2004 Football League play-offs
Season | 2003–04 |
---|---|
Champions | Crystal Palace (First Division) Brighton & Hove Albion (Second Division) Huddersfield Town (Third Division) |
Matches played | 15 |
Goals scored | 35 (2.33 per match) |
Biggest home win | West Ham 2–0 Ipswich (First Division) |
Biggest away win | Mansfield 1–3 Northampton (Third Division) |
Highest scoring | Crystal Palace 3–2 Sunderland (5 goals) |
Highest attendance | 72,523 – Crystal Palace v West Ham (First Division final) |
Lowest attendance | 6,876 – Brighton v Swindon (Second Division semi-final) |
Average attendance | 25,911 |
← 2003 2005 → |
The Football League play-offs for the 2003–04 season were held in May 2004, 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, Sunderland, who are aiming to return to the top flight after relegation last season, finished 7 points behind second placed West Bromwich Albion, who in turn finished 8 points behind champions Norwich City, who returned to the Premier League for the first time since 1995. West Ham United who are also along with Sunderland aiming to return to the top flight after relegation last season, finished in fourth place in the table. Ipswich Town who are looking for a place back in the top flight at the second attempt, finished in fifth place. Crystal Palace finished level on points with Ipswich Town and were looking for a place back in the Premiership for the first time since 1998.
First Division[]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | Sunderland | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 62 | 45 | +17 | 79 |
4 | West Ham United | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 72 | 61 | +11 | 74 |
5 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 84 | 72 | +12 | 73 |
6 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 72 | 61 | +11 | 73 |
Semi-finals[]
- First leg
Crystal Palace | 3–2 | Sunderland |
---|---|---|
Shipperley ![]() Butterfield ![]() Johnson ![]() |
Report | Stewart ![]() Kyle ![]() |
Ipswich Town | 1–0 | West Ham United |
---|---|---|
Bent ![]() |
Report |
- Second leg
Sunderland | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Crystal Palace |
---|---|---|
Kyle ![]() Stewart ![]() |
Report | Powell ![]() |
Penalties | ||
Oster ![]() Smith ![]() Babb ![]() Robinson ![]() Breen ![]() McAteer ![]() Whitley ![]() |
4–5 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sunderland 4–4 Crystal Palace on aggregate. Crystal Palace won 5–4 on penalties.
West Ham United | 2–0 | Ipswich Town |
---|---|---|
Etherington ![]() Dailly ![]() |
Report |
West Ham United won 2–1 on aggregate.
Final[]
Crystal Palace | 1–0 | West Ham United |
---|---|---|
Shipperley ![]() |
Report |
Second Division[]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | Bristol City | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 58 | 37 | +21 | 82 |
4 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 64 | 43 | +21 | 77 |
5 | Swindon Town | 46 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 76 | 58 | +18 | 73 |
6 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 76 | 61 | +15 | 73 |
Semi-finals[]
- First leg
Hartlepool United | 1–1 | Bristol City |
---|---|---|
Porter ![]() |
Report | Rougier ![]() |
- Second leg
Bristol City | 2–1 | Hartlepool United |
---|---|---|
Goodfellow ![]() Roberts ![]() |
Report | Sweeney ![]() |
Bristol City won 3–2 on aggregate.
Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Swindon Town |
---|---|---|
Virgo ![]() |
Report | Parkin ![]() Fallon ![]() |
Penalties | ||
Carpenter ![]() Iwelumo ![]() Piercy ![]() Virgo ![]() |
4–3 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Brighton & Hove Albion 2–2 Swindon Town on aggregate. Brighton & Hove Albion won 4–3 on penalties.
Final[]
Third Division[]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 68 | 52 | +16 | 81 |
5 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 76 | 62 | +14 | 75 |
6 | Northampton Town | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 58 | 51 | +7 | 75 |
7 | Lincoln City | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 68 | 47 | +21 | 74 |
Semi-finals[]
- First leg
Lincoln City | 1–2 | Huddersfield Town |
---|---|---|
Taylor-Fletcher ![]() |
Report | Onuora ![]() Mirfin ![]() |
Northampton Town | 0–2 | Mansfield Town |
---|---|---|
Report | Day ![]() Mendes ![]() |
- Second leg
Huddersfield Town | 2–2 | Lincoln City |
---|---|---|
Schofield ![]() Edwards ![]() |
Report | Butcher ![]() Bailey ![]() |
Huddersfield Town won 4–3 on aggregate.
Mansfield Town | 1–3 (a.e.t.) | Northampton Town |
---|---|---|
Curtis ![]() |
Report | Richards ![]() Hargreaves ![]() Smith ![]() |
Penalties | ||
Corden ![]() Lawrence ![]() MacKenzie ![]() D'Jaffo ![]() Larkin ![]() |
5–4 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mansfield Town 3–3 Northampton Town on aggregate. Mansfield Town won 5–4 on penalties.
Final[]
Huddersfield Town | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Mansfield Town |
---|---|---|
Report | ||
Penalties | ||
Edwards ![]() Schofield ![]() Carss ![]() Fowler ![]() |
4–1 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
External links[]
- 2004 Football League play-offs
- English Football League play-offs
- 2003–04 Football League
- May 2004 sports events in the United Kingdom