| Club: | Fulham |
| Season: | 1996–97 |
| Manager: | Micky Adams (player-manager) |
| Chairman: | Jimmy Hill |
| Stadium: | Craven Cottage |
| League: | Third Division |
| League Result: | 2nd (promoted) |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | First round |
| Cup2: | League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Second round |
| Cup3: | Football League Trophy |
| Cup3 Result: | First round |
| League Topscorer: | Conroy (21) |
| Season Topscorer: | Conroy (23) |
| Average Attendance: | 6,644 |
| Prevseason: | 1995–96 |
| Nextseason: | 1997–98 |
During the 1996–97 English football season, Fulham F.C. competed in the Division Three. It was their third season in the league's fourth tier, and they finished the season with their first promotion in 15 years.
In his first full season as manager, Micky Adams guided them to automatic promotion and as a result won the Division Three Manager of the Season award. They finished level on points at the top of the division with Wigan Athletic.
Fulham's previous promotion had been in 1982 when they were promoted from the old Third Division.
It was the first of three promotions in five seasons for the club, which saw them reach the FA Premier League in 2001 and end a 34-year exile from the top division of English football.
See main article: 1996–97 Football League.
Fulham's score comes first[1]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 August 1996 | Hereford United | H | 1–0 | 5,277 | Conroy | |
| 24 August 1996 | Hartlepool United | A | 1–2 | 2,457 | Scott | |
| 27 August 1996 | Rochdale | A | 2–1 | 1,689 | Cusack, Conroy | |
| 31 August 1996 | Carlisle United | H | 1–0 | 5,860 | Conroy | |
| 7 September 1996 | Colchester United | H | 3–1 | 5,189 | Conroy (2), Morgan | |
| 10 September 1996 | Exeter City | A | 1–0 | 2,388 | Freeman | |
| 14 September 1996 | Swansea City | A | 2–1 | 3,791 | Conroy, Morgan | |
| 21 September 1996 | Mansfield Town | H | 1–2 | 5,740 | Morgan | |
| 28 September 1996 | Darlington | A | 2–0 | 3,269 | Watson, Carpenter | |
| 1 October 1996 | Torquay United | H | 1–2 | 4,459 | Scott | |
| 5 October 1996 | Northampton Town | A | 1–0 | 6,171 | Conroy | |
| 12 October 1996 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 3–1 | 5,516 | Conroy, Herrera, Carpenter | |
| 15 October 1996 | Cambridge United | H | 3–0 | 5,791 | Conroy (2), Blake (pen) | |
| 19 October 1996 | Hull City | A | 3–0 | 3,986 | Freeman, Watson, Conroy | |
| 26 October 1996 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 0–0 | 8,387 | ||
| 29 October 1996 | Scunthorpe United | H | 2–1 | 4,566 | Conroy, Freeman | |
| 2 November 1996 | Lincoln City | H | 1–2 | 6,945 | Carpenter | |
| 9 November 1996 | Cardiff City | A | 2–1 | 6,144 | Conroy, Blake | |
| 19 November 1996 | Barnet | H | 2–0 | 4,423 | Conroy, Morgan | |
| 23 November 1996 | Wigan Athletic | A | 1–1 | 5,039 | Scott | |
| 30 November 1996 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 2–0 | 8,279 | Conroy, Blake (pen) | |
| 3 December 1996 | Chester City | A | 1–1 | 1,762 | Freeman | |
| 14 December 1996 | Leyton Orient | H | 1–1 | 7,355 | Watson | |
| 21 December 1996 | Scarborough | A | 2–0 | 2,015 | Conroy, Scott | |
| 26 December 1996 | Exeter City | H | 1–1 | 7,892 | Angus | |
| 11 January 1997 | Darlington | H | 6–0 | 5,735 | Scott, Carpenter, Cullip, Freeman, Brooker, Conroy | |
| 14 January 1997 | Colchester United | A | 1–2 | 3,820 | Morgan | |
| 18 January 1997 | Torquay United | A | 1–3 | 3,386 | Scott | |
| 25 January 1997 | Scunthorpe United | A | 4–1 | 3,259 | Cusack, Conroy, Blake (pen), Scott | |
| 31 January 1997 | Cardiff City | H | 1–4 | 6,459 | Eckhardt (own goal) | |
| 8 February 1997 | Lincoln City | A | 0–2 | 3,948 | ||
| 11 February 1997 | Swansea City | H | 2–1 | 4,836 | Freeman, Brooker | |
| 15 February 1997 | Wigan Athletic | H | 1–1 | 9,448 | Blake | |
| 22 February 1997 | Barnet | A | 2–2 | 3,316 | Conroy, Scott | |
| 1 March 1997 | Chester City | H | 1–1 | 5,780 | Morgan | |
| 8 March 1997 | Scarborough | H | 4–0 | 6,080 | Cockerill, Freeman, Blake (pen), Warren | |
| 16 March 1997 | Leyton Orient | A | 2–0 | 7,125 | Blake (pen), Carpenter | |
| 22 March 1997 | Hartlepool United | H | 1–0 | 7,222 | Freeman | |
| 29 March 1997 | Hereford United | A | 0–0 | 4,279 | ||
| 31 March 1997 | Rochdale | H | 1–1 | 7,866 | Conroy | |
| 5 April 1997 | Carlisle United | A | 2–1 | 9,171 | Conroy, McAcree | |
| 8 April 1997 | Mansfield Town | A | 0–0 | 3,912 | ||
| 12 April 1997 | Northampton Town | H | 0–1 | 11,479 | ||
| 19 April 1997 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 0–0 | 2,920 | ||
| 26 April 1997 | Hull City | H | 2–0 | 10,588 | Morgan (2) | |
| 3 May 1997 | Cambridge United | A | 1–0 | 7,218 | Freeman |
See main article: 1996-97 FA Cup.
| R1 | 16 November 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–5 | 7,104 |
See main article: 1996-97 Football League Cup.
| R1 1st Leg | 20 August 1996 | Southend United | A | 2–0 | 3,084 | Conroy, Watson | |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1996 | Southend United | H | 1–2 (won 3–2 on agg) | 4,297 | Conroy | |
| R2 1st Leg | 17 September 1996 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–1 | 6,947 | Morgan | |
| R2 2nd Leg | 24 September 1996 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–4 (lost 3–5 on agg) | 6,825 | Sedgley (own goal), Brooker |
See main article: 1996-97 Football League Trophy.
| SR1 | 17 December 1996 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | 1,310 |