2008–09 in English football
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England. The Premier League started on 16 August 2008, while the Championship, League One, and League Two matches started on 9 August 2008. The regular season of the Football League ended on 3 May 2009, while the Premier League ended on 24 May 2009.
The Premier League title was won by Manchester United, capturing their 18th top-division title and third in a row. Three teams, Newcastle United, Middlesbrough, and West Bromwich Albion were relegated at the end of the season. They were replaced by three teams from the Championship, being the champion Wolverhampton Wanderers alongside regular season runner up Birmingham City, and Burnley, which won a four-team playoff for the third promotion spot. Relegated from Championship to League One were Norwich City, Southampton, and Charlton Athletic. The League One teams promoted to the Championship include champions Leicester City, runners up Peterborough United, and playoff winners Scunthorpe United. Relegated from League One to League Two were Northampton Town, Crewe Alexandra, Cheltenham Town and Hereford United. Promoted from League Two were the champions Brentford, runners up Exeter City, third-place finishers Wycombe Wanderers, and playoff winners Scunthorpe United. Relegated to Conference were Chester City and Luton Town
The England national football team played in four friendlies, winning two, losing one, and playing to a draw in the other. During the season, England played seven of its ten Group 6 matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, winning all seven.
The FA Cup was won by Chelsea who defeated Everton 2–1 in the final.
Managerial changes
In-season managerial changes
| Name | Club | Date of departure | Replacement | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Bond | Bournemouth | 1 September 2008[1] | Jimmy Quinn | 2 September 2008[2] |
| Alan Curbishley | West Ham United | 3 September 2008[3] | Gianfranco Zola | 11 September 2008[4] |
| Kevin Keegan | Newcastle United | 4 September 2008[5] | Joe Kinnear1 | 26 September 2008[6] |
| Keith Downing | Cheltenham Town | 13 September 2008[7] | Martin Allen | 15 September 2008[8] |
| Alan Buckley | Grimsby Town | 15 September 2008[9] | Mike Newell | 6 October 2008[10] |
| Geraint Williams | Colchester United | 22 September 2008[11] | Paul Lambert | 9 October 2008[12] |
| Lee Sinnott | Port Vale | 22 September 2008[13] | Dean Glover2 | 6 October 2008[14] |
| Iain Dowie | Queens Park Rangers | 24 October 2008[15] | Paulo Sousa | 19 November 2008[16] |
| Juande Ramos | Tottenham Hotspur | 25 October 2008[17] | Harry Redknapp | 26 October 2008[17] |
| Harry Redknapp | Portsmouth | 26 October 2008[17] | Tony Adams3 | 28 October 2008[18] |
| John Ward | Carlisle United | 3 November 2008[19] | Greg Abbott4 | 5 December 2008[20] |
| Aidy Boothroyd | Watford | 3 November 2008[21] | Brendan Rodgers | 24 November 2008[22] |
| Stan Ternent | Huddersfield Town | 4 November 2008[23] | Lee Clark | 11 December 2008[24] |
| Simon Davies | Chester City | 11 November 2008[25] | Mark Wright | 14 November 2008[26] |
| Maurice Malpas | Swindon Town | 14 November 2008[27] | Danny Wilson | 26 December 2008[28] |
| Steve Holland | Crewe Alexandra | 18 November 2008[29] | Gudjon Thordarson | 24 December 2008[30] |
| Alan Pardew | Charlton Athletic | 22 November 2008[31] | Phil Parkinson5 | 31 December 2008[32] |
| Roy Keane | Sunderland | 4 December 2008[33] | Ricky Sbragia6 | 27 December 2008[34] |
| Danny Wilson | Hartlepool United | 15 December 2008[35] | Chris Turner | 15 December 2008 |
| Gary McAllister | Leeds United | 21 December 2008[36] | Simon Grayson | 23 December 2008[37] |
| Simon Grayson | Blackpool | 23 December 2008[37] | Ian Holloway | 21 May 2009 |
| Colin Calderwood | Nottingham Forest | 26 December 2008[38] | Billy Davies | 1 January 2009[39] |
| Paul Fairclough | Barnet | 28 December 2008[40] | Ian Hendon9 | 21 April 2009 |
| Paul Jewell | Derby County | 29 December 2008 | Nigel Clough | 6 January 2009[41] |
| Jimmy Quinn | Bournemouth | 31 December 2008[42] | Eddie Howe7 | 19 January 2009[43] |
| Jimmy Mullen | Walsall | 10 January 2009[44] | Chris Hutchings | 20 January 2009[45] |
| Glenn Roeder | Norwich City | 14 January 2009[46] | Bryan Gunn8 | 21 January 2009[47] |
| Martin Ling | Leyton Orient | 18 January 2009[48] | Geraint Williams | 5 February 2009[49] |
| Jan Poortvliet | Southampton | 23 January 2009[50] | Mark Wotte | 23 January 2009[50] |
| Tony Adams | Portsmouth | 9 February 2009[51] | Paul Hart | 3 March 2009[52] |
| Luiz Felipe Scolari | Chelsea | 9 February 2009[53] | Guus Hiddink | 11 February 2009[54] |
| Russell Slade | Yeovil Town | 16 February 2009[55] | Terry Skiverton | 18 February 2009[56] |
| Micky Adams | Brighton & Hove Albion | 21 February 2009[57] | Russell Slade | 6 March 2009[58] |
| John Sheridan | Oldham Athletic | 15 March 2009[59] | Joe Royle | 15 March 2009[60] |
