The 2009–10 Football League Championship (known as the Coca-Cola Championship for sponsorship reasons) 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 Wolverhampton Wanderers Birmingham City Burnley
Relegated to League One Norwich City Southampton Charlton Athletic
To Championship Relegated from Premier League Newcastle United Middlesbrough West Bromwich Albion
Promoted from League One Leicester City Peterborough United Scunthorpe United
Rule changes
On field rule changes '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 For the first time clubs will also have the opportunity to name seven substitutes (previously five), three of which may enter the field of play (no change)
Note: "Amendments to the laws of the game 2009–2010" also appliedFIFA Amendments to laws of the game FIFA.com (PDF format
Off field rule changes 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
Team Location Stadium Capacity Barnsley Barnsley Oakwell 23,009 Blackpool Blackpool Bloomfield Road 12,555 Bristol City Bristol Ashton Gate 21,497 Cardiff City Cardiff Cardiff City Stadium 26,828 Coventry City Coventry Ricoh Arena 32,609 Crystal Palace London Selhurst Park 26,309 Derby County Derby Pride Park Stadium 33,597 Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Keepmoat Stadium 15,231 Ipswich Town Ipswich Portman Road 30,311 Leicester City Leicester Walkers Stadium 32,500 Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium 35,100 Newcastle United Newcastle upon Tyne St James' Park 52,387 Nottingham Forest Nottingham City Ground 30,602 Peterborough United Peterborough London Road Stadium 1 15,460 Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Home Park 19,500 Preston North End Preston Deepdale 24,500 Queens Park Rangers London Loftus Road 19,128 Reading Reading Madejski Stadium 24,161 Scunthorpe United Scunthorpe Glanford Park 1 9,088 Sheffield United Sheffield Bramall Lane 32,609 Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Hillsborough Stadium 39,814 Swansea City Swansea Liberty Stadium 20,532 Watford Watford Vicarage Road 19,920 West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich The Hawthorns 26,500 1 Ground contains some terracing
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Team captain Kit maker Sponsor Barnsley Mark Robins Stephen Foster Lotto Barnsley Building Society Blackpool Ian Holloway Jason Euell Carbrini Carbrini Bristol City Steve Coppell Louis Carey Puma DAS Cardiff City Dave Jones Mark Hudson Puma SBOBET Coventry City Chris Coleman Stephen Wright Puma Cassidy Group (home), StadiArena (away) Crystal Palace Paul Hart Shaun Derry Nike GAC Logistics Derby County Nigel Clough Robbie Savage Adidas Bombardier Doncaster Rovers Sean O'Driscoll Brian Stock Vandanel Wright Investments Ipswich Town Roy Keane Jon Walters Mitre Marcus Evans Leicester City Nigel Pearson Matt Oakley Joma Loros (away) Middlesbrough Gordon Strachan David Wheater Adidas Garmin Newcastle United Chris Hughton Nicky Butt Adidas Northern Rock Nottingham Forest Billy Davies Paul McKenna Umbro Victor Chandler Peterborough United Gary Johnson Joe Lewis Adidas MRI Overseas Property Plymouth Argyle Paul Mariner Carl Fletcher Adidas Ginsters Preston North End Darren Ferguson Callum Davidson Canterbury Enterprise plc Queens Park Rangers Neil Warnock Mikele Leigertwood Lotto Gulf Air Reading Brian McDermott Ívar Ingimarsson Puma Waitrose Scunthorpe United Nigel Adkins Cliff Byrne Carlotti Rainham Steel Sheffield United Kevin Blackwell Chris Morgan Macron VisitMalta.com Sheffield Wednesday Alan Irvine Darren Purse Puma The Children's Hospital Sheffield Swansea City Paulo Sousa Garry Monk Umbro 32Red Watford Malky Mackay Jay DeMerit Joma Evolution HDTVWest Bromwich AlbionRoberto Di MatteoScott CarsonUmbro England 2018 (9 August 2009) Bluesqbet (15 December 2009) SBOBET (21 February 2010 and 2 April 2010) Bathams (20 March 2010) Esprit (23 March 2010 and 10 April 2010) Leons (24 March 2010)
