1996–97 Coventry City F.C. season


During the 1996–97 English football season, Coventry City F.C. competed in the FA Premier League.

Season summary

Manager Ron Atkinson stepped up to the role of Director of Football at struggling Coventry City in early November, with assistant Gordon Strachan stepping up to the manager's seat. A good run of form saw Coventry climb to 11th place in January, but then a decline set in and defeat in the penultimate game of the season made Coventry's 30-year stay in the top flight appear to be over. However, with a win over Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the season and losses for Sunderland and Middlesbrough, the Sky Blues pulled off a miraculous survival act to book themselves a 31st successive top flight campaign. The key player in the great escape act was striker Dion Dublin, who scored 14 Premier League goals to attract attention from several larger clubs and encourage calls for an international call-up from many observers.
However, Coventry only ultimately avoided relegation due to the three-point deduction imposed upon Middlesbrough, who had been penalised in mid-season for cancelling a fixture at short notice.

Final league table

Results

Coventry City's score comes first

Legend

FA Premier League

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R325 January 1997WokingH1-116,040Jess
R3R4 February 1997WokingA2-16,000Whelan, Foster
R415 February 1997Blackburn RoversA2-121,123Jess, Huckerby
R526 February 1997Derby CountyA2-318,003Huckerby, Whelan

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st Leg18 September 1996Birmingham CityH1-111,828Daish
R2 2nd Leg24 September 1996Birmingham CityA1-015,281McAllister
R322 October 1996GillinghamA2-210,603Telfer
R3R13 November 1996GillinghamH0-112,639

First-team squad

Left club during season

Reserve squad

Transfers

In

Out