2006 Football League play-offs

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, Watford, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 2000, finished 9 points behind second placed Sheffield United, who in turn finished 16 points behind champions Reading, who were promoted to the top flight for the first time in the club's history. Preston North End who missed out on promotion from playoffs the season before and have not been in the top flight since 1961, finished in fourth place in the table. Leeds United who are aiming to bounce back to the Premier League at the second attempt, finished in fifth place. Crystal Palace finished 3 points behind Leeds United and were looking for a place back in the Premiership after relegation on final day of last season.

First leg

5 May 2006

19:45

Leeds United	1–1	Preston North End
Lewis   74'	Report	Nugent   48'

Elland Road, Leeds

Attendance: 35,239

Referee: Phil Crossley

6 May 2006

12:15

Crystal Palace	0–3	Watford
	Report	King   46' Young   67' Spring   85'

Selhurst Park, London

Attendance: 22,880

Referee: Mike Jones

Second leg

8 May 2006

19:45

Preston North End	0–2	Leeds United
	Report	Hulse   56' Richardson   61'

Deepdale, Preston

Attendance: 20,383

Referee: Mike Thorpe

Leeds United win 3–1 on aggregate.

Watford won 3–0 on aggregate.

21 May 2006

15:00

Leeds United	0–3	Watford
	Report	DeMerit   25' Sullivan   57' (o.g.) Henderson   84' (pen.)

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Attendance: 64,736

Referee: Mike Dean

First leg

11 May 2006

19:45

Barnsley	0–1	Huddersfield Town
	Report	Taylor-Fletcher   85'

Oakwell, Barnsley

Attendance: 16,127

Referee: Paul Taylor

11 May 2006

19:45

Swansea City	1–1	Brentford
Ricketts   87'	Report	Tabb   29'

Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Attendance: 19,060

Referee: Keith Stroud

Second leg

14 May 2006

12:15

Brentford	0–2	Swansea City
	Report	Knight   8', 15'

Griffin Park, Brentford

Attendance: 10,652

Referee: Graham Laws

Swansea City won 3–1 on aggregate.

15 May 2006

19:45

Huddersfield Town	1–3	Barnsley
Heckingbottom   65' (o.g.)	Report	Hayes   58' (pen.) Reid   71' Nardiello   78'

Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield

Attendance: 19,223

Referee: Chris Foy

Barnsley won 3–2 on aggregate.

27 May 2006

15:00

Barnsley	2–2 (a.e.t.)	Swansea City
Hayes   19' Nardiello   62'	Report	Fallon   28' Robinson   40'
Penalties
Hayes   McPhail   Heckingbottom   Kay	4–3	Trundle   Britton   Akinfenwa   Tudur Jones   Tate

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Attendance: 55,419

Referee: Lee Mason

First leg

13 May 2006

12:05

Lincoln City	0–1	Grimsby Town
	Report	Jones   22'

Sincil Bank, Lincoln

Attendance: 8,037

Referee: Lee Mason

13 May 2006

18:05

Wycombe Wanderers	1–2	Cheltenham Town
Mooney   90'	Report	Finnigan   43' Guinan   75'

Adams Park, High Wycombe

Attendance: 5,936

Referee: Andy Hall

Second leg

16 May 2006

19:45

Grimsby Town	2–1	Lincoln City
Futcher   60' Jones   82'	Report	Robinson   27'

Blundell Park, Grimsby

Attendance: 8,062

Referee: Mike Dean

Grimsby Town won 3–1 on aggregate.

Cheltenham Town won 2–1 on aggregate.

28 May 2006

15:00

Cheltenham Town	1–0	Grimsby Town
Guinan   63'	Report

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Attendance: 29,196

Referee: Paul Taylor

• Football League website