The 2008–09 season was the 110th season of competitive league football in the history of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. They played the season in the second tier of the English football system, the Football League Championship. The season turned out to be a major success as the club finished top of the division and were therefore promoted back to the Premier League after a five-year absence.
| 2008–09 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Steve Morgan OBE | ||
| Manager | Mick McCarthy | ||
| Football League Championship | 1st (3rd divisional title) | ||
| FA Cup | 4th round | ||
| League Cup | 2nd round | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (25) All: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (25) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 28,252 (vs Doncaster, 3 May 2009) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 9,424 (vs Accrington Stanley, 12 August 2008) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 24,153 | ||
The team enjoyed their best start to the season for almost fifty years, winning seven of their opening eight games and scoring 23 goals in the process. They led the table continuously from October until the season's end, when they were crowned champions, winning their first silverware in 20 years. Leading goalscorer Sylvan Ebanks-Blake also finished as the division's top scorer for a second consecutive season.
Season review
The close season saw the club continue their policy of signing young players with potential from the lower leagues, rather than pursuing their heavy investment strategy of early times. The close season saw the likes of Richard Stearman,[1] David Jones[2] and Sam Vokes[3] arrive, along with the experience of Chris Iwelumo,[4] while making a transfer profit with the sale of players such as Seyi Olofinjana,[5] Jay Bothroyd[6] and Freddy Eastwood.[7] The squad was also boosted by retaining their most valuable assets in Wayne Hennessey, Michael Kightly and the division's top goalscorer of last season, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.
The season saw the club's strongest start since 1949–50, as a draw away to Plymouth preceded two runs of seven consecutive wins — scoring 23 goals and conceding only seven goals in the first eight games. Transfer deadline day saw the club add further defensive strength as three new defenders joined the ranks — George Friend,[8] Matt Hill[9] and Jason Shackell.[10] Although their winning streak was ended by a 3–0 home defeat to promotion rivals Reading, as well as a 5–2 defeat at Norwich, which saw Wolves surrender top spot to Birmingham City, Wolves rediscovered their winning form for the second run of seven consecutive wins to lead the table at Christmas.
After drawing their final two fixtures of 2008, Wolves endured a dismal start to 2009, winning just once in eleven league fixtures. Trying to arrest this slump, the January transfer window saw the arrival of three new faces: Kyel Reid[11] and Nigel Quashie[12] on loan for the remainder of the season from West Ham United; defender Christophe Berra also joined from Scottish club Hearts for £2.3million.[13] The FA Cup had brought some cheer with a fringe squad winning 2–0 at local rivals Birmingham in the 3rd round, before the club exited the competition with a 2–1 home defeat to Premier League side Middlesbrough.
Weathering their bad run of league form, Wolves managed to regain an air of consistency, reinventing their game from the free-flowing, free-scoring football of the first third of the season to hold down a string of clean sheets and one goal margin victories against Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday. With promotion rivals Birmingham City and Reading unable to take advantage of their poor run, March saw an upturn in Wolves' league form as the club took 13 points from a possible 15, strengthening their position at the top of the table that they had led since October.
With just seven games left on the Championship calendar, Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood was loaned for the run-in,[14] though the team were also hit by the news that key midfielder Michael Kightly would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a broken metatarsal in his foot.[15] Further injury woe struck when Chris Iwelumo suffered medial ligament damage in a loss to local rivals Birmingham in April that ended a five-game unbeaten run.[16]
However, Easter weekend brought 3–0 home win against struggling Southampton, followed by a 3–2 away victory at Derby County that gave Wolves a seven-point lead over third-placed Sheffield United. Promotion to the Premier League was confirmed on 18 April 2009 when a goal from Ebanks-Blake gave Wolves a 1–0 win over Queens Park Rangers. Seven days later, Wolves clinched their first league title since the 1988–89 season — and their first title at second-tier level since 1976–77 — after a 1–1 draw at Barnsley brought the point they required for the title.
