14 July 1977: Dave Sexton steps down at Queens Park Rangers to take over as manager of Manchester United, where Tommy Docherty was sacked ten days ago.

25 July 1977: Manchester City pay £300,000 for Southampton striker Mick Channon, who signs a six-year contract at Maine Road.

19 August 1977: Walsall hooligan Edward Beech, 19, receives a three-year prison sentence for kicking a policeman in the face at a game at Fellows Park last season.

[2] 8 September 1977: Sir Alf Ramsey makes a shock return to management, taking over at the First Division's basement side Birmingham City following the resignation of Willie Bell.

13–14 September 1977: In the Anglo-Scottish Cup quarter-final first legs, Fulham versus St Mirren and finishes 1–1,[4] as does Notts County's visit to Motherwell.

27–29 September 1977: English clubs make up two of the four Anglo-Scottish Cup semi-final contingent, as Notts County and Bristol City progress.

18 November 1977: Bill McGarry is appointed as Newcastle United's new manager, and shakes the club up by immediately announcing that several of the players who threatened strike action to secure the appointment of previous manager Richard Dinnis earlier in the year, in particular Alan Gowling, Tommy Craig and team captain Geoff Nulty, are transfer-listed with immediate effect and will not play for the club again.

by beating Manchester United 4–0 at Old Trafford, shaking off the 'caretaker leaders' tag applied to them by members of the media,[citation needed] who firmly believed Liverpool would lead the way at this stage.

Newcastle United have overtaken Leicester City at the bottom, and Queens Park Rangers have slipped into the relegation zone just two seasons after finishing second in the League.

[14] Elsewhere, reigning Cup winners Manchester United draw with Third Division club Carlisle United,[14] Blyth Spartans win the battle of the non-leaguers by beating Enfield,[14] Bristol City and Wrexham share eight in the Anglo-Welsh derby,[14] Tilbury's FA Cup run is ended by Stoke City,[14][15] and Chelsea beat Liverpool 4–2.

[16] John Toshack, 29 next month, becomes the youngest manager in the Football League when he ends eight years on Liverpool's playing staff to become player-manager of Swansea City.

[18] 22 March 1978: Nottingham Forest end their 19-year wait for a major trophy by defeating Liverpool 1–0 in the Football League Cup final replay at Old Trafford,[18] thanks to a penalty by John Robertson.

31 March 1978: Nottingham Forest remain in a commanding position at the top of the First Division, four points ahead of Everton with two games in hand.

[2] 5 April 1978: Leicester City sack manager Frank McLintock, following a defeat to Liverpool which has all but confirmed their relegation barring a highly improbable set of results.

[2] 22 April 1978: Nottingham Forest seal the Football League First Division title, and become only the third club in history to do so a year after winning promotion.

Bobby Robson led Ipswich Town to victory in the FA Cup, winning the final 1–0 against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium.

[16] Northern Premier League side Blyth Spartans beat Second Division Stoke City 3–2 away to become the first non-league club to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup in 29 years.

West Bromwich Albion finished sixth and sealed a UEFA Cup place, having continued to impress in the First Division following the mid-season resignation of Ronnie Allen as manager and the appointment of Ron Atkinson as his successor.

For much of the season it had been a four-horse race at the top of the Second Division, with fifth placed Blackburn Rovers finishing eleven points behind the leading pack.

Mansfield Town were relegated straight back to the Third Division after a year, never looking like they would survive in their first-ever season at this level, though a late fightback after the appointment of veteran manager Billy Bingham at least saw them avoid last place.

Blackpool were the final relegated side; they had been safely in mid-table for much of the campaign, but a disastrous end to the season combined with a host of other results going against them sent them down to the third tier for the first time ever.

Graham Taylor guided Watford to the Fourth Division title by an 11-point margin to repeat the promotion success he had achieved at Lincoln City two seasons earlier.

Southend United finished second, while John Toshack kicked off his managerial career by taking Swansea City to promotion just weeks after being appointed.

[24] 3 September 1977: Russell Osman, 18-year-old defender, makes his debut for Ipswich Town in the 1–0 First Division win over Chelsea at Portman Road.

14 January 1978: Alan Brazil, 18-year-old Scottish striker, makes his debut for Ipswich Town as a substitute in the 2-1 First Division defeat by Manchester United at Portman Road.

28 January 1978: Craig Johnston, 17-year-old Australian midfielder, makes his debut for Middlesbrough in the 3-2 F.A Cup 4th Round win over Everton at Ayresome Park.

11 April 1978: Paul Goddard, 18-year-old striker, makes his debut as a substitute for Queen's Park Rangers in the 2-1 First Division win over Arsenal at Loftus Road.

15 April 1978: Terry Butcher, 19-year-old defender, makes his debut for Ipswich Town in the 1–0 First Division defeat by Everton at Goodison Park.