Wikipedia

1985–86 Football League Cup

The 1985–86 Football League Cup (known as the Milk Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 26th season of the Football League Cup, a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs.

1985–86 Football League Cup
Milk Cup, League Cup
Tournament details
Country England
 Wales
Teams92
Final positions
ChampionsOxford United (1st title)
Runner-upQueens Park Rangers
Tournament statistics
Top goal scorer(s)John Aldridge (5)

The competition began on 20 August 1985, and ended with the final on 20 April 1986 at the Old Wembley Stadium. The cup was won by Oxford United, who beat Queens Park Rangers 3–0 in the final, to win their first major cup silverware. It was Oxford United's first season in Division One. Goals from Trevor Hebberd, Ray Houghton and Jeremy Charles sealed the victory. TV coverage of this competition only began after Christmas following the "blackout" where no club matches were shown for the first half of the season,[1][2] and there was no UEFA Cup place for the winners as a result of the ban on English clubs that followed the Heysel Stadium disaster.

First round

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A total of 56 teams took part in the First Round. All of the Third Division and Fourth Division sides entered, with eight of the Second Division clubs also starting in this round. The eight clubs consisted of the three teams promoted from the Third Division and the five teams finishing 15th to 19th in the Second Division from the 1984–85 season. Each tie was played across two legs.

Home team First Leg Second Leg Agg. Away team Dates
First Leg Second Leg
Aldershot 1–3 2–2 3–5 Leyton Orient 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Bolton Wanderers 4–1 1–1 5–2 Stockport County 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Bradford City 2–2 4–3[3] 6–5 Chesterfield 21 August 1985 3 September 1985
Bristol Rovers 2–0 0–1 2–1 Newport County 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Burnley 2–1 3–5 5–6 Bury 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Cambridge United 1–1 0–2 1–3 Brentford 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Cardiff City 2–1 1–3 3–4 Swansea City 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Charlton Athletic 1–2 1–1 2–3 Crystal Palace 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Colchester United 2–3 1–4 3–7 Millwall 21 August 1985 3 September 1985
Crewe Alexandra 3–3 4–3 7–6 Carlisle United 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Darlington 3–2 0–0 3–2 Scunthorpe United 20 August 1985 10 September 1985
Derby County 3–0 0–2 3–2 Hartlepool United 21 August 1985 4 September 1985
Halifax Town 1–1 0–3 1–4 Hull City 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Hereford United 5–1 0–2 5–3 Bristol City 21 August 1985 3 September 1985
Mansfield Town 2–0 4–4 6–4 Middlesbrough 21 August 1985 3 September 1985
Notts County 1–0 1–2[3] 2–2[4] Doncaster Rovers 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Peterborough United 0–0 0–2 0–2 Northampton Town 21 August 1985 3 September 1985
Plymouth Argyle 2–1 0–2 2–3 Exeter City 20 August 1985 4 September 1985
Preston North End 2–1 3–1 5–2 Blackpool 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Reading 1–3 0–2 1–5 Bournemouth 21 August 1985 3 September 1985
Rotherham United 1–3 1–5 2–8 Sheffield United 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Southend United 1–1 0–2 1–3 Gillingham 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Torquay United 1–2 2–2 3–4 Swindon Town 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Tranmere Rovers 1–3 0–0 1–3 Chester City 28 August 1985 4 September 1985
Walsall 4–1 1–0 5–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
Wigan Athletic 2–1 0–2 2–3 Port Vale 20 August 1985 2 September 1985
Wrexham 4–0 1–2 5–2 Rochdale 20 August 1985 3 September 1985
York City 2–1 2–1 4–2 Lincoln City 20 August 1985 4 September 1985

Second round

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A total of 64 teams took part in the Second Round, including the 28 winners from round one. The remaining Second Division clubs entered in this round, as well as the 22 sides from the First Division. Each tie was again played across two legs.

