2001 Football League play-offs
| Season | 2000–01 |
|---|---|
| Champions |
Bolton Wanderers (First Division) Walsall (Second Division) Blackpool (Third Division) |
| Matches played | 15 |
| Goals scored | 43 (2.87 per match) |
| Biggest home win |
Bolton 3–0 WBA (First Division) |
| Biggest away win |
Hartlepool 1–3 Blackpool (Third Division) |
| Highest scoring |
Walsall 4–2 Stoke Blackpool 4–2 Leyton Orient (6 goals) |
| Highest attendance |
54,328 – Bolton v Preston (First Division final) |
| Lowest attendance |
5,720 – Blackpool v Hartlepool (Third Division semi-final) |
| Average attendance | 21,183 |
|
← 2000 2002 → | |
The Football League play-offs for the 2000–01 season were held in May 2001, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. 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.
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.
In the First Division, Bolton Wanderers, who are aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 3 seasons outside the top flight, finished 4 points behind second placed Blackburn Rovers, who in turn finished 10 points behind champions Fulham, who returned to the top flight for the first time since 1968. Preston North End who are aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1961, finished in fourth place in the table. Birmingham City, who are aiming to return to the top flight after 15 years outside the top division, finished in fifth place. West Bromwich Albion, who are also aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1986, finished 4 points behind Birmingham City and Preston North End in sixth place.
First Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 24 | 15 | 7 | 76 | 45 | +31 | 87 |
| 4 | Preston North End | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 64 | 52 | +12 | 78 |
| 5 | Birmingham City | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 59 | 48 | +11 | 78 |
| 6 | West Bromwich Albion | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 60 | 52 | +8 | 74 |
Semi-finals
- First leg
13 May 2001 15:00 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 2–2 | Bolton Wanderers |
|---|---|---|
Roberts  44'Hughes 55' (pen.) |
Report | Bergsson 81' Frandsen 88' (pen.) |
- Second leg
17 May 2001 19:45 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 3–0 | West Bromwich Albion |
|---|---|---|
| Bergsson 10' Ricketts 63'Gardner 90' |
Report |
Bolton Wanderers won 5–2 on aggregate.
17 May 2001 19:45 |
| Preston North End | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Birmingham City |
|---|---|---|
| Healy 24' Rankine 90' |
Report | Horsfield 59' |
| Penalties | ||
Alexander  Healy Gregan Edwards  McKenna |
4–2 | Marcelo Purse Lazaridis Eaden |
Preston North End 2–2 Birmingham City on aggregate. Preston North End won 4–2 on penalties.
Final
Second Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Reading | 46 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 86 | 52 | +34 | 86 |
| 4 | Walsall | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 79 | 50 | +29 | 81 |
| 5 | Stoke City | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 74 | 49 | +25 | 77 |
| 6 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 19 | 18 | 9 | 60 | 52 | +8 | 75 |
Semi-finals
- First leg
- Second leg
Reading won 2–1 on aggregate.
16 May 2001 19:45 |
| Walsall | 4–2 | Stoke City |
|---|---|---|
| Ward 42' (o.g.) Matías 47', 61'Keates 50' |
Report | Kavanagh 31' Thorne 85' |
Walsall won 4–2 on aggregate.
Final
27 May 2001 15:00 |
| Reading | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | Walsall |
|---|---|---|
| Cureton 31' Butler 91' |
Report | Goodman 48' Rougier 107' (o.g.) Byfield 109' |
Third Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 71 | 54 | +17 | 77 |
| 5 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 59 | 51 | +8 | 75 |
| 6 | Hull City | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 47 | 39 | +8 | 74 |
| 7 | Blackpool | 46 | 22 | 6 | 18 | 74 | 58 | +16 | 72 |
Semi-finals
- First leg
- Second leg
Blackpool won 5–1 on aggregate.
Leyton Orient won 2–1 on aggregate.
Final
26 May 2001 15:00 |
| Blackpool | 4–2 | Leyton Orient |
|---|---|---|
| Hughes 35' Reid 45' Simpson 77'Ormerod 88' |
Report | Tate 1' Houghton 37' |