1988 Football League play-offs

April 2022 Football League play-offs 1987–88 Middlesbrough(Second Division)Walsall(Third Division)Swansea City(Fourth Division) Walsall 4–0 Bristol City(Third Division) Notts County 1–3 Walsall(Third Division)Bristol City 1–3 Walsall(Third Division) Torquay 3–3 Swansea(6 goals) 19 50 40,550 – Chelsea v Middlesbrough(Second Division final) 4,602 – Torquay v Scunthorpe(Fourth Division semi-final) 16,094 1987 1989 The Football League play-offs for the 1987–88 season were held in May 1988, with the two-legged finals taking place at the finalists home stadiums. The play-off semi-finals were also played over two legs and were contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th and 5th place in the Football League Second Division and Football League Third Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th placed teams in the Football League Fourth Division table, along with a team from the league above. The winners of the semi-finals progressed through to the finals, with the winner of these matches either gaining promotion or avoiding relegation 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. For the first three seasons the final was played over two legs but this was changed to a single match at Wembley Stadium from 1990. Additionally, for the 1986–87 and 1987-88 play-offs the semi-finals included a team from the next league who had finished above the relegation positions up, e.g. one team from the first tier and three teams from the second tier. The team from the higher division would be relegated if they failed to win the play-offs, with the play-off winner being promoted in their place. Second Division 1987–88 Football League Second Division First Division relegation places Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points18Chelsea40915165068–184219Portsmouth40714193666–303520Watford40711222751–243221Oxford United40613214480–3631 Second Division play-off places Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points3Middlesbrough442212106336+27784Bradford City442211117454+20775Blackburn Rovers44211496852+1677 Semi-finals First leg 15 May 1988 12:00 Bradford City 2–1 Middlesbrough Goddard 67McCall Senior 68 Valley Parade, Bradford 16,017 David Scott 15 May 1988 15:00 Blackburn Rovers 0–2 Chelsea Durie 46Nevin 68 Ewood Park, Blackburn 16,568 John Key Second leg 18 May 1988 19:30 Chelsea 4–1 Blackburn Rovers K. Wilson 26 77Dixon 55Durie 83 Sellars 61 Stamford Bridge, London 22,757 Allan Gunn Chelsea won 6–1 on aggregate. 18 May 1988 19:30 Middlesbrough 2–0 yes Bradford City Slaven 35Hamilton 91 Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough 25,868 Joe Worrall Middlesbrough won 3–2 on aggregate. Final 1988 Football League Second Division play-off final First leg 25 May 1988 19:30 Middlesbrough 2–0 Chelsea Slaven 30Senior 81 Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough 25,531 Keith Hackett Second leg 28 May 1988 15:00 Chelsea 1–0 Middlesbrough Durie 18 Stamford Bridge, London 40,550 Brian Hill Middlesbrough won 2–1 on aggregate and were promoted to the First Division. Chelsea was relegated to the Second Division. Third Division 1987–88 Football League Third Division Second Division relegation places Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points21Sheffield United44137244574–294622Reading441012224470–264223Huddersfield Town446102841100–5928 Third Division play-off places Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points3Walsall462313106850+18824Notts County462312118249+33815Bristol City462112137762+1575 Semi-finals First leg 15 May 1988 15:30 Notts County 1–3 Walsall Yates Kelly Shakespeare Meadow Lane, Nottingham 11,522 15 May 1988 18:00 Bristol City 1–0 Sheffield United Walsh Ashton Gate, Bristol 25,335 Second leg 18 May 1988 19:30 Sheffield United 1–1 Bristol City Morris 49 Shutt 17 Bramall Lane, Sheffield 19,056 George Courtney Bristol City won 2–1 on aggregate. 18 May 1988 19:30 Walsall 1–1 Notts County Christie 60 Yates 12 Fellows Park, Walsall 8,901 Walsall won 4–2 on aggregate. Final 1988 Football League Third Division play-off final First leg 25 May 1988 19:45 Bristol City 1–3 Walsall Walsh 40 Christie 60Kelly 78 90 Ashton Gate, Bristol 25,128 Joe Worrall Second leg 28 May 1988 15:00 Walsall 0–2 Bristol City Newman 31Shutt 64 Fellows Park, Walsall 13,941 George Tyson Walsall 3–3 Bristol City on aggregate - Walsall won 4-2 on pens to decide who would host the replay. Replay 30 May 1988 15:00 Walsall 4–0 Bristol City Kelly 12 17 63Hawker 19 Fellows Park, Walsall 13,007 George Courtney Fourth Division 1987–88 Football League Fourth Division Third Division relegation places Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points21Rotherham United461216185066–165222Grimsby Town461214204858–105023York City4689294891–433324Doncaster Rovers4689294084–4433 Fourth Division play-off places Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points4Scunthorpe United46201797651+25775Torquay United462114116641+25776Swansea City462010166256+670 Semi-finals First leg 15 May 1988 12:00 Torquay United 2–1 Scunthorpe United Dobson Caldwell Flounders 71 Plainmoor, Torquay 4,602 15 May 1988 15:00 Swansea City 1–0 Rotherham United McCarthy 85 Vetch Field, Swansea 9,148 Second leg 18 May 1988 19:30 Rotherham United 1–1 Swansea City Johnson 46 McCarthy 19 Millmoor, Rotherham 5,558 Swansea City won 2–1 on aggregate. 18 May 1988 19:30 Scunthorpe United 1–1 Torquay United Lister 81 pen. Loram Old Showground, Scunthorpe 6,483 Torquay United won 3–2 on aggregate. Final 1988 Football League Fourth Division play-off final First leg 25 May 1988 19:30 Swansea City 2–1 Torquay United McCarthy Love 25 McNichol 90 Vetch Field, Swansea 10,825 Roger Milford Second leg 28 May 1988 15:00 Torquay United 3–3 Swansea City McNichol Caldwell Raynor McCarthy . pen.Davies Plainmoor, Torquay 5,000 Swansea City won 5–4 on aggregate. External links Football League website uncollapsed Category:English Football League play-offs