1997 Football League First Division play-off final

Association football match in London June 2017 1997 Football League First Division play-off final File:The old Wembley Stadium (cropped).jpg The match took place at Wembley Stadium. Crystal Palace 1 Sheffield United 0 26 May 1997 Wembley Stadium London Neale Barry 64,383 Sunny, 91 FCRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:24:27 1996 1998 The 1997 Football League First Division play-off final was an association football match played between Crystal Palace and Sheffield United on 26 May 1997 at Wembley Stadium, London, England. The game was to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the second tier Football League First Division to the Premier League, the highest tier of English league football. The top two teams of the 1996–97 Football League First Division season gained automatic promotion, while clubs placed from third to sixth in the league table competed in play-offs. The winners of the play-off semi-finals played against each other for the final place in the Premier League for the 1997–98 season. Sheffield United ended the season in fifth position, one place ahead of Crystal Palace. Winning the final was estimated to be worth up to £10million. The game was played in front of a crowd of 64,383 and refereed by Neale Barry. Crystal Palace played with five midfielders in a 3–5–2 formation while their opponents played 4–4–2. Both goalkeepers were called into action in the first half with Crystal Palace's Carlo Nash clearing a Pyotr Kachura shot at goal, and Simon Tracey intercepting a cross from Bruce Dyer. Sheffield United made an early change when Kachura was replaced by Gareth Taylor midway through the first half. They were then forced to substitute Don Hutchison just before half-time after he seriously injured his shoulder. After a goalless first half, both sides had further chances to score in the second half. However, as the game appeared to be heading into extra time, the Crystal Palace captain David Hopkin scored the winning goal in the last minute of regular time with a curling strike from around 25 yd, described variously as "inspired", a "glorious Brazilian bender" and "one of the finest goals in Palace history." Crystal Palace's victory was the first time a club from London had won a play-off final. However, in their following season, they finished bottom of the 1997–98 Premier League and were relegated back to the First Division. Sheffield United finished their next season in sixth place in the First Division, qualifying for the 1998 Football League play-offs where they lost to Sunderland in the semi-final. Route to the final 1996–97 Football League main WDL Q right auto Football League First Division final table, leading positions BOL Bolton Wanderers BAR Barnsley WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers IPS Ipswich Town SHU Sheffield United CRY Crystal Palace 28 14 4 100 53 22 14 10 76 55 22 10 14 68 51 20 14 12 68 50 20 13 13 75 52 19 14 13 78 48 complete https://int.soccerway.com/national/england/championship/1996-1997/round-1/r536/ Soccerway 22 January 2021 Championship – 1996/1997 – Regular season 10 June 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170610194907/http://int.soccerway.com/national/england/championship/1996-1997/round-1/r536/ live Sheffield United finished the regular 1996–97 season in fifth place in the Football League First Division – the second tier of the English football league system – one place and two points ahead of Crystal Palace. Both missed out on the two automatic places for promotion to the Premier LeagueFor the 1997–98 season, the FA Premier League was known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons, or more simply the Premiership. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-carling-backs-premier-league-1474014.html The Independent 3 May 2021 Football: Carling backs Premier League Trevor Haylett subscription 22 October 2011 23 June 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180623200853/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-carling-backs-premier-league-1474014.html live https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/56397.stm BBC Sport 4 May 2021 Gullit counts the cost of falling off merry-go-round 13 February 1998 and instead took part in the play-offs, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) and Ipswich Town, to determine the third promoted team. Sheffield United finished seven points behind Barnsley (who were promoted in second place) and twenty-five behind league winners Bolton Wanderers. Crystal Palace faced Wolves in their play-off semi-final, with the first match of the two-legged tie taking place at Crystal Palace's home ground Selhurst Park in London on 10 May 1997. After a goalless first half, Neil Shipperley put Palace into the lead midway through the second half with a header. With a minute remaining, Dougie Freedman scored with a left-footed strike from 25 yd to double the lead, but Jamie Smith pulled one back for Wolves almost immediately. Freedman then scored his second with a chip over Mike Stowell in the Wolves goal to secure a 3–1 first leg victory. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61650803/the-observer/ The Observer 23 October 2020 11 May 1997 52 Freedman coup gives the edge to Palace Newspapers.com subscription Kevin Mitchell 26 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201026135338/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61650803/the-observer/ live The second leg of the semi-final was played four days later at Molineux in Wolverhampton. Mark Atkins put the home side ahead after half an hour with a low shot through Carlo Nash's legs in the Palace goal. David Hopkin equalised midway through the second half before Ady Williams made it 2–1 to Wolves with five minutes remaining. No further goals were scored and the game ended 4–3 on aggregate to Palace. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61653754/the-guardian/ The Guardian 23 October 2020 Newspapers.com Palace survive Wolves' all-out attack Peter White 26 15 May 1997 subscription 26 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201026142354/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61653754/the-guardian/ live Sheffield United played Ipswich Town in their semi-final; the first leg was played at Bramall Lane in Sheffield on 10 May 1997. The home side took the lead in the 40th minute when Jan Åge Fjørtoft who held off Chris Swailes to shoot past Richard Wright in the Ipswich goal. With twelve minutes remaining, Mick Stockwell took advantage of a defensive mix-up to shoot into an empty net and the match ended level at 1–1. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61651383/the-observer/ The Observer 23 October 2020 11 May 1997 52 Stockwell's saving ace Newspapers.com subscription Paul Wilson 28 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201028113806/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61651383/the-observer/ live The return leg took place at Portman Road in Ipswich four days later. Pyotr Kachura put the visitors ahead on eight minutes with a rising shot which hit the underside of the bar before being adjudged to have crossed the goal line. James Scowcroft levelled the tie with a 32nd-minute header before Niklas Gudmundsson gave Ipswich a 2–1 lead in the 73rd minute. Their advantage lasted just four minutes until Andy Walker made it 2–2, the final score. With the aggregate scores level at 3–3, half an hour of extra time was played. No further goals were scored, and Sheffield United advanced to the final as they had scored more away goals than Ipswich. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61654297/the-guardian/ The Guardian 23 October 2020 Newspapers.com Blades scrape through Nick Hutchings 26 15 May 1997 subscription 28 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201028113807/https://i.clean.gg/1a live Match Background right|alt=Steve Coppell|thumb|upright|Steve Coppell (pictured in 2006) was the Crystal Palace caretaker manager. This was Crystal Palace's third appearance in a second tier play-off final, having won the 1989 final (played over two legs) against Blackburn Rovers and losing the previous season's final in extra time against Leicester City. https://web.archive.org/web/20161009214128/https://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/165/9864357/play-off-final-history-stats https://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/165/9864357/play-off-final-history-stats 9 October 2016 25 May 2015 Sporting Life 6 September 2020 Play-Off Final History & Stats Sheffield United were making their first appearance in a play-off final, and were aiming to return to the top tier of English football after being relegated from the Premier League in the 1993–94 season. https://www.fchd.info/SHEFFIEU.HTM Sheffield United Football Club History Database 23 October 2020 31 January 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190131093716/http://www.fchd.info/SHEFFIEU.HTM live Crystal Palace were also seeking a quick return to the top flight, having been relegated two seasons prior. https://www.fchd.info/CRYSTALP.HTM Crystal Palace Football Club History Database 23 October 2020 12 May 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190512181742/http://fchd.info/CRYSTALP.HTM live Sheffield United had won both matches between the sides during the regular season: 1–0 at Selhurst Park in December 1996 and 3–0 at Bramall Lane the following April. https://www.11v11.com/teams/sheffield-united/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Crystal%20Palace/ Sheffield United football club: record v Crystal Palace 11v11 27 October 2020 AFS Enterprises 11 