1999–2000 Football League Cup

The 1999–2000 Football League Cup (known as the Worthington Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 40th staging of the Football League Cup, a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs.

1999–2000 Football League Cup
League Cup, Worthington Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Wales
Teams92
Defending championsTottenham Hotspur
Final positions
ChampionsLeicester City (3rd title)
Runner-upTranmere Rovers
Tournament statistics
Top goal scorer(s)David Kelly
(8 goals)

The competition began on 10 August 1999, and ended with the final on 27 February 2000, the last final to be held at the old Wembley Stadium. For the first time in English football history, the entire draw for each round was made after the first round.[1] This meant each team could plot their route to the final as well as predicting future opponents.

The tournament was won by Leicester City, who beat Tranmere Rovers 2–1 in the final, thanks to two goals from Matt Elliott, sandwiched by an equaliser from David Kelly.[2]

First round

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The 70 First, Second and Third Division clubs (with the exception of Blackburn Rovers and Charlton Athletic, who were relegated from the Premiership last season) compete from the first round. Each section is divided equally into a pot of seeded clubs and a pot of unseeded clubs. Clubs' rankings depend upon their finishing position in the 1998–99 season.

Tie no Home team1 (1st Leg)
(2nd Leg)
Aggregate
Away team
1 Torquay United (0–0)
(0–3)
0–3
Portsmouth
2 Brentford (0–2)
(0–2)
0–4
Ipswich Town
3 Brighton (0–2)
(0–2)
0–4
Gillingham
4 Manchester City (5–0)
(1–0)
6–0
Burnley
5 Nottingham Forest (3–0)
(0–1)
3–1
Mansfield Town
6 Reading (0–0)
(2–1)
2–1
Peterborough United
7 Swansea City (2–0)
(1–1)
3–1
Millwall
8 Birmingham City (3–0)
(2–1)
5–1
Exeter City
9 Blackpool (2–1)
(1–3)
3–4
Tranmere Rovers
10 Bournemouth (2–0)
(2–3)
4–3
Barnet
11 Bury (1–0)
(0–2)
1–2
Notts County
12 Cambridge United (2–2)
(1–2)
3–4
Bristol City
13 Cardiff City (1–2)
(2–1)
3–3
Q.P.R.
After extra time – Cardiff City win 3 – 2 on penalties
14 Carlisle United (0–0)
(0–6)
0–6
Grimsby Town
15 Chester City (2–1)
(4–4)
6–5
Port Vale
16 Colchester United (2–2)
(1–3)
3–5
Crystal Palace
17 Darlington (1–1)
(3–5)
4–6
Bolton Wanderers
18 Halifax Town (0–0)
(1–5)
1–5
West Brom
19 Hartlepool United (3–3)
(0–1)
3–4
Crewe Alexandra
20 Lincoln City (2–4)
(2–2)
4–6
Barnsley
21 Luton Town (0–2)
(2–2)
2–4
Bristol Rovers
22 Macclesfield Town (1–1)
(0–3)
1–4
Stoke City
23 Northampton Town (1–2)
(1–3)
2–5
Fulham
24 Norwich City (2–0)
(1–2)
3–2
Cheltenham Town
25 Preston (1–0)
(2–0)
3–0
Wrexham
26 Rochdale (1–2)
(1–2)
2–4
Chesterfield
27 Rotherham United (0–1)
(0–2)
0–3
Hull City
28 Scunthorpe United (0–2)
(0–0)
0–2
Huddersfield Town
29 Sheffield United (3–0)
(3–0)
6–0
Shrewsbury Town
30 Southend United (0–2)
(0–1)
0–3
Oxford United
31 Stockport County (2–0)
(1–1)
3–1
Oldham Athletic
32 Swindon Town (0–1)
(1–1)
1–2
Leyton Orient
33 Walsall (4–1)
(4–1)
8–2
Plymouth Argyle
34 Wycombe Wanderers (0–1)
(4–2)
4–3
Wolverhampton Wanderers
35 York City (0–1)
(1–2)
1–3
Wigan Athletic

1 Team at home in the 1st leg is denoted as the home team

Second round

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The 35 winners from the first round joined the 13 Premier League clubs not participating in European competition, along with Blackburn Rovers And Charlton Athletic in round two. First leg matches were played on 14 and 15 September, second leg matches were played on 21 and 22 September.

