1998 Football League Third Division play-off final

Association football match November 2017 February 2021 1998 Football League Third Division play-off final Old Wembley Stadium (external view).jpg The final took place at Wembley Stadium. 1997–98 Football League Third Division Colchester United 1 Torquay United 0 22 May 1998 Wembley Stadium London Mick Fletcher 19,486 1997 1999 The 1998 Football League Third Division play-off final was an association football match which was played on 22 May 1998 at Wembley Stadium, London, between Colchester United and Torquay United to determine the fourth and final team to gain promotion from the Football League Third Division to the Second Division for the 1998–99 season. The top three teams of the 1997–98 Football League Third Division, Notts County, Macclesfield Town and Lincoln City, gained automatic promotion to the Second Division, while the teams placed from fourth to seventh place in the table took part in the play-offs. The losing semi-finalists were Scarborough and Barnet. The referee for the match was Mick Fletcher. It was the first play-off final to feature two brothers: Neil and David Gregory both featured for Colchester United. The game had been brought forward by a day to accommodate a friendly between England and Saudi Arabia. As such, the final kicked off around 7:30p.m. on Friday 22 May 1998 in front of 19,486 supporters, the lowest attendance ever at a play-off final. Torquay dominated the early stages of the game with Rodney Jack making a number of runs. After 19 minutes, Andy McFarlane struck the ball into the net but the goal was disallowed for offside. Midway through the first half, the ball struck the arm of Jon Gittens and Fletcher awarded a penalty which David Gregory converted, sending the reserve Torquay goalkeeper Matt Gregg the wrong way. Despite chances for both sides, including a penalty appeal for Colchester in the second half, the match ended 1–0 with Colchester being promoted to the Second Division. Torquay United's manager left the club the following season and they finished their following season in 20th position in the Third Division. Colchester United's next season saw them end in 18th place in the Second Division. Route to the final 1997–98 Football League main WDL Q right auto Football League Third Division final table, leading positions NTC Notts County MAC Macclesfield Town LIN Lincoln City COL Colchester United TOR Torquay United SCA Scarborough BAR Barnet 29 12 5 82 43 23 13 10 63 44 20 15 11 60 51 21 11 14 72 60 21 11 14 68 59 19 15 12 67 58 19 13 14 61 51 complete https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/1998/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 19 February 2021 League Division Three end of season table for 1997–98 season 19 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210219204110/https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/1998/ live Colchester United finished the regular 1997–98 season in fourth place in the Football League Third Division, the third tier of the English football league system, one place ahead of Torquay United. 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. Colchester United finished one point behind Lincoln City (who were promoted in third place), eight behind second-placed Macclesfield Town and twenty-five behind league winners Notts County. Torquay United ended the season level on points with Colchester United but with an inferior goal difference. Colchester United faced Barnet in their play-off semi-final and the first match of the two-legged tie was held at Underhill in Chipping Barnet on 11 May 1998. After a goalless first half, Greg Heald scored past Carl Emberson in the Colchester goal three minutes after half-time to give Barnet the lead. In the 82nd minute, both Barnet's Sean Devine and Colchester's Guy Branston were shown a red card for violent conduct, and the match ended 1–0. The return leg was played five days later at Layer Road in Colchester. David Gregory scored with a penalty on 12 minutes to put Colchester ahead after Lee Howarth was adjudged to have handled the ball. Barnet equalised after Warren Goodhind scored with a header from a Sam Stockley cross. Howarth was then sent off in the 59th minute for a professional foul on Gregory before David Greene headed Colchester into the lead from Paul Buckle's free kick, levelling the aggregate score and sending the game into extra time. Five minutes into the first period of additional time, Gregory scored his second goal of the game to send Colchester to the final with a 3–2 aggregate victory. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/93289.stm BBC News 19 February 2021 16 May 1998 Keegan finds money cannot buy promotion Torquay United's opponents in their play-off semi-final were Scarborough with the leg being played at the Athletic Ground in Scarborough on 10 May 1998. In the 17th minute, Gareth Williams missed a penalty for the home side before Rodney Jack put Torquay ahead three minutes later. Jason Rockett scored the equaliser five minutes before half-time but after the interval, goals from Jon Gittens and Andy McFarlane secured a 3–1 win for Torquay. