The top two teams of the 2008–09 Football League One season, Leicester City and Peterborough United, gained automatic promotion to the Championship, while those placed from third to sixth in the table took part in play-off semi-finals.

In the 6th minute, Matt Sparrow put Scunthorpe ahead with a right-footed shot into the top-left corner of the Millwall goal from around 6 yards (5.5 m).

Millwall ended their following season in third place in the table to qualify for the play-offs where they defeated Swindon Town in the final.

Millwall finished seven points behind Peterborough United (who were promoted in second place) and fourteen behind league winners Leicester City.

A volley from Martyn Woolford put the home side into the lead early in the match after Willy Guéret failed to properly clear a shot from Paul Hayes.

After a goalless first half, Neil Harris scored in the 70th minute from a Gary Alexander cross to give Millwall a one-goal lead to take into the second leg.

[7] Earlier in the season, Scunthorpe had already played at the renovated Wembley Stadium in the Football League Trophy Final, where they lost 3–2 to Luton Town after extra time.

[9] In the two games between the sides during the regular season, Scunthorpe had won both, with a 3–2 victory at home in October 2008 and a 2–1 win at the New Den the following January.

[13] It was anticipated by Mikey Stafford in The Observer that around 45,000 Millwall supporters would attend the match, outnumbering their opposition fans by four-to-one.

[17] In the 6th minute, Sparrow put Scunthorpe ahead with a right-footed shot into the top-left corner of the Millwall goal from around 6 yards (5.5 m).

Ten minutes later, Scunthorpe's Forte came on for Hooper before Millwall's Tony Craig was shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

[18] Nigel Adkins, the winning manager and former club physiotherapist, noted: "In the end fortunes favoured us and we've got the result we needed.

"[20] Millwall's manager Kenny Jackett was gracious in defeat: "It was a 50–50 game ... Scunthorpe put their chances away, so congratulations to them.

[22] Millwall ended their following season in third place in the table to qualify for the play-offs where they defeated Swindon Town in the final.