Second Division. Apart from obvious excitement over who wins and who losses, Second Division was interesting this year with the presence of very high-profile players. Getting old, but famous – Allan Simonsen (Charlton), Kevin Keegan, Terry McDermott, Imre Varadi (Newcastle), Tony Currie (QPR), Frank Worthington, Trevor Cherry, Eddie Gray, Frank Gray (Leeds), to name a few. Also, some future big stars were here – Terry Fenwick (QPR), David Seaman (Leeds). Two teams had 2 points deducted for infringements at the end – Fulham and Derby County. Fulham paid dearly – the deduction reduced them to 4th place and they lost promotion.
Bolton Wanderers finished last with 44 points.
Thanks to better goal-difference, Burnley was above Bolton, but so what – they were relegated too.
Rotherham United – 20th with 45 points. The third to go down this year.
With 47 points, Grimsby Town escaped relegation, good for at least one more year.
No end for Chelsea’s troubles – almost relegated to Third Division. 47 points and 18th only because of better-difference.
May be not what the former European player of the year expected – the Dane was used to winning. Now with Charlton Athletic, it was not only second division football, but also relegation fright. Charlton ended 17th with 48 points.
Third row from left: David McLurg, Colin Ross, Heine Otto, Ray Hankin, Steve Tupling, John Brownlie.
Middle: Mick Baxter, Tony Mowbray, Paul Ward, Gary McDonald, Irving Nattress, David Currie, Darren Wood, Mike Angus, Joe Bolton, Kevin Beattie.
Front: Lew Clayton, Terry Cochrane, Stephen Bell, Kel O’Hanlon, Big Mal, Platt, Mick Kennedy, David Shearer, Cyril Knowles.
Middlesbrough knew better days too, but now it was 16th place and that only because of better goal-difference.
Crystal Palace also with 48 points and 15th.
Best goal-difference among the teams with 48 points gave Carlisle United 14th place. Not so bad, given that they were just promoted from third tier.
Derby County – 13th with 49 points.
Cambridge United – 12th with 51 points. The highest of lowest, for there was significant gap between the teams bellow 11th place and those above.
Blackburn Rovers – 11th with 57 points.
Also with 57 points, but better goal-difference placed Barnsley above Blackburn Rovers – 10th.
Good season for Shrewsbury Town – 9th with 59 points.
Miserable Leeds United, seemingly following in the steps of Chelsea to complete disaster. 8th with 60 points.
Oldham Athletic had nothing to complain of – 7th with 61 points.
Sheffield Wednesday – 6th with 63 points.
Newcastle United clearly aimed at promotion, but failed and finished 5th with 67 points. One more year – at least – in Second Division ahead of them.
No promotion for Fulham either – they finished 3rd, but ended 4th after 2 points were deducted from their record to make them 69.
Which made Leicester City happy – their 70 points were enough for return to top flight as 3rd in the final table of Second Division.
Woolverhamton Wanderers was ambitious and strong this season – 2nd with 75 points. Immediately returning to first division after single season down.
Queen’s Park Rangers dominated the league, finishing 10 points ahead of the Woolves. 26 wins, 7 ties, 9 losses, 77-36 goal-difference, 85 points. Looked like QPR was returning to their great days in the mid-70. But the real test was yet to be – in the next season.