2013-14 in English football

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The **2013–14 season** is the 134th season of competitive football in England.

## Premier League

Main article: 2013–14 Premier League

Manchester City won their second Premier League title in Manuel Pellegrini's first season in charge. Despite being overwhelming favourites at the start of the season, they left it relatively late to take top spot. They also won the League Cup, marking their first domestic double. Liverpool took second place, and were in a good position to end their long wait for a league title, but defeat to Chelsea with 3 games remaining fatally wounded their title challenge; the season was nonetheless a major improvement, as they qualified for the Champions League for the first time in five years and striker Luis Suárez was the league's top marksman with 31 goals despite being banned for the first 5 games of the season. Jose Mourinho's return to Chelsea ended in disappointment, despite the Blues managing a serious title challenge for the first time since 2010. A third-place finish ultimately failed to improve on the previous season's finish. Arsenal took the final Champions League spot, having led the league for a large part of the season before injuries to key players and a terrible run of form in the spring consigned them to another fourth-place finish, though they at least ended their nine-year trophy drought by winning the FA Cup.

Roberto Martinez's first season in charge of Everton saw the blue half of Merseyside take fifth place, making a serious challenge for the final Champions League spot, but ultimately falling short. Tottenham Hotspur, despite a somewhat turbulent season that saw the departure of Gareth Bale, and the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas early in the campaign and replacement manager Tim Sherwood days after the season ended, took sixth place and the final Europa League spot.

Arguably, the biggest shock of the season was defending champions Manchester United's woeful relinquishment of their Premier League trophy. The retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, an aging squad and poor home form meant they surrendered their crown as early as December. A seventh-place finish, the lowest in the club's history since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, saw David Moyes sacked as manager after less than a year, and a late improvement under the caretaker management of United veteran Ryan Giggs ultimately wasn't enough to take sixth place. This meant that United had failed to qualify for Europe for the first time since English clubs were re-admitted to Europe in 1990.

In a surprising turn of events, Crystal Palace fared the best of the three promoted clubs, finishing 11th. Few had given them any hope of surviving after they lost 9 of their first 10 games, but a huge improvement after Tony Pulis took over as manager meant that the Eagles would be playing a second consecutive season in the Premier League for the first time ever. Hull City also performed reasonably well, never being seriously threatened with relegation and managing a highest-ever finish of 16th place, along with reaching the FA Cup Final.

Sunderland became only the second club to beat the "Curse of Christmas," as they were bottom on Christmas Day (and in fact for much of the campaign), but a late rally of 13 points from their final 6 games saw them earn survival. There was some controversy over their season, as they fielded an ineligible player in four early games, yet were not deducted points as would happen in the Football League and Conference; ultimately though, Sunderland would have lost just one point from such a deduction, not enough to result in their relegation.

Cardiff City's first Premier League season resulted in a bottom-place finish and immediate relegation. Their season had begun reasonably well, but quickly imploded after promotion-winning manager Malky Mackay was controversially sacked after a fall-out with club owner Vincent Tan. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was drafted in, but unable to save the Welsh side from the drop. Fulham's 13-year stay in the Premier League came to an end after a season in which they employed three different managers (Martin Jol, Rene Meulensteen, and Felix Magath) and conceded 85 goals, the most out of the bottom 3. Norwich City occupied the third relegation spot, as an inability to score, terrible away form and a disastrous end to the season following the sacking of Chris Hughton and appointment of youth team coach Neil Adams all cost them dearly, and resulted in them returning to the Championship after three years.

