The 2020–21 season was the 122nd season of the English Football League (EFL) and the fifth season under that name after it was renamed from The Football League in 2016. For the eighth season running, the league was sponsored by Sky Betting & Gaming and 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 were automatically promoted to the Premier League and they were joined by the winner of the Championship play-off. The bottom two teams in League Two were relegated to the National League.
This season marked the extension by another two years of the league's partnership with official charity 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.
Promotion and relegation
From the Premier League Relegated to the Championship Bournemouth Watford Norwich City
From the Championship Promoted to the Premier League Leeds United West Bromwich Albion Fulham Relegated to League One Charlton Athletic Wigan Athletic Hull City
From League One Promoted to the Championship Coventry City Rotherham United Wycombe Wanderers Relegated to League Two Tranmere Rovers Southend United Bolton Wanderers
From League Two Promoted to League One Swindon Town Crewe Alexandra Plymouth Argyle Northampton Town Relegated to the National League Macclesfield Town
From the National League Promoted to League Two Barrow Harrogate Town
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 Scunthorpe United Paul Hurst Sacked 29 January 20202019–20 English Football League Neil Cox 7 August 2020Pre-season Southend United Sol Campbell Mutual consent 30 June 2020 Mark Molesley 13 August 2020 Bristol City Lee JohnsonSacked 4 July 2020 Dean Holden 10 August 2020 Watford Nigel Pearson 19 July 2020 2019–20 Premier League Vladimir Ivić 15 August 2020 Oldham Athletic Dino Maamria 31 July 2020Pre-season Harry Kewell 1 August 2020 Bournemouth Eddie Howe Mutual consent 1 August 2020 Jason Tindall 8 August 2020 Wigan Athletic Paul Cook Resigned 1 August 2020 John Sheridan 11 September 2020 Reading Mark Bowen Appointed Director of Football 29 August 2020 Veljko Paunović 29 August 2020 Barnsley Gerhard Struber Appointed by New York Red Bulls 6 October 2020 21st Valérien Ismaël 23 October 2020 21st Nottingham Forest Sabri LamouchiSacked 6 October 2020 22nd Chris Hughton 6 October 2020 22nd Salford City Graham Alexander 12 October 2020 5th Richie Wellens 4 November 2020 10th Mansfield Town Graham Coughlan 28 October 2020 22nd Nigel Clough 6 November 2020 22nd Tranmere Rovers Mike Jackson 31 October 2020 18th Keith Hill 21 November 2020 13th Swindon Town Richie Wellens Appointed by Salford City 4 November 2020 20th John Sheridan 13 November 2020 20th Sheffield Wednesday Garry Monk Sacked 9 November 2020 23rd Tony Pulis 13 November 2020 23rd Wigan Athletic John Sheridan Appointed by Swindon Town 13 November 2020 24th Leam Richardson 21 April 2021 20th Derby County Phillip CocuSacked 14 November 2020 24th Wayne Rooney 15 January 2021 22nd Bristol Rovers Ben Garner 14 November 2020 18th Paul Tisdale 19 November 2020 18th Shrewsbury Town Sam Ricketts 25 November 2020 23rd Steve Cotterill 27 November 2020 23rd Sunderland Phil Parkinson 29 November 2020 8th Lee Johnson 5 December 2020 8th Bradford City Stuart McCall 13 December 2020 22nd Mark Trueman Conor Sellars 22 February 2021 13th Barrow David Dunn 13 December 2020 21st Michael Jolley 23 December 2020 22nd Watford Vladimir Ivić 19 December 2020 5th Xisco Munoz 20 December 2020 5th Grimsby Town Ian Holloway Resigned 23 December 2020 20th Paul Hurst 30 December 2020 22nd Sheffield Wednesday Tony PulisSacked 28 December 2020 23rd Darren Moore 1 March 2021 23rd Burton Albion Jake Buxton 29 December 2020 24th Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink 1 January 2021 24th Fleetwood Town Joey Barton 4 January 2021 10th Simon Grayson 31 January 2021 14th Port Vale John Askey 4 January 2021 17th Darrell Clarke 15 February 2021 18th Cardiff City Neil Harris 21 January 2021 15th Mick McCarthy 22 January 2021 15th AFC Wimbledon Glyn Hodges Mutual consent 30 January 2021 21st Mark Robinson 17 February 2021 20th Bournemouth Jason TindallSacked 3 February 2021 6th Jonathan Woodgate 21 February 2021 6th Bristol Rovers Paul Tisdale 10 February 2021 20th Joey Barton 22 February 2021 19th Northampton Town Keith Curle 10 February 2021 23rd Jon Brady 8 May 2021 2021–22 English Football League Walsall Darrell Clarke Appointed by Port Vale 15 February 2021 11th Brian Dutton 15 February 2021 11th Bristol City Dean HoldenSacked 17 February 2021 13th Nigel Pearson 22 February 2021 15th Barrow Michael Jolley 21 February 2021 23rd Mark Cooper 28 May 20212021–22 English Football League Colchester United Steve Ball 23 February 2021 21st Hayden Mullins 13 May 2021 Leyton Orient Ross Embleton 27 February 2021 14th Kenny Jackett 21 May 2021 Doncaster Rovers Darren Moore Appointed by Sheffield Wednesday 1 March 2021 6th Richie Wellens 17 May 2021 Ipswich Town Paul Lambert Mutual consent 1 March 2021 8th Paul Cook 2 March 2021 8th Oldham Athletic Harry Kewell Sacked 7 March 2021 16th Keith Curle 8 March 2021 16th Portsmouth Kenny Jackett 14 March 2021 7th Danny Cowley 19 March 2021 7th Charlton Athletic Lee Bowyer Resigned 15 March 2021 8th Nigel Adkins 18 March 2021 6th Birmingham City Aitor Karanka 16 March 2021 21st Lee Bowyer 16 March 2021 21st Preston North End Alex Neil Sacked 21 March 2021 16th Frankie McAvoy 10 May 2021 2021–22 English Football League Salford City Richie Wellens Mutual consent 22 March 2021 9th Gary Bowyer 23 March 2021 9th Southend United Mark Molesley Sacked 9 April 2021 23rd Phil Brown 9 April 2021 23rd Forest Green Rovers Mark Cooper 11 April 2021 6th Rob Edwards 27 May 20212021–22 English Football League Swindon Town John Sheridan Resigned 18 April 2021 23rd John McGreal 26 May 2021 Tranmere Rovers Keith Hill Sacked 11 May 2021 7th Micky Mellon 31 May 2021
References