NIFG

The Football League introduced the play-off system in 1986/87 season. The four teams who finish outside the automatic promotion places (usually those placed third to sixth) play-off over two-legged semi-finals and a final to decide who will play in the higher division the following season. Originally the play-offs involved one team from the higher division (who finished just above the automatic relegation places, e.g. Chelsea in 1988) and three teams from the lower division. Prior to 1990 the play-off finals were played over two legs and the finalists home grounds before changing to a single match at Wembley Stadium. Between 2001 and 2006 the play-off finals were hosted by the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as Wembley was being re-built. The Championship Play-Off final (previously the Second Division Play-Off final until 1992 and the First Division Play-Off final from 1993-2004) is regarded as the richest  single match in world football, promotion to the Premier League being value

Name: Born: Height: Weight: Position: Goalkeeper Representative Honours: Ireland: 4 Amateur Caps (1949-1951). Club Honours: (with Ballymena) Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1947/48  ... Club Career: Teams Seasons Signed Fee League FA Cup Other Ballymena United 48/49 - Amateur *32/0 - - Glenavon - -50 Amateur - - - TOTALS - £0 - - - * all games Biography: To follow. Ireland Amateur Cap Details: 05-02-1949 England. A W 1-0 16-03-1949 Scotland H D 2-2 04-02-1950 England. H L 1-3 19-05-1951 Scotland H L 0-1 Summary: 4/0. Won 1, Drew 1, Lost 2.

The following (Northern) Ireland players have claimed top division league winners medals in England (Football League until 1992, Premier League thereafter)... Possibly incomplete. 3 Jonny Evans (Manchester United) 2009 [16(1)/0], 2011 [11(2)/0], 2013 [21(2)/3] Bill McCracken (Newcastle United) 1905 [13/0], 1907 [22/1], 1909 [30/1] (also won Irish League title with Distillery in 1903) Jack Reynolds (Aston Villa) 1894   [30/7] , 1896   [22/2] , 1897   [30/2] Jonny Evans (Manchester United) 2 George Best (Manchester United) 1965   [41/10] , 1967   [42/10] Elisha Scott  (Liverpool) 1922   [39/0] , 1923   [42/0] (also won Irish League titles with Belfast Celtic in 1919 and 1936) Billy Lacey (Liverpool)  1922   [39/1] , 1923   [30/1] 1 Roy Carroll (Manchester United)  2003  [8(2)/0] (also won Greek League title with Olympiakos 2013 and Irish League title with Linfield 2017) John McClelland (Leeds United) 1992 [16(2)/0] Martin O'Neill (Nottingham Fo