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The2011–12 season was the 132nd season of competitive football in England.
The season began on 5 August 2011 for theFootball League,[1] on 12 August for theFootball Conference and 13 August for thePremier League.The Championship ended on 28 April 2012,[1] whilstLeague One, andLeague Two ended on 5 May 2012.[1] ThePremier League ended on 13 May 2012.
Teams relegated from thePremier League
Teams promoted to thePremier League
Teams relegated from theChampionship
Teams promoted toChampionship
Teams relegated fromLeague One
Teams promoted toLeague One
Teams relegated fromLeague Two
Teams promoted toLeague Two
| Competition | Winner | Details | At | Match Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FA Cup | Chelsea | 2011–12 FA Cup beatLiverpool 2–1 | Wembley | Report |
| League Cup | Liverpool | 2011–12 Football League Cup beatCardiff City 3–2 on penalties (2–2 after extra time) | Wembley | Report |
| Premier League | Manchester City | 2011–12 Premier League beatQPR 3–2 | City of Manchester Stadium | Report |
| Football League Championship | Reading | 2011–12 Football League Championship | Madejski Stadium | Report |
| Football League One | Charlton Athletic | 2011–12 Football League One | The Valley | Report |
| Football League Two | Swindon Town | 2011–12 Football League Two | County Ground | Report |
| FA Community Shield | Manchester United | 2011 FA Community Shield beatManchester City 3–2 | Wembley | Report |
| Football League Trophy | Chesterfield | 2011–12 Football League Trophy beatSwindon Town 2–0 | Wembley | Report |
| FA Trophy | York City | 2011–12 FA Trophy beatNewport County 2–0 | Wembley | Report |
| Competition | Winner | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Football League Championship | Southampton | 2nd in Championship |
| Football League One | Sheffield Wednesday | 2nd in League One |
| Football League Two | Shrewsbury Town andCrawley Town | 2nd and 3rd in League Two |
| Competition | Winner | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Football League Championship | West Ham United | 2011–12 Football League Championship BeatBlackpool 2–1 |
| Football League One | Huddersfield Town | 2011–12 Football League One BeatSheffield United 8–7 on Penalties (0–0 after extra time) |
| Football League Two | Crewe Alexandra | 2011–12 Football League Two BeatCheltenham Town 2–0 |
| Conference National | York City | 2011–12 Conference National BeatLuton Town 2–1 |
| Conference North | Nuneaton Town | 2011–12 Conference North BeatGainsborough Trinity 1–0 |
| Conference South | Dartford | 2011–12 Conference South BeatWelling United 1–0 |
17 June: FormerBirmingham City managerAlex McLeish is appointed manager ofAston Villa.[2]
4 July:Manchester City sign full-backGaël Clichy from Arsenal for £7 million.[3]
6 July:Rushden & Diamonds, who were members of the Football League from to 2001 to 2006, are expelled from the Conference National due to financial problems.[4]
11 July: Arsenal make their second summer signing,Gervinho from French championsLille for £11 million.[5]
13 July:Wolverhampton Wanderers sign defenderRoger Johnson from Birmingham City for an undisclosed fee, believed to have surpassed the £7 million theBlack Country club paid forSteven Fletcher last summer.[6]
28 July:Manchester City bring in Argentinian strikerSergio Aguero fromAtletico Madrid for a club record £35 million, which could rise to £38 million.[7]
30 July:Brighton & Hove Albion finally move into theirAmex Stadium atFalmer, first planned in 1999, and open their new home with a 3–2 friendly defeat byTottenham Hotspur.[8]
5th:Football League action kicks off at theKC Stadium, whereHull City lose 1–0 at home toBlackpool in the Championship.[9]
6th: The bulk of the opening Football League fixtures are played.Michael Chopra scores twice on hisIpswich Town debut in the Championship as theSuffolk side win 3–0 atBristol City.[10] Brighton's first competitive match at their new stadium sees them beatDoncaster Rovers 2–1 with two late goals fromWill Buckley overturning a Doncaster lead.[11] League Cup holdersBirmingham City lose 2–1 atDerby County.[12]Steve McClaren's first game in charge ofNottingham Forest sees them draw 0–0 at home toBarnsley.[13] Newly promotedSouthampton beatLeeds United 3–1 atSt Mary's Stadium.[14] In League One,Charlton Athletic triumph 3–0 at home toAFC Bournemouth.[15]Sheffield United get off to a winning start in their quest for a return to the Championship by beatingOldham Athletic 2–0 atBoundary Park.[16] In League Two,Paolo Di Canio gets off to a winning start asSwindon Town manager as he guides theWiltshire club to a 3–0 home win overCrewe Alexandra.[17]Crawley Town's first Football League game sees them draw 2–2 withPort Vale atVale Park.[18]AFC Wimbledon, formed nine years ago in response to therelocation ofthe old Wimbledon club (rebranded asMilton Keynes Dons in June 2004) toMilton Keynes, start their Football League career with a 3–2 home defeat byBristol Rovers.[19]
7th: Manchester United win theFA Community Shield, beating neighboursCity 3–2 atWembley after going 2–0 down.[20]
8th:Arsenal sign 17-year-old wingerAlex Oxlade-Chamberlain fromSouthampton for £12 million, which could eventually rise to £15 million.[21]
11th: Tottenham Hotspur's opening Premier League game of the season, againstEverton on 13 August, is postponed due torecent rioting in and near theTottenham area.[22]
12th:Kenny Dalglish makes his fifth signing of the close season forLiverpool with a £6 million move forNewcastle United defenderJosé Enrique.[23]
15th:Cesc Fàbregas leavesArsenal to return to his former clubBarcelona for £35 million.[24]
16th:Emmanuel Eboué leavesArsenal to join Turkish sideGalatasaray for £3 million.[25]
24th:Samir Nasri joinsManchester City fromArsenal for £25 million.[26]Juan Mata joinsChelsea fromValencia for £23.5 million.[27]
29th:Edin Džeko scores four goals asManchester City briefly go top of the Premier League with a 5–1 thrashing ofTottenham Hotspur atWhite Hart Lane,[28] though they are soon usurped at the top of the table on goal difference by their rivals Manchester United, who demolishArsenal 8–2 atOld Trafford. The result is Arsenal's worst for 116 years and United biggest goal haul in a league game since February 1999.[29]
31st: August ends with reigning champions Manchester United top of the table on goal difference, ahead of Manchester City. Liverpool. Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United and Aston Villa complete the top seven, with West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur (all without a point) in the relegation zone.[30] In the Championship, newly promoted Brighton and Hove Albion and Southampton occupy the automatic promotion places, with Derby County, Middlesbrough, West Ham United and Crystal Palace in the playoff places.[31]
