1998 Football League play-offs

Football League play-offs

Season	1997–98
Champions	Charlton Athletic (First Division) Grimsby Town (Second Division) Colchester United (Third Division)
Matches played	15
Goals scored	41 (2.73 per match)
Biggest home win	Torquay 4–1 Scarborough (Third Division)
Biggest away win	Scarborough 1–3 Torquay (Third Division)
Highest scoring	Charlton 4–4 Sunderland (8 goals)
Highest attendance	77,739 – Charlton v Sunderland (First Division final)
Lowest attendance	3,858 – Barnet v Colchester (Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance	21,402
← 1997 1999 →

The Football League play-offs for the 1997–98 season were held in May 1998, with the finals taking place at the old Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs and were 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 1 point behind second placed Middlesbrough, who in turn finished 3 points behind champions Nottingham Forest, who returned to the top flight after being relegated last season. Charlton Athletic, who are aiming to return to the top flight after 8 years outside the top division, finished in fourth place in the table. Ipswich Town, who are aiming to return to the top flight after 3 seasons outside the top division, finished in fifth place. Sheffield United, who are aiming to return to the top flight after a 4-year absence, finished 9 points behind Ipswich Town in sixth place. This means Sunderland and Sheffield United will play each other with Ipswich and Charlton playing each other just like in the 1987 playoffs only then Charlton were the First Division and Ipswich were in the Second Division.

First Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
3	Sunderland	46	26	12	8	86	50	+36	90
4	Charlton Athletic	46	26	10	10	80	49	+31	88
5	Ipswich Town	46	23	14	9	77	43	+34	83
6	Sheffield United	46	19	17	10	69	54	+15	74

Semi-finals

First leg

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Second leg

Charlton Athletic won 2–0 on aggregate.

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Sunderland won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final

Second Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
3	Grimsby Town	46	19	15	12	55	37	+18	72
4	Northampton Town	46	18	17	11	52	37	+15	71
5	Bristol Rovers	46	20	10	16	70	64	0+6	70
6	Fulham	46	20	10	16	60	43	+17	70

Semi-finals

First leg

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Second leg

Grimsby Town won 2–1 on aggregate.

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Northampton Town won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final

Third Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
4	Colchester United	46	21	11	14	72	60	+12	74
5	Torquay United	46	21	11	14	68	59	0+9	74
6	Scarborough	46	19	15	12	67	58	0+9	72
7	Barnet	46	19	13	14	61	51	+10	70

Semi-finals

First leg

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Second leg

Colchester United won 3–2 on aggregate.

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Torquay United won 7–2 on aggregate.

Final

External links

• Football League website