Best Championship play-off final goals of all time featuring Dean Windass stunner and ’emphatic’ Bobby Zamora strike

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The Championship play-offs are upon us once again, with four teams set to go toe-to-toe in arguably the most exciting few weeks of domestic football in the year.

Sheffield United, Sunderland, Coventry City and Bristol City are all vowing for glory in 2025, with the prize of the promotion and the rewards of playing in the Premier League set to be won by one of those four.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	46	29	13	4	95	30	65	100
2	BurnleyBurnley	46	28	16	2	69	16	53	100
3	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	46	28	8	10	63	36	27	90
4	SunderlandSunderland	46	21	13	12	58	44	14	76
5	CoventryCoventry	46	20	9	17	64	58	6	69
6	Bristol CityBristol City	46	17	17	12	59	55	4	68

The Blades face the Robins away from home in the first of the semi-final clashes on Thursday evening, before Coventry City welcome Sunderland to the CBS Arena 24 hours later as the pressure starts to build.

There have been some incredible games in the Championship play-off final, and with this comes some of the most memorable moments and goals in the division’s history. EFL Analysis has picked out five of the best goals to have come at Wembley in the second tier final.

5. Bobby Zamora – Derby County 0-1 QPR (2014)

Where best to start than possibly the most iconic moment in the history of the play-offs. QPR had been on the backfoot throughout the 90 minutes as Steve McClaren’s Derby County team piled on the pressure but without reward.

Gary O’Neil’s red card only made the situation tougher for the West London outfit, until in the final minute the ball broke down the right hand side.

Junior Hoilett found a way past Jake Buxton before firing the ball into the box where it was met by a mis-kick from Rams defender Richard Keogh.

His clearance fell straight at the feet of Bobby Zamora who expertly found the top corner with what the commentators at the time described as an “emphatic” strike as QPR won promotion with the final kick of the game.

4. Wade Elliott – Sheffield United 0-1 Burnley (2009)

Sheffield United were looking to return to the Premier League after a two-year absence in 2009, and after missing out on automatic promotion by just three points to Birmingham City, they had to go through the Championship play-offs.

In their way was a Burnley side looking to make their mark on the top flight for the first time since 1976 and it was the Clarets who were going to be leaving the second tier behind them as Wade Elliott fired in an incredible strike to secure promotion, adding further pain to Sheffield United in the play-offs.

The wide midfielder carried the ball nearly the length of the Wembley pitch before laying off Chris McCann who was tackled. However, it fell back to Elliott who struck first time into the top corner to send those who had travelled from Lancashire into raptures.

3. Mohammed Diame – Hull City 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday (2016)

Seven years later and it was the blue-and-white half of Sheffield who left Wembley disappointed, as Sheffield Wednesday were beaten 1-0 by Hull City.

In a game of relatively few chances, it took until the final 20 minutes for the deadlock to be broken as Robert Snodgrass played the ball inside to Mohammed Diame who was 30 yards from goal with the Owls defenders charging at him.

He took just one touch before unleashing a tremendous strike that was too powerful for Keiren Westwood to stop, sealing the Tigers’ return to the Premier League following relegation 12 months prior as the bragging rights in Yorkshire were claimed.

2. Charlie Adam – Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff City (2010)

Ian Holloway’s Blackpool had an incredible rise up the Championship table in the 2009/10 campaign, before they played out one of the greatest play-off finals against Cardiff City at Wembley.

The Seasiders came from behind to run out 3-2 winners to secure their place in the Premier League for the first ever time, but it was Charlie Adam’s equaliser to make it 1-1 inside the opening 13 minutes that stole the show.

The ex-Liverpool midfielder had been incredible for Blackpool over the course of the campaign and he struck a wonderful free kick in from nearly 30 yards out to tie the game once again before his team went on to win.

It was perhaps his greatest moment for the Tangerines, and his goal will forever be synonymous with Holloway’s time at Bloomfield Road.

1. Dean Windass – Hull City 1-0 Bristol City (2008)

The second Hull winner on this list, and arguably the greatest goal in Championship play-off final history, Dean Windass’ wonderstrike against Bristol City is still fondly remembered almost 17 years later.

Both clubs were looking for their first taste of Premier League football, and what was an extremely tight and tense affair changed in an instant as the Tigers’ former number nine was presented with an opportunity just seven minutes before half-time.

Frazier Campbell found Windass with an excellent cross before the striker hit it first time on the volley into the back of the net, sending the Hull supporters into a state ecstasy with Bristol City’s play-off record taking another hit.