The Football League play-offs for the 2002–03 season were held in May 2003, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League First Division and Football League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the Football League Third Division table. The winners of the semi-finals will go through to the finals, with the winner of the matches 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 First Division, Sheffield United, who are aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1994, finished 12 points behind second placed Leicester City, who in turn finished 6 points behind champions Portsmouth, who returned to the top flight for the first time since 1988. Reading who are aiming for a place in the top flight for the first time in their history, finished in fourth place in the table. Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 20 years outside the top flight, finished in fifth place. Nottingham Forest finished 2 points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers and were looking for a place back in the Premiership for the first time since 1999.
First Division
Team3Sheffield United462311127252+20804Reading46254176146+15795Wolverhampton Wanderers462016108144+37766Nottingham Forest462014128250+3274
Semi-finals First leg
Second leg
Wolverhampton Wanderers won 3–1 on aggregate.
Sheffield United won 5–4 on aggregate.
Final
Second Division
Team3Bristol City462411117948+31834Queens Park Rangers462411116945+24835Oldham Athletic46221686838+30826Cardiff City462312116843+2581
Semi-finals First leg
Second leg
Cardiff City won 1–0 on aggregate.
Queens Park Rangers won 2–1 on aggregate.
Final
Third Division
Team4Bournemouth462014126048+12745Scunthorpe United461915126849+19726Lincoln City461816124637+9707Bury461816125756+170
Semi-finals First leg
Second leg
Bournemouth won 3–1 on aggregate.
Lincoln City won 6–3 on aggregate.
Final
External links Football League website