1996–97 Cardiff City F.C. season

The 1996–97 season was Cardiff City F.C.'s 70th season in the Football League. They competed in the 24-team Division Three, then the fourth tier of English football, finishing seventh, before being beaten 4–2 on aggregate by Northampton Town in the play-offs.

Cardiff City
1996–97 season
OwnerSamesh Kumar
ManagerPhil Neal/Russell Osman/Kenny Hibbitt
Football League Third Division7th
FA Cup2nd round
League Cup1st round
Auto Windscreens Shield2nd round
Top goalscorerLeague: Steve White (13)
All: Steve White (14)
Highest home attendance6,144 (v Fulham, 9 November 1996)
Lowest home attendance1,667 (v Darlington, 15 October 1996)
Average home league attendance3,594

The season saw Cardiff sack two managers during the course of the year. Phil Neal continued in his role from the previous season before leaving the club, taking the role of assistant manager at Manchester City, and was replaced by Russell Osman. However Osman himself lasted just five matches and was replaced by Kenny Hibbitt, the man who had made way for Phil Neal the previous season.

Players

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 England ENG Tony Elliott
-- GK Wales WAL Pat Mountain
-- GK Wales WAL Steve Williams
-- DF Wales WAL Lee Baddeley
-- DF Wales WAL Gareth Davies
-- DF England ENG Jeff Eckhardt
-- DF England ENG Hayden Fleming
-- DF Wales WAL Lee Jarman
-- DF Wales WAL Kevin Lloyd
-- DF Wales WAL Jason Perry
-- DF Wales WAL Lee Phillips
-- DF England ENG Ian Rodgerson
-- DF England ENG Jimmy Rollo
-- DF England ENG Andy Scott
-- DF Wales WAL Scott Young
-- MF England ENG Mickey Bennett
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF England ENG Stacy Coldicott
-- MF England ENG Jason Fowler
-- MF Scotland SCO Jimmy Gardner
-- MF Scotland SCO Ray McStay
-- MF Wales WAL Jamie Michael
-- MF England ENG Craig Middleton
-- MF Ireland EIR Keith O'Halloran
-- MF England ENG Gareth Stoker
-- MF England ENG Paul Ware
-- FW Wales WAL Carl Dale
-- FW England ENG Steve Flack
-- FW Wales WAL Simon Haworth
-- FW England ENG Scott Partridge
-- FW England ENG Tony Philliskirk
-- FW England ENG Steve White

First team squad. [1]

League standings
Main article: 1996–97 Football League § Third Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
5 Swansea City 46 21 8 17 62 58 +4 71 Participated in play-offs
6 Chester City 46 18 16 12 55 43 +12 70
7 Cardiff City 46 20 9 17 57 55 +2 69
8 Colchester United 46 17 17 12 62 51 +11 68
9 Lincoln City 46 18 12 16 70 69 +1 66
Source: [2]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results by round
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAHHAHAAHAHHAHAAHHHAAHHHAAHAHAHAAHAAHHAAHAHHAHA
ResultDWLWWLWDLLWWWDDWLWWLLLWLLLLWWLWDWWWLDLWDDWDLWL
Position~7156595781511107787755559677713118118997777867765777
Source: [3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Fixtures and results

