# 1996–97 Southend United F.C. season

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

## Season summary

The 1996–97 season was a big struggle for Southend as they suffered relegation after finishing bottom of Division One. Ronnie Whelan left the club and he openly admitted when he took the job he didn't know the first thing about being a manager.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 20 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 48 | 61 | −13 | 54 | |
| 21 | Bradford City | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 47 | 72 | −25 | 48 | |
| 22 | Grimsby Town (R) | 46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 59 | 81 | −22 | 46 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 23 | Oldham Athletic (R) | 46 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 51 | 66 | −15 | 43 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 24 | Southend United (R) | 46 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 42 | 85 | −43 | 39 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## Results

Southend United's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–1 | 4,264 | Rammell |
| 24 August 1996 | Oxford United | A | 0–5 | 6,382 | |
| 27 August 1996 | Portsmouth | A | 0–1 | 5,579 | |
| 31 August 1996 | Swindon Town | H | 1–3 | 4,011 | Byrne |
| 7 September 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 5–2 | 4,475 | Boere (2), Nielsen, Williams, Marsh |
| 10 September 1996 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–2 | 8,497 | |
| 14 September 1996 | Norwich City | A | 0–0 | 12,461 | |
| 21 September 1996 | Port Vale | H | 0–0 | 4,025 | |
| 28 September 1996 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–6 | 14,858 | Williams |
| 1 October 1996 | Sheffield United | H | 3–2 | 3,716 | Boere (2), Marsh |
| 5 October 1996 | Bradford City | A | 0–0 | 10,156 | |
| 13 October 1996 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 5,550 | Marsh |
| 16 October 1996 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–0 | 3,305 | Tilson |
| 19 October 1996 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–0 | 9,578 | |
| 26 October 1996 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–0 | 6,606 | |
| 29 October 1996 | Manchester City | H | 2–3 | 8,707 | Williams, Rammell |
| 2 November 1996 | Reading | H | 2–1 | 5,002 | Nielsen, Marsh (pen) |
| 9 November 1996 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–1 | 10,146 | Rammell |
| 16 November 1996 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–3 | 5,120 | Rammell, Williams |
| 23 November 1996 | Stoke City | A | 2–1 | 12,821 | Williams, Sigurðsson (own goal) |
| 30 November 1996 | Oldham Athletic | H | 1–1 | 5,001 | Nielsen |
| 7 December 1996 | Barnsley | A | 0–3 | 7,483 | |
| 14 December 1996 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–4 | 11,117 | |
| 20 December 1996 | Birmingham City | H | 1–1 | 5,100 | Williams |
| 26 December 1996 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0–2 | 7,508 | |
| 28 December 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–3 | 16,357 | Rammell |
| 18 January 1997 | Sheffield United | A | 0–3 | 15,049 | |
| 25 January 1997 | Port Vale | A | 1–2 | 5,588 | Thomson |
| 28 January 1997 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–1 | 5,061 | Thomson, Boere |
| 1 February 1997 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–0 | 7,232 | |
| 8 February 1997 | Manchester City | A | 0–3 | 26,261 | |
| 15 February 1997 | Stoke City | H | 2–1 | 4,625 | Thomson, Rammell |
| 22 February 1997 | Reading | A | 2–3 | 7,683 | Boere (2) |
| 25 February 1997 | Norwich City | H | 1–1 | 5,169 | Thomson |
| 1 March 1997 | Barnsley | H | 1–2 | 4,855 | Thomson |
| 5 March 1997 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–2 | 16,125 | |
| 8 March 1997 | Birmingham City | A | 1–2 | 13,189 | Marsh |
| 15 March 1997 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–1 | 6,747 | |
| 22 March 1997 | Oxford United | H | 2–2 | 4,102 | Boere, Lapper |
| 28 March 1997 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–3 | 7,563 | |
| 31 March 1997 | Portsmouth | H | 2–1 | 6,107 | Gridelet, Rammell |
| 5 April 1997 | Swindon Town | A | 0–0 | 6,730 | |
| 12 April 1997 | Bradford City | H | 1–1 | 6,697 | Rammell |
| 19 April 1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–4 | 25,095 | Rammell |
| 26 April 1997 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–2 | 4,762 | Boere |
| 4 May 1997 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–4 | 7,367 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 15 January 1997 | Leicester City | A | 0–2 | 13,982 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 First Leg | 20 August 1996 | Fulham | H | 0–2 | 3,084 | |
| R1 Second Leg | 3 September 1996 | Fulham | A | 2–1 (lost 2–3 on agg) | 4,297 | Nielsen, Rammell |

## 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 | Simon Royce |
| - | DF | ENG | Keith Dublin |
| - | DF | ENG | Mark McNally |
| - | DF | ENG | Leo Roget |
| - | DF | RSA | Andy Harris |
| - | MF | ENG | Mike Marsh |
| - | FW | ENG | Andy Rammell |
| - | MF | ENG | Steve Tilson |
| - | DF | ENG | Mark Stimson |
| - | FW | NED | Jeroen Boere |
| - | MF | ENG | Julian Hails |
| - | MF | ENG | Adrian Clarke (on loan from Arsenal) |
| - | MF | IRL | Paul Byrne |
| - | GK | ENG | Paul Sansome |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | FW | SCO | Andy Thomson |
| - | MF | ENG | Phil Gridelet |
| - | MF | ENG | Ian Selley (on loan from Arsenal) |
| - | FW | ENG | Paul Williams |
| - | MF | ENG | Mark Patterson (on loan from Sheffield United) |
| - | DF | USA | Mike Lapper |
| - | MF | ENG | Robert Codner |
| - | FW | ENG | Ritchie Hanlon |
| - | GK | DEN | Tony Henriksen |
| - | MF | DEN | John Nielsen |
| - | MF | AUS | Adem Poric (on loan from Sheffield Wednesday) |
| - | FW | DEN | Peter Dursun |
| - | MF | ENG | Mark Jones |
| - | MF | ENG | Andy Sussex |