english association football rival

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 competition in men ‘s domestic English football. Organised by the English Football League ( EFL ), it is clear to any club within the peak four levels of the English football league system – 92 clubs in sum – comprising the top flush Premier League, and the three divisions of the English Football League ‘s own league competition ( Championship, League One and League Two ).

first 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 early 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 exponent over the FA. It besides took advantage of the roll-out of floodlights, allowing the fixtures to be played as midweek flush 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 temper onwards. The tournament is played over seven rounds, with single-leg ties throughout, except for the semi-finals. The final is held at Wembley Stadium which is the lone link in the rival played at a impersonal venue and on a weekend ( Sunday ). The first two rounds are split into North and South sections, and a system of byes based on league degree ensures higher rank teams enter in later rounds, and to defer the entrance of teams still involved in Europe. Winners receive the EFL Cup, [ 1 ] of which there have been three designs, the current one besides being the original. Winners besides qualify for european football ; up to the 2019–20 season, the winners received a place 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 place in the UEFA Europa Conference League. Should the achiever besides qualify for Europe through other means at the end of the season, this position is transferred to the highest-placed Premier League team not already qualified for european contest. The stream holders are Manchester City, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 in the 2021 concluding to win their fourth straight 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 turn eclipsed by the Premier League ‘s television money ( awarded on final league position ) and attendant engagement in the Champions League. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] Some clubs have repeatedly fielded a weaker slope in the competition, making the opportunity for giant-killing of the larger clubs more probable. many teams in the Premier League, Arsenal and Manchester United in particular, have used the contest to give young players valuable big-game know. [ 5 ] consequently, it began to be described sarcastically as the Mickey Mouse cup in some quarters. however, in 2010, in reply to Arsène Wenger ‘s call that a League Cup win would not end his trophy drought, Alex Ferguson described the trophy as “ a pot deserving winning ”. After a time period of decline when the competition ‘s future was regularly questioned, late years have seen a revival in regard for the trophy, as the larger Premier League clubs have come to dominate the competition again, and the exploitation nature of the contest has begun to be viewed as a plus 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 idea for a League Cup came from Stanley Rous who saw the competition 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 contest as a way 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 contest when it was called “ Milk Cup ” The trophy was paid for personally by Football League President Joe Richards, who was gallant of the rival and he had his own list engraved on it. Richards described the contest ‘s formation as an “ interim dance step ” on the way to the league ‘s re-organisation. [ 7 ] Richards ‘ priority was the re-organisation of the leagues ; “ possibly by cutting down the number of clubs in each division, as has already been suggested, and tied 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 game 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 time 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 time has come for our voice to be heard in every problem which affects the professional game. ” [ 7 ] The League Cup competition was established at a time when match day attendances were dwindling. The league had lost a million spectators compared to the previous season. It was established at a fourth dimension when tensions between the Football League and the Football Association were high. The biggest disagreement was about how tax income 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 floodlight tournament, to replace the Southern Professional Floodlit Cup. [ 8 ]
quite than the traditional decoration, each extremity of the League Cup-winning team used to receive a tankard. today, winning players receive medals. The League Cup was criticised by the better-endowed clubs. The Times ‘ correspondent at the clock felt that the League Cup was a mistreat in the wrong guidance ; the european Cup had been formed five years anterior to the League Cup and the correspondent felt the League Cup ‘s presentation was adding to existing problems. The Times published on 30 May 1960 : “ Where a drastic decrease is required in an attempt to raise quality, no doubt quantity and a further spread of second-rater will be the venereal disease. Where men like Count Bernabeu with his wide horizons, think in terms of a European League for the future in which a run could surely now be given jointly by our leaders, the Football League propose future 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 winners in 1960–61, defeating Rotherham United 3–2 in the final examination over two legs. football in England was considered to be of a low 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 lament for the league to re-establish itself : ‘We must be prepared to put the interests of the League and the game before person clubs. ‘ [ 10 ] Sixteen clubs opposed the competition ‘s creation, thirty-one approved it. [ 10 ] The average attendance across the League Cup was 10,556, precisely higher than the average gate in the Third Division. [ 11 ] The total attendance of the Football League rival had fallen by 4 million from the previous temper. Richards is reputed to have told Hardaker that he foresaw ‘the League Cup concluding being held at Wembley, but that it would n’t be during his life ‘. The inaugural League Cup final to be held at Wembley was Third Division Queens Park Rangers ‘s gain 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 following three finals, however, saw the trophy succeed 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 introduction of the League Cup gave the Football League more negotiate exponent 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 leave of the negociate tactics, UEFA provided the League Cup winner with a place in the european competitions, providing the team was in the first division. Tottenham Hotspur were the first team to qualify for Europe by virtue of winning the competition. Although Leeds United had won the rival before Tottenham, Leeds qualified for Europe based on league place. 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 ] prior to the agreement with UEFA, the competition was not considered worthy of the larger clubs ‘ attention. however, once a position in Europe was on volunteer, as was a final at Wembley Stadium, the competition ‘s stand 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. entrance was made compulsory for all Football League teams the take after year. 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 locate in european competitions for an indefinite period in 1985 as a solution of the Heysel catastrophe, where Liverpool fans had taken part in a belly laugh 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 first time in the 1985–86 season. Oxford United, Arsenal, Luton Town and Nottingham Forest besides missed out on the luck to compete in the UEFA Cup as League Cup holders over the future four years. even when the ban 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 moment 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, ascribable to the gradual reintegration of English clubs in european competitions. In 2016–17, the rival was renamed the EFL Cup as share 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 external 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 berth, however, leaving England and France the alone UEFA members to offer a european moor to the winners of their second gear cup competitions until 2020, when Coupe de la Ligue was suspended indefinitely. [ 13 ] This has allowed the League Cup to retain popularity, specially with fans of clubs for whom success in cup competitions offers their only realistic chance of qualifying for Europe. [ 14 ] [ 15 ]

