The match was to determine the third and final team to win promotion from the Championship, the second tier of English football, to the Premier League for the 2010–11 season.

The culmination of the 2010 Football League Championship play-offs, the match saw Blackpool beat Cardiff City to earn promotion alongside the division champions Newcastle United and runners-up West Bromwich Albion.

[3] Blackpool, who had been considered candidates for relegation at the start of the season by some critics,[4] finished the campaign in sixth position to claim the final play-off place.

[10] The first leg at the Walkers Stadium was decided by a single goal from Cardiff's Peter Whittingham, who scored from a free kick in the 78th minute.

Both sides scored each of their first three kicks, before David Marshall saved a Panenka attempt from Leicester's Yann Kermorgant, allowing Mark Kennedy to give Cardiff the lead.

Adam had impressed during a loan the spell the previous year and continued his form by finishing the 2009–10 campaign as the club's highest goalscorer with 16 league goals.

Club captain Ian Evatt stated that the potential bonus had spurred the team on during the season, commenting that "if anyone deserves it, it is this group of players".

[17] Defender Roger Johnson was sold to Birmingham City for £5 million,[18] but the money was reinvested into the side with the arrivals of Chopra, Hudson, Marshall, Anthony Gerrard and Paul Quinn.

The winners of the 2010 final were believed to receive around £90 million for winning the match and the subsequent promotion to the Premier League due to increased commercial and broadcasting income.

[4][24] The Football League announced that the English national anthem "God Save the Queen", traditionally played before play-off finals would not be included.

[36][37] They began as the more attacking of the teams, with Peter Whittingham playing a cross into the box where Chopra was able to beat opposition defender Alex Baptiste to the ball, hitting the crossbar with his resulting shot four minutes into the match.

[37][38] Five minutes later, Whittingham again played in Chopra, allowing the striker to score past Blackpool goalkeeper Matt Gilks into the bottom corner of the net.

Four minutes later Cardiff conceded a free kick on the edge of their penalty area when Stephen McPhail was adjudged by Marriner to have deliberately handled the ball.

After fifteen minutes Cardiff's Bothroyd succumbed to his pre-existing hamstring injury and was substituted,[26] being replaced by loan player Kelvin Etuhu.

Blackpool were able to gain control of the game as Cardiff adjusted to the change,[26] with both Stephen Crainey and DJ Campbell shooting wide from outside the penalty area.

Holloway substituted two of his side's goalscorers within the first fifteen minutes of the half, replacing Taylor-Fletcher and Ormerod with Stephen Dobbie and Ben Burgess.

Chopra struck the post for the second time in the match soon after, when Chris Burke had played a pass to the striker, and Ledley and Etuhu both had attempts on goal as Cardiff pushed forward.

Cardiff replaced winger Burke with forward Ross McCormack but, as their frustration grew, they committed more players to attacks and Blackpool created several chances late in the game as they looked to counter-attack.

[48][49] Ben Burgess was the only contracted player in the play-off final matchday squad to leave the club prior to the Premier League season, joining Notts County.

[52] In their first season back in the Championship, with the promise of another promotion bonus,[46] Holloway led the club to another play-off final where they suffered a 2–1 defeat to West Ham United.

[55] The defeat would ultimately cost Cardiff manager Dave Jones his job as the club decided to terminate his contract following an end-of-season performance review.

[57] The match was the last game at Cardiff for several players involved including Joe Ledley and substitutes Mark Kennedy,[58][59] Ross McCormack, Tony Capaldi and Peter Enckelman.