2016 Football League One play-off Final

The 2016 EFL League One play-off Final was an association football match which was played on 29 May 2016 at Wembley Stadium, London, between Barnsley and Millwall to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from EFL League One to the EFL Championship. The top two teams of the 2015–16 Football League One season gained automatic promotion to the Championship, while the teams placed from third to sixth place in the table partook in play-off semi-finals; the winners of these semi-finals competed for the final place for the 2016–17 season in the Championship.

2016 Football League One play-off Final
The match took place at Wembley Stadium.
Event2015–16 Football League One
Date29 May 2016
VenueWembley Stadium, London
Man of the MatchAdam Hammill (Barnsley)
RefereeStuart Attwell
Attendance51,277
WeatherMild, overcast

Both Barnsley and Millwall had won one and lost one of their previous play-off finals going into the match. A Wembley Stadium crowd of more than 51,000 people watched the game which was refereed by Stuart Attwell. Ashley Fletcher opened the scoring for Barnsley after two minutes, and seventeen minutes later Adam Hammill doubled the lead. Eleven minutes before half-time, Millwall's Mark Beevers halved the deficit, but a goal on seventy-four minutes from Lloyd Isgrove restored Barnsley's two-goal advantage which they maintained to the final whistle, winning 31 and earning promotion to the Championship. Violence at the Millwall end of the stadium disrupted the latter stages of the match.

Millwall ended the following season in sixth place in League One and were promoted to the Championship after winning the 2017 EFL Championship play-off Final 10 against Bradford City. Barnsley's following season saw them finish in fourteenth place in the EFL Championship, seven points above the relegation zone and twenty-two points below the play-offs.

Route to the final

Football League One final table, leading positions[1]
Pos Team P W D L F A Pts
1. Wigan Athletic 46 24 15 07 82 45 87
2. Burton Albion 46 25 10 11 57 37 85
3. Walsall 46241210714984
4. Millwall 46240913734981
5. Bradford City 46231112554080
6. Barnsley 46220816705474
Pos=Position, P=Games played, W=Wins, D=Draws, L=Losses, F=Goals for, A=Goals against, Pts=Points

Millwall finished the regular 2015–16 season in fourth place in Football League One, the third tier of the English football league system, two places ahead of Barnsley. Both therefore missed out on the two automatic places for promotion to the EFL Championship and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the third promoted team. Millwall finished four points behind Burton Albion (who were promoted in second place) and six behind league winners Wigan Athletic. Barnsley ended the season seven points behind Millwall.[1][2]

Barnsley's opposition in their play-off semi-final was Walsall. The first leg was played at Barnsley's home ground, Oakwell. Jason Demetriou scored an own goal after he deflected Adam Hammill's shot into the Walsall net just before half-time. Sam Winnall then scored two second-half goals in two minutes to secure a 30 victory for Barnsley.[3] The second leg, played at Walsall's Bescot Stadium, took place five days later. Hammill scored his third semi-final goal in the 18th minute before Ashley Fletcher's second half strike extended Barnsley's aggregate lead to 50. Jordan Cook scored a late consolation for Walsall but Josh Brownhill scored Barnsley's third of the game in the final minute to end the tie 61 on aggregate to Barnsley.[4]

Millwall faced Bradford City in their play-off semi-final. The first leg was played at Bradford's home stadium, Valley Parade. Tony McMahon put the home team in the lead with a penalty early in the first half but Lee Gregory equalised two minutes later. Two further first-half goals, a header from Steve Morison and a free kick from Joe Martin, made the score 31 to Millwall. Despite Bradford having the majority of the possession, no further goals were scored in the second half.[5] The second leg took place five days later at Millwall's home stadium, The Den. Gregory's 34th minute strike gave Millwall the lead, but Bradford's Jamie Proctor scored on his second attempt to bring the leg level. Bradford once again dominated possession but could not convert their limited chances and the match ended 11, ensuring Millwall of a 42 win on aggregate and progress to the play-off final.[6]

Barnsley Round Millwall
Opponent Result Legs Semi-finals Opponent Result Legs
Walsall 6–1 3–0 home; 3–1 away Bradford City 4–2 3–1 away; 1–1 home

