# 2014–15 Football League Championship

The 2014–15 Football League Championship (referred to as the Sky Bet Championship for sponsorship reasons), was the eleventh season of the Football League Championship under its current title and the twenty-third season under its current league structure. The 2014–15 season began on 8 August 2014 and ended on 2 May 2015.
Bournemouth won the league on the last day of the season, confirming their place in the top flight for the first time in their history. Watford were runners-up and took their place in the Premier League for the first time since the 2006–07 season. Norwich were the final promoted team, bouncing straight back from their relegation the previous season by beating Middlesbrough 2–0 in the Play Off Final.
At the other end of the table, Blackpool were relegated in April having been cut adrift at the bottom of the table for much of the season. Wigan and Millwall were the other two teams to be relegated on the penultimate weekend of the season.

## Changes from last season
### Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2013–14 season.

#### To Championship

Promoted from League One
* Wolverhampton Wanderers
* Brentford
* Rotherham United
Relegated from Premier League
* Norwich City
* Fulham
* Cardiff City

#### From Championship

Relegated to League One
* Doncaster Rovers
* Barnsley
* Yeovil Town
Promoted to Premier League
* Leicester City
* Burnley
* Queens Park Rangers

### Rule changes

Changes to the Championship's financial fair play system allow clubs:
* Acceptable losses of £3 million during the 2014–15 season
* Acceptable shareholder equity investment of £3 million during the 2014–15 season (down from £5 million during the 2013–14 season).
* Sanctions for exceeding the allowances take effect from the set of accounts due to be submitted on 1 December 2014 for the 2013–14 season.

## Team overview
### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor | Back sponsor | Shorts sponsor |
| Birmingham City | Gary Rowett | Carbrini | Zapaygo | None | None |
| Blackburn Rovers | Gary Bowyer | Nike | Zebra Claims Ltd. | None | None |
| Blackpool | Lee Clark | Erreà | Wonga | None | None |
| Bolton Wanderers | Neil Lennon | Macron | FibrLec/Wix.com (in FA Cup matches) | None | None |
| Bournemouth | Eddie Howe | Carbrini | Energy Consulting | Energy Consulting | None |
| Brentford | Mark Warburton | Adidas | Skyex | Matchbook | Matchbook |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Chris Hughton | Nike | American Express | American Express | American Express |
| Cardiff City | Russell Slade | Cosway Sports | Visit Malaysia | Visit Malaysia | Visit Malaysia |
| Charlton Athletic | Guy Luzon | Nike | University of Greenwich | Andrews Air Conditioning | Mitsubishi Electric |
| Derby County | Steve McClaren | Umbro | Just Eat | M&DH Insurance | M&DH Insurance |
| Fulham | Kit Symons | Adidas | Marathonbet | None | None |
| Huddersfield Town | Chris Powell | Puma | Rekorderlig Cider (H)/RadianB (A)/Cavonia (T) | Northern Commercials (H)/Rekorderlig Cider (A & T) | Stafflex |
| Ipswich Town | Mick McCarthy | Adidas | Marcus Evans | None | None |
| Leeds United | Neil Redfearn | Macron | Enterprise Insurance | Help Link Direct | Help Link Direct |
| Middlesbrough | Aitor Karanka | Adidas | Ramsdens | None | None |
| Millwall | Neil Harris | Macron | Euro Ferries | Wallis Teagan | Southwark Metals |
| Norwich City | Alex Neil | Erreà | Aviva | None | None |
| Nottingham Forest | Dougie Freedman | Adidas | Fawaz International Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Company | ICM Capital | None |
| Reading | Steve Clarke | Puma | Waitrose | Thai | Legend Alliance Ltd |
| Rotherham United | Steve Evans | Puma | Parkgate Shopping (H)/Shedlands (A & T) | Perrys (H)/Hughie Construction (A & T) | Balreed |
| Sheffield Wednesday | Stuart Gray | Sondico | Azerbaijan: Land of Fire | None | None |
| Watford | Slaviša Jokanović | Puma | 138.com | Football Manager (H)/Football Manager Handheld (A) | None |
| Wigan Athletic | Gary Caldwell | MiFit | Intersport | Premier Range/Roofing Consultants Group | None |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Kenny Jackett | Puma | WhatHouse? | Reconomy | None |
* ↑ According to current revision of List of English Football League managers

#### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Blackpool | Barry Ferguson | End of contract | 9 May 2014 | Pre-season | José Riga | 11 June 2014 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Óscar García | Resigned | 12 May 2014 | Pre-season | Sami Hyypiä | 6 June 2014 |
| Charlton Athletic | José Riga | End of contract | 27 May 2014 | Pre-season | Bob Peeters | 27 May 2014 |
| Leeds United | Brian McDermott | Mutual consent | 31 May 2014 | Pre-season | David Hockaday | 19 June 2014 |
| Huddersfield Town | Mark Robins | Mutual consent | 10 August 2014 | 24th | Chris Powell | 3 September 2014 |
| Leeds United | David Hockaday | Sacked | 28 August 2014 | 21st | Darko Milanič | 23 September 2014 |
| Watford | Giuseppe Sannino | Resigned | 1 September 2014 | 2nd | Óscar García | 2 September 2014 |
| Cardiff City | Ole Gunnar Solskjær | Resigned | 18 September 2014 | 17th | Russell Slade | 6 October 2014 |
| Fulham | Felix Magath | Sacked | 18 September 2014 | 24th | Kit Symons | 29 October 2014 |
| Watford | Óscar García | Resigned due to ill health | 29 September 2014 | 4th | Billy McKinlay | 29 September 2014 |
| Bolton Wanderers | Dougie Freedman | Mutual consent | 3 October 2014 | 23rd | Neil Lennon | 12 October 2014 |
| Watford | Billy McKinlay | Mutual consent | 7 October 2014 | 3rd | Slaviša Jokanović | 7 October 2014 |
| Birmingham City | Lee Clark | Sacked | 20 October 2014 | 21st | Gary Rowett | 27 October 2014 |
| Leeds United | Darko Milanič | Sacked | 26 October 2014 | 18th | Neil Redfearn | 1 November 2014 |
| Blackpool | José Riga | Sacked | 27 October 2014 | 24th | Lee Clark | 30 October 2014 |
| Wigan Athletic | Uwe Rösler | Sacked | 13 November 2014 | 22nd | Malky Mackay | 19 November 2014 |
| Reading | Nigel Adkins | Sacked | 15 December 2014 | 16th | Steve Clarke | 16 December 2014 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Sami Hyypiä | Resigned | 22 December 2014 | 22nd | Chris Hughton | 31 December 2014 |
| Norwich City | Neil Adams | Resigned | 5 January 2015 | 7th | Alex Neil | 9 January 2015 |
| Charlton Athletic | Bob Peeters | Sacked | 11 January 2015 | 14th | Guy Luzon | 13 January 2015 |
| Nottingham Forest | Stuart Pearce | Sacked | 1 February 2015 | 12th | Dougie Freedman | 1 February 2015 |
| Millwall | Ian Holloway | Sacked | 10 March 2015 | 23rd | Neil Harris | 29 April 2015 |
| Wigan Athletic | Malky Mackay | Sacked | 6 April 2015 | 23rd | Gary Caldwell | 7 April 2015 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Bournemouth (C, P) | 46 | 26 | 12 | 8 | 98 | 45 | +53 | 90 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 2 | Watford (P) | 46 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 91 | 50 | +41 | 89 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 3 | Norwich City (O, P) | 46 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 88 | 48 | +40 | 86 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 68 | 37 | +31 | 85 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 5 | Brentford | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 78 | 59 | +19 | 78 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 6 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 72 | 54 | +18 | 78 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 70 | 56 | +14 | 78 | |
| 8 | Derby County | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 85 | 56 | +29 | 77 | |
| 9 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 66 | 59 | +7 | 67 | |
| 10 | Birmingham City | 46 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 54 | 64 | −10 | 63 | |
| 11 | Cardiff City | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 57 | 61 | −4 | 62 | |
| 12 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 54 | 60 | −6 | 60 | |
| 13 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 43 | 49 | −6 | 60 | |
| 14 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 71 | 69 | +2 | 59 | |
| 15 | Leeds United | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 50 | 61 | −11 | 56 | |
| 16 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 58 | 75 | −17 | 55 | |
| 17 | Fulham | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 62 | 83 | −21 | 52 | |
| 18 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 54 | 67 | −13 | 51 | |
| 19 | Reading | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 48 | 69 | −21 | 50 | |
| 20 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 10 | 17 | 19 | 44 | 54 | −10 | 47 | |
| 21 | Rotherham United | 46 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 46 | 67 | −21 | 46 | |
| 22 | Millwall (R) | 46 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 42 | 76 | −34 | 41 | Relegation to Football League One |
| 23 | Wigan Athletic (R) | 46 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 39 | 64 | −25 | 39 | Relegation to Football League One |
| 24 | Blackpool (R) | 46 | 4 | 14 | 28 | 36 | 91 | −55 | 26 | Relegation to Football League One |
* ↑ Four teams play for one spot and promotion to the Premier League.
* ↑ Rotherham United were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.

