# 1984–85 Football League Cup

The 1984–85 Football League Cup (known as the Milk Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 25th season of the Football League Cup, a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs.
The competition began on 27 August 1984, and ended with the final on 24 March 1985 at the Old Wembley Stadium. The cup was won by Norwich City, who beat Sunderland 1–0 in the final. An own goal from Sunderland's Gordon Chisholm gave Norwich the victory. At the end of the 1984–85 league season both Norwich and Sunderland were relegated to the Second Division. There was serious violence and a pitch invasion by some home supporters at the Stamford Bridge leg of the Chelsea-Sunderland semi-final, and although Norwich initially thought they had won a place in the 1985–86 UEFA Cup, they were denied what would have been their first season of European football by the ban that followed the Heysel Stadium disaster. Norwich eventually played in the UEFA Cup in 1993–94.

## First round

56 teams took part in the First round. All ties were decided over two legs.
| Home team | First Leg | Second Leg | Agg. | Away team | Dates | Dates |
| Home team | First Leg | Second Leg | Agg. | Away team | First Leg | Second Leg |
| Aldershot | 4–0 | 1–0 | 5–0 | Bournemouth | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Blackpool | 1–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | Chester City | 28 August 1984 | 5 September 1984 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2–1 | 4–4 | 6–5 | Oldham Athletic | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Bradford City | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–2 | Middlesbrough | 29 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Brentford | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | Cambridge United | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Bristol City | 2–1 | 3–0 | 5–1 | Newport County | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Burnley | 1–2 | 3–0 | 4–2 | Crewe Alexandra | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Crystal Palace | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | Northampton Town | 27 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Darlington | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–6 | Rotherham United | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Derby County | 5–1 | 1–0 | 6–1 | Hartlepool United | 29 August 1984 | 5 September 1984 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2–3 | 0–5 | 2–8 | York City | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Exeter City | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | Cardiff City | 29 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Gillingham | 3–2 | 2–0 | 5–2 | Colchester United | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Halifax Town | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | Chesterfield | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Hereford United | 2–2 | 3–5 | 5–7 | Oxford United | 29 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Lincoln City | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–6 | Hull City | 29 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Leyton Orient | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | Southend United | 28 August 1984 | 5 September 1984 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | Torquay United | 27 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Portsmouth | 3–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | Wimbledon | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Port Vale | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | Bury | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Reading | 1–1 | 3–4 | 4–5 | Millwall | 29 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Scunthorpe United | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | Mansfield Town | 28 August 1984 | 5 September 1984 |
| Sheffield United | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | Peterborough United | 28 August 1984 | 5 September 1984 |
| Stockport County | 3–1 | 2–1 | 5–2 | Rochdale | 27 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Swansea City | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–5 | Walsall | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Swindon Town | 1–5 | 1–0 | 2–5 | Bristol Rovers | 27 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2-3 | 2–2 | 4–5 | Preston North End | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |
| Wrexham | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–5 | Wigan Athletic | 28 August 1984 | 4 September 1984 |

## Second round

A total of 64 teams took place in this round. All ties were settled over two legs.
| Home team | First Leg | Second Leg | Agg. | Away team | Dates | Dates |
| Home team | First Leg | Second Leg | Agg. | Away team | First Leg | Second Leg |
| Arsenal | 4–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | Bristol Rovers | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Birmingham City | 4–1 | 1–0 | 5–1 | Plymouth Argyle | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | Oxford United | 25 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 3–1 | 0–3 | 3–4 | Aldershot | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Bristol City | 2–2 | 1–6 | 3–8 | West Ham United | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Charlton Athletic | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | Notts County | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Chelsea | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | Millwall | 26 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Fulham | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | Carlisle United | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Gillingham | 1–2 | 2–3 | 3–5 | Leeds United | 25 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| Grimsby Town | 3–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | Barnsley | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Halifax Town | 1–5 | 0–4 | 1–9 | Tottenham Hotspur | 26 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Ipswich Town | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–3 | Derby County | 25 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| Leicester City | 4–2 | 2–0 | 6–2 | Brentford | 26 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Manchester City | 4–2 | 3–1 | 7–3 | Blackpool | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Manchester United | 4–0 | 3–0 | 7–0 | Burnley | 26 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Newcastle United | 3–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | Bradford City | 26 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| Leyton Orient | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–7 | Luton Town | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Portsmouth | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–3 | Nottingham Forest | 25 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| Port Vale | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 24 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Preston North End | 3–3 | 1–6 | 4–9 | Norwich City | 25 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| Scunthorpe United | 2–3 | 1–3 | 3–6 | Aston Villa | 24 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| Sheffield United | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–6 | Everton | 26 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 3–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 | Huddersfield Town | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Shrewsbury Town | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–4 | Bolton Wanderers | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Southampton | 3–2 | 2–2 | 5–4 | Hull City | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Stockport County | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | Liverpool | 24 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Stoke City | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | Rotherham United | 26 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Sunderland | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | Crystal Palace | 25 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| Walsall | 1–2 | 3–0 | 4–2 | Coventry City | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Watford | 3–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | Cardiff City | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |
| Wigan Athletic | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | West Bromwich Albion | 25 September 1984 | 10 October 1984 |
| York City | 2–4 | 1–4 | 3–8 | Queens Park Rangers | 25 September 1984 | 9 October 1984 |

