1999–2000 Football League

The Football League
Season1999–2000
ChampionsCharlton Athletic
PromotedCharlton Athletic
Manchester City
Ipswich Town
RelegatedChester City
New Club in LeagueCheltenham Town

The 1999–2000 Football League (known as the Nationwide Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 101st completed season of The Football League.

The 1999–2000 season saw the league dispense with the traditional 1–11 numbering of players’ shirts in favour of squad numbers, a system that had been adopted by the Premier League a few seasons before. This also meant that players’ names appeared on the back of their shirts for the first time since the league’s inception.[1]

The three promotion places in Division One went to champions Charlton Athletic, runners-up Manchester City and playoff winners Ipswich Town.

1999–2000 also saw some of Division One’s biggest clubs miss out on promotion — the biggest of these were Blackburn Rovers (11th) and Nottingham Forest (14th). Steve Coppell ended his fourth spell as Crystal Palace manager after doing wonders to keep a virtually bankrupt club clear of the Division One relegation zone.

Going down were Walsall, Port Vale and Swindon Town. West Bromwich Albion just missed out on the drop zone thanks to a late turn-around in form during the final weeks of the season which followed the appointment of Gary Megson as manager.

David Moyes, 37, showed promise as one of the league’s most highly rated young managers after he guided Preston North End to the Division Two championship. Stan Ternent’s two-year rebuilding project at Burnley paid off as they finished runners-up in the division and would establish themselves as a second tier side for nine years until promotion to the Premier League happened at the end of the 2008–09 season. Joining them in Division One were Peter Taylor’s Gillingham, who had reached the upper half of the league for the first time in their history.

Going down were Cardiff City, Blackpool, Scunthorpe United and Chesterfield. Narrowly avoiding the drop were Oxford United, who struggled all season long despite the club’s financial crisis being eased by the arrival of new Tanzanian chairman Firoz Kassam.

Swansea City, Rotherham United, Northampton Town and Peterborough United occupied the four promotion places in Division Three.

Chester City were relegated on the last day of the season, ending their 69-year league career and would be relegated from the League again nine years later while Shrewsbury Town and Carlisle United saved themselves from Conference football.

First Division

First Division
Season1999–2000
ChampionsCharlton Athletic
PromotedCharlton Athletic
Manchester City
Ipswich Town
RelegatedWalsall
Port Vale
Swindon Town
Matches played552
Goals scored1,391 (2.52 per match)
Top goalscorerAndy Hunt
(24 goals)[2]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Charlton Athletic (C, P) 46 27 10 9 79 45 +34 91 Promotion to the Premier League
2 Manchester City (P) 46 26 11 9 78 40 +38 89
3 Ipswich Town (O, P) 46 25 12 9 71 42 +29 87 Qualification for the First Division play-offs
4 Barnsley 46 24 10 12 88 67 +21 82
5 Birmingham City 46 22 11 13 65 44 +21 77
6 Bolton Wanderers 46 21 13 12 69 50 +19 76
7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 21 11 14 64 48 +16 74
8 Huddersfield Town 46 21 11 14 62 49 +13 74
9 Fulham 46 17 16 13 49 41 +8 67
10 Queens Park Rangers 46 16 18 12 62 53 +9 66
11 Blackburn Rovers 46 15 17 14 55 51 +4 62
12 Norwich City 46 14 15 17 45 50 −5 57
13 Tranmere Rovers 46 15 12 19 57 68 −11 57
14 Nottingham Forest 46 14 14 18 53 55 −2 56
15 Crystal Palace 46 13 15 18 57 67 −10 54
16 Sheffield United 46 13 15 18 59 71 −12 54
17 Stockport County 46 13 15 18 55 67 −12 54
18 Portsmouth 46 13 12 21 55 66 −11 51
19 Crewe Alexandra 46 14 9 23 46 67 −21 51
20 Grimsby Town 46 13 12 21 41 67 −26 51
21 West Bromwich Albion 46 10 19 17 43 60 −17 49
22 Walsall (R) 46 11 13 22 52 77 −25 46 Relegation to the Second Division
23 Port Vale (R) 46 7 15 24 48 69 −21 36
24 Swindon Town (R) 46 8 12 26 38 77 −39 36
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Location of clubs

