The last 20 EFL League Two play-off winners | OneFootball

The Sky Bet League Two season has come to an end, with the play-offs to take place in the coming week.

MK Dons will face Crawley Town across two legs, the first of which is on Monday 6th May at 15:00, followed by Crewe Alexandra hosting Doncaster Rovers at 17:30. The winners of these two-legged fixtures will book themselves a place in the final, which will be played on Sunday 19th May with kick-off at 15:00.

Here, we have decided to take a look at the past 20 EFL League Two play-off winners.

2022/23 - Carlisle United

Carslile 1-1 Stockport (AET 5–4 penalties)

Carlisle sealed promotion to League One through a penalty shootout where they beat Stockport United 5-4 after a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time. An own goal from Jon Mellish saw Stockport take the lead after a cross deflected off him in the 34th minute. Omari Patrick scored the equaliser for Carlisle in the 84th minute, taking the game to extra time.

There were no goals in extra-time, and in the shootout, Ryan Rydel missed, sending Carlisle through with a 5-4 win.

Carlisle were promoted with Leyton Orient, Stevenage and Northampton.

2021/22 - Port Vale

Port Vale 3-0 Mansfield

Port Vale convincingly beat Mansfield 3-0 to secure their promotion to League One. Kian Harratt opened the scoring in the 20th minute after he met Mal Benning's cross with a header. James Wilson then doubled The Valiants' lead as he scored from close range in the 24th minute. Mansfield defender Oliver Hawkings was sent off in the 35th minute for a second yellow, leaving The Stags with ten men. Bennings' volley in the 85th minute finished off the game and secured promotion for Port Vale.

Port Vale were promoted alongside Exeter, Forest Green Rovers and Bristol Rovers.

2020/21 - Morecambe

Morecambe 1-0 Newport County (AET)

Morecambe overcame Newport County in extra time to make it into the third division. Throughout the 90 minutes, the game was goalless. After the break in extra-time, John O'Sullivan was brought down in the box by Ryan Haynes. Carlos Mendes Gomes stepped up and converted, earning his side promotion to League One.

Morecambe were promoted with Cheltenham, Cambridge and Bolton Wanderers.

2019/20 - Northampton Town

Northampton Town 4-0 Exeter City

Northampton Town won comfortably as they beat Exeter City 4-0 to gain promotion. Ryan Watson opened the scoring for Exeter 11 minutes in with a strike from the edge of the box. In the 31st minute, Callum Morton doubled Northampton's lead from close range.

The Grecians were reduced to ten men as Dean Moxey was sent off for a late tackle on Watson. Sam Hoskins made it 3-0 to the Cobblers in the 80th minute after putting the ball in at the far post. Andy Williams secured Northampton's promotion with a goal in the 89th minute.

Northampton went up with Swindon Town, Crewe Alexandra and Plymouth.

2018/19 - Tranmere Rovers

Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Newport County (AET)

Tranmere needed extra time to defeat ten-man Newport County after a goalless 90 minutes. Both sides couldn't break the deadlock within regular time. Newport captain Mark O'Brien was sent off in the 89th minute, which left The Ironsides with ten men for extra time.

The game looked like it was off to penalties before Connor Jennings scored a free header at the back post in the 119th minute to win the game for Tranmere.

Tranmere was promoted alongside Lincoln, Bury and MK Dons.

2017/18 - Coventry City

Coventry City 3-1 Exeter City

Coventry City won promotion to League One after defeating Exeter in the play-off final. Jordan Willis opened the scoring in the 49th minute with a strike from outside the box. Jordan Shipley quickly doubled the lead, as his deflected shot found its way into the net.

Jack Grimmer then finished off the game in the 68th minute with an effort from the edge of the area. Kyle Edwards pulled one back for Exeter in the 89th minute, which was too late, as Coventry secured promotion.

2016/17 - Blackpool

Blackpool 2-1 Exeter City

Blackpool defeated Exeter 2-1 to secure their position in League One for the following season.

Brad Potts opened the scoring within three minutes to give The Tangerines an early lead. Just before the break, Exeter equalised when David Wheeler lobbed Sam Slocombe. Mark Cullen scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 64th minute to help Blackpool gain promotion.

Blackpool were promoted with Portsmouth, Plymouth and Doncaster.

2015/16 - AFC Wimbledon

AFC Wimbledon 2-0 Plymouth Argyle

AFC Wimbledon left it late with goals coming from Lyle Taylor and Adebayo Akinfenwa. Taylor opened the scoring in the 78th minute from a corner. Akinfenwa secured The Dons place in the third division with a penalty in the 100th minute, which Ade Azeez won.

AFC Wimbledon have joined Bristol Rovers, Oxford and Northampton in promotion to League One.

2014/15 - Southend United

Southend United 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers (AET 7-6 penalties)

It took penalties for Southend United to gain promotion to League One. The 90 minutes of regular time was goalless, sending the game to extra time.

The scoring was opened with an own goal from Southend goalkeeper Dan Bentley after the ball hit the crossbar and went in off his back at the start of extra time. It took until the 122nd minute for Southend to find an equaliser, which came from Joe Pigott, sending the game to penalties, where Southend won 7-6 with Wycombe's Sam Wood missing.

Southend were promoted alongside Bury, Shrewsbury and Burton.

