# 1995–96 Leicester City F.C. season

During the 1995–96 English football season, Leicester City F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

Mark McGhee left the club unexpectedly in December 1995 whilst Leicester were top of Division One to take charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers. McGhee was replaced by Martin O'Neill. Under O'Neill, Leicester qualified for the 1995–96 Division One promotion playoffs and beat Crystal Palace 2–1 with a last-gasp Steve Claridge goal securing an immediate return to the Premiership.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 3 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 67 | 48 | +19 | 75 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 4 | Stoke City | 46 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 60 | 49 | +11 | 73 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 5 | Leicester City (O, P) | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 66 | 60 | +6 | 71 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 6 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 17 | 20 | 9 | 57 | 45 | +12 | 71 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 7 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 79 | 69 | +10 | 69 | |

## Results

Leicester City's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 12 August 1995 | Sunderland | A | 2–1 | 18,593 | Corica, Robins |
| 19 August 1995 | Stoke City | H | 2–3 | 17,719 | Walsh, Parker (pen) |
| 26 August 1995 | Luton Town | A | 1–1 | 7,612 | Parker |
| 30 August 1995 | Portsmouth | H | 4–2 | 15,170 | Roberts (3), Parker |
| 2 September 1995 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | 18,441 | Whitlow |
| 10 September 1995 | Derby County | A | 1–0 | 17,767 | Joachim |
| 12 September 1995 | Port Vale | A | 2–0 | 8,814 | McMahon, Roberts |
| 16 September 1995 | Reading | H | 1–1 | 19,103 | Roberts |
| 23 September 1995 | Southend United | H | 1–3 | 15,276 | Lowe |
| 30 September 1995 | Norwich City | A | 1–0 | 18,435 | Heskey |
| 7 October 1995 | Barnsley | A | 2–2 | 13,669 | Robins, Walsh |
| 14 October 1995 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–1 | 16,771 | Lowe |
| 21 October 1995 | Sheffield United | A | 3–1 | 13,100 | Roberts, Taylor, Lowe |
| 28 October 1995 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–3 | 18,376 | Robins, Taylor |
| 5 November 1995 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 3–2 | 16,071 | Taylor (2), Roberts |
| 11 November 1995 | Watford | H | 1–0 | 16,230 | Roberts |
| 19 November 1995 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0–1 | 13,125 | |
| 21 November 1995 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–3 | 14,300 | Robins |
| 26 November 1995 | Birmingham City | A | 2–2 | 17,350 | Roberts, Grayson |
| 2 December 1995 | Barnsley | H | 2–2 | 15,125 | Roberts, Grayson |
| 9 December 1995 | Southend United | A | 1–2 | 5,835 | Roberts |
| 17 December 1995 | Norwich City | H | 3–2 | 14,251 | Whitlow, Roberts, Heskey |
| 23 December 1995 | Grimsby Town | A | 2–2 | 7,713 | Roberts, Walsh |
| 1 January 1996 | Millwall | A | 1–1 | 9,953 | Corica |
| 13 January 1996 | Stoke City | A | 0–1 | 13,669 | |
| 21 January 1996 | Sunderland | H | 0–0 | 16,130 | |
| 3 February 1996 | Luton Town | H | 1–1 | 14,821 | Roberts |
| 10 February 1996 | Portsmouth | A | 1–2 | 9,003 | Roberts |
| 17 February 1996 | Port Vale | H | 1–1 | 13,758 | Taylor |
| 21 February 1996 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 3–2 | 27,381 | Roberts, Heskey (2) |
| 24 February 1996 | Reading | A | 1–1 | 9,817 | Lewis |
| 28 February 1996 | Derby County | H | 0–0 | 20,911 | |
| 3 March 1996 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–4 | 9,817 | Roberts (2) |
| 9 March 1996 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–1 | 13,784 | Heskey (2) |
| 13 March 1996 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–2 | 17,783 | |
| 16 March 1996 | Oldham Athletic | A | 1–3 | 5,582 | Whitlow |
| 23 March 1996 | Millwall | H | 2–1 | 12,543 | Carey, Taylor |
| 30 March 1996 | Sheffield United | H | 0–2 | 15,230 | |
| 2 April 1996 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–0 | 11,287 | Claridge |
| 6 April 1996 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–0 | 17,331 | Roberts |
| 9 April 1996 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1–2 | 17,889 | Robins |
| 13 April 1996 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1–1 | 8,882 | Robins |
| 17 April 1996 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–0 | 12,790 | Claridge (2) |
| 20 April 1996 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–1 | 17,619 | Walsh, Claridge |
| 27 April 1996 | Birmingham City | H | 3–0 | 19,702 | Claridge, Heskey, Lennon |
| 5 May 1996 | Watford | A | 1–0 | 20,089 | Izzet |

### First Division play-offs

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| SF 1st Leg | 12 May 1996 | Stoke City | H | 0–0 | 20,323 | |
| SF 2nd Leg | 15 May 1996 | Stoke City | A | 1–0 (won 1–0 on agg) | 21,037 | Parker |
| F | 27 May 1996 | Crystal Palace | N | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | 73,573 | Parker (pen), Claridge |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 6 January 1996 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | 20,640 | |
| R3R | 17 January 1996 | Manchester City | A | 0–5 | 19,980 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 20 September 1995 | Burnley | H | 2–0 | 11,142 | Robins, Joachim |
| R2 2nd Leg | 3 October 1995 | Burnley | A | 2–0 | 4,553 | Robins (2) |
| R3 | 24 October 1995 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–0 | 9,166 | |
| R3R | 8 November 1995 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2–3 | 14,884 | Robins, Roberts |

## 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 | Kevin Poole |
| — | GK | AUS | Željko Kalac |
| — | DF | ENG | Simon Grayson |
| — | DF | ENG | Colin Hill |
| — | DF | ENG | Neil Lewis |
| — | DF | ENG | Richard Smith |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Walsh |
| — | DF | ENG | Julian Watts |
| — | DF | ENG | Mike Whitlow |
| — | DF | ENG | Jimmy Willis |
| — | DF | IRL | Brian Carey |
| — | DF | FRA | Franck Rolling |
| — | DF | SWE | Pontus Kåmark |
| — | DF | JAM | Jamie Lawrence |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Blake |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | David Lowe |
| — | MF | ENG | Sam McMahon |
| — | MF | ENG | Garry Parker |
| — | MF | ENG | Lee Philpott |
| — | MF | ENG | Scott Taylor |
| — | MF | NIR | Neil Lennon |
| — | MF | TUR | Muzzy Izzet |
| — | MF | AUS | Steve Corica |
| — | FW | ENG | Steve Claridge |
| — | FW | ENG | Phil Gee |
| — | FW | ENG | Emile Heskey |
| — | FW | ENG | Julian Joachim |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Robins |
| — | FW | WAL | Iwan Roberts |