1 September: The transfer window closes withMikel Arteta ending six years atEverton to sign forArsenal in a £10 million deal.[32]Arsène Wenger also bringsChelsea'sYossi Benayoun to theEmirates Stadium, on a loan deal for the rest of the season.[33] These acquisitions come 24 hours after Wenger bolsters his defence with a £6.2 million move forFenerbahçe andBrazil left-backAndré Santos.[34] Another big money move on deadline day includesRaul Meireles leaving Liverpool in a £10 million move to Chelsea.[35] Having left Manchester United at the end of last season after four injury-plagued seasons,Owen Hargreaves signs for neighbours Manchester City on a one-year contract,[36] after weeks of speculation that he would joinWest Bromwich Albion.[37]Blackburn Rovers terminate the contract of strikerEl Hadji Diouf after two years atEwood Park,[38] where the attack was strengthened the previous day by the arrival of Everton's out-of-favour strikerYakubu.[39]
8th:Dagenham & Redbridge contest aFootball League Trophy Round One match againstLeyton Orient atThe Matchroom Stadium. With the scores level at 1–1 after 90 minutes, the match goes to penalties and as a result become the longest penalty shoot out with consecutive goal scorers in the history of English football and what is believed to be the world. The final score ended as 14–13 to Dagenham on penalties, withBen Chorley missing the 28th spot kick for Orient which sent the Daggers through to a second round clash withSouthend United.
30th: September ends with Manchester United still leading the Premier League, ahead of rivals Manchester City on goal difference. Chelsea remain in third, while Newcastle United are maintaining their European push in fourth place. The top seven is rounded out by Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City. Blackburn Rovers, West Bromwich Albion and Bolton Wanderers are still suffering from their early season form and make up the relegation zone.[40] In the Championship, newly promoted Southampton are continuing their bid for successive promotions, leading Middlesbrough and Derby County on goal difference. West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Cardiff City complete the top six, while Millwall, Bristol City and Doncaster Rovers stand at the foot of the table.[41]
23rd: Manchester City extend their lead over Manchester United at the top of the Premier League with a 6–1 win over their local rivals at Old Trafford. It was Manchester United's worst loss at Old Trafford since 1955 and the first time they had conceded six goals at home since 1930.[42] Fellow title contenders Chelsea suffer a 1–0 setback against Queens Park Rangers atLoftus Road.
29th:Robin van Persie scores a hat-trick as Arsenal gain a first away league win of the season, beating Chelsea 5–3 atStamford Bridge.
31st: October ends with Manchester City five points clear of second-placed Manchester United. Newcastle United continue to defy critics who tipped them to struggle this season and stand in third place, while the top seven is rounded out by Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and an ever-improving Arsenal side who appear to have put their poor start to the season behind them. At the other end of the table, Wigan Athletic stand bottom after six successive losses; they are joined in the relegation zone by Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers.[43] In the Championship, Southampton are continuing their bid to become the second team in two seasons to achieve two successive promotion to the Premier League, standing three points clear of second-placed West Ham United. Crystal Palace, expected by many to struggle this season, are three points behind West Ham in third, while the play-off places are completed by Middlesbrough, Derby County and Hull City. Coventry City, Doncaster Rovers and Bristol City make up the relegation zone.[44]
18th: League One side Carlisle United announce plans to relocate fromBrunton Park, their home since 1909, to a new 12,000-seat stadium.[45]
27th: Football mourns the death of Wales managerGary Speed, 42, who was found dead at his home inChester. Speed, who had managed the Welsh side for nearly a year following a brief spell as manager of Sheffield United, was a player in the English leagues for more than 20 years, during which time he won a league title with Leeds United and was an FA Cup runner-up twice with Newcastle United.[46]
28th: Queens Park Rangers chairmanTony Fernandes announces his intention to relocate the club fromLoftus Road to a new, bigger stadium elsewhere inWest London.[47]
30th: Sunderland managerSteve Bruce becomes the first Premiership manager to be sacked during the season, leaving the north-east club after2+1⁄2 years in charge with the Wearside club only two points clear of the relegation zone. The month ends with Manchester City still five points clear of Manchester United. Tottenham Hotspur have put their poor start firmly behind and stand two points behind United with a game in hand. Newcastle occupy the crucial fourth place, while Chelsea have slipped out of the top four after losing three of their last five matches. Liverpool and Arsenal complete the top seven. The relegation zone remains unchanged, except that Wigan Athletic have moved off the bottom of the table at the expense of Blackburn Rovers.[48] Southampton and West Ham United continue to occupy the automatic promotion places in the Championship, while Cardiff City, Middlesbrough, Leeds United and Leicester City (ahead of seventh-placed Brighton on goal difference) make up the playoff zone. Doncaster Rovers and Coventry City remain joint bottom of the Championship, while Nottingham Forest have dropped back into the relegation zone, behind Portsmouth, Bristol City and Ipswich Town on goal difference.[49]
6th: Chelsea join Arsenal in the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 3–0 home win overValencia in their final group game, to ease the pressure on under-fire manager André Villas-Boas after four wins from the previous 10 games in all competitions led to increased speculation about his future as manager.[50]
7th: Manchester United's 2–1 defeat atBasel in Switzerland knocks them out of the Champions League and puts them into the Europa League.[51] Their neighbours Manchester City suffer a similar fate despite their 2–0 home win overBayern Munich in their final group game.[52]
