1995 Football League Third Division play-off final

Route to the final

Main article: 1994–95 Football League

Chesterfield finished the regular 1994–95 season in third position in the Football League Third Division, the third tier of the English football league system, one place and one point ahead of Bury. Both therefore missed out on the two automatic places for promotion to the Second Division and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the third promoted team. Chesterfield finished two points behind Walsall (who were promoted in second place) and ten behind league winners Carlisle United.

Bury's opponents in their play-off semi-final were Preston North End with the first match of the two-legged tie taking place at Deepdale in Preston on 13 May 1995. The visiting side took the lead in the 40th minute when David Pugh received a pass from Nick Daws before striking the ball from 10 yd, past Preston North End goalkeeper John Vaughan. Despite having a number of chances to score, Preston North End could not level the match and it ended 1–0 to Bury. The second leg was held at Gigg Lane in Bury three days later. Tony Rigby put the home team ahead with a 20 yd volley in the 88th minute, and although Tony Kelly was sent off seconds later, the game finished 1–0, with Bury progressing to the final with a 2–0 aggregate win.

Chesterfield faced Mansfield Town in their semi-final and the first leg was played at Field Mill in Mansfield. After a goalless first half, Phil Robinson gave Chesterfield the lead in the 64th minute after out-pacing the Mansfield Town defence and scoring past Darren Ward in goal. Stewart Hadley levelled the score eight minutes later when he struck from the edge of the Chesterfield penalty area after the defence failed to clear a free kick, and the match ended 1–1.

Match

Background

Chesterfield were making their second appearance in a play-off final, having lost 1–0 against Cambridge United in the 1990 Football League Fourth Division play-off final. They had played in the fourth tier of English football since suffering relegation in the 1988–89 season. Bury had played in the fourth tier since being relegated in the 1991–92 season. Chesterfield's manager John Duncan had led the team to promotion in a previous spell in charge as champions of the Fourth Division in the 1984–85 season. His second period at the club came three years after leaving Ipswich Town in 1990.

The referee for the match was Paul Alcock of Redhill, Surrey. Among the substitutes for Chesterfield was the 43-year-old commercial manager of the club, Jim Brown, as Billy Stewart, their third-choice goalkeeper, was in the starting line-up.

Summary

The final kicked off around 3p.m. at Wembley Stadium on 27 May 1995 in front of 22,814 spectators. Bury dominated the first half, with Don Beet writing in The Guardian that they "flung everything at Billy Stewart's goal from the start".

Details

Robinson

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Post-match

Laws described Bury's early dominance as "like Custer's last stand out there", but his manager John Duncan said that his goalkeeper had been "solid as a rock".

Chesterfield's next season saw them end in seventh position in the Second Division, one place and one point below the play-offs. Bury ended their following campaign in third place in the Third Division, securing automatic promotion to the Second Division for the 1996–97 season.

References

References

1. "League Division 3 end of season table for 1994–95 season". AFS Enterprises.
2. (15 May 1995). "Preston made to pay for profligacy". [[The Independent]].
3. "Bury v Preston North End, 17 May 1995". AFS Enterprises.
4. White, Clive. (17 May 1995). "Miller brings Rovers their reward". [[The Independent]].
5. Beet, Don. (18 May 1995). "Miller's strike gives Rovers a Wembley spot". [[The Guardian]].
6. "Chesterfield".
7. "Bury".
8. "Chesterfield football club: record v Bury". AFS Enterprises.
9. "John Duncan". [[League Managers Association]].
10. Beet, Don. (29 May 1995). "Duncan lands personal gamble against the odds". [[The Guardian]].
11. "Bury v Chesterfield, 27 May 1995". AFS Enterprises.
12. Langley, Mike. (28 May 1995). "Spireites reach new heights". [[The Observer]].
13. "League Division 3 table after close of play on 05 September 1995". AFS Enterprises.
14. "League Division 2 end of season table for 1995-96 season". AFS Enterprises.
15. "League Division 3 end of season table for 1995-96 season". AFS Enterprises.