giant star killings [edit ]

giant star 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 boastfully clubs have fielded very under-strength sides when knocked out. [ citation needed ] however, there have been some celebrated upsets, such as Fourth Division side Chester beating defending league champions Leeds United 3–0 on their surprise run to the semi-finals in 1974–75. In 1995–96, Manchester United were beaten 3–0 at home by York City in the second round, first branch ; United could lone win 3–1 in the irregular leg and went out 4–3 on aggregate ( York went on to repeat the accomplishment against Everton the follow class ). United went on to win the FA Premier League and FA Cup double and did not lose another home game that season, while York narrowly avoided delegating to Division Three ( one-fourth tier ).

besides, the final of 1966–67 meet Division Three side Queens Park Rangers come from 2–0 down at half prison term to win 3–2 against top-flight West Bromwich Albion in the first base League Cup Final to be hosted at Wembley Stadium. Two years belated in 1968–69, Third Division side Swindon Town beat Arsenal 3–1 after extra time in the final to win the trophy. manchester United have besides been knocked out by Southend United and Coventry City in 2006–07 and 2007–08 respectively : in the match against Southend they fielded a strong side with 10 internationals, bucking a swerve they had themselves started during the 1990s. [ 16 ] In the 2014–15 season, Manchester United fielded five external players but lost 4–0 in the second round of golf ( in which they entered the tournament ) against third-tier side MK Dons. [ 17 ] In 2001–02, holders Liverpool were defeated 2–1 at dwelling by struggling Division One side Grimsby Town, then humbled again by Northampton Town, one of the lowest place teams in League Two, in September 2010. Grimsby recorded another giant star killing four years late by knocking out Tottenham Hotspur, by which time the baseball club had dropped into the fourth grade. In the 2012–13 competition, League Two ( fourth tier ) side Bradford City eliminated three Premier League sides from the contest, becoming the lowest-ranked team to do so since Rochdale in 1961–62. however, their luck ultimately ran out in the concluding, where they were beaten by Swansea City. In their centennial class, Swansea became the first team from away England to win the League Cup on 24 February 2013, when they beat Bradford City 5–0 to win their first major english trophy. Former League cabaret and now defunct Scarborough defeated Chelsea 4–3 on aggregate in October 1989, while a Fourth Division club. In 1992–93, Scarborough then defeated Coventry City ( then a top-tier side ) 3–2 on aggregate, before ultimately going out of the competition, narrowly, 1–0, against Arsenal .

