The biggest comebacks in EFL play-off history
On a night of incredible European action across the continent, the world was still drawn to the drama of the EFL play-offs.
Sheffield Wednesday completed one of football’s greatest ever comebacks on Thursday evening, canceling out a four-goal first-leg deficit in in their League One play-off with Peterborough United and eventually prevailing on penalties.
It’s not the first time that the EFL has thrown up such madness, and it certainly won’t be the last.
Here are the six most incredible play-off comebacks in the English professional game.
I love this picture of Torquay on the plastic pitch at Preston before it was ripped up in 1994. They’ve decided to go for trackies over shorts for their Division 3 play-off second leg.
It didn’t do them any good. They’d won the first leg 2-0 but lost 4-1 and were knocked out. pic.twitter.com/J4rG15EZYF
— Ian King (@twoht) August 25, 2021
Season: 1993/94
Division: Division Three (League Two)
First leg: Torquay United 2-0 Preston North End
Second leg: Preston North End 4-1 Torquay United (AET)
The play-offs were introduced to the EFL in 1987, but fans had to wait seven years before being treated to a truly remarkable comeback.
Preston returned to Deepdale having been beaten 2-0 by Torquay at Plainmoor, but managed to win 3-1 after 90 minutes to send the game into extra-time.
Paul Raynor grabbed the winner to settle the tie before North End fell to Wycombe Wanderers 4-2 in a thrilling final at the old Wembley Stadium.
Northampton town 3-0 Bristol rovers. Sixfields stadium may 1998. Div 2 play off 2nd leg pic.twitter.com/tBl3IIfsEB
— Phill Kirby (@kirbs_90) December 21, 2022
Season: 1997/98
Division: Division Two (League One)
First leg: Bristol Rovers 3-1 Northampton Town
Second leg: Northampton Town 3-0 Bristol Rovers
After 46 minutes of their first leg, Northampton found themselves 3-0 down at Bristol Rovers‘ Memorial Ground.
A late strike from John Gayle would prove pivotal, however. Back at Sixfields, the Cobblers ran our 3-0 winners, winning the tie with 13 minutes to go through Ray Warburton.
Like Preston though, Northampton’s comeback counted for little as they were beaten 1-0 by Grimsby Town in the play-off final.
Season: 2019/20
Division: League Two
First leg: Northampton Town 0-2 Cheltenham Town
Second leg: Cheltenham Town 0-3 Northampton Town
Pandemic football taught us that home-field advantage was diminished when fans weren’t around to provide an atmosphere.
Cheltenham learned that the hard way. They thought they had secured a place at Wembley when they ran out 2-0 winners at Sixfields.
But the Cobblers completed a memorable comeback at Whaddon Road, with Callum Morton scoring a second-half brace in a 3-0 win.
Northampton would be promoted after beating Exeter 4-0 in the final.
Bradford City celebrate their Play-Off Final win back in 1996#BCAFC #BradfordCity #Bantams #Playoffs pic.twitter.com/729DV0J2K7
— Football Memories (@footballmemorys) January 20, 2022
Season: 1995/96
Division: Division Two (League One)
First leg: Bradford City 0-2 Blackpool
Second leg: Blackpool 0-3 Bradford City
Blackpool ended the 1995/96 season just a point outside the automatic promotion spots and were heavy favourites to win the play-offs.
When they beat Bradford 2-0 at Valley Parade, they seemed destined to reach the final, but it wasn’t to be.
Goals from Carl Shutt and Des Hamilton drew the Bantams level, and Mark Stallard popped up with a winner with 12 minutes left on the clock.
Bradford beat Notts County in the final and within three years were promoted to the Premier League.
Season: 2006/07
Division: League One
First leg: Yeovil Town 0-2 Nottingham Forest
Second leg: Nottingham Forest 2-5 Yeovil Town (AET)
Talk about a David vs Goliath matchup (especially when you factor in one side are now in the Premier League and the other has been relegated to the sixth tier of English football).
Nottingham Forest were cruising to the final. Penalties from Kris Commons and James Perch had secured a comfortable triumph at Huish Park.
And then the Glovers came out swinging in a back-and-forth contest at the City Ground.
Arron Davies pulled one back, Scott Dobie restored Forest’s two-goal cushion. Alan Wright put the ball in his own net in the 82nd minute to give Yeovil hope and they equalised minutes later through William Stewart.
Lee Morris notched Yeovil ahead in extra-time before his goal was cancelled out by Gary Holt a minute later.
Davies had the final say ten minutes from time to seal an unbelievable comeback for Yeovil, who would lose 2-0 to Blackpool at Wembley.
Season: 2022/23
Division: League One
First leg: Peterborough United 4-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Second leg: Sheffield Wednesday 5-1 Peterborough United (AET, Wednesday win 5-3 on penalties)
No team had ever come from four goals down to win an EFL play-off tie.
And then Sheffield Wednesday overcame all odds against Peterborough at Hillsborough.
Drink it in.