31st: The year ends with Manchester United joint top of the Premier League after having overcome City's five-point lead, although City have a game in hand. Tottenham Hotspur remain in third, six points adrift of United but with a game in hand, while Arsenal have moved into the crucial fourth place for the first time this season, at the expense of Chelsea. Liverpool and Newcastle complete the top seven. Bolton Wanderers end the year bottom of the Premier League; Blackburn Rovers (who were bottom on Christmas) and Wigan Athletic remain in the relegation zone, although the pressure is building up on Wolverhampton Wanderers and QPR.[53] In the Championship, Southampton remain top and still well placed for a second successive promotion. Middlesbrough now occupy second, while West Ham United, Cardiff City, Reading and Hull City complete the top six. The relegation zone remains unchanged from end of November.[54]
31st: January ends with Manchester City still top of the Premier League, but with United now level on points with them, five points ahead of third-place Tottenham. Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle complete the top seven. Wigan are bottom of the table, four points adrift of safety, while Wolves and Blackburn are just a single point adrift.[55] West Ham are now top of the Championship, with Southampton, Cardiff, Birmingham, Hull and Blackpool completing the top six. Coventry (last), Nottingham Forest and Doncaster Rovers remain in the relegation zone.[56]
3rd: Chelsea and England captainJohn Terry, awaiting trial on a charge of racially abusing QPR'sAnton Ferdinand in a league game on 21 December, is stripped of the England captaincy.[57]
6th: England coachFabio Capello criticises the decision of theFootball Association to strip John Terry of the England captaincy.[58]
8th: Tottenham managerHarry Redknapp and the formerPortsmouth chairmanMilan Mandarić are cleared of tax evasion after a trial atSouthwarkCrown Court.[59] Hours after the verdicts are delivered, England coach Fabio Capello announces his immediate resignation[60] and almost immediately there are widespread calls across football for Redknapp to be installed as Capello's successor.[61]
12th: TheBlack Country derby sees West Bromwich Albion crush Wolverhampton Wanderers 5–1 at the Molineux.
13th: Less than 24 hours after the Black Country derby humiliation, Wolverhampton Wanderers sack managerMick McCarthy, their manager for5+1⁄2 years.[62]
24th: AfterAlan Curbishley andWalter Smith both rejected the chance to manage Wolverhampton Wanderers, coachTerry Connor is put in charge of the first team until the end of the season.[63]
26th:Kenny Dalglish wins the first trophy of his second spell as Liverpool manager, as they defeat Cardiff City on penalties after a 2–2 draw in the League Cup final – the first time they have won the trophy under the management of Dalglish, who guided them to three league titles and two FA Cups in his first spell as manager.[64]
29th: February ends with Manchester City two points clear of Manchester United in second and ten points clear of Tottenham Hotspur, whose title charge now appears to be over following a 5–2 defeat at rival Arsenal, who end the month in the crucial fourth place. Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool remain in the top seven. Although they remain bottom, Wigan are now only one point adrift of safety, joined in the bottom three by Bolton and Blackburn, with Wolves and QPR both within a point of the relegation zone.[65] Southampton are back on top of the Championship, but West Ham are a point behind with a game in hand. Reading, Blackpool, Birmingham and Cardiff make up the play-off zone. Nottingham Forest have now climbed clear of the relegation zone at the expense of a Portsmouth side deduced ten points after entering administration; the South Coast club are sandwiched by Coventry and bottom side Doncaster.[66]
4th: Chelsea sack manager André Villas-Boas after nine months in charge, the day after they lost 1–0 in the league at West Bromwich Albion. It is the second time in three weeks that theBlack Country side have inflicted a defeat upon a team whose manager has then been sacked. In another twist, Chelsea appoint their assistant managerRoberto Di Matteo, who was sacked as Albion manager last season, in charge until the end of the season.[67]
11th: Manchester United moved to first position in the Premier League for the first time since early October 2011 with ten games remaining after United defeated West Bromwich Albion 2–0 and previous leaders Manchester City loss 0–1 to Swansea.[68]
17th: The FA Cup quarter-final tie between Tottenham Hotspur and Bolton Wanderers atWhite Hart Lane is postponed after 41 minutes when the visiting team's midfielderFabrice Muamba is taken seriously ill on the pitch after collapsing.[69]
29th: Aston Villa captainStiliyan Petrov is diagnosed with acuteleukaemia after complaining of a fever following the club's game againstArsenal.
31st: March ends with Manchester United now holding a two-point advantage over City, with a game in hand. The rest of the top seven remains unchanged, except that Everton have now moved ahead of their Merseyside rivals Liverpool, who are in eighth place with a game in hand. Wolves have only managed to pick up one point following the sacking of Mick McCarthy and look doomed for relegation as they stand six points adrift of safety with seven games left to play. Blackburn Rovers, with a game in hand, are ahead of QPR and Wigan only by virtue of goals scored; Bolton are a point ahead of Blackburn, having played the same number of games as their Lancashire rivals.[70] In the Championship, Southampton look certain for promotion as they are six points clear of third-placed West Ham with six games left, although their challenge for the Football League title is coming under threat from Reading, who stand two points behind. Birmingham (with a game in hand), Blackpool and Brighton make up the play-off places, with Middlesbrough only outside on goal difference. At the opposite end of the table, Coventry have climbed out of the drop zone at the expense of Bristol City, although Doncaster and Portsmouth look doomed for the drop.[71]
14th: Charlton Athletic become the first League side to gain promotion after a 1–0 win at Carlisle United meant that Charlton were promoted and would be playing Championship football in 2012/13 after a three-year exile. On the same day Fleetwood Town were confirmed as champions of the Football Conference meaning that as from next season they'll be playing League Football for the first time in their history.
