1971 Football League Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 1971 Football League Cup Final took place in February 1971 at Wembley Stadium. It was the eleventh Football League Cup
final and the fifth to be played at Wembley.
It was contested between Tottenham Hotspur
and Aston Villa
. At the time, Tottenham Hotspur was riding high in the First Division (the top level of league football in England at that time) and Aston Villa, the most successful club of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras and a traditional heavyweight, was in the old Third Division (then the third tier of English football), to which it had never previously sunk.
Despite the disparity in the teams' league positions, Aston Villa dominated proceedings. According to Peter Morris, in his Aston Villa: The First 100 Years (1974) the team was so impressive that "it was hard to believe they were the same players" who contested Third Division matches. Creating several scoring opportunities, Villa saw a shot by Andy Lochhead cleared off the line and another by Ian 'Chico' Hamilton hit the angle of post and bar with the goalkeeper beaten. However, Spurs' league standing eventually told, as Martin Chivers
, scored Tottenham's first on 79 minutes after the ball was deflected into his path close in by a Villa defender. Three minutes later he scored a second, running through a Villa defence worn out by its efforts at marking him. The match finished 2–0 to Spurs.
Tottenham Hotspur, having been presented with the cup despite being outplayed for almost the whole match, took it to the end where their supporters were gathered. Eyewitnesses confirm that many of the Spurs fans laughed at their own team for parading around the ground with the cup after receiving such a roasting. The beaten Aston Villa players however embarked on a lap of honour around the stadium and were greeted by what Morris described as "the greatest ovation ever given to a losing team at Wembley" (op cit). The Birmingham Evening Mail headlined its report "The day that Villa might have won it."
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ASTON VILLA:
1
John Dunn
2
Keith Bradley
3
Charlie Aitken
4
Brian Godfrey
(c)
5
Fred Turnbull
6
Brian Tiler
7
Pat McMahon
8
Bruce Rioch
9
Andy Lochhead
10
Ian Hamilton
11
Willie Anderson
Gibson Sub
Manager:
Vic Crowe
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
final and the fifth to be played at Wembley.
It was contested between Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
and Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. At the time, Tottenham Hotspur was riding high in the First Division (the top level of league football in England at that time) and Aston Villa, the most successful club of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras and a traditional heavyweight, was in the old Third Division (then the third tier of English football), to which it had never previously sunk.
Despite the disparity in the teams' league positions, Aston Villa dominated proceedings. According to Peter Morris, in his Aston Villa: The First 100 Years (1974) the team was so impressive that "it was hard to believe they were the same players" who contested Third Division matches. Creating several scoring opportunities, Villa saw a shot by Andy Lochhead cleared off the line and another by Ian 'Chico' Hamilton hit the angle of post and bar with the goalkeeper beaten. However, Spurs' league standing eventually told, as Martin Chivers
Martin Chivers
Martin Harcourt Chivers is a retired English professional footballer from the 1960s and 1970s.-Southampton:...
, scored Tottenham's first on 79 minutes after the ball was deflected into his path close in by a Villa defender. Three minutes later he scored a second, running through a Villa defence worn out by its efforts at marking him. The match finished 2–0 to Spurs.
Tottenham Hotspur, having been presented with the cup despite being outplayed for almost the whole match, took it to the end where their supporters were gathered. Eyewitnesses confirm that many of the Spurs fans laughed at their own team for parading around the ground with the cup after receiving such a roasting. The beaten Aston Villa players however embarked on a lap of honour around the stadium and were greeted by what Morris described as "the greatest ovation ever given to a losing team at Wembley" (op cit). The Birmingham Evening Mail headlined its report "The day that Villa might have won it."
