1993 Football League Second Division play-off final

Association football match December 2017 December 2017 1993 Football League Second Division play-off final Wembley Stadium Twin Towers.jpg 1992–93 Football League Second Division The Twin Towers of Wembley Stadium Port Vale 0 West Bromwich Albion 3 1993 05 30 y Wembley Stadium London Roger Milford (Gloucestershire) 53,471 1992 1994 The 1993 Football League Second Division play-off final was a football match played on 30 May 1993 at Wembley Stadium, London, between Port Vale and West Bromwich Albion to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Second Division to the First Division. The top two teams of the 1992–93 Football League Second Division season gained automatic promotion to the First Division, while those placed from third to sixth place in the table took part in play-offs; the winners of the play-off semi-finals competed for the final place for the 1993–94 season in the First Division. West Bromwich Albion had no experience of the play-offs before 1993, while Port Vale had won promotion through the third tier play-offs after winning the 1989 play-off final. In the semi-finals, Port Vale defeated Stockport County, and West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea City. A Wembley Stadium crowd of more than 53,000 people watched the final, which was refereed by Roger Milford. The match finished with a comprehensive 3–0 victory for West Bromwich Albion, all three goals coming in the second half. Port Vale defender Peter Swan was sent off on the hour mark for bringing down Bob Taylor, who had been through on goal. Andy Hunt, Nicky Reid and Kevin Donovan went on to score for West Bromwich Albion to take their team into the second tier of the Football League. West Bromwich Albion ended the following season in 21st place in the First Division, above the relegation zone on goal difference. Port Vale's next season saw them secure promotion in second place in the Second Division, three points above the play-offs and one point behind the league champions. Route to the final 1992–93 Football League main WDL Q right auto Football League Second Division final table, leading positions SKC Stoke City BOW Bolton Wanderers PVA Port Vale WBA West Bromwich Albion SWA Swansea City STC Stockport County LYO Leyton Orient REA Reading 27 12 7 73 34 27 9 10 80 41 26 11 9 79 44 25 10 11 88 54 20 13 13 65 47 19 15 12 81 57 21 9 16 69 53 18 15 13 66 51 complete 11v11 league table generator https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-2/1993/ 11v11 12 June 2020 AFS Enterprises Port Vale had finished the regular 1992–93 season in third place in the Second Division, the third tier of the English football league system, one place ahead of West Bromwich Albion. Both, therefore, missed out on the two automatic promotion places to the First Division and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the third promoted team. Port Vale had finished one point behind Bolton Wanderers (who were promoted in second place) and four points behind league winners (and Potteries derby rivals) Stoke City; they had drawn both their games with Bolton and lost both their games with Stoke. West Bromwich Albion finished four points behind Port Vale. Port Vale's opponents for the play-off semi-final were Stockport County, and the first match of the two-legged tie was played at Edgeley Park in Stockport. Jim Gannon converted a fifth-minute penalty, only for Dean Glover to level the scores at 1–1 on 24 minutes, with the game ending in a draw.Andrews Phil Football: Glover pushes Vale back into the frame: Barclays League https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-glover-pushes-vale-back-into-the-frame-barclays-league-promotion-playoffs-semifinals-2323396.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-glover-pushes-vale-back-into-the-frame-barclays-league-promotion-playoffs-semifinals-2323396.html 1 May 2022 subscription live 17 May 2021 The Independent 23 October 2011 en The return leg was held at Vale Park three days later and Martin Foyle's 84th-minute strike went unanswered to give Port Vale a 2–1 aggregate victory.TAKE FIVE… County and the Play-Offs https://www.stockportcounty.com/take-five-county-and-the-play-offs/ 17 May 2021 Stockport County 1 May 2018 On 22 May, Port Vale would also beat Stockport 2–1 in the 1993 Football League Trophy final at Wembley Stadium. Paul Kerr put Port Vale ahead, before Bernie Slaven made it two before half-time. Striker Kevin Francis pulled one back for Stockport, but Port Vale held on for another 2–1 victory.The Autoglass Trophy final, 1993 https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2012/01/autoglass-final-1993/ 12 June 2020 onevalefan 30 January 2012 West Bromwich Albion faced Swansea City in their semi-final play-off, and the first match of the two-legged tie was played at Vetch Field, Swansea. West Bromwich Albion lost the match 