Wikipedia

english association football contest

Football tournament
The EFL Cup ( referred to historically, and colloquially, as the League Cup ), presently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual knockout football contest in men ‘s domestic English football. Organised by the English Football League ( EFL ), it is open to any club within the top four levels of the English football league system – 92 clubs in entire – comprising the top tied Premier League, and the three divisions of the English Football League ‘s own league competition ( Championship, League One and League Two ).

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beginning held in 1960–61 as the Football League Cup, it is one of the three top-tier domestic football competitions in England, alongside the Premier League and FA Cup. It concludes in February, long before the other two, which end in May. It was introduced by the league as a reply to the increasing popularity of european football, and to besides exert world power over the FA. It besides took advantage of the roll-out of floodlights, allowing the fixtures to be played as midweek even games. With the rename of the Football League as the English Football League in 2016, the tournament was rebranded as the EFL Cup from the 2016–17 season onwards. The tournament is played over seven rounds, with single-leg ties throughout, except for the semi-finals. The final examination is held at Wembley Stadium which is the entirely affiliation in the competition played at a neutral venue and on a weekend ( Sunday ). The first two rounds are split into North and South sections, and a arrangement of byes based on league level ensures higher rank teams enter in later rounds, and to defer the entrance of teams however involved in Europe. Winners receive the EFL Cup, [ 1 ] of which there have been three designs, the stream one besides being the original. Winners besides qualify for european football ; up to the 2019–20 season, the winners received a rate in the UEFA Europa League ( once the UEFA Cup, while from 1966–67 until 1971–72 the winners gained a place in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup ), while starting in 2020–21, the winners get a identify in the UEFA Europa Conference League. Should the winner besides qualify for Europe through early means at the end of the season, this set is transferred to the highest-placed Premier League team not already qualified for european competition. The current holders are Manchester City, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 in the 2021 final to win their one-fourth consecutive League Cup and eighth overall. [ citation needed ]

status [edit ]

Although the League Cup is one of the four domestic trophies attainable by English league teams, it is of far lower prestige than the league championship or the FA Cup. [ 2 ] League Cup winners receive £100,000 prize money ( awarded by the Football League ) with the runner-up receive £50,000, considered relatively insignificant to top-flight teams, compared to the £2 million prize money of the FA Cup, which is in change state eclipsed by the Premier League ‘s television receiver money ( awarded on final league position ) and attendant engagement in the Champions League. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] Some clubs have repeatedly fielded a weaker side in the competition, making the opportunity for giant-killing of the larger clubs more probably. many teams in the Premier League, Arsenal and Manchester United in particular, have used the competition to give new players valuable big-game experience. [ 5 ] consequently, it began to be described sarcastically as the Mickey Mouse cup in some quarters. however, in 2010, in reaction to Arsène Wenger ‘s claim that a League Cup win would not end his trophy drought, Alex Ferguson described the trophy as “ a toilet worth winning ”. After a time period of worsen when the competition ‘s future was regularly questioned, holocene years have seen a revival in esteem for the trophy, as the larger Premier League clubs have come to dominate the contest again, and the development nature of the rival has begun to be viewed as a positivist for the clubs involved. Premier League giants Manchester City ( 5 ), Manchester United ( 4 ), Chelsea ( 3 ) and Liverpool ( 3 ) between them won 15 editions of the competition between 2000 and 2020. [ 6 ]

history [edit ]