| Paulo Sousa | Queens Park Rangers | 9 April 2009[61] | Jim Magilton | 3 June 2009 |
| Jim Magilton | Ipswich Town | 21 April 2009 | Roy Keane | 22 April 2009 |
| Graham Turner | Hereford United | 24 April 2009 | John Trewick | 24 April 2009 |
| Joe Royle | Oldham Athletic | 30 April 2009 | Dave Penney | 30 April 2009 |
| Dave Penney | Darlington | 30 April 2009 | Colin Todd | 20 May 2009 |
End-of-season managerial changes
| Name | Club | Date of departure | Replacement | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Glover | Port Vale | 2 May 2009 | Micky Adams | 1 June 2009 |
| Jim Gannon | Stockport County | 6 May 2009 | Gary Ablett | 8 July 2009 |
| Lee Richardson | Chesterfield | 6 May 2009 | John Sheridan | 9 June 2009 |
| Steve Coppell | Reading | 12 May 2009 | Brendan Rodgers | 5 June 2009 |
| Ricky Sbragia | Sunderland | 24 May 2009 | Steve Bruce | 2 June 2009 |
| Guus Hiddink | Chelsea | 30 May 2009 | Carlo Ancelotti | 1 June 2009 |
| Steve Bruce | Wigan Athletic | 2 June 2009 | Roberto Martínez | 16 June 2009 |
| Brendan Rodgers | Watford | 5 June 2009 | Malky Mackay | 15 June 2009 |
| Ronnie Moore | Tranmere Rovers | 5 June 2009 | John Barnes | 15 June 2009 |
| Roberto Martínez | Swansea City | 16 June 2009 | Paulo Sousa | 29 June 2009 |
| Tony Mowbray | West Bromwich Albion | 17 June 2009 | Roberto Di Matteo | 1 July 2009 |
| Mark Wright | Chester City | 22 June 2009 | Mick Wadsworth | 29 June 2009 |
| Roberto Di Matteo | Milton Keynes Dons | 1 July 2009 | Paul Ince | 3 July 2009 |
| Mark Wotte | Southampton | 9 July 2009 | Alan Pardew | 17 July 2009 |
Notes
- 1 Joe Kinnear was named interim manager on 26 September, and signed as permanent manager on 28 November.
- 2 Dean Glover had previously been caretaker manager at Port Vale since Sinnott's departure.
- 3 Tony Adams had previously been caretaker manager at Portsmouth since Redknapp's departure.
- 4 Greg Abbott had previously been caretaker manager at Carlisle United since Ward's departure.
- 5 Phil Parkinson had previously been caretaker manager at Charlton Athletic since Pardew's departure.
- 6 Ricky Sbragia had previously been caretaker manager at Sunderland since Keane's departure.
- 7 Eddie Howe had previously been caretaker manager at Bournemouth since Quinn's departure.
- 8 Bryan Gunn had previously been caretaker manager at Norwich City since Roeder's departure.
- 9 Ian Hendon had previously been caretaker manager at Barnet since Fairclough's departure.
National team
The home team is on the left column; the away team is on the right column.
Friendly matches
England  | 2–2 |  Czech Republic |
|---|---|---|
Brown  45'J. Cole 90' |
(Report) | Baroš 22' Jankulovski 48' |
World Cup qualifiers
England is currently in Group 6 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification process.[62]
| England | 2–1 |  Ukraine |
|---|---|---|
| Crouch 29' Terry 85' |
(Report) | Shevchenko 74' |
Honours
| Competition | Winner | Details | Match Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| FA Cup | Chelsea | FA Cup 2008–09 Beat Everton 2–1 |
Report |
| League Cup | Manchester United | Football League Cup 2008–09 Beat Tottenham Hotspur 4–1 on penalties (0–0 final score) |
Report |
| Premier League | Manchester United | Premier League 2008–09 | Report |
| Football League Championship | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Football League Championship 2008–09 | Report |
| Football League One | Leicester City | Football League One 2008–09 | Report |
| Football League Two | Brentford | Football League Two 2008–09 | Report |
| FA Community Shield | Manchester United | 2008 FA Community Shield Beat Portsmouth 3–1 on penalties (0–0 final score) |
Report |
| Football League Trophy | Luton Town | Football League Trophy 2008–09 Beat Scunthorpe United 3–2 a.e.t |
Report |
| FA Trophy | Stevenage Borough | FA Trophy 2008–09 Beat York City 2–0 |
Report |
| Conference League Cup | A.F.C. Telford United | Conference League Cup 2008–09 Beat Forest Green Rovers 3–0 on penalties. (0–0 final score) |
Report |
League tables
Premier League
Manchester United won their 18th league title, drawing level with Liverpool for the record of most league titles. Liverpool pushed them all the way; they actually had a superior goal difference and completed the double over United, even winning 4–1 at Old Trafford in March, but also suffered 11 draws which enabled United to overtake and win the title. Chelsea broke records for all the wrong reasons as their 86-game unbeaten home record finally came to an end, with several surprise away losses effectively ending their title challenge (as well as resulting in manager Luiz Felipe Scolari being sacked), though they did win the FA Cup under caretaker manager Guus Hiddink. Arsenal finished fourth to claim the final Champions League spot, which meant that last season's top 4 all qualified for Europe's elite for the fifth time in six seasons.
