1992 Football League Fourth Division play-off final

Association football match June 2017 December 2017 1992 Football League Fourth Division play-off final Old Wembley Stadium (external view).jpg The match was played at Wembley Stadium. Blackpool 1 Scunthorpe United 1 After extra time Blackpool won 4–3 on penalties 23 May 1992 Wembley Stadium London Keith Hackett 22,741 Hot 1991 1993 The 1992 Football League Fourth Division play-off final was an association football match which was played on 23 May 1992 at Wembley Stadium, London, between Blackpool and Scunthorpe United to determine the fourth and final team to gain promotion from the Football League Fourth Division to the Third Division. The top three teams of the 1991–92 Football League Fourth Division, Burnley, Rotherham United and Mansfield Town, gained automatic promotion, while those placed from fourth to seventh place took part in play-offs. The winners of the play-off semi-finals competed for the final place in the Third Division for the 1992–93 season. Blackpool and Scunthorpe United beat Barnet and Crewe Alexandra, respectively, in the semi-finals. The match was refereed by Keith Hackett in front of 22,741 spectators. In the 40th minute, Tony Rodwell won the ball from Scunthorpe's Paul Longden and his cross found Dave Bamber at the far post who scored through the legs of goalkeeper Mark Samways with a low header. Scunthorpe equalised in the 52nd minute. Tony Daws received a pass from John Buckley which he volleyed past Steve McIlhargey in the Blackpool goal to make it 1–1. No further goals were scored and with the score level, the game went into extra time. Both sides had chances to score in the additional period but the game headed to a penalty shootout. The first six penalties were converted, making it 3–3, before the two Scunthorpe substitutes, Graham Alexander and Jason White, failed to score. Blackpool won the shootout 4–3, securing promotion to the third tier of English football. Route to the final 1991–92 Football League Fourth Division main WDL Q right auto Football League Fourth Division final table, leading positions BUR Burnley ROT Rotherham United MAN Mansfield Town BLP Blackpool SCU Scunthorpe United CRE Crewe Alexandra BAR Barnet 25 8 9 79 43 22 11 9 70 37 23 8 11 75 53 22 10 10 71 45 21 9 12 64 59 20 10 12 66 51 21 6 15 81 61 complete https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/1992/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 6 April 2021 League Division Four end of season table for 1991–92 season 7 May 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210507100817/https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/1992/ live Blackpool finished the regular 1991–92 season in fourth position in the Football League Fourth Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system, one place and four points ahead of Scunthorpe United. Both therefore missed out on the three automatic places for promotion to the Third Division and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the fourth promoted team. Blackpool finished one point behind Mansfield Town and Rotherham United (who were promoted in third and second place respectively, the latter with superior goal difference), and seven behind league winners Burnley. Scunthorpe United's opponents for their play-off semi-final were Crewe Alexandra with the first match of the two-legged tie taking place at Gresty Road in Crewe on 10 May 1992. Craig Hignett gave Crewe the lead after six minutes with a strike from the edge of the Scunthorpe penalty area before Ian Helliwell equalised from close range eleven minutes later. He then scored his and Scunthorpe's second with a header ten minutes before half-time. In the 39th minute, Hignett's shot rebounded off the Scunthorpe goal-post and fell to Tony Naylor who scored to level the score. The second half was goalless and the match ended 2–2. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/75239138/the-guardian/ Confusion surrounds Barnet win as manager Fry claims he was sacked Newspapers.com 7 April 2021 11 May 1992 14 The Guardian 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202805/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/75239138/the-guardian/ live The second leg was held three days later at Glanford Park in Scunthorpe. After a goalless first half, Dean Martin put the home side ahead in the 83rd minute before Ian Hamilton added a second one minute before full time to give Scunthorpe a 2–0 win and a 4–2 aggregate victory. