Despite Norwich City's successful promotion campaigns in the Championship in recent years, this is only the third time they have been involved in the play-offs.
City have a 100pc record of reaching the final once they qualify - but have had mixed fortunes during play-off campaigns in 2002 and 2015. They face Leeds United over two legs this time around hoping to reach the Premier League.
Recap both the campaigns here - which ended rather differently for the Canaries on both occasions.
2001/02 play-off campaign
FIRST LEG: Norwich City 3-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers - April 28 2002
Goals: Rivers 56, McVeigh 72, Mackay 90; Sturridge 22
Nigel Worthington's men produced an epic second half comeback to secure an impressive first leg victory over third-placed Wolves at Carrow Road.
Malky Mackay's stoppage time header sealed a fine victory and ensured that Norwich travelled back to Molineux with a two-goal cushion ahead of the second leg, Mark Rivers' second half strike cancelled out Dean Sturridge's opener.
Paul McVeigh added a second before Mackay's header from a Clint Easton corner put them in a positive position to secure a place in the final.
Worthington said: "We've got one foot in the final as it were. Wolves are the ones with all the money, the big stadium, the big players, but our players have played for the yellow shirt. There's a good spirit here, that's been a big thing for this season and that's been the ethic, and we have to carry on again on Wednesday."
Wolves boss Dave Jones said: "The referee was atrocious. I will go as far as to say he's not physically fit to referee in this division or any division. He was chugging round at the end like an old tug-boat. Three poor goals to give away. We have an uphill battle."
Norwich: Green, Kenton, Mackay, Fleming, Drury, Rivers (Roberts, 77), Holt, Mulryne, Easton, McVeigh (Notman, 83), Nielsen (Libbra, 87). Subs: Crichton, Sutch
Wolves: Oakes, Halle, Butler, Lescott, Camara, Newton (Miller, 74), Cameron, Rae, Cooper, Blake (Proudlock, 82), Sturridge. Subs: Murray, Naylor, Pollet.
SECOND LEG - Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Norwich City (2-3 on aggregate) - May 1 2002
Goals: Cooper 76
Norwich took a two goal advantage to the Black Country for the second leg and emerged victorious despite a 1-0 defeat at Molineux on the night.
Kevin Cooper's fine strike in the 76th minute was enough to secure progress to the final for the Canaries, who rode their luck at points with Robert Green making a flurry of fine stops.
Iwan Roberts squandered a gilt-edged chance to win the tie, before Paul Butler nodded wide of the post. Norwich secured their place in the play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium against Birmingham.
Worthington said: "We've come a long way. Now, we are 90 minutes away from the Premiership. In our financial position, what we have achieved has been phenomenal."
Jones said: "We will regroup and come back better and stronger. This defeat has really hurt but the players gave their all and never slackened off."
Wolves: Oakes, Halle (Miller, 74), Lescott, Butler, Camara, Newton (Kennedy, 46), Cameron, Rae, Cooper, Blake, Sturridge. Subs: Naylor, Pollet, Murray.
Norwich: Green, Kenton, Mackay, Fleming, Drury, Rivers (Sutch, 71), Holt, Mulryne, Easton, Nielsen (Roberts, 46), McVeigh (Notman, 90). Subs: Crichton, Libbra.
FINAL - Norwich City 1-1 Birmingham City (Birmingham win 4-2 on penalties) - May 12 2002
Goals: Roberts 92; Horsfield 102
Norwich City suffered penalty heartbreak against Birmingham to see their season end in gutting fashion in Cardiff.
Iwan Roberts headed Norwich ahead two minutes into extra time, famously thinking he'd scored the winner through Golden Goal, only for that rule not to be in place for the play-off final. Geoff Horsfield equalised nine minutes later to force the tie to penalties.
Roberts kickstarted the shootout and dispatched confidently into the left corner. Stern John promptly equalised. City then suffered their first setback, with Phil Mulryne's spot kick being saved by Nico Vaesen. Next up was Paul Devlin, who converted a fine penalty past Green.
Daryl Sutch then dragged the following spot kick wide, leaving Birmingham on the brink of the Premier League after Stan Lazaridis' successful penalty. Clint Easton kept Norwich's faint hopes alive before Darren Carter dispatched the winning penalty.
Worthington said: "It's been a wonderful ride and I am proud of every one of my players. Our performance showed that we are on the right track but it wasn't our day. If we had been promoted we would have had money to spend but now we might end up looking for Bosman signings."
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce said: "I have to say to Norwich that it is a very cruel way to lose a football match. Our first aim is to try and stay up - we will be doing our best to finish fourth bottom."
Birmingham: Vaesen, Kenna, Vickers (Carter, 71), Michael Johnson, Grainger, Devlin, Bryan Hughes, Tebily, Mooney (Lazaridis, 69), Horsfield (A Johnson, 113), John. Subs: Bennett, D Johnson.
Norwich: Green, Kenton, Mackay, Fleming, Drury, Rivers (Notman, 90), Mulryne, Holt, Easton, Nielsen (Roberts, 83), McVeigh (Sutch, 102). Subs: Libbra, Crichton.
