2008–09 Football League Two

The Football League 2008–09, known as the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons, is the 17th season under its current league division format. It began in August 2008 and concluded in May 2009, with the promotion play-off finals.

The Football League is contested through three Divisions. The third division of these is League Two. The winner, runner up and third-placed team of League Two will be automatically promoted to Football League One and they will be joined by the winner of the League Two playoff. The bottom two teams in the league will be relegated from the Football League to the Conference National for the 2009–10 season.

Before the season started, Luton Town, Rotherham United and A.F.C. Bournemouth were all deducted points for the League Two season for, in all cases, financial problems and additionally, in the case of Luton, for criminal matters regarding transfers of players. Bournemouth and Rotherham both started on −17 points while Luton had to begin on −30 points. On 25 January, Darlington were deducted ten points after going into administration.

Contents

Changes from last season

From League Two

Promoted to League One

Relegated to Conference National

To League Two

Relegated from League One

Promoted from Conference National

League table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Promotion or relegation
1 Brentford (C) (P) 46 23 16 7 65 36 +29 85 Promotion to the League One
2 Exeter City (P) 46 22 13 11 65 50 +15 79
3 Wycombe Wanderers (P) 46 20 18 8 54 33 +21 78
4 Bury 46 21 15 10 63 43 +20 78 Qualification to the League Two Playoffs
5 Gillingham (O) (P) 46 21 12 13 58 55 +3 75
6 Rochdale 46 19 13 14 70 59 +11 70
7 Shrewsbury Town 46 17 18 11 61 44 +17 69
8 Dagenham & Redbridge 46 19 11 16 77 53 +24 68
9 Bradford City 46 18 13 15 66 55 +11 67
10 Chesterfield 46 16 15 15 62 57 +5 63
11 Morecambe 46 15 18 13 53 56 −3 63
12 Darlington 46 20 12 14 61 44 +17 062*
13 Lincoln City 46 14 17 15 53 52 +1 59
14 Rotherham United 46 21 12 13 60 46 +14 058*
15 Aldershot Town 46 14 12 20 59 80 −21 54
16 Accrington Stanley 46 13 11 22 42 59 −17 50
17 Barnet 46 11 15 20 56 74 −18 48
18 Port Vale 46 13 9 24 44 66 −22 48
19 Notts County 46 11 14 21 49 69 −20 47
20 Macclesfield Town 46 13 8 25 45 77 −32 47
21 Bournemouth 46 17 12 17 59 51 +8 046*
22 Grimsby Town 46 9 14 23 51 69 −18 41
23 Chester (R) 46 8 13 25 43 81 −38 37 Relegation to the Conference National
24 Luton Town (R) 46 13 17 16 58 65 −7 026*

Updated to games played on 2 May 2009
Source: The Football League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
* Darlington deducted 10 points[1]; Bournemouth deducted 17 points[2]; Rotherham United deducted 17 points[3]; Luton Town deducted 30 points[4]
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Playoffs

  Semifinals Final at Wembley
                     
7  Shrewsbury Town 0 1 (4) 1  
4  Bury 1 0 (3) 1  
     Shrewsbury Town 0
   Gillingham 1
6  Rochdale 0 1 1
5  Gillingham 0 2 2  

Stadia and locations

Locations of the League Two 2008–09 teams
Team Stadium Capacity
Darlington The Darlington Arena 25,294*
Bradford City Valley Parade 25,136
Rotherham United Don Valley Stadium 25,000
Port Vale Vale Park 22,356
Notts County Meadow Lane 19,588
Brentford Griffin Park 12,763
Bury Gigg Lane 11,840
Gillingham Priestfield Stadium 11,582
Bournemouth Dean Court 10,700
Luton Town Kenilworth Road 10,260
Rochdale Spotland Stadium 10,249
Lincoln City Sincil Bank 10,127
Wycombe Wanderers Adams Park 10,000
Shrewsbury Town New Meadow 9,875
Grimsby Town Blundell Park 9,106
Exeter City St James Park 9,036
Chesterfield Saltergate 8,504
Aldershot Town Recreation Ground 7,100
Morecambe Christie Park 6,400
Macclesfield Town Moss Rose 6,335
Dagenham & Redbridge Victoria Road 6,000
Barnet Underhill Stadium 5,568
Chester City Deva Stadium 5,376
Accrington Stanley Crown Ground 5,057

*Capacity limited to 6,000 because of planning regulations[5]