Wolves completed their season with a 1–0 home win over Doncaster Rovers, after which they were presented with the Championship trophy to crown their most successful season in decades as they returned to the top flight after a five-year absence.
Results
Pre season
Wolves conducted a short three-match tour of Scotland, their first visit in three years. As had become common in recent years, only their final game was held at their Molineux home. A second "Wolves XI" team largely comprising academy prospects and out of favour senior players also played a series of matches during this period.
| 12 July 2008 | Wrexham | 1–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Wrexham |
| 15:00 BST | Baynes  49' | Report | Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 2,749 Referee: Steve Cummins |
| 16 July 2008 | Hereford United | 1–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Hereford |
| 20:00 BST | Guinan 17' (pen.) | Report | Kightly 30' Ward 47', 75' | Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 1,539 Referee: Patrick Keane |
| 20 July 2008 | Dundee | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Dundee |
| 15:00 BST | Report | Ebanks-Blake 90' | Stadium: Dens Park Attendance: 2,091 Referee: Stephen Finnie |
| 23 July 2008 | Motherwell | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Motherwell |
| 19:30 BST | McGarry 3' | Report | Ebanks-Blake 20' | Stadium: Fir Park Attendance: 2,238 Referee: Eddie Smith |
| 26 July 2008 | Kilmarnock | 0–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Kilmarnock |
| 14:00 BST | Report | Iwelumo 24', 56' Vokes 32' | Stadium: Rugby Park Attendance: 2,410 Referee: Alan Muir |
| 29 July 2008 | Walsall | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Walsall |
| 19:45 BST | Report | Keogh 51' | Stadium: Banks's Stadium Attendance: 4,002 Referee: Steve Bratt |
| 2 August 2008 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4–2 | Blackburn Rovers | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 BST | Elokobi 9' Keogh 23'Iwelumo 59' (pen.)Jarvis 75' | Report | Derbyshire 16' Santa Cruz 24' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 10,238 Referee: Andrew Penn |
"Wolves XI" pre season results (all away): 4–1 v Chasetown (18 July), 1–2 v Rhyl (26 July), 2–0 v Stafford Rangers (5 August)
Football League Championship
A total of 24 teams competed in the Championship in the 2008–09 season. Each team would play every other team twice, once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Three points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. The provisional fixture list was released on 16 June 2008, but was subject to change in the event of matches being selected for television coverage.[17]
| 9 August 2008 1 | Plymouth Argyle | 2–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Plymouth |
| 15:00 BST | Fallon 7' Seip 55' | Report | Kightly 19' Vokes 78' | Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 14,789 (2,689 away fans) Referee: Kevin Friend |
| 16 August 2008 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 BST | Iwelumo 28', 59' Ebanks-Blake 54' (pen.)Edwards 90+1' | Report | Esajas 15' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 22,491 (2,014 away fans) Referee: Mike Jones |
| 23 August 2008 3 | Ipswich Town | 0–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Ipswich |
| 15:00 BST | Report | Ebanks-Blake 21' Edwards 78' | Stadium: Portman Road Attendance: 21,483 (1,412 away fans) Referee: Steve Tanner |
| 30 August 2008 4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 5–1 | Nottingham Forest | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 BST | Jones 14' Morgan 29' (o.g.)Kightly 43', 62'Iwelumo 45' | Report | Stearman 55' (o.g.) | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 25,301 (2,591 away fans) Referee: Grant Hegley |
| 13 September 2008 5 | Charlton Athletic | 1–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | London |
| 15:00 BST | Bailey 3' | Report | Ebanks-Blake 61' (pen.) Vokes 81', 87' | Stadium: The Valley Attendance: 21,547 (2,873 away fans) Referee: Anthony Taylor |
| 16 September 2008 6 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | Crystal Palace | Wolverhampton |
| 19:45 BST | Ebanks-Blake 1' Keogh 58' | Report | Ifill 32' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 22,200 (409 away fans) Referee: Scott Mathieson |
