grafikhaus
Kraft durch Freude
No, no. Put that drink down! Just a reminder of our history since they started at the end of the 1986-87. We're not very good at play-offs, are we?
Football league play-offs began at the end of the 1986-87 season and the four teams finishing directly below the automatic promotion places in each of the three Football League divisions enter the play-offs in a chance to win promotion to the division above. In the Championship and League One these are the teams finishing in third, fourth, fifth and sixth place.
‘Relegation Play-offs’
During the first two stagings of the play-offs in 1987 and 1988, the four teams involved were the three clubs that finished directly below the automatic promotions positions, plus the club which finished directly above the automatic relegation places in the division above.
This was part of the league's two-season-long restructuring that would reduce the number of teams in the top tier (from 22 to 20) while increasing them in the lower divisions (creating three divisions of 24 clubs); during these seasons, only one club (Charlton Athletic in 1987) that entered the play-offs in a relegation place managed to win the play-offs and therefore retain their divisional status.
‘Promotion Play-offs’
In the seasons prior to the 1990 play-offs, the finals were two-legged ties with both teams hosting the other once. If the two teams could not be separated, a tie-breaker was then staged at a neutral venue.
Since 1990 a one-off final match has been used to determine the play-off winners, which has traditionally been staged at the old Wembley Stadium. Between 2001 and 2006 the final was instead moved to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium while the new Wembley Stadium was being constructed. In 2011 the Football League was forced to use Old Trafford for the League One and League Two play-off finals because Wembley was unavailable, being used instead for the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final.
Before the 1999–2000 season away goals were used as a tie-breaker after extra time had been played, however, this was abolished following a club initiative launched by then-Ipswich Town chairman David Sheepshanks, after his club had twice lost on away goals in 1997 and 1999. Since then away goals have played no part in the play-off system.
In the 1987-88 season, United finished third-bottom in Division Two (Reading and Huddersfield had been automatically relegated), so would play Bristol City (who finished fifth in Division Three) to decide who would get promoted/relegated. Sunderland (1st) and Brighton (2nd) had been automatically promoted from Division Three, Walsall (3rd) would play Notts County (4th) in the play-off semi finals (Walsall would win 4-2 and eventually reach the PO Final where they would beat Bristol City after both home and away legs finished level on a 3-3 aggregate and Walsall won the replay 4-0, therefore gaining promotion to Division Two). Still with me?
On Sunday 15th May 1988, United lost their first-leg semi-final game 0-1 at Ashton Gate. Three days later (18th) we drew the second-leg tie 1-1 and would be relegated.
The 1996-97 season ended with United fifth in Division One (second tier) and would play Ipswich Town (who finished in 4th place) in a two-leg semi-final play-off to decide who would go up to the top tier (FA Premier League). The first leg on May 10th at Bramall Lane ended in a 1-1 draw with Jan Åge Fjørtoft scoring our goal. The second leg at Portman Road (14th May) saw a thrilling rearguard display where United got through to the PO Final with a 2-2 draw, therefore winning on away goals. Our goals were scored by Petr Katchouro and Andy Walker.
The final was on 26th May at the ‘old’ Wembley Stadium against Crystal Palace where David Hopkin would score the only goal – a last-minute winner for Palace.
We were in the play-offs again the following season (1997-98) when we beat Sunderland (May 10th, 1998) 2-1 in the first leg at Bramall Lane (Marcelo & Borbokis) but lost the second leg (May 13th) 0-2.
Our next play-off appearance came at the end of the 2002-03 season – the ‘Triple Assault’ season. Us and Nottingham Forest were vying for promotion from Division One to the Premier League (United had finished their Division One season in third place, Forest were 6th). The first leg of the PO semi-final was played at the City Ground (May 10th, 2003) and Forest were leading 1-0 until a late penalty was won – and converted – by Michael Brown. 1-1 and game on for the second leg at Bramall Lane on 15th May.
