Wolves were eyeing the top flight, but blew it at the last
Season 1996-97 Part One
UNFORTUNATELY this season ended in bitter disappointment for Wolves, who narrowly missed out on gaining automatic promotion from Division One.
In the end they finished third, four points behind second-placed Barnsley but a massive 22 behind the champions Bolton Wanderers. Manager Mark Mcghee’s team then lost the subsequent play-off semi-final gainst Crystal Palace.
After a decent enough start – five wins from their opening nine matches – Wolves stuttered somewhat in October, picked up again before Christmas, and indeed they looked strong favourites to gain promotion with Bolton until things started to go wrong in mid-march.
In fact, Wolves won just three of their last ten games and as a result, as they say, blew it in terms of regaining top flght status which they had lost back in 1984.
A total of 22 wins and 10 draws from their 46 League games, with a goal count of 68 against 51, gave Wolves 76 points. Their biggest win was 4-1, late in the campaign at home to Southend, while their heaviest defeat was that of 3-0, suffered twice, both away at Bolton and Crystal Palace.
And for the record, Wolves completed the double over Albion, winning 4-2 at The Hawthorns and 2-0 at Molineux.
Once again it was Steve Bull who topped the scoring charts with 23 in the League alone; Iwan Roberts, signed from Leicester City, netted 12, while goalkeeper Mike Stowell was the only-ever present in the team.
Neighbours Albion finished well down the Division One table, ending up in 16th place … some 41 points behind Bolton and 19 adrift of Wolves.
Alan Buckley was in charge up to February and thereafter it was Ray Harford who occupied The Hawthorns’ hot seat, with ex-player Cyrille Regis named as his assistant, but the team as a whole, it must be said, were inconsistent throughout the season, winning 14, drawing 15 and losing 17 of their League games with a goal average of 68 for and 72 against.
Their best win was 5-1 at home to Norwich City. In fact, prior to this game Albion were lying 20th in the table. Their heaviest defeat came at Ipswich Town in late January when they crashed 5-0.
Andy Hunt and Canadian international Paul Peschisolido scored 15 League goals apiece for the Baggies; Bob Taylor netted 10.
Walsall took twelfth place in Division Two with a record of played 46, won 19, drew 10 and lost 17; goals for 54, against 53 and a points tally of 67 – just six short of the play-offs but 17 behind champions Bury.
The Saddlers’ best win was 4-0 at home to Peterborough in early November, while their heaviest defeat came at Bristol City early on in the campaign.
Kyle Lightbourne (once again) ended up as top scorer in the League with 20 goals.