2015–16 Football League Championship


The 2015–16 Football League Championship was the twelfth season of the Football League Championship under its current title and it was the twenty-fourth season under its current league structure.
The season started on 7 August 2015, and concluded on 7 May 2016. The fixtures were announced on 17 June 2015.

Teams

A total of 24 teams contested the league, including 18 sides from the 2014–15 season, three relegated from the 2014–15 Premier League and three promoted from the 2014–15 Football League One.

Team changes

The following teams changed division after the 2014–15 season. Blackpool were relegated on 6 April after Rotherham United won against Brighton & Hove Albion. Bristol City secured promotion to the Championship on 14 April after beating Bradford City 6–0. Watford secured promotion to the Premier League on 25 April. Rotherham United won against Reading on 28 April to also send Millwall and Wigan Athletic to League One. Bournemouth secured promotion to the Premier League on the final day on 2 May against Charlton Athletic and won the 2014–15 Football League Championship after Watford slipped up against Sheffield Wednesday. Milton Keynes Dons secured promotion to the Championship after beating Yeovil Town 5–1 after Preston North End slipped up against Colchester United. On 9 May, Burnley became the first team to be relegated from the Premier League despite winning away 1–0 against Hull City as results on the day went against them. On 10 May, Queens Park Rangers were the second team to be relegated from the Premier League after suffering a 6–0 defeat to Manchester City.
On 24 May 2015, Hull City were the 3rd and final team to be relegated from the Premier League, finishing 18th in the Premier League. On the same day Preston North End achieved promotion at Wembley via the Play-Offs. On 25 May 2015, Norwich City won the playoff final, and were promoted to the Premier League.

To Championship

Promoted from League One
Relegated from Premier League
Relegated to League One
Promoted to Premier League

Stadia and locations

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Birmingham CityBirminghamSt Andrew's30,016
Blackburn RoversBlackburnEwood Park31,367
Bolton WanderersBoltonMacron Stadium28,723
BrentfordLondon Griffin Park12,300
Brighton & Hove AlbionBrightonFalmer Stadium30,750
Bristol CityBristolAshton Gate16,600
BurnleyBurnleyTurf Moor21,401
Cardiff CityCardiffCardiff City Stadium33,280
Charlton AthleticLondon The Valley27,111
Derby CountyDerbyiPro Stadium33,597
FulhamLondon Craven Cottage25,700
Huddersfield TownHuddersfieldJohn Smith's Stadium24,500
Hull CityKingston upon HullKC Stadium25,400
Ipswich TownIpswichPortman Road30,311
Leeds UnitedLeedsElland Road37,914
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbroughRiverside Stadium34,742
Milton Keynes DonsMilton Keynes
Nottingham ForestNottinghamCity Ground30,576
Preston North EndPrestonDeepdale23,404
Queens Park RangersLondon Loftus Road18,439
ReadingReadingMadejski Stadium24,161
Rotherham UnitedRotherhamNew York Stadium12,021
Sheffield WednesdaySheffieldHillsborough39,732
Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhamptonMolineux31,700

Personnel and sponsoring

Managerial changes

Rule changes

The 2015–16 season was the last season under the initial Financial Fair Play rules before the switch to the new rules. Changes to the Championship's financial fair play system allow clubs:

Play-offs

The four teams that finished from third to sixth played off, with the winning team, Hull City, gaining the final promotion spot to the Premier League.
In the play-off semi-finals the third placed team played the sixth placed team and the fourth placed team played the fifth placed team. The team that finished in the higher league position played away in the first leg and played at home in the second leg. If the aggregate score was level after both legs, then extra time would be played. If the scores were still level, a penalty shoot-out decided the winner. The away goals rule did apply in the semi-finals. The semi-finals were held on 13–14 and 16–17 May.
The winners from the two semi-finals, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday, played at Wembley Stadium on 28 May 2016 in the play-off final, where Hull City won 1–0. The game is known as the richest game in football as the winning club is guaranteed significantly increased payments e.g. in the 2016-17 season the minimum payment for participating in the Premier League was £95 million. Due to a new TV rights deal, the average payment for a newly promoted club stood at around £100 million.

Results

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Andre GrayBrentford/Burnley25
2 Ross McCormackFulham21
3 Abel HernándezHull City20
4 Jonathan KodjiaBristol City18
5 Nahki WellsHuddersfield Town17
5 Tomer HemedBrighton & Hove Albion17
7 Jordan RhodesBlackburn Rovers/Middlesbrough16
8 Moussa DembéléFulham15
8 Chris MartinDerby County15
8 Fernando ForestieriSheffield Wednesday15

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDate
ReadingIpswich Town5–111 September 2015
Birmingham CityBristol City4–212 September 2015
Ipswich TownRotherham United5–27 November 2015
Derby CountyBristol City4–015 December 2015
BurnleyBristol City4–028 December 2015
Hull CityCharlton Athletic6–016 January 2016
Charlton AthleticReading3–427 February 2016
Brighton & Hove AlbionFulham5–015 April 2016

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean sheets
1 Dimitrios KonstantopoulosMiddlesbrough22
2 Tom HeatonBurnley20
3 Allan McGregorHull City19
4 Tomasz KuszczakBirmingham City15
4 David StockdaleBrighton & Hove Albion15
5 Scott CarsonDerby County14
5 Keiren WestwoodSheffield Wednesday14
6 Lee CampRotherham United13
7 Jordan PickfordPreston North End12
7 David MarshallCardiff City12
7 Jason SteeleBlackburn Rovers12

Discipline

Player

Attendances