2001 Football League Second Division play-off final

Route to the final

Main article: 2000–01 Football League Second Division

Reading finished the regular 2000–01 season in third place in the Second Division, the third tier of the English football league system, one place ahead of Walsall. Both therefore missed out on the two automatic places for promotion to the First Division and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the third promoted team. Reading finished five points behind Rotherham United (who were promoted in second place) and seven behind league winners Millwall. Walsall ended the season five points behind Reading.

Walsall faced Stoke City in their play-off semi-final with the first match of the two-legged tie taking place at the Britannia Stadium on 13 May 2001. Both sides had numerous chances to score, with Walsall's Don Goodman missing at least three opportunities. Stoke substitute Ben Petty who had come on as a substitute for Stoke was sent off in the 84th minute for a foul on Pedro Matías, and the game ended goalless. The second leg of the semi-final was played three days later at the Bescot Stadium in Walsall. In the 31st minute, Stoke's Graham Kavanagh scored with a volley from a Ríkharður Daðason header. Tom Bennett's inswinging corner was fumbled by Gavin Ward, the Stoke goalkeeper, and ended in the goal to level the scores. Two minutes after half time, Matías put Walsall ahead and three minutes later, a free kick from Dean Keates eluded Ward to make it 3–1. Matías scored his second of the match before a consolation goal from Peter Thorne ended the match 4–2 and Walsall progressed to the final.

Reading's opposition for their play-off semi-final was Wigan Athletic and the first leg was played at the JJB Stadium in Wigan on 13 May 2001. Andy Liddell missed a number of chances for the home side before Roy Carroll saved headers from Reading's Barry Hunter and Phil Parkinson within the space of a minute; the match ended 0–0. The second leg of the semi-final took place at the Madejski Stadium in Reading three days later. Kevin Nicholls put Wigan ahead midway through the first half with a shot from 20 yd after being set up by Scott Green. Their side held the lead until the 86th minute when Martin Butler scored from close range after Carroll had deflected Nicky Forster's cross. In the last minute of the game, Forster was awarded a penalty after being fouled by Kevin Sharp. Jamie Cureton took the spot kick but his shot was saved by Carroll, and Forster scored, to make it 2–1 and ensured Reading qualified for the final.

Match

Background

Reading had played in the third tier of English football since they were relegated from the First Division in the 1997–98 season. They had featured in a play-off final on one previous occasion when they lost 4–3 to Bolton Wanderers in the 1995 Football League First Division play-off final. Walsall had been relegated to the Second Division the previous season. They had also played in one play-off final, winning the 1988 Football League Third Division play-off final against Bristol City after a replay. Reading's top scorers during the regular season were Cureton with 28 goals (26 in the league, 1 in the FA Cup and 1 in the League Cup) and Butler with 26 (24 in the league and 2 in the FA Cup). For Walsall, Leitão had scored 21 (18 in the league, 1 in the FA Cup and 2 in the League Cup) while Angell had 13 (12 in the league and 1 in the FA Cup). During the regular season meetings between the sides, Walsall won the game at the Bescot Stadium 2–1 in November 2000 while the clubs played out a 2–2 draw at the Madejski Stadium the following April.

According to Martin Thorpe writing in The Guardian, Walsall had spent £185,000 on players compared to £3.1million by Reading. As a result of the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium, it was the first time the English Football League play-offs had taken place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Summary

The match kicked off around 3p.m. on 27 May 2001 in front of a crowd of 50,496. In the 45th minute, Walsall's Tony Barras was shown the first yellow card of the match.

Three minutes into the second half, Walsall levelled the game. Matías' cross was headed back across goal by Andy Tillson and Goodman sidefooted it into the Reading goal. Sixteen minutes later Tony Rougier came on in place of Reading's McIntyre. With five minutes of regular time remaining, Parkinson became the first Reading player to be booked. With the score 1–1 after 90 minutes, the match went into extra time.

Less than a minute into the first half of extra time, Butler's header from a Harper throw-in found the back of the Walsall net to put Reading 2–1 ahead. Midway through the half, Walsall made a triple substitution, Paul Hall, Leitão and Bennett being replaced by Matt Gadsby, Darren Byfield and Gábor Bukrán respectively. In the 107th minute, Rougier was credited with an own goal after a clearance from Hunter deflected off him into the Reading goal. Two minutes later, Ian Brightwell passed to Byfield who was 25 yd away from goal. He turned and advanced on goal, and struck a low shot which beat Phil Whitehead in the Reading goal. The match ended 3–2 and Walsall were promoted to the First Division.

Details

Rougier Byfield Butler

|} Match rules:

• 90 minutes
• 30 minutes of extra time if necessary
• Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
• Five named substitutes
• Maximum of three substitutions |}--

Post-match

The Walsall manager Ray Graydon said: "it was not a classic game but it was a fantastic day."

Walsall ended the following season in 18th place in the First Division table, four places and two points above the relegation zone, securing safety with three wins in their last four games of the season. Reading's next season saw them gain automatic promotion to the First Division after finishing in second place.

References

References

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5. (16 May 2001). "Reading comeback thwarts Wigan". [[BBC Sport]].
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7. Foster, p. 205
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9. Foster, p. 197
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11. "Walsall squad details – 2000/01 – Player appearances". Centurycomm.
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13. Thorpe, Martin. (28 May 2001). "Manic minute sends happy Walsall into wonderland". [[The Guardian]].
14. Rees, Paul. (4 January 2001). "Cardiff to host next three FA Cup finals". [[The Guardian]].
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18. "League One – 2001/2002 – Regular season". Perform Group.