| 20 September 2008 7 | Preston North End | 1–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Preston |
| 15:00 BST | Mellor 90+5' (pen.) | Report | Iwelumo 36', 66', 72' (pen.) | Stadium: Deepdale Attendance: 17,567 (2,992 away fans) Referee: Martin Atkinson |
| 27 September 2008 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–0 | Bristol City | Wolverhampton |
| 12:30 BST | Kightly 17' Ebanks-Blake 68' | Report | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 24,324 (1,632 away fans) Referee: Phil Crossley |
| 30 September 2008 9 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–3 | Reading | Wolverhampton |
| 19:45 BST | Report | Hennessey 4' (o.g.) Bikey 71'Cissé 88' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 24,302 (618 away fans) Referee: Rob Shoebridge |
| 4 October 2008 10 | Swansea City | 3–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Swansea |
| 15:00 BST | Gomez 1' Scotland 41', 57' | Report | Keogh 16' | Stadium: Liberty Stadium Attendance: 17,556 (2,578 away fans) Referee: Trevor Kettle |
| 18 October 2008 11 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | Coventry City | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 BST | Kightly 42' Ebanks-Blake 59' | Report | Mifsud 6' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 25,893 (2,561 away fans) Referee: Steve Bennett |
| 21 October 2008 12 | Norwich City | 5–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Norwich |
| 19:45 BST | Ikeme 28' (o.g.) Lita 39', 58', 70'Croft 75' | Report | Collins 41' Ebanks-Blake 67' (pen.) | Stadium: Carrow Road Attendance: 24,351 (885 away fans) Referee: Graham Horwood |
| 25 October 2008 13 | Watford | 2–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Watford |
| 15:00 BST | Rasiak 21' O'Toole 47'Smith  61' | Report | Iwelumo 1' Jones 40'Gray 71' | Stadium: Vicarage Road Attendance: 16,386 (2,268 away fans) Referee: Keith Woolmer |
| 28 October 2008 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | Swansea City | Wolverhampton |
| 19:45 GMT | Ebanks-Blake 45', 57' | Report | Pratley 49' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 21,988 (1,429 away fans) Referee: Richard Beeby |
| 1 November 2008 15 | Cardiff City | 1–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Cardiff |
| 17:20 GMT | McCormack 19' | Report | Iwelumo 4' Ebanks-Blake 8' | Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 17,734 (314 away fans) Referee: Steve Tanner |
| 8 November 2008 16 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–0 | Burnley | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Kightly 31', 75' | Report | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 23,711 (1,088 away fans) Referee: Darren Deadman |
| 15 November 2008 17 | Southampton | 1–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Southampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Pearce 21' | Report | Iwelumo 8' Jones 17' | Stadium: St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 17,812 (2,849 away fans) Referee: Lee Mason |
| 22 November 2008 18 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–0 | Blackpool | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Iwelumo 30', 66' | Report | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 22,044 (895 away fans) Referee: Andy D'Urso |
| 25 November 2008 19 | Sheffield United | 1–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Sheffield |
| 19:45 GMT | Spring 75' | Report | Iwelumo 5', 59' Ebanks-Blake 63' | Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 27,111 (1,488 away fans) Referee: Graham Laws |
| 29 November 2008 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–1 | Birmingham City | Wolverhampton |
| 12:30 GMT | Ebanks-Blake 74' | Report | Jerome 47' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 26,329 (2,588 away fans) Referee: Paul Taylor |
| 6 December 2008 21 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | London |
| 17:20 GMT | Rowlands 63' | Report | Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 13,416 (1,515 away fans) Referee: Iain Williamson |
| 9 December 2008 22 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–0 | Derby County | Wolverhampton |
| 19:45 GMT | Ebanks-Blake 2' (pen.), 58' Edwards 40' | Report | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 21,326 (1,298 away fans) Referee: Grant Hegley |