Aston Villa had looked like breaking into the Champions League spots for most of the season, but a late collapse that saw them win just twice in their last 13 league games saw them join FA Cup finalists Everton in qualifying for the newly formed UEFA Europa League (which replaced the UEFA Cup). Fulham were the other team to qualify for Europe, marking a remarkable turnaround since Roy Hodgson had taken over 18 months earlier when relegation from the Premier League looked a certainty. This was not only the first time they had qualified for Europe via their league position, but in finishing 7th in the first tier, this was also the highest ever league finish in the club's history. Stoke City, despite being pre-season relegation favourites for many, defied their critics and finishing comfortably in mid-table.
West Bromwich Albion made an immediate return to the Championship after propping up the table for most of the season. Joining them on the final day were Middlesbrough and Newcastle United, ending 11 and 16-year spells in the top flight respectively, the latter going through four managers in Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear, Chris Hughton and even former striker Alan Shearer during the campaign. Sunderland survived relegation, thanks to the efforts of caretaker manager Ricky Sbragia after Roy Keane's surprise resignation in December; meaning next season they would be the only North-East team in top flight football. Despite a brilliant start to the season (Which included victories at Arsenal and Tottenham, a draw at Liverpool and a narrow 4–3 loss at Manchester United, and climbing as high as third place in October), Hull City won just one league game after the new year, but avoided relegation by a single point.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United (C) | 38 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 68 | 24 | +44 | 90 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage[a] |
| 2 | Liverpool | 38 | 25 | 11 | 2 | 77 | 27 | +50 | 86 | |
| 3 | Chelsea | 38 | 25 | 8 | 5 | 68 | 24 | +44 | 83 | |
| 4 | Arsenal | 38 | 20 | 12 | 6 | 68 | 37 | +31 | 72 | Qualification for the Champions League play-off round |
| 5 | Everton | 38 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 55 | 37 | +18 | 63 | Qualification for the Europa League play-off round[a] |
| 6 | Aston Villa | 38 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 54 | 48 | +6 | 62 | |
| 7 | Fulham | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 53 | Qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round[a] |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 0 | 51 | |
| 9 | West Ham United | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 42 | 45 | −3 | 51 | |
| 10 | Manchester City | 38 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 58 | 50 | +8 | 50 | |
| 11 | Wigan Athletic | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 34 | 45 | −11 | 45 | |
| 12 | Stoke City | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 38 | 55 | −17 | 45 | |
| 13 | Bolton Wanderers | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 41 | 53 | −12 | 41 | |
| 14 | Portsmouth | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 38 | 57 | −19 | 41 | |
| 15 | Blackburn Rovers | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 40 | 60 | −20 | 41 | |
| 16 | Sunderland | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 34 | 54 | −20 | 36 | |
| 17 | Hull City | 38 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 39 | 64 | −25 | 35 | |
| 18 | Newcastle United (R) | 38 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 40 | 59 | −19 | 34 | Relegation to Football League Championship |
| 19 | Middlesbrough (R) | 38 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 28 | 57 | −29 | 32 | |
| 20 | West Bromwich Albion (R) | 38 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 36 | 67 | −31 | 32 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- Since both finalists of the FA Cup (Chelsea and Everton) and the League Cup winners (Manchester United) qualified for the European competitions based on their league position, the sixth-placed team (Aston Villa) received a berth in the Europa League play-off round and the seventh-placed team (Fulham) received a berth in the Europa League third qualifying round.
Leading goalscorer: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) – 19
Football League Championship
Five years after being relegated from the Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers returned to the top flight in style as champions, having been in the top 2 for virtually all the season since August. Birmingham City were runners-up, making this the fourth season in a row that they had swapped divisions. Burnley joined them by beating Sheffield United in the play-off final, earning their place in the top flight after a 33-year absence.
Cardiff City occupied a play-off position for much of the season, but agonisingly slipped out of them on the final day after obtaining just one point in their final four league games. Preston North End in contrast, took twelve points from their final four league games, including a 6–0 win over Cardiff to finish ahead of them by courtesy of having scored one goal more throughout the season. Doncaster Rovers who were favourites to go straight back down and in the second tier after half a century out, achieved a respectable mid-table finish ahead of former Premier League teams in Crystal Palace, Coventry City, Derby County, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley.
Charlton suffered their second relegation in three years, despite a run of just one loss out of eight games at the end of the season. Southampton also crashed out of the division amid financial worries, which also meant they would be starting the 2009–10 season in League One with a ten-point deduction for entering administration. Norwich were the third relegated club, meaning that all three relegated clubs had been in the Premier League as recently as 2005 and had long left the third tier (Charlton last competed in the third tier in 1981, Southampton and Norwich in 1960).