Players and officials
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: | ||
| 1 |  Pat JenningsPat Jennings Patrick Anthony "Pat" Jennings OBE is a Northern Ireland former football player. He played 119 games for Northern Ireland as a goalkeeper, a figure which at the time was a world record and is still a Northern Ireland record, in an international career which lasted for over 22 years... |
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| 2 |  Joe KinnearJoe Kinnear Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kinnear is an Irish football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Newcastle United.... |
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| 3 | Cyril Knowles Cyril Knowles Cyril Barry Knowles was a footballer who played full-back for Tottenham Hotspur and England. He was the brother of fellow professional footballer Peter Knowles.- Early career :... |
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| 4 | Alan Mullery Alan Mullery Alan Patrick Mullery MBE is a former English football player and manager. After enjoying a successful career with Fulham and in the 1960s and 1970s, he became a manager working with several different clubs. He is now employed as a television pundit... (c) |
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| 5 | Peter Collins Peter Collins (footballer) Peter Collins is a former professional footballer who played for Chelmsford City, and Tottenham Hotspur.-Football career:... |
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| 6 | Phil Beal Phil Beal Phil Beal born January 8, 1945 at Godstone, Surrey is a former English football player.-Tottenham Hotspur career:Beal played for Surrey boys and England Youth before signing as an amateur for Tottenham Hotspur F.C. in 1960 and became a professional at the club in 1962.He made his debut as a... |
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| 7 | Alan Gilzean Alan Gilzean Alan John Gilzean is a former professional footballer from the 1960s and 1970s and played for Dundee in his native country and English club Tottenham Hotspur.-Dundee:... |
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| 8 | Steve Perryman Steve Perryman Stephen John "Steve" Perryman MBE is a former English international football player and current manager who is best remembered for his successes with Tottenham Hotspur during the 1970s and early 1980s... |
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| 9 | Martin Chivers Martin Chivers Martin Harcourt Chivers is a retired English professional footballer from the 1960s and 1970s.-Southampton:... |
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| 10 | Martin Peters Martin Peters Martin Stanford Peters, MBE is a former football player and member of the victorious England team which won the 1966 World Cup as well as playing in the 1970 FIFA World Cup.... |
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| 11 | Jimmy Neighbour Jimmy Neighbour James Edward "Jimmy" Neighbour was a professional footballer who played for Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City, West Ham United and the Seattle Sounders.- Football career:... |
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| Pearce Sub | |||
| Manager: | |||
| Bill Nicholson Bill Nicholson (footballer) William Edward "Bill" Nicholson OBE was an English football player, coach, manager and scout who devoted his life to Tottenham Hotspur in North London.-Early life:... |
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John DunnJohn Dunn
John Dunn may refer to:*John Dunn , English professional footballer for Aston Villa and Charlton Athletic*Jack Dunn , minor league baseball owner and manager*Jack Dunn , British figure skater...
Keith Bradley Charlie Aitken Brian GodfreyBrian Godfrey
Brian Cameron Godfrey was a Welsh international footballer.Brian was an inside forward who started his league career at Everton where he only made one appearance before joining Scunthorpe United in June 1960...
(c)
Fred Turnbull Brian TilerBrian Tiler
Brian Tiler was an English footballer. Tiler, a central defender, began his career at his hometown club Rotherham United where he made his debut in 1962-63...
Pat McMahonPat McMahon (footballer)
Pat McMahon in Croy, Glasgow is a former Scottish footballer who is best known for the time he spent with Aston Villa and Celtic. McMahon began his football career at local Scottish team Kilsyth Rangers....
Bruce RiochBruce Rioch
Bruce David Rioch is an English-born football manager and former player. He was manager of Aalborg BK in the Danish Superliga, until his sacking on 23 October 2008....
Andy LochheadAndy Lochhead
Andrew Lorimar "Andy" Lochhead is a retired professional footballer who played as a striker. He was a tall strong man, with great ability in the air leading to him scoring many headed goals....
Ian Hamilton Willie Anderson Vic CroweVic Crowe
Victor Herbert Crowe was a Wales international football player and later football manager.-Career:Crowe was born in Abercynon, South Wales but moved to Handsworth, Birmingham with his family when he was two years old...