Match

Background

Millwall had featured in two play-off finals prior to this game. They lost the 2009 Football League One play-off Final 32 to Scunthorpe United but triumphed the following season in the 2010 Football League One play-off Final defeating Swindon Town 10.[7][8] They had also played at Wembley in the 2012–13 FA Cup semi-final, losing to Wigan Athletic.[9] Barnsley had also appeared in two play-off finals before this match. They lost 42 to Ipswich Town in the 2000 Football League First Division play-off Final at the old Wembley Stadium and beat Swansea City in a penalty shootout to secure promotion in the 2006 Football League One play-off Final at the Millennium Stadium.[10][11] Barnsley had also already visited Wembley earlier in the season, with a 32 victory over Oxford United in the 2016 Football League Trophy Final.[12] During the regular season, Barnsley won both matches against Millwall, 32 at The Den in August 2015 and 21 at Oakwell the following January.[13] Winnall was Barnsley's highest scorer with 21 goals while Millwall's top marksman was Gregory, who was named in the League One team of the season, with 18.[1][14] Millwall last played in the Championship during the previous season when they were relegated to League One after finishing in 22nd position.[15] Barnsley had been relegated from the Championship in the 2013–14 season, ending their campaign in 23rd place.[16] Bookmakers were divided as to who was considered the favourites to win the match.[17][18]

The referee for this season's play-off final was Stuart Attwell, with assistants Nigel Lugg and Rob Jones, while Stephen Martin acted as the fourth official. Attwell had previously officiated at the 2008 Football League Two play-off Final and had refereed the 2016 FA Vase Final at Wembley the previous weekend.[19] Millwall supporters were seated in the West End of Wembley, while Barnsley fans were allocated the East End. The match was broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports with highlights being shown on Channel 5.[20] Both teams named an unchanged starting line-up from their semi-final second leg matches, but Millwall's Byron Webster did not complete the warm-up and was replaced by Tony Craig.[21] The weather conditions for the match were mild and overcast.[22]

First half

Ashley Fletcher (pictured warming up for West Ham United) scored the game's opening goal after two minutes.

Millwall kicked the match off around 3 p.m. in front of a Wembley crowd of 51,277.[23] Shane Ferguson was fouled by Barnsley's Josh Scowen but Mark Beevers headed the resulting free kick from Taylor wide of the post. From the goal kick, Winnall's headed flick-on fell to Fletcher who ran into the box before shooting low past Archer to open the scoring. Hammill's fifth minute strike was too high and wide before Fletcher's shot was blocked by Archer. Conor Hourihane's subsequent low corner found Winnall whose attempt from 15 yards (14 m) was also blocked. On 19 minutes, Hammill doubled Barnsley's lead with a curling shot into the top corner of Millwall's goal from 25 yards (23 m).[21] George Williams was shown the first yellow card of the match on 28 minutes when he fouled Millwall's Chris Taylor. The resulting free kick from Carlos Edwards was cleared by Winnall. Scowen then made two clearances in quick succession, first from Taylor and then Edwards. In the 34th minute, Millwall scored through Lee Beevers: a corner from Ferguson was kept in play at the near post by Morison, and Beevers held off Craig to strike the ball into Barnsley's net. In the 43rd minute, Martin became the first substitution of the game after sustaining a calf injury, and was replaced by the forward Aiden O'Brien. Brownhill's free kick in the last minute of the first half was off-target, and after three minutes of additional time, the referee brought the first half to a close with Barnsley leading 21.[24]

Second half

No changes were made by either side during the break and Barnsley kicked off the second half.[25] Millwall dominated the early stages of the second half but in the 56th minute, Hamill's double-chance was saved by Archer. Three minutes later, Gregory's chance was collected by Adam Davies before Hammill's 63rd minute strike was easily saved by Archer. Marc Roberts was then booked in the 63rd minute for a challenge on Gregory. Morison then went round the Barnsley goalkeeper and although his cross found O'Brien, the resulting shot was saved by Davies. In the 74th minute, Lloyd Isgrove extended Barnsley's lead. A corner from Hourihane was missed by Archer and Isgrove headed into the Millwall goal. Two minutes later, Fred Onyedinma was brought on for Ben Thompson, and in the 82nd minute, Edwards was replaced by Shaun Williams. Isgrove was then substituted by Marley Watkins before O'Brien's pass to Taylor ended in the latter's shot being saved by Davies. Four minutes of additional time were played but the score remained unchanged, with the match ending 31 in Barnsley's favour.[24]

