# 1996–97 Millwall F.C. season

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

## Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, Millwall had a tough finish to the campaign after being top of the table at the beginning of December which included a poor run of just five wins from their remaining 26 league games that saw them plummet down the table and ended up finishing in a disappointing 14th place. The club also experienced extreme financial difficulties that resulted in them being placed in financial administration for a short time. Jimmy Nicholl was relieved of his duties in February and John Docherty returned on a short term basis to stabilise the club at playing level.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 12 | Walsall | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 54 | 53 | +1 | 67 |
| 13 | Watford | 46 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 45 | 38 | +7 | 67 |
| 14 | Millwall | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 55 | −5 | 61 |
| 15 | Preston North End | 46 | 18 | 7 | 21 | 49 | 55 | −6 | 61 |
| 16 | Bournemouth | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 43 | 45 | −2 | 60 |

## Results

Millwall's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Wrexham | H | 1–1 | 9,371 | Crawford (pen) |
| 24 August 1996 | Watford | A | 2–0 | 9,495 | Harle, Crawford |
| 27 August 1996 | York City | A | 2–3 | 3,108 | Savage, Malkin |
| 31 August 1996 | Burnley | H | 2–1 | 9,281 | Newman, Neill |
| 7 September 1996 | Bristol Rovers | H | 2–0 | 7,881 | Rogan, Huckerby |
| 10 September 1996 | Peterborough United | A | 3–3 | 4,442 | Huckerby, Neill, Malkin |
| 14 September 1996 | Notts County | A | 2–1 | 4,473 | Neill, Robinson (own goal) |
| 21 September 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2–0 | 9,320 | Huckerby, Dair |
| 28 September 1996 | Preston North End | A | 1–2 | 9,400 | Newman |
| 2 October 1996 | Stockport County | H | 3–4 | 7,537 | Rogan (2), Hartley |
| 5 October 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–0 | 7,507 | |
| 12 October 1996 | Chesterfield | H | 2–1 | 7,765 | Neill, Rogan |
| 16 October 1996 | Bury | H | 1–0 | 6,447 | Rogan |
| 19 October 1996 | Gillingham | A | 3–2 | 9,305 | Crawford (2), Hartley |
| 26 October 1996 | Brentford | A | 0–0 | 7,691 | |
| 30 October 1996 | Blackpool | H | 2–1 | 7,179 | Rogan (2 pens) |
| 2 November 1996 | Walsall | H | 1–0 | 9,176 | Crawford |
| 9 November 1996 | Bristol City | A | 1–1 | 12,326 | Crawford |
| 20 November 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 2–1 | 5,770 | Crawford (2) |
| 23 November 1996 | Rotherham United | A | 0–0 | 3,286 | |
| 29 November 1996 | Brentford | H | 0–0 | 7,845 | |
| 3 December 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 4,550 | |
| 14 December 1996 | Bournemouth | A | 1–1 | 4,494 | Bright |
| 18 December 1996 | Luton Town | H | 0–1 | 7,077 | |
| 26 December 1996 | Peterborough United | H | 0–2 | 8,118 | |
| 11 January 1997 | Preston North End | H | 3–2 | 7,096 | Cadette, Crawford, Savage |
| 18 January 1997 | Stockport County | A | 1–5 | 7,502 | Webber |
| 25 January 1997 | Blackpool | A | 0–3 | 4,523 | |
| 1 February 1997 | Bristol City | H | 0–2 | 9,158 | |
| 8 February 1997 | Walsall | A | 1–2 | 3,833 | Bowry |
| 15 February 1997 | Rotherham United | H | 2–0 | 7,043 | Crawford, Gayle (own goal) |
| 22 February 1997 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–1 | 2,968 | Doyle |
| 25 February 1997 | Notts County | H | 1–0 | 5,202 | Savage |
| 1 March 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 2–1 | 7,539 | Hartley, Dolby |
| 8 March 1997 | Luton Town | A | 2–0 | 8,585 | Dolby, Hartley |
| 15 March 1997 | Bournemouth | H | 0–1 | 9,992 | |
| 18 March 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–0 | 3,695 | |
| 22 March 1997 | Watford | H | 0–1 | 8,713 | |
| 28 March 1997 | Wrexham | A | 3–3 | 4,634 | Crawford, Newman, Rogan (pen) |
| 2 April 1997 | York City | H | 1–1 | 6,161 | Webber |
| 5 April 1997 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | 9,840 | |
| 8 April 1997 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–1 | 5,324 | |
| 12 April 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 0–0 | 5,702 | |
| 19 April 1997 | Chesterfield | A | 0–1 | 5,935 | |
| 26 April 1997 | Gillingham | H | 0–2 | 8,946 | |
| 3 May 1997 | Bury | A | 0–2 | 9,785 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 15 November 1996 | Woking | A | 2–2 | 5,448 | Savage, Crawford |
| R1R | 26 November 1996 | Woking | H | 0–1 | 6,048 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 21 August 1996 | Peterborough United | H | 1–0 | 5,145 | Malkin |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Peterborough United | A | 0–2 (lost 1–2 on agg) | 4,610 | |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SR1 | 7 December 1996 | Hereford United | A | 4–0 | 1,710 | Dair (2), Crawford (2) |
| SR2 | 7 January 1997 | Colchester United | H | 2–3 | 2,795 | Crawford, Savage |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Tim Carter |
| — | GK | UGA | Andy Iga |
| — | GK | ENG | David Nurse |
| — | DF | IRL | Scott Fitzgerald (on loan from Wimbledon) |
| — | DF | ENG | Mike Harle |
| — | DF | SCO | Gerard Lavin |
| — | DF | ENG | Alan McLeary |
| — | DF | AUS | Lucas Neill |
| — | DF | ENG | Ricky Newman |
| — | DF | NIR | Anton Rogan |
| — | DF | SCO | David Sinclair |
| — | DF | ENG | Keith Stevens |
| — | DF | ENG | Damien Webber |
| — | DF | ENG | Tony Witter |
| — | MF | ENG | Greg Berry |
| — | MF | CAN | Marc Bircham |
| — | MF | SKN | Bobby Bowry |
| — | MF | ENG | Dean Canoville |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | SCO | Jason Dair |
| — | MF | ENG | Tony Dolby |
| — | MF | ENG | Maurice Doyle |
| — | MF | ENG | Steve Forbes |
| — | MF | SCO | Paul Hartley |
| — | MF | SCO | Graham Robertson |
| — | MF | IRL | Stephen Roche |
| — | MF | IRL | Dave Savage |
| — | MF | AUS | Jason van Blerk |
| — | MF | ENG | Ray Wilkins |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Bright (on loan from Sheffield Wednesday) |
| — | FW | ENG | Richard Cadette |
| — | FW | SCO | Stevie Crawford |
| — | FW | ENG | Danny Hockton |
| — | FW | ENG | Darren Huckerby |
| — | FW | ENG | Chris Malkin |
| — | FW | ENG | Lee McRobert |
| — | FW | IRL | Richard Sadlier |