2016–17 EFL Championship


The 2016–17 EFL Championship was the first season of the EFL Championship under its current name, and the twenty-fifth season under its current league structure. Newcastle United were crowned the champions and were promoted to Premier League after just one season in the Championship. Brighton & Hove Albion, alongside Huddersfield Town, both achieved their first ever Premier League promotions, via the second automatic promotion place and play-off route respectively.
The season started on 5 August 2016 with the final round of regular league fixtures played on 7 May 2017. The fixtures were announced on 22 June 2016.

Teams

A total of 24 teams contested the league, including 18 sides from the 2015–16 season, three relegated from the 2015–16 Premier League and three promoted from the 2015–16 Football League One. The 2016–17 season was the first in which former European Cup winners Aston Villa played football outside of the top flight since the beginning of the Premier League era in 1992.

Team changes

To Championship

Promoted from League One
Relegated from Premier League
Relegated to League One
Promoted to Premier League
TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Aston VillaBirminghamVilla Park42,790
BarnsleyBarnsleyOakwell23,009
Birmingham CityBirminghamSt Andrew's30,020
Blackburn RoversBlackburnEwood Park31,370
BrentfordLondon Griffin Park12,760
Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton and HoveAMEX Stadium30,280
Bristol CityBristolAshton Gate27,000
Burton AlbionBurton upon TrentPirelli Stadium6,912
Cardiff CityCardiffCardiff City Stadium33,300
Derby CountyDerbyPride Park Stadium33,600
FulhamLondon Craven Cottage25,680
Huddersfield TownHuddersfieldJohn Smith's Stadium24,500
Ipswich TownIpswichPortman Road30,300
Leeds UnitedLeedsElland Road37,900
Newcastle UnitedNewcastleSt James' Park52,354
Norwich CityNorwichCarrow Road27,220
Nottingham ForestNottinghamCity Ground30,576
Preston North EndPrestonDeepdale23,408
Queens Park RangersLondon Loftus Road18,360
ReadingReadingMadejski Stadium24,200
Rotherham UnitedRotherhamNew York Stadium12,021
Sheffield WednesdaySheffieldHillsborough39,812
Wigan AthleticWiganDW Stadium25,023
Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhamptonMolineux31,700

Personnel and sponsoring

Managerial changes

Play-offs

The four teams that finished from third to sixth played off, with the winning team, Huddersfield Town, gaining the final promotion spot to the Premier League.
In the play-off semi-finals the third-placed team played the sixth-placed team and the fourth-placed team played the fifth-placed team. The team that finished in the higher league position played away in the first leg and played at home in the second leg. If the aggregate score was level after both legs, then extra time was played. If the scores were still level, a penalty shoot-out decided the winner. The away goals rule does not apply in the playoffs.
The winners from the two semi-finals played at Wembley Stadium in the play-off final. The game is known as the richest game in football as the winning club is guaranteed significantly increased television rights payments estimated to be in the order of £170M.

Results

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Chris WoodLeeds United27
2 Glenn MurrayBrighton & Hove Albion23
2 Tammy AbrahamBristol City23
2 Dwight GayleNewcastle United23
5 Jonathan KodjiaAston Villa19
6 Yann KermorgantReading18
7 Cameron JeromeNorwich City16
8 Anthony KnockaertBrighton & Hove Albion15
8 Lasse VibeBrentford15
8 Scott HoganAston Villa15

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDate
Ipswich TownBarnsley4–26 August 2016
BrentfordPreston North End5–017 September 2016
Newcastle UnitedNorwich City4–328 September 2016
Brighton & Hove AlbionNorwich City5–029 October 2016
Nottingham ForestBarnsley5–225 November 2016
Newcastle UnitedBirmingham City4–010 December 2016
Norwich CityDerby County3–02 January 2017
BrentfordRotherham United4–225 February 2017
Derby CountyFulham4–24 April 2017
Wigan AthleticBarnsley3–213 April 2017

Monthly awards

Attendances

Attendances accurate as of 12/03/2017.