Which Teams Have the Worst Records in EFL Playoffs History | OneFootball

Every year, the English Football League playoffs throw up unrivalled drama in abundance. That was on full display in the recent semi-final clash between Sunderland and Coventry City at the Stadium of Light.

With the Black Cats holding a one-goal lead following their impressive 2-1 victory on the road against the Sky Blues in the first leg, many believed that the door was wide open for Regis Le Bris' men to punch their tickets to the final.

But anyone who thought it would be easy would be forced to think again. Frank Lampard's Coventry managed to tie things up across the two-legged tie when they found a 75th-minute goal in the second leg at the Stadium of Light. That goal forced extra time, and it looked as though a penalty shootout would determine who headed to Wembley.

However, with the clock ticking into the 122nd minute, defender Daniel Ballard powered home a thumping header to spark delirium on Wearside and ensured that it would be his side that turns out under the arch with a spot in the Premier League on the line.

They will now meet Sheffield United at Wembley after the Blades resoundingly thumped Bristol City 6-0 across two legs, and it's The Blades who online betting sites make the favorites to go on and secure promotion. The latest odds from the popular Bovada site price the South Yorkshire club as the 1/2 frontrunner to seal the deal, with Sunderland a narrow 5/4 outsider. However, the upcoming showpiece will certainly be a nervy one for two teams that have dismal records in playoff finals, and many fans will be checking in with the Bovada site as the drama unfolds.

Between the eight combined playoff finals the two teams have featured in, only once have either United or Sunderland emerged as the victors. That got us thinking, surely there can't be many teams with a worse record in playoff finals? Well, here are the three teams with the worst records of anybody.

Sheffield United

Since the playoffs were introduced back in 1987, Sheffield United have featured in four playoff finals. Shockingly, they have lost all of them.

Their barren spell began back in 1997 when the Blades met Crystal Palace at Wembley in the old Division One playoff final. Ultimately, it was the Eagles that emerged victorious, and it couldn't have been any more painful for Blades supporters as David Hopkin netted a 90th-minute winner.

Six years later, the South Yorkshire club had a stellar year under Neil Warnock, reaching the semifinals of both the League Cup and the FA Cup. A thrilling victory against Nottingham Forest in the playoff semifinals secured them a spot opposite Wolves in the final, but their trip to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium quickly turned into a nightmare. First-half goals from Mark Kennedy, Nathan Blake, and Kenny Miller ensured that their promotion bid was already in tatters by half-time, and they ultimately suffered a devastating 3-0 defeat.

Fast forward another six years, and the Blades were once again in the playoff final, this time opposite Burnley. Once again, though, their trip to Wembley would end in heartbreak as winger Wade Elliot netted the only goal of the game, a rasping effort fired into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Leeds United

Leeds won the Championship title this season thanks to a last-gasp winner away at Plymouth on the final day of the season. They will be overjoyed that they managed to secure automatic promotion because their record in the playoffs is equally drab. They, too, have featured in four finals over the years, losing each of them.

The Whites reached the first-ever second-tier final in 1987, but they were beaten by Charlton Athletic after a replay. It would be 19 years before they reached the final again, but that too would end in heartbreak after a disastrous 3-0 defeat at the hands of Aidy Boothroyd's Watford.

Three years later, they found themselves down in League One, but they still managed to reach the playoff final despite a 15-point deduction. They met Yorkshire rivals Doncaster Rovers at Wembley and were huge favorites to secure promotion, but it was Rovers who emerged victorious with striker James Hayter scoring the only goal of the game.

Reading

Berkshire side Reading are also 0-4 in playoff finals. Their woes began in 1995 when they threw away a two-goal lead in the final 15 minutes of the third-tier final against Bolton Wanderers, ultimately losing 4-3 after extra time. In 2001, they were beaten in extra time again, this time by Walsall, and once again, they threw away the lead.

In 2011, Reading met Swansea at Wembley with a place in the Premier League on the line. On this day, however, they were thoroughly outclassed, and Scott Sinclair's blistering hat-trick handed the Swans a deserved 4-2 victory. Six years later, they were beaten once again, this time on penalties following a goalless draw with Huddersfield Town.