Football League Two play-offs

The Football League Two play-offs are a series of play-off matches, contested by the teams finishing from 4th to 7th in the Football League Two table to determine the fourth promotion place to the third tier of English football, League One. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 7th playing 4th and 6th playing 5th, with the return fixtures following. The final is played at Wembley Stadium, although from 2001 to 2006 the final was played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff while Wembley was being rebuilt. Due to a clash with the Champions League final, the 2011 play-off final was again in a new location, this time at Old Trafford.

The first ever play-off final was contested between Aldershot and Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Aldershot ending up as winners over two legs. The most recent final was played in May 2011, when Stevenage FC defeated Torquay United 1–0. The highest crowd for a League Two play-off final was in 2007 when Bristol Rovers beat Shrewsbury Town 3-1 at a newly-renovated Wembley, in front of a crowd of 61,589. Whilst the lowest crowd came in 2011 when Stevenage beat Torquay United 1–0, in front of a 11,484 crowd at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Contents

Format

Name changes
1987–1992 Football League Fourth Division Play-offs
1993–2004 Football League Third Division Play-offs
2005–0000 Football League Two Play-offs

Aside from the branding changes which affected English football in 1992 and 2004, the League Two Play–offs have also changed in format. When they were introduced for the 1986–87 season, the play-offs originally featured a third-tier club as well as the three fourth-tier clubs. This format was continued for the 1987–88 season, 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 the 1989–90 season, the final has been a single game, contested between the winners of the semi-finals (which remain two-legged), held at either Wembley Stadium or the Millennium Stadium. The 2011 final will be held at Old Trafford, Manchester; whether this is a permanent arrangement or a one-off deal remains to be seen.

Results

1987

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
5th Colchester United 0–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4th 0–2 0–0
6th Aldershot 3–2 Bolton Wanderers 21st Div 3 1–0 2–2 aet
Final
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Aldershot 3–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 1–0

1988

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
5th Torquay United 3–2 Scunthorpe United 4th 2–1 1–1
6th Swansea City 2–1 Rotherham United 21st Div 3 1–0 1–1
Final
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Swansea City 5–4 Torquay United 2–1 3–3

1989

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Wrexham 5–1 Scunthorpe United 4th 3–1 2–0
6th Leyton Orient 2–1 Scarborough 5th 2–0 0–1
Final
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Wrexham 1–2 Leyton Orient 0–0 1–2

1990

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Chesterfield 6–0 Stockport County 4th 4–0 2–0
6th Cambridge United 3–1 Maidstone United 5th 1–1 2–0
Final
26 May 1990
 Cambridge United 1 – 0 Chesterfield Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 26,404
Dublin

1991

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
8th Scunthorpe United 2–3 Blackpool 5th 1–1 1–2
7th Torquay United 2–1 Burnley 6th 2–0 1–0
Final
31 May 1991
 Torquay United 2 – 2 (a.e.t.)
(5 – 4 pens)		 Blackpool Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 21,615
Saunders
Edwards		 Groves
Curran (og)

1992

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Barnet 1–2 Blackpool 4th 1–0 0–2
6th Crewe Alexandra 2–4 Scunthorpe United 5th 2–2 2–0
Final
23 May 1992
 Blackpool 1 – 1 (a.e.t.)
(4 – 3 pens)		 Scunthorpe United Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 22,741
Bamber Daws

1993

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Bury 0–1 York City 4th 0–0 0–1
6th Crewe Alexandra 9–3 Walsall 5th 5–1 4–2
Final
Main article: 1993 Football League Third Division play-off Final
29 May 1993
 York City 1 – 1 (a.e.t.)
(5 – 3 pens)		 Crewe Alexandra Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 22,416
Referee: Allan Gunn (Sussex)
Swann  104' (Details) McKearney (pen)  119'

1994

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Carlisle United 1–4 Wycombe Wanderers 4th 0–2 1–2
6th Torquay United 3–4 Preston North End 5th 2–0 1–4
Final
28 May 1994
 Wycombe Wanderers 4 – 2 Preston North End Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 40,109
Thompson
Garner  goal'
Carroll		 (Details) Bryson
Raynor

1995

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Preston North End 0–2 Bury 4th 0–1 0–1
6th Mansfield Town 3–6 Chesterfield 5th 1–1 2–5 aet
Final
Main article: 1995 Football League Third Division play-off Final
27 May 1995
 Chesterfield 2 – 0 Bury Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 22,814
Lormor
Robinson		 (Details)

1996

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Colchester United 2–3 Plymouth Argyle 4th 1–0 1–3
6th Hereford United 2–4 Darlington 5th 1–2 1–2
Final
Main article: 1996 Football League Third Division play-off Final
25 May 1996
 Plymouth Argyle 1 – 0 Darlington Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 43,431
Referee: William Burns (North Yorkshire)
Mauge  65' (Details)

1997

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Cardiff City 2–4 Northampton Town 4th 0–1 2–3
6th Chester City 0–3 Swansea City 5th 0–0 0–3
Final
Main article: 1997 Football League Third Division play-off Final
24 May 1997
 Northampton Town 1 – 0 Swansea City Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 46,804
Frain  90' (Details)

1998

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Barnet 2–3 Colchester United 4th 1–0 1–3
6th Scarborough 2–7 Torquay United 5th 1–3 1–4
Final
24 May 1998
 Colchester United 1 – 0 Torquay United Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 19,486
Referee: M Fletcher (Worcestershire)
Gregory (pen)  22' (Details)

