Evening Telegraph Challenge Cup

The Evening Telegraph Challenge Cup (initially known as the City of Discovery Cup) is a pre-season football competition introduced in 2005, based in Dundee, involving the two Dundee clubs - Dundee and Dundee United. In 2007, the tournament will be scheduled for an international weekend during the season, as Dundee United played Barcelona and did not wish to play a pre-season derby so close after that match.[1]

Format

The format is a single match between the two Dundee clubs, although the inaugural competition (2005) was a standard four-team knock-out competition.

History

The Cup's inaugural showing was a standard four-team cup format, which saw Dundee United beat Sheffield Wednesday 21 in the final. United beat rivals Dundee in the first semi-final, while Sheffield Wednesday saw off Wolverhampton Wanderers on penalties in the other.

On 29 March 2006, it was announced the 2006 tournament would be slimmed down to a single derby match between Dundee and Dundee United.[2] On 22 June 2006, sponsorship was announced for the competition, which would see it renamed the Evening Telegraph Challenge Cup; Radio Tay would also sponsor the event.[3] The match was preceded by celebrity and fans matches.

Although the 2007 tournament was stated to be held on an international weekend during the season, the season passed without the match being played. The fixture was not announced for the following season either (as of May 2008) by the time United had announced six pre-season friendlies for 200809.

Past tournaments/winners

2005

Semi-finals


23 July
16:00
Dundee United Scotland 3 0 Scotland Dundee
Kerr  43'
Duff  50'
Miller  51'
Report
Tannadice Park, Dundee
Attendance: 6,659
3rd place play-off

24 July
13:00
Dundee Scotland 0 4 England Wolverhampton Wanderers
Report Cort  57'  75'  85'
Edwards  80'
Final

2006

Final

22 July
15:15
Dundee Scotland 1 0 Scotland Dundee United
Deasley  61' Report
Dens Park, Dundee
Attendance: 6,277
Referee: M Ritchie

Winners

1

Top goalscorers

Player Club Year
England Cort, CarlCarl Cort Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 2005
Scotland Deasley, BryanBryan Deasley Dundee 1 2006
Scotland Duff, StuartStuart Duff Dundee United 1 2005
Wales Edwards, RobRob Edwards Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 2005
Scotland Grady, JamesJames Grady Dundee United 1 2005
Scotland Kenneth, GarryGarry Kenneth Dundee United 1 2005
Scotland Kerr, MarkMark Kerr Dundee United 1 2005
Scotland Miller, LeeLee Miller Dundee United 1 2005
Scotland Peacock, LeeLee Peacock Sheff Wednesday 1 2005

Trivia

References

  1. "Dark Blues draw up pre-season plans". The Courier. 2007-05-15.
  2. "Discovery Cup slimmed to a derby". BBC Sport website. 2006-03-29.
  3. "Derby sponsor announced". Dundee United FC. 2006-06-22.