1996–97 Football Conference
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The Vauxhall Conference season of 1996–97 was the eighteenth season of the Conference National.
Contents
Overview
Macclesfield Town won their second Conference title in three years, and this time earned a promotion to the Football League – thanks to their upgraded stadium – at the expense of Hereford United.
New teams in the league this season
- Hayes (promoted 1995–96)
- Rushden & Diamonds (promoted 1995–96)
Final league table[1]
| Season | 1996–97[1] |
|---|---|
| Champions | Macclesfield Town (2nd Football Conference title) |
| Promoted to the Football League | Macclesfield Town |
| Conference League Cup winners | Kidderminster Harriers |
| FA Trophy winners | Woking (3rd FA Trophy title |
| Relegated to Level 6 | Altrincham, Bath City, Bromsgrove Rovers |
| Matches played | 462 |
| Goals scored | 1306 (2.83 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Lee Hughes (Kidderminster Harriers), 30 |
| Biggest home win | Woking – Altrincham 7–1 (30 November 1996); Kidderminster Harriers – Bath City 6–0 (28 December 1996); Slough Town – Telford United 6–0 (19 October 1996); Stevenage Borough – Halifax Town 6–0 (17 August 1996) |
| Biggest away win | Slough Town – Stevenage Borough 1–6 (1 January 1997); Bromsgrove Rovers – Northwich Victoria 0–5 (1 March 1997); Dover Athletic – Kidderminster Harriers 0–5 (24 August 1996); Telford United – Rushden & Diamonds 0–5 (7 December 1996) |
| Highest scoring | Halifax Town – Bath City 4–5 (15 February 1997) |
| Longest winning run | Macclesfield Town, 8 matches |
| Longest unbeaten run | Morecambe, 12 matches |
| Longest losing run | Bromsgrove Rovers, 7 matches |
| Highest attendance | Stevenage Borough v Kidderminster Harriers, 6,489 (25 January 1997) |
| Lowest attendance | ? |
| Average attendance | 1,258 |
|
← 1995–96
1997–98 →
|
|
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macclesfield Town | 42 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 41 | 11 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 39 | 19 | 80 | 30 | + 50 | 90 | |||||
| 2 | Kidderminster Harriers | 42 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 48 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 36 | 24 | 84 | 42 | + 42 | 85 | |||||
| 3 | Stevenage Borough | 42 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 53 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 34 | 30 | 87 | 53 | + 34 | 82 | |||||
| 4 | Morecambe | 42 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 34 | 23 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 35 | 33 | 69 | 56 | + 13 | 66 | |||||
| 5 | Woking | 42 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 41 | 29 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 30 | 34 | 71 | 63 | + 8 | 64 | |||||
| 6 | Northwich Victoria | 42 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 31 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 30 | 34 | 61 | 54 | + 7 | 63 | |||||
| 7 | Farnborough Town | 42 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 35 | 29 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 23 | 24 | 58 | 53 | + 5 | 61 | |||||
| 8 | Hednesford Town | 42 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 28 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 33 | 52 | 50 | + 2 | 60 | |||||
| 9 | Telford United | 42 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 30 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 25 | 26 | 46 | 56 | – 10 | 58 | |||||
| 10 | Gateshead | 42 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 32 | 27 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 27 | 36 | 59 | 63 | – 4 | 56 | |||||
| 11 | Southport | 42 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 27 | 28 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 51 | 61 | – 10 | 55 | |||||
| 12 | Rushden & Diamonds | 42 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 30 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 31 | 38 | 61 | 63 | – 2 | 53 | |||||
| 13 | Stalybridge Celtic | 42 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 35 | 29 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 53 | 58 | – 5 | 52 | |||||
| 14 | Kettering Town | 42 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 30 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 53 | 62 | – 9 | 51 | |||||
| 15 | Hayes | 42 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 27 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 27 | 34 | 54 | 55 | – 1 | 50 | |||||
| 16 | Slough Town | 42 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 42 | 32 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 33 | 62 | 65 | – 3 | 50 | |||||
| 17 | Dover Athletic | 42 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 32 | 30 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 25 | 38 | 57 | 68 | – 11 | 50 | |||||
| 18 | Welling United | 42 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 24 | 26 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 26 | 34 | 50 | 60 | – 10 | 48 | |||||
| 19 | Halifax Town | 42 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 39 | 37 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 37 | 55 | 74 | – 19 | 48 | |||||
| 20 | Bath City | 42 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 27 | 28 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 26 | 52 | 53 | 80 | – 27 | 47 | Relegated to the Southern League | ||||
| 21 | Bromsgrove Rovers | 42 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 29 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 12 | 37 | 41 | 67 | – 26 | 41 | Relegated to the Southern League | ||||
| 22 | Altrincham | 42 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 25 | 34 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 24 | 39 | 49 | 73 | – 24 | 39 | Relegated to the Northern Premier League |
- Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
- Points scored: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw.
