2009–10 Football League Championship


The 2009–10 Football League Championship was the sixth season of the league under its current title and eighteenth season under its current league division format. It started on 7 August 2009.

Changes from previous season

Team changes

From Championship

Promoted to Premier League
Relegated to League One

To Championship

Relegated from Premier League
Promoted from League One

Rule changes

On field rule changes

  1. 'Home Grown Players' rule which aims to encourage the development of young footballers at League clubs. The new rule will require clubs to name at least four players in their matchday squad that have been registered domestically, for a minimum of three seasons, prior to their 21st birthday
  2. For the first time clubs will also have the opportunity to name seven substitutes, three of which may enter the field of play
Note: "Amendments to the laws of the game 2009–2010" also applied

Off field rule changes

  1. Financial regulations relating to tax payments. From now on, any club that falls behind with its employee related payments to HMRC will be subject to a transfer embargo until such time as the debt is cleared

Team overview

Stadia and locations

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
BarnsleyBarnsleyOakwell23,009
BlackpoolBlackpoolBloomfield Road12,555
Bristol CityBristolAshton Gate21,497
Cardiff CityCardiffCardiff City Stadium26,828
Coventry CityCoventryRicoh Arena32,609
Crystal PalaceLondonSelhurst Park26,309
Derby CountyDerbyPride Park Stadium33,597
Doncaster RoversDoncasterKeepmoat Stadium15,231
Ipswich TownIpswichPortman Road30,311
Leicester CityLeicesterWalkers Stadium32,500
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbroughRiverside Stadium35,100
Newcastle UnitedNewcastle upon TyneSt James' Park52,387
Nottingham ForestNottinghamCity Ground30,602
Peterborough UnitedPeterboroughLondon Road Stadium 115,460
Plymouth ArgylePlymouthHome Park19,500
Preston North EndPrestonDeepdale24,500
Queens Park RangersLondonLoftus Road19,128
ReadingReadingMadejski Stadium24,161
Scunthorpe UnitedScunthorpeGlanford Park 19,088
Sheffield UnitedSheffieldBramall Lane32,609
Sheffield WednesdaySheffieldHillsborough Stadium39,814
Swansea CitySwanseaLiberty Stadium20,532
WatfordWatfordVicarage Road19,920
West Bromwich AlbionWest BromwichThe Hawthorns26,500

1 Ground contains some terracing

League table

A total of 24 teams contested the division, including 18 sides remaining in the division from last season, three relegated from the Premier League, and three promoted from League One.

Play-offs

Second leg

Blackpool win 6–4 on aggregate
''Cardiff City 3–3 Leicester City on aggregate. Cardiff City win 4–3 on penalties''

Final

''Blackpool are promoted to the Premier League''

Results

Fixtures for the 2009–10 season were announced by The Football League on 17 June 2009.

Top goalscorers and assists

RankScorerClubGoals
1Peter WhittinghamCardiff City20
1Nicky MaynardBristol City20
3Gary HooperScunthorpe United19
4Andy CarrollNewcastle United17
4Kevin NolanNewcastle United17
6Charlie AdamBlackpool16
6Gylfi SigurðssonReading16
6Michael ChopraCardiff City16
9Robert EarnshawNottingham Forest15
9Darren AmbroseCrystal Palace15
9Billy SharpDoncaster Rovers15

PosPlayerTeamAssists
1Graham DorransWest Bromwich Albion19
2Wayne RoutledgeQueens Park Rangers/Newcastle United15
3Danny GuthrieNewcastle United13
4Jay BothroydCardiff City12
5Peter WhittinghamCardiff City10
6George BoydPeterborough United/Nottingham Forest9
6Paul HayesScunthorpe United9
6Radosław MajewskiNottingham Forest9
6Jobi McAnuffReading9
6Gylfi SigurðssonReading9
11Charlie AdamBlackpool8

Season statistics

Scoring

Discipline

  • First yellow card of the season: Rhys Williams for Middlesbrough against Sheffield United, 49:15 minutes
  • First red card of the season: Luke Chambers for Nottingham Forest against Reading, 87:41 minutes
  • Card given at latest point in a game: Wes Morgan at 90+7:07 minutes for Nottingham Forest against Bristol City
  • Most yellow cards in a single match: 9
  • *Bristol City 2–3 Sheffield United – 4 for Bristol City and 5 for Sheffield United
  • *Cardiff City 2–3 Leicester City – 3 for Cardiff City and 6 for Leicester City
  • Quickest card given at the start of the match: 26 Seconds – Nicky Maynard for Bristol City against Nottingham Forest
  • Quickest card given after coming on: 1:07 minutes – Alassane N'Diaye for Crystal Palace against Blackpool
  • Most fouls: Jay Bothroyd 103 fouls
  • Total number of yellow cards: 1636
  • Total number of red cards: '''86'''

Events

Controversy

15 August 2009
During a game between Bristol City and Crystal Palace, Freddie Sears scored a goal that ricocheted off the stanchion and went back out, but the linesman didn't see the goal and so it was disallowed. Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock called for a replay. Following the game, the three officials were suspended until it could be solved.28 November 2009
The tie between Plymouth and Barnsley was abandoned after 58 minutes because of heavy rain affecting the pitch. Barnsley were winning 4–1 and manager Mark Robins argued that it was a "let off" for Plymouth and that the travelling Barnsley fans should be reimbursed. The postponed match took place on 30 March, where it ended in a 0–0 draw.

Crystal Palace administration

On 27 January 2010, the Football League had announced that Crystal Palace had been placed into administration and Sheffield firm P&A Partnership were appointed as administrators for the club. Palace were docked ten points and dropped from 9th to 21st. They managed to survive another season in the Championship, but only after drawing 2–2 with Sheffield Wednesday on the final day and confined Wednesday to League One football in 2010–11.

Attendances

Source:
No.ClubAverageChangeHighestLowest
1Newcastle United43,388-11.0%52,18136,944
2Derby County29,230-0.7%33,01026,186
3Sheffield United25,120-3.5%29,21022,555
4Leicester City23,94318.2%31,75918,928
5Nottingham Forest23,8316.9%29,15518,332
6Sheffield Wednesday23,1797.6%37,12118,329
7West Bromwich Albion22,199-14.0%25,29719,390
8Ipswich Town20,841-0.6%27,05919,283
9Cardiff City20,71714.8%25,63017,686
10Middlesbrough19,948-29.8%27,72116,847
11Reading17,408-12.7%23,16314,096
12Coventry City17,305-0.6%22,20914,426
13Swansea City15,4071.5%18,79412,775
14Crystal Palace14,771-3.0%20,64312,328
15Bristol City14,601-13.2%19,14413,009
16Watford14,345-3.5%17,12012,179
17Queens Park Rangers13,349-5.3%17,08210,940
18Barnsley12,964-1.7%20,07911,116
19Preston North End12,935-3.7%19,84010,270
20Doncaster Rovers10,992-8.1%14,8508,827
21Plymouth Argyle10,316-9.7%14,7927,243
22Peterborough United8,91317.3%12,8776,445
23Blackpool8,6119.8%12,2966,855
24Scunthorpe United6,46428.7%8,9214,995