title: 1996–97 Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. season
text: # 1996–97 Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. season
  
  Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. competed in the Scottish Third Division in season 1996–97 and the Scottish League Cup, the Scottish Challenge Cup and Scottish Cup.
  
  ## Results
  
  ### Scottish Third Division
  
  | Match Day | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | ICT Scorer(s) | Attendance |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | 17 August | Cowdenbeath | H | 1–3 | Thomson | 1,524 |
  | 2 | 24 August | Forfar Athletic | A | 1–3 | Thomson | 427 |
  | 3 | 31 August | Alloa Athletic | H | 1–0 | Teasdale | 1,685 |
  | 4 | 7 September | Albion Rovers | A | 0–0 | | 845 |
  | 5 | 14 September | East Stirlingshire | H | 2–0 | Hercher, Noble | 1,316 |
  | 6 | 21 September | Queen's Park | H | 2–2 | Stewart, Christie | 1,452 |
  | 7 | 28 September | Ross County | A | 3–1 | Stewart (2), Thomson | 3,519 |
  | 8 | 5 October | Arbroath | H | 2–0 | Thomson, Stewart | 2,086 |
  | 9 | 12 October | Montrose | A | 2–2 | Stewart, Ross | 643 |
  | 10 | 19 October | Cowdenbeath | A | 4–3 | Thomson (2), Hercher, Stewart | 321 |
  | 11 | 26 October | Forfar Athletic | A | 0–2 | | 454 |
  | 12 | 2 November | East Stirlingshire | A | 0–0 | | 398 |
  | 13 | 9 November | Albion Rovers | H | 1–1 | Stewart | 3,734 |
  | 14 | 16 November | Ross County | H | 2–0 | Stewart (2) | 4,562 |
  | 15 | 23 November | Queen's Park | A | 3–2 | McLean, Wilson, Christie | 786 |
  | 16 | 30 November | Arbroath | A | 4–1 | Wilson, Addicoat, Stewart, Christie | 457 |
  | 17 | 14 December | Montrose | H | 2–0 | Stewart, McLean | 2,477 |
  | 18 | 21 December | Cowdenbeath | H | 2–1 | Stewart (2) | 2,188 |
  | 19 | 18 January | Arbroath | H | 4–1 | Hercher (2), McLean, Ross | 1,742 |
  | 20 | 22 January | Queen's Park | H | 1–0 | Stewart | 1,432 |
  | 21 | 1 February | Montrose | A | 2–0 | McLean, Stewart, | 520 |
  | 22 | 8 February | East Stirlingshire | H | 3–2 | Stewart, Wilson, McLean | 1,642 |
  | 23 | 12 February | Ross County | A | 3–0 | McLean (2), Wilson | 4,482 |
  | 24 | 15 February | Albion Rovers | A | 3–0 | Teasdale, Tokely, Stewart | 608 |
  | 25 | 22 February | Forfar Athletic | H | 1–1 | Stewart | 2,507 |
  | 26 | 1 March | Alloa Athletic | H | 3-1 | Stewart (2), Ross | 1,397 |
  | 27 | 8 March | Queen's Park | A | 2–1 | Stewart, Tokely | 857 |
  | 28 | 11 March | Alloa Athletic | A | 2–0 | McLean, Noble | 441 |
  | 29 | 15 March | Ross County | H | 3–0 | Stewart (2), Thomson | 5,525 |
  | 30 | 22 March | Arbroath | A | 0–0 | | 570 |
  | 31 | 5 April | Montrose | H | 3–2 | Stewart (3) | 3,026 |
  | 32 | 12 April | Albion Rovers | H | 4–1 | Thomson (2), Wilson, De Barros | 2,960 |
  | 33 | 19 April | East Stirlingshire | A | 3–0 | Stewart, Ross, Thomson | 404 |
  | 34 | 26 April | Cowdenbeath | A | 1–2 | Cherry | 282 |
  | 35 | 3 May | Forfar Athletic | H | 0–4 | | 3,852 |
  | 36 | 10 May | Alloa Athletic | A | 0-1 | | 507 |
  
  **Final League table**
  
  | Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle (C, P) | 36 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 70 | 37 | +33 | 76 | Promotion to the 1997–98 Second Division |
  | 2 | Forfar Athletic (P) | 36 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 74 | 45 | +29 | 67 | Promotion to the 1997–98 Second Division |
  | 3 | Ross County | 36 | 20 | 7 | 9 | 58 | 41 | +17 | 67 | |
  | 4 | Alloa Athletic | 36 | 16 | 7 | 13 | 50 | 47 | +3 | 55 | |
  | 5 | Albion Rovers | 36 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 50 | 47 | +3 | 49 | |
  
  ### Scottish League Cup
  
  | Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | ICT Scorer(s) | Attendance |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | R1 | 5 August | Clyde | A | 0-1 (aet) | | 899 |
  
  ### Scottish Challenge Cup
  
  | Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | ICT Scorer(s) | Attendance |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | R1 | 10 August | Livingston | A | 2–1 | Thomson, Cherry | 1,335 |
  | R2 | 27 August | Stirling Albion | A | 1–3 | Stewart | 838 |
  
  ### Scottish Cup
  
  | Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | ICT Scorer(s) | Attendance |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | R2 | 13 January | Stranraer | A | 1–1 | McLean | 577 |
  | R2 R | 15 January | Stranraer | H | 0–0 (aet) (ICT won 4–3 on penalties) | | 1,407 |
  | R3 | 25 January | Hamilton Academical | H | 1–3 | Stewart | 3,310 |
  
  ## Hat-tricks
  
  | Player | Competition | Score | Opponent | Date |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Iain Stewart | Scottish Third Division | 3–2 | Montrose | 5 April 1997 |
  