30 years of play-offs madness: The 27 best moments from promotion showdowns

Rejoice, it’s that time of year when the domestic game goes gaga! Richard Edwards honours the heroes, villains and, er, terriers from the Football League’s grand finale...

The never-ending story

Charlton vs Leeds, 1987
First/Second Division play-off final replay

“It was nearly mid-summer – we were sick of the sight of each other,” laughs Peter Shirtliff, whose goals maintained Charlton’s top-flight status and consigned Leeds to another season of misery in the second tier.

It was the third time the teams had met in a week, after cancelling each other out over two legs at Selhurst Park and Elland Road. But the replay at Birmingham’s St Andrews would be winner takes all – although for Charlton their 2-1 extra-time victory meant nothing sexier than avoiding relegation, such was the original format. “When the final whistle blew the main feeling was relief,” says Shirtliff. Not just for the players...

Shots silence Wolves

Wolves vs Aldershot, 1987
Third/Fourth Division play-off final

It should have been the play-off mis-match to end all play-off mis-matches, but unbelievably Aldershot handed out a thorough beating to bottom-tier big guns Wolves, winning both legs to secure a famous 3-0 aggregate triumph. They had beaten another Premier League club, Bolton Wanderers, in the semi-final. 

I predict a riot

Chelsea vs Middlesbrough, 1988
First/Second Division play-off final

This would be the second and last time a team from the top division would have to enter the play-offs to avoid the drop – and for good reason. “It was the most poisonous atmosphere I’ve ever seen,” says Eric Paylor, senior football reporter at Middlesbrough’s Evening Gazette.

“The expectation at Chelsea was incredibly high that they would wallop these Second Division upstarts and retain their place in the First Division without too many problems.”

After a 2-1 aggregate defeat left Chelsea relegated, though, the major issue facing the Boro fans was survival of a very different kind to that which the Blues had failed to achieve. “At the final whistle the
Shed End just emptied and ran towards the Boro fans,” says Paylor. “If they had got over the fence there would have been casualties. It would have taken football back to the dark ages.”

Fortunately the North Stand defences held and 45 minutes later, at an almost empty Stamford Bridge, the Boro players emerged to celebrate in their pants – their shirts and shorts having been covered in urine thrown from the stands. Lovely. 

30-second warning

Newcastle vs Sunderland, 1990 
Second Division play-off semi-final, second leg

“We were concerned they’d try to get it abandoned,” recalled Sunderland’s Gary Owers, who was wearing the dangerous colours of red and white inside the cauldron of hate that was St James’ Park on a late May evening in 1990. Sunderland had taken a 2-0 lead and were on their way to the final when ref George Courtney informed the players that he would give them a signal when 30 seconds of the derby remained, to ensure they escaped before all hell broke loose. “He [Courtney] was cool as a cucumber,” said Owers. “He said not to worry because we’d finish the game, even if it took until 2am.” In the end Courtney was first down the tunnel, followed by 11 petrified but jubilant Wearsiders.

Every loser wins 

Sunderland vs Swindon, 1990  
Second Division play-off final

It took just 10 days for Swindon Town’s world to implode. Ossie Ardiles – his knees presumably “all trembly” – had led the Robins to a famous 1-0 triumph over Sunderland at Wembley, but before long the pride of Wiltshire weren’t contemplating glory in the top flight but life in the Third Division after the FA relegated them twice for sanctioning illegal payments (although they were later allowed to remain in the Second Division after appealing). The club’s leading scorer, Steve White, described it as a “devastating blow”, but Sunderland didn’t care – they were up without even winning a game. 

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Wheels come off the cambridge bandwagon 

Cambridge vs Leicester, 1992
Second Division play-off semi-final 

“That was some side,” recalls a misty-eyed Steve Claridge of his days at Cambridge United under the unorthodox and unpopular John Beck. The U's had sprinted through the leagues under Beck and were well placed to become founder members of the Premier League as the likes of Claridge, Dion Dublin and John Taylor propelled them to the play-offs. Leicester put paid to that dream, though, with a 6-1 aggregate hammering in the semi-finals. For Cambridge, life would never be the same again: just 13 years later the club was relegated from the Football League altogether.  

Rovers give critics the bird 

Blackburn vs Leicester, 1992
Second Division play-off final 

Jason Wilcox was out injured for the match that took Jack Walker’s big-spending side back to the big time – but the left winger can at least claim a hand in their fortunate 1-0 win over Leicester at Wembley. “I walked out onto the pitch in my suit and a bird messed down it,” he said.

