List of Football League Cup winners

The Football League Cup is a knockout cup competition in English football organised by and named after The Football League.[1] The competition was established in 1960 and is considered to be the second-most important domestic cup competition for English football clubs, after the FA Cup.[2] The competition is open to all 72 members of The Football League and the 20 members of the Premier League. For the first six seasons of the competition, the final was contested over two legs, one at each participating club's stadium. The first Football League Cup was won by Aston Villa, who beat Rotherham United 3–2 on aggregate, after losing the first leg 2–0. The competition's first single-legged final was held in 1967: Queens Park Rangers defeated West Bromwich Albion 3–2 at Wembley Stadium in London.[1]

Liverpool hold the record for the most League Cup titles; they have won the competition seven times,[3] including four consecutive titles from 1981 to 1984. Nottingham Forest and Manchester United are the only other teams to have won consecutive titles; Forest won in 1978 and 1979, and 1989 and 1990, while United won in 2009 and 2010. Arsenal hold the distinction of losing in the final the most times having lost the final five times. The cup is held by Birmingham City, who defeated Arsenal 2–1 in the 2011 final.

Contents

History

The first winners of the tournament were Aston Villa. The final was contested over two legs for the first six years of the competition. During this period many First Division clubs refused to take part, allowing clubs from outside the First Division to regularly reach the final. The first team from outside the First Division to win the competition was Queen's Park Rangers of the Third Division in 1967. Swindon Town, also then of Division Three, matched this feat in 1969. Sheffield Wednesday, then in the Second Division, became the last club to win the competition while competing outside the First Division, when they beat Manchester United in the 1991 final.[1]

In the late 1960s, the winners of the competition were granted automatic qualification to the UEFA Cup.[4] With the promise of potential European football, First Division teams entered the competition, and all 92 Football League clubs entered the League Cup for the first time in 1969–70. Meanwhile, the final of the competition had also been altered; it would now be played over a single leg at Wembley Stadium. The final went to a replay for the first time in 1977, with Aston Villa requiring two replays to overcome Everton; the first was held at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, and the second at Old Trafford in Manchester.[1]

The following year, Nottingham Forest won the first of two consecutive titles, the first time that any team won back-to-back League Cup titles. The first took a replay at Old Trafford to beat Liverpool, and they beat Southampton 3–2 to win the second. Liverpool won four consecutive titles between 1981 and 1984, the most consecutive League Cup titles won by any team. Nottingham Forest won two more consecutive titles in 1989 and 1990.[4]

The last League Cup final replay was held in 1997; Leicester City beat Middlesbrough 1–0 after extra time at Hillsborough, after the two teams had played out a 1–1 draw at Wembley. The rules were changed afterwards with a penalty shootout incorporated instead of replays.[5] The first single-match final to be played outside London was held in 2001, as the final was moved to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium while the new Wembley Stadium was under construction.[1] Liverpool and Chelsea were the two most prolific League Cup sides in Cardiff, as both teams won two titles each. The final returned to London in 2008, where Tottenham Hotspur became the first side to win the competition at the new Wembley, beating Chelsea 2–1 after extra time.[6]

Finals

Key
(R) Replay
(2R) Second Replay
Match went to extra time
* Match decided by a penalty shootout after extra time
Bold Indicates the winner in two-legged finals
Italics Team from outside the top level of English football

Two-legged finals

Final Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance[A]
1961 Rotherham United 2–0 Aston Villa Millmoor 12,226
Aston Villa  †3–0 † Rotherham United Villa Park 31,202
Aston Villa won 3–2 on aggregate
1962 Rochdale 0–3 Norwich City Spotland 11,123
Norwich City 1–0 Rochdale Carrow Road 19,708
Norwich City won 4–0 on aggregate
1963 Birmingham City 3–1 Aston Villa St Andrew's 31,850
Aston Villa 0–0 Birmingham City Villa Park 37,921
Birmingham City won 3–1 on aggregate
1964 Stoke City 1–1 Leicester City Victoria Ground 22 309
Leicester City 3–2 Stoke City Filbert Street 25,372
Leicester City won 4–3 on aggregate
1965 Chelsea 3–2 Leicester City Stamford Bridge 20,690
Leicester City 0–0 Chelsea Filbert Street 26,958
Chelsea won 3–2 on aggregate
1966 West Ham United 2–1 West Bromwich Albion Boleyn Ground 28,341
West Bromwich Albion 4–1 West Ham United The Hawthorns 31,925
West Bromwich Albion won 5–3 on aggregate

