The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.
The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May 2011. The Premier League finished on 22 May 2011.
Promotion and relegation Teams promoted to Premier League Newcastle United West Bromwich Albion Blackpool
Teams relegated from Premier League Hull City Burnley Portsmouth
Teams promoted to Championship Norwich City Leeds United Millwall
Teams relegated from Championship Sheffield Wednesday Plymouth Argyle Peterborough United
Teams promoted to League One Notts County Rochdale Bournemouth Dagenham & Redbridge
Teams relegated from League One Gillingham Wycombe Wanderers Southend United Stockport County
Teams promoted to League Two Stevenage Oxford United
Teams relegated from League Two Grimsby Town Darlington
Managerial changes
Name Club Date of departure Replacement Date of appointment Martin O'Neill Aston Villa 9 August 2010 Gérard Houllier 8 September 2010 Steve Coppell Bristol City 12 August 2010 Keith Millen 12 August 2010 Kevin Blackwell Sheffield United 14 August 2010 Gary Speed 17 August 2010 Chris Turner Hartlepool United 19 August 2010 Mick Wadsworth 1 December 2010 Alan Pardew Southampton 30 August 2010 Nigel Adkins 12 September 2010 Nigel Adkins Scunthorpe United 12 September 2010 Ian Baraclough 24 September 2010 Chris Sutton Lincoln City 29 September 2010 Steve Tilson 15 October 2010 Paulo Sousa Leicester City 1 October 2010 Sven-Göran Eriksson 3 October 2010 Simon Davey Hereford United 4 October 2010 Jamie Pitman 16 December 2010 Gordon Strachan Middlesbrough 18 October 2010 Tony Mowbray 26 October 2010 Craig Short Notts County 24 October 2010 Paul Ince 28 October 2010 Chris Hughton Newcastle United 6 December 2010 Alan Pardew 9 December 2010 Sam Allardyce Blackburn Rovers 13 December 2010 Steve Kean 22 December 2010 Gary Speed Sheffield United 14 December 2010 Micky Adams 30 December 2010 Paul Trollope Bristol Rovers 15 December 2010 Dave Penney 10 January 2011 Brian Laws Burnley 29 December 2010 Eddie Howe 17 January 2011 Darren Ferguson Preston North End 29 December 2010 Phil Brown 6 January 2011 Micky Adams Port Vale 30 December 2010 Jim Gannon 6 January 2011 George Burley Crystal Palace 1 January 2011 Dougie Freedman 11 January 2011 Mark Stimson Barnet 1 January 2011 Martin Allen 23 March 2011 Chris Hutchings Walsall 4 January 2011 Dean Smith 21 January 2011 Phil Parkinson Charlton Athletic 4 January 2011 Chris Powell 14 January 2011 Paul Simpson Stockport County 4 January 2011 Ray Mathias 9 March 2011 Roy Keane Ipswich Town 7 January 2011 Paul Jewell 10 January 2011 Roy Hodgson Liverpool 8 January 2011 Kenny Dalglish 8 January 2011 Kevin Dillon Aldershot Town 10 January 2011 Dean Holdsworth 11 January 2011 Gary Johnson Peterborough United 10 January 2011 Darren Ferguson 12 January 2011 Eddie Howe Bournemouth 17 January 2011 Lee Bradbury 28 January 2011 Alan Irvine Sheffield Wednesday 3 February 2011 Gary Megson 4 February 2011 Andy Scott Brentford 3 February 2011 Nicky Forster 2 March 2011 Roberto Di Matteo West Bromwich Albion 6 February 2011 Roy Hodgson 11 February 2011 Peter Taylor Bradford City 26 February 2011 Peter Jackson 28 February 2011 Ian Sampson Northampton Town 2 March 2011 Gary Johnson 5 March 2011 Danny Wilson Swindon Town 2 March 2011 Paul Hart 3 March 2011 Dave Penney Bristol Rovers 7 March 2011 Paul Buckle 30 May 2011 Aidy Boothroyd Coventry City 14 March 2011 Andy