Home team First Leg Second Leg Agg. Away team Dates
First Leg Second Leg
Brentford 2–2 0–2 2–4 Sheffield Wednesday 25 September 1985 15 October 1985
Brighton and Hove Albion 5–2 2–0 7–2 Bradford City 25 September 1985 9 October 1985
Bristol Rovers 2–3 1–2 3–5 Birmingham City 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Bury 1–2 1–2 2–4 Manchester City 25 September 1985 9 October 1985
Chester City 1–2 2–7 3–9 Coventry City 25 September 1985 9 October 1985
Crewe Alexandra 1–3 2–3 3–6 Watford 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Crystal Palace 0–1 0–1 0–2 Manchester United 24 September 1985 9 October 1985
Derby County 2–0 1–1 3–1 Leicester City 25 September 1985 9 October 1985
Everton 3–2 2–0 5–2 Bournemouth 25 September 1985 7 October 1985
Exeter City 1–4 1–8 2–12 Aston Villa 25 September 1985 9 October 1985
Fulham 1–1 4–2[3] 5–3 Notts County 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Gillingham 1–3 1–2 2–5 Portsmouth 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Grimsby Town 1–1 3–2 4–3 York City 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Hereford United 0–0 1–2[3] 1–2 Arsenal 25 September 1985 8 October 1985
Ipswich Town 3–1 4–1 7–2 Darlington 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Leeds United 0–0 3–0 3–0 Walsall 25 September 1985 8 October 1985
Liverpool 3–0 5–2 8–2 Oldham Athletic 24 September 1985 9 October 1985
Mansfield Town 2–2 0–2 2–4 Chelsea 25 September 1985 9 October 1985
Millwall 0–0 0–0[3] 0–0[5] Southampton 25 September 1985 8 October 1985
Newcastle United 0–0 1–1 1–1[4] Barnsley 25 September 1985 8 October 1985
Nottingham Forest 4–0 3–0 7–0 Bolton Wanderers 25 September 1985 8 October 1985
Leyton Orient 2–0 0–4 2–4 Tottenham Hotspur 23 September 1985 30 October 1985
Oxford United 2–1 2–0 4–1 Northampton Town 25 September 1985 8 October 1985
Preston North End 1–1 1–2 2–3 Norwich City 30 September 1985 9 October 1985
Queens Park Rangers 3–0 5–1 8–1 Hull City 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Sheffield United 1–2 1–3 2–5 Luton Town 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Shrewsbury Town 2–3 2–0 4–3 Huddersfield Town 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Sunderland 3–2 1–3[3] 4–5 Swindon Town 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
West Bromwich Albion 1–0 2–2 3–2 Port Vale 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
West Ham United 3–0 3–2 6–2 Swansea City 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Wimbledon 5–0 1–2 6–2 Blackburn Rovers 24 September 1985 8 October 1985
Wrexham 0–1 0–1 0–2 Stoke City 24 September 1985 8 October 1985

Third round

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A total of 32 teams took part in the Third Round, all 32 winners from round two. Unlike the previous two rounds, this round was played over one leg.

Ties

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Home team Result Away team Date
Birmingham City 1–1 Southampton 29 October 1985
Chelsea 1–1 Fulham 29 October 1985
Coventry City 0–0 West Bromwich Albion 29 October 1985
Derby County 1–2 Nottingham Forest 30 October 1985
Grimsby Town 0–2 Ipswich Town 29 October 1985
Leeds United 0–3 Aston Villa 30 October 1985
Liverpool 4–0 Brighton and Hove Albion 29 October 1985
Luton Town 0–2 Norwich City 29 October 1985
Manchester City 1–2 Arsenal 30 October 1985
Manchester United 1–0 West Ham United 29 October 1985
Oxford United 3–1 Newcastle United 30 October 1985
Portsmouth 2–0 Stoke City 29 October 1985
Shrewsbury Town 1–4 Everton 29 October 1985
Swindon Town 1–0 Sheffield Wednesday 29 October 1985
Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 Wimbledon 6 November 1985
Watford 0–1 Queens Park Rangers 29 October 1985

Replays

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Home team Result Away team Date
Southampton 3–0 Birmingham City 6 November 1985
Fulham 0–1 Chelsea 6 November 1985
West Bromwich Albion 4–3 Coventry City 6 November 1985

Fourth round

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A total of 16 teams took part in the Fourth Round, all 16 winners from round three. Once again this round was played over one leg.