2013/14 - Fleetwood Town

Fleetwood Town 1-0 Burton Albion

Fleetwood Town beat Burton Albion 1-0. The game was goalless until the 75th minute when Fleetwood took a free kick which Burton keeper Dean Lyness came to punch but misjudged it and the ball flew over his head into the net. This proved to be the winner and sent Burton to League One.

Fleetwood were promoted with Chesterfield, Scunthorpe and Rochdale.

2012/13 - Bradford City

Bradford City 3-0 Northampton Town

Three goals within the first 30 minutes helped Bradford City win the League Two play-off final and promotion to League One. James Hanson opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a header and then Rory McArdle doubled the lead with another header four minutes later. Nahki Wells then scored the third just before the half-hour, which secured the win for Bradford, who were promoted to League One.

Bradford were promoted with Port Vale, Gillingham and Rotherham United.

2011/12 - Crewe Alexandra

Crewe Alexandra 2-0 Cheltenham Town

Crewe Alexandra beat Cheltenham 2-0 to gain promotion. Nick Powell opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a volley to put Crewe 1-0 up. Byron Moore doubled the lead late in the game when he put the ball into the bottom corner, which helped Crewe secure their place in the third division for next season.

Crewe were promoted alongside Crawley, Swindon and Shrewsbury.

2010/11 - Stevenage

Stevenage 1-0 Torquay United

Stevenage earned promotion to League One with a 1-0 win over Torquay United at Old Trafford. It took until the 41st minute for the first goal, which was scored by John Mousinho with a strike from outside the box. Mousinho's goal proved to be the winning one, with Stevenage holding out for the 1-0 win and gaining promotion to League One after a sixth-place finish in the table.

Stevenage were promoted with Wycombe, Bury and Chesterfield.

2009/10 - Dagenham & Redbridge

Dagenham & Redbridge 3-2 Rotherham United

Dagenham & Redbridge were promoted after beating Rotherham United in a five-goal thriller. In the 38th minute, Paul Benson opened the scoring, but his goal was quickly cancelled out by Rotherham's Ryan Taylor, who scored a minute later, making it 1-1 going into the break.

Danny Green put The Daggers back ahead in the 56th minute but not for long, as Ryan Taylor equalised five minutes later to make the game level. John Nurse was the match-winner as he scored in the 70th minute with a deflected strike to win the game for Dagenham & Redbridge.

Dagenham & Redbridge were promoted with Rochdale, Bournemouth and Notts County.

2008/09 - Gillingham

Gillingham 1-0 Shrewsbury Town

Gillingham left it late but managed to beat Shrewsbury Town 1-0 to win promotion to League One. The game looked like it was going to extra-time, but in the 90th minute, Simeon Jackson scored a header from a corner to win the game for The Gills and earn them promotion after they narrowly missed out in the league by three points.

Gillingham were promoted with Wycombe, Exeter and Brentford.

2007/08 - Stockport County

Stockport County 3-2 Rochdale

Stockport earned promotion to League One after beating Rochdale 3-2.

Rory Mcardle opened the scoring for Rochdale with a header from a corner. An own goal from Nathan Stanton drew Stockport level in the 34th minute. Just after the break, Anthony Pilkington headed in Michael Rose's cross.

Liam Dickinson scored Stockport's third, which proved to be the winning goal. Adam Rundle pulled one back in the 77th minute, but this wasn't enough and Stockport were promoted to League One.

Stockport were promoted with Hereford, Peterborough and MK Dons.

2006/07 - Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers 3-1 Shrewsbury Town

Bristol Rovers came back from 1-0 down to beat Shrewsbury 3-1 and win the play-offs.

Stewart Drummond opened the scoring for Shrewsbury when he headed in Neil Ashton's free-kick. Richard Walker equalised in the 21st minute and then shortly after put Gas in the lead, scoring his second in the 35th minute.

Late in the second half, Marc Tierney was sent off for a second yellow for Shrewsbury Town. Sammy Igoe finished off the game in the 90th minute by putting the ball into an open net after Chris Mackenzie had come up for a corner.

Bristol Rovers were promoted alongside Swindon Town, Hartlepool and Walsall.

2005/06 - Cheltenham Town

Cheltenham Town 1-0 Grimsby Town

Steve Guinan scored the only goal in Cheltenham's League Two play-off win as they beat Grimsby 1-0. After a goalless first half, it took until the 63rd minute for Guinan to open the scoring after his shot found the back of the net.

In the 70th minute, Curtis Woodhouse brought down Grant McCann in the penalty area giving Cheltenham the chance to make things easier for themselves. McCann stepped up and had his penalty saved by Woodhouse, but Cheltenham still managed to hold on and secure their promotion.

Cheltenham were promoted alongside Leyton, Northampton and Carlisle.

2004/05 - Southend United

Southend United 2-0 Lincoln City (AET)

Two goals in extra time secured Southend United's win over Lincoln City and their promotion to the English third tier. After a goalless 90 minutes, Freddy Eastwood scored just before the break in extra time to give Southend the advantage. Duncan Jupp scored the goal which confirmed Southend United's promotion to League One after Eastwood squared the ball for him to tap home.

Southend were promoted with Swansea, Scunthorpe and Yeovil.

2003/04 - Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town 0-0 Mansfield Town (AET 4–1 penalties)

Huddersfield Town were promoted to League One after penalties against Mansfield Town. After a goalless 120 minutes, the match went to penalties.

Huddersfield were successful in all four penalties that they took. Wayne Corden missed the first penalty for Mansfield, followed by Liam Lawrence, causing The Stags to lose on penalties 4-1 and miss out on promotion.