The current season (2004-2005) is the 133rd competitive season in English football.

Overview

This season is the first to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division are now called the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League Two respectively. Coca-Cola replaces the Nationwide Building Society as title sponsor.

Wimbledon compete in League One, under their new name of Milton Keynes Dons.

There are also changes in the Football Conference with the introduction of two new regional divisions below Conference National, Conference North and Conference South. Furthermore, the National Conference Cup returns, now featuring the teams from the new divisions.

Unlike the Football League and the Conference, the FA Premier League does not undergo any restructuring, but Barclays Bank do replace their subsidary Barclaycard as title sponsors.

Events

• August 8 2004 - Arsenal claim the first silverware of the season when they beat Manchester United 3-1 to win the Community Shield.

• August 9 2004 - West Bromwich Albion striker Lee Hughes is jailed for six years for causing death by dangerous driving in November 2003.

• August 23 2004 - Southampton manager Paul Sturrock parts company with the club after just five months in charge. Saints Chairman Rupert Lowe claimed that media speculation had proved too much for Sturrock to take, despite allegations that he himself placed much pressure on Sturrock.

• August 25 2004 - With a 3-0 home win over Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal sets the all-time record for consecutive unbeaten league matches at England's top level, with 43. The record was previously held by Nottingham Forest, with 42 from November 1977 to September 1978.

• August 30 2004 - Newcastle United manager Sir Bobby Robson is sacked after a poor start to the Premier League season amid reports of locker-room discontent. His assistant John Carver takes over as caretaker manager.

• September 6 2004 - Graeme Souness resigns as manager of Blackburn Rovers to take over at Newcastle United. He officially took over on September 13, after the two clubs played each other for the first time in the season.

• October 24 2004 - Arsenal's record streak of unbeaten top-flight league matches ends at 49 after a 2-0 away loss to Manchester United.

• October 26 2004 - Gary Megson is dismissed as manager of West Bromwich Albion after he notifies the club he will not extend his contract past the current season.

• October 29 2004 - Chelsea cancels the contract of striker Adrian Mutu after he tests positive for cocaine.

• November 5, 2004 - Jacques Santini resigns as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, citing personal reasons. Martin Jol is named caretaker manager.

• November 8, 2004 - The "caretaker" is removed from Martin Jol's title, as he signs a contract to manage Spurs through the 2006-07 season.

• November 9, 2004 - Bryan Robson is named as the new manager of West Bromwich Albion.

• November 13, 2004 - AFC Wimbledon sets a United Kingdom record for consecutive unbeaten league games in senior football, at 76, with a 1-1 draw at Bromley in Ryman Division One.

• November 17, 2004 - The England national team loses to Spain 1-0 at the Bernabéu in Madrid. However, the match is marred by racist chants from the crowd aimed at black England players. Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips were particular targets of abuse; every time either touched the ball, monkey noises came from the crowd.

• November 24, 2004 - Harry Redknapp quits as manager of Portsmouth FC following a row with chairman Milan Mandaric over the appointment of a Director of Football at the club.

• November 24, 2004 - Sir Alex Ferguson took charge of his 1000th match at Manchester United F.C..

• December 3, 2004 - League One side Wrexham enters bankruptcy administration. Under new Football League rules, the club is penalized 10 league points, placing the club in relegation danger.

• December 4, 2004 - AFC Wimbledon lost 2-0 to Cray Wanderers ending their United Kingdom record run of consecutive unbeaten league games in senior football at 78, having last lost a league game in February 2003 when they were playing in the Combined Counties League.

• December 8, 2004 - Southampton sacks Steve Wigley after only 14 games in charge. The Saints announce Harry Redknapp, who resigned as manager of their arch-rivals Portsmouth only two weeks ago, as their new manager.

• January 11, 2005 - Everton and Liverpool announce that they have abandoned plans to groundshare at Liverpool's new stadium, which is scheduled for completion in 2007.

• January 21, 2005 - Former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates finalizes a deal to buy a controlling interest in the debt-riddled Championship club Leeds United.

• February 7, 2005 - Manchester United confirmed that U.S. businessman Malcolm Glazer has made an £800 million bid to take over the club.

• February 27, 2005 - Chelsea win the Football League Cup beating Liverpool 3-2 after extra time.

• March 1, 2005 - Arsenal midfielder Jermaine Pennant, currently on loan to Birmingham City, is found guilty of drink-driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance. He is sentenced to three months in prison; he would be released on March 31.

• March 10, 2005 - Kevin Keegan resigns as manager of Manchester City. Stuart Pearce takes over as caretaker manager.

• April 1, 2005 - Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer announces that he will play in the 2005-06 season, reversing his prior plans to retire following this season.

• April 2, 2005 - Stockport County becomes the first League team this season to be relegated.

• April 2, 2005 - In a stunning finish to the Premiership match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa at St James' Park, Newcastle teammates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer are sent off for fighting each other.

• April 7, 2005 - Portsmouth F.C. appoint frenchman Alain Perrin as manager, with the role having been vacant.

