Premier League
Final Table
CHELSEA manager Carlo Ancelotti finished his first season in charge having won a historic League and Cup Double for the club.
The Blues finished a point ahead of Carling Cup winners Manchester United, and a Didier Drogba goal with 15 minutes left was enough to beat Portsmouth in the FA Cup Final.
While they prospered in the Cup, Pompey suffered a terrible season in the league. They became the first ever Premier League club to go into administration and a nine-point deduction all but ensured their relegation.
Burnley and Hull City were the other teams to be demoted, both falling well short of the level required to stay in the top flight.
The North London clubs had a decent season with Arsenal staying in the title chase longer than expected, and Tottenham Hotspur finishing in fourth place to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
But Merseyside had a miserable time of it. Liverpool, who were runners-up in 2008-09, collapsed badly and stumbled to a seventh-placed finish. Everton's poor start meant they could finish no higher than eighth.
Manchester City's big spending could only get them to fifth place just ahead of Aston Villa in sixth.
England's best performers in Europe were Fulham whose remarkable Europa Cup campaign saw them overcome holders Shakhtar Donestsk, Italian giants Juventus, and German pair Wolfsburg and Hamburg.
Unfortunately for the Cottagers, and manager Roy Hodgson, their run came to an end at the final hurdle against Athletico Madrid.
CHELSEA
Manager: Carlo Ancelotti (since June 2009)
Premier League: 1st
FA Cup: Winners, beat Portsmouth 1-0 in Final
League Cup: Quarter Finals, lost on penalties to Blackburn Rovers
Europe: CL Second Round, lost to Inter Milan 3-1 on aggregate
Verdict: Carlo Ancelotti's men won a deserved title, breaking the record for number of Premier League goals scored in a season and beating their two main title rivals home and away. Big wins against Portsmouth (5-0), Sunderland (7-2), Aston Villa (7-1), Stoke City (7-0) and Wigan Athletic (8-0 on the final day) made this a more stylish title win that those achieved under Jose Mourinho. They capped off the season in style by winning a historic first ever double with victory over Portsmouth at Wembley in the FA Cup Final. A Champions League defeat in the second round to Mourinho at Inter Milan was the Blues' only disappointment.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson (since November 1986)
Premier League: 2nd
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 1-0 at home to Leeds United
League Cup: Winners, beat Aston Villa 2-1 in the Final
Europe: CL Quarter Finals, lost on away goals to Bayern Munich
Verdict: United were unable to win a record 19th English league crown or a fourth successive title, falling just short of Chelsea after an intriguing title race. This season saw the real emergence of Wayne Rooney's real talent but the Red Devils seemed strangely more vulnerable in losses to Burnley, Fulham and Everton, and at home against Aston Villa. But their main defeats came against Chelsea twice in the league, a gut-wrenching knockout by Bayern Munich in Europe. The 2-1 comeback win against Villa in the Carling Cup Final will be of little consolation.
ARSENAL
Manager: Arsene Wenger (since October 1996)
Premier League: 3rd
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 3-1 at Stoke City
League Cup: Quarter Finals, lost 3-0 at Manchester City
Europe: CL Quarter Finals, lost 6-3 on aggregate to Barcelona
Verdict: This was a fifth season without a trophy for Arsenal but Arsene Wenger will be generally encouraged by the campaign. Written off as early as November after successive losses to Sunderland and Chelsea, the Gunners stayed in the title chase by showing more consistency over Christmas. At the start of February, Arsenal then lost successive matches against Manchester United and Chelsea but again they hung on in the title race by following those defeats with seven wins out of eight. But a derby defeat against Tottenham ended hopes of a surprise crown, with further last-season losses at Wigan and Blackburn dampening the mood.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Manager: Harry Redknapp (since October 2008)
Premier League: 4th
FA Cup: Semi Finals, lost 2-0 to Portsmouth after extra time
League Cup: Quarter Finals, lost 2-0 to Manchester United
Verdict: Free-scoring Spurs finally reached the Champions League after beating Manchester City to fourth place. It was a tight race but Tottenham's 1-0 win at City in the penultimate match proved decisive. The victory over City capped a fine last few weeks for Spurs who also beat London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea for the first time in years in two successive 2-1 wins in a strong finish marred only by a shock semi final loss to Portsmouth in the FA Cup. Spurs enjoyed several big wins during the season at home, most notably a 9-1 thrashing of Wigan in which Jermain Defoe scored five.
