2001 Football League Third Division play-off final

Association football match November 2017 April 2021 2001 Football League Third Division play-off final Millennium Stadium (aerial view).jpg The Millennium Stadium hosted the final. Blackpool 4 Leyton Orient 2 26 May 2001 Millennium Stadium Cardiff David Pugh 23,600 2000 2002 The 2001 Football League Third Division play-off final was an association football match which was played on 26 May 2001 at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, between Blackpool and Leyton Orient. It was to determine the fourth and final team to gain promotion from the Football League Third Division to the Second Division. The top three teams of the 2000–01 Football League Third Division, Brighton & Hove Albion, Cardiff City and Chesterfield, gained automatic promotion to the Second Division, while those placed from fourth to seventh place in the table took part in play-offs. The winners of the play-off semi-finals competed for the final place for the 2001–02 season in the Second Division. The losing semi-finalists were Hartlepool United and Hull City who had been defeated by Blackpool and Leyton Orient respectively. It was the first season that the play-off finals were contested at the Millennium Stadium during the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium. The match was refereed by David Pugh in front of a crowd of 23,600. After 27 seconds, an error from Blackpool's goalkeeper Phil Barnes following a backpass from Brian Reid allowed Chris Tate to score, putting Leyton Orient into an early lead. In the 35th minute, the scores were level as Ian Hughes headed in Paul Simpson's corner to make it 1–1. Two minutes later, Houghton restored Leyton Orient's lead with a strike from around 20 yd which beat Barnes. A minute before half-time, Blackpool equalised once again as Reid converted Gary Parkinson's cross, and the half ended 2–2. With 13 minutes of the match remaining, Blackpool took the lead for the first time, after Simpson scored following Brett Ormerod's through ball. In the 88th minute Omerod converted a cross from John Hills from around 6 yd to make it 4–2 to Blackpool who secured promotion to the Second Division. Blackpool ended their following season in sixteenth position in the Second Division, five places and twelve points ahead of the relegation zone. Leyton Orient's next season saw them finish in eighteenth place in the Third Division. Route to the final 2000–01 Football League Third Division main WDL Q right auto Football League Third Division final table, leading positions BHA Brighton & Hove Albion CAR Cardiff City CHF Chesterfield HAR Hartlepool United LEY Leyton Orient HUL Hull City BLP Blackpool 28 8 10 73 35 23 13 10 95 58 25 14 7 79 42 -9 21 14 11 71 54 20 15 11 59 51 19 17 10 47 39 22 6 18 74 58 Chesterfield had 9 points deducted. complete https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/2000-2001/regular-season/r1946/ Soccerway 5 April 2021 League Two – 2000/2001 – Regular season Perform Group 15 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210415210005/https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/2000-2001/regular-season/r1946/ live Leyton Orient finished the regular 2000–01 season in fifth position in the Third Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system, two places and three points ahead of Blackpool. Both therefore missed out on the three automatic places for promotion to the Second Division and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the fourth promoted team. Leyton Orient finished five points behind Chesterfield (who were promoted in third place, despite having been deducted nine points for financial irregularities), https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chesterfield/1311131.stm BBC Sport 5 April 2021 3 May 2001 Chesterfield's points deduction confirmed 5 November 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20021105101215/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chesterfield/1311131.stm live seven behind Cardiff City and seventeen behind league winners Brighton & Hove Albion. Blackpool were in fifteenth position in the league in mid-November and secured their play-off place on the final day of the season.Foster 2015 168 Leyton Orient lost just one of their final eleven league matches prior to the play-offs. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A75053297/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=1cbfc2d4 Racing Post 6 April 2021 26 May 2001 Blackpool to illuminate final thriller Paul Johnson Gale subscription 127 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202804/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA75053297&v=2.1&it=r&sid=STND&asid=1cbfc2d4 live Blackpool's opponents in their play-off semi-final were Hartlepool United with the first match of the two-legged tie taking place at Bloomfield Road in Blackpool on 13 May 2001. https://www.11v11.com/matches/blackpool-v-hartlepool-united-13-may-2001-7136/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 8 May 2021 Blackpool v Hartlepool United, 13 May 2001 1 June 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170601171913/http://www.11v11.com/matches/blackpool-v-hartlepool-united-13-may-2001-7136/ live After a goalless first half, the home side took the lead on the hour mark when Brett Ormerod received a pass from Gary Parkinson and struck the ball past Hartlepool goalkeeper Anthony Williams. Seventeen minutes later Ormerod scored his and Blackpool's second goal to secure a 2–0 victory. https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1325166.stm BBC Sport 6 April 2021 Ormerod raises Blackpool hopes 12 May 2001 25 February 2003 https://web.archive.org/web/20030225131351/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1325166.stm live The return leg was held three days later at Victoria Park in Hartlepool. The visitors took the lead in the 21st minute when Ormerod headed a free kick from Parkinson past Williams. Three minutes into the second half, Hartlepool made it 1–1 when Kevin Henderson scored with a volley from Paul Stephenson's pass. John Hills restored Blackpool's lead a minute later when he headed Ormerod's cross in before Jermaine Easter, a second-half substitute for Hartlepool, was sent off for a foul on Brian Reid. In the 67th minute, Richie Wellens passed to Hills whose cross was converted by Ormerod to make it 3–1. Blackpool secured a 5–1 aggregate victory and progressed to the final. https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/1332499.stm Blackpool reach play-off final BBC Sport 6 April 2021 16 May 2001 25 February 2003 https://web.archive.org/web/20030225131422/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1332499.stm live In the second semi-final, Leyton Orient faced Hull City and the first match was played at Boothferry Park, Hull's home ground, on 13 May 2001. https://www.11v11.com/matches/hull-city-v-leyton-orient-13-may-2001-7137/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 8 May 2021 Hull City v Leyton Orient, 13 May 2001 8 May 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210508142012/https://www.11v11.com/matches/hull-city-v-leyton-orient-13-may-2001-7137/ live The first half ended goalless with the best chance coming when a flick-on from Kevin Francis found Mark Greaves whose shot struck the Leyton Orient crossbar. John Eyer came on as a substitute for Francis midway through the second half and within minutes had put Hull ahead. Leyton Orient failed to clear a Hull corner and Eyre's shot from the edge of the penalty area beat Ashley Bayes to make it 1–0. https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/1325168.stm Eyre puts Hull on top 13 May 2001 6 April 2021 BBC Sport 25 December 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20021225102155/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1325168.stm live The second leg took place three days later at Brisbane Road in Leyton. The home side took the lead a minute before half-time when Steve Watts headed in a cross from Scott Houghton from around 10 yd. Leyton Orient dominated the game and doubled their lead midway through the second half when Matt Lockwood scored from 30 yd direct from a free kick. It gave them a 2–1 aggregate victory and saw them progress to the final. https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1332280.stm Orient see off Hull challenge 16 May 2001 6 April 2021 BBC Sport 25 December 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20021225094747/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1332280.stm live Match Background right|thumb|upright|alt=Brett Ormerod|Brett Ormerod (pictured in 2010) scored four times in the play-off semi-finals and once in the final. This was Blackpool's fourth appearance in the play-offs and their third final: they lost to Torquay United on penalties in the 1991 Football League Fourth Division play-off final at the old Wembley Stadium and defeated Scunthorpe United in a penalty shootout in the following season's final. Blackpool had been relegated to the fourth tier of English football the previous season and were aiming for an immediate