Single match finals

Final Winner Score Runners-up Venue Attendance[A]
1967 Queens Park Rangers 3–2 West Bromwich Albion Wembley Stadium 97,952
1968 Leeds United 1–0 Arsenal Wembley Stadium 97,887
1969 Swindon Town  †3–1 † Arsenal Wembley Stadium 98,189
1970 Manchester City  †2–1 † West Bromwich Albion Wembley Stadium 97,963
1971 Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 Aston Villa Wembley Stadium 100,000
1972 Stoke City 2–1 Chelsea Wembley Stadium 97,852
1973 Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 Norwich City Wembley Stadium 100,000
1974 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Manchester City Wembley Stadium 97,886
1975 Aston Villa 1–0 Norwich City Wembley Stadium 95,946
1976 Manchester City 2–1 Newcastle United Wembley Stadium 100,000
1977 Aston Villa  †0–0 † Everton Wembley Stadium 100,000
1977 (R) Aston Villa  †1–1 † Everton Hillsborough Stadium 55,000
1977 (2R) Aston Villa  †3–2 † Everton Old Trafford 54,749
1978 Nottingham Forest  †0–0 † Liverpool Wembley Stadium 100,000
1978 (R) Nottingham Forest 1–0 Liverpool Old Trafford 54,375
1979 Nottingham Forest 3–2 Southampton Wembley Stadium 96,952
1980 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Nottingham Forest Wembley Stadium 96,527
1981 Liverpool  †1–1 † West Ham United Wembley Stadium 100,000
1981 (R) Liverpool 2–1 West Ham United Villa Park 36,693
1982 Liverpool  †3–1 † Tottenham Hotspur Wembley Stadium 100,000
1983 Liverpool  †2–1 † Manchester United Wembley Stadium 99,304
1984 Liverpool  †0–0 † Everton Wembley Stadium 100,000
1984 (R) Liverpool 1–0 Everton Maine Road 52,089
1985 Norwich City 1–0 Sunderland Wembley Stadium 90,001
1986 Oxford United 3–0 Queens Park Rangers Wembley Stadium 90,396
1987 Arsenal 2–1 Liverpool Wembley Stadium 96,000
1988 Luton Town 3–2 Arsenal Wembley Stadium 95,732
1989 Nottingham Forest 3–1 Luton Town Wembley Stadium 76,130
1990 Nottingham Forest 1–0 Oldham Athletic Wembley Stadium 74,343
1991 Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 Manchester United Wembley Stadium 77,612
1992 Manchester United 1–0 Nottingham Forest Wembley Stadium 76,810
1993 Arsenal 2–1 Sheffield Wednesday Wembley Stadium 74,007
1994 Aston Villa 3–1 Manchester United Wembley Stadium 77,231
1995 Liverpool 2–1 Bolton Wanderers Wembley Stadium 75,595
1996 Aston Villa 3–0 Leeds United Wembley Stadium 77,065
1997 Leicester City  †1–1 † Middlesbrough Wembley Stadium 76,757
1997 (R) Leicester City  †1–0 † Middlesbrough Hillsborough Stadium 39,428
1998 Chelsea  †2–0 † Middlesbrough Wembley Stadium 77,698
1999 Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 Leicester City Wembley Stadium 77,892
2000 Leicester City 2–1 Tranmere Rovers Wembley Stadium 74,313
2001 Liverpool  † †1–1 *[B] Birmingham City Millennium Stadium 73,500
2002 Blackburn Rovers 2–1 Tottenham Hotspur Millennium Stadium 72,500
2003 Liverpool 2–0 Manchester United Millennium Stadium 74,500
2004 Middlesbrough 2–1 Bolton Wanderers Millennium Stadium 72,634
2005 Chelsea  †3–2 † Liverpool Millennium Stadium 78,000
2006 Manchester United 4–0 Wigan Athletic Millennium Stadium 66,866
2007 Chelsea 2–1 Arsenal Millennium Stadium 70,073
2008 Tottenham Hotspur  †2–1 † Chelsea Wembley Stadium 87,660
2009 Manchester United  † †0–0 *[C] Tottenham Hotspur Wembley Stadium 88,217
2010 Manchester United 2–1 Aston Villa Wembley Stadium 88,596
2011 Birmingham City 2–1 Arsenal Wembley Stadium 88,851