## Championship

Main article: 2013–14 Football League Championship

### League table

Template:2013–14 Football League Championship table

## League One

Main article: 2013–14 Football League One

### League table

Template:2013–14 Football League One table

## League Two

Main article: 2013–14 Football League Two

### League table

Template:2013–14 Football League Two table

## League Cup

Main article: 2013–14 Football League Cup

## Football Conference

Main article: 2013–14 Football Conference

### League table

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## Transfers

List of English football transfers summer 2013

## Diary of the season

* 2 August: Coventry City are deducted ten points for exiting administration without a Company Voluntary Agreement. Later that day, Sheffield United beat Notts County 2-1 in the first match of the season.
* 5 August: The first League Cup match of the season sees League One side Preston North End defeat Championship opponents (and local rivals) Blackpool 1-0. However, the match is marred by a pitch invasion, during which a steward is severely injured after accidentally being trampled by a police horse.
* 9 August: Hull City A.F.C. chairman Assem Allam announced plans to change the club name to Hull City Tigers for domestic football and Hull Tigers internationally.
* 11 August: The 2013 FA Community Shield features the unusual sight of both competing teams, Manchester United and Wigan Athletic, having new managers (David Moyes and Owen Coyle respectively) taking charge of their teams for the first time in a competitive fixture. Manchester United are ultimately victorious thanks to a brace from Robin van Persie.
* 17 August: The first Premier League fixture of the season sees Liverpool defeat Stoke City 1-0. Later that day Aston Villa inflict a shock 3-1 defeat on Arsenal, before Manchester United top the table after handily beating Swansea City 4-1 in the day's final fixture, and David Moyes's first Premier League game as United manager.
* 18 August: José Mourinho makes a winning return as Chelsea manager as his side defeat Hull City 2-0 in what, coincidentally, is a repeat of the sides' first fixture in Hull's last Premier League campaign in 2009-10.
* 31 August: August ends with Chelsea looking to repeat their success during Mourinho's first spell in charge, as they lead the Premiership table. Manchester City are second on goal difference, but have played one game more than Liverpool and Tottenham, both of whom play their matches for this matchweek on 1 September. Stoke City, Manchester United (with a game in hand) and West Ham United complete the top seven, while pointless Swansea City are joined in the relegation zone by Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion. In the Championship, Blackpool and QPR hold the top two spots at the end of August, while Burnley, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Bournemouth stand in the play-off places. Bolton Wanderers prop up the table, along with Millwall and Yeovil Town.
* 1 September: Tottenham and Wales winger Gareth Bale joins Real Madrid for a reported world record fee of £85 million.
* 30 September: September ends with an Arsenal side revitalised by the signing of German superstar Mesut Ozil leading the table, while Liverpool are leading Tottenham in second by virtue of goals scored. Everton, Chelsea, Southampton and Manchester City complete the top seven, while reigning champions Manchester United stand twelfth with only seven points from six games, their worst start in 23 years. Sunderland are bottom of the Premiership with only one point out of a possible 21 obtained, followed by Crystal Palace and Fulham. In the Championship, QPR continue to defy expectations that they will struggle and lead the division; Burnley, who sold star striker Charlie Austin to QPR over the summer, are second. Leicester, Watford, Nottingham Forest and Reading complete the top six. At the opposite end of the table, Barnsley are now bottom but are only below Bolton and Sheffield Wednesday on goal difference.
* 11 October: England defeat Montenegro 4-1 at Wembley in their penultimate 2014 World Cup qualifying match, with Tottenham winger Andros Townsend scoring on his international debut. The result means that England are now top of their qualifying group and guaranteed to at least make the play-offs (and eliminates Montenegro, barring a highly improbable set of result in the final set of matches), but Ukraine's win the same day means that should England fail to defeat Poland in four days time, they will almost certainly be forced to settle for the play-offs due to Ukraine's final match being against no-hopers San Marino.
