2008-2009 English Football League Promotion/Relegation

[Famine]

Just thought I'd chronicle the run-in to the end of the season from the point of view of the Promotion/Relegation contenders...

Premiership
Bottom 3 Relegated

Relegated
18. Newcastle United - P38, 34pts
19. Middlesbrough - P38, 32pts
20. West Bromwich Albion - P37, 31pts


Championship
Top 2 Promoted, Next 4 into Playoffs for 1 promotion place
Bottom 3 Relegated

Promoted Champions
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers - P46, 90pts

Promoted
2. Birmingham City - P46, 83pts

Playoffs
3. Sheffield United - P46, 80pts - Eliminated in Final
4. Reading - P46, 77pts - Eliminated in Semi-finals
5. Burnley - P46, 76pts - Promoted
6. Preston North End - P46, 74pts - Eliminated in Semi-finals

Relegated
22. Norwich City - P46, 46pt
23. Charlton Athletic - P46, 39pt
24. Southampton - P46, 35pt


League 1
Top 2 Promoted, Next 4 into Playoffs for 1 promotion place
Bottom 4 Relegated

Promoted Champions
1. Leicester City - P45, 93pts

Promoted
2. Peterborough United - P45, 88pts

Playoffs
3. MK Dons - P46, 87pts - Eliminated in Semi-finals
4. Leeds United - P46, 84pts - Eliminated in Semi-finals
5. Millwall - P46, 82pts - Eliminated in Final
6. Scunthorpe United - P46, 76pts - Promoted

Relegated
21. Northampton Town - P46, 49pts
22. Crewe Alexandra - P46, 46pts
23. Cheltenham Town - P46, 39pts
24. Hereford United - P46, 34pts


League 2
Top 3 Promoted, Next 4 into Playoffs for 1 promotion place
Bottom 2 Relegated

Promoted Champions
1. Brentford - P45, 82pts

Promoted
2. Exeter City - P46, 79pts
3. Wycombe Wanderers - P46, 78pts

Playoffs
4. Bury - P46, 78pts - Eliminated in Semi-finals
5. Gillingham - P46, 75pts - Promoted
6. Rochdale - P46, 70pts - Eliminated in Semi-finals
7. Shrewsbury Town - P46, 69pts - Eliminated in Final

Relegated
23. Chester City - P46, 37pts
24. Luton Town - P46, 26pts


Blue Square Premier
Top 1 Promoted, Next 4 into Playoffs for 1 promotion place

Promoted
1. Burton Albion - P46, 88pts

Playoffs
2. Cambridge United - P46, 86pts - Eliminated in Final
3. Histon Town - P46, 83pts - Eliminated in Semi-finals
4. Torquay United - P46, 83pts - Promoted
5. Stevenage Borough - P46, 81pts - Eliminated in Semi-finals


Timeline
13th April - Luton Town Relegated (FL2 to BSP)
18th April - Charlton Athletic Relegated (FLC to FL1)
18th April - Wolverhampton Wanderers Promoted (FLC to PL)
18th April - Leicester City Promoted (FL1 to FLC) - FL1 Champions
18th April - Hereford United Relegated (FL1 to FL2)
23rd April - Southampton Relegated (FLC to FL1)
25th April - Cheltenham Town Relegated (FL1 to FL2)
25th April - Peterborough United Promoted (FL1 to FLC)
25th April - Wolverhampton Wanderers - FLC Champions
25th April - Brentford Promoted (FL2 to FL1) - FL2 Champions
26th April - Burton Albion Promoted (BSP to FL2) - BSP Champions
2nd May - Crewe Alexandra Relegated (FL1 to FL2)
2nd May - Exeter City Promoted (FL2 to FL1)
2nd May - Wycombe Wanderers Promoted (FL2 to FL1)
2nd May - Northampton Town Relegated (FL1 to FL2)
2nd May - Chester City Relegated (FL2 to BSP)
3rd May - Norwich City Relegated (FLC to FL1)
3rd May - Birmingham City Promoted (FLC to PL)
17th May - West Bromwich Albion Relegated (PL to FLC)
17th May - Torquay United Promoted (BSP to FL2)
23rd May - Gillingham Promoted (FL2 to FL1)
24th May - Scunthorpe United Promoted (FL1 to FLC)
24th May - Middlesbrough Relegated (PL to FLC)
24th May - Newcastle United Relegated (PL to FLC)
25th May - Burnley Promoted (FLC to PL)

 

[Famine]

Suppose I should keep track of "vital" games in these issues too...

