1991 Football League Second Division play-off final
[1] Brighton & Hove Albion had qualified for the play-offs with a free kick in the last minute of the final league game of the regular season, to beat Ipswich Town 2–1 and secure sixth place, despite having negative goal difference.Millwall took the lead on 14 minutes after a poor clearance from Ștefan Iovan found Paul Stephenson whose shot from 25 yards (23 m) beat Perry Digweed in the Brighton goal.Millwall's John McGlashan scored early in the first half, but a minute after the break Codner levelled the match after converting a cross from Small.After a goalless first half, Paul Harding scored his first goal in professional football, putting the home side ahead in the 78th minute with a header from a Mark Draper cross.[9] In the matches between the two sides during the regular season, Notts County won their home game at Meadow Lane on New Year's Day 1991 while the return fixture in April ended in a goalless draw.[12] Walker returned to the Brighton starting line-up after suffering an arm injury in the semi-final, while Byrne was selected as one of the two substitutes two weeks after having undergone a second cartilage operation.[16] Three minutes into the second half Brighton struck the frame of the Notts County goal again: Dean Wilkins took a direct free kick from around 30 yards (27 m) which cleared the defensive wall but shaved the crossbar.[20] According to the Chelsea chairman Ken Bates, he approached Warnock with a provisional three-year deal to become manager of the club before the play-offs but he turned down the move citing his desire to remain continue working with his assistant Mick Jones at Notts County.[21][22] Warnock later claimed he had "no regrets" that he did not accept the offer, suggesting that he remained with his promoted team because he "wanted to stay loyal to a group of players who had been fantastic for [him].