17th: Reading are promoted back to the Premier League after a four-year exile by beating Nottingham Forest 1–0 at home.[72]
21st: Already-relegated Doncaster Rovers drag Coventry City down to League One with them by winning 2–0 in the Championship clash at theRicoh Arena, meaning that the midlanders will be playing third tier football next season for the first time in nearly 50 years.[73] Portsmouth's relegation is also confirmed by a 2–1 home defeat by Derby County, a mere two years after being in the Premier League and four years after winning the FA Cup.[74] Rochdale become the first League One side of the season to suffer relegation, after losing 2–1 at Chesterfield, whose victory keeps their own survival hopes alive.[75] Swindon Town seal promotion from League Two despite a 3–1 defeat at Gillingham,[76] Shrewsbury's chances of sealing promotion are put on hold by a 1–1 draw at Accrington.[77]
22nd: Wolves are relegated from the Premier League after a three-year stay with a 2–0 home defeat by Manchester City, whose title hopes are kept alive by Manchester United being held to a 4–4 draw atOld Trafford by Everton.[78]
28th:Southampton are promoted to the Premier League after a seven-year exile, achieving promotion for the second year running.[79]Shrewsbury Town secure automatic promotion to League One.[80]Macclesfield Town drop back into the Conference after 15 years in theFootball League.[81]
30th: April ends with Manchester City top of the Premier League after a 1–0 home win over rivals Manchester United, who are level on point with City but wield an inferior goal difference – both have two games left to play. The race for the last two Champions League places is reaching its climax, with five points separating Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle and Chelsea, although Arsenal have played one game more. However, should Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final the West London side will automatically qualify for the Champions League regardless of their final place in the table. Everton's belated challenge for European qualification is over; the sole remaining aim of the season is to finish above archrivals Liverpool, who are two points behind in eighth. Wolves have already been relegated, while Blackburn and Bolton (the latter with a game in hand) remain in the bottom three, but QPR, Wigan and Aston Villa are not yet certain of safety.[82] In the Championship, Reading and Southampton have achieved promotion to the Premier League. West Ham, Birmingham, Blackpool and Cardiff will compete in the play-offs, while Portsmouth, Coventry and Doncaster are relegated.[83]
1st: Roy Hodgson of West Bromwich Albion is confirmed as the next England Manager.[84] Manchester City go top of the Premier League on goal difference with two games remaining with a 1–0 home win over United.[85]
5th: Chelsea win the FA Cup with a 2–1 victory over Liverpool.[86] On the Final Day of the season for League One Sheffield Wednesday pipped Sheffield United to the second automatic promotion slot beating already relegated Wycombe Wanderers 2–0,[87] whilst Stevenage cemented their place in the Play-offs with a 3–0 victory over Bury (Huddersfield Town and Milton Keynes Dons make up the rest of Play-off positions). In League Two Crawley Town won back to back promotions to League One with a 2–1 victory at Accrington Stanley.[88] Southend United, Torquay United, Cheltenham Town and Crewe Alexandra make up the Play-offs. At the other end of the table Barnet survived to fight another season in League Two after beating Burton Albion, this result condemned Hereford United to Conference Football next season.[89]
6th: Manchester City remain top of the Premier League with a 2–0 win at Newcastle United, but their neighbours remain level on points with them by beating Swansea 2–0 atOld Trafford.[90]
7th: Blackburn are relegated from the Premier League after a 1–0 home defeat by Wigan Athletic, ending an 11-year stint in the top flight – the result confirms Wigan's Premier League status for an eighth successive season. Bolton Wanderers occupy the final remaining relegation place and need to win their final game of the season to stand any chance of survival. The only other team in real danger of relegation are QPR, as Aston Villa's much better goal difference means that they will almost certainly stay up.[91]
13th: Manchester City scored twice in stoppage time to be crowned champions for the first time since 1968 as they beat Queens Park Rangers to win the Premier League on goal difference from Manchester United. In scenes of near bedlam, City looked to be suffering a dramatic collapse as QPR – safe after Stoke City drew with Bolton – held on to an unlikely advantage with United leading at Sunderland.Edin Džeko equalised in the second of five minutes of stoppage time beforeSergio Agüero scored the goal that won the title.[91]
19th: West Ham United are promoted to the Premier League after beating Blackpool 2–1 at the 2012 Championship Play-Off final at Wembley Stadium. Chelsea won theUEFA Champions League after beating Bayern Munich 4–3 at penalties following a 1–1 draw.
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v
England| 2 September 2011 | Bulgaria | 0–3 | England | Vasil Levski National Stadium,Sofia |
| 21:15UTC+3 | Report | Cahill 13'Rooney 21',90+4' | Attendance: 36,521 Referee:Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium) |
v
Wales| 6 September 2011 | England | 1–0 | Wales | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 19:45UTC+1 | Young 35' | Report | Attendance: 77,128 Referee:Robert Schörgenhofer (Austria) |
v England| 7 October 2011 | Montenegro | 2–2 | England | Podgorica City Stadium,Podgorica |
| 21:00UTC+2 | Zverotić 45' Delibašić 90+1' | Report | Young 11' Bent 31' | Attendance: 15,000 Referee:Wolfgang Stark (Germany) |
v
Netherlands| 10 August 2011 | England | P – P | Netherlands | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 20:00BST | ||||
| Note: Due toriots in London, the friendly againstthe Netherlands scheduled for 10 August was called off.[96] | ||||
v
Spain| 12 November 2011 | England | 1–0 | Spain | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 17:15GMT | Lampard 49' | Report | Attendance: 87,189 Referee:Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium) |
v
Sweden| 15 November 2011 | England | 1–0 | Sweden | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 20:00GMT | Barry 22' | Report | Attendance: 48,876 Referee:Pavel Královec (Czech Republic) |
v Netherlands| 29 February 2012 | England | 2–3 | Netherlands | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 20:00GMT | Cahill 85' Young 90+2' | Report | Robben 57',90+2' Huntelaar 59' | Attendance: 76,283 Referee:Felix Brych (Germany) |
| Note: The match againstthe Netherlands, originally scheduled for 10 August 2011, was rescheduled to 29 February 2012 due to theriots in London. | ||||
v England| 26 May 2012 | Norway | 0–1 | England | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo |
| 20:45CEST | Report | Young 9' | Attendance: 21,496 Referee:Michael Weiner (Germany) |
v
Belgium| 1 June 2012 | England | 1–0 | Belgium | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 17:15BST | Welbeck 36' | Report | Attendance: 85,091 Referee:Peter Rasmussen (Denmark) |
In one of the most memorable finishes to a season in recent memory, Manchester City ended a 44-year wait to win their first Premier League title on goal difference, withSergio Agüero scoring in the last minute of stoppage time during their dramatic 3–2 win over Queens Park Rangers on the final day. Despite being pushed all the way, they won their final six games, while cross-city neighbours Manchester United squandered an eight-point lead in what was largely a trophyless season forSir Alex Ferguson's men for the first time in six years. Arsenal recovered from a poor start to the season to take third place, while striker Robin van Persie won thePlayers' Player of the Year Award by scoring 30 goals.