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Locations of the Football League First Division 1999–2000 teams
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Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1999–2000

Play-offs

Main article: Football League Championship play-offs § 2000
Semifinals
1st leg – May 13th/14th;
2nd leg – May 17th/18th, 2000 		Final at Wembley
May 29th, 2000
        
3rd Ipswich Town (a.e.t.) 2 5 7
6th Bolton Wanderers 2 3 5
3rd Ipswich Town 4
4th Barnsley 2
4th Barnsley 4 1 5
5th Birmingham City 0 2 2

[3]

Results

Home \ Away BAR BIR BLB BOL CHA CRE CRY FUL GRI HUD IPS MCI NWC NOT PTV POR QPR SHU STP SWI TRA WAL WBA WOL
Barnsley 2–1 5–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–3 1–0 3–0 4–2 0–2 2–1 2–1 1–0 3–1 6–0 1–1 2–0 2–1 1–0 3–0 3–2 2–2 1–2
Birmingham City 3–1 1–0 2–1 1–0 5–1 2–0 2–2 0–0 1–0 1–1 0–1 2–0 0–1 4–2 1–0 2–0 0–2 2–1 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–0
Blackburn Rovers 1–2 1–0 3–1 1–1 0–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–4 1–1 2–1 0–0 1–1 0–2 5–0 2–0 0–0 2–0 2–0 2–1 1–1
Bolton Wanderers 2–2 3–3 3–1 0–2 2–2 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 0–1 1–0 3–2 2–1 3–0 2–1 2–0 0–1 2–0 2–3 4–3 1–1 2–1
Charlton Athletic 3–1 1–0 1–2 2–1 1–0 2–1 1–0 4–0 0–1 1–3 0–1 1–0 3–0 2–2 1–1 2–1 1–0 4–0 0–1 3–2 2–1 0–0 2–0
Crewe Alexandra 0–1 2–3 0–0 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–2 1–1 1–0 0–3 2–1 1–3 2–1 1–0 3–2 2–1 0–2 2–3 2–0 1–0
Crystal Palace 0–2 0–2 2–1 0–0 0–1 1–1 0–0 3–0 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 3–0 1–1 3–3 1–2 2–2 3–2 0–2 1–1
Fulham 1–3 0–0 2–2 1–1 2–1 3–0 1–0 0–1 3–0 0–0 0–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–0 1–0 4–0 4–1 1–0 1–0 2–0 1–0 0–1
Grimsby Town 0–3 1–1 0–0 0–1 2–5 1–1 1–0 1–1 0–0 2–1 1–1 2–1 4–3 2–0 1–0 2–1 2–2 0–1 1–0 1–2 1–0 1–1 1–0
Huddersfield Town 2–1 0–0 3–2 0–3 1–2 3–0 7–1 1–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 1–0 2–1 2–2 0–1 1–0 4–1 0–2 4–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–0
Ipswich Town 6–1 0–1 0–0 1–0 4–2 2–1 1–0 1–0 2–0 2–1 2–1 0–2 3–1 3–0 0–1 1–4 1–1 1–0 3–0 0–0 2–0 3–1 1–0
Manchester City 3–1 1–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–1 4–0 2–1 0–1 1–0 3–1 1–0 2–1 4–2 1–3 6–0 1–2 3–0 2–0 1–1 2–1 0–1
Norwich City 2–2 0–1 0–2 2–1 0–3 2–1 0–1 1–2 3–0 1–1 0–0 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–0
Nottingham Forest 3–0 1–0 0–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 2–0 0–0 2–1 1–3 0–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 0–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 4–1 0–0 1–1
Port Vale 2–2 3–1 0–0 0–1 2–2 1–0 2–2 0–2 3–1 1–2 1–2 1–2 0–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 2–3 1–1 2–0 1–0 1–2 1–2 0–1
Portsmouth 3–0 2–2 1–2 0–0 0–2 0–2 3–1 0–1 1–2 0–0 1–1 2–2 2–1 2–1 0–0 1–3 2–0 2–0 4–1 1–2 5–1 2–0 2–3
Queens Park Rangers 2–2 2–2 0–0 0–1 0–0 1–0 0–1 0–0 1–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 3–2 0–0 3–1 1–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 0–0 1–1
Sheffield United 3–3 1–2 2–1 1–2 1–2 1–1 3–1 2–0 0–0 0–1 2–2 1–0 0–0 2–1 1–3 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 6–0 3–0
Stockport County 1–3 2–0 0–1 0–0 1–3 2–1 1–2 2–1 2–1 1–1 0–1 2–2 2–2 2–3 1–0 1–1 3–3 1–1 3–0 2–1 1–1 0–1 3–2
Swindon Town 1–2 1–4 2–1 0–4 1–2 0–1 2–4 1–0 0–1 2–0 1–4 0–2 0–0 0–0 2–1 1–1 0–1 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–1 1–2 1–2
Tranmere Rovers 2–2 2–1 2–1 0–0 2–2 2–0 1–2 1–1 3–2 1–0 0–2 1–1 1–2 3–0 2–1 2–4 1–1 1–3 0–0 3–1 1–1 3–0 1–0
Walsall 1–4 1–0 1–1 2–0 2–4 1–4 2–2 1–3 1–0 2–0 0–1 0–1 2–2 0–2 0–0 1–0 2–3 2–1 1–2 0–0 1–2 2–1 1–1
West Bromwich Albion 0–2 0–3 2–2 4–4 2–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 2–1 0–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–0 3–2 0–1 2–2 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–1 1–1
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 2–3 2–0 2–1 3–0 3–0 0–1 2–1 4–1 1–0 3–0 2–2 1–1 3–2 1–0 2–2 1–1 4–0 1–2 1–1
Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second Division

