- 1996–97 Manchester United F.C. season
-
Manchester United 1996–97 season Chairman 
Martin EdwardsManager 
Alex FergusonPremier League 1st FA Cup Fourth Round Coca-Cola Cup Fourth Round Charity Shield Winners UEFA Champions League Semi-final Top goalscorer League:
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (18)
All:
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (19)Highest home attendance 55,314 vs Wimbledon (29 January 1997) Lowest home attendance 31,966 vs Swindon Town (23 October 1996) Average home attendance 54,345 
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours← 1995–96 1997–98 → The 1996–97 season was Manchester United's fifth season in the Premier League, and their 22nd consecutive season in the top division of English football.[1] United clinched the Premier League title with 75 points – placing them seven points ahead of the three teams below them; Newcastle United, Arsenal and Liverpool.
They also reached the European Cup semi-finals, bowing out to eventual winners Borussia Dortmund of Germany, after losing both legs 1–0. Earlier in the competition, they had lost at home in Europe for the first time, with a 1–0 defeat to Fenerbahçe of Turkey in the group stage. Their defence of the FA Cup ended in the Fourth Round replay with a 1–0 defeat to Wimbledon, while their bid for success in the League Cup was short lived as they bowed out to eventual winners Leicester City in the Fourth Round.
New signing Ole Gunnar Solskjær was one of the biggest breakthrough stars in the 1996–97 Premier League season, with 19 goals in all competitions making him the club's top goalscorer. 22-year-old midfielder David Beckham clinched the PFA Young Player of the Year award in the same season that he won his first England cap. Solskjær's fellow Norwegian, Ronny Johnsen, proved himself as a fine successor to Steve Bruce in central defence, but £3.5 million Czech winger Karel Poborský failed to win a regular first team place and was one of the Premier League's biggest disappointments that season. Jordi Cruyff, son of Dutch legend Johan, was similarly disappointing, failing to win a regular first team place despite being able to play in midfield, attack or on the left wing.
Just before the start of the season, winger Lee Sharpe left the club after eight years to sign for Leeds United in a £4.5million deal. Earlier in the summer, captain Steve Bruce had departed to Birmingham City on a free transfer after almost a decade at Old Trafford, while Paul Parker left on a free transfer after his final two seasons at the club had been plagued by injury and the loss of his place in the team to Gary Neville.
The season ended with a major shock as Eric Cantona announced his retirement from playing, prompting manager Alex Ferguson to search for a new striker. The search ended with the £3.5 million capture of Tottenham and England's 31-year-old Teddy Sheringham.
Contents
Pre-season friendlies
Date Opponents H / A Result
F – AScorers Attendance 27 July 1996 Portadown A 5 – 0 Scholes (3) 17', 19', 44', Keane 29', Beckham 34' 6,100 28 July 1996 League of Ireland XI N 4 – 1 Sharpe 22', Pallister 26', Scholes 41', Cantona 44' 7,720 31 July 1996 Internazionale A 0 – 3 33,578 3 August 1996 Ajax N 1 – 2 McClair 81' 27,427 4 August 1996 Nottingham Forest A 3 – 1 Beckham 80', McClair 83', P. Neville 88' 21,760 13 August 1996 Internazionale H 0 – 1 30,266 FA Charity Shield
United won the 1996 Charity Shield against Newcastle United 4–0, with goals from Eric Cantona, Nicky Butt, David Beckham and Roy Keane.
