Second Division. Two favourites, entangled in the battle for the first place, one team pretty much alone at 3rd place, two outsiders.
Cambridge United – 22nd with 24 points.
At the beginning of the season there was optimism and expectations that Swansea City will return to First Division. They had good mix of young talent and experienced veterans. That was the formula John Toshack used, but it misfired the previous season, lending the Swans in Second Division. And this time misfired even worse – 21st with 29 points. In two years Swansea went from First Division to Third. What a frustrating experience for Jimmy Rimmer, Ray Kennedy, Bob Latchford, Dean Saunders.
Derby County was the 3rd relegated team – 20th with 42 points. Deep crisis.
Oldham Athletic enjoyed 19th place – with 47 points they finished well ahead of Derby County and survived.
Crystal Palace – 18th with 47 points.
Middlesborugh -17th with 49 points. Malcolm Allison was coaching leading teams no long ago…
Portsmouth – 16th with 49 points. With Mark Hateley… that much.
Cardiff City – 15th with 51 points.
Barnsley – 14th with 52 points.
Charlton Athletic – 13th with 57 points.
Huddersfield Town – 12th with 57 points.
Fulham – 11th with 57 points.
Not even a shadow of the great club they were – now, a mid-table second division team. 10th with 60 points.
Brighton & Hove Albion – 9th with 60 points. Freshly relegated from first division and quickly settling into their familiar role of mid-table second division team.
Shrewsbury Town – doing well, considering the fate of much bigger and famous clubs: 8th with 61 points.
Carlisle United – 7th with 64 points.
Blackburn Rovers – 6th with 67 points.
Grimsby Town – a pleasant surprise. They barely escaped relegation the last season, but now were 5th with 70 points. Only worse goal-difference prevented them from finishing 4th.
Manchester City clinched the 4th place with 70 points. But nothing to warm the hearts of their fans – not only City was relegated from the top league, but it was not even able to fight for quick return.
Newcastle United confidently finished 3rd with 80 points and got promoted. Well done? Depends on how one looks at it – returning to the top league was great. Leaving the competition far behind – very good. But a team with Kevin Keegan, Chris Waddle, Terry McDermott, and Imre Varadi not even close to the leaders? In that in Second Division…
No doubts about Sheffield Wednesday – 2nd with 89 points. Lost 1st place on worse goal-difference, but it was splendid season, leaving the rest of the league in the dust. A long period of suffering finally ended – Sheffield Wednesday did not play top league football since 1969-70. Sinking down to 3rd Division instead. At last they were returning to truly big football.
Chelsea clinched the Second Division title, beating Sheffield Wednesday on goal-difference. Strong season, no doubt, but was it really recovery, as their fans hoped? Only the next season could tell.
It was pure joy for the moment. And nice kit. And first sponsor.
Second division champions – 25 wins, 13 ties, 4 losses, 90-40 goal-difference, 89 points.
Chelsea, Sheffield Wednesday, and Newcastle United promoted to First Division.