The 2018–19 season was the 120th season of the English Football League (EFL) and the third season under that name after it was renamed from The Football League in 2016. It began on 3 August 2018 and concluded on 5 May 2019, with the promotion play-off finals at Wembley Stadium on 25–27 May 2019. For the sixth season running, the league was sponsored by Sky Betting & Gaming and was therefore known as the Sky Bet EFL.
The EFL is contested through three divisions: the Championship, League One and League Two. The winner and the runner-up of the Championship are automatically promoted to the Premier League and they are joined by the winner of the Championship play-off. The bottom two teams in League Two are relegated to the National League.
The 2018–19 season marked the start of an initial two-year partnership between the EFL and its official charity partner Mind. The mental health charity had its logo displayed on the shirts of all EFL clubs and worked with the EFL to promote mental health within football and the wider community. Also, this season saw one of the EFL's original members, Notts County, relegated from the league for the first time ever.
Promotion and relegation
From the Premier League Relegated to the Championship West Bromwich Albion Stoke City Swansea City
From the Championship Promoted to the Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers Cardiff City Fulham Relegated to League One Barnsley Burton Albion Sunderland
From League One Promoted to the Championship Wigan Athletic Blackburn Rovers Rotherham United Relegated to League Two Oldham Athletic Northampton Town MK Dons Bury
From League Two Promoted to League One Accrington Stanley Luton Town Wycombe Wanderers Coventry City Relegated to the National League Barnet Chesterfield
From the National League Promoted to League Two Macclesfield Town Tranmere Rovers
Championship
Table
Play-offs
Results
League One
Table
Play-offs
Results
League Two
Table
Play-offs
Results
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment Position in table Charlton Athletic Karl RobinsonSigned by Oxford United22 March 2018 2017–18 season Lee Bowyer 6 September 2018 10thScunthorpe United Graham AlexanderSacked24 March 2018 Nick Daws25 May 2018Pre-seasonWest Bromwich Albion Alan Pardew2 April 20182017–18 Premier League season Darren Moore18 May 2018Northampton Town Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink 2 April 20182017–18 season Dean Austin12 May 2018 Ipswich Town Mick McCarthyResigned10 April 2018 Paul Hurst30 May 2018 Milton Keynes Dons Dan MiccicheSacked22 April 2018 Paul Tisdale6 June 2018 Sunderland Chris ColemanReleased 29 April 2018 Jack Ross 25 May 2018 Carlisle United Resigned5 May 2018Pre-season John Sheridan5 June 2018 Barnsley José MoraisSacked6 May 2018 Daniel Stendel6 June 2018Bradford City Simon GraysonEnd of contract 8 May 2018 Michael Collins 18 June 2018 Queens Park Rangers Ian HollowaySacked 10 May 2018 Steve McClaren 18 May 2018 Swansea City Carlos Carvalhal End of contract 18 May 2018 Graham Potter 11 June 2018 Stoke City Paul LambertSacked18 May 2018 Gary Rowett 22 May 2018 Derby County Gary Rowett Signed by Stoke City 22 May 2018 Frank Lampard 31 May 2018 Shrewsbury Town Paul HurstSigned by Ipswich Town30 May 2018 John Askey 1 June 2018 Leeds United Paul HeckingbottomSacked1 June 2018 Marcelo Bielsa15 June 2018 Exeter City Paul TisdaleEnd of contract1 June 2018 Matt Taylor 1 June 2018 Macclesfield Town John Askey Signed