Football
League Division 2
1996/97
(The League used highest goals scored to rank clubs equal on points rather than goal difference)
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | 
Bury |
46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 62 | 38 | +24 | 84 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd |
Stockport
County |
46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 82 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Luton
Town |
46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 71 | 45 | +26 | 78 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 4th | Brentford |
46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 74 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 5th | Bristol
City |
46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 73 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 6th |
Crewe
Alexandra |
46 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 56 | 47 | +9 | 73 | ♦▲PO Winners |
| 7th | Blackpool |
46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 60 | 47 | +13 | 69 | - |
| 8th | Wrexham |
46 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 54 | 50 | +4 | 69 | - |
| 9th | Burnley |
46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 71 | 55 | +16 | 68 | - |
| 10th | Chesterfield |
46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 68 | - |
| 11th | Gillingham |
46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 60 | 59 | +1 | 67 | - |
| 12th | Walsall |
46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 54 | 53 | +1 | 67 | - |
| 13th | Watford |
46 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 45 | 38 | +7 | 67 | - |
| 14th | Millwall |
46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 55 | -5 | 61 | - |
| 15th | Preston
North End |
46 | 18 | 7 | 21 | 49 | 55 | -6 | 61 | - |
| 16th | AFC
Bournemouth |
46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 43 | 45 | -2 | 60 | - |
| 17th | Bristol
Rovers |
46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 47 | 50 | -3 | 56 | - |
| 18th | Wycombe
Wanderers |
46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 51 | 56 | -5 | 55 | - |
| 19th | Plymouth
Argyle |
46 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 47 | 58 | -11 | 54 | - |
| 20th | York
City |
46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 47 | 68 | -21 | 52 | - |
| 21st |
Peterborough
United |
46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 55 | 73 | -22 | 47 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd |
Shrewsbury
Town |
46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 49 | 74 | -25 | 46 | ▼Relegated |
| 23rd |
Rotherham
United |
46 | 7 | 14 | 25 | 39 | 70 | -37 | 35 | ▼Relegated |
| 24th |
Notts
County |
46 | 7 | 14 | 25 | 33 | 59 | -36 | 35 | ▼Relegated |
|
Football League Division 2 Playoffs |
|||
|
Semi Finals 1st Leg |
|||
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
| 11/05/1997 | Bristol City | 1-2 | Brentford |
| 11/05/1997 | Crewe Alexandra | 2-1 | Luton Town |
|
Semi Finals 2nd Leg |
|||
| 14/05/1997 | Brentford | 2-1 | Bristol City |
| Brentford Won 4-2 on aggregate | |||
| 14/05/1997 | Luton Town | 2-2 | Crewe Alexandra |
| Crewe Alexandra Won 4-3 on aggregate | |||
| Final | |||
| 23/05/1997 | Crewe Alexandra | 1-0 | Brentford |
-
|
End of Season Notes |
| ▼Grimsby Town were Relegated from Football League Division 1 |
| ▼Oldham Athletic were Relegated from Football League Division 1 |
| ▼Southend United were Relegated from Football League Division 1 |
| ▲Bury were Promoted to Football League Division 1 |
| ▲Stockport County were Promoted to Football League Division 1 |
| ♦ Luton Town Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦ Brentford Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦ Bristol City Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦ Crewe Alexandra Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦▲Crewe Alexandra were Promoted to Football League Division 1 via the Playoffs |
| ▼Peterborough United were Relegated to Football League Division 3 |
| ▼Shrewsbury Town were Relegated to Football League Division 3 |
| ▼Rotherham United were Relegated to Football League Division 3 |
| ▼Notts County were Relegated to Football League Division 3 |
| ▲Wigan Athletic were Promoted from Football League Division 3 |
| ▲Fulham were Promoted from Football League Division 3 |
| ▲Carlisle United were Promoted from Football League Division 3 |
| ♦▲Northampton Town were Promoted from Football League Division 3 via the Playoffs |