The 1996 Football League Third Division play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 25 May 1996, to determine the fourth and final team to gain promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division of the Football League in the 1995–96 season.

Quick Facts Plymouth Argyle, Darlington ...

1996 Football League Third Division Play-off Final

Plymouth Argyle Darlington 1 0
Date	25 May 1996
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Man of the Match	Matty Appleby
Referee	William Burns (North Yorkshire)
Attendance	43,431[1]
← 1995 1997 →

Close

It was contested by Plymouth Argyle, who finished fourth in the Third Division table, and Darlington, who finished fifth. The teams reached the final by defeating Colchester United and Hereford United respectively in the two-legged semi-finals.

Plymouth Argyle won the match 1–0 thanks to a headed goal from Ronnie Mauge to gain promotion back to the third tier of English football one season after being relegated. For the club's manager, Neil Warnock, it was his fourth success in the play-offs as a manager, having achieved it twice with Notts County and once with Huddersfield Town. His counterpart, Jim Platt, would leave full-time management at the end of that year.

Plymouth Argyle had finished the 1995–96 Football League season in fourth place in the Third Division, one place ahead of Darlington. Therefore, both missed out on the three automatic promotion places and instead took part in the play-offs to determine who would join Preston North End, Gillingham, and Bury as the fourth promoted team.^[2] On the final day of the league season, Plymouth Argyle had the opportunity to finish third in the table and thereby clinch the final automatic promotion place but a 3–0 win at Home Park against Hartlepool United was not enough to overtake Bury,^[3] after they also won 3–0 at home to Cardiff City.^[4]

In the play-off semi-finals, Darlington were paired with sixth-placed Hereford United and Plymouth Argyle with seventh-place finishers Colchester United. Darlington won their first leg tie 2–1 at Edgar Street courtesy of goals from Robbie Blake and Sean Gregan.^[5] They also won the second leg by the same scoreline at Feethams with Matty Appleby and Robbie Painter on the scoresheet.^[6]

Plymouth Argyle lost the first leg of their semi-final tie 1–0 at Layer Road after a goal from Mark Kinsella,^[7] but they responded in the second leg at Home Park. Goals from Mickey Evans, Chris Leadbitter and Paul Williams were enough to secure a 3–1 win and a 3–2 victory on aggregate.^[8] The results set up a first visit to Wembley Stadium for the supporters of both clubs.^[6][8]

The two teams were competing for promotion to the third tier of the English football league system,^[9] at the time called the Second Division, a familiar place for both teams. In its previous 68 seasons as a Football League club, Plymouth Argyle competed exclusively in the second and third tiers, exactly 34 seasons each.^[10] While Darlington had featured in the second tier just twice, competing in the third tier on 32 occasions and the fourth tier another 32 times. The official attendance of 43,431 was a record for a play-off final at that level, beating the previous record set in 1994,^[11] until it was bettered a year later by 3,373 spectators.^[12] There was also a significant disparity in the number of tickets sold to the supporters of the two clubs, with fewer than 10,000 Darlington fans in attendance compared to 35,000 fans representing Plymouth Argyle.^[13][14]

Plymouth Argyle manager Neil Warnock picked ten players who had started both of the club's semi-final matches, with Ronnie Mauge keeping his place in the team having replaced Chris Billy for the second leg.^[15] The match was to be goalkeeper Steve Cherry's last for the club, having returned for a second stint with the club three months earlier.^[16] Darlington manager Jim Platt, who was taking charge of the team for the last time before the return of David Hodgson,^[17] made one change to the team that secured progress from the semi-final stage with Tony Carss coming in at the expense of Matt Carmichael. The final would prove to be man of the match Matty Appleby's last for Darlington.^[18]

After the final whistle Plymouth Argyle's captain Mick Heathcote received the winners' trophy before parading it in front of the club's supporters on the pitch. For the club's manager, Neil Warnock,^[23] it was his fourth play-off success at Wembley Stadium. He commented on his past experiences that "It can't be a hindrance, having done it before, but it doesn't make it any less tense. It makes it a very long season. I had booked a holiday starting today – I suppose I should have known better".^[24]

Warnock was also full of praise for his counterpart, Jim Platt, commenting that "He should be made manager of the year for what he's done at that club". Citing Darlington's financial worries "Everyone thought they would blow up, but they didn't – they got within an ace. Unfortunately, someone has to lose".^[19] Platt, a former Northern Ireland international, was equally optimistic. He said "My side is very young – nearly all of them in their early 20s. I think we will be here again next season or go up automatically – if we can keep the side together".^[19]

As a result of their victory, Plymouth Argyle returned to the third tier of English football just one year after being relegated to the fourth tier for the first time in its history. They returned to the Third Division two years later before being promoted as champions in 2002,^[25] and the club followed that up by winning the Second Division in 2004,^[26] to reclaim their place in the second tier of English football after a twelve-year hiatus.^[27] For Darlington, there was to be more disappointment in the play-offs four years later under David Hodgson, Platt's successor.^[28] They reached the Third Division final in 2000, the last to be played at the original Wembley Stadium, and were defeated 1–0 again; on this occasion to Peterborough United.^[29]

• 1996 Football League First Division play-off final
• 1996 Football League Second Division play-off final