The 1996–97 season was Sheffield Wednesday F.C.'s 130th season in existence. They competed in the twenty-team Premiership, the top tier of English football, finishing seventh.
Season summary A four-match winning start to the season saw Sheffield Wednesday top the Premiership and manager David Pleat receive Manager of the Month award for August, but they soon fell out of the title frame and in the end, despite losing just nine games in the league, they finished seventh in the final table - not even enough for UEFA Cup qualification; they could easily have finished higher had they not drawn as many as 15 games (making it 30 points they dropped). In the close season, Pleat paid a club record £5.7 million for Celtic's Italian forward Paolo Di Canio, giving his squad a much-needed boost to their hopes of challenging for honours.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results Sheffield Wednesday's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 17 August 1996 Aston VillaH2–126,861Humphreys, Whittingham 20 August 1996 Leeds UnitedA2–031,011Humphreys, Booth 24 August 1996 Newcastle UnitedA2–136,452Atherton, Whittingham 2 September 1996 Leicester CityH2–117,657Booth, Humphreys 7 September 1996 ChelseaH0–230,983 16 September 1996 ArsenalA1–433,461Booth 21 September 1996 Derby CountyH0–023,934 28 September 1996 EvertonA0–234,160 12 October 1996 WimbledonA2–410,512Booth, Hyde 19 October 1996 Blackburn RoversH1–122,191Booth 26 October 1996 Coventry CityA0–017,267 2 November 1996 SouthamptonH1–120,106Newsome 18 November 1996 Nottingham ForestH2–016,390Trustfull, Carbone 23 November 1996 SunderlandA1–120,644Oakes 30 November 1996 West Ham UnitedH0–022,321 7 December 1996 LiverpoolA1–039,507Whittingham 18 December 1996 Manchester UnitedH1–137,671Carbone 21 December 1996 Tottenham HotspurA1–130,996Nolan 26 December 1996 ArsenalH0–023,245 28 December 1996 ChelseaA2–227,467Pembridge, Stefanović 11 January 1997 EvertonH2–124,175Pembridge, Hirst 18 January 1997 MiddlesbroughA2–429,485Pembridge (2) 29 January 1997 Aston VillaA1–026,726Booth 1 February 1997 Coventry CityH0–021,793 19 February 1997 Derby CountyA2–218,060Collins, Hirst 22 February 1997 SouthamptonA3–215,062Hirst (2), Booth 1 March 1997 MiddlesbroughH3–128,206Booth, Hyde, Pembridge (pen) 5 March 1997 Nottingham ForestA3–021,485Carbone (2), Blinker 12 March 1997 SunderlandH2–120,294Hirst, Stefanović 15 March 1997 Manchester UnitedA0–255,267 22 March 1997 Leeds UnitedH2–230,373Hirst, Booth 9 April 1997 Tottenham HotspurH2–122,667Atherton, Booth 13 April 1997 Newcastle UnitedH1–133,798Pembridge 19 April 1997 WimbledonH3–126,957Donaldson, Trustfull (2) 22 April 1997 Blackburn RoversA1–420,845Carbone (pen) 3 May 1997 West Ham UnitedA1–524,960Carbone 7 May 1997 Leicester CityA0–120,793 11 May 1997 LiverpoolH1–138,943Donaldson
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR34 January 1997 Grimsby TownH7–120,590Humphreys (2), Booth (2), Fickling (own goal), Hyde, PembridgeR425 January 1997 Carlisle UnitedA2–016,104Whittingham, BoothR516 February 1997 Bradford CityA1–017,830HumphreysQF9 March 1997 WimbledonH0–225,032
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg18 September 1996 Oxford UnitedH1–17,499WhittinghamR2 2nd Leg24 September 1996 Oxford UnitedA0–1 (lost 1–2 on agg)6,863
Players First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserve squad
Transfers
In Date Pos. Name From Fee8 July 1996FWAndy BoothHuddersfield Town£2,700,00011 July 1996GKMatt ClarkeRotherham United£325,0007 August 1996MFScott OakesLuton Town£425,0009 August 1996MFWayne CollinsCrewe Alexandra£600,00020 August 1996MFOrlando TrustfullFeyenoord£750,0001 September 1996DFDave HercockCambridge CityFree transfer14 October 1996FWBenito CarboneInter Milan£3,000,0003 April 1997DFDavid BillingtonPeterborough United£500,00015 April 1997MFMark McKeeverPeterborough United£500,000
Out Date Pos. Name To Fee1 June 1996GKChris WoodsColorado RapidsFree transfer17 June 1996DFSimon StewartFulhamFree transfer1 July 1996FWDarko KovačevićReal SociedadSigned26 July 1996GKLance KeyDundee UnitedFree transfer1 August 1996FWMarc DegrysePSV EindhovenSigned15 August 1996DFDavid FaulknerDarlingtonFree transfer12 September 1996MFChris WaddleFalkirkFree transfer19 December 1996MFJohn SheridanBolton Wanderers£180,0001 January 1997FWMark BrightFC Sion£70,00011 March 1997DFSam SharmanHull CityFree transfer30 August 1997DFMatthew DalySligo RoversFree
Transfers in: £8,800,000 Transfers out: £250,000 Total spending: £8,550,000
Statistics
Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players who left the club during the season
Notes
References