1996–97 Gillingham F.C. season

Prior to the new season, Gillingham signed seven new players, paying a new club record transfer fee for Watford's Andy Hessenthaler.The team's form was poor in the first half of the season and at the end of 1996, Gillingham were in 21st position in the 24-team league table, putting them in danger of relegation back to the fourth tier.The highest attendance recorded at the club's home ground, Priestfield Stadium, was 10,603, for the League Cup match against Coventry City.[12] Two further players, both defenders, arrived on free transfers: Ian Chapman from Brighton & Hove Albion and John Humphrey from Charlton Athletic.New signings Bryant, Ford, Humphrey, Hessenthaler, Chapman and Onuora were all in the starting line-up, and Piper came on as a substitute to score the winning goal in the final minute to give his team a 3–2 victory.[21] Gillingham ended the winless run with a victory over Peterborough United on 19 November, despite goalkeeper Jim Stannard suffering an injury and defender Mark Harris having to take over in goal.[26] Gillingham's final match of 1996 was away to Burnley, who won 5–1; Onuora was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for angrily throwing the ball at the assistant referee.[34] In March, Fortune-West was fit again after his injury but could not regain a place in the team due to the form of Onuora and Akinbiyi and was sent on loan to Leyton Orient of the Third Division.[35][36] Beginning with the game against Wycombe Wanderers on 22 March, Onuora scored in five consecutive matches, making him only the seventh player to achieve this feat for Gillingham in the Football League.[43] The teams from the top two divisions of English football entered the competition in the third round and Gillingham were paired with Derby County of the FA Premier League.The game took place on 14 January and by the midway point of the second half remained goalless, however the referee abandoned the match due to the frozen pitch.[44][45] The game was rescheduled for a week later; with forwards Onuora, Akinbiyi and Bailey all unavailable due to injury or suspension, Gillingham played poorly and lost 2–0.[53][54] The replay took place at Coventry's Highfield Road ground, and a second half goal from Neil Smith gave Gillingham a 1–0 win; Trevor Haylett of The Guardian attributed Gillingham's victory to their "compact, disciplined rearguard in which their three centre-halves stood tall all night against a Coventry attack whose ideas petered out after a bright opening spell".A goal approximately 15 minutes from the end of the game gave Ipswich a 1–0 win and Gillingham, for whom Ratcliffe was sent off, were eliminated from the League Cup.[58][59] Bryant was missing from the Gillingham team and Pulis admitted after the match that this was because the defender had been accidentally shot in the leg while participating in field sports.
Footballer Andy Hessenthaler
Gillingham paid a new record fee to sign Andy Hessenthaler (pictured in 2007) from Watford .
Footballer Leo Fortune-West
Leo Fortune-West (pictured in 2008) , the previous season's leading goalscorer, suffered a serious injury in September.
Footballer Ade Akinbiyi
Ade Akinbiyi (pictured in 2009) made 19 appearances and scored 7 goals.
