1996–97 Western Football League

Western Football League season

Football league season

Western Football LeagueSeason| 1996–97

|

Champions| Tiverton Town (Premier Division)
Melksham Town (Division One)

← 1995–96

1997–98 →

The 1996–97 season was the 95th in the history of the Western Football League.

The league champions for the third time in their history (and the third time in four seasons) were Tiverton Town. The champions of Division One were Melksham Town.[1]

## Final tables[edit]

### Premier Division[edit]

The Premier Division remained at 18 clubs after Crediton United and Frome Town were relegated to the First Division. Two clubs joined:

* Bridgwater Town, champions of the First Division.
* Chard Town, runners-up in the First Division.
* Odd Down Athletic F.C. reverted to their former name of Odd Down F.C.

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Tiverton Town (C) | 34  | 31  | 1  | 2  | 103  | 20  | +83  | 94
2  | Taunton Town | 34  | 24  | 6  | 4  | 99  | 28  | +71  | 78
3  | Mangotsfield United | 34  | 19  | 8  | 7  | 75  | 44  | +31  | 65
4  | Paulton Rovers | 34  | 17  | 10  | 7  | 86  | 42  | +44  | 61
5  | Chippenham Town | 34  | 12  | 12  | 10  | 58  | 52  | +6  | 48
6  | Brislington | 34  | 12  | 9  | 13  | 53  | 48  | +5  | 45
7  | Calne Town | 34  | 13  | 6  | 15  | 55  | 52  | +3  | 45
8  | Torrington | 34  | 11  | 11  | 12  | 54  | 54  | 0  | 44
9  | Bridgwater Town | 34  | 12  | 8  | 14  | 53  | 55  | −2  | 44
10  | Bridport | 34  | 11  | 10  | 13  | 41  | 50  | −9  | 43
11  | Odd Down | 34  | 11  | 15  | 8  | 42  | 46  | −4  | 39[a]
12  | Bideford | 34  | 11  | 6  | 17  | 51  | 84  | −33  | 39
13  | Barnstaple Town | 34  | 10  | 8  | 16  | 54  | 62  | −8  | 38
14  | Bristol Manor Farm | 34  | 9  | 10  | 15  | 40  | 60  | −20  | 37
15  | Backwell United | 34  | 9  | 9  | 16  | 42  | 55  | −13  | 36
16  | Chard Town | 34  | 9  | 7  | 18  | 45  | 67  | −22  | 34
17  | Westbury United | 34  | 8  | 6  | 20  | 40  | 70  | −30  | 30
18  | Elmore | 34  | 4  | 4  | 26  | 30  | 132  | −102  | 16

Source:[citation needed]
(C) Champions
Notes:

1. ^ Odd Down had nine points deducted for fielding ineligible players.

### First Division[edit]

The First Division was increased from 19 clubs to 20, after Bridgwater Town and Chard Town were promoted to the Premier Division. Three clubs joined:

* Crediton United, relegated from the Premier Division.
* Frome Town, relegated from the Premier Division.
* Yeovil Town Reserves, rejoining the league after leaving in 1991.

