| Founded | 1983 |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 48 |
| 2011–12 Football League Trophy | |
The Football League Trophy, also known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top divisions of English league football.
The competition began in the 1983–84 season as the Associate Members' Cup but, from 1992, it has been named the Football League Trophy, after the lower-division clubs became full members of the Football League. The competition replaced the short-lived Football League Group Cup, a competition which was only played in 1981/82 and 1982/83 (although confusingly, in the second year it was also called the Football League Trophy). The competition has been associated with a title sponsor since its second edition.
The first draws are made in August, then the competition runs as two parallel north and south area competitions, before the two winners meet in late March or early April in the final at England's national stadium, Wembley. The basic north/south format of the competition has existed since its beginnings, although other details have varied over the years, including in some years inviting clubs from the semi-professional Conference National, and holding a round-robin group stage prior to moving into knock-out rounds.
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The competition was inaugurated as the Associate Members' Cup in the 1983-84 season (when League One and Two were known as Division Three and Four) as a way of providing more games for the lower division clubs. It followed on from the short-lived Football League Group Cup. These competitions however were not restricted to the lower leagues. The competition was renamed the Football League Trophy in 1992. This was in the same year of the reorganisation that followed after Division One broke away to form the Premier League and the Football League became responsible for just the lower three professional divisions.
| Period | Sponsor | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1983-1984 | No main sponsor | Associate Members Cup |
| 1984-1987 | Rover | Freight Rover Trophy |
| 1987-1989 | Sherpa Van Trophy | |
| 1989-1991 | Leyland DAF Cup | |
| 1991-1994 | Autoglass | Autoglass Trophy |
| 1994-2000 | Auto Windscreens | Auto Windscreens Shield |
| 2000-2006 | LDV Limited | LDV Vans Trophy |
| 2006-present | Johnstone's Paint | Johnstones Paint Trophy |
48 teams enter from League One and League Two.
Clubs are assigned to one of four areas for the purposes of the cup draws: Northern Section - East and West, Southern Section - East and West
The cup draw pots are now merged, leaving just a Northern and Southern section
Drawing is no longer necessary for the final 4 teams
In the first year of the tournament the 48 eligible Third and Fourth Division clubs were split into North and South sections of 24 teams each. The first round had 12 knockout ties in each section, and the second had six. The two losers with the 'narrowest' defeat were reprieved and joined the six other clubs in the regional quarter finals.[1]
A major change was introduced for the 1985–86 tournament, with 8 three-team groups being set up in each of the two sections. Teams played one home and one away game and the group winners proceeded to the regional knockout stages.[2] This format was tweaked the following season, with two teams qualifying from each group, resulting in an additional 'round of 16' knockout stage in each section.[3]
For a number of seasons in the early to mid 1990s the competition ran with only seven three-team groups with two teams in each section getting a bye to the knockout stages.[4] This was necessary due to League reorganisation and the demise of Aldershot and Maidstone United, which resulted in there being less than 48 teams in the 3rd and 4th levels.
The group phase was abolished for the 1996–97 tournament, with 8 teams in each section getting a bye to the second round, where they were joined by the 8 winners of the first round ties.
For the 2000-01 edition, 8 Football Conference sides also played in the tournament, resulting in 12 ties in each of the north/south sections in the 1st round, with only four teams in each section gaining a bye into the second round. The number of Conference entrants was increased to 12 starting in 2002-03, resulting in 14 1st round ties, and two teams in each regional section gaining a bye straight to the second round.
