2016 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 2015–16 season (referred to as the Sky Bet Play-Offs for sponsorship reasons) were held in May 2016 with all finals being staged at Wembley Stadium in London.

Football League play-offs

Wembley Stadium was the venue for each play-off final
Season	2015–16
Champions	Hull City (Championship) Barnsley (League One) AFC Wimbledon (League Two)
Matches played	15
Goals scored	39 (2.6 per match)
Biggest home win	Barnsley 3–0 Walsall
Biggest away win	Derby County 0–3 Hull City
Highest attendance	70,189
Lowest attendance	4,634
Average attendance	26,210
← 2015 2017 →

The play-offs begin at the semi-final stage with all semi-finals being played over two legs, contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League Championship and League One and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th-placed teams in the League Two table. The winners of the semi-finals then advance to the finals, with the winner of the final gaining promotion for the following season.

Background

The Football League play-offs have been held every year since 1987. They take place for each division following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the four clubs finishing below the automatic promotion places.

Championship

Main article: 2015–16 Football League Championship

Semi-finals

First leg

13 May 2016

19:45

Sheffield Wednesday	2–0	Brighton & Hove Albion
Wallace 45' Lee 73'	Report

Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield

Attendance: 34,260

Referee: Andre Marriner

14 May 2016

12:30

Derby County	0–3	Hull City
	Report	Hernández 30' Shackell 40' (o.g.) Robertson 90+8'

iPro Stadium, Derby

Attendance: 29,969

Referee: Neil Swarbrick

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Second leg

16 May 2016

19:45

Brighton & Hove Albion	1–1	Sheffield Wednesday
Dunk 19'	Report	Wallace 28'

Falmer Stadium, Brighton

Attendance: 27,272

Referee: Roger East

Sheffield Wednesday won 3–1 on aggregate.

17 May 2016

19:45

Hull City	0–2	Derby County
	Report	Russell 7' Robertson 36' (o.g.)

KC Stadium, Kingston upon Hull

Attendance: 20,470

Referee: Michael Oliver

Hull City won 3–2 on aggregate.

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Final

Main article: 2016 Football League Championship play-off final

28 May 2016

17:00

Hull City	1–0	Sheffield Wednesday
Diamé 71'	Report

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 70,189

Referee: Bobby Madley

League One

Main article: 2015–16 Football League One

Semi-finals

First leg

14 May 2016

17:30

Barnsley	3–0	Walsall
Demetriou 45' (o.g.) Winnall 54', 55'	Report

Oakwell, Barnsley

Attendance: 16,051

Referee: Peter Bankes

15 May 2016

12:15

Bradford City	1–3	Millwall
McMahon 13' (pen.)	Report	Gregory 15' Morison 34' J. Martin 45'

Coral Windows Stadium, Bradford

Attendance: 19,241

Referee: Dean Whitestone

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Second leg

19 May 2016

19:45

Walsall	1–3	Barnsley
Cook 85'	Report	Hammill 18' Fletcher 66' Brownhill 90'

Banks's Stadium, Walsall

Attendance: 8,022

Referee: Darren Deadman

Barnsley won 6–1 on aggregate.

20 May 2016

19:45

Millwall	1–1	Bradford City
Gregory 34'	Report	Proctor 44'

The Den, London

Attendance: 16,301

Referee: Tim Robinson

Millwall won 4–2 on aggregate.

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Final

Main article: 2016 Football League One play-off final

29 May 2016

15:00

Barnsley	3–1	Millwall
Fletcher 2' Hammill 19' Isgrove 74'	Report	Beevers 34'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 51,277

Referee: Stuart Attwell

League Two

Main article: 2015–16 Football League Two

Semi-finals

First leg

12 May 2016

19:45

Portsmouth	2–2	Plymouth Argyle
McNulty 3' Roberts 51' (pen.)	Report	Matt 9', 19'

Fratton Park, Portsmouth

Attendance: 17,622

Referee: Oliver Langford

14 May 2016

19:30

AFC Wimbledon	1–0	Accrington Stanley
Beere 90+3'	Report

Kingsmeadow, London

Attendance: 4,870

Referee: Stephen Martin

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Second leg

15 May 2016

18:00

Plymouth Argyle	1–0	Portsmouth
Hartley 90+1'	Report

Home Park, Plymouth

Attendance: 15,011

Referee: Paul Tierney

Plymouth Argyle won 3–2 on aggregate.

18 May 2016

19:45

Accrington Stanley	2–2 (a.e.t.)	AFC Wimbledon
Windass 39' (pen.) Mingoia 59'	Report	Akinfenwa 68' Taylor 104'

Wham Stadium, Accrington

Attendance: 4,634

Referee: Eddie Ilderton

AFC Wimbledon won 3–2 on aggregate.

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Final

Main article: 2016 Football League Two play-off final

30 May 2016

15:00

AFC Wimbledon	2–0	Plymouth Argyle
Taylor 78' Akinfenwa 90+11' (pen.)	Report

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 57,956

Referee: Iain Williamson

References

• "Dates for Sky Bet Football League Play-Offs confirmed". The Football League. 9 March 2016.