The 2008–09 season was Swindon Town's second season in the League One since their relegation from the division in 2006. Alongside the league campaign, Swindon Town also competed in the FA Cup, League Cup and the Football League Trophy.
Football League One
Leicester comfortably won promotion in their first-ever season at this level, leading the table for virtually the entire season, going half the season (23 consecutive games) unbeaten and losing just 4 games in the process, Nigel Pearson brought stability to the club in becoming their first manager in five years to last an entire season as they looked to turn the corner after several years of struggle. Peterborough were runners-up, winning their second successive promotion and entering the second tier for only the second time in their history. Scunthorpe grabbed the final play-off place on the last day of the season in a winner takes all match v 7th place Tranmere Rovers and won promotion through them, making an immediate return to the Championship after being relegated the previous year.
Stockport went into administration before the final match of the season and so suffered a 10-point penalty; however, there was no real chance of them being relegated as a result of this penalty, barring an extremely unlikely set of results on the final day.
Hereford made an immediate return to League Two, finishing bottom in their first campaign at this level for thirty years. Cheltenham improved late in the season, but it proved too late to prevent relegation. Crewe suffered a late collapse and went down to League Two, having looked safe a few weeks previously, while Northampton were undone by other results going against them on the final day of the season.
Table
Results Legend WinDrawLoss
League One
+DateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendance 9 August 2008 Tranmere Rovers H 3–1 Paynter 5', Cox 37', McGovern 51'7,975 16 August 2008 Cheltenham Town A 0–24,975 23 August 2008 Colchester United H 1–3Cox 67' pen.7,031 30 August 2008 Milton Keynes Dons A 2–1Paynter 52', Cox 90' pen.8,846 5 September 2008 Hereford United A 1–1Ifil 45'4,061 13 September 2008 Leeds United H 1–3Cox 45'13,001 20 September 2008 Stockport County A 1–1Easton 49'5,536 28 September 2008 Millwall H 1–2J. Smith 47'7,589 3 October 2008 Hartlepool United A 3–3Cox 5', 39', 52'4,018 11 October 2008 Huddersfield Town H 1–3Easton 88'7,071 18 October 2008 Southend United A 1–2Paynter 60'7,965 21 October 2008 Northampton Town H 2–1Paynter 48', Cox 61'6,653 25 October 2008 Oldham Athletic H 2–0Morrison 25', J. Smith 34' pen.6,756 1 November 2008 Scunthorpe United A 3–3Cox 15', 52', 80' pen.4,744 15 November 2008 Leicester City H 2–2Cox 84', Corr 86'9,499 22 November 2008 Bristol Rovers A 2–2Kanyuka 39', Corr 53'8,016 25 November 2008 Peterborough United H 2–2J. Smith 10', Cox 81'6,616 29 November 2008 Walsall A 1–2Paynter 90'3,844 6 December 2008 Carlisle United H 1–1Murphy 50' o.g.6,787 13 December 2008 Crewe Alexandra A 0–13,941 20 December 2008 Yeovil Town H 2–3Timlin 45', McGovern 47'7,072 26 December 2008 Leyton Orient A 2–1Peacock 1', J. Smith 61' pen.4,349 28 December 2008 Brighton & Hove Albion H 0–28,438 13 January 2009 Stockport County H 1–1J. Smith 62'6,002 17 January 2009 Huddersfield Town A 1–2Cox 90'13,414 27 January 2009 Walsall H 3–2Amankwaah 8', Cox 29', Paynter 49'6,100 31 January 2009 Oldham Athletic A 0–04,712 14 February 2009 Leicester City A 1–1Cox 38'19,926 17 February 2009 Millwall A 1–1Paynter 43'7,104 21 February 2009 Scunthorpe United H 4–2Timlin 62', Wright 71' o.g., Robson-Kanu 82', Peacock 85'6,852 24 February 2009 Hartlepool United H 0–16,010 28 February 2009 Tranmere Rovers A 0–15,153 3 March 2009 Cheltenham Town H 2–2Robson-Kanu 32', Amankwaah 66'6,293 7 March 2009 Milton Keynes Dons H 1–1Paynter 18'7,453 10 March 2009 Colchester United A 2–3Cox 38' pen., Robson-Kanu 64'3,827 14 March 2009 Leeds United A 0–121,765 17 March 2009 Southend United H 3–0Robson-Kanu 13', Cox 19' pen., 90' pen.6,269 21 March 2009 Hereford United H 3–0Cox 29', 46', Paynter 76'7,129 24 March 2009 Northampton Town A 4–3Cox 18', 31', 79', Paynter 40'5,025 28 March 2009 Yeovil Town A 0–15,476 4 April 2009 Crewe Alexandra H 0–07,165 11 April 2009 Brighton & Hove Albion A 3–2Greer 47', Paynter 50', Cox 58'6,549 13 April 2009 Leyton Orient H 0–17,735 18 April 2009 Carlisle United A 1–1Tudur Jones 90'5,959 25 April 2009 Bristol Rovers H 2–1Cox 4', 81'10,977 2 May 2009 Peterborough United A 2–2Cox 17', 42'10,886
FA Cup +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceFirst round8 November 2008 Histon A 0–11,541
League Cup +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceFirst round12 August 2008 Queens Park Rangers H 2–3Cox 34', Paynter 41'7,230
Football League Trophy +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceFirst round2 September 2008 Aldershot Town A 2–27–6 pCox 32', Ifil 83'1,814Second round7 October 2008 Hereford United A 2–1Cox 45', Peacock 84'1,458Third round12 November 2008 Brighton & Hove Albion A 0–22,234
References