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.
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 2006–07 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.
To Championship Promoted from League One Wolverhampton Wanderers Brentford Rotherham United Relegated from Premier League Norwich City Fulham Cardiff City
From Championship Relegated to League One Doncaster Rovers Barnsley Yeovil Town Promoted to Premier League Leicester City Burnley Queens Park Rangers
Rule changes
Changes to the Championship's financial fair play system allow clubs: 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
Team Stadium Capacity Birmingham City St Andrew's 30,016 Blackburn Rovers Ewood Park 31,154 Blackpool Bloomfield Road 17,338 Bolton Wanderers Macron Stadium 28,100 Bournemouth Dean Court 12,000 Brentford Griffin Park 12,763 Brighton & Hove Albion Falmer Stadium 30,750 Cardiff City Cardiff City Stadium 33,316 Charlton Athletic The Valley 27,111 Derby County iPro Stadium 33,597 Fulham Craven Cottage 25,700 Huddersfield Town John Smith's Stadium 24,500 Ipswich Town Portman Road 30,311 Leeds United Elland Road 39,460 Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium 34,742 Millwall The Den 20,146 Norwich City Carrow Road 27,244 Nottingham Forest City Ground 30,576 Reading Madejski Stadium 24,224 Rotherham United New York Stadium 12,021 Sheffield Wednesday Hillsborough 39,812 Watford Vicarage Road 20,877 Wigan Athletic DW Stadium 25,133 Wolverhampton Wanderers Molineux 31,700
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorBack sponsorShorts sponsor Birmingham City Carbrini ZapaygoNoneNone Blackburn Rovers Nike Zebra Claims Ltd.NoneNone Blackpool Erreà Wonga NoneNone Bolton Wanderers Macron FibrLec/Wix.com (in FA Cup matches)NoneNone Bournemouth Carbrini Energy ConsultingEnergy ConsultingNone Brentford Adidas SkyexMatchbookMatchbook Brighton & Hove Albion Nike American ExpressAmerican ExpressAmerican Express Cardiff City Cosway Sports Visit MalaysiaVisit MalaysiaVisit Malaysia Charlton Athletic Nike University of GreenwichAndrews Air ConditioningMitsubishi Electric Derby County Umbro Just EatM&DH InsuranceM&DH Insurance Fulham Adidas NoneNone Huddersfield Town Puma Rekorderlig Cider (H)/RadianB (A)/Cavonia (T)Northern Commercials (H)/Rekorderlig Cider (A & T)Stafflex Ipswich Town Adidas Marcus EvansNoneNone Leeds United Macron Enterprise Insurance Help Link DirectHelp Link Direct Middlesbrough Adidas Ramsdens NoneNone Millwall Neil Harris Macron Euro FerriesWallis TeaganSouthwark Metals Norwich City Erreà NoneNone Nottingham Forest Adidas Fawaz International Refrigeration & Air Conditioning CompanyICM CapitalNone Reading Puma Waitrose ThaiLegend Alliance Ltd Rotherham United Puma Parkgate Shopping (H)/Shedlands (A & T)Perrys (H)/Hughie Construction (A & T)Balreed Sheffield Wednesday Sondico Azerbaijan: Land of FireNoneNone Watford Puma 138.comFootball Manager (H)/Football Manager Handheld (A)None Wigan Athletic MiFit IntersportPremier Range/Roofing Consultants GroupNone Wolverhampton Wanderers Puma WhatHouse?ReconomyNone