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment Queens Park Rangers Gareth Ainsworth End of caretaker spell 9 April 2009 Pre-season Jim Magilton 3 June 2009 Reading Steve Coppell Resigned 12 May 2009 Brendan Rodgers 5 June 2009 Watford Brendan Rodgers Signed by Reading 5 June 2009 Malky Mackay 15 June 2009 Swansea City Roberto Martínez Signed by Wigan Athletic 15 June 2009 Paulo Sousa 23 June 2009 West Bromwich Albion Tony Mowbray Signed by Celtic 16 June 2009 Roberto Di Matteo 30 June 2009 Barnsley Simon DaveySacked 29 August 2009 24th Mark Robins 11 September 2009 Middlesbrough Gareth Southgate 20 October 2009 3rd Gordon Strachan 26 October 2009 Peterborough United Darren Ferguson Mutual consent 9 November 2009 24th Mark Cooper 14 November 2009 Plymouth Argyle Paul Sturrock Promoted to business support 10 December 2009 23rd Paul Mariner 10 December 2009 Sheffield Wednesday Brian Laws Sacked 13 December 2009 22nd Alan Irvine 8 January 2010 Reading Brendan RodgersMutual consent 16 December 2009 21st Brian McDermott 27 January 2010 Queens Park Rangers Jim Magilton 14th Paul Hart 17 December 2009 Preston North End Alan Irvine Sacked 29 December 2009 16th Darren Ferguson 6 January 2010 Queens Park Rangers Paul Hart Mutual consent 14 January 2010 20th Neil Warnock 1 March 2010 Peterborough United Mark Cooper Sacked 1 February 2010 24th Jim Gannon 1 February 2010 Crystal Palace Neil Warnock Signed by Queens Park Rangers 1 March 2010 21st Paul Hart 2 March 2010 Bristol City Gary JohnsonMutual consent 18 March 2010 16th Steve Coppell 22 April 2010 Peterborough United Jim Gannon 6 April 2010 24th Gary Johnson 6 April 2010
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
First leg
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
RankScorerClubGoals1 Peter WhittinghamCardiff City20 Nicky MaynardBristol City203 Gary HooperScunthorpe United194 Andy CarrollNewcastle United17 Kevin NolanNewcastle United176 Charlie AdamBlackpool16 Gylfi SigurðssonReading16 Michael ChopraCardiff City169 Robert EarnshawNottingham Forest15 Darren AmbroseCrystal Palace15 Billy SharpDoncaster Rovers15
PosPlayerTeamAssists1 Graham DorransWest Bromwich Albion192 Wayne RoutledgeQueens Park Rangers/Newcastle United153 Danny GuthrieNewcastle United134 Jay BothroydCardiff City125 Peter WhittinghamCardiff City106 George BoydPeterborough United/Nottingham Forest9 Paul HayesScunthorpe United9 Radosław MajewskiNottingham Forest9 Jobi McAnuffReading9 Gylfi SigurðssonReading911 Charlie AdamBlackpool8
Season statistics
Scoring First goal of the season: Miles Addison for Derby County against Peterborough United, 4:00 minutes (8 August 2009) Fastest goal in a match: 23 seconds Billy Clarke for Blackpool against Preston North End (30 November 2009) Daryl Murphy for Ipswich Town against Middlesbrough (6 February 2010) Goal scored at the latest point in a match: 90+6:12 – Pablo Couñago for Ipswich Town against Coventry City (16 January 2010) First own goal of the season: Kaspars Gorkšs (Queens Park Rangers) for Plymouth Argyle, 90+2:26 minutes (15 August 2009) First penalty kick