Wikipedia

EFL Championship play-offs

TheEnglish Football League (EFL) Championship play-offsare a series ofplay-offmatches contested by theassociation footballteams finishing from third to sixth in theEFL Championshiptable and are part of theEnglish Football League play-offs.As of 2024,the play-offs comprise two semi-finals, where the team finishing third plays the team finishing sixth, and the team finishing fourth plays the team finishing fifth, each conducted as atwo-legged tie.The winners of the semi-finals progress to the final which is contested atWembley Stadium.The Championship play-off final is considered the most valuable single football match in the world as a result of the increase in revenue to the winning club from sponsorship and media agreements.

For the first three years, the play-off final took place over two legs, played at both side's grounds.Charlton Athleticwon the first Second Division play-off finalin 1987,requiring areplayto defeatLeeds United.From 1990, the play-off final was a one-off match, hosted at theoriginal Wembley Stadium,while from 2001 to 2006, the final was played at theMillennium StadiuminCardiffas Wembley was being rebuilt. Since 2007, the match has been hosted at Wembley Stadium.

When the second tier play-offs were first contested in 1987, they were known as the Football League Second Division play-offs. From 1993 to 2004, following the creation of theFA Premier Leagueas a breakaway from theFootball League,the competition became known as the First Division play-offs, and since 2005 has taken its current name as the Championship play-offs following a rebranding of the remaining three divisions of the Football League.

Format

edit
An example of the play-off format, from the2000 First Division play-offs

As of 2024,the Championship play-offs involve the four teams that finish directly below the automaticpromotionplaces in theEFL Championship,the second tier of theEnglish football league system.These teams meet in a series of play-off matches to determine the final team that will be promoted to thePremier League.Based on the ranking, the team finishing in third place plays the sixth-placed team while the team in fourth plays the fifth-placed team in the "play-off semi-finals". Two ties are played overtwo legs,with the higher-ranked side hosting the second leg. According to theEFL,"this is designed to give the highest finishing team anadvantage".[1]

The winner of each semi-final is determined by theaggregate scoreacross the two legs, with the number of goals scored in each match of the tie being added together. The team with the higher aggregate score qualifies for the final. If, at the end of the regular 90 minutes of the second leg, the aggregate score is level then the match goes intoextra timewhere two 15-minute halves are played. If the score remains level at the end of extra time, the tie is decided by apenalty shootout.Theaway goals ruledoes not apply in the play-off semi-finals.[2]

The clubs that win the semi-finals then meet atWembley Stadium,aneutral venue,for a one-off match referred to as the "play-off final". If required, extra time and a penalty shootout can be employed in the same manner as for the semi-finals to determine the winner. The runner-up and losing semi-finalists remain in the Championship while the winning side is promoted.[2]The match, along with the finals of theLeague OneandLeague Two play-offs,usually takes place over thelong weekendof the secondbank holidayin May.[3]

Background

edit
Main article:English Football League play-offs

The mid-1980s saw a decline in attendances at football matches and public disenchantment with English football. A number of instances of violence and tragedy struck the game. In March 1985 at the semi-final of the1984–85 Football League CupbetweenChelseaandSunderlandwhere more than 100 people were arrested after various invasions of theStamford Bridgepitch and more than 40 people, including 20 policemen, were injured.[4]Nine days later,violence flaredat theFA Cupmatch betweenMillwallandLuton Town:seats were used as missiles against the police and resulted in Luton Town banning away supporters.[5]On 11 May, 56 people were killed and 265 injured in theBradford City stadium fireand less than three weeks later, 39 supporters died and more than 600 were injured in theHeysel Stadium disasterwhereLiverpoolwere playingJuventusinthe European Cup final.[6]

Initially the Play-Offs would operate for two years, but if they proved popular with spectators they could become a permanent part of the calendar.

