2003 Football League play-offs

Football League play-offs 2002–03 Wolverhampton Wanderers(First Division)Cardiff City(Second Division)Bournemouth(Third Division) Lincoln 5–3 Scunthorpe(Third Division) Reading 0–1 Wolves(First Division)Scunthorpe 0–1 Lincoln(Third Division) Lincoln 5–3 Scunthorpe(8 goals) 15 41 69,473 – Sheffield United v Wolves(First Division final) 5,782 – Bury v Bournemouth(Third Division semi-final) 24,964 2002 2004 The Football League play-offs for the 2002–03 season were held in May 2003, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish 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 will go through to the finals, with the winner of the 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. In the First Division, Sheffield United, who are aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1994, finished 12 points behind second placed Leicester City, who in turn finished 6 points behind champions Portsmouth, who returned to the top flight for the first time since 1988. Reading who are aiming for a place in the top flight for the first time in their history, finished in fourth place in the table. Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 20 years outside the top flight, finished in fifth place. Nottingham Forest finished 2 points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers and were looking for a place back in the Premiership for the first time since 1999. First Division 2002–03 Football League First Division Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points3Sheffield United462311127252+20804Reading46254176146+15795Wolverhampton Wanderers462016108144+37766Nottingham Forest462014128250+3274 Semi-finals First leg 10 May 2003 12:15 Nottingham Forest 1–1 Report Sheffield United Johnson 55 Brown 58 pen. City Ground, Nottingham 29,064 Mark Clattenburg 10 May 2003 17:30 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Report Reading Murty 75 o.g.Naylor 84 Forster 25 Molineux, Wolverhampton 27,678 Alan Kaye Second leg 14 May 2003 19:45 Reading 0–1 Report Wolverhampton Wanderers Rae 81 Madjeski Stadium, Reading 24,060 Howard Webb Wolverhampton Wanderers won 3–1 on aggregate. 15 May 2003 19:45 Sheffield United 4–3 yes Report Nottingham Forest Brown 60Kabba 68Peschisolido 112Walker 117 o.g. Johnson 30Reid 58Page 119 o.g. Bramall Lane, Sheffield 30,212 Peter Walton Sheffield United won 5–4 on aggregate. Final 2003 Football League First Division play-off final 26 May 2003 15:00 Sheffield United 0–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Report Kennedy 6Blake 22Miller 45 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 69,473 Steve Bennett Second Division 2002–03 Football League Second Division Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points3Bristol City462411117948+31834Queens Park Rangers462411116945+24835Oldham Athletic46221686838+30826Cardiff City462312116843+2581 Semi-finals First leg 10 May 2003 15:00 Cardiff City 1–0 Report Bristol City Thorne 74 Ninian Park, Cardiff 19,146 Howard Webb 10 May 2003 15:00 Oldham Athletic 1–1 Report Queens Park Rangers Eyres 28 Langley 47 Boundary Park, Oldham 12,152 Steve Bennett Second leg 13 May 2003 19:45 Bristol City 0–0 Report Cardiff City Ashton Gate, Bristol 16,307 Jeff Winter Cardiff City won 1–0 on aggregate. 14 May 2003 19:45 Queens Park Rangers 1–0 Report Oldham Athletic Furlong 82 Loftus Road, London 17,201 Mark Clattenburg Queens Park Rangers won 2–1 on aggregate. Final 2003 Football League Second Division play-off final 25 May 2003 15:00 Cardiff City 1–0 yes Report Queens Park Rangers Campbell 114 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 66,096 Howard Webb Third Division 2002–03 Football League Third Division Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points4Bournemouth462014126048+12745Scunthorpe United461915126849+19726Lincoln City461816124637+9707Bury461816125756+170 Semi-finals First leg 10 May 2003 15:00 Bury 0–0 Report Bournemouth Gigg Lane, Bury 5,782 Jeff Winter 10 May 2003 15:00 Lincoln City 5–3 Report Scunthorpe United Weaver 15 Mayo 18 Smith 55Yeo 82 90 Calvo García 26 69Stanton 70 Sincil Bank, Lincoln 8,902 Peter Walton Second leg 13 May 2003 19:45 Bournemouth 3–1 Report Bury O'Connor 21Hayter 38 60 Preece 67 Fitness First Stadium, Bournemouth 7,945 Mick Fletcher Bournemouth won 3–1 on aggregate. 14 May 2003 19:45 Scunthorpe United 0–1 Report Lincoln City Yeo 88 Glanford Park, Scunthorpe 8,295 Steve Bennett Lincoln City won 6–3 on aggregate. Final 2003 Football League Third Division play-off final 24 May 2003 15:00 Bournemouth 5–2 Report Lincoln City S. Fletcher 29C. Fletcher 45 77Purches 56O'Connor 60 Futcher 35Bailey 75 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 32,148 Alan Kaye External links Football League website Category:English Football League play-offs play-offs Category:May 2003 sports events in the United Kingdom