During the 1996–97 English football season, Wigan Athletic F.C.
competed in the Football League Third Division.
In the 1996–97 season, Wigan Athletic became Third Division champions on the last day of the campaign, Graeme Jones scoring a club record 31 league goals in the process.
In most seasons they would have been runners-up, but a temporary rule change which saw goals scored take precedence over goal difference allowed them to finish above runners-up Fulham, who had the same number of points and a better goal difference.
Note: Numbers in brackets are appearances as a substitute.