Heathrow Agreement[7]

In an attempt to persuade fans to return to the stadia, the Football League had rejected a £19million television deal to broadcast matches live on theBBCandITVbefore the1985–86 Football Leagueseason with League presidentJack Dunnettsuggesting that "football is prepared to have a year or two with no television".[8]In December 1985, the "Heathrow Agreement" was agreed which aimed to revitalise the financial affairs of the league. It was a ten-point plan which included a structural reorganisation of the league, reducing the top tier from 22 clubs to 20, and the introduction ofplay-offsto facilitate the change.[9]The play-offs were introduced to the end of the1986–87 Football League season.[10]They were initially introduced for two years but with the proviso that if they were successful with the general public, they would be retained permanently.[7]

History

edit

In the first two seasons, the team one place above the relegation zone in theFirst Division,along with the three clubs below the automatic promotion positions in theSecond Division,took part in the play-offs.[10]In the inaugural play-off final, First DivisionCharlton Athleticfaced Second DivisionLeeds Unitedbut they could not be separated over the two home-and-away legs, so the tie was settled in areplay.Played at a neutral ground,St Andrew'sin Birmingham, Charlton won the game 2–1 after extra time to retain their First Division status, while Leeds remained in the Second Division.[10][11]The following season,MiddlesbroughbeatChelsea2–1 on aggregate, and replaced them in the First Division.[12]The primary objective of the play-offs was achieved within the first two seasons, namely the reorganisation of the four leagues with 20 clubs in the first tier and 24 in the second to fourth tiers.[13]However, the popularity of the play-offs was such that the post-season games were retained and the1989 play-offswere first to feature four teams from the Second Division:[13]Crystal PalacebeatBlackburn Rovers4–3 over two legs after extra time inthe final.[14]

EFL Championship play-off nomenclature
Years Name
1987–1992 Football League Second Divisionplay-offs
1993–2004 Football League First Divisionplay-offs
2005–2015 Football League Championshipplay-offs
2016–present EFL Championshipplay-offs

From 1990, the format of the final changed to a single match played at a neutral venue, initially theoriginal Wembley Stadium.The first winners of the inaugural one-off final wereSwindon Townwho defeatedSunderland1–0 inthe finalin front of 72,873 spectators.[15]Ten days after the final, Swindon were found guilty on 35 counts of illegal player payments and were given a two-division relegation. This meant that Sunderland were promoted to the First Division in Swindon's place.[16]Wembley underwent renovations early in the 21st century andthe 2000 finalwas the last to be hosted at the original stadium. Subsequently the finals were hosted at theMillennium Stadiumin Cardiff, whereBolton WanderersbeatPreston North End3–0 inthe final.[17]The Millennium Stadium held the finals until 2007 when the match was moved tothe renovated Wembley Stadium,the firstsuch finalseeingDerby CountydefeatWest Bromwich Albion1–0.[18]The finalin 2020was heldbehind closed doorsas a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom:FulhamdefeatedBrentford2–1 after extra time in front of an official attendance of 0.[19]

Since the first play-off final, the second tier of English football's league itself has undergone a number of re-brands. In 1993, the Premier League wasformed,[20]a move which caused the second-tier league to be renamed as the First Division.[21]In 2004, the First Division was re-branded as the Football League Championship,[22]before the League's adoption of English Football League (EFL) led to a 2016 renaming as the EFL Championship.[23]

Prize

edit

While there is no financial prize for the winners, the match is still referred to as the most valuable single football match in the world as a result of ensuing commercial and media benefits. AccountantsDeloittedescribed the 2020 final as the "contest for biggest financial prize in world football" with promotion worth at least £85million in the first season after promotion and an additional £80million the following season should an immediate relegation be avoided.[24][25][26]However, by convention the two finalists agree that the loser will keep all thegate receiptsfrom the game, so as to slightly soften the financial blow of missing out.[27][28]The winning team is also presented with a trophy;[29]however, in the 2015 Football League Championship play-off final, Norwich City refused[citation needed]and took half of the gate receipts after also gaining promotion.

