Football tournament season
1988–89 Football League Cup Country England Wales Teams 92 Champions Nottingham Forest (3rd title)Runners-up Luton Town Top goal scorer(s) David Platt (6)
The 1988–89 Football League Cup (known as the Littlewoods Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 29th season of the Football League Cup , a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs. The competition started on 29 August 1988 and ended with the final on 9 April 1989.
The final was contested by First Division teams Nottingham Forest and holders Luton Town at Wembley Stadium in London .
First round [ ]
First Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Bolton Wanderers
1–0
Chester City
30 August 1988
Bournemouth
1–0
Bristol Rovers
30 August 1988
Bristol City
1–0
Exeter City
30 August 1988
Bury
2–1
Wrexham
30 August 1988
Cambridge United
1–2
Gillingham
30 August 1988
Cardiff City
0–1
Swansea City
30 August 1988
Carlisle United
1–1
Blackpool
30 August 1988
Colchester United
0–0
Northampton Town
30 August 1988
Crewe Alexandra
1–1
Lincoln City
30 August 1988
Doncaster Rovers
1–1
Darlington
30 August 1988
Fulham
2–2
Brentford
30 August 1988
Grimsby Town
0–1
Rotherham United
30 August 1988
Hartlepool United
2–2
Sheffield United
30 August 1988
Hereford United
0–3
Plymouth Argyle
29 August 1988
Leyton Orient
2–0
Aldershot
30 August 1988
Notts County
5–0
Mansfield Town
30 August 1988
Port Vale
3–2
Chesterfield
30 August 1988
Rochdale
3–3
Burnley
30 August 1988
Scarborough
1–1
Halifax Town
31 August 1988
Scunthorpe United
3–2
Huddersfield Town
30 August 1988
Shrewsbury Town
2–2
Walsall
30 August 1988
Southend United
2–0
Brighton & Hove Albion
30 August 1988
Stockport County
0–1
Tranmere Rovers
29 August 1988
Torquay United
0–1
Reading
30 August 1988
West Bromwich Albion
0–3
Peterborough United
31 August 1988
Wigan Athletic
0–0
Preston North End
29 August 1988
Wolverhampton Wanderers
3–2
Birmingham City
30 August 1988
York City
0–0
Sunderland
30 August 1988
Second Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Agg
Aldershot
0–0
Leyton Orient
6 September 1988
0–2
Birmingham City
1–0[1] [2]
Wolverhampton Wanderers
6 September 1988
3–3
Blackpool
3–0
Carlisle United
6 September 1988
4–1
Brentford
1–0[1]
Fulham
6 September 1988
3–2
Brighton & Hove Albion
0–1
Southend United
7 September 1988
0–3
Bristol Rovers
0–0
Bournemouth
7 September 1988
0–1
Burnley
2–1
Rochdale
6 September 1988
5–4
Chester City
3–1
Bolton Wanderers
7 September 1988
3–2
Chesterfield
1–1
Port Vale
6 September 1988
3–4
Darlington
2–0
Doncaster Rovers
6 September 1988
3–1
Exeter City
0–1
Bristol City
7 September 1988
0–2
Gillingham
3–1
Cambridge United
6 September 1988
5–2
Halifax Town
2–2[1] [3]
Scarborough
6 September 1988
3–3
Huddersfield Town
2–2[1]
Scunthorpe United
6 September 1988
4–5
Lincoln City
2–1
Crewe Alexandra
7 September 1988
3–2
Mansfield Town
1–0
Notts County
6 September 1988
1–5
Northampton Town
5–0
Colchester United
6 September 1988
5–0
Peterborough United
0–2
West Bromwich Albion
7 September 1988
3–2
Plymouth Argyle
3–2
Hereford United
6 September 1988
6–2
Preston North End
1–0
Wigan Athletic
6 September 1988
1–0
Reading
3–1
Torquay United
7 September 1988
4–1
Rotherham United
1–0
Grimsby Town
6 September 1988
2–0
Sheffield United
2–0[1]
Hartlepool United
6 September 1988
4–2
Sunderland
4–0
York City
6 September 1988
