Posh have won promotion eight times in their 61-year Football League history, but only the 1973-74 team sealed the deal at home.
Posh have two chances to match that feat. A League One win over Doncaster Rovers at the Weston Homes Stadium tomorrow (April 27, 7.45pm kick off) or a home draw against promotion rivals Lincoln City on Saturday (May 1, 3pm kick off) will clinch a top two spot and a return to the Championship.
Here’s a reminder of the other Posh promotions...
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Paul Jones (left) and Craig Mackail-Smith celebrate the League One play-off final win at Old Trafford in 2011. Photo: Midlands
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The 1960-61 Posh Fourth Division title-winning side pose with the spoils of their success. Norman Rigby is the captain with the trophy. Posh actually sealed promotion in their first season as a Football League club with a 1-0 win at York on April 8. They still had seven games remaining! Terry Bly inevitably scored the goal at Bootham Crescent.
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The 1960-61 Posh Fourth Division title-winning side pose with the spoils of their success. Norman Rigby is the captain with the trophy. Posh actually sealed promotion in their first season as a Football League club with a 1-0 win at York on April 8. They still had seven games remaining! Terry Bly inevitably scored the goal at Bootham Crescent.
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Posh were demoted back to Division Four for financial irregularities at the end of the 1967-68 season and they didn't get back to Division Three until they appointed Noel 'The Messiah' Cantwell as manager. His first full season (1973-74) ended with another Fourth Division title. Many remember the title decider at the end of the season when Gillingham were vanquished 4-2 at London Road, but Posh had secured promotion with four games to spare after a 1-0 home win over Darlington courtesy of a a goal from the great Freddie Hill. It's the only time Posh have sealed a promotion with a home win and the club have not finished as champions since. This Posh team (pictured with skipper John Cozens holding the trophy aloft) won 19 and drew four of their 23 home matches. It's the only time Posh have completed an unbeaten season at home in their Football League history.
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Posh were muddling along in mid-table in Division Four (they'd been relegated from Division Three in the 1978-79 season) when legendary boss Chris Turner was appointed first-team manager in January, 1991. He inspired a surge up the table which culminated in promotion on the final day of the 1990-91 season . Posh clinched fourth place (there were no play-offs that season) by coming from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Chesterfield. Defenders Dave Robinson and George Berry scored the goals. Kevin Bremner is pictured celebrating the decisive goal.
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Remarkably the following season (1991-92) Posh won a second successive promotion under Turner after beating Stockport County 2-1 at Wembley in the old Third Division play-off final in May 1992. Posh had finished an excellent sixth, but beat third-placed Huddersfield Town in the play-off semi-final before Ken Charlery's double saw off County in the club's first visit to the National stadium. Charlery's winning goal is pictured. It elevated Posh to the second tier for the first time in the club's history.