Winners and semi-finalists

edit
Key to list of winners and semi-finalists
Year Link to play-off article for specified year
Venue Location(s) of the final match(es)
Winner (X) Team that won play-off final, (X) indicates cumulative number of play-off final victories
Final Link to play-off final article for the specified match
^ Final played over two legs
R Final decided by areplay
† Final decided inextra time
‡ Final decided by apenalty shoot-out
Runner-up Team that lost play-off final
Semi-finalists Two teams that lost in play-off semi-finals
Supporters at the Millennium Stadium in 2006 whereWatfordbeatLeeds United3–0 in the final.
Derby CountyandWest Bromwich Albioncrests before kick-off at theWembley Stadiumfinal in 2007
The crests ofBristol CityandHull City,prior to the final in 2008
Players ofSwansea Citycelebrating the play-off final victory at Wembley Stadium in 2011
Fans arriving at the final at Wembley Stadium in 2012
Panorama of Wembley Stadium in the 2015 final whereNorwich CitybeatMiddlesbrough
Winners of the EFL Championship play-offs along with runners-up and semi-finalists
Year Venue Winner Final Runner-up Semi-finalists Ref.
1987 Selhurst Park/Elland Road^ Charlton Athletic(1) 1–1 Leeds United Oldham Athletic
Ipswich Town 		[11]
1987 (R) St Andrew's 2–1
1988 Ayresome Park/Stamford Bridge^ Middlesbrough(1) 2–1 Chelsea Bradford City
Blackburn Rovers 		[30]
1989 Ewood Park/Selhurst Park^ Crystal Palace(1) 4–3 Blackburn Rovers Watford
Swindon Town 		[31]
1990 Wembley Stadium (original) Swindon Town(1)[a] 1–0 Sunderland Newcastle United
Blackburn Rovers 		[33]
1991 Notts County(1) 3–1 Brighton & Hove Albion Millwall
Middlesbrough 		[34]
1992 Blackburn Rovers(1) 1–0 Leicester City Derby County
Cambridge United 		[35]
1993 Swindon Town(2) 4–3 Leicester City Portsmouth
Tranmere Rovers 		[36]
1994 Leicester City(1) 2–1 Derby County Millwall
Tranmere Rovers 		[37]
1995 Bolton Wanderers(1) 4–3† Reading Wolverhampton Wanderers
Tranmere Rovers 		[38]
1996 Leicester City(2) 2–1† Crystal Palace Stoke City
Charlton Athletic 		[39]
1997 Crystal Palace(2) 1–0 Sheffield United Wolverhampton Wanderers
Ipswich Town 		[40]
1998 Charlton Athletic(2) 4–4‡[b] Sunderland Ipswich Town
Sheffield United 		[41]
1999 Watford(1) 2–0 Bolton Wanderers Ipswich Town
Birmingham City 		[42]
2000 Ipswich Town(1) 4–2 Barnsley Birmingham City
Bolton Wanderers 		[43]
2001 Millennium Stadium Bolton Wanderers(2) 3–0 Preston North End Birmingham City
West Bromwich Albion 		[17]
2002 Birmingham City(1) 1–1‡[c] Norwich City Wolverhampton Wanderers
Millwall 		[44]
2003 Wolverhampton Wanderers(1) 3–0 Sheffield United Reading
Nottingham Forest 		[45]
2004 Crystal Palace(3) 1–0 West Ham United Sunderland
Ipswich Town 		[46]
2005 West Ham United(1) 1–0 Preston North End Ipswich Town
Derby County 		[47]
2006 Watford(2) 3–0 Leeds United Preston North End
Crystal Palace 		[48]
2007 Wembley Stadium Derby County(1) 1–0 West Bromwich Albion Wolverhampton Wanderers
Southampton 		[18]
2008 Hull City(1) 1–0 Bristol City Crystal Palace
Watford 		[49]
2009 Burnley(1) 1–0 Sheffield United Reading
Preston North End 		[50]
2010 Blackpool(1) 3–2 Cardiff City Nottingham Forest
Leicester City 		[51]
2011 Swansea City(1) 4–2 Reading Cardiff City
Nottingham Forest 		[52]
2012 West Ham United(2) 2–1 Blackpool Birmingham City
Cardiff City 		[53]
2013 Crystal Palace(4) 1–0† Watford Brighton & Hove Albion
Leicester City 		[54]
2014 Queens Park Rangers(1) 1–0 Derby County Wigan Athletic
Brighton & Hove Albion 		[55]
2015 Norwich City(1) 2–0 Middlesbrough Brentford
Ipswich Town 		[56]
2016 Hull City(2) 1–0 Sheffield Wednesday Brighton & Hove Albion
Derby County 		[57]
2017 Huddersfield Town(1) 0–0‡[d] Reading Sheffield Wednesday
Fulham 		[58]
2018 Fulham(1) 1–0 Aston Villa Derby County
Middlesbrough 		[59]
2019 Aston Villa(1) 2–1 Derby County West Bromwich Albion
Leeds United 		[60]
2020 Fulham(2) 2–1† Brentford Cardiff City
Swansea City 		[61]
2021 Brentford(1) 2–0 Swansea City Bournemouth
Barnsley 		[62]
2022 Nottingham Forest(1) 1–0 Huddersfield Town Luton Town
Sheffield United 		[63]
2023 Luton Town(1) 1–1‡[e] Coventry City Sunderland
Middlesbrough 		[64]
2024 Southampton(1) 1–0 Leeds United West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City 		[65]