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201011113822/https://www.11v11.com/teams/sheffield-united/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Crystal%20Palace/ live Four of Crystal Palace's players had scored ten or more goals during the league campaign: Bruce Dyer (17), Hopkin (13), Shipperley (12) and Freedman (11). https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=646&season_id=126&teamTabs=stats Soccerbase Centurycomm Crystal Palace – Squad details – 1996/97 27 October 2020 27 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160327055014/http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?season_id=126&team_id=646&teamTabs=stats live Kachura, his club's player of the year,CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:19:53 and Walker were joint leading marksmen for Sheffield United with 12 league goals each, https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2328&season_id=126&teamTabs=stats Soccerbase Centurycomm Sheff Utd – Squad details – 1996/97 27 October 2020 while Fjørtoft, signed from Middlesbrough in January for £1million, had scored 11 goals in 19 games. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61931375/the-guardian/ The Guardian Newspapers.com Michael Walker subscription 27 October 2020 24 May 1997 43 A final twist of the Blade for Teesside 28 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201028113809/https://vk.com/emoji/e/f09f8ead.png live Howard Kendall, the Sheffield United manager, was making his twelfth appearance at Wembley Stadium and opined: "It's a completely different situation to any of the other appearances there – but it's just as big, because of the prize which is at stake." https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19970523/841/0094 Liverpool Echo 27 October 2020 British Newspaper Archive 94 David Prentice subscription 23 May 1997 Welcome back – Kendall no stranger to the field of dreams He recalled the 1984 FA Cup Final, the first of his managerial appearances at the national stadium, in which he led Everton to victory over Watford: "I enjoyed that cup final over Watford because we won it... that's the only way I will enjoy Monday. If we win." Ray Houghton, the Crystal Palace midfielder, had suffered defeat in the previous season's play-off final but remained confident: "Obviously Sheffield United are a good side, you have to be to get this close to the Premiership. But we see ourselves winning this one." https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002323/19970525/327/0085 Sunday World 27 October 2020 British Newspaper Archive 85 John Brennan subscription 25 May 1997 Ray's play-off deja vu Steve Coppell was the caretaker manager of Crystal Palace, having taken over at the club in late February after Dave Bassett moved to Nottingham Forest. Sheffield United were expecting to give a late fitness test to Alan Kelly who had aggravated a knee injury during the play-off semi-final against Ipswich. With no substitute goalkeeper on the bench, Kelly was forced to play on for a further 80 minutes. He had spent time during the week before the match in a diver's training bell to increase the oxygen flow in his bloodstream. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0001715/19970526/424/0030 Irish Independent 27 October 2020 British Newspaper Archive 30 Laurie Madden subscription 26 May 1997 Kelly goes to depths in bid to make Wembley The final was broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports 3. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000445/19970526/187/0022 Aberdeen Evening Express 27 October 2020 British Newspaper Archive 22 subscription 26 May 1997 Monday TV guide The match was estimated in the media to be worth £8–10million to the winning team. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61932534/the-guardian/ The Guardian Newspapers.com 27 October 2020 Palace back among the elite 27 May 1997 David Lacey 28 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201028113809/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/61932534/the-guardian/ live Neale Barry from Scunthorpe was the referee for the final. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-hopkins-late-hit-has-palace-glad-all-over-1263790.html The Independent Football: Hopkin's late hit has Palace glad all over Mike Rowbottom 27 October 2020 27 May 1997 4 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304122618/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-hopkins-late-hit-has-palace-glad-all-over-1263790.html live First half Crystal Palace kicked off the match at 3p.m. in front of a Wembley Stadium crowd of 64,383.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:13:21 They adopted a 3–5–2 formation with Dyer and Shipperley leading the attack, while their opponents played 4–4–2, with Kachura and Fjørtoft up front. Simon Tracey was selected in goal for Sheffield United instead of the injured Kelly. Two minutes in, Dyer was fouled deep in Sheffield United territory by Dane Whitehouse and although the resulting free kick from Simon Rodger found Shipperley, his header was cleared.