Which clubs have never featured in the play-offs and seven other play-off-related facts and figures

Paul Okey
9 May 2022

The lottery that is the Football League play-offs is already in full swing. Find out which clubs have the winning numbers and those whose luck is always out.

The play-offs have been roaring success since being introduced for the 1986/87 season, bringing agony and ecstasy in equal measure.

From Manchester City to Maidstone, most clubs have had a taste of it, with names like Paul Dickov, Dean Windass and Ricardo Vaz Te etched into footballing folklore.

Planet Sport brings you some of the facts and figures as we embark on the 36th season of the lottery known as the play-offs.

Teams with no play-off experience

The top two in the National League - Wrexham and Stockport - have both been involved in the play-offs. In fact, FC Halifax Town and Solihull Moors are the only teams out of the top eight who have not featured in the Football League play-offs.

Bye bye promotion, bye bye Football League

Hat-tricks for Blackpool and Huddersfield

Blackpool have won the fourth tier twice, Division Four in 1992 against Scunthorpe United, Division Three in 2001 against Leyton Orient; League One in 2007 and 2021; and the Championship play-off final in 2010 against Cardiff City.

Huddersfield Town also completed the set when overcoming Reading on penalties in the 2017 Championship final.

They won the third tier finals in 1995 and 2012 and the Division Three play-off final in 2004.

The Terriers finished third in the Championship to secure their tenth play-off appearance, which will put them level with Brentford and Preston for the most appearances.

Play-off pain for Preston

They finally broke the curse by winning the 2015 League One final when defeating Swindon 4-0, courtesy of Jermaine Beckford's hat-trick.

Red, white and black is an unlucky combination

Brentford, Exeter City, Lincoln City, Sheffield United and Sunderland have racked up an incredible 36 appearances between them and only won one final.

That occurred in 2020/21 when Brentford finally tasted success at the tenth time of asking, beating Swansea 2-0.

Sunderland (0 final wins from 7 play-off appearances) did get promoted in 1990 but only after losing to Swindon in the final who were subsequently prevented from going up because of financial irregularities.

Lincoln (0-7), meanwhile, appeared in five successive play-offs in the fourth tier between 2003 and 2007, twice making the final, only to fail to go up every time. The following season, they saved themselves the heartache by finishing 15th.

Sheffield United (0-9) will make their ninth play-off appearance when facing Nottingham Forest in the Championship semi-final. The Blades have reached the final three times in their previous eight play-off appearances but have yet to score in any of them let alone win.

Blades and Sunderland have a chance to break ducks

Leeds United, Bristol City, Wigan and Hartlepool have all made five end-of-season play-off appearances without winning a final, with Nottingham Forest, Portsmouth and MK Dons having made four without even making it past the semi-final.

Hello play-offs, we're back

Wycombe boast the best play-off record of the League One play-off sides, with two final wins from five attempts, the most recent coming in the 2020 League One play-offs.

Swindon's 3-0 win at Walsall on the final day of the regular season secured their ninth participation in the end-of-season lottery.

The Robins have won three finals from their previous eight appearances.

Play-offs a positive experience for Palace

Hull City, meanwhile, have featured in two Championship play-off campaigns and won them both. The first one, in 2008, saw them promoted to the top flight for the first time on the back of a memorable volley from Hull-born Dean Windass.

Their second final win was also secured by a wonder goal, with Mo Diame proving the match-winner against Sheffield Wednesday in 2016.

Goal Of The Day 🤩

Mo Diame vs Sheffield Wednesday, Championship Play-off final 2016

Sending Hull to the Prem 🤭#HCAFC #theTigers @Hullcitypodcast pic.twitter.com/yL5jFbXgxq
— The Lower Tiers (@LowerTiers) December 18, 2021

On the flip side, Ipswich Town have qualified for the play-offs eight times in the second tier and only made the final once. That was in 2000 when they came from 1-0 down to beat Barnsley 4-2. Outgoing Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray was among their scorers.