| 13 December 2008 23 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–0 | Barnsley | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Hassell 19' (o.g.) Foley 86' | Report | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 22,399 (268 away fans) Referee: Graham Salisbury |
| 20 December 2008 24 | Doncaster Rovers | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Doncaster |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Collins 81' | Stadium: Keepmoat Stadium Attendance: 13,669 (3,216 away fans) Referee: Kevin Wright |
| 26 December 2008 25 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–1 | Sheffield United | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Collins 19' | Report | Beattie 22' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 27,106 (2,201 away fans) Referee: Tony Bates |
| 29 December 2008 26 | Blackpool | 2–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Blackpool |
| 19:45 GMT | Taylor-Fletcher 10' Edwards 84' | Report | Ebanks-Blake 4' (pen.) Jarvis 70' | Stadium: Bloomfield Road Attendance: 8,906 (1,648 away fans) Referee: Kevin Friend |
| 10 January 2009 27 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–3 | Preston North End | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Ebanks-Blake 20' | Report | Elliot 24', 61' St Ledger 41' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 26,138 (1,030 away fans) Referee: Colin Webster |
| 17 January 2009 28 | Bristol City | 2–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Bristol |
| 17:20 GMT | Adebola 58' Maynard 87' | Report | Collins 45' Jarvis 54' | Stadium: Ashton Gate Attendance: 16,749 (1,332 away fans) Referee: Mark Haywood |
| 27 January 2009 29 | Reading | 1–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Reading |
| 20:00 GMT | Collins 2' (o.g.) | Report | Stadium: Madejski Stadium Attendance: 23,009 (2,000 away fans) Referee: Russell Booth |
| 31 January 2009 30 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Watford | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Ebanks-Blake 23' Keogh 67'Vokes 90' | Report | Mariappa 81' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 23,571 (543 away fans) Referee: Nigel Miller |
| 3 February 2009 31 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–3 | Norwich City | Wolverhampton |
| 19:45 GMT | Ebanks-Blake 25', 54', 56' | Report | Croft 32' Cort 47'Doherty 65' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 21,654 (211 away fans) Referee: Keith Woolmer |
| 7 February 2009 32 | Coventry City | 2–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Coventry |
| 15:00 GMT | Doyle 25' McKenzie 75' | Report | Vokes 72' Ebanks-Blake 90+6' | Stadium: Ricoh Arena Attendance: 21,167 (4,276 away fans) Referee: Michael Oliver |
| 14 February 2009 33 | Burnley | 1–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Burnley |
| 15:00 GMT | McCann 6' | Report | Stadium: Turf Moor Attendance: 13,515 (1,496 away fans) Referee: Clive Oliver |
| 22 February 2009 34 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–2 | Cardiff City | Wolverhampton |
| 13:00 GMT | Ebanks-Blake 11' Konstantopoulos 81' (o.g.) | Report | Chopra 31' Johnson 48' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 22,093 (1,203 away fans) Referee: Darren Deadman |
| 28 February 2009 35 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–1 | Plymouth Argyle | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Gallagher 1' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 25,710 (719 away fans) Referee: Carl Boyeson |
| 3 March 2009 36 | Crystal Palace | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | London |
| 20:00 GMT | Report | Ebanks-Blake 74' (pen.) | Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 14,907 (1,226 away fans) Referee: Graham Horwood |
| 7 March 2009 37 | Sheffield Wednesday | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Sheffield |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Ebanks-Blake 5' | Stadium: Hillsborough Attendance: 23,703 (2,695 away fans) Referee: Scott Mathieson |
| 10 March 2009 38 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–0 | Ipswich Town | Wolverhampton |
| 19:45 GMT | Report | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 22,227 (618 away fans) Referee: Graham Salisbury |
