1988 Football League play-offs


The Football League play-offs for the 1987–88 season were held in May 1988, with the two-legged finals taking place at the finalists home stadiums. The play-off semi-finals were also played over two legs and were contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th and 5th place in the Football League Second Division and Football League Third Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th placed teams in the Football League Fourth Division table, along with a team from the league above. The winners of the semi-finals progressed through to the finals, with the winner of these matches either gaining promotion or avoiding relegation 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. For the first three seasons the final was played over two legs but this was changed to a single match at Wembley Stadium from 1990. Additionally, for the 1986–87 and 1987-88 play-offs the semi-finals included a team from the next league who had finished above the relegation positions up, e.g. one team from the first tier and three teams from the second tier. The team from the higher division would be relegated if they failed to win the play-offs, with the play-off winner being promoted in their place.

Second Division

;First Division relegation places:
Team
18Chelsea40915165068–1842
19Portsmouth40714193666–3035
20Watford40711222751–2432
21Oxford United40613214480–3631

;Second Division play-off places:
Team
3Middlesbrough442212106336+2778
4Bradford City442211117454+2077
5Blackburn Rovers44211496852+1677

Semi-finals

;First leg
----
;Second leg
Chelsea won 6–1 on aggregate.
----
Middlesbrough won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final

;First leg
;Second leg
Middlesbrough won 2–1 on aggregate. Chelsea relegated as result.

Third Division

;Second Division relegation places:
Team
21Sheffield United44137244574–2946
22Reading441012224470–2642
23Huddersfield Town446102841100–5928

;Third Division play-off places:
Team
3Walsall462313106850+1882
4Notts County462312118249+3381
5Bristol City462112137762+1575

Semi-finals

;First leg
----
;Second leg
Bristol City won 2–1 on aggregate.
----
Walsall won 4–2 on aggregate.

Final

;First leg
;Second leg
Walsall 3–3 Bristol City on aggregate - Walsall won 4-2 on pens to decide who would host the replay.
;Replay

Fourth Division

;Third Division relegation places:
Team
21Rotherham United461216185066–1652
22Grimsby Town461214204858–1050
23York City4689294891–4333
24Doncaster Rovers4689294084–4433

;Fourth Division play-off places:
Team
4Scunthorpe United46201797651+2577
5Torquay United462114116641+2577
6Swansea City462010166256+670

Semi-finals

;First leg
----
;Second leg
Swansea City won 2–1 on aggregate.
----
Torquay United won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final

;First leg
;Second leg
Swansea City won 5–4 on aggregate.