:2007 Football League Two play-off final

{{see also|2006–07 Football League}}

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

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|title=Football League Two final table, leading positions

|team1=WAL|name_WAL=Walsall

|team2=HAR|name_HAR=Hartlepool United

|team3=SWI|name_SWI=Swindon Town

|team4=MKD|name_MKD=Milton Keynes Dons

|team5=LIN|name_LIN=Lincoln City

|team6=BRR|name_BRR=Bristol Rovers

|team7=SHR|name_SHR=Shrewsbury Town

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|win_SHR=18|draw_SHR=17|loss_SHR=11|gf_SHR=68|ga_SHR=46

|update=complete|title_source={{Cite web | url = https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/2006-2007/regular-season/r3573/ | website = Soccerway | access-date = 10 June 2021 | title = League Two – 2006/2007 – Regular season | publisher = Perform Group | archive-date = 19 November 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171119171936/http://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/2006-2007/regular-season/r3573/ | url-status = live }}

}}

Bristol Rovers finished the regular 2006–07 season in sixth position in Football League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system, one place and one point ahead of Shrewsbury Town. Both therefore missed out on the three automatic places for promotion to Football League One and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the fourth promoted team. Bristol Rovers finished thirteen points behind Swindon Town (who were promoted in third place), sixteen behind Hartlepool United (who were promoted in second place), and seventeen behind league winners Walsall.

Shrewsbury Town faced Milton Keynes Dons in their play-off semi-final with the first match of the two-legged tie being played at Gay Meadow in Shrewsbury on 14 May 2007. In what was Shrewsbury's final game at the stadium after 97 years, Milton Keynes Dons dominated the majority of the proceedings and although the home side ended strongly, the final score was 0–0.{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6651317.stm | publisher = BBC Sport | access-date = 11 June 2021 | date = 14 May 2007 | title = Shrewsbury 0–0 MK Dons | first = Charlie | last = Henderson | archive-date = 7 September 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070907081108/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6651317.stm | url-status = live }} The second leg took place four days later at the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes.{{Cite web | url = https://www.11v11.com/matches/milton-keynes-dons-v-shrewsbury-town-18-may-2007-277845/ | website = 11v11 | publisher = AFS Enterprises | access-date = 11 June 2021 | title = Milton Keynes Dons v Shrewsbury Town, 18 May 2007 | archive-date = 11 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210611151850/https://www.11v11.com/matches/milton-keynes-dons-v-shrewsbury-town-18-may-2007-277845/ | url-status = live }} After a goalless first half, Shrewsbury Town brought on Andy Cooke as a substitute at half-time and he put his side ahead in the 58th minute after running onto a pass from Danny Hall to score. With sixteen minutes remaining, Keith Andrews equalised after his initial header was saved by Scott Shearer. Cooke scored his and his side's second goal less than two minutes later and the match ended 2–1, with Shrewsbury Town progressing to the final with the same aggregate score.{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6649779.stm | title = MK Dons 1–2 Shrewsbury | first = Paul | last = Fletcher | publisher = BBC Sport | access-date = 11 June 2021 | date = 18 May 2007 | archive-date = 23 August 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070823044346/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6649779.stm | url-status = live }}

