# 1996–97 Bristol City F.C. season

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

## Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, Bristol City finished in the play-off places but ended up losing to Brentford in the semi-finals. In December 1996, the Robins were involved in a Bristol derby against Bristol Rovers at Ashton Gate that was ruined by crowd violence where after the final whistle, the Bristol Rovers players were assaulted by City fans after Rovers fans spilled onto the pitch after Beadle's equaliser in injury-time. This led to the FA calling for evidence from the match officials and police officers and Bristol City were charged for failing to control the spectators. In March 1997, Jordan left and was replaced by John Ward as manager.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 3 | Luton Town | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 71 | 45 | +26 | 78 | Participated in play-offs |
| 4 | Brentford | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 74 | Participated in play-offs |
| 5 | Bristol City | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 73 | Participated in play-offs |
| 6 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 56 | 47 | +9 | 73 | Promoted through play-offs |
| 7 | Blackpool | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 60 | 47 | +13 | 69 | |

## Results

Bristol City's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Gillingham | A | 2–3 | 7,217 | Goater, Bent |
| 24 August 1996 | Blackpool | H | 0–1 | 9,387 | |
| 27 August 1996 | Luton Town | H | 5–0 | 7,028 | Goodridge (2), Nugent, Goater, Cundy |
| 31 August 1996 | Bury | A | 0–4 | 4,160 | |
| 7 September 1996 | Preston North End | H | 2–1 | 8,016 | Nugent (2) |
| 10 September 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 0–1 | 2,502 | |
| 14 September 1996 | Rotherham United | A | 2–2 | 2,546 | Owers (2) |
| 21 September 1996 | Walsall | H | 4–1 | 7,412 | Goater (2), Hewlett, Goodridge |
| 28 September 1996 | Burnley | A | 3–2 | 9,538 | Goater (2), Taylor |
| 1 October 1996 | Brentford | H | 1–2 | 9,520 | Goodridge |
| 5 October 1996 | Chesterfield | A | 1–1 | 4,438 | Owers |
| 11 October 1996 | York City | H | 2–0 | 9,308 | Nugent, Goodridge |
| 15 October 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 3–0 | 7,325 | Agostino, Barnard, Tinnion |
| 19 October 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–0 | 9,645 | |
| 26 October 1996 | Notts County | H | 4–0 | 9,540 | Goater (3), Agostino |
| 29 October 1996 | Bournemouth | A | 2–0 | 4,197 | Barnard (pen), Agostino |
| 2 November 1996 | Stockport County | A | 1–1 | 6,654 | Blackmore |
| 9 November 1996 | Millwall | H | 1–1 | 12,326 | Barnard |
| 23 November 1996 | Peterborough United | H | 2–0 | 12,312 | Goater, Goodridge |
| 30 November 1996 | Notts County | A | 0–2 | 4,693 | |
| 3 December 1996 | Watford | H | 1–1 | 9,097 | Barnard (pen) |
| 15 December 1996 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–1 | 18,674 | Agostino |
| 21 December 1996 | Wrexham | A | 1–2 | 4,488 | Hewlett |
| 26 December 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 3–2 | 9,803 | Agostino, Barnard (pen), Owers |
| 28 December 1996 | Preston North End | A | 2–0 | 10,905 | Agostino, Goater |
| 11 January 1997 | Burnley | H | 2–1 | 10,013 | Bent, Goater |
| 18 January 1997 | Brentford | A | 0–0 | 7,606 | |
| 25 January 1997 | Bournemouth | H | 0–1 | 10,434 | |
| 1 February 1997 | Millwall | A | 2–0 | 9,158 | Goater (2, 1 pen) |
| 7 February 1997 | Stockport County | H | 1–1 | 13,186 | Goater |
| 15 February 1997 | Peterborough United | A | 1–3 | 4,221 | Barnard (pen) |
| 22 February 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3–0 | 11,306 | Goater, Agostino, Westwood (own goal) |
| 1 March 1997 | Watford | A | 0–3 | 8,539 | |
| 4 March 1997 | Walsall | A | 0–2 | 4,322 | |
| 16 March 1997 | Bristol Rovers | A | 2–1 | 8,078 | Agostino, Goater |
| 18 March 1997 | Rotherham United | H | 0–2 | 10,646 | |
| 22 March 1997 | Blackpool | A | 0–1 | 4,518 | |
| 25 March 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 2–1 | 3,687 | Bent, Goater |
| 29 March 1997 | Gillingham | H | 0–1 | 11,276 | |
| 1 April 1997 | Luton Town | A | 2–2 | 7,105 | Goater, Agostino |
| 5 April 1997 | Bury | H | 1–0 | 10,274 | Barnard |
| 15 April 1997 | Wrexham | H | 2–1 | 9,817 | Barnard (pen), Goater |
| 19 April 1997 | York City | A | 3–0 | 3,344 | Goater (2), Nugent |
| 26 April 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 3–1 | 15,368 | Barnard (2, 1 pen), Nugent |
| 30 April 1997 | Chesterfield | H | 2–0 | 16,195 | Goater, Barnard (pen) |
| 3 May 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 0–2 | 7,240 | |