The original estimate for a League Cup came from Stanley Rous who saw the rival as a consolation for clubs who had already been knocked out of the FA Cup. however, it was not rous who came to implement it, but Football League Secretary Alan Hardaker. Hardaker initially proposed the competition as a direction for the clubs to make up on lost tax income, due to a reduction in matches played, for when the league was to be re-organised. The re-organisation of the league was not immediately forthcoming ; however, the cup competition was introduced regardless .
trophy of the competition when it was called “ Milk Cup ” The trophy was paid for personally by Football League President Joe Richards, who was proud of the contest and he had his own identify engraved on it. Richards described the competition ‘s formation as an “ interim footfall ” on the way to the league ‘s re-organisation. [ 7 ] Richards ‘ priority was the re-organisation of the leagues ; “ possibly by cutting down the numeral of clubs in each division, as has already been suggested, and even given more consideration to the arrangement of four up and four down ”. Hardaker felt that the Football League needed to adapt to the times, as the english bet on was losing prestige. He felt that the Football League should take the lead in revitalising football in the nation : “ It must be obvious to all of you that the clock has come to do something, and it is up to the Football League to give the lead. I hope the Press will not immediately assume that the League is going to fall out with the F.A. or anybody else … the clock time has come for our spokesperson to be heard in every problem which affects the professional game. ” [ 7 ] The League Cup rival was established at a prison term when couple day attendances were dwindling. The league had lost a million spectators compared to the previous season. It was established at a time when tensions between the Football League and the Football Association were high. The biggest disagreement was about how gross was shared between the clubs. During the late 1950s, the majority of senior English clubs equipped their grounds with floodlights. This opened up the opportunity to exploit weekday evenings throughout the winter. The League Cup was introduced in the 1960–61 season specifically as a mid-week floodlit tournament, to replace the Southern Professional Floodlit Cup. [ 8 ]
preferably than the traditional decoration, each member of the League Cup-winning team used to receive a tankard. nowadays, winning players receive medals. The League Cup was criticised by the better-endowed clubs. The Times ‘ analogous at the meter felt that the League Cup was a step in the wrong focus ; the european Cup had been formed five years prior to the League Cup and the analogous felt the League Cup ‘s introduction was adding to existing problems. The Times published on 30 May 1960 : “ Where a drastic reduction is required in an attempt to raise quality, no doubt measure and a further gap of averageness will be the dose. Where men like Count Bernabeu with his wide horizons, think in terms of a European League for the future in which a lead could surely now be given jointly by our leaders, the Football League propose following season to implement their useless Football League Cup to be played in midweek. It gets the players, the clubs and the public nowhere. ” [ 9 ] Aston Villa were the inaugural address winners in 1960–61, defeating Rotherham United 3–2 in the concluding over two legs. football in England was considered to be of a first gear choice, compared to what was being played on the continent, as relatively unfashionable clubs Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers were England ‘s representatives in Europe that year, having lifted the major honours ahead of much bigger clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United. Richards referred to the appetite for european football as ‘continental fever ‘. He was bang-up for the league to re-establish itself : ‘We must be prepared to put the interests of the League and the game before individual clubs. ‘ [ 10 ] Sixteen clubs opposed the competition ‘s creation, thirty-one approved it. [ 10 ] The average attendance across the League Cup was 10,556, just higher than the median gate in the Third Division. [ 11 ] The full attendance of the Football League competition had fallen by 4 million from the previous temper. Richards is reputed to have told Hardaker that he foresaw ‘the League Cup final being held at Wembley, but that it would n’t be during his life ‘. The first base League Cup final to be held at Wembley was Third Division Queens Park Rangers ‘s succeed over First Division West Bromwich Albion on 4 March 1967. Richards died in 1968. The first League Cup was won in 1960–61 by Aston Villa who, at the time, held the overall record for major trophies won in England. [ citation needed ] The adjacent three finals, however, saw the trophy acquire by clubs who had never won a major trophy before. One of them, Norwich City, had so far to even play in the First Division, while their opponents Rochdale had played no higher than the Third Division. [ 12 ] The presentation of the League Cup gave the Football League more negociate ability with the FA and UEFA. Hardaker threatened UEFA with a boycott of the UEFA Cup, unless UEFA gave the League Cup winner european qualification. As a result of the negotiate tactics, UEFA provided the League Cup winner with a place in the european competitions, providing the team was in the first class. Tottenham Hotspur were the first team to qualify for Europe by virtue of winning the competition. Although Leeds United had won the competition before Tottenham, Leeds qualified for Europe based on league position. The winners of the 1966–67 and 1968–69 editions, Queen ‘s Park Rangers and Swindon Town did not participate in Europe, as they were not in the First Division. [ citation needed ] anterior to the agreement with UEFA, the competition was not considered worthy of the larger clubs ‘ attention. however, once a status in Europe was on offer, as was a final at Wembley Stadium, the competition ‘s standing was improved and in the 1968–69 season lone Manchester United declined to participate. Everton chose not to compete in 1970–71 so that they could concentrate their efforts on the european Cup. entry was made compulsory for all Football League teams the adopt class. Liverpool and Manchester City have won the cup on the most occasions with eight victories, and both teams have won four League Cups in consecutive years. Liverpool completed two trebles of trophy wins, in 1983–84 and 2000–01, winning the League Cup in both of these years. english clubs lost their place in european competitions for an indefinite menstruation in 1985 as a leave of the Heysel calamity, where Liverpool fans had taken separate in a carouse at the european Cup final, resulting in the death of 39 spectators. That year ‘s winners of the League Cup were Norwich City, who would otherwise have played in a european contest for the foremost time in the 1985–86 season. Oxford United, Arsenal, Luton Town and Nottingham Forest besides missed out on the prospect to compete in the UEFA Cup as League Cup holders over the following four years. even when the prohibition was lifted in 1990, League Cup winners did not participate in european competitions for two more years, when Manchester United won the trophy and qualified for the UEFA Cup anyhow, as they had finished second base in the league. In the previous two seasons, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday had both been prevented from competing in the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners, due to the gradual reintegration of English clubs in european competitions. In 2016–17, the competition was renamed the EFL Cup as separate of the Football League ‘s rebranding to become the english Football League .

