Forty years of the EFL play-offs – choose your favourite memories

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Forty years of the EFL play-offs – choose your favourite memoriesSunderland won last season's Championship play-off final

As the English Football League celebrates 40 years of the play-offs, there is a lot to look back on.

During that time, 105 different teams have competed and 1,468 goals have been scored before this season's instalment, and there has been plenty of drama along the way.

But what are your memories of the end-of-season shootout?

BBC Sport takes a look at 15 moments which have shaped the play-offs, and you can pick your three favourites and join in the conversation in the comments section – including ones that have not made our list.

The poll will stay open until 12:00 BST on Monday, 18 May.

Imagine a play-off final settled not over 90 minutes, not even over 180, but instead over 300 minutes.

In 1987 Charlton, who were ground-sharing at Crystal Palace at the time, finished fourth-bottom of Division One and faced Leeds, who were fourth in Division Two, with a place in the top flight at stake.

A goal from Jim Melrose, who later played for Leeds, gave the Addicks a 1-0 lead after their 'home' leg at Selhurst Park but just two days later (imagine the outcry now) Brendon Ormsby netted the only goal in the second leg at Elland Road.

A replay and a neutral venue were needed and, four days later, Birmingham City's St Andrew's hosted the decider.

As you might expect from such closely-matched teams, it finished 0-0. But this time extra time was played.

John Sheridan put the Whites ahead in the first period. However, Peter Shirtliff wrote his name into Athletic folklore with goals after 113 and 117 minutes to keep Charlton in the top flight.

Alan McLoughlin (left) and Ossie Ardiles' 1990 celebrations were cut short

As far as play-off teams go, Swindon Town can certainly be among those to claim they live up to the competition's reputation for drama and excitement.

A 6-5 penalty shootout semi-final defeat by Port Vale in 2022 and a 5-5 second-leg draw with Sheffield United in 2015 will live long in the memory of Town fans for various reasons.

But it is two experiences in the 1990s for which they will be remembered by many.

Having finished in their highest league position of fourth in the second tier in 1990, Swindon disposed of Blackburn Rovers over a two-legged semi-final to reach the final at Wembley.

The club had been under investigation since January 1990 for alleged financial irregularities, although the outcome of the inquiry was not due until after the final.

In the first year of a one-off final being played at the national stadium, Swindon faced Sunderland, who had beaten rivals Newcastle in the semi-finals.

Alan McLoughlin's deflected 25th-minute goal won the game for Swindon and confirmed promotion to the top flight for the first time in their history – or so they thought.

Ten days later, the club was found guilty of 35 counts of illegal payments. Instead of celebrating promotion, they were relegated two divisions, which was reduced to one on appeal, with Sunderland going up instead.

Three years later, Swindon were back at Wembley with another chance to reach what was now the Premier League.

Under player-manager Glenn Hoddle, the Wiltshire side were 3-0 up and cruising against Leicester City, only for the Foxes to score three goals in 12 second-half minutes.

Paul Bodin became Swindon's hero six minutes from the end, slotting home a penalty to finally settle the tie.

Redemption had come for Swindon, while for Bodin there was to be heartbreak six months later when he missed a penalty for Wales in a crucial World Cup qualifier against Romania.

Bolton finished third in 1994-95 but secured the second promotion spot in dramatic fashion

A place in the glittering Premiership was the prize as Bolton met Reading at Wembley in 1995.

In their first ever play-off final the Royals, who finished second in the old Division One, made a blistering start with Lee Nogan and Ady Williams giving them a 2-0 lead inside 12 minutes and Stuart Lovell having a first-half penalty saved by Keith Branagan.

However, the Trotters pulled one back through Owen Coyle 15 minutes from time and, with four minutes to go, Fabian De Freitas sent the game to extra time.

Wanderers completed the turnaround with Mixu Paatelainen heading them ahead on 105 minutes and after Reading spurned some good chances, De Freitas grabbed his second late on, meaning player-boss Jimmy Quinn's last-gasp third for Reading was a mere consolation.

The Trotters came straight back down, while the Royals were relegated to the third tier three years later and had to wait until 2006 for their first taste of the top flight.

Steve Claridge netted winning goals in a play-off final and League Cup final during his time with Leicester City

There was a time in the 1990s when Wembley almost became Leicester City's second home.

Four play-off finals and two League Cup finals between 1992 and 1999 is some going.

In 1996 the Foxes were hoping for an immediate return to the Premier League and a second Championship play-off final victory, while their opponents, Crystal Palace, were also seeking to recover from relegation the previous season.

Palace had finished third, four points ahead of fifth-placed Leicester, and went ahead early on through Andy Roberts. It was not until the 76th minute when Martin O'Neill's side equalised, with Garry Parker converting a penalty.

With the game in the final moments of extra time and seemingly heading for a penalty shootout, Leicester sent on 6ft 7ins (201cm) goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac in the hope he could play a vital role.