| 14 March 2009 39 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | Charlton Athletic | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Iwelumo 36' Ebanks-Blake 70' 79' | Report | Zhi 51' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 24,319 (141 away fans) Referee: Graham Laws |
| 21 March 2009 40 | Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Nottingham |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Kightly 76' | Stadium: City Ground Attendance: 24,510 (5,279 away fans) Referee: Phil Crossley |
| 6 April 2009 41 | Birmingham City | 2–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Birmingham |
| 19:45 BST | Jerome 45+4' O'Connor 69' | Report | Stadium: St Andrew's Attendance: 25,935 (2,700 away fans) Referee: Mark Halsey |
| 10 April 2009 42 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–0 | Southampton | Wolverhampton |
| 15:15 BST | Vokes 1' Craddock 6'Jones 19' (pen.) | Report | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 24,636 (823 away fans) Referee: Anthony Taylor |
| 13 April 2009 43 | Derby County | 2–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Derby |
| 15:00 BST | Kazmierczak 30' Sterjovski 55' | Report | Keogh 7', 87' Jarvis 74' | Stadium: Pride Park Attendance: 33,079 (3,100 away fans) Referee: Paul Taylor |
| 18 April 2009 44 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | Queens Park Rangers | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 BST | Ebanks-Blake 46' | Report | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 27,511 (812 away fans) Referee: Jon Moss |
| 25 April 2009 45 | Barnsley | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Barnsley |
| 15:00 BST | Macken 58' | Report | Reid 84' | Stadium: Oakwell Attendance: 18,288 (5,869 away fans) Referee: Kevin Friend |
| 3 May 2009 46 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | Doncaster Rovers | Wolverhampton |
| 13:15 BST | Stearman 90' | Report | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 28,252 (1,500 away fans) Referee: Richard Beeby |
Final table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 80 | 52 | +28 | 90 |
| 2 | Birmingham City | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 54 | 37 | +17 | 83 |
| 3 | Sheffield United | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 64 | 39 | +25 | 80 |
Results summary
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 80 | 52 | +28 | 90 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 44 | 21 | +23 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 36 | 31 | +5 |
Source: Statto.com
Results by round
FA Cup
| 13 January 2009 R3 | Birmingham City | 0–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Birmingham |
| 19:45 GMT | Report | Keogh 38' Vokes 51' | Stadium: St Andrew's Attendance: 22,232 (4,024 away fans) Referee: Howard Webb |
| 24 January 2009 R4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–2 | Middlesbrough | Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Vokes 63' | Report | Alves 44' Emnes 83' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 18,013 (2,164 away fans) Referee: Rob Styles |
League Cup
| 12 August 2008 R1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Accrington Stanley | Wolverhampton |
| 19:45 BST | Iwelumo 73', 102' Davies 106' | Report | Mullin 40' Craney 104' | Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 9,424 Referee: Jon Moss |
| 26 August 2008 R2 | Rotherham United | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p) | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Sheffield |
| 19:45 BST | Report | Stadium: Don Valley Stadium Attendance: 5,404 Referee: Neil Swarbrick | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| Mills Harrison  Hudson Burchill Reid | Jones Foley Iwelumo Elliott Henry | |||
Players
Statistics
Key:
‡ On loan from another club * First appearance(s) for the club
- # = Squad number
- Pos = Playing position
- P = Number of games played 10
- G = Number of goals scored
- GK = Goalkeeper
- DF = Defender
- MF = Midfielder
- FW = Forward
= Yellow cards
= Red cards- † Permanent player left club during the season
- ¤ Loaned to another club for part or all of season
Correct as of end of season. Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances in parentheses where applicable.
