1997 Football League First Division play-off Final

Steve Coppell (pictured in 2006) was the Crystal Palace caretaker manager.

This was Crystal Palace's third appearance in a second tier play-off final, having won the 1989 final (which was played over two legs) against Blackburn Rovers and losing the previous season's final in extra time against Leicester City.[7] Sheffield United were making their first appearance in a play-off final,[7] and were aiming to return to the top tier of English football after being relegated from the Premiership in the 1993–94 season.[8] Crystal Palace were also seeking a quick return to the top flight, having been relegated two seasons prior.[9] Sheffield United had won both matches between the sides during the regular season: 1–0 at Selhurst Park in December 1996 and 3–0 at Bramall Lane the following April.[10] Four of Crystal Palace's players had scored ten or more goals during the league campaign: Bruce Dyer (17), Hopkin (13), Shipperley (12) and Freedman (11).[11] Kachura, his club's player of the year,[12] and Walker were joint leading marksmen for Sheffield United with 12 league goals each,[13] while Fjørtoft, signed from Middlesbrough in January for £1 million, had scored 11 goals in 19 games.[14]

Howard Kendall, the Sheffield United manager, was making his twelfth appearance at Wembley Stadium and opined: "It's a completely different situation to any of the other appearances there – but it's just as big, because of the prize which is at stake."[15] He recalled the 1984 FA Cup Final, the first of his managerial appearances at the national stadium, in which he led Everton to victory over Watford: "I enjoyed that cup final over Watford because we won it ... that's the only way I will enjoy Monday. If we win."[15] Ray Houghton, the Crystal Palace midfielder, had suffered defeat in the previous season's play-off final but remained confident: "Obviously Sheffield United are a good side, you have to be to get this close to the Premiership. But we see ourselves winning this one."[16] Steve Coppell was the caretaker manager of Crystal Palace, having taken over at the club in late February after Dave Bassett moved to Nottingham Forest.[17]

Sheffield United were expecting to give a late fitness test to Alan Kelly who had aggravated a knee injury during the play-off semi-final against Ipswich. With no substitute goalkeeper on the bench, Kelly was forced to play on for a further 80 minutes.[16] He had spent time during the week before the match in a diver's training bell to increase the oxygen flow in his bloodstream.[18] The final was broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports 3.[19] The match was estimated in the media to be worth £8–10 million to the winning team.[18][20] Neale Barry from Scunthorpe was the referee for the final.[17]

Crystal Palace kicked off the match at 3 p.m. in front of a Wembley Stadium crowd of 64,383.[21] They adopted a 3–5–2 formation with Dyer and Shipperley leading the attack, while their opponents played 4–4–2, with Kachura and Fjørtoft up front. Simon Tracey was selected in goal for Sheffield United instead of the injured Kelly.[17] Two minutes in, Dyer was fouled deep in Sheffield United territory by Dane Whitehouse and although the resulting free kick from Simon Rodger found Shipperley, his header was cleared.[22] In the fifth minute, Fjørtoft received the ball on the half-way line and sent Kachura clear on goal but Nash reacted quickly, running out of his area to kick the ball into touch.[23] Eleven minutes later, Kevin Muscat won the ball which then fell to Dyer; his cross was too close to Tracey who gathered it in the Sheffield United goal.[24] On 18 minutes, Dyer was brought down by Roger Nilsen but the resulting free kick was over-hit by Hopkin and bounced harmlessly out of touch.[25] David Holdsworth then went down with a knee injury after landing awkwardly but played on after receiving treatment on the pitch.[26] In the 21st minute, Andy Roberts volleyed the ball from the edge of the penalty area. His shot was deflected behind by Don Hutchison who was injured in the process. The game continued while he received medical attention off the pitch and he returned shortly after with a heavily strapped wrist.[27]

Don Hutchison (pictured in 2013) fell and badly injured his shoulder.