## Play-offs

| Semi–Finals | Semi–Finals | Semi–Finals | Semi–Finals | Semi–Finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 3 | Norwich City | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | |
| 6 | Ipswich | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | |
| 6 | Ipswich | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Norwich City | 2 |
| | | | | | 4 | Middlesbrough | 0 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | Middlesbrough | 0 |
| 5 | Brentford | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | |

## Results

| Home \ Away | BIR | BLB | BLP | BOL | BOU | BRE | BHA | CAR | CHA | DER | FUL | HUD | IPS | LEE | MID | MIL | NWC | NOT | REA | ROT | SHW | WAT | WIG | WOL |
| Birmingham City | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–8 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 6–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 |
| Blackpool | 1–0 | 1–2 | | 1–1 | 1–6 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
| Bournemouth | 4–2 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | | 1–0 | 3–2 | 5–3 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Brentford | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 4–0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 4–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Cardiff City | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–0 | | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Charlton Athletic | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Derby County | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 5–0 |
| Fulham | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 4–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 0–1 |
| Huddersfield Town | 0–1 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–4 | 0–2 | | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–4 |
| Ipswich Town | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Leeds United | 1–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 |
| Middlesbrough | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–1 | | 3–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Millwall | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–5 | | 1–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 |
| Norwich City | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 6–1 | | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Nottingham Forest | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–2 |
| Reading | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–3 |
| Rotherham United | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 0–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Watford | 1–0 | 1–0 | 7–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Wigan Athletic | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | | 0–1 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
* ↑ Blackpool/Huddersfield match was abandoned, and was subsequently awarded as a 0-0 draw.

## Top scorers

    As of 2 May 2015
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Daryl Murphy | Ipswich Town | 27 |
| 2 | Troy Deeney | Watford | 21 |
| 2 | Jordan Rhodes | Blackburn Rovers | 21 |
| 4 | Rudy Gestede | Blackburn Rovers | 20 |
| 4 | Odion Ighalo | Watford | 20 |
| 4 | Callum Wilson | Bournemouth | 20 |
| 7 | Cameron Jerome | Norwich City | 18 |
| 7 | Chris Martin | Derby County | 18 |
| 9 | Patrick Bamford | Middlesbrough | 17 |
| 9 | Ross McCormack | Fulham | 17 |

## Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Joe Mason | Bolton Wanderers | Rotherham United | 3–2 | 16 September 2014 |
| Britt Assombalonga | Nottingham Forest | Fulham | 5–3 | 17 September 2014 |
| Marc Pugh | Bournemouth | Birmingham City | 8–0 | 25 October 2014 |
| Troy Deeney | Watford | Fulham | 5–0 | 5 December 2014 |
| Jelle Vossen | Middlesbrough | Millwall | 5–1 | 6 December 2014 |
| Demarai Gray | Birmingham City | Reading | 6–1 | 13 December 2014 |
| Clayton Donaldson | Birmingham City | Wigan Athletic | 3–1 | 10 January 2015 |
| Ross McCormack | Fulham | Nottingham Forest | 3–2 | 21 January 2015 |
| Odion Ighalo$^4$ | Watford | Blackpool | 7–2 | 24 January 2015 |
| Gary Hooper | Norwich City | Blackpool | 4–0 | 7 February 2015 |
| Jon Toral | Brentford | Blackpool | 4–0 | 24 February 2015 |
| Brett Pitman | Bournemouth | Blackpool | 4–0 | 14 March 2015 |
| Rudy Gestede | Blackburn Rovers | Nottingham Forest | 3–3 | 18 April 2015 |
| Lee Gregory | Millwall | Derby County | 3–3 | 25 April 2015 |
| Ross McCormack | Fulham | Middlesbrough | 4–3 | 25 April 2015 |
$^4$ Player scored 4 goals

## Monthly awards

| Month | Manager of the Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Player of the Month | Ref. |
| Month | Manager | Club | Player | Club | Ref. |
| August | Kenny Jackett | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Igor Vetokele | Charlton Athletic | |
| September | Mick McCarthy | Ipswich Town | Tyrone Mings | Ipswich Town | |
| October | Eddie Howe | Bournemouth | Callum Wilson | Bournemouth | |
| November | Mark Warburton | Brentford | Andre Gray | Brentford | |
| December | Eddie Howe | Bournemouth | Daryl Murphy | Ipswich Town | |
| January | Aitor Karanka | Middlesbrough | Lee Tomlin | Middlesbrough | |
| February | Alex Neil | Norwich City | Henri Lansbury | Nottingham Forest | |
| March | Eddie Howe | Bournemouth | Troy Deeney | Watford | |
| April | Slaviša Jokanović | Watford | Tom Ince | Derby County | |