A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| 1996–97 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | David Kohler |
| Manager | Lennie Lawrence |
| Stadium | Kenilworth Road |
| Second Division | 3rd |
| Play-offs | Semi-finals |
| FA Cup | Third round |
| League Cup | Third round |
| Football League Trophy | Second round |
| Top goalscorer | League: Thorpe (28) All: Thorpe (32) |
| Average home league attendance | 6,781 |
During the 1996–97 English football season, Luton Town F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.
Season summary
In the 1996–97 season, Luton started just as badly as the last, with three straight defeats. However, the introduction of young forward Andrew Fotiadis saw Luton burst into life, as they shot up the table with a run of eight wins and two draws in eleven games. Tony Thorpe, too, proved to be a revelation, scoring 28 goals to become the division's top scorer. Luton were nearly promoted, but finished in third place, four points off automatic promotion and then lost to Crewe Alexandra in the play-offs.[1]
Final league table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bury | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 62 | 38 | +24 | 84 | Division Champions, promoted |
| 2 | Stockport County | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 82 | Promoted |
| 3 | Luton Town | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 71 | 45 | +26 | 78 | Participated in play-offs |
| 4 | Brentford | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 74 | |
| 5 | Bristol City | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 73 |
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Results
Luton Town's score comes first[3]
Legend
| Win | Draw | Loss |
FA Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | 16 November 1996 | Torquay United | A | 1–0 | 3,450 | Hughes |
| R2 | 7 December 1996 | Boreham Wood | H | 2–1 | 5,332 | Marshall (2) |
| R3 | 21 January 1997 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 7,414 | Johnson |
| R3R | 25 January 1997 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 2–6 | 9,713 | Thorpe (2) |
League Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Bristol Rovers | H | 3–0 | 2,643 | Grant, Thorpe (pen), Oldfield |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–2 (won 4–2 on agg) | 2,320 | Oldfield |
| R2 1st Leg | 17 September 1996 | Derby County | H | 1–0 | 4,459 | James |
| R2 2nd Leg | 24 September 1996 | Derby County | A | 2–2 (won 3–2 on agg) | 13,569 | Grant, Thorpe |
| R3 | 22 October 1996 | Wimbledon | A | 1–1 | 5,043 | Hughes |
| R3R | 12 November 1996 | Wimbledon | H | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | 8,076 | Blackwell (own goal) |
Football League Trophy
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR1 | 10 December 1996 | Leyton Orient | H | 2–1 | 1,594 | |
| SR2 | 4 February 1997 | Northampton Town | A | 0–1 | 4,201 |
Squad
[4] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Player details
- Players arranged in alphabetical order by surname.