Football League Division 1
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 |  Bolton
Wanderers |
46 | 28 | 14 | 4 | 100 | 53 | +47 | 98 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Barnsley |
46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 76 | 55 | +21 | 80 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers |
46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 68 | 51 | +17 | 76 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 4th |
Ipswich
Town |
46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 68 | 50 | +18 | 74 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 5th |
Sheffield
United |
46 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 75 | 52 | +23 | 73 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 6th | Crystal
Palace |
46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 78 | 48 | +30 | 71 | ♦▲PO Winners |
| 7th |
Portsmouth |
46 | 20 | 8 | 18 | 59 | 53 | +6 | 68 | - |
| 8th |
Port
Vale |
46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 58 | 55 | +3 | 67 | - |
| 9th |
Queens
Park Rangers |
46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 64 | 60 | +4 | 66 | - |
| 10th |
Birmingham
City |
46 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 52 | 48 | +4 | 66 | - |
| 11th |
Tranmere
Rovers |
46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 63 | 56 | +7 | 65 | - |
| 12th |
Stoke
City |
46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 51 | 57 | -6 | 64 | - |
| 13th |
Norwich
City |
46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 63 | 68 | -5 | 63 | - |
| 14th | Manchester
City |
46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 59 | 60 | -1 | 61 | - |
| 15th | Charlton
Athletic |
46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 52 | 66 | -14 | 59 | - |
| 16th | West
Bromwich Albion |
46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 68 | 72 | -4 | 57 | - |
| 17th | Oxford
United |
46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 64 | 68 | -4 | 57 | - |
| 18th | Reading |
46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 58 | 67 | -9 | 57 | - |
| 19th | Swindon
Town |
46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 52 | 71 | -19 | 54 | - |
| 20th | Huddersfield
Town |
46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 48 | 61 | -13 | 54 | - |
| 21st | Bradford
City |
46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 47 | 72 | -25 | 48 | - |
| 22nd |
Grimsby
Town |
46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 60 | 81 | -21 | 46 | ▼Relegated |
| 23rd |
Oldham
Athletic |
46 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 51 | 66 | -15 | 43 | ▼Relegated |
| 24th |
Southend
United |
46 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 42 | 86 | -44 | 39 | ▼Relegated |
-
|
Football League Division 1 Playoffs |
|||
|
Semi Finals 1st Leg |
|||
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
| Sat May 10 | Crystal Palace | 3-1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Sat May 10 | Sheffield United | 1-1 | Ipswich Town |
|
Semi Finals 2nd Leg |
|||
| Wed May 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2-1 | Crystal Palace |
| Crystal Palace won 4-3 on aggregate | |||
| Wed May 14 | Ipswich Town | 2-2 | Sheffield United |
| Sheffield United won on the Away Goals Rule after drawing 3-3 on aggregate | |||
| Final | |||
| Mon May 26 | Crystal Palace | 1-0 | Sheffield United |
-
|
End of Season Notes |
| ▼Sunderland were Relegated from the Premier League |
| ▼Middlesbrough were Relegated from the Premier League |
| ▼Nottingham Forest were Relegated from the Premier League |
| ▲Bolton Wanderers were Promoted to the Premier League |
| ▲Barnsley were Promoted to the Premier League |
| ♦ Wolverhampton Wanderers Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦ Ipswich Town Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦ Sheffield United Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦ Crystal Palace Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦▲Crystal Palace were Promoted to the Premier League via the Playoffs |
| ▼Grimsby Town were Relegated to Football League Division 2 |
| ▼Oldham Athletic were Relegated to Football League Division 2 |
| ▼Southend United were Relegated to Football League Division 2 |
| ▲Bury were Promoted from Football League Division 2 |
| ▲Stockport County were Promoted from Football League Division 2 |
| ♦▲Crewe Alexandra were Promoted from Football League Division 2 via the Playoffs |