return to the Second Division. https://www.fchd.info/BLACKPOO.HTM Blackpool Football Club History Database 6 April 2021 8 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200808183005/http://fchd.info/BLACKPOO.HTM live Leyton Orient were making their third appearance in the final of the play-offs, and had won just once, in the 1989 Football League Fourth Division play-off final which was played over two legs against Wrexham. https://www.11v11.com/matches/leyton-orient-v-wrexham-03-june-1989-306790/ 11v11.com AFS Enterprises 12 June 2020 Leyton Orient v Wrexham, 03 June 1989 https://web.archive.org/web/20200612144641/https://www.11v11.com/matches/leyton-orient-v-wrexham-03-june-1989-306790/ 12 June 2020 live Orient's defeat came in the 1999 Football League Third Division play-off final against Scunthorpe United at the old Wembley Stadium. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/355955.stm Garcia strike takes Iron up 29 May 1999 BBC Sport 12 June 2020 Leyton Orient had played in the fourth tier of English football since being relegated in the 1994–95 season. https://www.fchd.info/LEYTONOR.HTM Leyton Orient Football Club History Database 6 April 2021 28 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210128014400/https://www.fchd.info/LEYTONOR.HTM live In the matches between the sides during the regular season, the first ended in a 2–2 at Bloomfield Road in August 2000 while Leyton Orient won their home game 1–0 the following March. https://www.11v11.com/teams/leyton-orient/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Blackpool/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 6 April 2021 Leyton Orient football club: record v Blackpool 18 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210418221023/https://www.11v11.com/teams/leyton-orient/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Blackpool/ live Carl Griffiths was the leading scorer for Leyton Orient with 19 goals in the regular season (15 in the league and 4 in the FA Cup) followed by Watts on 9 (8 in the league and 1 in the League Cup). https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=1537&teamTabs=stats&season_id=130 Soccerbase Centurycomm 6 April 2021 Leyton Orient squad details – 2000/01 – Player appearances John Murphy led the scoring for Blackpool with 23 goals (18 in the league, 1 in the FA Cup and 4 in the League Cup) followed by Ormerod with 22 (18 in the league, 2 in the FA Cup, 1 in the League Cup and 1 in the Football League Trophy). https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=317&teamTabs=stats&season_id=130 Soccerbase Centurycomm 6 April 2021 Blackpool squad details – 2000/01 – Player appearances 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202801/https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=317&teamTabs=stats&season_id=130 live The referee for the match was David Pugh. Both sides adopted a 4–4–2 formation for the final. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A75080676/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=2db95b2d The Guardian 6 April 2021 28 May 2001 Blackpool's winning day trip is perfect end to roller-coaster season John Brodkin Gale subscription 4 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202743/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA75080676&v=2.1&it=r&sid=STND&asid=2db95b2d live Blackpool were considered favourites to win the match by the Racing Post. As a result of the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium, it was the first time the English Football League play-offs had taken place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/68990979/the-guardian/ The Guardian Newspapers.com 31 January 2021 4 January 2001 28 Paul Rees Vivek Chaudhary subscription Cardiff to host next three FA Cup finals 4 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210204224731/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/68990979/the-guardian/ live Summary The match kicked off around 3p.m. on 26 May 2001 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in front of 23,600 spectators. https://www.11v11.com/matches/blackpool-v-leyton-orient-26-may-2001-7279/ 11V11.Com 6 April 2021 Blackpool v Leyton Orient, 26 May 2001 AFS Enterprises 19 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419202805/https://www.11v11.com/matches/blackpool-v-leyton-orient-26-may-2001-7279/ live After 27 seconds, an error from Blackpool's goalkeeper Phil Barnes following a backpass from Reid allowed Chris Tate to score, putting Leyton Orient into an early lead. In the sixth minute, Tate's header from an