# 1995–96 Football League Trophy

The Football League Trophy 1995–96, known as the Auto Windscreens Shield 1995–96 for sponsorship reasons, was the 15th staging of the Football League Trophy, a knock-out competition for English football clubs in the Second and Third Divisions (now known as League One and Two).
The winners were Rotherham United, who defeated Shrewsbury Town 2–1 in the final.
The competition began on 25 September 1995 and ended with the final on 14 April 1996.
The tournament begins with clubs divided into a Northern and a Southern section, and teams entering a 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 face each other in the combined final for the honour of the trophy.

## First round
### Northern Section

Group 1 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Crewe Alexandra | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 3 |
| Blackpool | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Hartlepool United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10 | −7 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Blackpool | 1–0 | Crewe Alexandra |
| 17 Oct | Crewe Alexandra | 8–0 | Hartlepool United |
| 7 Nov | Hartlepool United | 3–2 | Blackpool |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Rotherham United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Burnley | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Chester City | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Chester City | 0–1 | Rotherham United |
| 17 Oct | Rotherham United | 1–1 | Burnley |
| 7 Nov | Burnley | 1–1 | Chester City |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Chesterfield | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Notts County | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Stockport County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Stockport County | 1–1 | Chesterfield |
| 17 Oct | Chesterfield | 2–1 | Notts County |
| 7 Nov | Notts County | 1–0 | Stockport County |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Lincoln City | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 |
| Rochdale | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 3 |
| Darlington | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Lincoln City | 4–3 | Rochdale |
| 24 Oct | Rochdale | 5–2 | Darlington |
| 7 Nov | Darlington | 0–1 | Lincoln City |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Scunthorpe United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 4 |
| Wigan Athletic | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Bury | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Wigan Athletic | 1–1 | Scunthorpe United |
| 17 Oct | Scunthorpe United | 4–0 | Bury |
| 14 Nov | Bury | 0–0 | Wigan Athletic |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Wrexham | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| York City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Mansfield Town | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Mansfield Town | 2–2 | Wrexham |
| 17 Oct | Wrexham | 1–0 | York City |
| 7 Nov | York City | 1–0 | Mansfield Town |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Hull City | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
| Preston North End | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Scarborough | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Scarborough | 0–2 | Hull City |
| 17 Oct | Hull City | 1–0 | Preston North End |
| 7 Nov | Preston North End | 2–1 | Scarborough |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Carlisle United | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Bradford City | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 25 Sep | Doncaster Rovers | 1–1 | Bradford City |
| 17 Oct | Bradford City | 1–1 | Carlisle United |
| 7 Nov | Carlisle United | 1–1 | Doncaster Rovers |

### Southern Section

Group 1 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Shrewsbury Town | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 |
| Swansea City | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Leyton Orient | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Shrewsbury Town | 1–1 | Swansea City |
| 17 Oct | Swansea City | 0–0 | Leyton Orient |
| 7 Nov | Leyton Orient | 1–3 | Shrewsbury Town |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Cardiff City | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 4 |
| Hereford United | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Gillingham | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Hereford United | 3–3 | Cardiff City |
| 17 Oct | Cardiff City | 3–2 | Gillingham |
| 7 Nov | Gillingham | 2–2 | Hereford United |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Peterborough United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 4 |
| Northampton Town | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Plymouth Argyle | 0–3 | Peterborough United |
| 16 Oct | Peterborough United | 0–0 | Northampton Town |
| 7 Nov | Northampton Town | 1–0 | Plymouth Argyle |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Walsall | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 6 |
| Fulham | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1 |
| Wycombe Wanderers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 10 Oct | Wycombe Wanderers | 1–1 | Fulham |
| 17 Oct | Fulham | 2–5 | Walsall |
| 7 Nov | Walsall | 5–0 | Wycombe Wanderers |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Brentford | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| AFC Bournemouth | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| Exeter City | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 27 Sep | AFC Bournemouth | 0–1 | Brentford |
| 17 Oct | Brentford | 1–1 | Exeter City |
| 7 Nov | Exeter City | 0–2 | AFC Bournemouth |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Bristol Rovers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
| Brighton | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 3 |
| Cambridge United | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Cambridge United | 1–4 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 17 Oct | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0–2 | Bristol Rovers |
| 7 Nov | Bristol Rovers | 3–0 | Cambridge United |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Oxford United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 6 |
| Bristol City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
| Barnet | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Oxford United | 3–0 | Bristol City |
| 17 Oct | Bristol City | 2–0 | Barnet |
| 7 Nov | Barnet | 2–3 | Oxford United |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Swindon Town | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| Colchester United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 |
| Torquay United | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Sep | Colchester United | 5–2 | Torquay United |
| 17 Oct | Torquay United | 1–1 | Swindon Town |
| 8 Nov | Swindon Town | 2–0 | Colchester United |

## Area finals
### Northern Area final

| Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 5 Mar | Rotherham United | 2–0 | Carlisle United | 6,858 |
| 12 Mar | Carlisle United | 0–2 | Rotherham United | 6,692 |
| Rotherham United won 4–0 on aggregate |||||

### Southern Area final

| Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 5 Mar | Shrewsbury Town | 1–1 | Bristol Rovers | 5,212 |
| 12 Mar | Bristol Rovers | 0–1 | Shrewsbury Town | 7,050 |

## Final

ROTHERHAM UNITED: :
| GK | Matt Clarke |
| DF | Paul Hurst |
| DF | Ian Breckin |
| DF | Neil Richardson |
| DF | Paul Blades |
| MF | Andy Roscoe |
| MF | Shaun Goodwin |
| MF | Darren Garner |
| MF | Trevor Berry |
| FW | Nigel Jemson |
| FW | Shaun Goater |
| Substitutes: |||
| DF | Gary Bowyer |
| MF | Andy Hayward |
| MF | John McGlashan |
| Manager: ||||
| Archie Gemmill & John McGovern ||||
SHREWSBURY TOWN: :
| GK | Paul Edwards |
| DF | Chris Withe | |
| DF | Dave Walton |
| DF | Peter Whiston |
| DF | John Kay |
| MF | Mark Taylor |
| MF | Richard Scott | |
| MF | Carl Robinson | 75' |
| MF | Austin Berkley |
| FW | Ian Stevens |
| FW | Dean Spink | 45' |
| Substitute: ||||
| GK | Tim Clarke |
| DF | Tommy Lynch | 75' |
| FW | Steve Anthrobus | 45' |
| Manager: ||||
| Fred Davies ||||
MATCH RULES
* 90 minutes.
* 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
* Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
* Maximum of 3 substitutions.