1997 Football League First Division play-off Final
.jpg) |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Date | 26 May 1997 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Wembley Stadium, London | ||||||
| Referee | Neale Barry | ||||||
| Attendance | 64,383 | ||||||
The 1997 Football League First Division play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium, London on 26 May 1997 at the end of the 1996–97 season. The match determined the third and final team to gain promotion from First Division to the Premiership, and was contested by Crystal Palace, who finished sixth during the league season, and Sheffield United, who finished fifth. The teams reached the final by defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town respectively in the two-legged semi-finals.
Crystal Palace were anxious in the first few minutes, but slowly took superior ground. Palace's powerful striker Bruce Dyer hit a shot which forced United keeper Simon Tracey to grab hold of the ball low by the far post after 15 minutes. A Blades’ defence including David Holdsworth (twin brother of Premiership footballer Dean of Wimbledon) held firm for the opening period, although they were fortunate to see penalty appeals turned down for a tackle on David Tuttle and Palace striker Neil Shipperley head over the crossbar when left unmarked. The Yorkshiremen were forced to change their tactics and their system when Don Hutchison (who had earlier taken a fierce Andy Roberts volley to the face in an attempt to clear) picked up an injury shortly before half-time with a suspected broken collarbone.
...
Wikipedia