2007–08 Football League Championship


The 2007–08 Football League Championship was the sixteenth season under its current league division format and its fourth with its current sponsorship. The leagues started in August 2007 and concluded in May 2008, with the promotion play-off finals.
The Football League is contested through three Divisions. The top divisions of these is the League Championship. The winner and the runner up of the League Championship will be automatically promoted to the Premiership and they will be joined by the winner of the League Championship play-off. The bottom three teams in the Championship will be relegated to the second division, League One.
West Bromwich Albion finished top of the league with 81 points, closely followed by Stoke City who had 79 points. Hull City were promoted through the play-offs. Colchester and Scunthorpe United were both relegated several weeks before the end of the season. However, in a very tight league, with a gap of only 29 points between top and 22nd place, the final team to be relegated, Leicester City, went down on the final day while six other teams were within three points of them, despite the fact that only Crystal Palace had conceded less goals.

Changes from last season

From Championship

Promoted to Premier League
Relegated to League One
Relegated from Premier League
Promoted from League One

Play-offs

The Football League Championship Playoffs took place at the end of May 2008. They involved the teams that finished third to sixth in the table. Hull and Bristol City qualified from their semi-finals against Watford and Crystal Palace respectively over two legs. Hull City won the final with a single Dean Windass goal to win promotion to the Premier League.

Results

Top scorers

Team of the Year

Pos.PlayerClub
GKWayne HennesseyWolverhampton Wanderers
DFBradley OrrBristol City
DFDanny ShittuWatford
DFPaul RobinsonWest Bromwich Albion
DFRyan ShawcrossStoke City
MFBrian HowardBarnsley
MFMarvin ElliottBristol City
MFLiam LawrenceStoke City
MFJonathan GreeningWest Bromwich Albion
STRicardo FullerStoke City
STKevin PhillipsWest Bromwich Albion

Stadia

TeamStadiumCapacity
Sheffield WednesdayHillsborough Stadium39,814
SouthamptonSt Mary's Stadium32,689
Coventry CityRicoh Arena32,609
Sheffield UnitedBramall Lane32,609
Leicester CityWalkers Stadium32,500
Ipswich TownPortman Road30,311
Wolverhampton WanderersMolineux Stadium28,525
Stoke CityBritannia Stadium28,383
West BromThe Hawthorns28,003
Charlton AthleticThe Valley27,111
Crystal PalaceSelhurst Park26,309
Norwich CityCarrow Road26,034
Hull CityKC Stadium25,404
Preston North EndDeepdale24,500
BarnsleyOakwell23,009
BurnleyTurf Moor22,546
Cardiff CityNinian Park22,008
Bristol CityAshton Gate21,497
WatfordVicarage Road19,920
Plymouth ArgyleHome Park19,500
Queens Park RangersLoftus Road19,128
BlackpoolBloomfield Road9,788
Scunthorpe UnitedGlanford Park9,183
Colchester UnitedLayer Road6,320

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table
Sheffield UnitedNeil WarnockResigned16 May 2007Bryan Robson16 May 2007Pre-season
Crystal PalacePeter TaylorContract terminated8 October 2007Neil Warnock11 October 200719th
Leicester CityMartin AllenMutual consent29 August 2007Gary Megson13 September 20079th
Queens Park RangersJohn GregoryContract terminated1 October 2007Luigi De Canio29 October 200724th
Norwich CityPeter GrantMutual consent8 October 2007Glenn Roeder30 October 200722nd
Leicester CityGary MegsonMutual consent 24 October 2007Ian Holloway22 November 200719th
BurnleySteve CotterillMutual consent8 November 2007Owen Coyle22 November 200715th
Preston North EndPaul SimpsonContract terminated13 November 2007Alan Irvine20 November 200721st
Plymouth ArgyleIan HollowayResigned 21 November 2007Paul Sturrock27 November 20077th
Coventry CityIain DowieContract terminated11 February 2008Chris Coleman19 February 200819th
Sheffield UnitedBryan RobsonMutual consent14 February 2008Kevin Blackwell14 February 200816th
Queens Park RangersLuigi De CanioMutual consent8 May 2008Iain Dowie14 May 200814th