| Key | |
|---|---|
| Football Conference Champions, promoted to Football League Third Division | |
| FA Trophy winners | |
| Conference League Cup winners | |
| New club in the Conference | |
| Relegated to Level 6 |
Results[1]
| Home ╲ Away | ALT | BAT | BRO | DOV | FAR | GAT | HAL | HAY | HED | KET | KID | MAC | MOR | NOR | R&D | SLO | SOU | STL | STB | TEL | WEL | WOK |
| Altrincham | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 4–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | |
| Bath City | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | |
| Bromsgrove Rovers | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | |
| Dover Athletic | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–5 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 5–1 | |
| Farnborough Town | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | |
| Gateshead | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 5–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 3–2 | |
| Halifax Town | 1–1 | 4–5 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–4 | |
| Hayes | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | |
| Hednesford Town | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | |
| Kettering Town | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–5 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 0–0 | |
| Kidderminster Harriers | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | |
| Macclesfield Town | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | |
| Morecambe | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | |
| Northwich Victoria | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | |
| Rushden & Diamonds | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | |
| Slough Town | 0–1 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–6 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 3–0 | |
| Southport | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | |
| Stalybridge Celtic | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | |
| Stevenage Borough | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | |
| Telford United | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–2 | |
| Welling United | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | |
| Woking | 7–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
Source: Glenda Rollin (ed.), Jack Rollin (exec. ed.), Rothmans Football Yearbook 1997–98. Headline, 1997.
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Promotion and relegation
Promoted
- Macclesfield Town (to the Football League Third Division)
- Cheltenham Town (from the Southern Premier League)
- Leek Town (from the Northern Premier League)
- Yeovil Town (from the Isthmian League)
Relegated
- Hereford United (from the Football League Third Division)
- Altrincham (to the Northern Premier League)
- Bath City (to the Southern Premier League)
- Bromsgrove Rovers (to the Southern Premier League)
Top scorers in order of league goals[1]
| Rank | Player | Club | League | FA Cup | FA Trophy | League Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee Hughes | Kidderminster Harriers | 30 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 34 |
| 2 | Lennie Dennis | Welling United | 21 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25 |
| 3 | Andy Whittaker | Southport | 19 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 27 |
| 4 | Gary Abbott | Slough Town | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Justin Jackson | Woking | 17 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 23 |
| 6 | Barry Hayles | Stevenage Borough | 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 21 |
| = | David Leworthy | Rushden & Diamonds | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| = | Lee Steele | Northwich Victoria | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 9 | Joe O'Connor | Hednesford | 15 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| = | Paul Thompson | Gateshead | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 23 |
| = | Clive Walker | Woking | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| = | Steve Wood | Macclesfield Town | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| 13 | Mike Davis | Bath City | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| = | Neil Doherty | Kidderminster Harriers | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| = | Niell Hardy | Altrincham | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| = | Mickey Norbury | Halifax Town | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 17 | Carl Alford | Rushden & Diamonds | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| = | Ian Arnold | Stalybridge Celtic | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| = | Chris Boothe | Farnborough Town | 13 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
| = | Martin Randall | Hayes | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17 |
| = | Phil Wingfield | Farnborough Town | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