From the 2006-07 tournament Conference teams no longer participated, and the format reverted to 8 1st round teams in each section, with 8 sides gaining byes to the 2nd round.[5]
The competition has always been contested by all teams at Levels Three and Four of the English football league system. However, between 2000/01 and 2005/06 the event was also open to a certain number of Football Conference sides, and these are listed by season below:[6]
2000-01: Chester City, Doncaster Rovers, Dover Athletic, Hereford United, Morecambe, Rushden & Diamonds, Scarborough, Yeovil Town
2001-02: Barnet, Dagenham & Redbridge, Doncaster Rovers, Leigh RMI, Scarborough, Southport, Stevenage Borough, Yeovil Town
2002-03: Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Doncaster Rovers, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Leigh RMI, Morecambe, Scarborough, Southport, Stevenage Borough, Woking, Yeovil Town
2003-04: Barnet, Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough, Shewsbury Town, Stevenage Borough, Telford United
2004-05: Accrington Stanley, Aldershot Town, Barnet, Carlisle United, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough, Stevenage Borough, Woking, York City
2005-06: Accrington Stanley, Aldershot Town, Cambridge United, Crawley Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Kidderminster Harriers, Morecambe, Stevenage Borough, Woking
League One and Two clubs which compete in the Football League Trophy are also eligible to enter the FA Cup which is for the top ten levels of the football pyramid, and the Football League Cup which is for all four of the professional divisions. With the prospect of meeting bigger teams in those competitions, and with the financial importance of doing well in the league competition, the Football League Trophy is not considered a priority by many clubs, with some opting to field below-strength teams, particularly in the earlier rounds.
A new rule from the 2006/07 season aims to stop this, with teams now obliged to play at least 6 of the players with the most appearances in their respective positions (for the season to date) or face a fine. Supporters, too, apparently lack enthusiasm for the competition, with crowds usually falling well below the level considered acceptable (or, indeed, commercially viable) for senior football. For example, in November 2005, Peterborough United (with an average crowd of approximately 7,500) attracted just 969 people to their game against Swindon Town, whilst Swansea City (with an average gate of some 15,000) saw a mere 5,321 people attend their tie with Rushden & Diamonds. Nottingham Forest recorded the lowest attendance in their history, with just 2,013 fans turning up for the tie against Brentford in 2006. During their exile more than 40 miles (64 km) away at Macclesfield Town between moving grounds, Chester City attracted just 409 fans against Bury in November 1990 and 420 in the following year's competition against Darlington. In the 2011-12 competition, the first round match involving Wycomble Wanderers and Bristol Rovers attracted a mere 771 supporters.
The League Trophy final is held at the 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium in London, the English national football stadium. The first final in 1984 was to have been played at Wembley, but due to damage to the pitch caused during the Horse of the Year show it was moved to Hull. From 2001 to 2007 when the 1923 built Wembley was being rebuilt, the Football League Trophy finals were played at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.
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Source: napit.co.uk[7]
Eight clubs share the record for most wins in the competition with two successes apiece. Carlisle United have reached the final the greatest number of times (6), but have so far only won 2, 1997 and 2011. Wolves are the only former English football champions to win the Trophy; Burnley and Huddersfield Town have been finalists once each.
| Rank | Club | Winner | Last win | Runner-up | Last losing final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlisle United | 2 | 2011 | 4 | 2010 |
| 2 | Bristol City | 2 | 2003 | 2 | 2000 |
| 3 | Port Vale | 2 | 2001 | 0 | – |
| Birmingham City | 1995 | – | |||
| Blackpool | 2004 | – | |||
| Stoke City | 2000 | – | |||
| Swansea City | 2006 | – | |||
| Wigan Athletic | 1999 | – | |||
| 9 | Bournemouth | 1 | 1984 | 1 | 1998 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 1989 | 1986 | |||
| Tranmere Rovers | 1990 | 1991 | |||
| Grimsby Town | 1998 | 2008 | |||
| 13 | Rotherham United | 1 | 1996 | 0 | – |
| Mansfield Town | 1987 | – | |||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1988 | – | |||
| Wrexham | 2005 | – | |||
| Doncaster Rovers | 2007 | – | |||
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2008 | – | |||
| Luton Town | 2009 | – | |||
| Southampton | 2010 | – |
The record attendance for the final is 80,841, for the 1988 Final match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley at Wembley.
The highest attendance for any game outside of the final came in 2010, when Southampton beat MK Dons 3-1 at St. Mary's Stadium in Southampton, in front of a crowd of nearly 30,000.[8]
As the Associate Members' Cup
As the Football League Trophy
Note: The 2006 final was branded simply as the Football League Trophy after the new owners of LDV withdrew sponsorship of the competition in March 2006, also meaning no prize money was awarded to the winners.[9] The following May the Johnstone's sponsorship deal was announced.
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