format [edit ]

The League Cup is open to all 92 members of the Premier League and English Football League and is divided into seven rounds, organised therefore that 32 teams remain by the third round ( with the exception of the 1961–62 contest ). [ 18 ] Since 1996–97, teams involved in european competition during the season have received a adieu to the third round ; the remaining Premier League teams enter at the second beat, and the remaining Football League teams enter at the first round of golf. [ 18 ] If the count of adieu causes an odd number of teams to enter a round off, another team may be given a adieu ( normally the highest-placed team of those relegated from the Premier League the former temper ) or a preliminary round may be played between the two teams promoted from the Football Conference the previous temper ( 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 season ) ; preliminary rounds have merely been necessary in the 2002–03 and 2011–12 competitions. [ 18 ] [ 19 ] Up to 1995–96, all teams were involved by the second orotund, although some experience byes to that stage. [ 18 ] Matches in all rounds are single-legged, except for the semi-finals, which have been two-legged since the contest began. [ 18 ] The final was two-legged from 1961 to 1966, but has been single-legged always since. [ 18 ] The first base round was two-legged from 1975–76 to 2000–01, and the second circle 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 replay ; the last single-legged tie to require a replay was played in 1996–97. Until 1974–75, two-legged ties that remained level after extra time in the second leg would be replayed ; in that time, three ties reached a third replay. [ 18 ] Between 1975–76 and 1979–80, ties would hush 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 ultimately abolished for 1980–81, with the away goals rule and penalties being adopted alternatively. [ 18 ] The semi-finals were the exception to this, with flat ties being replayed until 1986–87, after which the away goals rule and penalties were introduced. [ 18 ] From 2018–19, extra time was scrapped for all rounds except the concluding, and the away goal rule was scrapped for the semi-final, with level ties going straight to a penalty shoot-out. [ 20 ] [ 21 ]

final [edit ]

For the first six seasons of the Football League Cup, the final was played over two legs, with each stage being played at the home ground of each finalist. Since 1967, the final has been played as a individual pit at Wembley Stadium, although the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was used between 2001 and 2007, following the demolition of the old Wembley. Between 1967 and 1997, finals that finished degree after supernumerary time were replayed at an alternative venue until a achiever was decided. [ 18 ] The only concluding to require two replays was the 1977 final 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 level after supernumerary fourth dimension have been decided by penalty shoot-out. [ 18 ] Until 1999–2000, the final was played in late March or early April. Thereafter it has been played in late February or early March. Since 1989–90, the best player in the League Cup Final has been presented with the Alan Hardaker Trophy, named after Alan Hardaker, the erstwhile secretary 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 stage ( except in 2016–17 ), the League Cup has attracted title sponsorship, which meant, unlike its older sibling the FA Cup, the League Cup was named after its patronize, giving it the keep up names :

trophy [edit ]

The winners receive the EFL Cup, [ 1 ] of which there have been three designs – the stream one besides being the original, a three-handled Georgian-style urn with a separate pedestal ( lend belated ). Designed and manufactured by Mappin & Webb, it weighs 2.976 kilogram and measures 27 centimeter by 20.5 curium. It is worth about £20,000. [ 1 ] It was used until the 1980–81 competition, before coming back into use always since the 1990–91 contest. [ 28 ] The reason for the open frame in use was the initiation for the first time of a rival sponsor – the Milk Marketing Board, who chose to award their own trophy from 1981–82 to 1985–86. [ 29 ] The future sponsor, 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 live by Sky Sports through 2024 [ 31 ] with highlights from the several matches on Quest through 2022. [ 32 ] This competition is included in the EFL broadcast package .

Records [edit ]

As of 2021 :

References [edit ]