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (C, P) | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 80 | 52 | +28 | 90 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 2 | Birmingham City (P) | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 54 | 37 | +17 | 83 | |
| 3 | Sheffield United | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 64 | 39 | +25 | 80 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 4 | Reading | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 72 | 40 | +32 | 77 | |
| 5 | Burnley (O, P) | 46 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 72 | 60 | +12 | 76 | |
| 6 | Preston North End | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 66 | 54 | +12 | 74 | |
| 7 | Cardiff City | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 65 | 53 | +12 | 74 | |
| 8 | Swansea City | 46 | 16 | 20 | 10 | 63 | 50 | +13 | 68 | |
| 9 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 62 | 53 | +9 | 66 | |
| 10 | Bristol City | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 54 | 54 | 0 | 61 | |
| 11 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 42 | 44 | −2 | 61 | |
| 12 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 51 | 58 | −7 | 61 | |
| 13 | Watford | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 68 | 72 | −4 | 58 | |
| 14 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 17 | 7 | 22 | 42 | 53 | −11 | 58 | |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 52 | 55 | −3 | 56[a] | |
| 16 | Blackpool | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 47 | 58 | −11 | 56 | |
| 17 | Coventry City | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 47 | 58 | −11 | 54 | |
| 18 | Derby County | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 55 | 67 | −12 | 54 | |
| 19 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 50 | 65 | −15 | 53 | |
| 20 | Barnsley | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 45 | 58 | −13 | 52 | |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 44 | 57 | −13 | 51 | |
| 22 | Norwich City (R) | 46 | 12 | 10 | 24 | 57 | 70 | −13 | 46 | Relegation to Football League One |
| 23 | Southampton (R) | 46 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 46 | 69 | −23 | 45[b] | |
| 24 | Charlton Athletic (R) | 46 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 52 | 74 | −22 | 39 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Leading goalscorer: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Wolverhampton Wanderers) – 25
Football League One
Leicester comfortably won promotion in their first-ever season at this level, leading the table for virtually the entire season, going half the season (23 consecutive games) unbeaten and losing just 4 games in the process. Nigel Pearson brought stability to the club in becoming their first manager in five years to last an entire season as they looked to turn the corner after several years of struggle. Peterborough were runners-up, winning their second successive promotion and entering the second tier for only the second time in their history. Scunthorpe grabbed the final play-off place on the last day of the season in a winner takes all match v 7th place Tranmere Rovers and won promotion through them, making an immediate return to the Championship after being relegated the previous year.
Stockport went into administration before the final match of the season and so suffered a 10-point penalty; however, there was no real chance of them being relegated as a result of this penalty, barring an extremely unlikely set of results on the final day.
Hereford made an immediate return to League Two, finishing bottom in their first campaign at this level for thirty years. Cheltenham improved late in the season, but it proved too late to prevent relegation. Crewe suffered a late collapse and went down to League Two, having looked safe a few weeks previously. Northampton were relegated on the final day of the season after losing at Leeds and other results went against them. Brighton had looked certainties for relegation in the closing weeks, but the appointment of Russell Slade as manager saw them claim 16 points out of a possible 21 to survive. Carlisle and Hartlepool both survived on the last day.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leicester City (C, P) | 46 | 27 | 15 | 4 | 84 | 39 | +45 | 96 | Promotion to Football League Championship |
| 2 | Peterborough United (P) | 46 | 26 | 11 | 9 | 78 | 54 | +24 | 89 | |
| 3 | Milton Keynes Dons | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 83 | 47 | +36 | 87 | Qualification for League One play-offs |
| 4 | Leeds United | 46 | 26 | 6 | 14 | 77 | 49 | +28 | 84 | |
| 5 | Millwall | 46 | 25 | 7 | 14 | 63 | 53 | +10 | 82 | |
| 6 | Scunthorpe United (O, P) | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 82 | 63 | +19 | 76 | |
| 7 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 62 | 49 | +13 | 74 | |
| 8 | Southend United | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 58 | 61 | −3 | 71 | |
| 9 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 62 | 65 | −3 | 68 | |
| 10 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 66 | 65 | +1 | 65 | |
| 11 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 79 | 61 | +18 | 63 | |
| 12 | Colchester United | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 58 | 58 | 0 | 63 | |
| 13 | Walsall | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 61 | 66 | −5 | 61 | |
| 14 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 45 | 57 | −12 | 56 | |
| 15 | Swindon Town | 46 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 68 | 71 | −3 | 53 | |
| 16 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 55 | 70 | −15 | 52 | |
| 17 | Yeovil Town | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 41 | 66 | −25 | 51 | |
| 18 | Stockport County | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 59 | 57 | +2 | 50[a] | |
| 19 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 66 | 79 | −13 | 50 | |
| 20 | Carlisle United | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 56 | 69 | −13 | 50 | |
| 21 | Northampton Town (R) | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 61 | 65 | −4 | 49 | Relegation to Football League Two |
| 22 | Crewe Alexandra (R) | 46 | 12 | 10 | 24 | 59 | 82 | −23 | 46 | |
| 23 | Cheltenham Town (R) | 46 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 51 | 91 | −40 | 39 | |
| 24 | Hereford United (R) | 46 | 9 | 7 | 30 | 42 | 79 | −37 | 34 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Leading goalscorer: Simon Cox (Swindon Town) – 29, and Rickie Lambert (Bristol Rovers) – 29
Football League Two
Brentford made a return to League One as champions, the second club to win the fourth tier three times since Doncaster Rovers. Exeter won their second successive promotion, and on the final day of the season managed to pip Wycombe Wanderers for the runners-up spot. Wycombe themselves managed the final automatic promotion spot by virtue of a single goal over Bury. The play-offs were won by Gillingham, who made an immediate return to League One after the previous season's relegation.
