2008 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 2007–08 season were held in May 2008, with the finals taking place at Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs and were contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League Championship and League One tables, and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in League Two. The semi-final winners progressed to the finals, with the winner of each match earning promotion for the following season.

Football League play-offs
Season2007–08
ChampionsHull City
(Championship)
Doncaster Rovers
(League One)
Stockport County
(League Two)
Matches played15
Goals scored40 (2.67 per match)
Biggest home winDoncaster 5–1 Southend
(League One)
Biggest away winWatford 0–2 Hull City
(Championship)
Carlisle United 0–2 Leeds
(League One)
Highest scoringDoncaster 5–1 Southend
(6 goals)
Highest attendance86,703 – Bristol City v Hull
(Championship final)
Lowest attendance6,371 – Wycombe v Stockport
(League Two semi-final)
Average attendance25,469
2007
2009

Hull City won promotion to the Premier League after defeating Bristol City in the Championship final, 1–0 with a goal from their leading scorer Dean Windass. This marked the Tigers' first entry to the top division of English football in their existence.

In the League One final, another 1–0 victory saw Doncaster Rovers promoted ahead of Leeds United. Stockport County defeated Rochdale 3–2 in the League Two final. This meant all three clubs who had finished immediately below the automatic promotion places in their divisions were promoted.

Background

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The Football League play-offs have been held every year since 1987. They take place for each of the three Football League divisions following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the four clubs finishing immediately below the automatic promotion places.

In the Championship, Hull City finished four points behind second-placed Stoke City, who were promoted with champions West Bromwich Albion. Bristol City - who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1980 - finished in fourth place in their first season at Championship level for nine years. The other entrants, Crystal Palace and Watford, had both played in the Premier League before, with Palace's last spell in the top division ending in a final day relegation in 2005, a year after having won the play-offs. Watford had been relegated from the top flight in the previous season, having finished bottom, and were looking to return at the first attempt.

Championship

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Hull City 46 21 12 13 65 47 +18 75
4 Bristol City 46 20 14 12 54 53 0+1 74
5 Crystal Palace 46 18 17 11 58 42 +16 71
6 Watford 46 18 16 12 62 56 0+6 70

Semi-finals

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First leg
Crystal Palace1–2Bristol City
Watson   87' (pen.) Report Carey   53'
Noble   90+2'
Attendance: 22,869
Referee: Mike Jones

Watford0–2Hull City
Report Barmby   8'
Windass   23'
Attendance: 14,713
Referee: Kevin Friend
Second leg
Bristol City2–1 (a.e.t.)Crystal Palace
Trundle   104'
McIndoe   110'
Report Watson   24'
Attendance: 18,842
Referee: Howard Webb

Bristol City won 4–2 on aggregate.


Hull City4–1Watford
Barmby   43'
Folan   70'
Garcia   88'
Doyle   90'
Report Henderson   12'
Attendance: 23,155

Hull City won 6–1 on aggregate.

Final

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Bristol City0–1Hull City
Report Windass   38'
Attendance: 86,703
Referee: Alan Wiley

League One

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Doncaster Rovers 46 23 11 12 83 47 +24 80
4 Carlisle United 46 23 11 12 64 46 +18 80
5 Leeds United 46 27 10 9 72 38 +34 76*
6 Southend United 46 22 10 14 70 55 +15 76
  • Leeds United were docked 15 points by the Football League due to the club not following Football League rules on clubs entering administration.[1][2]

Semi-finals

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First leg
Southend United0–0Doncaster Rovers
Report
Attendance: 9,109
Referee: Paul Taylor

Leeds United1–2Carlisle United
Freedman   90' Report Graham   32'
Bridge-Wilkinson   50'
Attendance: 36,297
Referee: Anthony Bates
Second leg
Carlisle United0–2Leeds United
Report Howson   10', 90'
Attendance: 12,873
Referee: Alan Wiley

Leeds United won 3–2 on aggregate.


Doncaster Rovers5–1Southend United
Stock   11' (pen.)
Barrett   21' (o.g.)
Coppinger   39', 52', 80'
Report Bailey   88'
Attendance: 13,081
Referee: Mark Halsey

Doncaster Rovers won 5–1 on aggregate.

Final

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Doncaster Rovers1–0Leeds United
Hayter   48' Report
Attendance: 75,132
Referee: Andy D'Urso

League Two

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Stockport County 46 24 10 12 72 54 +18 82
5 Rochdale 46 23 11 12 77 54 +23 80
6 Darlington 46 22 12 12 67 40 +27 78
7 Wycombe Wanderers 46 22 12 12 56 42 +14 78

Semi-finals

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First leg
Darlington2–1Rochdale
Kennedy   28'
Miller   90'
Report Dagnall   70'
Attendance: 8,057

Wycombe Wanderers1–1Stockport County
Facey   37' Report Gleeson   82'
Attendance: 6,371
Referee: Darren Deadman
Second leg
Rochdale2–1 (a.e.t.)Darlington
Dagnall   43'
Perkins   78'
Report Keltie   28' (pen.)
Penalties
Dagnall  
Kennedy  
Le Fondre  
Jones  
Muirhead  
5–4   Guylain
  Purdie
  Wainwright
  Ravenhill
  Kennedy
Attendance: 9,870
Referee: Richard Beeby

Rochdale 3–3 Darlington on aggregate. Rochdale won 5–4 on penalties.


Stockport County1–0Wycombe Wanderers
Dickinson   7' Report
Attendance: 9,245
Referee: Andy D'Urso

Stockport County won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final

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Rochdale2–3Stockport County
McArdle   24'
Rundle   77'
Report Stanton   34' (o.g.)
Pilkington   49'
Dickinson   67'
Attendance: 35,715

References

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  1. ^ "Coca Cola Football League One Table". The Football League. 3 May 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  2. ^ "Leeds United hit with 15 point deduction". The Football League. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
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