# 1996–97 Oxford United F.C. season

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

## Season summary

The 1996–97 season saw Oxford looking hopeful of gaining promotion to the Premier League, but the squad lacked the strength to make their form consistent and they finished seventeenth, following the sale of star defender Matt Elliott to Leicester City.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 15 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 52 | 66 | −14 | 59 |
| 16 | West Bromwich Albion | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 68 | 72 | −4 | 57 |
| 17 | Oxford United | 46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 64 | 68 | −4 | 57 |
| 18 | Reading | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 58 | 67 | −9 | 57 |
| 19 | Swindon Town | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 52 | 71 | −19 | 54 |

## Results

Oxford United's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–2 | 14,703 | Jemson |
| 24 August 1996 | Southend United | H | 5–0 | 6,382 | Beauchamp (2), Jemson (2), Rush |
| 27 August 1996 | Norwich City | H | 0–1 | 7,436 | |
| 31 August 1996 | Port Vale | A | 0–2 | 6,016 | |
| 8 September 1996 | Reading | A | 0–2 | 8,099 | |
| 10 September 1996 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 7,468 | M Ford |
| 14 September 1996 | Bradford City | H | 2–0 | 6,334 | Jemson, Moody |
| 21 September 1996 | Grimsby Town | A | 2–0 | 4,120 | Jemson (pen), Handyside (own goal) |
| 28 September 1996 | Portsmouth | H | 2–0 | 7,626 | Beauchamp, M Ford |
| 1 October 1996 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–0 | 4,577 | |
| 12 October 1996 | Swindon Town | A | 0–1 | 10,811 | |
| 15 October 1996 | Barnsley | A | 0–0 | 6,337 | |
| 18 October 1996 | Birmingham City | H | 0–0 | 7,594 | |
| 26 October 1996 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–2 | 10,626 | |
| 29 October 1996 | Stoke City | H | 4–1 | 6,381 | Gray, Angel, Jemson, Aldridge |
| 2 November 1996 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–1 | 7,903 | Mowbray (own goal), Jemson, Elliott |
| 13 November 1996 | Manchester City | A | 3–2 | 23,079 | Beauchamp, Jemson, Elliott |
| 16 November 1996 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–0 | 7,460 | Elliott |
| 19 November 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 0–0 | 7,517 | |
| 23 November 1996 | Oldham Athletic | A | 1–2 | 4,851 | Jemson |
| 30 November 1996 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0–2 | 7,080 | |
| 7 December 1996 | Crystal Palace | A | 2–2 | 17,879 | Jemson, Massey |
| 14 December 1996 | Sheffield United | H | 4–1 | 7,737 | Aldridge (3), Jemson |
| 21 December 1996 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 3–3 | 13,782 | Jemson, Murphy, Elliott |
| 26 December 1996 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–3 | 26,511 | Gray |
| 28 December 1996 | Reading | H | 2–1 | 9,223 | Beauchamp, Murphy |
| 11 January 1997 | Bradford City | A | 0–2 | 13,275 | |
| 18 January 1997 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2–1 | 7,072 | Aldridge, Jemson (pen) |
| 28 January 1997 | Portsmouth | A | 1–2 | 7,301 | Angel |
| 2 February 1997 | Manchester City | H | 1–4 | 8,824 | Moody |
| 7 February 1997 | Stoke City | A | 1–2 | 8,609 | Moody |
| 15 February 1997 | Oldham Athletic | H | 3–1 | 6,868 | Graham, Purse, Jemson |
| 22 February 1997 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–2 | 11,483 | Gabbiadini |
| 1 March 1997 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–4 | 8,572 | Marsh |
| 4 March 1997 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–1 | 11,276 | |
| 8 March 1997 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1–0 | 8,502 | Murphy |
| 15 March 1997 | Sheffield United | A | 1–3 | 16,226 | Gilchrist |
| 18 March 1997 | Grimsby Town | H | 3–2 | 6,421 | M Ford, Gilchrist, Aldridge |
| 22 March 1997 | Southend United | A | 2–2 | 4,102 | Jemson, Aldridge |
| 29 March 1997 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–3 | 8,365 | Jemson (pen), Moody |
| 31 March 1997 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 14,644 | Massey |
| 5 April 1997 | Port Vale | H | 0–2 | 7,370 | |
| 12 April 1997 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–4 | 15,994 | |
| 19 April 1997 | Swindon Town | H | 2–0 | 8,167 | Aldridge, Massey |
| 26 April 1997 | Birmingham City | A | 0–2 | 16,109 | |
| 4 May 1997 | Barnsley | H | 5–1 | 8,693 | Beauchamp (2), Jemson (2, 1 pen), M Ford |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 21 January 1997 | Watford | A | 0–2 | 9,502 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 First Leg | 20 August 1996 | Norwich City | H | 1–1 | 6,062 | Jemson |
| R1 Second Leg | 4 September 1996 | Norwich City | A | 3–2 (won 4–3 on agg) | 7,301 | Elliott, M Ford, Aldridge |
| R2 First Leg | 18 September 1996 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–1 | 7,499 | Moody |
| R2 Second Leg | 24 September 1996 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–0 | 6,863 | Jemson |
| R3 | 22 October 1996 | Port Vale | A | 0–0 | 4,942 | |
| R3R | 5 November 1996 | Port Vale | H | 2–0 (won 2–0 on agg) | 5,279 | Jemson (2) |
| R4 | 26 November 1996 | Southampton | H | 1–1 | 9,473 | Moody |
| R4R | 18 December 1996 | Southampton | A | 2–3 | 10,737 | Jemson, B Ford |

## 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 | Phil Whitehead |
| - | DF | ENG | Mike Ford |
| - | DF | ENG | Phil Gilchrist |
| - | DF | ENG | Darren Purse |
| - | DF | ENG | Les Robinson |
| - | MF | ENG | David Smith |
| - | FW | ENG | Nigel Jemson |
| - | MF | ENG | Joey Beauchamp |
| - | FW | ENG | Paul Moody |
| - | MF | ENG | Martin Gray |
| - | MF | ENG | Stuart Massey |
| - | GK | ENG | Elliott Jackson |
| - | FW | ENG | Matt Murphy |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | MF | ENG | Bobby Ford |
| - | FW | ENG | Martin Aldridge |
| - | DF | ENG | Matt Elliott |
| - | FW | ENG | Mark Angel |
| - | DF | ENG | Chris Whyte |
| - | FW | ENG | David Rush |
| - | DF | ENG | Simon Marsh |
| - | FW | ENG | Marco Gabbiadini (on loan from Derby County) |
| - | DF | ENG | Brian Wilsterman |
| - | MF | ENG | Marcus Phillips |
| - | MF | ENG | Simon Weatherstone |
| - | MF | ENG | Paul Powell |