# 1989–90 Associate Members' Cup

The 1989–90 Associate Members' Cup, known as the 1989–90 Leyland DAF Cup, was the ninth staging of a secondary football league tournament, and the seventh staging of the Associate Members' Cup, a knock-out competition for English football clubs in the Third Division and the Fourth Division. The winners were Tranmere Rovers and the runners-up were Bristol Rovers.
The competition began on 7 November 1989 and ended with the final on 20 May 1990 at Wembley Stadium.
In the first round, there were two sections split into eight groups: North and South. In the following rounds each section gradually eliminates 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 |
| Halifax Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
| Lincoln City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Chesterfield | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Halifax Town | 3–0 | Lincoln City |
| 29 Nov | Lincoln City | 3–0 | Chesterfield |
| 12 Dec | Chesterfield | 2–1 | Halifax Town |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Huddersfield Town | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Grimsby Town | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Huddersfield Town | 2–2 | Doncaster Rovers |
| 28 Nov | Doncaster Rovers | 1–0 | Grimsby Town |
| 12 Dec | Grimsby Town | 3–3 | Huddersfield Town |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Blackpool | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| Bury | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 |
| Wrexham | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Wrexham | 1–0 | Blackpool |
| 28 Nov | Blackpool | 4–0 | Bury |
| 9 Dec | Bury | 4–1 | Wrexham |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 6 |
| Chester City | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 1 |
| Rochdale | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Tranmere Rovers | 1–0 | Chester City |
| 28 Nov | Chester City | 0–0 | Rochdale |
| 12 Dec | Rochdale | 0–1 | Tranmere Rovers |
| 20 Dec | Rochdale | 1–2 | Chester City (play-off) |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Preston North End | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 6 |
| Stockport County | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Burnley | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | −5 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Preston North End | 3–0 | Burnley |
| 28 Nov | Burnley | 0–2 | Stockport County |
| 13 Dec | Stockport County | 2–4 | Preston North End |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Carlisle United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Scunthorpe United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Scarborough | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Scunthorpe United | 1–0 | Scarborough |
| 29 Nov | Scarborough | 0–1 | Carlisle United |
| 22 Dec | Carlisle United | 1–1 | Scunthorpe United |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Rotherham United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 6 |
| York City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 3 |
| Hartlepool United | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | −9 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | York City | 7–1 | Hartlepool United |
| 28 Nov | Hartlepool United | 1–4 | Rotherham United |
| 12 Dec | Rotherham United | 3–1 | York City |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| Wigan Athletic | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 28 Nov | Bolton Wanderers | 2–0 | Crewe Alexandra |
| 5 Dec | Wigan Athletic | 1–0 | Bolton Wanderers |
| 19 Dec | Crewe Alexandra | 1–0 | Wigan Athletic |

### Southern Section

Group 1 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Shrewsbury Town | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
| Walsall | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 |
| Cardiff City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Cardiff City | 3–5 | Walsall |
| 28 Nov | Walsall | 0–1 | Shrewsbury Town |
| 19 Dec | Shrewsbury Town | 4–0 | Cardiff City |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Bristol Rovers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| Exeter City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
| Torquay United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Torquay United | 1–0 | Bristol Rovers |
| 15 Jan | Exeter City | 2–0 | Torquay United |
| 17 Jan | Bristol Rovers | 3–0 | Exeter City |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Notts County | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Peterborough United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Fulham | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 8 Nov | Peterborough United | 1–0 | Fulham |
| 28 Nov | Fulham | 0–1 | Notts County |
| 12 Dec | Notts County | 2–2 | Peterborough United |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Aldershot | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 3 |
| Hereford United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Birmingham City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 8 Nov | Hereford United | 3–2 | Aldershot |
| 28 Nov | Aldershot | 3–0 | Birmingham City |
| 12 Dec | Birmingham City | 1–0 | Hereford United |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Southend United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 |
| Gillingham | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| Cambridge United | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Southend United | 1–0 | Gillingham |
| 28 Nov | Gillingham | 2–0 | Cambridge United |
| 12 Dec | Cambridge United | 3–3 | Southend United |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Bristol City | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Reading | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Swansea City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 5 Nov | Bristol City | 2–1 | Swansea City |
| 15 Jan | Reading | 1–1 | Bristol City |
| 17 Jan | Swansea City | 1–2 | Reading |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Maidstone United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 |
| Northampton Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 |
| Colchester United | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Colchester United | 0–3 | Northampton Town |
| 28 Nov | Northampton Town | 2–4 | Maidstone United |
| 10 Jan | Maidstone United | 2–1 | Colchester United |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Brentford | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
| Leyton Orient | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
| Mansfield Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 7 Nov | Brentford | 3–0 | Leyton Orient |
| 28 Nov | Leyton Orient | 2–0 | Mansfield Town |
| 9 Dec | Mansfield Town | 2–1 | Brentford |
| 9 Jan | Mansfield Town | 2–1 | Leyton Orient (play-off) |