1. Sport
  2. Football
  3. FA & League Cups

Bradford City and the most memorable cup final underdogs

 

Click to follow
The Independent Football

Bradford City and the most memorable cup final underdogs

Bradford City and the most memorable cup final underdogs

  • 1/11

    Bradford celebrate winning their Capital One Cup semi-final against Aston Villa

    Getty Images

  • 2/11

    Norwich v Rochdale, League Cup Final, 1962
    Rochdale were the first team from England’s fourth division to reach the League Cup final. In those days it was a two-legged affair. Dale lost 4-0 on aggregate as the Canaries won their first major trophy.

    Getty Images

  • 3/11

    West Ham United vs Arsenal, FA Cup Final, 1980
    Sir Trevor Brooking headed the winner as the Second Division side shocked Arsenal at Wembley, becoming the last team from outside the top flight to win the FA Cup.

    Getty Images

  • 4/11

    Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester United, League Cup Final, 1991
    Second Division Wednesday's victory over United was the last time a team outside the top flight won either of England’s two major domestic trophies. John Sheridan scored the winner for the Owls.

    Getty Images

  • 5/11

    Sunderland vs Leeds, FA Cup Final, 1973
    Don Revie’s Leeds were odds-on to win their second successive FA Cup when they took on Second Division Sunderland. But Billy Bremner, Norman Hunter, Johnny Giles and co couldn’t get past the Mackems as a goal from Ian Porterfield caused a big upset.

    Getty Images

  • 6/11

    QPR v West Brom, League Cup Final, 1967
    Division Three QPR stunned beat First Division West Brom 3-2 in the first League Cup final held at Wembley Stadium in front of a shocked crowd of 100,000.

    Getty Images

  • 7/11

    Swindon v Arsenal, League Cup Final, 1969
    Division Three side Swindon defied the odds, beating top flight Arsenal 3-1 after extra-time. This result capped a great season for the Robins, having also secured promotion.

    Getty Images

  • 8/11

    Portsmouth vs Cardiff City, FA Cup Final, 2008
    Championship side Cardiff City ran Portsmouth close in a tight match, but a first-half goal by Kanu sealed Pompey’s first FA Cup since 1939.

    Getty Images

  • 9/11

    Southampton vs Manchester United, FA Cup Final, 1976
    Southampton were lingering in the Second Division and were huge underdogs against United, who had finished third in the top division. But the Saints triumphed thanks to Bobby Stokes’ strike.

    Getty Images

  • 10/11

    Manchester United vs Millwall, FA Cup Final, 2004
    Millwall reached their first FA Cup final after beating Sunderland in the semi-final, but the Red Devils ran out comfortable winners with Ruud van Nistelrooy bagging a brace and Cristiano Ronaldo netting a header.

    Getty Images

  • 11/11

    And in Germany…
    Schalke vs 1. FC Union Berlin, DFB-Pokal, 2001
    Schalke won their third German Cup when they defeated the third tier capital side 2-0 thanks to two second-half strikes from midfielder Jörg Böhme.

    Getty Images

Bradford celebrate winning their Capital One Cup semi-final against Aston Villa

Bradford's run to this weekend's League Cup final has been the story of the competition as time and time again they have defied the odds to progress to the next round.

They are now 90 minutes away from their fairytale ending at Wembley with only Michael Laudrup's Swansea standing in their way.

However win or lose their extraordinary run, which has included four extra-time finishes and two penalty shootouts, Bradford join a list of memorable cup finalists from outside the top flight.

Click here or 'View Gallery' to launch our guide...

Comments