1997 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 1996–97 season were held in May 1997, with the finals taking place at the old Wembley Stadium in London. 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.

Football League play-offs
Season1996–97
ChampionsCrystal Palace
(First Division)
Crewe Alexandra
(Second Division)
Northampton Town
(Third Division)
Matches played15
Goals scored38 (2.53 per match)
Biggest home winSwansea 3–0 Chester
(Third Division)
Biggest away winBristol City 1–2 Brentford
(Second Division)
Highest scoringNorthampton 3–2 Cardiff
(5 goals)
Highest attendance64,383 – Crystal Palace v Sheffield United
(First Division final)
Lowest attendance5,104 – Chester v Swansea
(Third Division semi-final)
Average attendance21,403
← 1996
1998 →

First Division
Main article: 1996–97 Football League First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Wolverhampton Wanderers 462210146851+1776
4Ipswich Town 462014126850+1874
5Sheffield United 462013137552+2373
6Crystal Palace 461914137848+3071

Semi-finals
First leg
Crystal Palace3–1Wolverhampton Wanderers
Shipperley 68'
Freedman 89', 90'		 Smith 90'
Attendance: 21,053
Referee: Neale Barry
Sheffield United1–1Ipswich Town
Fjørtoft 41' Stockwell 78'
Attendance: 22,312
Referee: Roy Pearson
Second leg
Ipswich Town2–2 (a.e.t.)Sheffield United
Scowcroft 32'
Gudmundsson 73'		 Kachura 9'
Walker 77'
Attendance: 21,467
Referee: Terry Heilbron

Ipswich Town 3–3 Sheffield United on aggregate. Sheffield United won on away goals.

Wolverhampton Wanderers2–1Crystal Palace
Atkins 30'
Williams 85'		 Hopkin 66'
Attendance: 26,403
Referee: Clive Wilkes

Crystal Palace won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1997 Football League First Division play-off final
Crystal Palace1–0Sheffield United
Hopkin 90'
Attendance: 64,383
Referee: Neale Barry

Second Division
Main article: 1996–97 Football League Second Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
3Luton Town 462115105941+1878
4Brentford 462014125643+1374
5Bristol City 462110156951+1873
6Crewe Alexandra 4622071756470+973

Semi-finals
First leg
Bristol City1–2Brentford
Owers 28' Smith 13'
Taylor 30'
Attendance: 15,581
Crewe Alexandra2–1Luton Town
Rivers 53'
Little 68'		 Oldfield 3'
Attendance: 5,467
Second leg
Brentford2–1Bristol City
Taylor 67'
Bent 79'		 Barnard 49'
Attendance: 9,496
Referee: John Kirkby

Brentford won 4–2 on aggregate.

Luton Town2–2Crewe Alexandra
Oldfield 20', 31' Little 32'
Smith 62'
Attendance: 8,168
Referee: Roy Pearson

Crewe Alexandra won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1997 Football League Second Division play-off final
Brentford0–1Crewe Alexandra
Smith 34'
Attendance: 34,149
Referee: Uriah Rennie

Third Division
Main article: 1996–97 Football League Third Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Northampton Town 462012146744+2372
5Swansea City 462181762580+471
6Chester City 461816125543+1270
7Cardiff City 462091756540+269

Semi-finals
First leg
Cardiff City0–1Northampton Town
Parrish 77'
Attendance: 11,369
Chester City0–0Swansea City
Attendance: 5,104
Second leg
Swansea City3–0Chester City
Thomas 39'
Torpey 43'
Heggs 64'
Attendance: 10,027

Swansea City won 3–0 on aggregate.

Northampton Town3–2Cardiff City
Sampson 23'
Warburton 68'
Gayle 77'		 Fowler 36'
Haworth 90'
Attendance: 7,302

Northampton Town won 4–2 on aggregate.

Final
Main article: 1997 Football League Third Division play-off final
Northampton Town1–0Swansea City
Frain 90'
Attendance: 46,804
Referee: Terry Heilbron
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