Results

Home \ Away1 ACC ALD BRN BOU BRA BRE BRY CHE CHS D&R DAR EXE GIL GRI LIN LUT MAC MOR NTC PVA ROC ROT SHR WYC
Accrington Stanley 0–1 1–1 3–0 2–3 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 2–1 0–2 3–1 0–2 0–0 2–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–1 0–1
Aldershot Town 3–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 1–1 3–3 2–2 1–1 1–2 2–1 1–0 2–1 2–2 2–0 2–1 1–1 0–2 2–2 1–0 2–4 0–1 0–0 3–2
Barnet 2–1 0–3 1–0 4–1 0–1 1–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 0–1 0–1 2–2 3–3 3–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 0–4 1–2 2–1 2–0 0–0 1–1
Bournemouth 1–0 2–0 0–2 4–1 0–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 2–1 3–1 0–1 1–1 2–1 0–1 1–1 0–1 0–0 0–1 0–0 4–0 0–0 1–0 3–1
Bradford City 1–1 5–0 3–3 1–3 1–1 1–0 0–0 3–2 1–1 0–0 4–1 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–0 4–0 2–1 0–1 2–0 3–0 0–0 1–0
Brentford 3–0 3–0 1–0 2–0 2–1 1–0 3–0 0–1 2–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–2 0–0 1–1 3–3
Bury 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–2 0–1 4–0 0–2 3–1 1–2 3–0 2–1 2–0 3–0 2–1 1–2 2–1 0–0
Chester City 2–0 0–1 5–1 0–2 0–0 3–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 1–2 0–0 0–1 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–2 1–2 2–0 1–2 0–2 1–5 1–1 0–2
Chesterfield 1–1 5–1 1–1 1–0 0–2 0–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–0 2–1 0–1 2–1 1–1 2–2 2–4 1–2 3–1 2–1 3–0 1–0 2–2 0–1
Dagenham & Redbridge 0–0 3–1 2–0 0–1 3–0 3–1 1–3 6–0 3–0 0–1 1–2 2–0 4–0 0–3 2–1 2–1 0–2 6–1 1–1 3–2 1–1 1–2 0–1
Darlington 3–0 2–0 2–2 2–1 2–1 1–3 2–2 1–2 0–0 3–0 1–1 1–2 1–0 2–0 5–1 1–2 0–0 1–0 2–1 1–2 1–0 1–1 1–2
Exeter City 2–1 3–2 2–1 1–3 1–0 0–2 0–0 2–0 1–6 2–1 2–0 3–0 0–0 2–1 0–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 1–0 4–1 1–1 1–2 1–0
Gillingham 1–0 4–4 0–2 1–0 0–2 1–1 0–0 2–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 1–0 3–0 1–2 0–1 3–1 5–0 2–2 1–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 1–1
Grimsby Town 0–1 1–0 0–1 3–3 1–3 0–1 1–2 1–3 0–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 3–0 5–1 2–2 0–0 2–3 0–1 3–0 0–0 3–0 1–0 1–1
Lincoln City 5–1 0–2 2–0 3–3 0–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 0–3 0–1 0–1 2–0 1–1 0–0 1–0 1–1 1–1 0–1 1–1 0–1 0–0 1–0
Luton Town 1–2 3–1 3–1 3–3 3–3 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–0 2–1 1–2 1–2 0–0 2–1 3–2 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–1 2–4 3–1 0–1
Macclesfield Town 0–2 4–2 2–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 0–4 0–6 1–4 0–1 1–0 1–2 2–1 0–1 1–1 0–2 0–1 1–2 3–0 0–0
Morecambe 1–1 2–0 2–1 0–4 2–1 2–0 0–0 3–1 2–2 1–2 1–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 1–1 1–2 4–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–0 0–0
Notts County 1–1 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 0–1 1–2 0–1 0–3 0–0 2–1 0–1 0–2 0–1 0–2 1–1 1–0 4–2 1–2 0–3 2–2 0–2
Port Vale 0–2 0–0 0–0 3–1 0–2 0–3 1–1 3–0 0–1 0–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–1 0–1 1–3 1–4 2–1 1–2 2–1 0–0 1–1 1–1
Rochdale 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 3–0 1–2 1–1 6–1 2–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 0–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–0 1–0 1–2 2–1 0–1
Rotherham United 0–0 1–2 3–4 1–0 0–2 0–0 1–1 3–1 3–0 1–1 0–1 0–1 2–0 4–1 1–0 1–0 2–0 3–2 2–1 1–0 2–2 1–2 0–0
Shrewsbury Town 2–0 1–0 2–2 4–1 2–0 1–3 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 1–1 7–0 1–1 0–0 3–0 4–0 0–0 3–2 1–2 1–1 1–0 0–1
Wycombe Wanderers 2–1 3–0 1–1 3–1 1–0 0–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 0–1 1–0 0–0 4–0 1–1 1–2 4–2 0–1 0–0 1–1

Source: The Football League
1The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For coming matches, an a indicates there is an article about the match.

