1987–88 Football League Trophy

The Football League Trophy 1987–88, known as the Sherpa Van Trophy 1987–88 for sponsorship reasons (although the competition began under its previous title of the Freight Rover Trophy), was the 5th staging of the Football League Trophy, a knockout competition for English football clubs in the Third and Fourth Divisions (now known as League One and Two).

The winners were Wolverhampton Wanderers, who defeated Burnley 2–0 in the final. This marked the only time two previous English champions have met in the final of this competition, and made Wolves the only former champions to have won the trophy.

The competition began on 13 October 1987 and ended with the final on 29 May 1988. The tournament begins with clubs divided into a Northern and a Southern section, and teams entering a preliminary group stage. Each section then gradually eliminates the qualifying teams in knock-out fashion until each has a winning finalist. At this point, the two winning finalists face each other in the combined final for the honour of the trophy.

Preliminary round

Northern Section

Group 1

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Burnley 62 2 0 0 5 3 +3
Rochdale 12 0 1 1 2 3 -1
Tranmere Rovers 12 0 1 1 1 2 -1

Oct 13Rochdale 0–0 Tranmere Rovers
Oct 27Tranmere Rovers 1–2 Burnley
Nov 24Burnley 3–2 Rochdale

Group 4

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Bury 42 1 1 0 5 2 +3
Crewe Alexandra 22 0 2 0 2 2 0
Wigan Athletic 12 0 0 2 4 7 -3

Oct 13Wigan Athletic 2–2 Crewe Alexandra
Nov 24Bury 5–2 Wigan Athletic
Dec 04Crewe Alexandra 0–0 Bury

Group 7

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Halifax Town 32 1 0 1 4 2 +2
Scunthorpe United 32 1 0 1 2 3 -1
Grimsby Town 32 1 0 1 2 3 -1

Oct 13Scunthorpe United 2–0 Grimsby Town
Oct 27Grimsby Town 2–1 Halifax Town
Nov 24Halifax Town 3–0 Scunthorpe United
Play-off to determine second place:
Dec 15Grimsby Town 1–2 Scunthorpe United

Group 2

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Carlisle United 62 2 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2
Chester City 32 1 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0
Blackpool 02 0 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2

Oct 13Carlisle United 2–1 Chester City
Oct 28Chester City 2–1 Blackpool
Nov 24Blackpool 0–1 Carlisle United

Group 5

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Darlington 62 2 0 0 6 4 +2
Chesterfield 32 1 0 1 3 2 +1
York City 02 0 0 2 3 6 -3

Oct 13York City 3–4 Darlington
Nov 24Chesterfield 2–0 York City
Dec 05Darlington 2–1 Chesterfield

Group 8

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Mansfield Town 62 2 0 0 4 2 +2
Hartlepool United 32 1 0 1 3 3 0
Doncaster Rovers 02 0 0 2 0 2 -2

Oct 13Doncaster Rovers 0–1 Mansfield Town
Oct 27Mansfield Town 3–2 Hartlepool United
Nov 24Hartlepool United 1–0 Doncaster Rovers

Group 3

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Preston North End 42 1 1 0 5 2 +3
Bolton Wanderers 42 1 1 0 3 1 +2
Stockport County 02 0 0 2 3 8 -5

Oct 13Bolton Wanderers 0–0 Preston NE
Oct 27Preston NE 5–2 Stockport County
Nov 24Stockport County 1–3 Bolton Wanderers

Group 6

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Sunderland 62 2 0 0 10 1 +9
Rotherham United 32 1 0 1 2 7 -5
Scarborough 02 0 0 2 0 4 -4

Oct 13Rotherham United 1–0 Scarborough
Oct 28Scarborough 0–3 Sunderland
Nov 24Sunderland 7–1 Rotherham United

Southern Section

Group 1

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Brentford 32 1 0 1 3 3 0
Notts County 32 1 0 1 3 3 0
Northampton Town 32 1 0 1 1 1 0

Oct 13Notts County 1–0 Northampton Town
Oct 28Northampton Town 1–0 Brentford
Nov 24Brentford 3–2 Notts County

Group 4

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Colchester United 42 1 1 0 3 2 +1
Peterborough 32 1 0 1 5 3 +2
Cambridge United 12 0 1 1 0 3 -3

