# 1996–97 Blackpool F.C. season

The 1996–97 season was Blackpool F.C.'s 89th season (86th consecutive) in the Football League. They competed in the 24-team Division Two, then the third tier of English league football, finishing seventh. 5 September 1996 marked the 100th anniversary of Blackpool's first match in the Football League.

## Season summary

Sam Allardyce was fired after failing to bring the club promotion the previous season. He was replaced by the former Norwich City manager Gary Megson.
Tony Ellis was the club's top scorer for the third consecutive season, with eighteen goals (fifteen in the league and three in the League Cup).

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 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 | |
| 9 | Burnley | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 71 | 55 | +16 | 68 | |

## Results

Blackpool's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Chesterfield | H | 0–1 | 6,014 | |
| 24 August 1996 | Bristol City | A | 1–0 | 9,387 | Ellis |
| 27 August 1996 | Rotherham United | A | 2–1 | 2,914 | Philpott, Preece |
| 31 August 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 0–0 | 4,856 | |
| 7 September 1996 | Walsall | H | 2–1 | 5,176 | Philpott, Quinn (pen) |
| 10 September 1996 | Burnley | A | 0–2 | 13,599 | |
| 14 September 1996 | Brentford | A | 1–1 | 5,908 | Quinn (pen) |
| 21 September 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 1–1 | 4,452 | Ellis |
| 28 September 1996 | Luton Town | A | 0–1 | 5,303 | |
| 1 October 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 2–3 | 4,314 | Brabin, Quinn |
| 5 October 1996 | Bury | A | 0–1 | 5,317 | |
| 12 October 1996 | Gillingham | H | 2–0 | 4,320 | Ellis, Mellon |
| 15 October 1996 | Wrexham | H | 3–3 | 4,014 | Preece (2), Mellon |
| 19 October 1996 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–0 | 5,823 | |
| 26 October 1996 | Watford | H | 1–1 | 6,072 | Quinn |
| 30 October 1996 | Millwall | A | 1–2 | 7,179 | Malkin |
| 2 November 1996 | Peterborough United | A | 0–0 | 7,011 | |
| 9 November 1996 | AFC Bournemouth | H | 1–1 | 3,744 | Quinn |
| 19 November 1996 | Stockport County | A | 0–1 | 4,572 | |
| 23 November 1996 | Notts County | H | 1–0 | 3,598 | Quinn (pen) |
| 30 November 1996 | Watford | A | 2–2 | 12,017 | Malkin, Brabin |
| 3 December 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–2 | 2,690 | Philpott, Malkin |
| 13 December 1996 | Preston North End | A | 0–3 | 14,626 | |
| 21 December 1996 | York City | H | 3–0 | 3,432 | Ellis, Quinn (2, 1 pens) |
| 1 January 1997 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 3–1 | 2,787 | Preece (2), Mellon |
| 18 January 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–2 | 4,760 | Ellis |
| 25 January 1997 | Millwall | H | 3–0 | 4,523 | Ellis, Quinn, Darton |
| 1 February 1997 | AFC Bournemouth | A | 0–0 | 8,201 | |
| 8 February 1997 | Peterborough United | H | 5–1 | 4,001 | Ellis (3), Preece, Bryan |
| 15 February 1997 | Notts County | A | 1–1 | 5,281 | Quinn |
| 22 February 1997 | Stockport County | H | 2–1 | 5,772 | Quinn, Ellis |
| 25 February 1997 | Burnley | H | 1–3 | 7,331 | Quinn |
| 1 March 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–0 | 5,585 | Ellis |
| 8 March 1997 | York City | A | 0–1 | 3,639 | |
| 15 March 1997 | Preston North End | H | 2–1 | 8,017 | Clarkson (2) |
| 18 March 1997 | Walsall | A | 1–1 | 3,459 | Clarkson |
| 22 March 1997 | Bristol City | H | 1–0 | 4,518 | Preece |
| 29 March 1997 | Chesterfield | A | 0–0 | 4,974 | |
| 31 March 1997 | Rotherham United | H | 4–1 | 5,524 | Linighan, Clarkson, Ellis, Barlow |
| 5 April 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 5,619 | |
| 12 April 1997 | Bury | H | 2–0 | 6,812 | Ellis (2) |
| 15 April 1997 | Luton Town | H | 0–0 | 4,382 | |
| 19 April 1997 | Gillingham | A | 3–2 | 5,151 | Quinn, Mellon, Clarkson |
| 22 April 1997 | Brentford | H | 1–0 | 4,030 | Preece |
| 26 April 1997 | Bristol Rovers | H | 3–2 | 6,673 | Preece (2), Bonner |
| 3 May 1997 | Wrexham | A | 1–2 | 5,664 | Ellis |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 16 November 1996 | Wigan Athletic | H | 1–0 | 5,465 | Quinn (pen) |
| R2 | 7 December 1996 | Hednesford Town | H | 0–1 | 4,583 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Scunthorpe United | A | 1–2 | 1,880 | Quinn |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Scunthorpe United | H | 2–0 (won 3–2 on agg) | 2,560 | Ellis, Philpott |
| R2 1st Leg | 18 September 1996 | Chelsea | H | 1–4 | 9,666 | Quinn |
| R2 2nd Leg | 25 September 1996 | Chelsea | A | 3–1 (lost 4–5 on agg) | 11,732 | Ellis (2), Quinn |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
| NR1 | 10 December 1996 | Rotherham United | A | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | 1,143 |
| NR2 | 14 January 1997 | Lincoln City | H | 4–0 | 1,578 |
| NQF | 4 February 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–1 | 3,033 |

## 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 | ENG | Steve Banks |
| — | GK | ENG | Henry Heighton |
| — | GK | ENG | Lee Martin |
| — | GK | ENG | Tony Parks |
| — | DF | ENG | Craig Allardyce |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Barlow |
| — | DF | ENG | Darren Bradshaw |
| — | DF | ENG | David Brightwell (on loan from Bradford City) |
| — | DF | ENG | Marvin Bryan |
| — | DF | ENG | Tony Butler |
| — | DF | ENG | Scott Darton |
| — | DF | ENG | Ben Dixon |
| — | DF | ENG | Paul Jones (on loan from Tranmere Rovers) |
| — | DF | ENG | David Linighan |
| — | DF | ENG | Jason Lydiate |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Bonner |
| — | MF | ENG | Gary Brabin |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Carden |
| — | MF | ENG | Phil Clarkson |
| — | MF | SCO | Micky Mellon |
| — | MF | ENG | Udo Onwere |
| — | MF | ENG | Lee Philpott |
| — | MF | ENG | Keith Russell |
| — | MF | IRL | Billy Woods (on loan from Tranmere Rovers) |
| — | FW | ENG | Tony Ellis |
| — | FW | ENG | Chris Malkin |
| — | FW | ENG | Brett Ormerod |
| — | FW | ENG | Andy Preece |
| — | FW | NIR | James Quinn |
| — | FW | ENG | Lee Thorpe |