Wigan Athletic 1996–97 football season
During the 1996–97 English football season, Wigan Athletic F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division .
In the 1996–97 season, Wigan Athletic became Third Division champions on the last day of the campaign, Graeme Jones scoring a club record 31 league goals in the process. In most seasons they would have been runners-up, but a temporary rule change which saw goals scored take precedence over goal difference allowed them to finish above runners-up Fulham , who had the same number of points and a better goal difference.
Wigan Athletic's score comes first [ 5]
Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers 17 August 1996 Northampton Town H 2–1 3,449 Lancashire , Biggins 24 August 1996 Barnet A 1–1 1,905 Jones 27 August 1996 Cardiff City A 2–0 3,354 Jones , Kilford 31 August 1996 Chester City H 4–2 3,854 Jones (3, 1 pen), Shelton (own goal) 7 September 1996 Scunthorpe United H 3–0 3,321 Jones , Lancashire (2) 10 September 1996 Darlington A 1–3 2,601 Greenall 14 September 1996 Hartlepool United A 1–1 2,433 Jones 21 September 1996 Lincoln City H 1–0 3,394 Lancashire 28 September 1996 Scarborough A 1–3 2,570 Lancashire 1 October 1996 Exeter City H 2–0 2,788 Lancashire , Jones 5 October 1996 Brighton & Hove Albion H 1–0 3,744 Jones 12 October 1996 Colchester United A 1–3 2,700 Sharp 15 October 1996 Mansfield Town A 1–0 1,942 Sharp 19 October 1996 Torquay United H 3–2 3,374 Jones (3) 26 October 1996 Hull City H 1–2 3,887 Morgan 29 October 1996 Swansea City A 1–2 2,227 Díaz 2 November 1996 Carlisle United A 3–0 6,235 Díaz (2), Saville 9 November 1996 Hereford United H 4–1 3,414 Martínez , Jones , Greenall , Saville 23 November 1996 Fulham H 1–1 5,039 Martínez 30 November 1996 Hull City A 1–1 3,537 Jones 3 December 1996 Doncaster Rovers H 4–1 2,606 Biggins , Johnson , Saville , Jones 14 December 1996 Cambridge United A 1–1 2,784 Kilford 21 December 1996 Rochdale H 0–1 3,311 28 December 1996 Scunthorpe United A 3–2 2,833 Saville , Rogers , Kilford 18 January 1997 Exeter City A 1–0 3,067 Johnson 21 January 1997 Leyton Orient A 2–1 3,014 Kilford , Jones 25 January 1997 Swansea City H 3–2 4,058 Jones (2), Kilford 1 February 1997 Hereford United A 1–3 2,532 Rogers 4 February 1997 Lincoln City A 3–1 2,241 Jones (2), Johnson 8 February 1997 Carlisle United H 1–0 6,195 Lowe 15 February 1997 Fulham A 1–1 9,448 Lowe 22 February 1997 Leyton Orient H 5–1 3,783 Jones (3), Lancashire , Rogers 25 February 1997 Darlington H 3–2 3,667 Jones (3, 1 pen) 28 February 1997 Doncaster Rovers A 0–2 2,948 4 March 1997 Hartlepool United H 2–2 3,229 Jones , Kilford 8 March 1997 Rochdale A 1–3 3,254 Jones (pen) 11 March 1997 Scarborough H 7–1 3,094 Martínez , Lowe (2), Díaz (2), Lancashire , Biggins 15 March 1997 Cambridge United H 1–1 3,867 Jones 22 March 1997 Barnet H 2–0 3,286 Kilford , Martínez 29 March 1997 Northampton Town A 1–0 5,914 Lowe 31 March 1997 Cardiff City H 0–1 4,634 5 April 1997 Chester City A 1–1 4,005 Kilford 8 April 1997 Colchester United H 1–0 4,571 McGibbon 12 April 1997 Brighton & Hove Albion A 0–1 8,703 26 April 1997 Torquay United A 3–0 2,481 Jones (2), Díaz 3 May 1997 Mansfield Town H 2–0 7,106 Lancashire , Lowe
Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GD Pts Promotion or relegation 1 Wigan Athletic 46 17 3 3 53 21 9 6 8 31 30 +33 87 Division Champions, promoted 2 Fulham 46 13 5 5 41 20 12 7 4 31 18 +34 87 Promoted 3 Carlisle United 46 16 3 4 41 21 8 9 6 26 23 +23 84 4 Northampton Town 46 14 4 5 43 17 6 8 9 24 27 +23 72 Promoted through play-offs 5 Swansea City 46 13 5 5 37 20 8 3 12 25 38 +4 71 Participated in play-offs
Source:
[ 6] Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Key Division Champions, promoted Promoted Participated in play-offs Promoted through play-offs
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers R1 16 November 1996 Blackpool A 0–1 5,465 (1,832 away)
Note: Numbers in brackets are appearances as a substitute . Source:[ 7]
National teams
League competitions
Level 1 Levels 2–4 Level 5 Levels 6–7 Levels 8–9 Isthmian League (Two , Three ) Combined Counties League (level 8 only ) Eastern Counties League (Premier , One ) Essex Senior League (level 8 only ) Hellenic League (Premier , One ) Kent League (level 8 only ) Midland Alliance (level 8 only ) Midland Football Combination (level 9 only ) North West Counties League (One , Two ) Northern Counties East League (Premier , One ) Northern League (One , Two ) South Midlands League (Premier , Senior ) Spartan League (Premier , One ) Sussex County League (One , Two ) United Counties League (Premier , One ) Wessex League (level 8 only ) West Midlands (Regional) League (level 9 only ) Western League (Premier , One )
Cup competitions
FA cups Football League cups
European competitions