1994 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 1993–94 season were held in May 1994, 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.

Football League play-offs
Season1993–94
ChampionsLeicester City
(First Division)
Burnley
(Second Division)
Wycombe Wanderers
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored38 (2.53 per match)
Biggest home winPreston 4–1 Torquay
(Third Division)
Biggest away winMillwall 1–3 Derby
(First Division)
Plymouth 1–3 Burnley
(Second Division)
Highest scoringPreston 2–4 Wycombe
(6 goals)
Highest attendance73,671 – Derby v Leicester
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance4,440 – Torquay v Preston
(Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance20,348
← 1993
1995 →

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
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Millwall 4619171058490+974
4Leicester City 461916117259+1373
5Tranmere Rovers 46219166953+1672
6Derby County 4620111573680+571

After just missing out on the playoffs a year earlier, Millwall made a stronger challenge for promotion to the Premier League this time around, finishing third and qualifying for the playoffs. Leicester City, beaten finalists in the previous two seasons, qualified for the playoffs by finishing fourth. Tranmere Rovers, who had just missed out on a place in the League Cup final, made another strong challenge in the league and qualified for the playoffs for the second season running. The final playoff place went to Derby County.

The final ended up being an East Midlands clash as Leicester and Derby won in the semi-finals, and Leicester secured promotion after seven years outside the flight by winning the final 2-1 with both of their goals coming from long-serving Steve Walsh. The final was Leicester's seventh appearance at Wembley but the first game they had won there.

Semi-finals
First leg
Tranmere Rovers0–0Leicester City
Attendance: 14,962
Derby County2–0Millwall
Cowans  22'
Johnson  60'
Attendance: 17,401
Referee: Paul Durkin
Second leg
Leicester City2–1Tranmere Rovers
Ormondroyd  45'
Speedie  86'		 Nevin  46'
Attendance: 16,470
Referee: Keith Cooper

Leicester City won 2–1 on aggregate.

Millwall1–3Derby County
Berry  63' Gabbiadini  16'
Johnson  22'
Van Den Hauwe  42' (o.g.)
Attendance: 13,999
Referee: Brian Hill

Derby County won 5–1 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1994 Football League First Division play-off Final
Derby County1–2Leicester City
Johnson  27' Walsh  41', 87'
Attendance: 73,671
Referee: Roger Milford

Second Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Plymouth Argyle 462510118856+3285
4Stockport County 46241397444+3085
5York City 462112136440+2475
6Burnley 462110157958+2173

Semi-finals
First leg
Burnley0–0Plymouth Argyle
Attendance: 18,794
Referee: Keith Cooper
York City0–0Stockport County
Attendance: 8,744
Referee: Joe Worrall
Second leg
Stockport County1–0York City
Beaumont  85'
Attendance: 6,743
Referee: Roger Milford

Stockport County won 1–0 on aggregate.

Plymouth Argyle1–3Burnley
Marshall  15' Francis  29', 31'
Joyce  81'
Attendance: 17,515

Burnley won 3–1 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1994 Football League Second Division play-off Final
Burnley2–1Stockport County
Eyres  28'
Parkinson  65'		 Beaumont  2'
Attendance: 44,806
Referee: David Elleray

Third Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Wycombe Wanderers 421913106753+1470
5Preston North End 421813117960+1967
6Torquay United 421716964560+867
7Carlisle United 421810145742+1564

Semi-finals
First leg
Torquay United2–0Preston North End
Darby  20'
Moore  57'
Attendance: 4,440
Referee: Roger Milford
Carlisle United0–2Wycombe Wanderers
Thompson  33'
Garner  86'
Brunton Park, Carlisle
Attendance: 10,862
Referee: Brian Hill
Second leg
Preston North End4–1 (a.e.t.)Torquay United
Ellis  8'
Moyes  43'
Hicks  52'
Raynor  116'		 Goodridge  15'
Attendance: 11,442

Preston North End won 4–3 on aggregate.

Wycombe Wanderers2–1Carlisle United
Carroll  12'
Garner  58'		 Davey  81' (pen.)
Attendance: 5,265
Referee: Paul Durkin

Wycombe Wanderers won 4–1 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1994 Football League Third Division play-off Final
Preston North End2–4Wycombe Wanderers
Bryson  32'
Raynor  37'		 Squires  33' (o.g.)
Garner  47'
Carroll  57', 72'
Attendance: 40,109
Referee: Keith Cooper
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