Cardiff has gained a reputation as a vibrant, cosmopolitan city, and the influx of fans from across the country for play-off weekend plays no small part in that. Here are just a few of the highlights from the past five seasons…
The first Play-of match at the Millennium Stadium was between Blackpool and Leyton Orient who were battling it out for promotion to what was then the Nationwide Second Division. The match finished 4-2 to Blackpool after a pulsating encounter and set the tone for future games at Cardiff’s showpiece Stadium.
Bolton Wanderers achieved promotion to the FA Premier League just two days later after overpowering Preston North End 3-0, Sam Allardyce’s side have gone on to become an established Barclays Premiership force, and cite that day as a key moment in their development as a squad.
In 2003, Cardiff City made it to the Nationwide Second Division Play-off final. No winner could be found in normal time in a tense clash with QPR and the game seemed to be heading to penalties until Andy Campbell struck in the dying stages to send the Bluebirds up.
The fifteen play-off matches that have taken place have seen 41 goals scored and seen such illustrious clubs as Bolton, Birmingham, Wolves, Crystal Palace and West Ham gain promotion to the top flight.
This year will be the last time the games come to the Millennium Stadium with the completion of the new Wembley Stadium imminent. But the Stadium could still be given a patriotic send off with all three Welsh clubs chasing the play-offs this time around. Cardiff and Wrexham currently sit just outside the places in the Coca-Cola Championship and League Two respectively, while Swansea could end up in the League One semi-finals if their faltering form continues.