0-2 down at one stage, United turned it on to eventually win a fabulous game 4-3.
Onto the final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium v Wolves on 26th May. 0-3. Nuff said.
The 2008-09 season saw United finish third in The Championship and we would play Preston (6th) in the PO semis. We drew the first leg at Deepdale on May 8th 1-1 (Howard) and won the second leg at home (May 11th) 1-0 (Halford).
United made their first-ever trip to ‘new’ Wembley on 25th May and would lose 0-1 in front of 80,518.
The 2011-12 season saw us trying to escape League One (third tier) at the first attempt and get back into The Championship. On May 11th 2012 we drew the semi-final first-leg play-off game 0-0 at Stevenage before winning the second leg at Bramall Lane on May 14th, 1-0 (Chris Porter).
Our opponents in the final would be Huddersfield Town on our second visit to ‘new’ Wembley on 26th May. 0-0 after extra-time, we lost the penalty shoot-out 7-8.
2012-13 saw us still in League One but Danny Wilson/Chris Morgan (caretaker) saw us finish in fifth place and would meet fourth-placed Yeovil Town (I can’t believe I’m typing this) in the PO semi-final first leg at Bramall Lane on May 3rd. A goal by McFadzean saw us take this slender lead to Huish Park on May 6th. We lost this game 0-2, so 1-2 on aggregate.
By the 2014-15 season (and still in League One), Nigel Clough’s Blades ended the season in fifth place and would meet Swindon Town (4th) on May 7th at Bramall Lane for the first leg of the play-off semis. Leading 1-0 at half-time (Freeman), we lost this game 1-2.
Three days later (May 10th) the second-leg at The County Ground saw us trailing 2-3 at half time (an own-goal and Basham). The game ended with an incredible 5-5 scoreline (Steve Davies, Matt Done and Che Adams got our second-half goals) so we were out on a 6-7 aggregate – the highest-scoring game in the history of the play-offs. Two weeks after this game, Nigel Clough was sacked and replaced by…Nigel Adkins.
Since then, we’ve (mercifully) not been involved in the play-offs…
Football league play-offs began at the end of the 1986-87 season and the four teams finishing directly below the automatic promotion places in each of the three Football League divisions enter the play-offs in a chance to win promotion to the division above. In the Championship and League One these are the teams finishing in third, fourth, fifth and sixth place.
‘Relegation Play-offs’
During the first two stagings of the play-offs in 1987 and 1988, the four teams involved were the three clubs that finished directly below the automatic promotions positions, plus the club which finished directly above the automatic relegation places in the division above.
This was part of the league's two-season-long restructuring that would reduce the number of teams in the top tier (from 22 to 20) while increasing them in the lower divisions (creating three divisions of 24 clubs); during these seasons, only one club (Charlton Athletic in 1987) that entered the play-offs in a relegation place managed to win the play-offs and therefore retain their divisional status.
‘Promotion Play-offs’
In the seasons prior to the 1990 play-offs, the finals were two-legged ties with both teams hosting the other once. If the two teams could not be separated, a tie-breaker was then staged at a neutral venue.
Since 1990 a one-off final match has been used to determine the play-off winners, which has traditionally been staged at the old Wembley Stadium. Between 2001 and 2006 the final was instead moved to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium while the new Wembley Stadium was being constructed. In 2011 the Football League was forced to use Old Trafford for the League One and League Two play-off finals because Wembley was unavailable, being used instead for the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final.
Before the 1999–2000 season away goals were used as a tie-breaker after extra time had been played, however, this was abolished following a club initiative launched by then-Ipswich Town chairman David Sheepshanks, after his club had twice lost on away goals in 1997 and 1999. Since then away goals have played no part in the play-off system.