Date Opponents H / A Result
F – AScorers Attendance 11 August 1996 Newcastle United N 4 – 0 Cantona 25', Butt 30', Beckham 86', Keane 88' 73,214 FA Premier League
Date Opponents H / A Result
F – AScorers Attendance League
position17 August 1996 Wimbledon A 3 – 0 Cantona 25', Irwin 58', Beckham 90' 25,786 1st 21 August 1996 Everton H 2 – 2 Cruyff 70', Unsworth 82' (o.g.) 54,943 9th 25 August 1996 Blackburn Rovers H 2 – 2 Cruyff 39', Solskjær 70' 54,178 5th 4 September 1996 Derby County A 1 – 1 Beckham 38' 18,026 4th 7 September 1996 Leeds United A 4 – 0 Martyn 3' (o.g.), Butt 49', Poborský 77', Cantona 90' 39,694 5th 14 September 1996 Nottingham Forest H 4 – 1 Solskjær 22', Giggs 43', Cantona (2) 82', 90' (pen.) 54,984 1st 21 September 1996 Aston Villa A 0 – 0 39,339 4th 29 September 1996 Tottenham Hotspur H 2 – 0 Solskjær (2) 38', 58' 54,943 3rd 12 October 1996 Liverpool H 1 – 0 Beckham 23' 55,128 4th 20 October 1996 Newcastle United A 0 – 5 35,579 5th 26 October 1996 Southampton A 3 – 6 Beckham 41', May 56', Scholes 89' 15,253 5th 2 November 1996 Chelsea H 1 – 2 Poborský 81' 55,198 6th 16 November 1996 Arsenal H 1 – 0 Winterburn 63' (o.g.) 55,210 6th 23 November 1996 Middlesbrough A 2 – 2 Keane 17', May 72' 30,063 7th 30 November 1996 Leicester City H 3 – 1 Butt (2) 75', 87', Solskjær 85' 55,196 5th 8 December 1996 West Ham United A 2 – 2 Solskjær 54', Beckham 75' 25,045 6th 18 December 1996 Sheffield Wednesday A 1 – 1 Scholes 61' 37,671 5th 21 December 1996 Sunderland H 5 – 0 Solskjær (2) 35', 48', Cantona (2) 43' (pen.), 80', Butt 59' 55,081 3rd 26 December 1996 Nottingham Forest A 4 – 0 Beckham 25', Butt 44', Solskjær 67', Cole 76' 29,032 3rd 28 December 1996 Leeds United H 1 – 0 Cantona 9' (pen.) 55,256 2nd 1 January 1997 Aston Villa H 0 – 0 55,133 3rd 12 January 1997 Tottenham Hotspur A 2 – 1 Solskjær 23', Beckham 76' 33,026 3rd 18 January 1997 Coventry City A 2 – 0 Giggs 60', Solskjær 79' 23,085 2nd 29 January 1997 Wimbledon H 2 – 1 Giggs 76', Cole 83' 55,314 2nd 1 February 1997 Southampton H 2 – 1 Pallister 19', Cantona 80' 55,269 1st 19 February 1997 Arsenal A 2 – 1 Cole 18', Solskjær 32' 38,172 1st 22 February 1997 Chelsea A 1 – 1 Beckham 68' 28,336 1st 1 March 1997 Coventry City H 3 – 1 Breen 4' (o.g.), Cole 5', Poborský 47' 55,230 1st 8 March 1997 Sunderland A 1 – 2 Melville 78' (o.g.) 22,225 1st 15 March 1997 Sheffield Wednesday H 2 – 0 Cole 19', Poborský 61' 55,267 1st 22 March 1997 Everton A 2 – 0 Cantona 35', Solskjær 79' 40,079 1st 5 April 1997 Derby County H 2 – 3 Cantona 47', Solskjær 76' 55,243 1st 12 April 1997 Blackburn Rovers A 3 – 2 Cole 32', Scholes 43', Cantona 80' 30,476 1st 19 April 1997 Liverpool A 3 – 1 Pallister (2) 13', 42', Cole 63' 40,892 1st 3 May 1997 Leicester City A 2 – 2 Solskjær (2) 45', 51' 21,068 1st 5 May 1997 Middlesbrough H 3 – 3 Keane 34', G. Neville 42', Solskjær 67' 54,489 1st 8 May 1997 Newcastle United H 0 – 0 55,236 1st 11 May 1997 West Ham United H 2 – 0 Solskjær 11', Cruyff 84' 55,249 1st Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Manchester United 38 21 12 5 76 44 +32 75 2 Newcastle United 38 19 11 8 73 40 +33 68 3 Arsenal 38 19 11 8 62 32 +30 68 Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
FA Cup
United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 to reach the Fourth Round, where they faced Wimbledon, who they had beaten easily 3–0 on the first day of the season; the game ended 1–1. The replay was played at Wimbledon's Selhurst Park, with the game ending 1–0 to Wimbledon, knocking United out of the competition at a very early stage. In between these two FA Cup games, United and Wimbledon faced each other again in the league, with United coming out on top at home, with a 2–1 win, making it all the more shocking that Wimbledon managed to defeat them five days later in the cup.
Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F – AScorers Attendance 5 January 1997 Round 3 Tottenham Hotspur H 2 – 0 Scholes 51', Beckham 82' 52,445 25 January 1997 Round 4 Wimbledon H 1 – 1 Scholes 89' 53,342 4 February 1997 Round 4
ReplayWimbledon A 0 – 1 25,601 Coca-Cola Cup
As in the previous two seasons, United rested many of their first-team players in the League Cup, instead using the competition to provide first team experience to the club's younger players and reserves. This proved to be a bad move as the Red Devils just managed to squeeze past Swindon Town to get into the Fourth Round, but they were then defeated by Leicester City 2–0.
Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F – AScorers Attendance 23 October 1996 Round 3 Swindon Town H 2 – 1 Poborský 19', Scholes 72' 49,305 27 November 1996 Round 4 Leicester City A 0 – 2 20,428 Champions League
Group stage
In the group stage, United were drawn together with Turkish champions Fenerbahçe, Italian giants Juventus and Austrian champions Rapid Wien.
Date Opponents H / A Result
F – AScorers Attendance Group
position11 September 1996 Juventus A 0 – 1 54,000 4th 25 September 1996 Rapid Wien H 2 – 0 Solskjær 20', Beckham 27' 51,831 2nd 16 October 1996 Fenerbahçe A 2 – 0 Beckham 55', Cantona 60' 26,200 2nd 30 October 1996 Fenerbahçe H 0 – 1 53,297 2nd 20 November 1996 Juventus H 0 – 1 53,529 3rd 4 December 1996 Rapid Wien A 2 – 0 Giggs 24', Cantona 71' 45,000 2nd Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 
Juventus6 5 1 0 11 1 +10 16 Manchester United6 3 0 3 6 3 +3 9 
Fenerbahçe6 2 1 3 3 6 −3 7 
Rapid Wien6 0 2 4 2 12 −10 2 Knock-out stage
United were drawn against Portuguese champions Porto in the quarter-finals, and sealed their place in the semi-finals with a 4–0 win in the first leg, followed by a goalless second leg. They were then drawn against the eventual winners, German champions Borussia Dortmund, who beat them 1–0 in each leg, knocking the Red Devils out of the competition 2–0 on aggregate.
Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F – AScorers Attendance 5 March 1997 Quarter-final
First legPorto H 4 – 0 May 22', Cantona 34', Giggs 61', Cole 80' 53,425 19 March 1997 Quarter-final
Second legPorto A 0 – 0 40,000 9 April 1997 Semi-final
First legBorussia Dortmund A 0 – 1 48,500 23 April 1997 Semi-final
Second legBorussia Dortmund H 0 – 1 53,606 Squad statistics
No. Pos. Name League FA Cup Coca-Cola Cup Europe Total Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals 1 GK 
Peter Schmeichel36 0 3 0 0 0 9 0 48 0 2 DF Gary Neville30(1) 1 3 0 1 0 10 0 44(1) 1 3 DF 
Denis Irwin29(2) 1 3 0 0 0 8 0 40(2) 1 4 DF David May28(1) 3 1 0 2 0 7(1) 1 38(2) 4 6 DF Gary Pallister27 3 1 0 0 0 8 0 36 3 7 FW 
Eric Cantona (c)36 11 3 0 0 0 10 3 49 14 8 MF Nicky Butt24(2) 5 0 0 0 0 8(1) 0 32(3) 5 9 FW Andy Cole10(10) 6 2(1) 0 0 0 2(3) 1 14(14) 7 10 MF David Beckham33(3) 8 2 1 0 0 10 2 45(3) 11 11 MF 
Ryan Giggs25(1) 3 3 0 0 0 6(1) 2 34(2) 5 12 DF Phil Neville15(3) 0 0 0 1 0 2(2) 0 18(5) 0 13 MF Brian McClair4(15) 0 1(2) 0 2 0 0(3) 0 7(20) 0 14 MF 
Jordi Cruyff11(5) 3 0 0 1 0 3(1) 0 15(6) 3 15 MF 
Karel Poborský15(7) 3 2 0 2 1 3(3) 0 22(10) 4 16 MF Roy Keane21 2 3 0 2 0 6 0 32 2 17 GK Raimond van der Gouw2 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 5 0 18 MF Paul Scholes16(8) 3 2 2 2 1 0(4) 0 20(12) 6 19 DF 
Ronny Johnsen26(5) 0 2 0 0 0 9 0 37(5) 0 20 FW Ole Gunnar Solskjær25(8) 18 0(3) 0 0 0 8(2) 1 33(13) 19 21 DF 