Several teams suffered heavy points deductions during the season. Rotherham were docked 17 points at the start of the season and Darlington 10 points later on. Without these penalties they would have both qualified for the play-offs, but instead managed only mid table. Bournemouth also suffered a 17-point deduction pre-season, and halfway through it looked to be enough to cost them their League status; however, a fightback under new manager Eddie Howe saw them climb to safety and secure survival with a game to spare.
Luton suffered the heaviest deduction however, and the loss of 30 points proved too much for them to survive (though they would still have been relegated, albeit while finishing a place higher, had they only suffered the same 17-point deduction as Bournemouth and Rotherham). They suffered four back-to-back seasons without getting promoted and dropped out of the league, making them only the third English team to suffer a hat-trick of relegations, and the first to drop from the second tier to the Conference in successive years. The other relegated team was Chester City, who were statistically the worst team in the division and returned to the Conference after only five years. This would ultimately be the final season that the club completed, as they folded in March 2010, before the end of the following campaign. Grimsby would also have suffered relegation, if not for Luton's points deduction.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brentford (C, P) | 46 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 65 | 36 | +29 | 85 | Promotion to Football League One |
| 2 | Exeter City (P) | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 65 | 50 | +15 | 79 | |
| 3 | Wycombe Wanderers (P) | 46 | 20 | 18 | 8 | 54 | 33 | +21 | 78 | |
| 4 | Bury | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 63 | 43 | +20 | 78 | Qualification for League Two play-offs |
| 5 | Gillingham (O, P) | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 58 | 55 | +3 | 75 | |
| 6 | Rochdale | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 70 | 59 | +11 | 70 | |
| 7 | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 61 | 44 | +17 | 69 | |
| 8 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 77 | 53 | +24 | 68 | |
| 9 | Bradford City | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 66 | 55 | +11 | 67 | |
| 10 | Chesterfield | 46 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 62 | 57 | +5 | 63 | |
| 11 | Morecambe | 46 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 53 | 56 | −3 | 63 | |
| 12 | Darlington | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 61 | 44 | +17 | 62[a] | |
| 13 | Lincoln City | 46 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 53 | 52 | +1 | 59 | |
| 14 | Rotherham United | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 60 | 46 | +14 | 58[b] | |
| 15 | Aldershot Town | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 59 | 80 | −21 | 54 | |
| 16 | Accrington Stanley | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 42 | 59 | −17 | 50 | |
| 17 | Barnet | 46 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 56 | 74 | −18 | 48 | |
| 18 | Port Vale | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | 44 | 66 | −22 | 48 | |
| 19 | Notts County | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 49 | 69 | −20 | 47 | |
| 20 | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 13 | 8 | 25 | 45 | 77 | −32 | 47 | |
| 21 | Bournemouth | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 59 | 51 | +8 | 46[c] | |
| 22 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 51 | 69 | −18 | 41 | |
| 23 | Chester City (R) | 46 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 43 | 81 | −38 | 37 | Relegated to Conference National |
| 24 | Luton Town (R) | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 58 | 65 | −7 | 26[d] |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Leading goalscorers: Simeon Jackson (Gillingham) – 20, Grant Holt (Shrewsbury Town) – 20, and Jack Lester (Chesterfield) – 20
Movements for the 2009–10 season
| Competition | Promoted | Playoffs | Relegated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | N/A | N/A | Newcastle, Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion |
| Football League Championship | Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City | Burnley | Charlton Athletic, Southampton, Norwich City |
| Football League One | Leicester City, Peterborough United | Scunthorpe United | Northampton Town, Crewe Alexandra, Cheltenham Town, Hereford United |
| Football League Two | Brentford, Exeter City, Wycombe Wanderers | Gillingham | Chester City, Luton Town |
| Conference National | Burton Albion | Torquay United | Woking, Northwich Victoria, Weymouth, Lewes |
| Conference North | Tamworth | Gateshead | King's Lynn (demoted), Burscough, Hucknall Town |
| Conference South | AFC Wimbledon | Hayes & Yeading United | Team Bath (folded),[70] Bognor Regis Town, Fisher Athletic |
Clubs removed
- Team Bath (Conference South)
- Gresley Rovers (Northern Premier League, Division One South)
Women's football
Women's Premier League
National Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal (C) | 22 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 89 | 14 | +75 | 61 | Qualification for the Champions League knockout phase |
| 2 | Everton | 22 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 68 | 10 | +58 | 61 | Qualification for the Champions League qualifying round |
| 3 | Chelsea | 22 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 55 | 23 | +32 | 50 | |
| 4 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 33 | |
