What Are The Greatest EFL Championship Playoff Finals Of All-Time? x4dr

When it comes to ranking the greatest Championship playoff finals ever played, there’s a plethora of classics to decide from. 

Hat-trick heroes, penalty shootout heartbreak, extra-time winners, incredible comebacks and beautiful goals all help to make the Wembley showpiece one of the most exciting games on the EFL calendar.

Granted, not every Premier League decider lives long in the memory but football fans can’t have it all! However, the home of English football has hosted some spectacular gung-ho affairs over the years.

If it’s drama you seek then the Championship playoff final more than often delivers. Although the 2024/25 fixture isn’t decided just yet, we wanted to remind ourselves of the best games from yesteryear.

In February, the EFL released the Championship playoff dates for the semi-finals as well as the big one. Ultimately, that really got us in the mood to take a look back at 10 of the greatest Championship playoff finals.

2014 – Derby 0-1 QPR 6n1h1g

ittedly, 2014 wasn’t perhaps the year many would deem to be one of the greatest Championship playoff finals. The game itself didn’t offer much but there was one moment of magic that justifies the entry.

Derby had the better of QPR and it looked like the Rams would earn promotion once Gary O’Neil was sent off for the West Londoners. However, R’s goalkeeper Rob Green kept Steve McClaren’s side at bay.

In the 90th minute, a huge mistake from County captain Richard Keogh allowed Super Hoops sub Bobby Zamora to fire home an unlikely winner.

40,000 fans erupted as the ball hit the back of the net and the full-time whistle soon followed. “UN-BELIEVE-ABLE! From the very brink of elimination, Bobby Zamora has surely scored another playoff winner,” bellowed the Sky Sports commentator.

2002 – Norwich 1-1 Birmingham (Birmingham won 4-2 on penalties) 4ce3s

The first Championship playoff final that features a penalty shootout on our list. The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff played host to the 2002 showpiece between Norwich and Birmingham owing to Wembley’s redevelopment.

It was fourth time lucky for the Blues who had lost in each of their last three semi-final appearances. Manager Steve Bruce earned himself a place in St Andrew’s legend. So did a certain Darren Carter.

The game itself didn’t come into life until the first minute of extra-time. Canaries forward Iwan Roberts headed home to put the Norfolk side on the brink of top-flight football.

Three minutes before half-time, Geoff Horsfield levelled proceedings. There were no further goals so the dreaded penalties ensued. Carter scored the decisive kick to put Bruce and the Blues back into England’s elite.

1996 – Crystal Palace 1-2 Leicester (AET) ia3g

Crystal Palace and Leicester played out one of the greatest Championship playoff finals at the old Wembley Stadium in 1996. Both sides were looking for an immediate return to the Premiership.

A bumper crowd of 73,573 were in attendance to witness this classic. With 14 minutes on the clock, Andy Roberts gave Palace the lead when he struck the ball past Kevin Poole from outside the box.

In the second period, Gary Parker equalised from the spot to put Martin O’Neil’s men back on level . No more goals followed in the 90 minutes so extra-time was played to try and determine a winner.

Steve Claridge was the Foxes hero when he rifled home in the dying embers of the game. 11 seconds after the restart, the referee blew his whistle much to the joy of the Leicester players and ers.

1989 – Blackburn 3-4 Crystal Palace (AET) 1w1o6q

1989 was actually a poignant year in of the Championship playoff final. It was the very last time it was played over two-legs.

The first was contested at Blackburn’s Ewood Park. Howard Gayle scored twice to give Rovers a comfortable 2-0 lead. The same player squandered the chance to score a hat-trick when he missed a penalty.

Eddie McGoldrick pulled one back for Crystal Palace before Simon Garner restored the two goal advantage. In the return fixture, a certain Ian Wright gave Palace the lead before David Madden made it 2-0 to the Eagles.

With the aggregate score tied at 3-3. Wright scored what turned out to be his 33rd goal of the season in extra-time to fire the South Londoners back into the top-flight.

2012 – Blackpool 1-2 West Ham 2hge

Sam Allardyce earned his crust when he was able to oversee West Ham’s immediate return to the Premier League in 2012. The former Bolton boss had to do it the hard way, though.