Ties

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Home team Result Away team Date
Arsenal 0–0 Southampton 19 November 1985
Aston Villa 2–2 West Bromwich Albion 19 November 1985
Chelsea 2–2 Everton 26 November 1985
Ipswich Town 6–1 Swindon Town 26 November 1985
Liverpool 2–1 Manchester United 26 November 1985
Oxford United 3–1 Norwich City 19 November 1985
Queens Park Rangers 3–1 Nottingham Forest 25 November 1985
Tottenham Hotspur 0–0 Portsmouth 19 November 1985

Replays

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Home team Result Away team Date
Southampton 0–3 Arsenal 26 November 1985
West Bromwich Albion 1–2 Aston Villa 26 November 1985
Everton 1–2 Chelsea 10 December 1985
Portsmouth 0–0 Tottenham Hotspur 26 November 1985

2nd Replay

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Home team Result Away team Date
Tottenham Hotspur 0–1 Portsmouth 10 December 1985

Fifth round

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The eight winners from the Fourth Round took part in the Fifth Round. Once again this round was played over one leg.

Ties

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Home team Result Away team Date
Aston Villa 1–1 Arsenal 22 January 1986
Liverpool 3–0 Ipswich Town 21 January 1986
Oxford United 3–1 Portsmouth 22 January 1986
Queens Park Rangers 1–1 Chelsea 22 January 1986

Replays

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Home team Result Away team Date
Arsenal 1–2 Aston Villa 4 February 1986
Chelsea 0–2 after extra time Queens Park Rangers 29 January 1986

Semi-finals

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As with the first two rounds, the semi-final ties were played over two legs. Favourites Liverpool, in search of a unique domestic treble, were surprisingly beaten by QPR, while Oxford United eased past Aston Villa in the other semi-final.

First leg

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Queens Park Rangers1–0Liverpool
Fenwick   22'
Loftus Road, London
Attendance: 15,051
Aston Villa2–2Oxford United
Birch   33'
Stainrod   56'		 John Aldridge   8', 57' (pen)
Villa Park, Birmingham
Attendance: 23,098

Second leg

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Liverpool2–2Queens Park Rangers
McMahon   42'
Johnston   69'		 Whelan   58' (o.g.)
Gillespie   84' (o.g.)
Anfield, Liverpool
Attendance: 23,863
Referee: David Hutchinson (Harrogate)

QPR win 3–2 on aggregate

Oxford United2–1Aston Villa
Phillips   57'
Charles   73'		 Walters   87'
Attendance: 13,989
Referee: Alan Robinson (Waterlooville)

Oxford win 4–3 on aggregate

Final

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Main article: 1986 Football League Cup Final
Oxford United3–0Queens Park Rangers
Hebberd   40'
Houghton   52'
Charles   86'
Attendance: 90,396
Referee: Keith Hackett

References

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General

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  • "English League Cup 1985/1986". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
  • "England League Cup Full Results 1960–1996". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2009.

Specific

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  1. ^ Remember the 1985 TV blackout? Only the Big Yin knew who McAvennie was, Simon Hart, The Independent, 22 October 2011
  2. ^ When football fans did not see a single match on TV over Christmas, Steven Pye, The Guardian, 3 December 2019
  3. ^ a b c d e f After Extra Time
  4. ^ a b Away goals rule
  5. ^ Southampton won 5–4 on penalties
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