2008 Football League play-offs

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Leeds
(League One)
Highest scoringDoncaster 5–1 Southend
(6 goals)
Highest attendance86,703 – Bristol City v Hull
(Championship final)
Lowest attendance6,371 – Wycombe v Stockport
(League Two semi-final)
Average attendance25,469
← 2007
→

The

Football League play-offs for the 2007–08 season were held in May 2008, with the finals taking place at Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs and were contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League Championship and League One tables, and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in League Two. The semi-final winners progressed to the finals, with the winner of each match earning promotion for the following season
.

Hull City won promotion to the Premier League after defeating Bristol City in the Championship final, 1–0 with a goal from their leading scorer Dean Windass. This marked the Tigers' first entry to the top division of English football in their existence.

In

Leeds United. Stockport County defeated Rochdale 3–2 in the League Two final
. This meant all three clubs who had finished immediately below the automatic promotion places in their divisions were promoted.

Background

The Football League play-offs have been held every year since 1987. They take place for each of the three Football League divisions following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the four clubs finishing immediately below the automatic promotion places.

In the Championship, Hull City finished four points behind second-placed Stoke City, who were promoted with champions West Bromwich Albion. Bristol City - who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1980 - finished in fourth place in their first season at Championship level for nine years. The other entrants, Crystal Palace and Watford, had both played in the Premier League before, with Palace's last spell in the top division ending in a final day relegation in 2005, a year after having won the play-offs. Watford had been relegated from the top flight in the previous season, having finished bottom, and were looking to return at the first attempt.

Championship

Main article: 2007–08 Football League Championship
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Hull City 46 21 12 13 65 47 +18 75
4 Bristol City 46 20 14 12 54 53 0+1 74
5 Crystal Palace 46 18 17 11 58 42 +16 71
6 Watford 46 18 16 12 62 56 0+6 70

Semi-finals

First leg
Crystal Palace1–2Bristol City
Watson 87' (pen.
)		 Report
Noble
90+2'
Attendance: 22,869
Referee: Mike Jones
Watford0–2Hull City
Report
Barmby 8'
Windass
23'
Attendance: 14,713
Referee: Kevin Friend
Second leg
Bristol City2–1 (a.e.t.)Crystal Palace
Trundle 104'
McIndoe 110'		 Report
Watson
24'
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Attendance: 18,842
Referee: Howard Webb

Bristol City won 4–2 on aggregate.

Hull City4–1Watford
Barmby 43'
Folan 70'
Garcia 88'
Doyle
90'		 Report Henderson 12'
KC Stadium, Hull
Attendance: 23,155

Hull City won 6–1 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 2008 Football League Championship play-off final
Bristol City0–1Hull City
Report Windass 38'
Attendance: 86,703
Referee: Alan Wiley

League One

Main article: 2007–08 Football League One
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Doncaster Rovers 46 23 11 12 83 47 +24 80
4 Carlisle United 46 23 11 12 64 46 +18 80
5
Leeds United
 46 27 10 9 72 38 +34 76*
6 Southend United 46 22 10 14 70 55 +15 76
  • Leeds United were docked 15 points by the
    Football League due to the club not following Football League rules on clubs entering administration.[1][2]

Semi-finals

First leg
Southend United0–0Doncaster Rovers
Report
Southend
Attendance: 9,109
Referee: Paul Taylor
Leeds United
1–2Carlisle United
Freedman 90' Report Graham 32'
Bridge-Wilkinson 50'
Attendance: 36,297
Referee: Anthony Bates
Second leg
Leeds United
Report
Howson
10', 90'
Carlisle
Attendance: 12,873
Referee: Alan Wiley

Leeds United won 3–2 on aggregate.

Doncaster Rovers5–1Southend United
Stock 11' (pen.)
Barrett 21' (o.g.)
Coppinger 39', 52', 80'		 Report Bailey 88'
Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Attendance: 13,081
Referee: Mark Halsey

Doncaster Rovers won 5–1 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 2008 Football League One play-off final
Leeds United
Hayter 48' Report
Attendance: 75,132
Referee: Andy D'Urso

League Two

Main article: 2007–08 Football League Two
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Stockport County 46 24 10 12 72 54 +18 82
5 Rochdale 46 23 11 12 77 54 +23 80
6 Darlington 46 22 12 12 67 40 +27 78
7 Wycombe Wanderers 46 22 12 12 56 42 +14 78

Semi-finals

First leg
Darlington2–1Rochdale
Miller
90'		 Report Dagnall 70'
Attendance: 8,057
Wycombe Wanderers1–1Stockport County
Facey 37' Report Gleeson 82'
Attendance: 6,371
Referee: Darren Deadman
Second leg
Rochdale2–1 (a.e.t.)Darlington
Dagnall 43'
Perkins 78'		 Report Keltie 28' (pen.)
Penalties
Jones soccer ball with check mark
Muirhead
soccer ball with check mark		 5–4 soccer ball with check mark Guylain
soccer ball with check mark Purdie
soccer ball with check mark Wainwright
soccer ball with check mark Ravenhill
soccer ball with red X Kennedy
Attendance: 9,870
Referee: Richard Beeby

Rochdale 3–3 Darlington on aggregate. Rochdale won 5–4 on penalties.

Stockport County1–0Wycombe Wanderers
Dickinson 7' Report
Attendance: 9,245
Referee: Andy D'Urso

Stockport County won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 2008 Football League Two play-off final
Rochdale2–3Stockport County
McArdle 24'
Rundle 77'		 Report Stanton 34' (o.g.)
Pilkington 49'
Dickinson 67'
Attendance: 35,715

References

  1. ^ "Coca Cola Football League One Table". The Football League. 3 May 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  2. ^ "Leeds United hit with 15 point deduction". The Football League. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.

External links

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