Auto Windscreens Shield 1996-97 
Winners: Carlisle United Runners-up: Colchester United Winners from previous season: Rotherham United First round
| Northern section | Crewe Alexanda, Lincoln City, Mansfield Town, Scunthorpe United, Shrewsbury Town, Wigan Athletic, Wrexham and York City received byes to the second round. | | 9 December 1996 | Chesterfield | 0 | - | 2 | Preston North End | 1,169 | Recreation Ground, Chesterfield | | 10 December 1996 | Bury | 3 | - | 1 | Darlington | 1,436 | Gigg Lane, Bury | | 10 December 1996 | Carlisle United | 2 | - | 0 | Rochdale | 3,622 | Brunton Park, Carlisle | | 10 December 1996 | Doncaster Rovers | 1 | - | 2 | Stockport County | 988 | Belle Vue, Doncaster | | 10 December 1996 | Hartlepool United | 0 | - | 2 | Burnley | 921 | Victoria Park, Hartlepool | | 10 December 1996 | Hull City | 3 | - | 1 | Chester City | 553 | Boothferry Park, Kingston-upon-Hull | | 10 December 1996 | Rotherham United | 0 | - | 1 | Blackpool | 1,143 | Millmoor, Rotherham | | 10 December 1996 | Scarborough | 0 | - | 1 | Notts County | 952 | McCain Stadium, Scarborough | Southern Section
| | 7 December 1996 | Hereford United | 0 | - | 4 | Millwall | 1,701 | Edgar Street, Hereford | | 10 December 1996 | Bristol Rovers | 1 | - | 2 | Brentford | 2,752 | Memorial Stadium, Bristol | | 10 December 1996 | Cambridge United | 0 | - | 1 | Colchester United | 1,108 | Abbey Stadium, Cambridge | | 10 December 1996 | Gillingham | 1 | - | 2 | Cardiff City (won on sudden death extra time by golden goal) | 1,193 | Priestfield, Gillingham (aet) | | 10 December 1996 | Luton Town | 2 | - | 1 | Leyton Orient | 1,594 | Kenilworth Road, Luton | | 10 December 1996 | Plymouth Argyle | 2 | - | 0 | AFC Bournemouth | 944 | Home Park, Plymouth | | 17 December 1996 | Brighton & Hove Albion (won on sudden death extra time by golden goal) | 3 | - | 2 | Fulham | 1,310 | Goldstone Ground, Brighton (aet) | 8 January 1997 | Swansea City (won 6-5 on pens.) | 1 | - | 1 | Wycombe Wanderers | 1,638 | Vetch Field, Swansea (aet) | Second round | Northern section | | 13 January 1997 | Bury | 6 | - | 0 | Mansfield Town | 1,331 | Gigg Lane, Bury | | 14 January 1997 | Blackpool | 4 | - | 0 | Lincoln City | 1,578 | Bloomfield Road, Blackpool | | 14 January 1997 | Shrewsbury Town (won on sudden death extra time by golden goal) | 3 | - | 2 | Wigan Athletic | 1,639 | Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury (aet) | | 21 January 1997 | York City | 1 | - | 0 | Preston North End | 1,428 | Bootham Crescent, York | | 28 January 1997 | Carlisle United | 4 | - | 0 | Hull City | 3,716 | Brunton Park, Carlisle | | 28 January 1997 | Scunthorpe United (won 4-2 on pens.) | 1 | - | 1 | Notts County | 1,076 | Glanford Park, Scunthorpe (aet) | | 28 January 1997 | Wrexham | 0 | - | 1 | Crewe Alexandra | 2,216 | Racecourse Ground, Wrexham | | 4 February 1997 | Burnley | 0 | - | 1 | Stockport County | 4,251 | Turf Moor, Burnley | Southern section | | 7 January 1997 | Brentford (won on sudden death extra time by golden goal) | 2 | - | 1 | Barnet | 1,455 | Griffin Park, London (aet) | | 7 January 1997 | Millwall | 2 | - | 3 | Colchester United (won on sudden death extra time by golden goal) | 2,795 | New Den, London (aet) | | 7 January 1997 | Watford | 2 | - | 1 | Torquay United | 2,298 | Vicarage Road, Watford | | 14 January 1997 | Cardiff City | 1 | - | 1 | Exeter City (won 2-4 on pens.) | 793 | Ninian Park, Cardiff (aet) | | 14 January 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | 1 | - | 0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1,295 | Home Park, Plymouth | | 21 January 1997 | Peterborough United | 2 | - | 0 | Walsall | 2,274 | London Road, Peterborough | | 21 January 1997 | Swansea City | 0 | - | 1 | Bristol City | 5,600 | Vetch Field, Swansea | | 4 February 1997 | Northampton Town | 1 | - | 0 | Luton Town | 4,201 | Sixfields Stadium, Northampton | | Quarter-finals | | Northern section | | 4 February 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | 1 | - | 0 | Blackpool | 3,003 | Gresty Road, Crewe | | 4 February 1997 | York City | 0 | - | 2 | Carlisle United | 1,922 | Bootham Crescent, York | | 11 February 1997 | Bury | 1 | - | 2 | Stockport County (won on sudden death extra time by golden goal) | 2,497 | Gigg Lane, Bury (aet) | | 11 February 1997 | Shrewsbury Town (won on sudden death extra time by golden goal) | 2 | - | 1 | Scunthorpe United | 1,728 | Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury (aet) | Southern section | | 28 January 1997 | Brentford | 0 | - | 1 | Colchester United | 2,253 | Griffin Park, London | | 28 January 1997 | Exeter City | 0 | - | 1 | Peterborough United | 1,478 | St James's Park, Exeter | | 11 February 1997 | Plymouth Argyle | 0 | - | 2 | Northampton Town | 1,499 | Home Park, Plymouth | | 11 February 1997 | Watford | 2 | - | 1 | Bristol City | 3,142 | Vicarage Road, Watford | Semi-Finals | Northern section | | 18 February 1997 | Shrewsbury Town | 1 | - | 2 | Carlisle United | 2,774 | Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury | | 4 March 1997 | Crewe Alexandra | 1 | - | 1 | Stockport County (won 5-3 on pens.) | 3,529 | Gresty Road, Crewe (aet) | Southern section | | 18 February 1997 | Colchester United | 2 | - | 1 | Northampton Town | 3,795 | Layer Road, Colchester | | 18 February 1997 | Watford | 0 | - | 1 | Peterborough United | 4,941 | Vicarage Road, Watford | Area Finals | Northern section: 1st leg | | 18 March 1997 | Carlisle United | 2 | - | 0 | Stockport County | 7,057 | Brunton Park, Carlisle | | Southern section: 1st leg | | 11 March 1997 | Peterborough United | 2 | - | 0 | Colchester United | 4,556 | London Road, Peterborough | | Northern section: 2nd leg | | 25 March 1997 | Stockport County | 0 | - | 0 | Carlisle United | 8,593 | Edgeley Park, Stockport | | (Carlisle United win 2-0 on aggregate) | Southern section: 2nd leg | | 18 March 1997 | Colchester United (won on sudden death extra time by golden goal) | 3 | - | 0 | Peterborough United | 5,000 | Layer Road, Colchester (aet) | (Colchester United win 3-2 on aggregate) | National final | | 20 April 1997 | Carlisle United (won 4-3 on pens.) | 0 | - | 0 | Colchester United | 45,077 | Wembley Stadium, London (aet) |
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