1988–89 Football League Cup

December 2014 April 2026 Football League Cup 1988–89 League Cup, Littlewoods Challenge Cup EnglandWales 92 Nottingham Forest 3 Luton Town Nigel Clough (7) 1987–88 1989–90 The 1988–89 Football League Cup (known as the Littlewoods Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 29th season of the Football League Cup, a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs. The competition started on 29 August 1988 and ended with the final on 9 April 1989. The final was contested by First Division teams Nottingham Forest and holders Luton Town at Wembley Stadium in London. First round First leg Home teamScoreAway teamDate AFC Bournemouth 1–0 Bristol Rovers 30 August 1988 Bolton Wanderers 1–0 Chester City 30 August 1988 Bristol City 1–0 Exeter City 30 August 1988 Bury 2–1 Wrexham 30 August 1988 Cambridge United 1–2 Gillingham 30 August 1988 Cardiff City 0–1 Swansea City 30 August 1988 Carlisle United 1–1 Blackpool 30 August 1988 Colchester United 0–0 Northampton Town 30 August 1988 Crewe Alexandra 1–1 Lincoln City 30 August 1988 Doncaster Rovers 1–1 Darlington 30 August 1988 Fulham 2–2 Brentford 30 August 1988 Grimsby Town 0–1 Rotherham United 30 August 1988 Hartlepool United 2–2 Sheffield United 30 August 1988 Hereford United 0–3 Plymouth Argyle 29 August 1988 Leyton Orient 2–0 Aldershot 30 August 1988 Notts County 5–0 Mansfield Town 30 August 1988 Port Vale 3–2 Chesterfield 30 August 1988 Rochdale 3–3 Burnley 30 August 1988 Scarborough 1–1 Halifax Town 31 August 1988 Scunthorpe United 3–2 Huddersfield Town 30 August 1988 Shrewsbury Town 2–2 Walsall 30 August 1988 Southend United 2–0 Brighton & Hove Albion 30 August 1988 Stockport County 0–1 Tranmere Rovers 29 August 1988 Torquay United 0–1 Reading 30 August 1988 West Bromwich Albion 0–3 Peterborough United 31 August 1988 Wigan Athletic 0–0 Preston North End 29 August 1988 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–2 Birmingham City 30 August 1988 York City 0–0 Sunderland 30 August 1988 Second leg Home teamScoreAway teamDateAgg Aldershot 0–0 Leyton Orient 6 September 1988 0–2 Birmingham City 1–0After Extra TimeBirmingham City won on the Away Goals Rule Wolverhampton Wanderers 6 September 1988 3–3 Blackpool 3–0 Carlisle United 6 September 1988 4–1 Brentford 1–0After Extra Time Fulham 6 September 1988 3–2 Brighton & Hove Albion 0–1 Southend United 7 September 1988 0–3 Bristol Rovers 0–0 AFC Bournemouth 7 September 1988 0–1 Burnley 2–1 Rochdale 6 September 1988 5–4 Chester City 3–1 Bolton Wanderers 7 September 1988 3–2 Chesterfield 1–1 Port Vale 6 September 1988 3–4 Darlington 2–0 Doncaster Rovers 6 September 1988 3–1 Exeter City 0–1 Bristol City 7 September 1988 0–2 Gillingham 3–1 Cambridge United 6 September 1988 5–2 Halifax Town 2–2After Extra TimeScarborough won on the Away Goals Rule Scarborough 6 September 1988 3–3 Huddersfield Town 2–2After Extra Time Scunthorpe United 6 September 1988 4–5 Lincoln City 2–1 Crewe Alexandra 7 September 1988 3–2 Mansfield Town 1–0 Notts County 6 September 1988 1–5 Northampton Town 5–0 Colchester United 6 September 1988 5–0 Peterborough United 0–2 West Bromwich Albion 7 September 1988 3–2 Plymouth Argyle 3–2 Hereford United 6 September 1988 6–2 Preston North End 1–0 Wigan Athletic 6 September 1988 1–0 Reading 3–1 Torquay United 7 September 1988 4–1 Rotherham United 1–0 Grimsby Town 6 September 1988 2–0 Sheffield United 2–0After Extra Time Hartlepool United 6 September 1988 4–2 Sunderland 4–0 York City 6 September 1988 4–0 Swansea City 0–2 Cardiff