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/90392.stm 10 May 1998 BBC News Late Northampton goal gives hope 19 February 2021 19 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210219204110/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/90392.stm live The second leg of the semi-final took place six days later at Plainmoor in Torquay. Jack scored a two-minute brace to give Torquay a 2–0 lead within seven minutes, before Rockett scored for Scarborough midway through the half. Williams was then sent off after receiving a second yellow card before Torquay extended their lead with goals from Steve McCall and Paul Gibbs. Liam Robinson was also sent off for Scarborough for serious foul play and the match ended 4–1 to Torquay, who advanced to the final with a 7–2 aggregate win. Match Background Colchester United had participated in the play-offs on one previous occasion, in 1987, when they failed to progress past the semi-finals, losing on aggregate to Wolverhampton Wanderers. They had played in the fourth tier of English football after gaining promotion from non-League football, winning the Football Conference in 1992 ahead of Wycombe Wanderers on goal difference. Colchester had last played in the third tier in the 1980–81 season. https://www.fchd.info/COLCHESU.HTM Colchester United Football Club History Database 19 February 2021 8 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200808230447/http://fchd.info/COLCHESU.HTM live They had played at Wembley Stadium the previous season when they lost to Carlisle United in the 1997 Football League Trophy Final in a penalty shoot-out. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-happy-ending-carlisle-1268389.html The Independent 19 February 2021 22 October 2011 Football: Happy ending for Carlisle Trevor Haylett Torquay United were making their fourth appearance in the play-offs, having gained promotion by winning the final on one occasion when they defeated Blackpool 5–4 over two legs in the 1988 Football League Fourth Division play-off final. Torquay were relegated back to the fourth tier the following season and had played there since. https://www.fchd.info/TORQUAYU.HTM Torquay United Football Club History Database 19 February 2021 11 January 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200111072509/http://fchd.info/TORQUAYU.HTM live In the matches between the sides during the regular season, the encounter at Plainmoor in August 1997 ended in a 1–1 draw while Colchester won the return game 1–0 at Layer Road the following January. https://www.11v11.com/teams/torquay-united/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Colchester%20United/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 19 February 2021 Torquay United football club: record v Colchester United 19 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210219204136/https://www.11v11.com/teams/torquay-united/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Colchester%20United/ live The referee for the match was Mick Fletcher. https://www.11v11.com/matches/colchester-united-v-torquay-united-22-may-1998-307116/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 19 February 2021 Colchester United v Torquay United, 22 May 1998 19 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210219204111/https://www.11v11.com/matches/colchester-united-v-torquay-united-22-may-1998-307116/ live The match had been brought forward from the traditional Saturday afternoon fixture in order to accommodate the friendly between England and Saudi Arabia. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/99478.stm England held to goalless draw 23 May 1998 19 February 2021 BBC News 28 April 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190428023216/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/99478.stm live Torquay's goalkeeper Ken Veysey was suspended for the final so 19-year-old Matt Gregg, who had last started a game on 31 January, was selected in his place. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A59826996/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=a07a0e3c Gale 19 February 2021 Jack aims to be the master of Wembley David Powell 22 May 1998 The Times 47 subscription Colchester's Neil and David Gregory became the first brothers to appear in a play-off final together. Colchester adopted a 4–3–3 formation while Torquay played as a 3–5–2. Summary The match kicked off around 7.45p.m. on 22 May 1998 in front of 19,486 supporters. https://www.11v11.com/matches/colchester-united-v-torquay-united-22-may-1998-307116/ 11v11 AFS Enterprises 19 February 2021 Colchester United v Torquay United, 22 May 1998 19 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210219204136/https://www.11v11.com/matches/colchester-united-v-torquay-united-22-may-1998-307116/ live Torquay dominated the early stages of the game with Jack making a number of runs. After 19 minutes, McFarlane struck the ball into the net but the goal was disallowed for