Statistics

edit

Crystal Palace have secured promotion to the top tier of English football through the play-offs more times than any other club, having won four finals. Fulham,West Ham United,Watford,Bolton Wanderers,Hull Cityand Swindon Town have also won the second-tier play-offs on two occasions (although Swindon have only won promotion through the play-offs once, as promotion was withdrawn following their first play-off victory due to financial irregularities). Derby County,ReadingandSheffield Unitedhave each lost three times in the Championship play-off finals.Ipswich Townhave participated in the Championship play-offs a joint-record eight times: 1987, 1997–2000 inclusive, 2004, 2005 and 2015, making the final only once in 2000 when they won promotion with a 4–2 victory overBarnsley.Derby County have also qualified for the play-offs eight times, with their only promotion coming following a win over West Bromwich Albion in the 2007 final.Leicester Cityhave reached the Championship play-off final four times (in the space of five seasons), losing two in 1992 and 1993 and winning two in 1994 and 1996.[66]

Notes

edit
  1. ^Due to financial irregularities, Swindon Town were prevented from taking their place in the top division, which was instead awarded to the losing finalists, Sunderland.[32]
  2. ^Charlton Athletic won the 1998 Football League First Division play-off final with a 7–6 penalty shoot-out victory over Sunderland.[41]
  3. ^Birmingham City won the 2002 Football League First Division play-off final with a 4–2 penalty shoot-out victory over Norwich City.[44]
  4. ^Huddersfield Town won the 2017 EFL Championship play-off final with a 4–3 penalty shoot-out victory over Reading.[58]
  5. ^Luton Town won the 2023 EFL Championship play-off final with a 6–5 penalty shoot-out victory over Coventry City.