| No. | Pos | Name | P | G | P | G | P | G | P | G |  |  | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | Discipline | |||||||||
| 1 | GK |  Wayne Hennessey | 34(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37(1) | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2 | DF |  Neill Collins | 20(3) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24(3) | 4 | 2 | 1 | |
| 3 | DF |  George Elokobi | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | MF | David Edwards | 23(21) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 27(21) | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| 5 | DF |  Richard Stearman | 32(5) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35(5) | 1 | 6 | 1 | |
| 6 | DF | Jody Craddock (c) | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 7 | MF | Michael Kightly | 37(1) | 8 | 1(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39(2) | 8 | 7 | 0 | |
| 8 | MF | Karl Henry | 42(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 44(1) | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| 9 | FW | Sylvan Ebanks-Blake | 41 | 25 | 0(2) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 41(3) | 25 | 2 | 0 | |
| 10 | FW |  Andy Keogh | 21(21) | 5 | 1(1) | 1 | 1(1) | 0 | 23(23) | 6 | 3 | 0 | |
| 11 | DF | Stephen Ward | 38(4) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40(4) | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 12 | GK | Shane Higgs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | GK | Darren Ward | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | MF | David Jones | 31(3) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 33(4) | 4 | 5 | 0 | |
| 15 | DF | Mark Little ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16 | MF | Mark Davies ¤ † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 1 | 0(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | [nb 1] |
| 16 | DF | Christophe Berra | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 17 | MF | Matt Jarvis | 21(7) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22(7) | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 18 | FW | Sam Vokes | 4(32) | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7(32) | 8 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | FW | Chris Iwelumo | 25(6) | 14 | 1(1) | 0 | 1(1) | 2 | 27(8) | 16 | 4 | 1 | |
| 20 | GK | Matt Murray ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 21 | DF | Daniel Jones ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 22 | DF | Jason Shackell ¤ | 3(9) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | DF | Darren Ward ¤ | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 24 | DF | Rob Edwards † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | [nb 2] |
| 24 | MF |  Carlos Edwards | 5(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 24 | MF | Kyel Reid | 3(5) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(5) | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 25 | MF | Darren Potter ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 26 | FW | Stephen Elliott † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | [nb 3] |
| 26 | DF | Matt Hill | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 27 | DF | Michael Mancienne | 8(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 27 | FW | Marlon Harewood | 2(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 28 | MF | George Friend | 4(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 29 | MF | Stephen Gleeson ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 30 | GK |  Carl Ikeme | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 31 | MF | Mark Salmon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | [nb 4] |
| 31 | GK | Graham Stack | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 32 | DF | Kevin Foley | 45 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| 33 | MF | Michael Gray ¤ † | 4(4) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6(4) | 1 | 0 | 0 | [nb 5] |
| 34 | MF | Matt Bailey ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 35 | MF | Elliott Bennett ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 36 | DF | Lee Collins ¤ † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | [nb 6] |
| 36 | MF | Nigel Quashie | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 37 | FW | Liam Hughes ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | [nb 7] |
| 38 | MF | Lewis Gobern ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 39 | MF | Alex Melbourne | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 40 | DF | Peter Williams ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 41 | FW | Ashley Hemmings ¤ | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 43 | MF | Kyle Bennett | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 44 | DF | Danny Batth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 45 | DF | Scott Malone ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Awards
