Login
Login

2008–09 Football League#League Two

{{Short description|110th season of the Football League}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}

{{Infobox football league season

| competition = The Football League

| season = 2008–09

| winners = Wolverhampton Wanderers

| promoted = Wolverhampton Wanderers
Birmingham City
Burnley

| relegated = Chester City
Luton Town

| continentalcup1 = New Clubs in League

| continentalcup1 qualifiers = Aldershot Town
Exeter City

| prevseason = 2007–08

| nextseason = 2009–10

}}

The 2008–09 Football League (known as the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 110th completed season of the Football League. It began in August 2008 and concluded in May 2009, with the promotion play-off finals.

The Football League is contested through three Divisions: the Championship, League One and League Two. The winner and the runner up of the League Championship are automatically promoted to the Premier League and they will are joined by the winner of the Championship playoff. The bottom two teams in League Two are relegated to the Conference Premier.

Promotion and relegation

As a consequence of results in the 2008–09 English football season, the following promotions and relegations involving teams within, or entering or exiting the Football League occurred. These changes take effect for the 2009–10 season.

=From Premier League=

Relegated to Championship

=From Championship=

Promoted to Premier League

Relegated to League One

=From Football League One=

Promoted to Championship

Relegated to League Two

=From Football League Two=

Promoted to League One

Relegated to Conference Premier

=From Conference Premier=

Promoted to League Two

Championship

{{transcluded section|2008–09 Football League Championship}}

=Table=

{{trim|{{#section-h:2008–09 Football League Championship|League table}}}}

=Play-offs=

{{trim|{{#section-h:2008–09 Football League Championship|Play-offs}}}}

=Results=

{{trim|{{#section-h:2008–09 Football League Championship|Results}}}}

=Managerial changes=

class="wikitable"
Team

! Outgoing manager

! Manner of departure

! Date of vacancy

! Replaced by

! Date of appointment

! Position in table

Queens Park Rangers

| Iain Dowie

| Contract terminated

| 24 October 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/7689062.stm |title=QPR part company with boss Dowie |date=24 October 2008 |access-date=10 November 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Paulo Sousa

| 19 November 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/7736118.stm |title=Sousa is new QPR first-team coach |date=19 November 2008 |access-date=20 November 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 9th

Watford

| Aidy Boothroyd

| Mutual consent

| 3 November 2008{{cite news |url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4536124,00.html |title=Pardew Exits Charlton |date=22 November 2008 |access-date=22 November 2008 |publisher=Sky Sports}}

| Brendan Rodgers

| 24 November 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/watford/7744881.stm |title=Rodgers named new Watford manager |date=24 November 2008 |access-date=24 November 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 21st

Charlton Athletic

| Alan Pardew

| Mutual Consent

| 22 November 2008

| Phil Parkinson

| 31 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/7806330.stm |title=Addicks appoint Parkinson as boss |date=31 December 2008 |access-date=31 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 22nd

Blackpool

| Simon Grayson

| Signed by Leeds United (Mutual Consent)

| 23 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/7796182.stm |title=Grayson appointed Leeds Manager |date=23 December 2008 |access-date=23 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Ian Holloway

| 21 May 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackpool/8061441.stm|title=Blackpool unveil Holloway as boss|date=21 May 2009 |access-date=22 May 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

|16th

Nottingham Forest

| Colin Calderwood

| Contract terminated

| 26 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/7800688.stm |title=Calderwood sacked as Forest boss |date=26 December 2008 |access-date=26 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Billy Davies

| 1 January 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/7805993.stm |title=Davies appointed Forest manager |date=1 January 2009 |access-date=1 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

|22nd

Derby County

| Paul Jewell

| Resigned

| 28 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/7802617.stm |title=Jewell resigns as Derby manager |date=29 December 2008 |access-date=29 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Nigel Clough

| 6 January 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/7813858.stm |title=Clough takes over as Derby boss |date=6 January 2009 |access-date=6 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 18th

Norwich City

| Glenn Roeder

| Contract terminated

| 14 January 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/norwich/7828617.stm |title=Roeder sacked as Norwich manager|date=14 January 2000 |access-date=14 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Bryan Gunn

| 21 January 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/norwich/7841754.stm |title=Norwich name Gunn boss for season |date=21 January 2009 |access-date=21 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 21st

