Leicester's first season back in the Championship was again a successful one under the stewardship of Pearson. Pearson showed his ambition at the beginning of the season by announcing his team would not just settle for consolidation and would be aiming straight for the play-offs. His ambitions proved to be warranted as the Foxes finished fifth in their first season back in the second tier and making the play-offs for the fifth time. They played Cardiff City in the semi-final and showed a fighting spirit to come from two goals down on aggregate to lead brief 3–2, though they ultimately lost via a penalty shoot-out. In the summer of 2010, however, Pearson left the club to become manager of Hull City.