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Blackpool End of contract 9 May 2014Pre-season 11 June 2014 Brighton & Hove Albion Resigned 12 May 2014 6 June 2014 Charlton Athletic End of contract 27 May 2014 27 May 2014 Leeds United Mutual consent 31 May 2014 19 June 2014 Huddersfield Town 10 August 2014 24th 3 September 2014 Leeds United Sacked 28 August 2014 21st 23 September 2014 Watford Resigned 1 September 2014 2nd 2 September 2014 Cardiff City 18 September 2014 17th 6 October 2014 Fulham Sacked 18 September 2014 24th 29 October 2014 Watford Resigned due to ill health 29 September 2014 4th 29 September 2014 Bolton Wanderers Mutual consent 3 October 2014 23rd 12 October 2014 Watford 7 October 2014 3rd 7 October 2014 Birmingham City Sacked 20 October 2014 21st 27 October 2014 Leeds United 26 October 2014 18th 1 November 2014 Blackpool 27 October 2014 24th 30 October 2014 Wigan Athletic 13 November 2014 22nd 19 November 2014 Reading 15 December 2014 16th 16 December 2014 Brighton & Hove Albion Resigned 22 December 2014 22nd 31 December 2014 Norwich City 5 January 2015 7th 9 January 2015 Charlton Athletic Sacked 11 January 2015 14th 13 January 2015 Nottingham Forest 1 February 201512th 1 February 2015 Millwall 10 March 2015 23rd 29 April 2015 Wigan Athletic 6 April 2015 23rd 7 April 2015
League table
Play-offs
Results
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Daryl MurphyIpswich Town272 Troy DeeneyWatford21 Jordan RhodesBlackburn Rovers4 Rudy GestedeBlackburn Rovers20 Odion IghaloWatford Callum WilsonBournemouth7 Cameron JeromeNorwich City18 Chris MartinDerby County9 Patrick BamfordMiddlesbrough17 Ross McCormackFulham
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Bolton Wanderers Rotherham United 3–2 16 September 2014 Nottingham Forest Fulham 5–3 17 September 2014 Bournemouth Birmingham City 8–0 25 October 2014 Watford Fulham 5–0 5 December 2014 Middlesbrough Millwall 5–1 6 December 2014 Birmingham City Reading 6–1 13 December 2014 Birmingham City Wigan Athletic 3–1 10 January 2015 Fulham Nottingham Forest 3–2 21 January 2015 4 Watford Blackpool 7–2 24 January 2015 Norwich City Blackpool 4–0 7 February 2015 Brentford Blackpool 4–0 24 February 2015 Bournemouth Blackpool 4–0 14 March 2015 Blackburn Rovers Nottingham Forest 3–3 18 April 2015 Millwall Derby County 3–3 25 April 2015 Fulham Middlesbrough 4–3 25 April 2015 4 Player scored 4 goals
Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthRef.ManagerClubPlayerClubAugust Kenny JackettWolverhampton Wanderers Igor VetokeleCharlton AthleticSeptember Mick McCarthyIpswich Town Tyrone MingsIpswich TownOctober Eddie HoweBournemouth Callum WilsonBournemouthNovember Mark WarburtonBrentford Andre GrayBrentfordDecember Eddie HoweBournemouth Daryl MurphyIpswich TownJanuary Aitor KarankaMiddlesbrough Lee TomlinMiddlesbroughFebruary Alex NeilNorwich City Henri LansburyNottingham Forest March Eddie HoweBournemouth Troy DeeneyWatfordApril Slaviša JokanovićWatford Tom InceDerby County
Attendances Source:
No. Club Average Change Highest Lowest 1 Derby County 29,232 17.2% 32,705 26,373 2 Norwich City 26,343 -1.7% 27,005 25,595 3 Brighton & Hove Albion 25,645 -6.0% 28,890 23,044 4 Leeds United 24,052 -4.1% 31,850 17,634 5 Nottingham Forest 23,492 3.8% 30,227 19,619 6 Wolverhampton Wanderers 22,419 7.4% 28,132 17,744 7 Sheffield Wednesday 21,993 3.6% 29,848 16,881 8 Cardiff City 21,124 -23.0% 26,357 19,057 9 Ipswich Town 19,603 14.6% 26,157 15,726 10 Middlesbrough 19,562 24.2% 33,381 14,970 11 Fulham 18,276 -26.8% 23,271 14,325 12 Reading 17,022 -11.2% 20,048 13,775 13 Charlton Athletic 16,708 3.6% 25,545 13,433 14 Watford 16,664 7.4% 20,250 13,468 15 Birmingham City 16,111 4.2% 23,851 13,837 16 Bolton Wanderers 15,413 -4.5% 23,203 12,790 17 Blackburn Rovers 14,913 -0.3% 22,340 12,852 18 Huddersfield Town 13,613 -4.2% 20,029 10,282 19 Wigan Athletic 12,882 -15.1% 16,810 10,016 20 Blackpool 10,984 -22.7% 12,233 9,168 21 Millwall 10,902 -1.5% 16,205 8,250 22 Brentford 10,822 40.3% 12,255 8,765 23 AFC Bournemouth 10,265 3.1% 11,318 8,480 24 Rotherham United 10,240 21.2% 11,707 8,534
References