1987 Football League play-offs

April 2022 Football League play-offs 1986–87 Charlton Athletic(Second Division)Swindon Town(Third Division)Aldershot(Fourth Division) Aldershot 2–0 Wolves(Fourth Division) Colchester 0–2 Wolves(Fourth Division) Sunderland 4–3 Gillingham(7 goals) 20 45 31,395 – Leeds v Charlton(Second Division final) 4,164 – Aldershot v Bolton(Fourth Division semi-final) 15,469 1988 The Football League play-offs for the 1986–87 season were held in May 1987, 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 1986–87 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 Points19Charlton Athletic421111204555–104420Leicester City42119225476–224221Manchester City42815193657–213922Aston Villa42812224579–3436 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 Points3Oldham Athletic42229116544+21754Leeds United421911125844+14685Ipswich Town421713125943+1664 Semi-finals First leg 14 May 1987 19:30 Leeds United 1–0 Oldham Athletic Edwards 89 Elland Road, Leeds 29,472 George Tyson 14 May 1987 19:45 Ipswich Town 0–0 Charlton Athletic Portman Road, Ipswich 18,465 Dennis Hedges Second leg 17 May 1987 11:30 Charlton Athletic 2–1 Ipswich Town Melrose 18 20 McCall 85 Selhurst Park, London 11,234 Lester Shapter Charlton Athletic won 2–1 on aggregate. 17 May 1987 12:00 Oldham Athletic 2–1 yes Leeds United Williams 18Cecere 89 Edwards 90 Boundary Park, Oldham 19,216 George Courtney Oldham Athletic 2–2 Leeds United on aggregate. Leeds United won on away goals. Final 1987 Football League Second Division play-off final First leg 23 May 1987 15:00 Charlton Athletic 1–0 Leeds United Melrose 87 Selhurst Park, London 16,680 Roger Milford Second leg 25 May 1987 19:30 Leeds United 1–0 Charlton Athletic Ormsby 54 Elland Road, Leeds 31,395 Bob Nixon Leeds United 1–1 Charlton Athletic on aggregate. Replay 29 May 1987 19:30 Charlton Athletic 2–1 yes Leeds United Shirtliff 113 117 Sheridan 99 St Andrew's, Birmingham 18,000 Allan Gunn Third Division 1986–87 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 Points20Sunderland421212184959–104821Grimsby Town421014183959–204422Brighton & Hove Albion42912213754–1739 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 Points3Swindon Town46251297747+30874Wigan Athletic462510118360+23855Gillingham46239146548+1778 Semi-finals First leg 14 May 1987 19:45 Gillingham 3–2 Sunderland Cascarino 64 Proctor 29 pen. Priestfield, Gillingham 13,804 Brian Hill 14 May 1987 19:45 Wigan Athletic 2–3 Swindon Town Thompson 3Lowe 15 Bamber Quinn Coyne Springfield Park, Wigan 5,718 Keith Hackett Second leg 17 May 1987 15:00 Sunderland 4–3 yes Gillingham Gates 1721Bennett 88Bertschin 108 Pritchard 2Cascarino 51 92 Roker Park, Sunderland 25,470 Michael Peck Sunderland 6–6 Gillingham on aggregate. Gillingham won on away goals. 17 May 1987 15:00 Swindon Town 0–0 Wigan Athletic County Ground, Swindon 12,485 Allan Gunn Swindon Town won 3–2 on aggregate. Final 1987 Football League Third Division play-off final First leg 22 May 1987 19:45 Gillingham 1–0 Swindon Town Smith 81 Priestfield, Gillingham 16,775 Alf Buksh Second leg 25 May 1987 19:45 Swindon Town 2–1 Gillingham Coyne 61Henry 80 Elsey 15 County Ground, Swindon 14,382 Lester Shapter Swindon Town 2–2 Gillingham on aggregate. Replay 29 May 1987 20:00 Gillingham 0–2 Swindon Town White 2 65 Selhurst Park, London 18,491 John Martin Fourth Division 1986–87 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 Points21Bolton Wanderers461015214658–124522Carlisle United46108283978–393823Darlington46716234577–323724Newport County46813254986–3737 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 Points4Wolverhampton Wanderers46247156950+19795Colchester United46217186456+8706Aldershot462010166457+770 Semi-finals First leg 14 May 1987 19:30 Colchester United 0–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Kelly 28Bull 32 Layer Road, Colchester 4,829 14 May 1987 19:45 Aldershot 1–0 Bolton Wanderers Johnson 87 Recreation Ground, Aldershot 4,164 Second leg 17 May 1987 12:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–0 Colchester United Molineux, Wolverhampton 16,330 Wolverhampton Wanderers won 2–0 on aggregate. 17 May 1987 15:00 Bolton Wanderers 2–2 yes Aldershot Caldwell 50 pen. 81 Anderson Burvill Burnden Park, Bolton 7,445 Aldershot won 3–2 on aggregate. Final 1987 Football League Fourth Division play-off final First leg 22 May 1987 19:45 Aldershot 2–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers McDonald 4Barnes 47 pen. Recreation Ground, Aldershot 5,069 Allan Gunn Second leg 25 May 1987 15:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–1 Aldershot Barnes 81 Molineux, Wolverhampton 19,962 Keith Hackett Aldershot won 3–0 on aggregate. External links Football League website uncollapsed Category:English Football League play-offs