References

edit
  1. ^EFL."About the Play-Offs".EFL.Retrieved18 April2024.
  2. ^ab"About the Play-Offs".English Football League.Archivedfrom the original on 17 January 2021.Retrieved21 March2021.
  3. ^Woodcock, Ian; Williams, Adam (22 May 2020)."EFL play-offs: Relive some of the most memorable games".BBC Sport.Archivedfrom the original on 3 May 2021.Retrieved3 May2021.
  4. ^Foster 2015,p. 12.
  5. ^Foster 2015,p. 13.
  6. ^Foster 2015,pp. 14–15.
  7. ^abFoster 2015,p. 27.
  8. ^Foster 2015,p. 19.
  9. ^Foster 2015,p. 18.
  10. ^abcPye, Steven (22 May 2015)."How Charlton, Swindon and Aldershot triumphed in the first play-offs in 1987".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 3 June 2020.Retrieved21 March2021.
  11. ^abFoster 2015,p. 194.
  12. ^Foster 2015,p. 195.
  13. ^abFoster 2015,p. 62.
  14. ^Ralph, Michael (4 June 1989)."play-off finals: Palace up".The Observer.p. 24.Archivedfrom the original on 18 January 2021.Retrieved18 January2021– viaNewspapers.
  15. ^"Sunderland v Swindon Town, 28 May 1990".11v11.AFS Enterprises.Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2021.Retrieved12 January2021.
  16. ^Lengel, David (29 July 2016)."The Joy of Six: sports executives who paid for their crimes in prison".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 20 December 2018.Retrieved15 January2021.
  17. ^abFoster 2015,p. 211.
  18. ^abFoster 2015,p. 217.
  19. ^"Brentford v Fulham, 04 August 2020".11v11.AFS Enterprises.Archivedfrom the original on 6 September 2020.Retrieved21 March2021.
  20. ^Foster, p. 23
  21. ^"Division One renamed The Championship".The Guardian.10 June 2004.Archivedfrom the original on 11 August 2017.Retrieved20 January2021.
  22. ^Rej, Arindam (1 August 2004)."Pop goes the Championship".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 25 March 2021.Retrieved21 March2021.
  23. ^Rumsby, Ben (12 November 2015)."Rebranded Football League changing its name to English Football League as EFL unveils new logo".The Daily Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on 29 September 2017.Retrieved21 March2021.
  24. ^"Brentford and Fulham contest for biggest financial prize in world football".Deloitte.3 August 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 1 November 2020.Retrieved21 March2021.
  25. ^"In the Money: How much is the Championship Play Off final really worth?".TalkSport.Archivedfrom the original on 28 July 2019.Retrieved28 July2019.
  26. ^Cuff, Andrew (3 May 2007)."Promotion worth £60m".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 2 April 2008.Retrieved21 March2021.
  27. ^"Losers in line for final windfall".BBC Sport.15 May 2006.Archivedfrom the original on 19 May 2009.Retrieved18 May2008.
  28. ^Foster 2015,p. 35.
  29. ^"Gallery: Sky Bet Championship play-off final".English Football League.5 August 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 14 April 2021.Retrieved3 May2021.
  30. ^Foster 2015,p. 196.
  31. ^Foster 2015,p. 198.
  32. ^Foster 2015,pp. 69–70.
  33. ^Foster 2015,p. 200.
  34. ^Foster 2015,p. 201.
  35. ^Foster 2015,p. 202.
  36. ^Foster 2015,p. 203.
  37. ^Foster 2015,p. 204.
  38. ^Foster 2015,p. 205.
  39. ^Foster 2015,p. 206.
  40. ^Foster 2015,p. 207.
  41. ^abFoster 2015,p. 208.
  42. ^Foster 2015,p. 209.
  43. ^Foster 2015,p. 210.
  44. ^abFoster 2015,p. 212.
  45. ^Foster 2015,p. 213.
  46. ^Foster 2015,p. 214.
  47. ^Foster 2015,p. 215.
  48. ^Foster 2015,p. 216.
  49. ^Foster 2015,p. 218.
  50. ^Foster 2015,p. 219.
  51. ^Foster 2015,p. 220.
  52. ^Foster 2015,p. 221.
  53. ^Foster 2015,p. 222.
  54. ^Foster 2015,p. 223.
  55. ^Foster 2015,p. 224.
  56. ^Foster 2015,p. 225.
  57. ^"League Championship end of season table for 2015–16 season".11v11.Archivedfrom the original on 25 March 2021.Retrieved20 March2021.
  58. ^ab"League Championship end of season table for 2016–17 season".11v11.Archivedfrom the original on 25 March 2021.Retrieved20 March2021.
  59. ^"League Championship end of season table for 2017–18 season".11v11.Archivedfrom the original on 31 March 2019.Retrieved20 March2021.
  60. ^"League Championship end of season table for 2018–19 season".11v11.Archivedfrom the original on 25 March 2021.Retrieved20 March2021.
  61. ^"League Championship end of season table for 2019–20 season".11v11.Archivedfrom the original on 6 September 2020.Retrieved20 March2021.
  62. ^"League Championship end of season table for 2020–21 season".11v11.Archivedfrom the original on 2 June 2021.Retrieved30 May2021.
  63. ^"League Championship end of season table for 2021–22 season".11v11.Archivedfrom the original on 30 May 2022.Retrieved30 May2022.
  64. ^"League Championship end of season table for 2022–23 season".11v11.Retrieved20 May2023.
  65. ^"League Championship end of season table for 2023–24 season".11v11.Retrieved17 May2024.
  66. ^Foster 2015,pp. 194–225.

Bibliography

edit
  • Foster, Richard (2015).The Agony & The Ecstasy (A Comprehensive History of the Football League Play-Offs).Ockley Books.ISBN978-1-910906-00-2.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=EFL_Championship_play-offs&oldid=1270144442"