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The Football League play-offs for the 2009–10 season were held in May 2010, with the finals taking place at Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs, contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League Championship and League One and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the League Two table. The winners of the semi-finals went through to the finals, with the winner of the final gaining promotion for the following season.

Background

The Football League play-offs have been held every year since 1987. They take place for each division following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the four clubs finishing below the automatic promotion places.

In the Championship, Nottingham Forest, who were aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1999, finished 12 points behind second placed West Bromwich Albion, who in turn finished 11 points behind champions Newcastle United, who returned to the top flight at the first attempt after relegation from the Premier League on the last day the season before. Cardiff City who haven't been in the top flight since 1962, finished in fourth place in the table. Leicester City who finished as champions of League One the season before, finished in fifth place looking for a return to the top flight for the first time in 6 years. Blackpool finished 6 points behind Leicester and Cardiff on 70 points, looking for a first spell back in the top flight since 1971.

Championship

Semi-finals

First leg

Blackpool	2–1	Nottingham Forest
Southern 26' Adam 57' (pen.)	Report	Cohen 13'

Leicester City	0–1	Cardiff City
	Report	Whittingham 78'

Second leg

Nottingham Forest	3–4	Blackpool
Earnshaw 7', 66' Adebola 90+2'	Report	Campbell 56', 76', 79' Dobbie 72'

Blackpool won 6–4 on aggregate.

Cardiff City	2–3 (a.e.t.)	Leicester City
Chopra 21' Whittingham 69' (pen.)	Report	Fryatt 25' Hudson 36' (o.g.) King 49'
Penalties
Chopra McCormack Ledley Kennedy	4–3	Berner Howard Solano Kermorgant Waghorn

Cardiff City 3–3 Leicester City on aggregate. Cardiff City won 4-3 on penalties.

Final

Blackpool	3-2	Cardiff City
Adam 13' Taylor-Fletcher 41' Ormerod 45+1'	Report	Chopra 9' Ledley 37'

League One

Semi-finals

First leg

Swindon Town	2–1	Charlton Athletic
Austin 52' Ward 60'	Report	Burton 65'

Second leg

Charlton Athletic	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Swindon Town
Ferry 27' (o.g.) Mooney 45'	Report	Ward 74'
Penalties
Burton Bailey Forster Dailly Richardson	4–5	McGovern Austin Amankwaah Ward Darby

Charlton Athletic 3–3 Swindon Town on aggregate. Swindon Town won 5–4 on penalties.

Millwall	2–0	Huddersfield Town
Morison 23' Robinson 82'	Report

Millwall won 2–0 on aggregate.

Final

Millwall	1–0	Swindon Town
Robinson 39'	Report

League Two

Semi-finals

First leg

Aldershot Town	0–1	Rotherham United
	Report	Le Fondre 88'

Dagenham & Redbridge	6–0	Morecambe
Benson 4', 66' Scott 35', 48', 54', 69'	Report

Second leg

Rotherham United	2–0	Aldershot Town
Le Fondre 43' Ellison 68'	Report

Rotherham United won 3–0 on aggregate.

Morecambe	2–1	Dagenham & Redbridge
Duffy 81' Artell 90'	Report	Benson 85'

Dagenham & Redbridge won 7–2 on aggregate.

Final

Dagenham & Redbridge	3–2	Rotherham United
Benson 38' Green 56' Nurse 70'	Report	Taylor 39', 61'

References

External links

• Football League website

• 2010 Football League play-offs
• English Football League play-offs
• 2009–10 Football League
• May 2010 sports events in Europe