1993 Football League Cup Final

The 1993 Coca Cola Cup Final took place on 18 April 1993 at Wembley Stadium, and was played between Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday. Arsenal won 2–1 in normal time, in what was the first of three Wembley finals between the two sides that season; Arsenal and Wednesday also met in the FA Cup Final of that year, the only time this has ever happened in English football.

The match was the first match in which any European clubs had used squad numbers on their shirts. On this occasion, as in the two FA Cup Finals that year, players wore individual numbers which were retained for the FA Cup finals. Coincidentally, the very first occurrence of players wearing numbered shirts came on 25 August 1928, when Arsenal and Chelsea wore numbered shirts in their matches against The Wednesday (renamed Sheffield Wednesday soon after) and Swansea Town, respectively. Squad numbers became compulsory for Premier League clubs from August 1993.

In the game, Wednesday's John Harkes scored the opener in the 8th minute, before Paul Merson equalised for Arsenal. Merson then set up Steve Morrow for the winner. In the celebrations after the match, Arsenal skipper Tony Adams attempted to pick up Morrow and parade him on his shoulders, but Adams slipped and Morrow awkwardly hit the ground. He broke his arm and had to be rushed to hospital. Unable to receive his winner's medal on the day, he was eventually presented with it before the start of the FA Cup Final the following month.

Lineups

Road to Wembley

Arsenal

Round 2, 1st Leg: Millwall 1–1 Campbell at Highbury

Round 2, 2nd Leg: 1–1 Campbell at The Den (Arsenal win 3–1 on penalties)

Round 3: Derby County 1–1 Campbell at Baseball Ground

Round 3 Replay: 2–1 Campbell, Wright at Highbury

Round 4: Scarborough 1–0 Winterburn at McCain Stadium

Round 5: Nottingham Forest 2–0 Wright (2) at Highbury

Semi-final, 1st Leg: Crystal Palace 3–1 Smith (2), Wright at Selhurst Park

Semi-final, 2nd Leg: 2–0 Linighan, Wright at Highbury

Sheffield Wednesday

Round 2, 1st Leg: Hartlepool United 3–0 Bright, Watson, Wilson at Hillsborough Stadium

Round 2, 2nd Leg: 2–2 Bright, Warhurst at Victoria Park

Round 3: Leicester City 7–1 Bart-Williams, Bright (2), Hirst, Watson (2), Worthington at Hillsborough Stadium

Round 4: QPR 4–0 Bright, Hirst, Nilsson, Palmer at Hillsborough Stadium

Round 5: Ipswich Town 1–1 John Sheridan at Portman Road

Round 5 Replay 1–0 Warhurst at Hillsborough Stadium

Semi-final, 1st Leg: Blackburn Rovers 4–2 Harkes, John Sheridan, Warhurst (2) at Ewood Park

Semi-final, 2nd Leg: 2–1 Bright, Hirst at Hillsborough Stadium

References

• "Coca-Cola Cup results and team details". Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/1993/04/19/sfrcoke19.xml. 
• Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin (2005). The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal. Hamlyn. ISBN 0-600-61344-5.