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2001 Football League play-offs

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Football League play-offs
Season2000–01
ChampionsBolton Wanderers
(First Division)
Walsall
(Second Division)
Blackpool
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored43 (2.87 per match)
Biggest home winBolton 3–0 WBA
(First Division)
Biggest away winHartlepool 1–3 Blackpool
(Third Division)
Highest scoringWalsall 4–2 Stoke
Blackpool 4–2 Leyton Orient
(6 goals)
Highest attendance54,328 – Bolton v Preston
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance5,720 – Blackpool v Hartlepool
(Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance21,183
2000
2002

The Football League play-offs for the 2000–01 season were held in May 2001, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish 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 will go through to the finals, with the winner of the matches gaining promotion for the following season.

Background

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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.

In the First Division, Bolton Wanderers, who are aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 3 seasons outside the top flight, finished 4 points behind second placed Blackburn Rovers, who in turn finished 10 points behind champions Fulham, who returned to the top flight for the first time since 1968. Preston North End who are aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1961, finished in fourth place in the table. Birmingham City, who are aiming to return to the top flight after 15 years outside the top division, finished in fifth place. West Bromwich Albion, who are also aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1986, finished 4 points behind Birmingham City and Preston North End in sixth place.

First Division

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Bolton Wanderers 46 24 15 7 76 45 +31 87
4 Preston North End 46 23 9 14 64 52 +12 78
5 Birmingham City 46 23 9 14 59 48 +11 78
6 West Bromwich Albion 46 21 11 14 60 52 0+8 74

Semi-finals

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First leg
West Bromwich Albion2–2Bolton Wanderers
Roberts 44'
Hughes 55' (pen.)
Report Bergsson 81'
Frandsen 88' (pen.)
Attendance: 18,167
Referee: David Laws

Birmingham City1–0Preston North End
Eaden 55' Report
Attendance: 29,072
Referee: David Pugh
Second leg
Bolton Wanderers3–0West Bromwich Albion
Bergsson 10'
Ricketts 63'
Gardner 90'
Report
Attendance: 23,515
Referee: Roy Pearson

Bolton Wanderers won 5–2 on aggregate.


Preston North End 2–2 Birmingham City on aggregate. Preston North End won 4–2 on penalties.

Final

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Bolton Wanderers3–0Preston North End
Farrelly 17'
Ricketts 89'
Gardner 90'
Report
Attendance: 54,328
Referee: Uriah Rennie

Second Division

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Reading 46 25 11 10 86 52 +34 86
4 Walsall 46 23 12 11 79 50 +29 81
5 Stoke City 46 21 14 11 74 49 +25 77
6 Wigan Athletic 46 19 18 9 60 52 0+8 75

Semi-finals

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First leg
Stoke City0–0Walsall
Report
Attendance: 23,689
Referee: Uriah Rennie

Wigan Athletic0–0Reading
Report
Attendance: 12,638
Referee: Roy Pearson
Second leg
Reading2–1Wigan Athletic
Butler 86'
Forster 90'
Report Nicholls 26'
Attendance: 22,034
Referee: David Laws

Reading won 2–1 on aggregate.


Walsall4–2Stoke City
Ward 42' (o.g.)
Matías 47', 61'
Keates 50'
Report Kavanagh 31'
Thorne 85'
Attendance: 8,993

Walsall won 4–2 on aggregate.

Final

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Reading2–3 (a.e.t.)Walsall
Cureton 31'
Butler 91'
Report Goodman 48'
Rougier 107' (o.g.)
Byfield 109'
Attendance: 50,496

Third Division

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Hartlepool United 46 21 14 11 71 54 +17 77
5 Leyton Orient 46 20 15 11 59 51 0+8 75
6 Hull City 46 19 17 10 47 39 0+8 74
7 Blackpool 46 22 6 18 74 58 +16 72

Semi-finals

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First leg
Blackpool2–0Hartlepool United
Ormerod 61', 78' Report
Attendance: 5,720
Referee: William Burns

Hull City1–0Leyton Orient
Eyre 69' Report
Second leg
Hartlepool United1–3Blackpool
Henderson 48' Report Ormerod 21', 68'
Hills 50'
Attendance: 5,836
Referee: Uriah Rennie

Blackpool won 5–1 on aggregate.


Leyton Orient2–0Hull City
Watts 44'
Lockwood 70'
Report
Attendance: 9,419
Referee: David Pugh

Leyton Orient won 2–1 on aggregate.

Final

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Blackpool4–2Leyton Orient
Hughes 35'
Reid 45'
Simpson 77'
Ormerod 88'
Report Tate 1'
Houghton 37'
Attendance: 23,600
Referee: David Pugh
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