2–1 after Andy McFarlane and Martin Hayes scored twice in the 20 minutes after the second half kick-off, only for McFarlane to give the visitors a lifeline with an own goal on 72 minutes.Walton Dean Proud to be a Baggie: A Pictorial History of West Bromwich Albion Fans 15 April 2018 Amberley Publishing Limited 978-1-4456-8128-3 https://books.google.com/books?id=pq2IDwAAQBAJ&q=16+May+1993+West+Bromwich+Albion+Swansea+City+vetch+field&pg=PT115 en The second leg was played three days later at The Hawthorns, West Brom's home ground. Andy Hunt and Ian Hamilton put the home side in control of the tie with goals on 10 and 20 minutes. No further goals ensured West Bromwich Albion of a 3–2 aggregate victory.Howell Bill West Brom v Swansea: Three games that rocked https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/west-brom-v-swansea-three-8622771 17 May 2021 BirminghamLive 11 February 2015 en Port ValeRoundWest Bromwich AlbionOpponentResultLegsSemi-finalsOpponentResultLegsStockport County2–11–1 away; 1–0 homeSwansea City3–21–2 away; 2–0 home Match Background thumb|Bob Taylor in September 2007 This was West Bromwich Albion's first attempt to be promoted via the play-offs. Port Vale won promotion through the third-tier play-offs after winning the 1989 play-off final. West Bromwich Albion had scored 88 goals in the 1992–93 season, more than any other team in the Second Division; 30 of these goals came from the division's top scorer Bob Taylor.English League Leading Goalscorers https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html RSSSF 12 June 2020Kent Jeff The Port Vale Record 1879–1993 Witan Books 1993 978-0-9508981-9-3 West Bromwich Albion had dropped into the third tier of the English Football League for the first time in their history in 1991 and recorded their lowest ever finish of seventh in the third tier in the 1991–92 season. Port Vale had been relegated out of the second tier in 1992 and were looking for an immediate return. In the two league matches played between the clubs during the regular season, Port Vale won 1–0 away in October 1992 and 2–1 at home the following February. The referee for the match was Roger Milford, representing the Gloucestershire County Football Association, who was described as "the players' friend" as he was yet to send a player off in the 1992–93 season. Port Vale team coach driver David Durber sat on the squad bench for the match as manager John Rudge had run out of his allocated tickets.Baggaley Michael Are you on our pictures? Port Vale win Autoglass at Wembley 25 years ago today https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gallery/you-pictures-port-vale-win-1583719 14 June 2020 Stoke Sentinel 21 May 2018 Port Vale took 11,000 supporters to Wembley, who were heavily outnumbered by the 42,300 West Bromwich Albion supporters.Wilson Matt Remembering West Brom's Wembley winners 25 years later https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2018/05/30/remembering-west-broms-wembley-winners-25-years-later/ 22 June 2020 Express and Star 30 May 2018 en Summary The first half finished goalless, with Port Vale showing patience and possession according to The Independent reporter Phil Shaw.Shaw Phil Football / Play-Off: Albion exploit Vale's misfortune: Swan's https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-play-off-albion-exploit-vales-misfortune-swans-dismissal-opens-the-door-to-the-first-2316240.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-play-off-albion-exploit-vales-misfortune-swans-dismissal-opens-the-door-to-the-first-2316240.html 1 May 2022 subscription live 12 June 2020 The Independent 31 May 1993 en West Bromwich Albion were starting to apply pressure early in the second half and Kevin Donovan came close to opening the scoring with a bicycle kick. Port Vale also had a 53rd-minute cross-cum-shot by Ian Taylor tipped over the bar by Tony Lange. Paul Musselwhite denied Donovan and Paul Raven after Bob Taylor exploited Port Vale defender Peter Swan's lack of pace. Swan fouled Taylor on 60 minutes and his subsequent dismissal proved to be the turning point in the match; it also meant that he became the third Englishman to be sent off at Wembley, after Kevin Keegan and Lee Dixon.Swan Peter Andrew Collomosse Swanny: Confessions of a Lower-League Legend John Blake 2008 978-1-84454-660-2 Andy Hunt scored the game's opening goal on 66 minutes, and would make his loan spell from Newcastle United into a permanent transfer for a fee of £100,000 later in the week.McOwan Gavin The Essential History of West Bromwich Albion Headline 2002 158–159 978-0-7553-1146-0 Hunt had capitalised with a header from a goalmouth scramble when Gary Strodder's header was blocked by a combination of Musselwhite and the crossbar, and Taylor's cross was knocked on to Hunt by Nicky Reid. Reid scored his first goal for West Bromwich Albion with an 18 yd on strike on 82 minutes after being assisted by