The 2011–12 season was the 132nd season of competitive football in England.
The season began on 5 August 2011 for the Football League, on 12 August for the Football Conference and 13 August for the Premier League. The Championship ended on 28 April 2012, whilst League One, and League Two ended on 5 May 2012. The Premier League ended on 13 May 2012.
Promotion and relegation (pre-season) Teams relegated from the Premier League Birmingham City Blackpool West Ham United
Teams promoted to the Premier League Queens Park Rangers Norwich City Swansea City
Teams relegated from the Championship Preston North End Sheffield United Scunthorpe United
Teams promoted to Championship Brighton & Hove Albion Southampton Peterborough United
Teams relegated from League One Dagenham & Redbridge Bristol Rovers Plymouth Argyle Swindon Town
Teams promoted to League One Chesterfield Bury Wycombe Wanderers Stevenage
Teams relegated from League Two Lincoln City Stockport County
Teams promoted to League Two Crawley Town AFC Wimbledon
Honours
Trophy and League champions CompetitionWinnerDetailsAtMatch ReportFA CupChelsea2011–12 FA Cupbeat Liverpool 2–1WembleyReportLeague CupLiverpool2011–12 Football League Cupbeat Cardiff City 3–2 on penalties(2–2 after extra time)WembleyReportPremier LeagueManchester City2011–12 Premier League beat QPR 3–2City of Manchester StadiumReportFootball League ChampionshipReading2011–12 Football League ChampionshipMadejski StadiumReportFootball League OneCharlton Athletic2011–12 Football League OneThe ValleyReportFootball League TwoSwindon Town2011–12 Football League TwoCounty GroundReportFA Community ShieldManchester United2011 FA Community Shieldbeat Manchester City 3–2WembleyReportFootball League TrophyChesterfield2011–12 Football League Trophybeat Swindon Town 2–0WembleyReportFA TrophyYork City2011–12 FA Trophybeat Newport County 2–0WembleyReport
Promotion winners CompetitionWinnerDetailsFootball League ChampionshipSouthampton2nd in ChampionshipFootball League OneSheffield Wednesday2nd in League OneFootball League TwoShrewsbury Town and Crawley Town2nd and 3rd in League Two
Playoff winners CompetitionWinnerDetailsFootball League ChampionshipWest Ham United2011–12 Football League Championship Beat Blackpool 2–1Football League OneHuddersfield Town2011–12 Football League One Beat Sheffield United 8–7 on Penalties(0–0 after extra time)Football League TwoCrewe Alexandra2011–12 Football League Two Beat Cheltenham Town 2–0Conference NationalYork City2011–12 Conference National Beat Luton Town 2–1Conference NorthNuneaton Town2011–12 Conference North Beat Gainsborough Trinity 1–0Conference SouthDartford2011–12 Conference South Beat Welling United 1–0
New clubs Windsor F.C., a new club formed and owned by fans of the defunct Windsor & Eton F.C., were accepted into the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division (level 9). Their first match in the competition was a 1–1 draw with South Park. Guernsey F.C. were accepted into the Combined Counties Football League Division One (level 10). Their first match in the competition was a 5–0 victory over Knaphill.
Clubs removed Andover, resigned from Southern League Division One South and West (level 8), 25 July 2011. Croydon Athletic, resigned from Isthmian League Division One South (level 8), 18 January 2012.
Retirements
1 September 2011: Steve Lovell, 30, former AFC Bournemouth and Portsmouth striker. 24 October 2011: Luke Nightingale, 30, former Portsmouth and Southend United striker. 13 December 2011: Simon Whaley, 26, former Bury, Preston North End, Norwich City, Chesterfield, Doncaster Rovers and Burton Albion midfielder. 15 December 2011: Paul Boertien, 32, former Carlisle United, Derby County, Walsall and Burton Albion defender. 1 March 2012: Bruno Berner, 34, former Switzerland, Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City defender. 17 March 2012: Scott Severin, 33, former Scotland and Watford midfielder. 3 April 2012: Luke Potter, 22, former Barnsley defender. 28 April 2012: Graham Alexander, 40, former Scotland, Scunthorpe United, Luton Town, Preston North End and Burnley defender. 2 May 2012: Sol Campbell, 37, former England, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Notts County and Newcastle United defender. 5 May 2012: Romain Larrieu, 35, former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper. 9 May 2012: Neil Mellor, 29, former Liverpool and Preston North End forward. 14 May 2012: Ruud van Nistelrooy, 35, former Netherlands and Manchester United striker who scored 95 FA Premier League goals. 19 May 2012: Radhi Jaïdi, 36, former Tunisia, Bolton Wanderers, Birmingham City and Southampton defender. 28 May 2012: Carl Fletcher, 32, former Wales, AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Plymouth Argyle midfielder. 12 June 2012: Sylvain Wiltord, 38, former France and Arsenal forward. Summer 2012: Mark Kennedy, 35, former Republic of Ireland, Millwall, Liverpool, Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City and Ipswich Town midfielder/defender. Summer 2012: Kevin Poole, 48, oldest registered player in the Football League having played as a goalkeeper for 32 years with the likes of Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Leicester City, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, Derby County and Burton Albion. Summer 2012: André Ooijer, 37, former Netherlands and Blackburn Rovers defender. Summer 2012: Rhys Day, 29, former Mansfield Town and Oxford United defender.
