# 2008–09 Scunthorpe United F.C. season

During the 2008–09 English football season, Scunthorpe United F.C. competed in League One, the third tier of English football. Scunthorpe also competed in the FA Cup, Football League Cup and Football League Trophy.

## Season summary

The 2008–09 season saw Scunthorpe reach Wembley twice. The Iron qualified for the Football League Trophy final, but were beaten 3–2 after extra time by Luton Town. The club then qualified for the League One play-offs through an 88th-minute equaliser by club captain Cliff Byrne against promotion rivals Tranmere Rovers on the last day of the regular season. Scunthorpe beat MK Dons on penalties after a 1–1 aggregate draw in the semi-finals, before beating Millwall in the Wembley final 3–2, with two goals from Matt Sparrow and one from Martyn Woolford, to achieve promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

## Squad

| No. | Name | Position | Date of birth | Place of birth | note |
| 1 | Joe Murphy | GK | 25 September 1980 | Dublin | |
| 2 | Kenny Milne | DF | 26 August 1979 | Alloa | |
| 3 | Marcus Williams | DF | 8 April 1986 | Doncaster | |
| 4 | Andy Crosby | DF | 3 March 1973 | Rotherham | |
| 5 | Izzy Iriekpen | DF | 14 May 1982 | Newham | signed for Bristol City |
| 5 | Joseph Mills | DF | 30 October 1989 | Swindon | on loan from Southampton |
| 6 | Cliff Byrne | DF | 27 April 1982 | Dublin | captain |
| 7 | Matt Sparrow | MF | 3 October 1983 | Scunthorpe | |
| 8 | Garry Thompson | MF | 24 November 1980 | Kendal | |
| 9 | Paul Hayes | FW | 20 September 1983 | Dagenham | |
| 10 | Gary Hooper | FW | 26 January 1988 | Harlow | |
| 11 | Ian Baraclough | MF | 4 December 1970 | Leicester | |
| 14 | Michael Lea | DF | 4 November 1987 | Salford | |
| 15 | David Mirfin | DF | 18 April 1985 | Sheffield | |
| 16 | Martyn Woolford | MF | 13 October 1985 | Pontefract | |
| 17 | Grant McCann | MF | 14 April 1980 | Belfast | |
| 18 | Sam Togwell | MF | 14 October 1984 | Maidenhead | |
| 19 | Jonathan Forte | FW | 25 July 1986 | Sheffield | |
| 20 | Sam Slocombe | GK | 5 June 1988 | Scunthorpe | |
| 21 | Jake Picton | DF | 6 January 1991 | Pontefract | |
| 22 | Josh Lillis | GK | 24 June 1987 | Derby | |
| 23 | Kevan Hurst | FW | 27 August 1985 | Chesterfield | |
| 24 | Andrew Wright | MF | 15 January 1985 | Liverpool | |
| 25 | Peter Winn | FW | 19 December 1988 | Cleethorpes | |
| 26 | Krystian Pearce | DF | 5 January 1990 | Birmingham | on loan from Birmingham City |
| 27 | Ian Morris | MF | 27 February 1987 | Dublin | |
| 28 | Rory Coleman | DF | 22 December 1990 | Rotherham | |
| 29 | Joe Wilcox | DF | 18 April 1989 | Northampton | |
| 30 | Ben May | FW | 10 March 1984 | Gravesend | |
| 31 | Henri Lansbury | MF | 12 October 1990 | Enfield | on loan from Arsenal |
| 32 | Liam Trotter | MF | 24 August 1988 | Ipswich | on loan from Ipswich Town |
| 33 | Kayode Odejayi | FW | 21 February 1982 | Ibadan | on loan from Barnsley |
| 40 | Kevin Pressman | GK | 6 November 1967 | Fareham | |

## Competitions
### Football League One
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 4 | Leeds United | 46 | 26 | 6 | 14 | 77 | 49 | +28 | 84 | Qualification for League One play-offs |
| 5 | Millwall | 46 | 25 | 7 | 14 | 63 | 53 | +10 | 82 | Qualification for League One play-offs |
| 6 | Scunthorpe United (O, P) | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 82 | 63 | +19 | 76 | Qualification for League One play-offs |
| 7 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 62 | 49 | +13 | 74 | |
| 8 | Southend United | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 58 | 61 | −3 | 71 | |