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Melksham Town (C, P) | 38  | 27  | 8  | 3  | 82  | 20  | +62  | 89  | Promoted to the Premier Division
2  | Keynsham Town (P) | 38  | 27  | 7  | 4  | 77  | 21  | +56  | 88
3  | Exmouth Town | 38  | 23  | 7  | 8  | 77  | 42  | +35  | 76  |
4  | Clyst Rovers | 38  | 23  | 6  | 9  | 92  | 48  | +44  | 75
5  | Bishop Sutton | 38  | 21  | 7  | 10  | 96  | 52  | +44  | 70
6  | Wellington | 38  | 21  | 5  | 12  | 82  | 62  | +20  | 68
7  | Devizes Town | 38  | 18  | 11  | 9  | 75  | 39  | +36  | 65
8  | Dawlish Town | 38  | 18  | 9  | 11  | 66  | 36  | +30  | 63
9  | Ilfracombe Town | 38  | 15  | 12  | 11  | 62  | 44  | +18  | 57
10  | Welton Rovers | 38  | 15  | 7  | 16  | 68  | 59  | +9  | 52
11  | Minehead | 38  | 16  | 4  | 18  | 61  | 56  | +5  | 52
12  | Frome Town | 38  | 12  | 11  | 15  | 45  | 60  | −15  | 47
13  | Yeovil Town Reserves | 38  | 12  | 8  | 18  | 66  | 77  | −11  | 44
14  | Glastonbury | 38  | 12  | 7  | 19  | 54  | 72  | −18  | 43
15  | Crediton United | 38  | 12  | 4  | 22  | 58  | 91  | −33  | 40
16  | Warminster Town | 38  | 9  | 8  | 21  | 44  | 75  | −31  | 35
17  | Larkhall Athletic | 38  | 7  | 13  | 18  | 51  | 92  | −41  | 34
18  | Heavitree United | 38  | 7  | 11  | 20  | 44  | 95  | −51  | 32
19  | Pewsey Vale | 38  | 5  | 4  | 29  | 26  | 105  | −79  | 19
20  | Amesbury Town | 38  | 1  | 9  | 28  | 27  | 107  | −80  | 12  | Left at the end of the season

Source:[citation needed]
Rules for classification: The system of using goal difference to separate two teams tied on points was used. The points system: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

## References[edit]

1. ^ Robinson, Michael (ed.), Non-League Football Tables 1889–2006, Soccer Books, 2006

* v
* t
* e

Western Football League

2023–24
clubs|

| Premier Division|

* Barnstaple Town
* Bridgwater United
* Brixham
* Buckland Athletic
* Clevedon Town
* Falmouth Town
* Helston Athletic
* Ilfracombe Town
* Millbrook
* Nailsea & Tickenham
* Oldland Abbotonians
* Saltash United
* Shepton Mallet
* St Blazey
* Street
* Torpoint Athletic
* Wellington
* Welton Rovers

|

Division One|

* AEK Boco
* Bishop Sutton
* Bitton
* Bradford Town
* Brislington
* Bristol Telephones
* Cadbury Heath
* Cheddar
* Cribbs Reserves
* Gillingham Town
* Hallen
* Hengrove Athletic
* Keynsham Town
* Longwell Green Sports
* Middlezoy Rovers
* Odd Down
* Portishead Town
* Radstock Town
* Shirehampton
* Warminster Town
* Wells City
* Wincanton Town

Seasons|

* 1892–93
* 1893–94
* 1894–95
* 1895–96
* 1896–97
* 1897–98
* 1898–99
* 1899–1900
* 1900–01
* 1901–02
* 1902–03
* 1903–04
* 1904–05
* 1905–06
* 1906–07
* 1907–08
* 1908–09
* 1909–10
* 1910–11
* 1911–12
* 1912–13
* 1913–14
* 1914–15
* 1915–16
* 1916–17
* 1917–18
* 1918–19
* 1919–20
* 1920–21
* 1921–22
* 1922–23
* 1923–24
* 1924–25
* 1925–26
* 1926–27
* 1927–28
* 1928–29
* 1929–30
* 1930–31
* 1931–32
* 1932–33
* 1933–34
* 1934–35
* 1935–36
* 1936–37
* 1937–38
* 1938–39
* 1939–40
* 1940–41
* 1941–42
* 1942–43
* 1943–44
* 1944–45
* 1945–46
* 1946–47
* 1947–48
* 1948–49
* 1949–50
* 1950–51
* 1951–52
* 1952–53
* 1953–54
* 1954–55
* 1955–56
* 1956–57
* 1957–58
* 1958–59
* 1959–60
* 1960–61
* 1961–62
* 1962–63
* 1963–64
* 1964–65
* 1965–66
* 1966–67
* 1967–68
* 1968–69
* 1969–70
* 1970–71
* 1971–72
* 1972–73
* 1973–74
* 1974–75
* 1975–76
* 1976–77
* 1977–78
* 1978–79
* 1979–80
* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24

