1986 Football League Cup Final

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1986 Football League Cup Final
Royal Box at Wembley Stadium 1986.jpg
Oxford United lifting the cup
Event1985–86 Football League Cup
Oxford United Queens Park Rangers
3 0
Date20 April 1986
VenueWembley Stadium, London
RefereeKeith Hackett
Attendance90,396
← 1985
1987 →

The 1986 Football League Cup Final (known for sponsorship reasons as the Milk Cup) was a football match held on 20 April 1986 between Oxford United and Queens Park Rangers. Oxford won the match 3–0 to capture the League Cup – their first and only major honour. Trevor Hebberd opened the scoring in the first half, and Ray Houghton added a second. Jeremy Charles scored the third following up when John Aldridge had a shot saved by QPR goalkeeper Paul Barron. The match was played at Wembley Stadium in front of 90,396 spectators.

Because UEFA voted that the ban on English clubs in European competitions (beginning after the Heysel disaster in May 1985) would continue for a second season, Oxford United were denied a place in the 1986–87 UEFA Cup.

Route to the final[]

See also: 1985–86 Football League Cup
Oxford United
Round Opposition Score
2nd[1] Northampton Town (h) 2–0
Northampton Town (a) 2–1
Aggregate score 4–1
3rd Newcastle United (h) 3–1
4th Norwich City (h) 3–1
5th Portsmouth (h) 3–1
Semi-final[1] Aston Villa (a) 2–2
Aston Villa (h) 2–1
Aggregate score 4–3

Oxford United and Queens Park Rangers were both playing in the First Division and both entered the competition at the second round stage, under the tournament format in place at the time. Oxford had never previously progressed past the quarter finals, which they reached in the 1969–70 and 1983–84 seasons.[2] Queens Park Rangers, on the other hand, were victorious in the 1967 final where they defeated West Bromwich Albion.[3] In the second round, Oxford defeated Northampton Town of the Fourth Division 4–1 on aggregate after two legs.[4] The 2–1 away victory at County Cricket Ground was Oxford's first and only away win at Northampton in cup competitions.[5]: 363 

Queens Park Rangers
Round Opposition Score
2nd[1] Hull City (h) 3–0
Hull City (a) 5–1
Aggregate score 8–1
3rd Watford (a) 1–0
4th Nottingham Forest (h) 3–1
5th Chelsea (h) 1–1
replay Chelsea (a) 2–0
Semi-final[1] Liverpool (h) 1–0
Liverpool (a) 2–2
Aggregate score 3–2

After a third-round home win against Newcastle United,[6] Oxford United faced Second Division side and cup holders Norwich City in the fourth round, winning 3–1.[7] In the fifth round Oxford defeated Portsmouth 3–1,[8] making it the third consecutive round where a 3–1 home victory was recorded. Despite the fifth-round tie, the attendance for the game was around 400 lower than the league average, after a boycott was organised due to increased ticket prices.[5]: 121 

The semi-final against First Division Aston Villa was contested over two legs. The first at Villa Park finished 2–2,[9] with the return leg ending in a 2–1 victory for Oxford after goals from Jeremy Charles and Les Phillips.[10][5]: 122 

The London-based club began the competition against Second Division team Hull City, winning 8–1 on aggregate, including a 5–1 away victory at Boothferry Park.[11][12] In the third round they beat Watford of the First Division 1–0 at Vicarage Road.[13] The "Hoops" defeated another First Division team, Nottingham Forest, in the fourth round,[14] but found the fifth round tougher against Chelsea. After the first match ended in a 1–1 draw at Loftus Road, the reply held at Stamford Bridge ended in a 2–0 win with goals from Alan McDonald and Michael Robinson.[15][16] In the semi-finals, Queens Park Rangers took on Liverpool. QPR went through 3–2 on aggregate after a 1–0 home win was followed by a 2–2 draw at Anfield.[17][18] Apart from the second-round tie against Hull City, all the teams that Queens Park Rangers defeated on their way to Wembley played in the First Division, including champions Liverpool. In contrast, Oxford United only faced two, Newcastle United and Aston Villa.

Match details[]

Oxford United3–0Queens Park Rangers
Hebberd 40'
Houghton 52'
Charles 86'
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 90,396
Referee: Keith Hackett (Sheffield)
Oxford
QPR
GK 1 England Alan Judge
DF 2 Republic of Ireland Dave Langan
DF 3 England John Trewick
MF 4 England Les Phillips
DF 5 England Gary Briggs
DF 6 England Malcolm Shotton (c)
MF 7 Republic of Ireland Ray Houghton
FW 8 Republic of Ireland John Aldridge
FW 9 Wales Jeremy Charles
MF 10 England Trevor Hebberd (Man of the Match[19])
MF 11 England Kevin Brock
Substitute:
FW 12 England Andy Thomas
Manager:
England Maurice Evans
GK 1 England Paul Barron
DF 2 Northern Ireland Alan McDonald
DF 3 England Ian Dawes
DF 4 England Warren Neill
MF 5 England Steve Wicks
DF 6 England Terry Fenwick (c)
MF 7 England Martin Allen downward-facing red arrow
MF 8 Wales Robbie James
FW 9 England Gary Bannister
FW 10 Republic of Ireland John Byrne
MF 11 Republic of Ireland Michael Robinson
Substitute:
FW 12 Sierra Leone Leroy Rosenior upward-facing green arrow
Manager:
England Jim Smith

Match rules

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary
  • Replay if scores still level
  • One named substitute
  • Maximum of one substitution

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d The second round and the semi-finals were played over two legs
  2. ^ "Oxford United". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 5 September 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  3. ^ "Queens Park Rangers". The Football Club History Database. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  4. ^ "English League Cup Round 2". Soccerbase. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  5. ^ a b c Andy, Howland; Roger Howland (1989). Oxford United: A Complete Record 1893–1989. Breedon Books. ISBN 0-907969-52-6.
  6. ^ "English League Cup Round 3". Soccerbase. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  7. ^ "English League Cup Round 4". Soccerbase. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  8. ^ "English League Cup Round 5". Soccerbase. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  9. ^ "English League Cup Round SF". Soccerbase. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  10. ^ "English League Cup Round SF". Soccerbase. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  11. ^ "English League Cup Round 2 Leg 1". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  12. ^ "English League Cup Round 2 Leg 2". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  13. ^ "English League Cup Round 3". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  14. ^ "English League Cup Round 4". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  15. ^ "English League Cup Round 5". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  16. ^ "English League Cup Round e Replay". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  17. ^ "English League Cup Round SF". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  18. ^ "English League Cup Round SF". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  19. ^ "Trevor Hebberd". Oxford United F.C. Retrieved 24 February 2018.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""