Third Division
17 August 1996 (1996-08-17) 1 Scarborough 0–0 Cardiff City Scarborough
Stadium: Athletic Ground
Attendance: 2,455
24 August 1996 (1996-08-24) 2 Cardiff City 1–0 Brighton & Hove Albion Cardiff
15:00 Jeff Eckhardt 43' Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,897
27 August 1996 (1996-08-27) 3 Cardiff City 0–2 Wigan Athletic Cardiff
19:30 34' Graeme Jones
81' Ian Kilford		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,845
31 August 1996 (1996-08-31) 4 Cambridge United 0–2 Cardiff City Cambridge
9', 37' Steve White Stadium: Abbey Stadium
Attendance: 2,478
7 September 1996 (1996-09-07) 5 Cardiff City 2–1 Exeter City Cardiff
15:00 Steve White 13', 68' 21' (pen) Mark Chamberlain Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,659
10 September 1996 (1996-09-10) 6 Torquay United 2–0 Cardiff City Torquay
Jon Gittens 24'
Jamie Ndah 45'		 Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 2,041
14 September 1996 (1996-09-14) 7 Scunthorpe United 0–1 Cardiff City Scunthorpe
47' Craig Middleton Stadium: Old Show Ground
Attendance: 2,121
21 September 1996 (1996-09-21) 8 Cardiff City 2–2 Northampton Town Cardiff
15:00 Tony Philliskirk 18'
Craig Middleton 83'		 87' Mark Cooper
89' (pen) Roy Hunter		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 4,124
28 September 1996 (1996-09-28) 9 Lincoln City 2–0 Cardiff City Lincoln
Colin Alcide 18'
John Taylor 87'		 Stadium: Sincil Bank
Attendance: 2,925
12 October 1996 (1996-10-12) 10 Cardiff City 1–2 Barnet Cardiff
15:00 Craig Middleton 26' 17' Gary Brazil
86' Sean Devine		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 2,879
15 October 1996 (1996-10-15) 11 Cardiff City 2–0 Darlington Cardiff
19:30 Carl Dale 3'
Steve White 41'		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 1,667
19 October 1996 (1996-10-19) 12 Carlisle United 0–2 Cardiff City Carlisle
49' Carl Dale
81' Jason Fowler		 Stadium: Brunton Park
Attendance: 4,972
26 October 1996 (1996-10-26) 13 Cardiff City 3–0 Leyton Orient Cardiff
15:00 Steve White 22' (pen)
Jimmy Gardner 28'
Carl Dale 36'		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,647
29 October 1996 (1996-10-29) 14 Hull City 1–1 Cardiff City Hull
Kenny Gilbert 79' 15' Craig Middleton Stadium: Boothferry Park
Attendance: 2,775
2 November 1996 (1996-11-02) 15 Colchester United 1–1 Cardiff City Colchester
Karl Duguid 18' 57' (pen) Steve White Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 3,213
Referee: Rob Harris (Oxfordshire)
5 November 1996 (1996-11-05) 16 Cardiff City 2–1 Rochdale Cardiff
19:30 Mickey Bennett 45'
Jeff Eckhardt 67'		 52' Steve Whitehall Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 2,835
9 November 1996 (1996-11-09) 17 Cardiff City 1–2 Fulham Cardiff
15:00 Steve White 89' 1' Mike Conroy
34' (pen) Mark Blake		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 6,144
23 November 1996 (1996-11-23) 18 Cardiff City 2–0 Hereford United Cardiff
15:00 Steve White 55', 75' Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,904
26 November 1996 (1996-11-26) 19 Chester City 0–1 Cardiff City Chester
85' Scott Young Stadium: Deva Stadium
Attendance: 1,540
30 November 1996 (1996-11-30) 20 Leyton Orient 3–0 Cardiff City Leyton Orient
Carl Griffiths 34'
Scott McGleish 57'
Andy Arnott 64'		 Stadium: Brisbane Road
Attendance: 4,512
3 December 1996 (1996-12-03) 21 Cardiff City 1–3 Swansea City Cardiff
19:30 Steve White 45' 11' Kwame Ampadu
37' Steve Jones
86' Dai Thomas		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,721
21 December 1996 (1996-12-21) 22 Cardiff City 1–2 Mansfield Town Cardiff
15:00 Jeff Eckhardt 25' 49', 58' Mark Sale Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 2,238
26 December 1996 (1996-12-26) 23 Cardiff City 2–0 Torquay United Cardiff
15:00 Deon Burton 38', 77' Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,651
28 December 1996 (1996-12-28) 24 Exeter City 2–0 Cardiff City Exeter
Noel Blake 39'