* 15 October: England secure automatic qualification for the World Cup, beating Poland 2-0 at Wembley and consigning Ukraine (who beat San Marino 8-0 at the same time) to the play-offs.
* 31 October: Arsenal remain top of the Premiership as October closes, although Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham are hot on their heels and looking to make title challenges of their own. Everton and Southampton are continuing their surprise European charges as they stand in fifth and sixth respectively, while the two Manchester clubs, City and United, have failed to live up to pre-season expectations thus far and stand in seventh and eighth respectively. Sunderland have moved off the bottom of the Premiership table at the expense of managerless Crystal Palace but remain in the relegation zone, joined by Norwich City. Burnley have maintained their excellent start to the season and lead the Championship, followed by Leicester City. QPR, Blackpool, Reading and Nottingham Forest stand in the play-off places. Sheffield Wednesday, the only team in the Football League without a league win this season, are bottom of the Championship and are joined in the relegation zone by Yeovil (22nd) and Barnsley (23rd).
* 1 November: Tranmere Rovers midfielder Joe Thompson is diagnosed with nolar sclerosing Hodgkin Lymphona, a rare form of cancer.
* 2 November: Manchester City record their biggest ever Premier League victory after beating Norwich 7-0 with is seven different scorers.
* 5 November: Manchester City qualify for the knock-out rounds of the Champions League for the first time, after a 5-2 victory over CSKA Moscow.
* 28 November: The arrests of six men involved in an alleged football betting syndicate is revealed in the 2013 English match fixing scandal.
* 30 November: At the end of November, Premier League leaders Arsenal have opened up a seven-point gap between them and joint-second Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton, thanks in part to Liverpool and Chelsea's next fixtures falling on the first of December. Newcastle United are making a tilt for European qualification and stand in fifth, ahead of Manchester City and Southampton. Crystal Palace and Sunderland remain the bottom two clubs and are joined in the drop zone by Fulham. In the Championship, Leicester hold a three-point lead over Burnley, while the play-off and relegation spots remain unchanged from the end of November, although Barnsley have now dropped below Sheffield Wednesday to the foot of the table on goal difference.
* 29 December: As 2013 closes second-placed Manchester City have whittled Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League to one point; Chelsea are themselves one point behind City. Everton are continuing their European challenge and are in fourth, ahead of Merseyside rivals Liverpool. Manchester United have overcome their early poor form to stand sixth, ahead of a Tottenham Hotspur side responding well to new manager Tim Sherwood. Sunderland remain bottom, while Crystal Palace have climbed clear of the relegation zone at the expense of West Ham, who are sandwiched by Fulham. Leicester City remain top of the Championship, four points ahead of Derby County and Burnley. QPR, Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town continue their top-six pushes. At the other end of the table, Millwall and Doncaster Rovers are looking nervously over their shoulders at Sheffield Wednesday, who have climbed to 22nd with a game in hand and a superior goal difference over their nearest rivals; the Sheffield club's upturn in form has pushed Yeovil and Barnsley below them.
* 31 January: January ends with Manchester City at the top of the league, leading Arsenal by a single point. Chelsea remain in third, while Liverpool have climbed back into the top four, followed by Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. Sunderland have moved out of the relegation zone and are replaced at the foot of the table by Cardiff City. West Ham United and Fulham continue to struggle. Leicester remain leaders of the Championship, eight points clear of QPR and eleven of Burnley, although both have a game in hand. Derby County sit comfortably in the play-off zone, with Nottingham Forest and Reading in 5th and 6th. Charlton Athletic, Barnsley and Yeovil Town make up the relegation zone.

