1994 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 1993–94 season were held in May 1994, 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 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 progressed through to the finals, with the winner of these matches gaining promotion for the following season.

Football League play-offs
Season1993–94
ChampionsLeicester City
(First Division)
Burnley
(Second Division)
Wycombe Wanderers
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored38 (2.53 per match)
Biggest home winPreston 4–1 Torquay
(Third Division)
Biggest away winMillwall 1–3 Derby
(First Division)
Plymouth 1–3 Burnley
(Second Division)
Highest scoringPreston 2–4 Wycombe
(6 goals)
Highest attendance73,671 – Derby v Leicester
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance4,440 – Torquay v Preston
(Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance20,348
1993
1995

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.

First Division

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Millwall 46 19 17 10 58 49 0+9 74
4 Leicester City 46 19 16 11 72 59 +13 73
5 Tranmere Rovers 46 21 9 16 69 53 +16 72
6 Derby County 46 20 11 15 73 68 0+5 71

After just missing out on the playoffs a year earlier, Millwall made a stronger challenge for promotion to the Premier League this time around, finishing third and qualifying for the playoffs. Leicester City, beaten finalists in the previous two seasons, qualified for the playoffs by finishing fourth. Tranmere Rovers, who had just missed out on a place in the League Cup final, made another strong challenge in the league and qualified for the playoffs for the second season running. The final playoff place went to Derby County.

The final ended up being an East Midlands clash as Leicester and Derby won in the semi-finals, and Leicester secured promotion after seven years outside the flight by winning the final 2-1 with both of their goals coming from long-serving Steve Walsh. The final was Leicester's seventh appearance at Wembley but the first game they had won there.

Semi-finals

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First leg
Tranmere Rovers0–0Leicester City
Attendance: 14,962

Derby County2–0Millwall
Cowans   22'
Johnson   60'
Attendance: 17,401
Referee: Paul Durkin
Second leg
Leicester City2–1Tranmere Rovers
Ormondroyd   45'
Speedie   86'
Nevin   46'
Attendance: 16,470
Referee: Keith Cooper

Leicester City won 2–1 on aggregate.


Millwall1–3Derby County
Berry   63' Gabbiadini   16'
Johnson   22'
Van Den Hauwe   42' (o.g.)
Attendance: 13,999
Referee: Brian Hill

Derby County won 5–1 on aggregate.

Final

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Derby County1–2Leicester City
Johnson   27' Walsh   41', 87'
Attendance: 73,671
Referee: Roger Milford

Second Division

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Plymouth Argyle 46 25 10 11 88 56 +32 85
4 Stockport County 46 24 13 9 74 44 +30 85
5 York City 46 21 12 13 64 40 +24 75
6 Burnley 46 21 10 15 79 58 +21 73

Semi-finals

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First leg
Burnley0–0Plymouth Argyle
Attendance: 18,794
Referee: Keith Cooper

York City0–0Stockport County
Attendance: 8,744
Referee: Joe Worrall
Second leg
Stockport County1–0York City
Beaumont   85'
Attendance: 6,743
Referee: Roger Milford

Stockport County won 1–0 on aggregate.


Plymouth Argyle1–3Burnley
Marshall   15' Francis   29', 31'
Joyce   81'
Attendance: 17,515

Burnley won 3–1 on aggregate.

Final

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Burnley2–1Stockport County
Eyres   28'
Parkinson   65'
Beaumont   2'
Attendance: 44,806
Referee: David Elleray

Third Division

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Wycombe Wanderers 42 19 13 10 67 53 +14 70
5 Preston North End 42 18 13 11 79 60 +19 67
6 Torquay United 42 17 16 9 64 56 0+8 67
7 Carlisle United 42 18 10 14 57 42 +15 64

Semi-finals

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First leg
Torquay United2–0Preston North End
Darby   20'
Moore   57'
Attendance: 4,440
Referee: Roger Milford

Carlisle United0–2Wycombe Wanderers
Thompson   33'
Garner   86'
Attendance: 10,862
Referee: Brian Hill
Second leg
Preston North End4–1 (a.e.t.)Torquay United
Ellis   8'
Moyes   43'
Hicks   52'
Raynor   116'
Goodridge   15'
Attendance: 11,442

Preston North End won 4–3 on aggregate.


Wycombe Wanderers2–1Carlisle United
Carroll   12'
Garner   58'
Davey   81' (pen.)
Attendance: 5,265
Referee: Paul Durkin

Wycombe Wanderers won 4–1 on aggregate.

Final

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Preston North End2–4Wycombe Wanderers
Bryson   32'
Raynor   37'
Squires   33' (o.g.)
Garner   47'
Carroll   57', 72'
Attendance: 40,109
Referee: Keith Cooper
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