20th April - Championship
A win for Burnley over Sheffield United helps the former's claims for a Playoff spot (4 points clear with 6 left on the table for the 2 chasing teams), but severely dents the latter's chances of automatic promotion (4 points down with 6 left on the table)...

21st April - Championship
Nothing is decided today, as Reading and Cardiff both haul themselves up to 74pt - a mathematical chance of automatic promotion only - with a win and a draw over Derby and already relegated Charlton respectively, though both are now just about guaranteed at least a playoff spot. Derby do themselves no favours - only one point is needed to secure safety, and they're running out of games to do it - while Barnsley only manage a draw at Coventry and still sit in the last relegation spot...

21st April - League One
Again, draws all round for Yeovil, already relegated Hereford, Northampton Town and Scunthorpe leaves everything pretty much as it was. Brighton manage a win to haul themselves out of the relegation zone, but they're still very much in the fight.

21st April - League One
A shock win for Dagenham over Brentford delays the title celebrations, while Rotherham put paid to Morecambe's hopes of a playoff spot. Wycombe beat beleaguered Luton to keep the pressure on at the top of the table.

21st April - Conference
Histon win and guarantee themselves a playoff spot. Stevenage beat play-off rivals Kidderminster and leapfrog them into the places - though Kidderminster can still make it. Torquay only manage a draw and draw a huge target on themselves as they have to play Burton on the final day - themselves looking to fight off Cambridge for the title...

23rd April - Championship
Southampton go into Administration and are effectively relegated. If they finish outside the relegation zone, they will have 10 points deducted from their total which will put them into the relegation zone (their maximum total is 50pt, so 40pt after deduction which is well below the current points tally of the 4th bottom side Barnsley (48pt). If they finish in the relegation zone - and they pretty much need to win both remaining games to avoid that - the 10 points will be deducted at the start of next season.

24th April - League One
Crewe lose by one goal in seven to Stockport and do their chances of escaping relegation absolutely no good at all - all of the teams they can catch have at least one game in hand over them, and they only have three teams they can catch. Scunthorpe draw with champions Leicester and while not harming their playoff push they don't enhance them much either...

25th April - Championship
In the early kick-off at Blackpool, Blackpool secure their Championship status with the single point they needed for mathematical safety - but Forest are still very much in the fight depending on the 3pm results...

In the 3pm matches, Wolves net the single point they need to win the title, while Birmingham slip up at home to Preston when automatic promotion was theirs for the taking. Instead they face a nervous final game with Sheffield United snapping at their heels a point behind, and Reading still, mathematically, in with a shout. Only one team remains outside the current top 6 with a chance of getting in there - Birmingham's conquerors Preston.

At the bottom, Derby do the absolute bare minimum required to escape the drop and they leave Norwich, Nottingham Forest, Barnsley and Plymouth Argyle to fight to avoid the last spot. Southampton - already technically relegated by going into Administration and having a suspended 10 point penalty - draw with Burnley and confirm their relegation. The 10 point penalty will be applied at the start of next season, giving them a serious uphill struggle.

25th April - League One
Swindon Town do what they have to and beat Bristol Rovers. Though they can still be caught by Carlisle (depending on 3pm kick-offs), it would require a specific set of results to relegate them and they're all-but safe.

In the 3pm games Cheltenham find themselves relegated after a 1-1 draw with rivals Carlisle (making Swindon's result earlier a guaranteed safety-earner - along with Yeovil Town). Northampton beat already-relegated Hereford, but they're still very much in the thick of it, with two relegation spots to be decided amongst them, Carlisle, Crewe, Brighton and Hartlepool.

At the top Peterborough claim the second automatic promotion spot behind champions Leicester. Millwall, MK Dons and Leeds United all now have guaranteed Playoff spots (though in any order between them) with Tranmere leapfrogging Scunthorpe into the final place for now. They'll play each other on the final day of the season with the winner getting the berth - though Scunthorpe have an extra game to play and may switch positions again before then. Southend and Huddersfield are now in no-man's land.

