2006 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 2005–06 season were held in May 2006, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for the last time. 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 and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the League Two table. The winners of the semi-finals advanced to the finals, with the winners of these matches gaining promotion for the following season.

Football League play-offs
Season2005–06
ChampionsWatford
(Championship)
Barnsley
(League One)
Cheltenham Town
(League Two)
Matches played15
Goals scored31 (2.07 per match)
Biggest home winGrimsby 2–1 Lincoln
(League Two)
Biggest away winCrystal Palace 0–3 Watford
(Championship)
Highest scoringHud'field 1–3 Barnsley
Barnsley 2–2 Swansea
(4 goals)
Highest attendance64,736 – Leeds v Watford
(Championship final)
Lowest attendance5,936 – Wycombe v Cheltenham
(League Two semi-final)
Average attendance22,720
← 2005
2007 →

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, Watford, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 2000, finished 9 points behind second placed Sheffield United, who in turn finished 16 points behind champions Reading, who were promoted to the top flight for the first time in the club's history. Preston North End who missed out on promotion from playoffs the season before and have not been in the top flight since 1961, finished in fourth place in the table. Leeds United who are aiming to bounce back to the Premier League at the second attempt, finished in fifth place. Crystal Palace finished 3 points behind Leeds United and were looking for a place back in the Premiership after relegation on final day of last season.

Championship
Main article: 2005–06 Football League Championship
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Watford 46221597753+2481
4Preston North End 46202065930+2980
5Leeds United 462115115738+1978
6Crystal Palace 462112146748+1975

Semi-finals
First leg
Leeds United1–1Preston North End
Lewis  74' Report Nugent  48'
Attendance: 35,239
Referee: Phil Crossley
Crystal Palace0–3Watford
Report King  46'
Young  67'
Spring  85'
Attendance: 22,880
Referee: Mike Jones
Second leg
Preston North End0–2Leeds United
Report Hulse  56'
Richardson  61'
Attendance: 20,383
Referee: Mike Thorpe

Leeds United win 3–1 on aggregate.

Watford0–0Crystal Palace
Report
Attendance: 19,041
Referee: Steve Tanner

Watford won 3–0 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 2006 Football League Championship play-off Final
Leeds United0–3Watford
Report DeMerit  25'
Sullivan  57' (o.g.)
Henderson  84' (pen.)
Attendance: 64,736
Referee: Mike Dean

League One
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Brentford 462016107252+2076
4Huddersfield Town 461916117259+1373
5Barnsley 461818106244+1872
6Swansea City 461817117855+2371

Semi-finals
First leg
Barnsley0–1Huddersfield Town
Report Taylor-Fletcher  85'
Oakwell, Barnsley
Attendance: 16,127
Referee: Paul Taylor
Swansea City1–1Brentford
Ricketts  87' Report Tabb  29'
Attendance: 19,060
Referee: Keith Stroud
Second leg
Brentford0–2Swansea City
Report Knight  8', 15'
Attendance: 10,652
Referee: Graham Laws

Swansea City won 3–1 on aggregate.

Huddersfield Town1–3Barnsley
Heckingbottom  65' (o.g.) Report Hayes  58' (pen.)
Reid  71'
Nardiello  78'
Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield
Attendance: 19,223
Referee: Chris Foy

Barnsley won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 2006 Football League One play-off Final
Barnsley2–2 (a.e.t.)Swansea City
Hayes  19'
Nardiello  62'		 Report Fallon  28'
Robinson  40'
Penalties
Hayes
McPhail
Heckingbottom
Kay 		4–3 Trundle
Britton
Akinfenwa
Tudur Jones
Tate
Attendance: 55,419
Referee: Lee Mason

League Two
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Grimsby Town 462212126444+2078
5Cheltenham Town 461915126553+1272
6Wycombe Wanderers 461817117256+1671
7Lincoln City 461521106553+1266

Semi-finals
First leg
Lincoln City0–1Grimsby Town
Report Jones  22'
Sincil Bank, Lincoln
Attendance: 8,037
Referee: Lee Mason
Wycombe Wanderers1–2Cheltenham Town
Mooney  90' Report Finnigan  43'
Guinan  75'
Attendance: 5,936
Referee: Andy Hall
Second leg
Grimsby Town2–1Lincoln City
Futcher  60'
Jones  82'		 Report Robinson  27'
Attendance: 8,062
Referee: Mike Dean

Grimsby Town won 3–1 on aggregate.

Cheltenham Town0–0Wycombe Wanderers
Report
Attendance: 6,813
Referee: Nigel Miller

Cheltenham Town won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 2006 Football League Two play-off Final
Cheltenham Town1–0Grimsby Town
Guinan  63' Report
Attendance: 29,196
Referee: Paul Taylor
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