| 5 | Birmingham City | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 39 | 43 | −4 | 33 | |
| 6 | Leeds Carnegie | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 32 | 40 | −8 | 28 | |
| 7 | Watford | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 31 | 40 | −9 | 25 | |
| 8 | Bristol Academy | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 39 | 49 | −10 | 23 | |
| 9 | Blackburn Rovers | 22 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 27 | 52 | −25 | 18 | |
| 10 | Nottingham Forest | 22 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 25 | 59 | −34 | 17 | |
| 11 | Liverpool (R) | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 28 | 63 | −35 | 16 | Relegation to the Northern Division |
| 12 | Fulham (R) | 22 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 17 | 64 | −47 | 9 | Relegation to the Southern Division |
Northern Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland (C, P) | 22 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 95 | 16 | +79 | 53 | Promotion to the National Division |
| 2 | OOH Lincoln | 22 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 79 | 15 | +64 | 52 | |
| 3 | Manchester City | 22 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 42 | 22 | +20 | 43 | |
| 4 | Newcastle United | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 58 | 28 | +30 | 41 | |
| 5 | Leicester City | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 54 | 33 | +21 | 40 | |
| 6 | Reading | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 43 | 31 | +12 | 33 | Moved to the Southern Division |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 22 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 49 | 50 | −1 | 32 | |
| 8 | Preston North End | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 37 | 51 | −14 | 24 | |
| 9 | Sheffield Wednesday | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 37 | 72 | −35 | 18 | |
| 10 | Curzon Ashton | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 35 | 70 | −35 | 16 | |
| 11 | Tranmere Rovers (R) | 22 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 28 | 76 | −48 | 14 | Relegation to the Northern Combination League |
| 12 | Rotherham United (R) | 22 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 17 | 110 | −93 | 11 | Relegation to the Midland Combination League |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Southern Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Millwall Lionesses (C, P) | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 61 | 14 | +47 | 54 | Promotion to the National Division |
| 2 | Barnet | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 58 | 33 | +25 | 40 | |
| 3 | West Ham United | 22 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 41 | 20 | +21 | 39 | |
| 4 | Charlton Athletic | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 37 | 28 | +9 | 36 | |
| 5 | Portsmouth | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 50 | 35 | +15 | 35 | |
| 6 | Colchester United | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 30 | |
| 7 | Cardiff City | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 40 | 38 | +2 | 29 | |
| 8 | Keynsham Town | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 34 | 49 | −15 | 27 | |
| 9 | Crystal Palace | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 31 | 43 | −12 | 23 | |
| 10 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 28 | 44 | −16 | 20 | |
| 11 | Ipswich Town (R) | 22 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 19 | 64 | −45 | 18 | Relegation to the South East Combination League |
| 12 | Truro City (R) | 22 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 31 | 58 | −27 | 13 | Relegation to the South West Combination League |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
FA Women's Cup
Final
FA Women's Premier League Cup
Transfer deals
Notable debutants
- 1 November 2008 – Jordan Henderson, 18-year-old midfielder, makes his debut as a substitute in Sunderland's 5–0 Premier League defeat at Chelsea.[71]
Retirements
- 14 July 2008 – Neil Moss, 33, former Bournemouth goalkeeper.[72]
- 20 August 2008 – Alan Stubbs, 36, former Bolton Wanderers, Celtic, Everton, Sunderland and Derby County defender.[73]
- 28 August 2008 – Andy Cooke, 34, former Burnley, Stoke City, Bradford City, Darlington and Shrewsbury Town striker.[74]
- 3 September 2008 – Rob Clare, 25, former Stockport County and Blackpool defender.[75]
- 3 September 2008 – Antti Niemi, 36, former Southampton and Fulham goalkeeper.[76]
- 25 September 2008 – Christian Roberts, 28, former Cardiff City, Exeter City, Bristol City and Swindon striker.[77]
- 3 October 2008 – Damien Francis, 29, former Wimbledon, Norwich City, Wigan Athletic and Watford defensive midfielder.[78]
- 11 November 2008 – Andy Cole, 37, former Arsenal, Fulham, Bristol City, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Birmingham City, Burnley and Nottingham Forest striker.[79]
- 6 December 2008 – Darren Anderton, 36, former Portsmouth, Tottenham Hotspur, Birmingham City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth attacking midfielder.[80]
- 6 January 2009 – Paul Mitchell, 27, former Wigan Athletic, Halifax Town, Swindon, Wrexham, Barnet and Milton Keynes Dons defender and midfielder.[81]
- 21 January 2009 – Shane Tudor, 26, former Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cambridge United, Leyton Orient and Port Vale winger.[82]
- 22 April 2009 – Andy Booth, 35, former Huddersfield Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham Hotspur striker.
- 25 April 2009 – Fabian Wilnis, 38, former Ipswich Town and Grays Athletic defender.[83]
- 15 May 2009 – Martin Laursen, 31, former Aston Villa defender.
