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 leagu ...
for the
1996–97 season were held in May 1997, with the finals taking place at the old
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 original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003. The stadium ...
in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. 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
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 t ...
and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the
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 th ...
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.
First Division
Semi-finals
;First leg
----
;Second leg
''Ipswich Town 3–3 Sheffield United on aggregate. Sheffield United won on away goals.''
----
''Crystal Palace won 4–3 on aggregate.''
Final
Second Division
Semi-finals
;First leg
----
;Second leg
''Brentford won 4–2 on aggregate.''
----
''Crewe Alexandra won 4–3 on aggregate.''
Final
Third Division
Semi-finals
;First leg
----
;Second leg
''Swansea City won 3–0 on aggregate.''
----
''Northampton Town won 4–2 on aggregate.''
Final
External links
Football League website
{{1996–97 in English football
English Football League play-offs