1996–97 Southend United F.C. season

Southend United

1996–97 season
Chairman	Vic Jobson
Manager	Ronnie Whelan
Stadium	Roots Hall
Football League First Division	24th (relegated)
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	First round
Top goalscorer	League: Boere/Rammell (9) All: Rammell (10)
Highest home attendance	8,707 vs. Manchester City (29 October 1996)
Lowest home attendance	3,305 vs. Grimsby Town (16 October 1996)
Average home league attendance	5,176
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

During the 1996–97 English football season, Southend United F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary

The 1996–97 season was a big struggle for Southend as they suffered relegation after finishing bottom of Division One. Ronnie Whelan left the club and he openly admitted when he took the job he didn't know the first thing about being a manager.

Final league table

Pos	Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1.	Bolton Wanderers	46	28	14	4	100	53	+47	98
2.	Barnsley	46	22	14	10	76	55	+21	80
3.	Wolverhampton Wanderers	46	22	10	14	68	51	+17	76
4.	Ipswich Town	46	20	14	12	68	50	+18	74
5.	Sheffield United	46	20	13	13	75	52	+23	73
6.	Crystal Palace	46	19	14	13	78	48	+30	71
7.	Portsmouth	46	20	8	18	59	53	+6	68
8.	Port Vale	46	17	16	13	58	55	+3	67
9.	Queens Park Rangers	46	18	12	16	64	60	+4	66
10.	Birmingham City	46	17	15	14	52	48	+4	66
11.	Tranmere Rovers	46	17	14	15	63	56	+7	65
12.	Stoke City	46	18	10	18	51	57	-6	64
13.	Norwich City	46	17	12	17	63	68	-5	63
14.	Manchester City	46	17	10	19	59	60	-1	61
15.	Charlton Athletic	46	16	11	19	52	66	-14	59
16.	West Bromwich Albion	46	14	15	17	68	72	-4	57
17.	Oxford United	46	16	9	21	64	68	-4	57
18.	Reading	46	15	12	19	58	67	-9	57
19.	Swindon Town	46	15	9	22	52	71	-19	54
20.	Huddersfield Town	46	13	15	18	48	61	-13	54
21.	Bradford City	46	12	12	22	47	72	-25	48
22.	Grimsby Town	46	11	13	22	60	81	-21	46
23.	Oldham Athletic	46	10	13	23	51	66	-15	43
24.	Southend United	46	8	15	23	42	86	-44	39

Key
Promoted to the Premier League
Qualified for the promotion playoff
Relegated to Division Two

NB In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference

Results

Southend United's score comes first

Legend

Win

Draw

Loss

Football League First Division

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
17 August 1996	Tranmere Rovers	H	1–1	4,264	Rammell
24 August 1996	Oxford United	A	0–5	6,382
27 August 1996	Portsmouth	A	0–1	5,579
31 August 1996	Swindon Town	H	1–3	4,011	Byrne
7 September 1996	Bolton Wanderers	H	5–2	4,475	Boere (2), Nielsen, Williams, Marsh
10 September 1996	Charlton Athletic	A	0–2	8,497
14 September 1996	Norwich City	A	0–0	12,461
21 September 1996	Port Vale	H	0–0	4,025
28 September 1996	Crystal Palace	A	1–6	14,858	Williams
1 October 1996	Sheffield United	H	3–2	3,716	Boere (2), Marsh
5 October 1996	Bradford City	A	0–0	10,156
13 October 1996	Wolverhampton Wanderers	H	1–1	5,550	Marsh
16 October 1996	Grimsby Town	H	1–0	3,305	Tilson
19 October 1996	Huddersfield Town	A	0–0	9,578
26 October 1996	Oldham Athletic	A	0–0	6,606
29 October 1996	Manchester City	H	2–3	8,707	Williams, Rammell
2 November 1996	Reading	H	2–1	5,002	Nielsen, Marsh (pen)
9 November 1996	Ipswich Town	A	1–1	10,146	Rammell
16 November 1996	West Bromwich Albion	H	2–3	5,120	Rammell, Williams
23 November 1996	Stoke City	A	2–1	12,821	Williams, Sigurðsson (own goal)
30 November 1996	Oldham Athletic	H	1–1	5,001	Nielsen
7 December 1996	Barnsley	A	0–3	7,483
14 December 1996	Queens Park Rangers	A	0–4	11,117
20 December 1996	Birmingham City	H	1–1	5,100	Williams
26 December 1996	Charlton Athletic	H	0–2	7,508
28 December 1996	Bolton Wanderers	A	1–3	16,357	Rammell
18 January 1997	Sheffield United	A	0–3	15,049
25 January 1997	Port Vale	A	1–2	5,588	Thomson
28 January 1997	Crystal Palace	H	2–1	5,061	Thomson, Boere
1 February 1997	Ipswich Town	H	0–0	7,232
8 February 1997	Manchester City	A	0–3	26,261
15 February 1997	Stoke City	H	2–1	4,625	Thomson, Rammell
22 February 1997	Reading	A	2–3	7,683	Boere (2)
25 February 1997	Norwich City	H	1–1	5,169	Thomson
1 March 1997	Barnsley	H	1–2	4,855	Thomson
5 March 1997	West Bromwich Albion	A	0–2	16,125
8 March 1997	Birmingham City	A	1–2	13,189	Marsh
15 March 1997	Queens Park Rangers	H	0–1	6,747
22 March 1997	Oxford United	H	2–2	4,102	Boere, Lapper
28 March 1997	Tranmere Rovers	A	0–3	7,563
31 March 1997	Portsmouth	H	2–1	6,107	Gridelet, Rammell
5 April 1997	Swindon Town	A	0–0	6,730
12 April 1997	Bradford City	H	1–1	6,697	Rammell
19 April 1997	Wolverhampton Wanderers	A	1–4	25,095	Rammell
26 April 1997	Huddersfield Town	H	1–2	4,762	Boere
4 May 1997	Grimsby Town	A	0–4	7,367

FA Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R3	15 January 1997	Leicester City	A	0–2	13,982

League Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1 First Leg	20 August 1996	Fulham	H	0–2	3,084
R1 Second Leg	3 September 1996	Fulham	A	2–1 (lost 2-3 on agg)	4,297	Nielsen, Rammell

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player - GK Simon Royce - DF Keith Dublin - DF Mark McNally - DF Leo Roget - DF Andy Harris - MF Mike Marsh - FW Andy Rammell - MF Steve Tilson - DF Mark Stimson - FW Jeroen Boere - MF Julian Hails - MF Adrian Clarke (on loan from Arsenal) - MF Paul Byrne - GK Paul Sansome

No. Position Player - FW Andy Thomson - MF Phil Gridelet - MF Ian Selley (on loan from Arsenal) - FW Paul Williams - MF Mark Patterson (on loan from Sheffield United) - DF Mike Lapper - MF Robert Codner - FW Ritchie Hanlon - GK Tony Henriksen - MF John Nielsen - MF Adem Poric (on loan from Sheffield Wednesday) - FW Peter Dursun - MF Mark Jones - MF Andy Sussex

References