# 1996–97 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Crewe Alexandra F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division, in their 74th season in the English Football League.

## Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, Crewe had a great season by reaching the play-offs by finishing in the final play-off position, which was achieved on the final day by earning a 1–1 draw at York that was required as Blackpool had scored more goals which meant knowing a defeat and a Blackpool win at Wrexham would see Crewe slip out of the top six and Blackpool would have still had a chance of promotion. Blackpool though lost 2–1 so it didn't matter in the end with Crewe's result. In the play-offs, they beat Luton, who just missed out on automatic promotion, 4–3 on aggregate to get to Wembley and achieved promotion with a 1–0 win against Brentford.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 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 |
| 6 | Crewe Alexandra (O, P) | 46 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 56 | 47 | +9 | 73 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 7 | Blackpool | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 60 | 47 | +13 | 69 | |
| 8 | Wrexham | 46 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 69 | |

## Results

Crewe Alexandra's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Stockport County | H | 1–0 | 4,310 | Tierney |
| 24 August 1996 | Peterborough United | A | 2–2 | 6,357 | Ellison (2) |
| 27 August 1996 | Preston North End | A | 1–2 | 9,498 | Murphy |
| 31 August 1996 | Watford | H | 0–2 | 3,655 | |
| 7 September 1996 | Bournemouth | A | 1–0 | 3,218 | Savage |
| 10 September 1996 | Bury | H | 2–0 | 3,627 | Tierney, Barr |
| 14 September 1996 | Wrexham | H | 3–1 | 4,469 | Adebola (2), Tierney |
| 21 September 1996 | Millwall | A | 0–2 | 9,320 | |
| 28 September 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 3–0 | 3,797 | Barr, Adebola, Murphy |
| 1 October 1996 | Blackpool | H | 3–2 | 4,314 | Rivers, Adebola, Macauley |
| 4 October 1996 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–2 | 6,211 | |
| 12 October 1996 | Brentford | H | 2–0 | 4,313 | Rivers, S Smith (pen) |
| 15 October 1996 | York City | H | 0–1 | 3,463 | |
| 19 October 1996 | Chesterfield | A | 0–1 | 4,030 | |
| 26 October 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–0 | 3,878 | Murphy |
| 29 October 1996 | Rotherham United | H | 1–0 | 3,162 | Barr |
| 2 November 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 3–0 | 3,636 | Adebola, Whalley, Murphy |
| 9 November 1996 | Burnley | A | 0–2 | 9,459 | |
| 23 November 1996 | Walsall | A | 0–1 | 3,653 | |
| 30 November 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 5–1 | 4,035 | Murphy, S Smith, Rivers (2), Whalley |
| 3 December 1996 | Gillingham | A | 1–2 | 3,575 | Rivers |
| 14 December 1996 | Luton Town | A | 0–6 | 5,455 | |
| 20 December 1996 | Notts County | H | 3–0 | 3,125 | Adebola (2), Charnock |
| 28 December 1996 | Bournemouth | H | 2–0 | 3,687 | Adebola (2) |
| 11 January 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–1 | 5,036 | |
| 18 January 1997 | Blackpool | A | 2–1 | 4,760 | Murphy, Adebola |
| 25 January 1997 | Rotherham United | A | 4–1 | 2,832 | Adebola (2), Murphy, S Smith |
| 1 February 1997 | Burnley | H | 1–1 | 4,734 | Macauley |
| 8 February 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 0–2 | 4,902 | |
| 15 February 1997 | Walsall | H | 1–0 | 4,648 | Murphy |
| 22 February 1997 | Bristol City | A | 0–3 | 11,306 | |
| 1 March 1997 | Gillingham | H | 3–2 | 3,555 | Barr (2), Murphy |
| 8 March 1997 | Notts County | A | 1–0 | 4,047 | Rivers |
| 15 March 1997 | Luton Town | H | 0–0 | 4,475 | |
| 18 March 1997 | Millwall | H | 0–0 | 3,695 | |
| 22 March 1997 | Peterborough United | H | 1–1 | 3,565 | Murphy |
| 25 March 1997 | Bristol City | H | 1–2 | 3,687 | Westwood |
| 29 March 1997 | Stockport County | A | 0–1 | 7,411 | |
| 31 March 1997 | Preston North End | H | 1–0 | 4,407 | Adebola |
| 5 April 1997 | Watford | A | 1–0 | 12,441 | Whalley |
| 12 April 1997 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–0 | 4,281 | Adebola |
| 15 April 1997 | Bury | A | 0–1 | 4,725 | |
| 19 April 1997 | Brentford | A | 2–0 | 6,183 | Adebola, S Smith |
| 22 April 1997 | Wrexham | A | 1–1 | 4,643 | Johnson |
| 26 April 1997 | Chesterfield | H | 1–2 | 4,858 | Adebola |
| 3 May 1997 | York City | A | 1–1 | 4,366 | Westwood |

### Second Division play-offs

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SF 1st Leg | 11 May 1997 | Luton Town | H | 2–1 | 5,467 | Rivers, Little |
| SF 2nd Leg | 14 May 1997 | Luton Town | A | 2–2 (won 4–3 on agg) | 8,168 | Little, S Smith |
| F | 25 May 1997 | Brentford | N | 1–0 | 34,149 | S Smith |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 16 November 1996 | Kidderminster Harriers | H | 4–1 | 4,651 | Macauley, Murphy (2), Lightfoot |
| R2 | 7 December 1996 | Hull City | A | 5–1 | 3,756 | Garvey, Murphy, Adebola, S Smith, Brien (own goal) |
| R3 | 14 January 1997 | Wimbledon | H | 1–1 | 5,011 | Westwood |
| R3R | 21 January 1997 | Wimbledon | A | 0–2 | 4,951 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Port Vale | A | 0–1 | 5,236 | |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Port Vale | H | 1–5 (lost 1–6 on agg) | 4,471 | Adebola |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
| NR2 | 28 January 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–0 | 2,216 |
| NQF | 4 February 1997 | Blackpool | H | 1–0 | 3,033 |
| NSF | 28 January 1997 | Stockport County | H | 1–1 (lost 3–5 on pens) | 3,529 |

## 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 | NGA | Ademola Bankole |
| — | GK | ENG | Neil Cutler |
| — | GK | ENG | Mark Gayle |
| — | GK | AUS | Jason Kearton |
| — | GK | AUS | Steve Mautone (on loan from West Ham United) |
| — | GK | ENG | Martin Taylor (on loan from Derby County) |
| — | DF | ENG | Billy Barr |
| — | DF | ENG | Peter Billing |
| — | DF | ENG | Ryan Kirby |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris Lightfoot |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Macauley |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Pope |
| — | DF | ENG | Shaun Smith |
| — | DF | ENG | Lee Unsworth |
| — | DF | ENG | Ashley Westwood |
| — | MF | ENG | Phil Charnock |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Jamie Collins |
| — | MF | ENG | Steve Garvey |
| — | MF | ENG | Seth Johnson |
| — | MF | ENG | Brian Launders |
| — | MF | ENG | Danny Murphy |
| — | MF | WAL | Robbie Savage |
| — | MF | ENG | Kevin Street |
| — | MF | ENG | Francis Tierney |
| — | MF | ENG | Gareth Whalley |
| — | FW | NGA | Dele Adebola |
| — | FW | ENG | Steve Anthrobus |
| — | FW | ENG | Lee Ellison |
| — | FW | ENG | Colin Little |
| — | FW | ENG | Jamie Moralee |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Rivers |
| — | FW | WAL | Peter Smith |