2009 Football League play-offs

April 2022 Football League play-offs 2008–09 Burnley(Championship)Scunthorpe United(League One)Gillingham(League Two) Gillingham 2–1 Rochdale(League Two) Reading 0–2 Burnley(Championship) Millwall 2-3 Scunthorpe(5 goals) 15 23 80,518 – Burnley v Sheffield United(Championship final) 4,450 – Rochdale v Gillingham(League Two semi-final) 25,298 2008 2010 The Football League play-offs for the 2008–09 season were held in May 2009, with the finals taking place at Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs and were contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League Championship and League One tables, and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in League Two. The semi-final winners progressed to the finals, with the winner of each match earning promotion for the following season. Burnley and Sheffield United contested the Championship play-off final, having defeated Reading and Preston North End respectively in the semi-finals. Burnley secured promotion to the Premier League with a 1–0 victory, courtesy of a goal from Wade Elliott. In the League One final, Scunthorpe United won 3–2 against Millwall; Leeds United and MK Dons were the other teams to reach the play-offs. In League Two, Gillingham won their semi-final against Rochdale and then secured promotion with a 1–0 victory against Shrewsbury, who had beaten Bury in their semi-final. 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 Championship, Sheffield United, who had been relegated from the Premier League under controversial circumstances in 2007,14 May 2007 Sheff Utd 1-2 Wigan http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6627849.stm 24 July 2026 BBC Sport en-GB finished 3 points behind second placed Birmingham City, who in turn had finished 7 points off the champions Wolverhampton Wanderers. Reading - who were aiming to return to the Premier League at the first attempt - were in fourth place in the table. Burnley and Preston North End were only a couple of points further back on 76 and 74 respectively. Neither of the latter had played in the Premier League before, with Preston's last spell in the top division ending in 1961. Burnley were relegated from in the top flight in 1976.Murray Scott 25 May 2009 Championship play-off final: Burnley v Sheffield United - as it happened https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/may/25/championship-play-off-burnley-sheffield-united 24 July 2026 The Guardian en-GB 0261-3077 Championship 2008–09 Football League Championship Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points3Sheffield United462214106439+25804Reading462114117240+32775Burnley462113127260+12766Preston North End462111146654+1274 Semi-finals First leg 8 May 2009 19:45 Preston North End 1–1 Report Sheffield United St Ledger 21 Howard 46 Deepdale, Preston 19,840 Andre Marriner 9 May 2009 17:20 Burnley 1–0 Report Reading Alexander 84 pen. Turf Moor, Burnley 18,005 Martin Atkinson Second leg 11 May 2009 19:45 Sheffield United 1–0 Report Preston North End Halford 59 Bramall Lane, Sheffield 26,354 Alan Wiley Sheffield United won 2–1 on aggregate. 12 May 2009 19:45 Reading 0–2 Report Burnley Paterson 51Thompson 58 Madejski Stadium, Reading 19,909 Mike Riley Burnley won 3–0 on aggregate. Final 2009 Football League Championship play-off final 25 May 2009 15:00 Burnley 1–0 Report Sheffield United Elliott 13 Wembley Stadium, London 80,518 Mike Dean League One 2008–09 Football League One Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points3Milton Keynes Dons46269118347+36874Leeds United46266147749+28845Millwall46257146353+10826Scunthorpe United462210148263+1976 Semi-finals First leg 8 May 2009 19:45 Scunthorpe United 1–1 Report Milton Keynes Dons Woolford 13 Wilbraham 27 Glanford Park, Scunthorpe 6,599 Scott Mathieson 9 May 2009 12:45 Millwall 1–0 Report Leeds United Harris 71 The New Den, Bermondsey 13,228 Clive Oliver Second leg 14 May 2009 19:45 Leeds United 1–1 Report Millwall Becchio 53 Abdou 74 Elland Road, Leeds 37,036 Mark Halsey Millwall won 2–1 on aggregate. 15 May 2009 19:45 Milton Keynes Dons 0–0 yes Report Scunthorpe United Stadium:mk, Milton Keynes 14,479 Neil Swarbrick Leven Wilbraham Navarro Puncheon Llera Stirling Lewington Guéret Flo 6–7 McCann Hayes Crosby Byrne Trotter Sparrow Forte Togwell Morris Milton Keynes Dons 1–1 Scunthorpe United on aggregate. Scunthorpe United won 7–6 on penalties. Final 2009 Football League One play-off final 24 May 2009 13:00 Millwall 2–3 Report Scunthorpe United Alexander 37 39 Sparrow 6 70Woolford 85 Wembley Stadium, London 59,661 Michael Oliver League Two 2008–09 Football League Two Pos PositionTeam Pld Played W Won D Drawn L Lost GF Goals for GA Goals against GD Goal difference Pts Points4Bury462115106343+20785Gillingham462112135855+3756Rochdale461913147059+11707Shrewsbury Town461718116144+1769 Semi-finals First leg 7 May 2009 19:45 Shrewsbury Town 0–1 Report Bury Ashton 81 o.g. Prostar Stadium, Shrewsbury 8,429 Graham Laws 7 May 2009 19:45 Rochdale 0–0 Report Gillingham Spotland, Rochdale 4,450 Kevin Friend Second leg 10 May 2009 Bury 12:00 0–1 yes Report Shrewsbury Town McIntyre 88 Gigg Lane, Bury 7,673 Colin Webster Barry-Murphy Jones Racchi Bennett Bishop 3–4 Davies Ashikodi McIntyre Worrall Bury 1–1 Shrewsbury Town on aggregate. Shrewsbury Town won 4–3 on penalties. 10 May 2009 18:30 Gillingham 2–1 Report Rochdale Jackson 13 58 pen. Dagnall 36 KRBS Priestfield Stadium, Gillingham 9,585 Michael Oliver Gillingham won 2–1 on aggregate. Final 2009 Football League Two play-off final 23 May 2009 15:00 Gillingham 1–0 Report Shrewsbury Town Jackson 90 Wembley Stadium, London 53,706 Clive Oliver References External links Football League website Play-offs Category:English Football League play-offs Category:May 2009 sports events in the United Kingdom