# 1973–74 Football League Cup

The 1973–74 Football League Cup was the 14th season of the Football League Cup, a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs.
Wolverhampton Wanderers won the competition by defeating Manchester City 2–1 in the final on 2 March 1974. This triumph gave them entry to the 1974–75 UEFA Cup.

## First round

The 56 Football League clubs who had comprised the Third and Fourth Divisions during the previous season, plus the bottom eight of the Second Division, all competed from the first round. Ties were straight knockout games, with additional replays if required. The original games were staged on 28–29 August 1973.

### Ties

| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance | Date |
| 1 | Bolton Wanderers | 1–1 | Preston North End | 17,101 | 28 August 1973 |
| 2 | Bury | 0–0 | Oldham Athletic | 5,534 | 28 August 1973 |
| 3 | Southport | 1–1 | Blackburn Rovers | 5,342 | 29 August 1973 |
| 4 | Carlisle United | 2–2 | Workington | 7,040 | 28 August 1973 |
| 5 | Darlington | 2–1 | Bradford City | 2,664 | 29 August 1973 |
| 6 | Halifax Town | 1–1 | Barnsley | 2,768 | 28 August 1973 |
| 7 | York City | 1–0 | Huddersfield Town | 6,497 | 29 August 1973 |
| 8 | Rochdale | 5–3 | Hartlepools | 1,836 | 29 August 1973 |
| 9 | Chester City | 0–2 | Wrexham | 4,791 | 29 August 1973 |
| 10 | Tranmere Rovers | 3–3 | Crewe Alexandra | 2,751 | 29 August 1973 |
| 11 | Walsall | 6–1 | Shrewsbury Town | 4,722 | 29 August 1973 |
| 12 | Stockport County | 2–0 | Port Vale | 3,314 | 29 August 1973 |
| 13 | Grimsby Town | 2–1 | Northampton Town | 7,829 | 28 August 1973 |
| 14 | Notts County | 3–4 | Doncaster Rovers | 7,735 | 28 August 1973 |
| 15 | Peterborough United | 2–2 | Scunthorpe United | 6,339 | 29 August 1973 |
| 16 | Rotherham United | 2–1 | Lincoln City | 3,455 | 28 August 1973 |
| 17 | Chesterfield | 1–1 | Mansfield Town | 6,321 | 29 August 1973 |
| 18 | Bournemouth | 1–0 | Bristol Rovers | 7,520 | 29 August 1973 |
| 19 | Swindon Town | 3–3 | Newport County | 6,873 | 28 August 1973 |
| 20 | Swansea City | 1–1 | Exeter City | 3,036 | 28 August 1973 |
| 21 | Torquay United | 0–2 | Plymouth Argyle | 6,996 | 29 August 1973 |
| 22 | Cardiff City | 2–0 | Hereford United | 9,821 | 29 August 1973 |
| 23 | Reading | 2–2 | Watford | 6,279 | 29 August 1973 |
| 24 | Aldershot | 1–1 | Cambridge United | 4,147 | 29 August 1973 |
| 25 | Portsmouth | 2–1 | Southend United | 9,652 | 28 August 1973 |
| 26 | Gillingham | 4–2 | Colchester United | 3,991 | 29 August 1973 |
| 27 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 1–2 | Charlton Athletic | 8,452 | 29 August 1973 |
| 28 | Brentford | 1–2 | Orient | 6,620 | 28 August 1973 |

### Replays

| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance | Date |
| 1 | Preston North End | 0–2 | Bolton Wanderers | 18,571 | 5 September 1973 |
| 2 | Oldham Athletic | 2–3 | Bury | 6,045 | 4 September 1973 |
| 3 | Blackburn Rovers | 3–1 | Southport | 5,342 | 5 September 1973 |
| 4 | Workington | 0–1 | Carlisle United | | 5 September 1973 |
| 6 | Barnsley | 0–1 | Halifax Town | 4,168 | 4 September 1973 |
| 10 | Crewe Alexandra | 0–1 | Tranmere Rovers | 4,488 | 5 September 1973 |
| 15 | Scunthorpe United | 2–1 | Peterborough United | 4,472 | 4 September 1973 |
| 17 | Mansfield Town | 0–1 | Chesterfield | 5,711 | 5 September 1973 |
| 19 | Newport County | 1–2 | Swindon Town | 6,007 | 4 September 1973 |
| 20 | Exeter City | 2–1 | Swansea City | | 5 September 1973 |
| 23 | Watford | 2–3 | Reading | | 5 September 1973 |
| 24 | Cambridge United | 3–0 | Aldershot | 4,147 | 5 September 1973 |

## Second round

The 28 first round winners were joined by the remaining clubs from the Second Division and all from the First Division. Ties were straight knockout games, with additional replays if required. The original games were staged on 2/8–10 October 1973.

