2002 Football League play-offs

Football League play-offs
Season 2001–02
Champions Birmingham City
(First Division)
Stoke City
(Second Division)
Cheltenham Town
(Third Division)
Matches played 15
Goals scored 35 (2.33 per match)
Biggest home win Norwich 3–1 Wolves
(First Division)
Biggest away win Cardiff 0–2 Stoke
(Second Division)
Highest scoring Norwich 3–1 Wolves
Rushden & Diamonds 2–2 Rochdale
Cheltenham 3–1 Rushden & Diamonds
(4 goals)
Highest attendance 71,597 – Birmingham v Norwich
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance 6,015 – Rushden & Diamonds v Rochdale
(Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance 21,859
← 2001
2003 →

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.

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 First Division, Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 20 years outside the top flight, finished 3 points behind second placed West Bromwich Albion, who in turn finished 10 points behind champions Manchester City, who returned to the Premier League after relegation last season. Millwall who are aiming for a place in the top flight for the first time since 1990, finished in fourth place in the table. Birmingham City, who are 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

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Wolverhampton Wanderers 462511107643+3386
4Millwall 462211136948+2177
5Birmingham City 462113127049+2176
6Norwich City 46229156051+975

Semi-finals

First leg

28 April 2002
12:00
Birmingham City 1–1 Millwall
Hughes  56' Report Dublin  80'
St Andrew's, Birmingham
Attendance: 28,282
Referee: Anthony Bates

28 April 2002
14:30
Norwich City 3–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Rivers  56'
McVeigh  73'
Mackay  90' 		Report Sturridge  22'
Carrow Road, Norwich
Attendance: 20,127
Referee: Roger Furnandiz
Second leg

1 May 2002
19:45
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Norwich City
Cooper  77' Report
Molineux, Wolverhampton
Attendance: 27,418
Referee: Tony Leake

Norwich City won 3–2 on aggregate.

2 May 2002
19:45
Millwall 0–1 Birmingham City
Report John  90'
The New Den, London
Attendance: 16,391
Referee: Graham Laws

Birmingham City won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final

Second Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Brentford 462411117743+3483
4Cardiff City 46231497550+2583
5Stoke City 462311126740+2780
6Huddersfield Town 462115106547+1878

Semi-finals

First leg

28 April 2002
14:00
Stoke City 1–2 Cardiff City
Burton  84' Report Earnshaw  12'
Fortune-West  59'
Britannia Stadium, Stoke
Attendance: 21,245
Referee: Tony Leake
Second leg

1 May 2002
19:45
Brentford 2–1 Huddersfield Town
Powell  14'
Owusu  46' 		Report Booth  2'
Griffin Park, Brentford
Attendance: 11,191
Referee: Graham Barber

Brentford won 2–1 on aggregate.

1 May 2002
19:45
Cardiff City 0–2 (a.e.t.) Stoke City
Report O'Connor  90'
Oulare  115'
Ninian Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 19,367
Referee: Mike Dean

Stoke City won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final

11 May 2002
13:30
Brentford 0–2 Stoke City
Report Burton  16'
Burgess  45' (o.g.)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 42,523
Referee: Graham Laws

Third Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Cheltenham Town 462115106649+1778
5Rochdale 462115106552+1378
6Rushden & Diamonds 462013136953+1673
7Hartlepool United 462011157448+2671

Semi-finals

First leg

27 April 2002
15:00
Rushden & Diamonds 2–2 Rochdale
Wardley  34'
Butterworth  73' 		Report McEvilly  8'
Simpson  57'
Nene Park, Irthlingborough
Attendance: 6,015
Referee: Graham Barber
Second leg

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

30 April 2002
19:45
Rochdale 1–2 Rushden & Diamonds
Peters  65' (o.g.) Report Lowe  67'
Hall  76'
Spotland, Rochdale
Attendance: 8,547
Referee: Roger Furnandiz

Rushden & Diamonds won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final

6 May 2002
15:00
Cheltenham Town 3–1 Rushden & Diamonds
Devaney  27'
Alsop  49'
Finnigan  80' 		Report Hall  28'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 24,368
Referee: Tony Leake

External links

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