Preston travel to Leeds on Friday with the return leg on Monday evening whilst the other semi final will see Watford travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday with the return leg on Tuesday.
All but Leeds have had experience of the play offs in the past. By finishing fourth Preston now hold the record number of play off appearances with Ipswich and Bolton. This would be Preston's seventh attempt at acieveing promotion through the end of season lottery - should they fail they would take the unwanted record from Ipswich of having failed to gain promotion via the play offs. Ipswich have won once and lost six times whilst Preston stand on six failures upto now!
Crystal Palace jointly hold the record for most number of play off successes winning three out of the four finals that they have made. Watford have also been successful with one play off win.
Since the play offs have bene introduced it has been a lottery of sorts. Promoted from the now named Championship has usually had now bearing on what position you have finsihed. One season second place in the division meant only a play off place and even this meant failure to get promoted. Out of sixteen attempts the team that has finished third has only been promoted four times. Finishing fourth has meant only three sides promoted out of a possible seventeen. Fifth place has seen five out of seventeen teams promoted whilst sixth place has sen five out of sixteen teams promoted. The one season that seventh place made the play offs also proved unsuccessful!
Form going into the play offs differs from team to team. Preston are the form team in the division winning five and drawing one of their last six. Watford sit ninth in the form table having won two, drawing three but losing only one of their last six. Crystal Palace sit in twelth place having won, drawn and lost two games a piece. Leeds lie in eighteenth place having won only won, drawn three and lost two heading into the end of season knockout.
Here is a list of Preston's unfortunate adventures post season so far:
Preston 1 Port Vale 1 Division 3 Semi Final 1989
Port Vale 3 Preston 1
Torquay 2 Preston 0 Division 3 Play Off Semi Final 1994
Preston 4 Torquay 1 AET
Wycombe 4 Preston 2 Division 3 Play Off Final 1994 Wembley
Preston 0 Bury 1 Division 3 Play Off Semi Final 1995
Bury 1 Preston 0
Preston 1 Gillingham 1 Division 2 Play Off Semi Final 1999
Gillingham 1 Preston 0
Birmingham 1 Preston 0 Division 1 Play Off Semi Final 2001
Preston 2 Birmingham 1 AET Preston won 4-2 on penalties
Bolton 3 Preston 0 Division 1 Play Off Final 2001 Millennium Stadium
Preston 2 Derby 0 Championship Play Off Semi Final 2005
Derby 0 Preston 0
West Ham 1 Preston 0 Championship Play Off Final 2005
So there's all your play off stats and figures. fans will be interested to note post war every time they have reached a final of note they have played a team with a prominent W in their name and lost. FA Ciup Finals 1954 and 64 West Brom and West Ham respectively. Play Off Finals in 1994, 2001, 2005 against Wycombe Wanderers, Bolton Wanderers and West ham respectively. Let's just hope Watford aren't so lucky to get through!