modern changes [edit ]

In the early twenty-first century, following restructure of european football, particularly of its international golf club competitions the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, there were considerations of removing the choice of european qualification from the League Cup ‘s winners. It has retained its Europa League moor, however, leaving England and France the only UEFA members to offer a european moor to the winners of their second cup competitions until 2020, when Coupe de la Ligue was suspended indefinitely. [ 13 ] This has allowed the League Cup to retain popularity, particularly with fans of clubs for whom achiever in cup competitions offers their alone naturalistic luck of qualifying for Europe. [ 14 ] [ 15 ]

elephantine killings [edit ]

giant killings are less well remembered in the League Cup than the FA Cup due to the absence of non-league sides and the fact that many big clubs have fielded very under-strength sides when knocked out. [ citation needed ] however, there have been some luminary upsets, such as Fourth Division side Chester beating defending league champions Leeds United 3–0 on their surprise guide to the semi-finals in 1974–75. In 1995–96, Manchester United were beaten 3–0 at family by York City in the second round, first gear leg ; United could entirely win 3–1 in the second base branch and went out 4–3 on aggregate ( York went on to repeat the accomplishment against Everton the take after class ). United went on to win the FA Premier League and FA Cup double and did not lose another home crippled that season, while York narrowly avoided delegating to Division Three ( one-fourth tier ).

format [edit ]

