III Division. The last 4 – relegated, the top 2 promoted to Second Division and the next 4 teams going to promotion play-offs, the winner going up. Three teams dominated the championship.
Walsall – last with 41 points and out.
Blackpool – 23rd with 46 points and relegated.
Northampton Town – 22nd with 47 points and relegated.
Cardiff City – 21st with 50 points and relegated.
Fulham – 20th with 51 points.
Preston North End – 19th with 52 points.
Wigan Athletic – 18th with 53 points.
Swansea City – 17th with 54 points.
Chester City – 16th with 54 points.
Mansfield Town – 15th with 55 points.
Leyton Orient – 14th with 58 points.
Brentford – 13th with 61 points.
Crewe Alexandra – 12th with 62 points.
Shrewsbury Town – 11th with 63 points.
Reading – 10th with 64 points.
Rotherham United – 9th with 64 points.
Huddersfield Town – 8th with 65 points. Back: Mulhall (trainer), Shelton, Trevitt, O’Doherty, Cecere, Hardwick, Onuora, Leake, Mitchell, Duggan, Byrne, May, Bray, Williams (physio).
Front: Marsden, Maskell, O’Regan, Hutchings, Hand (manager), Withe (assistant manager), Smith, Bent, Wilson, Lewis.
Birmingham City – 7th with 66 points.
Bolton Wanderers – 6th with 69 points. Qualified to promotion play-offs, but was eliminated by Notts County 1-1 and 0-2.
Bury – 5th with 74 points and qualified to promotion play-offs. Eliminated in the first round by Tranmere Rovers 0-0 and 0-2.
Tranmere Rovers – 4th with 80 points. They reached the final of promotion play-offs after eliminating Bury, but at Wembley lost to superior Notts County 0-2 and remained in the league.
Strong season for Notts County, but they finished 3rd with 87 points and did not achieve direct promotion. However, they won the promotion play-offs – first eliminated Bolton Wanderers and after that – Tranmere Rovers.
Back row: Lund, Palmer, Law, Cherry, Yates, Davison, Short, O’Riordan, Platnauer
Middle: Newman(Asst.Man), Stant, Robinson, Pike, Norton, McStay, Fairclough, Machin, Cox, Kevan, Wilson(Physio)
Front: Barnes, Johnson, Hopcroft(Director), Mounteney(Vice Chair), Warnock(Manager), Pavis(Chairman), Hook(Chief Exec.), Turner, Draper .
A Bristol battle at the very top of the league, a matter of pride mostly.
Bristol City lost the battle by 2 points and finished 2nd. 27 wins (one more than Rovers), 10 ties, but 9 losses (4 more than their rivals). Scored more goals than Rovers – 76 – but also allowed more in their own net – 40. Yet, both teams ended with the same goal-difference: +36. City lost the championship, but was promoted to Second Division, so nothing was really lost and the battle will continue next season in the higher league.
Bristol Rovers enjoyed dramatic victory over their city rivals by 2 points: they finished with 93 and won the championship. 26 wins, 15 ties, only 5 lost games, 71-35 scoring record.
The sweetest of victories, for they snatched the title from their city rivals. Promoted up, of course, and naturally wanting to do better than City again – but that remains to be seen. Champions at the moment and enjoying it.
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