## Deaths

* 10 June 2013: Don Roby, 79, former Notts County F.C. and Derby County right half.
* 17 June 2013: Geoff Strong, 75, former Arsenal, Liverpool and Coventry City defender.
* 4 July 2013: Jack Crompton, 91, former Manchester United goalkeeper, who also managed Bury.
* 8 July 2013: Dave Hickson, 83, former Everton, Aston Villa, Huddersfield Town, Liverpool, Bury and Tranmere Rovers forward, known as one of few players to represent all three major Merseyside clubs.
* 14 July 2013: George Smith, 92, former Manchester City and Chesterfield inside forward.
* 19 July 2013: Bert Trautmann, 89, former Manchester City goalkeeper, who famously played on in the 1956 FA Cup Final despite suffering a broken neck.
* 19 July 2013: Phil Woosnam, 80, former Wales, Manchester City, Leyton Orient, West Ham United and Aston Villa striker, who also managed the USA.
* 29 July 2013: Christian Benítez, 27, former Ecuador and Birmingham City striker.
* August 2013: Wilf Carter, 79, former West Bromwich Albion, Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City forward.
* 5 August 2013: Malcolm Barrass, 88, former England, Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United defender.
* 6 August 2013: Steve Aizlewood, 60, former Newport County, Swindon Town and Portsmouth defender.
* 6 August 2013: Dave Wagstaffe, 70, former Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool winger.
* 7 August 2013: Keith Skillen, 65, former Workington and Hartlepool United striker.
* 13 August 2013: Johnny Hamilton, 78, former Watford midfielder.
* 16 August 2013: John Ryden, 82, former Accrington Stanley, Tottenham Hotspur and Watford centre half.
* 24 August 2013: Gerry Baker, 75, former USA, Manchester City, Ipswich Town and Coventry City forward.
* 28 August 2013: Barry Stobart, 75, former Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Shrewsbury Town forward.
* August 2013: Brian Smith, 57, former Bolton Wanderers, Blackpool, Bournemouth and Bury midfielder.
* 10 September 2013: Barry Hancock, 74, former Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra inside-forward.
* 15 September 2013: Peter Morley, 84, former Crystal Palace chairman.
* 25 September 2013: Ron Fenton, 73, former Burnley, Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion, Brentford and Notts County inside forward, who also managed Notts County and coached at Nottingham Forest.
* 26 September 2013: Don Donovan, 83, former Republic of Ireland, Everton and Grimsby Town right back.
* 1 October 2013: Peter Broadbent, 80, former England, Brentford, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Shrewsbury Town, Aston Villa and Stockport County midfielder.
* 3 October 2013: Ernie Morgan, 86, former Lincoln City and Gillingham striker.
* 3 October 2013: Laurie Cunningham, 91, former Barnsley and Bournemouth defender.
* 7 October 2013: Mick Buckley, 59, former Everton, Sunderland, Hartlepool United, Carlisle United and Middlesbrough midfielder.
* October 2013: Harold Rudman, 88, former Burnley and Rochdale full back.
* 9 October 2013: Tony Alexander, 78, former Reading forward.
* 19 October 2013: Geoff Smith, 85, former Bradford City goalkeeper.
* 30 October 2013: Ray Mielczarek, 67, former Wales, Wrexham, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United defender.
* 4 November 2013: Roger Barton, 67, former Lincoln City and Barnsley winger.
* 4 November 2013: Elfed Morris, 71, former Wrexham, Chester City and Halifax Town winger.
* 5 November 2013: Stuart Williams, 83, former Wales, Wrexham, West Bromwich Albion and Southampton full back.
* 6 November 2013: Sammy Taylor, 80, former Preston North End, Carlisle United and Southport winger.
* 7 November 2013: Ron Dellow, 99, former Mansfield Town, Manchester City, Tranmere Rovers and Carlisle United winger.
* 25 November 2013: Bill Foulkes, 81, former Manchester United captain, who survived the 1958 Munich Air Disaster.
* 12 December 2013: David Jones, 73, former Crewe Alexandra, Birmingham City and Millwall inside forward.
* 24 December 2013: Ron Noades, 76, former Crystal Palace chairman, who also had a spell in charge of Brentford.
* 25 December 2013: Wayne Harrison, 46, former Oldham Athletic striker
* 26 December 2013: Andy Malcolm, 80, former West Ham United, Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers midfielder.
* 29 December 2013: Paul Comstive, 52, former Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic, Wrexham, Burnley, Bolton Wanderers and Chester City midfielder.
* 3 January 2014: Eric Barnes, 76, former Crewe Alexandra centre-half.
* 6 January 2014: Jim Appleby, 79, former Burnley, Blackburn Rovers, Southport and Chester defender.
* 7 January 2014: Roy Warhurst, 87, former Sheffield United, Birmingham City, Manchester City, Crewe Alexandra and Oldham Athletic wing half.
* 10 January 2014: Ian Redford, 53, former Ipswich Town midfielder.
* 13 January 2014: Bobby Collins, 82, former Scotland, Everton, Leeds United, Bury and Oldham Athletic midfielder, who also managed at Huddersfield Town, Hull City and Barnsley.
* 14 January 2014: Alan Blackburn, 78, former West Ham United and Halifax Town forward.
* 18 January 2014: Andy Graver, 86, former Newcastle United, Lincoln City, Leicester City and Stoke City forward.
* 19 January 2014: Bert Williams, 93, former England, Walsall and Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper.
* 22 January 2014: Arthur Bellamy, 71, former Burnley and Chesterfield inside forward.
* 27 January 2014: Brian Gibbs, 77, former Bournemouth, Gillingham and Colchester United inside left.
* 1 February 2014: Tony Hateley, 72, former Notts County, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Coventry City, Birmingham City and Oldham Athletic striker.
* 2 February 2014: Nigel Walker, 54, former Newcastle United, Crewe Alexandra, Sunderland, Chester City and Hartlepool United midfielder.

