2016–17 English Football League


The 2016–17 English Football League was the 118th season of the English Football League. It began on 6 August 2016 and concluded with the Championship promotion play-off final at Wembley Stadium on 29 May 2017. The EFL is contested through three divisions. The divisions are the Championship, League One and League Two. The winner of the Championship, Newcastle United, and runner-up Brighton & Hove Albion were automatically promoted to the Premier League and they were joined by the winner of the Championship playoff, Huddersfield Town. The bottom two teams in League Two, Hartlepool United and Leyton Orient, were relegated to the National League.
It is the league's first season after rebranding from the Football League to the English Football League.

Promotion and relegation following 2015-16 season

From the Premier League

; Relegated to the Championship
; Promoted to the Premier League
; Relegated to League One
; Promoted to the Championship
; Relegated to League Two
; Promoted to League One
; Relegated to the National League
; Promoted to League Two

Table

Play-offs

Results

League One

Table

Play-offs

Results

League Two

Table

Play-offs

Results

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in table at
time of departure		Incoming managerDate of appointmentPosition in table at
time of appointment
Stevenage Teddy SheringhamSacked1 February 20162015–16 season Darren Sarll8 May 2016Pre-season
Barnsley Lee JohnsonSigned by Bristol City6 February 20162015–16 season Paul Heckingbottom15 June 2016Pre-season
Walsall Sean O'DriscollSacked6 March 20162015–16 season Jon Whitney1 June 2016Pre-season
Nottingham Forest Dougie FreedmanSacked13 March 20162015–16 season Philippe Montanier26 June 2016Pre-season
Bolton Wanderers Neil LennonMutual Consent15 March 20162015–16 season Phil Parkinson10 June 2016Pre-season
Aston Villa Rémi GardeMutual Consent29 March 20162015–16 Premier League season Roberto Di Matteo2 June 2016Pre-season
Leyton Orient Kevin NolanRemoved From Managerial Role12 April 20162015–16 season Andy Hessenthaler3 June 2016Pre-season
Peterborough United Graham WestleySacked23 April 20162015–16 season Grant McCann16 May 2016Pre-season
Blackburn Rovers Paul LambertMutual consent7 May 2016Pre-season Owen Coyle2 June 2016Pre-season
Cardiff City Russell SladePromoted to head of football7 May 2016Pre-season Paul Trollope18 May 2016Pre-season
Charlton Athletic José RigaResigned7 May 2016Pre-season Russell Slade6 June 2016Pre-season
Notts County Mark CooperEnd of contract7 May 2016Pre-season John Sheridan27 May 2016Pre-season
Sheffield United Nigel AdkinsSacked12 May 2016Pre-season Chris Wilder12 May 2016Pre-season
Northampton Town Chris WilderSigned by Sheffield United12 May 2016Pre-season Rob Page19 May 2016Pre-season
Blackpool Neil McDonaldMutual Consent18 May 2016Pre-season Gary Bowyer1 June 2016Pre-season
Rotherham United Neil WarnockEnd of contract18 May 2016Pre-season Alan Stubbs1 June 2016Pre-season
Port Vale Rob PageSigned by Northampton Town19 May 2016Pre-season Bruno Ribeiro20 June 2016Pre-season
Reading Brian McDermottSacked27 May 2016Pre-season Jaap Stam13 June 2016Pre-season
Oldham Athletic John SheridanSigned by Notts County27 May 2016Pre-season Steve Robinson9 July 2016Pre-season
Derby County Darren WassallReappointed Academy Director27 May 2016Pre-season Nigel Pearson27 May 2016Pre-season
Leeds United Steve EvansSacked31 May 2016Pre-season Garry Monk2 June 2016Pre-season
Bradford City Phil ParkinsonSigned by Bolton Wanderers10 June 2016Pre-season Stuart McCall20 June 2016Pre-season
Fleetwood Town Steven PressleyResigned26 July 2016Pre-season Uwe Rösler30 July 2016Pre-season
Wolverhampton Wanderers Kenny JackettSacked29 July 2016Pre-season Walter Zenga30 July 2016Pre-season
