The 2009–2010 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.
The 2009 season officially began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One, League Two and the Premier League. The Championship season finished on 2 May 2010, with the Premier League, League One and League Two concluding on the weekend of 8–9 May.
Promotion and relegation (pre-season) Teams promoted to 2009–10 Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers Birmingham City Burnley
Teams relegated from 2008–09 Premier League Newcastle United Middlesbrough West Bromwich Albion
Teams promoted to 2009–10 Football League Championship Leicester City Peterborough United Scunthorpe United
Teams relegated from 2008–09 Football League Championship Norwich City Southampton (started on −10 points for administration entrance) Charlton Athletic
Teams promoted to 2009–10 Football League One Brentford Exeter City Wycombe Wanderers Gillingham
Teams relegated from 2008–09 Football League One Northampton Town Crewe Alexandra Cheltenham Town Hereford United
Teams promoted to 2009–10 Football League Two Burton Albion Torquay United
Teams relegated from 2008–09 Football League Two Chester City (started on −25 points and expelled from the Football Conference 10 March 2010) Luton Town
Managerial changes
Name Club Date of departure Replacement Date of appointment Bryan Gunn Norwich City 14 August 2009Manager Gunn sacked by Canaries BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 September 2009 Paul Lambert 18 August 2009Norwich appoint Lambert as boss BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 September 2009 Paul Lambert Colchester United 18 August 2009 Aidy Boothroyd 2 September 2009Boothroyd handed Colchester job BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 September 2009 Simon Davey Barnsley 29 August 2009Davey and Barnsley part company BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 September 2009 Mark Robins 9 September 2009Robins confirmed as Barnsley boss BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 September 2009 Peter Jackson Lincoln City 2 September 2009Jackson sacked as Lincoln manager BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 September 2009 Chris Sutton 28 September 2009Lincoln appoint Sutton as manager BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 September 2009 Stuart Gray Northampton Town 8 September 2009Northampton part with boss Gray BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 September 2009 Ian Sampson1 5 October 2009Cobblers appoint Sampson as boss BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Mark Robins Rotherham United 9 September 2009 Ronnie Moore 24 September 2009 Colin Todd Darlington 26 September 2009Darlington part company with Todd BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 September 2009 Steve Staunton 5 October 2009Darlington name Staunton as boss BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Guðjón Þórðarson Crewe Alexandra 2 October 2009Thordarson sacked as Crewe boss BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Dario Gradi 2 October 2009 John Barnes Tranmere Rovers 9 October 2009Tranmere sack Barnes and McAteer BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 October 2009 Les Parry 16 December 2009 Peter Taylor Wycombe Wanderers 9 October 2009Wycombe and Taylor part company BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Gary Waddock 13 October 2009Wycombe appoint Waddock as boss BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Ian McParland Notts County 12 October 2009McParland loses Notts County job BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Hans Backe 27 October 2009Backe named new Notts County boss BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Gary Waddock Aldershot Town 13 October 2009 Kevin Dillon9 November 2009Dillon named as Aldershot manager BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 November 2009 Mike Newell Grimsby Town 18 October 2009Newell sacked as Grimsby manager BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Neil Woods 23 November 2009 Gareth Southgate Middlesbrough 21 October 2009Middlesbrough sack boss Southgate BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Gordon Strachan 26 October 2009Strachan named Middlesbrough boss BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Russell Slade Brighton & Hove Albion 1 November 2009Slade sacked as Brighton manager BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 November 2009 Gustavo Poyet 10 November 2009Brighton appoint Poyet as manager BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 November 2009 Darren Ferguson Peterborough United 9 November 2009Posh confirm Ferguson departure BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 November 2009 Mark Cooper 14 November 2009Cooper confirmed as Posh manager BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 November 2009The appointment of Mark Cooper was announced on 14 November 2009, but he did not officially take charge of Peterborough United until two days later. Paul Hart Portsmouth 24 November 2009Struggling Portsmouth part company with boss Paul Hart BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 March 2010 Avram Grant 26 November 2009Portsmouth appoint Avram Grant as new manager BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 March 2010. Paul Sturrock Plymouth Argyle 10 December 2009 Paul Mariner 10 December 2009 Martin Allen Cheltenham Town 11 December 2009 Mark Yates 22 December 2009Kidderminster's Mark Yates appointed Cheltenham manager, BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2009. Brian Laws Sheffield Wednesday 13 December 2009 Alan Irvine 8 January 2010 Hans Backe Notts County 15 December 2009 Steve Cotterill 23 February 2010 Jim Magilton Queens Park Rangers 16 December 2009Magilton and Gorman in QPR exit, BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 December 2009 Paul Hart 17 December 2009Paul Hart becomes the new QPR manager, BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 December 2009 Brendan Rodgers Reading 17 December 2009 Brian McDermott2 27 January 2010Brian McDermott is named new Reading manager BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 January 2010 Mark Hughes Manchester City 19 December 2009 Roberto Mancini 21 December 2009Roberto Mancini primed for success with Manchester City BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2009 Alan Irvine