2001 Football League First Division play-off Final

Jon Macken (pictured in 2007) was Preston North End's top league goalscorer.

This was Bolton's third appearance in the second tier play-off final: they had lost 2–0 in the 1999 final at Wembley Stadium against Watford and had defeated Reading 4–3 after extra time in the 1995 final. They had also lost to Ipswich Town 7–5 on aggregate in the previous season's play-offs.[7][8] Preston were making their first appearance in the second tier play-off final, although they had lost 4–2 at Wembley against Wycombe Wanderers in the 1994 Football League Third Division play-off Final.[7][9] Jon Macken was Preston's top scorer in the league throughout the regular season with 19 goals, while Ricketts was Bolton's leading marksman, also with 19.[10] Bolton last played in the top tier in the 1997–98 season when they were relegated on goal difference.[11] Preston had not featured in the highest division in English football since their relegation in the 1960–61 season.[12] This was the culmination of their first season back in the First Division, having been promoted from the Second Division the previous season.[12] In the regular season, Bolton won both matches between the teams, with a 2–0 victory at home in August 2000 and winning by the same scoreline on New Year's Day in 2001.[13]

The referee for the match was Uriah Rennie representing the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Football Association.[14] Prior to the final, former Preston player Mark Lawrenson noted: "If we go up it will be a great boost. And even if we go straight down again, we'll still get half the Premiership TV money for two years afterwards".[15] Eamonn McCann, writing in the Sunday Tribune called the fixture "a victory for tradition", suggesting it would be a "rare and relaxed experience for faithful lovers of football".[15] The Bolton manager Sam Allardyce suggested his team's experience would stand them in good stead for the final: "I hope we can draw on our experience ... If we can do that then we have a fantastic chance of getting the victory we want".[16] Bolton's Paul Warhurst had recovered from a hamstring injury and was available for selection. Preston's manager David Moyes was expecting the return of three injured players in Rankine, Michael Jackson and Richard Cresswell.[16] According to the UK media, victory in the final was expected to be worth around £30 million to the winning team.[17][18]

Bolton kicked off the match at 3 p.m. on 28 May 2001 in front of a Millennium Stadium crowd of 54,328. On five minutes, the first chance fell to Preston's Macken whose header from a Healy cross was straight at Clarke in the Bolton goal. Four minutes later, a Lee Cartwright cross found Healy at the near post but the opportunity was blocked by Colin Hendry. Preston then had two successive corners, both cleared, before Bolton took the lead in the 16th minute. A long free kick was poorly cleared and allowed Gareth Farrelly to shoot from just outside the Preston penalty area, past David Lucas, to make it 1–0. Lucas then saved a Dean Holdsworth chance before a Bergsson header at the far post went over the goal. Bolton's domination of the game continued, and in the 32nd minute, Gardner's shot across goal was saved by Lucas. Eight minutes later, a low cross from Farrelly into the box was cleared by Preston's defence. With two minutes of the first half remaining, a mistake from Alexander allowed Hansen to take a snap shot which passed just over the Preston crossbar.[19][20]

Michael Ricketts (pictured in 2007) scored Bolton's second goal in the play-off final.

Neither side made any changes during the half-time interval and Preston kicked off the second half. Two minutes in, Holdsworth made a run down the right and passed to Barness whose shot was too high. A minute later, a weak effort from Rankine was easily saved by Clarke. Preston began to exert pressure on Bolton with Healy in particular causing problems. In the 62nd minute, Farrelly passed to Holdsworth whose guided shot into the bottom left-hand corner was saved by Lucas. Three minutes later, an effort from Rankine went wide of the Bolton goal. Preston then made the first substitution of the game, with Iain Anderson coming on to replace Cartwright. In the 68th minute, Healy was denied by Clarke in the Bolton goal with a save low to his left. Bolton made their first change in the 70th minute, Hansen being substituted for Ricketts, with Allardyce changing his team's formation to a more defensive 4–4–2 from 4–3–3.[14] Nine minutes later, Robbie Elliott came on in place of Frandsen for Bolton and in the 82nd minute, Preston made their second substitution, with Cresswell replacing McKenna. Two minutes later Clarke punched away a Healy cross to concede a corner from which Cresswell failed to capitalise from close range on a missed clearance. On 86 minutes, Ricketts hit the side netting with a shot and Preston responded with Sean Gregan striking over the Bolton bar. In the 89th minute, Ricketts doubled Bolton's lead, taking the ball from Farrelly, rounding the goalkeeper and passing into an empty net. In the first minute of injury time, Mike Whitlow came on for Bolton to replace Holdsworth, before Gardner increased their lead. He dispossessed Alexander in the Bolton half, went past a tiring Colin Murdock, and scored, making it 3–0 and securing Bolton's promotion to the Premiership.[17][19][20]