2009 Football League play-offs


The Football League play-offs for the 2008–09 season were held in May 2009, 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 Championship and League One tables, and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in League Two. The semi-final winners progressed to the finals, with the winner of each match earning promotion for the following season.
Burnley and Sheffield United contested the Championship play-off final, having defeated Reading and Preston North End respectively in the semi-finals. Burnley secured promotion to the Premier League with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a goal from Wade Elliott. In the League One final, Scunthorpe United won 3-2 against Millwall; Leeds United and MK Dons were the other teams to reach the play-offs. In League Two, Gillingham won their semi-final against Rochdale and then secured promotion with a 1-0 victory against Shrewsbury, who had beaten Bury in their semi-final.

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 Championship, Sheffield United, who had been relegated from the Premier League under controversial circumstances in 2007, finished 3 points behind second placed Birmingham City, who in turn had finished 7 points off the champions Wolverhampton Wanderers. Reading - who were aiming to return to the Premier League at the first attempt - were in fourth place in the table. Burnley and Preston North End were only a couple of points further back on 76 and 74 respectively. Neither of the latter had played in the Premier League before, with Preston's last spell in the top division ending in 1961. Burnley were relegated from in the top flight in 1976.

Championship

Team
3Sheffield United462214106439+2580
4Reading462114117240+3277
5Burnley462113127260+1276
6Preston North End462111146654+1274

Semi-finals

;First leg
----
;Second leg
Sheffield United won 2–1 on aggregate.
----
Burnley won 3–0 on aggregate.

Final

League One

Team
3Milton Keynes Dons46269118347+3687
4Leeds United46266147749+2884
5Millwall46257146353+1082
6Scunthorpe United462210148263+1976

Semi-finals

;First leg
----
;Second leg
Millwall won 2–1 on aggregate.
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Milton Keynes Dons 1–1 Scunthorpe United on aggregate. Scunthorpe United won 7–6 on penalties.

Final

League Two

Team
4Bury462115106343+2078
5Gillingham462112135855+375
6Rochdale461913147059+1170
7Shrewsbury Town461718116144+1769

Semi-finals

;First leg
----
;Second leg
Bury 1–1 Shrewsbury Town on aggregate. Shrewsbury Town won 4–3 on penalties.
----
Gillingham won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final