1996–97 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

Queens Park Rangers
1996–97 season
Chairman England Chris Wright
Manager England Ray Wilkins (until September)
Scotland Stewart Houston (from September)
Stadium Loftus Road
First Division 9th
FA Cup Fifth round
League Cup Second round
Top goalscorer League:
John Spencer (17)
All:
John Spencer (18)
Highest home attendance 17,376 (vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 31 March)
Lowest home attendance 7,354 (vs. Stoke City, 2 November)
Average home league attendance 12,554
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

During the 1996–97 English football season, Queens Park Rangers competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary

In August 1996, media tycoon Chris Wright, a QPR fan for 20 years, bought the club and also stated his plans for London Wasps to distribute the stadium.

Wright later suggested forming a new Loftus Road plc, including both QPR and London Wasps, on the Alternative Investment Market. A month later, Ray Wilkins left the club by mutual consent after a board meeting when he wanted money in an attempt to sign 34-year-old Ghana skipper Abedi Pele as well as being pushed to retire from his playing career.[1] Ex-Arsenal caretaker manager Stewart Houston took over the reins with former Arsenal manager Bruce Rioch as his assistant.

Houston's first signing for QPR broke the club's previous transfer record when Scottish international striker John Spencer was signed from Chelsea for £2.35 million in November 1996.[2] A month later, his ex-Chelsea team mate and former QPR player Gavin Peacock rejoined the club for a second spell. Northern Ireland international Steve Morrow also joined from Arsenal.

Ultimately, QPR's poor home form during the season cost them a chance of a play-off place and they finished 9th, five points outside the play-off places.

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

Queens Park Rangers' score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1996 Oxford UnitedH2–114,703Gallen, Dichio
23 August 1996 PortsmouthA2–17,501Gallen (2)
28 August 1996 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–125,767Dichio
1 September 1996 Bolton WanderersH1–211,225McDonald
7 September 1996 West Bromwich AlbionH0–212,886
11 September 1996 Norwich CityA1–114,000Impey
14 September 1996 BarnsleyA3–113,003Barker, Perry, Dichio
21 September 1996 Swindon TownH1–113,662Murray
28 September 1996 Birmingham CityA0–017,430
2 October 1996 Port ValeH1–28,727Barker
5 October 1996 Grimsby TownA0–25,472
12 October 1996 Manchester CityH2–216,265Sinclair, Murray
16 October 1996 Bradford CityH1–07,776Brazier
20 October 1996 Tranmere RoversA3–27,025Slade, McDonald, Charles
26 October 1996 Sheffield UnitedA1–117,096Slade
30 October 1996 Ipswich TownH0–110,562
2 November 1996 Stoke CityH1–17,354Sinclair
10 November 1996 Crystal PalaceA0–315,324
16 November 1996 Charlton AthleticH1–212,360Sinclair
23 November 1996 ReadingA1–212,847Spencer
30 November 1996 Sheffield UnitedH1–011,891Barker (pen)
7 December 1996 Oldham AthleticA2–05,590Peacock, Spencer
14 December 1996 Southend UnitedH4–011,117Barker (pen), Harris (own goal), Spencer, Peacock
21 December 1996 Huddersfield TownA2–110,718Dichio, Brazier
26 December 1996 Norwich CityH3–215,699Peacock, Dichio, McDermott
28 December 1996 West Bromwich AlbionA1–419,061Spencer
11 January 1997 BarnsleyH3–112,058Spencer (3)
19 January 1997 Port ValeA4–45,736Holwyn (own goal), Impey, Murray, Spencer
29 January 1997 Birmingham CityH1–112,138Spencer
1 February 1997 Crystal PalaceH0–116,467
5 February 1997 Swindon TownA1–110,830Hateley
8 February 1997 Ipswich TownA0–212,983
22 February 1997 Stoke CityA0–013,121
1 March 1997 Oldham AthleticH0–110,180
4 March 1997 Charlton AthleticA1–210,610Dichio
8 March 1997 Huddersfield TownH2–09,789McDermott, Spencer
12 March 1997 ReadingH0–210,316
15 March 1997 Southend UnitedA1–06,747Roget (own goal)
22 March 1997 PortsmouthH2–115,746Murray, Spencer
29 March 1997 Oxford UnitedA3–28,365Yates, Spencer, Peacock
31 March 1997 Wolverhampton WanderersH2–217,376Spencer, Peacock
5 April 1997 Bolton WanderersA1–219,198Morrow
12 April 1997 Grimsby TownH3–010,765Spencer, Murray, Slade
19 April 1997 Manchester CityA3–027,580Spencer (2), Slade
26 April 1997 Tranmere RoversH2–014,859Dichio, Spencer
4 May 1997 Bradford CityA0–314,723

FA Cup

Main article: 1996-97 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R34 January 1997 Huddersfield TownH1–111,776Hateley
R3R14 January 1997 Huddersfield TownA2–111,814Peacock, McDonald
R425 January 1997 BarnsleyH3–214,317Peacock, Spencer, Sinclair
R515 February 1997 WimbledonA1–222,395Hateley

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 First Leg 18 September 1996 Swindon TownA2–17,843Dichio, Impey
R2 Second Leg 25 September 1996 Swindon TownH1–3 (lost 3-4 on agg)6,976Brazier

Squad

Squad at end of season[3]

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

No. Position Player
Wales GK Tony Roberts
Netherlands GK Sieb Dijkstra
United States GK Juergen Sommer
England DF David Bardsley
England DF Rufus Brevett
England DF Trevor Challis
England DF Andy Impey
England DF Matt Jackson (on loan from Everton)
England DF Danny Maddix
England DF Mark Perry
England DF Chris Plummer
England DF Steve Yates
Wales DF Karl Ready
Northern Ireland DF Alan McDonald
Northern Ireland DF Steve Morrow
Australia DF Andy McDermott
No. Position Player
England MF Simon Barker
England MF Matt Brazier
England MF Michael Mahoney-Johnson
England MF Paul Murray
England MF Gavin Peacock
England MF Nigel Quashie
England MF Trevor Sinclair
England MF Ray Wilkins (player-manager until September)
Northern Ireland MF Mark Graham
England FW Lee Charles
England FW Danny Dichio
England FW Kevin Gallen
England FW Mark Hateley
England FW Steve Slade
Scotland FW John Spencer

References

  1. ↑ Stenson, Tony (5 September 1996). "Game over for Wilkins". The Free Library. The Mirror. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  2. ↑ Irwin, Mark (22 November 1996). "Spencer in £2.5m move from Chelsea to QPR". The Free Library. The Mirror. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  3. ↑ http://www.11v11.com/teams/queens-park-rangers/tab/players/season/1997
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