Source: Daily_Mail
Preston look to cut down Blades and end their play-off misery - while Leeds aim to tame Lions
The Coca-Cola League play-offs get underway tonight with League Two taking centre stage.[LNB]It's the 23rd time the play-offs have taken place and each year they get more and more dramatic - expect one of the least fancied teams to go all the way.[LNB]And results between the semi-finalists in League meetings this season suggest six cracking games.[LNB] It's there: Neil Harris celebrates scoring his second and Millwall's third goal in their defeat of Leeds this season[LNB] Preston may have crept into through the backdoor on a solitary goal scored but they now really have a point to prove.[LNB]The Deepdale club have reached the play-offs seven times in the past and despite reaching three finals have never won one.[LNB]They have played in all three levels and this is their fourth appearance in the Championship play-offs since 2001.[LNB]Sheffield United have made two appearance at this stage before - reaching one final. [LNB]The other semi-final is too close to call with both Reading and Burnley having reached five play-offs between them, the former reaching two finals but the latter actually winning one - 15 years ago against Stockport.[LNB]MK Dons have reached just one play-off before and they will take heart that League One opponents Scunthorpe boast a dismal record.[LNB]Four of their six appearances have ended in semi-final defeats with just one final success, against Leyton Orient last century.[LNB]Leeds will be odds-on favourites to sweep aside Millwall.[LNB]The Elland Road club have reached the final of their three previous play-offs, albeit they have lost every one, but the Lions have played eight play-off matches and have never won a single one - indeed, they've only drawn two of them.[LNB]In League Two, Gillingham fans will remember their heartbreaking penalties defeat to Manchester City in 1999 and their defeat of Wigan the following year.[LNB]Their opponents Rochdale have reached the play-offs twice before, including last year when they lost to Stockport in the final.[LNB]The other semi-final sees beaten 2007 finalists Shrewsbury take on a Bury side who have not reached a final despite making it this far an incredible five times.[LNB]Championship semi-finalsSheffield United v Preston[LNB]This season[LNB]Sheffield United 1 Preston 0[LNB]Preston 0 Sheffield United 0[LNB]Sheffield United play-off history1997: Lost Div 1 final to Crystal Palace1998: SF Div 1 lost to Sunderland2003: Lost Div 1 final to Wolves[LNB]Preston play-off history[LNB]1989: SF Div 2 lost to Port Vale1994: Lost Div 3 final to Wycombe1995: SF Div 3 lost to Bury1999: SF Div 2 lost to Gillingham2001: Lost Div 1 final to Bolton2005: Lost Div 1 final to West Ham2006: SF Div 1 lost to Leeds[LNB]Reading v Burnley[LNB]This season[LNB]Reading 3 Burnley 1[LNB]Burnley 1 Reading 0[LNB]Reading play-off history[LNB]1995: Lost Div 1 final to Bolton2001: Lost Div 2 final to Walsall2003: SF Div 1 lost to Wolves [LNB]Burnley play-off history[LNB]1991: SF Div 3 lost to Torquay1994: Won Div 2 final v Stockport[LNB]League One semi-finalsScunthorpe v MK Dons[LNB]This season[LNB]MK Dons 0 Scunthorpe 2[LNB]Scunthorpe 0 MK Dons 1[LNB]MK Dons play-off history[LNB]2007: SF Div 3 lost to Shrewsbury[LNB]Scunthorpe play-off history 1988: SF Div 3 lost to Torquay1989: SF Div 3 lost to Wrexham1991: SF DIv 3 lost to Blackpool1992: Lost Div 3 final to Blackpool1999: Won Div 3 final v Leyton Orient2003: SF Div 3 lost to Lincoln[LNB]Millwall v Leeds[LNB]This season[LNB]Millwall 3 Leeds 1[LNB]Leeds 2 MIllwall 0[LNB]Leeds play-off history[LNB]1987: Lost Div 1 final replay to Charlton2006: Lost Div 1 final to Watford2008: Lost Div 2 final to DoncasterMillwall play-off history[LNB]1990: SF Div 1 lost to Brighton 1994: SF Div 1 lost to Derby 2000: SF Div 2 lost to Wigan 2002: SF Div 1 lost to Birmingham[LNB]League Two semi-finalsRochdale v Gillingham[LNB]This season[LNB]Rochdale 0 Gillingham 1[LNB]Gillingham 1 Rochdale 1[LNB]Rochdale play-off history[LNB]2002: SF Div 3 lost to Rushden & D2008: Lost Div 3 final to StockportGillingham play-off history[LNB]1987: Lost Div 2 final replay to Swindon[LNB]1999: Lost Div 2 final to Manchester City[LNB]2000: Won Div 2 final v Wigan[LNB]Shrewsbury v Bury[LNB]This season[LNB]Bury 2 Shrewsbury 1[LNB]Shrewsbury 1 Bury 0[LNB]Shrewsbury play-off history[LNB]2007: Lost Div 3 final to Bristol Rovers[LNB]Bury play-off history[LNB]1990: SF Div 2 lost to Tranmere1991: SF Div 2 lost to Bolton1993: SF Div 3 lost to York 1995: SF Div 3 lost to Bury2003: SF Div 3 lost to Bournemouth [LNB][LNB]
