1999 Football League First Division play-off Final

The 1999 Football League Championship play-off Final was contested between Bolton Wanderers and Watford, played at Wembley Stadium on 31 May 1999. The match was won by Watford through goals from Nick Wright and Allan Smart. As a result, Watford would play in the Premier League for the first time since its inception in 1992. It also meant that Watford had secured promotion for the second successive season, having been promoted as champions of Division Two in 1997–98.

1999 Football League First Division play-off final
Bolton Wanderers Watford
0 2
Date31 May 1999
VenueWembley Stadium, London
RefereeT Heilbron
Attendance70,343

Route to the final
See also: 1998–99 Football League

Bolton

Watford
Graph of Watford's league progress in 1998–99

.

Watford were promoted from the Second Division in 1997–98. Elimination from their first games in the League Cup and FA Cup to Cambridge United and Tottenham Hotspur respectively enabled Watford to focus on their league campaign. After winning their opening three league games, Watford gradually moved from the top of the table to a mid-table position. Following consecutive defeats to Swindon Town, Ipswich Town and Sheffield United in February and early March, a play-off position appeared unlikely.[1] However, seven wins and a draw from the last eight games was enough to earn Watford a play-off spot on the last day of the season.[1]

Final league table
Key

Pos: League position P: Matches played W: Matches won D: Matches drawn L: Matches lost F: Goals for A: Goals against Pts: Points (C): Champions (P): Promoted (pl): Qualified for play-offs

Pos Team P W D L F A Pts
1. Sunderland (C) (P) 46 31 12 3 91 28 105
2. Bradford City (P) 46 26 9 11 82 47 87
3. Ipswich Town (pl) 46 26 8 12 69 32 86
4. Birmingham City (pl) 46 23 12 11 66 37 81
5. Watford (P) (pl) 46 21 14 11 65 56 77
6. Bolton Wanderers (pl) 46 20 16 10 78 59 76
7. Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 19 16 11 64 43 73
8. Sheffield United 46 18 13 15 71 66 67
9. Norwich City 46 15 17 14 62 61 62
10. Huddersfield Town 46 15 16 15 62 71 61

Semi-finals
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
6th Bolton Wanderers* 4–4 Ipswich Town 3rd 1–0 3–4 aet
5th Watford 1–1 (7–6 pen) Birmingham City 4th 1–0 0–1 aet

* Bolton win on away goals


Match details
Bolton0–2Watford
Report Wright  38'
Smart  89'
Attendance: 70,343
Bolton:
GK1Steve Banks
RB2Neil Cox  89'
LB3Robbie Elliott
CM4Per Frandsen
CB5Andy Todd
CB6Mark Fish (captain)
RM7Michael Johansen  66'
CM8Claus Jensen
CF9Eiður Guðjohnsen
CF10Bob Taylor
LM11Ricardo Gardner
Substitutes:
MF12Bo Hansen  89'
MF13Scott Sellars  66'
DF14Guðni Bergsson
Manager:
Colin Todd
Watford:
GK1Alec Chamberlain
RB2Darren Bazeley
LM3Peter Kennedy
CB4Rob Page (captain)
CB5Steve Palmer
LB6Paul Robinson
FW7Michel Ngonge  75'
CM8Micah Hyde
CF9Tommy Mooney
CM10Richard Johnson
RM11Nick Wright  87'
Substitutes:
FW12Allan Smart  75'
GK13Chris Day
MF14Alon Hazan  87'
Manager:
Graham Taylor

MATCH RULES

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shootout if scores still level.
  • 3 named substitutes.
  • Maximum of 3 substitutions.

Key


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See also

References
  1. "Nationwide League Division 1 fixtures". Blind, Stupid and Desperate. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
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