by Shrewsbury Town 1 June 2018 Mark Yates 19 June 2018 Fleetwood Town John SheridanEnd of contract 2 June 2018 Joey Barton 2 June 2018 Doncaster Rovers Darren FergusonResigned 4 June 2018 Grant McCann 27 June 2018 Oldham Athletic Richie WellensSacked 8 June 2018 Frankie Bunn 13 June 2018 Blackpool Gary BowyerResigned 8 August 2018 12th Terry McPhillips 10 September 2018 9th Cheltenham Town Gary JohnsonSacked 21 August 201822nd Michael Duff 10 September 2018 18th Scunthorpe United Nick Daws 24 August 201818th Stuart McCall 24 August 2018 18th Notts County Kevin Nolan 26 August 2018 24th Harry Kewell 31 August 2018 24th Crawley Town Harry Kewell Signed by Notts County 31 August 2018 14th Gabriele Cioffi 7 September 2018 16th Bradford City Michael CollinsSacked 3 September 2018 17th David Hopkin 4 September 2018 17th Northampton Town Dean Austin 30 September 2018 21st Keith Curle 1 October 2018 21st Aston Villa Steve Bruce 3 October 2018 12th Dean Smith 10 October 2018 15th Macclesfield Town Mark Yates 8 October 2018 24th Sol Campbell 27 November 2018 Brentford Dean Smith Signed by Aston Villa 10 October 2018 6th Thomas Frank 16 October 2018 7th Ipswich Town Paul HurstSacked 25 October 2018 24th Paul Lambert 26 October 2018 24th Swindon Town Phil Brown 12 November 2018 17th Richie Wellens 13 November 2018 17th AFC Wimbledon Neal Ardley Mutual consent 12 November 2018 23rd Wally Downes 4 December 2018 23rd Shrewsbury Town John AskeySacked 12 November 2018 18th Sam Ricketts 3 December 2018 15th Notts County Harry Kewell 13 November 2018 22nd Neal Ardley 23 November 2018 23rd Cambridge United Joe Dunne 1 December 2018 21st Colin Calderwood19 December 201822nd Reading Paul Clement 6 December 2018 21st José Gomes22 December 2018 21st Bristol Rovers Darrell Clarke Mutual consent 13 December 2018 21st Graham Coughlan 6 January 2019 20th Sheffield Wednesday Jos LuhukaySacked 21 December 2018 18th Steve Bruce 2 January 2019 16th Oldham Athletic Frankie Bunn 27 December 2018 12th Paul Scholes 11 February 2019 14th Carlisle United John Sheridan Resigned 4 January 2019 7th Steven Pressley 16 January 2019 6th Stoke City Gary Rowett Sacked 8 January 2019 14th Nathan Jones 9 January 2019 14th Luton Town Nathan Jones Signed by Stoke City 9 January 2019 2nd Graeme Jones 7 May 2019 1st Nottingham Forest Aitor Karanka Resigned 11 January 2019 7th Martin O'Neill 15 January 2019 9th Peterborough United Steve Evans Sacked 26 January 2019 6th Darren Ferguson 26 January 2019 6th Port Vale Neil AspinResigned 30 January 2019 18th John Askey 4 February 2019 18th Bradford City David Hopkin 25 February 2019 23rd Gary Bowyer 4 March 2019 23rd Rochdale Keith HillSacked 4 March 2019 22nd Brian Barry-Murphy 3 April 2019 23rd West Bromwich Albion Darren Moore 9 March 2019 4th Slaven Bilić 13 June 20192019–20 season Oldham Athletic Paul Scholes Resigned 14 March 2019 14th Laurent Banide 11 June 2019 Scunthorpe United Stuart McCallSacked 24 March 2019 18th Paul Hurst 13 May 2019 Yeovil Town Darren Way 24 March 2019 22nd Darren Sarll 19 June 2019 2019–20 National League season Southend United Chris Powell 26 March 2019 20th Kevin Bond 2 April 2019 20th Queens Park Rangers Steve McClaren 1 April 2019 17th Mark Warburton 9 May 20192019–20 season Walsall Dean Keates 6 April 2019 22nd Darrell Clarke 10 May 2019 Gillingham Steve Lovell 26 April 2019 12th Steve Evans 1 June 2019 Plymouth Argyle Derek Adams 28 April 2019 21st Ryan Lowe 5 June 2019
References