# 1988–89 Associate Members' Cup

The 1988–89 Associate Members' Cup (known as the 1988–89 Sherpa Van Trophy) was the eight staging of a secondary football league tournament, and the sixth 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 Bolton Wanderers and the runners-up were Torquay United.
The competition began on 21 November 1988 and ended with the final on 28 May 1989 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 |
| Scarborough | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 4 |
| Darlington | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 |
| Carlisle United | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 29 Nov | Carlisle United | 1–1 | Scarborough |
| 6 Dec | Darlington | 3–2 | Carlisle United |
| 14 Dec | Scarborough | 4–0 | Darlington |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Burnley | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
| York City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Hartlepool United | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | −5 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 22 Nov | York City | 0–2 | Burnley |
| 29 Nov | Burnley | 3–0 | Hartlepool United |
| 13 Dec | Hartlepool United | 0–2 | York City |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Blackpool | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 |
| Wigan Athletic | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
| Rochdale | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 22 Nov | Wigan Athletic | 1–2 | Blackpool |
| 6 Dec | Blackpool | 2–0 | Rochdale |
| 13 Dec | Rochdale | 0–2 | Wigan Athletic |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Grimsby Town | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Rotherham United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 29 Nov | Grimsby Town | 1–0 | Rotherham United |
| 6 Dec | Doncaster Rovers | 1–1 | Grimsby Town |
| 13 Dec | Rotherham United | 2–1 | Doncaster Rovers |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Halifax Town | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
| Huddersfield Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Scunthorpe United | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 6 Dec | Scunthorpe United | 1–2 | Halifax Town |
| 13 Dec | Huddersfield Town | 1–0 | Scunthorpe United |
| 20 Dec | Halifax Town | 1–1 | Huddersfield Town |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Preston North End | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Bury | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 6 Dec | Bolton Wanderers | 1–0 | Preston North End |
| 13 Dec | Preston North End | 4–0 | Bury |
| 20 Dec | Bury | 1–0 | Bolton Wanderers |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Stockport County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 28 Nov | Stockport County | 1–1 | Crewe Alexandra |
| 5 Dec | Tranmere Rovers | 2–1 | Stockport County |
| 13 Dec | Crewe Alexandra | 1–1 | Tranmere Rovers |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Wrexham | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 6 |
| Sheffield United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Chester City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 5 Dec | Wrexham | 1–1 | Sheffield United |
| 13 Dec | Sheffield United | 2–2 | Chester City |
| 21 Dec | Chester City | 1–2 | Wrexham |

### Southern Section

Group 1 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Brentford | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 6 |
| Gillingham | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
| Fulham | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 22 Nov | Fulham | 0–2 | Brentford |
| 29 Nov | Brentford | 2–0 | Gillingham |
| 10 Dec | Gillingham | 2–1 | Fulham |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Chesterfield | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Notts County | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Mansfield Town | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 29 Nov | Mansfield Town | 1–1 | Notts County |
| 6 Dec | Notts County | 1–1 | Chesterfield |
| 10 Dec | Chesterfield | 2–1 | Mansfield Town |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Colchester United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
| Southend United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Lincoln City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 22 Nov | Southend United | 2–1 | Lincoln City |
| 30 Nov | Lincoln City | 1–2 | Colchester United |
| 20 Dec | Colchester United | 2–1 | Southend United |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Bristol Rovers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Bristol City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| Exeter City | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 23 Nov | Bristol Rovers | 1–0 | Bristol City |
| 6 Dec | Bristol City | 2–0 | Exeter City |
| 14 Dec | Exeter City | 1–1 | Bristol Rovers |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Torquay United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
| Cardiff City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Swansea City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 29 Nov | Swansea City | 1–0 | Torquay United |
| 6 Dec | Cardiff City | 2–0 | Swansea City |
| 20 Dec | Torquay United | 3–1 | Cardiff City |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 4 |
| Hereford United | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Port Vale | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 21 Nov | Port Vale | 1–1 | Hereford United |
| 30 Nov | Hereford United | 2–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| 13 Dec | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 5–1 | Port Vale |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Reading | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 4 |
| Leyton Orient | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 |
| Aldershot | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 30 Nov | Reading | 5–2 | Aldershot |
| 6 Dec | Leyton Orient | 1–1 | Reading |
| 10 Jan | Aldershot | 1–3 | Leyton Orient |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Northampton Town | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| Cambridge United | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Peterborough United | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 22 Nov | Northampton Town | 1–1 | Cambridge United |
| 29 Nov | Cambridge United | 2–2 | Peterborough United |
| 21 Dec | Peterborough United | 0–2 | Northampton Town |