2002 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 2001–02 season were held in May 2002, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish 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 will go through to the finals, with the winner of the matches gaining promotion for the following season.

Football League play-offs
Season2001–02
ChampionsBirmingham City
(First Division)
Stoke City
(Second Division)
Cheltenham Town
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored35 (2.33 per match)
Biggest home winNorwich 3–1 Wolves
(First Division)
Biggest away winCardiff 0–2 Stoke
(Second Division)
Highest scoringNorwich 3–1 Wolves
Rushden & Diamonds 2–2 Rochdale
Cheltenham 3–1 Rushden & Diamonds
(4 goals)
Highest attendance71,597 – Birmingham v Norwich
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance6,015 – Rushden & Diamonds v Rochdale
(Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance21,859
← 2001
2003 →

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.

In the First Division, Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 20 years, finished 3 points behind their Black Country rivals West Bromwich Albion, who finished second and thus gained automatic promotion. Albion ended the season 10 points behind champions Manchester City, who returned to the Premier League after being relegated the previous season. Millwall who were aiming for a place in the top flight for the first time since 1990, finished in fourth place in the table. Birmingham City, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1986, finished in fifth place. Norwich City finished 1 point behind Birmingham City and were looking for a place back in the Premiership for the first time since 1995.

First Division
Main article: 2001–02 Football League First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Wolverhampton Wanderers 462511107643+3386
4Millwall 462211136948+2177
5Birmingham City 462113127049+2176
6Norwich City 462291560510+975

Semi-finals
First leg
Birmingham City1–1Millwall
Hughes 56' Report Dublin 80'
Attendance: 28,282
Referee: Anthony Bates
Norwich City3–1Wolverhampton Wanderers
Rivers 56'
McVeigh 73'
Mackay 90'		 Report Sturridge 22'
Attendance: 20,127
Referee: Roger Furnandiz
Second leg
Wolverhampton Wanderers1–0Norwich City
Cooper 77' Report
Attendance: 27,418
Referee: Tony Leake

Norwich City won 3–2 on aggregate.

Millwall0–1Birmingham City
Report John 90'
The New Den, London
Attendance: 16,391
Referee: Graham Laws

Birmingham City won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 2002 Football League First Division play-off final
Birmingham City1–1 (a.e.t.)Norwich City
Horsfield 102' Report Roberts 91'
Penalties
John soccer ball with check mark
Devlin soccer ball with check mark
Lazaridis soccer ball with check mark
Carter soccer ball with check mark		 4–2 soccer ball with check mark Roberts
soccer ball with red X Mulryne
soccer ball with red X Sutch
soccer ball with check mark Easton
Attendance: 71,597
Referee: Graham Barber

Second Division
Main article: 2001–02 Football League Second Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Brentford 462411117743+3483
4Cardiff City 46231497550+2583
5Stoke City 462311126740+2780
6Huddersfield Town 462115106547+1878

Semi-finals
First leg
Stoke City1–2Cardiff City
Burton 84' Report Earnshaw 12'
Fortune-West 59'
Attendance: 21,245
Referee: Tony Leake
Huddersfield Town0–0Brentford
Report
Attendance: 16,523
Referee: Graham Laws
Second leg
Brentford2–1Huddersfield Town
Powell 14'
Owusu 46'		 Report Booth 2'
Attendance: 11,191
Referee: Graham Barber

Brentford won 2–1 on aggregate.

Cardiff City0–2 (a.e.t.)Stoke City
Report O'Connor 90'
Oularé 115'
Attendance: 19,367
Referee: Mike Dean

Stoke City won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 2002 Football League Second Division play-off final
Brentford0–2Stoke City
Report Burton 16'
Burgess 45' (o.g.)
Attendance: 42,523
Referee: Graham Laws

Third Division
Main article: 2001–02 Football League Third Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Cheltenham Town 462115106649+1778
5Rochdale 462115106552+1378
6Rushden & Diamonds 462013136953+1673
7Hartlepool United 462011157448+2671

Semi-finals
First leg
Hartlepool United1–1Cheltenham Town
Williams 45' Report Grayson 89'
Attendance: 7,135
Referee: Mike Dean
Rushden & Diamonds2–2Rochdale
Wardley 34'
Butterworth 73'		 Report McEvilly 8'
Simpson 57'
Attendance: 6,015
Referee: Graham Barber
Second leg
Cheltenham Town1–1 (a.e.t.)Hartlepool United
Williams 26' Report Arnison 17'
Penalties
Grayson soccer ball with check mark
Lee soccer ball with check mark
Yates soccer ball with check mark
Duff soccer ball with red X
Finnigan soccer ball with check mark
Alsop soccer ball with check mark		 5–4 soccer ball with check mark Smith
soccer ball with red X Stephenson
soccer ball with check mark Arnison
soccer ball with check mark Henderson
soccer ball with check mark Watson
soccer ball with red X Humphreys
Attendance: 7,165
Referee: Andy Hall

Cheltenham Town 2–2 Hartlepool United on aggregate. Cheltenham Town won 5–4 on penalties.

Rochdale1–2Rushden & Diamonds
Peters 65' (o.g.) Report Lowe 67'
Hall 76'
Attendance: 8,547
Referee: Roger Furnandiz

Rushden & Diamonds won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 2002 Football League Third Division play-off final
Cheltenham Town3–1Rushden & Diamonds
Devaney 27'
Alsop 49'
Finnigan 80'		 Report Hall 28'
Attendance: 24,368
Referee: Tony Leake
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.