1996–97 Notts County F.C. season
# 1996–97 Notts County F.C. season

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

## Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, it was a disaster for Murphy and the club, with a series of heavy defeats that eventually led to his sacking on 23 December 1996. On 16 January 1997, Sam Allardyce made his return to football as manager but he arrived too late to save them from relegation.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | F | A | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Bury | 46 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 31 | 62 | 38 | +24 | 84 |
| 2 | Stockport County | 46 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 31 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 28 | 27 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 82 |
| 3 | Luton Town | 46 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 38 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 33 | 31 | 71 | 45 | +26 | 78 |
| 4 | Brentford | 46 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 26 | 22 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 30 | 21 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 74 |
| 5 | Bristol City | 46 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 43 | 18 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 26 | 33 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 73 |
| 6 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 38 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 18 | 32 | 56 | 47 | +9 | 73 |
| 7 | Blackpool | 46 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 41 | 21 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 19 | 26 | 60 | 47 | +13 | 69 |
| 8 | Wrexham | 46 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 38 | 28 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 22 | 54 | 50 | +4 | 69 |
| 9 | Burnley | 46 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 48 | 27 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 23 | 28 | 71 | 55 | +16 | 68 |
| 10 | Chesterfield | 46 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 25 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 21 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 68 |
| 11 | Gillingham | 46 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 37 | 25 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 34 | 60 | 59 | +1 | 67 |
| 12 | Walsall | 46 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 35 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 19 | 32 | 54 | 53 | +1 | 67 |
| 13 | Watford | 46 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 24 | 14 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 38 | +7 | 67 |
| 14 | Millwall | 46 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 27 | 22 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 50 | 55 | –5 | 61 |
| 15 | Preston North End | 46 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 33 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 16 | 36 | 49 | 55 | –6 | 61 |
| 16 | Bournemouth | 46 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 24 | 20 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 25 | 43 | 45 | –2 | 60 |
| 17 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 34 | 22 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 13 | 28 | 47 | 50 | –3 | 56 |
| 18 | Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 31 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 20 | 43 | 51 | 56 | –5 | 55 |
| 19 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 19 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 28 | 40 | 47 | 58 | –11 | 54 |
| 20 | York City | 46 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 31 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 37 | 47 | 68 | –21 | 52 |
| 21 | Peterborough United | 46 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 38 | 34 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 39 | 55 | 73 | –18 | 47 |
| 22 | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 32 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 42 | 49 | 74 | –25 | 46 |
| 23 | Rotherham United | 46 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 41 | 39 | 70 | –31 | 35 |
| 24 | Notts County | 46 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 20 | 25 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 13 | 34 | 33 | 59 | –26 | 35 |

* Pld = Matches ; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
* NB: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
* Division Champions, promoted
* Promoted
* Participated in play-offs
* Promoted through play-offs
* Relegated