Results by team

Team Winners Runners-up Years won Years runner-up
Liverpool 7 3 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2003 1978, 1987, 2005
Aston Villa 5 3 1961, 1975, 1977, 1994, 1996 1963, 1971, 2010
Manchester United 4 4 1992, 2006, 2009, 2010 1983, 1991, 1994, 2003
Tottenham Hotspur 4 3 1971, 1973, 1999, 2008 1982, 2002, 2009
Chelsea 4 2 1965, 1998, 2005, 2007 1972, 2008
Nottingham Forest 4 2 1978, 1979, 1989, 1990 1980, 1992
Leicester City 3 2 1964, 1997, 2000 1965, 1999
Arsenal 2 5 1987, 1993 1968, 1969, 1988, 2007, 2011
Norwich City 2 2 1962, 1985 1973, 1975
Birmingham City 2 1 1963, 2011 2001
Manchester City 2 1 1970, 1976 1974
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 0 1974, 1980
West Bromwich Albion 1 2 1966 1967, 1970
Middlesbrough 1 2 2004 1997, 1998
Queens Park Rangers 1 1 1967 1986
Leeds United 1 1 1968 1996
Stoke City 1 1 1972 1964
Luton Town 1 1 1988 1989
Sheffield Wednesday 1 1 1991 1993
Swindon Town 1 0 1969
Oxford United 1 0 1986
Blackburn Rovers 1 0 2002
West Ham United 0 2 1966, 1981
Everton 0 2 1977, 1984
Bolton Wanderers 0 2 1995, 2004
Rotherham United 0 1 1961
Rochdale 0 1 1962
Newcastle United 0 1 1976
Southampton 0 1 1979
Sunderland 0 1 1985
Oldham Athletic 0 1 1990
Tranmere Rovers 0 1 2000
Wigan Athletic 0 1 2006

Notes

A. a b Attendance refers to the amount of people present during that year's final.
B. a Liverpool won the 2001 final 5–4 in a penalty shootout.[7]

C. a Manchester United won the 2009 final 4–1 in a penalty shootout.[8]

References

General
Specific
  1. ^ a b c d e "The History of the League Cup". Football League Cup. Coors Brewing Company. http://www.carlingcup.premiumtv.co.uk/page/History/0,,11995,00.html. Retrieved 22 October 2008. 
  2. ^ Ronay, Barney (23 January 2008). "Why Everton or Spurs must win the Carling Cup". guardian.co.uk (London: Guardian News and Media). http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jan/23/carlingcup0708. Retrieved 19 January 2009. 
  3. ^ "Carling Cup All Time Stats". Football League Cup. Coors Brewing Company. http://www.carlingcup.premiumtv.co.uk/page/AllTimeStats/0,,11995,00.html. Retrieved 22 October 2008. 
  4. ^ a b "League Cup History". football-league.co.uk. The Football League. http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/CarlingCupDetail/0,,10794%7E475424,00.html. Retrieved 8 January 2009. 
  5. ^ "League Cup Past Winners". football-league.co.uk. The Football League. http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/LeagueCupPastWinners/0,,10794~1354853,00.html. Retrieved 8 January 2009. 
  6. ^ Stevenson, Jonathan (24 February 2008). "Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7256729.stm. Retrieved 30 January 2009. 
  7. ^ Wade, Stephen (25 February 2001). "Liverpool win League Cup after penalty shoot-out". independent.co.uk (London: Independent News and Media). http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool-win-league-cup-after-penalty-shootout-693459.html. Retrieved 11 January 2009. 
  8. ^ "Man Utd 0-0 Tottenham (aet)". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 1 March 2009. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7905889.stm. Retrieved 1 March 2009. 

External links