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:15:07 In the fifth minute, Fjørtoft received the ball on the half-way line and sent Kachura clear on goal but Nash reacted quickly, running out of his area to kick the ball into touch.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:18:00 Eleven minutes later, Kevin Muscat won the ball which then fell to Dyer; his cross was too close to Tracey who gathered it in the Sheffield United goal.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:28:30 On 18 minutes, Dyer was brought down by Roger Nilsen but the resulting free kick was over-hit by Hopkin and bounced harmlessly out of touch.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:30:22 David Holdsworth then went down with a knee injury after landing awkwardly but played on after receiving treatment on the pitch.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:31:56 In the 21st minute, Andy Roberts volleyed the ball from the edge of the penalty area. His shot was deflected behind by Don Hutchison who was injured in the process. The game continued while he received medical attention off the pitch and he returned shortly after with a heavily strapped wrist.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:33:28 right|thumb|alt=Don Hutchison|Don Hutchison (pictured in 2013) fell and badly injured his shoulder. A pass from Roberts down the left wing in the 25th minute set Hopkin free, but his cross was cut out and deflected back to him. His second cross was cleared behind by Holdsworth.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:37:07 From the resulting corner, Shipperley headed just over the crossbar from 6 yd.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:37:44 Sheffield United made their first substitution of the match in the 26th minute: Kachura was replaced by Gareth Taylor, whose first contribution was to direct a looping header straight to Nash.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:39:01 In the 31st minute, Andy Linighan was caught in the face by Taylor's hand as they both jumped for the ball and had to receive treatment for a cut.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:44:18 Seven minutes later, Shipperley received the first yellow card of the game after fouling David White; the resulting free kick was cleared over his own bar by Linighan.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:50:51 In the 40th minute, Rodger became the second Crystal Palace player to be booked after a heavy challenge on Hutchison was deemed a foul.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:53:18 With a minute of regular time remaining in the first half, Rodger's pass into the box was picked up by Dyer, but he was tackled by Carl Tiler while shooting and the ball was cleared across the Sheffield United penalty area and out for a throw-in.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:56:21 Hutchison then fell awkwardly after an aerial challenge with Holdsworth, injuring his right shoulder, and was stretchered off the pitch in visible pain;CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 00:58:32 Lee Sandford came on to replace him.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:00:27 After four minutes of additional time, the referee blew his whistle to bring the goalless first half to a close.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:02:33 Second half Sheffield United kicked off the second half with no personnel changes made by either team during the half-time interval.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:10:28 A minute in, Taylor ran onto a long clearance from Holdsworth as Nash hesitated, but the Crystal Palace goalkeeper gathered the ball from the striker's feet.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:10:55 On 48 minutes, Muscat passed to Dyer on the right wing who beat Sandford but whose cross went right across the face of Sheffield United's goal.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:12:52 Muscat's 54th minute cross from the right wing was controlled by Dyer on his chest but his shot along the ground was weak and easily gathered by Tracey in the Sheffield United goal.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:18:57 In the 57th minute, Nilsen, who had never scored for his club, shot from distance but the ball passed over the Crystal Palace bar by a considerable distance.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:22:07 On the hour mark, Nigel Spackman played a high ball down the right flank to Fjørtoft, who played a low ball to Taylor; Dave Tuttle's tackle prevented a goal-scoring opportunity.