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A116318455/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=ec37fbc9 Gale 7 April 2021 Stockport get to Wembley again The Times 29 14 May 1992 subscription Blackpool faced Barnet in the other semi-final and the first match was played on 10 May 1992 at Underhill in London. https://www.11v11.com/matches/barnet-v-blackpool-10-may-1992-306941/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 7 May 2021 Barnet v Blackpool, 10 May 1992 7 May 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210507100848/https://www.11v11.com/matches/barnet-v-blackpool-10-may-1992-306941/ live Mark Carter scored from close range in the 27th minute when Carl Hoddle's shot was not gathered by Blackpool's goalkeeper Steve McIlhargey to give Barnet the lead. With the second half goalless, the match ended 1–0. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A116319110/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=7c3c8dd8 Keith Blackmore 7 April 2021 Gale subscription Barnet find goals elusive 11 May 1992 24 The Times 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202812/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA116319110&v=2.1&it=r&sid=STND&asid=7c3c8dd8 live The second leg took place three days later at Bloomfield Road in Blackpool. Both Dave Bamber and Mitch Cook made goal-line clearances for Blackpool after McIlhargey failed to clear crosses, but in the 41st minute, the home side took the lead. Bamber headed a corner from David Eyres back across goal for Paul Groves who scored with a header from close range. After McIlhargey had made a save to deny a diving header from Jonathan Hunt, Andy Garner doubled Blackpool's lead from the penalty spot after Mick Bodley was penalised for handball. Blackpool won the match 2–0 and progressed to the final with a 2–1 aggregate victory. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A116318450/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=9c751a12 Keith Blackmore 7 April 2021 Gale subscription Barnet pay heavy penalty for lapse 14 May 1992 29 The Times 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202806/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA116318450&v=2.1&it=r&sid=STND&asid=9c751a12 live Match Background This was Blackpool's second appearance in the play-offs and their second final: they had lost to Torquay United on penalties in the 1991 Football League Fourth Division play-off final at the old Wembley Stadium. Blackpool had been relegated to the fourth tier of English football in the 1989–90 season. https://www.fchd.info/BLACKPOO.HTM Blackpool Football Club History Database 7 April 2021 8 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200808183005/http://fchd.info/BLACKPOO.HTM live Scunthorpe United were participating in their fourth play-offs in five seasons but were appearing in the final for the first time. They had been relegated to the Fourth Division in the 1983–84 season. https://www.fchd.info/SCUNTHOU.HTM Scunthorpe United Football Club History Database 7 April 2021 18 September 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200918200917/http://www.fchd.info/SCUNTHOU.HTM live The two sides had faced one another in the 1991 Football League play-offs, with Blackpool securing a 3–2 aggregate victory. During the regular 1991–92 season, both sides won their home matches 2–1, Blackpool winning at Bloomfield Road in August 1991 and Scunthorpe victorious at Glandford Park the following December. https://www.11v11.com/teams/scunthorpe-united/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Blackpool/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 7 April 2021 Scunthorpe United football club: record v Blackpool 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202826/https://www.11v11.com/teams/scunthorpe-united/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Blackpool/ live The referee for the match was Keith Hackett. https://www.11v11.com/matches/blackpool-v-scunthorpe-united-23-may-1992-306943/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 7 April 2021 Blackpool v Scunthorpe United, 23 May 1992 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202824/https://www.11v11.com/matches/blackpool-v-scunthorpe-united-23-may-1992-306943/ live Both sides adopted a 4–4–2 formation for the final. