Football League Championship play-offs

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The Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following. The final is played at Wembley Stadium, although from 2001 to 2006, it was played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff while Wembley was being rebuilt.

There is no single sporting event in the world more valuable to the winners,[1] who end up approximately £85,000,000 better off than the losers, mainly due to the increased commercial television revenue from being promoted to the Premier League.[2] However, by convention the two finalists agree that the loser will keep all the gate receipts from the game, so as to slightly soften the financial blow of missing out.[3]

The most recent final was played on 30 May 2011, with Swansea City beating Reading 4–2 at Wembley Stadium.

Ipswich Town have been in the Championship play-offs a record seven times: 1987, 1997–2000 inclusive, 2004, and 2005, making the final only once in 2000 (when they won promotion). Leicester City have reached the Championship play-off final a record four times, losing two in 1992 and 1993 and winning two in 1994 and 1996. Crystal Palace have also appeared in the final four times, losing in 1996 and winning in 1989, 1997 and 2004.

Interestingly the team finishing highest in the league, usually third, has only succeeded in winning promotion seven times out of twenty five seasons up to 2011.

Contents

[edit] Format

Name changes
1987–1992 Football League Second Division play-offs
1993–2004 Football League First Division play-offs
2005 – 0000 Football League Championship play-offs

In addition to the branding changes which affected English football in 1992 and 2004, the Championship play-offs have also changed in format.

When they were introduced for the 1986–87 season, the play-offs originally featured a top flight team as well as the three second tier clubs. This format was continued for the 1987–88, but discontinued afterwards to include only the four teams who finished behind the team or teams winning automatic promotion. As before, the semi-final and final were both two-legged.

Since 1989–90, the final has been a single game (contested between the winners of the semi-finals, which remain two-legged) has been held either at Wembley or the Millennium Stadium, apart from 1987, when Charlton Athletic and Leeds United could not be separated over two legs and took the tie to a third match at St. Andrews, Birmingham.

Preston North End have appeared in the Play Offs across all three divisions of the Football League the most times since their inception, and also have the worst record having not been promoted via the method in 8 appearances.

Blackpool are the only team to have won all three play off finals and are also the only team to have won promotion via the play offs on four separate occasions, once to the premiership, once to the championship and twice to what is now known as league one. They are also the only team to have played in five play off competitions and always reached the final, Gillingham have four finals from four attempts and have won two.

Peterborough United and Cheltenham Town are the only teams to have played in more than one play off competition and have a 100% success rate, Peterborough with three wins (two into the championship and one into league one) have the best play offs record and Cheltenham have two wins from league two play offs.

The other teams with 100% records (one win from one appearance) are Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster Rovers, Dagenham and Redbridge, and Stevenage.

Reading, Preston North End, Bristol City, Sheffield United and Leeds United have the unenviable record of losing 3 play off finals each. None of these teams have ever won promotion via the play offs despite a combined 27 appearances.

Nottingham Forest have had four play off appearances and have never gotten beyond the semi finals.

In 2008 Hull City won £60,000,000 for winning the play-offs.

[edit] Results

[edit] 1987

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
4th Leeds United* 2–2 Oldham Athletic 3rd 1–0 1–2 aet
5th Ipswich Town 1–2 Charlton Athletic 19th Div 1 0–0 1–2

* Leeds win on away goals

Final
Main article: 1987 Football League Second Division play-off Final
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Charlton Athletic 1–1 Leeds United 1–0 0–1
Replay
29 May 1987 (1987-05-29)
15:00 BST
 Leeds United 1 – 2 (a.e.t.) Charlton Athletic St Andrews, Birmingham
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Allan Gunn
Sheridan Goal 99' Shirtliff Goal 113', Goal 117'

[edit] 1988

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
5th Blackburn Rovers 1–6 Chelsea 18th Div 1 0–2 1–4
4th Bradford City 2–3 Middlesbrough 3rd 2–1 0–2
Final
Main article: 1988 Football League Second Division play-off Final
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Middlesbrough 2–1 Chelsea 2–0 0–1

[edit] 1989

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Swindon Town 1–2 Crystal Palace 3rd 1–0 0–2
5th Blackburn Rovers* 1–1 Watford 4th 0–0 1–1

*Blackburn win on away goals.

Final
Main article: 1989 Football League Second Division play-off Final
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Blackburn Rovers 3–4 Crystal Palace 3–1 0–3 aet

[edit] 1990

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Sunderland 2–0 Newcastle United 3rd 0–0 2–0
5th Blackburn Rovers 2–4 Swindon Town 4th 1–2 1–2
Final
Main article: 1990 Football League Second Division play-off Final
28 May 1990
 Swindon Town 1–0 Sunderland Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 72,873
Referee: John Martin
McLoughlin Goal 25'

Following successful prosecutions against Swindon Town and the club chairman, Brian Hillier, after they admitted 36 breaches of League rules – 35 of which are related to illegal payments, Swindon remained in the Second Division and Sunderland took their promotion place (see History of Swindon Town F.C.)