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:25:01 A minute later, Taylor's headed pass from the edge of the Sheffield United box found Fjørtoft whose shot went just wide of the right-hand post of Crystal Palace's goal.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:26:04 In the 68th minute, Dyer passed from deep in opposition territory to Rodger, whose cross was caught by Sheffield United goalkeeper Tracey.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:33:22 Sheffield United received their first booking of the game in the 70th minute when Fjørtoft was given a yellow card for an altercation with Tuttle.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:35:16 Two minutes later, he was brought down by Dean Gordon on the edge of the Crystal Palace penalty area,CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:36:48 but the resulting free kick from Mitch Ward to the far post came to nothing.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:37:47 With 15 minutes of regular time remaining, Nilsen beat Muscat on the left wing to send in a high cross for Taylor but it was cleared by the Crystal Palace defenders.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:40:02 Shortly after, Nash punched clear a corner which was kicked back to him, forcing him to catch the ball before Fjørtoft was able to head it.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:42:12 A minute later, Dyer's cross was cleared behind by Sandford for a corner, which Shipperley headed wide.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:42:59 With seven minutes of the match left, Muscat crossed from the right-hand side of the Sheffield penalty area and the ball was flicked on by Gordon, but Dyer's bicycle kick went wide of the left-hand post.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:47:29 In the 85th minute, Tuttle ran onto a loose ball but his low cross into the box to Shipperley was defended by Tiler,CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:50:24 while both Hopkin's and Shipperley's subsequent attempts from close range were smothered by Tracey.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:50:42 Fjørtoft's long-range shot then went wide of the right-hand post.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:51:16 With less than a minute of regular time remaining, Gordon's strike from just outside the Sheffield United penalty area was deflected out of play by Tiler, resulting in a corner. Rodger floated in a cross which was cleared by Tiler, falling to Hopkin who controlled it before striking a right-footed curling shot from around 25 yd into the top-right corner of the Sheffield United goal.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:54:34 The referee blew his whistle for full time soon after, and Crystal Palace won the match 1–0.CRY V SHU Play Off Final 1997, 01:56:15 Details 26 May 1997 15:00 GMT Crystal Palace 1–0 Sheffield United Report Hopkin 90 Wembley Stadium, London 64,383 Neale Barry (Scunthorpe) _FCBAYERN_9596h _FCBAYERN_9596h _FCBAYERN_9596h _FCBAYERN_9596h _3_stripes_white FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF 0000FF 0000FF Crystal Palace _collarblack FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF Sheffield United GK 1 Carlo NashRB 2 Marc EdworthyCB 7 Kevin MuscatCB 5 Dave TuttleCB 6 Andy LinighanLB 3 Dean GordonCM 4 Andy RobertsCM 8 David Hopkin (c)CM 11 Simon Rodger 40CF 9 Neil Shipperley 38CF 10 Bruce DyerSubstitutes:CM 12 Ray Houghton FW 14 Carl Veart FW 13 Leon McKenzie Manager:Steve Coppell (caretaker) GK 1 Simon TraceyRB 2 Mitch WardCB 6 David Holdsworth (c)CB 5 Carl TilerLB 3 Roger NilsenRM 7 David WhiteCM 8 Nigel Spackman CM 4 Don Hutchison 45LM 11 Dane WhitehouseCF 10 Pyotr Kachura 26CF 9 Jan Åge Fjørtoft 70Substitutes:DF 12 Lee Sandford 45+2FW 13 Gareth Taylor 26FW 14 Andy Walker Manager:Howard Kendall Post-match Writing in The Guardian, David Lacey suggested that rarely had a Wembley final had "a better finish to an indifferent game of football than the inspired goal by David Hopkin". Hopkin recalled the previous year's play-off final in which Crystal Palace had lost to Leicester because of a last-minute goal, saying: "I know how Sheffield United feel... It's just like us this time last year", and claimed that his goal was "the most special goal I've ever scored". https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19970527/471/0030 British Newspaper Archive 28 October 2020 Super Scot Hopkin is king of the Palace Martin Lipton subscription 30 Aberdeen Press and Journal 27 May 1997 Coppell recalled the winning strike: "The ball almost travelled like slow motion, the way it curled into the net. It was fabulous". Jim White, also writing in The Guardian, described the goal as a "glorious Brazilian bender... that was not so much from a different planet from what had gone on before, but a different solar system". https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/62001532/the-guardian/ Newspapers.com 28 October 2020 Why even Sky could not save play-offs The Guardian Jim White Jim White (journalist) 28 May 1997 26 18 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201218171245/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/62001532/the-guardian/ live A 2020 retrospective on the signing of Hopkin by Crystal Palace described his winning strike as "one of the finest goals in Palace history". https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/2020/may/how-ruud-gullit-pushed-david-hopkin-to-score-the-1997-play-off-winning-goal-for-crystal-palace-v-sheffield-united/ Crystal Palace F.C. 6 January 2021 How Ruud Gullit pushed David Hopkin to Palace 26 May 2020 2 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201102031004/https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/2020/may/how-ruud-gullit-pushed-david-hopkin-to-score-the-1997-play-off-winning-goal-for-crystal-palace-v-sheffield-united/ live Hopkin made his debut for Scotland against Malta less than a week later. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001715/19970530/314/0023 British Newspaper Archive 28 October 2020 Hopkin sweet on Scots clan subscription 23 Irish Independent 30 May 1997 https://www.11v11.com/matches/malta-v-scotland-01-june-1997-247802/ 11v11 28 October 2020 Malta v Scotland, 01 June 1997 AFS Enterprises 18 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201218171237/https://www.11v11.com/matches/malta-v-scotland-01-june-1997-247802/ live Kendall suggested that his side should use Crystal Palace as their model, noting: "We have to do what they have done". As a result of Sheffield United's failure to gain promotion, their overall share value dropped by more than £2million. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/62001586/the-guardian/ Newspapers.com 28 October 2020 Crisis clubs' shares crash The Guardian 28 May 1997 24 18 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201218171223/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/62001586/the-guardian/ live Palace's victory marked the first time a club from London had won a play-off, https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001715/19970527/454/0019 British Newspaper Archive 28 October 2020 Hopkins sends Eagles soaring into heaven subscription 19 Irish Independent 27 May 1997 and they were immediately installed as favourites to be relegated the following season by bookmakers. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001730/19970527/518/0069 British Newspaper Archive 28 October 2020 Future Crystal clear for Palace subscription 69 Evening Herald 27 May 1997 They fulfilled this prediction, ending the campaign bottom of the 1997–98 Premier League, seven points from safety, and were relegated to the First Division. https://www.11v11.com/teams/crystal-palace/tab/leagueTables/1998/ Premier League table at close of 1997–98 season 11v11 AFS Enterprises 28 October 2020 18 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201218171219/https://www.11v11.com/teams/crystal-palace/tab/leagueTables/1998/ live Sheffield United finished their next season in sixth place in the First Division, and qualified for the 1998 Football League play-offs, having scored more goals than Birmingham City who had finished on equal points. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/68223400/the-guardian/ 22 January 2021 Nationwide First Division The Guardian Newspapers.com 22 4 May 1997 subscription 27 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210427201015/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/68223400/the-guardian/ live https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/68223282/the-guardian/ The Guardian Newspapers.com 22 January 2021 4 May 1998 subscription 23 Charlton spoil Birmingham's chance of joining them in the play-offs Adrian Murray 27 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210427201009/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/68223282/the-guardian/ live Sheffield United lost in the play-off semi-finals to Sunderland. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/93239.stm Charlton and Sunderland make it to Wembley 16 May 1998 22 January 2021 BBC Sport https://web.archive.org/web/20080517174442/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/93239.stm 17 May 2008 live Notes References Sources https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/2020/may/watch-1997-play-off-final-between-crystal-palace-and-sheffield-united-in-full/ CRY v SHU Play Off Final 1997 27 October 2020 Crystal Palace F.C. registration Television production 1997 1 Category:EFL Championship play-off finals Football League First Division play-off final 1997 Football League First Division play-off final 1997 Football League First Division play-off final Football League First Division play-off final