# 1996–97 Bury F.C. season

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

## Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, it was the one to remember for Bury supporters as they won the Second Division title and as a result were promoted to the second tier of English football for the first time since 1969.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Bury | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 62 | 38 | +24 | 84 | Division Champions, promoted |
| 2 | Stockport County | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 82 | Promoted |
| 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 |

## Results

Bury's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1996 | Brentford | H | 1–1 | 3,373 | Jepson |
| 24 August 1996 | Chesterfield | A | 2–1 | 3,763 | West, Carter |
| 27 August 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 1–0 | 3,563 | Jepson |
| 31 August 1996 | Bristol City | H | 4–0 | 4,160 | Johnson, Carter, Jackson, Johnrose |
| 7 September 1996 | Rotherham United | H | 3–1 | 3,523 | Carter (2, 1 pen), Jackson |
| 10 September 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–2 | 3,627 | |
| 14 September 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–1 | 3,238 | Armstrong |
| 21 September 1996 | Luton Town | H | 0–0 | 3,588 | |
| 28 September 1996 | Walsall | A | 1–3 | 3,254 | Carter (pen) |
| 1 October 1996 | Burnley | H | 1–0 | 7,557 | Jepson |
| 5 October 1996 | Blackpool | H | 1–0 | 5,317 | Armstrong |
| 12 October 1996 | Peterborough United | A | 2–1 | 6,003 | Matthews, Johnson |
| 16 October 1996 | Millwall | A | 0–1 | 6,447 | |
| 19 October 1996 | Watford | H | 1–1 | 4,092 | Carter |
| 26 October 1996 | Bristol Rovers | H | 2–1 | 4,082 | Stant, O'Kane |
| 29 October 1996 | Wrexham | A | 1–1 | 3,895 | West |
| 2 November 1996 | Bournemouth | A | 1–1 | 3,946 | Carter |
| 9 November 1996 | York City | H | 4–1 | 4,021 | West (2), Pugh, O'Kane |
| 23 November 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 1–0 | 3,582 | Carter |
| 30 November 1996 | Bristol Rovers | A | 3–4 | 4,496 | Pugh, Johnson, Carter (pen) |
| 3 December 1996 | Preston North End | H | 3–0 | 5,447 | Johnrose, Johnson, Carter |
| 14 December 1996 | Gillingham | A | 2–2 | 5,542 | Matthews, Randall |
| 21 December 1996 | Stockport County | H | 0–0 | 5,069 | |
| 28 December 1996 | Rotherham United | A | 1–1 | 3,263 | Matthews |
| 17 January 1997 | Burnley | A | 1–3 | 10,526 | Matthews |
| 1 February 1997 | York City | A | 2–0 | 3,423 | Jackson, Jepson |
| 8 February 1997 | Bournemouth | H | 2–1 | 3,559 | Carter (pen), Matthews |
| 15 February 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–2 | 5,486 | |
| 22 February 1997 | Notts County | H | 2–0 | 3,430 | Randall, Jepson |
| 25 February 1997 | Wrexham | H | 0–0 | 3,419 | |
| 1 March 1997 | Preston North End | A | 1–3 | 8,749 | O'Kane |
| 4 March 1997 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 2–0 | 2,690 | Randall, Johnson |
| 8 March 1997 | Stockport County | A | 1–2 | 8,170 | Butler |
| 15 March 1997 | Gillingham | H | 3–0 | 3,492 | Johnrose, Battersby, Johnson |
| 22 March 1997 | Chesterfield | H | 1–0 | 4,162 | Johnson |
| 25 March 1997 | Notts County | A | 1–0 | 3,306 | Jepson |
| 29 March 1997 | Brentford | A | 2–0 | 7,823 | Daws, Carter (pen) |
| 31 March 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 2–0 | 5,714 | Daws, Butler |
| 5 April 1997 | Bristol City | A | 0–1 | 10,274 | |
| 8 April 1997 | Walsall | H | 2–1 | 4,082 | Jepson, Battersby |
| 12 April 1997 | Blackpool | A | 0–2 | 6,812 | |
| 15 April 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–0 | 4,725 | Jepson |
| 19 April 1997 | Peterborough United | H | 1–0 | 4,631 | Johnson |
| 22 April 1997 | Luton Town | A | 0–0 | 7,769 | |
| 26 April 1997 | Watford | A | 0–0 | 9,017 | |
| 3 May 1997 | Millwall | H | 2–0 | 9,785 | Jepson, Johnrose |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 16 November 1996 | Chesterfield | A | 0–1 | 5,104 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Notts County | A | 1–1 | 2,141 | Pugh |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Notts County | H | 1–0 (won 2–1 on agg) | 2,571 | Carter |
| R2 1st Leg | 17 September 1996 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–3 | 3,472 | Jackson |
| R2 2nd Leg | 24 September 1996 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–4 (lost 7–1 on agg) | 5,195 | |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
| NR1 | 10 December 1996 | Darlington | H | 3–1 | 1,436 |
| NR2 | 13 January 1997 | Mansfield Town | H | 6–0 | 1,331 |
| NQF | 11 February 1997 | Stockport County | H | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | 2,497 |

## 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 | Lee Bracey |
| — | GK | ENG | Dean Kiely |
| — | DF | ENG | Lee Anderson |
| — | DF | ENG | Matt Barrass |
| — | DF | ENG | Stuart Bimson |
| — | DF | IRL | Paul Butler |
| — | DF | ENG | Michael Jackson |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris Lucketti |
| — | DF | ENG | Trevor Matthewson |
| — | DF | ENG | John O'Kane (on loan from Manchester United) |
| — | DF | ENG | Nicky Reid |
| — | DF | ENG | Barry Shuttleworth |
| — | DF | ENG | Dean West |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Woodward |
| — | MF | ENG | Gordon Armstrong |
| — | MF | ENG | Nick Daws |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | WAL | Ian Hughes |
| — | MF | ENG | Lenny Johnrose |
| — | MF | NIR | Steve Jones |
| — | MF | ENG | Rob Matthews |
| — | MF | ENG | Adrian Randall |
| — | MF | ENG | Shaun Reid |
| — | MF | ENG | Tony Rigby |
| — | MF | ENG | Ian Thompstone |
| — | FW | ENG | Tony Battersby |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Carter |
| — | FW | ENG | Ronnie Jepson |
| — | FW | JAM | David Johnson |
| — | FW | ENG | David Pugh |
| — | FW | ENG | Andy Scott (on loan from Sheffield United) |
| — | FW | ENG | Phil Stant |
| — | FW | ENG | Peter Thomson |