2008 Football League play-offs

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.

Football League play-offs
Season2007–08
ChampionsHull City
(Championship)
Doncaster Rovers
(League One)
Stockport County
(League Two)
Matches played15
Goals scored40 (2.67 per match)
Biggest home winDoncaster 5–1 Southend
(League One)
Biggest away winWatford 0–2 Hull City
(Championship)
Carlisle United 0–2 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
2009 →

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 the League One final, another 1–0 victory saw Doncaster Rovers promoted ahead of 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
3Hull City 462112136547+1875
4Bristol City 4620141254530+174
5Crystal Palace 461817115842+1671
6Watford 4618161262560+670

Semi-finals
First leg
Crystal Palace1–2Bristol City
Watson  87' (pen.) Report Carey  53'
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'
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
3Doncaster Rovers 462311128347+2480
4Carlisle United 462311126446+1880
5Leeds United 46271097238+3476*
6Southend United 462210147055+1576
  • 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
Attendance: 9,109
Referee: Paul Taylor
Leeds United1–2Carlisle United
Freedman  90' Report Graham  32'
Bridge-Wilkinson  50'
Attendance: 36,297
Referee: Anthony Bates
Second leg
Carlisle United0–2Leeds United
Report Howson  10', 90'
Brunton Park, 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'
Attendance: 13,081
Referee: Mark Halsey

Doncaster Rovers won 5–1 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 2008 Football League One play-off Final
Doncaster Rovers1–0Leeds 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
4Stockport County 462410127254+1882
5Rochdale 462311127754+2380
6Darlington 462212126740+2778
7Wycombe Wanderers 462212125642+1478

Semi-finals
First leg
Darlington2–1Rochdale
Kennedy  28'
Miller  90'		 Report Dagnall  70'
Attendance: 8,057
Referee: Paul Armstrong
Wycombe Wanderers1–1Stockport County
Facey  37' Report Gleeson  82'
Attendance: 6,371
Second leg
Rochdale2–1 (a.e.t.)Darlington
Dagnall  43'
Perkins  78'		 Report Keltie  28' (pen.)
Penalties
Dagnall
Kennedy
Le Fondre
Jones
Muirhead 		5–4 Guylain
Purdie
Wainwright
Ravenhill
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. 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
  2. "Leeds United hit with 15 point deduction". The Football League. 2007-08-03. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
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