GillinghamPaul ScallyTony PulisSecond DivisionFA CupLeague CupLeague TrophyFirst roundIffy OnuoraCoventry CityCardiff CityHome coloursAway colours1995–961997–981996–97 English football seasonGillingham F.C.Football League Second DivisionEnglish football league systemthe Football Leaguevoted back into the leagueprevious seasonpromotionThird DivisiontransferWatfordAndy Hessenthalerleague tablerelegationAde AkinbiyiNorwich Cityknock-out competitionsFootball League CupFA Premier LeaguereplayFootball League TrophySimon RatcliffePriestfield Stadium1996–97 seasonFootball Leagueelected back into the Leaguethe previous seasonpromotedmanagerDave MartincaptainmidfielderLenny PiperWimbledonMatt BryantJon ForddefendersBristol CityBradford CityforwardMansfield Townfree transfersIan ChapmanBrighton & Hove AlbionJohn HumphreyCharlton Athleticaway kitfriendly matchesnon-League clubsNottingham ForestLeo Fortune-WestsubstituteBurnleyWalsallhat-trickRotherham UnitedShrewsbury TownSteve Butlerpenalty kicksMillwallGuy ButtersPortsmouthPreston North EndAdrian PennockAFC BournemouthPeterborough UnitedgoalkeeperJim StannardMark HarrisAndy MarshallYork CityCrewe AlexandraLuton Townyellow cardassistant refereeNotts CountyPlymouth ArgyleBristol RoversLeyton OrientWycombe WanderersBrentfordChesterfieldStockport CountyBlackpoolplay-offPenalty kickOwn goalFortune-WestHarrisRatcliffeChapmanOnuoraBaileyButlerWrexhamPennockPuttnamCurranAkinbiyiHessenthalerGalloway1996–97 FA CupHereford UnitedDerby Countyreferee1996–97 Football League CupSwansea Citytwo-legged tieVetch FieldaggregateBarnsleyFirst DivisionOakwellHighfield RoadNeil SmithThe GuardianIpswich Townfield sportsTorpey1996–97 Football League Trophygolden goalextra timea.e.t.Richard CarpenterFulhamAndrew Sambrookyouth teamfirst teamCraig ArmstrongDennis BaileyMick GallowayJonathan GouldRichard GreenBilly ManuelMark MorrisMark O'ConnorJames PinnockDave PuttnamGlen ThomasDefenderfollowing seasonBBC SportAFS EnterprisesThe IndependentSunday MirrorThe ObserverThe TimesNottinghamDurringtonHeadline Publishing GroupHeadline Book PublishingStroudGillingham F.C. seasons1893–941894–951895–961896–971897–981898–991899–19001900–011901–021902–031903–041904–051905–061906–071907–081908–091909–101910–111911–121912–131913–141914–151919–201920–211921–221922–231923–241924–251925–261926–271927–281928–291929–301930–311931–321932–331933–341934–351935–361936–371937–381938–391939–401944–451945–461946–471947–481948–491949–501950–511951–521952–531953–541954–551955–561956–571957–581958–591959–601960–611961–621962–631963–641964–651965–661966–671967–681968–691969–701970–711971–721972–731973–741974–751975–761976–771977–781978–791979–801980–811981–821982–831983–841984–851985–861986–871987–881988–891989–901990–911991–921992–931993–941994–951998–991999–20002000–012001–022002–032003–042004–052005–062006–072007–082008–092009–102010–112011–122012–132013–142014–152015–162016–172017–182018–192019–202020–212021–222022–232023–242024–251996–97 in English football1998 FIFA World CupUEFA QualificationGroup 2Glenn HoddlePremier Leagueplay-offsFootball ConferenceIsthmian LeagueNorthern Premier LeagueSouthern LeagueCombined Counties LeagueEastern Counties LeagueEssex Senior LeagueHellenic LeagueKent LeagueMidland AllianceMidland Football CombinationNorth West Counties LeagueNorthern Counties East LeagueNorthern LeagueSouth Midlands LeagueSpartan LeagueSussex County LeagueUnited Counties LeagueWessex LeagueWest Midlands (Regional) LeagueWestern LeagueQualifying roundsCharity ShieldFA TrophyChampions LeagueUEFA CupCup Winners' CupIntertoto CupArsenalAston VillaBlackburn RoversChelseaEvertonLeeds UnitedLeicester CityLiverpoolManchester UnitedMiddlesbroughNewcastle UnitedSheffield WednesdaySouthamptonSunderlandTottenham HotspurWest Ham UnitedBirmingham CityBolton WanderersCrystal PalaceGrimsby TownHuddersfield TownManchester CityOldham AthleticOxford UnitedPort ValeQueens Park RangersReadingSheffield UnitedSouthend UnitedStoke CitySwindon TownTranmere RoversWest Bromwich AlbionWolverhampton WanderersBournemouthCarlisle UnitedChester CityColchester UnitedHartlepool UnitedHull CityNorthampton TownRochdaleTorquay UnitedWigan Athletic