Bristol Rovers went into the play-offs having won seven and drawn two of their last eleven games. Their opponents for the other play-off semi-final were Lincoln City and the first leg was held at the Memorial Stadium in Bristol on 14 May 2007. Craig Disley opened the scoring for the home side on ten minutes when headed in a cross from Rickie Lambert past Alan Marriott, the Lincoln City goalkeeper. Jeff Hughes equalised for Lincoln City in the 31st minute when he struck his free kick into the top-right corner of the Bristol Rovers goal. Nine minutes into the second half, Richard Walker scored with a volley from Steve Elliott's free kick to give Bristol Rovers the lead which they held to win the match 2–1.{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6645671.stm | publisher = BBC Sport | access-date = 11 June 2021 | date = 12 May 2007 | title = Bristol Rovers 2–1 Lincoln City | archive-date = 6 October 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071006235520/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6645671.stm | url-status = live }} The second leg was played three days later at Sincil Bank in Lincoln.{{Cite web | url = https://www.11v11.com/matches/lincoln-city-v-bristol-rovers-17-may-2007-277843/ | website = 11v11 | access-date = 11 June 2021 | title = Lincoln City v Bristol Rovers, 17 May 2007 | publisher = AFS Enterprises | archive-date = 3 August 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160803234946/http://www.11v11.com/matches/lincoln-city-v-bristol-rovers-17-may-2007-277843/ | url-status = live }} Stuart Campbell scored in the third minute for Bristol Rovers with a long-range strike and Lambert volleyed past Marriott to make it 2–0 eight minutes later. Hughes scored from Jamie Forrester's cross midway through the first half to reduce Lincoln City's deficit before Walker made it 3–1 nine minutes before half time. Mark Stallard scored for Lincoln City seven minutes later with a half-volley but a second-half Sammy Igoe goal made it 4–2 to Bristol Rovers in the 82nd minute. Sean Rigg then made it 5–2 in the 90th minute before Hughes scored his second to ensure the match ended 5–3 and Bristol Rovers progressed to the final with a 7–4 aggregate victory.{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6649731.stm | publisher = BBC Sport | access-date = 11 June 2021 | title = Lincoln City 3–5 Bristol Rovers | date = 17 May 2007 | archive-date = 8 September 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070908062618/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6649731.stm | url-status = live }}

This was Bristol Rovers' fourth appearance in the play-offs and their third final, having lost 2–1 on aggregate to Port Vale in the 1989 Football League Third Division play-off final and being defeated 2–1 by Huddersfield Town in the 1995 Football League Second Division play-off final. They had played in the fourth tier of English football after being relegated in the 2000–01 season.{{Cite web | url = https://www.fchd.info/BRISTOLR.HTM | title = Bristol Rovers | access-date = 11 June 2021 | website = Football Club History Database | archive-date = 29 November 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201129140812/https://www.fchd.info/BRISTOLR.HTM | url-status = live }} Shrewsbury Town were making their first appearance in the English Football League play-offs but had earned promotion from the Football Conference in the 2003–04 season with a penalty shoot-out victory over Aldershot Town in the final. They had played in the fourth tier of English football since then, having last featured in the third tier in the 1996–97 season.{{Cite web | url = https://www.fchd.info/SHREWSBT.HTM | title = Shrewsbury Town | access-date = 11 June 2021 | website = Football Club History Database | archive-date = 11 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210611072851/https://www.fchd.info/SHREWSBT.HTM | url-status = live }} The sides had faced one another three times during the regular season: in the league, Bristol Rovers won the match 1–0 at the Memorial Stadium in August 2006 while the game at Gay Meadow the following March ended in a goalless draw.{{Cite web | url = https://www.11v11.com/teams/bristol-rovers/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Shrewsbury%20Town/ | website = 11v11 | publisher = AFS Enterprises | access-date = 11 June 2021 | title = Bristol Rovers football club: record v Shrewsbury Town | archive-date = 11 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210611150143/https://www.11v11.com/teams/bristol-rovers/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Shrewsbury%20Town/ | url-status = live }} Between those matches, the sides met in the southern section semi-final of the Football League Trophy where Bristol Rovers won 1–0 at Gay Meadow.{{Cite web | url = https://www.11v11.com/matches/shrewsbury-town-v-bristol-rovers-30-january-2007-276746/ | website = 11v11 | publisher = AFS Enterprises | access-date = 11 June 2021 | title = Shrewsbury Town v Bristol Rovers, 30 January 2007 | archive-date = 11 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210611143256/https://www.11v11.com/matches/shrewsbury-town-v-bristol-rovers-30-january-2007-276746/ | url-status = live }}

