1987 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 1986–87 season were held in May 1987, with the two-legged finals taking place at the finalists home stadiums. The play-off semi-finals were also played over two legs and were contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th and 5th place in the Football League Second Division and Football League Third Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th placed teams in the Football League Fourth Division table, along with a team from the league above. The winners of the semi-finals progressed through to the finals, with the winner of these matches either gaining promotion or avoiding relegation for the following season.

Football League play-offs
Season1986–87
ChampionsCharlton Athletic
(Second Division)
Swindon Town
(Third Division)
Aldershot
(Fourth Division)
Matches played20
Goals scored45 (2.25 per match)
Biggest home winAldershot 2–0 Wolves
(Fourth Division)
Biggest away winColchester 0–2 Wolves
(Fourth Division)
Highest scoringSunderland 4–3 Gillingham
(7 goals)
Highest attendance31,395 – Leeds v Charlton
(Second Division final)
Lowest attendance4,164 – Aldershot v Bolton
(Fourth Division semi-final)
Average attendance15,469
1988 →

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. For the first three seasons the final was played over two legs but this was changed to a single match at Wembley Stadium from 1990. Additionally, for the 1986–87 and 1987-88 play-offs the semi-finals included a team from the next league who had finished above the relegation positions up, e.g. one team from the first tier and three teams from the second tier. The team from the higher division would be relegated if they failed to win the play-offs, with the play-off winner being promoted in their place.

Second Division
First Division relegation places
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
19Charlton Athletic 421111204555–1044
20Leicester City 42119225476–2242
21Manchester City 42815193657–2139
22Aston Villa 42812224579–3436
Second Division play-off places
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Oldham Athletic 42229116544+2175
4Leeds United 421911125844+1468
5Ipswich Town 421713125943+1664

Semi-finals
First leg
Leeds United1–0Oldham Athletic
Edwards  89'
Attendance: 29,472
Referee: George Tyson
Ipswich Town0–0Charlton Athletic
Attendance: 18,465
Referee: Dennis Hedges
Second leg
Charlton Athletic2–1Ipswich Town
Melrose  18', 20' McCall  85'
Attendance: 11,234
Referee: Lester Shapter

Charlton Athletic won 2–1 on aggregate.

Oldham Athletic2–1 (a.e.t.)Leeds United
Williams  18'
Cecere  89'		 Edwards  90'
Attendance: 19,216

Oldham Athletic 2–2 Leeds United on aggregate. Leeds United won on away goals.

Final
Main article: 1987 Football League Second Division play-off Final
First leg
Charlton Athletic1–0Leeds United
Melrose  87'
Attendance: 16,680
Referee: Roger Milford
Second leg
Leeds United1–0Charlton Athletic
Ormsby  54'
Attendance: 31,395
Referee: Bob Nixon

Leeds United 1–1 Charlton Athletic on aggregate.

Replay
Charlton Athletic2–1 (a.e.t.)Leeds United
Shirtliff  113', 117' Sheridan  99'
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Allan Gunn

Third Division
Second Division relegation places
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
20Sunderland 421212184959–1048
21Grimsby Town 421014183959–2044
22Brighton & Hove Albion 42912213754–1739
Third Division play-off places
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Swindon Town 46251297747+3087
4Wigan Athletic 462510118360+2385
5Gillingham 46239146548+1778

Semi-finals
First leg
Gillingham3–2Sunderland
Cascarino Proctor  (pen.)
Attendance: 13,804
Referee: Brian Hill
Wigan Athletic2–3Swindon Town
Thompson
Lowe 		Bamber
Quinn
Coyne
Attendance: 5,718
Referee: Keith Hackett
Second leg
Sunderland4–3 (a.e.t.)Gillingham
Gates  21'
Bennett  88'
Bertschin  108'		 Pritchard  2'
Cascarino  51', 92'
Roker Park, Sunderland
Attendance: 25,470
Referee: Michael Peck

Sunderland 6–6 Gillingham on aggregate. Gillingham won on away goals.

Swindon Town0–0Wigan Athletic
County Ground, Swindon
Attendance: 12,485
Referee: Allan Gunn

Swindon Town won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1987 Football League Third Division play-off Final
First leg
Gillingham1–0Swindon Town
Smith
Attendance: 16,775
Referee: Alf Buksh
Second leg
Swindon Town2–1Gillingham
Coyne  61'
Henry  80'		 Elsey  15'
County Ground, Swindon
Attendance: 14,382
Referee: Lester Shapter

Swindon Town 2–2 Gillingham on aggregate.

Replay
Gillingham0–2Swindon Town
White  2', 65'
Attendance: 18,491
Referee: John Martin

Fourth Division
Third Division relegation places
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
21Bolton Wanderers 461015214658–1245
22Carlisle United 46108283978–3938
23Darlington 46716234577–3237
24Newport County 46813254986–3737
Fourth Division play-off places
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Wolverhampton Wanderers 46247156950+1979
5Colchester United 462171864560+870
6Aldershot 4620101664570+770

Semi-finals
First leg
Colchester United0–2Wolverhampton Wanderers
Kelly  28'
Bull  32'
Attendance: 4,829
Aldershot1–0Bolton Wanderers
Johnson  87'
Attendance: 4,164
Second leg
Wolverhampton Wanderers0–0Colchester United
Attendance: 16,330

Wolverhampton Wanderers won 2–0 on aggregate.

Bolton Wanderers2–2 (a.e.t.)Aldershot
Caldwell  50' (pen.), 81' Anderson
Burvill
Attendance: 7,445

Aldershot won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1987 Football League Fourth Division play-off Final
First leg
Aldershot2–0Wolverhampton Wanderers
McDonald  4'
Barnes  47' (pen.)
Attendance: 5,069
Referee: Allan Gunn
Second leg
Wolverhampton Wanderers0–1Aldershot
Barnes  81'
Attendance: 19,962
Referee: Keith Hackett

Aldershot won 3–0 on aggregate.

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