Football League play-offs
Season1995–96
ChampionsLeicester City
(First Division)
Bradford City
(Second Division)
Plymouth Argyle
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored32 (2.13 per match)
Biggest home winPlymouth 3–1 Colchester
(Third Division)
Biggest away winBlackpool 0–3 Bradford
(Second Division)
Highest scoringCrewe 2–2 Notts County
Plymouth 3–1 Colchester
(4 goals)
Highest attendance73,573 – Crystal Palace v Leicester
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance4,931 – Crewe v Notts County
(Second Division semi-final)
Average attendance20,567
← 1995
1997 →

The Football League play-offs for the 1995–96 season were held in May 1996, 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 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 progressed through to the finals, with the winner of these 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.

First Division

Main article: 1995–96 Football League First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Crystal Palace 46 20 15 11 67 48 +19 75
4 Stoke City 46 20 13 13 60 49 +11 73
5 Leicester City 46 19 14 13 66 60 0+6 71
6 Charlton Athletic 46 17 20 9 57 45 +12 71

Semi-finals

First leg
Charlton Athletic1–2Crystal Palace
Newton 1' Report Brown 65'
Veart 71'
The Valley, London
Attendance: 14,618
Referee: John Kirkby
Leicester City0–0Stoke City
Filbert Street, Leicester
Attendance: 20,325
Referee: William Burns
Second leg
Crystal Palace1–0Charlton Athletic
Houghton 4' Report
Selhurst Park, London
Attendance: 22,880
Referee: Terry Heilbron

Crystal Palace won 3–1 on aggregate.

Stoke City0–1Leicester City
Parker 46'
Victoria Ground, Stoke-on-Trent
Attendance: 21,037
Referee: Gurnam Singh

Leicester City won 1–0 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 1996 Football League First Division play-off final
Crystal Palace1–2 (a.e.t.)Leicester City
Roberts 14' Parker 76' (pen.)
Claridge 120'
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 73,573
Referee: David Allison

Second Division

Main article: 1995–96 Football League Second Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Blackpool 46 23 13 10 67 40 +27 82
4 Notts County 46 21 15 10 63 39 +24 78
5 Crewe Alexandra 46 22 7 17 77 60 +17 73
6 Bradford City 46 22 7 17 71 69 0+2 73

Semi-finals

First leg
Bradford City0–2Blackpool
Bonner 72'
Ellis 78'
Valley Parade, Bradford
Attendance: 14,273
Referee: Terry Heilbron
Crewe Alexandra2–2Notts County
Little 3'
Rivers 17'		 Finnan 55'
Martindale 90'
Gresty Road, Crewe
Attendance: 4,931
Referee: David Allison
Second leg
Blackpool0–3Bradford City
Shutt 39'
Hamilton 68'
Stallard 78'
Bloomfield Road, Blackpool
Attendance: 9,593
Referee: William Burns

Bradford City won 3–2 on aggregate.

Notts County1–0Crewe Alexandra
Martindale 61'
Meadow Lane, Nottingham
Attendance: 9,640
Referee: Kevin Lynch

Notts County won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 1996 Football League Second Division play-off final
Bradford City2–0Notts County
Hamilton 8'
Stallard 75'
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 39,972
Referee: Gurnam Singh

Third Division

Main article: 1995–96 Football League Third Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Plymouth Argyle 46 22 12 12 68 49 +19 78
5 Darlington 46 20 18 8 60 42 +18 78
6 Hereford United 46 20 14 12 65 47 +18 74
7 Colchester United 46 18 18 10 61 51 +10 72

Semi-finals

First leg
Hereford United1–2Darlington
Smith 2' Gregan 27'
Blake 37'
Edgar Street, Hereford
Attendance: 6,622
Referee: Kevin Lynch
Colchester United1–0Plymouth Argyle
Kinsella 45'
Layer Road, Colchester
Attendance: 6,511
Referee: Mick Pierce
Second leg
Plymouth Argyle3–1Colchester United
Evans 3'
Leadbitter 41'
Williams 85'		 Kinsella 66'
Home Park, Plymouth
Attendance: 14,525
Referee: John Kirkby

Plymouth Argyle won 3–2 on aggregate.

Darlington2–1Hereford United
Painter 17'
Appleby 47' (pen.)		 White 65'
Feethams, Darlington
Attendance: 6,584
Referee: David Allison

Darlington won 4–2 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 1996 Football League Third Division play-off final
Darlington0–1Plymouth Argyle
Mauge 65'
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 43,431
Referee: William Burns

External links

English Football League play-offs
English Football League play-offs
English Football League play-offs
1995–96 in English football
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