Andy Harris cross went over the Blackpool crossbar. Three minutes later Bayes saved Danny Coid's attempt to score from close range, before diving to keep out a 25 yd on strike from Coid in the 13th minute. Parkinson's free kick from 35 yd went high over the Leyton Orient bar in the 19th minute before Barnes tipped over a diving header from David McGhee. Another McGhee header was saved by Barnes in the 27th minute. Seven minutes later the scores were level as Ian Hughes headed in Paul Simpson's corner to make it 1–1. Two minutes later, Houghton restored Leyton Orient's lead with a strike from around 20 yd which beat Barnes. A minute before half-time, Blackpool equalised once again as Reid converted Parkinson's cross, and the half ended 2–2. https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/1353336.stm Clockwatch: Blackpool 4–2 Orient BBC Sport 6 April 2021 26 May 2001 24 February 2003 https://web.archive.org/web/20030224185805/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1353336.stm live Neither side made any change to their personnel during the interval and three minutes into the second half, Jabo Ibehre's strike from inside the Blackpool penalty area struck the goalpost. In the 58th minute, Murphy's shot from around 20 yd cleared the Leyton Orient crossbar. Seven minutes later, Leyton Orient made their first substitutions of the game, with Tate and Wim Walschaerts being replaced by Ahmet Brković and Steve Castle. With 13 minutes of the match remaining, Blackpool took the lead for the first time, after Simpson scored following Ormerod's through ball. In the 82nd minute, Houghton was then substituted for John Martin. Six minutes later Omerod converted a cross from Hills from around 6 yd to make it 4–2 to Blackpool. With a minute to go, Mike Milligan and Jamie Milligan were brought on for Ormerod and Simpson and after three minutes of injury time, the final whistle was blown, with Blackpool securing promotion to the Second Division with a 4–2 victory. Details 26 May 2001 15:00 BST Blackpool 4–2 (Report) Leyton Orient Hughes 35Reid 45Simpson 77Ormerod 88 Tate 1Houghton 37 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 23,600 David Pugh _vneckwhite FFFFFF F28500 FFFFFF FFFFFF F28500 Blackpool _vneckwhite fe0000 fe0000 fe0000 fe0000 fe0000 Leyton Orient GK 1 Phil Barnes DF 3 John Hills DF 33Gary ParkinsonDF 5 Ian HughesDF 6 Brian Reid MF 12Danny Coid MF 14Richie Wellens 88MF 8 Phil ClarksonMF 25Paul Simpson 88FW 16Brett Ormerod 89FW 9 John MurphySubstitutes:DF 23Neil MurphyDF 17Phil Thompson 89MF 4 Steve BushellMF 7 Mike Milligan 88MF 32Jamie Milligan 88 Manager:Steve McMahon GK 1 Ashley BayesDF 2 Matt JosephDF 3 Matt Lockwood DF 4 Dean Smith DF 6 Simon DownerMF 15Wim Walschaerts 67MF 7 Andy HarrisMF 5 David McGheeMF 27Scott Houghton 82MF 8 Jabo IbehreFW 30Chris Tate 66Substitutes:GK 12Scott Barrett MF 17John Martin 82MF 14Steve Castle 67MF 10Ahmet Brković 66MF 16Billy BeallManager:Tommy Taylor Post-match The Blackpool manager Steve McMahon "was in total disbelief when the first goal went in" but suggested although his side "didn't play brilliantly but I think we were the best team." https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/1353736.stm BBC Sport 6 April 2021 McMahon: The best team won 26 May 2001 24 February 2003 https://web.archive.org/web/20030224175623/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1353736.stm live His counterpart Tommy Taylor said that his opponents were "the better side in the second half" and that they "deserved to win it." The opening goal, timed at 27 seconds, was the fastest ever scored in a play-off final.Foster 2015 168 Blackpool ended their following season in sixteenth position in the Second Division, five places and twelve points ahead of the relegation zone. https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/2001-2002/regular-season/r93/ Soccerway 6 April 2021 League Two – 2001/2002 – Regular season Perform Group Leyton Orient's next season saw them finish in eighteenth place in the Third Division. https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-one/2001-2002/regular-season/r313/ Soccerway 6 April 2021 League One – 2001/2002 – Regular season Perform Group References Bibliography The Agony & The Ecstasy (A Comprehensive History of the Football League play-offs) Richard Foster 978-1-910906-00-2 Ockley Books 2015 play Category:Football League Third Division play-off finals Category:EFL League Two play-off finals 3 Play-off Final 2001 Play-off Final 2001 Football Third Fourth Division play-off final Category:Football finals in Wales