PLAY-OFFS AT 30
Championship: Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Reading and Sheffield Wednesday all set to battle it out
12 May 2017
After Huddersfield Town's dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Wednesday night, we're one step closer to finding out who will hold their nerve and reach the promised land. The Terriers set up a Championship play-off final encounter with Reading, who beat Fulham thanks to Yann Kermorgant's penalty at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday.
There has been entertainment aplenty in League Two as well, with the two games providing eleven goals in the first legs. Blackpool beat Luton 3-2 at Bloomfield Road while Carlisle United came from 3-1 down to draw with Exeter City at Brunton Park.
You can recap the countdown of the greatest ever play-off games here: 30-26, 25-21, 20-16 and 15-11. But we're more or less into the business end of the finest ever encounters as we enter the top ten. Expect tears and goals galore as I countdown from 10-6:
10. FOXES GOLDEN CLARIDGE
1996 Division One play-off final: Crystal Palace 1-2 Leicester City
Both teams had been relegated from the Premier League the previous season, but it was Crystal Palace who had mounted a more serious promotion bid. However, a 2-1 defeat at Derby County in late April virtually killed off any lingering hopes the Eagles had of making the top two. Leicester City, on the other hand, sneaked into the play-offs on the final day with a 1-0 win at Watford. The Foxes also had to rely on results elsewhere going their way, a scenario that duly happened as Ipswich Town drew 0-0 at home to Millwall, who were subsequently relegated after Portsmouth won 1-0 at Huddersfield.
Palace beat Charlton Athletic 3-1 on aggregate to reach the final, while Leicester narrowly overcame Stoke City by a solitary Garry Parker goal in the second leg at the Victoria Ground to reach their second play-off final in three seasons.
More than 73,000 fans made the journey to Wembley Stadium to cheer their side onto promotion, and it Dave Bassett’s Eagles who drew first blood through Andy Roberts’ goal 14 minutes in. Palace appeared to be on course for an immediate return to the top flight, but Parker was on hand to convert a penalty 15 minutes from time after Marc Edworthy had brought down Muzzy Izzet in the area.
With spot-kicks looming as extra-time drew to a close, Steve Claridge volleyed home from the edge of the area with virtually the last kick of the game to fire Leicester into the Premier League. The Foxes spent six years in the top flight before being relegated, while Palace returned to Wembley the following season, beating Sheffield United in the 1997 play-off final.
9. ROCKIN’ ROBINS
2015 League One play-off semi-final, second leg: Swindon Town 5-5 Sheffield United (7-6 on aggregate)
A last-gasp Nathan Byrne goal at Bramall Lane secured a 2-1 victory and put Swindon Town in pole position to reach the League One play-off final. The Robins had lost in the 2010 final to Millwall and also fell at the semi-final stage to Brentford in 2013. Sheffield United, meanwhile, had also lost in the semi-finals in 2013 to eventual winners Yeovil Town, and were beaten finalists the previous year to Huddersfield in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. Would this year prove to be third time lucky for either side?
A Ben Gladwin double inside the opening ten minutes sent the home fans wild at the County Ground, before Michael Smith made it 5-1 on aggregate just eight minutes later. An own goal from Nathan Thompson gave the Blades faint hope and Chris Basham reduced the arrears further seven minutes before the break to set up a thrilling second half.
PLAY-OFFS AT 30
Celebrating 30 years of unbridled joy and inconsolable agony, a countdown of the greatest play-off matches: 10-6
Article posted: 18 May 2017
PLAY-OFFS AT 30
Blackpool legend Keith Southern reminisces about the Tangerines' fairy tale play-off excursions
16 May 2017
Steve Claridge celebrates
an incredible late winner
Muzzy Izzet in
action for the Foxes
Neil Lennon was a key
player for Leicester
Ben Gladwin celebrates
his second goal
Delirium on
the sideline
Swindon fans invade the
pitch at full-time
Smith added his second from the spot to put Swindon 6-3 ahead on aggregate, before Steve Davies struck to keep the Yorkshire side in the contest. Jonathan Obika appeared to put the game beyond all doubt with six minutes remaining, but late goals from Matt Done and Che Adams made it 5-5 on the night and 7-6 on aggregate. United threw everything forward, but the Robins held on to record a memorable victory and condemn the Blades to another season in League One.
Swindon went onto lose 4-0 to a Jermaine Beckford inspired Preston North End and were relegated at the end of the 2016/17 campaign. In contrast, United finally secured promotion as champions with 100 points.
8. TROTTERS LEAVE IT LATE
1995 Division One play-off final: Bolton Wanderers 4-3 Reading
Reading were aiming to claim back-to-back promotions, having won the Division Two title in 1994, and secure a place in the top flight for the first time in their history. Bolton hadn’t been in England’s elite since 1980 and were as low as the Fourth Division in the 1987-88 campaign.
