1987–88 Associate Members' Cup

The 1987–88 Associate Members' Cup, known as the 1987–88 Sherpa Van Trophy for sponsorship reasons, was the 5th staging of the Associate Members' Cup, a knockout competition for English football clubs in the Third and Fourth Divisions (now known as League One and Two).

The winners were Wolverhampton Wanderers, who defeated Burnley 2–0 in the final. This marked the only time two previous English champions have met in the final of this competition, and made Wolves the first former champions to have won the trophy, Portsmouth the only other having won the EFL trophy in 2019.

The competition began on 13 October 1987 and ended with the final on 29 May 1988. The tournament begins with clubs divided into a Northern and a Southern section, and teams entering a preliminary group stage. Each section then gradually eliminates the qualifying teams in knock-out fashion until each has a winning finalist. At this point, the two winning finalists faced each other in the combined final for the honour of the trophy.

Preliminary round

Northern Section

Group 1 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Burnley 2 2 0 0 5 3 +2 6 Rochdale 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1 Tranmere Rovers 2 0 1 1 1 2 −1 1 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Rochdale 0–0 Tranmere Rovers Oct 27 Tranmere Rovers 1–2 Burnley Nov 24 Burnley 3–2 Rochdale

Group 2 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Carlisle United 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2 6 Chester City 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3 Blackpool 2 0 0 2 1 3 −2 0 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Carlisle United 2–1 Chester City Oct 28 Chester City 2–1 Blackpool Nov 24 Blackpool 0–1 Carlisle United

Group 3 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Preston North End 2 1 1 0 5 2 +3 4 Bolton Wanderers 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 4 Stockport County 2 0 0 2 3 8 −5 0 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Bolton Wanderers 0–0 Preston NE Oct 27 Preston NE 5–2 Stockport County Nov 24 Stockport County 1–3 Bolton Wanderers

Group 4 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Bury 2 1 1 0 5 2 +3 4 Crewe Alexandra 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2 Wigan Athletic 2 0 1 1 4 7 −3 1 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Wigan Athletic 2–2 Crewe Alexandra Nov 24 Bury 5–2 Wigan Athletic Dec 04 Crewe Alexandra 0–0 Bury

Group 5 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Darlington 2 2 0 0 6 4 +2 6 Chesterfield 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 3 York City 2 0 0 2 3 6 −3 0 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 York City 3–4 Darlington Nov 24 Chesterfield 2–0 York City Dec 05 Darlington 2–1 Chesterfield

Group 6 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Sunderland 2 2 0 0 10 1 +9 6 Rotherham United 2 1 0 1 2 7 −5 3 Scarborough 2 0 0 2 0 4 −4 0 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Rotherham United 1–0 Scarborough Oct 28 Scarborough 0–3 Sunderland Nov 24 Sunderland 7–1 Rotherham United

Group 7 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Halifax Town 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 3 Scunthorpe United 2 1 0 1 2 3 −1 3 Grimsby Town 2 1 0 1 2 3 −1 3 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Scunthorpe United 2–0 Grimsby Town Oct 27 Grimsby Town 2–1 Halifax Town Nov 24 Halifax Town 3–0 Scunthorpe United Play-off to determine second place: Dec 15 Grimsby Town 1–2 Scunthorpe United

Group 8 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Mansfield Town 2 2 0 0 4 2 +2 6 Hartlepool United 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3 Doncaster Rovers 2 0 0 2 0 2 −2 0 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Doncaster Rovers 0–1 Mansfield Town Oct 27 Mansfield Town 3–2 Hartlepool United Nov 24 Hartlepool United 1–0 Doncaster Rovers

Southern Section

Group 1 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Brentford 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3 Notts County 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3 Northampton Town 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Notts County 1–0 Northampton Town Oct 28 Northampton Town 1–0 Brentford Nov 24 Brentford 3–2 Notts County

Group 2 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Walsall 2 1 1 0 5 3 +2 4 Cardiff City 2 1 0 1 4 5 −1 3 Wrexham 2 0 1 1 4 5 −1 1 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Cardiff City 3–2 Wrexham Oct 27 Wrexham 2–2 Walsall Nov 24 Walsall 3–1 Cardiff City