25th April - League Two
Brentford win to seal promotion and the title all in one fell swoop after all the other top 6 drew. Wycombe, Exeter and Bury are all now after the other two places. Gillingham and Rochdale have guaranteed playoff spots, leaving the last one to either Dagenham (the only other winning team in the top 8 places) or Shrewsbury. Down at the bottom only the most bizarre set of results ever conceived (or another club going into administration) will save Chester - who have to win while Grimsby lose and have a goal difference of 20 in Chester's favour for them stay up.

26th April - Premiership
Newcastle only manage a 0-0 draw with Portsmouth, putting West Ham, Manchester City and Tottenham clear of relegation (not that they were seriously threatened, being 8th, 9th and 10th). Newcastle now occupy 18th, just goal difference ahead of Middlesbrough and both are a win away from even the next team up.

26th April - Blue Square Premier
The only result which left Burton's automatic promotion and title in jeopardy happened - a defeat away to Torquay. Luckily for them, Cambridge could only draw at Altrincham, giving Burton the title and berth in League Two next year. Cambridge settle for the play-offs, along with Torquay, Histon and Stevenage Borough.

27th April - Championship
Norwich lose 2-0 to Reading, putting Reading still in with an outside chance of automatic promotion and leaving the final relegation place to Norwich themselves or Barnsley. Barnsley have 3 points more and a 3 worse goal difference - so if they lose while Norwich win on the final day of the season, they go down. Any other result and Norwich go down.

28th April - League One
Though MK Dons and Scunthorpe both win, it does little to the top of the table - still the final play-off place will be decided by the Scunthorpe - Tranmere game on the last day, only now Scunthorpe can draw and qualify. At the bottom Cheltenham lose but have already gone, while Northampton's loss is more significant - they're still just two points from the final relegation place which can still be decided by any 2 of five teams...

2nd May - League One and League Two
A full set of fixtures decides all the remaining issues in the divisions, prior to Playoffs...

3rd May - Championship
At the bottom, Barnsley beat Plymouth, saving themselves and rendering Norwich's result wholly irrelevant - though they managed to lose anyway to the first team in the country to be relegated who hadn't had points docked... At the top, Birmingham beat Reading to go up, similarly rendering Sheffield United's result irrelevant. The playoff places go to Sheffield United, Reading, Burnley and, on goals scored Preston North End as they beat QPR 2-1 and Cardiff lose 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday...

30th April - 23rd May
Playoffs (see post 5)...

9th May - Premiership
West Brom keep themselves alive - just - by beating Wigan, bringing themselves level with both Newcastle and Middlesbrough on points. Hull blow one of their best chances to secure safety but are still 3 points clear (pending Monday's crunch Tyne-Tees match), with Stoke now safe. Blackburn's win against Portsmouth essentially saves them, and Bolton's draw with Sunderland does similar - with Sunderland still in theoretical trouble. Relegation is now any three from six - with Blackburn and Bolton still mathematical possibilities, but incredibly unlikely.

11th May - Premiership
Newcastle beat Middlesbrough 3-1 to get themselves out of the relegation zone on goal difference at Hull City's expense. Relegation is now pretty much any 3 from West Brom, Boro, Hull, Newcastle and Sunderland...

16th May - Premiership
Newcastle lose at home to Fulham, while Hull draw away at Bolton. This set of results puts Bolton, Blackburn and Portsmouth beyond reach of the bottom three. Middlesbrough manage a draw with Villa but they're all-but beyond redemption.

17th May - Premiership
If West Bromwich Albion lose at home to Liverpool, they are down. Any other result and the bottom 5 is still very much up for grabs.

18th May - Premiership
Sunderland need just one point away to Portsmouth to be safe - and fail, with a 3-1 defeat. Even so, they're still a pretty long outside chance of going down, but stranger things have happened.

24th May - Premiership
All the permutations proved irrelevant as both Newcastle and Middlesbrough failed to do even the minimum required to save themselves and lost 1-0 each, and are relegated.

 

[Touring Mars]

Got one!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/23/southampton-point-penalty-relegated-championship

 

[Famine]

Whu?

So... if they don't get relegated, they'll have the 10 points taken off them so they are relegated, which means they are relegated and lose 10 points next season instead of this season that they already lost, unless they are relegated in which case they'll... oh I've gone all cross-eyed again.