Southampton

| Jan Poortvliet

| Resigned

| 23 January 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/7848414.stm |title=Poortvliet resigns as Saints boss|date=23 January 2009 |access-date=23 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Mark Wotte

| 23 January 2009

| 23rd

Queens Park Rangers

| Paulo Sousa

| Contract terminated

| 9 April 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/7993079.stm

|title=QPR axe Sousa after just 26 games|date=9 April 2009 |access-date=9 April 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

|

|

| 10th

Ipswich Town

| Jim Magilton

| Contract terminated

| 22 April 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/8012301.stm |title=Magilton sacked as Ipswich boss|date=22 April 2009 |access-date=22 April 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Roy Keane

| 23 April 2009{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/8013572.stm|title=Keane appointed Ipswich manager |date=23 April 2009|work=BBC Sport|access-date=23 April 2009}}

| 9th

Reading

| Steve Coppell

| Resigned

| 13 May 2009{{cite news|url=http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1656205,00.html |title=Coppell departs as manager |date=13 May 2009 |access-date=14 May 2009 |publisher=Reading FC |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515022225/http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10306~1656205%2C00.html |archive-date=15 May 2009}}

|

|

| 4th

=Top scorers=

class= wikitable
PosPlayerTeamGoals
1

|Sylvan Ebanks-Blake

|Wolverhampton Wanderers

!25

rowspan="2"|2

|Jason Scotland

|Swansea City

!rowspan="2"|21

Ross McCormack

|Cardiff City

4

|Kevin Doyle

|Reading

!18

5

|Tommy Smith

|Watford

!17

6

|Rob Hulse

|Derby County

!15

rowspan="3"|7

|Chris Iwelumo

|Wolverhampton Wanderers

!rowspan="3"|14

Kevin Phillips

|Birmingham City

Marcus Tudgay

|Sheffield Wednesday

rowspan="3"|10

|Dexter Blackstock

|Nottingham Forest

!rowspan="3"|13

Nicky Bailey

|Charlton Athletic

Paul Gallagher

|Plymouth Argyle

League One

{{transcluded section|2008–09 Football League One}}

=Table=

{{trim|{{#section-h:2008–09 Football League One|League table}}}}

=Play-offs=

{{trim|{{#section-h:2008–09 Football League One|Play-offs}}}}

=Results=

{{trim|{{#section-h:2008–09 Football League One|Results}}}}

=Managerial changes=

class="wikitable"
Team

! Outgoing manager

! Manner of departure

! Date of vacancy

! Replaced by

! Date of appointment

! Position in table

Milton Keynes Dons

| Paul Ince

| Signed by Blackburn Rovers (Mutual Consent)

| 22 June 2008{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackburn_rovers/7457696.stm |title=Blackburn appoint Ince as manager|work=BBC Sport|date=22 June 2008|access-date=10 August 2008}}

| Roberto Di Matteo

| 2 July 2008{{cite news |date=30 June 2008 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/milton_keynes_dons/7484484.stm |title=Di Matteo appointed MK Dons coach |work=BBC Sport|access-date=10 August 2008 }}

| Pre-season

Cheltenham Town

| Keith Downing

| Mutual consent

| 13 September 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/cheltenham_town/7614259.stm |title= Manager Downing leaves Cheltenham |work=BBC Sport|date=13 September 2008 |access-date=14 September 2008}}

| Martin Allen

| 15 September 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/cheltenham_town/7615732.stm |title= Allen named new Cheltenham boss |work=BBC Sport|date=15 September 2008 |access-date=15 September 2008 }}

| 24th

Colchester United

| Geraint Williams

| Mutual consent

| 22 September 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/colchester_united/7629198.stm |title=Boss Williams departs Colchester |work=BBC Sport|date=22 September 2008 |access-date=23 September 2008}}

| Paul Lambert

| 9 October 2008{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/colchester_united/7661952.stm| title=Lambert named as Colchester boss| work=BBC Sport| date=8 October 2008| access-date=12 October 2008}}

| 23rd

Carlisle United

| John Ward

| Mutual consent

| 3 November 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/carlisle_united/7705853.stm |title=Carlisle part company with Ward |date=3 November 2008 |access-date=10 November 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Greg Abbott

| 5 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/carlisle_united/7767539.stm |title=Abbott appointed Carlisle manager |date=5 December 2008 |access-date=5 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 20th