Group 3 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Aldershot 2 1 1 0 5 3 +2 4 Leyton Orient 2 0 2 0 4 4 0 2 Gillingham 2 0 1 1 3 5 −2 1 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Aldershot 3–1 Gillingham Oct 27 Gillingham 2–2 Leyton Orient Nov 24 Leyton Orient 2–2 Aldershot

Group 4 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Colchester United 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 4 Peterborough 2 1 0 1 5 3 +2 3 Cambridge United 2 0 1 1 0 3 −3 1 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Colchester United 3–2 Peterborough United Nov 24 Cambridge United 0–0 Colchester United Dec 01 Peterborough United 3–0 Cambridge United

Group 5 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Torquay United 2 2 0 0 4 0 +4 6 Hereford United 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3 Bristol Rovers 2 0 0 2 0 4 −4 0 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Torquay United 2–0 Bristol Rovers Oct 28 Bristol Rovers 0–2 Hereford United Nov 25 Hereford United 0–2 Torquay United

Group 6 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Newport County 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3 6 Port Vale 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3 Exeter City 2 0 0 2 0 3 −3 0 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Newport County 2–0 Port Vale Oct 26 Port Vale 2–0 Exeter City Nov 24 Exeter City 0–1 Newport County

Group 7 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Brighton 2 2 0 0 9 3 +6 6 Southend United 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3 Fulham 2 0 0 2 1 7 −6 0 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 13 Southend United 1–0 Fulham Oct 27 Fulham 1–6 Brighton Nov 25 Brighton 3–2 Southend United

Group 8 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Wolves 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 4 Bristol City 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3 Swansea City 2 0 1 1 1 3 −2 1 Source: Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 Oct 27 Swansea City 1–1 Wolves Nov 10 Bristol City 2–0 Swansea City Nov 24 Wolves 3–1 Bristol City

First round

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 19 January Burnley 1–0 Chester City 19 January Bury 1–0 Bolton Wanderers 19 January Halifax Town 2–1 Chesterfield 19 January Mansfield Town 1–0 Scunthorpe United 19 January Preston North End 3–1 Rochdale 19 January Sunderland 1–0 Crewe Alexandra 26 January Darlington 3–2 Rotherham United 3 February Carlisle United 0–2 Hartlepool United

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 19 January Aldershot 1–0 Bristol City 19 January Colchester United 1–1 Leyton Orient Colchester United won on penalties 19 January Newport County 2–3 Hereford United 19 January Torquay United 1–0 Port Vale 19 January Walsall 1–2 Peterborough United 19 January Wolves 4–0 Brentford 20 January Brighton 4–2 Southend United 20 January Notts County 2–0 Cardiff City

Quarter-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 9 February Bury 0–1 Burnley 9 February Sunderland 0–1 Hartlepool United 16 February Preston North End 2–1 Mansfield Town 18 February Darlington 1–2 Halifax Town

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 9 February Colchester United 2–3 Notts County 9 February Wolves 4–0 Peterborough United 10 February Hereford United 0–1 Brighton 16 February Aldershot 0–1 Torquay United

Area semi-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 8 March Burnley 0–0 Halifax Town Burnley won on penalties 8 March Hartlepool United 0–2 Preston North End

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 8 March Wolves 1–0 Torquay United 9 March Brighton 1–5 Notts County

Area finals

Northern Area final

12 April 1988

19:45 BST

Burnley	0–0	Preston North End

Turf Moor, Burnley

Attendance: 15,680

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19 April 1988

19:45 BST

Preston North End	1–3 (a.e.t.)	Burnley
Brazil		Oghani Hoskin Comstive

Deepdale, Preston

Attendance: 17,592

Burnley won 3–1 on aggregate.

Southern Area final

12 April 1988

19:30 BST

Notts County	1–1	Wolverhampton Wanderers
McParland		Bull

Meadow Lane, Nottingham

Attendance: 10,041

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19 April 1988

19:30 BST

Wolverhampton Wanderers	3–0	Notts County
Bull Downing

Molineux, Wolverhampton

Attendance: 18,413

Wolverhampton Wanderers won 4–1 on aggregate.

Final

Main article: 1988 Associate Members' Cup Final

29 May 1988

15:00 BST

Burnley	0–2	Wolverhampton Wanderers
		Mutch  22' Dennison  51'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 80,841

Referee: Roger Milford (Somerset)

External links

• Official website