Post by Dave on Aug 31, 2009 9:35:49 GMT
Freight Rover, Serpa Van, Leyland DAF and now the Johnson Paint Trophy
A bit of the history of the cup
The competition for Third and Fourth (as they were before 1992) Division clubs dates back to the 1983-84 season. Early cup competitions for third-tier clubs include the individual Football League Third Division North Cup and Football League Third Division South Cup from 1934 to 1939.
Prior to 1984 there had been a couple of different attempts to fill the gap in the calendar left by the collapse of the Texaco Cup-Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1981. The 1982-83 season saw the setting up of the Football League Group Cup, a competition which was re-named the Football League Trophy for the 1983-84 season.
However unlike the present Football League Trophy, these competitions were not limited to lower-division clubs. The first final in 1984, was to have been played at Wembley Stadium but due to damage to the pitch, caused during the Horse of the Year show the final was moved to Hull.
After that, finals were played at Wembley Stadium, until 2001, when the final was played at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, where the final stayed, until 2008 and a return to the new Wembley Stadium.
The competition is not considered a priority, with many clubs opting to field below-strength teams, particularly in the earlier rounds. A new rule from the 2006-7 season aims to stop this, with teams now obliged to play at least 6 of the players with the most appearances in their respective positions (for the season to date) or face a fine. Supporters, too, apparently lack enthusiasm for the competition, with crowds usually falling well below the level considered acceptable (or, indeed, commercially viable) for senior football.
For example, in November 2005, Peterborough United (with an average crowd of approximately 7,500) attracted just 969 people to their game against Swindon Town, whilst Swansea City (with an average gate of some 15,000) saw a mere 5,321 people attend their tie with Rushden & Diamonds. Nottingham Forest recorded the lowest attendance in their history, with just 2,013 fans turning up for the tie against Brentford in 2006.
During their exile more than 40 miles (64 km) away at Macclesfield Town between moving grounds, Chester City attracted just 409 fans against Bury in November 1990 and 420 in the following year's competition against Darlington.
The highest attendance for any game in this competition, outside of the final, came in 1995, when Birmingham City played Leyton Orient at St. Andrew's in front of a crowd of over 24,000.
The record attendance for the final is 80,841, for the Sherpa Van Trophy Final match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley at Wembley on 29 May 1988. Wolves are the only former English football champions to win the Trophy; Burnley and Huddersfield Town have been finalists once each.
In 1989 we reached the final and we became the first Devon league club to ever play at Wembley, it was a great day out, but we were well beaten in the end, below are the results from the latter stages of the competition that season.
Area quarter-finals
North
21 Feb Bolton 3 - 1 Wrexham (aet)
Halifax 0 - 2 Blackpool
Huddersfield 1 - 2 Scarborough
Wigan 0 - 1 Crewe
South
14 Feb Colchester 0 - 1 Hereford
21 Feb Chesterfield 0 - 1 Brentford
Wolves 3 - 1 Northampton (aet)
22 Feb Bristol Rovers 0 - 1 Torquay
Area semi-finals
North
21 Mar Blackpool 1 - 0 Scarborough (aet)
Crewe 1 - 2 Bolton (aet)
South
21 Mar Brentford 0 - 1 Torquay
22 Mar Hereford 0 - 2 Wolves
Area finals
North
11 Apr Bolton 1 - 0 Blackpool
18 Apr Blackpool 1 - 1 Bolton (aet)
(Bolton won 2-1 on aggregate)
South
12 Apr Torquay 1 - 2 Wolves
18 Apr Wolves 0 - 2 Torquay
(Torquay won 3-2 on aggregate)
Final
Sunday 28th May 1989, at Wembley
Bolton Wanderers 4 - 1 Torquay United
For those who may be to young to remember that season, then you can relive it in the clip below, please note just how bad our away end was back then, with the cage we made away fans stand in, after Web had removed the terrace that once stood there for his used car lot.
I expect we will see Poke in goal and I wonder if Bucks will put out his strongest side after our defeat at Bradford, I have a feeling he will do that as trying to get the team back into winning habits, will only help our league form.