MANCHESTER CITY
Managers: Roberto Mancini (since December 2009). Previous manager: Mark Hughes.
Premier League: 5th
FA Cup: Fifth Round, lost 3-1 at Stoke City after extra time in replay
League Cup: Semi Finals, lost 4-3 on aggregate to Manchester United
Verdict: Big-spending City achieved none of their goals despite a mid-season managerial change. Three gut-wrenching defeats to Manchester United, all in stoppage time, made this a particularly difficult campaign to bear for unusually optimistic City fans. The 1-0 home loss to Tottenham which decided the final Champions League place in their opponents favour confirmed the feeling that this was not City's season. That was Roberto Mancini's fifth league defeat, more than double the number suffered under Mark Hughes, although Hughes had presided over a remarkable seven successive league draws in October and November.
ASTON VILLA
Manager: Martin O'Neill (since August 2006)
Premier League: 6th
FA Cup: Semi Finals, lost 3-0 to Chelsea
League Cup: Runners up, lost 2-1 to Manchester United
Europe: Europa League first round, lost on away goals to Rapid Vienna
Verdict: Villa reinforced their reputation as nearly men, losing several key games towards the end of the season, though the defeats were not without controversy. Villa lost 2-1 to Manchester United in the Carling Cup final at the end of February but manager Martin O'Neill will argue that United defender Nemanja Vidic should have been sent off for a foul on Gabriel Agbonlahor. A second Wembley heartache followed in April when Chelsea eased to a 3-0 FA Cup semi final win but only after Villa had a legitimate goal ruled out at 0-0. Chelsea were also largely responsible for ending Villa's Champions League qualification hopes after Villa crashed 7-1 at Stamford Bridge. Martin O'Neill has already come under some pressure but his position looks safe enough for now.
LIVERPOOL
Manager: Rafa Benitez (since June 2004)
Premier League: 7th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 2-1 at home to Reading after extra time in replay
League Cup: Fourth Round, lost 2-1 at Arsenal
Europe: Knocked out of CL group stage with seven points from six matches, lost in Semi Finals of Europa League on away goals to Athletico Madrid
Verdict: Liverpool went from title contenders to virtually mid-table fodder in the space of 12 months after a disastrous season at Anfield. The signs that this campaign would not match their second-place finish in 2008-09 were there early on with two defeats from the first three games. By Christmas, the Reds had lost seven league matches and they ended the season with 11. The over-reliance on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres was compounded by the loss of Xabi Alonso. Even the various Cups, so often Rafa Benitez's saviour, were no better. A fourth season without a trophy ended with a dire 0-0 draw at relegated Hull - surely Benitez's last in charge.
EVERTON
Manager: David Moyes (since March 2002)
Premier League: 8th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 2-1 at home to Birmingham City
League Cup: Fourth Round, lost 2-0 away to Tottenham Hotspur
Europe: Europa League Second Round, lost 4-2 on aggregate to Sporting Lisbon
Verdict: A woeful first half to the season cost Everton dearly as they fell short of catching Merseyside rivals Liverpool who claimed the final European place. An injury-ravaged squad managed just four wins before Christmas and left Everton in 15th with just 18 points from 17 games. A second half recovery saw the Toffees come unstuck just twice more in the league, although one of these defeats was at Liverpool. A 3-0 defeat in Lisbon also ended any hopes of glory in Europe.
BIRMINGHAM CITY
Manager: Alex McLeish (since November 2007)
Premier League: 9th
FA Cup: Quarter Finals, lost 2-0 away to Portsmouth
League Cup: Third Round, lost 2-0 away to Sunderland
Verdict: A fine season for the Blues who celebrated their return to the Premier League with a top-half finish and the club's highest league placing for decades. Early struggles were dismissed as Lee Bowyer enjoyed a purple patch in a brilliant 12-match unbeaten run either side of Christmas which was only brought to an end at Chelsea. Birmingham's home form held up well all season with just two losses at St Andrew's all season, the last of which came in September. But that defeat at Chelsea in late-January caused a loss of form on the road with seven of their last eight away games also ending in defeat. Notably, none of Birmingham's wins came by more than one goal and it could be much tougher going for them next season.
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Manager: Sam Allardyce (since December 2008)
Premier League: 10th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 3-1 away to Aston Villa
League Cup: Semi Finals, lost 7-4 on aggregate to Aston Villa
Verdict: Sam Allardyce achieved a top-half finish in his first full season at Ewood Park, and also reached the semi finals of the League Cup before a remarkable 6-4 loss at Villa. Rovers' home form was impressive with just three defeats all season in the league, including a win and two draws against the top three. But, as ever with Allardyce, away form was not particularly good. Blackburn won just three times on the road, and just once outside of Lancashire in the league.
