Manchester United F.C. season 1996–97

Infobox Football club season
club = Manchester United
season = 1996-97
manager = flagicon|SCO Alex Ferguson
chairman = flagicon|ENG Martin Edwards
league = Premier League
league result = 1st
cup1 = FA Cup
cup1 result = Fourth Round
cup2 = Coca-Cola Cup
cup2 result = Fourth Round
cup4 = UEFA Champions League
cup4 result = Semi-final
league topscorer =
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (18)
season topscorer =
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (19)
highest attendance = 55,314 vs Wimbledon (29 January 1997)
lowest attendance = 31,966 vs Swindon Town (23 October 1996)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. [cite web |url=http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/seasons/season1997.html |title=Manchester United Season 1996/97 |accessdate=2007-10-08 |publisher=StretfordEnd.co.uk ] 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 at Leicester City (the eventual competition winners) 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 Norway countryman Ronny Johnsen proved himself as a fine successor to Steve Bruce in central defence, but £3.5million Czech winger Karel Poborsky 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.

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 £3.5million capture of Tottenham and England's 31-year-old Teddy Sheringham.

Pre-season and Friendlies

United won the 1996 Charity Shield against Newcastle United 4-0, with goals coming from Cantona, Butt, Beckham and Keane.

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = 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, and the replay was played at Wimbledon's home ground 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 5 days later in the cup.

Transfers

In

ee also

*Manchester United F.C. seasons

References