• April 10, 2005 - James Vaughan of Everton becomes the youngest premiership scorer as of this date when he scored in a match against Crystal Palace at the age of 16 years and 271 days.

• April 15, 2005 - Malcolm Glazer has made a revised bid to take over Manchester United. This bid reportedly is less dependent on debt than his February 2005 takeover bid, which was rejected by the club's board because of this issue.

National team

England begin their qualifying campaign for the Football World Cup 2006. They will play alongside UK neighbours Wales and Northern Ireland in Group 6.

* England score given first

Key

• H = Home match
• A = Away match
• N = Neutral site
• F = Friendly
• WCQ = FIFA World Cup 2006 Qualifying, European Zone Group 6
• o.g. = Own goal

Honours

Major transfer deals

• 2 August 2004 - Boudewijn Zenden from Chelsea to Middlesbrough, free (making a previous loan deal permanent)
• 5 August 2004 - Mattias Jonson from Brøndby to Norwich City, undisclosed fee
• 13 August 2004 - Michael Owen from Liverpool to Real Madrid, €12 million + Antonio Nuñez
• 20 August 2004 - Xabi Alonso from Real Sociedad to Liverpool, undisclosed fee (at least €16 million)
• 20 August 2004 - Luis Garcia from Barcelona to Liverpool, undisclosed fee
• 20 August 2004 - Jonathan Woodgate from Newcastle United to Real Madrid, £15 million
• 21 August 2004 - Diego Forlán from Manchester United to Villarreal, undisclosed fee (reportedly €3 million)
• 28 August 2004 - Seol Ki-hyun from Anderlecht to Wolves, €2 million
• 30 August 2004 - Robert Earnshaw from Cardiff City to West Brom, £3 million
• 31 August 2004 - Junichi Inamoto from Gamba Osaka to West Brom, £200,000
• 31 August 2004 - Wayne Rooney from Everton to Manchester United, approximately £25 million
• 31 August 2004 - Dwight Yorke from Blackburn Rovers to Birmingham City, free
• 1 January 2005 - Jean-Alain Boumsong from Rangers to Newcastle United, £8 million
• 4 January 2005 - James Beattie from Southampton to Everton, £6 million
• 4 January 2005 - Jamie Redknapp from Spurs to Southampton, free
• 6 January 2005 - Ryan Nelsen from Major League Soccer (D.C. United) to Blackburn Rovers, free
• 10 January 2005 - Dean Ashton from Crewe Alexandra to Norwich City, approx £3 million
• 10 January 2005 - Kevin Campbell from Everton to West Brom, free
• 12 January 2005 - Fernando Morientes from Real Madrid to Liverpool, €9 million
• 14 January 2005 - Thomas Gravesen from Everton to Real Madrid, £2.5 million
• 15 January 2005 - Kasey Keller from Spurs to Mönchengladbach, free
• 17 January 2005 - Nigel Quashie from Portsmouth to Southampton, £2.1 million
• 19 January 2005 - Robbie Savage from Birmingham City to Blackburn Rovers, approximately £3 million
• 21 January 2005 - Scott Carson from Leeds United to Liverpool, £1 million
• 21 January 2005 - Ben Thatcher from Manchester City to Fulham, £500,000 Transfer cancelled 25 January.
• 22 January 2005 - Bernt Haas from West Brom to Bastia, free
• 25 January 2005 - Amdy Faye from Portsmouth to Newcastle United, approx £2 million
• 27 January 2005 - Mounir El Hamdaoui from Excelsior Rotterdam to Spurs, undisclosed fee
• 28 January 2005 - Mido from AS Roma to Spurs, 18-month loan
• 28 January 2005 - Nicolas Anelka from Manchester City to Fenerbahçe, £7 million.
• 28 January 2005 - Stephane Henchoz from Liverpool to Celtic.
• 31 January 2005 - Eric Djemba-Djemba from Manchester United to Aston Villa, £1.35 million (extra £500,000 possible based on appearances)
• 31 January 2005 - Mikel Arteta from Real Sociedad to Everton, loan for remainder of season
• 31 January 2005 - Craig Bellamy from Newcastle United to Celtic, loan for remainder of season
• 31 January 2005 - Barry Ferguson from Blackburn Rovers to Rangers, £4.5 million (extra £500,000 possible based on appearances)
• 31 January 2005 - Andy Reid and Michael Dawson from Nottingham Forest to Spurs, £8 million for both
• 17 April 2005 - Dwight Yorke from Birmingham City to Sydney FC (Australia), free

Deaths

• September 20 2004 - Brian Clough, former Derby County and Nottingham Forest manager.
• October 23 2004 - Bill Nicholson, former Spurs player, coach and manager.
• November 9 2004 - Emlyn Hughes, former Liverpool and England player.
• November 12 2004 - Keith Weller , Leicester City and England winger
• December 1 2004 - Bill Brown, Spurs goalkeeper during their double winning season of 1960-61