4–0
Swansea City
0–2
Cardiff City
20 September 1988
1–2
Tranmere Rovers
1–1
Stockport County
5 September 1988
2–1
Walsall
3–0
Shrewsbury Town
6 September 1988
5–2
Wrexham
2–2[1]
Bury
6 September 1988
3–4
Second round [ ]
First Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Barnsley
0–2
Wimbledon
27 September 1988
Birmingham City
0–2
Aston Villa
27 September 1988
Blackburn Rovers
3–1
Brentford
27 September 1988
Blackpool
2–0
Sheffield Wednesday
27 September 1988
Bournemouth
0–4
Coventry City
27 September 1988
Darlington
2–0
Oldham Athletic
27 September 1988
Derby County
1–0
Southend United
28 September 1988
Everton
3–0
Bury
27 September 1988
Hull City
1–2
Arsenal
28 September 1988
Leicester City
4–1
Watford
28 September 1988
Leyton Orient
1–2
Stoke City
27 September 1988
Lincoln City
1–1
Southampton
28 September 1988
Liverpool
1–0
Walsall
28 September 1988
Luton Town
1–1
Burnley
27 September 1988
Manchester City
1–0
Plymouth Argyle
28 September 1988
Middlesbrough
0–0
Tranmere Rovers
28 September 1988
Millwall
3–0
Gillingham
27 September 1988
Northampton Town
1–1
Charlton Athletic
27 September 1988
Norwich City
2–0
Preston North End
28 September 1988
Nottingham Forest
6–0
Chester City
28 September 1988
Notts County
1–1
Tottenham Hotspur
27 September 1988
Oxford United
2–4
Bristol City
28 September 1988
Peterborough United
1–2
Leeds United
27 September 1988
Port Vale
1–0
Ipswich Town
26 September 1988
Portsmouth
2–2
Scarborough
27 September 1988
Queens Park Rangers
3–0
Cardiff City
28 September 1988
Reading
1–1
Bradford City
28 September 1988
Rotherham United
0–1
Manchester United
28 September 1988
Scunthorpe United
4–1
Chelsea
27 September 1988
Sheffield United
3–0
Newcastle United
27 September 1988
Sunderland
0–3
West Ham United
27 September 1988
Swindon Town
1–2
Crystal Palace
27 September 1988
Second Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Agg
Arsenal
3–0
Hull City
12 October 1988
5–1
Aston Villa
5–0
Birmingham City
12 October 1988
7–0
Bradford City
2–1[1]
Reading
12 October 1988
3–2
Brentford
4–3
Blackburn Rovers
12 October 1988
5–6
Bristol City
2–0
Oxford United
11 October 1988
6–2
Burnley
0–1
Luton Town
11 October 1988
1–2
Bury
2–2
Everton
11 October 1988
2–5
Cardiff City
1–4
Queens Park Rangers
11 October 1988
1–7
Charlton Athletic
2–1
Northampton Town
11 October 1988
3–2
Chelsea
2–2
Scunthorpe United
12 October 1988
3–6
Chester City
0–4
Nottingham Forest
12 October 1988
0–10
Coventry City
3–1
Bournemouth
11 October 1988
7–1
Crystal Palace
2–0
Swindon Town
12 October 1988
4–1
Gillingham
1–3
Millwall
11 October 1988
1–6
Ipswich Town
3–0
Port Vale
11 October 1988
3–1
Leeds United
3–1
Peterborough United
12 October 1988
5–2
Manchester United
5–0
Rotherham United
12 October 1988
6–0
Newcastle United
2–0
Sheffield United
12 October 1988
2–3
Oldham Athletic
4–0[1]
Darlington
11 October 1988
4–2
Plymouth Argyle
3–6
Manchester City
12 October 1988
3–7
Preston North End
0–3
Norwich City
11 October 1988
0–5
Scarborough
3–1
Portsmouth
12 October 1988
5–3
Sheffield Wednesday
3–1[1] [4]
Blackpool
12 October 1988
3–3
Southampton
3–1
Lincoln City
11 October 1988
4–2
Southend United
1–2
Derby County
11 October 1988
1–3
Stoke City
1–2[1] [5]
Leyton Orient
11 October 1988
3–3
Tottenham Hotspur
2–1
Notts County
11 October 1988
3–2
Tranmere Rovers
1–0
Middlesbrough
11 October 1988
1–0
Walsall
