1989 Football League Third Division play-off final

1989 Football League Third Division play-off final
	Vale Park pictured in July 2006
First leg
Date	31 May 1989
Venue	Twerton Park, Bath
Referee	Allan Gunn; (Sussex)
Attendance	9,042
Second leg
Date	3 June 1989
Venue	Vale Park, Stoke-on-Trent
Referee	Keith Hackett; (Sheffield & Hallamshire)
Attendance	17,343
	← 1988 1990 →

The 1989 Football League Third Division play-off final was a two-legged football match played on 31 May and 3 June 1989, between Port Vale and Bristol Rovers to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division. The top two teams of the 1988–89 Football League Third Division season gained automatic promotion to the Second Division, while those placed from third to sixth place in the table took part in play-offs; the winners of these semi-finals competed for the final place for the 1989–90 season in the Second Division. From 1990 onwards, play-off finals would be one-legged affairs decided at Wembley Stadium or an appropriate neutral stadium.

It was the first time either Port Vale or Bristol Rovers played a play-off final, with play-offs only being introduced to English football for the first time two years previously. In the semi-finals, Port Vale defeated Preston North End, and Bristol Rovers beat Fulham. The first leg of the final finished 1–1, with Port Vale midfielder Robbie Earle equalising in the 73rd minute after Gary Penrice had given Bristol Rovers the lead in the first half. In the second leg, Earle scored the only goal of the match with a 52nd minute header. The result meant that Port Vale won the play-offs with a 2–1 aggregate victory.

Port Vale ended the following season eleventh in the Second Division, 13 points outside the play-offs and 13 points above the relegation zone. Bristol Rovers secured promotion as champions of the Third Division, finishing two points ahead of Bristol City in second and six points ahead of third-placed Notts County.