Manchester United will be attempting to win the Football League Cup for the fourth time when they take on Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
That trophy has been known as the Carling Cup since the 2002/03 season, one of a number of names it has been known by since it came into being in 1960/61 so here’s a question to test the memory of all you history buffs. What was it called when captain Steve Bruce lifted the cup for the first time for United in 1991/92?
Does the Rumbelows Cup ring a bell? It certainly won’t be a surprise if that name has long been forgotten because Rumbelows only sponsored the competition for two seasons.
Strangely enough, United reached the final in both of them having been defeated 0-1 by Sheffield Wednesday the previous year.
A 14th minute Brian McClair strike enabled United to become the first losing finalists in the League Cup to return in the next season and take the trophy. The final was also notable as Brian Clough’s last major domestic cup final as a football manager.
Another feature of that game was the18 year old Ryan Giggs winning the first of his multitude of medals he has collected since. And who happened to be wearing the red shirt of Forest that day? None other than Roy Keane and Teddy Sheringham who of course went on to make up for that disappointment by collecting so much silverware at Old Trafford in later years.
The heartbreak of being pipped on the post by Leeds United for the final Football League Championship after holding pole position for much of the season followed a few weeks later but those dark days did not last for long. The new Premier League was just around the corner…the glory days were about to commence.
See how many names you recognize from the line ups that day:
Manchester United – Schmeichel, Parker, Irwin, Bruce, Phelan, Pallister, Kanchelskis (Sharpe 75m), Ince, McClair, Hughes, Giggs
Nottingham Forest – Marriot, Charles ( Laws 70m), Williams, Walker, Wassall, Keane, Crosby, Gemmill, Clough, Sheringham, Black
Where you at Wembley Stadium that day? Share your memories with us