Football League, Second Division
Season1999–2000
ChampionsPreston North End (2nd third tier title)
PromotedPreston North End,
Burnley
Promoted via play-offsGillingham
RelegatedBlackpool,
Cardiff City,
Chesterfield,
Scunthorpe United
Matches played552
Goals scored1,404 (2.54 per match)
Top goalscorerAndy Payton (Burnley), 27 [2]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Preston North End (C, P) 46 28 11 7 74 37 +37 95 Promotion to the First Division
2 Burnley (P) 46 25 13 8 69 47 +22 88
3 Gillingham (O, P) 46 25 10 11 79 48 +31 85 Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
4 Wigan Athletic 46 22 17 7 72 38 +34 83
5 Millwall 46 23 13 10 76 50 +26 82
6 Stoke City 46 23 13 10 68 42 +26 82
7 Bristol Rovers 46 23 11 12 69 45 +24 80
8 Notts County 46 18 11 17 61 55 +6 65
9 Bristol City 46 15 19 12 59 57 +2 64
10 Reading 46 16 14 16 57 63 −6 62
11 Wrexham 46 17 11 18 52 61 −9 62
12 Wycombe Wanderers 46 16 13 17 56 53 +3 61
13 Luton Town 46 17 10 19 61 65 −4 61
14 Oldham Athletic 46 16 12 18 50 55 −5 60
15 Bury 46 13 18 15 61 64 −3 57
16 Bournemouth 46 16 9 21 59 62 −3 57
17 Brentford 46 13 13 20 47 61 −14 52
18 Colchester United 46 14 10 22 59 82 −23 52
19 Cambridge United 46 12 12 22 64 65 −1 48
20 Oxford United 46 12 9 25 43 73 −30 45
21 Cardiff City (R) 46 9 17 20 45 67 −22 44 Relegation to the Third Division
22 Blackpool (R) 46 8 17 21 49 77 −28 41
23 Scunthorpe United (R) 46 9 12 25 40 74 −34 39
24 Chesterfield (R) 46 7 15 24 34 63 −29 36
Source: [3]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Location of clubs

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Locations of the Football League Second Division 1999–2000 teams
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Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams 1999–2000

Play-offs

Main article: Football League One play-offs § 2000
Semifinals
1st leg – May 13th; 2nd leg – May 17th, 2000 		Final at Wembley Stadium
May 28th, 2000
        