### Ties

| Tie no | Home team | Score$^1$ | Away team | Attendance | Date |
| 1 | Bournemouth | 0–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | 11,017 | 10 October 1973 |
| 2 | Southampton | 3–0 | Charlton Athletic | 10,047 | 8 October 1973 |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 2–0 | Leeds United | 28,385 | 8 October 1973 |
| 4 | Everton | 1–0 | Reading | 15,772 | 8 October 1973 |
| 5 | Bury | 2–0 | Cambridge United | 6,150 | 9 October 1973 |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 6–0 | Doncaster Rovers | 15,900 | 8 October 1973 |
| 7 | West Ham United | 2–2 | Liverpool | 25,823 | 8 October 1973 |
| 8 | Scunthorpe United | 0–0 | Bristol City | 4,418 | 9 October 1973 |
| 9 | Arsenal | 0–1 | Tranmere Rovers | 20,337 | 2 October 1973 |
| 10 | Oxford United | 1–1 | Fulham | 7,131 | 10 October 1973 |
| 11 | Coventry City | 5–1 | Darlington | 8,769 | 8 October 1973 |
| 12 | Cardiff City | 2–2 | Burnley | | 10 October 1973 |
| 13 | Plymouth Argyle | 4–0 | Portsmouth | 13,202 | 9 October 1973 |
| 14 | Orient | 2–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 7,374 | 9 October 1973 |
| 15 | West Bromwich Albion | 2–1 | Sheffield United | 10,421 | 8 October 1973 |
| 16 | Luton Town | 1–1 | Grimsby Town | 9,656 | 10 October 1973 |
| 17 | Manchester United | 0–1 | Middlesbrough | 23,906 | 8 October 1973 |
| 18 | Walsall | 0–0 | Manchester City | 12,943 | 2 October 1973 |
| 19 | Derby County | 2–2 | Sunderland | 29,172 | 8 October 1973 |
| 20 | York City | 1–0 | Aston Villa | 7,981 | 9 October 1973 |
| 21 | Halifax Town | 0–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 8,222 | 8 October 1973 |
| 22 | Rotherham United | 1–4 | Exeter City | 2,559 | 10 October 1973 |
| 23 | Stoke City | 1–0 | Chelsea | 17,281 | 8 October 1973 |
| 24 | Millwall | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | 8,631 | 10 October 1973 |
| 25 | Stockport County | 1–0 | Crystal Palace | 8,501 | 9 October 1973 |
| 26 | Chesterfield | 1–0 | Swindon Town | 4,639 | 10 October 1973 |
| 27 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23,353 | 8 October 1973 |
| 28 | Leicester City | 3–3 | Hull City | 9,777 | 8 October 1973 |
| 29 | Norwich City | 6–2 | Wrexham | 10,937 | 10 October 1973 |
| 30 | Blackpool | 1–1 | Birmingham City | 7,943 | 9 October 1973 |
| 31 | Gillingham | 1–2 | Carlisle United | | 10 October 1973 |
| 32 | Rochdale | 0–4 | Bolton Wanderers | 7,241 | 10 October 1973 |

### Replays

| Tie no | Home team | Score$^1$ | Away team | Attendance | Date |
| 1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–2 | Bournemouth | 5,883 | 15 October 1973 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 1–0 | West Ham United | 26,002 | 29 October 1973 |
| 8 | Bristol City | 2–1 | Scunthorpe United | 7,837 | 16 October 1973 |
| 10 | Fulham | 3–0 | Oxford United | 6,435 | 16 October 1973 |
| 12 | Burnley | 3–2 | Cardiff City | 12,313 | 16 October 1973 |
| 16 | Grimsby Town | 0–0 | Luton Town | 13,643 | 16 October 1973 |
| 18 | Manchester City | 0–0 | Walsall | 19,428 | 22 October 1973 |
| 19 | Sunderland | 2–2 | Derby County | 38,935 | 29 October 1973 |
| 24 | Nottingham Forest | 1–3 | Millwall | 9,241 | 16 October 1973 |
| 28 | Hull City | 3–2 | Leicester City | 16,003 | 31 October 1973 |
| 30 | Birmingham City | 4–2 | Blackpool | 16,880 | 16 October 1973 |

### 2nd Replays

| Tie no | Home team | Score$^1$ | Away team | Attendance | Date |
| 1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–1 | Bournemouth | 8,894 | 29 October 1973 |
| 16 | Luton Town | 2–0 | Grimsby Town | 15,365 | 23 October 1973 |
| 18 | Walsall | 0–4$^1$ | Manchester City | 13,646 | 30 October 1973 |
| 19 | Derby County | 0–3 | Sunderland | 38,460 | 31 October 1973 |
$^1$ At Old Trafford, Manchester

## Third round

Ties were straight knockout games, with additional replays if required. The original games were staged on 30–31 October and 6 November 1973.

