# 1996–97 Stockport County F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Stockport County F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

## Season summary

The 1996–97 season proved to be possibly the most memorable in Stockport County's history. The season began in a forgettable fashion however, recording two draws and four defeats in the first six league matches. A 2nd round League Cup tie against Sheffield United proved to be a catalyst, and Stockport won with a 7–3 aggregate win, including a 5–2 victory at Bramall Lane. Although Stockport reached the northern final of the Auto Windscreens Shield, losing 2–0 on aggregate to Carlisle and just missing out on a visit to Wembley, it was the League Cup which provided the major highlights of the season, with four victories over top-flight opposition. The club, in its third colours for the first and only time in the season, recorded a 1–0 win away at Blackburn Rovers in the 3rd round, due to a colour clash with both the home and away kits. This win was followed by a 4th round 1–1 draw away to West Ham and a 2–1 victory in the replay at Edgeley Park, a quarter final 2–2 draw against Southampton at Edgeley Park followed by a 2–1 victory in the replay at The Dell, and then a semi-final meeting with Middlesbrough. Although County lost the first leg at Edgeley Park 2–0, they won 1–0 at the Riverside Stadium, failing to convert several chances to equalise on aggregate.
After a disappointing start, Stockport also enjoyed a great league campaign, eventually securing promotion from Division Two with a 1–0 victory at Chesterfield in the penultimate match of the season. Had Stockport failed to win the game they would have faced a deciding match away at promotion rivals Luton Town on the final day of the season. As it turned out, County travelled to Kenilworth Road with a chance to win the title, but a 1–1 draw meant that local rivals Bury finished top of the table with Stockport finishing second.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Bury (C, P) | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 62 | 38 | +24 | 84 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 2 | Stockport County (P) | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 82 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 3 | Luton Town | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 71 | 45 | +26 | 78 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 4 | Brentford | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 74 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 5 | Bristol City | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 73 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |

## Results

Stockport County's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–1 | 4,310 | |
| 24 August 1996 | Notts County | H | 0–0 | 5,271 | |
| 27 August 1996 | Bournemouth | H | 0–1 | 3,446 | |
| 31 August 1996 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–1 | 6,380 | Jeffers |
| 7 September 1996 | Watford | A | 0–1 | 7,208 | |
| 10 September 1996 | Wrexham | H | 0–2 | 4,244 | |
| 14 September 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 3–1 | 5,087 | Gannon (2), Armstrong |
| 21 September 1996 | York City | A | 2–1 | 3,061 | Angell (2) |
| 28 September 1996 | Gillingham | H | 2–1 | 6,049 | Armstrong, Morris (own goal) |
| 2 October 1996 | Millwall | A | 4–3 | 7,537 | Durkan, Armstrong (2), Gannon |
| 5 October 1996 | Burnley | A | 2–5 | 10,332 | Angell, Mutch |
| 12 October 1996 | Preston North End | H | 1–0 | 8,405 | Angell |
| 15 October 1996 | Luton Town | H | 1–1 | 5,352 | Angell |
| 19 October 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 2–0 | 4,017 | Angell (2) |
| 26 October 1996 | Walsall | A | 1–1 | 3,767 | Durkan |
| 29 October 1996 | Chesterfield | H | 1–0 | 4,831 | Dinning |
| 2 November 1996 | Bristol City | H | 1–1 | 6,654 | Bennett |
| 9 November 1996 | Brentford | A | 2–2 | 5,076 | Angell, Cavaco |
| 19 November 1996 | Blackpool | H | 1–0 | 4,572 | Bennett |
| 23 November 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 2–3 | 2,865 | Angell, Marsden |
| 30 November 1996 | Walsall | H | 2–0 | 5,333 | Angell (2) |
| 3 December 1996 | Rotherham United | A | 1–0 | 2,133 | Durkan |
| 14 December 1996 | Peterborough United | H | 0–0 | 5,748 | |
| 21 December 1996 | Bury | A | 0–0 | 5,069 | |
| 26 December 1996 | Wrexham | A | 3–2 | 6,736 | Armstrong, Gannon, Dinning (pen) |
| 18 January 1997 | Millwall | H | 5–1 | 7,502 | Mutch, Armstrong (pen), Flynn, Cavaco (2) |
| 1 February 1997 | Brentford | H | 1–2 | 8,650 | Cavaco |
| 7 February 1997 | Bristol City | A | 1–1 | 13,186 | Armstrong |
| 15 February 1997 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 3–1 | 6,712 | Angell (2), Armstrong |
| 22 February 1997 | Blackpool | A | 1–2 | 5,772 | Linighan (own goal) |
| 1 March 1997 | Rotherham United | H | 0–0 | 6,147 | |
| 8 March 1997 | Bury | H | 2–1 | 8,170 | Mutch, Jeffers |
| 15 March 1997 | Peterborough United | A | 2–0 | 4,857 | Cavaco, Marsden |
| 22 March 1997 | Notts County | A | 2–1 | 4,238 | Flynn, Hogg (own goal) |
| 29 March 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–0 | 7,411 | Cooper |
| 1 April 1997 | Bournemouth | A | 0–0 | 5,476 | |
| 5 April 1997 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–0 | 5,689 | Cooper (pen) |
| 8 April 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–0 | 5,089 | |
| 12 April 1997 | Burnley | H | 1–0 | 9,187 | Mutch |
| 14 April 1997 | Watford | H | 1–0 | 7,164 | Jeffers |
| 16 April 1997 | Gillingham | A | 0–1 | 4,485 | |
| 19 April 1997 | Preston North End | A | 0–1 | 10,298 | |
| 22 April 1997 | York City | H | 2–1 | 6,654 | Bennett, Angell |
| 26 April 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 2–1 | 9,463 | Armstrong, Forsyth (own goal) |
| 28 April 1997 | Chesterfield | A | 1–0 | 8,690 | Angell |
| 3 May 1997 | Luton Town | A | 1–1 | 9,347 | Cooper (pen) |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 16 November 1996 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 2–1 | 4,211 | Flynn, Mutch |
| R2 | 7 December 1996 | Mansfield Town | A | 3–0 | 3,354 | Kilcline (own goal), Durkan (2) |
| R3 | 15 January 1997 | Stoke City | A | 2–0 | 9,961 | Durkan, Armstrong |
| R4 | 25 January 1997 | Birmingham City | A | 1–3 | 18,487 | Angell |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Chesterfield | H | 2–1 | 3,088 | Mutch (2) |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Chesterfield | A | 2–1 (won 4–2 on agg) | 3,334 | Ware, Mutch |
| R2 1st Leg | 17 September 1996 | Sheffield United | H | 2–1 | 4,004 | Flynn, Bennett |
| R2 2nd Leg | 24 September 1996 | Sheffield United | A | 5–2 (won 7–3 on agg) | 6,285 | Gannon, Armstrong (2), Bennett, Angell |
| R3 | 22 October 1996 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–0 | 14,622 | Sherwood (own goal) |
| R4 | 27 November 1996 | West Ham United | A | 1–1 | 20,061 | Cavaco |
| R4R | 18 December 1996 | West Ham United | H | 2–1 | 9,834 | Dowie (own goal), Angell |
| QF | 22 January 1997 | Southampton | H | 2–2 | 9,840 | Armstrong, Cavaco |
| QFR | 29 January 1997 | Southampton | A | 2–1 | 13,428 | Angell, Mutch |
| SF 1st Leg | 26 February 1997 | Middlesbrough | H | 0–2 | 11,778 | |
| SF 2nd Leg | 12 March 1997 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–0 (lost 1–2 on agg) | 29,633 | Connelly |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
| NR1 | 10 December 1996 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 2–1 | 988 |
| NR2 | 4 February 1997 | Burnley | A | 1–0 | 4,251 |
| NQF | 11 February 1997 | Bury | A | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | 2,497 |
| NSF | 4 March 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1–1 (won 5–3 on pens) | 3,529 |
| NF 1st Leg | 18 March 1997 | Carlisle United | A | 0–2 | 7,057 |
| NF 2nd Leg | 25 March 1997 | Carlisle United | H | 0–0 (lost 0–2 on agg) | 8,593 |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | WAL | Neil Edwards |
| — | GK | WAL | Paul Jones |
| — | GK | ENG | Lea Jones |
| — | DF | ENG | Matthew Bound |
| — | DF | ENG | Sean Connelly |
| — | DF | ENG | Jeff Eckhardt |
| — | DF | ENG | Mike Flynn |
| — | DF | ENG | Jim Gannon |
| — | DF | WAL | Damon Searle |
| — | DF | ENG | Lee Todd |
| — | MF | SCO | Tom Bennett |
| — | MF | POR | Luís Cavaco |
| — | MF | ENG | Kevin Cooper (on loan from Derby County) |
| — | MF | ENG | Gordon Cowans |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Tony Dinning |
| — | MF | IRL | Kieron Durkan |
| — | MF | ENG | John Jeffers |
| — | MF | ENG | Chris Marsden |
| — | MF | ENG | Lee Marshall |
| — | MF | CAN | Martin Nash |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Ware |
| — | FW | ENG | Brett Angell |
| — | FW | ENG | Alun Armstrong |
| — | FW | LCA | Ken Charlery |
| — | FW | POR | Kiko |
| — | FW | ENG | Richard Landon |
| — | FW | ENG | Adie Mike |
| — | FW | ENG | Andy Mutch |