STOKE CITY
Manager: Tony Pulis (since June 2006)
Premier League: 11th
FA Cup: Quarter Finals, lost 2-0 away at Chelsea
League Cup: Fourth Round, lost 4-0 away at Portsmouth
Verdict: Stoke easily avoided second season syndrome with a finish of 11th, one position higher in 2008-09. The Potters also enjoyed a bit of a Cup run this year though it was predictably halted at Stamford Bridge by Chelsea. Indeed, in the league, Stoke really struggled against the three main title contenders, failing to pick up a single point and suffering heavy defeats at Chelsea (0-7) and Manchester United (0-4) in the final few weeks. By then, though, Stoke were already safe having been more than competitive against the rest of the league.
FULHAM
Manager: Roy Hodgson (since December 2007)
Premier League: 12th
FA Cup: Quarter Finals, lost 3-1 away to Tottenham Hotspur in replay
League Cup: Third Round, lost 2-1 away to Manchester City in extra time
Europe: Europa League Runners up, lost 2-1 to Athletico Madrid in extra time
Verdict: Fulham failed to produce another top-half finish but this season was all about the Cups for Roy Hodgson's men. A decent run to the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup was bettered by an amazing Europa Cup campaign. Having emerged from a group featuring Roma, Basle and CSKA Sofia, the Cottagers beat holders Shakhtar Donetsk in the first knockout round. Then, they completed an amazing comeback against Juventus - from 4-1 down to 5-4 on aggregate - before beating Wolfsburg home and away. A 2-1 win over Hamburg at Craven Cottage in the semis set up Fulham's biggest ever match, a Final against Athletico Madrid. Sadly, there was not to be a fairytale ending to their 19th match in the competition going back to July. All the while, Fulham did enough in the Premier League to stay out of trouble, despite just once winning consecutive league games.
SUNDERLAND
Manager: Steve Bruce (since June 2009)
Premier League: 13th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 2-1 away to Portsmouth
League Cup: Fourth Round, lost on penalties to Aston Villa after 0-0 home draw
Verdict: Heavy investment last summer failed to push Sunderland into the top half or provide a Cup run. However, it is a good job the Black Cats had splurged some cash on Darren Bent as he scored more than half of the team's goals. Sunderland were actually in the lower reaches of the top half until Christmas thanks to a decent start which featured wins over Liverpool (courtesy of a beachball) and Arsenal, and a draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United. But the Arsenal win preceded a run of 14 league matches without a win stretching from the end of November until the end of February. Home form improved in the closing weeks to ensure Sunderland stayed out of harm's way.
BOLTON WANDERERS
Manager: Owen Coyle (since January 2010). Previous manager: Gary Megson.
Premier League: 14th
FA Cup: Fifth Round, lost 4-0 in replay away to Tottenham Hotspur
League Cup: Fourth Round, lost 4-0 away to Chelsea
Verdict: Bolton secured Premier League status for a ninth successive season but only after disgruntled fans forced a change at the top. Gary Megson had never been a particularly popular man at the Reebok Stadium and the Trotters struggled again in the first half of the season with just four wins. But it was two draws over Christmas - against fellow-strugglers Burnley and Hull - which proved terminal for Megson. In came Owen Coyle from Burnley and he got his first league win in controversial circumstances at his old club's ground. Still, Wanderers struggled and a five-match run without a goal left them in the bottom three. But three wins out of four and two late-season wins were more than enough.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Manager: Mick McCarthy (since July 2006)
Premier League: 15th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 3-1 away to Crystal Palace in replay
League Cup: Third Round, lost 1-0 to Manchester United
Verdict: Absolution for Mick McCarthy and Wolves after both manager and team had suffered badly in previous Premier League experiences. This season was never likely to be pretty and so it proved but, as time wore on, Wolves looked more and more assured. Wolves won just two of their first 14 games but three wins in the next four lifted spirits before another poor run of just five points from 36 after Christmas. But just one loss in eight followed that during March and April as the defence tightened significantly to secure top-flight status.