But, within 20 seconds of the Australian's introduction, Steve Claridge had won the tie for City by firing beyond Nigel Martyn from 20 yards, and, 11 seconds later, referee David Allison blew the final whistle.

Clive Mendonca (left), Sasa Ilic (centre) and Michael Gray played key roles in the 1998 final

Ask any Charlton fan of a certain age and they will tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing on 25 May 1998, even if they were not at Wembley watching their side complete the most dramatic of second tier play-off final wins over Sunderland.

Most Black Cats supporters can probably also tell you the same; they would just rather not.

Lifelong Sunderland fan Clive Mendonca was a £700,000 signing from Grimsby for Charlton in the summer of 1997 and scored a hat-trick, although it had taken a Richard Rufus goal five minutes from the end of normal time for the Addicks to send the tie into extra time.

Nicky Summerbee put Sunderland 4-3 up in the extra 30 minutes, only for Mendonca to complete his treble and take it to penalties.

With both sides perfect from the spot with their opening six kicks, Shaun Newton put Charlton ahead, leaving Michael Gray having to score.

Gray's weak effort was saved by Charlton goalkeeper Sasa Ilic, who had spent the previous season playing for non-league St Leonards.

"I hadn't made a save all game, so I thought this would be a good time," Ilic said afterwards.

Sunderland won promotion with 105 points the following season.

Nicky Weaver saved two penalties for Manchester City against Gillingham

In what almost now seems like some kind of parallel universe, 1999 could be seen as a watershed moment for Manchester City.

Having dropped into the Second Division – now League One – and failed to go up automatically, they even had to come from behind to beat Wigan in the play-off semi-finals to set up a meeting with Gillingham at Wembley.

With the Gills scoring in the 81st and 87th minutes, a second season in the third tier was on the cards as some fans headed for the exits.

What followed is now part of City folklore with Kevin Horlock (90) and Paul Dickov (90+5) taking the game to extra time and ultimately penalties.

Nicky Weaver saved two spot-kicks to help Joe Royle's side over the line and back to the second tier, which was followed by promotion to the Premier League at the first attempt.

If you want to send a chill down any Nottingham Forest fan's spine, just mention Yeovil.

Forest took a 2-0 lead back home from the first leg of their 2007 League One play-off semi-final at Huish Park and plans were well afoot for a day out at Wembley before of the second leg.

However, an Arron Davies goal at the City Ground reduced the arrears and though Scott Dobie levelled for Forest on the night, an Alan Wright own goal and a Marcus Stewart header sent it to extra time.

Lee Morris put the Glovers 4-3 ahead after David Prutton was sent off for the hosts and although Gary Holt made it 4-4, Davies grabbed his second to seal a place at Wembley, where Town ultimately lost out to Blackpool.

Dean Windass had three spells playing for Hull City

For many years, the answer to a football quiz question was Hull City. The question being: "Which is the largest town or city in England yet to host top-flight football?"

In 2008 the answer changed, and it was perhaps fitting that it was a 39-year-old born and bred in Hull who took his hometown team up to the Premier League.

Dean Windass had grown up in the city, regularly watching the Tigers at their former Boothferry Park home, but was discarded by the club as a youth player before returning in 1991 from non-league North Ferriby.

In his third spell, under Phil Brown, Windass struck gold in the Championship play-off final against Bristol City.

In the 38th minute Windass had the ball lifted back to him on the edge of the area by Fraizer Campbell, from where he volleyed Hull into the promised land, and a legend was born.

Blackpool's 2010 play-off win elevated them back to the top flight for the first time since 1971

If you did not know before taking a look at the list of Championship teams for the 2009-10 season, it is unlikely you would have picked Blackpool to be joining Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion in winning promotion to the Premier League.

In a division also containing the likes of Nottingham Forest, Leicester, Ipswich and Crystal Palace, the Seasiders emerged from the pack to go up.

Having secured their place in the play-offs with a draw on the final day of the season, Blackpool came through a frantic semi-final 6-4 on aggregate against Forest to face Cardiff in the final.

More drama was to unfold as the Bloomfield Road side twice came from behind to win 3-2, with all the goals coming in the first half.

Their first season in the top flight for 40 years finished in relegation before defeat by West Ham in the following year's play-off final ended three memorable years for the club.

Alex Smithies saved two penalties in the 2012 League One play-off final

As far as the 2012 League One play-off final goes, Huddersfield goalkeeper Alex Smithies wrote the theme tune and sang it as the Terriers beat Sheffield United 8-7 on penalties after a goalless draw.

Smithies was a late call-up for the final after regular number one Ian Bennett injured a hand in the second leg of the semi-final win over MK Dons.

The 22-year-old Huddersfield academy graduate kept a clean sheet, denying Stephen Quinn with a good save in extra time, before taking centre stage in the shootout.

He saved two of the spot kicks and, with the sides level at 7-7, it was down to the goalkeepers, with Smithies netting his effort before opposite number Steve Simonsen hammered his shot over the bar.

Smithies made 274 appearances in total for Huddersfield but will forever be remembered for one day in May 2012.