2014/15 play-off campaign
FIRST LEG - Ipswich Town 1-1 Norwich City - May 9 2015
Goals: Anderson 45+4; Howson 41
It was the biggest of play-off semi finals. A two-legged contest against rivals Ipswich Town, beginning at Portman Road.
As expected, it was cagey. Norwich struck the first blow with Cameron Jerome's cross being finished by midfielder Jonny Howson. Just minutes later, Paul Anderson restored parity by lashing home after Freddie Sears' blocked effort.
A flat second half followed with Bradley Johnson's fizzing effort being deflected wide by Luke Chambers. Daryl Murphy then broke through but saw his shot blocked as the teams remained level, heading to Carrow Road.
Alex Neil said: "I thought the first half was as we expected - 100 miles per hour and fighting for second balls. In the second half we controlled the ball, but couldn't create chances. Did we do enough to win the game? Probably not."
Mick McCarthy said: "I would say it was a terrific, hard-fought football match. When two teams are competing for a big prize it will never be expansive football. I thought it was a good game, for us we'd like to be in front but there's no away goals that count."
Ipswich: Bialkowski; Mings, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Skuse, Murphy, Varney (Anderson 30), Bru (Tabb 71), Sears, Bishop (Parr 77). Subs: Gerken (GK), S Hunt, N Hunt, McGoldrick.
Norwich: Ruddy; Whittaker, Martin (c), Bassong, Olsson; Tettey, Howson, Dorrans (Hoolahan 69), Redmond, Johnson; Jerome (Hooper 86). Subs: Rudd (GK), E Bennett, R Bennett, O'Neil, Odjidja-Ofoe.
SECOND LEG - Norwich City 3-1 Ipswich Town (4-2 on aggregate) - May 16 2015
Goals: Hoolahan 50 (pen), Redmond 64, Jerome 76; Smith 60
The atmosphere was vociferous, the sun shining and it was a day for the ages at Carrow Road as they booked their spot into the Wembley final with victory over their Suffolk neighbours.
Christophe Berra used his hand to block Nathan Redmond's goal-bound effort to win Norwich a penalty and see Ipswich reduced to 10. Legendary midfielder Wes Hoolahan made no mistake from the spot.
Tommy Smith disrupted the script thereafter, bundling home an equaliser from close range, but the day belonged to Norwich. Redmond added a second before sending Cameron Jerome through on goal to send the Canaries to Wembley.
Neil said: “To come through a really tense affair, a tight game, and to come out of the other side knowing we did the job we set out to do is great. I am just delighted for the players, the fans and everybody at the club. We have given ourselves a 50-50 chance of reaching the Premier League."
McCarthy said: "We’re immensely proud of them, they’ve been fantastic all season and I couldn’t be any prouder of a group of a group of fellas. They’re hard-working, really professional and I think they’ve shown what they’ve been about and why we’re in the play-offs when we were pretty unfancied.”
Norwich: Ruddy, Olsson, Bassong, Martin, Whittaker; Redmond, Tettey, Johnson (E Bennett 87), Howson, Jerome (Hooper 83), Hoolahan (Dorrans 74). Subs: Josh Murphy, R Bennett, O'Neil, Rudd.
Ipswich: Bialkowski, Mings, Berra, Smith, Chambers; Sears, Skuse, Bru (Tabb 71), Anderson (N Hunt 83), Bishop (McGoldrick 71), Murphy. Subs: Gerken, Clarke, Parr, S Hunt.
FINAL - Middlesbrough 0-2 Norwich City - May 25 2015
Goals: Jerome 12, Redmond 15
It is a day that Norwich City supporters need no reminder of - but a Wembley win against Middlesbrough secured their Premier League return.
Cameron Jerome opened the scoring after 12 minutes after profiting from a defensive error before Nathan Redmond arrowed a strike into the corner soon after. That gave Norwich a cushion and the game was rather comfortable from there.
Alex Neil, who was only hired in the January of that season, won 17 of his opening 25 games in charge and was a Premier League manager. It was a day that will live long in the memory of all those of a yellow-feathered persuasion.
Aitor Karanka said: "It's amazing to be here. It's not our moment now. It's a big step forward this season and we have to keep going the same way because this club, this crowd and this city deserve to be in the Premier League. I will start tomorrow to prepare for next season because it's my job."
Alex Neil said: "I believed we would do it, but it's one thing believing it and another thing doing it. Big players arrive on the big stage and you saw that in the first 20 minutes - we were unbelievable. We worked so hard to get here. The worst thing you can do is walk off having been scared."
Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos; Whitehead (Nsue 45), Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Adomah, Leadbitter, Clayton, Tomlin; Vossen (Kike 68); Bamford. Subs: Ripley (GK), Forshaw, Reach, Amorebieta, Woodgate.
Norwich: Ruddy; Whittaker, Martin (c), Bassong, Olsson; Redmond (O'Neil 87), Howson, Tettey, Johnson; Hoolahan (Dorrans 75); Jerome (Grabban 74). Subs: Rudd (GK), Hooper, E Bennett, R Bennett, O'Neil.
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