Details

Barnsley3–1Millwall
Fletcher  2'
Hammill  19'
Isgrove  74'
Report Beevers  34'
Attendance: 51,277
Barnsley
Millwall
GK1Adam Davies
RB7Josh Scowen
CB26Alfie Mawson
CB4Marc Roberts 63'
LB22George Williams 28'
RM34Lloyd Isgrove 85'
CM8Conor Hourihane (c)
CM11Josh Brownhill
LM20Adam Hammill
RS18Ashley Fletcher 81'
LS9Sam Winnall
Substitutes:
GK13Nick Townsend
DF5Lewin Nyatanga
DF35Aidy White
MF12Jak McCourt
MF32Harry Chapman
MF15Marley Watkins 85'
FW24Ivan Toney 81'
Manager:
Paul Heckingbottom
GK13Jordan Archer
RB4Carlos Edwards 82'
CB5Tony Craig (c)
CB16Mark Beevers
LB3Joe Martin 43'
RM19Chris Taylor
CM26Jimmy Abdou
CM24Ben Thompson 76'
LM18Shane Ferguson
RS9Lee Gregory
LS20Steve Morison
Substitutes:
GK1David Forde
DF15Sid Nelson
MF8Ed Upson
MF6Shaun Williams 82'
FW22Aiden O'Brien 43'
FW28Jamie Philpot
MF10Fred Onyedinma 76'
Manager:
Neil Harris

Statistics

Mark Beevers (pictured in 2012) scored a consolation goal for Millwall.
Statistics[25]
Barnsley Millwall
Possession 53% 47%
Goals scored 31
Shots on target 65
Shots off target 104
Fouls committed 109
Corner kicks 93
Yellow cards 20
Red cards 00

Post-match

Barnsley interim manager Paul Heckingbottom said: "I couldn't be any prouder. Every single thing we've asked them to do, they've tried to do it. The players deserve every little bit of the celebrations."[26] Millwall's manager Neil Harris suggested that the loss of Webster in the warm-up was a contributing factor to their defeat: "it affected us mentally before the game. You try to paper over it but we worked all work on our gameplan and it all sort of goes out of the way in the warm-up."[27] Barnsley's Hammill was named man of the match.[23] Towards the end of the game, with Barnsley winning 3–1, a group of Millwall supporters broke through a security barrier and attacked Barnsley supporters some of whom were forced to leave the stadium to avoid the violence. The fighting was condemned by the Football Association.[28] Objects were also thrown on Barnsley supporters occupying a lower tier and were aimed at Barnsley players on the pitch.[29]

Millwall ended the following season in sixth place in League One, thirteen points outside the two automatic promotion places, and were promoted to the Championship after winning the 2017 EFL Championship play-off Final 10 against Bradford City.[30][31] Barnsley's next season saw them finish in fourteenth place in the EFL Championship, seven points above the relegation zone and twenty-two points below the play-offs.[32]

References

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  2. "League One end of season table for 2015–16 season". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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  4. Scott, Ged (19 May 2016). "Walsall 13 Barnsley". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  5. Shepka, Phil (15 May 2016). "Bradford City 31 Millwall". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  6. Mitchell, Brendon (20 May 2016). "Millwall 11 Bradford City". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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  12. Cartwright, Phil (3 April 2016). "Barnsley 32 Oxford United". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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  27. Garry, Tom; Gibbons, Trevor. "How Barnsley won promotion to the Championship (1 of 9)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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  30. "Stuart McCall: Bradford City boss 'close to hitting' Millwall fans who invaded pitch". BBC Sport. 20 May 2017. Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
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