1996 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 1995–96 season were held in May 1996, 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 First Division and Football League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the Football League Third Division table. The winners of the semi-finals progressed through to the finals, with the winner of these matches gaining promotion for the following season.

Football League play-offs
Season1995–96
ChampionsLeicester City
(First Division)
Bradford City
(Second Division)
Plymouth Argyle
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored32 (2.13 per match)
Biggest home winPlymouth 3–1 Colchester
(Third Division)
Biggest away winBlackpool 0–3 Bradford
(Second Division)
Highest scoringCrewe 2–2 Notts County
Plymouth 3–1 Colchester
(4 goals)
Highest attendance73,573 – Crystal Palace v Leicester
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance4,931 – Crewe v Notts County
(Second Division semi-final)
Average attendance20,567
← 1995
1997 →

Background

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

First Division
Main article: 1995–96 Football League First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Crystal Palace 462015116748+1975
4Stoke City 462013136049+1173
5Leicester City 4619141366600+671
6Charlton Athletic 46172095745+1271

Semi-finals
First leg
Charlton Athletic1–2Crystal Palace
Newton 1' Report Brown 65'
Veart 71'
Attendance: 14,618
Referee: John Kirkby
Leicester City0–0Stoke City
Attendance: 20,325
Referee: William Burns
Second leg
Crystal Palace1–0Charlton Athletic
Houghton 4' Report
Attendance: 22,880
Referee: Terry Heilbron

Crystal Palace won 3–1 on aggregate.

Stoke City0–1Leicester City
Parker 46'
Attendance: 21,037
Referee: Gurnam Singh

Leicester City won 1–0 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1996 Football League First Division play-off final
Crystal Palace1–2 (a.e.t.)Leicester City
Roberts 14' Parker 76' (pen.)
Claridge 120'
Attendance: 73,573
Referee: David Allison

Second Division
Main article: 1995–96 Football League Second Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Blackpool 462313106740+2782
4Notts County 462115106339+2478
5Crewe Alexandra 46227177760+1773
6Bradford City 462271771690+273

Semi-finals
First leg
Bradford City0–2Blackpool
Bonner 72'
Ellis 78'
Attendance: 14,273
Referee: Terry Heilbron
Crewe Alexandra2–2Notts County
Little 3'
Rivers 17'		 Finnan 55'
Martindale 90'
Attendance: 4,931
Referee: David Allison
Second leg
Blackpool0–3Bradford City
Shutt 39'
Hamilton 68'
Stallard 78'
Attendance: 9,593
Referee: William Burns

Bradford City won 3–2 on aggregate.

Notts County1–0Crewe Alexandra
Martindale 61'
Attendance: 9,640
Referee: Kevin Lynch

Notts County won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1996 Football League Second Division play-off final
Bradford City2–0Notts County
Hamilton 8'
Stallard 75'
Attendance: 39,972
Referee: Gurnam Singh

Third Division
Main article: 1995–96 Football League Third Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Plymouth Argyle 462212126849+1978
5Darlington 46201886042+1878
6Hereford United 462014126547+1874
7Colchester United 461818106151+1072

Semi-finals
First leg
Hereford United1–2Darlington
Smith 2' Gregan 27'
Blake 37'
Attendance: 6,622
Referee: Kevin Lynch
Colchester United1–0Plymouth Argyle
Kinsella 45'
Attendance: 6,511
Referee: Mick Pierce
Second leg
Plymouth Argyle3–1Colchester United
Evans 3'
Leadbitter 41'
Williams 85'		 Kinsella 66'
Attendance: 14,525
Referee: John Kirkby

Plymouth Argyle won 3–2 on aggregate.

Darlington2–1Hereford United
Painter 17'
Appleby 47' (pen.)		 White 65'
Attendance: 6,584
Referee: David Allison

Darlington won 4–2 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1996 Football League Third Division play-off final
Darlington0–1Plymouth Argyle
Mauge 65'
Attendance: 43,431
Referee: William Burns
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