3rd Gillingham 2 3 5
6th Stoke City 3 0 3
3rd Gillingham (a.e.t.) 3
4th Wigan Athletic 2
4th Wigan Athletic 0 1 1
5th Millwall 0 0 0

[3]

Results

Home \ Away BLP BOU BRE BRC BRR BUR BRY CAM CAR CHF COL GIL LUT MIL NTC OLD OXF PNE REA SCU STO WIG WRE WYC
Blackpool 0–0 0–1 1–2 2–1 1–1 0–5 2–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–3 1–2 2–1 1–2 1–1 0–0 0–2 0–2 1–2 2–2 2–1 1–2
Bournemouth 2–0 4–1 2–3 0–1 0–1 1–1 2–1 1–0 1–1 4–0 0–1 1–0 1–2 1–1 3–0 4–0 0–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–0 2–0
Brentford 2–0 0–2 2–1 0–3 2–3 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 0–0 1–2 2–0 1–3 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 4–3 0–1 0–2 0–2 0–0
Bristol City 5–2 3–1 1–0 0–0 0–0 1–1 1–1 0–0 3–0 1–1 0–1 0–0 0–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–2 3–1 2–1 2–2 0–0 4–0 0–0
Bristol Rovers 3–1 2–2 0–0 2–0 1–0 0–0 1–0 1–1 3–1 2–1 2–1 3–0 1–0 0–1 3–2 1–0 0–2 0–1 1–1 3–3 1–1 3–1 1–0
Burnley 1–0 2–1 2–2 2–0 1–0 2–2 2–0 2–1 2–1 3–0 0–3 0–2 4–3 2–1 3–0 3–2 0–3 3–0 1–2 1–0 0–0 5–0 1–0
Bury 3–2 2–2 2–2 0–0 0–0 4–2 0–2 3–2 1–1 5–2 2–1 1–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–2 1–3 1–1 3–0 0–0 2–2 0–2 2–0
Cambridge United 0–2 0–2 2–2 3–0 1–1 0–1 3–0 0–0 2–0 5–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 1–1 2–3 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 3–4 1–2
Cardiff City 1–1 1–2 1–1 0–0 1–0 1–2 0–2 0–4 2–1 3–2 1–2 1–3 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–0 1–1 1–2 0–0 1–1 2–2
Chesterfield 0–0 0–1 1–0 0–2 0–1 1–1 0–1 4–2 1–1 0–1 0–0 1–3 2–0 2–1 0–1 0–0 0–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–3 1–2
Colchester United 1–1 3–1 0–3 3–4 5–4 1–2 1–3 3–1 0–3 1–0 2–1 3–0 1–2 0–3 0–1 1–2 2–2 3–2 0–1 1–0 2–2 2–2 1–0
Gillingham 1–3 4–1 2–0 3–0 0–1 2–2 1–0 2–1 4–1 1–0 2–1 2–0 2–0 0–1 2–1 1–0 0–2 2–2 3–1 3–0 2–1 5–1 2–2
Luton Town 3–2 1–2 1–2 1–2 1–4 2–1 1–1 2–2 1–0 1–1 3–2 3–1 0–2 2–2 1–1 4–2 0–2 3–1 4–1 2–1 1–1 3–1 1–1
Millwall 1–1 3–1 3–2 4–1 3–0 1–1 3–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 1–0 2–2 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–2 5–0 1–2 1–0 3–3 0–0 1–1
Notts County 2–1 5–1 0–1 4–4 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–3 2–1 1–0 1–2 1–1 0–0 1–1 0–1 0–1 1–0 1–2 3–0 0–0 0–2 2–1 2–1
Oldham Athletic 1–1 1–0 3–0 1–1 1–4 0–1 2–0 1–0 1–2 1–2 1–2 1–3 2–1 2–1 1–2 2–0 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–1 2–1 0–0 2–2
Oxford United 0–1 1–0 1–1 3–0 0–5 1–2 1–1 1–0 2–3 2–1 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–3 2–3 1–0 0–4 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–2 1–4 0–0
Preston North End 3–0 3–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 0–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 0–2 2–3 0–2 1–0 3–2 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 1–0 2–1 1–4 1–0 3–2
Reading 1–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 2–0 0–0 2–0 0–0 0–1 1–0 2–0 2–2 1–2 2–0 0–0 1–1 1–2 2–2 1–1 1–0 0–2 2–2 2–1
Scunthorpe United 1–0 3–1 0–0 1–2 0–2 1–2 0–2 0–3 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–4 1–2 1–4 1–0 1–2 1–0 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–2 0–2 0–1
Stoke City 3–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 1–2 2–2 3–0 1–0 2–1 5–1 1–1 1–1 2–1 3–1 0–1 0–0 1–2 2–1 2–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–1
Wigan Athletic 5–1 3–1 1–0 2–1 3–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 3–0 0–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 0–1 2–0 0–1 1–0 3–0 1–2 0–1 2–1
Wrexham 1–1 1–0 0–1 0–1 2–1 0–1 1–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 2–3 0–3 1–0 0–0 0–1 3–1 2–3 1–1 1–3
Wycombe Wanderers 0–2 2–1 2–0 1–2 1–1 1–1 3–0 1–0 3–1 3–0 3–0 1–0 0–1 1–2 2–0 0–0 0–1 1–1 5–3 2–1 0–4 0–2 0–1
Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Third Division