- End of season – Richie Barker, 34, former Doncaster Rovers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Macclesfield Town, Mansfield Town, Hartlepool United and Rotherham United striker.[84]
Deaths
- 3 July 2008 – Ernie Cooksey, 28, Grays Athletic midfielder, who died from skin cancer. Earlier in his career, he played for Oldham Athletic, Rochdale, Crawley Town and Boston United.[85]
- 26 July 2008 – Gerry Lightowler, 67, former Bradford Park Avenue and Bradford City full back.[86]
- 8 August 2008 – Selwyn Whalley, 74, former Port Vale defender, played 196 games in a 15-year association with the club.[87]
- 9 August 2008 – Ken Griffiths, 78, former striker who played for Port Vale, Mansfield Town, and a host of lower league clubs.[88]
- 26 August 2008 – Bob Mountford, 56, former striker who played for a number of lower-league clubs in the 1970s, most notably Port Vale, Rochdale, Huddersfield Town and Halifax Town.[89]
- 28 August 2008 – Ronnie Briggs, 65, former goalkeeper who began his career at Manchester United, and later played for Swansea Town and Bristol Rovers. Capped twice by Northern Ireland.
- 4 September 2008 – Tommy Johnston, 81, former striker who is Leyton Orient's all-time top scorer with 123 goals. Other clubs include Norwich City, Newport County and Blackburn Rovers.[90]
- 6 September 2008 – Bill Shorthouse, 86, former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender and vice-captain, who played 376 games for the club in their heyday of the 1940s and 1950s.[91]
- 25 September 2008 – Jimmy Sirrel, 86, former Notts County manager who took the Magpies from the Fourth Division to the First (pre-Premier League) during two spells at the club. Also managed Brentford and Sheffield United.[92]
- 27 September 2008 – Jimmy Murray, 72, former Wolverhampton Wanderers striker who scored more than 150 goals for the club, and won two league championships and one FA Cup title while at Wolves. Also played for Manchester City and Walsall.[93]
- 27 September 2008 – Len Browning, 80, former Leeds United and Sheffield United striker whose career was cut short by tuberculosis.[94]
- 29 September 2008 – Tommy Northcott, 76, former Torquay United striker who scored over 120 goals for the club. Also played for Cardiff City and Lincoln City.[95]
- 2 October 2008 – John Sjoberg, 67, former Leicester City central defender who spent 15 seasons at Filbert Street. Also played briefly for Rotherham United.
- 9 October 2008 – Bert Loxley, 74, former Notts County wing-half and Lincoln City manager.[96]
- 21 October 2008 – George Edwards, 87, former Welsh international winger who began his career as an amateur at Swansea Town, and later played professionally for Birmingham City and Cardiff City.[97]
- 23 October 2008 – Brian Hillier, 65, former chairman of Swindon Town.[98]
- 27 October 2008 – Colin Gale, 76, former Northampton Town centre half who made over 200 appearances for the club between 1956 and 1961. Also played for Cardiff City.[99]
- 1 November 2008 – Dermot Curtis, 76, former Republic of Ireland international striker who played for Bristol City, Ipswich Town, Exeter City and Torquay United. To date, he is the only Exeter player to have played at senior international level.[100]
- 8 November 2008 – Régis Genaux, 35, former Belgian international full-back who played half a season for Coventry City, in 1996–97. Also played for Standard Liège in his home country, and Italian side Udinese.[101]
- 17 November 2008 – Peter Aldis, 81, former Aston Villa left-back, who spent 12 seasons at Villa Park, and was a member the Villa side that won the 1957 FA Cup.[102]
- 24 December 2008 – Ray Deakin, 49, former Burnley defender and captain. Also played for Port Vale and Bolton Wanderers.[103]
- 27 December 2008 – Bert "Sailor" Brown, 93, former inside-forward who played for Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Charlton Athletic. Served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, and was an England wartime international.[104]
- 31 December 2008 – Harry Oscroft, 82, former winger who played for Mansfield Town, Port Vale, and most notably Stoke City, where he scored 106 goals in 349 games during a ten-year spell at the club.[105]
- 2 January 2009 – Ian Greaves, 76, former Manchester United full-back and Busby Babe who became a successful manager, most notably at Huddersfield Town, Bolton Wanderers and Mansfield Town, all of whom he guided to promotion.[106]
- 5 January 2009 – Jimmy Rayner, 73, former striker who played for Grimsby Town, Peterborough United, Notts County and several non-league clubs. Scored an incredible 71 goals for non-league Grantham Town during the 1963–64 season.[107]
- 6 January 2009 – Charlie Thomson, 78, former goalkeeper who played for Chelsea and Nottingham Forest. Won the league with Chelsea in 1954–55, and the FA Cup with Forest in 1959.[108]
- 10 January 2009 – Jack Wheeler, 89, former goalkeeper with Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town, who became a trainer at Notts County for 26 years during two spells.[109]
- 13 January 2009 – Tommy Casey, 78, former wing-half who most notably played for Newcastle United, where he won the 1955 FA Cup. Also played for Leeds United, Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Bristol City. Represented Northern Ireland in the 1958 World Cup.[110]
- 20 January 2009 – Johnny Dixon, 85, former Aston Villa striker, who captained the side in the 1957 FA Cup Final, when they defeated Manchester United 2–1.[111]