### Ties

| Tie no | Home team | Score$^1$ | Away team | Attendance | Date |
| 1 | Hull City | 4–1 | Stockport County | 13,753 | 6 November 1973 |
| 2 | Birmingham City | 2–2 | Newcastle United | 13,025 | 30 October 1973 |
| 3 | Southampton | 3–0 | Chesterfield | 13,663 | 30 October 1973 |
| 4 | Stoke City | 1–1 | Middlesbrough | 19,194 | 31 October 1973 |
| 5 | Everton | 0–1 | Norwich City | 22,046 | 30 October 1973 |
| 6 | Millwall | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 9,281 | 31 October 1973 |
| 7 | Fulham | 2–2 | Ipswich Town | 8,964 | 31 October 1973 |
| 8 | Tranmere Rovers | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 14,442 | 31 October 1973 |
| 9 | Orient | 1–1 | York City | 12,061 | 31 October 1973 |
| 10 | Carlisle United | 0–1 | Manchester City | 14,472 | 6 November 1973 |
| 11 | Bristol City | 2–2 | Coventry City | 19,129 | 30 October 1973 |
| 12 | Queens Park Rangers | 8–2 | Sheffield Wednesday | 16,043 | 6 November 1973 |
| 13 | Burnley | 1–2 | Plymouth Argyle | 11,150 | 30 October 1973 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 0–2 | Liverpool | 36,208 | 21 November 1973 |
| 15 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–3 | Exeter City | 10,783 | 31 October 1973 |
| 16 | Luton Town | 0–0 | Bury | 8,191 | 31 October 1973 |

### Replays

| Tie no | Home team | Score$^1$ | Away team | Attendance | Date |
| 2 | Newcastle United | 0–1 | Birmingham City | 19,276 | 7 November 1973 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 1–2 | Stoke City | 26,068 | 6 November 1973 |
| 6 | Bolton Wanderers | 1–2 | Millwall | 13,501 | 6 November 1973 |
| 7 | Ipswich Town | 2–1 | Fulham | 21,400 | 14 November 1973 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | Tranmere Rovers | 14,839 | 13 November 1973 |
| 9 | York City | 2–1 | Orient | 11,152 | 6 November 1973 |
| 11 | Coventry City | 2–1 | Bristol City | 13,049 | 6 November 1973 |
| 16 | Bury | 2–3 | Luton Town | 7,827 | 6 November 1973 |

## Fourth round

Ties were straight knockout games, with additional replays if required. The original games were staged on 20–21 and 27 November 1973.

### Ties

| Tie no | Home team | Score$^1$ | Away team | Attendance | Date |
| 1 | York City | 0–0 | Manchester City | 15,360 | 21 November 1973 |
| 2 | Queens Park Rangers | 0–3 | Plymouth Argyle | 19,072 | 20 November 1973 |
| 3 | Southampton | 0–2 | Norwich City | 14,415 | 21 November 1973 |
| 4 | Ipswich Town | 1–3 | Birmingham City | 12,241 | 21 November 1973 |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 5–1 | Exeter City | 7,623 | 20 November 1973 |
| 6 | Millwall | 3–1 | Luton Town | 8,777 | 21 November 1973 |
| 7 | Coventry City | 2–1 | Stoke City | 17,485 | 20 November 1973 |
| 8 | Hull City | 0–0 | Liverpool | 19,748 | 27 November 1973 |

### Replays

| Tie no | Home team | Score$^1$ | Away team | Attendance | Date |
| 1 | Manchester City | 4–1 | York City | 17,972 | 5 December 1973 |
| 8 | Liverpool | 3–1 | Hull City | 17,120 | 4 December 1973 |

## Fifth round

Ties were straight knockout games, with additional replays if required.

### Replay
## Semi-finals

Ties were two-legged affairs with the winners advancing to the final. Extra time and then penalties would be used in the second leg if required.

### Second leg

Wolverhampton Wanderers won 2–1 on aggregate
Manchester City won 3–1 on aggregate