1–3
Liverpool
12 October 1988
1–4
Watford
2–2
Leicester City
11 October 1988
3–6
West Ham United
2–1
Sunderland
12 October 1988
5–1
Wimbledon
0–1
Barnsley
12 October 1988
2–1
Third round [ ]
Ties [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Aston Villa
3–1
Millwall
2 November 1988
Bradford City
1–1
Scunthorpe United
2 November 1988
Bristol City
4–1
Crystal Palace
1 November 1988
Everton
1–1
Oldham Athletic
8 November 1988
Ipswich Town
2–0
Leyton Orient
1 November 1988
Leeds United
0–2
Luton Town
2 November 1988
Leicester City
2–0
Norwich City
2 November 1988
Liverpool
1–1
Arsenal
2 November 1988
Manchester City
4–2
Sheffield United
2 November 1988
Nottingham Forest
3–2
Coventry City
2 November 1988
Queens Park Rangers
2–1
Charlton Athletic
2 November 1988
Scarborough
2–2
Southampton
2 November 1988
Tottenham Hotspur
0–0
Blackburn Rovers
1 November 1988
Tranmere Rovers
1–0
Blackpool
1 November 1988
West Ham United
5–0
Derby County
1 November 1988
Wimbledon
2–1
Manchester United
2 November 1988
Replays [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Arsenal
0–0[1]
Liverpool
9 November 1988
Blackburn Rovers
1–2[1]
Tottenham Hotspur
9 November 1988
Oldham Athletic
0–2
Everton
29 November 1988
Scunthorpe United
0–1
Bradford City
22 November 1988
Southampton
1–0
Scarborough
22 November 1988
2nd Replay [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Liverpool
2–1
Arsenal
23 November 1988
Fourth round [ ]
Ties [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Aston Villa
6–2
Ipswich Town
30 November 1988
Bradford City
3–1
Everton
14 December 1988
Bristol City
1–0
Tranmere Rovers
29 November 1988
Leicester City
0–0
Nottingham Forest
30 November 1988
Luton Town
3–1
Manchester City
29 November 1988
Queens Park Rangers
0–0
Wimbledon
30 November 1988
Southampton
2–1
Tottenham Hotspur
29 November 1988
West Ham United
4–1
Liverpool
30 November 1988
Replays [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Nottingham Forest
2–1
Leicester City
14 December 1988
Wimbledon
0–1
Queens Park Rangers
14 December 1988
Fifth Round [ ]
Ties [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Bradford City
0–1
Bristol City
18 January 1989
Luton Town
1–1
Southampton
18 January 1989
Nottingham Forest
5–2
Queens Park Rangers
18 January 1989
West Ham United
2–1
Aston Villa
18 January 1989
Replay [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Southampton
1–2[1]
Luton Town
25 January 1989
Semi-finals [ ]
Nottingham Forest, flying high in the First Division, had a narrow victory over Third Division underdogs Bristol City in the semi-finals, while holders Luton Town enjoyed a comfortable triumph over West Ham United in both legs.
First Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Nottingham Forest
1–1
Bristol City
15 February 1989
West Ham United
0–3
Luton Town
12 February 1989
Second Leg [ ]
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Date
Agg
Bristol City
0–1[1]
Nottingham Forest
26 February 1989
1–2
Luton Town
2–0
West Ham United
1 March 1989
5–0
Final [ ]
References [ ]
General [ ]
Specific [ ]
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n After Extra Time
^ Birmingham City won on the Away Goals Rule
^ Scarborough won on the Away Goals Rule
^ Blackpool won on the Away Goals Rule
^ Leyton Orient won 3–2 on penalties
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