### Second Division play-offs

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SF 1st Leg | 11 May 1997 | Brentford | H | 1–2 | 15,581 | Owers |
| SF 2nd Leg | 14 May 1997 | Brentford | A | 1–2 (lost 2–4 on agg) | 9,496 | Barnard |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 16 November 1996 | Swansea City | A | 1–1 | 5,629 | Kuhl |
| R1R | 26 November 1996 | Swansea City | H | 1–0 | 8,017 | Agostino |
| R2 | 7 December 1996 | St Albans City | H | 9–2 | 7,136 | Goodridge, Agostino (3), Kuhl, Hewlett (2), Nugent |
| R3 | 14 January 1997 | Chesterfield | A | 0–2 | 5,193 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Torquay United | A | 3–3 | 2,824 | Goater, Agostino, Partridge |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Torquay United | H | 1–0 (won 4–3 on agg) | 4,513 | Barnard |
| R2 1st Leg | 18 September 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 0–0 | 6,351 | |
| R2 2nd Leg | 24 September 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–3 (lost 1–3 on agg) | 6,367 | Owers |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SR2 | 21 January 1997 | Swansea City | A | 1–0 | 5,600 | |
| SQF | 11 February 1997 | Watford | A | 1–2 | 3,142 | |

## 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 | Stuart Naylor |
| — | GK | ENG | Steve Phillips |
| — | GK | ENG | Keith Welch |
| — | DF | WAL | Darren Barnard |
| — | DF | WAL | Clayton Blackmore (on loan from Middlesbrough) |
| — | DF | CAN | Jim Brennan |
| — | DF | SCO | Louis Carey |
| — | DF | ENG | Jason Cundy (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) |
| — | DF | WAL | Rob Edwards |
| — | DF | ENG | Kevin Langan |
| — | DF | ENG | Alan McLeary |
| — | DF | SCO | Scott Paterson |
| — | DF | SWE | Mark Shail |
| — | DF | ENG | Shaun Taylor |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Allen |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | NIR | Tommy Doherty |
| — | MF | ENG | Matthew Hewlett |
| — | MF | ENG | Martin Kuhl |
| — | MF | ENG | Gary Owers |
| — | MF | ENG | Dwayne Plummer |
| — | MF | ENG | Brian Tinnion |
| — | FW | AUS | Paul Agostino |
| — | FW | ENG | Dominic Barclay |
| — | FW | ENG | Junior Bent |
| — | FW | BER | Shaun Goater |
| — | FW | BRB | Gregory Goodridge |
| — | FW | ENG | Kevin Nugent |
| — | FW | ENG | Scott Partridge |
| — | FW | AUS | David Seal |