Query on how the play-offs used to be.

[BrightonBelle]

Can anyone remember when the play-off system first began, whether it was in a different format to how it is now?

I seem to recall that either one or two teams gained automatic promotion, whilst the second or third placed team had to have a play-off match against the team finishing second or third from bottom in the division above.

Can anyone else remember if it was something like that?

Please let me be right, the person I'm argueing the point with is a Palace fan who who thinks he knows everything there is to know about football, and shouts very loudly whenever someone has the audacity to disagree with him. His arguement is becoming quite heated and he's turning a funny shade of purple.

 

[Ex Shelton Seagull]

In it's first season (1986-1987) the system ran as follows:

Second Division -> First Division

Bottom 3 of First Division Relegated
Top 2 of Second Division Promoted
5th place in Second Division plays 19th in First Division (Home/Away)
3rd place in Second Division plays 4th in Second Division (Home/Away)

Winner of Game 1 plays winner of Game 2.

Same for the Third Division -> Second Division

Fourth Division -> Third Division
Extended by 1 team so 4 teams could be promoted.

Results went as follows

Ipswich Town (5th) - Charlton Athletic (19th) [0-0/1-2]
Oldham Athletic (3rd) - Leeds United (4th) [0-1/2-1]

Charlton Athletic (19th) - Leeds United (4th) [1-0/0-1] [2-1 aet]

Charlton stay in Division 1.

Gillingham relegated Sunderland to Division 3 but lost in the final to Swindon.
Aldershot relegated Bolton Wanderers to Division 4 and beat Wolves in the final to be promoted to Division 3.

And there you go.

 

[The Large One]

I remember when there was no bloody play-offs. Teams got promoted or relegated on merit.

 

[Easy 10]

The first season of the Playoffs, there were relegation Playoffs as well. I can't remember the exact structure of it, but I seem to remember the winner of the semi-final would face the team which finished 4th-bottom of the division above, and they would play off against each other over two legs. If the team in the division below came out on top, then they'd basically swap divisions.

Chelsea v Middlesbrough ended as a bloodbath though when Chelsea lost the 2nd leg at the Bridge, so I think they knocked relegation playoffs on the head after that.

Or maybe I dreamt it all.

 

[Easy 10]

I just KNEW I wouldn't type all that fast enough.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

See also previous Leeds flowers thread.

Apparently CHelsea were once relegated via the play offs, but the FA decided the potential for violence was too great.

 

[dannyboy]

just tell him t6 f*ck off back to croydon to ask his pikey mates about the play offs

you shouldnt really be talking to him bb anyway, unless its to warn him very late of the incoming brick

 

[Lord Bracknell]

What is amaziing about the 1987 play-offs is that Aldershot got promoted through the Division Four play-offs and Wolverhampton Wanderers didn't.

 

[Albion Rob]

Yes, I was thinking that. And Bolton slipped into division 4.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Then we went up with Sunderland the following season.

 

[Ex Shelton Seagull]

Aldershot beat Wolves home and away, they won the second leg 1-0 in front of 19,000 at Molineaux.
What was even more stupid about the play-offs back then was the ruling over away goals. For some reason the Football League ruled that away goals counted in the semi-finals but NOT in the final.
So Gillingham relegated Sunderland by winning 2-1 at home and losing 4-3 away, aggregate score of 5-5 and Gillingham went through. They then played Swindon, lost 2-1 at the County Ground but won the home game 1-0. Under the semi-final rules they would have gone up to Division 2. Instead they had a play-off at Selhurst Park and lost 2-1. They still hold it against Swindon to this day.
Thus began Swindon's love affair with the play-offs. They've been involved 4 times and won them 3 times. 1986/1987, 1989/1990 (beat Sunderland but not promoted due to the dodgy betting by Lou Macari) and 1992/1993 when they beat Leicester in the final and went up to the Premiership. They lost to Crystal Palace in 1988/1989. Looks like we'll be playing them in their 5th appearance.

 

[rrruss]

What is amaziing about the 1987 play-offs is that Aldershot got promoted through the Division Four play-offs and Wolverhampton Wanderers didn't.

And 17 years on a Graham Turner side loses to Aldershot in the play-offs again! How he must love the lottery.

 

[Billingshurst Eagle]

Palace were have been promoted to top flight football twice via the playoffs.

Firstly in 1989 whene we played Swindon home and away in the first round and then Blackburn away and home in the second.

The next season the format was changed to a final rather than home and away for the second round.

We have also lost once in the final but have never failed to reach a final in 3 attempts.

Also we have won the 1st division championship to be promoted to the Premier League as it was.

 

[Easy 10]

Thanks for that.