Football League, Third Division
Season1999–2000
ChampionsSwansea City (1st fourth tier title)
Direct promotionSwansea City,
Northampton,
Rotherham United
Promoted through play-offsPeterborough United
Relegated to ConferenceChester
Matches played552
Goals scored1,303 (2.36 per match)
Top goalscorerMarco Gabbiadini (Darlington), 24 [2]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Swansea City (C, P) 46 24 13 9 51 30 +21 85 Promotion to the Second Division
2 Rotherham United (P) 46 24 12 10 72 36 +36 84
3 Northampton Town (P) 46 25 7 14 63 45 +18 82
4 Darlington 46 21 16 9 66 36 +30 79 Qualification for the Third Division play-offs
5 Peterborough United (O, P) 46 22 12 12 63 54 +9 78
6 Barnet 46 21 12 13 59 53 +6 75
7 Hartlepool United 46 21 9 16 60 49 +11 72
8 Cheltenham Town 46 20 10 16 50 42 +8 70
9 Torquay United 46 19 12 15 62 52 +10 69
10 Rochdale 46 18 14 14 57 54 +3 68
11 Brighton & Hove Albion 46 17 16 13 64 46 +18 67
12 Plymouth Argyle 46 16 18 12 55 51 +4 66
13 Macclesfield Town 46 18 11 17 66 61 +5 65
14 Hull City 46 15 14 17 43 43 0 59
15 Lincoln City 46 15 14 17 67 69 −2 59
16 Southend United 46 15 11 20 53 61 −8 56
17 Mansfield Town 46 16 8 22 50 65 −15 56
18 Halifax Town 46 15 9 22 44 58 −14 54
19 Leyton Orient 46 13 13 20 47 52 −5 52
20 York City 46 12 16 18 39 53 −14 52
21 Exeter City 46 11 11 24 46 72 −26 44
22 Shrewsbury Town 46 9 13 24 40 67 −27 40
23 Carlisle United 46 9 12 25 42 75 −33 39
24 Chester City (R) 46 10 9 27 44 79 −35 39 Relegation to Football Conference
Source: [3]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Locations of clubs

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Locations of the Football League Third Division teams 1999–2000
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Locations of the Football League Third Division London teams 1999–2000

Play-offs

Main article: Football League Two play-offs § 2000
Semifinals
1st leg – May 13th; 2nd leg – May 17th, 2000 		Final at Wembley Stadium
May 26th, 2000
        
4th Darlington 2 1 3
7th Hartlepool United 0 0 0
4th Darlington 0
5th Peterborough United 1
5th Peterborough United 2 3 5
6th Barnet 1 0 1

[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Put your shirt on squad numbers next season". Lancashire Telegraph. Newsquest Media Group Ltd. 9 April 1999. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  3. ^ a b c d e "England 1999–00". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.