Last updated: 22 May 2006 00:10
This page is of absolutely no interest to Reading fans but might be of some use to those from other clubs. Be warned that some information will be out-of-date at the moment, although I think that I've flagged up any that might be.
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The semi-finals are played over two legs - if necessary there will be 30 minutes extra time in the second leg and a penalty shootout, but there is no away goal rule and no golden goal.
Semi-final 1st leg:
5/5/2006 (7.45pm) - Leeds United 1 Preston North End 1
6/5/2006 (12.15pm) - Crystal Palace 0 Watford 3
Semi-final 2nd leg:
8/5/2006 (7.45pm) - Preston North End 0 Leeds United 2
(Leeds United win 3-1 on aggregate)
9/5/2006 (7.45pm) - Watford 0 Crystal Palace 0
(Watford win 3-0 on aggregate)
The final is played as a one-off game on neutral territory - if necessary there will be 30 minutes extra time and a penalty shootout, but there is no golden goal.
Final - Sunday, 21st
May, 2006 (3.00pm) at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Leeds United 0 Watford 3
Sky Sports
Final and all four semi-final games to be shown live.
ITV1
Semi-final games covered in national highlights programmes this year, and highlights of the final presumably shown the same evening.
Radio
Sorry - can't be bothered.
Rest of the world
Sorry - can't be bothered.
This will never apply! [Edit on 28/3/2006 - Told you!]
This shows the current form in League games and play-off games. The most recent result is shown on the left, home results are in CAPITALS and away results in lower case.
Last updated - after semi-final second-legs
Watford |
Cheating Dirty Preston North End |
Leeds United |
Crystal Palace |
|
| Last six | DwDwWd (12 points) | LdWdWw (11 points) | wDlWdD (9 points) | dLlWdD (6 points) |
| Last six at home | DDWDLD (7 points) | LWWWWD (12 points) | DWDDDL (7 points) | LWDWDL (8 points) |
| Last six away | wwdlwd (11 points) | ddwwld (9 points) | wldldw (8 points) | dldllw (5 points) |
The remainder of this section dates from 2002/03 and won't get updated.
Is the current form important for a play-off campaign? Well,
I've had a look at the last six League games for each of the four
clubs in the previous 16 seasons of play-offs in this division
and found the following frequencies of winning the play-off final:
Club with best form - 5 times
Club with second best form - 4 times
Club with third best form - 4 times
Club with worst form - 3 times
Also, I looked at the average number of points scored over the
last six games, compared with play-off progress:
Winners - 11.4 points
Losing finalists - 10 points
Semi-finalists - 10.2 points
I think that this shows a slight advantage for the team in form, but it is certainly not a major factor.
On only one occasion has a side gone into the play-offs having won all their last six League games and that side did go on to win the final (Notts County in 1991/92). On 12 occasions a side has gone into the play-offs having taken less than eight points in their last six games - only three of those reached the final and only one went on to win. And you really don't want to know who it was.
This section is up-to-date.
Previous recent experience of play-off games is generally reckoned to be an advantage. This section show the complete play-off history of the teams involved. (Plus, because I don't want to lose the research I did in the past, I've also shown the historical play-off records for Reading, Sheffield United, Wolves, Cardiff and Nottingham Forest, even though none of these teams are involved in the Championship play-offs this season.)
Watford
Watford have appeared in play-offs on three occasions, with two wins and a semi-final defeat.
1988/89 Division 2 play-offs:
21/5/1989: Semi-final, 1st leg - Blackburn Rovers 0 Watford 0
24/5/1989: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Watford 1 Blackburn Rovers 1
(Aggregate 1-1; Blackburn Rovers won on away goals)
1998/99 Division 1 play-offs:
16/5/1999: Semi-final, 1st leg - Watford 1 Birmingham City 0
20/5/1999: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Birmingham City 1 Watford 0
(Aggregate 1-1; Watford won 7-6 on penalties)
31/5/1999: Final (at Wembley) - Watford 2 Bolton Wanderers 0
2005/06 Championship play-offs:
6/5/2006: Semi-final, 1st leg - Crystal Palace 0 Watford 3
9/5/2006: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Watford 0 Crystal Palace 0
(Watford win 3-0 on aggregate)
21/5/2006: Final (at Millennium Stadium) - Watford 3 Leeds United
0
Preston North End
Preston North End have managed to take part in play-offs at every level, including a 19th century test match - however, their seven appearances in the modern era have seen three final defeats and four semi-final defeats.
