Football League Two play-offs
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
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Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
matches, contested by the teams finishing from 4th to 7th in the Football League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
table to determine the fourth promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
place to the third tier of English football
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
, League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
. 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
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, although from 2001 to 2006 the final was played at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
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
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, 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
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
play-off final was in 2007 when Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
beat Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
3-1 at a newly-renovated Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, in front of a crowd of 61,589. Whilst the lowest crowd came in 2011 when Stevenage beat Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
1–0, in front of a 11,484 crowd at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, Manchester.
Format
| Name changes | |
|---|---|
| 1987–1992 | Football League Fourth Division Play-offs Football League Fourth Division The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season... |
| 1993–2004 | Football League Third Division Play-offs Football League Third Division The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two... |
| 2005– | Football League Two Play-offs Football League Two Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system.... |
Aside from the branding changes which affected English football
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
in 1992 and 2004, the League Two Play–offs have also changed in format. When they were introduced for the 1986–87 season
1986-87 in English football
The 1986–87 season was the 107th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The First Division championship went to Everton in their final season under the management of Howard Kendall before his departure to Athletic Bilbao. His side overcame a spate of injuries to fight off...
, 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
1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all 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
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
, the final has been a single game, contested between the winners of the semi-finals (which remain two-legged), held at either Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
or the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
. The 2011 final will be held at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, Manchester; whether this is a permanent arrangement or a one-off deal remains to be seen.
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