2014–15 Football League Championship
The 2014–15 Football League Championship (referred to as the Sky Bet Championship for sponsorship reasons), was the eleventh season of the Football League Championship under its current title and the twenty-third season under its current league structure. The 2014–15 season began on 8 August 2014 and ended on 2 May 2015.
Season | 2014–15 |
---|---|
Champions | Bournemouth (1st divisional title) |
Promoted | Bournemouth Watford Norwich City |
Relegated | Millwall Wigan Athletic Blackpool |
Matches played | 552 |
Goals scored | 1,474 (2.67 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Daryl Murphy (27 goals)[1] |
Biggest home win | Derby County 5–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers (8 November 2014) Birmingham City 6–1 Reading (13 December 2014) Norwich City 5–0 Huddersfield Town (13 December 2014) Norwich City 6–1 Millwall (26 December 2014) Watford 5–0 Charlton Athletic (17 January 2015) Watford 7–2 Blackpool (24 January 2015) Wolverhampton Wanderers 5–0 Rotherham United (21 February 2015) |
Biggest away win | Birmingham City 0–8 Bournemouth (25 October 2014) |
Highest scoring | Watford 7–2 Blackpool (24 January 2015) |
Longest winning run | 6 games[2] Bournemouth Norwich City |
Longest unbeaten run | 14 games[2] Bournemouth |
Longest winless run | 18 games[2] Blackpool |
Longest losing run | 6 games[2] Blackpool |
Highest attendance | 33,381[3] Middlesbrough 0–0 Brighton & Hove Albion (2 May 2015) |
Lowest attendance | 8,250[3] Millwall 2–2 Blackburn Rovers (4 November 2014) |
Total attendance | 9,771,471[3] |
Average attendance | 17,863[3] |
← 2013–14 2015–16 →
All statistics correct as of 2 May 2015. |
Bournemouth won the league on the last day of the season, confirming their place in the top flight for the first time in their history. Watford were runners-up and took their place in the Premier League for the first time since the 2006-2007 season. Norwich were the final promoted team, bouncing straight back from their relegation the previous season by beating Middlesbrough 2-0 in the Play Off Final.
At the other end of the table, Blackpool were relegated in April having been cut adrift at the bottom of the table for much of the season. Wigan and Millwall were the other two teams to be relegated on the penultimate weekend of the season.
Changes from last season
Team changes
The following teams have changed division since the 2013–14 season.[4]
Rule changes
Changes to the Championship's financial fair play system allow clubs:[5]
- Acceptable losses of £3 million during the 2014–15 season
- Acceptable shareholder equity investment of £3 million during the 2014–15 season (down from £5 million during the 2013–14 season).
- Sanctions for exceeding the allowances take effect from the set of accounts due to be submitted on 1 December 2014 for the 2013–14 season.
Team overview
Stadia and locations
|
|
Personnel and sponsoring
- According to current revision of List of English Football League managers
† After Marussia F1 rebranded as Manor F1 in 2015, Reading F.C. only displayed Waitrose sponsorship
Managerial changes
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blackpool | End of contract | 9 May 2014[34] | Pre-season | 11 June 2014[35] | ||
Brighton & Hove Albion | Resigned | 12 May 2014[36] | 6 June 2014[37] | |||
Charlton Athletic | End of contract | 27 May 2014 | 27 May 2014[38] | |||
Leeds United | Mutual consent | 31 May 2014[39] | 19 June 2014[40] | |||
Huddersfield Town | 10 August 2014[41] | 24th | 3 September 2014 | |||
Leeds United | Sacked | 28 August 2014[42] | 21st | 23 September 2014 | ||
Watford | Resigned | 1 September 2014[43] | 2nd | 2 September 2014[44] | ||
Cardiff City | 18 September 2014[45] | 17th | 6 October 2014[46] | |||
Fulham | Sacked | 18 September 2014[47] | 24th | 29 October 2014[48] | ||
Watford | Resigned due to ill health | 29 September 2014[49] | 4th | 29 September 2014[49] | ||
Bolton Wanderers | Mutual consent | 3 October 2014[50] | 23rd | 12 October 2014[51] | ||
Watford | 7 October 2014 | 3rd | 7 October 2014[52] | |||
Birmingham City | Sacked | 20 October 2014[53] | 21st | 27 October 2014[54] | ||
Leeds United | 26 October 2014[55] | 18th | 1 November 2014[56] | |||
Blackpool | 27 October 2014[57] | 24th | 30 October 2014[58] | |||
Wigan Athletic | 13 November 2014[59] | 22nd | 19 November 2014[60] | |||
Reading | 15 December 2014[61] | 16th | 16 December 2014[62] | |||
Brighton & Hove Albion | Resigned | 22 December 2014[63] | 22nd | 31 December 2014[64] | ||
Norwich City | 5 January 2015[65] | 7th | 9 January 2015[66] | |||
Charlton Athletic | Sacked | 11 January 2015[67] | 14th | 13 January 2015[68] | ||
Nottingham Forest | 1 February 2015[69] | 12th | 1 February 2015[70] | |||
Millwall | 10 March 2015[71] | 23rd | 29 April 2015[72] | |||
Wigan Athletic | 6 April 2015[73] | 23rd | 7 April 2015[74] | |||
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bournemouth (C, P) | 46 | 26 | 12 | 8 | 98 | 45 | +53 | 90 | Promotion to the Premier League |
2 | Watford (P) | 46 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 91 | 50 | +41 | 89 | |
