FA Cup 1996-97

The FA Cup 1996-97 was the 116th staging of the world's oldest knockout cup competition, the Football Association cup or FA Cup. The tournament started in August 1996 for clubs from non-league football and the competition proper started in October 1996 for teams from the Premier League and the Football League. The tournament was won by Chelsea with a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough in the final at Wembley stadium.

Calendar

Third Round

The third round of the season's FA Cup was scheduled for Saturday, 4 January 1997, although fourteen matches were postponed until later dates. This round marked the point at which the teams in the two highest divisions in the English league system, the Premier League and the Football League First Division (now known as the Football League Championship. There were nine replays, with none of these games requiring a penalty shootout to settle it.

ixth Round

The sixth round, or quarter-final, ties were scheduled for the weekend of 8-9 March. There were no replays.

emi Finals

The semi final ties were played at neutral venues on April 13 1997. Middlesbrough and Chelsea came through their ties (with Middlesbrough requiring a replay against second division side Chesterfield) to reach the final.

footballbox
date= 1997-04-13
15:00 BST
team1= Middlesbrough
score= 3 – 3
team2= Chesterfield
report= [http://www.sportingo.com/football/a8131_middlesbroughs-great-escape-day-third-division-chesterfield-should-have-reached-fa-cup-final Report]
goals1= Ravanelli goal (2)
Hignett goal Festa goal
goals2= Morris goal|54 Dyche goal(pen) Hewitt goal
stadium= Old Trafford, Manchester
attendance=
referee=

;Replay

footballbox
date= 1997-04-22
19:45 BST
team1= Middlesbrough
score= 3 – 0
team2= Chesterfield
report=
goals1=
goals2=
stadium= Hillsborough, Sheffield
attendance=
referee=

----

footballbox
date= 1997-04-13
15:00 BST
team1= Chelsea
score= 3 – 0
team2= Wimbledon
report=
goals1=
goals2=
stadium= Highbury, London
attendance=
referee=|

Final

The 1997 FA Cup Final took place on 17 May 1997 at Wembley Stadium and was won by Chelsea with a 2–0 victory over Middlesbrough. Chelsea were attempting to win their first FA Cup final for 27 years, while Middlesbrough were contesting their first ever final. Chelsea took to the field on the back of something of a renaissance under Dutch manager Ruud Gullit, having recorded their best league finish for a decade. Middlesbrough, on the other hand, began the final having been relegated from the Premiership and also been losing finalists in the League Cup.

Match details

footballbox
date = 1997-05-17
15:00 BST
team1 = Chelsea
score = 2 – 0
team2 = Middlesbrough
report = [http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1997.htm (Report)]
goals1 = Di Matteo goal|1
Newton goal|83
goals2 =
stadium = Wembley, London
attendance = 79,160
referee = Stephen Lodge (South Yorkshire)

References

* [http://www.thefa.com/templates/generic/Common/FACompetitionsHistory.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID={B32A2F3A-361E-4746-893C-DB8CD833C471}&NRORIGINALURL=%2fTheFACup%2fTheFACup%2fArchive%2f&NRCACHEHINT=Guest FA Cup Results 1996-97]