Oct 13Colchester United 3–2 Peterborough United
Nov 24Cambridge United 0–0 Colchester United
Dec 01Peterborough United 3–0 Cambridge United

Group 7

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Brighton 62 2 0 0 9 3 +6
Southend United 32 1 0 1 3 3 0
Fulham 02 0 0 2 1 7 -6

Oct 13Southend United 1–0 Fulham
Oct 27Fulham 1–6 Brighton
Nov 25Brighton 3–2 Southend United

Group 2

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Walsall 42 1 1 0 5 3 +2
Cardiff City 32 1 0 1 4 5 -1
Wrexham 12 0 1 1 4 5 -1

Oct 13Cardiff City 3–2 Wrexham
Oct 27Wrexham 2–2 Walsall
Nov 24Walsall 3–1 Cardiff City

Group 5

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Torquay United 62 2 0 0 4 0 +4
Hereford United 32 1 0 1 2 2 0
Bristol Rovers 02 0 0 2 0 4 -4

Oct 13Torquay United 2–0 Bristol Rovers
Oct 28Bristol Rovers 0–2 Hereford United
Nov 25Hereford United 0–2 Torquay United

Group 8

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Wolves 42 1 1 0 4 2 +2
Bristol City 32 1 0 1 3 3 0
Swansea City 12 0 1 1 1 3 -2

Oct 27Swansea City 1–1 Wolves
Nov 10Bristol City 2–0 Swansea City
Nov 24Wolves 3–1 Bristol City

Group 3

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Aldershot 42 1 1 0 5 3 +2
Leyton Orient 22 0 2 0 4 4 0
Gillingham 12 0 1 1 3 5 -2

Oct 13Aldershot 3–1 Gillingham
Oct 27Gillingham 2–2 Leyton Orient
Nov 24Leyton Orient 2–2 Aldershot

Group 6

Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD
Newport County 62 2 0 0 3 0 +3
Port Vale 32 1 0 1 2 2 0
Exeter City 02 0 0 2 0 3 -3

Oct 13Newport County 2–0 Port Vale
Oct 26Port Vale 2–0 Exeter City
Nov 24Exeter City 0–1 Newport County

First round

Northern Section

Date Home team Score Away team
19 JanuaryBurnley1–0Chester City
19 JanuaryBury1–0Bolton Wanderers
19 JanuaryHalifax Town2–1Chesterfield
19 JanuaryMansfield Town1–0Scunthorpe United
19 JanuaryPreston North End3–1Rochdale
19 JanuarySunderland1–0Crewe Alexandra
26 JanuaryDarlington3–2Rotherham United
3 FebruaryCarlisle United0–2Hartlepool United

Southern Section

Date Home team Score Away team
19 JanuaryAldershot1–0Bristol City
19 JanuaryColchester United1–1Leyton Orient
Colchester United won on penalties
19 JanuaryNewport County2–3Hereford United
19 JanuaryTorquay United1–0Port Vale
19 JanuaryWalsall1–2Peterborough United
19 JanuaryWolves4–0Brentford
20 JanuaryBrighton4–2Southend United
20 JanuaryNotts County2–0Cardiff City

Quarter-finals

Northern Section

Date Home team Score Away team
9 FebruaryBury0–1Burnley
9 FebruarySunderland0–1Hartlepool United
16 FebruaryPreston North End2–1Mansfield Town
18 FebruaryDarlington1–2Halifax Town

Southern Section

Date Home team Score Away team
9 FebruaryColchester United2–3Notts County
9 FebruaryWolves4–0Peterborough United
10 FebruaryHereford United0–1Brighton
16 FebruaryAldershot0–1Torquay United

Area semi-finals

Northern Section

Date Home team Score Away team
8 MarchBurnley0–0Halifax Town
Burnley won on penalties
8 MarchHartlepool United0–2Preston North End

Southern Section

Date Home team Score Away team
8 MarchWolves1–0Torquay United
9 MarchBrighton1–5Notts County

Area finals

Northern Area final

12 April 1988
19:45 BST
Burnley 0–0 Preston North End
Turf Moor, Burnley
Attendance: 15,680

Burnley won 3–1 on aggregate.

Southern Area final

Wolverhampton Wanderers won 4–1 on aggregate.

Final

External links