1989 Football League Third Division play-off Final

1989 Football League Third Division play-off final

Winner
Port Vale Port Vale F.C. Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as... (2)
Runner-up
Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... (1)
Score
1–1 1–0
Date
31 May 1989 3 June 1989

The 1989 Football League Third Division play-off final was a two-legged football match played at on 31 May and 3 June 1989, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion

Promotion and relegation

In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...

from the Third Division

Football League Third Division

The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...

to the Second Division

Football League Second Division

From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...

of The Football League

The Football League

The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...

in the 1988–89 season. Port Vale

Port Vale F.C.

Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...

faced Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers F.C.

Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....

. It was the final Third Division play-off final to be decided on a two leg basis. From 1990 onwards, matches would be decided at Wembley – or an appropriate national stadium.

Rovers' rivals

Bristol derby

The Bristol derby is the name given to football matches played between Bristol Rovers and Bristol City . The fans of each club both consider the other to be their main rivals, leading to a heated atmosphere at these matches...

Bristol City

Bristol City F.C.

Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...

had been defeated in last years play-off finals after losing the replay 4–0. It was the first time either Rovers or Vale played a play-off final. Rovers had easily disposed of Fulham

Fulham F.C.

Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...

and Vale had brushed aside Preston North End

Preston North End F.C.

Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...

to reach the final.

The first leg finished 1–1, with Vale's talisman Robbie Earle

Robbie Earle

Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....

equalising in the 73rd minute after Gary Penrice

Gary Penrice

Gary Kenneth Penrice is a former professional footballer. He played for Bristol Rovers, Watford, Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers as a striker.-Early life:...

had given Rovers the lead in the first half. In the second leg, Earle was the hero once again, scoring the only goal of the game with a 52nd minute header.

Route to the final

**Football League Division Two final table, leading positions**
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A
1	Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...	46	26	14	6	96	49
92
2	Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...	46	25	9	12	93	54
84
3	Port Vale Port Vale F.C. Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...	46	24	12	10	78	48
84
4	Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...	46	22	9	15	69	67
75
5	Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....	46	19	17	10	67	51
74
Pos=Position P=Games played W=Wins D=Draws L=Defeats F=Goals for A=Goals against Pts=Points

Port Vale had finished the 1988–89 Football League season in third place in Division Three

Football League Third Division

, two places ahead of Rovers. Both therefore missed out on the two automatic promotion

Promotion and relegation

places and instead took part in the play-offs

Football League Play-Offs

The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...

to determine the third promoted team. Vale had finished level on points with second place Sheffield United

Sheffield United F.C.

Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...

, but their inferior goal difference cost them automatic promotion. Fulham took 4th, nine points below Vale and Rovers finished 5th, ten points behind the Vale. Over the course of 46 games both clubs had only lost ten games, Vale's superior goal scoring helped them to win five games more than Rovers.

In the semi-finals, Rovers had on paper the most difficult task in facing 4th placed Fulham, However, Fulham record of conceding a further sixteen goals than Rovers over the course of the season showed and the Bristol side went through in emphatic style – winning 4–0 at home and 1–0 away. Vale's opponents Preston North End

Preston North End F.C.

proved to be a greater challenge and after a 1–1 tie at Preston, the Vale won 3–1 at home thanks to a Darren Beckford

Darren Beckford

Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards....

hat-trick

Hat-trick

A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...

. At Preston's ground there was a pitch invasion by the Preston fans after a fire

Fire

Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....

erupted under the wooden slats of their stands. Joan Walley

Joan Walley

Joan Lorraine Walley is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent North since 1987.-Early life:...

called for an enquiry at Parliament

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...

, but no enquiry was made.

Bristol Rovers			Round	Port Vale
Opponent	Result	Legs	Semi-finals	Opponent	Result	Legs
Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...	5–0	1–0 away; 4–0 home		Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...	4–2	1–1 away; 3–1 home

First leg

The Port Vale first 11 were largely the same eleven that defeated Preston, but with Gary West

Gary West

Gary West is an English former footballer. He made 250 appearances in the Football League between 1982 and 1993, playing for numerous clubs; most notably Sheffield United, Lincoln City and Gillingham.-Playing career:...

starting in place of Alan Webb

Alan Webb (footballer)

Alan Richard Webb is an English former footballer who played as a right-back. He played 225 league games in an eleven year career in the Football League. He spent 1981 to 1984 with West Bromwich Albion, and also played on loan at Lincoln City, but spent most of his career at Port Vale. He was...