Huddersfield Town

| Stan Ternent

| Contract terminated

| 4 November 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/huddersfield_town/7707920.stm |title=Huddersfield sack manager Ternent |date=4 November 2008 |access-date=10 November 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Lee Clark

| 11 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/huddersfield_town/7775201.stm |title=Clark named new Huddersfield boss |date=11 December 2008 |access-date=11 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 16th

Swindon Town

| Maurice Malpas

| Mutual consent

| 14 November 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swindon_town/7728908.stm |title=Swindon part company with Malpas |date=14 November 2008 |access-date=15 November 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Danny Wilson

| 26 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swindon_town/7800303.stm |title=Wilson appointed Swindon manager |date=26 December 2008 |access-date=26 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 17th

Crewe Alexandra

| Steve Holland

|

| 18 November 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crewe_alexandra/7736343.stm |title=Gradi replaces Holland at Crewe |date=18 November 2008 |access-date=19 November 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Guðjón Thórðarson

| 24 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crewe_alexandra/7799134.stm |title=Thordarson appointed Crewe boss |date=24 December 2008 |access-date=24 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 24th

Hartlepool United

| Danny Wilson

| Contract terminated

| 15 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hartlepool_united/7784326.stm |title=Hartlepool dismiss manager Wilson |date=15 December 2008 |access-date=15 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

|

|

| 13th

Leeds United

| Gary McAllister

| Contract terminated

| 21 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/7794419.stm |title=Leeds dismiss manager McAllister |date=21 December 2008 |access-date=21 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Simon Grayson

| 23 December 2008

| 9th

Walsall

| Jimmy Mullen

| Contract terminated

| 10 January 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/walsall/7822043.stm|title=Mullen sacked as Walsall manager|date=10 January 2009 |access-date=10 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Chris Hutchings

| 20 January 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/walsall/7838623.stm |title=Walsall appoint Hutchings as boss|date=20 January 2009 |access-date=20 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 12th

Leyton Orient

| Martin Ling

| Mutual Consent

| 18 January 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leyton_orient/7836234.stm|title=Leyton Orient manager Ling leaves|date=10 January 2009 |access-date=18 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Geraint Williams

| 5 February 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leyton_orient/7871651.stm |title=Orient appoint Williams as boss |date=5 February 2009 |access-date=5 February 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 21st

Yeovil Town

| Russell Slade

| Mutual Consent

| 16 February 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/y/yeovil/7892607.stm |title=Yeovil split with manager Slade|date=16 February 2009 |access-date=16 February 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Terry Skiverton

| 18 February 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/y/yeovil/7898362.stm |title=Skiverton appointed Yeovil boss |date=18 February 2009 |access-date=18 February 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 16th

Brighton & Hove Albion

| Micky Adams

| Mutual Consent

| 21 February 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/7903287.stm |title=Brighton part company with Adams |date=21 February 2009 |access-date=21 February 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Russell Slade

| 6 March 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/7927704.stm |title=Slade appointed new Brighton boss |date=6 March 2009 |access-date=6 March 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 21st

Oldham Athletic

| John Sheridan

| Mutual Consent

| 15 March 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/o/oldham_athletic/7944877.stm |title=Oldham boss Sheridan leaves club |date=15 March 2009 |access-date=15 March 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Joe Royle

| 15 March 2009{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/o/oldham_athletic/7945172.stm |title=Royle replaces Sheridan at Oldham |date=15 March 2009 |access-date=15 March 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 8th

