1999 Football League play-offs

April 2022 Football League play-offs 1998–99 Watford(First Division)Manchester City(Second Division)Scunthorpe United(Third Division) Scunthorpe 3–1 Swansea(Third Division) None Ipswich 4–3 Bolton(7 goals) 15 28 76,935 – Gillingham v Manchester City(Second Division final) 6,762 – Wigan v Manchester City(Second Division semi-final) 24,837 1998 2000 The Football League play-offs for the 1998–99 season were held in May 1999, with the finals taking place at the old Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs and 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 went 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, Ipswich Town, who were aiming to return to the top flight after a 4-year absence, finished one point behind second placed Bradford City, who in turn finished 18 points behind champions Sunderland, who returned to the top flight after being relegated two seasons previously. Birmingham City, who were aiming to return to the top flight after 13 years outside the top division, finished in fourth place in the table. Watford, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1988, finished in fifth place. Bolton Wanderers, who were aiming to return to the top flight after relegation the previous season, finished one point behind Watford in sixth place. First Division 1998–99 Football League First Division Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points3Ipswich Town46251297142+29874Birmingham City462410128867+21825Watford462211136544+21776Bolton Wanderers462113126950+1976 Semi-finals First leg 16 May 1999 13:00 Bolton Wanderers 1–0 Ipswich Town Johansen 84 Reebok Stadium, Bolton 18,295 Mark Halsey 16 May 1999 13:00 Watford 1–0 Birmingham City Ngonge 5 Vicarage Road, Watford 18,535 Clive Wilkes Second leg 19 May 1999 19:45 Ipswich Town 4–3 yes Bolton Wanderers Holland 14 116 Dyer 52 90 Taylor 51 96 Frandsen 84 Portman Road, Ipswich 21,755 John Kirkby Ipswich Town 4–4 Bolton Wanderers on aggregate. Bolton Wanderers won on away goals. 20 May 1999 19:45 Birmingham City 1–0 yes Report Watford Adebola 2 St Andrew's, Birmingham 29,100 David Pugh Furlong Grainger Rowett Bradbury Hughes Purse Poole Holland 6–7 Kennedy Palmer Johnson Bazeley Mooney Page Smart Hazan Birmingham City 1–1 Watford on aggregate. Watford won 7–6 on penalties. Final 1999 Football League First Division play-off final 31 May 1999 15:00 Bolton Wanderers 0–2 Report Watford Wright 38Smart 89 Wembley Stadium, London 70,343 Terry Heilbron Second Division 1998–99 Football League Second Division Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points3Manchester City46221686933+36824Gillingham462214107544+31805Preston North End462213117850+28796Wigan Athletic462210147548+2776 Semi-finals First leg 15 May 1999 14:00 Wigan Athletic 1–1 Manchester City Barlow 1 Dickov 76 Springfield Park, Wigan 6,762 Alan Wiley 16 May 1999 15:00 Preston North End 1–1 Gillingham Eyres 54 Taylor 79 Deepdale, Preston 18,584 John Kirkby Second leg 19 May 1999 19:45 Gillingham 1–0 Preston North End Hessenthaler 2 Priestfield Stadium, Gillingham 10,105 Mark Halsey Gillingham won 2–1 on aggregate. 19 May 1999 19:45 Manchester City 1–0 Wigan Athletic Goater 27 Maine Road, Manchester 31,305 Terry Heilbron Manchester City won 2–1 on aggregate. Final 1999 Football League Second Division play-off final 30 May 1999 15:00 Gillingham Manchester City 2–2 yes Report Asaba 82Taylor 87 Horlock 90Dickov 90+5 Wembley Stadium, London 76,935 Mark Halsey Smith Pennock Hodge Butters 1–3 Horlock Dickov Cooke Edghill Third Division 1998–99 Football League Third Division Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points4Scunthorpe United46228166958+11745Rotherham United462013137961+18736Leyton Orient461915126859+9727Swansea City461914135648+871 Semi-finals First leg 16 May 1999 12:30 Leyton Orient 0–0 Rotherham United Brisbane Road, London 9,419 Terry Heilbron 16 May 1999 12:30 Swansea City 1–0 Scunthorpe United Bound 44 Vetch Field, Swansea 7,828 David Pugh Second leg 19 May 1999 19:45 Rotherham United 0–0 yes Leyton Orient Millmoor, Rotherham 9,529 Clive Wilkes Thompson Roscoe Hurst Williams 2–4 Smith Ling Morrison Lockwood Rotherham United 0–0 Leyton Orient on aggregate. Leyton Orient won 4–2 on penalties. 19 May 1999 19:45 Scunthorpe United 3–1 yes Swansea City Dawson 2 Sheldon 92 102 Bird 98 Glanford Park, Scunthorpe 7,089 Alan Wiley Scunthorpe United won 3–2 on aggregate. Final 1999 Football League Third Division play-off final 29 May 1999 15:00 Leyton Orient 0–1 Report Scunthorpe United Calvo García 6 Wembley Stadium, London 36,985 Clive Wilkes External links Football League website Category:English Football League play-offs