of the season: Paul Hartley (scored) for Bristol City against Preston North End, 48:35 (8 August 2009) Widest winning margin: 6 Bristol City 0–6 Cardiff City (26 January 2010) Reading 6–0 Peterborough United (17 April 2010) Most goals in one half: 6 Newcastle United 6–1 Barnsley (5 March 2010) Bristol City 2–5 Doncaster Rovers (5 March 2010) Most goals in one half by a single team: 5 Newcastle United 6–1 Barnsley (5 March 2010) Most goals scored by losing team: 3 Sheffield United 3–4 Cardiff City (24 October 2009) Sheffield United 4–3 Plymouth Argyle (27 February 2010) Bristol City 5–3 Barnsley (23 March 2010) Doncaster Rovers 4–3 Scunthorpe United (24 April 2010) Nottingham Forest 3–4 Blackpool (11 May 2010) Most goals scored by one player in a match: 4 Michael Chopra (Cardiff City vs. Derby County) – 36, 57, 62, 75 minutes (29 September 2009)
Hat-tricks Player Nationality For Against Result Goals scored Date Ref Shola Ameobi Nigeria Newcastle United Reading 3–0 3 15 August 2009 Michael Chopra England Cardiff City Plymouth Argyle 3–1 3 18 August 2009 Kevin Nolan England Newcastle United Ipswich Town 4–0 3 26 September 2009 Michael Chopra England Cardiff City Derby County 6–1 4 29 September 2009 Peter Whittingham England Cardiff City Sheffield United 4–3 3 24 October 2009 Darius Henderson England Sheffield United Bristol City 3–2 3 28 November 2009 Robert Earnshaw Wales Nottingham Forest Leicester City 5–1 3 5 December 2009 Freddy Eastwood Wales Coventry City Peterborough United 3–2 3 12 December 2009 Paul Gallagher Scotland Leicester City Scunthorpe United 5–1 3 13 February 2010
Discipline First yellow card of the season: Rhys Williams for Middlesbrough against Sheffield United, 49:15 minutes (7 August 2009) First red card of the season: Luke Chambers for Nottingham Forest against Reading, 87:41 minutes (8 August 2009) Card given at latest point in a game: Wes Morgan (yellow) at 90+7:07 minutes for Nottingham Forest against Bristol City (3 April 2010) Most yellow cards in a single match: 9 Bristol City 2–3 Sheffield United – 4 for Bristol City (Lee Johnson, Louis Carey, Jamie McAllister and Ivan Sproule) and 5 for Sheffield United (Jamie Ward, Kyle Walker, Darius Henderson, Jordan Stewart and Stephen Quinn) (28 November 2009) Cardiff City 2–3 Leicester City – 3 for Cardiff City (Paul Quinn, Mark Hudson, Stephen McPhail) and 6 for Leicester City (Alex Bruce, Nolberto Solano, Andy King, Lloyd Dyer, Richie Wellens, Steve Howard) (11 May 2010) Quickest card given at the start of the match: 26 Seconds – Nicky Maynard for Bristol City against Nottingham Forest (7 November 2009) Quickest card given after coming on: 1:07 minutes – Alassane N'Diaye for Crystal Palace against Blackpool (20 March 2010) Most fouls: Jay Bothroyd 103 fouls Total number of yellow cards: 1636 Total number of red cards: 86
Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthNotesManagerClubPlayerClub August Chris HughtonNewcastle United Shola AmeobiNewcastle United September Chris HughtonNewcastle United Leon BestCoventry City October Dave JonesCardiff City Peter WhittinghamCardiff City November Chris HughtonNewcastle United Darren AmbroseCrystal Palace December Billy DaviesNottingham Forest Lee CampNottingham Forest January Alan IrvineSheffield Wednesday Charlie AdamBlackpool February Nigel PearsonLeicester City Paul GallagherLeicester City March Brian McDermottReading Gylfi SigurðssonReading April Chris HughtonNewcastle United Kevin NolanNewcastle United
Team of the Year
PFA Team of the Year