Chris Wildgoose | Sports Journalist

With a football league career that spanned 17 seasons, Richie Wellens was no stranger to the play-offs during spells with Blackpool, Oldham Athletic, Doncaster Rovers and Leicester City.

The tireless midfielder, who began his career at Manchester United alongside Wes Brown and John O’Shea, was part of Blackpool’s 2001 Division Three play-off winning squad in his first full season at Bloomfield Road.

The Seasiders fell behind to Chris Tate’s strike after just 27 seconds in the final, but fought back to beat Leyton Orient 4-2 and clinch promotion to the third tier of English football.

"It was a bad start,” admitted Wellens, “but because it was so early all our nerves and fears just went away and we just played to win, whereas they scored so early they might have got nervous because they had something to hold on to. After that moment we played really well and deserved to win.

"You realise when it comes to the play-offs that a maximum of three games define your season, so the games are more intense.”

Blackpool’s cause was aided when Brian Reid scrambled home from close range on the stroke of half-time to send Steve McMahon’s side in at the interval on level terms.

Late goals from Paul Simpson and Tangerine’s legend Brett Ormerod sealed victory and a return to Division Two at the first attempt – an achievement that Wellen’s believes McMahon deserves great credit for.

"Steve was great that year,” continued the 37-year-old. “We had a really poor start but after around ten games he got us playing some really good football and created a team that was good to play in.

"Whenever you score a goal just before half-time it has a big effect - the team talk changes and you can be positive whereas the other team will be negative and talking about the goal they just conceded.”

After six years with Blackpool, Wellens moved to League-One rivals Oldham Athletic and was part of the Latics side that lost to the Seasiders in the 2007 play-off semi-final.

From Boundary Park, he joined Doncaster Rovers where he would form a key partnership with Brian Stock at the heart of Sean O’Driscoll’s midfield.

However, defeat to Cheltenham on the final day – who had narrowly escaped relegation – meant that Nottingham Forest were able to pip Rovers to second place.

"To lose out on automatic promotion on the last day was very disappointing, but we thought it was going to be too easy on the last day against a team fighting for survival,” said Wellens.

“But going into the play-offs gave us another opportunity and we knew we were the best team so, as a team, we had a chat and agreed it would be better to go up at Wembley in front of a huge crowd so we made sure we were at our best.”

James Coppinger bagged a hat-trick as Doncaster thrashed Southend United 5-1 to secure their place in the play-off final against fierce Yorkshire rivals Leeds United.

The Whites would have claimed the second automatic promotion spot but had been deduced 15 points for failure to comply with rules on insolvency, and so had to settle for a play-off spot.

Leeds, who had been in the Premier League just four years earlier, were looking for an immediate return to the Championship while Doncaster were aiming to land a place in England’s second tier for the first time since 1958.

"The atmosphere was unbelievable and the Leeds fans have to take great credit for the support they gave their team - they're a fantastic football club and their supporters showed it on the day,” continued Wellens.

“But we knew going into the game if we played at 80% of our capabilities we would win because we were the better football team.

"The importance wasn't that it was a Yorkshire derby; the importance was promotion and that's all we concentrated on. We knew Leeds would have a huge following but the players and staff all had the same belief we would win the game."

James Hayter scored the only goal of the game three minutes after half-time as Doncaster secured their place in the Championship for the first time in five decades.

O’Driscoll’s side consolidated in their first season in the second tier, finishing in a respectable 14th place. But Wellen’s performances had caught the eye of Leicester City, who themselves had just been promoted from League One as Champions.

The Foxes were aiming to secure back-to-back promotions having fallen from grace in recent years. Their relegation from the Premier League in 2004 was the start of a slippery slope but, under the guidance of Nigel Pearson, were a club very much on the up once more.

Wellens and co. secured a fifth place finish after ending the 2009/10 campaign with five successive wins. Leicester went up against fourth place Cardiff in the semi-final, but the promotion dream was set to end in the cruellest of ways as the Bluebirds progressed to Wembley on penalties.

After losing 1-0 in the first leg, the Foxes travelled to South Wales needing a result to keep their promotion dream alive. A 3-2 victory after extra-time sent the game to a shoot-out, but Yann Kermogant and Martyn Waghorn saw their spot-kicks saved by David Marshall.

"To lose in the manner that we did was devastating,” conceded Wellens. “The penalty awarded to Cardiff was offside and shouldn't have been allowed, and it was the year that the away goals rule was changed after extra time, otherwise we'd have won.

“But then to lose on penalties was cruel after the way we had performed on the night, but fair play to Cardiff - they scored all their penalties. We probably lost the tie in the first leg when we didn't perform at our best and conceded a goal from a free kick we shouldn't have conceded.

"We felt we deserved to go through on the night. Apart from the first 15 minutes where Cardiff started well, we dominated the game and made better chances. We were the team trying to win the game in extra time; I think Cardiff were happy with penalties.

“We missed a few good chances in extra time. Penalties are a bit of a lottery, but the players have to believe in their technique and stay calm, and you also need a goalkeeper to pull some saves off. Cardiff held their nerve better than us in the shoot-out.

"When you lose in the play-offs it's the worst feeling; there's not a game a few days later or a week later where you rid your mind of the feeling – you bear it all summer and all the hard work that has gone in over the season has come to nothing. You come in the day after the game to wish everyone a good summer and you can still sense a tingle of disappointment in your colleagues’ eyes."