| Season | 2007–08 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Hull City (Championship) Doncaster Rovers (League One) Stockport County (League Two) |
| Matches | 15 |
| Goals | 40 (2.67 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Doncaster 5–1Southend (League One) |
| Biggest away win | Watford 0–2Hull City (Championship) Carlisle United 0–2Leeds (League One) |
| Highest scoring | Doncaster 5–1Southend (6 goals) |
| Highest attendance | 86,703 –Bristol City vHull (Championship final) |
| Lowest attendance | 6,371 –Wycombe vStockport (League Two semi-final) |
| Average attendance | 25,469 |
←2007 2009 → | |
TheFootball League play-offs for the2007–08 season were held in May 2008, with the finals taking place atWembley Stadium inLondon. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs and were contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in theFootball League Championship andLeague One tables, and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams inLeague Two. The semi-final winners progressed to the finals, with the winner of each match earning promotion for thefollowing season.
Hull City won promotion to thePremier League after defeatingBristol City inthe Championship final, 1–0 with a goal from their leading scorerDean Windass. This marked the Tigers' first entry to the top division of English football in their existence.
Inthe League One final, another 1–0 victory sawDoncaster Rovers promoted ahead ofLeeds United.Stockport County defeatedRochdale 3–2 inthe League Two final. This meant all three clubs who had finished immediately below the automatic promotion places in their divisions were promoted.
The Football League play-offs have been held every year since1987. They take place for each of the three Football League divisions following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the four clubs finishing immediately below the automatic promotion places.
In the Championship,Hull City finished four points behind second-placedStoke City, who were promoted with championsWest Bromwich Albion.Bristol City - who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1980 - finished in fourth place in their first season at Championship level for nine years. The other entrants,Crystal Palace andWatford, had both played in thePremier League before, with Palace's last spell in the top division ending in a final day relegation in2005, a year after having won the play-offs. Watford had been relegated from the top flight inthe previous season, having finished bottom, and were looking to return at the first attempt.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Hull City | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 65 | 47 | +18 | 75 |
| 4 | Bristol City | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 54 | 53 | +1 | 74 |
| 5 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 58 | 42 | +16 | 71 |
| 6 | Watford | 46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 62 | 56 | +6 | 70 |
| Crystal Palace | 1–2 | Bristol City |
|---|---|---|
Watson 87' (pen.) | Report | Carey 53' Noble 90+2' |
| Bristol City | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Crystal Palace |
|---|---|---|
| Trundle 104' McIndoe 110' | Report | Watson 24' |
Bristol City won 4–2 on aggregate.
Hull City won 6–1 on aggregate.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 83 | 47 | +24 | 80 |
| 4 | Carlisle United | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 64 | 46 | +18 | 80 |
| 5 | Leeds United | 46 | 27 | 10 | 9 | 72 | 38 | +34 | 76* |
| 6 | Southend United | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 70 | 55 | +15 | 76 |
| Carlisle United | 0–2 | Leeds United |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Howson 10',90' |
Leeds United won 3–2 on aggregate.
| Doncaster Rovers | 5–1 | Southend United |
|---|---|---|
| Stock 11' (pen.) Barrett 21' (o.g.)Coppinger 39',52',80' | Report | Bailey 88' |
Doncaster Rovers won 5–1 on aggregate.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Stockport County | 46 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 72 | 54 | +18 | 82 |
| 5 | Rochdale | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 77 | 54 | +23 | 80 |
| 6 | Darlington | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 67 | 40 | +27 | 78 |
| 7 | Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 56 | 42 | +14 | 78 |
| Rochdale | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Darlington |
|---|---|---|
| Dagnall 43' Perkins 78' | Report | Keltie 28' (pen.) |
| Penalties | ||
Dagnall Kennedy Le Fondre Jones Muirhead | 5–4 | GuylainPurdieWainwrightRavenhill Kennedy |
Rochdale 3–3 Darlington on aggregate. Rochdale won 5–4 on penalties.
Stockport County won 2–1 on aggregate.
| Rochdale | 2–3 | Stockport County |
|---|---|---|
| McArdle 24' Rundle 77' | Report | Stanton 34' (o.g.) Pilkington 49'Dickinson 67' |