“We had these bright yellow suits and I had this red and green stuff all over mine. I didn’t know whether it was good luck or bad luck. I guess it was good if you look at what followed for the club.” He’s not wrong. Blackburn and Wilcox never looked back: they won 1-0 and just three years later were celebrating a Premier League title. That success is well-documented – the fate of the club’s feathered friend remains a mystery.

Den of despair

Millwall vs Derby, 1994
First Division play-off semi-final, second leg 

It was a statto’s dream – interruptions totalling 33 minutes, 30 supporters ejected, 20 arrests, two policemen injured and two pitch invasions. Oh, and Derby County won this second-tier (its name having changed to the First Division) semi 5-1 over two legs – hence the free-for-all in south-east London. “We feel like we’ve been through a war, not a football match,” said Derby’s Marco Gabbiadini after the club’s goalkeeper Martin Taylor was floored at the New Den. Despite the trouble Millwall chairman Reg Burr was clearly wearing his Arsene Wenger glasses, saying: “Yes I feel saddened but there was no violence that I saw. I don’t know anything about players being punched and kicked.”

“Sheer stupidity”

Stockport vs Burnley, 1994
Second Division play-off final 

Stockport finished 12 points ahead of Burnley in the third tier but, crucially, the Clarets finished this ill-tempered Wembley with two more players on the pitch. “It was bizarre – sheer stupidity,” reflected County manager Danny Bergara who, after four Wembley defeats in three years, could have been forgiven for thinking his side were cursed. Michael Wallace and Chris Beaumont were given their marching orders before the hour mark and Burnley took advantage, securing their place in the then First Division with a 2-1 win. 

Paying the penalty

Reading vs Bolton, 1995
First Division play-off final 

For a club with no reserve team and no training ground, Reading were doing rather well after 12 minutes of their final against heavily-fancied Bolton. Having sprinted into a 2-0 lead, promotion looked assured when Aussie Stuart Lovell stepped up to take a penalty on the half-hour. “Archie had the courage to step up, but the keeper saved it and the rest is history,” said former Royals skipper Ady Williams. “He was absolutely distraught and I have never seen anyone take something like that so personally.” Imagine how he felt, then, as Bruce Rioch’s Bolton came back and won the game in extra-time. Doubly galling for Royals was the fact that Reading had finished second in the league in the only season in living memory in which two – rather than three – sides were promoted, as the Premier League slimmed itself down from 22 to 20 teams. Gah.

Big Kam vs Big Sam

Blackpool vs Bradford, 1996
Second Division play-off semi-final, second leg

For modern-day Sky subscribers Chris Kamara is a hysterical man with big hair, slick ’tache and a tendency for disbelief. Back in 1996 he was, believe it or not, a man with a big future in management.

Rumour has it that Kamara’s team talk before the second leg of Bradford’s play-off semi-final against Sam Allardyce’s Tangerines consisted of nothing more than the pinning up of a Blackpool programme that gave their fans bus times to get to Wembley for the final. It clearly worked: 2-0 down from the first leg, Bradford stormed to a 3-0 win to secure a first trip to the Twin Towers.

“We could have had five,” Kamara beamed. And Big Sam? Blackpool’s banged-up chairman Owen Oyston sacked him from his prison cell.

Mendonca magic

Sunderland vs Charlton, 1998
First Division play-off final

“I was a Sunderland fan – it’s funny the way it worked out,” said Clive Mendonca when describing a hat-trick that left guffaws in short supply on Wearside. In one of Wembley’s greatest ever games, a Mendonca-powered Charlton came back three times in a pulsating 4-4 draw before a sudden-death penalty shootout. Sunderland cracked first and, after 14 spot-kicks, Alan Curbishley’s Charlton were in the Premier League. Mendonca would score a hat-trick on the following season’s opening day, but would be forced to retire less than two years after his greatest triumph. The Black Cats’ Michael Gray was haunted by his missed kick for the rest of his career. “It was an iconic game but someone had to be the villain and it ended up being me.”

“If I’m totally honest I really didn’t want to take one. You always think the penalty shootout will be over after the first five picks but this just went on and on. When it comes to sudden death you look around and start thinking, ‘Who’s next?’ Niall Quinn took No.6, then I realised I was probably the elder statesman among the rest so I thought it was up to me. You feel confident walking up but then I changed my mind about 10 times before I took it. It wasn’t a great penalty – in fact, it was awful. I was devastated. I just stood there waiting for someone to come along and give me a hug.”

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Richard Edwards