1970 Football League Cup final

The 1970 Football League Cup Final took place on 7 March 1970 at Wembley Stadium with an attendance of 97,963. It was the tenth Football League Cup final and the fourth to be played at Wembley. It was contested between Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion. Manchester City won their first of two trophies that season; on 29 April they would win the 1970 European Cup Winners' Cup Final 2–1 against Górnik Zabrze.

1970 Football League Cup Final
Event1969–70 Football League Cup
after extra time
Date7 March 1970
VenueWembley Stadium, London
RefereeV James (York)
Attendance97,963
WeatherMuddy Conditions
1969
1971

The pitch had been criticised by Joe Mercer as a "pig of a pitch" due to recent snowfall and the fact the Horse of the Year Show had been held at Wembley a few days earlier.[1] In muddy pitch conditions therefore, Jeff Astle opened the scoring for Albion with a header after five minutes, becoming the first player to score in the final of both the League Cup and FA Cup at Wembley. He had already scored in the first leg of the 1966 League Cup Final four years previously, however that was at West Ham's Boleyn Ground. City equalised from a low shot to the left corner from Mike Doyle to send the game into extra-time, and eventually won 2–1, with Glyn Pardoe scoring the winner when he volleyed the ball into the net from close range.

Players and officials edit

Manchester City2–1 (a.e.t.)West Bromwich Albion
Doyle   60'
Pardoe   102'
Report Astle   5'
Attendance: 97,963
Referee: V James (York)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manchester City
 
 
 
 
 
West Bromwich Albion
1   Joe Corrigan
2   Tony Book (c)
3   Arthur Mann
4   Mike Doyle
5   Tommy Booth
6   Alan Oakes
7   George Heslop
8   Colin Bell
9   Mike Summerbee  
10   Francis Lee
11   Glyn Pardoe
Substitute:
12   Ian Bowyer  
Manager:
  Joe Mercer
1   John Osborne
2   Doug Fraser
3   Ray Wilson
4   Tony Brown (c)
5   John Talbut
6   John Kaye
7   Len Cantello
8   Colin Suggett
9   Jeff Astle
10   Asa Hartford  
11   Bobby Hope
Substitute:
12   Dick Krzywicki  
Manager:
  Alan Ashman

Background edit

Honours were shared in the league matches between the two sides during the 1969–70 league season, with Manchester City gaining a 2–1 victory at Maine Road and West Bromwich Albion winning 3–0 at The Hawthorns. City went on to achieve a 10th-place finish in the First Division, while Albion finished 16th.[2] The only previous meeting between the two sides in the League Cup had taken place at the third round stage of the 1966–67 competition; on that occasion, Albion progressed by a 4–2 scoreline and went on to reach that season's final.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ boswell (19 July 2011). "Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion League Cup Final 1969/70 – City Til I Die". Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  2. ^ McOwan, Gavin (2002). The Essential History of West Bromwich Albion. Headline. p. 261. ISBN 0-7553-1146-9.
  3. ^ Matthews, Tony; Mackenzie, Colin (1987). Albion! A Complete Record of West Bromwich Albion 1879–1987. Breedon Books. p. 175. ISBN 0-907969-23-2.