# 1996–97 Preston North End F.C. season

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

## Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, Preston manager Peters kept faith with the majority of his promotion winning outfit from last season, reinforcing his squad at various stages of the season with players who would be crucial to the club's success in subsequent campaigns. Mark Rankine joined from Wolves, Sean Gregan from Darlington for £350,000 and Michael Jackson from Bury. Slowly the team that had got Preston promoted were moved on, as the club looked to build for the future.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 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 |
| 17 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 47 | 50 | −3 | 56 |

## Results

Preston North End's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Notts County | A | 1–2 | 6,879 | Bryson |
| 24 August 1996 | Bristol Rovers | H | 0–0 | 9,752 | |
| 27 August 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2–1 | 9,498 | Wilkinson (2) |
| 30 August 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–2 | 9,209 | Wilkinson |
| 7 September 1996 | Bristol City | A | 1–2 | 8,016 | Kilbane |
| 10 September 1996 | York City | H | 1–0 | 6,276 | Ashcroft |
| 14 September 1996 | Bournemouth | H | 0–1 | 8,268 | |
| 21 September 1996 | Wrexham | A | 0–1 | 5,299 | |
| 28 September 1996 | Millwall | H | 2–1 | 9,400 | Holt, Saville |
| 1 October 1996 | Watford | A | 0–1 | 6,434 | |
| 5 October 1996 | Peterborough United | H | 3–4 | 8,874 | Ashcroft (2), Holt |
| 12 October 1996 | Stockport County | A | 0–1 | 8,405 | |
| 15 October 1996 | Walsall | A | 0–1 | 3,224 | |
| 19 October 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 2–1 | 8,333 | Seabury (own goal), Reeves |
| 26 October 1996 | Gillingham | A | 1–1 | 6,256 | Kilbane |
| 29 October 1996 | Burnley | H | 1–1 | 12,652 | Reeves |
| 2 November 1996 | Rotherham United | H | 0–0 | 8,997 | |
| 9 November 1996 | Chesterfield | A | 1–2 | 4,759 | Reeves |
| 19 November 1996 | Luton Town | H | 3–2 | 7,004 | Moyes (2), Ashcroft |
| 23 November 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 1–0 | 4,920 | Ashcroft (pen) |
| 30 November 1996 | Gillingham | H | 1–0 | 9,616 | Davey |
| 3 December 1996 | Bury | A | 0–3 | 5,447 | |
| 13 December 1996 | Blackpool | H | 3–0 | 14,626 | Bennett (2), Reeves |
| 21 December 1996 | Brentford | A | 0–0 | 5,365 | |
| 28 December 1996 | Bristol City | H | 0–2 | 10,905 | |
| 11 January 1997 | Millwall | A | 2–3 | 7,096 | Davey (2, 1 pen) |
| 18 January 1997 | Watford | H | 1–1 | 8,735 | Bennett |
| 25 January 1997 | Burnley | A | 2–1 | 16,186 | Ashcroft (2) |
| 1 February 1997 | Chesterfield | H | 0–1 | 8,681 | |
| 8 February 1997 | Rotherham United | A | 1–0 | 3,556 | Reeves |
| 11 February 1997 | Bournemouth | A | 0–2 | 4,769 | |
| 15 February 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 2–1 | 7,923 | McKenna, Davey |
| 22 February 1997 | Luton Town | A | 1–5 | 6,454 | Reeves |
| 25 February 1997 | York City | A | 1–3 | 2,515 | Cartwright |
| 1 March 1997 | Bury | H | 3–1 | 8,749 | Moyes, Reeves, Stallard |
| 8 March 1997 | Brentford | H | 1–0 | 9,489 | Bryson |
| 15 March 1997 | Blackpool | A | 1–2 | 8,017 | Davey |
| 18 March 1997 | Wrexham | H | 2–1 | 8,271 | Reeves, Ashcroft |
| 23 March 1997 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–1 | 6,405 | |
| 29 March 1997 | Notts County | H | 2–0 | 9,472 | Reeves, Moyes |
| 31 March 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–1 | 4,407 | |
| 5 April 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 1–1 | 8,503 | Reeves |
| 12 April 1997 | Peterborough United | A | 0–2 | 5,040 | |
| 19 April 1997 | Stockport County | H | 1–0 | 10,298 | Bryson |
| 26 April 1997 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 2–0 | 5,341 | Gregan, Davey |
| 3 May 1997 | Walsall | H | 2–0 | 10,800 | Holt, Reeves |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 16 November 1996 | Altrincham | H | 4–1 | 8,286 | Reeves (3), Ashcroft |
| R2 | 7 December 1996 | York City | H | 2–3 | 7,893 | Ashcroft (2, 1 pen) |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Wigan Athletic | A | 3–2 | 3,713 | Wilkinson (3) |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Wigan Athletic | H | 4–4 (won 7–6 on agg) | 5,767 | Davey, Wilkinson, Atkinson, McDonald |
| R2 1st Leg | 17 September 1996 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | 16,258 | Holt |
| R2 2nd Leg | 25 September 1996 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–3 (lost 1–4 on agg) | 20,080 | |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| NR1 | 9 December 1996 | Chesterfield | A | 2–0 | 1,169 | |
| NR2 | 21 January 1997 | York City | A | 0–1 | 1,428 | |

## 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 | David Lucas |
| — | GK | ENG | Bobby Mimms |
| — | GK | FIN | Teuvo Moilanen |
| — | GK | IRL | Kelham O'Hanlon |
| — | DF | ENG | Dean Barrick |
| — | DF | ENG | Sean Gregan |
| — | DF | ENG | Michael Jackson |
| — | DF | ENG | John Kay |
| — | DF | ENG | Ryan Kidd |
| — | DF | ENG | Ryan Kirby |
| — | DF | SCO | David Moyes |
| — | DF | NIR | Darren Patterson (on loan from Luton Town) |
| — | DF | SCO | Ray Sharp |
| — | DF | ENG | Paul Sparrow |
| — | DF | ENG | Jamie Squires |
| — | DF | ENG | Shaun Teale (on loan from Tranmere Rovers) |
| — | DF | ENG | Russ Wilcox |
| — | MF | ENG | Graeme Atkinson |
| — | MF | SCO | Ian Bryson |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Lee Cartwright |
| — | MF | WAL | Simon Davey |
| — | MF | ENG | Kevin Gage |
| — | MF | IRL | Kevin Kilbane |
| — | MF | ENG | Neil McDonald |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul McKenna |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Rankine |
| — | FW | ENG | Lee Ashcroft |
| — | FW | ENG | Darren Beckford |
| — | FW | ENG | Gary Bennett |
| — | FW | ENG | Mickey Brown |
| — | FW | IRL | Tony Grant |
| — | FW | ENG | Michael Holt |
| — | FW | WAL | Kurt Nogan |
| — | FW | ENG | Dave Reeves |
| — | FW | ENG | Andy Saville |
| — | FW | SCO | Allan Smart |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Stallard (on loan from Bradford City) |
| — | FW | ENG | Steve Wilkinson |