First 7 Championship Play-Off Winners: Where Are They Now?

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The play-offs were first introduced to the Football League in 1987, and as much as the Football League and FA come in for a lot of stick – rightly, we should add – the play-offs have been an excellent addition to the English game. Not only do they bring even more drama to the end of a season, they also keep the season alive for teams even down into the bottom half sometimes who previously had nothing to play for from January onwards.

Todays video is all about the second tier play-offs, won by Aston Villa last season and the likes of Fulham, Huddersfield and Hull in recent times. It is the very start of the play-off era that we look at though, back when the second division was – logically – called the Second Division.

Here are the first 7 Championship play-off winners: Where are they now?

7. Charlton Athletic – Championship

For the first few years the Second Division play-offs were played between the teams who finished 3rd, 4th and 5th in the Second Division, as well as the team that finished 19th in the First Division. In the very first Second Division play-offs, back in 1986-87, it was First Division Charlton Athletic who reigned victorious over two legs against Leeds United. The Addicks enjoyed success in the play-offs once again last season, securing a dramatic return to the Championship, whilst Leeds suffered heartbreak once again, as Derby County staged an impressive comeback at Elland Road in the play-off semi-finals.

6. Middlesbrough – Championship

The Middlesbrough logo on the exterior of the stadium during the Premier League match between Middlesbrough and Stoke City at Riverside Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Middlesbrough, England.

It looked like it might be a similar story in 1987-88, as the First Division’s 18th placed side Chelsea blew Blackburn Rovers away 6-1 in the play-off semi-finals. They met a Middlesbrough side who had only missed out on automatic promotion to Aston Villa due to goals scored in the final though, and Bruce Rioch masterminded a 2-1 win for Boro which saw them promoted and John Hollins’ Chelsea relegated. More than three decades on, Middlesbrough have become pretty regular fixtures in the Championship over the last 10 years, and they’re now managed by former England international Jonathan Woodgate.

5. Crystal Palace – Premier League

Crystal Palace are, somewhat surprisingly, the only current top flight side in this seven. Chelsea romped to the Second Division title following their relegation the previous year in 1988-89. Crystal Palace just missed out on automatic promotion to Man City, but they were handed a second bite at winning a place in the First Division via the play-offs. This was the first year in which the play-offs only involved Second Division clubs, with the bottom three in the Premier League automatically relegated. Palace beat Blackburn Rovers in the play-off final, and they split their time pretty evenly between the first and second tiers for the next 15 years. Following a lengthy stint in the Championship, however, Palace are about to go into their seventh consecutive Premier League campaign since another play-off final win in 2013.

4. Swindon Town – League Two

The corner flag with the Swindon Town crest on at The County Ground Stadium, home of Swindon Town

A Swindon Town side marshalled by Argentine great Ossie Ardiles recorded a Wembley victory against Sunderland in the 1990 Second Division play-off final, but the Wiltshire-based outfit wouldn’t be playing in the First Division the following season. Having been found guilty of 36 breaches of Football League regulations, mostly in relation to financial irregularities, Swindon were initially both denied promotion to the First Division and automatically relegated to the Third Division, but they were ultimately only handed the initial punishment. As a result, it was Sunderland who were handed promotion as losing play-off finalists, much to the irritance of rival Newcastle United fans who felt it should have been them who got the automatic promotion having finished above Sunderland in the league. Swindon are now in League Two, whilst Sunderland are in League One.

3. Notts County – National League

Notts County won the 1991 Second Division play-off final in what was the first of Neil Warnock’s five promotions to the top flight of English football as a manager. The Magpies beat Brighton 3-1 thanks to a Tommy Johnson brace, but they were relegated the following season. Notts County were the oldest club in the Football League prior to their relegation from the league system for the first time last season, and they’ll be competing in the National League next season.

2. Blackburn Rovers – Championship

A general view of the logo of the Lancashire Red Rose on the Blackburn Rovers crest during the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Ewood Park…

Following their takeover by local millionaire Jack Walker in 1991, Blackburn Rovers won their first promotion into the top flight since 1958 in 1992. Under the stewardship of ambitious appointment Kenny Dalglish, Blackburn beat Leicester in the final, and would go one better a few years later by winning an incredible Premier League title. The club last played top flight football in 2012, but having dropped into League One a few seasons ago, they are at least now back in the Championship.

1. Swindon Town – League Two

Swindon Town came back fighting after being denied promotion in 1990. Glenn Hoddle was appointed as player-manager 1991, and the future England boss was superb in his role as a sweeper for the Robins. He scored the first goal of the final, which resulted in a 4-3 win for Swindon over Leicester. Hoddle departed for Chelsea that summer though, and Swindon were swiftly relegated. As we’ve said, they are now a mid-table side in League Two. Since it’s the second time featuring Swindon in this seven, we will mention the 1994 play-off winners Leicester, who bounced back from their disappointment against Swindon to beat Derby in the final the following year. The Foxes are now regulars in the Premier League and even won an incredible top flight title in 2016.