# 1996–97 Tranmere Rovers F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Tranmere Rovers F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

Another decent season for Tranmere in player-manager John Aldridge's first full season in charge resulted in another mid-table finish, this time finishing two places higher than last season, in 11th.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 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 |
| 12 | Stoke City | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 64 |
| 13 | Norwich City | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 63 | 68 | −5 | 63 |

## Results

Tranmere Rovers' score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Southend United | A | 1–1 | 4,264 | Morrissey |
| 23 August 1996 | Grimsby Town | H | 3–2 | 6,800 | Aldridge (2, 1 pen), Irons |
| 27 August 1996 | Port Vale | H | 2–0 | 6,123 | Mahon, Branch |
| 31 August 1996 | Bradford City | A | 0–1 | 10,080 | |
| 7 September 1996 | Birmingham City | H | 1–0 | 8,548 | Aldridge |
| 10 September 1996 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–0 | 10,181 | Aldridge |
| 14 September 1996 | Swindon Town | A | 1–2 | 8,430 | Aldridge |
| 21 September 1996 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–3 | 7,848 | Aldridge, Branch |
| 28 September 1996 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 14,511 | Aldridge |
| 1 October 1996 | Oxford United | H | 0–0 | 4,577 | |
| 4 October 1996 | Portsmouth | H | 4–3 | 5,001 | Branch (2), G. Jones, Bonetti |
| 12 October 1996 | Sheffield United | A | 0–0 | 15,059 | |
| 15 October 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 14,136 | |
| 20 October 1996 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–3 | 7,025 | Aldridge (pen), Brannan |
| 26 October 1996 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–0 | 11,003 | Brannan, Vaughan (own goal) |
| 29 October 1996 | Charlton Athletic | H | 4–0 | 5,527 | Thomas-Moore, G. Jones, Mahon, Aldridge |
| 2 November 1996 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–3 | 8,613 | Thorn |
| 15 November 1996 | Oldham Athletic | H | 1–1 | 8,327 | Aldridge |
| 23 November 1996 | Manchester City | A | 2–1 | 26,531 | Higgins, Brightwell (own goal) |
| 30 November 1996 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–0 | 10,127 | Brannan, Aldridge (2) |
| 3 December 1996 | Reading | A | 0–2 | 5,513 | |
| 7 December 1996 | Stoke City | A | 0–2 | 9,931 | |
| 14 December 1996 | Barnsley | A | 0–3 | 8,513 | |
| 21 December 1996 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–2 | 9,674 | |
| 26 December 1996 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–1 | 10,134 | Brannan |
| 1 January 1997 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 2–1 | 14,770 | Aldridge (2) |
| 10 January 1997 | Swindon Town | H | 2–1 | 8,763 | Nevin (2) |
| 18 January 1997 | Oxford United | A | 1–2 | 7,072 | Aldridge |
| 28 January 1997 | Norwich City | H | 3–1 | 5,891 | Cook (2), Thomas-Moore |
| 1 February 1997 | Reading | H | 2–2 | 6,019 | Branch, Thomas-Moore |
| 7 February 1997 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–3 | 11,283 | Irons |
| 22 February 1997 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–0 | 15,396 | O'Brien |
| 28 February 1997 | Stoke City | H | 0–0 | 9,127 | |
| 4 March 1997 | Oldham Athletic | A | 2–1 | 5,417 | Brannan (2) |
| 8 March 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 2–3 | 26,192 | Irons, Aldridge |
| 15 March 1997 | Barnsley | H | 1–1 | 7,347 | Higgins |
| 18 March 1997 | Manchester City | H | 1–1 | 12,019 | G. Jones |
| 22 March 1997 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–0 | 4,353 | |
| 28 March 1997 | Southend United | H | 3–0 | 7,563 | Irons, L. Jones, Aldridge |
| 31 March 1997 | Port Vale | A | 1–2 | 7,469 | Irons |
| 4 April 1997 | Bradford City | H | 3–0 | 8,531 | G. Jones (2), L. Jones |
| 12 April 1997 | Portsmouth | A | 3–1 | 12,004 | Cook, G. Jones, L. Jones |
| 15 April 1997 | Birmingham City | A | 0–0 | 22,364 | |
| 19 April 1997 | Sheffield United | H | 1–1 | 10,027 | L. Jones |
| 26 April 1997 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–2 | 14,859 | |
| 4 May 1997 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2–2 | 14,309 | Aldridge (pen), L. Jones |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 14 January 1997 | Carlisle United | A | 0–1 | 10,090 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 First Leg | 21 August 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 2–0 | 2,875 | Aldridge, Bonetti |
| R1 Second Leg | 3 September 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 1–1 (won 3–1 on agg) | 3,028 | Branch |
| R2 First Leg | 17 September 1996 | Oldham Athletic | A | 2–2 | 3,094 | Aldridge (pen), Morrissey |
| R2 Second Leg | 24 September 1996 | Oldham Athletic | H | 0–1 | 3,711 | |

## 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 | Eric Nixon |
| — | GK | WAL | Danny Coyne |
| — | DF | ENG | Dave Challinor |
| — | DF | ENG | Dave Higgins |
| — | DF | ENG | John McGreal |
| — | DF | ENG | Alan Rogers |
| — | DF | ENG | Gary Stevens |
| — | DF | ENG | Shaun Teale |
| — | DF | ENG | Tony Thomas |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Thorn |
| — | DF | WAL | Alan Morgan |
| — | DF | SCO | Steve Mungall |
| — | MF | ENG | Graham Branch |
| — | MF | ENG | Ged Brannan |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Cook |
| — | MF | ENG | Kenny Irons |
| — | MF | ENG | Gary Jones |
| — | MF | IRL | Alan Mahon |
| — | MF | ENG | Kevin McIntyre |
| — | MF | IRL | Liam O'Brien |
| — | MF | IRL | Billy Woods |
| — | MF | ITA | Ivano Bonetti |
| — | FW | ENG | John Morrissey |
| — | FW | ENG | Ian Thomas-Moore |
| — | FW | WAL | Lee Jones |
| — | FW | SCO | Pat Nevin |
| — | FW | IRL | John Aldridge |