# 2004–05 Football League Championship

The 2004–05 Football League Championship (known as the Coca-Cola Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the thirteenth season under its current league division format. It began in August 2004 and concluded in May 2005, with the promotion play-off finals. This was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League Two respectively. Coca-Cola replaced the Nationwide Building Society as title sponsor.
The winners of the Championship in 2005 are Sunderland. Wigan Athletic reached the Premiership as Championship runners-up and became the first club to make a debut in the top tier of English football since Barnsley's promotion after the 1996–97 season. They had been elected to the Football League only 27 years earlier, had been the league's fourth lowest club eleven years earlier and had never played in the upper half of The Football League until two years before reaching the Premier League. Nottingham Forest were relegated from the Championship to League One, becoming the first former European Cup winners to slide into the third tier of their domestic league – having won two straight European Cups a quarter of a century earlier. Just ten years ago they had finished third in the Premiership and reached the following season's UEFA Cup quarter finals.

## Changes from last season
### From Championship

Promoted to Premier League
* Norwich City
* West Bromwich Albion
* Crystal Palace
Relegated to League One
* Walsall
* Bradford City
* Wimbledon

### To Championship

Relegated from Premier League
* Leicester City
* Leeds United
* Wolverhampton Wanderers
Promoted from League One
* Plymouth Argyle
* Queens Park Rangers
* Brighton & Hove Albion

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Sunderland (C, P) | 46 | 29 | 7 | 10 | 76 | 41 | +35 | 94 | Promotion to the FA Premier League |
| 2 | Wigan Athletic (P) | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 79 | 35 | +44 | 87 | Promotion to the FA Premier League |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 85 | 56 | +29 | 85 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 4 | Derby County | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 71 | 60 | +11 | 76 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 5 | Preston North End | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 67 | 58 | +9 | 75 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 6 | West Ham United (O, P) | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 66 | 56 | +10 | 73 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 7 | Reading | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 51 | 44 | +7 | 70 | |
| 8 | Sheffield United | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 57 | 56 | +1 | 67 | |
| 9 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 15 | 21 | 10 | 72 | 59 | +13 | 66 | |
| 10 | Millwall | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 51 | 45 | +6 | 66 | |
| 11 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 54 | 58 | −4 | 62 | |
| 12 | Stoke City | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 36 | 38 | −2 | 61 | |
| 13 | Burnley | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 60 | |
| 14 | Leeds United | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 60 | |
| 15 | Leicester City | 46 | 12 | 21 | 13 | 49 | 46 | +3 | 57 | |
| 16 | Cardiff City | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 48 | 51 | −3 | 54 | |
| 17 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 52 | 64 | −12 | 53 | |
| 18 | Watford | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 52 | 59 | −7 | 52 | |
| 19 | Coventry City | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 61 | 73 | −12 | 52 | |
| 20 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 40 | 65 | −25 | 51 | |
| 21 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 66 | 86 | −20 | 50 | |
| 22 | Gillingham (R) | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 45 | 66 | −21 | 50 | Relegation to Football League One |
| 23 | Nottingham Forest (R) | 46 | 9 | 17 | 20 | 42 | 66 | −24 | 44 | Relegation to Football League One |
| 24 | Rotherham United (R) | 46 | 5 | 14 | 27 | 35 | 69 | −34 | 29 | Relegation to Football League One |

### Play-offs

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 6 | West Ham United | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | Preston North End | 0 |
| | | | | | 6 | West Ham United | 1 |
| 5 | Preston North End | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | West Ham United | 1 |
| 4 | Derby County | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | |

## Results

| Home \ Away | BHA | BUR | CAR | COV | CRE | DER | GIL | IPS | LEE | LEI | MIL | NOT | PLY | PNE | QPR | REA | ROT | SHE | STK | SUN | WAT | WHU | WIG | WOL |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–1 |
| Burnley | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Cardiff City | 2–0 | 2–0 | | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| Coventry City | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | | 0–1 | 6–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | | 1–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–4 |
| Derby County | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–4 | | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Gillingham | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Ipswich Town | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 5–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 |
| Leeds United | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 6–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| Leicester City | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| Millwall | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 |
| Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 5–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Preston North End | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Reading | 3–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Rotherham United | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 |
| Sheffield United | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 |
| Stoke City | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Sunderland | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Watford | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| West Ham United | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | | 1–3 | 1–0 |
| Wigan Athletic | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | | 2–0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 3–3 | |

## Stadiums

| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| Sunderland | Stadium of Light | 49,000 |
| Leeds United | Elland Road | 37,697 |
| West Ham United | Boleyn Ground | 35,146 |
| Derby County | Pride Park Stadium | 33,597 |
| Sheffield United | Bramall Lane | 32,609 |
| Leicester City | Walkers Stadium | 32,500 |
| Nottingham Forest | City Ground | 30,602 |
| Ipswich Town | Portman Road | 30,311 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Molineux Stadium | 28,525 |
| Stoke City | Britannia Stadium | 28,000 |
| Wigan Athletic | JJB Stadium | 25,138 |
| Preston North End | Deepdale | 24,500 |
| Reading | Madejski Stadium | 24,161 |
| Coventry City | Highfield Road | 23,489 |
| Burnley | Turf Moor | 22,546 |
| Cardiff City | Ninian Park | 22,008 |
| Millwall | The New Den | 20,146 |
| Watford | Vicarage Road | 19,920 |
| Plymouth Argyle | Home Park | 19,500 |
| Queens Park Rangers | Loftus Road | 19,128 |
| Gillingham | Priestfield Stadium | 11,582 |
| Crewe Alexandra | Alexandra Stadium | 10,046 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Withdean Stadium | 8,850 |
| Rotherham United | Millmoor | 8,300 |