2013 Football League play-offs

Football League play-offs
Season2012–13
ChampionsCrystal Palace
(Championship)
Yeovil Town
(League One)
Bradford City
(League Two)
Matches played15
Goals scored36 (2.4 per match)
Biggest home winWatford 3–1 Leicester
(Championship)
Biggest away winBurton 1–3 Bradford
(League Two)
Highest scoringBrentford 3–3 Swindon
(6 goals)
Highest attendance82,025 – Crystal Palace v Watford
(Championship Final)
Lowest attendance5,955 – Cheltenham v Northampton
(League Two semi-final)
Average attendance23,077
2012
2014

The Football League play-offs for the 2012–13 season (referred to as the npower Football League Play-Offs for sponsorship reasons) were held in May 2013 with all finals being staged at Wembley Stadium in London.

The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs, contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League Championship and League One and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th-placed teams in the League Two table. The winners of the semi-finals advanced to the finals, with the winner of the final gaining promotion 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.

Championship

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Watford 46 23 8 15 85 58 +27 77
4 Brighton & Hove Albion 46 19 18 9 69 43 +26 75
5 Crystal Palace 46 19 15 12 73 62 +11 72
6 Leicester City 46 19 11 16 71 48 +23 68
Semi-finals Final
        
5 Crystal Palace 0 2 2
4 Brighton & Hove Albion 0 0 0
5 Crystal Palace 1
3 Watford 0
6 Leicester City 1 1 2
3 Watford 0 3 3

Semi-finals

First leg
Leicester City1–0Watford
Nugent 82' Report
Attendance: 29,650
Crystal Palace0–0Brighton & Hove Albion
Report
Attendance: 23,294

Second leg
Watford3–1Leicester City
Vydra 15', 65'
Deeney 90+7'
Report Nugent 19'
Attendance: 16,142

Watford won 3–2 on aggregate.

Brighton & Hove Albion0–2Crystal Palace
Report Zaha 69', 88'
Attendance: 29,518

Crystal Palace won 2–0 on aggregate.


Final

Crystal Palace1–0 (a.e.t.)Watford
Phillips 105+1' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 82,025

League One

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3 Brentford 46 21 16 9 62 47 +15 79
4 Yeovil Town 46 23 8 15 71 56 +15 77
5 Sheffield United 46 19 18 9 56 42 +14 75
6 Swindon Town 46 20 14 12 72 39 +33 74

Semi-finals

First leg
Sheffield United1–0Yeovil Town
McFadzean 46' Report
Attendance: 15,262
Swindon Town1–1Brentford
Luongo 70' Report O'Connor 90+4' (pen.)
Attendance: 10,595

Second leg
Yeovil Town2–0Sheffield United
Dawson 6'
Upson 85'
Report
Attendance: 8,152
Referee: Phil Gibbs

Yeovil Town won 2–1 on aggregate.

Brentford 4–4 Swindon Town on aggregate. Brentford won 5–4 on penalties.


Final

Brentford1–2Yeovil Town
Dean 51' Report Madden 6'
Burn 42'
Attendance: 41,955
Referee: Andy D'Urso

League Two

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Burton Albion 46 22 10 14 71 65 +6 76
5 Cheltenham Town 46 20 15 11 58 51 +7 75
6 Northampton Town 46 21 10 15 64 55 +9 73
7 Bradford City 46 18 15 13 63 52 +11 69

Semi-finals

First leg
Bradford City2–3Burton Albion
Wells 37' (pen.)
Thompson 75'
Report Zola 22', 27'
Weir 44'
Attendance: 14,657
Referee: James Adcock
Northampton Town1–0Cheltenham Town
O'Donovan 26' Report
Attendance: 6,563
Referee: Mick Russell

Second leg
Burton Albion1–3Bradford City
Maghoma 55' (pen.) Report Wells 27', 57'
Hanson 50'

Bradford City won 5–4 on aggregate.

Northampton Town won 2–0 on aggregate.


Final

Bradford City3–0Northampton Town
Hanson 15'
McArdle 19'
Wells 28'
Report
Attendance: 47,127
Referee: Keith Stroud

References