Leyton Orient Andy HessenthalerSacked26 September 201614th Alberto Cavasin2 October 201617th
Newport County Warren FeeneySacked28 September 201624th Graham Westley7 October 201624th
Coventry City Tony MowbrayResigned29 September 201624th Russell Slade21 December 201623rd
Aston Villa Roberto Di MatteoSacked3 October 201619th Steve Bruce12 October 201619th
Cardiff City Paul TrollopeSacked4 October 201623rd Neil Warnock5 October 201623rd
Shrewsbury Town Micky MellonSigned by Tranmere Rovers6 October 201622nd Paul Hurst24 October 201624th
Derby County Nigel PearsonMutual Consent8 October 201620th Steve McClaren12 October 201620th
Rotherham United Alan StubbsSacked19 October 201624th Kenny Jackett21 October 201624th
Milton Keynes Dons Karl RobinsonMutual Consent23 October 201619th Robbie Neilson2 December 201619th
Grimsby Town Paul HurstSigned by Shrewsbury Town24 October 20168th Marcus Bignot7 November 20168th
Wolverhampton Wanderers Walter ZengaSacked25 October 201618th Paul Lambert5 November 201619th
Wigan Athletic Gary CaldwellSacked25 October 201623rd Warren Joyce2 November 201622nd
Queens Park Rangers Jimmy Floyd HasselbainkSacked5 November 201617th Ian Holloway11 November 201617th
Mansfield Town Adam MurrayResigned14 November 201618th Steve Evans16 November 201618th
Charlton Athletic Russell SladeSacked14 November 201615th Karl Robinson24 November 201611th
Bury David FlitcroftSacked16 November 201616th Chris Brass15 December 201620th
Leyton Orient Alberto CavasinSacked23 November 201622nd Andy Edwards23 November 201622nd
Rotherham United Kenny JackettResigned28 November 201624th Paul Warne5 April 201724th
Barnet Martin AllenSigned by Eastleigh1 December 20168th Kevin Nugent15 February 201711th
Birmingham City Gary RowettSacked14 December 20167th Gianfranco Zola14 December 20167th
Port Vale Bruno RibeiroResigned26 December 201617th Michael Brown3 May 20172017–18 season
Notts County John SheridanSacked2 January 201722nd Kevin Nolan12 January 201722nd
Gillingham Justin EdinburghSacked2 January 201717th Adrian Pennock4 January 201717th
Chesterfield Danny WilsonSacked8 January 201722nd Gary Caldwell17 January 201722nd
Crewe Alexandra Steve DavisSacked8 January 201718th David Artell8 January 201718th
Northampton Town Rob PageSacked9 January 201716th Justin Edinburgh13 January 201716th
Oldham Athletic Steve RobinsonSacked12 January 201724th John Sheridan12 January 201724th
Nottingham Forest Philippe MontanierSacked14 January 201720th Mark Warburton14 March 201719th
Hartlepool United Craig HignettMutual Consent15 January 201719th Dave Jones18 January 201719th
Leyton Orient Andy EdwardsResigned29 January 201723rd Daniel Webb29 January 201723rd
Bury Chris BrassReplaced15 February 201721st Lee Clark15 February 201721st
Blackburn Rovers Owen CoyleMutual Consent21 February 201723rd Tony Mowbray22 February 201723rd
Coventry City Russell SladeSacked5 March 201724th Mark Robins6 March 201724th
Newport County Graham WestleySacked9 March 201724th Michael Flynn9 May 20172017–18 season
Norwich City Alex NeilSacked10 March 20178th Daniel Farke25 May 20172017–18 season
Derby County Steve McClarenSacked12 March 201710th Gary Rowett14 March 201710th
Wigan Athletic Warren JoyceSacked13 March 201723rd Graham Barrow13 March 201723rd
Leyton Orient Daniel WebbResigned30 March 201724th Omer Riza30 March 201724th
Grimsby Town Marcus BignotSacked10 April 201714th Russell Slade12 April 201714th
Barnet Kevin NugentSacked15 April 201716th Rossi Eames19 May 20172017–18 season
Birmingham City Gianfranco ZolaResigned17 April 201720th Harry Redknapp18 April 201720th
Hartlepool United Dave JonesSacked24 April 201723rd Craig Harrison26 May 20172017–18 season
Leyton Orient Omer RizaSacked10 July 201724th Steve Davis10 July 20172017–18 season