[edit] 1991

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Brighton and Hove Albion 6–2 Millwall 5th 4–1 2–1
7th Middlesbrough 1–2 Notts County 4th 1–1 0–1
Final
Main article: 1991 Football League Second Division play-off Final
2 June 1991
 Notts County 3–1 Brighton and Hove Albion Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 59,940
Referee: David Elleray
Johnson (2)
Regis		 Wilkins

[edit] 1992

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Blackburn Rovers 5–4 Derby County 3rd 4–2 1–2
5th Cambridge United 1–6 Leicester City 4th 1–1 0–5
Final
Main article: 1992 Football League Second Division play-off Final
25 May 1992
 Blackburn Rovers 1–0 Leicester City Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 68,147
Referee: George Courtney
Newell 27' (pen)

[edit] 1993

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Leicester City 3–2 Portsmouth 3rd 1–0 2–2
5th Swindon Town 5–4 Tranmere Rovers 4th 3–1 2–3
Final
Main article: 1993 Football League First Division play-off Final
31 May 1993
 Swindon Town 4–3 Leicester City Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 73,802
Referee: David Elleray
Hoddle Goal 43'
Maskell Goal 47'
Taylor Goal 54'
Bodin Goal 85' (pen.)		 Joachim Goal 59'
Walsh Goal 69'
Thompson Goal 70'

[edit] 1994

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Derby County 5–1 Millwall 3rd 2–0 3–1
5th Tranmere Rovers 1–2 Leicester City 4th 0–0 1–2
Final
Main article: 1994 Football League First Division play-off Final
30 May 1994
 Leicester City 2–1 Derby County Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 73,671
Referee: Roger Milford
Walsh Goal 41', Goal 84' Johnson Goal 28'

[edit] 1995

The play-offs in 1995 featured the teams finishing in positions 2–5; during this season the Premiership was reduced from 22 to 20 clubs, with four relegated to Division 1 and only two promoted, the champions (Middlesbrough) automatically and one other through the play-offs.

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
5th Tranmere Rovers 1–3 Reading 2nd 1–3 0–0
4th Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–3 Bolton Wanderers 3rd 2–1 0–2
Final
Main article: 1995 Football League First Division play-off Final
29 May 1995
 Bolton Wanderers 4 – 3 (a.e.t.) Reading Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 64,107
Referee: Peter Foakes
Coyle Goal 75'
de Freitas Goal 86' Goal 118'
Paatelainen Goal 105'		 (Details) Nogan Goal 4'
Williams Goal 12'
Quinn Goal 119'

[edit] 1996

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Charlton Athletic 1–3 Crystal Palace 3rd 1–2 0–1
5th Leicester City 1–0 Stoke City 4th 0–0 1–0
Final
Main article: 1996 Football League First Division play-off Final
27 May 1996
 Leicester City 2 – 1 (a.e.t.) Crystal Palace Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 73,573
Referee: David Allison
Parker Goal 76' (pen.)
Claridge Goal 120'		 (Details) Roberts Goal 14'

[edit] 1997

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Crystal Palace 4–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3rd 3–1 1–2
5th Sheffield United* 3–3 Ipswich Town 4th 1–1 2–2

*Sheffield United win on away goals

Final
Main article: 1997 Football League First Division play-off Final
26 May 1997
 Crystal Palace 1–0 Sheffield United Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 64,383
Referee: Neale Barry
Hopkin Goal 90' (Details)

[edit] 1998

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Sheffield United 2–3 Sunderland 3rd 2–1 0–2
5th Ipswich Town 0–2 Charlton Athletic 4th 0–1 0–1
Final
Main article: 1998 Football League First Division play-off Final
25 May 1998
 Charlton Athletic 4 – 4 (a.e.t.)
(7 – 6 pen.)		 Sunderland Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 77,739
Referee: Eddie Wolstenholme
Mendonca Goal 23' Goal 71' Goal 103'
Rufus Goal 85'		 (Details) Quinn Goal 50' Goal 73'
Phillips Goal 58'
Summerbee Goal 99'

[edit] 1999

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Bolton Wanderers* 4–4 Ipswich Town 3rd 1–0 3–4 aet
5th Watford 1–1 (7–6 pen) Birmingham City 4th 1–0 0–1 aet

* Bolton win on away goals

Final
Main article: 1999 Football League First Division play-off Final
31 May 1999
 Bolton Wanderers 0–2 Watford Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 70,343
Referee: Terry Heilbron
(Details) Wright Goal 38'
Smart Goal 89'

[edit] 2000

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Bolton Wanderers 5–7 Ipswich Town 3rd 2–2 3–5 aet
5th Birmingham City 2–5 Barnsley 4th 0–4 2–1
Final
Main article: 2000 Football League First Division play-off Final
29 May 2000
 Barnsley 2–4 Ipswich Town Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 73,427
Referee: Terry Heilbron
Wright Goal 6' (o.g.)
Hignett Goal 78' (pen.)		 (Details) Mowbray Goal 28'
Naylor Goal 52'
Stewart Goal 58'
Reuser Goal 90'