offside. Midway through the first half, Steve Forbes tried to lift the ball over Torquay's Gittens but the ball struck the defender's arm and the referee awarded a penalty. David Gregory struck the spot-kick into the Torquay goal off the left-hand goalpost having sent the Torquay goalkeeper Gregg the wrong way. Nine minutes later, Neil Gregory was unmarked in the Torquay penalty area but shot wide. Just before half-time, Gittens struck the ball over the bar from 3 yd 0 after a shot was blocked on the goal-line by Jamie Robinson. Soon after the interval Simon Betts struck a shot from around 25 yd which went under Gregg's body and wide of the post. Forbes was then prevented from shooting when he was tackled after beating three defenders. Torquay began to dominate once again although Colchester were denied a penalty after Gibbs had brought down David Gregory. Torquay then missed numerous chances to score: a strike from Gibbs was deflected wide, Gittens headed the ball over the bar and Jack shot wide. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/99176.stm Colchester promoted BBC News 19 February 2021 22 May 1998 In the 71st minute, Emberson pushed Andy Gurney's shot round the post. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A59836830/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=b5ceee5e Gale 19 February 2021 Jubilant Colchester happy to play spot the difference Brian Glanville Brian Glanville 23 May 1998 The Times 37 subscription 19 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210219204116/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA59836830&v=2.1&it=r&sid=STND&asid=b5ceee5e live Seven minutes later, Mark Sale's header from Joe Dunne's cross was straight at Gregg and the match ended 1–0 with Colchester being promoted to the Second Division. Details 22 May 1998 19:30 BST Colchester United 1–0 Report Torquay United Gregory 22 pen. Wembley Stadium, London 19,486 Mick Fletcher GK 1 Carl EmbersonDF 2 Joe DunneDF 3 Simon Betts DF 4Aaron Skelton 82DF 5David GreeneMF 6 David GregoryMF 7 Richard Wilkins MF 8Paul BuckleMF 11Steve ForbesFW 9 Mark Sale FW10Neil Gregory 70Substitutes:FW 12Tony Lock 70MF 13Karl Duguid 82MF 14Paul AbrahamsManager:Steve Wignall GK 1 Matt GreggDF 2 Andy GurneyDF 3Paul Gibbs DF 4Jamie RobinsonDF 5 Jon GittensDF 6Alex WatsonMF 7Gary Clayton MF 8Chris Leadbitter MF 11Steve McCall 72FW 9Rodney Jack FW 10Andy McFarlane 84Substitutes:FW 12Tony Bedeau 72DF 13Wayne Thomas 84MF 14 Kevin HillManager:Kevin Hodges Post-match Steve Wignall, the winning manager, admitted that his club needed to strengthen in order to compete in the Second Division, suggesting that "the hard work starts here." https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19980523/494/0037 37 23 May 1998 Liverpool Echo British Newspaper Archive Colchester celebrate promotion 19 February 2021 subscription He paid tribute to winning goalscorer David Gregory, noting that he was "one of the unsung heroes... he has done a tremendous job for the club and he's one of the players at the club who can cope quite easily with Second Division football." The Torquay manager Kevin Hodges left the club the following month to join Plymouth Argyle. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/71498519/the-observer/ The Observer Comings and Goings 19 February 2021 28 June 1998 57 Newspapers.com subscription The attendance of 19,486 was the lowest ever for a play-off final. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A66823780/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=STND&xid=176391aa Gale 19 February 2021 Gregory's goal lifts Colchester Catherine Riley 23 May 1998 The Independent 23 subscription 19 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210219204117/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA66823780&v=2.1&it=r&sid=STND&asid=176391aa live Colchester United's next season saw them end in eighteenth place in the Second Division, three positions and two points above the relegation zone. https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-one/1998-1999/regular-season/r1957/ Soccerway 14 July 2021 Perform Group League One – 1998/1999 – Regular season 17 October 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151017181530/http://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-one/1998-1999/regular-season/r1957/ live Torquay United finished their following season in twentieth position in the Third Division, four places and five points above the relegation zone. https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/1998-1999/regular-season/r311/ Soccerway 14 July 2021 Perform Group League Two – 1998/1999 – Regular season 17 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210417202406/https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/1998-1999/regular-season/r311/ live References play Category:Football League Third Division play-off finals Category:EFL League Two play-off finals Play-off Final 1998 Play-off Final 1998 3 Football League Third Division play-off final Football Third Fourth Division play-off final