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
Country England
 Wales
Teams92
Defending championsTottenham Hotspur
ChampionsLeicester City (3rd title)
Runners-upTranmere Rovers
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

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
1Torquay United(0–0)
(0–3)
0–3		Portsmouth
2Brentford(0–2)
(0–2)
0–4		Ipswich Town
3Brighton(0–2)
(0–2)
0–4		Gillingham
4Manchester City(5–0)
(1–0)
6–0		Burnley
5Nottingham Forest(3–0)
(0–1)
3–1		Mansfield Town
6Reading(0–0)
(2–1)
2–1		Peterborough United
7Swansea City(2–0)
(1–1)
3–1		Millwall
8Birmingham City(3–0)
(2–1)
5–1		Exeter City
9Blackpool(2–1)
(1–3)
3–4		Tranmere Rovers
10Bournemouth(2–0)
(2–3)
4–3		Barnet
11Bury(1–0)
(0–2)
1–2		Notts County
12Cambridge United(2–2)
(1–2)
3–4		Bristol City
13Cardiff City(1–2)
(2–1)
3–3		Q.P.R.
After extra time – Cardiff City win 3 – 2 on penalties
14Carlisle United(0–0)
(0–6)
0–6		Grimsby Town
15Chester City(2–1)
(4–4)
6–5		Port Vale
16Colchester United(2–2)
(1–3)
3–5		Crystal Palace
17Darlington(1–1)
(3–5)
4–6		Bolton Wanderers
18Halifax Town(0–0)
(1–5)
1–5		West Brom
19Hartlepool United(3–3)
(0–1)
3–4		Crewe Alexandra
20Lincoln City(2–4)
(2–2)
4–6		Barnsley
21Luton Town(0–2)
(2–2)
2–4		Bristol Rovers
22Macclesfield Town(1–1)
(0–3)
1–4		Stoke City
23Northampton Town(1–2)
(1–3)
2–5		Fulham
24Norwich City(2–0)
(1–2)
3–2		Cheltenham Town
25Preston(1–0)
(2–0)
3–0		Wrexham
26Rochdale(1–2)
(1–2)
2–4		Chesterfield
27Rotherham United(0–1)
(0–2)
0–3		Hull City
28Scunthorpe United(0–2)
(0–0)
0–2		Huddersfield Town
29Sheffield United(3–0)
(3–0)
6–0		Shrewsbury Town
30Southend United(0–2)
(0–1)
0–3		Oxford United
31Stockport County(2–0)
(1–1)
3–1		Oldham Athletic
32Swindon Town(0–1)
(1–1)
1–2		Leyton Orient
33Walsall(4–1)
(4–1)
8–2		Plymouth Argyle
34Wycombe Wanderers(0–1)
(4–2)
4–3		Wolverhampton Wanderers
35York 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

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
1Manchester City(0–0)
(3–4)
3–4		Southampton
2Nottingham Forest(2–1)
(0–0)
2–1		Bristol City
3Barnsley(1–1)
(3–3)
4–4		Stockport County
Barnsley win on away goals
4Birmingham City(2–0)
(1–0)
3–0		Bristol Rovers
5Bradford City(1–1)
(2–2)
3–3		Reading
Bradford City win on away goals
6Crystal Palace(3–3)
(2–4)
5–7		Leicester City
7Cardiff City(1–1)
(1–3)
2–4		Wimbledon
8Charlton Athletic'(0–0)
(0–0)
0–0		Bournemouth
After extra time – Bournemouth win 3 – 1 on penalties
9Chester City(0–1)
(0–5)
0–6		Aston Villa
10Chesterfield(0–0)
(1–2)
1–2		Middlesbrough
11Crewe Alexandra(2–1)
(1–1)
3–2		Ipswich Town
12Gillingham(1–4)
(0–2)
1–6		Bolton Wanderers
13Grimsby Town(4–1)
(0–1)
4–2		Leyton Orient
14Huddersfield Town(2–1)
(2–2)
4–3		Notts County
15Hull City(1–5)
(2–4)
3–9		Liverpool
16Norwich City(0–4)
(0–2)
0–6		Fulham
17Oxford United(1–1)
(1–0)
2–1		Everton
18Portsmouth(0–3)
(1–3)
1–6		Blackburn Rovers
19Sheffield United(2–0)
(0–3)
2–3		Preston
20Stoke City(0–0)
(1–3)
1–3		Sheffield Wednesday
21Sunderland(3–2)
(5–0)
8–2		Walsall
22Swansea City(0–0)
(1–3)
1–3		Derby County
23Tranmere Rovers(5–1)
(1–3)
6–4		Coventry City
24Watford(2–0)
(1–3)
3–3		Wigan Athletic
Watford win on away goals
25West 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

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
1Aston Villa3–0Manchester United13 October 1999
2Chelsea0–1Huddersfield Town13 October 1999
3Derby County1–2Bolton Wanderers13 October 1999
4Leeds United1–0Blackburn Rovers13 October 1999
5Leicester City2–0Grimsby Town13 October 1999
6Middlesbrough1–0Watford13 October 1999
7Sheffield Wednesday4–1Nottingham Forest13 October 1999
8Southampton2–1Liverpool13 October 1999
9Tottenham Hotspur3–1Crewe Alexandra13 October 1999
10West Ham United2–0Bournemouth13 October 1999
11Arsenal2–1Preston12 October 1999
12Bradford City2–3Barnsley12 October 1999
13Wimbledon3–2Sunderland12 October 1999
14Birmingham City2–0Newcastle United12 October 1999
15Tranmere Rovers2–0Oxford United12 October 1999
16West Bromwich Albion1–2Fulham12 October 1999

Fourth round

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'
Reebok Stadium, Bolton
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

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 order 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'
Reebok Stadium, Bolton
Attendance: 9,463
Referee: Alan Wilkie
Tranmere Rovers2–1Middlesbrough
Kelly  37'
Parkinson  71'		 Report Ziege  79'
Attendance: 10,581
Referee: David Elleray

Semi-finals

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

Second leg
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
Main article: 2000 Football League Cup Final

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
  1. Explain the Worthington Cup draw – The Guardian
  2. "Leicester triumph at Wembley". BBC Sport. 27 February 2000. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  3. League order replay – The Independent
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