Forever cast as a supporting actor or perhaps more appropriately given the era under review, Christmas Night on ITV as opposed to BBC One, the Football League Cup has always had to exist in the shadow of a more illustrious counterpart, in this case the FA Cup.
Despite its apparent second-class citizenship, the League Cup, or to be specific League Cup Final in this case, has provided glorious, if now distant happy memories for a generation of football supporters now thrice removed from the great event.
For followers of QPR, Swindon Town, Stoke City or Wolves the passing years have not dimmed the joy evoked by these rare days of glory – tales of triumph on a boggy Wembley pitch or beneath blue skies heralding the start of springtime sustaining faith in bleak years, becoming as familiar as ‘The Heroes of Telemark‘ at Christmas to those hearing the yarn for the umpteenth time.
Indeed, over forty years later my dad, now in his late-80s, still takes the Boxing Day afternoon opportunity to describe how John Richards fired Wolves to a 2-1 League Cup Final victory over Manchester City in 1974 – grandsons sitting around his armchair nodding knowingly, like the commandos having the snow-bound ‘Telemark‘ raid explained to them.
On being introduced for the 1960-61 season, in the first six years of its existence the League Cup was not given much thought by clubs gathered at the top table to whom it represented an afterthought – with a number of the ‘elite’ exercising their right not to enter (entering becoming mandatory as late as 1971).
Hence the formative years reinforced a notion of the Football League creating a midweek competition (nearly all league grounds having floodlights by the early-60s) for the juniors’ playground, while the big lads had grown-up stuff such as league titles, Europe and the FA Cup to worry about.
As a consequence, League Cup Finals 1961-66 (played on a two-leg, home and away basis) have become something of a curio with regard to English football in the 60s – a 2-1 quarter-final win over Everton in 1961 is still considered by a generation of Shrewsbury Town supporters as the result that put Gay Meadow on the map, despite my hometown eleven years a Football League club at this point.
Digressions aside, the 1963 final brought a second city derby with two Aston Villa v Birmingham City clashes, while a one-match amalgam of the 1966 West Ham v West Brom final would have been regarded a classic of the decade. That said, those who saw Albion overturn a 2-1 Upton Park deficit with a 4-1 Hawthorns win to lift the trophy, have never forgotten it.
In an effort to increase the standing of its competition or at worst ward off stagnation, prior to the 1966-67 season the Football League conjured a two-fold enhancement – negotiating with UEFA for the winners to gain European qualification (the caveat being they must be in Division One to play in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup), the successful club now having lifted the trophy at Wembley, where henceforth the final would be staged.
With a newfound sense of invigoration there is something strangely appropriate about the two finalists who contest the first stand-alone final – holders West Brom arriving to defend the trophy against the Football League club situated closest to Wembley, this not top-flight outfits Chelsea or Fulham, but third division pacesetters Queens Park Rangers.
By half-time on a glorious spring afternoon – the League Cup Final scheduled for the first Saturday in March for a long time thereafter – West Brom appear to have a grip on two of the three handles on the cup, former Ranger Clive Clark scoring twice as the Division One side eased into a 2-0 lead.
But through a mix of Albion complacency and admirable spirit on their part, not to mention moments of eye-catching skill from Rodney Marsh, QPR rallied from the restart, goals from Roger Morgan and Marsh restoring level terms. The swing in momentum – and destination of the trophy – then confirmed when Mark Lazarus side-footed the winner with nine minutes left.
Despite not earning a European ticket due to their league status (QPR completing a notable double by winning Division Three six weeks later), they had become the first third division side to win a major English trophy.
The extraordinary circumstances of their victory ushered in a memorable era for the League Cup Final – and although a 1-0 victory for Leeds United over Arsenal 12 months later could not match the previous year for drama, one goalmouth brawl showed the League Cup was now a trophy worth fighting for.
If the 1968 final was a battle, the 1969 contest was the football equivalent of mud wrestling. Once again pitting first division against third, when Arsenal made an immediate return following their defeat of the previous season, it appeared they would only have to get off the coach in order to end a 16-year trophy drought – an ironic phrase given the Wembley surface on which they would face third division Swindon Town had the consistency of quicksand.
The pitch proved a great leveler as at times Arsenal were able to match their lower division opponents in terms of playing effective football in the swamp-like conditions. On a day when Swindon adapted to the heavy going like thoroughbreds, the biggest surprise was they needed extra-time to secure victory – Arsenal levelling with four minutes left through Bobby Gould after Roger Smart had given the Wiltshire side a first-half lead.
But in their ranks they had a bona fide match winner – sublime in the slime, winger Don Rogers displayed superb balance to score in each half of extra-time as a Division Three side once again took the pot and the plaudits.
Caked in criticism for their performance, Arsenal emerged from the quagmire to win the Fairs Cup and League/FA Cup double in the next two years – being sunk by Swindon the full stop from which the next chapter was written.
The first final of the 1970s saw West Bromwich Albion return to Wembley in order to contest their third League Cup Final in five seasons, Manchester City standing between them and re-acquaintance with the trophy – the contest bringing together the last two winners of the FA Cup.
But a new decade brought little improvement to a pitch still more conducive to growing vegetables than flowing football (by the time Leeds and Chelsea contested the FA Cup Final five weeks later, the surface was of billiard table hue in comparison).
When he headed Albion into a fifth minute lead, prolific centre-forward Jeff Astle became the first player to score in a League and FA Cup Final at Wembley (Astle scoring the only goal when Albion beat Everton to lift the FA Cup two years before).
But central defender Mike Doyle replied for City on the hour, the match decided in the first half of extra-time when full-back Glyn Pardoe netted from close range – the League Cup completing a League Championship and FA Cup treble in successive seasons for an accomplished City side, thriving under the tutelage of manager Joe Mercer and coaching innovator Malcom Allison.