Newcastle finished fifth to qualify for theEuropa League, recording their first top-six finish in eight years under Alan Pardew, who won the Manager of the Year award. Chelsea suffered their worst season in ten years, finishing sixth with 64 points;André Villas-Boas, the personal choice for ownerRoman Abramovich, was sacked after just nine months with automatic qualification for theChampions League at risk. Under caretaker managerRoberto Di Matteo, however, they excelled in the cup competitions, winning the FA Cup for the fourth time in six seasons. It was the Champions League, though, in which they stunned everyone, storming their way through each round to reach the final againstBayern Munich. Pushing the German powerhouse to penalties, they kept the advantage and ultimately won 4–3, giving them their first European Cup victory and ensuring they qualified for the elite competition once again; their victory meant that fourth-placed Tottenham had to enter the Europa League and causedHarry Redknapp to lose his job after3+1⁄2 years in charge.
Liverpool were similar to Chelsea for parts of the league, but ultimately worse as they recorded their lowest league finish for 18 years, finishing in eighth place and only edging ninth-placed Fulham on a higher goal difference; their season was marred by strikerLuis Suárez being convicted of racially abusing Manchester United defenderPatrice Evra in October. They put this controversy behind them by winning the League Cup, ending five consecutive seasons without winning a trophy.Kenny Dalglish, fabled for his earlier Liverpool managerial reign in the late 1980s, was sacked after just 16 months following a poor finish to the season that saw them pick up just 13 points from 14 games.
For only the second time in Premier League history, all three promoted teams survived, though all finished in the bottom half. Swansea City were the pundit's choice to be relegated, but they defied their critics with their own unique style of football and claimed shock victories over the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool to finish a respectable 11th; by the season's end,Brendan Rodgers was starting to attract the attention of other Premier League teams. Norwich City finished just below them in 12th, tied with Swansea and West Bromwich Albion, impressing on their return to the top flight and also had managerPaul Lambert attracting the attention of other Premier League clubs. Queens Park Rangers were left needing to rely on other results on the last day to help them survive, though an unbeaten run of 16 points from their last six home fixtures played a major part in their survival.
The sacking ofMick McCarthy after nearly six years and the appointment of first team coachTerry Connor effectively ended Wolverhampton Wanderers' three-year spell in the top-flight. With just four points and no wins taken from Connor's final 13 games in charge, they finished bottom of the table. Having been clear of the relegation zone at the start of April, Blackburn Rovers were also undone by poor late-season form; losing eight of their last nine games as growing anger from the supporters toward ownersVenky's and managerSteve Kean continued. Bolton Wanderers, who coincidentally had been promoted alongside Blackburn in 2001, went down on the last day of the season after a horrible start to the year that saw them bottom for most of the campaign.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City(C) | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 93 | 29 | +64 | 89 | Qualification for theChampions League group stage |
| 2 | Manchester United | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 89 | 33 | +56 | 89 | |
| 3 | Arsenal | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 74 | 49 | +25 | 70 | |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 66 | 41 | +25 | 69 | Qualification for theEuropa League group stage[a] |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 56 | 51 | +5 | 65 | Qualification for theEuropa League play-off round[a] |
| 6 | Chelsea | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 65 | 46 | +19 | 64 | Qualification for theChampions League group stage[a] |
| 7 | Everton | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 50 | 40 | +10 | 56 | |
| 8 | Liverpool | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 47 | 40 | +7 | 52 | Qualification for theEuropa League third qualifying round[b] |
| 9 | Fulham | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 48 | 51 | −3 | 52 | |
| 10 | West Bromwich Albion | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 45 | 52 | −7 | 47 | |
| 11 | Swansea City | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 44 | 51 | −7 | 47 | |
| 12 | Norwich City | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 52 | 66 | −14 | 47 | |
| 13 | Sunderland | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 45 | 46 | −1 | 45 | |
| 14 | Stoke City | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 36 | 53 | −17 | 45 | |
| 15 | Wigan Athletic | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 42 | 62 | −20 | 43 | |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 38 | 7 | 17 | 14 | 37 | 53 | −16 | 38 | |
| 17 | Queens Park Rangers | 38 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 43 | 66 | −23 | 37 | |
| 18 | Bolton Wanderers(R) | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 46 | 77 | −31 | 36 | Relegation toFootball League Championship |
| 19 | Blackburn Rovers(R) | 38 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 48 | 78 | −30 | 31 | |
| 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers(R) | 38 | 5 | 10 | 23 | 40 | 82 | −42 | 25 |
Leading goalscorer:Robin van Persie (Arsenal) – 30
A year after suffering heartbreak in the play-off final, an excellent run of 50 points from their remaining 21 games saw Reading crowned divisional champions, earning promotion to the top flight for only the second time in their history. Having been in the top two for the majority of the season, Southampton finished in the runners-up spot to claim their second successive promotion, returning to the Premier League after a seven-year absence as their revival underNigel Adkins continued, one year after Norwich won a second successive promotion. West Ham United, who lost out to Southampton on the last day of the season, won promotion via the play-offs, with managerSam Allardyce passing his former clubs Blackburn and Bolton on the way up.