WIGAN ATHLETIC
Manager: Roberto Martinez (since June 2009)
Premier League: 16th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 2-0 at home to Notts County in replay
League Cup: Second Round, lost 4-1 away to Blackpool
Verdict: Wigan stayed up by the skin of their teeth and, most likely, would have gone down in any other season. A truly Jekyll and Hyde team, the Latics mixed some impressive results - home wins against Chelsea (3-1), Liverpool (1-0) and Arsenal (3-2) - with some absolutely nightmare away performances against Tottenham (1-9), Chelsea (0-8), Manchester United (0-5), Portsmouth, Arsenal and Bolton (all 0-4). It meant that, of Wigan's 79 goals conceded, 55 were on the road. And so, despite some impressive individual performances from the likes of Hugo Rodellega and Charles N'Zogbia, the Latics stayed up mainly because of the paucity of quality from Burnley and Hull.
WEST HAM UNITED
Manager: Vacant. Previous manager: Gianfranco Zola
Premier League: 17th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 2-1 at home to Arsenal
Carling Cup: Third Round, lost 3-1 away to Bolton Wanderers after extra time
Verdict: The end to a troubled season at the Boleyn Ground was also the end to Gianfranco Zola's time in charge. Despite being an undoubtedly likeable chap, Zola never convinced new owners David Sullivan and David Gold that he was good enough to keep the job. The Hammers struggled all season long with their sole away success coming on the opening day at Wolves. They won just twice more before Boxing Day when they beat Portsmouth though successive home wins over Birmingham and Hull in February seemed to ease worries. But a badly-timed run of six consecutive losses put the Hammers back in trouble before two wins and two draws from the last six games was enough to secure safety despite having just 35 points.
BURNLEY
Manager: Brian Laws (since January 2010). Previous manager: Owen Coyle.
Premier League: 18th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 1-0 away to Reading
League Cup: Third Round, lost 3-2 away to Barnsley
Verdict: Relegated Burnley ultimately raised the white flag when choosing to replace Owen Coyle with Brian Laws. Laws was struggling to keep Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship when he somehow go the call to become a Premier League manager. Not all the blame should be attached to Laws, however. Despite a decent start at home, the Clarets were useless away under previous manager Coyle and they had already embarked on a run of 11 matches without a win before he fled to Bolton. But Laws was never the man to rescue the situation and many Burnley fans also wonder if he is the right man for next season, too.
HULL CITY
Manager: Phil Brown (since December 2006, currently on 'gardening leave')
Premier League: 19th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 4-1 away to Wigan Athletic
League Cup: Third Round, lost 4-0 at home against Everton
Verdict: Hull City's ship finally sank this season having been unable to repair the psychological damage sustained from last season's second half struggle. Another good start was vital for Phil Brown but it never came and the Tigers' chances were only worsened by a run of 10 games without a win either side of Christmas. A 2-1 home win over Manchester City gave an illusion of hope but this was extinguished by a run of five successive losses, the last of which came under the stewardship of Iain Dowie. Dowie had been put in charge in place of Phil Brown who was put on gardening leave but his appointment was just as baffling as that of Brian Laws. As a player and coach, Dowie has now fought four relegation battles and won none of them.
PORTSMOUTH
Manager: Vacant. Previous managers: Paul Hart, Avram Grant.
Premier League: 20th
FA Cup: Runners up, lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the Final
League Cup: Quarter finals, lost 4-2 at home to Aston Villa
Verdict: Even before Pompey became the first ever Premier League team to enter administration, it had been a bad season at Fratton Park. A dreadful start saw Portsmouth take eight matches to get any points on the board and they remained rock-bottom all season, scraping 19 points by March, oddly the same number with which they finished. Players had not been paid on time on several occasions before the administrators came in and Pompey's points total was almost halved. Of course, this made their Cup run to the Final all the more remarkable but that would also fail to have a fairytale ending. Now, thoughts turn to keeping Pompey in business over the summer with worse-than-expected debts of up to £138m already revealed.
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The Championship
Final Table
NEWCASTLE UNITED made an instant return to the Premier League as 90 goals and 102 points ensured promotion at Easter.
Chris Hughton's men remained unbeaten at home all season to win the league ahead of West Bromwich Albion who won a fourth promotion in nine years.
While the Premier League experience is nothing new to the fans of the Magpies and the Baggies, the top flight for Blackpool will be massive.
The Seasiders caused a huge shock by winning the playoffs against Cardiff City having finished sixth in the regular season under unconventional manager Ian Holloway.
Nottingham Forest pushed the top two for much of the campaign before poor away form meant they had to settle for the playoffs lottery.
Forest's playoff nightmare gained another chapter against Blackpool while fellow East Midlanders Leicester City also went out at the semi finals.
