League One Play-Offs: Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient semi-final opponents, dates & prize money confirmed
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The fixture dates and semi-final matches for the League One play-offs have been confirmed as the campaign comes to an end.
Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient will both compete for a place in the Championship next season via the League One play-offs with the regular third tier season finishing on Saturday.
The Addicks had already booked a spot in the play-offs with all eyes on the O’s as they took on Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium. Richie Wellens’ side risked being caught by Reading, who faced Barnsley at home, but held their fate in their own hands with three points enough to keep the Royals at bay.
Leyton Orient did exactly that with a 4-1 win over Huddersfield Town while Reading fell to a 4-2 defeat at the Select Car Leasing Stadium - although news of a long-awaited club sale ensured a jubilant mood in Berkshire.
Here’s who Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient will play in the League One play-off semi-finals before the chance to feature at Wembley in the final on May 25.
Who will Charlton Athletic play in the League One play-off semi-final?
Having finished in 4th place, Charlton Athletic will play 5th-placed Wycombe Wanderers in the League One play-off semi-final. The first leg of the fixture will be on Sunday, May 11 at 6:30 pm at Adams Park. The Addicks will then host Wycombe Wanderers at The Valley on Thursday, May 15 at 8 pm for the second leg.
Charlton Athletic have beaten Wycombe Wanderers twice already this season, winning 2-1 at The Valley before securing the double with a 4-0 win away from home last month.
Who will Leyton Orient play in the League One play-off semi-final?
Leyton Orient will have, on paper, the tougher semi-final having finished sixth in League One. The O’s will take on third-placed Stockport County, who were only promoted from League Two last year.
The first leg of the semi-final will be at Brisbane Road on Saturday, May 10 at 12:30 pm. Richie Wellens will then take his side to Edgeley Park on Wednesday, May 14 for an 8 pm kick-off.
Leyton Orient thumped Stockport County 4-1 on the outskirts of Manchester last September with Ethan Galbraith on the scoresheet twice alongside Dan Agyei and Sean Clare. Stockport then got revenge with a 1-0 win in London in February.
League One play-off fixtures:
- Leyton Orient v Stockport County, Saturday, May 10, 12:30 pm
- Wycombe Wanderers v Charlton Athletic, Sunday, May 11, 6:30 pm
- Stockport County v Leyton Orient, Wednesday, May 14, 8 pm
- Charlton Athletic v Wycombe Wanderers, Thursday, May 15, 8 pm
- Leyton Orient / Stockport County vs Charlton Athletic / Wycombe Wanderers, Sunday, May 25
League One play-off prize money
As per 90min last season, the winner of the League One play-offs do not receive any extra payments but that success can be lucrative with the financial injection that comes from playing in the Championship. There’s some debate over the actual sum that gets offered, with plenty discussion over the New Deal with the Premier League, but it is around as follows.
When basic awards are combined with solidarity payments from the Premier League, League One clubs receive around £1.4 million at the start of the season. That figure rises to between £6 million and £7 million for Championship sides, which could represent an immediate £5 million boost for Charlton Athletic or Leyton Orient.
The Athletic breaks those figures down to League One clubs receiving £780,000 in solidarity payments and £950,000 from the EFL central income - which would come to more like £1.7 million. For the Championship sides, it’s £5.19 million in solidarity money and £3.92 million in central income - coming to £9.1 million.
Even if Charlton Athletic, Leyton Orient or rivals were to achieve promotion to the Championship and then come straight back down to League One, they would benefit from a parachute payment too. The clubs relegated from the Championship receive around £3.2 million, which is partly what helped to fund the Birmingham City summer of spending last year.
How much would a play-off final ticket at Wembley Stadium cost Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient supporters?
Wembley Stadium has confirmed that tickets for the League One play-off final will be sold via relevant competing clubs. The ticketing process remains to be confirmed by Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient with that announcement to follow if and when the sides progress past the semi-final.
For comparison, last season Bolton Wanderers received 36,550 tickets for the East End of Wembley Stadium. The club also sold tickets in the North Stand and South Stand.
Ticket prices for the Bolton tickets last term may not reflect the prices of this season’s play-off final at Wembley Stadium, but were:
- Cat 1 - £86 Adults, £64.50 Young Adult, £43 Over 65, 16 & under
- Cat 2 - £67 Adults, £50.25 Young Adult, £33.50 Over 65, 16 & under
- Cat 3 - £59 Adults, £44.25 Young Adult, £29.50 Over 65, 16 & under
- Cat 4 - £55 Adults, £41.25 Young Adult, £27.50 Over 65, 16 & under
- Cat 5 - £41 Adults, £30.75 Young Adult, £20.50 Over 65, 16 & under
- Cat 6 - £31 Adults, £23.25 Young Adult, £15.50 Over 65, 16 & under