.

John Jeffers

John Jeffers

John Joseph Jeffers is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Jeffers played for Liverpool before joining Port Vale on loan in December 1988, he was recalled by the Reds in February 1989 but was snapped up by Vale the next month for £30,000...

saw his chance go begging on the 30th minute mark following a Darren Beckford

Darren Beckford

Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards....

flick-on from a corner kick. It was Rovers that were the first to score; keeper Nigel Martyn

Nigel Martyn

Antony Nigel Martyn , more commonly known as Nigel Martyn, is a retired English football goalkeeper. He played for Crystal Palace where he became the first £1million goalkeeper in British football and also won the Full Members Cup. Martyn then left to spend six seasons at Leeds United. He went on...

smashed the ball upfield and Gary Penrice

Gary Penrice

Gary Kenneth Penrice is a former professional footballer. He played for Bristol Rovers, Watford, Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers as a striker.-Early life:...

volleyed home over a stranded Mark Grew

Mark Grew

Mark Stuart Grew is an English former football goalkeeper, now assistant manager to Micky Adams at Port Vale. On three occasions he has also served as the club's caretaker-manager, most recently from March to May in 2011....

following a Devon White

Devon White (footballer)

Devon Timothy White is a former professional footballer who played as a striker for seven different Football League clubs.-Playing career:...

flick-on. Ron Futcher

Ron Futcher

Ronald Futcher is a former professional soccer centre-forward. He was the fourth highest career scorer of the North American Soccer League, and made over 400 appearances in total for nine different Football League clubs....

headed into the net just before half-time only to find his goal disallowed for offside.

It was Robbie Earle

Robbie Earle

Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....

who equalized seventeen minutes from time to level the tie, heading home a Futcher cross. The Vale nearly won the game in the dying moments only for Beckford's header to be cleared off the goal-line.

Second leg

Port Vale Manager John Rudge

John Rudge

John Robert Rudge is an English former football player and football manager. He is currently working as the director of football at Stoke City....

announced an unchanged side from the eleven that held Rovers to a 1–1 draw in the first leg.

The first half finished goalless, meaning Rovers had to press Vale in the second half to score a goal, else face losing the tie on away goals

Away goals rule

The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...

. The second half saw the "MBE" combination pay off, resulting in a Robbie Earle headed goal in the fifty-second minute (ironically Earle would be made an MBE

Order of the British Empire

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

years later). The "MBE" move was a Mills corner, flicked on by Beckford

Darren Beckford

Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards....

and knocked into the net by Earle. It was to prove the only goal of the game.

Post match

Rovers recovered excellently from the loss and the following season joined Port Vale in the second tier, coming up as champions. Port Vale lasted in the second tier until 1991–92 when they took the wooden spoon

Wooden spoon (award)

A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...

with them back to the third tier. In 1992–93, Rovers did the same.

Robbie Earle was sold on to Wimbledon

Wimbledon F.C.

Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...

for £775,000 in July 1991 and later appeared in the 1998 FIFA World Cup

1998 FIFA World Cup

The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...

for Jamaica

Jamaica national football team

The Jamaica national football team is the national team of Jamaica and is controlled by the Jamaica Football Federation. After decades in CONCACAF obscurity, they gained many fans throughout the world after they qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup...

. Now retired, as of 2009 he is a successful columnist and TV pundit. The man that effectively put Vale in the final – Darren Beckford

Darren Beckford

Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards....

, was himself sold for £925,000 in 1991, to Norwich

Norwich City F.C.

Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...