Two of the relegated teams were predictable enough with Peterborough United never able to step up to the required level and Plymouth Argyle's valiant six-year stay brought to an end.
But the final relegation place was only decided on the final day when Crystal Palace got a 2-2 drew at Sheffield Wednesday to stay up at the expense of their hosts.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Manager: Chris Hughton (since June 2009)
Championship: 1st
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 4-2 away to West Bromwich Albion
League Cup: Third Round, lost 2-0 away to Peterborough United
Verdict: Newcastle bounced back to the big time at the first attempt, losing just four league games all season and racking up 102 points. The Magpies enjoyed a strong start with seven wins from the first nine league matches before a four-game blip in October which produced only two points. From then, though, Newcastle were imperious, losing just once more and they finished the season with eight wins and a draw from the last nine games.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Manager: Roberto di Matteo (since June 2009)
Championship: 2nd
FA Cup: Fifth Round, lost 3-2 at home to Reading after extra time in replay
League Cup: Third Round, lost 2-0 away to Arsenal
Verdict: West Brom won a fourth promotion in nine years after fending off a strong challenge by Nottingham Forest. Like Newcastle, the Baggies had a strong start and sat second in the table at Christmas. But a January loss to Forest dropped them to third, as did further losses to Bristol City and Queens Park Rangers. But, just as Forest's challenge faded, West Brom showed all their experience at this level to go through the last 12 matches unbeaten.
BLACKPOOL
Manager: Ian Holloway (since May 2009)
Championship: 6th. Promoted via the playoffs.
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 2-1 at home to Ipswich Town
League Cup: Third Round, lost 4-3 away at Stoke City
Verdict: A Tangerine dream for Blackpool who will play in the top flight for the first time since 1971 next season after a 3-2 playoff final win over Cardiff at Wembley. It was no more than the Seasiders deserved after they played much of the season with a refreshing, attacking style under Ian Holloway. They overhauled Swansea City to reach the playoffs with a fine late run which began with a 5-1 defeat of the Swans before DJ Campbell's hat-trick saw off Forest in the semi finals. In the final, a breathtaking first half ended with Blackpool on top and only some poor decision-making meant they failed to extend their advantage after half time.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Manager: Billy Davies (since January 2009)
Championship: 3rd
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 1-0 away to Birmingham City in replay
League Cup: Third Round, lost 1-0 at home to Blackburn Rovers
Verdict: More playoff heartache for Forest, losing 6-4 on aggregate to buoyant Blackpool, having finished third in the regular season. Billy Davies' men were right up with the front-runners until March but a first away defeat - at Derby, of all places - precipitated a dreadful run on the road which saw them drop off the pace. To add insult to injury, their strong home record - unbeaten in 19 matches at the City Ground - came to an end at the worst possible time against Blackpool.
CARDIFF CITY
Manager: Dave Jones (since May 2005)
Championship: 4th
FA Cup: Fifth Round, lost 4-1 away to Chelsea
League Cup: Third Round, lost 1-0 away to Aston Villa
Verdict: Defeat at Wembley to Blackpool consigns Cardiff to a seventh successive season in the Championship, a division which they seemingly just cannot crack. Fired by the goals of Peter Whittingham and Michael Chopra, the Bluebirds made a decent start but a poor run in November meant it was obviously going to be playoffs at best. A further poor run in February and March even made a top-six spot uncertain before a strong 10-match unbeaten run ensured an extension to their season. But a dramatic victory over Leicester on penalties was all for nought when Dave Jones' men came up against inspired Blackpool.
LEICESTER CITY
Manager: Nigel Pearson (since June 2008)
Championship 5th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 4-2 away at Cardiff City
League Cup: Second Round, lost 2-1 away at Preston North End
Verdict: A fine first season back in the second flight saw the Foxes comfortably win a playoff place but manager Nigel Pearson will be gutted at losing on penalties in the semi final. Leicester lost just three times before the start of December to sit briefly in third place before a terrible 5-1 loss to Nottingham Forest began a poor run of form which lasted until February. Better form in February and March included a revenge 3-0 win over Forest before four consecutive defeats left a playoff place in doubt. But Leicester won their last five matches of the regular season to secure fifth place, only to blow their chance from 12 yards in the semi final against Cardiff.
