1994 Football League play-offs

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

After just missing out on the playoffs a year earlier, Millwall made a stronger challenge for promotion to the Premier League this time around, finishing third and qualifying for the playoffs. Leicester City, beaten finalists in the previous two seasons, qualified for the playoffs by finishing fourth. Tranmere Rovers, who had just missed out on a place in the League Cup final, made another strong challenge in the league and qualified for the playoffs for the second season running. The final playoff place went to Derby County.

The final ended up being an East Midlands clash as Leicester and Derby won in the semi-finals, and Leicester secured promotion after seven years outside the flight by winning the final 2-1 with both of their goals coming from long-serving Steve Walsh. The final was Leicester's seventh appearance at Wembley but the first game they had won there.

Semi-finals

First leg

15 May 1994

15:05

Derby County	2–0	Millwall
Cowans 22' Johnson 60'

Baseball Ground, Derby

Attendance: 17,401

Referee: Paul Durkin

Second leg

18 May 1994

19:45

Leicester City	2–1	Tranmere Rovers
Ormondroyd 45' Speedie 86'		Nevin 46'

Filbert Street, Leicester

Attendance: 16,470

Referee: Keith Cooper

Leicester City won 2–1 on aggregate.

18 May 1994

19:45

Millwall	1–3	Derby County
Berry 63'		Gabbiadini 16' Johnson 22' Van Den Hauwe 42' (o.g.)

The New Den, London

Attendance: 13,999

Referee: Brian Hill

Derby County won 5–1 on aggregate.

Final

30 May 1994

15:00

Derby County	1–2	Leicester City
Johnson 27'		Walsh 41', 87'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 73,671

Referee: Roger Milford

Second Division

Semi-finals

First leg

Second leg

18 May 1994

19:30

Stockport County	1–0	York City
Beaumont 85'

Edgeley Park, Stockport

Attendance: 6,743

Referee: Roger Milford

Stockport County won 1–0 on aggregate.

18 May 1994

19:45

Plymouth Argyle	1–3	Burnley
Marshall 15'		Francis 29', 31' Joyce 81'

Home Park, Plymouth

Attendance: 17,515

Referee: Terry Holbrook

Burnley won 3–1 on aggregate.

Final

29 May 1994

15:00

Burnley	2–1	Stockport County
Eyres 28' Parkinson 65'		Beaumont 2'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 44,806

Referee: David Elleray

Third Division

Semi-finals

First leg

15 May 1994

13:30

Torquay United	2–0	Preston North End
Darby 20' Moore 57'

Plainmoor, Torquay

Attendance: 4,440

Referee: Roger Milford

15 May 1994

15:00

Carlisle United	0–2	Wycombe Wanderers
		Thompson 33' Garner 86'

Carlisle

Attendance: 10,862

Referee: Brian Hill

18 May 1994

19:45

Preston North End	4–1 (a.e.t.)	Torquay United
Ellis 8' Moyes 43' Hicks 52' Raynor 116'		Goodridge 15'

Deepdale, Preston

Attendance: 11,442

Preston North End won 4–3 on aggregate.

18 May 1994

19:45

Wycombe Wanderers	2–1	Carlisle United
Carroll 12' Garner 58'		Davey 81' (pen.)

Adams Park, High Wycombe

Attendance: 5,265

Referee: Paul Durkin

Wycombe Wanderers won 4–1 on aggregate.

Final

28 May 1994

15:00

Preston North End	2–4	Wycombe Wanderers
Bryson 32' Raynor 37'		Squires 33' (o.g.) Garner 47' Carroll 57', 72'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 40,109

Referee: Keith Cooper

External links

• Football League website