While Football League fans across the country try to absorb the craziness of the final day, there are 12 clubs who now have to cope with the nerve-shredding play-offs. It’s the dramatic season finale which has become known for heart-stopping moments, cataclysmic collapses and astonishing shoot-outs.
Each of the contenders in this year’s three divisional deciders have been through this experience before. Here’s how the hopeful dozen have fared since the introduction of the play-offs in 1986-87.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Luton Town
Previous play-off campaigns: 6
Play-offs won: 0
Beaten finalists: 2
Semi-final exits: 4
Division Two 1997: SF v Crewe Alexandra (away 1-2, home 2-2) Lost 3-4 on agg
National League 2010: SF v York City (away 0-1, home 0-1) Lost 0-2 on agg
National League 2011: SF v Wrexham (away 3-0, home 2-1) Won 5-1 on agg
Final: AFC Wimbledon (drew 0-0, lost on penalties)
National League 2012: SF v Wrexham (home 2-0, away 1-2) Won 3-2 on agg
Final: York City (lost 1-2)
League Two 2017: SF v Blackpool (away 2-3, home 3-3) Lost 5-6 on agg
Championship 2022: SF v Huddersfield Town (home 1-1, away 0-1) Lost 1-2 on agg
Game-by-game record: Played 14, Won 3, Drawn 4, Lost 7
Middlesbrough
Previous play-off campaigns: 4
Play-offs won: 1
Beaten finalists: 1
Semi-final exits: 2
Second Division 1988: SF v Bradford City (away 1-2, home 2-0) Won 3-2 on agg
Final: Chelsea (home 2-0, away 0-1) Won 2-1 on agg
Second Division 1991: SF v Notts County (home 1-1, away 0-1) Lost 1-2 on agg
Championship 2015: SF v Brentford (away 2-1, home 3-0) Won 5-1 on agg
Final: Norwich City (lost 0-2)
Championship 2018: SF v Aston Villa (home 0-1, away 0-0) Lost 0-1 on agg
Game-by-game record: Played 11, Won 4, Drawn 2, Lost 5
Coventry City
Previous play-off campaigns: 1
Play-offs won: 1
Beaten finalists: 0
Semi-final exits: 0
League Two 2018: SF v Notts County (home 1-1, away 4-1) Won 5-2 on agg
Final: Exeter City (won 4-1)
Game-by-game record: Played 3, Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 0
Sunderland
Previous play-off campaigns: 7
Play-offs won: 1
Beaten finalists: 3
Semi-final exits: 3
Third Division 1987: SF v Gillingham (away 2-3, home 4-3) Agg 6-6; Lost on away goals
Sunderland played in the Second Division but entered play-offs with three Third Division teams under initial format.
Second Division 1990: SF v Newcastle United (home 0-0, away 2-0) Won 2-0 on agg
Final: Swindon Town (lost 0-1)
Sunderland were promoted at Swindon’s expense due to Town’s financial irregularities
Division One 1998: SF v Sheffield United (away 1-2, home 2-0) Won 3-2 on agg
Final: Charlton Athletic (drew 4-4, lost on penalties)
Division One 2004: SF v Crystal Palace (away 2-3, home 2-1) Agg 4-4; Lost on penalties
League One 2019: SF v Portsmouth (home 1-0, away 0-0) Won 1-0 on agg
Final: Charlton Athletic (lost 1-2)
League One 2021: SF v Lincoln City (away 0-2, home 2-1) Lost 2-3 on agg
League One 2022: SF v Sheffield Wednesday (home 1-0, away 1-1) Won 2-1 on agg
Final: Wycombe Wanderers (won 2-0)
Game-by-game record: Played 18, Won 8, Drawn 4, Lost 6
LEAGUE ONE
Sheffield Wednesday
Previous play-off campaigns: 4
Play-offs won: 1
Beaten finalists: 1
Semi-final exits: 2
League One 2005: SF v Brentford (home 1-0, away 2-1) Won 3-1 on agg
Final: Hartlepool United (won 4-2)
Championship 2016: SF v Brighton & Hove Albion (home 2-0, away 1-1) Won 3-1 on agg
Final: Hull City (lost 0-1)
Championship 2017: SF v Huddersfield Town (away 0-0, home 1-1) Agg 1-1; Lost on penalties
League One 2022: SF v Sunderland (away 0-1, home 1-1) Lost 1-2 on agg
Game-by-game record: Played 10, Won 4, Drawn 4, Lost 2
Barnsley
Previous play-off campaigns: 4
Play-offs won: 2
Beaten finalists: 1
Semi-final exits: 1
Championship 2000: SF v Birmingham City (away 4-0, home 1-2)
Final: Ipswich Town (lost 2-4)