1999

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Swansea City 2–3 Scunthorpe United 4th 1–0 1–3
6th Leyton Orient 0–0 (4-2 pens) Rotherham United 5th 0–0 0–0 aet
Final
29 May 1999
 Scunthorpe United 1 – 0 Leyton Orient Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 36,985
Referee: C Wilkes (Gloucestershire)
Calvo-Garcia  6' (Details)

2000

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Hartlepool United 0–3 Darlington 4th 0–2 0–1
6th Barnet 1–5 Peterborough United 5th 1–2 0–3
Final
Main article: 2000 Football League Third Division play-off Final
26 May 2000
 Peterborough United 1 – 0 Darlington Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 33,383
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Clarke  74' (Details)

2001

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Blackpool 5–1 Hartlepool United 4th 2–0 3–1
6th Hull City 1–2 Leyton Orient 5th 1–0 0–2
Final
Main article: 2001 Football League Third Division play-off Final
26 May 2001
 Blackpool 4 – 2 Leyton Orient Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 23,600
Referee: D Pugh (Wirral)
Hudges  35'
Reid  45'
Simpson  77'
Ormerod  88'		 (Details) Tate  1'
Houghton  37'

2002

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Hartlepool United 2–2 (4–5 pens) Cheltenham Town 4th 1–1 1–1 aet
6th Rushden & Diamonds 4–3 Rochdale 5th 2–2 2–1
Final
6 May 2002
 Cheltenham Town 3 – 1 Rushden & Diamonds Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 24,368
Referee: A Leake (Lancashire)
Devaney  27'
Alsop  49'
Finnigan  80'		 (Details) Hall  28'

2003

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Bury 1–3 Bournemouth 4th 0–0 1–3
6th Lincoln City 6–3 Scunthorpe Utd 5th 5–3 1–0
Final
24 May 2003
 Bournemouth 5 – 2 Lincoln City Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 32,148
Referee: A Kaye (West Yorkshire)
S Fletcher  29'
C Fletcher  45', 77'
Purches  56'
O'Connor  60'		 (Details) Futcher  35'
Bailey  75'

2004

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Lincoln City 3–4 Huddersfield Town 4th 1–2 2–2
6th Northampton Town 3–3 (4–5 pens) Mansfield Town 5th 0–2 3–1 aet
Final
Main article: 2004 Football League Third Division play-off Final
31 May 2004
 Huddersfield Town 0 – 0 (a.e.t.)
(4 - 1 pens)		 Mansfield Town Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 37,298
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
(Details)

2005

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Northampton Town 0–1 Southend United 4th 0–0 0–1
6th Lincoln City 2–1 Macclesfield Town 5th 1–0 1–1
Final
Main article: 2005 Football League Two play-off Final
28 May 2005
 Southend United 2 – 0 (a.e.t.) Lincoln City Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 19,653
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Eastwood  105'
Jupp  110'		 (Details)

2006

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Lincoln City 1–3 Grimsby Town 4th 0–1 1–2
6th Wycombe Wanderers 1–2 Cheltenham Town 5th 1–2 0–0
Final
Main article: 2006 Football League Two play-off Final
28 May 2006
 Cheltenham Town 1 – 0 Grimsby Town Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 29,196
Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)
Guinan  63' (Details)

2007

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Shrewsbury Town 2–1 MK Dons 4th 0–0 2–1
6th Bristol Rovers 7–4 Lincoln City 5th 2–1 5–3
Final
Main article: 2007 Football League Two play-off Final
26 May 2007
 Bristol Rovers 3 – 1 Shrewsbury Town Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 61,589
Referee: Mike Jones (Chester)
Walker  21', 35'
Igoe  90'		 (Details) Drummond  3'

2008

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Wycombe Wanderers 1–2 Stockport County 4th 1–1 0–1
6th Darlington 3–3 (4–5 pens) Rochdale 5th 2–1 1–2 aet
Final
Main article: 2008 Football League Two play-off Final
26 May 2008
 Rochdale 2 – 3 Stockport County Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 35,715
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
McArdle  24'
Rundle  77'		 (Details) Stanton (og)  34'
Pilkington  49'
Dickinson  67'

2009

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Shrewsbury Town 1–1 (4–3 pens) Bury 4th 0–1 1–0
6th Rochdale 1–2 Gillingham 5th 0–0 1–2
Final
Main article: 2009 Football League Two play-off Final
23 May 2009
 Gillingham 1 – 0 Shrewsbury Town Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 53,706
Referee: C Oliver (Northumberland)
Jackson  90' (Details)

2010

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Dagenham & Redbridge 7-2 Morecambe 4th 6–0 1–2
6th Aldershot Town 0–3 Rotherham United 5th 0–1 0–2
Final
30 May 2010
15:00 BST
 Rotherham United 2 – 3 Dagenham & Redbridge Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 32,054
Referee: James Linington
Taylor  39'  61' Report Benson  38'
Green  56'
Nurse  70'

2011

Semi-finals
Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
7th Torquay United 2–0 Shrewsbury Town 4th 2–0 0–0
6th Stevenage 3–0 Accrington Stanley 5th 2–0 1–0
Final
Main article: 2011 Football League Two play-off Final
28 May 2011
15:15 BST
 Stevenage 1 – 0 Torquay United Old Trafford, Manchester
Attendance: 11,484
Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire)
Mousinho  41' Report

See also

References

Football League Two play-offs
Play-offs
1987 · 1988 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011
Finals
1987 · 1988 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011