The 1996–97 season was the 95th season in which Dundee competed at a Scottish national level, playing in the Scottish First Division. Dundee would finish in 3rd place, 2 points away from the promotion play-offs. Dundee would also compete in the Scottish League Cup, the Scottish Cup and the Scottish Challenge Cup, where they were knocked out by Greenock Morton in the 4th round of the Scottish Cup, by St Johnstone in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup, and by Heart of Midlothian in the semi-finals of the League Cup.