. His career however was to go into a decline, and was in the non-leagues by 1998, after retirement he took a career in education. Mastermind of the success John Rudge continued to manage Vale until 1999 when he was sacked in a very controversial decision by Chairman Bill Bell. He then became Director of Football at rivals

Potteries derby

The Potteries derby is the football local derby in Stoke-on-Trent between Port Vale and Stoke City. The fans of each club both consider the other to be their main rivals; this has led to a heated atmosphere at these matches, especially with the rise of football hooliganism and the 'Naughty Forty'...

Stoke City

Stoke City F.C.

Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...

, a position that as of December 2009 he still holds.

First leg


style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">	Bristol Rovers:
GK	1	Nigel Martyn Nigel Martyn Antony Nigel Martyn , more commonly known as Nigel Martyn, is a retired English football goalkeeper. He played for Crystal Palace where he became the first £1million goalkeeper in British football and also won the Full Members Cup. Martyn then left to spend six seasons at Leeds United. He went on...
DF	2	Ian Alexander Ian Alexander Ian "Jocky" Alexander is a former professional footballer, who played the majority of his career at Bristol Rovers.Alexander played for Rotherham United and Motherwell, Greenock Morton, and spent a year playing in Cyprus with Pezoporikos Larnaca, before joining Rovers in 1986...
DF	3	Billy Clark
DF	4	Steve Yates
FW	5	Devon White Devon White (footballer) Devon Timothy White is a former professional footballer who played as a striker for seven different Football League clubs.-Playing career:...
DF	6	Vaughan Jones Vaughan Jones (footballer) Vaughan Jones is a Welsh former professional footballer. Jones played his club football for Bristol Rovers, Cardiff City, Newport County, Inter Cardiff and Bath City before finishing his playing career at Cheltenham Town... (c)
MF	7	Ian Holloway Ian Holloway Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
MF	8	David Mehew David Mehew David Mehew is a former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Bristol Rovers, Exeter City and Walsall. He is manager of Gloucester City A.F.C....
MF	9	Andy Reece Andy Reece Andy Reece is an English footballer.Reece, a midfielder, joined Bristol Rovers from Dudley Town in 1987. He would become a central figure in the team which won promotion to the Second Division in 1990 and remained there for three seasons. He later joined Hereford United...
FW	10	Gary Penrice Gary Penrice Gary Kenneth Penrice is a former professional footballer. He played for Bristol Rovers, Watford, Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers as a striker.-Early life:...
MF	11	Phil Purnell Phil Purnell Phil Purnell is a former professional association footballer who spent the majority of his career with Bristol Rovers. Before turning professional in 1985, Purnell played for West Country non-league sides Forest Green Rovers, Frome Town and Mangotsfield United, until signing for Bristol Rovers in...
Substitutes:
FW		Christian McClean Christian McClean Christian McClean is an English former professional footballer. A striker, he turned professional in 1987 after signing for Bristol Rovers from non-League Clacton Town. He later played for Swansea City and Northampton Town before returning to non-League in 1992 with Chelmsford City...
Manager:
Gerry Francis Gerry Francis Gerald Charles James Francis is an English former footballer and manager, now working as First Team coach at Stoke City.-Playing career:Francis made his debut for Queens Park Rangers v Liverpool in March 1969...

style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> Port Vale: | GK 1

Mark Grew

DF 2

Simon Mills DF 3

Bob Hazell

Robert Joseph Hazell is a former footballer of the 1970s and 1980s, notably with Wolves, Port Vale, Luton Town, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City...

DF 4

Ray Walker

Ray Walker (footballer)

Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times...

MF 5

Gary West

MF 6

Dean Glover

Dean Victor Glover is an English former footballer and football manager. A cultured and stylish defender, he had the ball control skills of a midfielder. He played 457 league games in a seventeen year career in the Football League.He started his career at Aston Villa in 1980, before he moved on to...

MF 7

John Jeffers

MF 8

Robbie Earle

Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....

MF 9

Ron Futcher

FW 10

Darren Beckford

Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards....

FW 11

Andy Porter

Andy Porter (footballer)

Andrew Michael "Andy" Porter is an English former footballer, turned coach and manager, who is now a youth team coach at Stockport County...

Manager:

John Rudge

John Robert Rudge is an English former football player and football manager. He is currently working as the director of football at Stoke City....

