The 2000–01 season was Manchester City Football Club's 109th season playing in a division of English football, most of which have been spent in the top flight.
The club spent this season playing in the Premier League after winning successive promotions from the Second Division and First Division in the previous two seasons. This was the club's fifth season playing in the Premier League since its initial formation as the top tier of English football eight years earlier, with Manchester City as one of its original 22 founding member clubs.
Season review
Manchester City's return to the Premiership after a four-year exile was the result of back-to-back promotions from the Second Division.[1] But perhaps the team's two-tier climb back to the top flight again had been a little too rapid because it became apparent after just a few games into the new season that Joe Royle's men would be struggling to hang on to their newly acquired top flight status. After their first ten games though, they were enjoying reasonably stable mid-table form with four wins and defeats each; however, after a 5–0 humbling at Arsenal, it all went wrong and only four wins were achieved during the remainder of the season.
The team's relegation was confirmed by a defeat in the penultimate game of the season, and manager Royle, who had been the guiding hand that had brought the team so quickly back to the Premiership from the Second Division, was dismissed within days.[2] Former England coach Kevin Keegan was appointed to replace Royle on a three-year contract and fans were given renewed hope of an immediate return to the elite.[3]
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Historical league performance
Prior to this season, the history of Manchester City's performance in the English football league hierarchy since the creation of the Premier League in 1992 is summarised by the following timeline chart – which commences with the last season (1991–92) of the old Football League First Division (from which the Premier League was formed).
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
^Kanchelskis was born in Kirovohrad, Ukraine SSR (now Ukraine), but also qualified to represent Russia internationally and made his international debut for Russia in 1992.
^Whitley was born in Ndola, Zambia, but also qualified to represent Northern Ireland internationally through his father and made his international debut for Northern Ireland in June 1998.
^Whitley was born in Ndola, Zambia, but also qualified to represent Northern Ireland internationally through his father and made his international debut for Northern Ireland in 1997.