2003 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.

In the First Division, Sheffield United, who are aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1994, finished 12 points behind second placed Leicester City, who in turn finished 6 points behind champions Portsmouth, who returned to the top flight for the first time since 1988. Reading who are aiming for a place in the top flight for the first time in their history, finished in fourth place in the table. Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 20 years outside the top flight, finished in fifth place. Nottingham Forest finished 2 points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers and were looking for a place back in the Premiership for the first time since 1999.

First Division

Semi-finals

First leg

10 May 2003

12:15

Nottingham Forest	1–1	Sheffield United
Johnson 55'	Report	Brown 58' (pen.)

City Ground, Nottingham

Attendance: 29,064

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

10 May 2003

17:30

Wolverhampton Wanderers	2–1	Reading
Murty 75' (o.g.) Naylor 84'	Report	Forster 25'

Molineux, Wolverhampton

Attendance: 27,678

Referee: Alan Kaye

Second leg

14 May 2003

19:45

Reading	0–1	Wolverhampton Wanderers
	Report	Rae 81'

Madjeski Stadium, Reading

Attendance: 24,060

Referee: Howard Webb

15 May 2003

19:45

Sheffield United	4–3 (a.e.t.)	Nottingham Forest
Brown 60' Kabba 68' Peschisolido 112' Walker 117' (o.g.)	Report	Johnson 30' Reid 58' Page 119' (o.g.)

Bramall Lane, Sheffield

Attendance: 30,212

Referee: Peter Walton

Sheffield United won 5–4 on aggregate.

Final

26 May 2003

15:00

Sheffield United	0–3	Wolverhampton Wanderers
	Report	Kennedy 6' Blake 22' Miller 45'

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Attendance: 69,473

Referee: Steve Bennett

Second Division

Semi-finals

First leg

10 May 2003

15:00

Cardiff City	1–0	Bristol City
Thorne 74'	Report

Ninian Park, Cardiff

Attendance: 19,146

Referee: Howard Webb

10 May 2003

15:00

Oldham Athletic	1–1	Queens Park Rangers
Eyres 28'	Report	Langley 47'

Boundary Park, Oldham

Attendance: 12,152

Referee: Steve Bennett

Second leg

14 May 2003

19:45

Queens Park Rangers	1–0	Oldham Athletic
Furlong 82'	Report

Loftus Road, London

Attendance: 17,201

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Queens Park Rangers won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final

25 May 2003

15:00

Cardiff City	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Queens Park Rangers
Campbell 114'	Report

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Attendance: 66,096

Referee: Howard Webb

Third Division

Semi-finals

First leg

10 May 2003

15:00

Lincoln City	5–3	Scunthorpe United
Smith 55' Yeo 82', 90'	Report	Calvo García 26', 69' Stanton 70'

Lincoln

Attendance: 8,902

Referee: Peter Walton

13 May 2003

19:45

Bournemouth	3–1	Bury
O'Connor 21' Hayter 38', 60'	Report	Preece 67'

Fitness First Stadium, Bournemouth

Attendance: 7,945

Referee: Mick Fletcher

Bournemouth won 3–1 on aggregate.

14 May 2003

19:45

Scunthorpe United	0–1	Lincoln City
	Report	Yeo 88'

Glanford Park, Scunthorpe

Attendance: 8,295

Referee: Steve Bennett

Lincoln City won 6–3 on aggregate.

Final

24 May 2003

15:00

Bournemouth	5–2	Lincoln City
S. Fletcher 29' C. Fletcher 45', 77' Purches 56' O'Connor 60'	Report	Futcher 35' Bailey 75'

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Attendance: 32,148

Referee: Alan Kaye

External links

• Football League website