Chris Powell’s 2011/12 title winning side gained 101 points, equalling the record for League One at that time.
This season’s top two – Wigan and Blackburn – finished with 98 and 96 points respectively. Third place Shrewsbury were a long way behind on 87.
Shrewsbury defeated Charlton in the play-off semi-finals, before succumbing to Rotherham in Sunday’s final.
The Millers completed a clean sweep for the teams relegated from the Championship in 2016/17 – all three of them went straight back up.
Is this a freak, or the start of a worrying trend? Only time will tell, but the Championship is getting stronger every year, with former Premier League clubs often becalmed in it for a number of seasons.
The Lancashire duo taking the top two places was no surprise, but Rotherham finishing fourth may have surprised a few.
Despite finishing eight points adrift of Shrewsbury, the Millers were the bookies’ favourites to win the play-offs.
The Addicks filled the final play-off place, a massive 27 points behind champions Wigan.
The early betting for the 2018/19 season has Sunderland as clear favourites for promotion, followed by Barnsley – another of the relegated teams.
The other relegated team – Burton – are also well fancied to have a good season.
The Brewers were promoted to the Championship at the end of the 2015/16 season, and confounded their critics by surviving in the second tier. But sadly for them, doing it for a second season proved beyond them.
There is growing evidence that the gap between the Championship and League One, is now wider than the gap between the Premier League and the Championship.
All three teams who were promoted to the Premier League last season – Brighton, Huddersfield and Newcastle – all maintained their status.
Bournemouth – with their tiny capacity – and Watford will begin their fourth successive seasons in the top-flight in August, while Crystal Palace will embark on their sixth consecutive Premier League campaign.
Charlton need to escape from League One as soon as possible. There is mounting evidence that the task will get ever more difficult.
TAGS: Charlton Athletic