Walker was Bristol Rovers' top scorer during the regular season with 19 goals (12 in the league, 4 in the FA Cup, 1 in the League Cup and 2 in the Football League Trophy).{{Cite web | url = https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=388&teamTabs=stats&season_id=136 | website = Soccerbase | publisher = Centurycomm | access-date = 12 June 2021 | title = Bristol R squad details – 2006/07 – Player appearances | archive-date = 12 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210612105809/https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=388&teamTabs=stats&season_id=136 | url-status = live }} The leading scorer for Shrewsbury Town was Michael Symes with a total of 13 goals (9 in the league, 4 in the Football League Trophy) while Ben Davies and Cooke both had a total of 12 goals.{{Cite web | url = https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2325&teamTabs=stats&season_id=136 | website = Soccerbase | publisher = Centurycomm | access-date = 12 June 2021 | title = Shrewsbury squad details – 2006/07 – Player appearances | archive-date = 12 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210612105805/https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2325&teamTabs=stats&season_id=136 | url-status = live }} The Racing Post considered Bristol Rovers to be favourites to win the final, but their manager Paul Trollope urged caution, noting "We probably are favourites because of the way we have gone into the final, but it is about producing a performance that is good enough to beat Shrewsbury because you don't win anything just by being favourites and turning up".{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A164004116/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=d651bbfb | work = Racing Post | via = Gale | url-access = subscription | access-date = 12 June 2021 | title = Shrews will miss crucial midfield duo | first = Dan | last = Childs | date = 26 May 2007 | page = 4 | archive-date = 12 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210612105807/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA164004116&v=2.1&it=r&sid=bookmark-STND&asid=d651bbfb | url-status = live }}

The referee for the final was Mike Jones from Cheshire.{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6686951.stm | title = Bristol Rovers 3–1 Shrewsbury | first = Chris | last = Bevan | publisher = BBC Sport | access-date = 12 June 2021 | date = 26 May 2007 | archive-date = 27 August 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170827220508/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6686951.stm | url-status = live }} Shrewsbury Town's Davies was unavailable after sustaining an Achilles tendon injury in the semi-final, and goalkeeper Shearer, on loan from Bristol Rovers, was ineligible to play against his own club. Luke Jones was also out injured for Shrewsbury Town, having suffered a locked knee during the warm-up preceding the final. Joe Jacobson's loan period had ended so he had returned to Cardiff City from Bristol Rovers. Both sides adopted a 4–4–2 formation for the final.{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A164090795/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=dbb4ce77 | via = Gale | url-access = subscription | access-date = 12 June 2021 | title = Rovers drink in moment as Walker enjoys taste of glory | first = Tom | last = Dart | work = The Times | page = 62 | date = 28 May 2007 | archive-date = 12 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210612105808/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA164090795&v=2.1&it=r&sid=bookmark-STND&asid=dbb4ce77 | url-status = live }}

File:RichardWalker 1071628.jpg

The match kicked off around 3{{nbsp}}p.m. on 26 May 2007 at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 61,589.{{Cite web | url = https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-rovers-v-shrewsbury-town-26-may-2007-277873/ | website = 11v11 | publisher = AFS Enterprise | access-date = 12 June 2021 | title = Bristol Rovers v Shrewsbury Town, 26 May 2007 | archive-date = 11 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210611144433/https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-rovers-v-shrewsbury-town-26-may-2007-277873/ | url-status = live }} Three minutes into the match, Shrewsbury Town took the lead: Neil Ashton's free-kick from the right was met by Stewart Drummond with a glancing header which sent the ball Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Steve Phillips into the bottom corner of the goal. Ashton had an opportunity to equalise after Derek Asamoah's cross was passed on by Ryan Green but failed to connect with the ball. In the 21st minute, Green took the ball down the right wing before crossing for Walker who struck the ball first time past Chris Mackenzie in the Shrewsbury Town goal. Asamoah then found Cooke with a cross but the Shrewsbury striker was unable to convert the chance to score. With ten minutes of the half remaining, Lewis Haldane passed the ball down the left, and after Richard Hope failed to make the interception, Walker took a controlling touch of the ball and lobbed it over MacKenzie to make it 2–1 before the interval. Late in the second half, Shrewsbury Town's Marc Tierney was sent off after being shown a second yellow card following a late tackle on Campbell. Two minutes into stoppage time, Shrewsbury Town won a corner for which their goalkeeper MacKenzie came up the pitch. Bristol Rovers broke from the corner and Igoe was able to run with the ball before striking it into an empty goal. The match ended 3–1 to Bristol Rovers who were promoted to League One.

