1996–97 Barnsley F.C. season

Barnsley

1996–97 season
Chairman	John Dennis
Manager	Danny Wilson
Stadium	Oakwell
Football League First Division	2nd (promoted)
FA Cup	Fourth round
League Cup	Second round
Top goalscorer	League: Redfearn (17) All: Redfearn (19)
Highest home attendance	18,605 vs. Bradford City (26 April 1997)
Lowest home attendance	6,337 vs. Oxford United (15 October 1996)
Average home league attendance	11,356
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

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

Season summary

Manager Danny Wilson successfully acquired a number of signings in the summer that were to play huge roles, amongst these were the vastly experienced duo Neil Thompson and Paul Wilkinson, as well as youngster Matty Appleby.

Oakwell also gained an international flavour, as Jovo Bosančić and Trinidad and Tobago international Clint Marcelle were to sign, with Marcelle's work permit clearing just a couple of days prior to the Red's first game of the season, an away match at West Bromwich Albion. Fortunately, Marcelle was cleared to play and scored the opening goal of the season in a 2-1 victory. Barnsley went on to equal their best start to a season by winning the next four games. Wilson then further improved the team by bringing in Scottish forward John Hendrie, who had partnered Wilkinson at Middlesbrough.

Bolton Wanderers looked increasingly likely to win the league as the season progressed, the Reds played both games against the Trotters relatively early on in the season, with the two games both resulting in 2-2 draws. As the season neared its closing stages, it looked as if either Barnsley or Mark McGhee's Wolverhampton Wanderers would join Bolton.

In Barnsley's final home game of the season, a Yorkshire derby against Bradford City, the team knew a win would be enough to secure promotion to the top tier of English football for the first time in the club's history. The side dominated the game, but led only 1-0 at half time thanks to a Wilkinson goal. With only a few minutes remaining, Clint Marcelle, the man who had scored the opening goal of the season scored the Red's final goal at home. As the final whistle blew, the fans swarmed onto the pitch amid jubilant celebrations.

The team lost their final game of the season 5-1 away at Oxford United; however the joy of promotion remained throughout the summer and the team later had an open-top bus celebration around the town, culminating at the town hall.

Final league table

Main article: 1996-97 Football League

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

See also: Play-off results

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

Barnsley's score comes first

Legend

Win

Draw

Loss

Football League First Division

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
17 August 1996	West Bromwich Albion	A	2–1	18,561	Marcelle, Liddell
25 August 1996	Huddersfield Town	H	3–1	9,787	Wilkinson, Redfearn, Marcelle
28 August 1996	Reading	H	3–0	7,523	Sheridan, Liddell (2)
7 September 1996	Manchester City	A	2–1	26,464	Marcelle (2)
10 September 1996	Stoke City	H	3–0	11,696	Davis, Thompson, Liddell
14 September 1996	Queens Park Rangers	H	1–3	13,003	Wilkinson
21 September 1996	Oldham Athletic	A	1–0	7,043	Redfearn (pen)
28 September 1996	Grimsby Town	H	1–3	8,833	Liddell
1 October 1996	Ipswich Town	A	1–1	9,041	Redfearn (pen)
12 October 1996	Crystal Palace	H	0–0	9,183
15 October 1996	Oxford United	H	0–0	6,337
19 October 1996	Bradford City	A	2–2	11,477	Liddell, Davis
25 October 1996	Bolton Wanderers	H	2–2	9,413	Redfearn (2, 1 pen)
29 October 1996	Port Vale	A	3–1	5,231	Hendrie, de Zeeuw, Marcelle
2 November 1996	Wolverhampton Wanderers	A	3–3	22,840	de Zeeuw, Redfearn (pen), Eaden
12 November 1996	Norwich City	H	3–1	9,697	Moses, Wilkinson, Hendrie
16 November 1996	Swindon Town	A	0–3	10,837
23 November 1996	Portsmouth	H	3–2	7,449	Wilkinson, Hendrie, Davis
30 November 1996	Bolton Wanderers	A	2–2	16,852	Redfearn (2, 1 pen)
3 December 1996	Birmingham City	A	0–0	24,004
7 December 1996	Southend United	H	3–0	7,483	Hendrie, Wilkinson (2)
14 December 1996	Tranmere Rovers	H	3–0	8,513	Hendrie, Wilkinson, Redfearn (pen)
21 December 1996	Sheffield United	A	1–0	24,384	Hendrie
26 December 1996	Stoke City	A	0–1	19,025
28 December 1996	Manchester City	H	2–0	17,159	Bosančić (pen), Moses
11 January 1997	Queens Park Rangers	A	1–3	12,058	Redfearn
18 January 1997	Ipswich Town	H	1–2	9,872	Liddell
28 January 1997	Grimsby Town	A	3–2	6,323	Hendrie (3)
1 February 1997	Norwich City	A	1–1	17,001	Eaden
8 February 1997	Port Vale	H	1–0	12,246	Hendrie
15 February 1997	Charlton Athletic	A	2–2	9,104	Hendrie (2)
22 February 1997	Wolverhampton Wanderers	H	1–3	18,024	Sheridan
1 March 1997	Southend United	A	2–1	4,855	Redfearn (2)
4 March 1997	Swindon Town	H	1–1	8,518	Redfearn
7 March 1997	Sheffield United	H	2–0	14,668	Hendrie, Eaden
15 March 1997	Tranmere Rovers	A	1–1	7,347	Wilkinson
22 March 1997	Huddersfield Town	A	0–0	14,754
28 March 1997	West Bromwich Albion	H	2–0	12,087	Redfearn, Thompson (pen)
31 March 1997	Reading	A	2–1	10,244	Holsgrove (own goal), Liddell
5 April 1997	Birmingham City	H	0–1	13,092
12 April 1997	Charlton Athletic	H	4–0	11,701	Marcelle, Thompson (2), Hendrie
15 April 1997	Oldham Athletic	H	2–0	17,476	Hendrie, Marcelle
19 April 1997	Crystal Palace	A	1–1	20,006	Thompson (pen)
22 April 1997	Portsmouth	A	2–4	8,328	Redfearn (2)
26 April 1997	Bradford City	H	2–0	18,605	Wilkinson, Marcelle
4 May 1997	Oxford United	A	1–5	8,693	Redfearn

FA Cup

Main article: 1996-97 FA Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R3	14 January 1997	Oldham Athletic	H	2–0	9,936	Bullock, Marcelle
R4	25 January 1997	Queens Park Rangers	A	2–3	14,317	Redfearn, Hendrie

League Cup

Main article: 1996-97 Football League Cup

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1 First Leg	20 August 1996	Rochdale	A	1–2	2,426	Wilkinson
R1 Second Leg	3 September 1996	Rochdale	H	2–0	5,638	Redfearn, Wilkinson
R2 First Leg	17 September 1996	Gillingham	H	1–1	4,491	Onuora (own goal)
R2 Second Leg	24 September 1996	Gillingham	A	0–1	5,666

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 David Watson - DF Nicky Eaden - DF Arjan de Zeeuw - DF Adie Moses - DF Neil Thompson - MF Neil Redfearn - FW John Hendrie - MF Martin Bullock - DF Steve Davis - FW Paul Wilkinson - MF Darren Sheridan

No. Position Player - FW Clint Marcelle - MF Matty Appleby - FW Andy Liddell - DF Peter Shirtliff - MF Jovo Bosančić - DF Scott Jones - FW Glynn Hurst - FW Laurens ten Heuvel - MF Carel van der Velden - FW Dave Regis