=Top scorers=

class=wikitable
PosPlayerClubGoals
rowspan="2"|1

|Rickie Lambert

|Bristol Rovers

!rowspan="2"|29

Simon Cox

|Swindon Town

rowspan="2"|3

|Jermaine Beckford

|Leeds United

!rowspan="2"|27

Matty Fryatt

|Leicester City

5

|Gary Hooper

|Scunthorpe United

!24

6

|Craig Mackail-Smith

|Peterborough United

!23

rowspan="2"|7

|Aaron McLean

|Peterborough United

!rowspan="2"|18

Joel Porter

|Hartlepool United

9

|Paul Hayes

|Scunthorpe United

!17

10

|Aaron Wilbraham

|Milton Keynes Dons

!16

League Two

{{transcluded section|2008–09 Football League Two}}

=Table=

{{:2008–09 Football League Two}}

=Play-offs=

{{trim|{{#section-h:2008–09 Football League Two|Play-offs}}}}

=Results=

{{trim|{{#section-h:2008–09 Football League Two|Results}}}}

=Managerial changes=

class="wikitable"
Team

! Outgoing manager

! Manner of departure

! Date of vacancy

! Replaced by

! Date of appointment

! Position in table

AFC Bournemouth

| Kevin Bond

| Contract terminated

| 1 September 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7592896.stm |title=Bond sacked as Bournemouth boss|work=BBC Sport|date=1 September 2008 |access-date=3 September 2008}}

| Jimmy Quinn

| 2 September 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7593850.stm |title=Bournemouth name Quinn as manager |work=BBC Sport|date=2 September 2008 |access-date=3 September 2008 }}

| 23rd

Grimsby Town

| Alan Buckley

| Contract terminated

| 15 September 2008{{cite news |url=http://www.grimsby-townfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10417~1393011,00.html |title=GTFC Statement |publisher=Grimsby Town official website |date=15 September 2008 |access-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918015859/http://www.grimsby-townfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10417~1393011,00.html |archive-date=18 September 2008 |url-status=dead }}

| Mike Newell

| 6 October 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/grimsby_town/7654352.stm |title=Newell takes over as Grimsby boss |date=6 October 2008 |access-date=10 November 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 20th

Port Vale

| Lee Sinnott

| Mutual consent

| 22 September 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7629851.stm |title= Sinnott parts company with Vale |work=BBC Sport|date=22 September 2008 |access-date=23 September 2008}}

| Dean Glover

| 6 October 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7653984.stm |title=Glover named new Port Vale boss |date=6 October 2008 |access-date=10 November 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 16th

Chester City

| Simon Davies

| Contract terminated

| 11 November 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chester/7721512.stm |title=Chester part company with Davies |work=BBC Sport|date=11 November 2008 |access-date=11 November 2008 }}

| Mark Wright

| 14 November 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chester/7730031.stm |title=Chester reappoint Wright as boss |work=BBC Sport|date=14 November 2008 |access-date=15 November 2008}}

| 19th

Barnet

| Paul Fairclough

| Resigned

| 28 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/barnet/7801204.stm |title=Fairclough stands down at Barnet |date=27 December 2008 |access-date=27 December 2008 |work=BBC Sport}}

|

|

| 21st

AFC Bournemouth

| Jimmy Quinn

| Contract terminated

| 31 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7806809.stm |title=Quinn parts company with Cherries |date=1 January 2009 |access-date=1 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| Eddie Howe

| 31 December 2008{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7837089.stm |title=Cherries appoint Howe for season |date=19 January 2009 |access-date=19 January 2009 |work=BBC Sport}}

| 23rd

=Top scorers=

class="wikitable"
PosPlayerTeamGoals
|1

|Simeon Jackson

|Gillingham

!|21

rowspan="2"|2

|Grant Holt

|Shrewsbury Town

!rowspan="2"|20

Jack Lester

|Chesterfield

|4

|Reuben Reid

|Rotherham United

!|18

rowspan="5"|5

|Paul Benson

|Dagenham & Redbridge

!rowspan="5"|17

John O'Flynn

|Barnet

Adam Le Fondre

|Rochdale

Peter Thorne

|Bradford City

Brett Pitman

|AFC Bournemouth

rowspan="3"|10

|Andy Bishop

|Bury

!rowspan="3"|16

Ryan Lowe

|Chester City

Charlie MacDonald

|Brentford

Notes

  • Luton (−30), Bournemouth (−17) and Rotherham (−17) began the League Two season on negative points.

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

  • [http://www.football-league.co.uk Football League website]
  • [http://www.soccerbase.com Soccerbase results database]
  • [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/default.htm BBC Sport football pages]{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{The Football League seasons}}

{{2008-09 in English football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2008-09 Football League}}

Category:English Football League seasons