Pat McGibbon0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 MF Simon Davies0 0 0 0 0(2) 0 0 0 0(2) 0 23 MF Ben Thornley1(1) 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3(1) 0 24 DF John O'Kane1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 25 GK Kevin Pilkington0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 DF Chris Casper0(2) 0 1 0 2 0 0(1) 0 3(3) 0 27 MF Terry Cooke0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0 0 0(1) 0 28 MF Philip Mulryne0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 MF Michael Appleton0 0 0 0 1(1) 0 0 0 1(1) 0 30 DF Ronnie Wallwork0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 DF John Curtis0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 32 DF Michael Clegg3(1) 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 5(1) 0 33 MF Paul Gibson0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Transfers
United's first departure of the 1996–97 season was Hasney Aljofree, who signed for Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer on 2 July. Four days later, Heath Maxon was released. Tony Coton joined Sunderland on 12 July, while a month later, Lee Sharpe joined Leeds United aftter eight years at Old Trafford.
Arriving in the summer were Norwegian defender Ronny Johnsen, Czech winger Karel Poborský, Norwegian forward Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and Dutch midfielder Jordi Cruyff.
United's only winter departure was American forward Jovan Kirovski, who joined Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer on 8 December. David Fish joined Stockport County on 1 May, while a day later, David Hilton was released. Just under a fortnight later, Colin Murdock joined Preston North End, while on 18 May, Eric Cantona retired. Robert Trees was released on 30 June.
On 27 June, Teddy Sheringham was acquired from Tottenham Hotspur to replace the retired Cantona.
In
Date Pos. Name From Fee 10 July 1996 DF Ronny Johnsen Beşiktaş£1.2m 20 July 1996 MF Karel Poborský Slavia Prague£3.5m 23 July 1996 FW Ole Gunnar Solskjær Molde£1.5m 8 August 1996 MF Jordi Cruyff
Barcelona£1.4m 27 June 1997 FW Teddy Sheringham Tottenham Hotspur£3.5m Out
Date Pos. Name To Fee 2 July 1996 DF Hasney Aljofree Bolton WanderersFree 6 July 1996 GK Heath MaxonUnattached Free 12 July 1996 GK Tony Coton Sunderland£600k 12 August 1996 MF Lee Sharpe Leeds United£4.5m 8 December 1996 FW 
Jovan Kirovski
Borussia DortmundFree 1 May 1997 GK David Fish Stockport CountyFree 2 May 1997 DF David HiltonUnattached Free 15 May 1997 DF Colin Murdock Preston North End£100k 18 May 1997 FW Eric CantonaRetired 30 June 1997 MF Robert TreesUnattached Free Loan out
Date From Date To Position Name To 20 September 1996 21 October 1996 DF Pat McGibbon Swansea City17 October 1996 17 November 1996 GK Paul Gibson Halifax Town22 October 1996 22 November 1996 DF John O'Kane Bury29 October 1996 16 November 1996 MF Simon Davies Huddersfield Town28 November 1996 20 December 1996 MF Terry Cooke Birmingham City14 January 1997 8 March 1997 DF John O'Kane Bury16 January 1997 19 April 1997 GK Kevin Pilkington Rotherham United17 January 1997 15 March 1997 MF Michael Appleton Grimsby Town3 March 1997 31 May 1997 DF Pat McGibbon Wigan Athletic27 March 1997 13 April 1997 DF John O'Kane WrexhamSee also
References
- ^ "Manchester United Season 1996/97". StretfordEnd.co.uk. http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/seasons/season1997.html. Retrieved 8 October 2007.
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- English football clubs 1996–97 season
- English football championship-winning seasons
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