Once again, however, circumstances were such the League Cup winners would not take a place in the Fairs Cup – City winning the European Cup Winners Cup later in the season, their European involvement the following season being defence of that trophy.
In fact, the League Cup may not have been a route to Europe for a fourth straight season in 1971 (in 1968 Leeds Fairs’ Cup qualification was secured by virtue of league position), had third division Aston Villa overcome North London cup specialists Tottenham Hotspur. But unlike West Brom and Arsenal there were no literal or metaphorical slips from Spurs – two late goals from England centre-forward in waiting Martin Chivers deciding a hard-fought contest.
While qualifying for Europe reaped rich dividend for Tottenham, who in 1972 went on to win the inaugural UEFA Cup (a revamped Inter-City Fairs Cup) – their hold on the League Cup was relinquished against London rivals Chelsea at the semi-final stage, the Stamford Bridge side going into the 1972 final strong favourites to overcome Stoke City.
With Stoke perceived as provincial puritans and Chelsea hailed for their Knightsbridge nouveau, the match developed tortoise v hare connotations. In the event sure and steady overcame flash and dash – Stoke ahead early through winger Terry Conroy but made to pay for missed opportunities when Peter Osgood levelled on the stroke of half-time.
Both sides created chances after the break, the game finally decided when George Eastham, an England World Cup winning squad member from six years before shot past another, Chelsea ‘keeper Peter Bonetti.
In inching toward their first (and to date only) major trophy, the Potters were aided in no small way by World Cup winner Gordon Banks – the handling and positional sense of the world’s best goalkeeper ensuring the tortoises reached the finish line first.
In 1973 Division Two was represented in a Wembley League Cup Final for the first time, Norwich City giving a good account of themselves against Spurs before being sunk by a late goal from substitute Ralph Coates. In victory Tottenham had secured another UEFA Cup campaign, although for Canaries boss Ron Saunders it would be the first of frequent League Cup Final visits in the coming years.
By March 2nd, 1974, he was manager of Manchester City when they arrived to face Wolverhampton Wanderers, Saunders again destined to leave empty-handed.
Despite having the best of an entertaining first half, City found themselves behind when Kenny Hibbitt volleyed Wolves ahead 60 seconds before the break. With goalkeeper Gary Pierce displaying inspired form the dominant Maine Road outfit were held at bay until the hour mark, England international midfielder Colin Bell driving home to restore parity.
With a sense of ‘got one, we’ll get more‘ City continued to hold sway, but when John Richards struck with five minutes to go he not only brought Wolves their first major honour for fourteen years but launched a Sambrook family Christmas narrative that comes around with the same regularity as ‘The Great Escape.’
For Saunders 1975 was to prove third time lucky – and seven months into a tenure as manager of Aston Villa, guided them to victory in an-all second division final against back-again Norwich City (now managed by John Bond).
Decided by a goal from winger Ray Graydon, following up to score after City goalkeeper Kevin Keelan had saved his 81st minute penalty, there was subsequent consolation for Norwich when they were promoted to the topflight at the end of season – finishing third behind Manchester United and Aston Villa, whose elevation to first division status ensured they would be in the 1975-76 UEFA Cup draw.
The League Cup Final of that season brought one of Saunders’ former clubs, Manchester City, back to Wembley and with survivors of their 1970 and 1974 final appearances in the team (in the case of Mike Doyle and Tommy Booth, both), they were able to edge past Newcastle United.
Keen to put a poor 1974 FA Cup Final display against Liverpool behind them, Newcastle at least showed an improvement on that and drew level when Alan Gowling cancelled out an early opener from young City winger Peter Barnes.
In the end they were undone by Tyneside-born Dennis Tueart (a 1973 FA Cup winner with Sunderland), whose second half winner not only gave Manchester City their second League Cup triumph of the decade but brought manager Tony Book the accolade of being the first man to win the competition as a player (City captain in 1970) and manager.
League Cup Final moment
(but my Dad says…..)
Those familiar with the goal would no doubt agree it is warrants further description – being a spectacular overhead kick worthy of winning any cup final.
Despite the secondary considerations it often suffered, the League Cup Final from the mid-60s into the 1970s produced its share of excitement and intrigue, the anomalies of the day – 3.30pm kick-off, the exclusivity of ITV coverage (all highlights from 1969 onward have commentary by Brian Moore) – giving the fixture its own identity.
Unlike the FA Cup Final, it was not broadcast live, although a generation of football followers were hardly likely to pass on watching following-day, Sunday afternoon highlights, of a Wembley cup final.
Coming ten seasons after QPR won the first and most enthralling Wembley League Cup Final, the acrobatic, match-winning skills of Dennis Tueart have been voted ‘the greatest ever League Cup Final moment.’
Unless, that is, you are within earshot of my dad on Boxing Day afternoon.
This article was first published on 15/9/2020.
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NEIL SAMBROOK is the author of ‘MONTY’S DOUBLE‘ – an acclaimed thriller now available in paperback and an Amazon Kindle book.
Lovely evocative write-up of a much-loved competition, now sadly comparatively forlorn. I’m glad I followed footie so avidly in those days; not any more alas, as the sport’s not the same.
Always a pleasure to read your articles, be they sport or music oriented. Thanks!
Hello David – hope you are well;
Thanks for your comments, delighted to hear you enjoyed the article.
When watching League Cup highlights from last night and seeing the empty stands I forgot for a moment that supporters are not allowed into grounds – such is the apathy connected with early rounds of the competition these days. Might be my memory playing tricks, but don’t think it was always thus.
Like you I have little empathy with the modern game – hence my ongoing fascination with 60s & 70s football, that given a list of articles I have planned shows no sign of abating!!
Be safe and well.
Regards
Neil