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The 1996 Football League Second Division play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 26 May 1996, at the end of the 1995–96 English league season to determine the final promoted side from the Second Division. Bradford City beat Notts County 2–0 to join Swindon Town and Oxford United in winning promotion to the First Division. It was the 10th Second Division play-off Final and the seventh to be held at Wembley. For Bradford, it was the first time they had played at Wembley in their 93-year history. City finished sixth during the regular league season only winning a play-off place with a victory on the final day of the season. They came from two goals down during the semi-finals against Blackpool to gain a place in the play-off final. Having been relegated the previous season, Notts County had the chance to win an instant promotion back to the First Division. They finished fourth during the regular season and defeated Crewe Alexandra in the semi-final by drawing the away tie and winning by one-goal in the second leg at home. Bradford took an eighth-minute lead in the final through 19-year-old Bradford-born Des Hamilton. Notts County only had one chance in the first half before applying more pressure during the early part of the second half. However Bradford's recent signing Mark Stallard doubled their lead to give them victory and newspaper reporters agreed that Bradford dominated the game. Their manager Chris Kamara had only been in charge for six months before the final. Three years after their victory, Bradford went on to win promotion to the Premier League; their opponents Notts County were relegated the season after their play-off final defeat and have yet to finish higher since their fourth-place finish in 1996. ==Route to the final== Second Division league champions Swindon Town and runners-up Oxford United took the two automatic promotion spots after recording 92 and 83 points respectively, leaving Blackpool, Notts County, Crewe Alexandra and Bradford City to contest the play-offs for the final promotion place.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Final 1995/1996 Football League One Table )〕 Bradford City, who appointed rookie manager Chris Kamara in November 1995,〔 won nine of their last 12 league games and only secured a play-off berth on the final day of the season by defeating Hull City 3–2 at Boothferry Park in a game that was delayed because of crowd trouble. They were one point ahead of seventh place Chesterfield, and equal on points with Crewe but behind in goal difference; they therefore finished sixth.〔 As a result, in the play-off semi-finals Bradford played third-place Blackpool, whose manager Sam Allardyce admitted his side had thrown away an automatic promotion spot;〔 they finished a solitary point behind Oxford.〔 Bradford had already played Blackpool four times during the season, after being drawn together in the League Cup, with Bradford winning three of the previous encounters.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=All time results between Bradford City and Blackpool )〕 Notts County, who had been relegated the previous season having finished in last place in the First Division,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Final 1994/1995 Football League Championship Table )〕 came in fourth position〔 to set up a tie against Crewe Alexandra in the other semi-final. Notts County's fourth place meant they were away to Crewe Alexandra in the first leg, which finished 2–2 at Gresty Road. With home advantage at Meadow Lane three days later, they won 1–0 thanks to a goal from Gary Martindale to give them a 3–2 aggregate victory. The other semi-final went against home advantage; City finished sixth so played at their Valley Parade home in the first leg, losing 2–0. However, they overturned the deficit by winning 3–0 at Bloomfield Road. Des Hamilton, Carl Shutt and Mark Stallard scored the three goals that also gave them a 3–2 aggregate victory. Kamara called it the "best night" of his career, whereas his opposite number Allardyce was sacked. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「1996 Football League Second Division play-off Final」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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