Donovan, who countered a Port Vale attack by running past the halfway line. Reid repaid Donovan by setting him up for West Bromwich Albion's final goal from 6 yd on 90 minutes, with the game ending 3–0 to West Bromwich Albion. Details 30 May 1993 15:00 BST West Bromwich Albion 3–0 Port Vale Report Hunt 66Reid 82Donovan 90 Wembley Stadium, London 53,471 Roger Milford (Gloucestershire) _yellow_stripes _wba1920a _yellow_stripes _yellowsides _greentop 007020 FFDD00 007020 007020 FFDD00 West Bromwich Albion _black_nzfc_shoulders _whitesides _band_black ffffff ffffff ffffff 000000 ffffff Port Vale GK 1Tony LangeRB 2Nicky Reid LB 3Steve LilwallCM 4Darren BradleyCB 5 Paul RavenCB 6Gary StrodderCF 7Andy Hunt 89CM 8 Ian HamiltonCF9 Bob TaylorLM 10Bernard McNallyRM 11 Kevin DonovanSubstitutes:CF Simon Garner 89CM Gary RobsonManager:Osvaldo Ardiles GK 1Paul MusselwhiteRB 2Neil AspinLB 3Kevin Kent 63CM 4Andy PorterCB 5 Peter Swan 0 60CB6Dean Glover CF7Bernie SlavenCM 8 Robin van der Laan 82CF 9 Martin FoyleCM 10Paul KerrRM11 Ian TaylorSubstitutes:CF 12 Nicky Cross 82CB 14 Peter Billing 63Manager:John Rudge Post-match thumb|100px|Osvaldo Ardiles in 2006 West Bromwich Albion manager Osvaldo Ardiles had secured his fourth success at Wembley as a player and manager and said: "This is the best place in the world to win, but when you lose, it looks empty and dirty. Here, the winner takes all." The victory was estimated to win his club £2million from season-ticket sales and TV rights. Port Vale manager John Rudge said: "You can't ask much more of a team than to get 89 points, which would have won us the Championship last year. It's a cruel game." Speaking in 2018, Bob Taylor described the feeling of "massive relief" and how "the parties ensued afterwards... my memory's a bit fuzzy, but we stopped off halfway through at some hotel, had a few drinks there, and then carried on back. It went on into the daylight hours." West Bromwich Albion spent nine more seasons outside the top division but avoided a return to the third tier. Instead, after narrowly avoiding relegation the next season, they steadily improved until achieving promotion to the Premier League by finishing second in the 2001–02 season.England 2001/02 https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eng02.html RSSSF 13 May 2020 Port Vale won promotion as runners-up in the following season, and spent the next six seasons in the second tier. But after a high of eighth in 1996–97 they returned to the third tier for the new millennium after relegation at the end of the 1999–2000 season.England 1999/00 https://www.rsssf.org/engpaul/FLA/1999-00.html RSSSF 13 May 2020 Ardiles left West Bromwich Albion to return to manage Tottenham Hotspur in 1993, before heading abroad in 1995; he ended up coaching in places as varied as Croatia, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Argentina.18616 Osvaldo Ardiles 14 May 2020Wollaston Steve Nostalgia: West Brom's 1993 promotion side revisited https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/nostalgia-west-broms-1993-promotion-12256305 22 June 2020 Birmingham Mail 1 December 2016 Rudge was controversially sacked in 1999 and decided 16 years as a manager was enough, instead choosing to become Director of Football at local rivals Stoke City.Baggaley Michael Twenty years today – Port Vale part company with greatest manager John Rudge https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/twenty-years-today-port-vale-2436978 18 January 2019 Stoke Sentinel 18 January 2019 Bob Taylor had continued success at West Bromwich Albion before spending 1998 to 2000 with Bolton Wanderers, only to return to The Hawthorns to help the club to reach the Premier League in 2002. https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=7830 Bob Taylor Centurycomm Soccerbase 26 May 2021 Andy Hunt stayed with West Bromwich Albion until 1998 when he signed for Charlton Athletic, retiring in April 2000 at age 30 due to illness; he later emigrated to Belize. Nicky Reid left the club in 1997 to become player-manager of Sligo Rovers, but things did not go well for him and he returned to England to become a physiotherapist at various clubs.Nicky Reid – Biography 1978/79–1986/87 – Manchester City FC http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/manchester-city-fc/nicky-reid-9248/biography-1978-79-1986-87_a12116/ Sporting Heroes 13 May 2020 Kevin Donovan also left in 1997 and moved to Grimsby Town, also scoring for them in the 1998 Second Division play-off final; he continued to maintain links to Grimsby Town after retiring.Brighouse Soccer School https://www.kevindonovan.org.uk/ Kevin Donovan Pro Coaching 13 May 2020 References Play-off final Category:Football League Second Division play-off finals Category:EFL League One play-off finals Play-off final 1993 Play-off final 1993 2 Football League Second Division play-off final Football League Second Division play-off final