## Third round

The competitors in the Third round were made up from the 32 winners from the Second round.

### Ties

| Home team | Result | Away team | Date |
| Birmingham City | 0–0 | West Bromwich Albion | 30 October 1984 |
| Ipswich Town | 1–1 | Newcastle United | 30 October 1984 |
| Leeds United | 0–4 | Watford | 31 October 1984 |
| Luton Town | 3–1 | Leicester City | 30 October 1984 |
| Manchester City | 0–0 | West Ham United | 31 October 1984 |
| Manchester United | 1–2 | Everton | 30 October 1984 |
| Norwich City | 0–0 | Aldershot | 31 October 1984 |
| Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | Sunderland | 31 October 1984 |
| Notts County | 6–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 30 October 1984 |
| Oxford United | 3–2 | Arsenal | 31 October 1984 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 1–0 | Aston Villa | 30 October 1984 |
| Rotherham United | 0–0 | Grimsby Town | 30 October 1984 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 3–2 | Fulham | 30 October 1984 |
| Southampton | 2–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 30 October 1984 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 1–0 | Liverpool | 31 October 1984 |
| Walsall | 2–2 | Chelsea | 30 October 1984 |

### Replays

| Home team | Result | Away team | Date |
| Aldershot | 0–4 | Norwich City | 6 November 1984 |
| Chelsea | 3–0 | Walsall | 6 November 1984 |
| Grimsby Town | 6–1 | Rotherham United | 6 November 1984 |
| Newcastle United | 1–2 | Ipswich Town | 7 November 1984 |
| Sunderland | 1–0 | Nottingham Forest | 6 November 1984 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 3–1 | Birmingham City | 7 November 1984 |
| West Ham United | 1–2 | Manchester City | 6 November 1984 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–2 | Southampton | 6 November 1984 |

## Fourth round

The 16 winners from the Third round took part in the Fourth round. All ties were played over one leg.

### Ties

| Home team | Result | Away team | Date |
| Chelsea | 4–1 | Manchester City | 21 November 1984 |
| Everton | 0–1 | Grimsby Town | 20 November 1984 |
| Ipswich Town | 2–1 | Oxford United | 20 November 1984 |
| Norwich City | 3–0 | Notts County | 21 November 1984 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 4–2 | Luton Town | 20 November 1984 |
| Southampton | 1–1 | Queens Park Rangers | 20 November 1984 |
| Sunderland | 0–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | 21 November 1984 |
| Watford | 4–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 20 November 1984 |

### Replays

| Home team | Result | Away team | Date |
| Queens Park Rangers | 0–0 | Southampton | 27 November 1984 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 1–2 | Sunderland | 5 December 1984 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 4–0 | Southampton | 12 December 1984 |

## Fifth round

The eight winners from the Fourth round took part in the Fifth round. This round was played over one leg.

### Ties

| Home team | Result | Away team | Date |
| Chelsea | 1–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 28 January 1985 |
| Grimsby Town | 0–1 | Norwich City | 16 January 1985 |
| Ipswich Town | 0–0 | Queens Park Rangers | 23 January 1985 |
| Watford | 0–1 | Sunderland | 23 January 1985 |

### Replays

| Home team | Result | Away team | Date |
| Queens Park Rangers | 1–2 | Ipswich Town | 28 January 1985 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 4–4 | Chelsea | 30 January 1985 |
| Chelsea | 2–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 6 February 1985 |

## Semi-finals

As with the first two rounds, the semi-final ties were played over two legs. Relegation threatened East Anglian rivals Ipswich Town and Norwich City met in the first leg at Portman Road, where the Suffolk side won 1–0, only to be overhauled 2–0 at Carrow Road in the return match. Sunderland, also threatened by relegation, took on a thriving Chelsea side in the other semi-final, winning the first leg 2–0 and confirming their place in the final for the first time ever with a 3–2 win in the return match at Stamford Bridge.

### Second leg

Sunderland win 5–2 on aggregate
Norwich win 2–1 on aggregate