3 | Norwich City (O, P) | 46 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 88 | 48 | +40 | 86 | Qualification for Championship play-offs[lower-alpha 1] |
4 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 68 | 37 | +31 | 85 | |
5 | Brentford | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 78 | 59 | +19 | 78 | |
6 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 72 | 54 | +18 | 78 | |
7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 70 | 56 | +14 | 78 | |
8 | Derby County | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 85 | 56 | +29 | 77 | |
9 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 66 | 59 | +7 | 67 | |
10 | Birmingham City | 46 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 54 | 64 | −10 | 63 | |
11 | Cardiff City | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 57 | 61 | −4 | 62 | |
12 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 54 | 60 | −6 | 60 | |
13 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 43 | 49 | −6 | 60 | |
14 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 71 | 69 | +2 | 59 | |
15 | Leeds United | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 50 | 61 | −11 | 56 | |
16 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 58 | 75 | −17 | 55 | |
17 | Fulham | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 62 | 83 | −21 | 52 | |
18 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 54 | 67 | −13 | 51 | |
19 | Reading | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 48 | 69 | −21 | 50 | |
20 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 10 | 17 | 19 | 44 | 54 | −10 | 47 | |
21 | Rotherham United | 46 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 46 | 67 | −21 | 46[lower-alpha 2] | |
22 | Millwall (R) | 46 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 42 | 76 | −34 | 41 | Relegation to Football League One |
23 | Wigan Athletic (R) | 46 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 39 | 64 | −25 | 39 | |
24 | Blackpool (R) | 46 | 4 | 14 | 28 | 36 | 91 | −55 | 26 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
- Four teams play for one spot and promotion to the Premier League.
- Rotherham United were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.[75]
Play-offs
Semi–Finals | Final | |||||||||
3 | Norwich City | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||
6 | Ipswich | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
3 | Norwich City | 2 | ||||||||
4 | Middlesbrough | 0 | ||||||||
4 | Middlesbrough | 2 | 3 | 5 | ||||||
5 | Brentford | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Results
Top scorers
- As of 2 May 2015
Rank | Player | Club | Goals[77] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Ipswich Town | 27 | |
2 | Watford | 21 | |
Blackburn Rovers | |||
4 | Blackburn Rovers | 20 | |
Watford | |||
Bournemouth | |||
7 | Norwich City | 18 | |
Derby County | |||
9 | Middlesbrough | 17 | |
Fulham | |||
Hat-tricks
Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bolton Wanderers | Rotherham United | 3–2[78] | 16 September 2014 | |
Nottingham Forest | Fulham | 5–3[79] | 17 September 2014 | |
Bournemouth | Birmingham City | 8–0[80] | 25 October 2014 | |
Watford | Fulham | 5–0[81] | 5 December 2014 | |
Middlesbrough | Millwall | 5–1[82] | 6 December 2014 | |
Birmingham City | Reading | 6–1[83] | 13 December 2014 | |
Birmingham City | Wigan Athletic | 3–1[84] | 10 January 2015 | |
Fulham | Nottingham Forest | 3–2[85] | 21 January 2015 | |
Watford | Blackpool | 7–2[86] | 24 January 2015 | |
Norwich City | Blackpool | 4–0[87] | 7 February 2015 | |
Brentford | Blackpool | 4–0[88] | 24 February 2015 | |
Bournemouth | Blackpool | 4–0[89] | 14 March 2015 | |
Blackburn Rovers | Nottingham Forest | 3–3[90] | 18 April 2015 | |
Millwall | Derby County | 3–3[91] | 25 April 2015 | |
Fulham | Middlesbrough | 4–3[92] | 25 April 2015 |
4 Player scored 4 goals
Monthly awards
Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manager | Club | Player | Club | ||
August | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Charlton Athletic | [93] | ||
September | Ipswich Town | Ipswich Town | [94] | ||
October | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | [95] | ||
November | Brentford | Brentford | [96] | ||
December | Bournemouth | Ipswich Town | [97] | ||
January | Middlesbrough | Middlesbrough | [98] | ||
February | Norwich City | Nottingham Forest | [99] | ||
March | Bournemouth | Watford | [100] | ||
April | Watford | Derby County | [101] | ||
References
- "Championship Top Scorers". 19 September 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- "English League Championship 2014–15". statto.com. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
- "English League Championship Statistics – 2014–15". ESPN FC. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN). Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- "Ups and Downs". Football League. Archived from the original on 21 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- "Financial Fair Play in The Football League". Football League. Archived from the original on 4 June 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- "Birmingham City 2014/15 kit to be made by Carbrini". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 11 Jun 2014.
