Forest relegated. Championship review

Last updated : 02 May 2005 By Michael Morris
City fans knew at half time at Gillingham that we would be safe. With Crewe being thumped at Ipswich the goal difference in City's favour meant we could afford to lose at Gillingham and next week at Ninian Park and Crewe wouldn't be able to pass us.

The point we earned made it a sure fire certainty that we had survived our second season in this division.

For Gillingham the fight goes on. They would have been home and dry if they could have held onto the lead but Paul Parry's goal 5 mins from time, as well as securing City's Championship status, meant that Gillingham go into the last day on a knife-edge. Defeat at Forest could see the Gills join them in the next division down. Crewe have to win at home to Coventry, if they don't Gillingham are safe. If they do Gillingham have to win their game at the City Ground as a draw would not be enough to stay ahead of Crewe. It could get them above Brighton though as long as the Seagulls lose.

There's a few combinations that can happen but only if Crewe win. If they don't they are down. Wouldn't it be typical if Crewe did win, they have not won in the last 20 or so games, if ever they needed 3 points it's now.

At the top it's between Ipswich and Wigan for the second promotion place.

Results and table


Burnley 2 Plymouth 0
Coventry 6 Derby 2
Gillingham 1 Cardiff 1
Ipswich 5 Crewe 1
Leicester 2 Leeds 0
Preston 1 Wigan 1
QPR 2 Nottm Forest 1
Reading 1 Wolves 2
Rotherham 0 Brighton
Sheffield United 0 Millwall 1
Stoke 0 Watford 1
West Ham 1 Sunderland 2


1[P] Sunderland 45154344211337312028710754191+34
2Wigan Athletic 45125539141274372024129763484+42
3Ipswich Town 4517335326796312924129845584+29
4Preston North End 451472442275102233211212665575+11
5Derby County 45976352912383330211014685973+9
6West Ham United 45125636248592831201015645570+9
7Reading 451373331566101726191313504170+9
8Sheffield United 4597728239672729181314555267+3
9Millwall 451246332267101823181116514565+6
10Wolverhampton Wanderers 458113362461073233142110685763+11
11Queens Park Rangers 451076322674112231171117545762-3
12Stoke City 451121022186881419171018363761-1
13Burnley 451076261957101220151416383959-1
14Leeds United 4579628267882126141714495259-3
15Leicester City 45887242041262526122013494656+3
16Watford 455107242376102734121617515752-6
17Coventry City 45878322856112843131319607152-11
18Plymouth Argyle 45976312353152141141021526452-12
19Cardiff City 45949231931192432121518475151-4
20Brighton & Hove Albion 45769232865121636131121396450-25
21Gillingham 451067222327132141121320436449-21
22Crewe Alexandra 45589353766112948111420648547-21
23[R] Nottingham Forest 4579624262714163891620406443-24
24[R] Rotherham United 45271417343613183551327356928-34