Top scorers

Pos Player Team Goals
1 Simeon Jackson Gillingham 20
2 Grant Holt Shrewsbury Town 20
3 Jack Lester Chesterfield 20
4 Adam le Fondre Rochdale 17
5 John O'Flynn Barnet 17
6 Reuben Reid Rotherham United 17
7 Charlie MacDonald Brentford 16
8 Andy Bishop Bury 15
Peter Thorne Bradford City
10 Paul Benson Dagenham & Redbridge 14
Ryan Lowe Chester City
Brett Pitman Bournemouth
Jamie Ward Chesterfield

Monthly awards

Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month Notes
Manager Club Player Club
August Mark Robins Rotherham United Solomon Taiwo Dagenham & Redbridge [6][7]
September Alan Knill Bury Matthew Gill Exeter City [8][9]
October Peter Jackson Lincoln City Jamie Ward Chesterfield [10][11]
November Peter Taylor Wycombe Wanderers Grant Holt Shrewsbury Town [12][13]
December John Still Dagenham & Redbridge Marcus Bean Brentford [14][15]
January Alan Knill Bury Dany N'Guessan Lincoln City [16][17]
February Sammy McIlroy Morecambe Charlie MacDonald Brentford [18][19]
March Lee Richardson Chesterfield Reuben Reid Rotherham United [20][21]
April Andy Scott Brentford Sam Saunders Dagenham & Redbridge [22][23]

Key events

25 February 2009 – Darlington are docked 10 points by the FA for entering administration

2 May 2009 – Brentford crowned Champions of League 2 after 3–1 win at Darlington.

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
Bournemouth Kevin Bond Contract terminated 1 September 2008[24] Jimmy Quinn 2 September 2008[25] 23rd
Grimsby Town Alan Buckley Contract terminated 15 September 2008[26] Mike Newell 6 October 2008[27] 20th
Port Vale Lee Sinnott Mutual consent 22 September 2008[28] Dean Glover 6 October 2008[29] 16th
Chester City Simon Davies Contract terminated 11 November 2008[30] Mark Wright 14 November 2008[31] 19th
Barnet Paul Fairclough Resigned 28 December 2008[32] Ian Hendon 21 April 2009[33] 16th
Bournemouth Jimmy Quinn Contract terminated 31 December 2008[34] Eddie Howe 31 December 2008[35] 23rd