Thorn 28 April 2011 Ian Baraclough Scunthorpe United 16 March 2011 Alan Knill 31 March 2011 Jim Gannon Port Vale 21 March 2011 Micky Adams 13 May 2011 Ronnie Moore Rotherham United 22 March 2011 Andy Scott 13 April 2011 Alan Knill Bury 31 March 2011 Richard Barker 1 June 2011 Paul Ince Notts County 3 April 2011 Martin Allen 11 April 2011 Martin Allen Barnet 11 April 2011 Lawrie Sanchez 13 May 2011 Paul Hart Swindon Town 27 April 2011 Paolo Di Canio 20 May 2011 Sammy McIlroy Morecambe 9 May 2011 Jim Bentley 13 May 2011 Micky Adams Sheffield United 10 May 2011 Danny Wilson 26 May 2011 Mark Robins Barnsley 12 May 2011 Keith Hill 31 May 2011 Avram Grant West Ham United 15 May 2011 Sam Allardyce 1 June 2011 Nicky Forster Brentford 19 May 2011 Uwe Rosler 10 June 2011 Carlo Ancelotti Chelsea 22 May 2011 André Villas-Boas 22 June 2011 Dave Jones Cardiff City 30 May 2011 Malky Mackay 17 June 2011 Paul Buckle Torquay United 30 May 2011 Martin Ling 13 June 2011 Keith Hill Rochdale 31 May 2011 Steve Eyre 12 June 2011 Gérard Houllier Aston Villa 1 June 2011 Alex McLeish 17 June 2011 Mark Hughes Fulham 2 June 2011 Martin Jol 7 June 2011 Billy Davies Nottingham Forest 12 June 2011 Steve McClaren 13 June 2011 Alex McLeish Birmingham City 12 June 2011 Chris Hughton 22 June 2011 Malky Mackay Watford 17 June 2011 Sean Dyche 21 June 2011 Ray Mathias Stockport County 5 July 2011 Dietmar Hamann 5 July 2011
New clubs Bromsgrove Sporting F.C. was formed by fans of Bromsgrove Rovers before the season began and before the original club folded. They were accepted into the Midland Football Combination Division two (level 12) while the original club was expelled from the Southern League, Division One South & West (Level 8) Chester F.C. was formed by fans of Chester City F.C. which had folded. They were accepted into the Northern Premier League Division One North (level 8), while the original club had been expelled from the Conference National (level 5). Merthyr Town F.C. was formed by fans of Merthyr Tydfil F.C. which had folded. They were accepted into the Western Football League Division One (level 10), while the original club had been expelled from the Southern Football League Premier Division (level 7)
Clubs removed Bromsgrove Rovers, expelled from Southern League, Division One South & West (Level 8), 11 August 2010. Ilkeston Town, expelled from Conference North (Level 6), 8 September 2010. Leyton, expelled from Isthmian League, Division One North (Level 8), 14 January 2011. Atherstone Town, resigned from Southern League Division One Central (Level 8) at the end of the season. Announced 18 December 2010. Windsor & Eton, expelled from Southern League, Premier Division (Level 7), 2 February 2011. Windsor formed out of club's demise, and competed in the Combined Counties Football League (level 9) in 2011–12 Almondsbury Town, resigned from Southern League, Division One South & West (Level 8) at end of season. Announced 7 April 2011. Leigh Genesis, resigned from North West Counties Football League (level 9) after season finished. Announced 2 June 2011. Rushden & Diamonds, expelled from 2011–12 Conference National (level 5) after season finished. Announced 11 June 2011. AFC Rushden & Diamonds formed out of club's demise and will field a senior team in 2012–13. Rossendale United, expelled from 2011–12 North West Counties Football League (level 9) after season finished. Announced 18 June 2011.
