Lincoln City who were the 1st club relegated to the conference in 1986-87, were never bottom of the table during the season until after the final game.

On 10th March 2007, Bristol Rovers trailed by two goals inside the opening nine minutes at Boston United, lost 2-1 and, if my memory serves me right, were seventeenth in the League Two table (I stand to be corrected on the position - can't find a table anywhere on the internet). We then won most of the remaining games, slipped into the play-offs in the penultimate game, but still needed to win away to Hartlepool on the final day to make the play-offs. Hartlepool needed a point (?) to be champions. We went a goal down, came back to win 2-1, beat Lincoln City over two legs and, despite trailing early on, beat Shrewsbury Town at Wembley to secure promotion.

Maidenhead United won promotion and first reached a playoff place after their penultimate game of the 2006/07 season. After the first weekend in March they were 17th in the table.

Slightly outside scope since before the days of the play-offs, but...

In 1976-77, Palace got promoted from the old Third Division, entering the third and final promotion position for the first time in the season in their final match. Furthermore, they needed to win this match, and were only drawing with three minutes left!

Their late run was quite impressive, they won their last ten of their last fifteen matches, including all of the last four. Crucially, two of those last four were against Wrexham, who had been looking "certain" of promotion.

When Palace started their final run of four straight wins, they were 5 points behind Wrexham (only 2 points for a win in those days) and Wrexham's goal difference was 10 better. Wrexham had an extra match, so only needed 3 points from 5 games if they could hang on to their goal difference advantage.

Crucially, the clubs had to meet twice, with Palace's final game being at the Racecourse Ground. Going into this game, Wrexham still had a 1 point lead, their goal difference was 1 better, and they had scored more goals. Wrexham therefore only needed a draw to clinch promotion with a game to spare, Palace needed a win to move above them, and a 2-goal win to make Wrexham need a win rather than a draw on the last day of the season.

Palace's scheduled final-game day had been brought forward and already played, due to it being at the County Ground, Northampton, which was required for cricket in May.

The final (for Palace, penultimate for Wrexham) match ebbed and flowed. Palace took the 2-goal lead they needed early, Wrexham pulled it back to 2-2. The home end were singing promotion songs until Palace scored again with 3 minutes left. And then again for 4-2!

The fourth goal was crucial as it meant that Palace then had a better goal difference as well as a point lead. Wrexham had one last match, at home, and without that fourth goal, would only have needed a draw. They very nearly got the draw, but chasing the game for the vital win, conceded late and lost 1-0.

This story is fairly well known to older fans of both teams, although Wrexham fans have probably tried to forget it. The other factor which is often overlooked is that Rotherham could also have overtaken Palace on the final day, had they won by 6 goals at Port Vale. Unlikely, but at one time they were 4-0 up, before Port Vale pulled it back to 4-1, which was how it finished. So Wrexham only finished fifth!

Wrexham's disappointment was short-lived, as they won the Third Division in 1977-78, although sadly that visit to the second tier was a high watermark in their recent history. Palace, meanwhile, have not sunk to the third tier since, although they have been close a couple of times (needing another goal 3 minutes from time to stay up in 2001).