 A Football League Group Cup game between Reading (blue and white) and Oxford United (yellow and blue) at Reading's Elm Park in August 1981. | |
| Organiser(s) | English Football League |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1981 |
| Abolished | 1983 |
| Region | England |
| Teams | 32 |
| Most championships | Grimsby Town and Millwall (1 Title each) |
The Football League Group Cup was a short-lived football competition which first took place during the 1981–82 season. For English clubs it was a replacement for the Anglo-Scottish Cup, which had been discontinued due to the withdrawal of Scottish League clubs. For the 1982–83 season it was renamed as the Football League Trophy.[1]
It is considered as the forerunner of the Associate Members' Cup (which was later renamed the Football League Trophy, and has had various sponsored names), which commenced from the 1983–84 season,[1] although some sources regard the Football League Group Cup as the same competition.[2][3]
In each season there were 32 participants, split into eight regional groups of four teams each, with three round-robin games played by each side. The eight group winners qualified for the quarter finals, and the knockout stages were played as a single leg, with the game going to extra time and penalties if necessary. The final was played on the home ground of one of the two teams.[4]
The following 32 sides played in the competition, and these are sub-divided according to the League division they played in that season.[4]
The tournament was won by Grimsby Town, who defeated Wimbledon 3–2 in the final at Blundell Park[2] on Tuesday 6 April 1982.[4]
The following 32 sides played in the competition, and these are sub-divided according to the League division they played in that season.[5]
The tournament was won by Millwall, who defeated Lincoln City 3–2 in the final at Sincil Bank[2] on Wednesday 20 April 1983.[5]
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