Test Match 1893/94:
28/4/1894: Preston North End 4 Notts County 0
1988/89 Division 3 play-offs:
22/5/1989: Semi-final, 1st leg - Preston North End 1 Port Vale 1
25/5/1989: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Port Vale 3 Preston North End 1
(Port Vale won 4-2 on aggregate)
1993/94 Division 3 play-offs:
15/5/1994: Semi-final, 1st leg - Torquay United 2 Preston North
End 0
18/5/1994: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Preston North End 4 Torquay
United 1
(Preston North End won 4-3 on aggregate)
28/5/1994: Final (at Wembley) - Wycombe Wanderers 4 Preston North
End 2
1994/95 Division 3 play-offs:
14/5/1995: Semi-final, 1st leg - Preston North End 0 Bury 1
17/5/1995: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Bury 1 Preston North End 0
(Bury won 2-0 on aggregate)
1998/99 Division 2 play-offs:
16/5/1999: Semi-final, 1st leg - Preston North End 1 Gillingham 1
19/5/1999: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Gillingham 1 Preston North End 0
(Gillingham won 2-1 on aggregate)
2000/01 Division 1 play-offs:
13/5/2001: Semi-final, 1st leg - Birmingham City 1 Preston North
End 0
17/5/2001: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Preston North End 2 Birmingham
City 1
(Aggregate 3-3; Preston North End won 4-2 on penalties)
28/5/2001: Final (at Millennium Stadium) - Bolton Wanderers 3
Preston North End 0
2004/05 Championship play-offs:
15/5/2005: Semi-final, 1st leg - Preston North End 2 Derby County
0
19/5/2005: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Derby County 0 Preston North End
0
(Preston North End won 2-0 on aggregate)
30/5/2005: Final (at Millennium Stadium) - West Ham United 1
Preston North End 0
2005/06 Championship play-offs:
5/5/2006: Semi-final, 1st leg - Leeds United 1 Preston North End
1
8/5/2006: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Preston North End 0 Leeds United
2
(Leeds United win 3-1 on aggregate)
Leeds United
Leeds United have spent most of the last 20 years fighting relegation battles, and so have only appeared in the play-offs twice, both times losing in the final. They were in the very first set of play-offs in 1986/87.
The system in the first two seasons was different, with the
top three sides not to gain promotion from Division 2 being
joined by the lowest placed side not automatically relegated from
Division 1. Charlton Athletic were the Division 1 side, and won
through after a replay in the final against Leeds United.
14/5/1987: Semi-final, 1st leg - Leeds United 1 Oldham Athletic 0
17/5/1987: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Oldham Athletic 2 Leeds United 0
(Aggregate 2-2; Leeds United won on away goals)
23/5/1987: Final, 1st leg - Charlton Athletic 1 Leeds United 0
25/5/1987: Final, 2nd leg - Leeds United 1 Charlton Athletic 0
(Aggregate 1-1)
29/5/1987: Final replay (at St Andrews) - Charlton Athletic 2
Leeds United 1
2005/06 Championship play-offs:
5/5/2006: Semi-final, 1st leg - Leeds United 1 Preston North End
1
8/5/2006: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Preston North End 0 Leeds United
2
(Leeds United win 3-1 on aggregate)
21/5/2006: Final (at Millennium Stadium) - Watford 3 Leeds United
0
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace must have one of the best overall records in play-offs, with three victories, a losing final and a losing semi-final. And all of them were for a place in the top division.