See also

References

  1. ^ "Darlington in administration". The Football League. 25 February 2009. http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/LatestNewsDetail/0,,10794~1569989,00.html. Retrieved 25 February 2009. 
  2. ^ "Bournemouth face 17-point penalty". BBC Sport. 7 August 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7547284.stm. Retrieved 7 August 2008. 
  3. ^ "Rotherham set to lose 17 points". BBC Sport. 6 August 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rotherham_utd/7543195.stm. Retrieved 6 August 2008. 
  4. ^ "Luton to face 30-point deduction". BBC Sport. 10 July 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/luton_town/7500435.stm. Retrieved 10 July 2008. 
  5. ^ Cook, Paul (2 May 2008). "Club nears backing for its first concert". The Northern Echo. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2309598.club_nears_backing_for_its_first_concert/. Retrieved 10 August 2008. 
  6. ^ "Millers boss nets monthly award". BBC Sport. 2 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rotherham_utd/7598316.stm. Retrieved 2 October 2008. 
  7. ^ "Player of the Month Awards announced". Setanta Sports. 8 September 2008. http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/09/08/Football-League-Powerade-awards-announced/?facets/sport-space/football/great-britain-locale/Coca-Cola-Football-League-Two/. Retrieved 18 November 2008. 
  8. ^ "Bury's Knill scoops monthly award". BBC Sport. 2 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bury/7648637.stm. Retrieved 2 October 2008. 
  9. ^ "Gill is named Player of the Month". BBC Sport. 8 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/e/exeter_city/7658691.stm. Retrieved 18 November 2008. 
  10. ^ "Jackson wins manager of the month". BBC Sport. 6 November 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/lincoln_city/7713775.stm. Retrieved 6 November 2008. 
  11. ^ "Ward wins League 2 award". The Football League. http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/News/LeagueTwoNewsDetail/0,,10794~1447567,00.html. Retrieved 18 November 2008. 
  12. ^ "November honour for Wycombe boss". BBC Sport. 4 December 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wycombe_wanderers/7765116.stm. Retrieved 4 December 2008. 
  13. ^ "Team success won my award – Holt". BBC Sport. 9 December 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/shrewsbury/7774030.stm. Retrieved 16 December 2008. 
  14. ^ "Reading boss scoops monthly award". BBC Sport. 1 January 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/7807109.stm. Retrieved 2 January 2009. 
  15. ^ "Reading's Hunt wins monthly award". BBC Sport. 13 January 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7826263.stm. Retrieved 13 January 2009. 
  16. ^ "Bury boss earns League Two honour". BBC Sport. 5 February 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bury/7872435.stm. Retrieved 5 February 2009. 
  17. ^ "N'Guessan is player of the month". BBC Sport. 10 February 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/7870885.stm. Retrieved 10 February 2009. 
  18. ^ "Coventry boss wins monthly award". BBC Sport. 5 March 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7926410.stm. Retrieved 7 March 2009. 
  19. ^ "MacDonald the pick of League 2". Football League. 9 March 2009. http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/League2PlayeroftheMonth/0,,10794~1585282,00.html. Retrieved 3 April 2010. 
  20. ^ "WINNERS ANNOUNCED". The Football League. 2 April 2009. http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/News/LeagueTwoNewsDetail/0,,10794~1610424,00.html. Retrieved 22 April 2009. 
  21. ^ "Powerade Player-of-the-Month awards". darlington-fc.net. 7 April 2009. http://www.darlington-fc.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10339~1615484,00.html. Retrieved 22 May 2009. 
  22. ^ "League Two – Bees boss Scott wins April award". Yahoo! Eurosport UK. 7 May 2009. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/07052009/58/league-bees-boss-scott-wins-april-award.html. Retrieved 22 May 2009. 
  23. ^ "Powerade winners announced". Football League. 4 May 2009. http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/LatestNewsDetail/0,,10794~1651790,00.html. Retrieved 22 May 2009. 
  24. ^ "Bond sacked as Bournemouth boss". BBC Sport. 1 September 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7592896.stm. Retrieved 3 September 2008. 
  25. ^ "Bournemouth name Quinn as manager". BBC Sport. 2 September 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7593850.stm. Retrieved 3 September 2008. 
  26. ^ "GTFC Statement". Grimsby Town official website. 15 September 2008. http://www.grimsby-townfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10417~1393011,00.html. Retrieved 15 September 2008. 
  27. ^ "Newell takes over as Grimsby boss". BBC Sport. 6 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/grimsby_town/7654352.stm. Retrieved 7 October 2008. 
  28. ^ "Sinnott parts company with Vale". BBC Sport. 22 September 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7629851.stm. Retrieved 23 September 2008. 
  29. ^ "Glover named new Port Vale boss". BBC Sport. 6 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7653984.stm. Retrieved 30 October 2008. 
  30. ^ "Chester part company with Davies". BBC Sport. 11 November 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chester/7721512.stm. Retrieved 11 November 2008. 
  31. ^ "Chester reappoint Wright as boss". BBC Sport. 14 November 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chester/7730031.stm. Retrieved 15 November 2008. 
  32. ^ "Fairclough stands down at Barnet". BBC Sport. 27 December 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/barnet/7801204.stm. Retrieved 27 December 2008. 
  33. ^ "Barnet appoint Hendon as manager". BBC Sport. 22 April 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/barnet/8012466.stm. Retrieved 22 April 2009. 
  34. ^ "Quinn parts company with Cherries". BBC Sport. 1 January 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7806809.stm. Retrieved 1 January 2009. 
  35. ^ "Cherries appoint Howe for season". BBC Sport. 19 January 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7837089.stm. Retrieved 19 January 2009. 
FA competitions
Premier and Football leagues
Football Conference
Lower leagues
European competitions
Related to national team
Club seasons
Premier League
Championship
League One
Brighton & Hove Albion · Bristol Rovers · Carlisle United · Cheltenham Town · Colchester United · Crewe Alexandra · Hartlepool United · Hereford United · Huddersfield Town · Leeds United · Leicester City · Leyton Orient · Millwall · Milton Keynes Dons · Northampton  Town · Oldham Athletic · Peterborough United · Scunthorpe United · Southend United · Stockport County · Swindon Town · Tranmere Rovers · Walsall · Yeovil Town
League Two
Accrington Stanley · Aldershot Town · Barnet · Bournemouth · Bradford City · Brentford · Bury · Chester City · Chesterfield · Dagenham & Redbridge · Darlington · Exeter City · Gillingham · Grimsby Town · Lincoln City · Luton Town · Macclesfield Town · Morecambe · Notts County · Port Vale · Rochdale · Rotherham United · Shrewsbury Town · Wycombe Wanderers
Conference National
Altrincham · Barrow · Burton Albion · Cambridge United · Crawley Town · Eastbourne Borough · Ebbsfleet United · Forest Green Rovers · Grays Athletic · Histon · Kettering Town · Kidderminster Harriers · Lewes · Mansfield Town · Northwich Victoria · Oxford United · Rushden & Diamonds · Salisbury City · Stevenage Borough · Torquay United · Weymouth · Woking · Wrexham · York City
Conference North / South