Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens was told by the fourth official the shoot-out would happen at the Cheadle End, packed with 5,000 Stockport fans, for security and safety reasons.
Richie Wellens revealed the extraordinary twist that helped his Leyton Orient side beat Stockport to reach the League One play-off final.
Orient and Stockport could not be separated over two ties, with the sides level at 3-3 on aggregate, after a 1-1 draw and extra-time at Edgeley Park on Wednesday.
The tie went to penalties, with Orient boss Wellens told there would be no toss to decide at which end of the stadium it would take place.
Wellens was told by the fourth official the shoot-out would happen at the Cheadle End, packed with 5,000 Stockport fans, for security and safety reasons.
“I spoke to the players before the penalty kicks and said ‘Do you want the good news or the really good news?’,” said Wellens. “They asked for the good news. I said I’m really proud of you, the spirit you showed.
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“Then I said the really good news is that the choice of ends for penalties was decided before the game. The police have already decided that, so you’re going to get an opportunity to score the winning penalty at their end, not ours where our supporters were.
“Bobby Madley, the fourth official, came over to me and told me it had already been decided which end the penalties would be taken at. It made my team talk for me.
“How can we have Champions League finals, with 80,000 fans, and still have a coin toss to decide which end the penalties are taken, but at this level we can’t control the stewards?
“So the fact we won it at their end is pleasing, because again it showed our resilience.” Orient, who won the shoot-out 4-1, will have the chance to reach the Championship on May 25 in the play-off final at Wembley.
Wellens added: “In the last 30 games of the regular season, only Birmingham got more points than us in League One. So this is no fluke.
“In four full seasons as a manager I’ve got two league titles, a Papa John’s trophy and now I’m going to Wembley. There’s only Pep Guardiola who’s probably won more trophies in that time!”
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