1988/89 Division 2 play-offs:
21/5/1989: Semi-final, 1st leg - Swindon Town 1 Crystal Palace 0
24/5/1989: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Crystal Palace 2 Swindon Town 0
(Crystal Palace won 2-1 on aggregate)
31/5/1989: Final, 1st leg - Blackburn Rovers 3 Crystal Palace 1
3/6/1989: Final, 2nd leg - Crystal Palace 3 Blackburn Rovers 0
(Crystal Palace won 4-3 on aggregate)
1995/96 Division 1 play-offs:
12/5/1996: Semi-final, 1st leg - Charlton Athletic 1 Crystal
Palace 2
15/5/1996: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Crystal Palace 1 Charlton
Athletic 0
(Crystal Palace won 3-1 on aggregate)
27/5/1996: Final (at Wembley) - Leicester City 2 Crystal Palace 1
1996/97 Division 1 play-offs:
10/5/1997: Semi-final, 1st leg - Crystal Palace 3 Wolverhampton
Wanderers 1
14/5/1997: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Wolverhampton Wanderers 2
Crystal Palace 1
(Crystal Palace won 4-3 on aggregate)
26/5/1997: Final (at Wembley) - Crystal Palace 1 Sheffield United
0
2003/04 Division 1 play-offs:
14/5/2004: Semi-final, 1st leg - Crystal Palace 3 Sunderland 2
17/5/2004: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Sunderland 2 Crystal Palace 1
(Aggregate 4-4; Crystal Palace won 5-4 on penalties)
29/5/2004: Final (at Millennium Stadium) - Crystal Palace 1 West
Ham United 0
2005/06 Championship play-offs:
6/5/2006: Semi-final, 1st leg - Crystal Palace 0 Watford 3
9/5/2006: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Watford 0 Crystal Palace 0
(Watford win 3-0 on aggregate)
Division 1 (and the old-style Division 2 before the name changed for the 1992/93 season)
Play-offs were introduced in 1986/87, so there have been 19 previous years of play-offs. In the first two seasons, the third to fifth sides from what was then Division 2 competed with the fourth from last side in Division 1. In most other seasons the play-offs were for the third to sixth placed sides, but in both 1990/91 and 1994/95 this was different due to League restructuring. In the first of those years the fourth to seventh sides took part whilst in 1994/95 (as you already knew) it was the second to fifth sides.
Ignoring those first two seasons when the format was
significantly different, the winners of the play-off final in the
other 14 seasons have been:
Highest placed club - 4 times
Second highest placed club - 4 times
Third highest placed club - 5 times
Lowest placed club - 4 times
The last two seasons (2003/04 and 2004/05) have seen a victory for the lowest-placed club, so that the above table now appears to show that there is no real benefit in finishing in a higher League position.
The above figures really do show the frequency of play-off final winners rather than that of promoted sides - in 1989/90 the winners at Wembley were not actually promoted. Although Swindon Town beat Sunderland in the final, it was the losing side who were eventually promoted after Swindon were punished for financial irregularities.
For the record, in 1986/87 the winners were the 21st placed club in Division 1, and in 1987/88 it was the third placed side in Division 2 (so, respectively, the highest placed club and second highest).
Reading
Reading's first appearance in the play-offs was in 1994/95,
whilst in Division 1. The results were as follows:
14/5/1995: Semi-final, 1st leg - Tranmere Rovers 1 Reading 3
17/5/1995: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Reading 0 Tranmere Rovers 0
(Reading won 3-1 on aggregate)
29/5/1995: Final (at Wembley) - Bolton Wanderers 4 Reading 3 (after
extra time)
Our second appearance was in the 2000/01 Division 2 play-offs.
The results were:
13/5/2001: Semi-final, 1st leg - Wigan Athletic 0 Reading 0
16/5/2001: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Reading 2 Wigan Athletic 1
(Reading won 2-1 on aggregate)
27/5/2001: Final (at Millennium Stadium) - Reading 2 Walsall 3 (after
extra time)
Reading's third appearance was in the 2002/03 Division 1 play-offs.
The results were:
10/5/2003: Semi-final, 1st leg - Wolverhampton Wanderers
2 Reading 1
14/5/2003: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Reading 0 Wolverhampton
Wanderers 1
(Wolverhampton Wanderers won 3-1 on aggregate)
Sheffield United
For six seasons in the 1890s, promotion and relegation between
Divisions 1 and 2 was decided by means of one-off games called
test matches. Sheffield United finished second in Division 2 in
1892/93 and so played a test match against the second last team
in Division 1.
22/4/1893: Sheffield United 1 Accrington 0
(Sheffield United promoted)
Their first involvement in the modern day play-off system was
after they finished 21st in Division 2 in 1987/88, which meant
they took part in the Division 3 play-offs.
