1988 Associate Members' Cup final

The 1988 Associate Members' Cup Final, known as the Sherpa Van Trophy Final for sponsorship reasons, was the 5th final of the domestic football cup competition for teams from the Third and Fourth Divisions.

1988 Associate Members' Cup Final
Event1987–88 Associate Members' Cup
Date29 May 1988
VenueWembley Stadium, London
Man of the MatchFloyd Streete (Wolves)
RefereeRoger Milford (Somerset)
Attendance80,841
1987
1989

The final was played at Wembley Stadium in London on 29 May 1988, The game was contested by Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers before a crowd of 80,841, a then record for the trophy, which was not bettered until the 2019 final between Sunderland and Portsmouth. Wolves won the match 2–0 thanks to goals in either half by Andy Mutch and Robbie Dennison.[1][2][3]

Background

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The match took place three weeks after the end of the domestic league programme. Wolves had already won the Fourth Division title in their second ever season at that level, and boasted the division's top goalscorer in Steve Bull (34 league goals; 52 in total). Burnley had finished tenth in the division and would take four further seasons before being promoted. Wolves had won both league games between the two clubs that season 3–0.

It was the first time in the cup's history that two previous English champions met in the final, and Wolves were the first of the former champions to have won the trophy.

In a further twist of irony, Burnley and Wolves had contested the English league title between the two of them only twenty-eight years previously, Burnley emerging as champions on the final day of the 1959–60 season by a point (denying Wolves, FA Cup winners that season, the first English League and Cup 'double' of the 20th Century.)

Match details

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Burnley0–2Wolverhampton Wanderers
Mutch   23'
Dennison   51'
Attendance: 80,841
 
 
 
 
 
 
Burnley
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wolverhampton Wanderers
GK 1   Chris Pearce
RB 2   Peter Daniel
LB 3   Ray Deakin (c)
CM 4   Ian Britton
CB 5   Steve Davis  
CB 6   Steve Gardner
RM 7   Andy Farrell
CF 8   George Oghani
CF 9   Steve Taylor
CM 10   Paul Comstive
LM 11   Shaun McGrory   61'
Substitutes:
DF 12   Ashley Hoskin
MF 14   Leighton James   61'
Manager:
  Brian Miller
GK 1   Mark Kendall
RB 2   Gary Bellamy
LB 3   Andy Thompson
CB 4   Floyd Streete
CB 5   Ally Robertson (c)   47'
CM 6   Phil Robinson
RM 7   Robbie Dennison
CM 8   Keith Downing  
CF 9   Steve Bull
CF 10   Andy Mutch
LM 11   Micky Holmes   45'
Substitutes:
MF 12   Nigel Vaughan   45'
FW 14   Jackie Gallagher   47'
Manager:
  Graham Turner

MATCH OFFICIALS

  • Assistant referees:
  • Reserve referee: Michael Peck (Kendal)

MATCH RULES

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Two named substitutes
  • Maximum of two substitutions.

Road to Wembley

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Burnley

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Northern Section Group 1 Tranmere Rovers 1–2 Burnley
Northern Section Group 1 Burnley 3–2 Rochdale
Northern Section First Round Burnley 1–0 Chester City
Northern Section Quarter-finals Bury 0–1 Burnley
Northern Section Semi-final Burnley 0–0 Halifax Town
  Burnley won 5–3 on Penalties
Northern Section Final 1st Leg Burnley 0–0 Preston North End
Northern Section Final 2nd Leg Preston North End 1–3 Burnley

Wolverhampton Wanderers

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Southern Section Group 1 Swansea City 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Southern Section Group 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–1 Bristol City
Southern Section First Round Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–0 Brentford
Southern Section Quarter-finals Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–0 Peterborough United
Southern Section Semi-final Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Torquay United
Southern Section Final 1st Leg Notts County 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Southern Section Final 2nd Leg Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 Notts County

References

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  1. ^ "1988 Sherpa Van Trophy Final | Gallery | Club | News". Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  2. ^ Edwards, Joe (29 May 2020). "Sherpa Van success was a golden day for Wolves". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  3. ^ White, Jim (7 April 2019). "'There was a real danger of Wolves folding': Former wing Robbie Dennison recalls moment in 1988 that marked a once ailing club's revival". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
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