2005 Football League play-offs
| Season | 2004–05 |
|---|---|
| Champions | West Ham United (Championship) Sheffield Wednesday (League One) Southend United (League Two) |
| Matches played | 15 |
| Goals scored | 29 (1.93 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Preston 2–0 Derby (Championship) Hartlepool 2–0 Tranmere (League One) Tranmere 2–0 Hartlepool (League One) |
| Biggest away win | Ipswich 0–2 West Ham (Championship) |
| Highest scoring | Hartlepool 2–4 Sheffield Wednesday (6 goals) |
| Highest attendance | 70,275 – Preston v West Ham (Championship final) |
| Lowest attendance | 5,223 – Macclesfield v Lincoln (League Two semi-final) |
| Average attendance | 23,500 |
← 2004 → | |
The
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 Championship, Ipswich Town, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 2002, finished 2 points behind second placed Wigan Athletic, who in turn finished 7 points behind champions Sunderland, who returned to the top flight at the second attempt after relegation from the Premier League in 2003. Derby County who were also relegated along with Ipswich from the top flight in 2002, finished in fourth place in the table. Preston North End who have not been in the top flight since 1961, finished in fifth place. West Ham United finished 2 points behind Preston North End and were looking for a place back in the Premiership after 2 seasons outside the top division.
Championship
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 85 | 56 | +29 | 85 |
| 4 | Derby County | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 71 | 60 | +11 | 76 |
| 5 | Preston North End | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 67 | 58 | +9 | 75 |
| 6 | West Ham United | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 66 | 56 | +10 | 73 |
Semi-finals
- First leg
| West Ham United | 2–2 | Ipswich Town |
|---|---|---|
Harewood  7'Zamora 13' |
Report | Walker 45' (o.g.) Kuqi 74' |
| Preston North End | 2–0 | Derby County |
|---|---|---|
| Nugent 38' Cresswell 90' |
Report |
- Second leg
| Ipswich Town | 0–2 | West Ham United |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Zamora 61', 72' |
West Ham United won 4–2 on aggregate.
Preston North End won 2–0 on aggregate.
Final
League One
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 73 | 55 | +18 | 79 |
| 4 | Brentford | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 57 | 60 | -3 | 75 |
| 5 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 77 | 59 | +18 | 72 |
| 6 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 76 | 66 | +10 | 71 |
Semi-finals
- First leg
| Hartlepool United | 2–0 | Tranmere Rovers |
|---|---|---|
| Boyd 32', 68' |
Report |
- Second leg
| Brentford | 1–2 | Sheffield Wednesday |
|---|---|---|
Frampton 87' |
Report | Peacock 27' Brunt 53' |
Sheffield Wednesday won 3–1 on aggregate.
| Tranmere Rovers | 2–0 (a.e.t.) | Hartlepool United |
|---|---|---|
| 87' |
Report | |
| Penalties | ||
 |
5–6 |  Strachan Tinkler Porter Robson Westwood Sweeney Humphreys |
Tranmere Rovers 2–2 Hartlepool United on aggregate. Hartlepool United won 6–5 on penalties.
Final
| Hartlepool United | 2–4 (a.e.t.) | Sheffield Wednesday |
|---|---|---|
| Williams 47' Daly 71' |
Report | 120' |
League Two
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Southend United | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 65 | 46 | +19 | 78 |
| 5 | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 60 | 49 | +11 | 75 |
| 6 | Lincoln City | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 64 | 47 | +17 | 72 |
| 7 | Northampton Town | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 62 | 51 | +11 | 72 |
Semi-finals
- First leg
| Lincoln City | 1–0 | Macclesfield Town |
|---|---|---|
| McAuley 11' |
Report |
| Northampton Town | 0–0 | Southend United |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
- Second leg
| Macclesfield Town | 1–1 | Lincoln City |
|---|---|---|
| Harsley 76' |
Report | McAuley 15' |
Lincoln City won 2–1 on aggregate.
| Southend United | 1–0 | Northampton Town |
|---|---|---|
| Eastwood 49' (pen.) |
Report |
Southend United won 1–0 on aggregate.
Final
| Lincoln City | 0–2 (a.e.t.) | Southend United |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Eastwood 105' Jupp 110' |