Deaths
27 June 2011: Mike Doyle, 64, former Manchester City, Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers and England defender. 5 August 2011: Stan Willemse, 86, former Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea, and Leyton Orient defender. 16 August 2011: Frank Munro, 63, former Wolves, Aberdeen and Dundee United defender. 28 August 2011: Bernie Gallacher, 44, former Aston Villa, Doncaster Rovers and Brighton & Hove Albion defender. 29 August 2011: Mark Ovendale, 37, former AFC Bournemouth, and Luton Town goalkeeper 1 September 2011: George Knight, 90, former Burnley forward. 9 September 2011: Laurie Hughes, 87, former Liverpool defender. 11 September 2011: Ralph Gubbins, 79, former Bolton Wanderers, Hull City and Tranmere Rovers forward. 8 November 2011: Jimmy Adamson, 82, former Burnley player and manager who also had short spells in charge of Sunderland and Leeds United. 14 November 2011: Alf Fields, 92, former Arsenal defender. 24 November 2011: Johnny Williams, 76, former Plymouth Argyle and Bristol Rovers wing half. 27 November 2011: Gary Speed, 42, Wales manager who played in midfield for Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United. 7 December 2011: Peter Croker, 89, former Charlton Athletic and Watford full back. 9 December 2011: Len Phillips, 89, former Portsmouth and England forward 25 December 2011: George Robb, 85, former Tottenham Hotspur outside left and British Olympian. 1 January 2012: Gary Ablett, 46, former Liverpool, Everton and Birmingham City defender. 8 January 2012: Graham Rathbone, 69, former Grimsby Town and Cambridge United centre half. 10 January 2012: Cliff Portwood, 74, former Preston North End, Port Vale, Grimsby Town and Portsmouth forward. 16 January 2012: Sigursteinn Gíslason, 43, former Stoke City and Iceland midfielder. 21 January 2012: Ernie Gregory, 90, former West Ham United goalkeeper. 12 February 2012: Malcolm Devitt, 75, former Bradford City inside forward. 13 February 2012: Eamonn Deacy, 53, former Aston Villa, Derby County and Republic of Ireland full back. 14 February 2012: Tom McAnearney, 79, former Sheffield Wednesday, Peterborough United and Aldershot wing half, who also had spells in management with Aldershot and Crewe Alexandra. February 2012: Peter King, 47, former Crewe Alexandra midfielder. 2 March 2012: Gerry Bridgwood, 67, former Shrewsbury Town and Stoke City midfielder. 9 March 2012: Brian Bromley, 65, former Bolton Wanderers, Portsmouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, Reading and Darlington inside left. 14 March 2012: Ray Barlow, 85, former West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City left half. 30 March 2012: Barry Kitchener, 64, former central defender who holds the record number of appearances for his only club Millwall. 5 April 2012: Jimmy Lawlor, 78, former Doncaster Rovers and Bradford City centre half. 6 April 2012: Larry Canning, 86, former Aston Villa wing half. 14 April 2012: Eddie May, 68, former Southend United, Wrexham and Swansea City defender, who also managed Newport County, Cardiff City, Torquay United and Brentford. 18 April 2012: Arthur Bottom, 82, former York City, Sheffield United, Newcastle United and Chesterfield striker. 20 April 2012: Alfie Biggs, 76, former Bristol Rovers, Preston North End, Walsall and Swansea Town forward. 8 May 2012: Barry Lowes, 73, former Bury, Coventry City, Blackpool and Swindon Town midfielder. 5 June 2012: Steve Buttle, 59, former AFC Bournemouth midfielder, who also had a lengthy spell in the USA. 6 June 2012: Chris Thompson, 52, former Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic, Blackpool, Cardiff City and Walsall midfielder/forward. 10 June 2012: Gordon West, 69, former England, Blackpool, Everton and Tranmere Rovers goalkeeper. 23 June 2012: Alan McDonald, 48, former Northern Ireland, Queens Park Rangers and Swindon Town defender. 24 June 2012: Miki Roqué, 23, Real Betis defender who previously played in England for Liverpool and Oldham Athletic.
England national football team
Euro 2012 qualification
Friendlies
League tables
Premier League
In one of the most memorable finishes to a season in recent memory, Manchester City ended a 44-year wait to win their first Premier League title on goal difference, with Sergio Agüero scoring in the last minute of stoppage time during their dramatic 3–2 win over Queens Park Rangers on the final day. Despite being pushed all the way, they won their final six games, while cross-city neighbours Manchester United squandered an eight-point lead in what was largely a trophyless season for Sir Alex Ferguson's men for the first time in six years. Arsenal recovered from a poor start to the season to take third place, while striker Robin van Persie won the Players' Player of the Year Award by scoring 30 goals.
Newcastle finished fifth to qualify for the Europa League, recording their first top-six finish in eight years under Alan Pardew, who won the Manager of the Year award. Chelsea suffered their worst season in ten years, finishing sixth with 64 points; André Villas-Boas, the personal choice for owner Roman Abramovich, was sacked after just nine months with automatic qualification for the Champions League at risk. Under caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo, however, they excelled in the cup competitions, winning the FA Cup for the fourth time in six seasons. It was the Champions League, though, in which they stunned everyone, storming their way through each round to reach the final against Bayern Munich. Pushing the German powerhouse to penalties, they kept the advantage and ultimately won 4–3, giving them their first European Cup victory and ensuring they qualified for the elite competition once again; their victory meant that fourth-placed Tottenham had to enter the Europa League and caused Harry Redknapp to lose his job after years in charge.
Liverpool were similar to Chelsea for parts of the league, but ultimately worse as they recorded their lowest league finish for 18 years, finishing in eighth place and only edging ninth-placed Fulham on a higher goal difference; their season was marred by striker Luis Suárez being convicted of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in October. They put this controversy behind them by winning the League Cup, ending five consecutive seasons without winning a trophy. Kenny Dalglish, fabled for his earlier Liverpool managerial reign in the late 1980s, was sacked after just 16 months following a poor finish to the season that saw them pick up just 13 points from 14 games.