2002 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 2001–02 season were held in May 2002, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League First Division and Football League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the Football League Third Division table. The winners of the semi-finals will go through to the finals, with the winner of the matches gaining promotion for the following season.

Football League play-offs
Season2001–02
ChampionsBirmingham City
(First Division)
Stoke City
(Second Division)
Cheltenham Town
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored35 (2.33 per match)
Biggest home winNorwich 3–1 Wolves
(First Division)
Biggest away winCardiff 0–2 Stoke
(Second Division)
Highest scoringNorwich 3–1 Wolves
Rushden & Diamonds 2–2 Rochdale
Cheltenham 3–1 Rushden & Diamonds
(4 goals)
Highest attendance71,597 – Birmingham v Norwich
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance6,015 – Rushden & Diamonds v Rochdale
(Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance21,859
2001
2003

Background

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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 First Division, Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 20 years, finished 3 points behind their Black Country rivals West Bromwich Albion, who finished second and thus gained automatic promotion. Albion ended the season 10 points behind champions Manchester City, who returned to the Premier League after being relegated the previous season. Millwall who were aiming for a place in the top flight for the first time since 1990, finished in fourth place in the table. Birmingham City, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1986, finished in fifth place. Norwich City finished 1 point behind Birmingham City and were looking for a place back in the Premiership for the first time since 1995.

First Division

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 25 11 10 76 43 +33 86
4 Millwall 46 22 11 13 69 48 +21 77
5 Birmingham City 46 21 13 12 70 49 +21 76
6 Norwich City 46 22 9 15 60 51 0+9 75

Semi-finals

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First leg
Birmingham City1–1Millwall
Hughes   56' Report Dublin   80'
Attendance: 28,282
Referee: Anthony Bates

Norwich City3–1Wolverhampton Wanderers
Rivers   56'
McVeigh   73'
Mackay   90'
Report Sturridge   22'
Attendance: 20,127
Second leg
Wolverhampton Wanderers1–0Norwich City
Cooper   77' Report
Attendance: 27,418
Referee: Tony Leake

Norwich City won 3–2 on aggregate.


Millwall0–1Birmingham City
Report John   90'
The New Den, London
Attendance: 16,391
Referee: Graham Laws

Birmingham City won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final

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Birmingham City1–1 (a.e.t.)Norwich City
Horsfield   102' Report Roberts   91'
Penalties
John  
Devlin  
Lazaridis  
Carter  
4–2   Roberts
  Mulryne
  Sutch
  Easton
Attendance: 71,597
Referee: Graham Barber

Second Division

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Brentford 46 24 11 11 77 43 +34 83
4 Cardiff City 46 23 14 9 75 50 +25 83
5 Stoke City 46 23 11 12 67 40 +27 80
6 Huddersfield Town 46 21 15 10 65 47 +18 78

Semi-finals

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First leg
Stoke City1–2Cardiff City
Burton   84' Report Earnshaw   12'
Fortune-West   59'
Attendance: 21,245
Referee: Tony Leake

Huddersfield Town0–0Brentford
Report
Second leg
Brentford2–1Huddersfield Town
Powell   14'
Owusu   46'
Report Booth   2'
Attendance: 11,191
Referee: Graham Barber

Brentford won 2–1 on aggregate.


Cardiff City0–2 (a.e.t.)Stoke City
Report O'Connor   90'
Oularé   115'
Attendance: 19,367
Referee: Mike Dean

Stoke City won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final

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Brentford0–2Stoke City
Report Burton   16'
Burgess   45' (o.g.)
Attendance: 42,523
Referee: Graham Laws

Third Division

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Cheltenham Town 46 21 15 10 66 49 +17 78
5 Rochdale 46 21 15 10 65 52 +13 78
6 Rushden & Diamonds 46 20 13 13 69 53 +16 73
7 Hartlepool United 46 20 11 15 74 48 +26 71

Semi-finals

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First leg
Hartlepool United1–1Cheltenham Town
Williams   45' Report Grayson   89'
Attendance: 7,135
Referee: Mike Dean

Rushden & Diamonds2–2Rochdale
Wardley   34'
Butterworth   73'
Report McEvilly   8'
Simpson   57'
Attendance: 6,015
Referee: Graham Barber
Second leg
Cheltenham Town1–1 (a.e.t.)Hartlepool United
Williams   26' Report Arnison   17'
Penalties
Grayson  
Lee  
Yates  
Duff  
Finnigan  
Alsop  
5–4   Smith
  Stephenson
  Arnison
  Henderson
  Watson
  Humphreys
Attendance: 7,165
Referee: Andy Hall

Cheltenham Town 2–2 Hartlepool United on aggregate. Cheltenham Town won 5–4 on penalties.


Rochdale1–2Rushden & Diamonds
Peters   65' (o.g.) Report Lowe   67'
Hall   76'
Attendance: 8,547

Rushden & Diamonds won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final

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Cheltenham Town3–1Rushden & Diamonds
Devaney   27'
Alsop   49'
Finnigan   80'
Report Hall   28'
Attendance: 24,368
Referee: Tony Leake
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