Plymouth Argyle
1996–97 season
ChairmanDan McCauley
ManagerNeil Warnock (until 3 February)
Mick Jones (from 3 February)
StadiumHome Park
Second Division19th
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Auto Windscreens ShieldQuarter finals
Top goalscorerLeague: Evans (12)
All: Evans (15)
Average home league attendance6,494

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

Season summary

In the 1996–97 season, Plymouth manager Warnock was sacked within a year as the club narrowly avoided being relegated back to the basement division. Warnock's assistant Mick Jones became his successor.

In February 1997, Plymouth participated in "The Battle of Saltergate" – in a 2–1 win at Chesterfield, a fight broke out in the 88th minute, involving all 20 outfield players. Chesterfield's Darren Carr and Kevin Davies and Plymouth's Tony James and Richard Logan were all sent-off. To make matters even worse, Argyle's Wembley hero Ronnie Mauge had already been sent-off in the 36th minute. It was the first time in Football League history that five players were sent off in one game.[1]

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
17 Bristol Rovers 46 15 11 20 47 50 −3 56
18 Wycombe Wanderers 46 15 10 21 51 57 −6 55
19 Plymouth Argyle 46 12 18 16 47 58 −11 54
20 York City 46 13 13 20 47 68 −21 52
21 Peterborough United 46 11 14 21 55 73 −18 47 Relegated
Source: [2]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

Plymouth Argyle's score comes first[3]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996York CityH2–19,035Corazzin, Heathcote
24 August 1996WrexhamA4–43,920Evans, Littlejohn (2), Logan
27 August 1996WatfordA2–07,349Billy, Littlejohn
30 August 1996Preston North EndH2–19,209Evans, Logan
7 September 1996Notts CountyH0–08,109
10 September 1996BrentfordA2–35,377Mauge, Corazzin
14 September 1996Stockport CountyA1–35,087Evans (pen)
21 September 1996Bristol RoversH0–18,879
28 September 1996Crewe AlexandraA0–33,797
1 October 1996Peterborough UnitedH1–14,929James
5 October 1996MillwallH0–07,507
12 October 1996WalsallA1–03,720Littlejohn
15 October 1996BournemouthA0–13,818
19 October 1996Bristol CityH0–09,645
26 October 1996BurnleyA1–29,602Evans
29 October 1996GillinghamH2–04,787Evans, Illman
2 November 1996Luton TownH3–37,134Mauge, Evans (2, 1 pen)
9 November 1996Wycombe WanderersA1–25,456Williams
19 November 1996ChesterfieldH0–34,237
23 November 1996BuryA0–13,582
30 November 1996BurnleyH0–06,289
3 December 1996BlackpoolA2–22,690Wotton, Littlejohn
14 December 1996Shrewsbury TownH2–25,075Mauge, Evans
21 December 1996Rotherham UnitedA2–12,269Illman, Evans
26 December 1996BrentfordH1–49,525Illman
11 January 1997Crewe AlexandraH1–04,767Logan
18 January 1997Peterborough UnitedA0–06,288
25 January 1997GillinghamA1–45,465Evans
1 February 1997Wycombe WanderersH0–05,024
8 February 1997Luton TownA2–26,439Littlejohn, Evans
15 February 1997BuryH2–05,486Logan, Corazzin
22 February 1997ChesterfieldA2–15,833Evans, Saunders
25 February 1997Bristol RoversA0–26,005
1 March 1997BlackpoolH0–15,585
8 March 1997Rotherham UnitedH1–04,717Corazzin (pen)
15 March 1997Shrewsbury TownA3–23,414Billy (2), Illman
22 March 1997WrexhamH0–15,468
29 March 1997York CityA1–13,917Corazzin
31 March 1997WatfordH0–06,836
5 April 1997Preston North EndA1–18,503Saunders
8 April 1997Stockport CountyH0–05,089
12 April 1997MillwallA0–05,702
15 April 1997Notts CountyA1–22,423Collins
19 April 1997WalsallH2–05,535Saunders, Barlow
26 April 1997Bristol CityA1–315,368Williams
3 May 1997BournemouthH0–06,507

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 November 1996FulhamH5–07,104Mauge, Evans (2, 1 pen), Littlejohn, Corazzin
R26 December 1996Exeter CityH4–112,911Evans, Mauge, Billy, Littlejohn
R34 January 1997Peterborough UnitedH0–17,299

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg20 August 1996BrentfordA0–13,034
R1 2nd Leg3 September 1996BrentfordH0–0 (lost 0–1 on agg)5,180

Football League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SR110 December 1996BournemouthH2–0944Illman, Wotton
SR214 January 1997Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–01,295Wotton
SQF11 February 1997Northampton TownH0–21,499

Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[4]

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 Kevin Blackwell
— GK England ENG James Dungey
— GK Zimbabwe ZIM Bruce Grobbelaar[notes 1]
— DF England ENG Jon Beswetherick
— DF England ENG Simon Collins
— DF England ENG Chris Curran
— DF England ENG Mick Heathcote
— DF England ENG Tony James
— DF England ENG Richard Logan
— DF England ENG Mark Patterson
— DF Wales WAL Jason Rowbotham
— DF England ENG Paul Williams
— MF England ENG Martin Barlow
— MF England ENG Chris Billy
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Gary Clayton
— MF England ENG Chris Leadbitter
— MF England ENG Ronnie Mauge[notes 2]
— MF England ENG Steve Perkins
— MF England ENG Mark Saunders
— MF England ENG Michael Simpson (on loan from Notts County)
— MF England ENG Paul Wotton
— FW Canada CAN Carlo Corazzin
— FW England ENG Mickey Evans[notes 3]
— FW England ENG Neil Illman
— FW England ENG Adrian Littlejohn
— FW England ENG Lee Phillips
— FW England ENG Dominic Richardson

References

  1. ↑ Culley, Jon (24 February 1997). "THAT WAS THE WEEKEND THAT WAS : Battle of Saltergate: the aftermath". independent.co.uk. The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "England 1996–97". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  3. ↑ "Plymouth Argyle results for the 1996-1997 season - Statto.com". Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "All Plymouth Argyle players: 1997".

Notes

  1. ↑ Grobbelaar was born in Durban, South Africa, but was raised in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) from the age of two months and made his international debut for Rhodesia in 1977 and Zimbabwe in 1980.
  2. ↑ Mauge was born in Islington, England, but also qualified to represent Trinidad and Tobago internationally and made his international debut for Trinidad and Tobago in 2000.
  3. ↑ Evans was born in Plymouth, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in October 1997.
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