1999 Football League First Division play-off final
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| Date | 31 May 1999 | ||||||
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| Venue | Wembley Stadium, London | ||||||
| Referee | T Heilbron | ||||||
| Attendance | 70,343 | ||||||
The 1999 Football League Championship play-off Final was contested between Bolton Wanderers and Watford, played at Wembley Stadium on 31 May 1999. The match was won by Watford through goals from Nick Wright and Allan Smart. As a result, Watford would play in the Premier League for the first time since its inception in 1992. It also meant that Watford had secured promotion for the second successive season, having been promoted as champions of Division Two in 1997–98.
Route to the final
Bolton
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Watford
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Watford were promoted from the Second Division in 1997–98. Elimination from their first games in the League Cup and FA Cup to Cambridge United and Tottenham Hotspur respectively enabled Watford to focus on their league campaign. After winning their opening three league games, Watford gradually moved from the top of the table to a mid-table position. Following consecutive defeats to Swindon Town, Ipswich Town and Sheffield United in February and early March, a play-off position appeared unlikely.[1] However, seven wins and a draw from the last eight games was enough to earn Watford a play-off spot on the last day of the season.[1]
Final league table
- Key
Pos: League position P: Matches played W: Matches won D: Matches drawn L: Matches lost F: Goals for A: Goals against Pts: Points (C): Champions (P): Promoted (pl): Qualified for play-offs
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sunderland (C) (P) | 46 | 31 | 12 | 3 | 91 | 28 | 105 |
| 2. | Bradford City (P) | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 82 | 47 | 87 |
| 3. | Ipswich Town (pl) | 46 | 26 | 8 | 12 | 69 | 32 | 86 |
| 4. | Birmingham City (pl) | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 66 | 37 | 81 |
| 5. | Watford (P) (pl) | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 65 | 56 | 77 |
| 6. | Bolton Wanderers (pl) | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 78 | 59 | 76 |
| 7. | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 19 | 16 | 11 | 64 | 43 | 73 |
| 8. | Sheffield United | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 71 | 66 | 67 |
| 9. | Norwich City | 46 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 62 | 61 | 62 |
| 10. | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 62 | 71 | 61 |
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
Match details
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MATCH RULES
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Key
See also
References
- ^ a b "Nationwide League Division 1 fixtures". Blind, Stupid and Desperate. Retrieved 25 October 2009.