{{football box

| date= 26 May 2007
15:00 BST

| team1= Bristol Rovers

| score= 3–1

| team2= Shrewsbury Town

| report=[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6686951.stm (Report)]

| goals1= Walker {{goal|21||35}}
Igoe {{goal|90}}

| goals2= Drummond {{goal|3}}

| stadium= Wembley, London

| attendance= 61,589

| referee= Mike Jones }}

|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%"|

|}

File:Bristol Rovers v Shrewsbury Town, League 2 Play Off Final, Wembley 2007 (517546477).jpg

The attendance of 61,589 was a record for the fourth tier play-off final and it was estimated in The Guardian that more than 37,000 of the crowd were Bristol Rovers supporters.{{Cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/may/28/match.bristolrovers | work = The Guardian | date = 28 May 2007 | access-date = 12 June 2021 | title = Walker applies finishing touch to Rovers' revival | first = Jeremy | last = Wilson | archive-date = 17 October 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201017002235/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/may/28/match.bristolrovers | url-status = live }} Trollope, who had featured in three play-off semi-final defeats as a player, described the victory as "the greatest day of my career."{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A164099413/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=591d754e | via = Gale | work = The Observer | first = Jamie | last = Jackson | access-date = 12 June 2021 | date = 27 May 2007 | page = 6 | url-access = subscription | title = Walker brace tames Shrews as Rovers enjoy final flourish | archive-date = 12 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210612105814/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA164099413&v=2.1&it=r&sid=bookmark-STND&asid=591d754e | url-status = live }} He did, however, note his belief that the two-goal margin of victory somewhat flattered his side. Walker said "I knew it was going to be the biggest game of my life{{nbsp}}... We didn't doubt ourselves when they scored, we believed in our ability, we clawed our way back into the game and it was a fantastic thing to win."{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A164061508/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=386bfa24 | via = Gale | work = The Sunday Times | first = Brian | last = Glanville | authorlink = Brian Glanville | title = Walker leads Rovers to glory | date = 27 May 2007 | access-date = 12 June 2021 | url-access = subscription | page = 13 | archive-date = 12 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210612105809/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA164061508&v=2.1&it=r&sid=bookmark-STND&asid=386bfa24 | url-status = live }} He went on to express his summer holiday plans: "I'm going to drink for six weeks". Gary Peters, the Shrewsbury Town manager, admitted "Had we had Walker on our side, it might have been different. They had two chances and took them, we had four and didn't put them away{{nbsp}}... I think the season's caught up with us. We had four more games than anybody else."

Shrewsbury Town ended the next season in 18th place, eight points above the relegation zone.{{Cite web | url = https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/2007-2008/regular-season/r5059/ | website = Soccerway | access-date = 10 June 2021 | title = League Two – 2007/2008 – Regular season | publisher = Perform Group | archive-date = 19 November 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171119162750/http://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-two/2007-2008/regular-season/r5059/ | url-status = live }} Bristol Rovers finished 16th in the 2007–08 Football League One, five points above the relegation zone, keeping their place in the third tier.{{Cite web | url = https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-one/2007-2008/regular-season/r5058/ | website = Soccerway | access-date = 10 June 2021 | title = League One – 2007/2008 – Regular season | publisher = Perform Group | archive-date = 11 July 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170711133623/http://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/league-one/2007-2008/regular-season/r5058/ | url-status = live }}

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{{reflist}}

{{EFL League Two play-offs}}

{{2006–07 in English football}}

{{Bristol Rovers F.C. matches}}

{{Shrewsbury Town F.C. matches}}

3

Category:EFL League Two play-off finals

Play-off Final 2007

Play-off Final 2007

play-off final

Football League Two play-off final

Football League Two play-off final