City 20 September 1988 1–2 Tranmere Rovers 1–1 Stockport County 5 September 1988 2–1 Walsall 3–0 Shrewsbury Town 6 September 1988 5–2 Wrexham 2–2After Extra Time Bury 6 September 1988 3–4 Second round First leg Home teamScoreAway teamDate AFC Bournemouth 0–4 Coventry City 27 September 1988 Barnsley 0–2 Wimbledon 27 September 1988 Birmingham City 0–2 Aston Villa 27 September 1988 Blackburn Rovers 3–1 Brentford 27 September 1988 Blackpool 2–0 Sheffield Wednesday 27 September 1988 Darlington 2–0 Oldham Athletic 27 September 1988 Derby County 1–0 Southend United 28 September 1988 Everton 3–0 Bury 27 September 1988 Hull City 1–2 Arsenal 28 September 1988 Leicester City 4–1 Watford 28 September 1988 Leyton Orient 1–2 Stoke City 27 September 1988 Lincoln City 1–1 Southampton 28 September 1988 Liverpool 1–0 Walsall 28 September 1988 Luton Town 1–1 Burnley 27 September 1988 Manchester City 1–0 Plymouth Argyle 28 September 1988 Middlesbrough 0–0 Tranmere Rovers 28 September 1988 Millwall 3–0 Gillingham 27 September 1988 Northampton Town 1–1 Charlton Athletic 27 September 1988 Norwich City 2–0 Preston North End 28 September 1988 Nottingham Forest 6–0 Chester City 28 September 1988 Notts County 1–1 Tottenham Hotspur 27 September 1988 Oxford United 2–4 Bristol City 28 September 1988 Peterborough United 1–2 Leeds United 27 September 1988 Port Vale 1–0 Ipswich Town 26 September 1988 Portsmouth 2–2 Scarborough 27 September 1988 Queens Park Rangers 3–0 Cardiff City 28 September 1988 Reading 1–1 Bradford City 28 September 1988 Rotherham United 0–1 Manchester United 28 September 1988 Scunthorpe United 4–1 Chelsea 27 September 1988 Sheffield United 3–0 Newcastle United 27 September 1988 Sunderland 0–3 West Ham United 27 September 1988 Swindon Town 1–2 Crystal Palace 27 September 1988 Second leg Home teamScoreAway teamDateAgg Arsenal 3–0 Hull City 12 October 1988 5–1 Aston Villa 5–0 Birmingham City 12 October 1988 7–0 Bradford City 2–1After Extra Time Reading 12 October 1988 3–2 Brentford 4–3 Blackburn Rovers 12 October 1988 5–6 Bristol City 2–0 Oxford United 11 October 1988 6–2 Burnley 0–1 Luton Town 11 October 1988 1–2 Bury 2–2 Everton 11 October 1988 2–5 Cardiff City 1–4 Queens Park Rangers 11 October 1988 1–7 Charlton Athletic 2–1 Northampton Town 11 October 1988 3–2 Chelsea 2–2 Scunthorpe United 12 October 1988 3–6 Chester City 0–4 Nottingham Forest 12 October 1988 0–10 Coventry City 3–1 AFC Bournemouth 11 October 1988 7–1 Crystal Palace 2–0 Swindon Town 12 October 1988 4–1 Gillingham 1–3 Millwall 11 October 1988 1–6 Ipswich Town 3–0 Port Vale 11 October 1988 3–1 Leeds United 3–1 Peterborough United 12 October 1988 5–2 Manchester United 5–0 Rotherham United 12 October 1988 6–0 Newcastle United 2–0 Sheffield United 12 October 1988 2–3 Oldham Athletic 4–0After Extra Time Darlington 11 October 1988 4–2 Plymouth Argyle 3–6 Manchester City 12 October 1988 3–7 Preston North End 0–3 Norwich City 11 October 1988 0–5 Scarborough 3–1 Portsmouth 12 October 1988 5–3 Sheffield Wednesday 3–1After Extra TimeBlackpool won on the Away Goals Rule Blackpool 12 October 1988 3–3 Southampton 3–1 Lincoln City 11 October 1988 4–2 Southend United 1–2 Derby County 11 October 1988 1–3 Stoke City 1–2After Extra TimeLeyton Orient won 3–2 on penalties Leyton Orient 11 October 1988 3–3 Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Notts County 11 October 1988 3–2 Tranmere Rovers 1–0 Middlesbrough 11 October 1988 1–0 Walsall 1–3 Liverpool 12 October 1988 1–4 Watford 2–2 Leicester City 11 October 1988 3–6 