2010 Football League play-offs

Football League play-offs
Season	2009–10
Champions	Blackpool; (Championship); Millwall; (League One); Dagenham & Redbridge; (League Two)
Matches played	15
Goals scored	47 (3.13 per match)
Biggest home win	Dagenham 6–0 Morecambe; (League Two)
Biggest away win	Nottm Forest 3–4 Blackpool; (Championship)
Highest scoring	Nottm Forest 3–4 Blackpool; (7 goals)
Highest attendance	82,244 – Blackpool v Cardiff; (Championship final)
Lowest attendance	4,566 – Dagenham v Morecambe; (League Two semi-final)
Average attendance	24,670
	← 2009 2011 →

The Football League play-offs for the 2009–10 season were held in May 2010, with the finals taking place at Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs, contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League Championship and League One and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the League Two table. The winners of the semi-finals went through to the finals, with the winner of the final 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 Championship, Nottingham Forest, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1999, finished 12 points behind second placed West Bromwich Albion, who in turn finished 11 points behind champions Newcastle United, who returned to the top flight at the first attempt after relegation from the Premier League on the last day the season before. Cardiff City who haven't been in the top flight since 1962, finished in fourth place in the table. Leicester City who finished as champions of League One the season before, finished in fifth place looking for a return to the top flight for the first time in 6 years. Blackpool finished 6 points behind Leicester and Cardiff on 70 points, looking for a first spell back in the top flight since 1971.

Championship

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
3	Nottingham Forest	46	22	13	11	65	40	+25	79
4	Cardiff City	46	22	10	14	73	54	+19	76
5	Leicester City	46	21	13	12	61	45	+16	76
6	Blackpool	46	19	13	14	74	58	+16	70

Semi-finals

First leg

8 May 2010

12:45

Blackpool	2–1	Nottingham Forest
Southern 26' Adam 57' (pen.)	Report	Cohen 13'

Bloomfield Road, Blackpool

Attendance: 11,805

Referee: Phil Dowd

9 May 2010

13:15

Leicester City	0–1	Cardiff City
	Report	Whittingham 78'

Walkers Stadium, Leicester

Attendance: 29,165

Referee: Alan Wiley

Second leg

11 May 2010

19:45

Nottingham Forest	3–4	Blackpool
Earnshaw 7', 66' Adebola 90+2'	Report	Campbell 56', 76', 79' Dobbie 72'

City Ground, Nottingham

Attendance: 28,358

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Blackpool won 6–4 on aggregate.

12 May 2010

19:45

Cardiff City	2–3 (a.e.t.)	Leicester City
Chopra 21' Whittingham 69' (pen.)	Report	Fryatt 25' Hudson 36' (o.g.) King 49'
Penalties
Chopra McCormack Ledley Kennedy	4–3	Berner Howard Solano Kermorgant Waghorn