2004-05 in English football
Overview
The current season (2004-2005) is the 133rd competitive season in English football.
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 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.
Arsenal claimed the first silverware of the season when they beat Manchester United 3-1 to win the Community Shield on August 8 2004.
Events
- 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.
England will begin their qualifying campaign for the Football World Cup 2006. They will play alongside UK neighbours Wales and Northern Ireland in Group 6.
| Date
| Venue
| Opponents
| Score*
| Comp
| England scorers
|
| August 18, 2004
| St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne (H)
| Ukraine
| 3?0
| F
| David Beckham, Michael Owen, Shaun Wright-Phillips
|
| September 4, 2004
| Ernst-Happel Stadion, Vienna (A)
| Austria
| 2?2
| WCQ
| Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard
|
| September 8, 2004
| Stadion Slaski, Chorzow (A)
| Poland
| 2-1
| WCQ
| Jermain Defoe, Arkadiusz Glowacki (o.g.)
|
| October 9, 2004
| Old Trafford, Manchester (H)
| Wales
|
| WCQ
|
|
| October 13, 2004
| TBA (A)
| Azerbaijan
|
| WCQ
|
|
| February 2005 (date TBA)
| TBA (H)
| Netherlands
|
| F
|
|
| March 26, 2005
| Old Trafford, Manchester (H)
| Northern Ireland
|
| WCQ
|
|
| March 30, 2005
| St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne (H)
| Azerbaijan
|
| WCQ
|
|
* England score given first
Key
- H = Home match
- A = Away match
- 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, undisclosed fee
