Your team-by-team guide to the EFL play-offs

The Football League play-offs often provide some of the most dramatic moments of the whole season – and this year will probably be no different.

The semi-final action gets under way this week and here Press Association Sport takes a look at the past records of all the teams involved.

Championship:

May 11 Derby v Fulham

May 12 Middlesbrough v Aston Villa

May 14 Fulham v Derby

May 15 Aston Villa v Middlesbrough

Fulham (3rd, 88 points)

A second successive appearance in the play-offs for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side after they were beaten at the semi-final stage last season. The Cottagers also lost at the first hurdle in their previous play-off campaigns in 1989 (Third Division) and 1998 (Second Division).

Aston Villa (4th, 83 points)

Having campaigned in the Premier League since the play-offs were introduced in 1987 until their relegation from the top flight in 2016, this is only the second year that Villa have been eligible. They are making their play-off debut. However, manager Steve Bruce has got both Birmingham and Hull promoted to the Premier League via the play-offs in the recent past.

Middlesbrough (5th, 76 points)

This is Boro’s fourth appearance in the play-offs, all of them coming in the second tier. They were winners in 1988, semi-finalists in 1991 and beaten finalists as recently as 2015.

Derby (6th, 75 points)

The Rams have the greatest play-off experience but most of it is painful. Derby are making their seventh Championship play-off appearance but 2007 remains their only promotion success. Beaten in the final in 2014 and 1994, Derby were knocked out in the semi-finals in 1992, 2005 and 2016.

League One

May 10 Charlton v Shrewsbury

May 12 Scunthorpe v Rotherham

May 13 Shrewsbury v Charlton

May 16 Rotherham v Scunthorpe

Shrewsbury (3rd, 87 points)

This is Shrewsbury’s first appearance in the play-offs at this level, with their previous three campaigns all coming in the bottom tier. Town were beaten in the final in 2007 and 2009 and lost in the semi-finals in 2011.

Rotherham (4th, 79 points)

The Millers made it up into the Championship by winning the League One play-offs in 2014. Rotherham reached the League Two final in 2010 and were beaten in the semi-finals in 1999 (League Two) and 1988 (Fourth Division).

Scunthorpe (5th, 74 points)

The Iron won the League One play-offs in 2009, which was their second success in the format having been promoted from Division Three a decade previously. Scunthorpe have endured their fair share of heartache in the play-offs too, losing in the final in 1992 (Fourth Division) and experiencing defeat in the semi-finals in 1988, 1989, 1991 and in the Third Division in 2003.

Charlton (6th, 71 points)

The Addicks were among the first ever group of play-off winners in 1987 when they won promotion from Division Two and they repeated the feat to get out of Division One in 1998. Charlton were beaten semi-finalists in 1996 (First Division) and 2010 (League One).

League Two

May 12 Lincoln v Exeter

May 12 Coventry v Notts County

May 17 Exeter v Lincoln

May 18 Notts County v Coventry

Exeter (4th, 80 points)

The Grecians’ only appearance in the Football League play-offs came last season when they were beaten in the final at Wembley by Blackpool.

Notts County (5th, 77 points)

The Magpies have reached the final in three of their four previous play-off campaigns, winning promotion in 1990 (Division Three) and 1991 (Division Two). Notts lost in the semi-finals in 1988 and their defeat in the 1996 Second Division final was the last time they were involved in the play-offs.

Coventry (6th, 75 points)

Having played in the Premier League until their relegation in 2001, the Sky Blues’ steady decline since means this is the club’s first play-off challenge.

Lincoln (7th, 75 points)

Few clubs know play-off heartache like Lincoln. The Imps were beaten in the League Two play-offs five consecutive times between 2003 and 2007, losing in the final in 2003 and 2005.