Manuel Almunia (left) saved the penalty which paved the way for Troy Deeney (right) to fire Watford to Wembley in 2013

Has a pendulum every swung faster than it did at Vicarage Road on 12 May, 2013?

Leicester took a 1-0 first-leg lead to Watford in their semi-final and though Matej Vydra levelled the tie with a stunning volley, David Nugent headed the Foxes back in front.

Vydra's second made it 2-2 on aggregate and the Hornets piled on late pressure, before City were given the chance to book a place at Wembley after being awarded a penalty for a Marco Cassetti foul on Anthony Knockaert in stoppage time.

Knockaert picked himself up to take the spot-kick, but his effort and the follow-up were blocked by keeper Manuel Almunia.

His misery was compounded when Watford hacked the loose ball clear and counter-attacked down the right. From Jonathan Hogg's headed knockdown, Troy Deeney thumped home a first-time effort which hit the net 20 seconds after Almunia's heroics at the other end.

The Hornets went on to lose the final to Crystal Palace, while the Foxes bounced back to win the Championship at a canter 12 months later.

Bobby Zamora's last-minute goal against Derby was his fourth goal of an injury ravaged season

Signed for £6m from Fulham in January 2012, Bobby Zamora's early QPR career was marred by injuries. But with one kick of the ball on a sunny afternoon in May 2014 under the Wembley arch, he more than repaid his fee.

The striker had managed only 17 appearances in the regular season as Rangers finished fourth in the Championship, five points behind their opponents Derby.

Three minutes after coming on, Zamora must have wondered if it was going to be more disappointment as team-mate Gary O'Neil was sent off for taking down Derby's Johnny Russell as he was about to shoot.

Rob Green made a number of saves to keep QPR in the game before Zamora capitalised on a poor clearance by Rams skipper Rob Keogh to fire past Lee Grant in the final minute.

The matchwinner featured in 31 Premier League games the following campaign but was powerless to prevent relegation.

Frank Lampard guided Derby to Wembley in his first season in management

Southampton's current play-off match-up with Middlesbrough is not the first semi-final to be embroiled in a 'spygate' saga.

Back in 2019, Derby substitute Jack Marriott was the hero as the Rams stunned Leeds on a wild night at Elland Road.

The Whites went 2-0 up on aggregate through Stuart Dallas but Marriott levelled with his first touch and Frank Lampard's side turned the tie on its head after the break through Mason Mount and a Harry Wilson penalty, only for Dallas to fire Leeds back level on aggregate.

The tide was turned as home defender Gaetano Berardi was then sent off before Marriott won it late on as the Rams became the first team to lose the first leg of a Championship play-off semi-final at home and go on to reach the final, where they lost to Aston Villa.

Three months earlier, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa had personally paid a £200,000 fine after the club were reprimanded for sending a member of staff to watch Derby train before the league game between the teams at Elland Road in January.

Lampard described it at the time as "not right", and after their play-off heroics, Derby's players celebrated by pretending to hold binoculars over their eyes.

Sheffield Wednesday went on to beat Barnsley in the 2023 League One play-off final

Given the way things have been going at Hillsborough, it probably feels an age since Sheffield Wednesday staged the play-offs' greatest comeback.

Trailing 4-0 after the first leg of their League One semi-final against Peterborough in 2023, you could forgive Posh for booking their appointment at the tailors for the suit fitting, but Wednesday had other ideas as the 'Miracle of Hillsborough' entered EFL annals.

In saying that, the visitors almost got over the line as they held the home side to a 3-0 scoreline, only for Liam Palmer's 90th-minute goal to take the tie to extra time where, once again, Peterborough seemed to have steadied the ship with a Lee Gregory own goal putting them back in front.

Callum Paterson equalised again for the Owls, and in the ensuing penalty shootout they scored five from five, with Dan Butler hitting the bar for Darren Ferguson's side.

Wednesday went on to beat South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley in the final.

Tom Watson completed a move to Brighton immediately after Sunderland's play-off win

As far as match-winners go, Tom Watson was unlikely to be top of the list for Sunderland supporters when they faced Sheffield United in last season's Championship play-off final.

One reason was his name did not even feature on the teams listed in the programme, while he had also already agreed to join Brighton for £10m once the season concluded.

Watson was also booed by a section of Sunderland supporters during a league game against Blackburn after his move was announced.

So, with their final against the Blades poised at 1-1 five minutes into stoppage time, the 19-year-old had a lot going on as he seized on Kieffer Moore's misplaced pass before planting a low shot into the bottom corner of the net from just outside the area.

Cue pandemonium among Black Cats fans and a celebration to match the occasion from Watson as he tossed away his shirt before sliding on his knees to be engulfed by team-mates.

All this after Sheffield United had taken the lead and had a goal chalked off by VAR and, while those on Wearside celebrated, the South Yorkshire club were left to reflect on a 10th failed play-off campaign, but that is a story for another day.

What are your favourite play-off memories? Join the conversation in the comments below.

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