Reading and Southampton secured automatic promotion to leave the Hammers facing the daunting task of the playoffs. In the semi-final, the East Londoners brushed aside Cardiff 5-0 on aggregate.

In the big one, recently-relegated Blackpool was all that stood in the way of West Ham’s dream. Carlton Cole opened the scoring before Tom Ince equalised for the Seasiders.

Ricardo Vaz Te scored the winner with just three minutes remaining to ensure his name will go on to live in Hammers folklore. For Tangerines boss Ian Holloway, he was unable to repeat the playoff success from two years previous.

2011 – Reading 2-4 Swansea 5k55p

Super Scott Sinclair was the Swansea hero as the Welsh side booked their spot in the Premier League for the first time in their history back in 2011 under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers.

Sinclair was the Swans top-scorer in 2010/11 and it was easy to see why. The pacey winger bagged himself a fine Wembley hat-trick to down Reading in front of 86,581 ers.

His first came from the spot and his second came just a minute later to put Rodgers side in control. Stephen Dobbie fired in a third before the break before the Royals hit back twice after the interval.

With the comeback very much on, Sinclair scored his third and Swansea’s fourth to round off one of the greatest Championship playoff finals ever played.

2010 – Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff r6d5m

Surprise package Blackpool earned Premier League status after coming out on top in an end-to-end thriller against Cardiff 15 years ago.

Amazingly, all five goals were netted before half-time. Michael Chopra opened the scoring before Charlie Adam dispatched a stunning free-kick to level for the Seasiders.

However, Joe Ledley put the Bluebirds back in front before a second Tangerines equaliser via Gary Taylor-Fletcher. With 45 minutes on the clock, Brett Ormerod netted what turned out to be the winner.

At the full-time whistle, Ian Hollway’s side basked in glory in front of their loyal ers on what was a gloriously sunny afternoon at the home of football.

1995 – Bolton 4-3 Reading (AET) z5oj

Bolton had already endured Wembley heartbreak in the 1994/95 season when they lost the League Cup final to Liverpool. Subsequently, they weren’t going down that road again.

Their ers would have certainly feared the worst when Lee Nogan and Adrian Williams gave Reading a 2-0 lead after just 12 minutes of action. It could have been 3-0 had Stuart Lovell not missed a vital spot-kick.

With the game nearing its end, Owen Coyle pulled one back before substitute Fabian de Freitas netted the equaliser. Extra-time ensued whereby Mixu Paatelainen and De Freitas scored again to put the game seemingly beyond doubt.

Player-manager Jimmy Quinn scored the Royals third goal to set up a nervy finish. Wanderers were able to hold on and reached the top-flight for the first time since the Premiership’s inauguration three years previous.

1993 – Swindon 4-3 Leicester 5w6c1j

Another 4-3 Championship final classic as Swindon got the better of Leicester in one of the most bonkers games the old Wembley has ever hosted.

Player-manager Glenn Hoddle gave the Wiltshire side the lead three minutes before the half-time whistle. In the second period, pure carnage ensued.

Craig Maskell and Shaun Taylor appeared to put the game out of reach before Leicester staged an amazing comeback. Julian Joachim, Steve Walsh and Steve Thompson all netted for the Foxes and from there, it only looked like there would be one winner.

Nonetheless, the Robins rallied and were awarded an 84th minute spot-kick which was duly converted by Paul Bodin. A second comeback from Brian Little’s side failed to materialise and Swindon were promoted to the Premiership.

1998 – Charlton 4-4 Sunderland (Charlton won 7-6 on penalties) 623r4a

Here it is, the greatest Championship playoff final of all-time. This game quite literally had it all. A hat-trick, extra-time goals and a heartbreaking penalty miss.

Boyhood Sunderland fan Clive Mendonca opened the scoring in a fairly placid opening 45 minutes. Into the second period, Niall Quinn equalised before Kevin Phillips fired the Black Cats in front.

Mendonca scored his and the Addicks second before Quinn completed his brace to put the Mackems 3-2 ahead. With minutes remaining, Richard Rufus levelled for the South Londoners.

During extra-time, Nicky Summerbee made it 4-3 to the North East side before Mendonca completed his hat-trick. The game went to penalties with 13 perfect spot-kicks before Michael Gray saw his effort saved – sparking jubilant scenes from Alan Curbishley’s side.