Ranking The Five Greatest Playoff Games In Championship History

We all love the playoffs, right? It is approaching that time of the season again, and whilst emotions are tame it is the perfect time to reflect on some of the greatest matches throughout playoff history. The mini promotion tournaments host some of the most exciting football that we see each season, across all three EFL divisions.

The Championship in particular has produced some of football’s most iconic moments, still referenced in today’s game. Here are a few of them…

5. Leeds United vs Derby County 2nd Leg – 2018/19

The revenge for Spy-gate. A tie that often gets overlooked amidst other playoff battles, but a second leg performance that provided absolute cinema.

"There's a guy in the bushes spying on us!"

Curtis Davies recalls 'spygate', when Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa was caught sending a spy to Derby County's training ground in 2019 🕵️‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/VGNCuHIgky
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 7, 2024

When Marcelo Bielsa organised a spy to watch upon Derby County’s training session midway through the season, I doubt he was thinking too much about a potential playoff clash four months later. However, that is exactly what came back to bite. After gaining a 1-0 advantage from the first leg at Pride Park, Leeds United fell apart… again. Going 2-0 up on aggregate in the first half at Elland Road caused Derby’s Frank Lampard to call upon his saving Grace – Jack Marriott. A substitution that flipped the whole tie on its head.

The striker pounced on a Leeds error just one minute after his calling to put the score 2-1 on the cusp of half time. The second 45 minutes was where it got interesting. A 20-year-old Mason Mount levelled the tie 2-2 in the 46th minute, followed by a youthful Harry Wilson making it 3-2 just shy of the 60 mark. Stuart Dallas then picked up his second of the evening to make it 3-3, but the best was yet to come. 85th minute, Leeds had just got a man sent off, Derby’s captain Richard Keogh feeds the ball into the Leeds United penalty area, Jack Marriott chips the ball over Kiko Casilla to win the semi-final 4-3 and progress to Wembley. Pure elation. However, Derby County devastatingly lost to Aston Villa in the final.

Jack Marriott's game by numbers vs. Leeds United:

22 touches
2 shots
2 shots on target
2 goals

Super sub. 🦸‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/PJ6RKtkAzV
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 15, 2019

4. Nottingham Forest vs Blackpool 2nd Leg – 2009/10

The 2009/10 Championship playoff campaign saw Blackpool return to the top division for the first time in 40 years. However, their route to get there certainly packed a punch.

The Tangerines matched Nottingham Forest in the semis. As the first game edged towards Blackpool 2-1 on aggregate, the City Ground awaited a monumental second leg. Forest sharply made it 2-2 on aggregate in leg two, after just seven minutes via striker Robert Earnshaw. Blackpool’s DJ Campbell grabbed his first of the night shortly into the second half to regain the Tangerines lead, until Earnshaw once again punished the visitors.

Stephen Dobbie then fired the ball into the net in front of a packed out Bridgeford Stand. Followed by two more goals from DJ Campbell to complete his hat-trick. The tie still granted one more goal though, as Forest striker Dele Adebola found late consolation. The semi-final finished 4-3 on the night, and 6-4 on aggregate to Ian Holloway’s Blackpool.

😀 Once Blackpool's number 39, DJ Campbell has celebrated turning that age today.

It gives us a great excuse to watch this goal again.

🍊 #UTMP pic.twitter.com/NJXz9X21Lu
— Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) November 12, 2020

3. Derby County vs Queens Park Rangers Final – 2013/14

Bobby Zamora’s last-minute winner is one of the most memorable moments in Championship history. In 2014, two brilliant semi-final affairs set up the meeting of the leagues 3rd and 4th place finishers - underneath the famous arch of Wembley. As expected, the final was a cagey matchup throughout the 90, with both teams having a plethora of chances. However, nerves really started to kick in when QPR’s Gary O’Neil received a straight red for his reckless tackle outside the Hoops’ penalty area on 60 minutes.

Despite their 10-men disadvantage, Harry Redknapp’s QPR went on to win the match in the very last minute of the game. A cross from Junior Hoilett found the left boot of substitute Bobby Zamora, whose emphatic curler whistled past Derby’s Lee Grant – sending all QPR fans behind the goal into ecstasy.

On this day in 2012… 🗓️

QPR signed Bobby Zamora!

Gave us one of the greatest moments in Championship history…#QPR pic.twitter.com/xpRTso5BoP
— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) January 31, 2024

2. Blackpool vs West Ham United Final – 2011/12

Blackpool once again popping up on this list, but this time for the wrong reasons. West Ham had a very eventful season back in the Championship in 2011/12, and the playoff final was the icing on the cake. After finishing in 3rd place, just two points shy from automatic promotion, the Hammers had to face the dreaded playoffs. Allardyce’s men tore Cardiff apart in the semis, winning 5-0 on aggregate meaning they secured a spot at Wembley.

They faced Blackpool in the final in front of 78,000 fans, with the victor being awarded the ultimate prize of the Premier League. Striker Carlton Cole put West Ham 1-0 up in the first half, until a 20-year-old Tom Ince equalised early into the second half. With 87 minutes on the clock, Cole’s strike partner Ricardo Vaz Tê thundered in a rebound to win the final 2-1. The Portuguese ripped his shirt off in front of the sea claret and blue, with bellows of promotion nestling round Wembley.

Ricardo Vaz Tê pic.twitter.com/jSidVMlbtf
— Random Footballer of the Day (@FootballerADay) September 15, 2024

West Ham have not yet revisited the Championship since, making Vaz Tê’s winner one of the most important goals in West Ham’s history.

1. Watford vs Leicester City 2nd Leg – 2012/13

Here’s Hogg… DEEENNEYY!

Arguable one of the most iconic moments to ever happen in football, and it came right from England’s second division. There was no doubt that this had to finish first on the list, just for the thriller ending it produced.

Both Anthony Knockaert’s penalty and follow-up shot were saved by Manuel Almunia in the 90th minute, leading to a Watford counterattack eventually being buried by a Troy Deeney rocket – this led to the semi-final tie finishing 3-2 on aggregate to the Hornets. The match itself ended 3-1, after two goals from Matej Vydra levelled the score to set up Deeney’s winner. Maybe events would have been different had Leicester brought on a certain Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy sooner.