Doncaster Rovers' luck finally ran out after four years of operating on the division's lowest budget, and they were relegated in bottom place. 11 years after dropping out of the Premier League, Coventry City finally hit rock bottom as they suffered from an ongoing financial crisis and the loss of several key players pre-season, their never-ending downward spiral culminating in relegation to the third tier for the first time since 1964. Portsmouth fell back into financial difficulties and went into administration for the second time in three seasons, with the resulting ten-point deduction dealing a fatal blow to their survival hopes and sending them down to League One (had it not been for Portsmouth's points deduction, Barnsley would have been the third relegated side).
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reading(C, P) | 46 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 69 | 41 | +28 | 89 | Promotion to thePremier League |
| 2 | Southampton(P) | 46 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 85 | 46 | +39 | 88 | |
| 3 | West Ham United(O, P) | 46 | 24 | 14 | 8 | 81 | 48 | +33 | 86 | Qualification forChampionship play-offs |
| 4 | Birmingham City | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 78 | 51 | +27 | 76 | |
| 5 | Blackpool | 46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 79 | 59 | +20 | 75 | |
| 6 | Cardiff City | 46 | 19 | 18 | 9 | 66 | 53 | +13 | 75 | |
| 7 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 52 | 51 | +1 | 70 | |
| 8 | Hull City | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 47 | 44 | +3 | 68 | |
| 9 | Leicester City | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 66 | 55 | +11 | 66 | |
| 10 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 52 | 52 | 0 | 66 | |
| 11 | Watford | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 56 | 64 | −8 | 64 | |
| 12 | Derby County | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 50 | 58 | −8 | 64 | |
| 13 | Burnley | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 61 | 58 | +3 | 62 | |
| 14 | Leeds United | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 65 | 68 | −3 | 61 | |
| 15 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 69 | 77 | −8 | 61 | |
| 16 | Millwall | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 55 | 57 | −2 | 57 | |
| 17 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 46 | 51 | −5 | 56 | |
| 18 | Peterborough United | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 67 | 77 | −10 | 50 | |
| 19 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 14 | 8 | 24 | 48 | 63 | −15 | 50 | |
| 20 | Bristol City | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 44 | 68 | −24 | 49 | |
| 21 | Barnsley | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | 49 | 74 | −25 | 48 | |
| 22 | Portsmouth(R) | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 50 | 59 | −9 | 40[a] | Relegation toLeague One |
| 23 | Coventry City(R) | 46 | 9 | 13 | 24 | 41 | 65 | −24 | 40 | |
| 24 | Doncaster Rovers(R) | 46 | 8 | 12 | 26 | 43 | 80 | −37 | 36 |
Leading goalscorerRickie Lambert (Southampton) – 27
Chris Powell's first full season in charge of Charlton earned the Addicks promotion at the third time of asking, leading the division for virtually the entire season to win the title with a club record of 101 points. The two Sheffield clubs contested the second automatic promotion spot; United were in the top two for most of the season, but struggled with form after top scorerChed Evans was imprisoned for rape, allowing Wednesday to claim second place and a return to the Championship after a two-year absence. It was ultimately to be another Yorkshire side, Huddersfield Town, who were victorious over United in the play-offs, meaning they would be playing in the second tier for the first time since 2001.
After equalling their highest league finish last season, the departure ofKeith Hill to Barnsley during the summer meant that Rochdale finished bottom, bringing their long-awaited spell in League One to an end after just two years. Exeter City also failed to build on their near-miss of the previous season's play-offs and finished second bottom, returning to League Two after three years. Chesterfield could not adjust to life in the third tier and they too were relegated, despite winning theFootball League Trophy. Wycombe Wanderers, who finished six points behind the Spireites last season, did not last long either, and they also suffered immediate relegation back to League Two.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlton Athletic(C, P) | 46 | 30 | 11 | 5 | 82 | 36 | +46 | 101 | Promotion toFootball League Championship |
| 2 | Sheffield Wednesday(P) | 46 | 28 | 9 | 9 | 81 | 48 | +33 | 93 | |
| 3 | Sheffield United | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 92 | 51 | +41 | 90 | Qualification forLeague One play-offs[a] |
| 4 | Huddersfield Town(O, P) | 46 | 21 | 18 | 7 | 79 | 47 | +32 | 81 | |
| 5 | Milton Keynes Dons | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 84 | 47 | +37 | 80 | |
| 6 | Stevenage | 46 | 18 | 19 | 9 | 69 | 44 | +25 | 73 | |
| 7 | Notts County | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 75 | 63 | +12 | 73 | |
| 8 | Carlisle United | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 65 | 66 | −1 | 69 | |
| 9 | Brentford | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 63 | 52 | +11 | 67 | |
| 10 | Colchester United | 46 | 13 | 20 | 13 | 61 | 66 | −5 | 59 | |
| 11 | AFC Bournemouth | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 48 | 52 | −4 | 58 | |
| 12 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 49 | 53 | −4 | 56 | |
| 13 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 50 | 55 | −5 | 56 | |
| 14 | Bury | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 60 | 79 | −19 | 56 | |
| 15 | Preston North End | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 54 | 68 | −14 | 54 | |
| 16 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 50 | 66 | −16 | 54 | |
| 17 | Yeovil Town | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 59 | 80 | −21 | 54 | |
| 18 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 10 | 22 | 14 | 55 | 59 | −4 | 52 | |
| 19 | Walsall | 46 | 10 | 20 | 16 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 50 | |
| 20 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 48 | 75 | −27 | 50 | |
| 21 | Wycombe Wanderers(R) | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 65 | 88 | −23 | 43 | Relegation toFootball League Two |
| 22 | Chesterfield(R) | 46 | 10 | 12 | 24 | 56 | 81 | −25 | 42 | |
| 23 | Exeter City(R) | 46 | 10 | 12 | 24 | 46 | 75 | −29 | 42 | |
| 24 | Rochdale(R) | 46 | 8 | 14 | 24 | 47 | 81 | −34 | 38 |
Leading goalscorer:Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield) – 36
Swindon Town made an immediate return to League One, asPaolo Di Canio won the League Two title in his first season as a manager. Shrewsbury took the runners-up spot, going the entire season unbeaten at home and earning veteran managerGraham Turner his second promotion with the club 33 years after his first. Crawley Town were the third automatically promoted team, and earned their second successive promotion. Despite the resignation of legendary managerDario Gradi early in the season, Crewe Alexandra rallied under new managerSteve Davis and won promotion via the play-offs.
