Newly promoted Reading, tipped by many critics for relegation, defied the odds by finishing 8th on their first ever season in the top flight. Portsmouth put last season's managerial debacle behind them to finish 9th, finishing just 2 points short of European qualification. Aston Villa's campaign, their first under former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill, marked an improvement on the previous campaign which saw them go undefeated in their first nine and last nine matches, although a staggering 17 draws prevented a top-half finish.