During the 1996–97 English football season, Blackburn Rovers F.C. competed in the FA Premier League.
Season summary An early exit from the League Cup at the hands of Division Two side Stockport County was the final straw for manager Ray Harford, who stepped down on 25 October with Rovers also bottom of the FA Premier League with no wins from their opening 11 games. 18 months earlier, they had been league champions. Long-serving coach Tony Parkes was appointed caretaker, remaining in the post until the end of the season, when he handed over the reins to Roy Hodgson after Sampdoria's Sven-Göran Eriksson lied about accepting the manager's job and joined Lazio instead. Parkes steered Blackburn to safety as they finished 13th.
The world record £15 million sale of striker Alan Shearer to Newcastle United was seen as the biggest factor in Blackburn's lowest top flight finish since they returned to the elite in 1992. However, his strike-partner Chris Sutton helped keep the club alive after recovering from a drastic loss of form triggered by a spate of injuries the previous season. The acquisition of Swedish striker Martin Dahlin at the end of the season enhanced Blackburn's attack and gave fans hope for a higher finish next time round.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results Blackburn Rovers' score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
FA Premier League
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers 17 August 1996 Tottenham HotspurH0–226,960 21 August 1996 Aston VillaA0–132,457 25 August 1996 Manchester UnitedA2–254,178Warhurst, Bohinen 4 September 1996 Leeds UnitedH0–123,226 9 September 1996 Derby CountyH1–219,214Sutton 14 September 1996 Newcastle UnitedA1–236,424Sutton 21 September 1996 EvertonH1–127,091Donis 28 September 1996 Coventry CityA0–017,032 12 October 1996 ArsenalH0–224,303 19 October 1996 Sheffield WednesdayA1–122,191Bohinen 26 October 1996 West HamA1–223,947Berg 3 November 1996 LiverpoolH3–029,598Sutton (2), Wilcox 16 November 1996ChelseaH1–127,229Gallacher 25 November 1996 Nottingham ForestA2–217,525Gallacher, Wilcox 30 November 1996 SouthamptonH2–123,018Sherwood, Sutton 7 December 1996 Leicester CityA1–119,306Sutton 14 December 1996 WimbledonA0–113,246 26 December 1996 Newcastle UnitedH1–030,398Gallacher 28 December 1996 Derby CountyA0–017,847 1 January 1997 EvertonA2–030,427Sherwood, Sutton 11 January 1997 Coventry CityH4–024,055Sutton (2), Gallacher, Donis 18 January 1997 SunderlandA0–020,850 29 January 1997 Tottenham HotspurA1–222,943Hendry 1 February 1997 West Ham UnitedH2–121,994Gallacher, Sutton 22 February 1997 LiverpoolA0–040,747 1 March 1997 SunderlandH1–024,208Gallacher 5 March 1997 ChelseaA1–125,784Pedersen 11 March 1997 Nottingham ForestH1–120,485Gallacher 15 March 1997 WimbledonH3–123,333Gallacher (3) 19 March 1997 MiddlesbroughA1–229,891Sutton 22 March 1997 Aston VillaH0–224,274 7 April 1997 Leeds UnitedH0–027,264 12 April 1997 Manchester UnitedH2–330,476McKinlay, Warhurst 19 April 1997 ArsenalA1–138,086Flitcroft 22 April 1997 Sheffield WednesdayH4–120,845Berg, Sherwood, Le Saux, Flitcroft 3 May 1997 SouthamptonA0–215,247 8 May 1997 MiddlesbroughH0–027,411 11 May 1997 Leicester CityH2–425,881Flitcroft, Fenton
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR34 January 1997 Port ValeH1–019,891BohinenR415 February 1997 Coventry CityH1–221,123Sherwood
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg 17 September 1996 BrentfordA2–18,938Flitcroft, SuttonR2 2nd Leg 24 September 1996 BrentfordH2–0 (won 4–1 on agg)9,599Gallacher, SherwoodR322 October 1996 Stockport CountyH0–114,622
Squad Squad at end of season
Reserve squad
Transfers In
July 1996: George Donis - Panathinaikos, free February 1997: Per Pedersen - Odense, £2,500,000
Out Alan Shearer - Newcastle United, £15,000,000
References