During the 1996–97 English football season, West Ham United competed in the FA Premier League.

The season began with much excitement at Upton Park, as a whole host of foreign signings arrived. However, most of the acquisitions were short-lived and unsuccessful. Romanian striker Florin Răducioiu walked out in mid-season after scoring just two goals and Portuguese winger Paulo Futre played just nine games for the club before giving in to a knee injury and announcing his retirement in November.

It was a season of struggle for Harry Redknapp's team, but in the end a new wave of players helped to keep West Ham in the Premiership. Exciting young defender Rio Ferdinand broke into the side, while newly signed strikers Paul Kitson and John Hartson gave the attack the boost that Răducioiu and Futre had failed to deliver.

With survival confirmed by the final day of the season, there was now talk of pushing for a UEFA Cup place in the following campaign.^{[by whom?]}

Results summary

Results by matchday

West Ham United's score comes first^[1]

^[2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  CZE Luděk Mikloško 2 DF  ENG Tim Breacker 3 DF  ENG Julian Dicks (captain) 4 DF  ENG Steve Potts (vice-captain) 5 DF  ENG Richard Hall 6 MF  ENG Danny Williamson 7 MF  ENG Ian Bishop 8 DF  DEN Marc Rieper 9 FW  ENG Paul Kitson 10 FW  WAL John Hartson 11 MF  NIR Steve Lomas 12 DF  NIR Keith Rowland 13 MF  POR Hugo Porfírio (on loan from Sporting CP)

No. Pos. Nation Player 14 FW  NIR Iain Dowie 16 MF  ENG John Moncur 17 MF  AUS Stan Lazaridis 21 GK  ENG Les Sealey 24 MF  NIR Michael Hughes 25 MF  ENG Lee Hodges 26 MF  ENG Frank Lampard 27 DF  ENG Rio Ferdinand 28 DF  CRO Slaven Bilić 29 FW  NGA Emmanuel Omoyinmi 31 GK  ENG Neil Finn 32 MF  ENG Scott Mean 33 FW  IRL Lee Boylan

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Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...

No. Pos. Nation Player 9 FW  ENG Tony Cottee (to Selangor) 10 FW  POR Paulo Futre (to Atlético Madrid) 11 FW  ROU Florin Răducioiu (to Espanyol) 15 DF  ENG Kenny Brown (to Birmingham City) 18 FW  ROU Ilie Dumitrescu (to América) 19 MF  AUS Robbie Slater (to Southampton)

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 FW  ENG Mike Newell (on loan from Birmingham City) 20 DF  WAL Mark Bowen (to Shimizu S-Pulse) 21 GK  ENG Peter Shilton (to Leyton Orient) 22 DF  ENG Adrian Whitbread (to Portsmouth) 23 FW  ENG Steve Jones (to Charlton Athletic) 30 GK  AUS Steve Mautone (to Reading)

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