PLAY-OFFS AT 30
Blackpool legend Keith Southern reminisces about the Tangerines' fairy tale play-off excursions
16 May 2017
With so much drama in the League Two play-off semi-finals, it’s a wonder the entire order of my countdown wasn’t jostled around to accommodate (maybe next season). Congratulations to Blackpool and Exeter City, who reached the Wembley showpiece at the agonising expense of Luton Town and Carlisle United, respectively.
Two incredible matches that will live long in the memory for both sets of fans – albeit, for entirely different reasons.
We watched as Steve Morison scored a late winner to send Millwall back to the second tier and condemn Bradford City to another season in League One, while penalties were the order of the day in the Championship as Huddersfield Town and Reading secured their place in the final.
Yann Kermorgant, the villain for Leicester City in 2010, scored from the spot as the Royals overcame Fulham to reach their first play-off final since 2011. Danny Ward proved to be the hero for the Terriers as he saved penalties from Sheffield Wednesday’s Sam Hutchinson and Fernando Forestieri to send his side to Wembley.
You can find out which other games made my top 30 here: 30-26, 25-21, 20-16, 15-11 and 10-6, but we’ve reached the climax of the greatest ever play-off encounters. Here are the top five:
5. TRACTOR BOYS OUT OF STEAM
1999 Division One play-off semi-final, second leg: Ipswich Town 4-3 Bolton Wanderers (4-4 on aggregate, Bolton win on away goals)
Michael Johansen’s late strike at the Reebok Stadium had given Bolton Wanderers a slender advantage heading into the second leg at Portman Road. The Trotters had finished sixth, eleven points behind Ipswich who, despite winning 4-1 against Sheffield United, were unable to claim the second automatic promotion spot ahead of Bradford, who had won 3-2 at Wolverhampton Wanderers on the last day.
The Tractor Boys got off to the perfect start as Matt Holland struck within the opening quarter of an hour to level to tie on aggregate. Bob Taylor restored Bolton’s lead six minutes after the restart, only for Kieron Dyer to hit back moments later. Per Frandsen’s late goal appeared to have the Trotters on their way to Wembley, but Dyer netted his second in the dying stages to make it 3-2 and force extra time.
Taylor bagged his second to put Bolton in control again, before Holland got on the score sheet once more with four minutes remaining to set up a tense finale. Ipswich pushed for a fifth goal, but it was too little, too late as Colin Todd’s side progressed to Wembley on away goals.
Bolton were eventually beaten 2-0 by Graham Taylor’s Watford, who secured back to back promotion. Ipswich, well, take a look at number four…
4. HAVE WE MET BEFORE?
2000 Division One play-off semi-final, second leg: Ipswich Town 5-3 Bolton Wanderers (7-5 on aggregate)
Two goals from Marcus Stewart at the Reebok Stadium had salvaged a draw for Ipswich after Dean Holdsworth and Eidur Gudjohnsen had given Bolton a 2-0 lead. It was a case of déjà vu for George Burley’s side, who had lost out on automatic promotion for a second season running, this time to Manchester City.
Holdsworth opened the scoring inside six minutes after a quick counter attack, before Jim Magilton levelled the scores from the penalty spot. Holdsworth added his second of the game and Magilton saw another spot kick saved by Jussi Jaaskelainen before the interval.
PLAY-OFFS AT 30
Celebrating 30 years of unbridled joy and inconsolable agony, a countdown of the greatest play-off matches: 5-1
Article posted: 28 May 2017
PLAY-OFFS AT 30
Celebrating 30 years of unbridled joy and inconsolable agony, a countdown of the greatest play-off matches: 10-6
18 May 2017
Tony Mowbray and Eidur
Gudjohnsen in action
Claus Jensen and James
Scowcroft battle for possession
A fiery encounter
at Portman Road
Dean Holdsworth opened
the scoring
Jim Magilton inspired
the hosts to victory
Jamie Clapham puts
Ipswich ahead
Magilton atoned for his miss four minutes after the restart to make it 4-4 on aggregate, but a thunderous drive from Allan Johnston put Wanderers back in control. With time running out, up popped that man Magilton to bag his hat-trick and send the game to extra time, where goals from Jamie Clapham (from the spot) and Martijn Reuser sealed victory for the Tractor Boys.
Ipswich went onto beat Barnsley in a thrilling play-off final at Wembley, while Bolton won the 2001 final at the expense of Preston North End.