Tie no Home team1 (1st Leg)
(2nd Leg)
Aggregate
Away team
1 Manchester City (0–0)
(3–4)
3–4
Southampton
2 Nottingham Forest (2–1)
(0–0)
2–1
Bristol City
3 Barnsley (1–1)
(3–3)
4–4
Stockport County
Barnsley win on away goals
4 Birmingham City (2–0)
(1–0)
3–0
Bristol Rovers
5 Bradford City (1–1)
(2–2)
3–3
Reading
Bradford City win on away goals
6 Crystal Palace (3–3)
(2–4)
5–7
Leicester City
7 Cardiff City (1–1)
(1–3)
2–4
Wimbledon
8 Charlton Athletic (0–0)
(0–0)
0–0
Bournemouth
After extra time – Bournemouth win 3 – 1 on penalties
9 Chester City (0–1)
(0–5)
0–6
Aston Villa
10 Chesterfield (0–0)
(1–2)
1–2
Middlesbrough
11 Crewe Alexandra (2–1)
(1–1)
3–2
Ipswich Town
12 Gillingham (1–4)
(0–2)
1–6
Bolton Wanderers
13 Grimsby Town (4–1)
(0–1)
4–2
Leyton Orient
14 Huddersfield Town (2–1)
(2–2)
4–3
Notts County
15 Hull City (1–5)
(2–4)
3–9
Liverpool
16 Norwich City (0–4)
(0–2)
0–6
Fulham
17 Oxford United (1–1)
(1–0)
2–1
Everton
18 Portsmouth (0–3)
(1–3)
1–6
Blackburn Rovers
19 Sheffield United (2–0)
(0–3)
2–3
Preston
20 Stoke City (0–0)
(1–3)
1–3
Sheffield Wednesday
21 Sunderland (3–2)
(5–0)
8–2
Walsall
22 Swansea City (0–0)
(1–3)
1–3
Derby County
23 Tranmere Rovers (5–1)
(1–3)
6–4
Coventry City
24 Watford (2–0)
(1–3)
3–3
Wigan Athletic
Watford win on away goals
25 West Bromwich Albion (1–1)
(4–3)
5–4
Wycombe Wanderers

1 Team at home in the 1st leg is denoted as the home team

Third round

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The 25 winners from the second round joined the seven Premiership clubs participating in European competition in round three. Matches were played on 12 and 13 October.

Tie no Home team Score Away team Date
1 Aston Villa 3–0 Manchester United 13 October 1999
2 Chelsea 0–1 Huddersfield Town 13 October 1999
3 Derby County 1–2 Bolton Wanderers 13 October 1999
4 Leeds United 1–0 Blackburn Rovers 13 October 1999
5 Leicester City 2–0 Grimsby Town 13 October 1999
6 Middlesbrough 1–0 Watford 13 October 1999
7 Sheffield Wednesday 4–1 Nottingham Forest 13 October 1999
8 Southampton 2–1 Liverpool 13 October 1999
9 Tottenham Hotspur 3–1 Crewe Alexandra 13 October 1999
10 West Ham United 2–0 Bournemouth 13 October 1999
11 Arsenal 2–1 Preston 12 October 1999
12 Bradford City 2–3 Barnsley 12 October 1999
13 Wimbledon 3–2 Sunderland 12 October 1999
14 Birmingham City 2–0 Newcastle United 12 October 1999
15 Tranmere Rovers 2–0 Oxford United 12 October 1999
16 West Bromwich Albion 1–2 Fulham 12 October 1999

Fourth round

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Most matches were played on 30 November 1 December with one played on 15 December.