| Award | Winner[18] |
|---|---|
| Fans' Player of the Season | Kevin Foley |
| Players' Player of the Season | Sylvan Ebanks-Blake |
| Young Player of the Season | Sam Vokes |
| Academy Player of the Season | Scott Malone |
| Goal of the Season | Andy Keogh (vs Derby County, 13 April 2009) |
Transfers
In
| Date | Player | From | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 May 2008 | Sam Vokes | Bournemouth | £1,200,000[3] |
| 25 June 2008 | Richard Stearman | Leicester City | £1.6 million[1] |
| 27 June 2008 | David Jones | Derby County | £1.2 million[2] |
| 14 July 2008 | Chris Iwelumo | Charlton Athletic | £400,000[4] |
| 1 September 2008 | Jason Shackell | Norwich City | £1 million[10] |
| 1 September 2008 | Matt Hill | Preston North End | Undisclosed[9] |
| 1 September 2008 | George Friend | Exeter City | £350,000[8] |
| 2 February 2009 | Christophe Berra | Hearts | £2.3 million[13] |
Out
| Date | Player | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2008 | Gary Breen | Released | Free[19] |
| June 2008 | Keith Lowe | Released | Free[19] |
| June 2008 |  Sam Morsy | Released | Free |
| June 2008 | Martin Riley | Released | Free |
| 12 July 2008 | Freddy Eastwood | Coventry City | £1.2 million[7] |
| 15 July 2008 | Charlie Mulgrew | Aberdeen | £150,000[20] |
| 26 July 2008 | Seyi Olofinjana | Stoke City | £3 million[5] |
| 4 August 2008 | Jay Bothroyd | Cardiff City | £350,000[6] |
| 6 August 2008 | Rob Edwards | Blackpool | Undisclosed[21] |
| 1 September 2008 | Stephen Elliott | Preston North End | Undisclosed[22] |
| January 2009 | Liam Hughes | Released | Free |
| January 2009 | Mark Salmon | Released | Free |
| 13 January 2009 |  Dénes Rósa | Released | Free[23] |
| 16 January 2009 | Lee Collins | Port Vale | Free[24] |
| 26 January 2009 | Mark Davies | Bolton Wanderers | Undisclosed[25] |
| 2 February 2009 | Michael Gray | Sheffield Wednesday | Free[26] |
Loans in
| Start date | Player | From | End date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 October 2008 | Carlos Edwards | Sunderland | 20 November 2008[27] |
| 27 October 2008 | Michael Mancienne | Chelsea | 2 January 2009[28] |
| 27 November 2008 | Shane Higgs | Cheltenham Town | End of season[29] |
| January 2009 | Krisztián Simon | Újpest | End of season |
| 15 January 2009 | Kyel Reid | West Ham United | End of season[11] |
| 22 January 2009 | Nigel Quashie | West Ham United | End of season[12] |
| 2 March 2009 | Darren Ward | Sunderland | End of season[30] |
| 23 March 2009 | Marlon Harewood | Aston Villa | End of season[14] |
| 26 March 2009 | Graham Stack | Plymouth Argyle | End of season[31] |
Loans out
| Start date | Player | To | End date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 July 2008 | Matt Bailey | Burton Albion | January 2009[32] |
| 29 July 2008 | Elliott Bennett | Bury | End of season[33] |
| 31 July 2008 | Lee Collins | Port Vale | 15 January 2009[34] |
| 8 August 2008 | Stephen Gleeson | Stockport County | January 2009[35] |
| 22 August 2008 | Mark Little | Northampton Town | 22 October 2008[36] |
| 18 September 2008 | Darren Ward | Watford | 29 November 2008 [37] |
| 3 October 2009 | Daniel Jones | Oldham Athletic | 20 December 2008[38] |
| 7 November 2008 | Peter Williams | Kettering Town | 30 November 2008 |
| 12 November 2008 | Matt Murray | Hereford United | 12 December 2008[39] |
| 27 November 2008 | Mark Davies | Leicester City | 24 January 2009[40] |
| 9 January 2009 | Michael Gray | Sheffield Wednesday | 2 February 2009[41] |
| 15 January 2009 | Darren Potter | Sheffield Wednesday | End of season[42] |
| 15 January 2009 | Lewis Gobern | Colchester United | End of season[43] |
| 30 January 2009 | Darren Ward | Charlton Athletic | End of season[44] |
| 2 February 2009 | Daniel Jones | Oldham Athletic | End of season[45] |
| 10 February 2009 | Jason Shackell | Norwich City | End of season[46] |
| 23 February 2009 | Ashley Hemmings | Cheltenham Town | 23 March 2009 |
| 25 March 2009 | Stephen Gleeson | Milton Keynes Dons | End of season[47] |
Management and coaching staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Mick McCarthy |
| Assistant manager | Terry Connor |
| Fitness coach | Tony Daley |
| Goalkeeping coach | Pat Mountain |
| Development Coach, 18–21's | Steve Weaver |
| Academy Manager | Kevin Thelwell |
| Assistant Academy Manager / Under-18's coach | John Perkins |
| Club Doctor | Dr Matthew Perry |
| Head of medical department | Steve Kemp |
| Club Physio | Alan Peacham |
Kit
The season saw a new home and away kit, both manufactured by Le Coq Sportif.[48] The away kit was all black with minor neon green piping.[49] Chaucer Consulting sponsored the club for a fifth and final season.