Macclesfield Town dropped out of the Football League after fifteen years, ultimately being undone by a horrific second half of the season in which they did not win a single game after the turn of the year. Hereford United suffered their second relegation from the League on the last day of the season, with Barnet securing last-day survival for the third season in a row.
Joining the League for the following season were newcomersFleetwood Town, andYork City, who returned to the League after an eight-year absence.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swindon Town(C, P) | 46 | 29 | 6 | 11 | 75 | 32 | +43 | 93 | Promotion toFootball League One |
| 2 | Shrewsbury Town(P) | 46 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 66 | 41 | +25 | 88 | |
| 3 | Crawley Town(P) | 46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 76 | 54 | +22 | 84 | |
| 4 | Southend United | 46 | 25 | 8 | 13 | 77 | 48 | +29 | 83 | Qualification forLeague Two play-offs[a] |
| 5 | Torquay United | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 63 | 50 | +13 | 81 | |
| 6 | Cheltenham Town | 46 | 23 | 8 | 15 | 66 | 50 | +16 | 77 | |
| 7 | Crewe Alexandra(O, P) | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 67 | 59 | +8 | 72 | |
| 8 | Gillingham | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 79 | 62 | +17 | 70 | |
| 9 | Oxford United | 46 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 59 | 48 | +11 | 68 | |
| 10 | Rotherham United | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 67 | 63 | +4 | 67 | |
| 11 | Aldershot Town | 46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 54 | 52 | +2 | 66 | |
| 12 | Port Vale | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 68 | 60 | +8 | 59[b] | |
| 13 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 60 | 70 | −10 | 57 | |
| 14 | Accrington Stanley | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 54 | 66 | −12 | 57 | |
| 15 | Morecambe | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 63 | 57 | +6 | 56 | |
| 16 | AFC Wimbledon | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 62 | 78 | −16 | 54 | |
| 17 | Burton Albion | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 54 | 81 | −27 | 54 | |
| 18 | Bradford City | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 54 | 59 | −5 | 50 | |
| 19 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 46 | 14 | 8 | 24 | 50 | 72 | −22 | 50 | |
| 20 | Northampton Town | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 56 | 79 | −23 | 48 | |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 10 | 16 | 20 | 47 | 64 | −17 | 46 | |
| 22 | Barnet | 46 | 12 | 10 | 24 | 52 | 79 | −27 | 46 | |
| 23 | Hereford United(R) | 46 | 10 | 14 | 22 | 50 | 70 | −20 | 44 | Relegation to theConference Premier |
| 24 | Macclesfield Town(R) | 46 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 39 | 64 | −25 | 37 |
Leading goalscorers:Jack Midson (AFC Wimbledon),Izale McLeod (Barnet),Lewis Grabban (Rotherham United), andAdebayo Akinfenwa (Northampton Town) – 18
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal(C) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 18 | +21 | 34 | Qualification for theChampions League knockout phase |
| 2 | Birmingham City | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 31 | 18 | +13 | 26 | |
| 3 | Everton | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 16 | +4 | 25 | |
| 4 | Bristol Academy | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 16 | +1 | 18 | |
| 5 | Lincoln | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 26 | −2 | 18 | |
| 6 | Chelsea | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 23 | −3 | 17 | |
| 7 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 14 | 28 | −14 | 11 | |
| 8 | Liverpool | 14 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 15 | 35 | −20 | 5 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland(C) | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 49 | 18 | +31 | 42 | |
| 2 | Leeds United | 18 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 36 | 10 | +26 | 41 | |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 21 | +3 | 27 | |
| 4 | Barnet | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 30 | 21 | +9 | 26 | |
| 5 | Charlton Athletic | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 23 | +1 | 26 | |
| 6 | Coventry City | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 26 | |
| 7 | Watford | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 16 | 39 | −23 | 17 | |
| 8 | Cardiff City | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 19 | −8 | 16 | |
| 9 | Reading(R) | 18 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 25 | 43 | −18 | 16 | Relegation to theSouthern Division |
| 10 | Nottingham Forest(R) | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 21 | 42 | −21 | 15 | Relegation to theNorthern Division |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City(C, P) | 18 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 58 | 19 | +39 | 40 | Promoted toNational Division |
| 2 | Sheffield | 18 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 46 | 28 | +18 | 35 | |
| 3 | Leicester City | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 43 | 21 | +22 | 34 | |
| 4 | Blackburn Rovers | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 48 | 28 | +20 | 32 | |
| 5 | Derby County | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 44 | 30 | +14 | 32 | |
| 6 | Sporting Club Albion | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 39 | 26 | +13 | 29 | |