## Retirements

* 6 June 2013: Benni McCarthy, 35, former South Africa, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United striker.
* 8 June 2013: Phil Neville, 36, former Manchester United, Everton and England defender.
* 11 June 2013: Mido, 30, former Egypt, Tottenham Hotspur, Middlesbrough, Wigan Athletic, West Ham United and Barnsley striker.
* 21 June 2013: Neil Harris, 35, former Millwall, Nottingham Forest and Southend United striker.
* 25 July 2013: Leigh Bromby, 33, former Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Watford and Leeds United defender.
* 31 July 2013: Kieron Dyer, 34, former England, Ipswich Town, Newcastle United, West Ham United, Queens Park Rangers and Middlesbrough midfielder.
* 8 August 2013: Louis Saha, 35, former France, Fulham, Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland striker.
* 12 August 2013: Doni, 33, former Brazil and Liverpool goalkeeper.
* 25 August 2013: Robin Hulbert, 33, former Swindon Town, Bristol City, Port Vale and Darlington midfielder.
* 26 August 2013: Deco, 35, former Portugal, Corinthians, Alverca, Salgueiros, Porto, Barcelona, Chelsea and Fluminense midfielder.
* 4 September 2013: Thomas Hitzlsperger, 31, former Germany, Aston Villa, West Ham United and Everton midfielder.
* 27 September 2013: Grétar Steinsson, 31, former Iceland and Bolton Wanderers defender.
* 2 October 2013: Michael Duberry, 37, former Chelsea, Leeds United, Stoke City, Reading, Wycombe Wanderers and Oxford United defender.
* 11 October 2013: Rob Edwards, 30, former Wales, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackpool and Barnsley defender.
* 16 October 2013: Rob Hulse, 33, former Crewe Alexandra, West Bromwich Albion, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Derby County and Queens Park Rangers forward.
* 16 October 2013: Garry Richards, 27, former Colchester United, Southend United and Gillingham defender.
* 25 October 2013: Adam Virgo, 30, former Brighton & Hove Albion, Yeovil Town and Bristol Rovers defender.
* 3 December 2013: David Healy, 34, former Northern Ireland, Manchester United, Preston North End, Leeds United, Fulham, Sunderland and Bury forward.
* 5 December 2013: Richard Cresswell, 36, former York City, Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City, Preston North End, Leeds United, Stoke City and Sheffield United forward.
* 16 December 2013: Rory Delap, 37, former Republic of Ireland, Carlisle United, Derby County, Southampton. Sunderland, Stoke City and Burton Albion midfielder.
* 23 December 2013: Mark Creighton, 32, former Oxford United, Wrexham, defender.
* 31 December 2013: Jeff Smith, 33, former Hartlepool United, Bolton Wanderers, Port Vale, Carlisle United and Darlington midfielder.
* 8 January 2014: Danny Higginbotham, 35, former Gibraltar, Manchester United, Derby County, Southampton, Sunderland, Stoke City and Sheffield United defender
* 14 January 2014: Luis Garcia, 35, former Spain and Liverpool winger.
* 18 January 2014: Brett Emerton, 34, former Australia and Blackburn Rovers midfielder.
* 5 February 2014: Mile Sterjovski, 34, former Australia and Derby County midfielder.

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