Anyone with more than a passing interest in matters of promotion and relegation in the English Football League (EFL) probably does not need reminding that Peterborough United missed out on a place in the 2023 League One play-off final in bizarre fashion. The Posh led 4-0 after the first leg of their semi-final against Sheffield Wednesday at the ABAX Stadium on May 12, but, at Hillsborough six days later, conceded four goals in normal time, including an equaliser in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
In extra-time, an own goal by Owls’ striker Lee Gregory put Peterborough back ahead, 5-4 on aggregate, but Wednesday pulled level again, through Callum Patterson, to take the tie to penalties. In the resulting shoot-out, full-back Dan Butler, who hit the crossbar, was the only player to miss a penalty, thereby sending the Owls to Wembley under the unlikeliest of circumstances.
In happier times, Peterbrough United were promoted to the Football League First Division, as it was known at the time, at the end of the 1991/92 season, having won the Third Division play-offs. To avoid any confusion, following the creation of the Premier League in February, 1992, the Second Division was renamed the First Division, the Third Division was renamed the Second Division and so on. Similarly, since the second tier of the EFL officially became known as the ‘Football League Championship’ in 2004/05, the Posh have been promoted to the division on three separate occasions, although their stay has never lasted more than a season or two.
In 2007/08 and 2008/09, Petetborough achieved successive promotions, but, in 2009/10 – a season in which they had four different managers – they finished bottom of the Championship and were immediately relegated back to Football League One. They were promoted again in 2010/11, under Darren Ferguson, but relegated again in 2012/13, and although promoted again in 2020/21, under the reappointed Ferguson – who was taking charge of the club for the third time – lasted just a single season in the Championship before being relegated again.