The League Cup is capable to all 92 members of the Premier League and English Football League and is divided into seven rounds, organised sol that 32 teams remain by the one-third turn ( with the exception of the 1961–62 contest ). [ 18 ] Since 1996–97, teams involved in european competition during the season have received a bye to the third base orotund ; the remaining Premier League teams enter at the second round of golf, and the remaining Football League teams enter at the first round. [ 18 ] If the phone number of bye causes an odd issue of teams to enter a attack, another team may be given a adieu ( normally the highest-placed team of those relegated from the Premier League the previous temper ) or a preliminary orotund may be played between the two teams promoted from the Football Conference the former season ( or, if only one team is promoted, that team would play against the lowest-placed team not to be relegated from the Football League the former temper ) ; preliminary rounds have only been necessary in the 2002–03 and 2011–12 competitions. [ 18 ] [ 19 ] Up to 1995–96, all teams were involved by the second round, although some receive byes to that stage. [ 18 ] Matches in all rounds are single-legged, except for the semi-finals, which have been two-legged since the rival began. [ 18 ] The final was two-legged from 1961 to 1966, but has been single-legged ever since. [ 18 ] The first round was two-legged from 1975–76 to 2000–01, and the moment polish was two-legged from 1979–80 to 2000–01. [ 18 ] Single-legged matches would be replayed as necessity until 1993–94, when penalties were introduced to settle the first play back ; the last single-legged tie to require a replay was played in 1996–97. Until 1974–75, two-legged ties that remained horizontal surface after excess meter in the moment branch would be replayed ; in that time, three ties reached a third replay. [ 18 ] Between 1975–76 and 1979–80, ties would still be replayed, but a penalty shoot-out would be used to settle ties that could not be decided after a replay ; replays of two-legged matches were last abolished for 1980–81, with the away goals rule and penalties being adopted rather. [ 18 ] The semi-finals were the exception to this, with grade ties being replayed until 1986–87, after which the away goals rule and penalties were introduced. [ 18 ] From 2018–19, supernumerary time was scrapped for all rounds except the final examination, and the away goal rule was scrapped for the semi-final, with level ties going straight to a penalty shoot-out. [ 20 ] [ 21 ]

concluding [edit ]

For the first six seasons of the Football League Cup, the concluding was played over two legs, with each branch being played at the home reason of each finalist. Since 1967, the final has been played as a one couple at Wembley Stadium, although the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was used between 2001 and 2007, following the demolition of the erstwhile Wembley. Between 1967 and 1997, finals that finished level after extra time were replayed at an alternate venue until a achiever was decided. [ 18 ] The only final to require two replays was the 1977 final examination between Aston Villa and Everton. [ 18 ] The venues that hosted replays were Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, Old Trafford and Maine Road in Manchester and Villa Park in Birmingham. Since 1998, finals that have finished charge after extra fourth dimension have been decided by penalty shoot-out. [ 18 ] Until 1999–2000, the final was played in deep March or early April. Thereafter it has been played in late February or early March. Since 1989–90, the best musician in the League Cup Final has been presented with the Alan Hardaker Trophy, named after Alan Hardaker, the former repository of the Football League who devised the Football League Cup. John Terry, Ben Foster and Vincent Kompany are the only players to win the prize more than once. [ 22 ]

Results by club [edit ]

From 1981 to the deliver ( except in 2016–17 ), the League Cup has attracted championship sponsorship, which meant, unlike its older sibling the FA Cup, the League Cup was named after its sponsor, giving it the follow names :

trophy [edit ]

The winners receive the EFL Cup, [ 1 ] of which there have been three designs – the stream one besides being the master, a three-handled Georgian-style urn with a separate pedestal ( add subsequently ). Designed and manufactured by Mappin & Webb, it weighs 2.976 kilogram and measures 27 curium by 20.5 curium. It is deserving around £20,000. [ 1 ] It was used until the 1980–81 rival, before coming back into use ever since the 1990–91 rival. [ 28 ] The reason for the break in custom was the initiation for the inaugural time of a competition presenter – the Milk Marketing Board, who chose to award their own trophy from 1981–82 to 1985–86. [ 29 ] The following patronize, Littlewoods, besides chose to award their own trophy, from 1986–87 until 1989–90. [ 30 ] Later sponsors have used the original .

Broadcasters [edit ]

In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, 15 matches will be broadcast populate by Sky Sports through 2024 [ 31 ] with highlights from the respective matches on Quest through 2022. [ 32 ] This contest is included in the EFL broadcast package .

Records [edit ]

As of 2021 :