From Chelsea relegation to 200m game - how play-offs have evolved

Chelsea finished 18th in the top flight in 1988, seven points clear of automatic relegation, but were relegated after a two-legged play-off final against Middlesbrough. The play-offs were only in their second year, introduced in 1986-87 to support league restructuring, including reducing the top tier from 22 to 20 clubs. The early format had Division One teams competing with Division Two clubs to decide promotion and relegation. Charlton Athletic won the inaugural campaign, and attendance in early replays was far lower than later eras. Over time, the play-offs became a major, high-revenue event, culminating in a Wembley final watched by about 90,000 and valued around £200m.

"Chelsea have just finished 18th in the top flight, seven points clear of the automatic relegation zone. But after a two-legged play-off final against Middlesbrough, the Blues are relegated to the second tier. The year was 1988 and the play-offs were taking place for just the second time, having been introduced the season before. Boro had finished third in what was then the Second Division and won promotion by beating Chelsea 2-1 on aggregate."

"When the play-offs were introduced in the 1986-87 season, it was to facilitate a restructuring of the leagues - including reducing the top tier from 22 to 20 clubs - in an attempt to improve the financial state of English football at the time. The plan was for the format to run for two years and be kept if they were considered a success. And now 40 years on, evidently that was the case."

"For those first two years of the play-offs, Division One teams would compete with Division Two clubs to decide who went up and who went down. It would be the last time that format was used. And a lot has changed since then. What started out with games being played in front of 25,000 people at Ayresome Park has become the richest game in world football, worth about 200m and contested with a 90,000-crowd watching on at Wembley Stadium."

"Charlton Athletic, who were in Division One, were the eventual winners in the inaugural campaign, beating Leeds United of Division Two 2-1 following extra time in a replay after their two-legged final had ended 1-1 on aggregate. A year later, only 15,841 fans attended that replay at St Andrew's in Birmingham. It remains the only time Boro have won a play-off final in four attempts."

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