The

Football League play-offs The English Football League play-offs are a series of play-off matches contested by the four association football teams finishing immediately below the automatic promotion places in the second, third and fourth tiers of the English football league ...

for the 1987–88 season were held in May 1988, with the two-legged finals taking place at the finalists home stadiums. The play-off semi-finals were also played over two legs and were contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th and 5th place in the

Football League Second Division The Football League Second Division was the second level division in the English football league system between 1892 and 1992. Following the foundation of the FA Premier League, the Football League divisions were renumbered and the third ti ...

and

Football League Third Division The Football League Third Division was the third tier of the English football league system in 1920–21 and again from 1958 until 1992. When the FA Premier League was formed, the division become the fourth tier level. In 2004, following the f ...

and the 4th, 5th, 6th placed teams in the

Football League Fourth Division The Football League Fourth Division was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Whilst the division disappeared in name ...

table, along with a team from the league above. The winners of the semi-finals progressed through to the finals, with the winner of these matches either gaining promotion or avoiding relegation 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. For the first three seasons the final was played over two legs but this was changed to a single match at

Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...

from 1990. Additionally, for the 1986–87 and 1987-88 play-offs the semi-finals included a team from the next league who had finished above the relegation positions up, e.g. one team from the first tier and three teams from the second tier. The team from the higher division would be relegated if they failed to win the play-offs, with the play-off winner being promoted in their place.

Second Division

;First Division relegation places: ;Second Division play-off places:

Semi-finals

;First leg ---- ;Second leg ''Chelsea won 6–1 on aggregate.'' ---- ''Middlesbrough won 3–2 on aggregate.''

Final

;First leg ;Second leg ''Middlesbrough won 2–1 on aggregate.'' Chelsea relegated as result.

Third Division

;Second Division relegation places: ;Third Division play-off places:

Semi-finals

;First leg ---- ;Second leg ''Bristol City won 2–1 on aggregate.'' ---- ''Walsall won 4–2 on aggregate.''

Final

;First leg ;Second leg ''Walsall 3–3 Bristol City on aggregate - Walsall won 4-2 on pens to decide who would host the replay.'' ;Replay

Fourth Division

;Third Division relegation places: ;Fourth Division play-off places:

Semi-finals

;First leg ---- ;Second leg ''Swansea City won 2–1 on aggregate.'' ---- ''Torquay United won 3–2 on aggregate.''

Final

;First leg ;Second leg ''Swansea City won 5–4 on aggregate.''

External links

Football League website
{{DEFAULTSORT:1988 Football League Play-Offs English Football League play-offs