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

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 462291560510+975

Semi-finals
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
Referee: Roger Furnandiz
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
Main article: 2002 Football League First Division play-off Final
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
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
Stoke City1–2Cardiff City
Burton  84' Report Earnshaw  12'
Fortune-West  59'
Attendance: 21,245
Referee: Tony Leake
Huddersfield Town0–0Brentford
Report
Attendance: 16,523
Referee: Graham Laws
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
Main article: 2002 Football League Second Division play-off Final
Brentford0–2Stoke City
Report Burton  16'
Burgess  45' (o.g.)
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
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
Referee: Roger Furnandiz

Rushden & Diamonds won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 2002 Football League Third Division play-off Final
Cheltenham Town3–1Rushden & Diamonds
Devaney  27'
Alsop  49'
Finnigan  80'		 Report Hall  28'
Attendance: 24,368
Referee: Tony Leake
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