Birmingham City2–3West Ham United
Hyde   8'
Grainger   44'
Lomas   21'
Kitson   87'
Cole   89'
St Andrews, Birmingham
Attendance: 17,728
Referee: Graham Poll
Bolton Wanderers1–0Sheffield Wednesday
Elliott   53'
Attendance: 12,543
Referee: Kevin Lynch
Huddersfield Town1–2 (a.e.t.)Wimbledon
Sellars   40' Kimble   60'
Euell   101'
Attendance: 13,312
Referee: Jeff Winter
Middlesbrough2–2 (a.e.t.)Arsenal
Ricard   8', 83' (pen.) Henry   38'
Šuker   80'
Penalties
Ricard  
Ziege  
Gascoigne  
3–1   Šuker
  Vivas
  Upson
  Sylvinho
Attendance: 23,157
Referee: Mike Riley
Tranmere Rovers4–0Barnsley
Parkinson   3'
Morgan   45'
Hill   56'
Black   86'
Attendance: 7,039
Aston Villa4–0Southampton
Watson   22'
Joachim   66'
Dublin   72', 90'
Villa Park, Birmingham
Attendance: 17,608
Referee: Barry Knight
Fulham3–1Tottenham Hotspur
Hayles   10'
Collins   44'
Horsfield   77'
Iversen   43'
Attendance: 18,134
Leicester City0–0 (a.e.t.)Leeds United
Penalties
Gunnlaugsson  
Elliott  
Impey  
Zagorakis  
Izzet  
4–2   Woodgate
  Harte
  Kelly
  Bowyer
Attendance: 16,125
Referee: Graham Barber

Quarter-finals

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The four matches were played between 14 December and 12 January.

West Ham United1–3 (a.e.t.)Aston Villa
Lampard   47' Taylor   80', 118'
Joachim   93'
Attendance: 25,592
Referee: Jeff Winter

NOTE: This match was a replay after West Ham were ordered to replay the match after fielding an ineligible player in the original tie. West Ham had won the original tie on penalties.[3]

Leicester City3–3 (a.e.t.)Fulham
Marshall   85', 111'
Walsh   87'
Report Peschisolido   58'
Horsfield   75'
Coleman   92'
Penalties
Gunnlaugsson  
Savage  
Fenton  
3–0   Coleman
  Trollope
  Horsfield
Attendance: 13,567
Referee: Mike Reed
Bolton Wanderers2–1Wimbledon
Guðjohnsen   34'
Johansen   39' (pen.)
Report Cort   17'
Attendance: 9,463
Referee: Alan Wilkie
Tranmere Rovers2–1Middlesbrough
Kelly   37'
Parkinson   71'
Report Ziege   79'
Attendance: 10,581
Referee: David Elleray

Semi-finals

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The semi-final draw was made in December 1999 after the conclusion of the quarter finals. Unlike the other rounds, the semi-final ties were played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The first leg matches were played on 12 and 25 January 2000, the second leg matches were played on 26 January and 2 February 2000. Tranmere Rovers reached the first major cup final of their history with a fine win over Bolton Wanderers, while Leicester City's victory over Aston Villa gave them their third appearance in the competition's final in four years.

First leg

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Bolton Wanderers0–1Tranmere Rovers
Report Hill   22'
Attendance: 13,303
Referee: Graham Barber
Aston Villa0–0Leicester City
Report
Villa Park, Birmingham
Attendance: 28,037
Referee: Terry Heilbron

Second leg

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Tranmere Rovers3–0Bolton Wanderers
Henry   5'
Mahon   20' (pen.)
Kelly   70'
Report
Attendance: 15,834
Referee: Graham Poll

Tranmere Rovers won 4–0 on aggregate

Leicester City1–0Aston Villa
Elliott   45' Report
Attendance: 21,843
Referee: Paul Durkin

Leicester City won 1–0 on aggregate

Final

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The 2000 Worthington Cup Final was played on 27 February 2000 and was contested between Leicester City and Tranmere Rovers at Wembley Stadium. Leicester won the game 2–1.

Leicester City2–1Tranmere Rovers
Elliott   29', 81' Report Kelly   77'
Attendance: 74,313
Referee: Alan Wilkie

References

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  1. ^ Explain the Worthington Cup drawThe Guardian
  2. ^ "Leicester triumph at Wembley". BBC Sport. 27 February 2000. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  3. ^ League order replayThe Independent
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