15/5/1988: Semi-final, 1st leg - Bristol City 1 Sheffield United
0
18/5/1988: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Sheffield United 1 Bristol City
1
(Bristol City won 2-1 on aggregate)
Their next attempt was in 1996/97 in Division 1
10/5/1997: Semi-final, 1st leg - Sheffield United 1 Ipswich Town
1
14/5/1997: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Ipswich Town 2 Sheffield United
2 (after extra time)
(3-3 on aggregate, Sheffield United won by scoring more away
goals - note that this rule has changed since then)
26/5/1997: Final (at Wembley) - Crystal Palace 1 Sheffield United
0
They tried again the following season, obviously still in
Division 1
10/5/1998: Semi-final, 1st leg - Sheffield United 2 Sunderland 1
13/5/1998: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Sunderland 2 Sheffield United 0
(Sunderland won 3-2 on aggregate)
Next was the 2002/03 Division 1 season
10/5/2003: Semi-final, 1st leg - Nottingham Forest 1 Sheffield
United 1
15/5/2003: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Sheffield United 4 Nottingham
Forest 3 (after extra time)
(Sheffield United won 5-4 on aggregate)
26/5/2003: Final (at Millennium Stadium) - Wolverhampton
Wanderers 3 Sheffield United 0
It's worth noting that the 2002/03 Sheffield United manager Colin was charge of four previous play-off final winners (Notts County in 1989/90 and 1990/91, Huddersfield Town in 1994/95 and Plymouth Argyle in 1995/96), but clearly the Sheffield United failure outweighed the Colin success rate.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Lest anyone tell you that Wolverhampton Wanderers are a big
club (other than the length of their name), let's not forget that
their first play-off experience was in 1986/87 after they
finished fourth in Division 4. And then they lost in the final to
Aldershot.....
14/5/1987: Semi-final, 1st leg - Colchester United 0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2
17/5/1987: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
Colchester United 0
(Wolverhampton Wanderers won 2-0 on aggregate)
22/5/1987: Final, 1st leg - Aldershot 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
25/5/1987: Final, 2nd leg - Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Aldershot 1
(Aldershot won 3-0 on aggregate)
Their second appearance was in 1994/95 in the Division 1 play-offs
14/5/1995: Semi-final, 1st leg - Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Bolton
Wanderers 1
17/5/1995: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Bolton Wanderers 2 Wolverhampton
Wanderers 0 (after extra time)
(Bolton Wanderers won 3-2 on aggregate)
Looking for more punishment, they tried and failed again in
the Division 1 play-offs in 1996/97
10/5/1997: Semi-final, 1st leg - Crystal Palace 3 Wolverhampton
Wanderers 1
14/5/1997: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Wolverhampton Wanderers 2
Crystal Palace 1
(Crystal Palace won 4-3 on aggregate)
And finally, we have their unsuccessful attempt to get out of
Division 1 in 2001/02
28/4/2002: Semi-final, 1st leg - Norwich City 3 Wolverhampton
Wanderers 1
1/5/2002: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Norwich
City 0
(Norwich City won 3-2 on aggregate)
However, somehow or other they got it right in the Division 1
play-offs in 2002/03
10/5/2003: Semi-final, 1st leg - Wolverhampton Wanderers
2 Reading 1
14/5/2003: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Reading 0 Wolverhampton
Wanderers 1
(Wolverhampton Wanderers won 3-1 on aggregate)
26/5/2003: Final (at Millennium Stadium) - Wolverhampton
Wanderers 3 Sheffield United 0
Cardiff City
Cardiff City are another club with a poor play-off record, needing dirty tricks to help them to their only win.
1996/97 Division 3 play-offs:
11/5/1997: Semi-final, 1st leg - Cardiff City 0 Northampton Town
1
14/5/1997: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Northampton Town 3 Cardiff City
2
(Northampton Town won 4-2 on aggregate)
2001/02 Division 2 play-offs:
28/4/2002: Semi-final, 1st leg - Stoke City 1 Cardiff City 2
1/5/2002: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Cardiff City 0 Stoke City 2
(Stoke City won 3-2 on aggregate)
2002/03 Division 2 play-offs:
10/5/2003: Semi-final, 1st leg - Cardiff City 1 Bristol City 0
13/5/2003: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Bristol City 0 Cardiff City 0
(Cardiff City won 1-0 on aggregate)
25/5/2003: Final (at Millennium Stadium) - Cardiff City 1 Queens
Park Rangers 0
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest's only appearance in play-offs was the 2002/03 Division 1 season. Their results were as follows:
10/5/2003: Semi-final, 1st leg - Nottingham Forest 1 Sheffield
United 1
15/5/2003: Semi-final, 2nd leg - Sheffield United 4 Nottingham
Forest 3 (after extra time)
(Sheffield United won 5-4 on aggregate)
This information is from 2000/01. Most of it should still apply, but be careful. Unless you're a Preston North End fan, in which case I hope you get lost.
