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Football May 05, 2026

40 years of the play-offs: The greatest show on earth in numbers as EFL sides prepare for final promotion push

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
40 years of the play-offs: The greatest show on earth in numbers as EFL sides prepare for final promotion push

1-0, the final score in 38 play-off finals in history.

2 finals played at Old Trafford in 2011 as Wembley hosted the Champions League final.

3-1, the score Barnsley beat Millwall by in the 2016 League One play-off final, they are the last team to score 3+ goals in a 3rd tier final.

4-0, the biggest play-off final win across all divisions (Preston 4-0 Swindon in 2015, Northampton 4-0 Exeter in 2020).

5 goals for Leicester in their Division One play-off semi-final 2nd leg home win vs Cambridge in 1992 - the biggest single-match play-off win in the second tier (semis or final).

6 play-off wins by Blackpool, more than any other team.

7 goals shared by Swindon and Leicester in the 1993 Division One play-off final (Swindon won 4-3).

8 goals in the Division One play-off final in May 1998 - Charlton 4-4 Sunderland (Charlton won on pens).

9 goals in the Division Four play-off final; Swansea 5-4 Torquay, across two legs in 1988.

10 goals in Swindon's 5-5 League One semi-final second leg home draw vs Sheffield Utd in 2015, the most goals in any play-off game.

11 minutes it took for Swindon score three goals in the 1993 Division One play-off final win vs Leicester (scored after 42, 47 & 53 minutes).

12 goals combined in the two legs of Ipswich's 7-5 semi-final aggregate win vs Bolton in May 2000.

13 penalties scored in the 2015 League Two play-off final shoot-out between Southend (7) and Wycombe (6).

14 play-off finals have gone to penalty shoot-outs.

15 play-off matches in the EFL every season, all shown exclusively on Your Site.

16 years & 354 days, the age of the youngest player to play in a play-off game (Lee Sharpe for Torquay in May 1988).

17 years & 128 days, the age of the youngest player to score in a play-off game (Max Clayton for Crewe against Southend in May 2012).

18 play-off finals played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff between 2001-06.

19-year-old Tom Watson scored a 95th-minute Championship play-off final winner for Sunderland against Sheffield United in 2025.

20 seconds between Anthony Knockaert missing a penalty for Leicester and Troy Deeney scoring at the other end to put Watford into the Championship play-off final in May 2013.

21 times the ball hit the back of the net in total in the 1998 Division One play-off final - Charlton vs Sunderland finished 4-4 prior to Charlton winning 7-6 on penalties.

22 minutes between Ryan Taylor's 1st and 2nd goal for Rotherham in their 3-2 League Two play-off final defeat v Dagenham & Redbridge in 2010.

23 was the squad number of Joe Bryan, who scored both of Fulham's goals in extra-time of their 2020 Championship play off final win vs Brentford.

24 minutes when Adam Armstrong scored Southampton's goal in the 1-0 Championship play-off final win vs Leeds in 2024.

25th minute for Alan McLoughlin's goal in Swindon's 1-0 Division Two play-off final win vs Sunderland in 1990. Swindon were prevented from promotion to the top flight due to financial irregularities.

26 play-off matches Huddersfield Town have participated in, reaching six finals.

27 seconds it took Chris Tate to score for Leyton Orient in their 2001 Division Three play-off final defeat vs Blackpool.

28-year wait to play in the top flight was ended for Swansea as they beat Reading 4-2 in 2011 Championship play-off final.

29,252 in attendance for the first-ever 3rd tier play-off final at Wembley in 1990; Notts County 2-0 Tranmere.

30 minutes QPR played with 10 men before sub Bobby Zamora scored their 90th-minute winner in the 2014 Championship play-off final vs Derby.

31st minute for Macaulay Gillesphey's winning goal for Charlton vs Leyton Orient in the 2025 League One play-off final.

32,148 in attendance for Bournemouth's 5-2 Division Three play-off final win vs Lincoln in 2003.

33 - Ivan Toney scored his 33rd goal of the season in Brentford's 2021 Championship play-off final win vs Swansea.

34 minutes it took for Josh Scott to score four goals (35th minute to 69th minute) for Dagenham & Redbridge in their 6-0 League Two semi-final first leg home win vs Morecambe in May 2010, the only player to score 4+ goals in a play-off game.

35,087 in attendance for Peterborough's 2-1 League One play-off final win vs Stockport in 1992. Ken Charlery scored an 89th-minute winner after Kevin Francis' 87th minute equaliser for Stockport.

36 minutes between all the goals in the first half of the 2010 Championship play-off final as Blackpool beat Cardiff 3-2.

37th minute for Gary Alexander's first goal for Millwall in their 3-2 League One play-off final defeat vs Scunthorpe in 2009 - this was the equalising goal, he scored again two minutes later.

38th minute for Dean Windass' famous goal in Hull's 1-0 Championship play-off final win vs Bristol City in 2008.

39 minutes for Wolves to score three first-half goals vs Sheffield Utd in the 2003 Division One play-off final win (scored after six, 22 and 45 minutes).

40 times the team finishing in the highest play-off position have been promoted that season - excludes seasons with exceptional circumstances (eg 1994-95 when only two teams were promoted to Premier League).

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