 

[Famine]

Okay Now we have all the divisions outside the Premiership settled, it's time for the Playoff fixtures

30th April
Blue Square Premier Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Stevenage Borough 3-1 Cambridge United

1st May
Blue Square Premier Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Torquay United 2-0 Histon

4th May
Blue Square Premier Semi-Final, 2nd Leg - Cambridge United 3-0 Stevenage Borough (Cambridge United win 4-3 on aggregate)
Blue Square Premier Semi-Final, 2nd Leg - Histon 1-0 Torquay United (Torquay United win 2-1 on aggregate)

7th May
League Two Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Rochdale 0-0 Gillingham
League Two Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Shrewsbury Town 0-1 Bury

8th May
Championship Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Preston North End 1-1 Sheffield United
League One Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Scunthorpe United 1-1 Milton Keynes Dons

9th May
Championship Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Burnley 1-0 Reading
League One Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Millwall 1-0 Leeds United

10th May
League Two Semi-Final, 2nd Leg - Bury 0-1 Shrewsbury Town - Shrewsbury win 4-3 on penalties after extra time (1-1 on aggregate)
League Two Semi-Final, 2nd Leg - Gillingham 2-1 Rochdale (Gillingham win 2-1 on aggregate)

11th May
Championship Semi-Final, 2nd Leg - Sheffield United 1-0 Preston North End (Sheffield United win 2-1 on aggregate)

12th May
Championship Semi-Final, 2nd Leg - Reading 0-2 Burnley (Burnley win 3-0 on aggregate)

14th May
League One Semi-Final, 2nd Leg - Leeds United 1-1 Millwall (Millwall win 2-1 on aggregate)

15th May
League One Semi-Final, 2nd Leg - Milton Keynes Dons 0-0 Scunthorpe United - Scunthorpe win 7-6 on penalties after extra time (1-1 on aggregate)

17th May
Blue Square Premier Final (at Wembley) - Cambridge United 0-2 Torquay United

23rd May
League Two Final (at Wembley) - Shrewsbury Town 0-1 Gillingham

24th May
League One Final (at Wembley) - Millwall 2-3 Scunthorpe United

25th May
Championship Final (at Wembley) - Sheffield United vs. Burnley

 

[Smallhorses]

9th May
League One Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Millwall vs. Leeds United

15th May
League One Semi-Final, 1st Leg - Leeds United vs. Millwall

Leeds and Millwall seem to have 2 first legs.
Does this mean they have their legs crossed?

 

[Sureboss]

3 big teams go down from the Championship, thankfully not us, beating Saints 3-1 today in a packed CG.

Every year this league just gets harder and harder, one of the best in the world for drama.

 

[Only_in_f1]

I hate this thread. Just brings back bad memories.

So I'll bring you a league 1/2 view. I'm a Northampton Town fan and this season spent well over £1,000 on Following my club this year. The pain of last day relegation was stupid. Standing at Leeds, losing 3-0 knowing your going to Notts County and not Norwich is something hard to swallow. At new year we thought we were safe, 2 hours before the Leeds game be believed we were safe. That Saturday night was one of the worst nights of my life. League-Bloody-Two.


Next season I hope to see this thread with :

Promoted as Champions: Northampton Town

 

[Famine]

They really did contrive to throw it all away - they had every chance but just kept losing. Somehow. Then having to get any kind of result at Leeds... that was never going to go well.

 

[Only_in_f1]

The record stood:
December: 1 win
January: 1 win
February: 1 win
March:1 win
April: 2 wins
May:0

The record spoke for itself. We knew that we wouldn't beat Leeds, but we had hoped Millwall would get a point from Carlisle, gutted that they didn't.

 

[Famine]

*Famine points at Middlesbrough and Newcastle and laughs. Laughs until I can laugh no more (which will be never)*

 

[Smallhorses]

Laughs until I can laugh no more (which will be never)

Even when they tear strips off of the Owls next year?

 

[Famine]

Being a Wednesday fan means never being disappointed. We know our place - but I can just imagine all the Boro fans baying for Southgate's blood, and all the Geordies exclaiming that they were "too big to go down".

Fail.

 

[Omnis]

Too big to fail? Where have I heard that before?

 

[Smallhorses]

Too big to fail? Where have I heard that before?

Leeds? Man City? Charlton? Sarfampton? Leicester?
Swind... Actually, there's only so far you can push that point.

 

[Sureboss]

Being a Wednesday fan means never being disappointed. We know our place - but I can just imagine all the Boro fans baying for Southgate's blood, and all the Geordies exclaiming that they were "too big to go down".

Fail.

Titanic was built in Ireland, not Geordie land