2004 Football League play-offs

Football League play-offs
Season 2003–04
Champions Crystal Palace
(First Division)
Brighton & Hove Albion
(Second Division)
Huddersfield Town
(Third Division)
Matches played 15
Goals scored 35 (2.33 per match)
Biggest home win West Ham 2–0 Ipswich
(First Division)
Biggest away win Mansfield 1–3 Northampton
(Third Division)
Highest scoring Crystal Palace 3–2 Sunderland
(5 goals)
Highest attendance 72,523 – Crystal Palace v West Ham
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance 6,876 – Brighton v Swindon
(Second Division semi-final)
Average attendance 25,911
← 2003
2005 →

The Football League play-offs for the 2003–04 season were held in May 2004, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League First Division and Football League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the Football League Third Division 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.

Background

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 First Division, Sunderland, who are aiming to return to the top flight after relegation last season, finished 7 points behind second placed West Bromwich Albion, who in turn finished 8 points behind champions Norwich City, who returned to the Premier League for the first time since 1995. West Ham United who are also along with Sunderland aiming to return to the top flight after relegation last season, finished in fourth place in the table. Ipswich Town who are looking for a place back in the top flight at the second attempt, finished in fifth place. Crystal Palace finished level on points with Ipswich Town and were looking for a place back in the Premiership for the first time since 1998.

First Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Sunderland 462213116245+1779
4West Ham United 461917107261+1174
5Ipswich Town 462110158472+1273
6Crystal Palace 462110157261+1173

Semi-finals

First leg

14 May 2004
19:45
Crystal Palace 3–2 Sunderland
Shipperley  52'
Butterfield  64'
Johnson  87' 		Report Stewart  51' (pen.)
Kyle  85'
Selhurst Park, London
Attendance: 25,287
Referee: Richard Beeby

15 May 2004
12:15
Ipswich Town 1–0 West Ham United
Bent  57' Report
Portman Road, Ipswich
Attendance: 28,435
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Second leg

Sunderland 4–4 Crystal Palace on aggregate. Crystal Palace won 5–4 on penalties.

18 May 2004
19:45
West Ham United 2–0 Ipswich Town
Etherington  50'
Dailly  71' 		Report
Upton Park, London
Attendance: 34,002
Referee: Neale Barry

West Ham United won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final

Second Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Bristol City 462313105837+2182
4Brighton & Hove Albion 462211136443+2177
5Swindon Town 462013137658+1873
6Hartlepool United 462013137661+1573

Semi-finals

First leg
Second leg

19 May 2004
19:45
Bristol City 2–1 Hartlepool United
Goodfellow  88'
Roberts  90' 		Report Sweeney  63'
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Attendance: 18,434
Referee: Graham Poll

Bristol City won 3–2 on aggregate.

Brighton & Hove Albion 2–2 Swindon Town on aggregate. Brighton & Hove Albion won 4–3 on penalties.

Final

Third Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Huddersfield Town 462311126852+1681
5Mansfield Town 46229157662+1475
6Northampton Town 46229155851+775
7Lincoln City 461917106847+2174

Semi-finals

First leg

15 May 2004
15:00
Lincoln City 1–2 Huddersfield Town
Taylor-Fletcher  51' Report Onuora  5'
Mirfin  72'
Sincil Bank, Lincoln
Attendance: 9,202
Referee: Graham Laws
Second leg

Huddersfield Town won 4–3 on aggregate.

Mansfield Town 3–3 Northampton Town on aggregate. Mansfield Town won 5–4 on penalties.

Final

External links

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