## Results

Notts County's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| - | - | - |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 17 August 1996 | Preston North End | H | 2–1 | 6,879 | Jones, Martindale |
| 24 August 1996 | Stockport County | A | 0–0 | 5,271 | |
| 31 August 1996 | York City | H | 0–1 | 4,600 | |
| 7 September 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–0 | 8,109 | |
| 10 September 1996 | Watford | H | 2–3 | 3,660 | Martindale (pen), Robinson |
| 14 September 1996 | Millwall | H | 1–2 | 4,473 | Baraclough |
| 21 September 1996 | Bournemouth | A | 1–0 | 3,402 | Jones |
| 28 September 1996 | Wrexham | H | 0–0 | 4,216 | |
| 1 October 1996 | Gillingham | A | 0–1 | 5,482 | |
| 5 October 1996 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 4,506 | |
| 8 October 1996 | Peterborough United | A | 3–1 | 5,456 | Agana, Heald (own goal), Martindale |
| 12 October 1996 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–1 | 4,558 | Agana |
| 15 October 1996 | Chesterfield | H | 0–0 | 4,265 | |
| 19 October 1996 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | 9,372 | |
| 26 October 1996 | Bristol City | A | 0–4 | 9,540 | |
| 29 October 1996 | Walsall | H | 2–0 | 3,127 | Strodder, Agana |
| 2 November 1996 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 1–2 | 4,363 | Derry |
| 9 November 1996 | Luton Town | A | 0–2 | 5,664 | |
| 23 November 1996 | Blackpool | A | 0–1 | 3,598 | |
| 30 November 1996 | Bristol City | H | 2–0 | 4,693 | Arkins, Robinson |
| 3 December 1996 | Brentford | A | 0–2 | 3,675 | |
| 14 December 1996 | Rotherham United | H | 0–0 | 3,954 | |
| 20 December 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–3 | 3,125 | |
| 26 December 1996 | Watford | A | 0–0 | 9,065 | |
| 11 January 1997 | Wrexham | A | 3–3 | 3,267 | Farrell, Martindale (2, 1 pen) |
| 18 January 1997 | Gillingham | H | 1–1 | 5,008 | Martindale (pen) |
| 25 January 1997 | Walsall | A | 1–3 | 3,261 | Battersby |
| 1 February 1997 | Luton Town | H | 1–2 | 5,025 | Richardson |
| 4 February 1997 | Bournemouth | H | 0–2 | 2,757 | |
| 8 February 1997 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–2 | 2,692 | Regis |
| 15 February 1997 | Blackpool | H | 1–1 | 5,281 | Butler (own goal) |
| 22 February 1997 | Bury | A | 0–2 | 3,430 | |
| 25 February 1997 | Millwall | A | 0–1 | 5,202 | |
| 1 March 1997 | Brentford | H | 1–1 | 4,323 | |
| 8 March 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | | 0–1 | 4,047 | |
| 15 March 1997 | Rotherham United | A | 2–2 | 2,605 | Regis, Redmile |
| 22 March 1997 | Stockport County | H | 1–2 | 4,238 | Baraclough |
| 25 March 1997 | Bury | H | 0–1 | 3,306 | |
| 29 March 1997 | Preston North End | A | 0–2 | 9,472 | |
| 31 March 1997 | Peterborough United | H | 0–0 | 3,848 | |
| 5 April 1997 | York City | A | 2–1 | 3,115 | Dudley, Redmile |
| 12 April 1997 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 1–2 | 4,290 | Derry |
| 15 April 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–1 | 2,423 | Heathcote (own goal), Jones |
| 20 April 1997 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–1 | 6,309 | |
| 26 April 1997 | Burnley | H | 1–1 | 4,591 | Dudley |
| 3 May 1997 | Chesterfield | A | 0–1 | 5,736 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R1 | 17 November 1996 | Newcastle Town | A | 2–0 | 3,918 | Kennedy, Robinson |
| R2 | 7 December 1996 | Rochdale | H | 3–1 | 3,584 | Jones, Arkins, Agana |
| R3 | 14 January 1997 | Aston Villa | H | 0–0 | 13,315 | |
| R3R | 22 January 1997 | Aston Villa | A | 0–3 | 25,006 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Bury | H | 1–1 | 2,141 | Jones |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Bury | A | 0–1 (lost 1–2 on agg) | 2,571 | |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| NR1 | 10 December 1996 | Scarborough | A | 1–0 | 952 | Martindale (pen) |
| NR2 | 28 January 1997 | Scunthorpe United | A | 1–1 (lost 2–4 on pens) | 1,076 | Hunt |

## 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 | WAL | Darren Ward |
| — | GK | ENG | Mike Pollitt |
| — | DF | ENG | Ian Baraclough |
| — | DF | IRL | Steve Finnan |
| — | DF | ENG | Tommy Gallagher |
| — | DF | ENG | Ian Hendon |
| — | DF | ENG | Graeme Hogg |
| — | DF | ENG | Craig Ludlam (on loan from Sheffield Wednesday) |
| — | DF | ENG | Paul Mitchell |
| — | DF | AUS | Shaun Murphy |
| — | DF | ENG | Matt Redmile |
| — | DF | ENG | Ian Richardson |
| — | DF | ENG | Gary Strodder |
| — | DF | ENG | Richard Walker |
| — | DF | ENG | Chris Wilder |
| — | MF | ENG | Shaun Cunnington |
| — | MF | ENG | Shaun Derry |
| — | MF | ENG | Wayne Diuk |
| — | MF | ENG | Mick Galloway |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | James Hunt |
| — | MF | NIR | Peter Kennedy |
| — | MF | AUS | Gabriel Mendez (on loan from Parramatta Power) |
| — | MF | ENG | Ian Ridgway |
| — | MF | ENG | Phil Robinson |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Rogers |
| — | MF | ENG | Michael Simpson |
| — | FW | ENG | Tony Agana |
| — | FW | IRL | Vinny Arkins |
| — | FW | ENG | Tony Battersby |
| — | FW | ENG | Craig Dudley |
| — | FW | ENG | Sean Farrell |
| — | FW | ENG | Gary Jones |
| — | FW | ENG | Gary Martindale |
| — | FW | WAL | Lee Nogan (on loan from Reading) |
| — | FW | ENG | Dave Regis (on loan from Barnsley) |
| — | FW | ENG | Devon White |
| — | FW | ENG | Tim Wilkes |
