1996–97 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

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Queens Park Rangers
1996–97 season
ChairmanEngland Chris Wright
ManagerEngland Ray Wilkins (until September)
Scotland Stewart Houston (from September)
StadiumLoftus Road
First Division9th
FA CupFifth round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague:
John Spencer (17)
All:
John Spencer (18)
Highest home attendance17,376 (vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 31 March)
Lowest home attendance7,354 (vs. Stoke City, 2 November)
Average home league attendance12,554

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 teammate 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[]

Main article: 1996–97 Football League
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
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 62 56 +6 65
Source:[citation needed]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
See also: Play-off results

Results[]

Queens Park Rangers' score comes first

Legend[]

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division[]

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
17 August 1996 Oxford United H 2–1 14,703 Gallen, Dichio
23 August 1996 Portsmouth A 2–1 7,501 Gallen (2)
28 August 1996 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–1 25,767 Dichio
1 September 1996 Bolton Wanderers H 1–2 11,225 McDonald
7 September 1996 West Bromwich Albion H 0–2 12,886
11 September 1996 Norwich City A 1–1 14,000 Impey
14 September 1996 Barnsley A 3–1 13,003 Barker, Perry, Dichio
21 September 1996 Swindon Town H 1–1 13,662 Murray
28 September 1996 Birmingham City A 0–0 17,430
2 October 1996 Port Vale H 1–2 8,727 Barker
5 October 1996 Grimsby Town A 0–2 5,472
12 October 1996 Manchester City H 2–2 16,265 Sinclair, Murray
16 October 1996 Bradford City H 1–0 7,776 Brazier
20 October 1996 Tranmere Rovers A 3–2 7,025 Slade, McDonald, Charles
26 October 1996 Sheffield United A 1–1 17,096 Slade
30 October 1996 Ipswich Town H 0–1 10,562
2 November 1996 Stoke City H 1–1 7,354 Sinclair
10 November 1996 Crystal Palace A 0–3 15,324
16 November 1996 Charlton Athletic H 1–2 12,360 Sinclair
23 November 1996 Reading A 1–2 12,847 Spencer
30 November 1996 Sheffield United H 1–0 11,891 Barker (pen)
7 December 1996 Oldham Athletic A 2–0 5,590 Peacock, Spencer
14 December 1996 Southend United H 4–0 11,117 Barker (pen), Harris (own goal), Spencer, Peacock
21 December 1996 Huddersfield Town A 2–1 10,718 Dichio, Brazier
26 December 1996 Norwich City H 3–2 15,699 Peacock, Dichio, McDermott
28 December 1996 West Bromwich Albion A 1–4 19,061 Spencer
11 January 1997 Barnsley H 3–1 12,058 Spencer (3)
19 January 1997 Port Vale A 4–4 5,736 Holwyn (own goal), Impey, Murray, Spencer
29 January 1997 Birmingham City H 1–1 12,138 Spencer
1 February 1997 Crystal Palace H 0–1 16,467
5 February 1997 Swindon Town A 1–1 10,830 Hateley
8 February 1997 Ipswich Town A 0–2 12,983
22 February 1997 Stoke City A 0–0 13,121
1 March 1997 Oldham Athletic H 0–1 10,180
4 March 1997 Charlton Athletic A 1–2 10,610 Dichio
8 March 1997 Huddersfield Town H 2–0 9,789 McDermott, Spencer
12 March 1997 Reading H 0–2 10,316
15 March 1997 Southend United A 1–0 6,747 Roget (own goal)
22 March 1997 Portsmouth H 2–1 15,746 Murray, Spencer
29 March 1997 Oxford United A 3–2 8,365 Yates, Spencer, Peacock
31 March 1997 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2–2 17,376 Spencer, Peacock
5 April 1997 Bolton Wanderers A 1–2 19,198 Morrow
12 April 1997 Grimsby Town H 3–0 10,765 Spencer, Murray, Slade
19 April 1997 Manchester City A 3–0 27,580 Spencer (2), Slade
26 April 1997 Tranmere Rovers H 2–0 14,859 Dichio, Spencer
4 May 1997 Bradford City A 0–3 14,723

FA Cup[]

Main article: 1996–97 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 4 January 1997 Huddersfield Town H 1–1 11,776 Hateley
R3R 14 January 1997 Huddersfield Town A 2–1 11,814 Peacock, McDonald
R4 25 January 1997 Barnsley H 3–2 14,317 Peacock, Spencer, Sinclair
R5 15 February 1997 Wimbledon A 1–2 22,395 Hateley

League Cup[]

Main article: 1996–97 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 First Leg 18 September 1996 Swindon Town A 2–1 7,843 Dichio, Impey
R2 Second Leg 25 September 1996 Swindon Town H 1–3 (lost 3–4 on agg) 6,976 Brazier

Players[]

First-team 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. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Wales WAL Tony Roberts
— GK Netherlands NED Sieb Dijkstra
— GK United States USA Juergen Sommer
— DF England ENG David Bardsley
— DF England ENG Rufus Brevett
— DF England ENG Trevor Challis
— DF England ENG Andy Impey
— DF England ENG Matt Jackson (on loan from Everton)
— DF England ENG Danny Maddix[notes 1]
— DF England ENG Mark Perry
— DF England ENG Chris Plummer
— DF England ENG Steve Yates
— DF Wales WAL Karl Ready
— DF Northern Ireland NIR Alan McDonald
— DF Northern Ireland NIR Steve Morrow
— DF Australia AUS Andy McDermott
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Simon Barker
— MF England ENG Matt Brazier
— MF England ENG Michael Mahoney-Johnson
— MF England ENG Paul Murray
— MF England ENG Gavin Peacock
— MF England ENG Nigel Quashie[notes 2]
— MF England ENG Trevor Sinclair
— MF England ENG Ray Wilkins (player-manager until September)
— MF Northern Ireland NIR Mark Graham
— FW England ENG Lee Charles
— FW England ENG Danny Dichio
— FW England ENG Kevin Gallen
— FW England ENG Mark Hateley
— FW England ENG Steve Slade
— FW Scotland SCO John Spencer

References[]

  1. ^ Stenson, Tony (5 September 1996). "Game over for Wilkins". The Mirror. Retrieved 14 October 2011 – via The Free Library.
  2. ^ Irwin, Mark (22 November 1996). "Spencer in £2.5m move from Chelsea to QPR". The Mirror. Retrieved 14 October 2011 – via The Free Library.
  3. ^ "All Queens Park Rangers players: 1997".

Notes[]

  1. ^ Maddix was born in Ashford, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and would make his international debut for Jamaica in 1998.
  2. ^ Quashie was born in Southwark, England, and represented them at U-21 and B level, but also qualified to represent Ghana internationally through his father and Scotland through his grandfather and would make his international debut for Scotland in May 2004.
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