SWANSEA CITY
Manager: Paulo Souza (since June 2009)
Championship: 7th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 2-1 away at Leicester City
League Cup: Second Round, lost 2-1 at home to Scunthorpe United after extra time
Verdict: Swansea overcame an unsteady start under new manager Paulo Souza but a desperate lack of goals proved costly as Blackpool took the final playoff spot. After just one win and three defeats from their first six league games, Swansea then lost just twice in their next 27 between September and March. But their tendency to draw more games than win meant the Swans remained vulnerable and a poor finish to the season combined with Blackpool's good run left the Swans just outside the playoffs.
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Manager: Kevin Blackwell (since February 2008)
Championship: 8th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 2-0 away to Bolton Wanderers
League Cup: First Round, lost 2-1 at home to Port Vale
Verdict: A disappointing season for Kevin Blackwell at Bramall Lane as the Blades failed to make the top-six cut, having finished third in 2008-09. Poor away form was mainly to blame with just the final-day win at Ipswich Town their only success on the road after the start of December. A decent first eight games was negated by a failure to win any of the following eight. A better run either side of Christmas left the Blades still in contention but three wins from 15 matches followed and, despite then winning three of the final four, it was never going to be enough.
READING
Manager: Brian McDermott (since December 2009). Previous manager: Brendan Rogers.
Championship: 9th
FA Cup: Quarter Finals, lost 4-2 at home to Aston Villa
League Cup: Second Round, lost 2-1 at home to Barnsley
Verdict: This was truly a season of two halves at the Madejski Stadium with Reading looking like surprise relegation candidates until a dramatic FA Cup win at Anfield also turned their league form around. Just five league wins until the end of January cost Brendan Rogers his job and left the Royals second-bottom with 23 points from 27 games. In the meantime, Cup victories over Premier League pair Liverpool and Burnley began to give Reading some hope and their league form suddenly transformed. Eight wins out of nine lifted the Royals towards the top half and, though they suffered inconsistency in the last ten games, four wins were enough for an unlikely top-half finish.
BRISTOL CITY
Manager: Steve Coppell (since April 2010). Previous manager: Gary Johnson.
Championship: 10th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 1-0 away to Cardiff City in replay
League Cup: Second Round, lost 2-0 at home to Carlisle United
Verdict: This season spelled the end of Gary Johnson's four-and-a-half years at City but, in Steve Coppell, the board have brought in a sound replacement. Just two defeats until November had put the Robins in a handy early position but three wins from the next 20 league matches left them looking over their shoulders. It was a run that included two big home defeats against Cardiff (0-6) and Doncaster Rovers (2-5) with the latter bringing the curtain down on Johnson's largely impressive time in charge. One defeat from the last nine lifted City back into the top ten, though Coppell only oversaw the last two of those games.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Manager: Gordon Strachan (since October 2009). Previous manager: Gareth Southgate.
Championship: 11th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 1-0 at home to Manchester City
League Cup: Second Round, lost 2-1 away at Nottingham Forest after extra time
Verdict: Middlesbrough's mid table finish was no more than they deserved after they demonstrated perfectly how not to bounce back to the Premier League. Boro started off brightly enough but there were enough worrying signs in early home defeats to West Brom (0-5), Leicester City and Watford (both 0-1) to make chairman Steve Gibson unusually trigger-happy. Oddly, it was a 2-0 win over Derby County which was Gareth Southgate's last game even though it left his side just a point off the summit. New manager Gordon Strachan struggled early on, winning just three of his opening 15 games and losing the talented Adam Johnson to Manchester City. Boro's home form improved in the New Year - they are undefeated at the Riverside in the league since December - but away form remained patchy at best and a final-day defeat at Leicester dropped them from eighth to 11th.
DONCASTER ROVERS
Manager: Sean O'Driscoll (since September 2006)
Championship: 12th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 1-0 away at Derby County
League Cup: Second Round, lost 5-1 at home to Tottenham Hotspur
Verdict: Donny secured a third successive season of Championship football and a top half finish to boot after a generally impressive campaign in which they largely stayed out of trouble. A slow start featured just two wins - but nine draws - in their opening 16 league matches but Rovers soon shrugged off the draw specialists tag to win five out of six in the run-up to Christmas. Form in the New Year was far less consistent but O'Driscoll's men were through the 50-point barrier as early as mid-March, allowing them a relaxing last few weeks.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Manager: Neil Warnock. Previous managers: Jim Magilton, Paul Hart.