Second leg


style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">	Port Vale:
GK	1	Mark Grew Mark Grew Mark Stuart Grew is an English former football goalkeeper, now assistant manager to Micky Adams at Port Vale. On three occasions he has also served as the club's caretaker-manager, most recently from March to May in 2011....
DF	2	Simon Mills
DF	3	Bob Hazell Bob Hazell Robert Joseph Hazell is a former footballer of the 1970s and 1980s, notably with Wolves, Port Vale, Luton Town, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City...
DF	4	Ray Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times...
MF	5	Gary West Gary West Gary West is an English former footballer. He made 250 appearances in the Football League between 1982 and 1993, playing for numerous clubs; most notably Sheffield United, Lincoln City and Gillingham.-Playing career:...
MF	6	Dean Glover Dean Glover Dean Victor Glover is an English former footballer and football manager. A cultured and stylish defender, he had the ball control skills of a midfielder. He played 457 league games in a seventeen year career in the Football League.He started his career at Aston Villa in 1980, before he moved on to...
MF	7	John Jeffers John Jeffers John Joseph Jeffers is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Jeffers played for Liverpool before joining Port Vale on loan in December 1988, he was recalled by the Reds in February 1989 but was snapped up by Vale the next month for £30,000...
MF	8	Robbie Earle Robbie Earle Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....
MF	9	Ron Futcher Ron Futcher Ronald Futcher is a former professional soccer centre-forward. He was the fourth highest career scorer of the North American Soccer League, and made over 400 appearances in total for nine different Football League clubs....
FW	10	Darren Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards....
FW	11	Andy Porter Andy Porter (footballer) Andrew Michael "Andy" Porter is an English former footballer, turned coach and manager, who is now a youth team coach at Stockport County...
Substitutes:
FW	12	Kevin Finney Kevin Finney Kevin Finney is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Finney came up through the Port Vale youth team to sign as a professional in May 1987. He made numerous appearances throughout the 1987–88 campaign, but was used mainly as a substitute for the next three seasons...
Manager:
John Rudge John Rudge John Robert Rudge is an English former football player and football manager. He is currently working as the director of football at Stoke City....

style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> Bristol Rovers: | GK 1

Nigel Martyn

DF 2

Ian Alexander

Ian "Jocky" Alexander is a former professional footballer, who played the majority of his career at Bristol Rovers.Alexander played for Rotherham United and Motherwell, Greenock Morton, and spent a year playing in Cyprus with Pezoporikos Larnaca, before joining Rovers in 1986...

DF 3

Billy Clark DF 4

Steve Yates FW 5

Devon White

Devon White (footballer)

Devon Timothy White is a former professional footballer who played as a striker for seven different Football League clubs.-Playing career:...

DF 6

Vaughan Jones

Vaughan Jones (footballer)

Vaughan Jones is a Welsh former professional footballer. Jones played his club football for Bristol Rovers, Cardiff City, Newport County, Inter Cardiff and Bath City before finishing his playing career at Cheltenham Town...

Ian Holloway

Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...

MF 8

David Mehew

David Mehew is a former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Bristol Rovers, Exeter City and Walsall. He is manager of Gloucester City A.F.C....

MF 9

Andy Reece

Andy Reece is an English footballer.Reece, a midfielder, joined Bristol Rovers from Dudley Town in 1987. He would become a central figure in the team which won promotion to the Second Division in 1990 and remained there for three seasons. He later joined Hereford United...

FW 10

Gary Penrice

Gary Kenneth Penrice is a former professional footballer. He played for Bristol Rovers, Watford, Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers as a striker.-Early life:...

MF 11

Phil Purnell

Phil Purnell is a former professional association footballer who spent the majority of his career with Bristol Rovers. Before turning professional in 1985, Purnell played for West Country non-league sides Forest Green Rovers, Frome Town and Mangotsfield United, until signing for Bristol Rovers in...

Manager:

Gerry Francis

Gerald Charles James Francis is an English former footballer and manager, now working as First Team coach at Stoke City.-Playing career:Francis made his debut for Queens Park Rangers v Liverpool in March 1969...

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