West Ham United 2–1 Sunderland 12 October 1988 5–1 Wimbledon 0–1 Barnsley 12 October 1988 2–1 Third round Ties Home teamScoreAway teamDate Aston Villa 3–1 Millwall 2 November 1988 Bradford City 1–1 Scunthorpe United 2 November 1988 Bristol City 4–1 Crystal Palace 1 November 1988 Everton 1–1 Oldham Athletic 8 November 1988 Ipswich Town 2–0 Leyton Orient 1 November 1988 Leeds United 0–2 Luton Town 2 November 1988 Leicester City 2–0 Norwich City 2 November 1988 Liverpool 1–1 Arsenal 2 November 1988 Manchester City 4–2 Sheffield United 2 November 1988 Nottingham Forest 3–2 Coventry City 2 November 1988 Queens Park Rangers 2–1 Charlton Athletic 2 November 1988 Scarborough 2–2 Southampton 2 November 1988 Tottenham Hotspur 0–0 Blackburn Rovers 1 November 1988 Tranmere Rovers 1–0 Blackpool 1 November 1988 West Ham United 5–0 Derby County 1 November 1988 Wimbledon 2–1 Manchester United 2 November 1988 Replays Home teamScoreAway teamDate Arsenal 0–0After Extra Time Liverpool 9 November 1988 Blackburn Rovers 1–2After Extra Time Tottenham Hotspur 9 November 1988 Oldham Athletic 0–2 Everton 29 November 1988 Scunthorpe United 0–1 Bradford City 22 November 1988 Southampton 1–0 Scarborough 22 November 1988 2nd Replay Home teamScoreAway teamDate Liverpool 2–1 Arsenal 23 November 1988 Fourth round Ties Home teamScoreAway teamDate Aston Villa 6–2 Ipswich Town 30 November 1988 Bradford City 3–1 Everton 14 December 1988 Bristol City 1–0 Tranmere Rovers 29 November 1988 Leicester City 0–0 Nottingham Forest 30 November 1988 Luton Town 3–1 Manchester City 29 November 1988 Queens Park Rangers 0–0 Wimbledon 30 November 1988 Southampton 2–1 Tottenham Hotspur 29 November 1988 West Ham United 4–1 Liverpool 30 November 1988 Replays Home teamScoreAway teamDate Nottingham Forest 2–1 Leicester City 14 December 1988 Wimbledon 0–1 Queens Park Rangers 14 December 1988 Fifth Round Ties Home teamScoreAway teamDate Bradford City 0–1 Bristol City 18 January 1989 Luton Town 1–1 Southampton 18 January 1989 Nottingham Forest 5–2 Queens Park Rangers 18 January 1989 West Ham United 2–1 Aston Villa 18 January 1989 Replay Home teamScoreAway teamDate Southampton 1–2After Extra Time Luton Town 25 January 1989 Semi-finals Nottingham Forest, flying high in the First Division, had a narrow victory over Third Division underdogs Bristol City in the semi-finals, while holders Luton Town enjoyed a comfortable triumph over West Ham United in both legs. First leg Home teamScoreAway teamDate Nottingham Forest 1–1 Bristol City 15 February 1989 West Ham United 0–3 Luton Town 12 February 1989 Second leg Home teamScoreAway teamDateAgg Bristol City 0–1After Extra Time Nottingham Forest 26 February 1989 1–2 Luton Town 2–0 West Ham United 1 March 1989 5–0 Final 1989 Football League Cup final 9 April 1989 15:30 Nottingham Forest 3–1 Luton Town Clough 54 pen. 76 Webb 68 Harford 35 Wembley Stadium, London 76,130 Roger Milford (Somerset) References General http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=497 English League Cup 1988/1989 23 January 2012 Soccerbase https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engleagcuphistfull.html England League Cup Full Results 1960–1996 23 January 2012 Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-cup/1988-1989/results English League Cup 1988–1989 : Results 23 January 2012 Statto https://web.archive.org/web/20100109054356/http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-cup/1988-1989/results 9 January 2010 live dmy-all Specific Category:EFL Cup seasons League Cup Cup