During the 2004–05 English football season, West Bromwich Albion competed in the FA Premier League.
Season summary West Bromwich Albion managed to retain their Premiership status despite being at the bottom of the table on Christmas Day. This marked the first time in the history of the Premiership that a club has done so. Since then, three other teams have matched this feat: Sunderland in 2013–14, Leicester City in 2014–15, and Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022–23, although they secured survival before the final day.
Final day
For the first time since the inaugural Premiership season in 1992–93, no team was assured of relegation going into the final round of matches. In each of the last three weekends of the season, the team that was bottom of the table at the start of the weekend finished it outside the drop zone. The final round of the season on 15 May started with West Bromwich at the bottom, Southampton and Crystal Palace one point clear and Norwich City in the last safe spot and two points from the bottom. Even worse, only one would survive the drop. The final matchday was publicized by Sky Sports as "Survival Sunday", with accompanying promotional material advertising the last matchday like a title fight or epic movie blockbuster.
West Brom, who had been bottom of the table and eight points from safety at Christmas, did their part by beating Portsmouth at home 2–0. Norwich, the only side to have their fate completely in their own hands, needed a first away victory of the season at Craven Cottage against Fulham to secure their top-flight status and relegate everyone else irrespective of their results. Instead, they were thrashed 6–0 and went down. Southampton, despite leading early on, lost 2–1 at home to Manchester United and were relegated. At The Valley, Crystal Palace led Charlton Athletic 2–1 in the 71st minute, but Jonathan Fortune equalised for Charlton with eight minutes left to send them down. As a result, West Brom stayed up, and made history by becoming the first club in Premiership history to avoid relegation after being bottom of the table at Christmas.
After all four matches ended, cameras focused on the Hawthorns, as confirmation of other results began to filter through. Once the realisation dawned on the players and fans that survival had been achieved, a mass pitch invasion was sparked, with huge celebrations. The Portsmouth fans in the away end of the ground also celebrated despite their defeat as, through losing, they had "helped" relegate arch-rivals Southampton. The defeat itself mattered little to Portsmouth, as they would be unable to improve on their 16th position due to 15th-placed Blackburn Rovers' greater goal difference.
Final league table
Players First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Statistics Appearances and goals As of end of season
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred or loaned out during the season
Starting 11 Considering starts in all competitions
Transfers
Transfers in DateNameFromFee18 May 2004Leicester Cityundisclosed3 June 2004København£2,700,00018 June 2004Birmingham City£750,00014 July 2004Hertha BSCfree29 July 2004Middlesbrough£1,250,00030 July 2004Ferencváros£1,500,00030 July 2004Arsenalfree30 August 2004Cardiff City£3,000,000 (rising to £3,620,000 depending on contractual incentives)31 August 2004Gamba Osaka£200,00010 January 2005Evertonfree31 January 2005Burnley£1,500,000
Loans in Date fromNameFromDuration31 August 2004Atlético Madridseason-long loan29 January 2005Manchester Unitedseason-long loan
Transfers out DateNameToFee30 June 2004Rotherham Unitedreleased30 June 2004Burton Albionreleased30 June 2004FC Den Boschreleased30 June 2004Hull Cityreleased30 June 2004Hereford United released30 June 2004Walsall released9 August 2004 contract terminated16 September 2004Leeds United£500,000 (rising to £750,000 dependent on appearances)25 September 2004Watford£250,0008 November 2004Millwall£750,0002 December 2004 retired6 December 2004Mansfield Town£50,00021 January 2005Bastiareleased9 February 2005 released9 February 2005 released9 February 2005Kidderminster Harriersreleased24 March 2005Burnley£175,00022 April 2005 retiredBurton Albionreleased
Loans out Date fromNameToDate until9 February 2005Leeds Unitedseason-long loan22 March 2005Coventry Citythree-month loan Transfers in: £10,800,000 Transfers out: £1,675,000 Total spending: £9,125,000
Results
West Bromwich Albion's result comes first
WinDrawLoss
Premier League
Results per matchday
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendance114 August 2004Blackburn RoversAway1–1Clement 33'23,475 (2,424)222 August 2004Aston VillaHome1–1Clement 38'26,601 (2,600)325 August 2004Tottenham HotspurHome1–1Gera 3'27,191 (2,589)428 August 2004EvertonAway1–2Dobie 7'34,510511 September 2004LiverpoolAway0–3—42,947618 September 2004FulhamHome1–1Kanu 88'24,128 (983)725 September 2004Newcastle UnitedAway1–3Horsfield 87'52,30882 October 2004Bolton WanderersHome2–1Kanu 57', Gera 65'23,849 (1,285)916 October 2004Norwich CityHome0–0—26,2571023 October 2004Crystal PalaceAway0–3—22,9221130 October 2004ChelseaHome1–4Gera 56'27,399 (2,600)126 November 2004SouthamptonAway2–2Earnshaw 29', 37'31,057 (3,188)1314 November 2004MiddlesbroughHome1–2Earnshaw 37'24,008 (1,329)1420 November 2004ArsenalAway1–1Earnshaw 79'38,109 (2,900)1527 November 2004Manchester UnitedHome0–3—27,709 (2,600)164 December 2004PortsmouthAway2–3Stefanović 14' (o.g.), Earnshaw 45'20,1101711 December 2004Charlton AthleticHome0–1—24,697 (1,344)1818 December 2004Birmingham CityAway0–4—28,8801926 December 2004LiverpoolHome0–5—27,533 (2,599)2028 December 2004Manchester CityAway1–1Dunne 85' (o.g.)47,177211 January 2005Bolton WanderersAway1–1Gera 13'25,205 (2,300)223 January 2005Newcastle UnitedHome0–0—25,2592316 January 2005FulhamAway0–1—16,1802422 January 2005Manchester CityHome2–0Campbell 5', Wallwork 81'25,348 (2,590)251 February 2005Crystal PalaceHome2–2Campbell 82', Earnshaw 90'25,092 (1,583)265 February 2005Norwich CityAway2–3Earnshaw 41', Richardson 49'24,2922722 February 2005SouthamptonHome0–0—25,865286 March 2005Birmingham CityHome2–0Clement 53', Campbell 64'25,749 (2,600)2915 March 2005ChelseaAway0–1—41,7133019 March 2005Charlton AthleticAway4–1Horsfield 9', Earnshaw 73', 84', 90' (pen.)27,104 (2,996)313 April 2005EvertonHome1–0Gera 63'26,805 (2,596)3210 April 2005Aston VillaAway1–1Robinson 90'39,402 (3,400)3320 April 2005Tottenham HotspurAway1–1Gera 24'35,8853423 April 2005MiddlesbroughAway0–4—32,951 (2,394)3526 April 2005Blackburn RoversHome1–1Richardson 32'25,154 (856)362 May 2005ArsenalHome0–2—27,351 (2,599)377 May 2005Manchester UnitedAway1–1Earnshaw 60' (pen.)67,827 (2,500)3815 May 2005PortsmouthHome2–0Horsfield 58', Richardson 75'27,751 (2,600)
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceThird round8 January 2005Preston North EndDeepdale2–0Earnshaw 76', 83'13,005Fourth round29 January 2005Tottenham HotspurThe Hawthorns1–1Earnshaw 17'22,441Fourth round replay12 February 2005Tottenham HotspurWhite Hart Lane1–3Kanu 12'27,860
Football League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceSecond round21 September 2004Colchester UnitedLayer Road1–2 Horsfield 50'4,591
Notes
References