Second Division. The top two teams directly promoted, the next 4 contested the last promotion in the play-offs, the last 3 in the league – relegated. Chelsea had fantastic season, completely dominating the championship. Leeds United misery apparently was endless. Perhaps the most remarkable moment of the season happened on March 27, 1989, when the referee Kevin Morton called 5 penalties in 27 minutes in the match between Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion – Palace missed 3 of their 4 penalties, Brighton scored their one, but still lost the game 1-2.
Walsall took the last place with 31 points and was relegated.
Birmingham City – 23rd with 35 points and down to Third Division.
Shrewsbury Town – 22nd with 42 points and relegated.
Hull City – 21st with 47 points.
Portsmouth – 20th with 51 points.
Brighton & Hove Albion – 19th with 51 points.
Plymouth Argyle – 18th with 54 points.
Oxford United – 17th with 54 points.
Oldham Athletic – 16th with 54 points.
Leicester City – 15th with 55 points.
Bradford City – 14th with 56 points.
Stoke City – 13th with 59 points.
Bournemouth – 12th with 62 points.
Sunderland – 11th with 63 points.
Leeds United – 10th with 67 points.
West Bromwich Albion – 9th with 72 points.
Ipswich Town – 8th with 73 points.
Barnsley – 7th with 74 points.
Swindon Town – 6th with 76 points and going to promotion play-offs.
Blackburn Rovers – 5th with 77 points and going to promotion play-offs.
Watford – 4th with 78 points and to the promotion play-offs.
Crystal Palace – 3rd with 81 points. Missed direct promotion by a point, but still had a chance to go up at the promotion play-offs.
Manchester City – 2nd with 82 points. Fought well and gained direct promotion back to First Division.
Chelsea – had fantastic season leaving the whole league far behind. They won the championship with 99 points from 29 wins, 12 ties, 5 losses, and 96-50 goal-difference and went up to the top league. Once again…
In the promotion play-offs Swindon Town lost to Crystal Palace 1-0 and 0-2 and Watford to Blackburn Rovers 0-1 and 0-1. Then Blackburn Rovers looked like getting the upper hand by beating Crystal Palace 3-1 in the first leg of the final. But Crystal Palace came back and with clean 3-0 win the second leg clinched the last promotion.
Steve Coppell did good job rebuilding Crystal Palace and the result was promotion top First Division. Nice.
But this season belonged to Chelsea – hoping to continue their way up in the next season.
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