[edit] 2001

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th West Bromwich Albion 2–5 Bolton Wanderers 3rd 2–2 0–3
5th Birmingham City 2–2 (2–4 pens) Preston North End 4th 1–0 1–2 aet
Final
Main article: 2001 Football League First Division play-off Final
28 May 2001
 Bolton Wanderers 3–0 Preston North End Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 54,328
Referee: Uriah Rennie
Farrelly Goal 17'
Ricketts Goal 89'
Gardner Goal 90'		 (Details)

[edit] 2002

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Norwich City 3–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3rd 3–1 0–1
5th Birmingham City 2–1 Millwall 4th 1–1 1–0
Final
Main article: 2002 Football League First Division play-off Final
12 May 2002
 Birmingham City 1 – 1 (a.e.t.)
(4 – 2 pen.)		 Norwich City Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 71,597
Referee: Graham Barber
Horsfield Goal 102' (Details) Roberts Goal 91'

[edit] 2003

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Nottingham Forest 4–5 Sheffield United 3rd 1–1 3–4
5th Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–1 Reading 4th 2–1 1–0
Final
Main article: 2003 Football League First Division play-off Final
26 May 2003
 Sheffield United 0–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 69,473
Referee: Steve Bennett
(Details) Kennedy Goal 6'
Blake Goal 22'
Miller Goal 45'

[edit] 2004

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Crystal Palace 4–4 (5–4 pens) Sunderland 3rd 3–2 1–2 aet
5th Ipswich Town 1–2 West Ham United 4th 1–0 0–2
Final
Main article: 2004 Football League First Division play-off Final
29 May 2004
 Crystal Palace 1–0 West Ham United Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,523
Referee: Graham Poll
Shipperley Goal 62' (Details)

[edit] 2005

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th West Ham United 4–2 Ipswich Town 3rd 2–2 2–0
5th Preston North End 2–0 Derby County 4th 2–0 0–0
Main article: 2005 Football League Championship play-off Final
30 May 2005
 West Ham United 1–0 Preston North End Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 70,275
Referee: Mike Riley
Zamora Goal 57' (Details)

[edit] 2006

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Crystal Palace 0–3 Watford 3rd 0–3 0–0
5th Leeds United 3–1 Preston North End 4th 1–1 2–0
Final
Main article: 2006 Football League Championship play-off Final
21 May 2006
 Leeds United 0–3 Watford Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 64,736
Referee: Mike Dean
(Details) DeMerit Goal 25'
Sullivan Goal 57' (o.g.)
Henderson Goal 84' (pen.)

[edit] 2007

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Southampton 4–4 (3–4 pens) Derby County 3rd 1–2 3–2 aet
5th Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–4 West Bromwich Albion 4th 2–3 0–1
Final
Main article: 2007 Football League Championship play-off Final
28 May 2007
 Derby County 1–0 West Bromwich Albion Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 74,993
Referee: Graham Poll
Pearson Goal 61' (Details)

[edit] 2008

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Watford 1–6 Hull City 3rd 0–2 1–4
5th Crystal Palace 2–4 Bristol City 4th 1–2 1–2 aet
Final
Main article: 2008 Football League Championship play-off Final
24 May 2008
 Bristol City 0–1 Hull City Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 86,703
Referee: Alan Wiley
Windass Goal 38'

[edit] 2009

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Preston North End 1–2 Sheffield United 3rd 1–1 0–1
5th Burnley 3–0 Reading 4th 1–0 2–0
Final
Main article: 2009 Football League Championship play-off Final
25 May 2009
 Burnley 1–0 Sheffield United Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 80,518
Referee: Mike Dean
Elliott Goal 13' (Details)

[edit] 2010

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Blackpool 6–4 Nottingham Forest 3rd 2–1 4–3
5th Leicester City England 3–3
(3–4 pens)		 Wales Cardiff City 4th 0–1 3–2
Final
Main article: 2010 Football League Championship play-off Final
22 May 2010
 Blackpool England 3–2 Wales Cardiff City Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 82,244
Referee: Andre Marriner
Adam Goal 13'
Taylor-Fletcher Goal 41'
Ormerod Goal 45+1'		 (Details) Chopra Goal 9'
Ledley Goal 37'



[edit] 2011

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
6th Nottingham Forest England 1-3 Wales Swansea City 3rd 0–0 1-3
5th Reading England 3-0 Wales Cardiff City 4th 0–0 3-0
Final
Main article: 2011 Football League Championship play-off final
30 May 2011
15:00
 Reading England 2 – 4 Wales Swansea City Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 86,581
Referee: Phil Dowd[4]
Allen Goal 49' (o.g.)
Mills Goal 57'		 Report Sinclair Goal 21' (pen.), 22', 80' (pen.)
Dobbie Goal 40'



[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Harris, Nick (20 May 2006). "£40m to the winner". London: The Independent Online Edition. http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/coca_cola/article548927.ece. Retrieved 29 July 2007. 
  2. ^ Cuff, Andrew. "Promotion worth £60m", "The Guardian", 3 May 2007, viewed 3 May 2007
  3. ^ "Losers in line for final windfall". BBC Sport. 15 May 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/4773307.stm. Retrieved 18 May 2008. 
  4. ^ "Match Official Appointments". Football League. http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/Appointments/0,,10794~2365057,00.html. 
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