1996–97 Crystal Palace F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Crystal Palace competed in the Football League First Division.

Crystal Palace

1996–97 season
Chairman	Ron Noades
Manager	Dave Bassett (until 27 February) Steve Coppell
Stadium	Selhurst Park
First Division	6th
Play-offs	Winners
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	Third round
Home colours
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

Season summary

Crystal Palace finished 6th place in the First Division and gained promotion to the Premier League after a 1–0 win in the play-off finals over Sheffield United at Wembley, David Hopkin scoring the winner in the 89th minute.

Final league table

Main article: 1996–97 Football League

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion
4	Ipswich Town	46	20	14	12	68	50	+18	74	Participated in play-offs
5	Sheffield United	46	20	13	13	75	52	+23	73
6	Crystal Palace	46	19	14	13	78	48	+30	71	Promoted to FA Premier League through play-offs
7	Portsmouth	46	20	8	18	59	53	+6	68
8	Port Vale	46	17	16	13	58	55	+3	67

Source:^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

Crystal Palace's score comes first

Legend

Win

Draw

Loss

Notable Games in First Division

6–1 vs Reading away followed by 6–1 vs Southend

Both games had 6 different scorers for Palace

First Division Play Offs

Play Off Semi-Finals:

Palace... 3 Wolves... 1(Shipperley, Freedman (2)) Wolves...2 Palace... 1 (Hopkin)

Play Off Final at Wembley:

Palace... 1 Sheffield United... 0 (Hopkin)

FA Cup

Main article: 1996–97 FA Cup

League Cup

Main article: 1996–97 Football League Cup

Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season^[1]

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 Tom Evans^[notes 1] — GK   ENG Carlo Nash — GK   ENG Chris Day — DF   ENG Danny Boxall^[notes 2] — DF   ENG Sagi Burton^[notes 3] — DF   ENG Andy Cyrus — DF   ENG Marc Edworthy — DF   ENG Dean Gordon — DF   ENG Andy Linighan — DF   AUS Kevin Muscat^[notes 4] — DF   ENG Dave Tuttle — DF   WAL Gareth Davies^[notes 5] — DF   IRL Rob Quinn^[notes 6] — DF   NOR Leif Andersen — MF   ENG Hayden Mullins — MF   ENG Darren Pitcher — MF   ENG Andy Roberts — MF   ENG Simon Rodger

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF   SCO David Hopkin — MF   SCO Steven Thomson — MF   NIR Wayne Carlisle — MF   NIR Gareth Graham — MF   IRL Tony Folan^[notes 7] — MF   IRL Ray Houghton^[notes 8] — MF   IRL Richard Kennedy — MF   IRL Tony Scully — MF   AUS Carl Veart — FW   ENG Bruce Dyer^[notes 9] — FW   ENG Jason Harris — FW   ENG Leon McKenzie — FW   ENG Clinton Morrison^[notes 10] — FW   ENG George Ndah^[notes 11] — FW   ENG Neil Shipperley — FW   WAL Andy Martin — FW   SCO Dougie Freedman

Left club during season

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 Bobby Mimms (to Preston North End) — DF   ENG Jamie Vincent (to AFC Bournemouth)

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF   WAL Paul Trollope^[notes 12] (on loan from Derby County)

References

1. "All Crystal Palace players: 1997". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 17 November 2020.

Notes

1. Evans was born in Doncaster, England, but also qualified to represent Northern Ireland internationally and would represent them at B level.
2. Boxall was born in Croydon, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and would later represent them at U-21 level.
3. Burton was born in Birmingham, England, but also qualified to represent Saint Kitts and Nevis internationally and would make his international debut for Saint Kitts and Nevis in June 2004.
4. Muscat was born in Crawley, England, but also qualified to represent Australia internationally and represented them at U-20 and U-23 level before making his international debut for Australia in September 1994.
5. Davies was born in Hereford, England, but was raised in Wales and has represented them at U-21 level.
6. Quinn was born in Bexley, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and would represent them at U-21 and B level.
7. Folan was born in Croydon, England, but was raised in the Republic of Ireland and represented them at U-19 and U-21 level.
8. Houghton was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his father and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in March 1986.
9. Dyer was born in Redbridge, England, and represented them at U-21 level, but played a friendly game for Montserrat against Ashford Town in September 2007.
10. Morrison was born in Wandsworth, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his grandmother and would make his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in August 2001.
11. Ndah was born in Southwark, England, but also qualified to represent Nigeria internationally and was called up by Nigeria in 1999, but was prevented from playing due to injury.
12. Trollope was born in Swindon, England, but qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in May 1997.