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A117201847/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=498fc8c6 Gale subscription 7 April 2021 Blackpool spot on at Wembley Keith Pike 24 May 1992 24 The Sunday Times 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202814/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA117201847&v=2.1&it=r&sid=STND&asid=498fc8c6 live Summary The match kicked off around 3p.m. on 23 May 1992 at Wembley Stadium in hot conditions with 22,741 spectators in attendance. Scunthorpe made the better start, although in the 30th minute, Tony Rodwell made an opportunity for Bamber to score but he missed. In the 39th minute Hamilton sliced the ball over the Blackpool goal from around 8 yds and a minute later, Blackpool took the lead. Rodwell won the ball from Scunthorpe's Paul Longden and his cross found Bamber at the far post who scored through the legs of Mark Samways with a low header. Neither side made any personnel changes at half time. In a much more open second half, Scunthorpe equalised in the 52nd minute. Tony Daws received a pass from John Buckley which he volleyed past McIlhargey in the Blackpool goal to make it 1–1. In the 68th minute, Blackpool made their first substitution of the match with Jamie Murphy coming on to replace Mike Davies. No further goals were scored and with the score level, the game went into extra time. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/75285351/the-observer/ The Observer 7 April 2021 Newspapers.com White takes fright Frank McGhee 24 May 1992 43 During the additional time, Bamber's shot passed just outside the Scunthorpe post and Samways made a save to deny a strike from Rodwell. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/75285393/the-guardian/ The Guardian Newspapers.com 7 April 2021 Bamber answers the challenge John Duncan 14 25 May 1992 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202814/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/75285393/the-guardian/ live Scunthorpe made a double-substitution at the beginning of the second half of extra time with Jason White and Graham Alexander, two 20-year-olds, coming on in place of Daws and Buckley. With no change to the scoreline after 120 minutes, the match went to a penalty shootout. The first six spot-kicks were converted, making it 3–3, before Alexander's weak shot was saved by McIlhargey. Eyres then made it 4–3 to Blackpool before White struck his penalty over the crossbar. Blackpool won the shootout 4–3 and secured promotion to the third tier of English football. Details uncollapsed 1 23 May 1992 Blackpool 1–1 Scunthorpe United Report yes Bamber 40 Daws 52 Wembley Stadium, London 22,741 Keith Hackett Cook Groves Garner Eyres 4–3 Hamilton Longden Elliott Alexander White GK 1 Steve McIlhargeyRB 2 Dave BurgessCB 3 Mitch CookCB 4 Paul Groves LB 5 Mike Davies 68RM 6 Ian GoreCM 7 Tony Rodwell CM 8 Phil Horner 90FW 9 Dave BamberFW 10Andy GarnerLM 11David EyresSubstitutes:MF 12Jamie Murphy 68MF 13Trevor Sinclair 90Manager:Billy Ayre GK 1 Mark SamwaysRB 2 Joe JoyceCB 3 Paul LongdenCB 4 Dave Hill LB 5 Matt ElliottRM 6 Glenn HumphriesCM 7 Dean Martin CM 8 Ian Hamilton FW 9 Tony Daws 106FW 10John Buckley 106LM 11Ian HelliwellSubstitutes:MF 12Jason White 106FW 13Graham Alexander 106Manager:Bill Green Post-match Bill Green, the Scunthorpe manager, described it as "a very, very sad way to lose". His counterpart, Billy Ayre, was sympathetic: "It is like judging a marathon on a 40-yard sprint... It is not a fair way of doing it and now I can say that without it sounding like sour grapes." Bamber suggested that Blackpool were worthy winners: "We finished higher in the League... We deserved it. Justice was done." https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A116315214/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=59578743 Gale subscription 7 April 2021 Justice prevails for Blackpool Keith Blackmore The Times 18 25 May 1992 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202817/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA116315214&v=2.1&it=r&sid=STND&asid=59578743 live Blackpool's next season saw them finish in eighteenth in the newly renamed Second Division (which remained third tier of English football). https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-2/1993/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 7 April 2021 League Division 2 end of season table for 1992–93 season 31 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200831020854/https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-2/1993/ live Scunthorpe ended their following season in thirteenth position in the newly renamed Third Division (which remained the fourth tier of English football). https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/1993/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 7 April 2021 League Division 3 end of season table for 1992–93 season 30 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200830194321/https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/1993/ live References 3 Category:EFL League Two play-off finals Play-off Final 1992 Play-off Final 1992 Football League Fourth Division play-off final Football League Fourth Division play-off final