- "Lee Clark: Chris Burke and Nikola Zigic will be leaving". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Rovers team up with Nike". Blackburn Rovers Fc. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
- "Rovers strike new sponsorship deal". Blackburn Rovers FC. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
- "Seasiders Announce New Kit Deal". Blackpool FC. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "Seasiders New Kits". Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- "Bolton graduates' company to sponsor Bolton Wanderers". University of Bolton. Archived from the original on 9 August 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
- "Cherries: Mitchell delighted with huge Fila kit deal". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "New Kit Partnership with Nike". seagulls. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
- "New Cardiff City kit: Bluebirds unveil latest shirts ahead of their return to the Championship". Wales Online. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- "Charlton Athletic announce Nike Kit Deal". footballshirtculture.com. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "Derby County Announce Umbro Kit Deal". Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Derby County and JUST EAT Announce Three Year Shirt Sponsorship Deal". www.just-eat.com. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
- "adidas announcement". Fulham FC. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "Marathonbet Join The Team". fulhamfc.com. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- "Cider firm Rekorderlig to sponsor new Huddersfield Town shirt". examiner.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "LEEDS UNITED 13/14 MACRON HOME KIT". footyheadlines.com. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "Boro FC unveil new kit deal with Adidas for the next three seasons". gazettelive.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "Ramsdens sign new five-year sponsorship deal with Middlesbrough". gazettelive.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "Millwall renew Macron kit deal". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "Video and poll: Norwich City release images of new kit for 2013/14 Premier League season". edp24.co.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
- "UK: Aviva and Norwich City go global with longest main sponsorship deal in club history". aviva. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
- "Forest Team Up With Adidas". nottinghamforest.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 September 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
- "2014-15 shirt sponsors announced". Nottingham Forest FC. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
- "Waitrose signs three-year sponsorship deal with the England & Wales Cricket Board". The Drum. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "Royals to partner Marussia". Reading FC. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
- "Reading will be partnered by F1 team Marussia". Sky Sports. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
- "2013–14: Hornets Treble To Kick Off!". www.watfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-10. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- "Blackpool: Barry Ferguson leaves as caretaker boss". BBC Sport. 7 May 2014.
- "Jose Riga: Blackpool confirm ex-Charlton Athletic boss as manager". BBC Sport. 11 June 2014.
- "Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Oscar Garcia resigns". BBC Sport. 12 May 2014.
- "Sami Hyypia: Brighton appoint ex-Liverpool defender as new boss". BBC Sport. 6 June 2014.
- "Charlton Athletic appoint Belgian Bob Peeters as manager". BBC Sport. 27 May 2014.
- "Brian McDermott leaves Leeds United by mutual consent". BBC Sport. 27 May 2014.
- "Championship: Leeds United appoint David Hockaday as their new head coach". SkySports. 19 June 2014.
- "Mark Robins leaves Huddersfield Town". Huddersfield Town F.C. 10 August 2014.
- "David Hockaday parts company with Leeds United".
- "Giuseppe Sannino parts leaves Watford".
- "Watford Appoint Óscar Garcia as new manager".
- "Ole Gunnar Solskjaer parts company with Cardiff City". BBC Sport. 18 September 2014.
- "Russell Slade confirms Cardiff City as new manager". BBC Sport. 6 October 2014.
- "Felix Magath parts company with Fulham". BBC Sport. 18 September 2014.
- "Kit Symons is appointed as Fulham manager". BBC Sport. 29 October 2014.
- "Watford: Oscar Garcia replaced by Billy McKinlay as head coach".
- "Dougie Freedman: Bolton Wanderers manager leaves club". BBC Sport. 3 October 2014.
- "Neil Lennon: Bolton Wanderers appoints Neil Lennon as new manager". BBC Sport. 12 October 2014.
- "OFFICIAL: Slaviša Jokanović Appointed Head Coach". Watford Official Website. 7 October 2014. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
- "Lee Clark: Birmingham City sack manager and his assistant". BBC Sport. 20 October 2014.
- "Gary Rowett: Birmingham City appoint Burton Albion manager". BBC Sport. 27 October 2014.
- "Darko Milanič: Leeds United sack manager". BBC Sport. 26 October 2014.
