2000 Football League First Division play-off Final

Date 29 May 2000 (2000-05-29)
Venue Wembley Stadium, London
1999
2001

The 2000 Football League First Division play-off final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 29 May 2000, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the First Division to the Premiership in the 1999–2000 season. Ipswich Town faced Barnsley in the last domestic competitive fixture to be played at the original Wembley Stadium.

The match was both teams first appearance in a First Division play-off final. It was the first time Barnsley had been in the play-offs, having been relegated to the First Division after the 1997–98 season, and finishing mid-table the following season. Ipswich made the play-offs for the fourth consecutive season, but this was the first time they had advanced further than the semi-finals.

Ipswich Town won 4–2 and won promotion to the Premiership.

Contents

Route to the final

Football League Division One final table, leading positions
Pos Team P W D L F A Pts
1. Charlton Athletic 46 27 10 9 79 45 91
2. Manchester City 46 26 11 9 78 40 89
3. Ipswich Town 46 25 12 9 71 42 87
4. Barnsley 46 24 10 12 88 67 82
Pos=Position P=Games played W=Wins D=Draws
L=Defeats F=Goals for A=Goals against Pts=Points

Ipswich finished the regular 1999–2000 Football League season in third place in Division One, one place ahead of Barnsley. Both therefore missed out on the two automatic promotion places and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the third promoted team.[1] Ipswich were only two points behind Manchester City (who were promoted in second place) and league winners Charlton Athletic. Barnsley were in 4th place in the league table, a further five points behind Ipswich - they also finished as the highest scorers in the division with 88 goals.

On the final day of the league season Ipswich played Walsall, and won 2–0. At one point, second place Manchester City were trailing to Blackburn, meaning that Ipswich would qualify for promotion automatically. However, City eventually won the match and secured promotion, meaning Ipswich Town would be in the play-offs for the fourth consecutive year.[2]

In the play-off semi-finals, Ipswich beat 6th-placed Bolton Wanderers 5–3 at Portman Road after a 2–2 draw in the first leg away at the Reebok Stadium, giving an aggregate score of 7–5. Barnsley won the first leg 4–0 away at St Andrew's and, despite losing the second leg 2–1 at Oakwell, reached the final 5–2 on aggregate.

Barnsley Round Ipswich
Opponent Result Legs Semi-finals Opponent Result Legs
Birmingham City 5–2 4–0 away; 1–2 home Bolton Wanderers 7–5 2–2 away; 5–3 (aet) home

Match details

2000-05-29
15:00 BST
Barnsley 2 – 4 Ipswich Town Wembley, London
Attendance: 73,427
Referee: Terry Heilbron
Wright  6' (o.g.)
Hignett  78' (pen.)
(Report) Mowbray  28'
Naylor  52'
Stewart  58'
Reuser  90'
Barnsley
Ipswich Town
BARNSLEY:
GK 20 Kevin Miller
RB 34 John Curtis 71'
CB 18 Chris Morgan
CB 31 Steve Chettle
LB 11 Darren Barnard
RM 8 Craig Hignett
CM 28 Keith Brown
CM 7 Eric Tinkler (c) 60'
LM 3 Matty Appleby
CF 10 Bruce Dyer 64'
CF 9 Neil Shipperley
Substitutes:
DF 2 Nicky Eaden 71'
DF 6 Scott Jones
MF 16 Geoff Thomas 60'
FW 12 Mike Sheron
FW 19 Georgi Hristov 64'
Manager:
Dave Bassett
Ipswich:
GK 1 Richard Wright
RWB 25 Gary Croft
CB 24 John McGreal
CB 5 Tony Mowbray
CB 6 Mark Venus
LWB 3 Jamie Clapham
CM 8 Matt Holland (c)
CM 11 Jim Magilton
CM 14 Jermaine Wright 89'
CF 9 David Johnson 22'
CF 27 Marcus Stewart 83'
Substitutes:
GK 21 Keith Branagan
DF 2 Fabian Wilnis 89'
MF 17 Wayne Brown
MF 30 Martijn Reuser 83'
FW 12 Richard Naylor 22'
Manager:
George Burley

MATCH RULES

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shootout if scores still level.
  • 5 named substitutes.
  • Maximum of 3 substitutions.

Notes

In a change from Barnsley's traditional kit of red top and white shorts, for the play-off final they wore an all-red strip.[3]

See also

References