# 1987–88 Associate Members' Cup

The 1987–88 Associate Members' Cup, known as the 1987–88 Sherpa Van Trophy for sponsorship reasons, was the seventh staging of a secondary football league tournament, and the fifth staging of the Associate Members' Cup, a knockout competition for English football clubs in the Third and Fourth Divisions (now known as League One and Two).
The winners were Wolverhampton Wanderers, who defeated Burnley 2–0 in the final. This marked the first time two previous English champions have met in the final of this competition, and made Wolves the first former champions to have won the trophy, Portsmouth the only other having won the EFL trophy in 2019.
The competition began on 13 October 1987 and ended with the final on 29 May 1988. The tournament begins with clubs divided into a Northern and a Southern section, and teams entering a preliminary 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 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 |
| Burnley | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 |
| Rochdale | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Rochdale | 0–0 | Tranmere Rovers |
| Oct 27 | Tranmere Rovers | 1–2 | Burnley |
| Nov 24 | Burnley | 3–2 | Rochdale |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Carlisle United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
| Chester City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Blackpool | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Carlisle United | 2–1 | Chester City |
| Oct 28 | Chester City | 2–1 | Blackpool |
| Nov 24 | Blackpool | 0–1 | Carlisle United |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Preston North End | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 4 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| Stockport County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Bolton Wanderers | 0–0 | Preston NE |
| Oct 27 | Preston NE | 5–2 | Stockport County |
| Nov 24 | Stockport County | 1–3 | Bolton Wanderers |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Bury | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 4 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Wigan Athletic | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Wigan Athletic | 2–2 | Crewe Alexandra |
| Nov 24 | Bury | 5–2 | Wigan Athletic |
| Dec 04 | Crewe Alexandra | 0–0 | Bury |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Darlington | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 6 |
| Chesterfield | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
| York City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | York City | 3–4 | Darlington |
| Nov 24 | Chesterfield | 2–0 | York City |
| Dec 05 | Darlington | 2–1 | Chesterfield |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Sunderland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 6 |
| Rotherham United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 3 |
| Scarborough | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Rotherham United | 1–0 | Scarborough |
| Oct 28 | Scarborough | 0–3 | Sunderland |
| Nov 24 | Sunderland | 7–1 | Rotherham United |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Halifax Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
| Scunthorpe United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
| Grimsby Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Scunthorpe United | 2–0 | Grimsby Town |
| Oct 27 | Grimsby Town | 2–1 | Halifax Town |
| Nov 24 | Halifax Town | 3–0 | Scunthorpe United |
| Play-off to determine second place: ||||
| Dec 15 | Grimsby Town | 1–2 | Scunthorpe United |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Mansfield Town | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
| Hartlepool United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Doncaster Rovers | 0–1 | Mansfield Town |
| Oct 27 | Mansfield Town | 3–2 | Hartlepool United |
| Nov 24 | Hartlepool United | 1–0 | Doncaster Rovers |

### Southern Section

Group 1 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Brentford | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Notts County | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Northampton Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Notts County | 1–0 | Northampton Town |
| Oct 28 | Northampton Town | 1–0 | Brentford |
| Nov 24 | Brentford | 3–2 | Notts County |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Walsall | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 4 |
| Cardiff City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 |
| Wrexham | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Cardiff City | 3–2 | Wrexham |
| Oct 27 | Wrexham | 2–2 | Walsall |
| Nov 24 | Walsall | 3–1 | Cardiff City |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Aldershot | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 4 |
| Leyton Orient | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Gillingham | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Aldershot | 3–1 | Gillingham |
| Oct 27 | Gillingham | 2–2 | Leyton Orient |
| Nov 24 | Leyton Orient | 2–2 | Aldershot |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Colchester United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Peterborough | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 3 |
| Cambridge United | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Colchester United | 3–2 | Peterborough United |
| Nov 24 | Cambridge United | 0–0 | Colchester United |
| Dec 01 | Peterborough United | 3–0 | Cambridge United |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Torquay United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 6 |
| Hereford United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Bristol Rovers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Torquay United | 2–0 | Bristol Rovers |
| Oct 28 | Bristol Rovers | 0–2 | Hereford United |
| Nov 25 | Hereford United | 0–2 | Torquay United |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Newport County | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
| Port Vale | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Exeter City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Newport County | 2–0 | Port Vale |
| Oct 26 | Port Vale | 2–0 | Exeter City |
| Nov 24 | Exeter City | 0–1 | Newport County |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Brighton | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 6 |
| Southend United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Fulham | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 13 | Southend United | 1–0 | Fulham |
| Oct 27 | Fulham | 1–6 | Brighton |
| Nov 25 | Brighton | 3–2 | Southend United |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Wolves | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 |
| Bristol City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Swansea City | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Oct 27 | Swansea City | 1–1 | Wolves |
| Nov 10 | Bristol City | 2–0 | Swansea City |
| Nov 24 | Wolves | 3–1 | Bristol City |

## Area finals
### Northern Area final

Burnley won 3–1 on aggregate.

### Southern Area final

Wolverhampton Wanderers won 4–1 on aggregate.