The Trotters needed extra-time to see off Wolverhampton Wanderers in their semi-final, with John McGinlay striking four minutes into the second period to seal a 3-2 victory. Reading picked up where they had left off with a 3-1 victory over Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park, where they had lost 1-0 back in February.
Bolton celebrate a
thrilling comeback
No place to escape the
heartache for Reading
Wanderers are
Premier League bound
Lee Nogan’s sensational solo goal got the Royals off to a flier at Wembley, before Adrian Williams steered home a second from a well worked free-kick to double Reading’s lead with just twelve minutes gone. But the game turned on its head when Keith Branagan saved Stuart Lovell’s penalty ten minutes before half-time. Owen Coyle put Bolton back in it 15 minutes from time and substitute Fabian de Freitas levelled late on to force extra-time. Mixu Paatelainen put the Trotters ahead for the first time before de Freitas added his second to all-but seal victory. Jimmy Quinn pulled one back for Reading, but Bolton held on to secure promotion to the Premier League.
The Royals were eventually relegated from Division One in 1998, while Bolton yo-yo’d between the first and second tiers before establishing themselves as a Premier League outfit for eleven seasons between 2001-2012.
7. BODIN CULLS FOXES COMEBACK
1993 Division One play-off final: Leicester City 3-4 Swindon Town
Leicester City ended the season with a 7-1 drubbing at champions Newcastle United, while Swindon Town lost 1-0 at mid-table Barnsley. The Foxes faced up against Portsmouth in the semi-final, with the south coast side unable to secure automatic promotion ahead of West Ham United despite a 2-1 victory over Grimsby Town on the final day. Brian Little's side progressed 3-2 on aggregate to set up a Wembley date with the Robins, who overcame Tranmere Rovers 5-4 over two legs.
Player manager Glenn Hoddle gave Swindon the lead three mintues before half-time with a traditionally neat finish from the edge of the area, before Craig Maskell fired a terrific strike into the top corner two minutes after the interval to double the Robins' lead. Shaun Taylor headed home from close range just six minutes later to put the Wiltshire club in cruise control and dreaming of a place in England's top flight for the first time in the club's history.
Shaun Taylor puts
Swindon 3-0 up
The Robins celebrate
promotion to the top flight
Glenn Hoddle applauds
the Swindon fans
But Julian Joachim reacted quickest to turn home a rebound and put the Leicester back in contention before two goals in two minutes from Steve Walsh and Steve Thompson drew the Foxes level midway through the second half. With Little's side in the ascendency, there appeared to be only one winner, but the game took another dramatic twist when Kevin Poole conceded a penalty with little over five minutes remaining. Up stepped Paul Bodin to fire Swindon into the Premier League and complete a remarkable fairy tale season.
The Robins were relegated after just twelve months in the top flight, while Leicester overcame Derby County 2-1 in the 1994 play-off final with Walsh scoring both goals for the Foxes.
6. BLACKPOOL ROCK FOREST
2010 Championship play-off semi-final, second leg: Nottingham Forest 3-4 Blackpool (4-6 on aggregate)
Ian Holloway's Blackpool were one of the form teams heading into the play-offs, having mounted a late surge and sealed their place in the top six on the final day - not without drama. The Tangerine's needed to match or better Swansea City's result to keep their promotion hopes alive, and recorded a 1-1 draw at home to Bristol City. The Swans, drawing 0-0 at home to Doncaster Rovers, thought they had scored the crucial winning goal in injury time, only for the attempt to be ruled out for handball against Lee Trundle.
Nottingham Forest, who had been in League One just two seasons earlier, were looking for a return to the top flight for the first time
since 1999. The first leg at Bloomfield Road finished 2-1 to Blackpool and left the tie balanced on a knife edge heading back to the City Ground, where Forest hadn't lost since September - a 1-0 defeat to Blackpool.
Charlie Adam laps up the
praise from the travelling fans
DJ Campbell celebrates
his blistering treble
Blackpool players celebrate
reaching Wembley
Robert Earnshaw got the hosts off to a flier inside seven minutes to level the tie on aggregate. But DJ Campbell restored Blackpool's slender advantage just after the interval, before Earnshaw added his second to make it 3-3 on aggregate. A pulsating contest was settled in seven second half minutes as the Seasiders blew their hosts away with three goals as Campbell completed his hat trick either side of a strike from Stephen Dobbie. Dele Adebola scored a consolation for Forest in injury time, but the damage was long done as Blackpool set up a play-off final with Cardiff City.
Holloway's side went on to claim promotion to the Premier League with a 3-2 victory over the Bluebirds, while Forest lost in the play-offs the following campaign to Swansea City.
