Second Division. Going to be of 23 teams next season, because of the reduction of First Division. The top two – automatically promoted, the next 3 teams plus the 19th in First Division going to promotion/relegation play-offs. The bottom 2 automatically relegated and the 20th going to promotion/relegation play-offs against 3 Third Division teams. One dominant leader, one hopeless outsider this season.
Brighton & Hove Albion – the outsiders this season. Last and out with 39 points.
Financially troubled Grimsby Town ended 21st with 44 points and was relegated.
Sunderland was 20th with 48 points and went to promotion/relegation play-offs, which they lost and plunged to Third Division for the first time in their history. Some called them victims of the new rule, but victims they were not – under the traditional rules, they would have been directly relegated. Now they just blew a chance for last minute escape.
Birmingham City – 19th with 50 points. Barely survived.
Shrewsbury Town – 18th with 51 points. Good for another season.
Huddersfield Town – 17th with 51 points. (Back) Smith (coach), Trevitt, Cork, Mitchell, Jones, Cox, Webster, Brown, Winter, Shearer, Robson (coach)
(Front) Thackeray, Wilson (Phil), Cowling, Burke, Doyle, Buxton (manager), Bray, Cooper, Raynor, Wilson (Paul), Worthington.
Millwall – 16th with 51 points.
West Bromwich Albion – 15th with 51 points.
Hull City – 14th with 53 points.
Reading – 13th with 53 points.
Blackburn Rovers – 12th with 55 points.
Barnsley – 11th with 55 points.
Bradford City – 10th with 55 points.
Sheffield United – 9th with 58 points.
Stoke City – 8th with 58 points.
Plymouth Argyle – 7th with 61 points. One of their best ever seasons. Coming close to promotion/relegation play-offs, but even failing to reach this stage was wonderful.
Crystal Palace – 6th with 62 points.
Ipswich Town -5th with 64 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-offs.
Leeds United – 4th with 68 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-offs.
Oldham Athletic – 3rd with 75 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-offs. The new rule was hardly to their liking: they were confident third-placed, leading Leeds by 7 points. Under the classic rule – directly promoted and rightly so. Now… promotion was not certain and a team significantly bellow them during the long tough season could get promotion instead of them.
Portsmouth – 2nd with 78 points and directly promoted. Well deserved success and also return to top flight after very long absence.
Derby County – winners of the championship with 84 points. 25 wins, 9 ties, 8 losses, 64-38 goal-difference. Now, Derby County was playing Third Division football in 1984-85… their free fall was finally halted back then and they were coming back fast: promoted for a second consecutive season.
The promotion/relegation play-offs ended the hopes of former greats Leeds United and Ipswich Town, but probably Oldham Athletic had to suffer most – First Division Charlton Athletic won and kept its place in the top division. Under the old rule they were going down without any fuss and Oldham Athletic – up.