* v
* t
* e

1996–97 in English football

« 1995–96

1997–98 »

National teams|

* 1998 FIFA World Cup (UEFA Qualification Group 2
* Glenn Hoddle

League competitions|

| Level 1|

* Premier League

|

Levels 2–4|

* Football League (First Division, Second Division, Third Division, play-offs)

Level 5|

* Football Conference

Levels 6–7|

* Isthmian League (Premier, One)
* Northern Premier League (Premier, One)
* Southern League (Premier, Midland, Southern)

Levels 8–9|

* Isthmian League (Two, Three)
* Combined Counties League (level 8 only)
* Eastern Counties League (Premier, One)
* Essex Senior League (level 8 only)
* Hellenic League (Premier, One)
* Kent League (level 8 only)
* Midland Alliance (level 8 only)
* Midland Football Combination (level 9 only)
* North West Counties League (One, Two)
* Northern Counties East League (Premier, One)
* Northern League (One, Two)
* South Midlands League (Premier, Senior)
* Spartan League (Premier, One)
* Sussex County League (One, Two)
* United Counties League (Premier, One)
* Wessex League (level 8 only)
* West Midlands (Regional) League (level 9 only)
* Western League (Premier, One)

Cup competitions|

| FA cups|

* FA Cup (Qualifying rounds, Final)
* Charity Shield
* FA Trophy (Final)

|

Football League cups|

* League Cup (Final)
* Football League Trophy (Final)

European competitions|

* Champions League
* UEFA Cup
* Cup Winners' Cup
* Intertoto Cup

Club seasons

Premier League|

* Arsenal
* Aston Villa
* Blackburn Rovers
* Chelsea
* Coventry City
* Derby County
* Everton
* Leeds United
* Leicester City
* Liverpool
* Manchester United
* Middlesbrough
* Newcastle United
* Nottingham Forest
* Sheffield Wednesday
* Southampton
* Sunderland
* Tottenham Hotspur
* West Ham United
* Wimbledon

First Division|

* Barnsley
* Birmingham City
* Bolton Wanderers
* Bradford City
* Charlton Athletic
* Crystal Palace
* Grimsby Town
* Huddersfield Town
* Ipswich Town
* Manchester City
* Norwich City
* Oldham Athletic
* Oxford United
* Portsmouth
* Port Vale
* Queens Park Rangers
* Reading
* Sheffield United
* Southend United
* Stoke City
* Swindon Town
* Tranmere Rovers
* West Bromwich Albion
* Wolverhampton Wanderers

Second Division|

* Blackpool
* Bournemouth
* Brentford
* Bristol City
* Bristol Rovers
* Burnley
* Bury
* Chesterfield
* Crewe Alexandra
* Gillingham
* Luton Town
* Millwall
* Notts County
* Peterborough United
* Plymouth Argyle
* Preston North End
* Rotherham United
* Shrewsbury Town
* Stockport County
* Walsall
* Watford
* Wrexham
* Wycombe Wanderers
* York City

Third Division|

* Barnet
* Brighton & Hove Albion
* Cambridge United
* Cardiff City
* Carlisle United
* Chester City
* Colchester United
* Darlington
* Doncaster Rovers
* Exeter City
* Fulham
* Hartlepool United
* Hereford United
* Hull City
* Leyton Orient
* Lincoln City
* Mansfield Town
* Northampton Town
* Rochdale
* Scarborough
* Scunthorpe United
* Swansea City
* Torquay United
* Wigan Athletic

* Summer 1996 transfers
* Winter 1996–97 transfers

*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[D]: Drawn
*[L]: Lost
*[GF]: Goals for
*[GA]: Goals against
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[Pts]: Points
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template