Championship: 13th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 3-2 at home to Sheffield United in replay
League Cup: Third Round, lost 1-0 away to Chelsea
Verdict: Another season of upheaval off the field at Loftus Road unsurprisingly had a detrimental effect on the field as Rangers' fledgling promotion challenge faded fast. Three successive wins in October, each featuring four goals for the Rs, had lifted the team to sixth in the table. But Rangers would win just twice more until February, including a run of one point from 21 straight after Christmas. Defeat to Middlesbrough at the end of February left QPR in 20th and relegation became a real possibility. But Neil Warnock was appointed straight after that game and steadied the ship sufficiently.
DERBY COUNTY
Manager: Nigel Clough (since January 2009)
Championship: 14th
FA Cup: Fifth Round, lost 2-1 at home to Birmingham City
League Cup: First Round, lost 2-1 away to Rotherham United
Verdict: There was little evidence of progress as Pride Park during 2009-10 as the Rams produced a similar season to 2008-09, finishing four places higher this time. Another slow start proved County's undoing with 10 defeats in the first 17 league games and further inconsistency in the New Year. Only for a brief spell in February when Derby beat rivals Nottingham Forest and eventual champions Newcastle did the Rams hit top form, though they always looked to have enough to beat the drop.
IPSWICH TOWN
Manager: Roy Keane (since April 2009)
Championship: 15th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 2-1 away to Southampton
League Cup: Second Round, lost 2-1 away to Peterborough United
Verdict: Ipswich won just one of their first 17 games, taking 15 matches to record their first win, thus destroying their season in the first couple of months. The Tractor Boys recovered somewhat in the second half of the campaign, finishing nine points clear of the bottom three but this was far below the fans' expectations under Roy Keane. Pre-season had been filled with talk of promotion but a 3-0 home defeat on the final day to Sheffield United showed the huge task which Keane still faces at Portman Road.
WATFORD
Manager: Malky Mackay (since June 2009)
Championship: 16th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 5-0 away to Chelsea
League Cup: Second Round, lost 2-1 away to Leeds United after extra time
Verdict: After a worrying season off the field at Vicarage Road, Watford will just be pleased to be playing back in the Championship this August. Faced with a winding up order at the High Court, Malky Mackay was left with a threadbare squad which performed admirably in the first part of the season but really struggled as time went on. A run of six defeats out of seven in February and March looked set to spell the end of Watford's Championship status but three late wins, including a final-day thrashing of Coventry City (4-0, away), were just enough.
PRESTON NORTH END
Manager: Darren Ferguson (since January 2010). Previous manager: Alan Irvine.
Championship: 17th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 2-0 away at Chelsea.
League Cup: Third Round, lost 5-1 at home to Tottenham Hotspur
Verdict: Traditionally hanging around the playoff places, this was one of Preston's most disappointing recent seasons. Eighteen points from the first nine league games suggested another top-six push was on the cards but, in the end, it was just as well the Deepdale club picked up so many early points as they struggled thereafter. They only once more won consecutive games and, in particular, became a soft touch on the road. Alan Irvine paid the price for Preston's poor results, losing his job at the end of December, but form under new man Darren Ferguson has hardly been spectacular.
BARNSLEY
Manager: Mark Robins (since September 2009)
Championship: 18th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 1-0 away to Scunthorpe United
League Cup: Fourth Round, lost 2-0 at home to Manchester United
Verdict: Barnsley proved the doubters wrong to secure another season of Championship football and it was to Mark Robins' credit that a final position of 18th seemed a little disappointing. The Tykes began as poorly as the pre-season doom-merchants had predicted with just one point from the first six games. Simon Davey was sacked and Robins took over to dramatic effect as the team lost just three times between mid-September and early January. Form then became patchy in the New Year though they remained outsiders in the playoff hunt until March. However, the last 10 league matches produced five draws and five defeats to drop Barnsley back down towards the bottom.
COVENTRY CITY
Manager: Aidy Boothroyd (since May 2010). Previous manager: Chris Coleman.
Championship: 19th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 2-1 at home to Portsmouth in a replay after extra time
League Cup: First Round, lost 1-0 at home to Hartlepool United after extra time
Verdict: This was another season of struggle for the Sky Blues at the wrong end of the Championship table. Just four wins, all by the end of September, from the first 20 league games left City needing something special to make anything more of the campaign than a relegation struggle. And yet, they almost did it - two mini-runs of four wins in five and five wins in six either side of Christmas lifted City to eighth. But that was as good as it got, and five draws and six defeats from the last 11 games dropped the Sky Blues back down the table. The 4-0 home defeat to Watford on the final day unsurprisingly brought an end to Chris Coleman's reign.