Darren Rowbotham 55'		 Stadium: St James Park
Attendance: 3,585
1 January 1997 (1997-01-01) 25 Northampton Town 4–0 Cardiff City Northampton
15:00 Ray Warburton 16'
Lee Jarman 42' (og)
Mark Cooper 54'
Neil Grayson 89'		 Red card 47' Jeff Eckhardt Stadium: Sixfields Stadium
Attendance: 4,416
11 January 1997 (1997-01-11) 26 Cardiff City 1–3 Lincoln City Cardiff
15:00 Jason Fowler 11' 18' Phil Stant
51' (og) Jason Perry
67' Gareth Ainsworth		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 2,033
18 January 1997 (1997-01-18) 27 Rochdale 1–0 Cardiff City Rochdale
Mark Leonard 7' Stadium: Spotland
Attendance: 1,704
Referee: Uriah Rennie (Sheffield)
25 January 1997 (1997-01-25) 28 Cardiff City 2–0 Hull City Cardiff
15:00 Simon Haworth 34'
Jeff Eckhardt 75'		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 2,328
31 January 1997 (1997-01-31) 29 Fulham 1–4 Cardiff City Fulham
Jeff Eckhardt 55' (og) 29' Jason Fowler
46', 85' Steve White
51' Simon Haworth		 Stadium: Craven Cottage
Attendance: 6,459
8 February 1997 (1997-02-08) 30 Cardiff City 1–2 Colchester United Cardiff
15:00 Simon Haworth 90' 6' Tony Adcock
20' Steve Whitton		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,912
Referee: Gurnum Singh
11 February 1997 (1997-02-11) 31 Hartlepool United 2–3 Cardiff City Hartlepool
Chris Beech 51', 57' 32' Jason Fowler
67' Jeff Eckhardt
78' Gareth Stoker		 Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 1,120
16 February 1997 (1997-02-16) 32 Hereford United 1–1 Cardiff City Hereford
Adrian Foster 31' 36' Gareth Stoker Stadium: Edgar Street
Attendance: 5,137
22 February 1997 (1997-02-22) 33 Cardiff City 2–0 Hartlepool United Cardiff
15:00 Simon Haworth 21'
Gareth Davies 35'		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 2,971
2 March 1997 (1997-03-02) 34 Swansea City 0–1 Cardiff City Swansea
18' Simon Haworth Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 4,430
8 March 1997 (1997-03-08) 35 Mansfield Town 1–3 Cardiff City Mansfield
Warren Hackett 54' 28' Simon Haworth
64' Gareth Stoker
76' Carl Dale		 Stadium: Field Mill
Attendance: 2,569
14 March 1997 (1997-03-14) 36 Cardiff City 0–2 Doncaster Rovers Cardiff
19:30 7' Darren Moore
62' Darren Utley		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 5,347
18 March 1997 (1997-03-18) 37 Cardiff City 1–1 Scarborough Cardiff
19:30 Gareth Davies 57' 60' Craig Midgley Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 2,823
22 March 1997 (1997-03-22) 38 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–0 Cardiff City Brighton
Paul McDonald 16' (pen)
Ian Baird 44'		 Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 9,683
31 March 1997 (1997-03-31) 39 Wigan Athletic 0–1 Cardiff City Wigan
56' Simon Haworth Stadium: Springfield Park (Wigan)
Attendance: 4,634
5 April 1997 (1997-04-05) 40 Cardiff City 0–0 Cambridge United Cardiff
15:00 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,410
8 April 1997 (1997-04-08) 41 Doncaster Rovers 3–3 Cardiff City Doncaster
Darren Moore 75'
John Schofield 80'
Ian Gore 89'		 32', 88' Simon Haworth
60' Jason Fowler		 Stadium: Belle Vue
Attendance: 1,989
12 April 1997 (1997-04-12) 42 Cardiff City 1–0 Chester City Cardiff
15:00 Carl Dale 34' Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 4,079
15 April 1997 (1997-04-15) 43 Cardiff City 0–0 Scunthorpe United Cardiff
19:30 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 4,442
19 April 1997 (1997-04-19) 44 Barnet 3–1 Cardiff City Chipping Barnet
Dean Samuels 24'
Shaun Gale 59'
Craig Middleton 69' (og)		 85' Carl Dale Stadium: Underhill Stadium
Attendance: 2,497
26 April 1997 (1997-04-26) 45 Cardiff City 2–0 Carlisle United Cardiff
15:00 Carl Dale 20' (pen)
Kevin Lloyd 37'		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 5,104
3 May 1997 (1997-05-03) 46 Darlington 2–1 Cardiff City Darlington
Carl Shutt 47'
Darren Roberts 78'		 77' Carl Dale Stadium: Feethams
Attendance: 3,686

