1996–97 FA Premier League
The 1996–97 FA Premier League, sponsored as the FA Carling Premiership, was the fifth season of the Premier League since 1992. Twenty teams competed from 17 August 1996 to 11 May 1997. Manchester United won the title with 75 points, the lowest total for a Premier League champion under the 3-point win system. Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest were relegated. Middlesbrough finished 19th but had three points deducted for postponing a fixture; without the deduction Coventry City would have been relegated instead, a decision that sparked controversy. The promoted clubs were Sunderland, Derby County and Leicester City. Alan Shearer was the top scorer with 25 goals, and Nigel Martyn kept 19 clean sheets. The season featured big crowds, with the highest attendance at 55,314 for a Manchester United match and an average attendance of 28,469 per game, totaling about 10.8 million for the season. Manchester United also recorded the highest average home attendance.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:43 (CET).