Retirements
July 2010 – Chris Lumsdon, 30, former Sunderland, Barnsley, Carlisle United and Darlington midfielder. 24 August 2010 – Sam Hutchinson, 21, former Chelsea defender. 26 August 2010 – Matt Murray, 29, former Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper. January 2011 – Gavin McCann, 33, former Everton, Sunderland, Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers midfielder who won one cap for England. 2 February 2011 – Gary Neville, 35, former England and Manchester United full back. 5 March 2011 – Miki Roqué, 22, former Liverpool and Oldham Athletic defender. 8 March 2011 – Chris Armstrong, 28, former Bury, Oldham Athletic, Sheffield United and Reading defender. 10 March 2011 – Sean McDaid, 25, former Doncaster Rovers and Carlisle United defender. 29 April 2011 – Michael Bridges, 32, former Sunderland, Leeds United, Bristol City, Carlisle United, Hull City and MK Dons striker. 22 May 2011 – Jerzy Dudek, 38, former Poland and Liverpool goalkeeper. 30 May 2011 – Claude Makélélé, 38, former France and Chelsea midfielder. 31 May 2011 – Paul Scholes, 36, former England and Manchester United midfielder. 6 June 2011 – Jon Dahl Tomasson, 34, former Denmark and Newcastle United striker. Summer 2011 – Edwin van der Sar, 40, former Netherlands, Fulham and Manchester United goalkeeper. Summer 2011 – Sami Hyypiä, 37, former Finland and Liverpool defender. Summer 2011 – Robbie Savage, 36, former Wales, Crewe Alexandra, Leicester City, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers and Derby County midfielder. Summer 2011 – Paul Hartley, 34, former Scotland, Millwall and Bristol City midfielder. Summer 2011 – Tony Roberts, 41, former Dagenham & Redbridge, QPR & Wales goalkeeper.
Deaths 14 July 2010 – Ken Barnes, 81, wing-half who made 283 appearances for Manchester City, and was a member of the City side that won the FA Cup in 1956. Later became manager of Wrexham before returning to City as chief scout 17 July 2010 – Shaun Mawer, 50, full back who made 60 appearances for Grimsby Town from 1977 to 1980 30 July 2010 – Stanley Milburn, 83, played for Ashington, Chesterfield, Leicester City and Rochdale and had one England B team cap. Uncle of Jack and Bobby Charlton. 10 August 2010 – Brian Clark, 67, forward who made over 600 appearances in The Football League, most notably with Cardiff City and Bristol City. 10 August 2010 – Adam Stansfield, 31, Exeter City forward who made over 300 career appearances for Yeovil Town, Hereford United and Exeter City. 10 August 2010 – Markus Liebherr, 62, owner of Southampton F.C. 15 August 2010 – John Green, 71, midfielder who made 250 league appearances for Tranmere Rovers, Blackpool and Port Vale. 18 September 2010 – Bobby Smith, 77, who was a key member of Tottenham Hotspur's double winning side of 1961 . 1 October 2010 – Ian Buxton, 72, inside-forward who made 215 league appearances for Derby County, Luton Town, Notts County and Port Vale; also a captain of Derbyshire County Cricket Club. 13 October 2010 – Eddie Baily, 85, inside-forward who made 419 league appearances for Tottenham Hotspur, Port Vale, Nottingham Forest, and Leyton Orient, and the England national team; part of the Spurs 1950–51 League winning side.Eddie Baily Tottenham Hotspur FC, 13 October 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2013. 15 October 2010 – Malcolm Allison, 83, best remembered for his spell as coach under Joe Mercer at Manchester City during the successes of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and for his later but less successful spell as the club's manager. 29 October 2010 – Ronnie Clayton, 76, Right-half who made 35 appearances England, many as the skipper. Clayton was one of the most recognised wing-halves of his generation, during his 21-year career from 1950 to 1971, he spent 19 years at Blackburn Rovers. 30 October 2010 – John Benson, 67, Scottish football player and manager. Notably playing for Torquay United in the 60's, and for managing and directing Wigan Athletic. 14 December 2010 – Dale Roberts, 24, former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper playing for Conference National team Rushden & Diamonds. Roberts also featured for the England C team. His death was a suspected suicide. 17 December 2010 – Ralph Coates, 64, former Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur, Leyton Orient and England forward. 28 December 2010 – Avi Cohen, 54, former Liverpool defender who scored the club's title-clinching goal in 1980. Was also a captain of the Israel national football team. Died from injuries sustained in a motorcycling accident in his native Israel. 10 January 2011 – Richard Butcher, 29, Macclesfield Town midfielder, who also enjoyed spells with Northampton Town, Kettering Town, Oldham Athletic, Peterborough United, Notts County and Lincoln City.