Preston North End 29 December 2009 Darren Ferguson 6 January 2010Darren Ferguson named as Preston North End managerBBC Sport. Retrieved 6 January 2010 Gary Megson Bolton Wanderers 30 December 2009 Owen Coyle 8 January 2010Owen Coyle appointed Bolton managerBBC Sport. Retrieved 8 January 2010 Owen Coyle Burnley 8 January 2010 Brian Laws 13 January 2010Burnley appoint Brian Laws as new manager, BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 January 2010 Paul Hart Queens Park Rangers 15 January 2010Manager Paul Hart leaves QPR after five games, BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 January 2010 Neil Warnock 1 March 2010Neil Warnock is named manager of Queens Park Rangers, BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 March 2010 Mark Cooper Peterborough United 1 February 2010Mark Cooper sacked as Peterborough United manager, BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 February 2010 Jim Gannon 2 February 2010Jim Gannon named Peterborough manager, BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 February 2010 Stuart McCall Bradford City 8 February 2010Bradford City boss Stuart McCall quits, BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 February 2010 Peter Taylor 17 February 2010 Neil Warnock Crystal Palace 1 March 2010 Paul Hart 2 March 2010Paul Hart takes over as Crystal Palace boss, BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 March 2010 Keith Alexander Macclesfield Town 3 March 2010Macclesfield manager Keith Alexander dies, BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 March 2010 Gary Simpson3 14 April 2010 John Trewick Hereford United 8 March 2010 Graham Turner 8 March 2010 Phil Brown Hull City 15 March 2010Hull City relieve manager Phil Brown of his duties, BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 March 2010 Iain Dowie 17 March 2010 Gary Johnson Bristol City 18 March 2010Boss Gary Johnson leaves Bristol City by mutual consent, BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 March 2010 Steve Coppell4 19 April 2010 Steve Staunton Darlington 21 March 2010Darlington part company with manager Steve Staunton, BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 March 2010 Simon Davey 1 April 2010 Geraint Williams Leyton Orient 3 April 2010Leyton Orient part company with boss Geraint Williams, BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 April 2010 Russell Slade 5 April 2010 Jim Gannon Peterborough United 6 April 2010Gary Johnson appointed new Peterborough United boss, BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 April 2010 Gary Johnson 6 April 2010 Ian Hendon Barnet 28 April 2010 Mark Stimson 1 June 2010 Paul Simpson Shrewsbury Town 30 April 2010 Graham Turner 11 June 2010 Chris Coleman Coventry City 4 May 2010Aidy Boothroyd 20 May 2010 Dave Penney Oldham Athletic 6 May 2010 Paul Dickov 9 June 2010 Paul Mariner Plymouth Argyle 6 May 2010 Peter Reid 24 June 2010 Mark Stimson Gillingham 10 May 2010Andy Hessenthaler 21 May 2010 Paul Ince Milton Keynes Dons 10 May 2010Karl Robinson 10 May 2010 Gianfranco Zola West Ham United 11 May 2010 Avram Grant 3 June 2010 Aidy Boothroyd Colchester United 20 May 2010 John Ward 31 May 2010 Avram Grant Portsmouth 31 May 2010 Steve Cotterill 17 June 2010 Steve Cotterill Notts County 27 May 2010 Craig Short 4 June 2010 Rafael Benítez Liverpool 3 June 2010Roy Hodgson 1 July 2010
Notes 1 Sampson was named caretaker manager following Gray's departure on 8 September and appointed full-time on 5 October. 2 McDermott was named caretaker manager following Rogers' departure on 17 December and was appointed full-time on 27 January. 3 Simpson was named caretaker manager on 3 March and appointed full-time on 14 April. 4 Keith Millen remained caretaker manager until the end of the season when Coppell took charge.
Retirements
8 October 2009: Stephen Roberts, 29-year-old former Wrexham, Doncaster Rovers and Walsall defender.
22 October 2009: Marc Edworthy, 36-year-old right-back who last played for Burton Albion retired after playing over 500 senior appearances in 18-year career. He played for eight clubs in his career which included spells in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, Coventry City, Norwich City and Derby County.
8 December 2009: Linvoy Primus, 36-year-old Portsmouth defender, after failing to overcome a serious knee injury but now work ambassadorial role for Portsmouth. He previously played for Charlton Athletic, Barnet and Reading.
11 December 2009: Dean Ashton, 26-year-old West Ham United striker, after failing to make a full recovery from an ankle injury suffered when training with the England team in August 2006.
17 December 2009: Riccardo Scimeca, 34-year-old Cardiff City midfielder formerly of Aston Villa, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest.
6 January 2010: Neil Clement, 31-year-old West Bromwich Albion defender and club's longest serving player after 10 years there, after failing to make a full recovery from a knee injury suffered in August 2008.
6 January 2010: Patrik Berger, 36-year-old Czech midfielder who had spells in England with Liverpool, Portsmouth and Aston Villa before returning to Sparta Prague.
Notable debutants
24 October 2009 – Jeffrey Bruma, 17-year-old defender, made his debut for Chelsea as a substitute (coming on for Ricardo Carvalho) in a 5-0 Premier League home win against Blackburn Rovers. 2 March 2010 – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 16-year-old winger, made his debut for Southampton as a late substitute in a 5–0 home win over Huddersfield Town in League One. 21 March 2010 – Phil Jones, 18-year-old defender, made his debut for Blackburn Rovers in their 1–1 home Premier League draw to Chelsea. 9 May 2010 – Jack Robinson, 16-year-old defender, made his debut for Liverpool in a 0-0 away Premier League draw with Hull. At the time, this made Robinson Liverpool's youngest-ever first-team player, a record since broken by Jerome Sinclair (all competitions) and Harvey Elliott (Premier League only.)
National team The home team is on the left column; the away team is on the right column.
Friendly matches The Football Association. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
World Cup qualifiers England were in Group 6 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification process.Groups and standings FIFA. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
Honours
Trophy and league champions