League One 2006: SF v Huddersfield Town (home 0-1, away 3-1) Won 3-2 on agg
Final: Swansea City (drew 2-2, won on penalties)
League One 2016: SF v Walsall (home 3-0, away 3-1) Won 6-1 on agg
Final: Millwall (won 3-1)
Championship 2021: SF v Swansea City (home 0-1, away 1-1) Lost 1-2 on agg
Game-by-game record: Played 11, Won 5, Drawn 2, Lost 4
Bolton Wanderers
Previous play-off campaigns: 6
Play-offs won: 2
Beaten finalists: 2
Semi-final exits: 2
Third Division 1990: SF v Notts County (home 1-1, away 0-2) Lost 1-3 on agg
Third Division 1991: SF v Bury (away 1-1, home 1-0) Won 2-1 on agg
Final: Tranmere Rovers (lost 0-1)
Division One 1995: SF v Wolverhampton Wanderers (away 1-2, home 2-0) won 3-2 on agg
Final: Reading (won 4-3)
Division One 1999: SF v Ipswich Town (home 1-0, away 3-4) Agg 4-4; Won on away goals
Final: Watford (lost 0-2)
Division One 2000: SF v Ipswich Town (home 2-2, away 3-5) Lost 5-7 on agg
Division One 2001: SF v West Bromwich Albion (away 2-2, home 3-0) Won 5-2 on agg
Final: Preston North End (won 3-0)
Game-by-game record: Played 16, Won 6, Drawn 4, Lost 6
Peterborough United
Previous play-off campaigns: 4
Play-offs won: 3
Beaten finalists: 0
Semi-final exits: 1
Third Division 1992: SF v Huddersfield Town (home 2-2, away 2-1)
Final: Stockport County (won 2-1)
Division Three 2000: SF v Barnet (away 2-1, home 3-0) Won 5-1 on agg
Final: Darlington (won 1-0)
League One 2011: SF v Milton Keynes Dons (away 2-3, home 2-0) Won 4-3 on agg
Final: Huddersfield Town (won 3-0)
League One 2014: SF v Leyton Orient (home 1-1, away 1-2) Lost 2-3 on agg
Game-by-game record: Played 11, Won 7, Drawn 2, Lost 2
LEAGUE TWO
Stockport County
Previous play-off campaigns: 6
Play-offs won: 1
Beaten finalists: 2
Semi-final exits: 2
Quarter-final exits: 1
Third Division 1992: SF v Stoke City (home 1-0, away 1-1) Won 2-1 on agg
Final: Peterborough United (lost 1-2)
Second Division 1993: SF v Port Vale (home 1-1, away 0-1) Lost 1-2 on agg
Second Division 1994: SF v York City (away 0-0, home 1-0) Won 1-0 on agg
Final: Burnley (lost 1-2)
League Two 2008: SF v Wycombe Wanderers (away 1-1, home 1-0) Won 2-1 on agg
Final: Rochdale (won 3-2)
National League North 2018: QF v Chorley (home 0-1)
National League 2021: SF v Hartlepool United (home 0-1)
Game-by-game record: Played 13, Won 4, Drawn 4, Lost 5
Carlisle United
Previous play-off campaigns: 4
Play-offs won: 1
Beaten finalists: 0
Semi-final exits: 3
Division Three 1994: SF v Wycombe Wanderers (home 0-2, away 1-2) Lost 1-4 on agg
National League 2005: SF v Aldershot Town (away 0-1, home 2-1) Agg 2-2; Won on penalties
Final: Stevenage (won 1-0)
League One 2008: SF v Leeds United (away 2-1, home 0-2) Lost 2-3 on agg
League Two 2017: SF v Exeter City (home 3-3, away 2-3) Lost 5-6 on agg
Game-by-game record: Played 9, Won 3, Drawn 1, Lost 5
Bradford City
Previous play-off campaigns: 5
Play-offs won: 2
Beaten finalists: 1
Semi-final exits: 2
Third Division 1988: SF v Middlesbrough (home 2-1, away 0-2) Lost 2-3 on agg
Division Two 1996: SF v Blackpool (home 0-2, away 3-0) Won 3-2 on agg
Final: Notts County (won 2-0)
League Two 2013: SF v Burton Albion (home 2-3, away 3-1) Won 5-4 on agg
Final: Northampton Town (won 3-0)
League One 2016: SF v Millwall (home 1-3, away 1-1) Lost 2-4 on agg
League One 2017: SF v Fleetwood Town (home 1-0, away 0-0) Won 1-0 on agg
Final: Millwall (lost 0-1)
Game-by-game record: Played 13, Won 6, Drawn 2, Lost 5
Salford City
Previous play-off campaigns: 3
Play-offs won: 2
Beaten finalists: 0
Semi-final exits: 1
Northern Premier League 2016: SF v Ashton United (home 3-1)
Final: Workington (home 3-2)
National League North 2017: SF v Halifax Town (home 1-1, away 1-1) Agg 2-2; Lost on penalties
National League 2019: SF v Eastleigh (home 1-1) Won on penalties
Final: AFC Fylde (won 3-0)
Game-by-game record: Played 6, Won 3, Drawn 3, Lost 0
*18+ | BeGambleAware
