Sampdoria | Free |

## Transfers In

| Name | from | Date | Fee |
| Matt Jackson | Everton | August 1996 | Loan |
| John Spencer | Chelsea | November 1996 | £2,500,000 |
| Gavin Peacock | Chelsea | November 1996 | £800,000 |
| Richard Langley | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | December 1996 | |
| Steve Morrow | Arsenal | March 1997 | £1,000,000 |
| Matthew Rose | Arsenal | May 1997 | £500,000 |
| Lee Harper | Arsenal | July 1997 | £125,000 |
| Mike Sheron | Stoke City | July 1997 | £2,350,000 |