- 21 January 2009 – Vic Crowe, 76, former Aston Villa and Welsh international wing-half who spent 13 seasons at Villa Park as a player, and four years as manager. Also played for Peterborough United, and was an unused reserve in Wales' 1958 World Cup squad.[112]
- 27 January 2009 – Aubrey Powell, 90, former Welsh international inside-forward who spent the majority of his club career at Leeds United, and also had spells at Everton and Birmingham City.[113]
- 29 January 2009 – Roy Saunders, 78, former Liverpool and Swansea Town wing-half, who was later on Swansea's coaching staff. Never capped at senior level, but did play once for Great Britain XI against a "Rest of the World" team. Father of Dean Saunders.[114]
- 2 February 2009 – Paul Birch, 46, former right-sided midfielder best known from his days at Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He also played for Doncaster Rovers, Exeter City and non-league Halesowen Town, and later worked as a coach at Forest Green Rovers and Birmingham City. Died from bone cancer.[115]
- 7 February 2009 – Joe Haverty, 72, former Irish international winger who most notably played seven seasons for Arsenal, and also had spells at Blackburn Rovers, Millwall and several other clubs both in Britain and abroad. Capped 32 times by the Republic of Ireland.[116]
- 9 February 2009 – Marc Burrows, 30, non-league striker and former Portsmouth trainee who is notable for scoring the fastest goal in football history in a reserve team match between Cowes Sports and Eastleigh in 2004.[117]
- 9 February 2009 – Reg Davies, 79, former inside-forward who played for Southend United, Newcastle United, Swansea Town and Carlisle United, and was capped six times by Wales.[118]
- 9 February 2009 – Neville Hamilton, 48, former Leicester City, Mansfield Town and Rochdale midfielder who had to retire at age 24 following a heart attack, and later spent many years as youth team coach at Leicester City.[119]
- 15 February 2009 – Don Leeson, 73, former Barnsley goalkeeper, who later became a policeman.[120]
- 2 March 2009 – Andy Bowman, 74, former Chelsea and Newport County wing-half, who also played for Hearts in his native Scotland.[121]
- 4 March 2009 – Harry Parkes, 89, former full-back who spent his entire 18-year career at Aston Villa, where he played almost 350 games. Called up by the England national football team in 1946, but never capped.[122]
- 7 March 2009 – Jimmy Hernon, 84, former winger who played for Leicester City, Bolton Wanderers, Grimsby Town and Watford.[123]
- 9 March 2009 – Eddie Lowe, 83, former Aston Villa and Fulham wing-half, who played three times for England in 1947. Played 511 games for Fulham, and retired as the club's all-time appearance record holder (later broken by Johnny Haynes).[124]
- 16 March 2009 – Alan Suddick, 64, former midfielder who most notably played for Newcastle United and Blackpool, and was capped by England at under-23 level. Known as a free-kick specialist.[125]
- 29 March 2009 – Hugh Kelly, 85, former wing-half who spent his entire career at Blackpool, playing 428 league games for the Seasiders. Missed the famous "Matthews Final" in 1953 because of injury. Capped once by Scotland.[126]
- 11 April 2009 – Jimmy Neighbour, 58, former Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City and West Ham United winger. Was a member of the Tottenham side that won the 1971 League Cup.[127]
- 12 April 2009 – Mike Keen, 69, former Queens Park Rangers, Luton Town and Watford midfielder who played nearly 700 league games in a 16-year career. Was player-manager at Watford, and also managed Northampton Town and Wycombe Wanderers.[128]
- 19 April 2009 – Dicky Robinson, 82, former defender who played more than 400 games for Middlesbrough in the early post-war years, and played five times for the English Football League representative side. Also played for Barrow.[129]
- 3 May 2009 – John Elsworthy, 77, former Ipswich Town wing-half, who spent 16 years at the club, and was part of Ipswich's 1961–62 league championship winning side. Was a reserve for Wales' 1958 World Cup squad, but was in fact never capped at any level.
- 3 May 2009 – Tommy Fowler, 84, former Northampton Town winger who played a club-record 521 league games for the club between 1946 and 1961. Also played for Aldershot.[130]
- 4 May 2009 – Bobby Campbell, 86, former Scottish international who played as a winger for Falkirk, Chelsea and Reading, before going on to manage Dumbarton and Bristol Rovers.[131]
- 14 May 2009 – Ken Hollyman, 86, former defender who played for Cardiff City and Newport County, making over 400 league appearances.[132]
- 16 May 2009 – Peter Sampson, 81, former wing-half who made 340 league appearances for Bristol Rovers, his only professional club, between 1948 and 1961.[133]
- 20 May 2009 – Alan Kelly, 72, former Preston North End goalkeeper who played a club-record 447 league games for the Lilywhites, and was capped 47 times by the Republic of Ireland. His sons Gary and Alan Jr also became professional goalkeepers.[134]
- 25 May 2009 – Billy Baxter, 70, former Ipswich Town defender who spent eleven seasons at Portman Road, and was a member of the side that won the league championship in 1961–62. Also played for Hull City, Watford and Northampton Town.[135]
- 23 June 2009 – Jackie Swindells, 72, former striker who is Altrincham's all-time top goalscorer with 195 goals in the Northern Premier League. Began his career at Manchester City, and also played for Blackburn Rovers, Accrington Stanley and Workington.