SCUNTHORPE UNITED
Manager: Nigel Adkins (since November 2006)
Championship: 20th
FA Cup: Fourth Round, lost 4-2 at home to Manchester City
League Cup: Fourth Round, lost 5-1 away to Manchester City
Verdict: Mission accomplished for Nigel Adkins who achieved safety in the Championship at the second time of asking at Glanford Park. After relegation in 2007-08, the Iron gained an immediate promotion back to the second tier through the playoffs but were instantly tagged relegation favourites. The season was always set to be tough and they lost all their away matches to the top seven. But, more notably, they won all but one of their home games against their fellow strugglers and Palace - who they failed to beat at home - were beaten 4-0 away instead.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Manager: Paul Hart (since March 2010). Previous manager: Neil Warnock.
Championship: 21st
FA Cup: Fifth Round, lost 3-1 away to Aston Villa in a replay
League Cup: Second Round, lost 2-0 at home to Manchester City
Verdict: Survival in the most dramatic circumstances on the final day in Sheffield was the easy part - now Palace face a huge fight over the summer to sustain the club's existence. For the most part in 2009-10, Palace played well, losing just seven times before February to set up an unlikely playoff push. But the haunting spectre of administration had long hung over the club and, at the start of February, the club were plunged into a relegation battle after a 10-point deduction. Two wins immediately after the decision belied the fragile nature of the situation and just one win from the next 11 games put Palace in huge trouble. In the end, it went down to the final game - and 2-2 was enough for the Eagles at Hillsborough against Wednesday.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Manager: Alan Irvine (since January 2010). Previous manager: Brian Laws.
Championship: 22nd
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace
League Cup: Second Round, lost 2-0 away to Port Vale
Verdict: Perhaps the saddest indictment of Sheffield Wednesday's situation is the fact that their relegation to League One hardly comes as much of a surprise. Wednesday have already played two seasons in the third tier in the middle of the last decade and rarely impressed when back in the Championship. The Owls had another inconsistent start in 2009-10 but it gave little warning of what was to come. A dreadful run before Christmas of three points and no wins from 11 games put Wednesday into the drop zone and yet Brian Laws secured a Premier League job at Burnley. Wednesday seemed to have got the better deal, replacing Laws with Alan Irvine. He produced five wins out of seven to ease worries but it was only a brief stay of execution and just one win from the final 12 games was one bad run too many.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Manager: Paul Mariner (since December 2009). Previous manager: Paul Sturrock
Championship: 23rd
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 3-0 away to Newcastle United in replay
League Cup: First Round, lost 2-1 away to Gillingham
Verdict: A predictable relegation for the Devon club, particularly after the Pilgrims woeful start which saw them draw their first two games then lose their next seven. Paul Sturrock survived that run but was moved upstairs after another five consecutive losses without scoring in December. Paul Mariner took over but the damage was already done, and the season rather appropriately ended with another run of defeats - five in a row - in which the Pilgrims scored just once.
PETERBOROUGH UNITED
Manager: Gary Johnson (since April 2010). Previous managers: Darren Ferguson, Mark Cooper, Jim Gannon.
Championship: 24th
FA Cup: Third Round, lost 4-0 away to Tottenham Hotspur
League Cup: Fourth Round, lost 5-2 away to Blackburn Rovers
Verdict: A dreadful season at London Road which resembled a revolving door in the end with four managers taking charge in a single season. There had been little investment in the squad and the team struggled to compete at Championship level, winning just two games before November when Darren Ferguson was sacked. New manager Mark Cooper had caught the eye at Kettering but he also struggled with the step up, winning just one game. Former Stockport manager Jim Gannon was next in the hot seat and he improved the home form somewhat, recording four victories, before another dreadful run of form with just one point from a possible 27 between mid-March and the end of April. Gannon left after the 2-2 draw with Barnsley confirmed Posh's immediate relegation and Gary Johnson took over in time for his new team to beat Plymouth Argyle on the final day, but this was just their eighth league win of a long, hard season.
*Apologies for the lack of recent posts on theintrepidreporter.blogspot.com. This was mainly due to the volcanic ash cloud which extended a stay in the south of France from four days to six. A devastating predicament, I am sure you would all agree!
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See also
Earlier football 'mega-posts' on TheIntrepidReporter:
30.12.2009 Half time club-by-club review
11.08.2009 Premier League 2009-10 Guide
26.07.2009 Championship 2009-10 Guide
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