| 7 | Preston North End | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 24 | |
| 8 | Rochdale | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 26 | 40 | −14 | 15 | Club resigned from the league at the end of the season |
| 9 | Rotherham United(R) | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 45 | −19 | 13 | Relegation to theMidland Combination League |
| 10 | Leeds City Vixens(R) | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 13 | 106 | −93 | 0 | Relegation to theNorthern Combination League |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portsmouth(C, P) | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 49 | 22 | +27 | 39 | Promotion to theNational Division |
| 2 | Colchester United | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 45 | 29 | +16 | 35 | |
| 3 | West Ham United | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 22 | +14 | 34 | |
| 4 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 27 | |
| 5 | Gillingham | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 28 | −7 | 23 | |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 28 | 29 | −1 | 22 | |
| 7 | Queen's Park Rangers | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 34 | −9 | 20 | |
| 8 | Millwall Lionesses | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 25 | 38 | −13 | 17 | |
| 9 | Plymouth Argyle(R) | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 29 | 48 | −19 | 17 | Relegation to theSouth West Combination League |
| 10 | Keynsham Town(R) | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 28 | 36 | −8 | 15 |
| Name | Club | Date of departure | Replacement | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Jackson | Bradford City | 25 August 2011 | Phil Parkinson | 29 August 2011 |
| Peter Reid | Plymouth Argyle | 18 September 2011 | Carl Fletcher | 1 November 2011 |
| Sean O'Driscoll | Doncaster Rovers | 23 September 2011 | Dean Saunders | 23 September 2011 |
| Steve McClaren | Nottingham Forest | 2 October 2011 | Steve Cotterill | 14 October 2011 |
| Keith Millen | Bristol City | 3 October 2011 | Derek McInnes | 19 October 2011 |
| Steve Cotterill | Portsmouth | 14 October 2011 | Michael Appleton | 10 November 2011 |
| Sven-Göran Eriksson | Leicester City | 24 October 2011 | Nigel Pearson | 15 November 2011 |
| Dario Gradi | Crewe Alexanda | 10 November 2011 | Steve Davis | 10 November 2011 |
| Gary Johnson | Northampton Town | 14 November 2011 | Adrian Boothroyd | 30 November 2011 |
| Nigel Pearson | Hull City | 15 November 2011 | Nick Barmby | 10 January 2012 |
| Steve Bruce | Sunderland | 30 November 2011 | Martin O'Neill | 3 December 2011 |
| Mick Wadsworth | Hartlepool United | 6 December 2011 | Neale Cooper | 28 December 2011 |
| Phil Brown | Preston North End | 14 December 2011 | Graham Westley | 13 January 2012 |
| Steve Eyre | Rochdale | 19 December 2011 | John Coleman | 24 January 2012 |
| Paul Buckle | Bristol Rovers | 4 January 2012 | Mark McGhee | 18 January 2012 |
| Neil Warnock | Queens Park Rangers | 8 January 2012 | Mark Hughes | 10 January 2012 |
| Terry Skiverton | Yeovil Town | 9 January 2012 | Gary Johnson | 9 January 2012 |
| Graham Westley | Stevenage | 13 January 2012 | Gary Smith | 25 January 2012 |
| John Coleman | Accrington Stanley | 24 January 2012 | Paul Cook | 13 February 2012 |
| Simon Grayson | Leeds United | 1 February 2012 | Neil Warnock | 18 February 2012 |
| Mick McCarthy | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 13 February 2012 | Terry Connor | 24 February 2012 |
| Lee Clark | Huddersfield Town | 16 February 2012 | Simon Grayson | 20 February 2012 |
| Martin Allen | Notts County | 18 February 2012 | Keith Curle | 20 February 2012 |
| Gary Megson | Sheffield Wednesday | 29 February 2012 | Dave Jones | 1 March 2012 |
| André Villas-Boas | Chelsea | 4 March 2012 | Roberto Di Matteo | 4 March 2012 |
| Les Parry | Tranmere Rovers | 4 March 2012 | Ronnie Moore | 4 March 2012 |
| Jamie Pitman | Hereford United | 5 March 2012 | Richard O'Kelly | 5 March 2012 |
| Paul Peschisolido | Burton Albion | 17 March 2012 | Gary Rowett | 10 May 2012 |
| Gary Simpson | Macclesfield Town | 18 March 2012 | Brian Horton | 19 March 2012 |
| Andy Scott | Rotherham United | 19 March 2012 | Steve Evans | 9 April 2012 |
| Lee Bradbury | AFC Bournemouth | 25 March 2012 | Paul Groves | 11 May 2012 |
| Steve Evans | Crawley Town | 9 April 2012 | Sean O'Driscoll | 16 May 2012 |
| Lawrie Sanchez | Barnet | 16 April 2012 | Martin Allen | 16 April 2012 |
| Brian Horton | Macclesfield Town | 30 April 2012 | Steve King | 21 May 2012 |
| Nick Barmby | Hull City | 8 May 2012 | Steve Bruce | 8 June 2012 |
| Andy Hessenthaler | Gillingham | 8 May 2012 | Martin Allen | 5 July 2012 |
| Terry Connor | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 11 May 2012 | Ståle Solbakken | 1 July 2012 |
| Richard O'Kelly | Hereford United | 12 May 2012 | Martin Foyle | 30 May 2012 |
| Roy Hodgson | West Bromwich Albion | 14 May 2012 | Steve Clarke | 8 June 2012 |
| Alex McLeish | Aston Villa | 14 May 2012 | Paul Lambert | 2 June 2012 |
| Kenny Dalglish | Liverpool | 16 May 2012 | Brendan Rodgers | 30 May 2012 |
| Martin Allen | Barnet | 25 May 2012 | Mark Robson | 11 June 2012 |
| Brendan Rodgers | Swansea City | 30 May 2012 | Michael Laudrup | 15 June 2012 |
| Paul Lambert | Norwich City | 2 June 2012 | Chris Hughton | 7 June 2012 |
| Chris Hughton | Birmingham City | 7 June 2012 | Lee Clark | 26 June 2012 |
| Harry Redknapp | Tottenham Hotspur | 13 June 2012 | Andre Villas Boas | 3 July 2012 |