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2003 Football League play-offs

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Football League play-offs
Season2002–03
ChampionsWolverhampton Wanderers
(First Division)
Cardiff City
(Second Division)
Bournemouth
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored41 (2.73 per match)
Biggest home winLincoln 5–3 Scunthorpe
(Third Division)
Biggest away winReading 0–1 Wolves
(First Division)
Scunthorpe 0–1 Lincoln
(Third Division)
Highest scoringLincoln 5–3 Scunthorpe
(8 goals)
Highest attendance69,473 – Sheffield United v Wolves
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance5,782 – Bury v Bournemouth
(Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance24,964
← 2002
2004 →

The Football League play-offs for the 2002–03 season were held in May 2003, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League First Division and Football League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the Football League Third Division table. The winners of the semi-finals will go through to the finals, with the winner of the matches gaining promotion for the following season.

Background

The Football League play-offs have been held every year since 1987. They take place for each division following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the four clubs finishing below the automatic promotion places.

In the First Division, Sheffield United, who are aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1994, finished 12 points behind second placed Leicester City, who in turn finished 6 points behind champions Portsmouth, who returned to the top flight for the first time since 1988. Reading who are aiming for a place in the top flight for the first time in their history, finished in fourth place in the table. Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 20 years outside the top flight, finished in fifth place. Nottingham Forest finished 2 points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers and were looking for a place back in the Premiership for the first time since 1999.

First Division

Main article: 2002–03 Football League First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Sheffield United 46 23 11 12 72 52 +20 80
4 Reading 46 25 4 17 61 46 +15 79
5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 20 16 10 81 44 +37 76
6 Nottingham Forest 46 20 14 12 82 50 +32 74

Semi-finals

First leg
Nottingham Forest1–1Sheffield United
Johnson 55' Report Brown 58' (pen.)
Attendance: 29,064
Wolverhampton Wanderers2–1Reading
Murty 75' (o.g.)
Naylor 84'		 Report Forster 25'
Attendance: 27,678
Referee: Alan Kaye
Second leg
Reading0–1Wolverhampton Wanderers
Report Rae 81'
Attendance: 24,060
Referee: Howard Webb

Wolverhampton Wanderers won 3–1 on aggregate.

Sheffield United4–3 (a.e.t.)Nottingham Forest
Brown 60'
Kabba 68'
Peschisolido 112'
Walker 117' (o.g.)		 Report Johnson 30'
Reid 58'
Page 119' (o.g.)
Attendance: 30,212
Referee: Peter Walton

Sheffield United won 5–4 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 2003 Football League First Division play-off Final

Second Division

Main article: 2002–03 Football League Second Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Bristol City 46 24 11 11 79 48 +31 83
4 Queens Park Rangers 46 24 11 11 69 45 +24 83
5 Oldham Athletic 46 22 16 8 68 38 +30 82
6 Cardiff City 46 23 12 11 68 43 +25 81

Semi-finals

First leg
Cardiff City1–0Bristol City
Thorne 74' Report
Attendance: 19,146
Referee: Howard Webb
Oldham Athletic1–1Queens Park Rangers
Eyres 28' Report Langley 47'
Attendance: 12,152
Referee: Steve Bennett
Second leg
Bristol City0–0Cardiff City
Report
Attendance: 16,307
Referee: Jeff Winter

Cardiff City won 1–0 on aggregate.

Queens Park Rangers1–0Oldham Athletic
Furlong 82' Report
Attendance: 17,201

Queens Park Rangers won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 2003 Football League Second Division play-off Final
Cardiff City1–0 (a.e.t.)Queens Park Rangers
Campbell 114' Report
Attendance: 66,096
Referee: Howard Webb

Third Division

Main article: 2002–03 Football League Third Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Bournemouth 46 20 14 12 60 48 +12 74
5 Scunthorpe United 46 19 15 12 68 49 +19 72
6 Lincoln City 46 18 16 12 46 37 0+9 70
7 Bury 46 18 16 12 57 56 0+1 70

Semi-finals

First leg
Bury0–0Bournemouth
Report
Attendance: 5,782
Referee: Jeff Winter
Lincoln City5–3Scunthorpe United
Weaver 15'
Mayo 18'
Smith 55'
Yeo 82', 90'		 Report Calvo García 26', 69'
Stanton 70'
Attendance: 8,902
Referee: Peter Walton
Second leg
Bournemouth3–1Bury
O'Connor 21'
Hayter 38', 60'		 Report Preece 67'
Attendance: 7,945
Referee: Mick Fletcher

Bournemouth won 3–1 on aggregate.

Scunthorpe United0–1Lincoln City
Report Yeo 88'
Attendance: 8,295
Referee: Steve Bennett

Lincoln City won 6–3 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 2003 Football League Third Division play-off Final
Bournemouth5–2Lincoln City
S. Fletcher 29'
C. Fletcher 45', 77'
Purches 56'
O'Connor 60'		 Report Futcher 35'
Bailey 75'
Attendance: 32,148
Referee: Alan Kaye
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