3. DO NOT SCRATCH YOUR EYES
2013 Championship play-off semi-final, second leg: Watford 3-1 Leicester City (3-2 on aggregate)
A dramatic final day at Vicarage Road saw Watford settle for a place in the play-offs. The scenario was simple: beat Leeds United and hope Hull City don’t win against Cardiff City. When Nicky Maynard equalised from the spot for the Bluebirds, fate, it seemed, was shining on the Hornets. But as Gianfranco Zola’s side pushed for a winner, Ross McCormack chipped the ball over third-choice goalkeeper Jack Bonham to win the game for Leeds.
David Nugent scored the only goal in the first leg for Leicester, who had secured a place in the play-offs at the expense of Nottingham Forest in dramatic fashion thanks to a late Anthony Knockaert goal at the City Ground.
Troy Deeney's goal sends
the Watford fans into raptures
Anthony Knockaert
despairs
Gianfranco Zola celebrates
a memorable victory
Matej Vydra struck twice either side of a Nugent goal to make it 2-2 on aggregate and, with the game heading to extra time, Knockaert engineered a penalty and took on the responsibility himself to send the Foxes into the final. But Manuel Almunia saved the Frenchman’s spot kick and within 20 seconds Watford had broken and inspirational striker Troy Deeney lashed home the winning goal seven minutes into stoppage time to spark scenes of utter delirium amongst the home fans.
Unfortunately for the Hornets, they were unable to repeat their semi-final heroics at Wembley as Crystal Palace came out on top in a largely unforgettable encounter. Leicester were promoted the following season as champions, while Watford had to wait a couple of years before reaching the Premier League.
2. HE CAN GET HIS DISGUISES READY NOW
1998 Division One play-off final: Charlton Athletic 4-4 Sunderland (7-6 on penalties)
It was fitting that both teams made it to the final, having finished third and fourth with 90 and 88 points respectively, in what was a thrilling Division One campaign that went down to the wire at both ends of the table. Charlton beat Ipswich 2-0 on aggregate, while Sunderland saw off Sheffield Untied 3-2 over two legs to reach Wembley.
Sunderland-born Clive Mendonca put Charlton ahead midway through the first half before Niall Quinn equalised five minutes after the interval. Goals from Kevin Phillips and Quinn, either side of a Mendonca strike put the Black Cats 3-2 ahead, but Richard Rufus headed home an equaliser with five minutes remaining to force extra time.
Niall Quinn powers
home the equaliser
Clive Mendonca became the first player
to score a play-off final hat-trick
There's little room to
hide for Michael Gray
Nicky Summerbee put Sunderland ahead once more, but boyhood Mackem’s fan Mendonca bagged his hat-trick to send the game to a penalty shoot-out. After six successful spot kicks each, Shaun Newton casually converted to put Charlton ahead once more before Sasa Ilic saved Michael Gray’s tame penalty to seal promotion for the Addicks.
Sunderland were promoted as champions the following season with 105 points. Charlton succumbed to relegation from the top flight along with 1995 Premier League winners Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest, who had gone up as champions.
1. THE GENUINE SOAP OPERA CLUB
1999 Division Two play-off final: Manchester City 2-2 Gillingham (3-1 on penalties)
Just four days earlier, Manchester United had been crowned European champions as they completed an incredible Treble. Meanwhile, Joe Royle’s side had become the first ever winners of a European competition to be relegated to the third tier of their domestic league and were looking for an immediate return to Division One.
Gillingham had had an impressive campaign under the guidance of Tony Pulis and were aiming to reach the second tier of English football for the first time in the club’s history. The strong attacking partnership of Carl Asaba and Robert Taylor, who had played together at Brentford, had proved to be a stroke of genius by Pulis as their goal haul helped fire the Gills into the play-off spots.
Kevin Horlock netted the
first successful penalty
The City players celebrate as Nicky
Weaver saves from Guy Butters
Victory snatched from
the jaws of defeat
The deadly duo had Gillingham on course for promotion with two late goals in the last ten minutes at Wembley, and appeared to have consigned City to at least another season in Division Two. But Kevin Horlock struck with seconds of normal time remaining to set up a tense finale as the officials indicated a further five minutes would be added on.
Cue Paul Dickov to score what City fans voted as the most important goal ever scored – ahead of Sergio Aguero’s winner against Queens Park Rangers in 2012 – and send the blue half of Manchester into raptures.
From there, there was only ever going to be one winner. Despite Dickov’s penalty hitting both posts in the shoot-out, Nicky Weaver saved two spot kicks from Paul Smith and, more crucially, Guy Butters to seal the Blues’ return to Division One. And the rest, as they say, is history.