A bit of the history of the cup
The competition for Third and Fourth (as they were before 1992) Division clubs dates back to the 1983-84 season. Early cup competitions for third-tier clubs include the individual Football League Third Division North Cup and Football League Third Division South Cup from 1934 to 1939.
Prior to 1984 there had been a couple of different attempts to fill the gap in the calendar left by the collapse of the Texaco Cup-Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1981. The 1982-83 season saw the setting up of the Football League Group Cup, a competition which was re-named the Football League Trophy for the 1983-84 season.
However unlike the present Football League Trophy, these competitions were not limited to lower-division clubs. The first final in 1984, was to have been played at Wembley Stadium but due to damage to the pitch, caused during the Horse of the Year show the final was moved to Hull.
After that, finals were played at Wembley Stadium, until 2001, when the final was played at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, where the final stayed, until 2008 and a return to the new Wembley Stadium.
The competition is not considered a priority, with many clubs opting to field below-strength teams, particularly in the earlier rounds. A new rule from the 2006-7 season aims to stop this, with teams now obliged to play at least 6 of the players with the most appearances in their respective positions (for the season to date) or face a fine. Supporters, too, apparently lack enthusiasm for the competition, with crowds usually falling well below the level considered acceptable (or, indeed, commercially viable) for senior football.
For example, in November 2005, Peterborough United (with an average crowd of approximately 7,500) attracted just 969 people to their game against Swindon Town, whilst Swansea City (with an average gate of some 15,000) saw a mere 5,321 people attend their tie with Rushden & Diamonds. Nottingham Forest recorded the lowest attendance in their history, with just 2,013 fans turning up for the tie against Brentford in 2006.
During their exile more than 40 miles (64 km) away at Macclesfield Town between moving grounds, Chester City attracted just 409 fans against Bury in November 1990 and 420 in the following year's competition against Darlington.
The highest attendance for any game in this competition, outside of the final, came in 1995, when Birmingham City played Leyton Orient at St. Andrew's in front of a crowd of over 24,000.
The record attendance for the final is 80,841, for the Sherpa Van Trophy Final match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley at Wembley on 29 May 1988. Wolves are the only former English football champions to win the Trophy; Burnley and Huddersfield Town have been finalists once each.
In 1989 we reached the final and we became the first Devon league club to ever play at Wembley, it was a great day out, but we were well beaten in the end, below are the results from the latter stages of the competition that season.
Area quarter-finals
North
21 Feb Bolton 3 - 1 Wrexham (aet)
Halifax 0 - 2 Blackpool
Huddersfield 1 - 2 Scarborough
Wigan 0 - 1 Crewe
South
14 Feb Colchester 0 - 1 Hereford
21 Feb Chesterfield 0 - 1 Brentford
Wolves 3 - 1 Northampton (aet)
22 Feb Bristol Rovers 0 - 1 Torquay
Area semi-finals
North
21 Mar Blackpool 1 - 0 Scarborough (aet)
Crewe 1 - 2 Bolton (aet)
South
21 Mar Brentford 0 - 1 Torquay
22 Mar Hereford 0 - 2 Wolves
Area finals
North
11 Apr Bolton 1 - 0 Blackpool
18 Apr Blackpool 1 - 1 Bolton (aet)
(Bolton won 2-1 on aggregate)
South
12 Apr Torquay 1 - 2 Wolves
18 Apr Wolves 0 - 2 Torquay
(Torquay won 3-2 on aggregate)
Final
Sunday 28th May 1989, at Wembley
Bolton Wanderers 4 - 1 Torquay United
For those who may be to young to remember that season, then you can relive it in the clip below, please note just how bad our away end was back then, with the cage we made away fans stand in, after Web had removed the terrace that once stood there for his used car lot.
I expect we will see Poke in goal and I wonder if Bucks will put out his strongest side after our defeat at Bradford, I have a feeling he will do that as trying to get the team back into winning habits, will only help our league form.
TEAM (4-4-2)