A pass from Roberts down the left wing in the 25th minute set Hopkin free, but his cross was cut out and deflected back to him. His second cross was cleared behind by Holdsworth.[28] From the resulting corner, Shipperley headed just over the crossbar from 6 yards (5.5 m).[29] Sheffield United made their first substitution of the match in the 26th minute: Kachura was replaced by Gareth Taylor, whose first contribution was to direct a looping header straight to Nash.[30] In the 31st minute, Andy Linighan was caught in the face by Taylor and had to receive treatment for a cut.[31] Seven minutes later, Shipperley received the first yellow card of the game after fouling David White; the resulting free kick was cleared over his own bar by Linighan.[32] In the 40th minute, Rodger became the second Crystal Palace player to be booked after a heavy challenge on Hutchison was deemed a foul.[33]

With a minute of regular time remaining in the first half, Rodger's ball into the box found Dyer. His shot under challenge from Carl Tiler went across the face of Sheffield United's goal and out for a throw-in.[34] Hutchison then fell awkwardly after an aerial challenge with Holdsworth, injuring his right shoulder, and was stretchered off the pitch in visible pain;[35] Lee Sandford came on to replace him.[36] After four minutes of additional time, the referee blew his whistle to bring the goalless first half to a close.[37]

Sheffield United kicked the second half off with no personnel changes made by either team during the half-time interval.[38] A minute in, Taylor ran onto a long clearance from Holdsworth as Nash hesitated, but the Crystal Palace goalkeeper gathered the ball from the striker's feet.[39] On 48 minutes, Muscat passed to Dyer on the right wing who beat Sandford but whose cross went right across the face of Sheffield United's goal.[40] Six minutes later, Muscat's cross from the right wing was controlled by Dyer on his chest but his shot along the ground was weak and easily gathered by Tracey in the Sheffield United goal.[41] In the 57th minute, Nilsen, who had never scored for his club, shot from distance but the ball passed over the Crystal Palace bar by a considerable distance.[42] On 60 minutes, Nigel Spackman played a high ball down the right flank to Fjørtoft, who played a low ball to Taylor; Dave Tuttle's tackle prevented a goal-scoring opportunity.[43] A minute later, Taylor's headed pass from the edge of the Sheffield United box found Fjørtoft whose shot went just wide of the right-hand post of Crystal Palace's goal.[44] In the 68th minute, Dyer passed from deep in opposition territory to Rodger, whose cross was caught by Sheffield United goalkeeper Tracey.[45]

In the 70th minute, Sheffield United received their first booking of the game when Fjørtoft was shown the yellow card after an altercation with Tuttle.[46] Two minutes later, he was brought down by Dean Gordon on the edge of the Crystal Palace penalty area,[47] and the resulting free kick from Mitch Ward to the far post came to nothing.[48] In the 75th minute, Nilsen beat Muscat on the left wing to send in a high cross for Taylor but Crystal Palace cleared the threat.[49] Shortly after, Nash punched clear a corner which was kicked back to him, forcing him to catch the ball before Fjørtoft was able to head it.[50] A minute later, Dyer's cross was cleared behind by Sandford for a corner, which Shipperley headed wide.[51]

With seven minutes of regular time remaining, Muscat crossed the ball from the right-hand side of the Sheffield United penalty area which was flicked on by Gordon, but Dyer's bicycle kick went wide of the left-hand post.[52] In the 85th minute, Tuttle ran onto a loose ball but his low cross into the box to Shipperley was defended by Tiler,[53] while both Hopkin's and Shipperley's subsequent attempts from close range were smothered by Tracey.[54] Fjørtoft's long-range shot then went wide of the right-hand post.[55] With less than a minute of regular time remaining, Gordon's strike from just outside the Sheffield United penalty area was deflected out of play by Tiler, resulting in a corner. Rodger floated in a cross which was cleared by Tiler, falling to Hopkin who controlled it before striking a right-footed curling shot from around 25 yards (23 m) into the top-right corner of the Sheffield United goal.[56] The referee blew his whistle for full time soon after, and Crystal Palace won the match 1–0.[57]