Source [3] [4]

Third Division Play Offs
11 May 1997 (1997-05-11) Semi Final (First leg) Cardiff City 0–1 Northampton Town Cardiff
12:00 Red card 70' Mark Cooper
77' Sean Parrish		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 11,369
Referee: John Kirby (Sheffield)
14 May 1997 (1997-05-14) Semi Final (Second leg) Northampton Town 3–2 Cardiff City Northampton
19:45 Ian Sampson 23'
Ray Warburton 68'
John Gayle 77'		 Red card 25' Jeff Eckhardt
36' Jason Fowler
90' Simon Haworth		 Stadium: Sixfields Stadium
Attendance: 7,302
Referee: Uriah Rennie (Sheffield)

League Cup
20 August 1996 (1996-08-20) Round 1 (First leg) Cardiff City 1–0 Northampton Town Cardiff
19:30 Carl Dale 54' Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 2,294
2 September 1996 (1996-09-02) Round 1 (Second leg) Northampton Town 2–0
(2–1 agg.)		 Cardiff City Northampton
19:45 Red card 21' Mark Cooper
Christian Lee 62', 78'		 Stadium: Sixfields Stadium
Attendance: 3,567

FA Cup
16 November 1996 (1996-11-16) Round 1 Cardiff City 2–0 Hendon Cardiff
15:00 Steve White 31'
Craig Middleton 88'		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 2,592
7 December 1996 (1996-12-07) Round 2 Cardiff City 0–2 Gillingham Cardiff
18:00 18' Iffy Onoura
66' Andy Hessenthaler		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 3,474

Auto Windscreens Shield
10 December 1996 (1996-12-10) Round 1 Gillingham 1–2 (a.e.t.) Cardiff City Gillingham
Lenny Piper 50' 90' Jeff Eckhardt
112' Carl Dale		 Stadium: Priestfield Stadium
Attendance: 1,193
14 January 1997 (1997-01-14) Round 2 Cardiff City 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(2–4 p)		 Exeter City Cardiff
19:30 Carl Dale 89' 74' Darren Rowbotham Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 793
Referee: Mick Pierce (Portsmouth)

See also

References
  1. "All Cardiff City football club players: 1997". 11v11. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  2. "England 1996–97". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  3. "Cardiff City 1996-97 results". Cardiff City Forum. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  4. "Cardiff City football club match record: 1997". 11v11. Retrieved 21 January 2022.

Bibliography
  • Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.
  • Shepherd, Richard (2002). The Definitive Cardiff City F.C. Tony Brown. ISBN 1-899-46817-X.
  • Crooks, John (1992). Cardiff City Football Club: Official History of the Bluebirds. Yore Publications. ISBN 0-9513321-8-X.
  • Rollin, Jack, ed. (1997). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1997-98. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7738-9.
  • "Football Club History Database – Cardiff City".
  • Welsh Football Data Archive
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