# 1996–97 Wigan Athletic F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Wigan Athletic F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division.

## Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, Wigan Athletic became Third Division champions on the last day of the campaign, Graeme Jones scoring a club record 31 league goals in the process. In most seasons they would have been runners-up, but a temporary rule change which saw goals scored take precedence over goal difference allowed them to finish above runners-up Fulham, who had the same number of points and a better goal difference.

## Transfers
### In

| Player | Pos | From | Fee | Date |
| Charlie Bishop | DF | Barnsley | £20,000 | 1 July 1996 |
| Graeme Jones | FW | Doncaster Rovers | £150,000 | 8 July 1996 |
| Andy Saville | FW | Preston North End | £100,000 | 25 October 1996 |
| Paul Rogers | MF | Notts County | £50,000 | 7 March 1997 |
| Roy Carroll | GK | Hull City | £350,000 | 16 April 1997 |

### Out

| Player | Pos | To | Fee | Date |
| Jesús Seba | MF | Real Zaragoza | Released | 15 October 1996 |
| Mark Ward | MF | | Released | 31 October 1996 |
| Michael Love | DF | Sligo Rovers | Free | 24 January 1997 |
| Wayne Biggins | MF | Leek Town | Released | 31 May 1997 |
| John Butler | DF | Stalybridge Celtic | Released | 31 May 1997 |
| Matt Carragher | DF | Port Vale | Released | 31 May 1997 |

### Loans in

| Player | Pos | From | Date | Duration |
| Stuart Whittaker | MF | Bolton Wanderers | 30 August 1996 | One month |
| Paul Rogers | MF | Notts County | 13 December 1996 | Three months |
| Pat McGibbon | DF | Manchester United | 3 March 1997 | End of season |

## League
### Results

Wigan Athletic's score comes first

#### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Northampton Town | H | 2–1 | 3,449 | Lancashire, Biggins |
| 24 August 1996 | Barnet | A | 1–1 | 1,905 | Jones |
| 27 August 1996 | Cardiff City | A | 2–0 | 3,354 | Jones, Kilford |
| 31 August 1996 | Chester City | H | 4–2 | 3,854 | Jones (3, 1 pen), Shelton (own goal) |
| 7 September 1996 | Scunthorpe United | H | 3–0 | 3,321 | Jones, Lancashire (2) |
| 10 September 1996 | Darlington | A | 1–3 | 2,601 | Greenall |
| 14 September 1996 | Hartlepool United | A | 1–1 | 2,433 | Jones |
| 21 September 1996 | Lincoln City | H | 1–0 | 3,394 | Lancashire |
| 28 September 1996 | Scarborough | A | 1–3 | 2,570 | Lancashire |
| 1 October 1996 | Exeter City | H | 2–0 | 2,788 | Lancashire, Jones |
| 5 October 1996 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 1–0 | 3,744 | Jones |
| 12 October 1996 | Colchester United | A | 1–3 | 2,700 | Sharp |
| 15 October 1996 | Mansfield Town | A | 1–0 | 1,942 | Sharp |
| 19 October 1996 | Torquay United | H | 3–2 | 3,374 | Jones (3) |
| 26 October 1996 | Hull City | H | 1–2 | 3,887 | Morgan |
| 29 October 1996 | Swansea City | A | 1–2 | 2,227 | Díaz |
| 2 November 1996 | Carlisle United | A | 3–0 | 6,235 | Díaz (2), Saville |
| 9 November 1996 | Hereford United | H | 4–1 | 3,414 | Martínez, Jones, Greenall, Saville |
| 23 November 1996 | Fulham | H | 1–1 | 5,039 | Martínez |
| 30 November 1996 | Hull City | A | 1–1 | 3,537 | Jones |
| 3 December 1996 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 4–1 | 2,606 | Biggins, Johnson, Saville, Jones |
| 14 December 1996 | Cambridge United | A | 1–1 | 2,784 | Kilford |
| 21 December 1996 | Rochdale | H | 0–1 | 3,311 | |
| 28 December 1996 | Scunthorpe United | A | 3–2 | 2,833 | Saville, Rogers, Kilford |
| 18 January 1997 | Exeter City | A | 1–0 | 3,067 | Johnson |
| 21 January 1997 | Leyton Orient | A | 2–1 | 3,014 | Kilford, Jones |
| 25 January 1997 | Swansea City | H | 3–2 | 4,058 | Jones (2), Kilford |
| 1 February 1997 | Hereford United | A | 1–3 | 2,532 | Rogers |
| 4 February 1997 | Lincoln City | A | 3–1 | 2,241 | Jones (2), Johnson |
| 8 February 1997 | Carlisle United | H | 1–0 | 6,195 | Lowe |
| 15 February 1997 | Fulham | A | 1–1 | 9,448 | Lowe |
| 22 February 1997 | Leyton Orient | H | 5–1 | 3,783 | Jones (3), Lancashire, Rogers |
| 25 February 1997 | Darlington | H | 3–2 | 3,667 | Jones (3, 1 pen) |
| 28 February 1997 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 0–2 | 2,948 | |
| 4 March 1997 | Hartlepool United | H | 2–2 | 3,229 | Jones, Kilford |
| 8 March 1997 | Rochdale | A | 1–3 | 3,254 | Jones (pen) |
| 11 March 1997 | Scarborough | H | 7–1 | 3,094 | Martínez, Lowe (2), Díaz (2), Lancashire, Biggins |
| 15 March 1997 | Cambridge United | H | 1–1 | 3,867 | Jones |
| 22 March 1997 | Barnet | H | 2–0 | 3,286 | Kilford, Martínez |
| 29 March 1997 | Northampton Town | A | 1–0 | 5,914 | Lowe |
| 31 March 1997 | Cardiff City | H | 0–1 | 4,634 | |
| 5 April 1997 | Chester City | A | 1–1 | 4,005 | Kilford |
| 8 April 1997 | Colchester United | H | 1–0 | 4,571 | McGibbon |
| 12 April 1997 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 0–1 | 8,703 | |
| 26 April 1997 | Torquay United | A | 3–0 | 2,481 | Jones (2), Díaz |
| 3 May 1997 | Mansfield Town | H | 2–0 | 7,106 | Lancashire, Lowe |

### Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Wigan Athletic (C, P) | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 84 | 51 | +33 | 87 | Promotion to the Second Division |
| 2 | Fulham (P) | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 72 | 38 | +34 | 87 | Promotion to the Second Division |
| 3 | Carlisle United (P) | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 67 | 44 | +23 | 84 | Promotion to the Second Division |
| 4 | Northampton Town (O, P) | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 67 | 44 | +23 | 72 | Qualification for the Third Division play-offs |
| 5 | Swansea City | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 62 | 58 | +4 | 71 | Qualification for the Third Division play-offs |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 16 November 1996 | Blackpool | A | 0–1 | 5,465 (1,832 away) | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Preston North End | H | 2–3 | 3,713 | Lancashire, Jones |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Preston North End | A | 4–4 (lost 5–6 on agg) | 5,767 (1,158 away) | Lancashire (3), Greenall |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| NR2 | 14 January 1997 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | 1,639 (374 away) | Martínez, Jones |

## Squad

Note: Numbers in brackets are appearances as a substitute. Source:
| Nat. | Pos. | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Nat. | Pos. | Player | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| | FW | Wayne Biggins | 20 (13) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 (2) | 0 | 22 (15) | 3 |
| | DF | Charlie Bishop | 20 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 (1) | 0 |
| | DF | John Butler | 20 (4) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 (4) | 0 |
| | GK | Lee Butler | 46 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| | DF | Matt Carragher | 12 (6) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 (7) | 0 |
| | MF | Isidro Díaz | 26 (13) | 6 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 26 (15) | 6 |
| | DF | Colin Greenall | 46 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 (1) | 1 | 49 (1) | 3 |
| | DF | Gavin Johnson | 37 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 3 |
| | FW | Graeme Jones | 39 (1) | 31 | 1 | 0 | 2 (1) | 2 | 42 (2) | 33 |
| | MF | Ian Kilford | 24 (11) | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 26 (12) | 8 |
| | DF | Ryan Kirby | 05 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 05 (1) | 0 |
| | FW | Graham Lancashire | 15 (9) | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17 (9) | 13 |
| | DF | Michael Love | 00 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 00 (3) | 0 |
| | FW | David Lowe | 31 (11) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 35 (11) | 6 |
| | MF | Roberto Martínez | 38 (5) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 (1) | 1 | 41 (6) | 5 |
| | DF | Pat McGibbon | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| | DF | Steve Morgan | 18 (5) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 21 (5) | 1 |
| | DF | Roy O'Brien | 00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 00 | 0 |
| | DF | John Pender | 27 (2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 31 (2) | 0 |
| | MF | Paul Rogers | 18 (2) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 (2) | 3 |
| | FW | Andy Saville | 17 (3) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 (3) | 4 |
| | MF | Jesús Seba | 00 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 00 (2) | 0 |
| | DF | Kevin Sharp | 30 (5) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 32 (6) | 2 |
| | MF | Mark Ward | 05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 05 | 0 |
| | MF | Stuart Whittaker | 02 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 02 (1) | 0 |