In the 1987-88 season, United finished third-bottom in Division Two (Reading and Huddersfield had been automatically relegated), so would play Bristol City (who finished fifth in Division Three) to decide who would get promoted/relegated. Sunderland (1st) and Brighton (2nd) had been automatically promoted from Division Three, Walsall (3rd) would play Notts County (4th) in the play-off semi finals (Walsall would win 4-2 and eventually reach the PO Final where they would beat Bristol City after both home and away legs finished level on a 3-3 aggregate and Walsall won the replay 4-0, therefore gaining promotion to Division Two). Still with me?
On Sunday 15th May 1988, United lost their first-leg semi-final game 0-1 at Ashton Gate. Three days later (18th) we drew the second-leg tie 1-1 and would be relegated.
The 1996-97 season ended with United fifth in Division One (second tier) and would play Ipswich Town (who finished in 4th place) in a two-leg semi-final play-off to decide who would go up to the top tier (FA Premier League). The first leg on May 10th at Bramall Lane ended in a 1-1 draw with Jan Åge Fjørtoft scoring our goal. The second leg at Portman Road (14th May) saw a thrilling rearguard display where United got through to the PO Final with a 2-2 draw, therefore winning on away goals. Our goals were scored by Petr Katchouro and Andy Walker.
The final was on 26th May at the ‘old’ Wembley Stadium against Crystal Palace where David Hopkin would score the only goal – a last-minute winner for Palace.
We were in the play-offs again the following season (1997-98) when we beat Sunderland (May 10th, 1998) 2-1 in the first leg at Bramall Lane (Marcelo & Borbokis) but lost the second leg (May 13th) 0-2.
Our next play-off appearance came at the end of the 2002-03 season – the ‘Triple Assault’ season. Us and Nottingham Forest were vying for promotion from Division One to the Premier League (United had finished their Division One season in third place, Forest were 6th). The first leg of the PO semi-final was played at the City Ground (May 10th, 2003) and Forest were leading 1-0 until a late penalty was won – and converted – by Michael Brown. 1-1 and game on for the second leg at Bramall Lane on 15th May.
0-2 down at one stage, United turned it on to eventually win a fabulous game 4-3.
Onto the final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium v Wolves on 26th May. 0-3. Nuff said.
The 2008-09 season saw United finish third in The Championship and we would play Preston (6th) in the PO semis. We drew the first leg at Deepdale on May 8th 1-1 (Howard) and won the second leg at home (May 11th) 1-0 (Halford).
United made their first-ever trip to ‘new’ Wembley on 25th May and would lose 0-1 in front of 80,518.
The 2011-12 season saw us trying to escape League One (third tier) at the first attempt and get back into The Championship. On May 11th 2012 we drew the semi-final first-leg play-off game 0-0 at Stevenage before winning the second leg at Bramall Lane on May 14th, 1-0 (Chris Porter).
Our opponents in the final would be Huddersfield Town on our second visit to ‘new’ Wembley on 26th May. 0-0 after extra-time, we lost the penalty shoot-out 7-8.
2012-13 saw us still in League One but Danny Wilson/Chris Morgan (caretaker) saw us finish in fifth place and would meet fourth-placed Yeovil Town (I can’t believe I’m typing this) in the PO semi-final first leg at Bramall Lane on May 3rd. A goal by McFadzean saw us take this slender lead to Huish Park on May 6th. We lost this game 0-2, so 1-2 on aggregate.
By the 2014-15 season (and still in League One), Nigel Clough’s Blades ended the season in fifth place and would meet Swindon Town (4th) on May 7th at Bramall Lane for the first leg of the play-off semis. Leading 1-0 at half-time (Freeman), we lost this game 1-2.
Three days later (May 10th) the second-leg at The County Ground saw us trailing 2-3 at half time (an own-goal and Basham). The game ended with an incredible 5-5 scoreline (Steve Davies, Matt Done and Che Adams got our second-half goals) so we were out on a 6-7 aggregate – the highest-scoring game in the history of the play-offs. Two weeks after this game, Nigel Clough was sacked and replaced by…Nigel Adkins.
Since then, we’ve (mercifully) not been involved in the play-offs…
