1996 Football League play-offs explained

Season:	1995–96
Winners:	Leicester City (First Division) Bradford City (Second Division) Plymouth Argyle (Third Division)
Biggest Home Win:	Plymouth 3–1 Colchester (Third Division)
Biggest Away Win:	Blackpool 0–3 Bradford (Second Division)
Highest Scoring:	Crewe 2–2 Notts County Plymouth 3–1 Colchester (4 goals)
Matches:	15
Total Goals:	32
Highest Attendance:	73,573 – Crystal Palace v Leicester (First Division final)
Lowest Attendance:	4,931 – Crewe v Notts County (Second Division semi-final)
Average Attendance:	20,567
Nextseason:	1997

The Football League play-offs for the 1995–96 season were held in May 1996, 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 First Division and Football League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the Football League Third Division table. The winners of the semi-finals progressed through to the finals, with the winner of these matches gaining promotion for the following season.

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.

First Division

	Team
3	Crystal Palace	46	20	15	11	67	48	+19	75
4	Stoke City	46	20	13	13	60	49	+11	73
5	Leicester City	46	19	14	13	66	60	+6	71
6	Charlton Athletic	46	17	20	9	57	45	+12	71

Semi-finals

First leg----

Second legCrystal Palace won 3–1 on aggregate.----Leicester City won 1–0 on aggregate.

Final

See main article: 1996 Football League First Division play-off final.

Second Division

	Team
3	Blackpool	46	23	13	10	67	40	+27	82
4	Notts County	46	21	15	10	63	39	+24	78
5	Crewe Alexandra	46	22	7	17	77	60	+17	73
6	Bradford City	46	22	7	17	71	69	+2	73

Semi-finals

First leg----

Second legBradford City won 3–2 on aggregate.----Notts County won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final

See main article: 1996 Football League Second Division play-off final.

Third Division

	Team
4	Plymouth Argyle	46	22	12	12	68	49	+19	78
5	Darlington	46	20	18	8	60	42	+18	78
6	Hereford United	46	20	14	12	65	47	+18	74
7	Colchester United	46	18	18	10	61	51	+10	72

Semi-finals

First leg----

Second legPlymouth Argyle won 3–2 on aggregate.----Darlington won 4–2 on aggregate.

Final

See main article: 1996 Football League Third Division play-off final.

External links

• Football League website