| Season | 1998–99 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Watford (First Division) Manchester City (Second Division) Scunthorpe United (Third Division) |
| Matches | 15 |
| Goals | 28 (1.87 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Scunthorpe 3–1Swansea (Third Division) |
| Biggest away win | None |
| Highest scoring | Ipswich 4–3Bolton (7 goals) |
| Highest attendance | 76,935 –Gillingham vManchester City (Second Division final) |
| Lowest attendance | 6,762 –Wigan vManchester City (Second Division semi-final) |
| Average attendance | 24,837 |
←1998 2000 → | |
TheFootball League play-offs for the1998–99 season were held in May 1999, with the finals taking place at the oldWembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs and contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in theFootball League First Division andFootball League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in theFootball League Third Division table. The winners of the semi-finals went through to the finals, with the winner of the matches gainingpromotion for thefollowing season.
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,Ipswich Town, who were aiming to return to the top flight after a 4-year absence, finished one point behind second placedBradford City, who in turn finished 18 points behind championsSunderland, who returned to the top flight after beingrelegated two seasons previously.Birmingham City, who were aiming to return to the top flight after 13 years outside the top division, finished in fourth place in the table.Watford, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1988, finished in fifth place.Bolton Wanderers, who were aiming to return to the top flight after relegation the previous season, finished one point behind Watford in sixth place.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 71 | 42 | +29 | 87 |
| 4 | Birmingham City | 46 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 88 | 67 | +21 | 82 |
| 5 | Watford | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 65 | 44 | +21 | 77 |
| 6 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 69 | 50 | +19 | 76 |
| Ipswich Town | 4–3 (a.e.t.) | Bolton Wanderers |
|---|---|---|
Holland 14',116'Dyer 52',90' | Taylor 51',96' Frandsen 84' |
Ipswich Town 4–4 Bolton Wanderers on aggregate. Bolton Wanderers won on away goals.
| Birmingham City | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Watford |
|---|---|---|
| Adebola 2' | Report | |
| Penalties | ||
Furlong Grainger  Rowett Bradbury Hughes Purse Poole Holland | 6–7 | KennedyPalmerJohnsonBazeleyMooneyPageSmartHazan |
Birmingham City 1–1 Watford on aggregate. Watford won 7–6 on penalties.
| Bolton Wanderers | 0–2 | Watford |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Wright 38' Smart 89' |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Manchester City | 46 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 69 | 33 | +36 | 82 |
| 4 | Gillingham | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 75 | 44 | +31 | 80 |
| 5 | Preston North End | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 78 | 50 | +28 | 79 |
| 6 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 75 | 48 | +27 | 76 |
| Preston North End | 1–1 | Gillingham |
|---|---|---|
| Eyres 54' | Taylor 79' |
Gillingham won 2–1 on aggregate.
Manchester City won 2–1 on aggregate.
| Gillingham | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Manchester City |
|---|---|---|
| Asaba 82' Taylor 87' | Report | Horlock 90' Dickov 90+5' |
| Penalties | ||
| Smith Pennock Hodge Butters | 1–3 | HorlockDickovCookeEdghill |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 22 | 8 | 16 | 69 | 58 | +11 | 74 |
| 5 | Rotherham United | 46 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 79 | 61 | +18 | 73 |
| 6 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 68 | 59 | +9 | 72 |
| 7 | Swansea City | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 56 | 48 | +8 | 71 |
| Rotherham United | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Leyton Orient |
|---|---|---|
| Penalties | ||
| Thompson Roscoe Hurst Williams | 2–4 | SmithLingMorrisonLockwood |
Rotherham United 0–0 Leyton Orient on aggregate. Leyton Orient won 4–2 on penalties.
| Scunthorpe United | 3–1 (a.e.t.) | Swansea City |
|---|---|---|
| Dawson 2' Sheldon 92',102' | Bird 98' |
Scunthorpe United won 3–2 on aggregate.