The 1987 Football League Third Division play-off Final was an association football match contested by Gillingham and Swindon Town over two legs on 22 and 25 May 1987 to determine which club would play the next season in the Second Division. Gillingham had finished in fifth place in the Third Division while Swindon finished third. They were joined in the play-offs by fourth-placed Wigan Athletic and Sunderland, who had finished 20th in the division above. Gillingham defeated Sunderland in their semi-final by away goals while Swindon Town defeated Wigan Athletic in the other semi-final. Swindon had previously had two spells in the Second Division, but Gillingham were aiming to reach the second tier of English football for the first time in their history. The 1986–87 season was the first in w