The Watney Mann Invitation Cup (normally referred to as simply the Watney Cup) was a short-lived English football tournament held in the early 1970s.
It was held before the start of the season, and was contested by the teams that had scored the most goals in each of the four divisions of the Football League the previous season who had not been promoted or admitted to one of the European competitions, although Manchester United did not compete in the 1972 event despite apparently having been eligible based on goals scored.[1][2] Two from each division took part, making eight participants in total.
The competition was a straight knockout format, each match was a one-off with no replays. The final took place at the home ground of one of the finalists, rather than a neutral venue.[3]
The competition was so named thanks to a sponsorship deal with the Watney Mann brewery. The tournament ran four times, from 1970 to 1973, before being discontinued.
The first ever penalty shootout in England took place in 1970 between Hull City and Manchester United during the Watney Cup, and was won by Manchester United. The first footballer to take a kick was George Best, and the first to miss was Denis Law.
Contents |
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Derby County | 4–1 | Manchester United | Baseball Ground |
| 1971 | Colchester United | 4–4 (4–3 pens) |
West Bromwich Albion | The Hawthorns |
| 1972 | Bristol Rovers | 0–0 (7–6 pens) |
Sheffield United | Eastville Stadium |
| 1973 | Stoke City | 2–0 | Hull City | Victoria Ground |
Derby County, Manchester United (First Division); Hull City, Sheffield United (Second Division); Fulham, Reading (Third Division); Aldershot, Peterborough United (Fourth Division)[4]
Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion (First Division); Carlisle United, Luton Town (Second Division); Halifax Town, Wrexham (Third Division); Colchester United, Crewe Alexandra (Fourth Division)[5]
Sheffield United, Wolverhampton Wanderers (First Division); Blackpool, Burnley (Second Division); Bristol Rovers, Notts County (Third Division); Lincoln City, Peterborough United (Fourth Division)[1]
Stoke City, West Ham United (First Division); Bristol City, Hull City (Second Division); Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle (Third Division); Mansfield Town, Peterborough United (Fourth Division)[6]