2021 English Football League play-offs

Football competitions

Football league season
2021 English Football League play-offs
Wembley Stadium was the venue for each play-off final
Season2020–21
← 2020
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The English Football League play-offs for the 2020–21 season (referred to as the Sky Bet Play-Offs for sponsorship reasons) were held in May 2021, with all finals played at Wembley Stadium in London. The play-offs begin in each league with two semi-finals played over two legs. The teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th place in the Championship and League One and the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th-placed teams in League Two are set to compete. The winners of the semi-finals advance to the finals, with the winner of the final gaining promotion for the following season.[1][2]

The away goals rule does not apply in the playoff semi-finals per the standard rules.

Background

The English 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. The fixtures are determined by final league position – in the Championship and League One this is 3rd v 6th and 4th v 5th, while in League Two it is 4th v 7th and 5th v 6th.

Championship

Qualified teams

Final league position – Championship
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Brentford 46 24 15 7 79 42 +37 87
4 Swansea City 46 23 11 12 56 39 +17 80
5 Barnsley 46 23 9 14 58 50 +8 78
6 Bournemouth 46 22 11 13 73 46 +27 77

First leg

Bournemouth1–0Brentford
Danjuma 55' Report
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Tim Robinson
Barnsley0–1Swansea City
Report A. Ayew 39'
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Second leg

Brentford3–1Bournemouth
 Report Danjuma 5'

Brentford won 3–2 on aggregate.

Swansea City1–1Barnsley
 Report
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: John Brooks

Swansea City won 2–1 on aggregate.

Championship final

Brentford2–0Swansea City
 Report
Attendance: 11,689
Referee: Chris Kavanagh

League One

Final league position – League One
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Blackpool 46 23 11 12 60 37 +27 80
4 Sunderland 46 20 17 9 70 42 +28 77
5 Lincoln City 46 22 11 13 69 50 +19 77
6 Oxford United 46 22 8 16 77 56 +21 74

First leg

Oxford United0–3Blackpool
Report
Attendance: 3,224
Referee: Bobby Madley
Lincoln City2–0Sunderland
 Report
Attendance: 3,145
Referee: Craig Hicks

Second leg

Blackpool3–3Oxford United
 Report
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Keith Stroud

Blackpool won 6–3 on aggregate.

Sunderland2–1Lincoln City
  • Stewart 13'
  • Wyke 33'
 Report
  • Hopper 56'
Attendance: 9,971
Referee: Michael Salisbury

Lincoln City won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final

Blackpool2–1Lincoln City
Dougall 34', 54' Report Turton 1' (o.g.)
Attendance: 9,751
Referee: Tony Harrington

League Two

Final league position – League Two
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Morecambe 46 23 9 14 69 58 +11 78
5 Newport County 46 20 13 13 57 42 +15 73
6 Forest Green Rovers 46 20 13 13 59 51 +8 73
7 Tranmere Rovers 46 20 13 13 55 50 +5 73

First leg

Newport County2–0Forest Green Rovers
  • Dolan 31'
  • Collins 56'
 Report
Attendance: 900
Referee: Charles Breakspear
Tranmere Rovers1–2Morecambe
  • Clarke 19'
 Report
Attendance: 3,400

Second leg

Morecambe1–1Tranmere Rovers
Wildig 9' Report Vaughan 53'
Attendance: 1,558
Referee: Thomas Bramall

Morecambe won 3–2 on aggregate.

Forest Green Rovers4–3 (a.e.t.)Newport County
 Report
Attendance: 1,300
Referee: Martin Coy

Newport County won 5–4 on aggregate.

Final

Morecambe1–0 (a.e.t.)Newport County
Mendes Gomes 107' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 9,083
Referee: Bobby Madley

References

  1. ^ "EFL Official Website - Rules & Regulations". www.efl.com. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  2. ^ "EFL confirm play-off dates with games set for when fans are allowed back". talkSPORT. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
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