- "Neil Redfearn appointed as Leeds United head coach". BBC Sport. 1 November 2014.
- "José Riga: Blackpool sack manager". BBC Sport. 27 October 2014.
- "Lee Clark: Blackpool announce new manager". Skysports.com. 30 October 2014.
- "Uwe Rosler: Wigan sack manager after poor start to season". BBC Sport. 13 November 2014.
- "Malky Mackay: Wigan Athletic confirm new manager". BBC Sport. 19 November 2014.
- "Nigel Adkins: Reading sack manager after 6-1 defeat". BBC Sport. 15 December 2014.
- "Steve Clarke: Reading appoint ex-West Brom head coach". BBC Sport. 16 December 2014.
- "Sami Hyypiä: Brighton Resign manager". BBC Sport. 22 December 2014.
- "Brighton move for Chris Hughton as new manager". The Daily Telegraph. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- "Neil Adams Resigns as Norwich City manager". BBC Sports. 5 January 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "Alex Neil: Norwich City appoint Hamilton player-manager as boss". BBC Sport. 9 January 2015.
- "Bob Peeters sacked as Charlton coach after 25 games". BBC Sports. 11 January 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- "Guy Luzon: Charlton Athletic appoint Israeli as head coach". BBC Sport. 13 January 2015.
- "Stuart Pearce: Nottingham Forest manager leaves club". BBC Sport. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- "Nottingham Forest appoint Dougie Freedman after sacking Stuart Pearce". 1 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
- "Ian Holloway sacked as Millwall manager after 14 months". BBC Sport. 10 March 2015.
- "Neil Harris has been appointed as manager after less than 24 hours of relegation to League One". BBC Sport. 29 April 2015.
- "Malky Mackay sacked as Wigan manager after 138 days in charge". BBC Sport. 6 April 2015.
- "Wigan Athletic: Gary Caldwell named manager". BBC Sport. 7 April 2015.
- "Rotherham United deducted three points for ineligible player". BBC Sport. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
- "Blackpool-Huddersfield Town declared as 0-0 after abandonment". BBC Sport. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- "Championship Top Scorers". 2 May 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- "Bolton Wanderers 3-2 Rotherham United". British Broadcasting Corporation. 16 September 2014.
- "Nottingham Forest 5-3 Fulham". British Broadcasting Corporation. 17 September 2014.
- "Birmingham City 0-8 AFC Bournemouth". British Broadcasting Corporation. 25 October 2014.
- "Fulham 0-5 Watford". British Broadcasting Corporation. 5 December 2014.
- "Millwall 1-5 Middlesbrough". British Broadcasting Corporation. 6 December 2014.
- "Birmingham City 6-1 Reading". British Broadcasting Corporation. 13 December 2014.
- "Birmingham City 3-1 Wigan Athletic". British Broadcasting Corporation. 10 January 2015.
- "Fulham 3-2 Nottingham Forest". British Broadcasting Corporation. 21 January 2015.
- "Watford 7-2 Blackpool". British Broadcasting Corporation. 24 January 2015.
- "Norwich City 4-0 Blackpool". British Broadcasting Corporation. 7 February 2015.
- "Brentford 4-0 Blackpool". British Broadcasting Corporation. 24 February 2015.
- "AFC Bournemouth 4-0 Blackpool". British Broadcasting Corporation. 14 March 2015.
- "Blackburn Rovers 3-3 Nottingham Forest". British Broadcasting Corporation. 18 April 2015.
- "Millwall 3-3 Derby County". British Broadcasting Corporation. 25 April 2015.
- "Fulham 4-3 Middlesbrough". British Broadcasting Corporation. 25 April 2015.
- "Igor Vetokele wins Football league Championship Player of the Month for August while Kenny Jackett takes manager's award". skysports.com. 1 September 2014.
- "Tyrone Mings wins Football league Championship Player of the Month for August while Mick McCarthy takes manager's award". skysports.com. 1 October 2014.
- "Bournemouth's Howe and Wilson secure October awards". skysports.com. 7 November 2014.
- "Brentford's Mark Warburton and Andre Gray secure November awards in Championship". skysports.com. 5 December 2014.
- "Bournemouth's Eddie Howe and Daryl Murphy secure December awards in Championship". skysports.com. 9 January 2015.
- "Aitor Karanka and Lee Tomlin win January's Sky Bet Championship awards". skysports.com. 6 February 2015.
- "Alex Neil and Henri Lansbury win February awards in Championship". skysports.com. 6 March 2015.
-
- "AFC Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe named Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month".
- "Watford striker Troy Deeney named Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month". football-league.co.uk. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
-
- "Watford boss Slavisa Jokanovic named manager of the month for April".
- "Derby County's Tom Ince named Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month". football-league.co.uk. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015.