For football matches, the Millennium Stadium holds 72,500 spectators. It has a retractable roof, and the Football League will now allow matches to take place with the roof closed when appropriate. For the final, both clubs can expect about 31,500 tickets with the remainder going to corporate jolly types and neutrals who don't deserve them.
By train - in order to make the journey to Cardiff by train on the day you will need seat reservations.
By private coach / light van / minibus (official route) - Leave the M4 at junction 28. Travel along A48 following the direction sign to Castleton/St. Mellons. Take B4487/A4161 to Cardiff City Centre and follow the designated parking signs to Lloyd George Avenue where up to 400 spaces are provided within a one mile walk of the stadium. Detailed plans and passes for free parking are available to coach operators on request from Millennium Stadium. Telephone 029 2023 1458 for details.
By car (official route) - Leave the M4 at junction 29 and follow the designated parking signs to "Park & Ride" sites. The cost is £5 (?), including tickets for buses which will take you to within 10 minutes walk of the stadium. The car parks are open from 8am.
By car (unofficial route) - This route will take you to free parking within about 25 minutes walk of the stadium, which is as close as you are going to get. The instructions come from people who frequently drive to Cardiff City Centre and who are aware of the restrictions on match days.
Leave the M4 at junction 29, and take the A48, signposted to the City Centre. Ignore the first two exits from this dual carriageway but take the next one, which is the A4161 (Southern Way). Do not go over the fly-over but instead take the slip road so that you can take the second exit at the roundabout into Newport Road. Follow this road for several miles to the outskirts of the City Centre until you see the Cardiff Royal Infirmary on your left. Immediately after the Infirmary turn right into the B4261 (City Road). You will find plenty of side roads with no parking restrictions. (Note: If you drive further into Cardiff and get as far as the central area you will find that you are locked into a one-way system, quite apart from any special restrictions for the game. There is normally multi-storey parking available in this area, at a price, but you will not be able to leave until long after the game.)
To get to the stadium on foot from City Road, return to Newport Road, and continue along it in the direction that you were driving. Pass under the railway bridge and into the pedestrian area (Queen Street). Keep going in this direction, passing the castle on your right, until you reach the river bank and access to the stadium on the left.
After the match, drive out the way you came. However, if there is a tailback of traffic waiting to get onto the A48 (M), you can continue along the A48 to any of the Newport junctions (28 down to 24).
By car and train from Radyr (unofficial route and the 1871 recommended route for anyone using a car) - An alternative route is to park at Radyr station and catch a train to Cardiff. The huge advantage of using Radyr station is that you can avoid Cardiff Central station after the game. To get to Radyr station, leave the M4 at junction 32. Follow the signposts for Merthyr Tydfil on the A470 (which means heading north briefly). Once on the A470 turn left at the first junction and then left almost immediately at the roundabout. This road will take you back under the M4 and into Radyr. Follow signs to the railway station where there is a car park, which will be mostly empty (apart from the hundreds of fans following the directions of this paragraph!).
Trains leave Radyr for Cardiff Central roughly every half-hour, and take about 14 minutes.
After the match walk to Cardiff Queen Street station. The simplest route is to walk along the river bank behind the stand to Castle Street and turn right . Keep straight on into the pedestrian precinct (road now called Queen Street) and continue until the pedestrian area ends. The station is now immediately on your right. Because trains from Queen Street to Radyr only go to destinations in the Welsh valleys they will not be excessively full. Trains leave Queen Street for Radyr roughly every half-hour, and take about 8 minutes.
By car and train from Newport (unofficial route) - Another alternative is to park in Newport and catch a train to Cardiff. If you are doing this, then aim to park on the north side of Newport station near the Civic Centre. There is plenty of free street parking in this area and on a Bank Holiday Monday morning it will not be busy. There is easy foot access to the railway station.
Trains leave Newport for Cardiff Central frequently, and take about 15 minutes. However, note that these trains are likely to be already quite full with fans.
After the match, there are frequent trains to Newport but you will need to queue at Cardiff Central with everyone else, making this route less attractive.
Severn Bridge toll - If you're travelling to the game by car, then you have to pay a toll when crossing the Severn Bridge westbound. There are some unmanned booths with toll bins (as long as you have the correct money), but you can't get a receipt. If you go to a manned booth and get a receipt from the toll, you can then get a half price pot of tea or a free cake (depending on the offer at the time) at Magor services nine miles further down the road.
Crossing the Severn Bridge eastbound is free.
If the weather is bad, the Football League will now allow games to take place with the roof closed, something which they stupidly would not let happen in 2001.
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