The Football League play-offs for the 2004-05 season will be held in May 2005, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will contested by the teams who finish in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League Championship and League One and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the League Two 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.
Preston North End and West Ham United contested the Championship play-off final, having defeated Ipswich Town and Derby County respectively in the semi-finals. West Ham United secured promotion to the Premier League with a 1–0 victory, courtesy of a goal from Bobby Zamora. In the League One final, Sheffield Wednesday won 4–2 against Hartlepool United; Tranmere Rovers and Brentford were the other teams to reach the play-offs. In League Two, Southend United won their semi-final against Northampton Town and then secured promotion with a 2-0 victory against Lincoln City, who had beaten Macclesfield Town in their semi-final.
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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 Championship, Ipswich Town, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 2002, finished 2 points behind second placed Wigan Athletic, who in turn finished 7 points behind champions Sunderland, who returned to the top flight at the second attempt after relegation from the Premier League in 2003. Derby County who were also relegated along with Ipswich from the top flight in 2002, finished in fourth place in the table. Preston North End who have not been in the top flight since 1961, finished in fifth place. West Ham United finished 2 points behind Preston North End and were looking for a place back in the Premiership after 2 seasons outside the top division.
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 85 | 56 | +29 | 85 |
| 4 | Derby County | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 71 | 60 | +11 | 76 |
| 5 | Preston North End | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 67 | 58 | +9 | 75 |
| 6 | West Ham United | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 66 | 56 | +10 | 73 |
| 14 May 2005 12:15 |
West Ham United | 2 – 2 | Ipswich Town | Upton Park, London Attendance: 33,723 Referee: Uriah Rennie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harewood 7' Zamora 13' |
Report | Walker 45' (o.g.) Kuqi 74' |
| 15 May 2005 12:00 |
Preston North End | 2 – 0 | Derby County | Deepdale, Preston Attendance: 20,315 Referee: Andre Marriner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nugent 38' Cresswell 90' |
Report |
| 18 May 2005 19:45 |
Ipswich Town | 0 – 2 | West Ham United | Portman Road, Ipswich Attendance: 30,010 Referee: Steve Dunn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Zamora 61', 72' |
West Ham United won 4–2 on aggregate.
| 19 May 2005 19:45 |
Derby County | 0 – 0 | Preston North End | Pride Park Stadium, Derby Attendance: 31,310 Referee: Richard Beeby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report |
Preston North End won 2–0 on aggregate.
| 30 May 2005 15:00 |
West Ham United | 1 – 0 | Preston North End | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 70,275 Referee: Mike Riley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zamora 57' | Report |
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 73 | 55 | +18 | 79 |
| 4 | Brentford | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 57 | 60 | +11 | 75 |
| 5 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 77 | 59 | +18 | 72 |
| 6 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 76 | 66 | +10 | 71 |
| 12 May 2005 19:45 |
Sheffield Wednesday | 1 – 0 | Brentford | Hillsborough, Sheffield Attendance: 28,625 Referee: Mike Jones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McGovern 12' | Report |
| 13 May 2005 19:45 |
Hartlepool United | 2 – 0 | Tranmere Rovers | Victoria Park, Hartlepool Attendance: 6,604 Referee: Brian Curson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boyd 32', 68' | Report |
| 16 May 2005 19:45 |
Brentford | 1 – 2 | Sheffield Wednesday | Griffin Park, Brentford Attendance: 10,823 Referee: Tony Leake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frampton 87' | Report | Peacock 27' Brunt 53' |
Sheffield Wednesday won 3–1 on aggregate.
| 17 May 2005 19:45 |
Tranmere Rovers | 2 – 0 (a.e.t.) |
Hartlepool United | Prenton Park, Birkenhead Attendance: 13,356 Referee: Martin Atkinson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor 70' Beresford 87' |
Report | |||
| Penalties | ||||
| Taylor Hall Roberts Hume Dagnall Beresford Sharps |
5 – 6 | Strachan Tinkler Porter Robson Westwood Sweeney Humphreys |
Tranmere Rovers 2–2 Hartlepool United on aggregate. Hartlepool United won 6–5 on penalties.
| 29 May 2005 15:00 |
Hartlepool United | 2 – 4 (a.e.t.) |
Sheffield Wednesday | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 59,808 Referee: Phil Crossley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams 47' Daly 71' |
Report | McGovern 45' MacLean 82' (pen.) Whelan 94' Talbot 120' |
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Southend United | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 65 | 46 | +19 | 78 |
| 5 | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 60 | 49 | +11 | 75 |
| 6 | Lincoln City | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 64 | 47 | +17 | 72 |
| 7 | Northampton Town | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 62 | 51 | +11 | 72 |
| 14 May 2005 17:15 |
Lincoln City | 1 – 0 | Macclesfield Town | Sincil Bank, Lincoln Attendance: 7,032 Referee: Graham Laws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAuley 11' | Report |
| 15 May 2005 17:15 |
Northampton Town | 0 – 0 | Southend United | Sixfields Stadium, Northampton Attendance: 6,601 Referee: Lee Mason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report |
| 21 May 2005 12:05 |
Macclesfield Town | 1 – 1 | Lincoln City | Moss Rose, Macclesfield Attendance: 5,223 Referee: Phil Crossley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harsley 76' | Report | McAuley 15' |
Lincoln City won 2–1 on aggregate.
| 21 May 2005 18:15 |
Southend United | 1 – 0 | Northampton Town | Roots Hall, Southend Attendance: 9,152 Referee: Barry Knight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastwood 49' (pen.) | Report |
Southend United won 1–0 on aggregate.
| 28 May 2005 15:00 |
Lincoln City | 0 – 2 (a.e.t.) |
Southend United | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 19,653 Referee: Martin Atkinson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Eastwood 105' Jupp 110' |
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